法苑珠林 59.34

59.34

The Sūtra of Previous Causes and Deeds of the Buddha says: The Buddha told Śāriputra: "In the distant past, near the city of Vārāṇasī, not far from the city, there was a village of many hunters. In it there was a Brahmin who served as the king's Chief Astrologer, the foremost in the realm. He had a son whose head naturally bore a garland of fire, and he was named after it: Uttara (Fire Garland). That Uttara was handsome in his features and possessed thirty marks. There was nothing of the Brahmin scriptures, charts, books, or omens in which he was not erudite. At that time, there was a potter's son named Nandipāla, which translates as 'Guarding Joy'. He had been close friends with Uttara from childhood, and in their hearts they respected and thought of each other without forgetting even for a moment. The potter was diligent, compassionate, and filial; both his parents were blind, and he supported them with nothing lacking. Although he was a potter, his hands never dug the earth, nor did he allow others to dig it. He only took earth from broken walls, collapsed banks, and rodent burrows, mixing it to make vessels, which turned out incomparably fine. If there were men or women who came wishing to buy them, he did not haggle over the price and did not take gold, silver, or valuables, but only took grain and rice to support [his parents]. The vihāra where Kāśyapa Tathāgata resided was not far from the village, together with a great assembly of twenty thousand monks, all of whom were arhats. Nandipāla said to Uttara: 'Shall we go together to see Kāśyapa Tathāgata?' Uttara replied: 'What is the use of seeing this shaven-headed man of the Way? He is truly just a shaven-headed man; what Way could he have?' This happened up to three times. On a later day he said again to Uttara: 'Shall we go together to the water to bathe?' Uttara replied: 'That is fine.' So they went together to the water and bathed. Having put on their clothes, Nandipāla raised his right hand and pointed into the distance, saying: 'The Tathāgata's vihāra is not far from here. We can go together to see him for a moment.' Uttara replied: 'What is the point of seeing this bald-headed man of the Way? How could the Buddha's Way be so hard to attain?' Nandipāla then seized his clothes and pulled him, but he would not go. Uttara then stripped off his clothes, left them, and ran. Nandipāla pursued him, seized his sash, and tugged it, saying: 'Can we not just briefly see the Buddha together and then immediately return?' Uttara again untied the sash, abandoned it, and ran, saying: 'I do not wish to see this bald-headed śramaṇa.' Nandipāla then grabbed his hair, tugged him, and said: 'Just go once to see the Buddha!' At that time, it was a taboo in that kingdom to seize someone's head; anyone who seized it would be beheaded. Uttara was terrified and thought secretly to himself: 'This potter's son would risk death to seize my head; this is no small matter. There must surely be something good that causes this person to risk death to seize me.' Uttara said: 'Release my head, and I will follow you.' Nandipāla then released it, and they went together to the Buddha's abode. Nandipāla bowed at the Tathāgata's feet and sat to one side. Uttara simply raised his hands in salutation and then sat down. Nandipāla joined his palms and said to Kāśyapa Buddha: 'This Uttara is the son of the Chief Astrologer in the village of many hunters, and is a close friend of my youth. However, he does not recognize the Three Venerated Ones and does not have faith in the Three Jewels. May the World-Honoured One instruct his benighted darkness and cause him to have faith and understanding.' The youth Uttara stared intently at the World-Honoured One, viewing the Buddha's marks and characteristics from head to foot: his majestic demeanor was towering and lofty, all his sense faculties were utterly gentle and harmonious; he was adorned with the thirty-two marks on his body and eighty secondary characteristics as his appearance, like the flowers of a sāla tree; his body was like Mount Sumeru, and none could see his uṣṇīṣa; his face was like the full moon, his radiance like the brightness of the sun, and the color of his body like gold. When Uttara saw the Buddha's marks and characteristics, he thought in his mind: 'All the marks and characteristics recorded in my Vedic prophecies, the Buddha has them all now, except for two things: first, the mark of the retracted male organ; second, the mark of extending the tongue to lick the face.' Thereupon he spoke a verse of inquiry: