法苑珠林 49.20

49.20

As the Shanzi jing states: In a past age, in the country of Jiayi, there was an elder who had no son. Both husband and wife had lost their sight. In their hearts they wished to enter the mountains to seek the unsurpassed Way, cultivate pure resolve, and take faithful delight in secluded solitude. At that time there was a bodhisattva named Sarvasundaradarśana (All-Wondrous Vision), who had this thought: 'These people have brought forth an aspiration that is subtle and wonderful, yet their eyes see nothing. If they enter the mountains, they will certainly meet with untimely harm.' When the bodhisattva's lifespan ended, he vowed to be born in the elder's household, and was named Shan. He was supremely filial, benevolent, and compassionate, practicing the ten virtues. Day and night he vigorously served his parents, as mortals serve Heaven. When he passed ten years of age, Shanzi knelt upright and addressed his parents, saying: 'Originally you brought forth a great resolve, wishing to enter the deep mountains to seek the aspiration for empty serenity and unsurpassed, true enlightenment. How could you cut short your original vow on account of your son?' His parents took him at his word and thereupon entered the mountains. Shan gave away all the family's possessions to the poor, and then went into the mountains. Using grass, they made a hut, and arranged beds and mats, neither cold nor hot, always finding what was suitable. After entering the mountains for a year, fruits were abundant and delicious, all tasting sweet; spring waters welled up, pure and cool; pond blossoms had five colours, and birds and beasts made music, facing one another with compassionate hearts and having no further intent to harm. Shan was so supremely filial and compassionate that when he trod upon the earth he feared causing it pain. Heavenly spirits and mountain spirits constantly assumed human form to console and encourage him day and night. Shan wore deer-skin clothing and carried a pitcher to fetch water. The elks, deer, and many birds also went there to drink, without fearing him. At that time, the king of Jiayi entered the mountains to hunt. Seeing a herd of deer beside the water, the king drew his bow and shot at them. The arrow mistakenly struck Shan in the chest. Hit by the poisoned arrow, Shan cried out in a loud voice, saying: 'Who has shot and killed three men of the Way with a single arrow?' Hearing a human voice, the king immediately dismounted his horse and went before Shan. Shan said to the king: 'Elephants die on account of their tusks, rhinoceroses perish on account of their horns, kingfishers meet their end for their feathers, and elks and deer for their hide and meat. Now I am innocent; on account of what do I die?' The king asked Shan, saying: 'What kind of person are you? Wearing deer-skin clothing, you are no different from birds and beasts.' Shan said: 'I am a person of your kingdom. Together with my blind parents, I have come to study the Way for over twenty years, and have never been seen and wrongfully harmed by tigers, wolves, or poisonous insects. Yet now I have been shot and killed by the king.' At that very moment, a violent gale suddenly arose in the mountains, blowing down and snapping trees. The hundreds of birds cried out mournfully, and beasts such as lions and bears all wailed loudly. The sun lost its bright radiance, the flowing springs dried up, the many blossoms withered and died, and thunder and lightning shook the earth. Then his blind parents were startled, arose, and said to one another: 'Shan went to fetch water and has not returned for a long time. Could he have been harmed by poisonous insects? The birds and beasts are wailing unlike ordinary times; the wind has risen and snapped the trees—there must be a calamity or anomaly.' At that time, the king was terrified and greatly reproached himself: 'I have acted abominably! Originally wishing to shoot deer, the arrow mistakenly struck you and killed a man of the Way. The sin is extremely grave. Out of greed for a little meat, I incur a heavy disaster. I now [offer] all the rare treasures of my kingdom, the palaces, courtesans, suburbs, and walled cities to save your life!' The king then pulled at the arrow in Shan's chest with his hands, but it was deep and could not be drawn out. Flying birds and running beasts gathered like clouds from the four directions, wailing so as to shake the mountain. The king became even more terrified; of his three hundred and sixty joints, every single joint trembled. Shan spoke to him, saying: 'It is not the king's fault; it was brought about by my own past sins. I do not begrudge my bodily life, but only pity my blind parents. Now that their years are declining and old, and their two eyes are also