諸經要集 6.40

6.40

又出曜經云。昔佛在世時。迦毘羅衛國中。有目連同產弟。大富饒財七寶具足。庫藏盈溢。奴婢僕從不可稱計。時目揵連。數往弟家而告弟曰。聞卿慳嫉不好布施。佛常說施獲報無數。卿今施者得福無量。弟聞兄教開藏布施。更立新藏欲受其報。未經旬日財寶竭盡。故藏悉空。新藏無報。其弟懊惱向兄說曰。前見兄勅。施獲大報不敢違教。諸來求乞。竭藏施盡。故藏悉空。新藏無報。將無為兄所疑誤耶。兄曰。止止。莫陳此語。勿使外道邪見之人聞此麁言。若使福德當有形者。虛空境界。所不能容。吾今權示汝微報。即以神力。手接其弟至第六天。見有宮殿。七寶合成。香風浴池。庫藏盈溢。不可稱計。玉女營從。數千萬眾。純女無男。即問兄曰。是何宮殿巍巍乃爾。目連告弟。汝自往問。弟即自往問天女曰。是何宮殿七寶合成。巍巍堂堂懸處虛空。誰有福德於中受報。天女報曰。閻浮提內。迦毘羅國中。釋迦文佛神足弟子。名曰目連。彼有賢弟。大富長者。由好布施後生此處。而與我等作其夫主。弟聞歡喜善心生焉。還至兄所。具白其情。目連告曰。夫人布施為有報耶。為無報耶。弟懷慚愧向兄懺悔。後至家中轉更修福。命終之後即生天上。受斯福報。又樹提伽經云。佛在世時。有一大富長者。名為樹提伽。倉庫盈溢金銀具足。奴婢成行。無所可欲有一白疊手巾。掛著池邊。為天風起吹王殿前。王即大會群臣共坐參論。羅列卜問。怪其所以。諸臣皆言。國將是興天賜白疊。樹提默然。王語樹提。諸臣皆慶卿何無言。樹提答王。不敢欺王。是臣家拭體白疊。掛著池邊。為天風起吹王殿前。故默不言却後數日。有一九色金花。大如車輪墮王殿前。王復會臣。問答如前樹提答王言。臣不敢欺王。是臣之家後園之中。萎落之華。為天風起吹王殿前。故默無言。王語樹提。卿家能爾。卿須還歸任作調度。吾領二十萬眾。往到卿家看去。樹提答言。願王相隨不須預去。是臣之家自然床席不須人鋪。自然飲食不須人作。自然擎來不須呼喚。自然擎去不須返顧。王即將領二十萬眾。到樹提伽南門而入。有一童子端正可愛。王語樹提。是卿兒不。答言。是臣守閣之奴。小復前行至閤門內。有一童女顏色端正。皮色瑤悅甚復可愛。王語樹提。是卿女耶婦耶。答言。是臣守閣之婢。小復前行至其堂前。白銀為壁。水精為地。王見為水疑不得前。樹提導前。將王上堂。坐金床踞玉机。樹提伽婦。坐百二十重金銀闈帳裏。披帳而出為王設拜。眼中淚出。王語樹提。卿婦拜我。何故淚出。臣不敢欺王。聞王煙氣眼中淚出。王語庶民然脂諸侯然蜜。天子然漆。漆亦無煙。何得淚出。樹提答王。臣家有一明月神珠。掛著堂殿晝夜無異。不須火光。樹提堂前。有一十二重高樓。將王上看四面觀視恍忽經月。大臣白王。國計事大。王可還歸。王謂須臾小復可忍。復遊園池不覺經月。問答同前。樹提出七寶施兼綾羅繒綵。二十萬眾。人馬俱重。一時還國。王語群臣。其樹提伽是我之民。女婦宅舍過殊於我。我欲伐之。可取以不。諸臣皆言可取。王將四十萬眾。椎鍾鳴鼓圍樹提宅。數百餘重。樹提伽宅。南門中有一力士。手捉金杖一擬。四十萬眾人馬俱倒。手脚撩戾。腰臗娿婆。狀似醉容。頭腦叵我不復得起。於是樹提乘雲母之車。來問諸人。來時何害臥地不起。大王遣來欲伐長者。力士手捉金杖一擬。四十萬眾人馬俱倒不復得起。樹提問言。欲得起不。諸人皆言。欲得起。樹提一放神力。令四十萬眾人馬俱起一時還國。王即便喚。樹提伽同車而載。往詣佛所。白世尊。樹提先身作何功德得是果報。佛言。善聽。先有五百同緣。在於山阻。道逢一病道人。賜其菴室米糧燈燭。爾時廣乞多願。天自供養從空來下。變身十八。放大光明蕩照天下。又願作佛。破散鐵圍。鑊湯生華。地獄出栴檀。餓鬼作沙門。羅剎坐誦經。五百商人。齎其重寶。由供病僧。僧廣乞天供。今得斯報。于時施者樹提伽是。病僧者我身是也。五百商人者。皆得阿羅漢道。又百緣經云。佛在世時。舍衛城中有一長者。財寶無量不可稱計。其婦生一男兒。端正殊妙世所希有。當生之日天降大雨。父母歡喜。舉國聞知。相師占善。因為立字名耶奢蜜多。不飲乳餔。其牙齒間自然八功德水。用自充足。年漸長大。見佛出家得羅漢果。諸天世人所見敬仰。時諸比丘見是事已。請佛為說宿福因緣。爾時世尊告諸比丘。此賢劫中有佛出世。號曰迦葉。於彼法中有一長者。年極老耄。出家入道不能精勤。又復重病。良醫占之。教當服蘇病乃可差。尋用醫教取蘇服之。於其夜中藥發熱渴。馳走求水水器皆空。復趣泉河並皆枯竭。如是處處求水不得。深自悔責。於彼河岸脫衣繫樹。捨之還來。至其明旦。以狀白師。師聞是語即答之言。汝遭此苦狀似餓鬼。汝今可即取我瓶中水至僧中行。即受教取瓶水。水盡涸竭。心懷憂怖。謂其命終必墮餓鬼。尋詣佛所具陳上事。而白世尊。幸為見示。佛告比丘。汝今當於眾僧之中行好淨水。可得脫此餓鬼之身。聞已歡喜。即便僧中常行淨水。經二萬歲即便命終。在所生處。其牙齒間。常有清淨八功德水。自然充足不飲乳哺。乃至今者。遭值於我出家得道。比丘聞已。歡喜奉行。

Furthermore, the Avadānasūtra (*Chu yao jing*) says: In ancient times, when the Buddha was in the world, in the country of Kapilavastu, there was Maudgalyāyana's younger brother of the same mother, who was exceedingly wealthy and had abundant possessions, fully endowed with the seven treasures. His storehouses and treasuries overflowed, and his male and female slaves and servants were beyond reckoning. At that time, Maudgalyāyana repeatedly went to his brother's home and said to him, "I hear that you are stingy and envious, and do not like to give in charity. The Buddha constantly says that giving receives countless retributions; if you give now, you will obtain immeasurable merit." Hearing his elder brother's instruction, the younger brother opened his storehouses to practice charity and set up new storehouses, intending to receive the retribution. Before ten days had passed, his wealth and treasures were exhausted; the old storehouses were all empty, and the new storehouses had no retribution. The younger brother, distraught, said to his elder brother, "Previously, seeing your instruction that giving receives great retribution, I did not dare to disobey your teaching. To all who came begging, I emptied my storehouses to give completely. The old storehouses are all empty, and the new storehouses have no retribution. Have I not been misled by my elder brother?" The elder brother said, "Stop, stop! Do not utter such words; do not let non-Buddhists of wrong views hear such coarse speech! If merit were to have a form, the realm of open space could not contain it. I shall now provisionally show you a slight retribution." Then, by his spiritual power, he took his younger brother by the hand and went to the Sixth Heaven. There they saw a palace composed of the seven treasures, with fragrant breezes, bathing pools, and overflowing storehouses and treasuries beyond reckoning. Jade maidens surrounded it in attendance, tens of millions in number, all female with no males. He then asked his brother, "What palace is this, so towering and magnificent?" Maudgalyāyana told his brother, "Go and ask for yourself." The brother then went himself and asked the heavenly maidens, "What palace is this, composed of the seven treasures, towering and majestic, suspended in empty space? Who possesses the merit to receive retribution within it?" The heavenly maidens replied, "Within Jambudvīpa, in the country of Kapilavastu, Śākyamuni Buddha has a disciple of spiritual power named Maudgalyāyana. He has a virtuous younger brother, a great wealthy elder; because of his fondness for giving, he will later be born here and become our husband and master." The younger brother, hearing this, was joyful, and wholesome thoughts arose in him. Returning to his brother's side, he recounted the matter in full. Maudgalyāyana said to him, "Does a person's giving have retribution, or does it not?" The younger brother felt shame, repented to his elder brother, and afterward, returning home, cultivated merit all the more. After his life ended, he was immediately reborn in the heavens to enjoy this retribution of merit.

