法苑珠林 65

English (machine translation) 65

Language: English

65.1

Compiled by the śramaṇa Shi Daoshi of Ximing Temple

65.2

Chapter 75: Releasing Living Beings
Chapter 76: Rescuing from Distress

65.3

Chapter: Releasing Living Beings (This has two sections)

It is observed that among the myriad classes of beings, none do not crave life; the crawling and bewildered masses all know to fear death. Thus the tiger in dire straits that lost its forest entrusts its life to a hut, and the startled bird with clipped wings throws itself beside a desk. As for Master Yang caring for the sparrow, how could he have harboured an intention for jade rings? Master Kong releasing the turtle originally had no thought for a golden seal. Yet the unseen terms were never amiss, and refined retributions arrived accordingly. Thus we know that karmic actions of cause and effect are as luminous as the sun. Moreover, in the transforming influence of Great Compassion, rescuing from suffering is the foremost; in the mind of the great vow, delivering life is the basis. Yet the noble families of the five regions boast of their ranks of cauldrons, and the easy-going men of the three markets all ply their cleavers as their business. What crime have the multitude of beings committed that they are unjustly subjected to mutilation? The sentient beings are without fault, yet they encounter the butcher's board and mince-meat, causing resentful souls to be continuous and painful retributions to be repaid to one another. Now I encourage benevolent ones to cultivate compassionate deeds together. Whatever lives are in peril and dread, set them free altogether; let those that fly or submerge follow their own drinking and pecking. Cause the purple scales and red tails to gaze at one another in the rivers and lakes, and the brocade breasts and kingfisher feathers to roam freely among the clouds. Some may hear the Three Refuges and awaken to the Way—how are they different from the blind dragon? Some may hear the Four Truths and be born in heaven—further matching the parrot. Together establish the foundation of longevity, and together attain the fruit of perpetual life.

65.6

Section 2: Citing Testimonies

65.7

As the Brahmajāla Sūtra says: “If one is a disciple of the Buddha, out of compassion one should engage in the practice of releasing living beings. All men are my fathers; all women are my mothers. In life after life, there is none through whom I have not taken birth. Therefore, the sentient beings of the six destinies are all my parents. If one kills and eats them, that is killing my parents, and also killing my former body. All earth and water are my past bodies; all fire and wind are my fundamental essence. Therefore, constantly practice releasing living beings, taking birth after birth [in pure realms]. If one sees worldly people killing animals, one should use skillful means to rescue and protect them, relieving their suffering and distress. Constantly teach and preach the bodhisattva precepts to deliver sentient beings. When parents or siblings die, invite Dharma masters to expound the bodhisattva precepts and Vinaya, seeking merit to support the deceased, so that they may see the Buddhas and be born among humans or in the heavens. If one does not do so, one commits a light defilement offense.”

65.8

Furthermore, the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya says: All the seven assemblies of the monastic and lay must strain water before drinking and using it. If the water has been strained, make someone who can see the fine lines in their palm examine it thoroughly. The time of examining should be as long as an elephant carrying a bamboo cart turning around; only when one knows there are no [insects] should it be used. Have a trustworthy person be taught to strain it; if someone is not trustworthy, strain it oneself. If insects are found, take them back to the original source where the water was drawn and place them there. If it is far or near to the source and there is a pond, and if the water in the pond or well does not dry up for seven days, put the insects into it. If one knows water has insects, one must not lend a vessel and rope to others [without warning]. If there are insects in a pond or river, one may call out, saying: “This water has insects.” If asked, answer: “Elder, see for yourself.” If they are close friends or fellow disciples, tell them: “There are insects here; you should strain the water before using it.”

65.9

Furthermore, the Daśabhāṇavāra Vinaya relates: There were two bhikṣus who had never seen the Buddha. Traveling a long way from the north together to Śrāvastī to see the World-Honoured One, on the road they were parched with thirst and encountered water with insects. The one who broke the precepts said: “We can drink it together.” The one who maintained the precepts said: “There are insects in the water; how can we drink it?” The precept-breaker said: “If I do not drink, I will surely die of thirst and not be able to see the Buddha.” He then drank and went on. The one who upheld the precepts carefully guarded the precepts and did not drink; he thereupon died of thirst. He was immediately born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three with a complete body, and went first to where the Buddha was, bowing his head to his feet. The Buddha preached the Dharma for him, and he attained the purity of the Dharma-eye; after receiving the Three Refuges, he returned to heaven. The one who had drank the water arrived later at the Buddha's place. The Buddha was preaching the Dharma for the four assemblies, and he parted his robe to reveal his golden body: “Foolish man! You wished to see my physical body. Why were you not like the one who upheld the precepts, who first saw my Dharma-body, the body of wisdom?” The Buddha said: “From this day forward, if a bhikṣu travels more than twenty li without a water-straining bag, he commits an offense. If he does not have one himself, but an agreeable companion has one, he is permitted to go.”

65.10

Furthermore, there were soldiers on an expedition. A bhikṣuṇī instructed the marchers, so that all the men attached straining bags to the tips of their bows and used them to filter water. An official reported this to the king. Hearing it, the king was enraged and wanted to execute them all: “You even fear tiny insects and will not kill them; how much less will you be willing to harm bandits when you see them!” A soldier explained to the king, saying: “If tiny insects brought harm to the state, your subjects would kill them all. Since there is no enmity, why should we not be allowed to filter the water to drink?” Hearing this, the king released them. Through the power of the marchers' compassionate roots of goodness, even the bandits all came to surrender and be transformed.

