THE STOREHOUSE OF SUNDRY VALUABLES

THE STOREHOUSE OF
SUNDRY VALUABLES
Translated from the Chinese of Kikkaya
and Liu Hsiao-piao (Compiled by T ’an-yao)
(Taisho, Volume 4, Number 203)
by
Charles Willemen
Numata Center
for Buddhist Translation and Research
1994
© 1994 by Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai and Numata Center
for Buddhist Translation and Research
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored
in a retrieval system, or transcribed in any form or by any means—
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—
without the prior written permission of the publisher.
First Printing, 1994
ISBN: 0-9625618-3-5
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 92-082068
Published by
Numata Center for Buddhist Translation and Research
2620 Warring Street
Berkeley, California 94704
Printed in the United States of America
A Message on the Publication of
the English Tripitaka
The Buddhist canon is said to contain eighty-four thousand
different teachings. I believe that this is because the Buddha’s
basic approach was to prescribe a different treatment for every
spiritual ailment, much as a doctor prescribes a different medicine
for every medical ailment. Thus his teachings were always appropriate for the particular suffering individual and for the time at
which the teaching was given, and over the ages not one of his
prescriptions has failed to relieve the suffering to which it was
addressed.
Ever since the Buddha’s Great Demise over twenty-five hundred
years ago, his message of wisdom and compassion has spread
throughout the world. Yet no one has ever attempted to translate
the entire Buddhist canon into English throughout the history of
Japan. It is my greatest wish to see this done and to make the
translations available to the many English-speaking people who
have never had the opportunity to learn about the Buddha’s
teachings.
Of course, it would be impossible to translate all of the
Buddha’s eighty-four thousand teachings in a few years. I have,
therefore, had one hundred thirty-nine of the scriptural texts
in the prodigious Taisho edition of the Chinese Buddhist canon
selected for inclusion in the First Series of this translation
project.
It is in the nature of this undertaking that the results are
bound to be criticized. Nonetheless, I am convinced that unless
someone takes it upon himself or herself to initiate this project, it
will never be done. At the same time, I hope that an improved,
revised edition will appear in the future.
It is most gratifying that, thanks to the efforts of more
than a hundred Buddhist scholars from the East and the West,
Message
this m onum ental project has finally gotten off the ground. M ay the
rays of the W isdom of the Com passionate One reach each and
every person in the world.
August 7,1991
NUMATA Yehan
Founder of the English
Tripitaka Project
Editorial Foreword
In January, 1982, Mr. NUMATA Yehan, the founder of the Bukkyo
Dendo Kyokai (Society for the Promotion of Buddhism), decided to
begin the monumental task of the complete translation of the
Taisho edition of the Chinese Buddhist canon into the English
language. Under his leadership, a special preparatory committee
was organized in April, 1982, and by July of the same year the
Translation Committee of the English Tripitaka (Scriptures) was
officially convened.
The initial Committee consisted of the following thirteen members: HANAYAMA Shoyu (Chairman); BANDO Shojun; ISHIGAMI
Zenno; KAMATA Shigeo; KANAOKA Shuyu; MAYEDA Sengaku;
NARA Yasuaki; Sa y e k i Shinko; (late) SHIOIRI Ryotatsu; TAMARU
Noriyoshi; (late) TAMURA Kwansei; URYUZU Ryushin; and YUYAMA
Akira. Assistant members of the Committee were as follows:
KANAZAWA Atsushi; W a t a n a b e Shogo; Rolf Giebel of New Zealand;
and Rudy Smet of Belgium.
Holding planning meetings on a monthly basis, the Committee
has selected one hundred thirty-nine scriptures and texts for the
First Series of translations, an estimated one hundred printed
volumes in all. Scriptures and texts selected are not necessarily
limited to those originally written in India but also include works
written or composed in China or Japan. All the volumes in the First
Series are scheduled for publication within the twentieth century.
While the publication of the First Series proceeds, the scriptures and
texts for the Second Series, which is expected to be published in the
following ten- or twenty-year period, will be selected from among the
remaining works; this process will continue until all the scriptures
and texts, in Japanese as well as in Chinese, have been published.
Frankly speaking, it will take perhaps one hundred years
or more to accomplish the English translation of the complete
vii
Editorial Foreword
Chinese and Japanese scriptures and texts, which consist of
thousands of works. Nevertheless, as Mr. NUMATA wished, it is
the sincere hope of the Committee that this project will continue
unto completion, even after all its present members have passed
away.
It must be mentioned here that the final object of this project
is not academic fulfillment but the transmission of the teaching of
the Buddha to the whole world in order to create harmony and
peace among mankind.
More than eighty Buddhist scholars in the West and in the
East, all well qualified to be translators of the Chinese and
Japanese scriptures and texts, have agreed to translate certain
selected works. It is really a great pleasure for the Committee to
announce that more than forty-five translations have already been
received as of the end of September, 1992.
The present members of the Translation Committee of the
B D K English Tripitaka are HANAYAMA Shoyu (Chairman); BANDO
Shojun; ISHIGAMI Zenn5; ICHISHIMA Shoshin; KAMATA Shigeo;
KANAOKA Shuyu; M a y e d a Sengaku; N a r a Yasuaki; SAYEKI
Shinko; TAMARU Noriyoshi; URYUZU Ryushin; and YUYAMA Akira.
Assistant members are WATANABE Shogo and SUZUKI Koshin.
Commemorating the ninety-fourth birthday of Mr. NUMATA
Yehan, the Committee published the following three texts in a
limited edition in April, 1991:
(1) The Lotus Sutra (Taisho No. 262)
(2) The Sutra on Upasaka Precepts (Taisho No. 1488)
(3) The Summary of the Great Vehicle (Taisho No. 1593)
In December, 1991, the Publication Committee headed by Prof.
Philip Yampolsky was organized. New editions of the above volumes and the remaining texts will be published under the supervision of this Committee.
HANAYAMA Shoyu
Chairman
Translation Committee of
September 10,1992 the BDK English Tripitaka
lish Tripitaka Series. This committee
will perform the duties of copyediting, formatting, proofreading,
indexing, consulting with the translators on questionable passages, and so on—the routine duties of any publishing house.
Represented on the committee are specialists in Sanskrit, Chinese, and Japanese, who will attempt to ensure that fidelity to the
texts is maintained.
This Publication Committee is dedicated to the production of
lucid and readable works that will do justice to the vision of
Mr. NUMATA Yehan in his desire to make available to Western
readers the major works of the Chinese and Japanese Buddhist
canon.
“Taisho” refers to the Taisho Shinshu Daizokyo (Newly Revised Tripitaka Inaugurated in the Taisho Era), which was published during the period from 1924 to 1934. This consists of one
hundred volumes, in which as many as 3,360 scriptures in both
Chinese and Japanese are included. This edition is acknowledged
to be the most complete Tripitaka of the Northern tradition of
Buddhism ever published in the Chinese and Japanese languages.
The series number on the spine and title page of each volume
will correspond to the number assigned to the work by the Translation Committee of the BDK English Tripitaka in Tokyo. A list of
the volume numbers is appended at the end of the text. For the
convenience of scholars who may wish to turn to the original texts,
Taisho page and column numbers are provided in the left-hand
margins of each volume. No attempt will be made to standardize
IX
Publisher’s Foreword
the English translations of Buddhist technical terms; these are left
to the discretion of the individual translators.
Those participating in the work of this committee are Diane
Ames, William Ames, Brian Galloway, David Hall, Nobuo Haneda,
and Rev. Kiyoshi S. Yamashita.
September 10, 1992
Philip Yampolsky
Chairman
Publication Committee
x
Contents
A Message on the Publication of the English Tripitaka
NUMATA Yehan v
Editorial Foreword HANAYAMA Shoyu vii
Publisher’s Foreword Philip Yampolsky ix
Translator’s Introduction Charles Willemen 1
Chapter I
Parable 1: King Dasaratha 6
Parable 2: The Prince Who Saved His Parents with His
Own Flesh 9
Parable 3: The Little Parrot That Supported Its Blind
Parents 13
Parable 4: The Country Called Rejection-of-the-Aged 14
Parable 5: The Buddha Expounds the Doctrine to His
Mother Maya in the Trayastrimsa Heaven 19
Parable 6: The Buddha’s Explanation about His
Former Mother Kacangala 20
Parable 7: Maitrakanyaka 21
Parable 8: The Lady Padmavati 25
Parable 9: The Lady Mrgarikavati 28
Chapter II
Parable 10: The White Elephant with Six Tusks 37
Parable 11: The Hare That Roasted Itself and Offered
Itself to a Great Sage 39
Parable 12: The Good Monkey and the Evil Monkey 40
Parable 13: The Buddha Extinguishes Three Fires with
the Water of His Knowledge 41
xi
Contents
Parable 14: In Benares There Was an Elder’s Son Who,
Together with a Celestial Spirit, Moved
the King to Pious Conduct 43
Parable 15: The White Fragrant Elephant of the King of
KasI Nourishes His Blind Parents and
Conciliates Two Countries 45
Parable 16: In Benares a Younger Brother Mildly
Reproves His Older Brother; Consequently
They Get Through to the Prime Minister
and Urge the King to Convert the World 47
Parable 17: Brahmadatta’s Wife Is Jealous and Hurts
Her Son Dharmapala 48
Parable 18: The Bhiksu Darva Is Slandered 49
Parable 19: Revata Is Slandered 51
Parable 20: Radhika, the Ugly Daughter of King
Prasenajit 52
Parable 21: King Prasenajit’s Daughter Suprabha 55
Parable 22: Once Two Brothers, Sons of a King, Were
Expelled from Their Country 57
Parable 23: The Wife of Sudatta the Elder Nourishes
the Buddha, and the Couple Are
Recompensed 58
Parable 24: Sarana Bhiksu Is Beaten by King
Candapradyota 59
Parable 25: A Palace Attendant Redeems Bulls That
Were to Be Gelded and Regains His
Manhood 62
Parable 26: Two Palace Attendants Have an Argument 63
Chapter III
Parable 27: Two Brothers Both Go Forth 66
Parable 28: Kokalika Slanders Sariputra 68
Parable 29: The Stanzas of the Dragon Kings 71
Parable 30: Devadatta Wants to Harm the Buddha 82
Parable 31: The Jivamjivaka Bird 83
Parable 32: The White Swan King 84
Contents
Parable 33 The Big Tortoise 85
Parable 34 Two Scheming State Councillors 86
Parable 35 The Wild Cock King 88
Parable 36 The Krkara Bird 89
Parable 37 The Aged Seer 89
Parable 38 The Two Traders 91
Parable 39 Eight Gods, One after the Other, Ask about
the Doctrine 92
Chapter TV
Parable 40 A Poor Man Gives Lumps of Parched Barley
Flour and Presently Obtains His
Recompense 98
Parable 41: A Poor Girl Gives Her Two Coins and
Obtains Her Recompense 101
Parable 42: Khanu, a Painter from Gandhara, Arranges
for Food and Obtains His Recompense 103
Parable 43: Kapila and His Wife Sell Themselves,
Arrange a Gathering, and Presently
Obtain Their Recompense 104
Parable 44: A Sramanera Saves Ants from Water and Is
Recompensed with Long Life 107
Parable 45: The King of Gandhara Attends to an Old
Pagoda, and His Life Is Prolonged 107
Parable 46: A Bhiksu Repairs a Hole in a Temple Wall,
and as a Recompense His Life Is Prolonged 108
Parable 47: An Elder’s Son Meets the Buddha and Asks
to Lengthen His Life 108
Parable 48: An Elder’s Son Becomes a Servant,
Arranges a Gathering, and Obtains His
Present Recompense 109
Parable 49: Puma Gives the Buddha a Bowl of Food and
Obtains His Present Recompense 111
Parable 50: Mahaprajapati, Who Gives the Buddha a
Garment Made of a Golden Fabric, and the
Craftsman Who Pierces Pearls 112
Contents
Chapter V
Parable 51:
Parable 52:
Parable 53:
Parable 54:
Parable 55:
Parable 56:
Parable 57:
Parable 58:
Parable 59:
Parable 60:
Parable 61:
Parable 62:
Parable 63:
A Goddess Worships Kasyapa Buddha’s
Pagoda with Her Flower Garland
A Goddess Worships Kasyapa Buddha’s
Pagoda with Lotus Flowers
A Goddess Observes a Fast Day Following
the Eight Precepts and Is Reborn in
Heaven
A Goddess Worships by Lighting a Lamp
and Is Reborn in Heaven
A Goddess Met the Buddha While Riding in
Her Cart; She Was Happy and Went out of
Her Way
A Goddess Scattered Flowers over the
Buddha, and They Were Changed to a
Parasol of Flowers
Sripunyamati Worships the Buddha’s
Pagoda and Is Reborn in Heaven
An Elder and His Wife Construct a Stupa
and Are Reborn in Heaven
An Elder and His Wife Are Devoutly
Respectful; She Greets the Buddha and Is
Reborn in Heaven
A Heretic Brahman Woman Learns That
the Buddha’s Disciples Are Holding a Fast,
and She Is Reborn in Heaven
A Poor Woman Gives Her Piece of Cloth to
Sudatta and Is Reborn in Heaven
An Elder’s Daughter Does Not Believe in
the Triple Jewel; Her Father Engages Her
with Money to Observe the Precepts, and
She Is Reborn in Heaven
A Girl, Sweeping the Floor, Sees the
Buddha; She Is Happy and Is Reborn in
Heaven
122
123
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
121
xiv
Contents
Parable 64:
Parable 65:
Parable 66:
Parable 67:
Parable 68:
Parable 69:
Parable 70:
Parable 71:
Parable 72:
An Elder Constructs a House, Invites the
Buddha in Order to Worship Him, Donates
His House, and Is Reborn in Heaven
A Woman Gives Sugar Cane to an Arhat
and Is Reborn in Heaven
A Woman Anoints the Buddha’s Feet with
Perfume and Is Reborn in Heaven
A Servant of the Elder Sudatta Takes
Refuge in the Triple Jewel and Is Reborn
in Heaven
A Poor Woman Begs for Food from the
Buddha and Is Reborn in Heaven
An Elder’s Servant Brings Food to Her
Master, Meets the Buddha and Gives It to
Him, and Is Recompensed with Rebirth in
Heaven
An Elder Constructs a Lecture Hall for the
Buddha and Is Recompensed with Rebirth
in Heaven
An Elder Sees That the King Constructs
a Pagoda; He Constructs a Pagoda Too
and Is Recompensed with Rebirth in
Heaven
A Merchant Constructs a House, Offers It to
the Buddha, and Is Reborn in Heaven
134
135
136
137
138
138
140
140
141
Chapter VI
Parable 73: Lord Sakra’s Questions 144
Parable 74: The Saving of Ajnatakaundinya and Others,
and an Explanation of the Past 154
Parable 75: The Sakya Son Ksema Has an Eye
Sickness, but When He Takes Refuge in
the Three Precious Things, His Eyes Are
Purified 155
Parable 76: Seven Kinds of Liberality 157
xv
Contents
Parable 77: The Land of King Chia-pu Suffers a
Drought, and by Bathing the Buddha, the
People Obtain Rain 159
Parable 78: An Elder Invites Sariputra and a Mahallaka 160
Chapter VII
Parable 79:
Parable 80:
Parable 81:
Parable 82:
Parable 83:
Parable 84:
Parable 85:
Parable 86:
Parable 87:
Parable 88:
A Brahman Gives His Wish-Granting Gem
to the Buddha, Goes Forth, and Attains the
Path
Dasabala Kasyapa Stops the Bleeding of
the Buddha’s Foot with True Words
The Buddha Sits underneath the Bodhi
Tree; and Paplyan, the Devil King, Wants
to Come and Upset Him
The Buddha Explains the Misfortune of
Profitable Offerings to the Bhiksus
On the Way to His Execution a Thief Sees
the Buddha in the Distance; and Being
Happy, He Is Reborn in Heaven
Someone Whose Hands and Feet Had Been
Cut Off as a Punishment Is Moved by the
Buddha’s Kindness and Is Reborn in Heaven
An Elder Offers Delicious Honey Syrup to
Passers-by and Is Reborn in Heaven
King Prasenajit Sends Someone to Invite
the Buddha, and So the King’s Messenger
Is Reborn in Heaven
When King Prasenajit Goes Begging,
Urging Conversion, a Poor Man Gives Him
a Cloth and Is Reborn in Heaven
An Elder Brother Constantly Urges His
Younger Brother to Serve the Three
Precious Things, but the Younger Brother
Does Not Reverently Believe; the Elder
Brother Is Reborn in Heaven
167
168
169
171
172
173
174
174
175
176
xvi
Contents
Parable 89: A Father Hears That His Sons Have
Attained the Path; He Is Glad and Obtains
Rebirth in Heaven 176
Parable 90: A Son Is Compelled by His Father to Go
Forth and Is Reborn in Heaven 177
Parable 91: The Arhat Jayanta Chases the Evil Dragon
Far into the Sea 178
Parable 92: Two Bhiksus Visit Jayanta and Are Reborn
in Heaven 180
Parable 93: The King of the Kusanas Meets the Arhat
Jayanta 182
Parable 94: The King of the Kusanas Has Three Wise
Subjects as Virtuous Friends 183
Chapter VIII
Parable 95: A State Councillor and His Wife in the
Land of Kausambi Have Evil Intentions
toward the Buddha; but the Buddha
Reforms Their Ways, and They Become
Srotapannas 188
Parable 96: The Buddha’s Disciple Nanda Is Compelled
by the Buddha to Go Forth, and He
Attains the Path 191
Parable 97: A Fine Athlete Converts a Band of
Brigands in the Wilderness 196
Parable 98: A State Councillor Hears the Doctrine and
Renounces Desire 200
Parable 99: The Nirgrantha Disciples Throw
Themselves into a Pool of Fire but Are
Saved by the Buddha 202
Parable 100: Five Hundred White Wild Geese Hear the
Doctrine and Are Reborn in Heaven 203
Parable 101: Devadatta Releases the Maddened
Elephant Dhanapala, Wishing to Harm
the Buddha 205
Contents
Chapter IX
Parable 102: Katyayana Explains Eight Dreams to King
Candapradyota 210
Parable 103: The Golden Cat 216
Parable 104: King Candapradyota Obtains Five Hundred
Alms Bowls 218
Parable 105: On Imploring the God Vemacitra, Hoping to
Gain Considerable Wealth 219
Parable 106: Hariti Loses Her Son 220
Parable 107: The Priest in Charge of Sacrifices to a God 221
Parable 108: The Sacrifice to the Spirit of a Tree 222
Parable 109: A Woman Is Disgusted with Desire and
Goes Forth 223
Parable 110: A Son Lacking in Filial Piety Experiences a
Painful Retribution 224
Parable 111: The Discussion of King Menandros with
Nagasena 224
Parable 112: A Woman Lacking in Filial Piety Wants to
Harm Her Mother-in-Law, but She Kills
Her Husband 227
Parable 113: The King of Benares Hears Calls from the
Cemetery 227
Parable 114: An Aged Bhiksu Obtains the Four Fruitions 230
Parable 115: A Woman Is Utterly Sincere and Obtains
the Fruition of the Path 232
Chapter X
Parable 116: KingUdayana 234
Parable 117: Rahula 240
Parable 118: A Old Brahman Is Duped 245
Parable 119: A Brahman’s Wife Wants to Harm Her
Mother-in-Law 248
Parable 120: The Crows and the Owls Avenge Their
Grievances 250
Parable 121: A Maidservant Fights with a Goat 252
xviii
Contents
Glossary 253
Selected Bibliography 257
Index 259
A List of the Volumes of the BDK English Tripitaka
(First Series) 267
XIX

Translator’s Introduction
This text, the Tsa-pao-tsang-ching, is dated Yen-hsing 2 (A.D. 472);
it contains 121 parables or stories (Skt. avadana). It was compiled
in China, near the Northern Wei capital of P’ing-ch’eng. Based on
Indian materials, the text was compiled and composed by the chief
monk T’an-yao and translated by Kikkaya (Chi Chia-yeh) and Liu
Hsiao-piao.
