法苑珠林 53.45

53.45

When the bhikṣu Mahālu saw the Buddha manifesting his bodily marks of radiance, he was moved with grief, joy, and awe. He bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, contemplated the meaning of the verse, and immediately entered settled mindfulness, attaining the path of an arhat. He recognized the events of countless past lifetimes of his own, and all the scriptures of the tripiṭaka were instantly strung together in his mind. The Buddha told Mahālu: "Put on your robes, take your bowl, and go to the royal palace to eat, sitting above the five hundred practitioners. These practitioners were your five hundred disciples in a past life. Speak the scriptures for them again to make them attain the traces of the Way, and lead the king to clearly believe in wrongdoing and merit." He immediately received the Buddha's instruction, went straight into the royal palace, and sat in the upper seat. The minds of the assembly were all astonished at the reason, but each protected the king's feelings and did not dare to reproach him. Thinking of his foolishness and inability to offer the dakṣiṇā, their minds grew weary on his account. The king then served the food, pouring and offering it with his own hand. Mahālu then gave the dakṣiṇā; his voice was like rumbling thunder, and his clear words poured down like rain. The practitioners on their seats were startled, frightened, and repented, and all became arhats. When he explained the Dharma for the king, there were none who did not understand. The ministers and the hundred officials all attained the path of a srotāpanna.