諸經要集 19.58

19.58

Furthermore, the Ekottarika-āgama says: The Buddha addressed Ānanda and Rāhula, "You should carry the body of Mahāprajāpatī; I shall personally make offerings." At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and others came forward and addressed the Buddha, saying, "We only pray that you will not exhaust yourself. We ourselves shall make the offerings." The Buddha said, "Stop, stop! Why is this? Parents bring great benefit in giving birth to children; their kindness in nurturing is weighty, suckling and cradling them in their laps. One must repay their kindness; it cannot be left unrepaid. When the mothers of all the Buddhas of the past and future enter extinction first, all the Buddhas personally make offerings and cremate their relics." At that time, the Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa sent various ghosts and spirits to the sandalwood forest to gather sandalwood firewood and bring it to the wilderness. The Buddha personally lifted one leg of the bier, Nanda lifted one leg, Rāhula lifted one leg, and Ānanda lifted one leg. Flying into the air, they went to the cemetery. At that time, the Buddha personally took sandalwood and laid it upon the body of Mahāprajāpatī. The Buddha said, "There are four kinds of persons for whom stūpas ought to be erected and offerings made: first, a Buddha; second, a pratyekabuddha; third, an arhat who has exhausted all out-flows; fourth, a wheel-turning sage king. All of them transform beings by means of the ten good deeds." Thereupon, the people took the relics, and each erected a stūpa to make offerings.