Title of the Text
There is no Indian original of the complete text, but many stories
have parallels in Sanskrit or Pali. A Sanskrit translation of the
Chinese title would be Ksudraka (tsa) pitaka (pao-tsang). Minor
texts, such as avadanasjatakas (birth stories), and so on, may be
included in a fifth agama, the Ksudrakagama or Ksudrakapitaka.
This seems to have been the case in the canon of the Dharmaguptaka school. The Sarvastivada school had a fourth pitaka called
the Ksudrakapitaka. Its contents may have been the Buddha’s
teaching in twelve divisions, containing such divisions as avadana,
jataka, gatha, and so on. Both schools had equally popular vinayas
(monastic rules) in China in the fifth century. The content of our
text resembles the content of a Ksudrakapitaka. It is certainly not
a complete Ksudrakapitaka, but it bears all the marks of a text in
a Ksudrakapitaka.
The Authors
The initiative for the translation and the arranging of the Indian
material that forms our text came from T’an-yao. The translators
were Kikkaya and Liu Hsiao-piao.
1
Translator’s Introduction
Kikkaya came from the Western Region (west of Tun-huang).
He is also said to have come from Hsi-t’ien or T’ien-chu, India in
the West. He may have come from Gandhara (Gandhavatl), Kasmir,
or Bactria, since the Indian materials he used point to this region.
The Chinese translation of his name is Ho-shih, which would
correspond to Skt. Kimkarya. In the Taisho five texts are ascribed
to him: Nos. 203, 308, 434, 1632, and 2058.
T’an-yao may have lived in Liang-chou, called Ku-tsang, during the period of the Northern Liang (397-439), a dynasty that
ruled over Tun-huang, the gateway to the regions west of China.
When the Wei emperor Wu conquered the Northern Liang, he
moved about three thousand monks to his capital P’ing-ch’eng,
near present-day Ta-t’ung in Shan-hsi Province. T’an-yao may
have been one of them. In 446, Emperor Wu persecuted Buddhism,
ordering that all monks be killed. T’an-yao survived and was
eventually appointed chief monk under Emperor Wen-ch’eng (452-
465), who protected Buddhism. T’an-yao remained as chief monk
until about 490. He also played a crucial role in the construction of
the Yiin-kang caves and temples. This project took shape during
the early years of the Emperor Hsiao-wen (471-499), when our
text was composed. T’an-yao solved the problem of relations between the Buddhist community and the emperor, who was now
considered to be the Tathagata. It may also be mentioned that
T’an-yao is said to have been a follower of meditation practices. It
is known that meditation practices relied heavily on Sarvastivada
scholasticism. Fei Ch’ang-fang’s Li-tai-san-pao-chi (597) uses the
word “again” to qualify the translation of our text, which suggests
that this was not the first translation. This is certainly true for a
number of the stories. Kikkaya himself may have started translating some of them before our text was actually organized.
Structure of the Text
The Taisho edition of the text comprises ten chiian; each chiian
has been made into a chapter in this book. The so-called Three
2
Translator’s Introduction
Editions contain eight chiian. The text consists of parables numbered 1 to 121. There are about ten manuscripts from Tun-huang
that contain parts of our text; for instance, the Chinese Tun-huang
manuscript kept at Otani University in Kyoto contains parables
117—121, although they are not numbered in that manuscript.
Chapters 1 and 2 are about filial piety, thus providing an ideal
opening for a Chinese text. Chapter 3 is about slander. This may
be because there had recently been a wave of persecutions when
the compilation or translation was being made. Chapters 4-7, or
chiian 4—6 in the Three Editions, are about liberality and the
giving of alms, a necessity especially when the Yun-kang temples
were being built. Chapters 8-10, or Three Editions chiian 7 and 8,
teach us about instructing and converting. The final parables
(118-121) warn against cheating and strife.
Materials Used
The opening parable is about King Dasaratha, who is supposed to
have been an ancestor of Sakyamuni, the Tathagata.
It is striking that many parables are set in Gandhara and
Kasmlr. Kaniska (ca. 1 2 8 -1 5 1 ) and Purusapura occur in parables
93 and 94. Nagasena and King Menandros (ca. 1 6 3 -1 5 0 B.C.)
converse in 111. Vasubandhu of the Ahhidharmakosa appears to
have been familiar with this particular version of the well-known
encounter. Parable 25, about the gelded bulls, is set in the time of
Kaniska, as the Mahavibhasa informs us. Atavaka (parable 97) is
well known from Gandharan images; and the Chinese may have
had a special reason for including the story, in which King Bimbisara of Magadha pardoned five hundred bandits who agreed to
work for the Buddhist community; T’an-yao organized Buddhahouseholds in the same way using criminals and slaves. Kaniska’s
physician, Caraka, is mentioned in 94. We know that the use of
mantras (spells) was well represented in the medical practice of
the time. This can be seen in 75, which tells of curing eye diseases
with a spell. Many more parables are set in Gandhara, such as 45
3
Translator’s Introduction
and 42, in which Khanu arranges for food. Finally there are some
well-known texts among the 121, such as the Sakraprasnasutra
(72) and the story of King Udayana (116).
Doctrinal Affiliation
The Hinayana or “lesser vehicle,” especially the Sarvâstivâda, was
popular in Gandhàra and Kasmir dining and after Kaniska. Whenever doctrinal points are raised, one can find them and their
context in e.g. the Abhidharmahrdayasàstra (A-p’i-t’an-hsin-lun),
Taisho No. 1550. This is the case for 114, where the path of
development (bhâvanâmârga) and the four fruitions of the sramana
(srâmanyaphala) are mentioned. The Sarvâstivâdins claimed to
go back to Râhula, the Buddha’s son, and his story is given as
117. More than once one can read a stanza that comes from the
Udànavarga, the Sarvâstivâda Dharmapada, as in 37 (Uv. XIII 1)
and 49 (Uv. I 1).
In this translation, the titles of the parables as given at the
beginning of each chapter do not always agree exactly with the
titles of the parables in the text. These inconsistencies are in
the Chinese and have been reproduced here. A few names have
been left in Chinese because their Sanskrit originals are unknown.
4
Chapter I
Parable 1
Parable 2
Parable 3
Parable 4
Parable 5
Parable 6
Parable 7
Parable 8
Parable 9
: King Dasaratha
: The Prince Who Saved His Parents with His
Own Flesh
: The Little Parrot That Supported Its Blind
Parents
: The Country Called Rejection-of-the-Aged
: The Buddha Expounds the Doctrine to His
Mother Maya in the Trayastrimsa Heaven
: The Buddha’s Explanation about His Former
Mother Kacangala
: Maitrakanyaka
: The Lady Padmavati
: The Lady Mrgankavatl
5
Chapter I
Parable 1: King Dasaratha
Long ago, when people lived ten thousand years, there was a king
called Dasaratha who was the ruler of Jambudvipa. The king’s
principal wife bore him a son called Rama. His second wife had a
son called Laksmana. Crown Prince Rama, who had the power of
Narayana, was very brave. He also had candra (splendor). Hearing
his voice or seeing his appearance could be harmful. None could
equal him. Then the third wife bore a son called Bharata. The
fourth wife bore a son named Satrughna.
The king was very fond of his third wife. He said to her, “Now,
as far as you are concerned, I do not begrudge you any of my
possessions. If you need anything, you have but to wish for it.” His
wife replied, “I do not seek anything. Later, if I wish anything, then
I shall tell you.”
Then the king fell ill, and his life was in danger. He immediately installed the crown prince, Rama, as king in his place. So he
tied [Rama’s] hair and put the celestial cap on his head. The
ceremony was held according to the regulations pertaining to the
enthronement of a king. Then, seeing that [the king] had recovered
somewhat from his illness, the king’s younger wife became selfwilled. Seeing that Rama had succeeded his father, she grew
jealous; and so she told the king that she wanted him to fulfill the
447b promise he had made, “I want you to make my son king and
dismiss Rama!”
Upon hearing these words, the king felt as if choked: he could
neither swallow nor spit. He felt bound to dismiss his elder son; but
having installed him as king, he quite rightly did not want to
dismiss him. However, he had agreed earlier to grant her wish.
Never since his childhood had King Dasaratha gone back on his
given word. Moreover, the king’s rules did not allow double standards. Once he had given his word, he could not go back on it.
Bearing this in mind, he dismissed Rama, taking garment and
cap away from him. Then his brother Laksmana said to his eldest
brother, “Brother, you have great strength and you also have
candra. Why did you not use them in the face of this shame and
6
Parable 1
disgrace?” He replied to his younger brother, “I cannot be called a
pious son if I go against my father’s wish. Yes, even though this
mother may not have borne me, my father treats her with respect.
She is like my own mother. I am on very good terms with my
brother Bharata. We really have no disagreements. I may have
great strength and candra, but I would rather agree with an
improper action of my parents and brother than want to harm
them.” When his younger brother heard these words, he became
silent.
Then King Dasaratha sent his two sons to a remote place in
the mountains. After twelve years they were to be allowed to
return. Rama and his brother complied with their father’s order.
Without resentment they took leave of their parents and went deep
into the mountains. Then Bharata, who had been staying abroad
until then, was summoned back and made king. But Bharata
always was at peace with and obliging towards his two elder
brothers. He remained deeply deferential to them. Only after his
return home and after the king, his father, had died, did he know
that his mother’s trickery had caused the dismissal of Rama from
the throne and that it had expelled his two brothers to a faraway place. He objected that his mother’s action was against his
principles.
Not making obeisance or kneeling before her, he said to his
mother, “Mother, why did you in your action demand the contrary
of what is right, and why did you bring distress to our family?”
Making obeisance before his eldest mother, he showed respect and
filial obedience twice as profound as usual.
Then Bharata led an army to the foot of the mountains. He left
his troops behind and went on by himself. While his younger
brother was coming, Laksmana said to his elder brother, “In the
past you have always praised our younger brother Bharata’s righteousness and respect, but today he leads his soldiers here and
wants to exterminate us, his brothers.” The elder brother said
to Bharata, “Brother, why do you now lead these troops here?”
Bharata answered his elder brother, “I led my troops here because
I was afraid of an encounter with bandits on the way. They are for
7
Chapter I
447c
my protection. I do not have anything else in mind but the wish
that you, O brother, return home and take charge of the government.” Rama replied to his younger brother, “I was once ordered by
my father to move to this faraway place. Why should I now return
so precipitously? If I return too quickly, it will not be called the
righteousness of a benevolent son and a pious relative.”
Such steadfastness did not deter Bharata’s heartfelt request,
but his brother’s mind was unshakable and his determination
fixed. When the younger brother knew that his brother’s mind
would never change, he asked him for his shoes. Disappointed and
sorrowful, he returned home with them. Taking control of the
government, he always kept the shoes on the throne. Day and night
he called on [the shoes] to make inquiries, just as if they were his
brother himself. He also sent messengers to the mountains to
invite his brother to return. But because their father had ordered
them to return [only] after twelve years, the two brothers, being
utterly pious and completely loyal, did not dare disobey the order,
the appointed time having not yet come.
Later, when the years had gradually passed, they knew that
their younger brother had diligently sent invitations time and
again; and they also knew that he paid respect to the shoes as if
they were a real person. Convinced of the genuineness of their
brother’s feelings, they returned home. Upon their arrival, Bharata
even abdicated in favor of his elder brother. The elder brother then
resigned and said, “My father once gave you the throne. It is not
fitting for me to accept it.” The younger brother then resigned and
said, “Brother, you are the eldest son of the first wife. The one to
bear the burden of care and responsibility for his father’s affairs
should rightly be his eldest son.” Thus they talked back and forth,
each bowing compliantly to the other. The eldest brother could not
counter the argument, and so he became king after all.
The brothers were cordial and friendly, and their virtuous
example was widely followed. Influenced by their morality, the
masses relied on them. Influenced by their loyalty and piety,
people spurred themselves on to do their filial duty. Even though
Bharata’s mother had devised a most evil plan, they did not harbor
8
Parable 2
any resentment. Because of this loyalty and piety, wind and rain
came in the right seasons and the five cereals were abundant. Men
suffered no epidemics, and all the people in Jambudvipa were ten
times more numerous and prosperous than usual.
Parable 2: The Prince Who Saved His Parents with
His Own Flesh
Thus have I heard. Once when the Buddha was in SravastI,
Ananda entered the city to beg for food, wearing his robe and
holding his alms bowl. He saw a boy whose parents were blind.
When the boy had obtained some food by begging, he offered the
fine food to his parents and ate the coarse food himself. Ananda
said to the Buddha, “O World-honored One, this boy is truly
wonderful! He presents the fine food he has begged to his parents,
and he picks the coarse food for himself.” The Buddha said, “This
is not so hard! When I supported my parents in the past, that was
extremely hard indeed!” Ananda said to the Buddha, “O Worldhonored One, how was it that you supported your parents in the
past?”
The Buddha said, “Long ago there was a great king who ruled
over the land. The king had six sons. Each one ruled over one state.
There was a high official then called Rahulagupta, who schemed
and raised an army. He killed the great king and five of his sons.
[Before he could kill] the sixth, the youngest son, a spirit came who
448a told him, ‘Your father, the great king, and your five brothers have
all been killed by the high official Rahulagupta. He will come for
you next!’
“On hearing this, the prince returned home. The prince’s wife
saw that he did not look the same as usual but that he appeared
distressed. She asked her husband, ‘Why are you like that?’ The
husband replied to his wife, ‘It’s a man’s business! I cannot tell
you.’ His wife said, ‘O prince, I now share life and death with you.
What anxiety afflicts you that you do not speak to me?’ The
husband replied to his wife, ‘Recently a spirit came to me and said,
9
Chapter I
“Your father, the great king, and your five brothers have all been
killed by someone. He will come for you next!” That is why I am
distressed. I am at a loss as to what to do!’
“The prince and his wife made a plan. They took their son, and
they all fled to another country. They took provisions for seven
days, calculating that this would suffice to reach their destination.
Led by their fear, they followed a wrong road by mistake. They
traveled for ten days, but still they had not arrived. Their food was
used up. They were weary and starving; their death was imminent.
The prince thought, ‘If all three of us remain alive, the suffering
will be enormous. It would be better to kill one and to keep two
alive.’ He immediately drew his sword and was about to kill his
wife when the son turned his head and saw his father. He brought
his palms together and said, ‘O father, please do not kill my mother
now. I prefer that you kill me instead of taking my mother’s life.’
“Because of the boy’s words the father wanted to kill his son.
The son then said, ‘Do not take my life! If you take my life, my flesh
will rot before long. I doubt whether mother will have reached her
destination by then. If you do not take my life, I shall instantly slice
a piece of myself. Eat a little every day!’
“They had not yet reached a village, and there were only three
slices left of his body’s flesh. The son said to his parents, ‘O father
and mother, eat these two slices of flesh! Leave me the remaining
slice!’ Rejecting their child and leaving him on the ground, his
parents traveled on. Then Sakra devanam indra, his palace shaking, saw this, [and he wondered] why. Seeing this boy’s extraordinary behavior, he took the form of a starving wolf and came to
demand meat from him. The boy thought, ‘If I eat this meat, my
life will end; but if I do not eat it, I shall die as well.’ So he left the
meat to the starving wolf. Sakra devanam indra then took the form
of a man, and he said to the boy, ‘You sliced up your flesh and gave
it to your parents. Do you feel any regret now?’ He answered that
he did not regret it. [Indra] then said, ‘You are in pain now. Who
would believe that you do not feel any regret?’ The boy then spoke
the true words, ‘If I feel no regret, then may my flesh grow again,
becoming as it was before. If I feel regret, then may I die.’ After he
10
Parable 2
448b
said this, his body recovered. It was not different from the way it
had been before.
“Sakra devanam indra, leading the son and his parents, saw
to it that they had a place to stay. He saw that the heart of the king
was filled with grief and joy. Moved by this extreme piety and
admiring its uniqueness, he provided him with an army and gave
him back his former country. With the gradual support of Sakra
devanam indra, he became king of Jambudvipa. I was that boy
then. The parents at that time are my present parents.”
The Buddha said, “It is not only today that I praise compassion
and piety. For immeasurable kalpas I have always praised them.”
The bhiksus said to the Buddha, “O World-honored One, how was
it that you supported your parents in the past?” The Buddha said,
“Long ago, in the land of the king of Kasi, there was a high
mountain. In it there lived a sage by the name of Syamaka. His
parents were old and they were both blind. He used to offer them
delicious fruit, fresh blossoms, and fine water. He arranged a quiet
place for them where they would not be afraid. Whatever he did, in
his every movement, whether going or staying, he first told his
parents. Having informed his parents, he went to fetch water.
“Then king Brahmadatta went on a hunting trip. When he saw
a deer drinking water, he pulled his bow and shot at it. The
poisoned arrow hit Syamaka by mistake. Suffering from the poisoned arrow, he called out loudly, ‘One arrow has killed three
people. How severe is this pain!’ When the king heard his voice, he
threw his bow and arrows on the ground and went over to have a
look at the one who had spoken these words. ‘I hear that in these
mountains there is a sage called Syamaka, who is compassionate,
benevolent, and pious and who supports his blind parents. He is
praised everywhere in the world. Now, are you not Syamaka?’ He
replied, ‘Yes, I am.’ He said to the king, ‘My body does not think of
pain now. I only worry that my parents are old and see darkness.
Henceforth they will suffer hunger, having no one to support them!’
The king then asked, ‘Where are your blind parents now?’ ‘They
are in yonder thatched hut,’ Syamaka said, pointing it out to the
king.
11
Chapter I
“The king went to where the blind parents were. Syamaka’s
father then said to his wife, ‘My eyes twitch. Is our pious son
Syamaka in some trouble?’ The wife then said to her husband, ‘My
breast is alarmed, too. Has some misfortune befallen our son?’
Then the blind parents heard the king coming. They were apprehensive and frightened in their hearts. ‘It is not our son’s step. Who
is it?’ The king came in front of them, and he greeted them in a
clear voice. The blind parents said, ‘Our eyes see nothing. Who
greets us?’ He answered, ‘I am the king of Kasi.’ Then the blind
parents bade the king to sit down. ‘If our son were here, he would
offer you, O king, fine blossoms and fruit. At dawn our son went
448c to fetch water. It has become late. We have waited for a long time,
but he has not come.’ The king then wept sadly and spoke the
stanzas:
1. I am the king of this land. Hunting in these mountains,
I only wanted to shoot birds and beasts. Without realizing it, I hit a man.
2. I now give up the king’s throne to serve his blind parents.
I shall do just as your son. Please do not feel any sorrow!
The blind parents replied to the king with the stanzas:
1. The compassion and pious obedience of our son does not
exist in heaven or among people. O king, you may show
pity, but how can you be like our son?
2. O king, show pity! We want you to lead us to where our
son is. If we can be by our child’s side, we shall share
satisfaction of mind in our combined destinies.
Thereupon the king led the blind parents to Syamaka. When they
had reached the place where their child was, they beat their
breasts in grief. They said with bitter tears, ‘Our son was compassionate and benevolent. His pious obedience was beyond compare.’ The spirits of heaven and of earth, the spirits of mountains
and of trees, the spirits of rivers and of lakes, all spirits spoke the
stanza:
12
Parable 3
O Sakra, Brahma, and Ruler of the World, why do you not
bring assistance? You let our pious son suffer so. Be deeply
moved by our pious son and quickly save his life!
Then Sakra devanam indra, his palace shaking, heard with his
heavenly ear the sad words of the blind parents; and he descended
from heaven. He went to where they were and said to Syamaka,
‘Do you have ill feelings toward the king?’ He answered, ‘Truly, I
do not have ill feelings.’ Sakra devanam indra said, ‘Who would
believe that you do not have ill feelings?’ Syamaka answered, ‘If I
have ill feelings toward the king, may the poison spread through
my body. That is how I shall die. If I do not have ill feelings toward
the king, may the poisoned arrow leave my body and the wound
heal.’
“Then, just as he had said, the poisoned arrow came out by
itself, and he recovered, becoming as he had been before. The king
was very glad. His joy was endless. He then issued an order,
announcing it throughout the country, that one should cultivate
compassion and benevolence and piously serve one’s parents.
Syamaka had always supported his parents with compassion,
benevolence, and pious obedience.
“If you want to know who the blind father at that time was, he
is the present king Suddhodana. The blind mother at that time is
449a his wife Maya. Syamaka is now I. The king of Kasi is Sariputra.
The one who was Sakra devanam indra is Mahakasyapa.”
Parable 3: The Little Parrot That Supported Its
Blind Parents
When the Buddha was in Rajagrha, he told the bhiksus, “There are
two kinds of misbehaving people who will fall into hell as swiftly
as one can hit a ball. Which two? The first kind do not support their
parents, and the second kind commit evil acts against their parents. There are two kinds of people who conduct themselves properly and who will be born in heaven as swiftly as one can hit a ball.
13
Chapter I
Which two? The first kind support their parents, and the second
kind perform beneficial acts for their parents.”
The bhiksus said, “It is wonderful, O World-honored One, that
you, the Tathagata, so highly praise parents!”
The Buddha said, “Not only now! In the past, in the Snowy
Mountains, there was a parrot whose parents were both blind. He
used to bring fine blossoms and fruit and offer them first to his
parents. Then there was a farmer. When he had just sown his grain,
he made a vow that he would share the grain he had sown with all
beings. But while that farmer started out with generous thoughts,
the little parrot often came and picked grain out of the field in
order to give it to its parents.
“When the farmer examined his crop and saw where insects
and birds had been at his grain, he became angry and vexed. He
put up a net and caught the parrot. The little parrot said, ‘O farmer,
you started out with good intentions, being generous and not
stingy. That is why I ventured to approach to pick the grain. Why
am I now caught in your net? Suppose that a field were a mother,
that the seed were a father, and that their fruit were the son. If the
farmer were a king, he should protect them.’
“When the parrot had spoken these words, the farmer was
glad. He asked the parrot, ‘When you take this grain, for whom is
it really?’ The parrot answered, ‘I have blind parents. I wish to give
the grain to them.’ The farmer answered, ‘From now on you can
always have the grain. Do not expect any more trouble!”’
The Buddha said, “Parrots enjoy the seeds of many fruits,
and so does a field. At that time I was that parrot. The farmer
was Sariputra. The blind father was king Suddhodana. The blind
mother was Maya.”
Parable 4: The Country Called Rejection-of-the-Aged
The Buddha was in Sravastl. Then the World-honored One said
these words, “Honoring the aged is very beneficial. You may never
have heard this, but you will understand it. One’s fame reaches far,
14
Parable 4
and one is respected by the wise.” The bhiksus said, “O Tathagata,
449b World-honored One, you always praise respect for one’s parents, for
the old and the aged.” The Buddha said, “Not only now! In past
immeasurable kalpas I have always honored my parents, the old,
and the aged.”
The bhiksus said to the Buddha, “How is it that you honored
them in the past?” The Buddha said, “In the past, long ago, there
was a country called Rejection-of-the-Aged. All the old people were
driven out far away. There was a high official whose father had
grown old, and according to the law of the country he had to send
him away. But the high official’s pious obedience could not allow
that. So he dug deep into the earth and made a secret room. He
placed his father in it and cared for him at all times.
“Then a heavenly spirit seized two snakes, put them in the king’s
palace, and said, ‘If you can tell the male from the female, your
country will be at peace. If you cannot do that, you and your whole
country will be destroyed after seven days.’ Upon hearing this, the
king felt distressed and consulted his ministers about this matter.
All apologized for not being able to tell them apart. Then he made
an appeal to the country saying, ‘Who can tell them apart? We shall
generously reward him with high rank!’ The high official returned
home and went to ask his father. The father answered his son, ‘It is
easy to tell them apart. Catch them with something fine and soft.
The one who makes trouble, know that he is the male one. The one
who does not move, know that she is the female one.’ The son did as
he had been told, and he could indeed tell the male from the female.
“The heavenly spirit then asked, ‘Who is called awakened by
the sleeping? Who is called asleep by the awakened?’
“The king and his ministers again could not give an explanation. He again appealed to the country, but nobody could answer
the question. The high official asked his father, ‘What do these
words mean?’ His father said, ‘This refers to the one in training.
By the common people he is called awakened, and by the arhats he
is called asleep.’
“In accordance with these words, he then replied to the heavenly spirit, who further asked, ‘What is the weight of this big white
15
Chapter I
449c
elephant?’ The ministers talked it over, but no one knew. He
appealed to the country, too, but again they did not know. The high
official asked his father, and his father said, ‘Put the elephant on a
boat and place it on a great lake. Draw a mark on the boat at water
level [to see] how deep it is. Then measure the displacement by
placing rocks in the boat. When it sinks into the water down to the
mark, you will know the weight.’
“With this knowledge he then gave the answer to the heavenly
spirit, who further asked, ‘With one scoop of water one has more
than the ocean. Who knows this?’ The ministers talked it over, but
again they could not solve it. Again he appealed everywhere, but
no one knew. The high official asked his father, ‘What do these
words mean?’ His father said:
These words are easy to solve. If someone who is very devout
and pure gives a scoop of water to the Buddha and his
Sangha, to his parents, and to the sick in distress, this
meritorious deed counts for an indefinite number of kalpas.
The merit he will experience is inexhaustible. There may be
a great deal of water in the sea, but that does not surpass
one kalpa. It follows from this that one can say that one
scoop of water is infinitely bigger than the ocean.
The high official then gave these words as a reply to the heavenly
spirit.
“The heavenly spirit then changed to a starving man. Laboriously dragging his weary limbs, he asked, ‘Are there any people in
the world hungrier and leaner than I?’ The ministers thought it
over, but again could not answer. The high official then went to ask
this of his father. His father answered:
In the world there are people who are stingy and envious.
They do not believe in the three precious things, and they do
not support their parents nor their masters. In a future
world they will fall among the hungry ghosts. For an infinite
number of years they will not hear [even] the words water
and grain. Their bodies will be like Mount T’ai, and their
bellies will be like big valleys. Their throats will be like fine
16
Parable 4
needles and their hair like awls, entwining their bodies
down to the feet. When they move, their limbs will feel as if
consumed by fire. Such people are infinitely worse off than
you who suffer from hunger.
With these words the official then answered the heavenly spirit.
“The heavenly spirit then changed to a man whose hands and
feet were in shackles and who had chains around his neck. Fire
emerged from his body, and his whole figure was scorched. He
asked, ‘Are there people in the world who suffer more than I?’ The
ministers were in a flurry, and no one knew the answer. The high
official again asked his father, and his father answered:
In the world there are people who are not pious toward their
parents and who hurt their masters. They rebel against
their husbands and defame the three honorable things. In a
future world they will fall into hell, where there are mountains that are swords, trees with swords, a blazing wagon,
burning coals, a salty river, bubbling excrement, a bladestrewn path, and a blazing path. Thus is their suffering:
immeasurable, endless, and untold. By comparison, their
suffering is infinitely worse than yours.
The official then answered the heavenly spirit with these words.
“The heavenly spirit then changed into a woman. She was
upright and admirable, excelling everyone. She asked, ‘Is there
anyone in the world more upright than I?’ The ministers were
silent. No one could answer. The high official again asked his
father. His father then answered:
In the world there are people who believe in and respect the
three precious things. They show pious obedience toward
their parents. They are generous, forbearing, vigorous, and
moral. They will be bom in heaven. They are particularly
upright people, infinitely more so than you. By comparison,
you are like a blind monkey.
[The official] then answered the heavenly spirit with these words.
17
Chapter I
“The heavenly spirit then asked about a perfectly square piece
of sandalwood, ‘Which is the top?’ Not one of the ministers had
sufficient knowledge to answer. The official then asked his father,
450a and his father replied, ‘That is easy to find out! Put it in water. The
root end will surely sink and the tail end will surely come up.’ The
official gave these words as a reply to the heavenly spirit.
“The heavenly spirit then asked about two white mares that
looked identical, ‘Which is the mother and which is the child?’ The
ministers again could not answer. [The official] again asked his
father, and his father replied, ‘Give them grass to eat. The mother
will surely refuse the grass and give it to her child.’
“He answered all these questions, and the heavenly spirit was
pleased. He left a large amount of valuables and wealth for the
king and said to him, ‘I shall protect your country now, so that no
foreign enemy can raid it.’ When the king heard this, he was
extremely happy and asked his official, ‘Did you know all this
yourself, or did someone instruct you? Relying on your vast knowledge, my country will remain at peace. I have obtained riches, and
I also have a promise that we will be protected. This I owe to you.’
The official answered the king, ‘It is not my knowledge. If you will
please see to it that I do not have to be afraid, I will be so bold as
to give a full explanation.’ The king said, ‘Even if you had committed a crime ten thousand times punishable by death, it still
would not matter, let alone a small transgression.’ The official
informed the king, ‘In our country there is a regulation that does
not allow us to take care of the aged. I have an old father. I could
not bear leaving bim behind. I have offended against the king’s law
and I have kept him hidden under the ground. When I came to give
you the answers, they were all my father’s knowledge. You do not
owe it to me. I wish that you, O great king, would allow the whole
country to take care of the aged.’
“The king immediately gave his consent. His heart was glad,
and he respectfully took care of his official’s father. He respected
him as his master. ‘You have saved my nation and the lives of all
its people. Such beneficence is beyond my knowledge.’ He immediately proclaimed and announced everywhere in the world that one
18
Parable 5
450b
must not leave the aged behind. He commanded that one should
piously take care of them. Those who lacked piety toward their
parents or who did not respect their masters had to undergo heavy
punishment.
“At that time, I was that father. The official was Sariputra. The
king was Ajatasatru. The heavenly spirit was Ananda.”
Parable 5: The Buddha Expounds the Doctrine to His
Mother Maya in the Trayastrimsa Heaven
When the Buddha was in Sravasti, he informed the bhiksus, “I now
want to go to the Trayastrimsa Heaven and stay there for the
summer retreat, to expound the Doctrine to my mother. Those of
you, O bhiksus, who would like to come, follow me!” Having said
this, he went to the Trayastrimsa Heaven. He stayed underneath
a tree for the summer retreat, expounding the Doctrine to his
mother Maya and to countless gods. When they had all gained
insight into the Truths, he returned to Jambudvipa. The bhiksus
said, “Wonderful, O World-honored One, that you can stay in the
Trayastrimsa Heaven for ninety days for the sake of your mother!”
The Buddha said, “Not only now, but also in the past have I
removed suffering from my mother.”
Then the bhiksus said to the Buddha, “What is it that you have
done in the past?” The Buddha said, “In the past, long ago, in the
Snowy Mountains, there was a monkey king who ruled over five
hundred monkeys. Then a monkey hunter spread his nets, surrounded them, and captured them. The monkey king said, ‘Don’t
be afraid now! I shall destroy these nets for you! You monkeys all
come with me!’ He immediately broke the nets and all were
released.
“There was an old monkey who lost her footing while carrying
her child and fell into a deep pit. The monkey king, searching for
the mother, did not know where she was. Seeing a deep pit, he went
over to its edge to have a look. He saw that the mother was down
below and said to the monkeys, ‘You should all make the effort;
19
Chapter I
together we can help the mother to get out.’ The monkeys then
grasped each other by the tail and reached the bottom of the pit.
They pulled the mother up and she got out, freed from her hardship. How much more have I now pulled my mother out of her
hardship. At that time they pulled her out from the hardship of a
deep pit, but now I have pulled my mother out of the hardship of
the three unwholesome destinations.”
The Buddha informed the bhiksus, “Saving one’s parents has
great merit. Because I have pulled out my mother, I shall always
be free from hardship, having brought about my realization of
Buddhahood. Therefore, O bhiksus, you must all take care of your
parents with pious obedience!”
Parable 6: The Buddha’s Explanation about His
Former Mother Kacangala
At that time the Buddha was on a journey. When he arrived in
Chu-he-lo he sat down under a tree along the road. There was an
old woman called Kacangala, who was dependent on someone else.
She was drawing water from a well. The Buddha told Ananda to
go and ask her for water. When the old woman heard that the
Buddha had asked for water, she took the pitcher herself. When she
reached the Buddha’s place, she put the pitcher on the ground and
went straight to the Buddha to take him in her arms. Ananda
wanted to block the way, but the Buddha said, “Do not block her
way! This old woman was my mother for five hundred births. She
has not yet stopped loving me. That is why she takes me in her
arms. If you block her way, the blood will come gushing from her
mouth and her life will end immediately.”
After she had taken the Buddha in her arms, she touched his
hands and feet and stood aside. The Buddha told Ananda to go and
call her master. When her master arrived, he made a deep bow and
withdrew and stood aside. The Buddha said to the master, “Let this
old woman go, so that she can become a nun. If she becomes a nun,
she will attain arhatship.” The master then let her go. The Buddha
told Ananda to hand her over to the bhiksuni Prajapatl, so that she
20
Parable 7
would be converted to the homeless state. Soon after, she obtained
the path of arhatship. Among bhiksunis she had the best understanding of the sutras.
450c The bhiksus wondered about this and said to the Buddha, “O
World-honored One, for what reason was she dependent on someone else, and why did she obtain arhatship?” The Buddha said,
“At the time of Kasyapa Buddha, she left her home to study the
path. For this reason she has obtained arhatship. At that time she
was at the head of a crowd scolding noble and excellent nuns as
though they were servants. For this reason she is now dependent
on someone else. Through five hundred births she has always
remained my mother, stingy and envious, checking my generosity.
For this reason she always lives in poverty. It is not only now that
I have pulled her out of her poverty.”
The bhiksus said, “We are wondering how you pulled her out
of poverty in the past!” The Buddha said, “In the past, in Benares,
there was a poor family: a mother and her son living together. The
son used to support his mother with his wages. They had some wealth
and could meet their everyday expenses. Then the son said to his
mother, ‘I now want to go on a far journey with merchants to trade.’
His mother agreed. Thereupon he left. After the son had left, bandits
came and destroyed the house. They stole the family’s possessions
and also drove the old woman out to sell her to someone else. After
the son had returned, he made inquiries about his mother. When
he found out where she was, he offered a large sum of money for
her and redeemed her with great effort. Now back in their homeland, they had sufficient wealth, twice as much as before.
“The mother at that time is now Kacangala. I was the son. That
was the time I pulled my mother out of misery.”
Parable 7: Maitrakanyaka
Once the Buddha was in Rajagrha, and he told the bhiksus,
“If one supports his parents even a little, the merit obtained is
immeasurable. If one is even a little disobedient, the evil obtained
is immeasurable.”
21
Chapter I
The bhiksus said to the Buddha, “O World-honored One, what
are these evil or meritorious retributions?” The Buddha said,
“When I lived in the past, a long time ago, in Benares, there was a
child of a venerable person, called Maitrakanyaka. His father had
died early, and all the money had been spent. He sold firewood for
a living. When he got two cash per day, he presented them to his
mother. As his plans and devices gradually improved, he got four
cash per day and offered them to his mother. Thereupon he again
improved little by little. He got eight cash a day and presented
them to his mother. He gradually became trusted by everyone.
From far and near they went to him, and the profits he made grew
more and more. When he had sixteen cash a day, he presented them
to his mother. Everyone saw that he was bright and virtuous, and
they advised him, ‘When your father was alive, he used to go to sea
to gather riches. Why do you not go to sea now?’
4 5 ia “Having heard these words, he said to his mother, ‘When my
father was alive, what used to be his occupation?’ His mother said,
‘When your father was alive, he went to sea to collect riches.’ He
then said to his mother, ‘If my father went to sea to collect riches
then, why don’t I go to sea now?’ Seeing that her child was
compassionate and benevolent, that he was pious and obedient, the
mother thought that he would not go, so she said jokingly, ‘It’s
alright for you to go.’ Hearing these words from his mother, he told
her that his mind was made up. Wanting to go to sea, he deliberated with his companions.
“When the preparations were finished, he took leave of his
mother. The mother then said, ‘My only child, wait until I have
died! How can I let you go!’ The son replied to his mother, ‘If you
had not given me your permission first, I would have presumed my
plan to be wrong. When you gave me your permission, what further
obstacle could there be? I hope I shall die having established my
trustworthiness in this life! Since permission has been granted, I
do not have to stay any longer.’
“The mother saw her child’s determination. Clasping his feet
and weeping, she said, ‘How can you go away without waiting for
my death?’ But the child was determined. He pulled her away from
22
Parable 7
451b
his feet with his hands, pulling out dozens of his mother’s hairs.
The mother feared that her child had committed an offense and let
him go.
“Together with merchants, he then went to sea. They reached
a wealthy island and obtained a great many precious things.
Together with his companions, he then started on his way back.
There were two routes. One way went by sea, and one way went
over land. Everyone said to take the overland route, and so they
followed the way over land. There was a rule in that country that
when brigands robbed merchants and captured their leader, all the
merchants and their goods would belong to the brigands. If they
did not capture the leader of the merchants, even though they
had taken the goods, they would return all the goods when the
merchants’ leader had returned. For that reason Maitrakanyaka
always left their camp and lodged elsewhere for the night. When
the merchants got up in the morning, they came to meet him and
took him along.
“One night there had been a storm and the merchants got up
in a hurry, forgetting to take him along. The leader of the merchants stayed behind and was left unaccompanied. He did not
know the way. Seeing that there was a mountain, he went to its top
and saw that in the distance there was a town, its color that of dark
lapis lazuli. Exhausted by hunger and thirst, he hurried to it. In
that town there were four beautiful girls. They all came out to
welcome him with wish-granting gems, songs, and music. He
experienced great joy for four times ten thousand years. Then he
naturally grew weary and wanted to leave. The beautiful girls said,
‘You people of Jambudvipa are so ungrateful. Having lived with us
for four times ten thousand years, how can you abandon us one
morning and go away!’ He did not care for their words and left.
“He saw a crystal-like town. There were eight beautiful girls
who welcomed him also with wish-granting gems and music. He
was extremely happy for eight times ten thousand years, but he
became bored and abandoned them and went away.
“He reached a silver-colored town. There were sixteen beautiful girls who welcomed him as before with sixteen wish-granting
23
Chapter I
gems. He experienced great joy for sixteen times ten thousand
years. Yet he abandoned them too.
“He reached a golden city. There were thirty-two beautiful girls
who welcomed him as before with thirty-two wish-granting gems.
Again he experienced great joy for thirty-two times ten thousand
years. Yet he wanted to abandon them, too. The beautiful girls said,
‘Wherever you have dwelt, you have always found a nicer place.
From here on you will not find a nicer place anymore. You had
better stay!’ Upon hearing these words, he thought them over,
saying, ‘The beautiful girls say these words because they are fond
of me. If I keep going, there shall certainly be a nicer place.’ He then
went away.
“In the distance he saw an iron city. He became suspicious and
thought, ‘It may be iron on the outside, but it may be very nice
inside.’ He went on slowly and approached the city. But there was
no beautiful girl to welcome him. He again thought, ‘They are
probably very happy in the city. That is why they do not come out
to welcome me.’ He continued on his way and entered the iron city.
When the barrier of the gate had come down, there was someone
inside with a burning wheel on his head. He took this burning
wheel off, put it on the head of [Maitra]kanyaka, and immediately
went away.
“Maitrakanyaka asked the jailer, ‘When can I get rid of this
wheel I am carrying?’ The jailer answered, ‘When there is someone
in the world who has done evil as well as meritorious acts, as you
have done, when he has gone to sea to gather riches and has passed
through cities, no matter whether this was long ago or recently, as
in your case, only then will he come here and experience this evil
instead of you. This iron wheel will never fall on the ground.’
“Maitrakanyaka asked, ‘What merits did I perform, and what
evil did I do?’ The jailer answered, ‘Formerly, in Jambudvipa,
you supported your mother with your two cash a day. Therefore
you got a city of lapis lazuli, four wish-granting gems, and four
beautiful girls. For four times ten thousand years you experienced
their delights. Because you supported your mother with four cash,
you got a crystal-like town, eight wish-granting gems, and eight
24
Parable 8
beautiful girls. For eight times ten thousand years you experienced
their joys. Because you supported your mother with eight cash, you
got a silver-colored city, sixteen wish-granting gems, and sixteen
beautiful girls. For sixteen times ten thousand years, you experienced happiness. Because you supported your mother with sixteen
cash, you got a golden city, thirty-two wish-granting gems, and
thirty-two beautiful girls. For thirty-two times ten thousand years
you experienced great joy. Because you pulled out your mother’s
hair, you now have to carry a burning wheel of iron that has never
fallen on the ground. When someone comes to take your place, then
you may discard it.’
“ [Maitrakanyaka] further asked, ‘Are there now in this prison
some who experience their own evil the way I do?’ The jailer
replied, ‘Countless hundreds and thousands. Their number is incal45ic culable!’ Having heard these words, he thought, ‘I shall never
escape! I wish that all who have to experience suffering would put
their entire burden on myself!’ When he had had this thought, the
iron wheel fell on the ground. Maitrakanyaka said to the jailer,
‘You said that his wheel has never fallen. Why did it fall now?’ The
jailer became angry, and he beat [Maitrajkanyaka on the head
with an iron prong. His life subsequently came to an end, and he
was reborn in the Tusita Heaven.
“If you want to know, Maitrakanyaka was myself. 0 bhiksus,
you must know that a small unwholesome deed done to one’s
parents leads to a considerable unpleasant retribution. The merit
one obtains for giving them a little support is immeasurable. You
must carry out this duty: bring offerings to your parents diligently
and with all your heart!”
Parable 8: The Lady Padmavati
When the Buddha was in SravastI, he told the bhiksus, “The angry
thoughts one produces toward his parents or toward the Buddha
and his disciples will make one fall into the Kalasutra Hell. The
suffering one will experience is immeasurable and without end.”
25
Chapter I
The bhiksus asked the Buddha, “O World-honored One, one may
respect one’s parents, but if one is disrespectful toward one’s
parents and does something unwholesome, what then?”
The Buddha said, “Countless ages ago in the past there was a
sage in the Snowy Mountains called Dvaipayana. He was of the
Brahman caste. It was a rule for Brahmans that if they did not
have a son or daughter they could not be reborn in heaven. This
Brahman used to urinate on the rocks. Containing semen, [the
urine] dripped into a rocky cave. There was a doe that came to lick
the place, and she became pregnant. When the time had come, she
came to the foot of the sage’s cave dwelling and gave birth to a
daughter. She left her mother’s womb wrapped in flowers. She was
upright and very beautiful. When the sage realized that she was
his daughter, he took her in and fed her. Gradually she grew up.
When she could walk, lotus flowers sprang up wherever her feet
touched the ground.
It was a rule for Brahmans always to keep a fire burning at
night. One night by accident the fire went out and disappeared.
The girl went to another house to ask for fire. When the neighbor
saw that there were lotus flowers in her footprints, he said, ‘If you
go seven times around my house, I shall give you fire.’ She then
made seven rounds and returned home with the fire.
“When King Udayana went on a hunting trip, he saw that that
man’s house had seven rows of lotus flowers. Finding this strange,
he asked him, ‘Why does your house have these lotus flowers?’ The
man then replied to the king, ‘The daughter of the Brahman in the
mountains came to ask for fire. These lotus flowers sprang up
under her feet.’ Following her footprints to where the sage was, the
king saw that the girl was upright and very beautiful. He said to
452a the sage, ‘Give me this girl!’ So he gave her and said to the king,
‘She will bear you five hundred sons,’ whereupon the king installed
her as his wife. Among the five hundred ladies of the palace, she
was the best by far.
“The first wife of the king was very jealous of the daughter of
the doe, and she said, ‘O king, you love her now, but if she bears you
five hundred sons, you will respect her twice as much.’ Not long
26
Parable 8
thereafter the daughter of the doe produced five hundred eggs and
put them in a basket. Then the first wife took five hundred lumps
of wheat flour and put them in place of the eggs. She sealed up a
basket, marked it, and threw it into the River Ganges. When the
king asked his wife what the daughter of the doe had produced, she
answered that she had produced only lumps of wheat flour. The
king said, ‘The sage has lied!’ He relieved his [new] wife of her
official duties, and she did not meet the king anymore.
“Then, downstream, King Saptabhu was enjoying himself with
his court ladies on the banks of the river. He saw the basket coming
and said, ‘This basket belongs to me!’ The ladies said, ‘O king, take
the basket now! We shall take what is in the basket.’ He sent
someone to take the basket.
“To each of his five hundred ladies he gave an egg. The eggs
opened by themselves, and in them there were fine looking boys.
They were raised and grew, each having the strength of a very
strong warrior. They established a banner of five hundred warriors.
“King Udayana used to demand tribute from King Saptabhu.
Receiving a demand for tribute, King Saptabhu felt dejected and
unhappy. The sons said, ‘Why do you feel sad?’ The king said, ‘The
world I live in now is oppressed by someone.’ The sons asked, ‘By
whom is it oppressed?’ The king said, ‘King Udayana. He always
persecutes me with demands for tribute.’ The sons said, ‘If you
want to demand tribute from all the kings of Jambudvipa, we can
make them pay tribute to you, O king! Why, O king, should you pay
tribute to someone else?’ Thereupon the five hundred warriors led
their army to attack King Udayana.
“King Udayana was afraid, and he said, ‘I could not withstand
even one warrior, let alone five hundred warriors.’ Then he made
an appeal in the country for someone who might be capable of
driving away this enemy. That sage again came to his mind. He
might know or find a way! He went to where the sage was and said
to the sage, ‘The country is in great peril. How can it be driven off?’
The sage replied, ‘Do you have an enemy who opposes you?’ The
king said, ‘King Saptabhu has five hundred warriors. They all lead
an army to attack me, and I do not have the warriors to confront
27
Chapter I
them. Do you know a stratagem that can drive away the enemy?’
The sage answered, ‘You might ask the lady Padmavati back. She
can drive away the enemy.’
“The king said, ‘How can she drive them away?’ The sage
4 52 b answered, ‘Those five hundred warriors are all your sons. The lady
Padmavati bore them. Your first wife was jealous. She rejected the
sons borne by Padmavati and placed them on the river. King
Saptabhu took them out downstream and raised them till they
attained manhood. O king, have the lady Padmavati mount a big
elephant now. Place it in front of your army. They will submit by
themselves.’ In agreement with the sage’s words, the king then
returned and confessed his faults to the lady Padmavati.
“After confessing his faults, he adorned the lady and gave her
fine clothes to wear. He made her mount a big white elephant and
placed it in front of his army. The five hundred warriors raised
their bows to shoot, but their hands stiffened of themselves and
they could not bend [the bows] anymore. They were very startled.
The sage came flying in the sky and said to the warriors, ‘Do not
raise your hands! Do not feel any malice! If you feel malice, you will
all fall into hell! This king and his lady are your parents.’ The
mother then put her hands on her breasts. Each breast had two
hundred fifty nipples, which all went into the mouths of her sons.
They then showed repentance to their parents, and they felt
ashamed. They all became pratyekabuddhas. The two kings also
spontaneously reached awakening, and they too became pratyekabuddhas.
“I was that sage. At that time I protected the sons so that they
did not feel malice toward their parents, and they became pratyekabuddhas. Now I also praise the virtue of supporting one’s parents.”
Parable 9: The Lady Mrgankavatl
The Buddha informed the bhiksus on Mount Grdhrakuta near
Rajagrha, “There are two ways for men to succeed quickly at
becoming a man or a god or reaching the happiness of nirvana.
28
Parable 9
There are two ways that quickly make a man fall into the three
unwholesome destinations, experiencing terrible suffering.” [They
asked,] “Which are the two ways for men to succeed quickly at
becoming a man or a god or reaching the happiness of nirvana?”
The Buddha said, “One [way] is to support one’s parents, and the
other is to honor the noble.” ‘What are the two ways that quickly
make men fall into the three unwholesome destinations, experiencing terrible suffering?” The Buddha said, “One is to do any evil
to one’s parents, and the other is to do evil to the noble.”
The bhiksus said to the Buddha, “O World-honored One, how
is this quick accomplishment of the wholesome and the unwholesome achieved?” The Buddha said to the bhiksus, “In the past,
uncountable ages ago, there was a country called Benares. In this
country there was a mountain called Mount Sage. At that time a
Brahman lived on the mountain. He used to urinate on a rock.
Afterwards there was some semen that fell on the place of urination. A doe came to lick it and immediately became pregnant. When
452c the time had come, [the doe] came to where the sage was and gave
birth to a daughter. She was upright and very beautiful; but her
feet were like a deer’s feet. The Brahman took her in, fed her, and
let her grow up.
“It is a rule for Brahmans always to serve the fire so that it
does not go out. While the girl was keeping the fire burning, she
became distracted and let the fire go out. She was afraid, fearing
the B rahm an ’s anger. There was another Brahman who lived one
krosa away from there. The girl hurried to that Brahman and
asked him for fire. When the Brahman saw that there were lotus
flowers in her footprints, he said to the girl, ‘If you go seven times
around my house, I shall give you fire. When you leave, also make
seven rounds, but do not walk in your first footprints. Go back
along another road.’ Having done as he asked, she went away with
the fire.
“Then, when King Brahmadatta was out on a hunting trip, he
saw that the house of that Brahman was completely surrounded
by fourteen rows of lotus flowers. He also saw two roads, each
with a row of lotus flowers, and he wondered why. He asked the
29
Chapter I
Brahman, ‘You have no pond at all. How did you come by these
lovely lotus flowers?’ He answered, ‘Over there, where the sage
lives, there is a girl. She came to ask me for fire. In each of this girl’s
footprints lotus flowers grew. So I told her, “If you want fire, go
around my house seven times. When you leave, make seven more
rounds.” That is how I came by these rows of lotus flowers.’
“The king followed the footprints with flowers to where the
Brahman was, and he asked to see his daughter. Seeing that she
was upright, he was very pleased; and he asked the Brahman for
this daughter. So the Brahman gave her to the king, and the king
installed her as his second wife. In her youth, the sage had raised
the girl to be endowed with a decent nature. She did not understand woman’s bewitching evil. After a while she became pregnant,
and the diviner foretold that she would give birth to a thousand sons.
“When the first wife of the king heard these words, she became
jealous and devised a scheme. In her great kindness, she called the
attendants who were near the lady Mrgankavatl and gave them
many riches and precious things. Then, when the time had come,
the lady Mrgankavatl gave birth to a lotus with a thousand petals.
When she was about to give birth, the first wife blindfolded her and
did not allow her to see for herself. She took putrid horse lungs and
placed them underneath her. She put the lotus with a thousand
petals in a box, and she threw it into a river. Upon her return, she
removed the blindfold and said, ‘Look what you have borne!’ The
lady saw only a lump of putrid horse lungs. The king sent someone
to ask what she had borne, and the messenger replied, ‘She just
bore some putrid horse lungs.’ Then the first wife said to the king,
‘O king, do you enjoy being fooled by what this animal has borne?
It was raised by a sage, but it has borne this inauspicious filthy
453a thing.’ The king’s first wife then relieved this lady of her official
duties and forbade her any further audience.
“Then, as King Udayana was enjoying himself downstream
with his attendants, wives, and court ladies, he saw a yellow cover
with clouds floating on the river, drifting along on the water. The
king thought, ‘Under this cover with clouds there is sure to be
something divine.’ He sent someone to go and look. The person saw
30
Parable 9
that under the clouds there was a box, and he immediately took it
to the king. He opened it and saw the lotus with a thousand petals.
In every petal there was a little boy. He took them and raised them,
and they gradually grew up. Each had the strength of a very strong
warrior.
“King Udayana used to give yearly tribute to King Brahmadatta. He had collected the tribute and was about to dispatch it by
messenger. When he was about to leave, the sons said, ‘What are
you going to do?’ The king then replied, ‘I am going to pay tribute
to King Brahmadatta.’ The sons all said, ‘If you had one son, you
might hope to subdue the world, so that tribute would come to you!
But having us, a thousand sons, why must you pay tribute to
somebody else?’
“The thousand sons immediately led their army to subdue
several countries, and they gradually came to the land of King
Brahmadatta. When the king heard that the army was there, he
made an appeal in his country for someone who could drive away
such an enemy. Not a single person could drive them away. When
the second wife received the appeal, she said, ‘I can drive them
away!’ When asked, ‘How can you drive them away?’ the wife
replied, ‘Just make a platform one thousand feet high for me. When
I sit on it, I am certain that I can drive them away!’
“When they had made the platform, the second wife sat down
on it. Then, when the thousand sons wanted to raise their bows to
shoot, they could not raise their hands. The wife said, ‘Do not raise
your hands against your parents! I am your mother.’ The thousand sons asked, ‘By what proof can we know our mother?’ She
answered, ‘If I put my hands on my breasts, and if each breast has
five hundred nipples that all go into your mouths, I am your
mother. If this is not so, I am not your mother.’ Then she put both
hands on her breasts. On each breast there were five hundred
nipples. They went into the mouths of the thousand sons. Nobody
in the rest of the army could do this. The thousand sons submitted
and showed repentance toward their parents.
“Thereupon the sons were in harmonious union, and there was
no enmity between the two countries any more. They agreed that
31
Chapter I
five hundred sons stay with their real parents and that five hundred sons stay with their foster parents. Then the two kings
divided Jambudvipa, each raising five hundred sons.”
The Buddha said, “If you want to know, the thousand sons at
that time are the thousand Buddhas of the bhadrakalpa. The
jealous wife who blindfolded the other’s eyes is a scaly, blind
453b dragon. The father was Suddhodana, and the mother was his wife
Maya.”
The bhiksus said to the Buddha, “What reason was there that
this girl was born from the womb of a doe and that lotus flowers
grew under her feet? Furthermore, why did she become a king’s
wife?”
The Buddha said, “In the past this girl was bom into a poor
family. Both mother and daughter were weeding the field when
they saw a pratyekabuddha begging for food with his alms bowl.
The mother said to her daughter, ‘I want to take my share of food
from the house and give it to this fine man.’ The daughter said,
‘Take my share, too, and give it to him!’ The mother returned home
to take the shares of food of both mother and daughter and to give
them to the pratyekabuddha. The daughter gathered plants and
flowers and spread them out to make a seat for him. She scattered
the flowers for him and bade the pratyekabuddha sit down.
“The daughter wondered why her mother was late, and she
climbed to a high place. She saw her mother in the distance.
Having seen her mother, she said to her, ‘Why don’t you hurry? [You
are] coming with a deer’s gait!’ When her mother had arrived, she
objected to her mother’s slowness. So she was irritated and said, ‘I
would rather be born to a doe than to my mother!’
“The mother then gave the two shares of food to the pratyekabuddha. Mother and daughter both ate what was left. When the
pratyekabuddha had finished eating, he threw his bowl into the air
and flew away. In the air he changed his appearance eighteen
times. The mother was delighted and made a vow, ‘May I always
have noble children in the future, just like the noble one now!’
“Through this karmic causality, she later gave birth to five
hundred children who all became pratyekabuddhas. While on the
32
Parable 9
one hand she was a foster mother, on the other hand she was the
mother of those she had given birth to. Because of her remark
mentioning her mother’s deer gait, she was conceived in a doe’s
womb, her feet resembling the hooves of a deer. Because she had
gathered flowers and scattered them for a pratyekabuddha, a
hundred lotus flowers grew in her footsteps. Because she had
spread out the plants, she always got to be a king’s wife. The
mother later became King Brahmadatta, and the daughter later
became the lady Mrgankavatl. Through this karmic causality she
later gave birth to the thousand noble ones of the bhadrakalpa.
Through the power of the vow she always bore noble ones.” Having
heard these words, the bhiksus were glad and paid their respects.
33

Chapter II
Parable 10:
Parable 11:
Parable 12:
Parable 13:
Parable 14:
Parable 15:
Parable 16:
Parable 17:
Parable 18:
Parable 19:
Parable 20:
Parable 21:
Parable 22:
Parable 23:
Parable 24:
The White Elephant with Six Tusks
The Hare That Roasted Itself and Offered
Itself to a Great Sage
The Good Monkey and the Evil Monkey
The Buddha Extinguishes Three Fires with
the Water of His Knowledge
In Benares There Was an Elder’s Son Who,
Together with a Celestial Spirit, Moved the
King to Pious Conduct
The White Fragrant Elephant of the King of
KasI Nourishes His Blind Parents and
Conciliates Two Countries
In Benares a Younger Brother Mildly
Reproves His Older Brother; Consequently
They Get Through to the Prime Minister
and Urge the King to Convert the World
Brahmadatta’s Wife Is Jealous and Hurts
Her Son Dharmapala
The Bhiksu Darva Is Slandered
Revata Is Slandered
Radhika, the Ugly Daughter of King
Prasenajit
King Prasenajit’s Daughter Suprabha
Once Two Brothers, Sons of a King, Were
Expelled from Their Country
The Wife of Sudatta the Elder Nourishes the
Buddha, and the Couple Are Recompensed
Sarana Bhiksu Is Beaten by King
Candapradyota
35
Chapter II
Parable 25:
Parable 26:
A Palace Attendant Redeems Bulls That
Were to Be Gelded and Regains His
Manhood
Two Palace Attendants Have an Argument
36
Parable 10
Parable 10: The White Elephant with Six Tusks
Formerly in SravastI there was a very honorable man who had a
daughter who remembered her previous lives. Soon after her birth
she was able to talk and she spoke these words, “Unwholesome
deeds, impious deeds, shameless deeds, harmful and ungrateful
deeds!” Having said these words she stopped, remaining silent.