65.11

Furthermore, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra says: “With water left overnight, if one does not inspect it closely, there is fear that fine insects may arise. If it is not strained and purified, do not drink or use it. This is called minutely maintaining the precept against killing.”

65.12

Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: In a past life, the people suffered greatly from diseases of jaundice, pallor, and emaciation. The bodhisattva at that time took the body of a red fish, and offered his own flesh to the sick people to cure their illnesses. Furthermore, in the past the bodhisattva became a flying bird living in the forest. He saw a man who had entered deep water, a place where humans do not walk, ensnared by a water deity and unable to untie himself. If someone could go to Mount Gandhamādana and obtain a medicinal herb to place upon the snare, the rope would immediately rot and break, and the man could escape. In past lifetimes, the bodhisattva had countless such jātaka tales, bringing great benefit; these are called jātaka sūtras.

65.13

Furthermore, the Daśabhāṇavāra Vinaya says: The Buddha said: In a past life, near the foot of the snowy mountains, there was a deer king named Majestic Virtue (Tejovanta), who was the king of five hundred deer. At that time, a hunter set out grain and laid a snare. The deer king stepped forward and his right foot fell into the hair snare. The deer king thought: “If I show any sign, then the deer will not dare to eat the grain. I must wait until they finish eating the grain, and only then reveal the condition of my foot.” At that time, all the deer departed; only a female deer remained, and she spoke a verse:

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“Great King, you should know,
The trapper is coming.
Pray exert every means
To escape from this snare.”

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Then the deer king answered in verse:

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“I have exerted every means,
My strength and power are exhausted.
The hair snare grows ever tighter;
I am unable to escape.”

65.17

Seeing that the hunter had arrived, the female deer spoke a verse to him:

65.18

“With your sharp blade,
Kill my body first,
And then please release
The deer king to go free.”

65.19

Hearing this, the hunter gave rise to a mind of pity and replied in verse:

65.20

“I shall never kill you,
Nor shall I kill the deer king.
I release both you and the deer king
To go wherever you wish.”

65.21

The hunter immediately released the deer king. The Buddha said: “The deer king of the past was my own person today. The five hundred deer were the five hundred bhikṣus.” At another time there was a king of geese who was caught by a hunter; a companion goose wished to give up its life in his stead, and likewise spoke verses in response. Seeing this, the hunter pitied them and released both geese. Later they sought treasures to repay his kindness. The general meaning is the same as the above.

65.22

Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: Hearing the deer's words, the king immediately rose from his seat and spoke a verse:

65.23

“I am truly a beast,
Called a human-headed deer.
Though you have a deer's body,
You are called a deer-headed human.
Speaking according to principle,
One is not human merely by form.
If one can possess compassion,
Though a beast, one is truly human.
From this day forward,
I shall not eat any meat.
I offer the gift of fearlessness,
So that your mind may be at ease.”

65.24

Furthermore, the Samantapāsādikā says: Maudgalyāyana expounded a jātaka sūtra for King Aśoka, saying: “Great King, in the past there was a partridge caged by humans. In sorrow and fear on the ground, it cried out loudly. Its fellows gathered like clouds and were killed by humans. The partridge asked a man of the Way: ‘Am I guilty of an offense or not?’ The man of the Way answered: ‘When you cried out, did you have the intention to kill?’ The partridge said: ‘I called out to summon my companions; I had no intention to kill.’ The man of the Way then answered: ‘If you had no intention to kill, you are without offense.’ And he spoke a verse:

65.25

‘Where action does not touch the same karma,
Nor arise from the same mind,
If a good person keeps the mind restrained,
Guilt will not fall upon you unjustly.’”

65.26

Furthermore, the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya says: The Buddha told the bhikṣus: In a past life, there was a hermitage of ṛṣis in Mount Gandhamādana. Not far from the mountain was a pond. At that time, in the water there was a softshell turtle who came out of the pond to feed. Having eaten, it faced the sun with its mouth open and slept. At that time, monkeys in Mount Gandhamādana entered the pond to drink water. Having come ashore, they saw the turtle sleeping with its mouth open. At that time, a monkey engaged in lustful conduct, inserting his male organ into the turtle's mouth. The turtle awoke and closed its mouth, withdrawing its six limbs into its shell. As the verse says:

65.27

“A foolish person clings to characteristics,
Just like being bitten by a turtle;
He loses hold of the śiśna,
Which cannot be freed without an axe.”

65.28

At that time, the turtle firmly gripped the monkey and walked backward, wanting to enter the water. The monkey, terrified and panicked, thought: “If I enter the water, I will surely die without doubt.” Yet in pain and weakness, he let the turtle drag him about. Hauled and dragged through a treacherous place, the turtle turned onto its back. At that time, the monkey embraced the turtle with both hands, thinking: “Who will deliver me from this suffering and distress?” The monkey knew where the ṛṣis lived: “He will rescue me!” He then carried the turtle and went toward that place. The ṛṣi saw him from afar and thought: “How extraordinary! What is this monkey doing, and what kind of game is he playing?” The monkey called out: “Brāhmaṇa, what kind of precious vessel full of treasures are you holding? What kind of faith have you obtained to come toward me?” Then the monkey spoke a verse:

65.29

“I, a foolish monkey,
Harassed another without cause.
You who rescue from distress are a worthy gentleman;
My life is in imminent danger.
If today you, Brāhmaṇa,
Do not rescue me,
In an instant my male organ will be severed,
And I shall return wretched to the mountain forest.”

65.30

Then the ṛṣi answered in verse:

65.31

“I shall cause you to be freed,
To return to the mountain forest;
Yet I fear by the ways of a monkey,
Your old habits will arise again.”
Then that ṛṣi spoke of their past deeds:
“Turtle, in a past life,
You were once named Kāśyapa;
Monkey, in a past life,
You were named Kauṇḍinya.
Having already engaged in lustful conduct,
Now you may cut off this condition;
Kāśyapa, release Kauṇḍinya,
And let him return to the mountain forest.”

65.32

Hearing these words, the turtle released the monkey.

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The verse says:

65.34

Those universally dear are all our kin, / Yet across different lifetimes they deceive one another.
They seek only pleasures in the present, / Unaware of providing for future suffering.
They drag me into the three evil destinies, / To undergo a myriad perils of acute torment.
Unless they are set free through compassionate renunciation, / How could they obtain a prolongation of life?

65.35

Circumstances of Sympathetic Resonance (briefly citing one verification)

65.36

In the Tang dynasty, Ma Jiayun of Wei commandery, in the first month of the sixth year of the Zhenguan era, was at home toward evening. Going out through the main gate, he suddenly saw two men, each holding a horse, who had already been standing under a tree outside the gate. Jiayun asked who they were. They answered, saying, 'The Duke of the Eastern Sea has sent us merely to welcome Scholar Ma.' Jiayun had always possessed learning and was renowned in the prefectures and villages; whenever commissioners from the censorate or noble guests from the four quarters arrived, many requested to see him. When they called him by name, he was not surprised. He said to the envoys, 'I have no horse.' The envoys said, 'We present this horse; with it we welcome Scholar Ma.' Jiayun thereupon mounted the horse under the tree and departed, while his physical body lay fallen beneath the tree. Soon they arrived at an official bureau and were about to enter the main gate. There were several tens of men and women outside the gate as if they were litigants. There was a woman who was previously acquainted with Jiayun; she was the concubine of Zhang Gongjin from the same commandery, of the Yuan surname. Holding a sheet of official documentation in her hand, she came forward and said to Jiayun, 'Scholar Ma, do you still recognize me? Formerly, when Commander-in-chief Zhang associated [with you], we often met. The Commander-in-chief, villainous and unprincipled, murdered me. I lodged an appeal to the Celestial Bureau, and now it has been three years. Because King Deva-master protected Gongjin, I was constantly suppressed. Only now have I obtained redress. The officials have already summoned him, and he will arrive before long. I was wondering why I alone was wronged and harmed; why have you also come, Scholar Ma?' Jiayun had previously known that Lady Yuan had been killed, and only upon seeing her did he realize that he himself had died. The envoys led him inside the gate. The gatekeeper said, 'The Duke is asleep and cannot yet be visited. You should go and sit at the quarters of Huo, the Director of Penal Law.' When Jiayun met the Director of Penal Law, it turned out to be Huo Zhang, the former Bureau Director of the Branch Department of State Affairs of Yizhou. Seeing Jiayun, he invited him to sit and said, 'The post of Record Keeper in this office is vacant. The Duke of the Eastern Sea has heard of your talent and learning, and wishes to condescend to employ you in this post.' Jiayun said, 'Being poor, I guard over my wife and children and do not wish to be an official. If I can be spared, it would be most fortunate.' Zhang said, 'If you cannot do it, plead for yourself that you lack learning. I have an acquaintance whom I can recommend to do it.' Shortly after, someone came and said, 'The Duke has awoken from sleep.' He led Jiayun inside, where he saw a man sitting in the hall, short, fat, and dark-complexioned. Calling Jiayun forward, he addressed him, saying, 'I have heard of your talent and learning, and wish to condescend to employ you as Record Keeper. Can you do it?' Jiayun bowed in gratitude and said, 'I am most fortunate. However, I am a rustic fellow of the fields, who merely teaches canonical learning to the younger generation; I am not sufficient to undertake the responsibilities of Record Keeper.' The Duke said, 'Do you know Huo Zhang?' He answered, saying, 'I know him.' Thereupon he sent for Zhang and asked about Jiayun's talents. Zhang said, 'All along I have known of his canonical learning, but have not seen him compose literary works.' The Duke said, 'Who is capable of literary composition?' Jiayun said, 'There is Chen Ziliang, who understands literary composition.' The Duke said, 'Release Scholar Ma to return.' He immediately ordered the summoning of Chen Ziliang. Jiayun took his leave, and Zhang parted from him, saying, 'I trouble you to speak to my son Gou: "When I was facing death, I told you to sell the horse I rode to build a stūpa. Why did you sell the horse for your own expenses? Swiftly construct the stūpa as I instructed."' What he called 'Gou' refers to his eldest son. Jiayun then asked, 'Just now I saw the concubine of Zhang Gongjin. Who was the Deva-master she mentioned?' Zhang said, 'A fellow countryman of Gongjin, Wang Wujie, died and became a Deva-master. He constantly rescued Gongjin, which is why he lasted until now. Now, it seems he cannot escape.' Having finished speaking, they parted. An envoy was dispatched to escort Jiayun. Arriving at a narrow, rough path, [the envoy] pointed and instructed him to return by this road. Jiayun recounted the whole matter. In the seventh month of that year, a man from Mianzhou surnamed Chen and named Ziliang died suddenly. After passing a night, he revived. He himself said he had seen the Duke of the Eastern Sea, who wished to employ him as Record Keeper, but he excused himself on the grounds of not knowing letters. Another Chen Ziliang, a man of Wu, also died. Gongjin likewise passed away. However, after both men died, Jiayun once walked on the road with someone. Suddenly he seemed to see an official bureau; with an anxious and frightened expression, Jiayun only hurried away. After a while he calmed down. His companion asked him about it, and he replied, saying, 'I just saw an envoy of the Duke of the Eastern Sea, who said they were going to Yizhou to summon someone, and further said: "Chen Ziliang bitterly denounced you; Huo, the Director of Penal Law, was reproached on your account. You almost did not escape. It was thanks to your merit of ransoming living beings that you managed to escape."' Formerly, when Jiayun was in Shu, people were about to drain a pond to take the fish; Jiayun, who had earned several tens of bolts of silk by lecturing on the classics for others, thereupon bought the fish in the pond to ransom their lives. It was this that was meant. During the Zhenguan era, when the imperial retinue was at Jiucheng Palace, [the emperor] heard of this and sent Vice Director of the Secretariat Cen Wenben to inquire into the matter. Wenben recorded it to present in a memorial, and it was so. Jiayun later became an Erudite of the National University and died in office. (The above single verification is taken from the Mingbao ji.)

