法苑珠林 46.10

46.10

Even though elephants ran wild, horses bolted, and a fire broke out in the city burning the common people, who called out to one another urging them to flee the fire and not fall into ditches and moats, and the government troops all came at once to put out the fire, the man carried the bowl with a single mind, without spilling a single drop. Even though thunder rolled in the heavens, the earth shook, violent winds arose in turmoil snapping trees and sending dust flying, lightning flashed, thunderbolts crashed, birds and beasts fell, and people and domestic animals shrieked in terror, the man focused his mind on the oil and heard none of it. At that time, having carried the oil to that park pavilion without spilling a single drop, the ministers reported to the king, relating this matter in full. Hearing it, the king sighed in admiration: 'This man is hard to match; he is a hero among men, heedless of the myriad things.' The king rejoiced and appointed him a prime minister. The practitioner who walks the Path governs the mind in this manner: though all manner of evils—lust, anger, and delusion—come to disturb the faculties, he inspects within and guards without, gathering his mind without scattering. The samādhi of fixed intent is also just like this. Thereupon he uttered a verse: