法苑珠林 44.19

44.19

The Faju piyu jing also states: Anciently, there was a king who governed according to the true Dharma, and the people admired his transformation. He had no crown prince and grieved over this. When the Buddha entered the kingdom, [the king] respectfully received the five precepts and revered them without remiss. He had an attendant, aged eleven, who constantly ran errands for the king, faithfully upholding the Dharma without considering it wearisome. He suddenly contracted a grave illness and passed away. His consciousness returned to become the king's son. When he reached the age of fifteen, he was established as the crown prince. When the father king died, he succeeded him as king. He was arrogant and self-indulgent, neglecting state affairs. The ministers and officials neglected taxes, and the people suffered from this. The Buddha knew that his conduct did not conform to his original consciousness; taking his disciples with him, he went to that kingdom. The Buddha said to the king, 'Does the King know where you originally came from?' The king said, 'I am ignorant and unperceptive; I do not know my former lives.' The Buddha said to the Great King, 'Originally, by five matters one is able to become a king. What are the five? First, through giving alms (dāna), one becomes a king, with the myriad people presenting palaces, buildings, and limitless wealth. Second, through erecting monasteries and offering beds, couches, and canopies to the Three Honoured Ones, one becomes a king, sitting on the royal throne in the main hall to govern the state. Third, through personally paying respectful homage to the Three Honoured Ones and to elders of virtue, one becomes a king, so that all the myriad people bow down to him. Fourth, through patient endurance (kṣānti), being free of evil in the three actions of the body, the four actions of speech, and in thought, one becomes a king, so that all who behold him are filled with joy. Fifth, through learning and constantly seeking wisdom, one becomes a king, so that whatever decisions he makes in affairs of state are carried out without exception. By these five matters, one becomes a king life after life. In your former life, King, you were an attendant to a great king. You served the Buddha with faith, the Dharma with love, the Saṃgha with respect, your parents with filial piety, and your sovereign with loyalty. You constantly practiced one-minded, diligent almsgiving, toiling and exhausting your body without ever growing weary. This merit followed your person, enabling you to become a prince and succeed to the royal line. Now, enjoying wealth and nobility, you have instead become indolent. A king of a country must practice five matters. What are the five? First, administer the myriad people without injustice or false accusations. Second, support and nourish generals and soldiers, distributing stipends in due season. Third, remember to cultivate your fundamental enterprise so that blessings and virtues never cease. Fourth, trust the honest remonstrance of loyal ministers, without accepting slanderous words to harm the upright. Fifth, restrain desires and greed for pleasure, keeping the mind free from negligence. If you practice these five matters, your renown will spread across the four seas, and blessings and prosperity will arrive of themselves. If you abandon these five matters, the general order will collapse: when the people are impoverished, they will contemplate rebellion; when soldiers are overworked, their strength cannot be rallied; when one lacks merit, ghosts and spirits will not assist; when one acts willfully, one loses the great principle; when loyal ministers dare not remonstrate, the mind becomes reckless and dissipated; when the lord of the state does not attend to duties, the people harbor much grievance. If it is like this, one will lose one's good name and subsequently have no blessings.' Thereupon, the World-Honoured One spoke the verses again: