法苑珠林 98.34

98.34

Furthermore, when the Buddha was in the world, he said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas: 'You must offer me pearls and celestial craftsmen.' He also said to the heavenly Māra: 'You must offer me the seven precious gems.' He also said to the Dragon King Sāgara: 'You must offer me maṇi jewels.' Śakra, the devas, and the nāgas thereupon offered jewels and gems. Within three times seven days they all gathered at the ordination platform and constructed pearl stupas adorned with the seven precious gems, upon which maṇi jewels were placed. Through the Buddha's supernatural power, within three times seven days all were completed simultaneously, yielding in all eighty billion stupas of pearls and seven precious gems in which to enshrine the Tathāgata's earthenware bowl. At that time King Māra addressed the Buddha, saying: 'I shall myself construct a pearl stupa to enshrine the World-Honoured One's bowl. Although I am the heavenly Māra, I revere and obey the Buddha's words; therefore, in future ages I will not let evil persons harm the holy teaching, and I will transform evil bhikṣus to make them feel shame and repentance.' The Buddha then granted his consent. Using pure maṇi [jewels], a single great stupa forty yojanas high was fashioned to enshrine the Buddha's bowl. When the World-Honoured One was about to enter nirvāṇa, he entrusted King Māra with building the stupa, ordering that it be entrusted to Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Great King Māra: 'Guard and protect it yourselves. After my nirvāṇa, when the saddharma has completely disappeared, place my bowl-stupa to the south of the ordination platform and keep it there for twelve years. You Four Heavenly Kings must constantly make offerings to it yourselves day and night, guarding and protecting it so that it suffers no harm. After twelve years have passed, entrust it to the Dragon King Sāgara to be placed in his palace at the great storehouse of the Vinaya. Further, command the Dragon King to build sixteen stupas to be the retinue of the bowl-stupa. After another twelve years, entrust it again to Śakra and the Four Heavenly Kings, who shall carry it to the summit of Mount Sumeru, to remain to the south of the Golden Sand Pool in Śakra's Pleasure Garden.' The Buddha said to the gandharva kings and the spirits of the eight classes: 'For forty years, perform celestial music to make offerings to the jewel stupa. For those disciples who uphold the precepts in that evil age, protect their almsbowls as you would protect the pupils of your eyes.'