Furthermore, the *Jyotika-sūtra* says: When the Buddha was in the world, there was a great wealthy elder named Jyotika. His storehouses overflowed, fully endowed with gold and silver; his male and female slaves stood in rows, and there was nothing he lacked or desired. He had a white cotton towel hanging by the side of a pool. A heavenly wind arose and blew it before the king's palace hall. The king then assembled his ministers to sit together, deliberate, and consult divinations, marveling at the cause of it. The ministers all said, "The state is about to flourish; Heaven has bestowed white cotton." Jyotika remained silent. The king said to Jyotika, "The ministers are all celebrating; why do you say nothing?" Jyotika answered the king, "I would not dare deceive the king: this is a white cotton cloth for drying the body in my household. It was hung by the pool, and a heavenly wind arose and blew it before the king's palace hall; therefore I remained silent." Several days later, a nine-coloured golden flower as large as a cartwheel fell before the king's palace hall. The king again assembled his ministers, and the dialogue was as before. Jyotika answered the king, saying, "I would not dare deceive the king: this is a withered, fallen flower from the rear garden of my household. A heavenly wind arose and blew it before the king's palace hall; therefore I remained silent." The king said to Jyotika, "If your house is capable of such things, you must return home and make arrangements as you wish; I will lead a host of two hundred thousand to go to your home and see it." Jyotika replied, "May the king accompany me; there is no need to go ahead [to prepare]. In my house, couches and mats are naturally present without needing people to spread them; food and drink are naturally present without needing people to prepare them; they are brought forward naturally without needing to be called; they are taken away naturally without needing to look back." The king then led the host of two hundred thousand, arriving at Jyotika's southern gate to enter. There was a young boy, handsome and charming. The king said to Jyotika, "Is this your son?" He replied, "It is my slave who guards the pavilion." Going forward a little further into the pavilion gate, there was a young maiden whose complexion was handsome, her skin lustrous and fair, exceedingly lovely. The king said to Jyotika, "Is this your daughter, or your wife?" He replied, "It is my maidservant who guards the pavilion." Going forward a little further to the front of his hall, the walls were made of white silver and the ground of crystal. The king saw it as water, hesitated, and dared not proceed. Jyotika led the way and brought the king up into the hall, where he sat on a golden couch and leaned on a jade table. Jyotika's wife sat behind a hundred and twenty layers of gold and silver curtains; parting the curtains, she came out to bow to the king, and tears flowed from her eyes. The king said to Jyotika, "Why does your wife shed tears when bowing to me?" "I would not dare deceive the king: she smelled the king's smoke odor, and therefore tears flowed from her eyes." The king said, "Commoners burn fat, feudal lords burn honey, and the Son of Heaven burns lacquer; lacquer produces no smoke, so why should tears flow?" Jyotika answered the king, "My family has a bright moon divine pearl hanging in the palace hall, so day and night are no different; we do not need firelight." In front of Jyotika's hall was a twelve-story high tower; he took the king up to view it, gazing in all directions, and in a daze a month passed. The ministers said to the king, "The state's affairs are of great consequence; the king should return." The king thought it was only a brief moment and that he could bear a little more; they wandered again through the gardens and pools, unaware that another month had passed. The inquiries and answers were as before. Jyotika brought out the seven treasures to bestow, along with damask, gauze, and colored silks; the two hundred thousand people and their horses were all heavily laden, and together they returned to the state. The king said to his ministers, "That Jyotika is my subject, yet his women, wives, and residence far surpass mine. I wish to attack him; can he be taken?" The ministers all said he could be taken. The king led a host of four hundred thousand, sounding bells and beating drums, and surrounded Jyotika's residence in several hundred layers. Within the southern gate of Jyotika's residence, there was a champion who raised a golden staff with a gesture; the host of four hundred thousand, men and horses alike, all fell down, their hands and feet twisted, their waists and hips sagging like drunken men, their heads incapacitated, unable