65.37

Chapter Seventy-Six: Rescuing from Calamities (This has five sections)

65.38

Section on Expressing the Intent
Section on Bodhisattvas
Section on Jalavāhana
Section on Merchant Chiefs
Section on the King of Beasts

65.39

Section One: Expressing the Intent

65.40

Now, the bestowing of the vast power of compassion and the supplications for seeking blessings and relieving misfortunes elicit sympathetic resonance when sincerity reaches its utmost; this is the same with all the sages. Yet the Great Being Avalokiteśvara is uniquely renowned for gathering and hearing [such prayers]. Therefore, when cast into fire, there is a body that would surely be crushed; when drifting at sea, there is a life that could not possibly survive. But if in the span of an instant one turns one's thought to take refuge [in him], then the vast ocean can be dried up, and blazing fire turns into a refreshing coolness. Or when facing a blade against the neck, the bright sword does not harm; or falling into a deep pit, the entire body suffers no injury; or when fettered and bound by cangues and manacles, they untie from the bodily form. Such benefits received are fully mirrored [in the teachings] and hard to exhaust. If one acts with earnest sincerity and self-restraint, one will surely evoke spiritual signs; if one is frivolous and indolent, difficult perils cannot be averted.

65.41

Section Two: Bodhisattvas

65.42

As the Saṅgharakṣa-sūtra says: At that time there was a bodhisattva in the mountains who sat upright with a compassionate mind, contemplating without moving. A bird hatched its eggs on his crown. Realizing that the bird was on his crown and fearing that the eggs would fall, his body did not stir or shake. Restraining his sitting posture, he remained motionless in that place. Even when the bird fledged its wings, as long as it could not fly, he never abandoned it and went away.

65.43

Furthermore, the Maitreya-paripṛcchā-pūrvapraṇidhāna-sūtra says: The Buddha said, 'Ānanda, when I originally sought the Path, my diligent austerities were boundless. In a past life there was a royal prince named Jewel Flower, who was handsome and graceful. Going out from the garden to look around, he saw a man on the road whose body was afflicted with leprosy. Seeing him, he asked the sick person, "What kind of medicine will cure your disease?" The sick person answered, saying, "If I obtain a king's marrow and blood to smear upon my body, then the disease will be cured." Having heard this, the prince immediately opened his own body, taking the bone marrow and blood to give to the sick person. He gave them with utmost sincerity, with no regret in his mind. That royal prince was my very self. The water of the four great oceans might still be measured by the peck, but the bone marrow and blood of my body cannot be calculated, all for the sake of seeking saṃbodhi.'

65.44

Furthermore, the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra says: At that time, Bodhisattva Āṭavika manifested as the body of a ghost; Bodhisattva Saṃjñin manifested as the body of a deer; Bodhisattva Jñānolkā manifested as the body of a monkey; Bodhisattva Vigatarāga manifested as the body of a black he-goat; Bodhisattva Kṣīṇāsrava manifested as the body of a king of geese. In this way, five hundred bodhisattvas each manifested and assumed various bodies. From their bodies emanated great fragrance and radiance. Each bodhisattva held a lamp in hand in order to make offerings to the Buddhas of the ten directions. From the time of the seven Buddhas onward, they had been kin to these Buddhas, upholding the five precepts and generating the bodhicitta. For the sake of taming all sentient beings and causing them to generate bodhi, they took on these bodies.

65.45

Furthermore, the Saṃyuktaratnapiṭaka-sūtra says: In the past, there was an arhat, a man of the Path, who kept a novice. Knowing that this novice would surely die when seven days had passed, he granted him leave to return home, instructing him to come back when the seven days were over. The novice took leave of his master and went home. On his way, he saw many ants drifting along with the water, on the verge of death. Arousing a compassionate mind, he took off his kāṣāya himself, held earth in it to dam the water, and picked up the ants, placing them in a high and dry place. Consequently, they all survived. When the seven days were over, he returned to the master's place. The master was greatly astonished. Immediately entering samādhi, he observed with the divine eye and knew that [the novice] had no other merit to obtain this; solely through the cause and condition of rescuing the ants, he did not die after seven days and gained a long prolongation of life. (Also, repairing an old stūpa brings prolongation of life; repairing walls or plastering holes in a saṃghārāma also brings prolongation of life.)

65.46

Section Three: Jalavāhana

65.47

As the Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra says: At that time, the elder Jalavāhana treated the ailments of all sentient beings within the kingdom of King Sureśvaraprabha, causing them to recover. At that time, the elder's son had a wife named Jalagarbhā, who bore two sons; one was named Jalamata, and the second was named Jalagarbha. At that time, the elder's son took these two sons and traveled about in turn, arriving at a great empty marsh. He saw various birds and beasts, mostly feeding on blood and flesh, racing uniformly in one direction. The elder thought: "For what reason are these various birds and beasts racing in one direction?" Thereupon, the elder's son followed them and saw that there was a pond whose water had dried up. In that pond there were numerous fish. The elder, seeing the fish, gave rise to great compassion. At that time, a tree spirit manifested half of its body and spoke these words: "Excellent, good man! These fish are pitiable; you should give them water. For this reason you are called by the name Jalavāhana (Flowing Water)." The elder asked the spirit: "What is the number of heads of these fish?" The tree spirit answered, saying: "Their number is completely full, a full ten thousand." At that time, Jalavāhana, having heard this number, redoubled his mind of compassion. At that time, this empty pond was scorched by the sun, and these ten thousand fish were about to enter the gates of death. At that time, the elder sought water in the four directions but could not find any at all. Seeing a large tree, he immediately took branches and leaves, returned to the pond, and provided shade and coolness for them. Having made shade and coolness, he again ran swiftly far off to another place and saw a great river named Jalodbhava. There were evil men who, in order to catch these fish, breached and diverted its water so that it was not allowed to flow down. Yet the place where it was breached was steep, precipitous, and difficult to repair. At that time, the elder's son hurried to the king's place and explained the circumstances: "I only pray, Great King, lend me twenty great elephants so that they may carry water to save the lives of those fish." At that time, the Great King immediately ordered his ministers to supply them swiftly: "Go in person to the stables and select them as you wish." At that time, Jalavāhana and his two sons took the twenty great elephants, borrowed leather water-bags from the people who governed the city, and went to that breached place on the upper stream. They filled the bags with water, had the elephants carry them, and hurried swiftly to the pond in the empty marsh. They emptied them into the pond, and the water thereupon brimmed full. At that time, the elder's son strolled around the four sides of the pond, and the fish also followed him, moving along the bank. At that time, the elder's son again had this thought: "For what reason do these fish follow me? They must be tormented by the fire of hunger and seeking food from me." At that time, Jalavāhana told his sons: "Go home and inform your grandfather: whatever edible things there are in the house, load them all onto elephants and return in haste." At that time, the two sons, as their father had instructed, went home and informed their grandfather, explaining the matters as above. At that time, the two sons gathered food, loaded it onto the elephants, and returned to their father's place. The elder was joyful in his heart, took the food from his sons, and scattered it into the pond. Having given the food to the fish, he caused them to be satisfied. He further reflected on [a passage in] the sūtra: "If there are sentient beings who, when approaching the end of their lives, are able to hear the name of Ratnaśikhin Tathāgata, they will immediately be born in heaven." He then entered the water and spoke these words: "Homage to the past Ratnaśikhin Tathāgata," along with his ten epithets and names. He also explained to these fish such profound and sublime Dharma as the twelve links of dependent origination. At that time, Jalavāhana and his sons returned home. Sometime later, when the guests were lying asleep from drunkenness, the earth suddenly shook violently. At that time, the ten thousand fish died on the same day and were immediately born in Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. Having been born in heaven, they thought of repaying the kindness. At that time, the ten thousand devaputras descended from Trāyastriṃśa Heaven to the elder's house. At that time, the elder's son was asleep in an upper story. These ten thousand devaputras placed ten thousand heavenly wondrous necklaces of real pearls beside his head, placed another ten thousand beside his feet, placed another ten thousand beside his right side, and placed another ten thousand beside his left side. They rained down māndārava flowers and mahāmāndārava flowers, piling up to his knees. Various kinds of heavenly music produced wondrous sounds. Those who were asleep in Jambudvīpa all awoke, and the elder Jalavāhana also awoke from sleep. These ten thousand devaputras traveled through the air and rained down heavenly flowers throughout the kingdom. They also went to the marsh pond and rained down heavenly flowers again, and then disappeared from there and returned to the palace of Trāyastriṃśa.

65.48

Section 4: The Caravan Leader

65.49

As the Mahākāruṇika-sūtra says: The Buddha told Ānanda: In a past age, there was a great caravan leader who, in order to gather jewels, led merchants into the great ocean. The ship they rode was filled with all kinds of jewels. When they reached the middle of the ocean, their ship suddenly broke apart. At that time, those merchants harbored fear and distress in their hearts, and great sorrow and anxiety arose. Among them, some obtained planks of the ship, some floated, and some lost their lives. At that time, I was that caravan leader. In the great ocean, I used a floating bladder to cross over safely. At that time, there were five men who called out to the caravan leader, saying: "Great Being, Caravan Leader, we only pray that you bestow fearlessness upon us!" Having spoken these words, the caravan leader then said to them: "Gentlemen, do not give rise to fear! I will cause you to cross over safely from this great ocean." Ānanda, at that time, the caravan leader carried a sharp sword on his body and had this thought: "The law of the ocean is not to harbor dead corpses. If I now abandon my own physical life, these merchants will certainly be able to cross over the perils of the great ocean." Having had this thought, he immediately called the merchants and placed them upon his body, telling them to hold on firmly. Among those merchants, some rode on his back, some hugged his shoulders, and some grasped his thighs. At that time, the caravan leader, wishing to bestow fearlessness upon them, aroused great compassion and brought forth great courage. He immediately cut off his own life-faculty with the sharp sword and quickly met his death. At that time, the great ocean drifted his corpse and cast it upon the shore. Then the five merchants were able to cross the ocean, experience happiness in safety, and return to Jambudvīpa safely and without peril. Ānanda, could that caravan leader of that time have been someone else? It was my own person. As for the five merchants, they are the present five bhikṣus. These five bhikṣus formerly attained deliverance in the great ocean; now they have again attained deliverance in this ocean of birth and death, and have been established upon the fearless other shore of nirvāṇa.

65.50

Section 5: The King of Beasts

65.51

As the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: Long ago, in the past, countless asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, there was a great forest with many birds and beasts. A wild fire came and burned it, arising simultaneously on three sides; there was only one side separated by a body of water. The various beasts were in desperate straits, with nowhere to flee for their lives. The Buddha said: At that time, I was a large-bodied, powerful deer. With my front legs straddling one bank and my hind legs straddling the other bank, I caused the beasts to step upon my back and cross over. My skin and flesh were completely ruined, yet through the power of compassion, I endured it until death. At the very last, a hare came. My strength was already exhausted, but I forced myself to make an effort and endure it so as to let it cross over. When it had crossed over, my spine broke, and I fell into the water and died. Matters like this have existed for a long time, not merely in the present. Those who previously attained crossing over are my present disciples; the last hare is Subhadra. The Buddha, lifetime after lifetime, took joy in practicing vigor, and even now does not cease.

65.52

Furthermore, the Damamūka-nidāna-sūtra says: Long ago in a distant age of the Buddha, there was a famine in the world at that time. On the causal stage, the Tathāgata, compassionately rescuing sentient beings, assumed the body of a great fish, five hundred yojanas in length. When people of the state needed its flesh, whether humans or domestic animals, they all came to take and eat it. Once taken, it grew back again. For twelve years, he bestowed his flesh and blood.

65.53

Furthermore, the Jātaka-sūtra says: In the past, the Bodhisattva was once a tortoise king, born and raised in the great ocean, transforming his fellow creatures. His subjects and masses all cultivated benevolence and virtue. The king personally practiced compassion and rescue, pitying sentient beings as a mother loves her child. That ocean was deep and vast, its boundaries hard to limit, yet he traveled all around it, experiencing everything. At that time, the tortoise king emerged outside the ocean and lay resting on the edge. Days and months accumulated, and his back became hard and dry, just like dry land. Merchants coming from afar stopped upon it accordingly. They chopped firewood, lit fires, and cooked food; their oxen, horses, carriages, and stones they carried were all placed upon it. The tortoise king wished to hasten into the water, but feared falling into unrighteousness. Just as he was about to force himself to endure it, the pain was unbearable. He then devised a skillful expedient to enter a shallow place in the water, extinguishing the venom of the fire without endangering the merchants. The merchants were terrified, thinking that the tide had suddenly risen. Weeping and crying out, they took refuge in the devas, seeking only salvation. The tortoise king pitied them even more in his heart, and consequently reported to the merchants, saying: "Take care not to be terrified! Because I was burned by fire, I entered the water, wishing to relieve the pain. Now I will make you safe and will never endanger you." When the merchants heard this, they knew there was hope of surviving. Simultaneously raising their voices, they said: "Namo Buddhāya." The tortoise aroused great compassion, carried the merchants on his back again, and moved to the shore. When the people were delivered, there was none who was not joyful. From afar, they praised the tortoise king and extolled his virtue: "Honored as a bridge, crossing over so many; acting as a great vessel, transcending the three realms! If you attain the Buddha path, you should again rescue and deliver [us] from the perils of birth and death." The tortoise king reported, saying: "Excellent, excellent! It shall be as you say." They parted ways. The Buddha said: "Could the tortoise king of that time have been someone else? It was my own person. As for the five hundred merchants, they are my present five hundred disciples, Śāriputra and the others."

65.54

Furthermore, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra says: If there are sentient beings who see a lawbreaker who ought to suffer the pain of death, and ransom their life with wealth to cause them to be released, seeking no repayment of gratitude, at the end of their lives they will be born in the Heaven of Constant Delight (Sadāmatta). Falling from heaven and returning to receive a human body, they will not meet with royal tribulations.

65.55

If there are sentient beings who uphold the precepts and, seeing a great fire arise and burn sentient beings, extinguish the fire with water and rescue the sentient beings, at the end of their lives they will be born in the Heaven of Traversing the Path (Mārgacarī) and receive various kinds of joy.

