諸經要集 6.61

6.61

Furthermore, the *Xianyu jing* says: The Buddha was in Śrāvastī with a gathering of one thousand two hundred and fifty disciples. In the state there were five hundred beggars who constantly relied on the Tathāgata and followed after the Saṅgha, begging to support themselves. The thought of revulsion [for worldly life] arose within them, and they sought to leave the household life. Together they addressed the Buddha, saying, 'The Tathāgata's appearance in the world is extremely difficult to encounter. We are of base and lowly status, yet have received your aid to sustain our lives. Now we desire to leave the household life; we do not know whether you will permit it or not.' [The Buddha] told the beggars, 'My Dharma is pure, without high or low status. It is like clean water that washes away all defilements: whether noble or base, nothing washed by the water fails to become clean. It is also like a great fire: wherever it reaches, whatever is burned by it is completely consumed. It is also like empty space: whether rich or poor, noble or base, anyone who enters into it may act freely as they please.' Hearing this spoken, the beggars all rejoiced. Their faith doubled, and they sincerely took refuge and left the household life. The Buddha addressed them: 'Welcome!' Their hair fell off naturally and Dharma robes appeared on their bodies; the appearances of śramaṇas were thus fully complete. The Buddha preached the Dharma for them, and they became arhats. At that time, the powerful elders of the state, hearing of the ordaining of the beggars, all gave rise to arrogance: 'How could the Tathāgata permit such lowly people into the ranks of the Saṅgha? When we cultivate merit and invite the Buddha and the Saṅgha to eat, it will cause these lowly persons to sit on our couches and hold our eating vessels!' Then Prince Jeta invited the Buddha and the Saṅgha. He sent a messenger to address the Buddha: 'My only wish is that the Bhagavat and the bhikṣu-saṅgha will accept my invitation tomorrow. As for the ordained beggars, I do not invite them; be careful not to bring them.' The next day at mealtime, the Buddha told the beggars, 'I have accepted his invitation, but you are not included. You may now go to Uttarakuru, take naturally ripened non-glutinous rice, return to his house, sit in order as you wish, and eat the non-glutinous rice yourselves.' Following his instruction, the bhikṣus immediately went to that world using psychic powers. Each took a full bowl and returned. Composing their deportment and travelling through the air, they arrived like geese flying to Jeta's house, sat down, and ate in their respective orders. At that time, the prince beheld the deportment, movements, psychic powers, and meritorious virtues of the bhikṣus. With respectful heart he rejoiced, praising it as unprecedented, and addressed the Buddha, saying, 'I do not know: from which direction have these worthy and noble ones come?' The Buddha told Jeta, 'If you wish to know, these are precisely the ones you did not invite yesterday.' He explained their causes and conditions in detail to the prince. At that time, hearing these words, Jeta felt extreme shame and remorse: 'Because of my own foolishness and blindness, I did not distinguish light from darkness. I wonder: what good deeds did this group plant in the past that now they encounter the Bhagavat and especially receive such exceptional grace? And what fault did they commit that they had to beg for food to sustain themselves?' The Buddha told Jeta, 'In the remote past, there was a great kingdom named Vārāṇasī. There was a mountain named Ṛṣi where many ancient Buddhas had dwelt. When there were no Buddhas, two thousand pratyekabuddhas constantly came to it. There was an elder named Santāne. At that time there was a drought and famine, but his household was immensely wealthy. He asked his storehouse keeper, "How much grain and rice is in my storehouse now? I wish to invite the Great Beings, but I do not know if there is enough to provide for them." The storehouse keeper replied, "There is an abundance, plenty to provide for them." He then invited the two thousand pratyekabuddhas to make food offerings, and dispatched five hundred servants to prepare and serve the food. At that time, revulsion arose in the minds of the servants: "The reason we suffer such hardship is entirely because of these beggars!" At that time, the elder always ordered one person to inform [them] when the time had arrived, and he kept a dog that followed him there every day. Then, one day, the servant unexpectedly forgot to go and announce [the time]. When the time arrived, the dog went alone to the usual place and barked loudly at the Great Beings. Hearing the dog bark, the pratyekabuddhas knew the time had arrived, came to the house, sat down, and received the food in accordance with the Dharma. They then addressed the elder, "It will rain today; it is suitable to sow seeds." Following their words, the elder plowed and sowed. Everything he sowed turned completely into gourds. The elder found it strange, yet irrigated them in due season. Later, when they ripened, they were all huge. He split them open to look: depending on what had been sown, pure, good, processed barley filled them completely. The elder rejoiced; his household overflowed [with grain], and he further distributed it to his relatives. Everyone throughout the whole state received his favor. At that time, the five hundred people who prepared the food thought: "This harvesting of fruit is truly the favor of the Great Beings. Why did we speak harsh words toward them?" They immediately went to their dwelling to seek repentance, and furthermore made a vow: "May we, in future lives, encounter worthy and noble ones and receive liberation!" Because of this [fault], for five hundred lifetimes they were always beggars; because of their repentance and their vow, now they have met my era and attained deliverance. Prince, you should know: the wealthy Santāne of that time was myself. The storehouse official of that time was the present Sudatta. The one who daily announced that the time had arrived was the present King Udayana. The five hundred food-preparers were these five hundred arhats.' At that time, Jeta and the assembly, beholding their miraculous transformations, all attained the four fruits.