法苑珠林 71.50

71.50

Fifth is the scolding of the fault of desire for touch. This touch is the cause of the arising of defilements; it is the root of binding the mind. Why is this? The other four sensory feelings each pertain to their respective faculties; this one spreads over the entire body with defiling attachment. Because it is difficult to abandon, one constantly commits grave offenses. At that time, the World-Honoured One spoke to the monks on the karmic conditions of his past lives: 'In the distant past, there was an immortal in the mountains of the kingdom of Vārāṇasī. In the middle month of autumn, he urinated into a washing basin. Seeing a male and female deer copulating, his lustful mind was stirred, and his semen flowed into the basin. A female deer drank it and immediately became pregnant. When her months were complete, she gave birth to an offspring whose form was human-like, except that his head bore a single horn and his feet resembled those of a deer. When the deer was about to give birth, she went beside the immortal's hut and delivered it. Seeing that the offspring was human, she entrusted it to the immortal and departed. When the immortal came out and saw this deer child, he reflected on the previous causes and knew it was his own child. He took it and raised it. When the child grew older, he diligently taught him learning, and he mastered the eighteen great treatises. He also studied seated meditation, practiced the four immeasurables of the mind, and attained the five spiritual penetrations. Once, when ascending the mountain, he encountered prolonged heavy rain and the mud was slippery; his feet were unsuited to it, so he fell to the ground, breaking his kamaṇḍalu and injuring his foot. He then flew into a great rage, filled his kamaṇḍalu with water, and placed a curse that it should not rain. Because of the immortal's merit, the nāgas, ghosts, and spirits all caused it not to rain. Because it did not rain, the five grains and five fruits did not grow at all. The people were destitute and had no means of survival. The king of Vārāṇasī was sorrowful and distressed, and he summoned the high officials to deliberate on the matter of rain. The wise men deliberated, saying: "We have heard that in the mountains of the immortals there is the Single-Horned Immortal. Because his feet are unsuited, when ascending the mountain he fell to the ground, hurt his foot, and angrily cursed the rain, causing it not to fall for twelve years." The king reflected: "If it does not rain for twelve years, my state will be ruined and there will be no people left." The king immediately offered a reward: "Whoever can cause the immortal to lose his five spiritual penetrations and become my subject shall be granted half of the kingdom to govern." There was a courtesan named Śāntā, upright, beautiful, and immensely wealthy, who came to answer the king's recruitment. The woman asked the people, "Is he human or non-human?" The people said, "He was born from an immortal." The courtesan said, "If he is human, I can ruin him." Having said this, she took a golden plate filled with fine treasures and said to the king, "I shall ride on this immortal's neck when I return." The courtesan immediately sought five hundred carriages carrying five hundred beautiful women, and five hundred deer-drawn carts carrying various kinds of sweetmeat balls (modaka), all blended with various medicinal herbs and painted with colors to resemble diverse fruits. She also took various potent, delicious wines that had the color and taste of water. Wearing tree-bark garments, they walked among the forest trees to resemble the immortals. Beside the immortal's hut, she made grass huts and dwelt there. When the Single-Horned Immortal wandered out and saw them, all the women came out to greet him, offering fine flowers and wondrous incense to the immortal. The immortal was greatly delighted. The women greeted and inquired after him with sweet words and respectful phrases. The immortal brought them into his room, seated them on fine mats and cushions, and they gave him fine, pure wine as pure water, and gave him the modakas as fruits and gourds. Having eaten and drunk to fullness, he said to the women, "Since I was born, I have never obtained such fine fruits and fine water." The women said, "Because we single-mindedly practice goodness, Heaven gives them to us; we wish you to obtain this fine water and fine fruits." The immortal asked the women, "For what reason are your complexions plump and flourishing?" They answered, "We eat these fine fruits and drink this delicious water, so we are plump like this." A woman said to the immortal, "Why do you not live here?" He answered, "I could also live here." The woman said, "We can bathe together," and he also agreed to it. The woman's hands were soft, and upon touch his mind was stirred; he then washed mutually with the women. Lustful thoughts arose in turn, and illicit sex was committed; he immediately lost his spiritual penetrations. Heaven then poured heavy rain for seven days and seven nights. They were made to enjoy pleasure, food, and drink. After seven days, the wine and food were exhausted; they were followed by mountain water and tree fruits, whose taste was not delicious. He asked for the former ones again, and they answered that they were exhausted: "Now we should walk together; not far from here is a place where they can be obtained." The immortal said, "As you please." They then set out together. When not far from the city, the woman lay down in the middle of the road, saying, "I am exhausted and can walk no further." The immortal said, "If you cannot walk, ride upon my neck; I shall carry you away." The woman had previously sent a messenger to inform the king: "The king may come to observe my wisdom and ability." The king ordered the royal carriage prepared and went out to observe. He asked, "By what means did you achieve this?" The woman said to the king, "By the power of skillful means, it has now come to this; the immortal has no further abilities." The king had him stay in the city, providing fine offerings and reverence to fulfill what he desired, and appointed him as a great minister. After staying in the city for a few days, his body grew increasingly emaciated, and his mind, longing for meditative stabilization and joy, grew weary of worldly desires. The king asked the immortal, "Why are you not joyful and your body grows increasingly emaciated?" The immortal answered the king, "Although I have obtained the five desires, I constantly remember the quietness of the forest and the places where the immortals wander, yet I am unable to leave." The king thought to himself: "If I forcefully oppose his will, it will cause suffering; when suffering reaches its peak, he will die. Originally, it was to eliminate the drought disaster, and now it has already been achieved; for what reason should I forcibly take away his aspiration?" He then dispatched him back. Having returned to the mountains, through diligence he soon regained his five spiritual penetrations.' The Buddha told the monks: 'The Single-Horned Immortal was myself; the courtesan was Yaśodharā now. At that time, she deluded me with modakas; because I had not cut off defilements, I was deluded by her. Now she again wishes to delude me with medicinal modakas, but it cannot be done.' Through this matter, know that subtle and soft objects of touch can stir even an immortal, how much more so an ordinary fool! Various causes and conditions such as these are called the fault of scolding the desire for touch. If one can thus scold the five desires, one then removes the five hindrances.