When this girl was bom she had great merits, and they gave her
the name Bhadra. As she grew up, she had great respect for the
454a kasaya (monk’s robe). Because of her respect for the kasaya, she
left home and became a bhiksuni. She did not meet the Buddha,
but through diligent development she obtained arhatship. Since
she regretted not having met the Buddha, she went to where the
Buddha was and expressed her regret to the Buddha. The Buddha
said, “I have already accepted your regret at another time.” The
bhiksus were surprised and asked the Buddha, “Why did this
excellent bhiksuni never meet the Buddha after she left home?
Today she meets the Buddha and expresses regret. Why?” The
Buddha then explained why.
“Long ago there was a white elephant with six tusks who
had many herds. This white elephant had two wives. One was
called Bhadra and the other Subhadra. Roaming through the
forest he came across lotus flowers, and he wanted to give them to
Bhadra, but Subhadra took them away. When Bhadra saw that
Subhadra took the flowers, she became jealous. ‘That elephant
loves Subhadra and he does not love me!’
“In those mountains there was a Buddhist pagoda where
Bhadra used to gather flowers and offer them. And she made avow,
saying, ‘When I am bom among people, I shall remember my
previous life and pull out the tusks of this white elephant.’ So she
went to the top of a mountain, hit herself, and died. Later she was
bom as a daughter in the family of the king of Videha, and she
remembered her previous life.
“When she had grown up, she became the wife of King Brahmadatta. Remembering her previous resentment, she said to Brahmadatta, ‘If you give me ivory for my couch, I shall be very lively. If
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Chapter II
not, I cannot be lively.’ King Brahmadatta then summoned hunters, saying that if anyone could come back with ivory, he would give
him a hundred taels of gold. Immediately a hunter deceptively put
on a kasaya, took his bow and poisoned arrows under his arm, and
went to where the elephants were.
“Then the elephant wife Subhadra saw the hunter, and
she said to the elephant king, ‘Someone is coming.’ The elephant
king asked, ‘What clothes does he wear?’ She answered, ‘He wears
a kasaya. The elephant king said, ‘In the kasaya there is sure
to be goodness and no evil.’ Thus the hunter could come nearer,
and he shot a poisoned arrow. Subhadra said to her husband,
You said that there is goodness in the kasaya, not evil! What
of this then?’ He answered, ‘It is not the kasaya’s fault. It is
the fault of mental vexation!’ Subhadra then wanted to hurt
that hunter, but the elephant king spoke all manner of soothing words, preaching the Dharma; and he did not let her hurt
him. Furthermore, he was afraid that his herd of five hundred
elephants would surely kill this hunter, and he hid him under a
precipice. He sent the entire herd of five hundred elephants far
away.
“He asked the hunter, ‘What do you want by shooting me?’ He
answered, ‘I do not want anything. Because King Brahmadatta
wants your tusks, I came wishing to take them away.’ The elephant
said, ‘Take them quickly!’ The hunter replied, ‘I do not dare take
them myself. Such is the compassion I was brought up with, that
454b if I take them myself, my hands will become inflamed and fall off.’
The white elephant immediately turned toward a place with tall
trees and pulled out his tusks himself, twisting them with his
trunk. He gave them, making a vow, ‘With the gift of my tusks, I
vow that in the future I shall pull out the tusks of the three poisons
from all living beings!’
“The hunter took the tusks and gave them to King Brahmadatta. When his wife received these tusks, she began to feel regret,
and she said, ‘How could I take the tusks of this excellent one
possessed of a pure morality?’ Greatly developing her virtues, she
pledged, ‘I wish that in the future he may attain the moment of
38
Parable 11
becoming a Buddha! For his Doctrine I shall leave my family to
apply myself to the path, obtaining arhatship!’
“You should know that I was that white elephant. Devadatta
was the hunter at that time. Bhadra is [now] the present bhiksuni.
Bhiksuni Yasodhara was Subhadra.”
Parable 11: The Hare That Roasted Itself and Offered
Itself to a Great Sage
In SravastI there was an elder’s son who had left his family to
devote himself to the Buddha’s Doctrine, but he always liked his
kinsmen in his neighborhood. He did not like to work with men of
the path, nor did he like to read scriptural texts or to practice the
path. The Buddha ordered this bhiksu to go to an aranyaka (forest)
place, diligently develop himself, and obtain arhatship endowed
with the six superknowledges. The bhiksus were surprised and
said to the Buddha, “O World-honored One, your appearance in the
world is wonderful! It is extraordinary! You can accommodate such
an elder’s son, making him obtain arhatship in an aranyaka place
and become endowed with the six superknowledges.” The Buddha
said to the bhiksus, “It is not only now that I can accommodate
someone; I did so already long ago.”
The bhiksus said to the Buddha, “We wonder how you, O
World-honored One, accommodated someone in the past!” The
Buddha said to the bhiksus, “In the past there was a sage who lived
in a mountain forest. Then there was a severe drought and the
fruits of the trees and plants, the roots and stalks, and the
branches and leaves all withered away in the mountains. At that
time the sage was friendly with a hare, and he said to the hare, ‘I
want to go to the village to beg for food.’ The hare said, ‘Do not go!
I shall give you food.’ Thereupon the hare collected a stack of
firewood and said to the sage, ‘You must take my food! The rain will
come. Stay for three days and the flowers and fruits will come out
again! Then you can gather food. Do not go to where people are!’
Having said these words, it lit a great fire and threw itself in it.
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Chapter II
When the sage saw this, he thought, ‘This hare is friendly and
454c benevolent. It is my best companion. It gave up its life to be my
food. That is truly a difficult feat.’ Then the sage became very
miserable, and he took the hare and ate it.
“Because the bodhisattva had done this arduous and painful
deed, the palace of Sakra devanam indra shook; and he thought,
‘Why does my palace shake now?’ He looked into the matter, and
he knew that the hare had indeed done a difficult deed. He was
moved by its deed, and he immediately caused it to rain. The sage
subsequently went and ate fruits again. He then developed himself
and obtained the five superknowledges.
If you want to know who the sage with the five superknowledges was, he is the present bhiksu. I was the hare at that time.
Because I gave myself up, I made the sage stay in an aranyaka
place, and I let him obtain the five superknowledges. Why should
I not today be able to make this bhiksu leave his kinsmen and stay
in an aranyaka place, letting him gain arhatship and obtain the
six superknowledges!”
Parable 12: The Good Monkey and the Evil Monkey
When the Buddha was in Rajagrha, the bhiksus said to the
Buddha, “O World-honored One, if one relies on Devadatta, one
always obtains suffering. But if one relies on you, O Tathagata,
World-honored One, one obtains happiness now, and later one is
bom in a wholesome place and obtains the path of deliverance.”
The Buddha informed the bhiksus, “Not only now! In the past
there were two monkeys who each had five hundred dependents. A
prince of KasI happened to be on a hunting trip. He surrounded
them and was going to get at them. One, a good monkey, said to the
other, an evil monkey, ‘If we cross this river now, we can escape
from our difficulties.’ The evil monkey said, ‘I cannot cross it.’ The
good monkey said to his monkeys, ‘The trunk and branches of the
vetra tree are very long. So grasp its branches!’ He let his five
hundred dependents cross. The evil monkey’s dependents were
caught by the prince because they did not cross.
40
Parable 13
“At that time the good monkey was myself. The evil monkey
was Devadatta, and the dependents he led knew suffering at that
time. For those who rely on him now, it is the same. Those who
relied on me then experienced happiness for a long time. Now they
obtain fame, and they are honored. In the future they will obtain
deliverance as men or gods. Those who relied on Devadatta experienced decay for a long time. In their present existence they obtain
a bad reputation, and people do not honor them. In the future they
will fall into the three unwholesome destinations.
“Therefore, 0 bhiksus, stay away from evil acquaintances and
befriend virtuous ones. A virtuous acquaintance gives others safety
and happiness for a long time. Therefore one should befriend a
virtuous acquaintance. Stay away from an evil acquaintance!
Why? An evil acquaintance torments and consumes you. In the
present world and in the next world he is a mass of suffering.
Parable 13: The Buddha Extinguishes Three Fires
with the Water of His Knowledge
There was a country called Daksinacala. The Buddha wanted to go
to that country. On the way, he reached a village where he could
spend the night. There the villagers happened to organize a meeting to commemorate an auspicious occasion. Drank from consuming wine, they did not notice a fire that set the village ablaze.
The people were afraid. No one knew where to go; and they all said
to each other, “Only if we trust in the Buddha can we escape from
fiery ruin.” So they said to the Buddha, “O World-honored One, we
wish to be saved!” The Buddha said, “All living beings have three
fires: the fires of desire, hatred, and delusion. With the water of my
knowledge I shall extinguish these three fires. If these words are
true, this fire will be extinguished.”
After he said this, the fire was immediately extinguished.
Everybody was happy, and they faithfully respected the Buddha.
The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to them and they obtained
the path of the srotapanna. The bhiksus were surprised. “Your
appearance in the world, O World-honored One, is wonderful and
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Chapter II
extraordinary! You have brought considerable benefit to this village. The fire in the village is extinguished, and the villagers’
mental impurities are extinguished as well.”
The Buddha said, “Not only now do I bring benefit. In the past
I have also brought considerable benefit to others.” The bhiksus
asked, “We are wondering, O World-honored One, about this bringing of benefit in the past. How did you do that?” The Buddha said,
In the past, somewhere in the Snowy Mountains, there was a
large bamboo forest. Many birds and animals lived in that forest.
There was a parrot called Joyneck. As the wind blew in the forest,
two bamboos rubbed against each other and started a fire, setting
the bamboo forest ablaze. The birds and animals feared that they
might not be able to escape. The parrot had deep compassion and
felt pity for those birds and animals. He plunged his wings into
water and sprinkled it onto the fire. He was diligent in his compassion, and so he moved Indra, making his palace shake vehemently.
“Sakra devanam indra looked with his divine eye. ‘Why does
my palace move? He saw that in the world there was a parrot who
showed great compassion and who wanted to rescue others from a
fire. He went to the limit of his strength, but he could not extinguish the fire. Sakra devanam indra then turned to the parrot and
said, ‘This bamboo forest is large; it extends thousands, tens of
thousands of miles! The water taken up by your wings is just a
few drops. How can you extinguish such a big fire?’ The parrot
answered, ‘If I am diligent and not idle in my magnanimity I shall
surely extinguish the fire. If I cannot extinguish it in this life, when
I receive a body in the future, I swear I shall surely extinguish it!’
455b Sakra devanam indra was moved by his determination. He let rain
come pouring down, and the fire was extinguished.
At that time, the parrot was myself. The birds and animals in
the forest are now the people in the big towns. Then I extinguished
the fire for them and let them gain happiness. Now, also, I extinguish the fire so that they may gain happiness.” Furthermore,
asked for what reason the villagers obtained the path where the
Truths are seen, the Buddha said, “In the time of Kasyapa Buddha
42
Parable 14
these people observed the five precepts. For that reason they have
now seen the Truths and obtained the path of the srotapanna.”
Parable 14: In Benares There Was an Elder’s Son
Who, Together with a Celestial Spirit,
Moved the King to Pious Conduct
Thus have I heard. Once the Buddha was in Sravasti. He said to
the bhiksus, “If someone wants King Brahma to stay in his house,
Brahma will stay in his house if he takes pious care of his parents.
If he wants to make Indra stay in his house, Indra will stay in his
house if he takes pious care of his parents. If he wants all celestial
spirits to stay in his house, he just has to support his parents, and
you must know that all celestial spirits are already in his house.
Only if he supports his parents will his upadhyaya stay in his
house. If he wants his acarya to stay in his house, his acarya will
stay in his house if he only supports his parents. If he wants to
support the nobles and the Buddha, the nobles and the Buddha
will stay in his house if he supports his parents. The bhiksus
asked, “O Tathagata, World-honored One, respect for one’s parents
is marvelous.” The Buddha said, “Not only is respect for one’s
parents marvelous now. In the past, also, it has been wonderful to
respect one’s parents.”
The bhiksus said, “How was this being respectful in the past?”
The Buddha said, “Long ago, in Benares, there was a poor man who
had only one son. But this one son had many children. His family
was poor. Then there was famine in the world. He buried his
parents alive under the ground and nourished his living children.
A neighbor asked, ‘Where are your parents?’ He answered, ‘My
parents were old. They were sure to die soon. So I buried them, and
with my parents’ share of the food, I want to feed my children so
that they can grow up.’ A second family heard this, and they said
that this was reasonable. Thus it spread, and all over Benares it
became the rule.
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Chapter II
“Now there was an elder who also had a son. When this son
455c heard this, he considered it to be wrong, and he thought, ‘By what
means can I abolish this wrong rule?’ Consequently he informed
his father, ‘Father, you must now go far away to study, so that you
may know the scriptural commentaries.’ So his father went. When
he had obtained some learning, he returned home, but he had
grown older still. His son dug a pit for him, making it a nice place
to stay. He placed his father there and gave him fine food and drink
He thought, ‘Who will help me abolish this wrong rule?’
“A celestial spirit appeared to him and said, ‘I shall be your
partner now. The celestial spirit wrote a statement asking the king
four things, ‘If you can solve the questions in this statement, I shall
protect you. However, if you do not solve them, after seven days I
shall make your head, O king, split into seven parts!’ The four
questions were these: What is the greatest wealth? What is the
greatest happiness? What is the most excellent among flavors?
What is the best thing in life? The document was put on the king’s
gate. When the king obtained it, he made inquiries in the land as
to who might answer these questions. If someone answered them,
his every wish, whatever he wanted, would be fulfilled.
“The elder’s son received this document and he explained its
meaning, saying, ‘Faith is the greatest wealth. The Right Doctrine
is the greatest happiness. Truthfulness is the best flavor. Wisdom
is the best thing in life.’ Having explained the m eaning, he put it
back on the king’s gate. When the celestial spirit saw it, he felt
great joy. The king felt great joy, too.
The king asked the elder’s son, ‘Who instructed you with
these words?’ He replied, ‘My father instructed me.’ The king said,
‘Where is your father?’ The elder’s son said:
Please, O king, take away my fear! Because my father is
very old, I have kept him underground, offending against
the rule of the land. Please listen to my words, O great king!
Our indebtedness to our parents is as important as heaven
and earth. They nursed us for ten months, cleaned away our
feces, and removed our urine. They suckled and nourished
us and taught us the ways of humans. Our accomplishments
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Parable 15
all come from our parents. That we can see the sun and
moon, and [achieve] life’s accomplishments, is the work of
our parents. If we carried our fathers on our left shoulders
and our mothers on our right shoulders for a hundred years,
giving them all manner of further support, we still could not
repay our debts to our parents.
Then the king asked, ‘What do you want?’ He replied, ‘I do not want
anything else, but I do wish that you, O great king, would abolish
this evil rule.’ The king agreed with his words and proclaimed in
the land that if anyone lacked piety toward his parents, he would
receive heavy punishment.
“If you want to know who that elder’s son was, it is I now. At
that time I removed the evil rule from that country, instituting the
rule of pious obedience. That is why I have become a Buddha. That
is why I still praise the rule of pious obedience today.”
Parable 15: The White Fragrant Elephant of the King
of Kasi Nourishes His Blind Parents and
Conciliates Two Countries
Long ago, the Buddha was in Sravasti. He informed the bhiksus,
“There are eight kinds of people to whom one definitely should give
freely! Do not doubt this any longer! They are one’s father, one’s
mother, the Buddha, his disciples, people who come from afar,
people who go on a long journey, the sick, and those who attend
the sick.” The bhiksus said to the Buddha, “O Tathagata, Worldhonored One, wonderful! Extraordinary is your constant praise for
respect toward one’s parents!” The Buddha said, “Not only now, but
since olden times, have I always honored and respected them.” The
bhiksus asked, “How did you praise respect?”
