法苑珠林 49.30

49.30

As the Za baozang jing states: The Buddha said, 'If a person makes even a small offering to their parents, they obtain boundless merit; if they show even a little disobedience, their offense is likewise boundless. Long ago in the past, I was born in the country of Vārāṇasī as the son of an elder, named Maitrakanyaka. His father had died early, and he lived together with his mother. The family was poor, and by selling firewood he earned two coins a day to provide for his mother. Devising better plans, he earned four coins a day to supply his mother. Gradually doing still better, he earned eight coins a day to support his mother. Later, turning to commerce, he made increasingly larger profits, earning sixteen coins a day to provide for his mother. Seeing his intelligence and blessed merit, everyone came to encourage him to go out to sea to gather jewels. Having heard this, he informed his mother. His mother, seeing his filial love, thought he could not go, and jokingly said to him, "I permit you to go out to sea." The son then formed a group of companions, fixed a date, and took his leave. His mother embraced her son and wept, saying, "Without waiting for my death, how can you go?" Having already given his word to the others, the son feared breaking his promise; he pulled himself away, tearing out several dozen strands of his mother's hair and injuring her. He then went out to sea and returned with a great abundance of jewels. Halfway back, his companions went ahead, and Maitrakanyaka lagged behind alone, losing his companions and straying from the road. Arriving at a mountain, he saw a city of lapis lazuli. Hungry and thirsty, he went toward it, and four jade maidens holding four wish-fulfilling gems came out of the city playing music to welcome him. For forty thousand years he experienced great happiness. Then he grew weary, abandoned them, and departed. He saw a city of crystal, where eight jade maidens holding eight wish-fulfilling gems came playing music to welcome him. For eighty thousand years he experienced tremendous joy. Later, growing weary, he abandoned them and departed. Arriving at a city of white silver, sixteen jade maidens holding sixteen wish-fulfilling gems came to welcome him as before. For one hundred and sixty thousand years he experienced great happiness. Afterward, he again abandoned them and departed. Arriving at a city of yellow gold, thirty-two jade maidens holding thirty-two wish-fulfilling gems came to welcome him as before. For three hundred and twenty thousand years he experienced great happiness. Then, growing weary, he abandoned them and departed. He arrived at an iron city. Entering, he saw a man wearing a flaming wheel upon his head, who cast it upon Maitrakanyaka's head and departed. Thereupon Maitrakanyaka asked the hell warden, "When can I be freed from wearing this wheel?" The hell warden replied, "When there is someone in the world who performs actions of sin and merit like yours—entering the sea and passing through the various cities—he will then come to take your place and receive the punishment. If no one takes your place, it will never fall to the ground." He asked again, "What sin and merit did I perform in the past?" The hell warden answered, "Because in the past you supported your mother with two coins, you obtained the lapis lazuli city with four wish-fulfilling gems and four jade maidens, experiencing that pleasure for forty thousand years. Supplying your mother with four coins, you obtained the crystal city with eight wish-fulfilling gems and eight jade maidens, experiencing various pleasures for eighty thousand years. Supplying your mother with eight coins, you obtained the silver city with sixteen wish-fulfilling gems and sixteen jade maidens, experiencing pleasure for one hundred and sixty thousand years. Because you supported your mother with sixteen coins, you obtained the golden city with thirty-two wish-fulfilling gems and thirty-two jade maidens, experiencing great happiness for three hundred and twenty thousand years. Because you tore your mother's hair, you now receive the retribution of the iron city's flaming wheel. Only when someone takes your place will you be freed." He asked the hell warden again, "Are there many in this hell who undergo retribution comparable to mine?" He answered, "They are limitless and beyond calculation." Having heard this, he thought, "I will certainly not escape it. May all who ought to suffer pain have it gather entirely upon my body!" As soon as he formed this thought, the iron wheel immediately fell [from his head]. Seeing this, the hell warden struck his head with an iron pitchfork. He immediately perished and was reborn in the Tuṣita Heaven.' The Buddha said to the bhikṣus: 'The former Maitrakanyaka was myself. By this reason, whether one does a little good or evil toward one's parents, one receives boundless retribution. Therefore, one should diligently provide for one's parents.' Furthermore, the Tattvasiddhi-śāstra says: 'Toward the various noble ones and toward parents and the like, if the Tathāgata generates good or evil karma, he receives immediate retribution.' Furthermore, in the Mañjuśrīparipṛcchā-sūtra, the Buddha spoke in verse, saying: