諸經要集 6.39

6.39

As stated in the Damamūkanidāna-sūtra: Long ago, when the Buddha was in the world, there was an elder in Śrāvastī of great nobility and immense wealth. He had a baby boy whose facial features were upright and handsome, exceedingly rare in the world. His parents were joyful and gave him the name Danmili (Dhanapāla/Dānapāla). As he gradually grew up, his father died. King Prasenajit enfeoffed him with his father's rank. After he received the king's enfeoffment, his dwelling was transformed into one of the seven precious substances, and all the storehouses were filled to overflowing with various precious things.

At that time, the crown prince of the king, named Virūḍhaka, fell ill with a fever. The physicians prescribed medicine and reported to the king, saying: 'Ox-head sandalwood is needed to rub upon his body, and then he will certainly be cured.' The king immediately enlisted [the kingdom] to seek it: 'If anyone can obtain it, an ounce's worth will be rewarded with a thousand ounces of gold.' Yet no one brought any. Someone addressed the king: 'In the dwelling of Danmili, there is a great abundance.'

When the king heard this, he went in person to seek it. He arrived before the outer gate of the elder Danmili and saw that his outer gate was made entirely of pure silver. He then sent a gatekeeper inside to announce the message. The gatekeeper went in and reported to the elder: 'King Prasenajit is now outside the gate.' Hearing this, the elder came out to receive him and invited the king to enter the gate.

Inside, he saw a woman whose face and head were upright and beautiful, peerless in the world. She sat on a silver couch spinning silver thread, with ten maidens attending upon her left and right. The king then asked, 'Is this your wife?' The elder answered, 'She is a gate-keeping maidservant. The little maidens are those who convey messages.'

Next, he entered the middle gate, which was made entirely of deep-blue lapis lazuli. Inside the gate, there was a woman sitting on a lapis lazuli couch, whose facial beauty was twice as great as the previous one, and her attendants on the left and right were twice the previous number. Next, he entered the inner gate, which was made entirely of yellow gold. Inside the gate, there was a woman whose face was upright and beautiful, again twice as great as the previous one. She sat on a golden couch spinning golden thread, and her attendants on the left and right were again double the previous number. The king asked again, 'Is this your wife?' The elder answered, 'She is a gate-keeping maidservant.'

Entering inside the hall, he saw a lapis lazuli floor. Between the eaves were carved all kinds of wild beasts; as the wind blew and moved them, their forms appeared upon the ground. Seeing this, the king thought it was water and was frightened, not daring to advance. He spoke to the elder: 'Is there no other ground, that a sea was made before the palace?' Mili said to the king: 'This is a lapis lazuli floor; it is not water.' He immediately took off the seven-jeweled bracelet from his arm and cast it onto the floor; it hit the wall and only then stopped. Knowing it was solid ground, the king went inside together with him.

They ascended a palace of seven precious substances. The wife was in the palace sitting on a lapis lazuli couch. There was another precious couch, and she invited the king to be seated. When the wife saw the king, tears flowed from her eyes. The king asked her, 'Why are you unhappy that tears flow from your eyes?' The wife answered: 'I am greatly rejoiced. It is only that just now, I smelled the vapor of smoke on the king's body, and therefore tears fell.' The king then asked, 'Does your family not burn fire?' She answered, 'No.' The king asked again, 'What do you use to prepare food?' The wife answered the king: 'When food is needed, the hundred flavors arrive of themselves.' The king asked again, 'Do you not need light?' The wife answered the king: 'We use a maṇi jewel to illuminate it, and the entire room is made brightly luminous.'

At that time, Danmili knelt and addressed the king: 'For what reason has the Great King deigned to come to this place?' King Prasenajit fully replied with the circumstances. Hearing this, the elder immediately took the king inside to show him all the storehouses. The seven precious substances were full to overflowing, and the heaps of ox-head incense were incalculable. 'May the king take as much as needed.' The king took two ounces and sent someone ahead to convey it.

The king respectfully addressed him: 'There is now a Buddha who has appeared in the world; have you heard of it?' Mili answered, 'What is called "Buddha"?' The king then explained it to him. Mili was delighted and immediately went to the Buddha's place. The Buddha preached the Dharma for him, and he attained the fruit of srotāpanna. Soon after, he went forth into homelessness and attained arhatship, possessing the three knowledges, the six supernatural penetrations, and being complete with the eight liberations.

Seeing this, Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying: 'What past karma did this Danmili cultivate that he was born among human beings to enjoy heavenly blessings, and moreover encountered the Bhagavat, went forth, and attained the Way?'