blind, once they are without me, they too must perish. There will be no one to look after them, and it is on account of this that I am distressed, not because of the pain of the poison.' The king again spoke solemnly: 'I would rather enter Niraya for a hundred kalpas to suffer punishment if it would allow Shan to live! If your life ends, I will not return to the kingdom, but will remain in the mountains to provide for your parents just as when you were alive. Do not worry about this. Let all the devas, dragons, and spirits bear witness that I will not violate this oath.' Shan, hearing the king's oath, felt joy and gladness in his heart, and though dying, had no regrets: 'I entrust my parents to the great king. Providing for people of the Way will extinguish sins in this present life and bring immeasurable merit.' The king said: 'Tell me where your parents are, so that while you have not yet died, I may know it.' Shan then gave directions: 'From here along the footpath, not far away, you will naturally see a grass hut; my parents are inside. King, walk slowly; do not cause my parents to be terrified. Use skilful means to enlighten their minds, and offer my apologies to them. Impermanence has now arrived, and I must proceed to the next world. I do not begrudge my life, but only think of my parents: old in years, both eyes blind, and once they are without me, having nothing to rely upon—it is on account of this that I am distressed. Although it is deeply cruel, death is one's ordinary lot, brought about by past sins, from which none can escape. Now I repent, wishing that sin may be extinguished and merit produced, and that we may meet life after life without drifting apart. I pray that my parents may preserve their years and lifespan to the end, free from sorrow and distress, and that the devas, dragons, ghosts, and spirits may constantly follow and protect them, causing disasters to be eliminated.' Having received these words, the king took several men and went straight to where the parents were. After the king had departed, Shan suddenly breathed his last. Birds and beasts wailed, circling above Shan's corpse and licking the blood from his chest. The blind parents, hearing the sounds, grew even more anxious and terrified. As the king walked swiftly, brushing against the grass and trees, there was a rustling sound of a person. The parents said in alarm: 'Who is this? It is not our son's gait.' The king said: 'I am the king of Jiayi. Having heard that people of the Way were in the mountains studying the Way, I have come to make offerings.' The parents said: 'Welcome, Great King. You have wearied your majestic honour to come from afar into the wild grasses. Is the king's person well? Are your palaces, consort, crown prince, officials, and subjects all well and sound? Are the wind and rain harmonious, the five grains abundant, and neighbouring states not invading or harming you?' The king answered the people of the Way, saying: 'By the grace of the people of the Way, all are safe and well.' The king inquired of the blind parents, saying: 'Living in the mountains must weary your minds with bitter toil. Among the trees, do the flying birds and running beasts do you no harm? Are you at peace with the seasonal cold and heat in the mountains?' The blind parents said: 'By the king's bountiful grace, we are always at ease. We have a filial son named Shan, who constantly gathers fruits and melons for us, and the spring water is always plentiful. The wind and rain in the mountains are harmonious, and there is no lack or scarcity. We have grass mats to sit on and fruits and melons to eat. Shan has gone to fetch water and should soon return.' Hearing this, the king was heartbroken, and tears fell. He said: 'In my vile wickedness, I entered the mountains to hunt. Seeing a herd of deer beside the water, I drew my bow and shot at them. The arrow mistakenly struck Shan, so I have come to tell you.' When the parents heard this, they threw their bodies to the ground, like a great mountain collapsing, and the earth shook. The king personally stepped forward to support and raise them up. The parents wailed, looked up to Heaven, and said: 'Our son was so filial and compassionate that when he trod upon the earth he feared causing it pain. What crime did he commit that you shot and killed him? A moment ago the wind arose in the trees and the hundreds of birds mourned at once—we suspected that our son had died.' His mother wept and cried out, but the father said: 'Stop for a moment. Having been born, one must die; this cannot be averted. Let us now ask the king where he shot Shan, and whether he is now dead or alive.' The king recounted Shan's words, and the parents were overcome with grief: 'Once we are without our son, we too must die.'