The Buddha said, “Long ago there were two kings. One was the
king of Kasi and the other was the king of Videha. The king of
Videha had a big fragrant elephant. With the power of the fragrant
elephant he destroyed the army of the king of Kasi. The king of
Kasi thought, ‘Now, how shall I catch a fragrant elephant and
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Chapter II
destroy the army of the king of Videha?’ Then someone said, ‘I have
seen that there is a white fragrant elephant in the mountains.’
When the king heard this, he immediately sent out an appeal: T
shall generously reward the person who can catch this fragrant
elephant.’
Someone responded to the appeal. He formed a large army
and went out to catch the elephant. The elephant thought, ‘Though
I may go far away, and though my parents are blind and old, it
would be better to comply and go to the king.’ Then the troops led
the fragrant elephant to the king. The king was very happy. He had
a fine dwelling built for [the elephant]. He spread out a mat and a
rug of fine felt under him, and he had a host of skilled ladies play
the harp and the lute to amuse him. He gave the elephant food and
drink, but the latter did not want to take it. Then the one who
tended to the elephant came to tell the king, ‘The elephant does
not want to eat.’ The king himself went to the elephant.
“In high antiquity all animals could talk like people. The king
asked the elephant, Why do you not eat?’ The elephant answered,
I have a father and mother who are old and blind. If no one gives
them water and grass, my parents will not eat. How then can I eat!’
The elephant said to the king, ‘If I wanted to go, your army could
not hold me back, O king. Although my parents are blind and old,
I came here to you, O king. O king, let me return now and support
them. When their lives have ended I shall come back by myself.’
When the king heard these words he was extremely happy [and he
said], ‘We are like elephants with human heads, but this elephant
is a person with an elephant’s head.’ Previously the people of Kasi
treated their parents with contempt and without any respect, but
456b because of this elephant the king issued a command throughout
the whole country that if anyone did not piously support and
respect his parents he would be severely punished. Consequently
he let the elephant return to his parents. He supported his parents
for the length of their lives, and when his parents had died he came
back to the king.
“Then the king was very happy with the white elephant and
adorned him. When he wanted to attack the other country, the
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Parable 16
elephant said to the king, ‘Do not fight them! As a general rule,
when there is fighting, there are many wounded.’ The king said,
‘They have treated us harshly.’ The elephant said, ‘Please, let me
go, so that the enemy will not dare annoy you!’ The king said, ‘If
you go, you may not be able to return.’ He answered, ‘No one can
hold me back or keep me from returning.’ Thereupon the elephant
went to the other country.
“When the king of Videha heard of the elephant’s arrival, he
was very happy and went out himself to welcome him. When he
saw the elephant, he said to him, ‘Stay in my country now!’ The
elephant said to the king, ‘I cannot stay now. Never in my life have
I broken my word. I made a prior promise to the other king that I
would return to his country. You two kings should cease your
enmity and bring peace to your countries. Would this not be joyful?’
He then spoke the stanza:
Gaining a victory adds to hatred, and a defeat increases
suffering. He who does not fight over winning or losing has
the greatest happiness.
When the elephant had spoken this stanza, he returned to Kasi.
Ever since, the two countries have been at peace.
“He who was the king of Kasi is now King Prasenajit. The king
of Videha is King Ajatasatru. I was that white elephant. Because I
piously supported my parents, I have caused many beings to
support their parents piously. And I was then able to make two
countries agree to be at peace, just as they are today.
Parable 16: In Benares a Younger Brother Mildly
Reproves His Older Brother;
Consequently They Get Through to the
Prime Minister and Urge the King to
Convert the World
Once the World-honored One said to the bhiksus, “You must know
that in the past, in Benares, there was a time when an evil rule was
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Chapter II
prevalent. When a father had reached the age of sixty, a rug was
spread out for him by the door so that he could keep watch. There
were two brothers, and the elder one said to the younger one,
‘Spread out a rug for our father, so that he may keep watch by the
door.’ There was only one rug in the house. The younger brother
then cut it in two and gave one half to his father. He said to his
456c father, ‘My elder brother gives this to you, father. It is not I who
gives it. My elder brother instructs you, father, to keep watch by
the door.’
“The elder brother said to the younger one, ‘Why didn’t you
give him the whole rug, but cut it in two and gave him half?’ The
younger brother replied, ‘We just had one rug. If I did not cut it in
two for him, where could I get another later?’ The elder brother
asked, ‘To whom do you want to give another one?’ The younger
brother said, ‘How could I not keep one for you, brother?’ The elder
brother said, ‘Why for me?’ The younger brother said, ‘You will
grow old, and your son will also place you by the door.’
“When the elder brother heard these words, he was startled
and said, ‘Will it be the same with me?’ The younger brother
said, ‘Who will take your place?’ Then he said to his elder brother,
‘One ought to abolish such an evil rule altogether.’ So the brothers
went together to the prime minister and they repeated this discussion to the state councillor. The state councillor replied, ‘Truly
so! All of us will grow old, too.’ The state councillor informed the
king, and the king agreed with these words. He issued a command throughout the land that one should piously support one’s
parents. He no longer allowed the evil rule to be observed and
abolished it.”
Parable 17: Brahmadatta’s Wife Is Jealous and Hurts
Her Son Dharmapala
The Buddha was in Rajagrha, and he said to Devadatta, “I have
always felt profound kindness for you, and I am without evil
toward you in body, speech, and mind. Now let us be forgiving!”
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Parable 18
Devadatta cursed and went away. The bhiksus said, “Why is it,
Tathagata, that you are so kind, but Devadatta still scolds you?”
The Buddha said, “Not only now! In the past, in Benares, there was
a king called Brahmadatta. His wife’s name was Durmati. They
had a son, Dharmapala. He was intelligent and kind and studied
with his teacher. Then King Brahmadatta led his ladies into the
park, and he was entertained and happy. He sent the wine that was
left over to his wife in order that she might drink it. His wife
became angry and said, ‘I would rather stab Dharmapala in the
throat and drink his blood than drink this wine.’ When the king
heard these words, he said in anger, ‘Call Dharmapala back from
his studies!’ When Dharmapala had come, the king wanted to cut
his throat. The son said to his father, ‘I have committed no crime.
0 king, you only have one son. Why would you kill me?’ The king
said, ‘I do not kill you. It is your mother’s intention! You can tell
your mother. Forgiveness will make her happy, and I shall never
kill you.’ The son was then forgiving toward his mother and said,
‘I am your only son, and I have done nothing wrong. Why would
you kill me?’ When his mother did not accept her son’s forgiveness,
the king stabbed his son’s throat and gave her the blood to drink.”
The Buddha said, “Kokalika was that father, the king. Devadatta was that mother. I was that son. I had absolutely no evil
thoughts then, but my forgiveness was not accepted. It is the same
now. My forgiveness is not accepted. Even though I was killed then,
1 felt no resentment whatsoever. Still less would I be angry now
and harbor evil thoughts!”
Parable 18: The Bhiksu Darva Is Slandered
Once there was a bhiksu called Darva. He had the strength of
someone with great power. Having gone forth with diligence, he
had obtained arhatship and was endowed with majesty. He always
managed the monks’ affairs. His five fingers sent out light, so he
spread out the monks’ various mats. Because of this, the Buddha
called him the best caretaker.
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Chapter II
The bhiksu Maitrakanyaka had little merit himself. At the
next meeting of the congregation, the food was coarse, so he turned
back and said in anger, “If this Darva takes care of the monks’
affairs, never in my life shall I get good food. I must find some
means to do something about this.” He had a sister who was a
bhiksunl. He went to salute her and told her to slander Darva
three times. Darva grew weary and ascended into the sky, undergoing the eighteen transformations. He entered the samadhi with
the glow of fire. When the blaze of fire was extinguished in the sky,
nothing remained of him. If slander in regard to desire can make
even a noble one extinguish his appearance, how much more so for
a common man! Therefore a wise one should be cautious about
slander and never speak lightly.
Then the bhiksus asked the Buddha, “Why was the bhiksu
Darva slandered? And why did he obtain this great power?
Furthermore, why did he obtain arhatship?” The Buddha said,
“In former times, when man lived twenty thousand years, there
was a Buddha called Kasyapa. At the time, during Kasyapa
Buddha’s existence, there was a young bhiksu whose countenance was fine and whose appearance was beautiful. This
young bhiksu went to beg for alms. Before he returned, there
was a girl who had been moved by his beauty. She looked at this
bhiksu and could not take her eyes from him. The bhiksu Darva
was then superintendent of provisions. He happened to see this
girl following the bhiksu, her eyes constantly upon him, so he
spoke out in defamation, ‘For certain, this woman had intercourse with that bhiksu.’ For that reason he fell into the three
unwholesome destinations. The suffering he experienced was immeasurable. Even now his misfortune is not over. He is still slandered. Because in the past, at the time of Kasyapa Buddha, he
went forth to study the path, he has now obtained arhatship.
Because in the past, when he managed the monks’ affairs, he
pulled free a donkey that was carrying rice flour and had sunk
deep into the mud, he got the strength of someone with great
power.”
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Parable 19
Parable 19: Revata Is Slandered
457b Once upon a time in Kasmlr, there was an arhat [named] Revata.
He sat in meditation in the mountains. Someone lost an ox and was
following its tracks. The track led him to Revata, who happened to
be making an herbal decoction to dye his garment. The garment
changed by itself into the skin of an ox and the dye changed into
its blood. The decocted herbs changed into the flesh of an ox, and
the bowl in his hands changed into the head of an ox. When the
herdsman saw this, he seized Revata, tied him up, and led him to
the king, who put him into prison. For twelve years he remained in
jail, feeding the horses and cleaning up their manure.
Among the disciples of Revata, five hundred had obtained
arhatship. Looking for their master, they did not know his whereabouts. When his karmic condition was about to end, there was one
disciple who saw that his master was in prison in Kasimr. So he
came to tell the king, “My master, Revata, is in your prison, O king.
May our meeting set this matter straight!” So the king sent
someone to the prison to investigate.
When the king’s man arrived at the prison, he saw only someone whose stem appearance was downcast. His beard and his hair
were very long; and he fed the horses and cleaned their manure as
would a jailed inmate. He returned and said to the king, “There is
no religious person, no sramana (ascetic) at all in prison. There is
only a prisoner.”
The bhiksu, the disciple, again said to the king, “I wish that
you would simply give instructions that all bhiksus are allowed to
leave prison.” Then the king issued the command that all religious
persons could leave prison. In his prison the beard and the hair of
the Venerable Revata fell off by themselves and a kasaya covered
his body. He jumped into the air and experienced the eighteen
transformations. When the king saw this, he sighed at this marvel.
Bowing down in deepest respect, he said to the venerable one,
“Please accept my repentance.” Revata immediately came down
and received the king’s repentance.
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Chapter II
The king then asked, “For what karmic condition were you in
prison and experiencing suffering through the years?” The venerable one replied, “Formerly I also lost my ox. I followed its tracks
and arrived at a mountain. I saw a pratyekabuddha sitting in
meditation in a lonely spot, and I immediately accused him falsely
for one day and a night. For that reason I fell into the three
unwholesome destinations. My suffering was immeasurable, but I
still had misfortune left. It was not over. Even after I obtained
arhatship, I was still slandered.”
Parable 20: Radhika, the Ugly Daughter of King
Prasenajit
Once King Prasenajit had a daughter called Radhika. She had the
eighteen deformities and looked like no other human. All who saw
her were appalled. King Prasenajit then ordered that all those
among the elders’ sons of good family in the land who were
impoverished and alone be brought to him.
At that time, near the marketplace, there was an elder’s son
457c who was all alone. He provided for his livelihood by begging. When
those who went out to summon the sons saw him, they took him to
the king. The king led this man into his park in the back and made
a proposal, saying, “I have one daughter. Her appearance is ugly. It
will not do to show her in public. I want to give her in marriage to
you now, sir. Can you agree to it?” Then the elder’s son said to the
king, “Whatever the king has decided, even if it concerned a dog, I
still would not refuse. How much less could I fail to agree to marry
your daughter, O king.” Consequently the king gave her in marriage to him and built him a palace. He told the elder’s son, “This
woman looks awful. Do not show her to anyone! When you go out,
lock the gate, and when you are in, keep the door shut! Consider
this a constant rule!”
There were many elders’ sons who, as common friends, organized banquets and distractions. Whenever they met, the wives of
the elders’ sons all joined the party. However, this royal daughter
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Parable 20
alone did not come. Thereupon they all made an agreement that
when they met again later, they had to bring their wives. If one did
not come, a heavy fine would be levied.
Subsequently they organized another meeting, but the poor
elder’s son still did not bring his wife, just as before. Then they all
charged him a heavy fine. The elder’s son politely accepted being
fined. They made a new agreement to meet again the next day and
if he did not bring his wife, he would have to pay another heavy
fine. Thus he was fined three times, and he still did not bring her
to the meetings. When the poor elder’s son later arrived home, he
said to his wife, “I have often been condemned to pay a fine because
of you.” When his wife asked why, her husband said, “We all have
an agreement that, on a day when we meet to drink, we must all
bring our wives to the meeting. Because I was told by the king not
to take you and show you to the people outside, I have been fined
frequently.”
When his wife heard these words she was utterly mortified and
deeply afflicted. Night and day she called upon the Buddha. Later
on, another banquet was organized and the husband again went
alone. The wife doubled her good faith at home and she pronounced
the wish, “When the Tathagata appears in the world, many are
benefitted, but I am blamed. I alone do not benefit.” The Buddha
was moved by her determination, and he leaped out of the ground.
First she saw the Buddha’s hair. She was full of reverence and joy,
and her own hair changed into beautiful hair. Then she saw the
Buddha’s forehead, and she saw his eyebrows, his eyes, ears, nose,
body, and mouth. As she saw them, her joy became more and more
profound, and her body changed. Her ugliness vanished completely
and she looked like a goddess.
The elders’ sons talked things over in secret, saying, “As for the
reason why the king’s daughter does not come to our meetings, it
is certainly because her beauty is greater than average, or else
because she is so terribly ugly, that she does not come. We shall now
make her husband drunk so that he loses consciousness. We shall
take away his keys, open the gate, and have a look.” Then they
drank and made him drunk; they took his keys, and they went in
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Chapter II
each other’s company. When they opened the gate and had a look,
they saw that this king’s daughter was beautiful beyond compare.
Then they left, closing the gate, and went back to the place from
which they had come. As the husband still had not regained
consciousness, they returned his keys, attaching them to his waist.
When the husband came to he returned home. When he opened
the gate, he saw his wife’s extraordinary beauty. He was surprised
and asked her, ‘What deity are you, staying in my home?” His wife
said, “I am your wife, Radhika.” The husband was surprised and
asked her the reason for this unexpected event. The wife then
replied, “When I heard that you were often condemned and fined
because of me, I felt mortified. In my affliction I called upon the
Buddha. Then I saw the Tathagata leap out of the ground. Seeing
him, I felt joy, and my body became beautiful.” The poor elder’s son
was extremely happy. He then went to the king and told him, “The
body of your daughter, O king, has of itself become beautiful. She
wants to see you now, O king.”
When the king heard this, he was happy and so he invited her.
Although he was happy upon seeing her, he felt very perplexed. He
had it in mind to go to the Buddha, and he said to the Buddha, “O
World-honored One, why was this daughter born in my palace with
an ugly body, startling anyone who saw her? Furthermore, why has
she now suddenly become beautiful?” The Buddha said to the king,
Once in the past there was a pratyekabuddha. Every day he
begged his food. He arrived in front of the gate of an elder. The
elder’s daughter then took some food to give it to the pratyekabuddha; but seeing that the pratyekabuddha's body was ugly, she
said, ‘This one is awful! His body looks as if it had the skin of a fish.