The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Ninety-one kalpas in the distant past, there was a Buddha who appeared in the world named Vipaśyin. After he entered nirvāṇa, during the semblance Dharma, there were five monks who together made an agreement: they diligently practiced the Way in a forest. They spoke to one monk: "This place is far from the city, and begging for food is arduous. You should generate merit: for one summer, beg for food and make offerings to us." That one monk then entered the city and exhorted various dānapatis to send food daily. The four were at ease in body, dedicated and diligent in walking the Way, and attained arhatship. They then spoke to this person: "Because of you, we are at peace, and what was to be done has been done. What is your wish?" Hearing this, the person rejoiced and made a vow: "May I in future lives, among gods and humans, naturally enjoy wealth and nobility, encounter a Buddha, and attain the Way!" Due to this merit, from that time onward for ninety-one kalpas, he has not fallen into the bad destinies, has constantly abided in wealth and nobility among gods and humans, having whatever was needed naturally. Now, because he encountered me, he went forth and attained the Way.'

Also, the Damamūkanidāna-sūtra says: Long ago, when the Buddha was in the world, there was an elder in Śrāvastī whose household was immensely rich, with boundless and incalculable wealth and jewels. He had a baby boy whose body was golden in color, handsome and rarely matched. Seeing him, his parents rejoiced boundlessly, and therefore gave him the name Jintiān (Suvarṇadeva, 'Golden Deva'). On the day he was born, a well of water naturally emerged in his home, eight feet wide and eight feet deep. Drawing water from it complied with people's wishes: if clothing was needed, clothing came forth; if food was needed, food came forth. Gold, silver, precious jewels, and everything required—whatever wish was made, it was obtained at will.

When the child grew up, his talents and arts were broad and versatile. His father thought: 'My child is handsome, his appearance peerless. I must seek a distinguished maiden with a golden countenance and wondrous form matching my child, and then go ask for her.' At that time, in the country of Shepo (Jāva/Campā?), there was a great elder who gave birth to a daughter named Jīnguāngmíng (Suvarṇaprabhā). She was extraordinarily handsome, her body golden in color, radiating light that illuminated people. On the day she was born, there was also a natural eight-foot well of water. That well was also able to produce various jewels, clothing, drink, food, and everything needed, suiting people's wishes. Her parents thought to themselves: 'Our daughter is handsome, outstanding among humans. We must find an accomplished man with golden brilliance matching our daughter, and then join them in marriage.' The girl's fame spread far and wide, and Jintiān subsequently married her as his wife.

Later, Jintiān invited the Buddha and the saṃgha to make food offerings. When the meal was finished, the Buddha preached the Dharma for them. The couple Jintiān, along with his parents, all attained the fruit of srotāpanna. The couple Jintiān together reported to their parents, seeking to go forth. The parents gave permission. After going forth, the couple both attained the fruit of arhatship, completely endowed with all merits.

Seeing this, Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying: 'What blessing did the couple Jintiān cultivate in the past, that they were born into a noble clan, their bodies golden in color, and moreover possessed a natural eight-foot well of water that produced various goods?'

The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Ninety-one kalpas in the distant past, after the Buddha Vipaśyin entered nirvāṇa, there were monks traveling and converting, who arrived at a village. Seeing the monks, the villagers vied with one another to make offerings. At that time, there was a couple who were impoverished, not possessing even a sheng or a dou of grain at home. Seeing others make offerings to the saṃgha of monks, the husband wept and was distressed to his wife, his tears falling upon his wife's arm. The wife then asked the husband, "Why do you weep?" The husband answered the wife, saying: "When my father was alive, his wealth filled the storehouses, his abundance hard to measure. Arriving at my turn, I am impoverished and in extreme distress. Originally, although there was wealth, no dāna was made. Today, encountering the monks, I am too poor to offer anything. Failing to give in a former life has brought about this poverty today. If I do not give again now, the future will become increasingly dire. I ponder this, and therefore I am distressed."

The wife spoke to the husband: "Though we have the intention, having no money to give, what can we do?" The wife also said to the husband, "Try going to our former house and search all over it. Perhaps you might find something." The husband then went to search and found one gold coin, bringing it to the wife. At that time, the wife had a clear mirror, and she also found a pitcher, which she filled with clean water. Placing the coin in the pitcher and setting the mirror on top, husband and wife with one mind offered it to the monks, made a vow, and departed. Due to this merit, from that time onward for ninety-one kalpas, they have not fallen into the bad destinies, have constantly been husband and wife among gods and humans, their bodies golden in color, enjoying blessings and bliss. Now, because they encountered me, they went forth and attained the Way.'