to rise again. Thereupon, Jyotika rode in a mica chariot and came to ask the men, "What harmed you when you came, that you lie on the ground unable to rise?" "The Great King sent us wishing to attack the elder. The champion made a gesture with a golden staff, and all four hundred thousand men and horses fell down, unable to rise again." Jyotika asked, "Do you wish to get up?" The men all said, "We wish to get up." Jyotika exerted his spiritual power once, causing all four hundred thousand men and horses to rise together and return at once to their country. The king then summoned Jyotika to ride in the same chariot, and went to the Buddha's location. He said to the Bhagavat, "What merit did Jyotika cultivate in his previous lives to attain such a fruition of retribution?" The Buddha said, "Listen well! Formerly, there were five hundred companions in karma on a rugged mountain. On the road, they met a sick man of the Way and gave him a hut, rice, provisions, lamps, and candles. At that time, [the monk] broadly made vast vows, and devas made offerings of their own accord, descending from the sky; he transformed his body in eighteen ways, emitting a great radiance that illuminated the world. He also vowed to become a Buddha, to shatter the Iron Enclosure Mountains, to make caldrons of boiling water produce flowers, to make hells produce sandalwood, to make hungry ghosts become śramaṇas, and to make rākṣasas sit and recite sūtras. The five hundred merchants, bringing their heavy treasures, provided for the sick monk; because the monk made extensive vows and received heavenly offerings, he now obtains this retribution. The donor of that time was Jyotika; the sick monk was myself; and the five hundred merchants all attained the path of arhatship."

Furthermore, the *Avadānaśataka* (*Bai yuan jing*) says: When the Buddha was in the world, there was an elder in the city of Śrāvastī whose wealth and treasures were immeasurable and beyond reckoning. His wife gave birth to a boy who was handsome, extraordinary, and rare in the world. On the day he was born, the heavens sent down heavy rain. His parents were joyful, and the whole state came to know of it. A physiognomist divined auspiciousness, and because of this they named him Yaśomitra. He did not drink milk or suckle, for between his teeth there naturally arose the water of eight qualities, which he used to sustain and satisfy himself. As he gradually grew older, he saw the Buddha, left home (pravrajyā), and attained the fruit of arhatship, being revered and respected by devas and worldly people alike. When the bhikṣus saw this, they requested the Buddha to explain his past merit and causal conditions. At that time, the Bhagavat told the bhikṣus: In this Auspicious Kalpa, there was a Buddha who appeared in the world named Kāśyapa. In his Dharma, there was an elder of extreme old age who left home to enter the path, but was unable to be energetic. Furthermore, he fell gravely ill. A skilled physician examined him and instructed that he should ingest ghee, whereupon his illness would be cured. He immediately followed the physician's instruction, took ghee, and ingested it. During that night, the medicine produced fever and thirst. Running about seeking water, the water vessels were all empty; going again to springs and rivers, they were all dried up. Having thus sought water everywhere without obtaining any, he deeply reproached himself; on the riverbank, he took off his robe, tied it to a tree, abandoned it, and returned. When the next morning came, he reported the situation to his master. His master, hearing these words, replied to him, saying, "You suffered such distress resembling that of a hungry ghost (preta). You should now take water from my jar and distribute it among the Saṃgha." He then accepted the instruction and took the jar's water, but the water dried up and vanished entirely. With a heart full of sorrow and dread, he thought that when his life ended he would surely fall among the hungry ghosts. He immediately went to the Buddha's location, reported the above events in full, and said to the Bhagavat, "Pray, deign to instruct me." The Buddha told the bhikṣu, "You should now distribute fine, pure water among the community of monks; thereby you can escape this body of a hungry ghost." Having heard this, he was joyful, and thereupon constantly distributed pure water among the Saṃgha. After twenty thousand years, his life came to an end. In whatever place he was born, between his teeth there was always pure water of eight qualities, naturally sufficient so that he did not drink milk or suckle, down to the present day when he met me, left home, and attained the path. The bhikṣus, hearing this, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.