法苑珠林 87.31

87.31

Furthermore, the Old Samyuktāvadāna-sūtra says: In the past, the Buddha Śākyamuni went up to the second heaven, Trāyastriṃśa, to preach the scriptures for his mother. At that time, a deva's lifespan was nearly exhausted, and seven signs appeared for him: first, the light in his neck was extinguished; second, the decorative flowers on his head withered; third, his facial complexion changed; fourth, dust settled upon his garments; fifth, sweat issued from under his armpits; sixth, his body became emaciated; seventh, he departed from his original seat. He then reflected to himself: "After my life ends, I must abandon heavenly joy, descend to be born in the country of Kuśinagara, and enter the womb of a mangy sow to become its piglet." He was extremely distressed and sorrowful, not knowing by what means he might escape this sin. A deva said to him: "Now the Buddha is here preaching the scriptures for his mother. The Buddha is the rescue of all across the three times; only the Buddha can deliver you from your grave sins. Why not go and take refuge in him?" He immediately went to the Buddha's abode, bowed his head, and paid homage. Before he could ask, the Buddha addressed the devaputra: "All things without exception return to impermanence. You have always known this; why be sorrowful?" The deva said to the Buddha: "Although I know that heavenly blessings cannot last long, I resent departing from this seat and having to become a mother pig. I consider this a torment. To receive a body in the human realm would not terrify me." The Buddha said: "If you wish to escape the body of a pig, you should take the three self-refuges, saying: 'Namo Buddhāya, Namo Dharmāya, Namo Bhikṣusaṃghāya. I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Saṃgha of monks.' Do this thrice daily." The deva complied with the Buddha's instruction, taking refuge morning and night. After seven days, the deva's lifespan was exhausted, and he came to the country of Vaiśālī to become the son of an elder. While in his mother's womb, he took the three self-refuges thrice daily. When he was first born onto the ground, he also knelt and took refuge. When his mother gave birth, there were no lochia. The maidservants attending the mother were terrified and fled. The mother also thought it deeply strange that the child spoke upon falling to the ground; thinking it was a demonic delusion, she wished to kill it. She then reflected back: "I have few children; if I kill this child, the father will surely blame me." She immediately told the elder the full circumstances. The father said: "Stop, stop! This child is no ordinary person. Even at a hundred years of age, people still do not understand taking refuge; how much more so a child who, falling to the ground, can himself call upon the Buddha! Raise and care for him well, and do not let anyone treat him with slight." The child eventually grew up. At age seven, he was playing by the roadside with his peers. At that time, the Buddha's disciples Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana happened to pass by the child. The child said: "I pay reverence." Śāriputra and the others were astonished that a small child could pay homage to bhikṣus. The child said: "Do the men of the Way not recognize me? When the Buddha was in heaven preaching the scriptures for his mother, I was then a deva destined to descend and become a pig. Receiving instruction from the Buddha, I took refuge and attained human form. Did you not know this?" The bhikṣus entered dhyāna and immediately came to know it. They then made an aspirational prayer for him, and thereupon invited the Buddha and the Saṃgha to receive offerings. When finished, the Buddha preached the Dharma for them; the parents, the child, and their inner and outer kin all attained avaivartika at that very moment. Such is the blessing of taking refuge!