65.56

Furthermore, as related in the *Sūtra on Saving the Pup*: Once, in an ancient state, grain became exorbitant, and the people were starving. At that time, a śramaṇa entered the city on his alms round. He went everywhere from door to door, but gained not a thing. Next he arrived at the gate of a prominent elder of great nobility and obtained some coarse, foul food; just as he was about to leave the city, within the gate he met a hunter-butcher holding a pup, taking it home intending to kill it. Seeing the śramaṇa, he was delighted and stepped forward to pay homage. The śramaṇa pronounced a benediction: 'May you enjoy longevity and long life.' The śramaṇa, knowing he had the pup and suspecting he intended to kill it, purposely asked him: 'What are you carrying now?' He replied: 'I walk empty-handed, having obtained and carried nothing.' The śramaṇa asked again: 'I have already seen it; why conceal it? The sin of taking life is exceedingly unwholesome. I wish to trade my food for this pup, so that its life may be saved, and your merit will be immeasurable.' The man replied: 'I cannot give it to you. I intentionally went to seek it so my family could eat together. How could this small amount of food of yours be sufficient?' The śramaṇa earnestly reasoned with and pleaded with him, but the man was recalcitrant and refused to heed his words. The śramaṇa said again: 'If you are unwilling, you can at least show it to me.' The man thereupon took it out to show the śramaṇa. The śramaṇa held up the food to feed the pup, stroked it with his hand, pronounced a prayer, and wept, [saying]: 'It is by your sins that you have received this dog's body, obtaining no self-determination, only to be killed and devoured. May your sins be extinguished and merit be born life after life; may you leave the body of a pup and be born as a human being, wherever you are encountering the Dharma and naturally [trusting] the Three Jewels.' Having received the food, wholesome thoughts arose in the pup; leaping with joy, it knew to take refuge of itself. The man took it home, slaughtered it, and [his family] ate it together. When the pup's life ended, it was immediately reborn in the family of a noble and great elder. As soon as it fell to the earth at birth, it had a mind of compassion. At that time, that śramaṇa on his alms round happened to arrive inside the elder's gate. As he was begging for alms, the elder's son saw the śramaṇa, recalled his past circumstances, and thereupon stepped forward, prostrated at the śramaṇa's feet, and invited him in to make an offering of food and drink of a hundred flavours. He went forward to address his parents, saying: 'Now I wish to follow this great preceptor, receive the sūtras and precepts, and become his disciple.' His parents, cherishing him, would not permit it: 'In our whole family we now have only you, an only son, who ought to succeed as master of the household. For what reason do you wish to abandon home and leave?' The young child wept and refused to eat or drink: 'If you will not permit me, I will simply go to my death.' Seeing this, the parents then permitted him to go. Following his master to study the Way, he shaved off his beard and hair, put on the three Dharma robes, chanted the Buddhist sūtras, and deeply understood their meaning. He then attained samādhi, established himself in non-retrogression, transformed everyone, and brought forth the mind of the Great Way. A Buddha's era is difficult to encounter; the path of the scriptures is difficult to hear. For anyone who can meet with them, there is none who is not delivered. Even beasts can attain the Way, how much more so humans—how could they fail to obtain the fruit? Even if one has breaches and offenses, if shame and remorse return and pure goodness comes forth, dark defilements will naturally be extinguished.

65.57

Furthermore, the *Saṃyuktāgama* says: At that time, the World-Honoured One addressed the bhikṣus: 'In a past age there was a bird named Lava. It was seized by a hawk and soared into the sky. Calling out in the sky, it said: "Without realising it, I suddenly met with this disaster! Because I abandoned the territory of my parents and roamed elsewhere, I met with this disaster! How is it that today I am imprisoned by another, having no self-determination?" The hawk said to the lava: "Where would you have your own territory to have self-determination?" The lava replied: "Amidst the furrows of ploughed fields I have my own territory, sufficient to escape all disasters; that is the territory of my family and parents." The hawk, feeling arrogant towards the lava, said: "I will let you go back into the ploughed furrows—will you be able to escape?" Thereupon the lava escaped from the hawk's talons, returned beneath a large clod in the ploughed furrows, and settled safely in its resting place. Yet it stood on top of the clod and wished to fight with the hawk. The hawk was enraged: "That little bird dares to fight with me!" With intense anger, it dived down steeply to strike. Thereupon the lava went under the clod; the momentum of the hawk's flight caused its chest to crash into the hard clod, shattering its body and killing it instantly. At that time, the lava bird, crouching deep under the clod, looked up and spoke a verse:'

65.58

'The hawk came putting forth its strength; / The lava relied on its clod. / Riding upon its violent, fierce rage, / It brought about disaster and shattered its body. / Being fully accomplished and discerning, / I relied on my own territory. / Subduing my foe, my mind rejoices; / Observing itself, it delights in its power. / Even if you have ferocious folly / And the strength of a hundred thousand dragons and elephants, / It does not equal one-sixteenth / Of my wisdom. / Behold my superior, exceptional wisdom, / Which destroyed the goshawk.'

65.59

The hymn says:

65.60

All conscious beings dread death; / Those with life fear peril and danger. / Like fish stranded as the pond dries up, / Scarcely reaching the edge of flowing water. / Close and distant alike have parents; / How can one lightly oppress them? / With compassion rescue those in distress, / And blessed retribution will naturally follow.

65.61

Circumstances of Sympathetic Resonance (briefly citing fifteen verified accounts)

65.62

The Qin śramaṇa Shi Daojiong
The Jin lay devotee Lü Song
The Jin lay devotee Xu Rong
The Jin lay devotee Zhang Chong
The Jin General Wang Yi
The wife of Yan Meng of the Jin
Zhou Zichang of the Jin
The Song śramaṇa Zhu Huiqing
The Song śramaṇa Shi Tanwujie
The Song śramaṇa Shi Fajin
The Zhou śramaṇa Shi Huitian
The Zhou śramaṇa Shi Sengshi
The Chen śramaṇa Shi Huibu
The Tang śramaṇa Shi Zhicong
The Tang lay devotee Xu Shancai

