法苑珠林 64.41

64.41

Furthermore, the Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka Sūtra says: The Buddha addressed the good men, saying: “In the past, immeasurable asaṃkhyeya great kalpas ago, this land was named Dust-Free Meru Tranquility. During that mahākalpa, when the human lifespan was a hundred years, in the Semblance Dharma of the Tathāgata Padma-gandha, I was a wheel-turning king of Jambudvīpa named Unconquered (Ajita). I and my thousand sons all aroused the aspiration for bodhi and went forth from the household together, cultivating pure conduct within the Dharma of the Tathāgata Padma-gandha. There were only six sons who did not wish to go forth and did not arouse the aspiration for bodhi. I repeatedly admonished them, ‘Why do you not go forth?’ The six sons replied to the king, ‘We cannot go forth.’ The king asked again, ‘Why do you not arouse the bodhi mind?’ They said, ‘If you can give the whole of Jambudvīpa to us, we will arouse bodhi.’ Hearing this, I rejoiced greatly. Having caused all the people of Jambudvīpa to abide in the three refuges and the eight precepts, and having encouraged them in the three vehicles, I divided this Jambudvīpa into six parts and bestowed them upon the six sons, urging them toward bodhi. I then went forth from the household and fully cultivated pure conduct. Those six princes were not harmonious; they raised armies and engaged in warfare, giving each other no peace, causing a tremendous famine in Jambudvīpa. Heaven sent down no rain, the five grains failed to mature, and vegetation did not grow. I then reflected: ‘Now is the very time; I ought to offer my body in dāna.’ Providing abundant flesh and blood, I left the grove, went to the Central Realm, ascended Mount Barrier Water, and made a great vow. At that time, the palaces of the asuras all shook violently, Mount Meru trembled, the ocean waters surged, and the devas and spirits all wept with grief. At that moment, I threw my body down from the mountain. By the power of my fundamental vow, it became a mountain of flesh one yojana high, and equal in breadth and length. The people, birds, and beasts came to consume its flesh and blood. By the power of my fundamental vow, it grew continuously day and night, gradually reaching a height of one thousand yojanas, with breadth and length being the same. On its four sides were human heads, fully equipped with hair, eyebrows, eyes, ears, nose, tongue, mouth, and teeth. Those human heads proclaimed in a loud voice, ‘Ah, all you sentient beings, take freely according to your desires! Fill your bodies with flesh, blood, and the six sense organs, and let your minds’ wishes be fulfilled—whether aspirations for the three vehicles or seeking the blessings of humans and gods.’ Some ate flesh and drank blood; some took eyes, took ears, took noses, took lips, took teeth, took tongues. By the power of my fundamental vow, they instantly restored themselves, without being exhausted or diminished. Thus for ten thousand years, with the flesh and blood of my body, I satiated all the people, yakṣas, birds, and beasts of Jambudvīpa. During those ten thousand years, the eyes I gave away were like the sands of the Ganges; the blood I gave away was like the four great oceans; the flesh of my own body that I gave away was like a thousand Mount Merus; the tongues I gave away to people were like the Iron Ring Mountains; the ears I bestowed were like Mount Sumeru of middle size; the noses I gave were like the great Mount Meru; the teeth I gave away were like Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa; and the skin of my body that I gave covered the Sahā realm. Good men, consider how over ten thousand years, with this single life, I practiced such immeasurable asaṃkhyeya giving. Giving to immeasurable asaṃkhyeya sentient beings, not for a single thought-moment did I generate a regretful mind. I then made a great vow: ‘If my intention to attain anuttara-bodhi is fulfilled in this manner, then throughout Buddha-lands of the five corruptions numbering as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions, I will satiate those sentient beings with my body and flesh for great kalpas numbering as the sands of the Ganges. If this vow of mine is not fulfilled in accordance with my intention, may I never see the Buddhas of the ten directions, fail to attain bodhi, never hear the voice of the Three Jewels and the three vehicles, and forever dwell in the Avīci hell!’”