諸經要集 6.31

6.31

Furthermore, the Avadānaśataka states: When the Buddha was in Śrāvastī at the Jetavana Grove in Anāthapiṇḍada's park, during the first watch of the night, five hundred devaputras brought incense and flowers, their bright light blazing and illuminating the Jeta Grove. They came to the Buddha's place, made obeisance, and sat down to one side. The Buddha preached the Dharma for them, and they attained the fruit of a srotāpanna. They circumambulated the Buddha three times and returned to the heavenly palace. When morning arrived, Ānanda asked about the conditions behind the coming of the devas. The Buddha told Ānanda: In the distant past, at the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, there were two brahmins who accompanied their king to the Buddha's place to pay homage and make inquiries. At that time, an upāsaka among the retinue urged the two brahmins to take the fast precepts together—one wishing to be born in heaven, and the other wishing to be a human king. Having received them, they both returned to the place where the brahmins were gathering. The brahmins said, 'You are hungry and thirsty; you may eat and drink together with us.' They persistently and repeatedly urged them, and the one whose intention was to seek rebirth in heaven could not resist, and thereupon ate and drank. Because he broke the fast, his wish was not fulfilled; after his life ended, he was born among the nāgas. The one who did not eat was able to become a king. Because they had received the fast together in their previous lives, [the nāga] was born into the water of that king's palace pool. At that time, the gardener daily brought all kinds of fruits and melons to present and offer to the king. In the pool's water he found a delicious fruit, exceptionally fine in color and fragrance. He thought to himself: 'Though I go in and out, I am always held back by the gatekeeper. I should take this fruit and give it to him.' Having had this thought, he immediately brought it and gave it to him. When the gatekeeper received it, he again thought: 'I merely go in and out, yet I am also held back by the eunuch. I should take this and give it to him.' Having had this thought, he immediately brought it and gave it to him. When the eunuch received it, he again thought: 'The queen always praises my virtues to the king. I should take this fruit and give it to her.' Having had this thought, he immediately brought it and gave it to her. When the queen received it, she again presented it to the great king. Once the king received the fruit, he immediately ate it, finding it exceptionally fragrant and delicious. He then asked the queen, 'Where did you get this fruit just now?' The queen immediately answered truthfully, 'I got this fruit from the eunuch.' In this manner it was traced step by step back to the gardener. The king then summoned him: 'There was such a delicious fruit in my garden; why did you not send it to me, but instead gave it to someone else?' The gardener thereupon recounted the matter from beginning to end. The king would not listen to his words and told him: 'From now on you must constantly deliver this fruit; if you do not deliver it, I will execute you.' The gardener returned to his garden, weeping and wailing, unable to control himself: 'This fruit has no seed; by what means can it be obtained?' At that time, that nāga king heard the sound of crying, transformed himself into a human form, and came to ask him, 'Why are you weeping so?' The gardener fully answered the cause. Having heard these words, the nāga returned into the water, fetched fine, delicious fruit, placed it on a golden platter, brought it, and gave it to the gardener. Thereupon he further told him, 'Take this fruit, present and offer it to the king, and convey my intention, saying: "The king and I, formerly when the Buddha was in the world, were originally close friends. Together we were brahmacārins and together took the eightfold fast, each seeking what we wished. Because your precepts were complete, you were able to become a king; because my precepts were incomplete, I was born among the nāgas. I now wish again to uphold and practice the fast, seeking to abandon this body. I request you to tell your king to seek the text of the eightfold fast for me and send it to me. If you refuse, I will overturn your kingdom and turn it into an ocean."' The gardener thereupon took the platter of fruit, and after presenting it to the king, he further related the words entrusted by the nāga. When the king heard this, he was very displeased. Why was this so? At that time, there was not even the name of the Buddha's Dharma, much less could there be the text of the eightfold fast. If he failed to obtain it, he feared bringing about destruction, yet thinking over this matter, there was no way it could be managed. At that time, that king had a minister who was most venerable and respected, whom he told: 'The nāga demands from me the text of the eightfold fast; I rely on you, sir, to obtain it.' The minister replied, 'In this age there is no Dharma; how could it be obtained?' The king told him again, 'If you do not obtain it, I will certainly execute you, sir.' When the minister heard this, he withdrew and returned to his home, his complexion unusual, extremely distressed and vexed. At that time the minister had an aged father. Whenever his son came in from outside, seeing his son's complexion transformed and unusual, he immediately asked him, and [the minister] then explained the details of the whole situation to his father. The father answered the son, 'In the main pillar of our hall, I have seen a light. Go and fell it, try to take it, and split it open.' Looking inside, they obtained two scrolls of scripture: the first was the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, and the second was the Text of the Eightfold Fast. When the minister obtained them, he was overjoyed, placed them on a golden platter, and presented them to the king. The king was exceedingly joyful, beyond measure. He sent them to the nāga king. When the nāga king obtained them, he was overjoyed, and bringing rare jewels, presented them as a gift to the king, and each returned to his abode. Together with five hundred nāga offspring, he diligently upheld and practiced the eightfold fast. Later, when their lives ended, they were born into the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, and came to make offerings to me; that was their light. The Buddha told Ānanda: 'If you wish to know who the five hundred nāga offspring who practiced the fast were at that time, they are the present five hundred devaputras.' When the Buddha spoke of these conditions, there were those who attained the four fruits of the śramaṇa, and those who brought forth the aspiration for unexcelled bodhi. Having heard what the Buddha preached, they rejoiced and practiced it.