65.63

The Qin śramaṇa Shi Daojiong: His native place and lineage are already recorded in a previous account. In the eighteenth year of the Hongshi era of the Yao Qin, his master, Daoyi, dispatched him to Mount Huo in Henan to gather stalactites. He travelled together with four people, including his fellow student Daolang. Holding torches, they explored and entered about three li. They encountered a deep stream and crossed via a fallen log. Daojiong was the first to cross; those behind fell from the log and died. At that time, the torches also went out, leaving total darkness. Daojiong, thinking his life was over, could only weep bitterly. Still, with single-minded devotion he called upon Avalokiteśvara, vowing: 'If I am granted a way out, I will hold an offering feast for a hundred people to manifest and repay your divine spiritual power.' After one night, he saw a small, bright light, resembling a firefly. In an instant, the cave was fully illuminated. Thereupon he saw the path and was able to emerge from beneath the crag. From this, his faith and awakening grew ever deeper, and he repeatedly witnessed spiritual anomalies. In the nineteenth year of the Yuanjia era, Prince Kang of Linchuan was stationed at Guangling and invited Daojiong to receive offerings. In the ninth month of that year, in the western fasting hall, after he had conducted a ten-day Avalokiteśvara retreat, at the end of the fourth watch on the ninth night, while all the monks were asleep, Daojiong arose to pay homage. As he was about to return to sit in meditation, he suddenly saw on the four walls countless śramaṇas, all emerging halfway out. He saw a Buddha with snail-shell curls, clear and distinct. There was a tall man wearing a flat-topped cap, a padded cloth tunic, and trousers, carrying a long sword, of exceedingly magnificent and unusual appearance; rolling incense, he handed it to Daojiong. At that time Daojiong was unwilling to accept it. A śramaṇa in the wall spoke, saying: 'Venerable Jiong may accept the incense on behalf [of the host] to protect the master of the house.' Soon, it suddenly vanished, and nothing more was seen. At that moment, he saw none of the assembled monks at all; he beheld only the processional image of Śākyamuni that had been installed.

65.64

Lü Song of the Jin, courtesy name Maogao, was a native of Yanzhou. He was residing in Shifeng. The stream south of that county had swift currents and steep banks, winding like a coiled ribbon, and had many large rocks; even daytime travellers harboured fear and dread. Song recounted himself that his father was once travelling on the stream about ten li from home. As evening approached, the weather suddenly became wind-swept, rainy, and as black as pitch, so that he could no longer discern east from west. Convinced that he would capsize and drown, he solely turned his heart to Avalokiteśvara, both chanting and recollecting [her name]. In a moment, a torchlight came to the bank, as if held by someone, illuminating the stream with complete clarity, so that he was able to return home from afar. The light consistently led the way in front, ten-odd paces ahead of the boat. Song later associated with Xi Jiabin, and this was related by Xi.

65.65

Xu Rong of the Jin was a native of Langye. When returning from Dongyang, he passed Mount Ding. The boatman was unaccustomed [to the route] and mistakenly fell into a whirlpool; dancing amid the surging billows, they were on the verge of sinking. Rong had no further plan and merely called upon Avalokiteśvara with utmost sincerity. In an instant, it was as if several tens of people were pulling the boat with combined strength; it leapt out of the whirlpool and regained smooth current. Continuing down along the river, evening had already arrived. The sky was heavily overcast and dark, and the wind and rain were extremely fierce; not knowing where they were heading, the waves grew ever larger. Rong chanted the sūtras without ceasing from his mouth. After a short while, looking in the distance, he saw a radiant firelight atop a mountain. Turning the helm, he headed for it and directly reached Yunpu, the whole boat safe and sound. Once they arrived, the light was no longer visible. His companions marvelled at it, suspecting it was not a human fire. The next morning, they asked the people in the anchorage: 'What was that firelight on the mountain last night?' Everyone said in astonishment: 'With wind and rain like that yesterday, how could there possibly be a fire? None of us saw it.' Only then did they realise it was a divine light. Rong later served as a supervisor in the Kuaiji commandery government. Xie Fu heard him relate this personally. At that time, among those on the same boat with Rong was the śramaṇa Zhi Daoyun, a prudent and honest scholar, who fully witnessed the incident; he later told it to Fu Liang, and it agreed with what Rong had recounted.

65.66

Zhang Chong of the Jin was a native of Duling in Jingzhao. From his youth he revered the Dharma. In the Taiyuan era of the Jin, after Fu Jian was defeated, more than a thousand households of commoners from Chang'an fled south to submit to the Jin. They were detained by the garrison post, who deemed them roaming bandits; they killed the men and captured the women and children. Chong and five of his peers were shackled hand and foot in fetters, placed in an open pit, and buried up to their waists, each twenty paces apart from one another. The next day [the soldiers] intended to gallop on horseback and shoot them for entertainment. Chong's hopes were completely exhausted, and he only purified his heart and exclusively recollected Avalokiteśvara. In the middle of the night, the fetters suddenly broke of themselves, and his upper body was able to free itself; thereupon he fled and managed to escape. Chong's feet were in pain, and his companions passed by a temple along the road; he then called again on the name of Avalokiteśvara, paid homage with utmost sincerity, placed a stone in front of him, and made a vow, saying: 'Now I wish to cross east of the Yangtze River to plead with the Emperor of Jin to redress these wronged souls and rescue their wives and children. If my wish is to be fulfilled, may this stone split into two.' After Chong finished paying homage, the stone immediately broke. Chong eventually reached the capital, opened the White Tiger Vessel, and listed all the wronged families in detail. The Emperor then pardoned them all; those who had already been abducted and sold were all restored to the household registers. The monk Zhisheng witnessed this with his own eyes.

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法苑珠林 — 道世, Classical Chinese