His hair is like a horse’s tail.’
“That elder’s daughter is your daughter now. Because she
gave food, she was born in your palace. Because she defamed a
pratyekabuddha, her body was ugly. Because she was mortified
and afflicted, she could meet me; and because she became happy,
her body became beautiful.” When the congregation heard the
Buddha’s explanation, they received it with joy and respectfully
made obeisance.
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Parable 21
Parable 21: King Prasenajit’s Daughter Suprabha
Once King Prasenajit had a daughter called Suprabha who was
intelligent and fair. Her parents felt kindly toward her and the
whole palace loved her reverently. The father said to his daughter,
“It is because of me that the whole palace loves you reverently.” The
daughter answered her father, “I have the karmic power. It is not
because of you, my father and king.” Though he asked her three
times in this way, her answer remained the same.
Then the king became angry. “I shall now put it to the test
whether you have your own karmic power or not.” He ordered his
attendants to look for a very poor and lowly beggar in the town. So
they carried out the king’s instructions and set out on their search.
They found a poor man and took him to the king. The king then
458b gave his daughter Suprabha to the poor man, saying to his daughter, “From now on you may know by factual verification whether it
is your own karmic power rather than my power.” His daughter
still replied, “I have the karmic power.” So she left together with
the poor man.
She asked her husband, “You must have had parents?” The
poor man answered, “My father used to be the highest elder in
Sravastl. I lived at home with my parents, but it all came to an end
when they died. I do not have anyone to depend on, and so I am
destitute.” Suprabha asked him, “Would you know now where your
old home was?” He replied, “I know where it was, but the buildings
are destroyed. So there is only an empty space.” Suprabha then
went with her husband to where the old dwelling had been. They
looked everywhere. As they came to a particular place, the ground
split open by itself and a treasure hidden in the ground appeared,
just like that. With these valuables, they hired people to build a
dwelling. In less than a month the palace and the houses had all
been completed. They were filled with palace attendants and singing girls, with countless female and male servants.
The king suddenly remembered, “I wonder how my daughter
Suprabha is.” Someone answered, “Her palace and her wealth are
no less than yours, O king.” The king said, “The Buddha’s words
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Chapter II
are true. When one performs good or evil, one will experience its
reward.” That same day the king’s daughter sent her husband with
an invitation to the king. The king accepted the invitation; and he
saw that in her house carpets and rugs adorned the dwellings,
excelling those in his own palace. When the king saw this, he
sighed at this marvel. The daughter knew that her words were
true, and she said, “For the good I have performed, I experienced
this recompense.”
The king went to ask the Buddha, “What meritorious action
did this daughter perform in a previous existence, that she has
obtained birth in a royal family and that her body is bright?” The
Buddha replied to the king, “Ninety-one kalpas ago there was a
Buddha called Vipasyin. At that time there was a king called
Bandhumat. The king had a first wife. After Vipasyin Buddha
had entered nirvana, King Bandhumat erected a pagoda of the
seven precious things for the Buddha’s relics. The king’s first wife
placed the plume adornment of her celestial crown on the head of
Vipasyin Buddha’s image, and she attached the wish-granting gem
in her celestial crown to his crest. Its brightness illuminated the
world. So she pronounced the wish, ‘May my future body be bright,
the color of pure purple gold, honorable and aristocratic, and may
I not fall into the three unwholesome destinations or the eight
difficult conditions!’
“That first wife of the king at that time is now Suprabha. At
the time of Kasyapa Buddha, she worshipped Kasyapa Tathagata
and his four great disciples with savory food; but her husband
stopped her. His wife earnestly requested him, ‘Do not stop me! I
458c ask you to let me supply them well.’ The husband then gave his
wife permission, and she completed her worship. The husband at
that time is her present husband; that wife is his present wife.
Because the husband then stopped his wife, he remained poor.
Because he then gave her permission, he obtained great wealth,
essentially because of his wife. When he was without his wife, he
was later poor again. Good or evil actions follow you, always,
without fail!” When the king heard the Buddha’s explanation,
he gained deep understanding about one’s actions. Without any
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Parable 22
self-conceit, he achieved a profound, pious insight and went awaypleased.
Parable 22: Once Two Brothers, Sons of a King, Were
Expelled from Their Country
Once there were two brothers, sons of a king, who were expelled
from their country. When they arrived at a deserted area, their
provisions were completely used up. The younger brother killed his
wife and shared her flesh with his brother and his wife, so that they
might eat. When the elder brother obtained this flesh, he hid it and
did not eat it. He took a slice of the flesh of his own leg and he and
his wife ate that. When the flesh of the younger brother’s wife was
all used up, he wanted to obtain some by killing his elder brother’s
wife. His elder brother said, “Do not kill her! I shall give you
back the flesh that I hid away. Eat that!’ When they had passed
beyond the deserted area, they reached the dwelling of a divine
seer. Gathering fruits, they nourished themselves. Afterward
the younger brother died of illness, and only the elder brother was
left behind all by himself. Then the prince saw a criminal whose
hands and feet had been cut off as in punishment. He felt compassionate and gathered fruits to provide for the crippled man’s
livelihood.
In his conduct as a man, the prince scarcely knew lust. Once
when he had gone to gather fruits and his wife had stayed behind,
she had intercourse with the criminal. She herself had private
feelings and disliked her husband intensely. One day she followed
her husband to gather fruits. Upon reaching the bank of a river she
said to her husband, “Take the fruit at the top of the tree!” The
husband said to his wife, “Underneath there is a deep river. I might
fall into it.” The wife said, “Tie a rope around your waist! I shall
pull the rope while you go a little closer to the bank!’’The wife gave
her husband a push and he fell into the river. Because of the
wholesome power of his compassion, he drifted away with the
water and did not drown.
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Chapter II
Downstream there was a country whose king had passed
away. The diviners of that country were investigating who should
become king in the land. In the distance they saw a yellow cloud
cover on the river. After the diviners had interpreted this to mean
that under the yellow cloud cover there had to be a divine being,
they sent someone on the water to go and welcome him; and they
installed him as their king.
Carrying the crippled man and wandering from place to place
to beg, the king’s former wife arrived in the king’s adoptive country.
The people in the land declared that here was a fine woman who
carried her crippled husband, respectfully displaying pious obedience. So they made this known to the king. When the king heard
about it, he sent someone to invite her to come to his palace. The
king asked the woman, “Is this crippled man really your husband?”
She answered, “Truly!’’Then the king said, “Do you know me?” She
459a answered, “I do not know you.” The king said, “Do you know a
certain . . . ?” She looked closely at the king, and only then did she
become ashamed. So the king felt compassion, and he had someone
provide for their livelihood.
The Buddha said, “If you want to know, that king is [now]
myself. Cinca was that wife, the daughter of a Brahman. She
slandered me, strapping a wooden bowl around her waist, [pretending to be pregnant by me]. The one who at that time had his
hands and feet cut off was Devadatta.”
Parable 23: The Wife of Sudatta the Elder Nourishes
the Buddha, and the Couple Are
Recompensed
Once, when the Buddha was in the world, Sudatta the elder ended
up in poverty. All his riches were used up. He was engaged as a
servant and received three pecks of rice. He and his wife steamed
it and prepared a meal. Then when they had steamed it, Aniruddha
happened to come by to beg for food. Sudatta’s wife took his bowl,
filled it up with rice, and gave it to him. Afterwards, Subhuti,
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Parable 24
Mahakasyapa, Mahamaudgalyayana, and Sariputra, one after the
other, came by to beg. The wife took the bowl of each, filled it with
rice, and gave it to them. Finally, the World-honored One himself
came to beg for food. She gave him a full bowl, too. Thereupon
Sudatta, who had been away, returned and asked his wife for food.
The wife answered her husband, “Supposing that the reverend
Aniruddha came, would you eat the food yourself or give it to the
reverend?” He replied, “I would rather abstain from eating and
give food to the reverend.” “And if Kasyapa, Mahamaudgalyayana,
Subhuti, Sariputra, and even the Buddha came, what would you
do?” He answered, “I would rather abstain from eating and give it
all to them.” The wife said to her husband, “Since this morning, all
these noble ones came to ask for food. All the food we had I gave to
them.” The husband said to his wife, “Our misfortune has come to
an end, and our good fortune will grow.” Then he opened up his
storehouse; and it was completely filled with grain, silk, food, and
drink. When they used it up, it filled up again.
Parable 24: Sarana Bhiksu Is Beaten by King
C andapradyota
Long ago the son of King Udayana, called Sarana, found delight in
the Buddha’s Doctrine. He went forth to study the path, and he
practiced the asceticism of the dhutagunas. He was sitting in
meditation with settled mindfulness underneath a tree in a mountain grove when King Candapradyota passed by with his ladies on
a pleasure trip. Reaching this grove, the king halted his carriage
to rest and immediately fell asleep. Because the king was asleep,
the ladies amused themselves. They saw that there was a bhiksu
sitting in meditation underneath a tree, his mind settled. They
went over to him, paid their respects, and made inquiries. Then the
bhiksu expounded the Doctrine to them.
When the king later woke up, he looked for his ladies and saw
that in the distance there was a bhiksu underneath a tree. His
appearance was handsome, and he was in the flower of his youth.
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Chapter II
The ladies were in front of him, listening to the Doctrine. The king
4 5 9 b went to him and asked, “Have you obtained arhatship?” He replied,
“I have not.” “Are you an anagaminT He answered, “I am not.”
“Did you obtain srotapatti?” He answered, “I did not.” “Do you
contemplate impurity?” He answered, “I do not.” Then the king
became very angry, and he said, “You have absolutely nothing at
all. Why do you sit here with my ladies, since you are a common
man in the cycle of birth and death?” He grabbed him and gave him
a beating, hurting him all over his body. When the ladies said,
“This bhiksu has done nothing wrong,” the king became angrier
still and gave him another beating. They all cried with distress,
and the king became twice as angry.
At that moment the bhiksu thought to himself, “Because the
Buddhas of the past were forbearing they obtained the unsurpassed path. Furthermore, in the past Ksantivadin had his ears,
nose, hands, and feet cut off by someone; but he was still forbearing. Should I not be all the more forbearing today, being of sound
body?” Reflecting thus, he endured in silence.
After he had received the beating, he hurt all over his body. It
got worse and worse, and he could no longer stand the pain. Again
he thought, “If I were among the laity, as the son of the king of the
land, I would succeed to the royal throne. The strength of my troops
would not be inferior to that of any other king. Today, as I am alone,
having gone forth, I am oppressed.” He felt deep distress, and he
wanted to discontinue the path and return to his family. So he took
his leave of his upadhyaya, Katyayana, wishing to return to the
laity. His upadhyaya replied, “You have just received a thorough
and painful beating. Wait until tomorrow! Stay a while to rest.
Then you may go.” Then, when Sarana had received his instruction, he stayed for the night.
Late at night the Venerable Katyayana showed him a dream
in which Sarana saw himself discontinuing the path and returning
to his family. After the death of the king, his father, he succeeded
to the royal throne. He assembled his four troops and attacked
King Candapradyota. When he had reached the other country, he
drew [the armies] up in array, and they fought a battle. He was
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Parable 24
defeated, and his army was destroyed. He himself was taken
prisoner. Then, when King Candapradyota had seized Sarana, he
sent someone with a sword in order to do away with him. Sarana
was utterly terrified then, and the thought occurred to him that he
wished to meet his upadhyaya. Although someone was about to kill
him, he did not feel any malice.
At that time the upadhyaya was aware of what Sarana had in
mind. Holding his staff and his alms bowl, he was about to go on
his begging round. Appearing in front of Sarana he said, “My son,
I have constantly expounded the Doctrine to you in various ways.
If you seek victory in a quarrel, you can never gain it. If you have no
need for my teaching, you know what may happen!” He answered
his upadhyaya, “If you save your disciple’s life now, I shall not dare
459c do it again.” Then Katyayana said to the king’s men on behalf of
Sarana, “I wish you would desist for a while. Allow me to inform the
king and save his life!” Having said this, he went to where the king
was but the king’s men did not want to delay any further, and they
planned to do away with him. When they were about to let the sword
drop, he was terrified and could not utter a sound. Then, he woke up.
When he awoke, he told his upadhyaya everything he had seen
in his dream. His upadhyaya replied:
In life (i.e., samsaric existence) there is absolutely no victory
in strife. Why? As a rule in warfare, one considers the
destruction of the enemy to be a victory. Although on the
path of destruction, one may, with foolish emotions, today
take delight in one’s mind, in the future world one will
fall into the three unwholesome destinations, experiencing
immeasurable suffering. If one loses and is ruined by someone else, one loses one’s life, and misfortune comes to the
common people. One increases other serious offenses, so
that one falls into hell. Enemies do not stop their mutual
killing, and they revolve endlessly in the five destinations.
Consider this over and over again!
If one examines one’s pain, what is it that mends the sores
of the body? If you want to leave the fear of birth and death
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Chapter II
now or the agony of a beating, you should contemplate your
own body in order to stop hating. Why? The body is the
wellspring of all suffering. It is encroached upon by hunger,
thirst, cold, warmth, birth, old age, sickness and death,
mosquitos, gadflies, poison, and animals. Such enemies are
numerous and immeasurable. You cannot wipe them out.
Why do you want to wipe out only King Candapradyota? If
you want to destroy your enemy, you must destroy affliction.
The enemy, affliction, hurts countless bodies. An enemy in
the world may be serious, but he hurts only one body; the
enemy, affliction, hurts a multitude of good qualities. An
enemy in the world may be fierce, but he hurts only an
impure and filthy body. If one looks at it from this viewpoint,
affliction is the basis of the rise of enmity. If you do not
attack the enemy affliction now, how will you attack King
C andapradyota?
Thus he explained the Doctrine in various ways.
When Sarana heard these words, his thoughts became clear
and his mind understood. He became a srotapanna and he felt
profound joy in the Great Law. He doubled his vigorous pursuit; and
having practiced the path for a short while, he became an arhat.
Parable 25: A Palace Attendant Redeems Bulls That
Were to Be Gelded and Regains His
Manhood
Long ago in Gandhara there was a butcher who wanted to geld all
of his five hundred young bulls. A palace attendant [who was a
eunuch] then redeemed the bulls with his own money and turned
the herd loose. Because of these circumstances, he regained his
manhood. He returned to the king’s house and sent someone to
make it known that a certain person was outside. The king said,
“He is my domestic. Let him come in as he wishes. He never used
to announce himself before. Why does he do so now?”
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Parable 26
460a When the king asked this, the attendant replied to the king,
“When, some time ago, I saw a butcher who was about to geld his
five hundred young bulls, I redeemed them and set them free. That
is why my body became complete. So I dare not enter.”
Upon hearing this, the king was pleased. He had a deep belief
in and respect for the Buddha’s Doctrine. If he was thus affected
by a splendid recompense, his later recompense will surely be
immeasurable!
Parable 26: Two Palace Attendants Have an
Argument
Long ago, when King Prasenajit was lying down to sleep, he overheard two palace attendants having an argument. One said, “My
livelihood depends on the king.” The other answered, “I depend on
no one. I live by the power of my deeds.” When the king heard this,
he approved of the one whose livelihood depended on the king, and
he wanted to reward him. So he sent a servant to say to his wife,
“I shall send someone now. Give plenty of money, clothes, and
jewelry to the one who will come!”
Thereupon he sent the one whose livelihood depended on
the king to give his wife the rest of the wine he had been drinking.
As that attendant went out of the door with the wine, his nose
started to bleed and he could not go on. He happened to meet
again the one who lived by the power of his deeds, and he had him
go and take the wine to the wife. When the wife saw him, she
recalled the king’s words and bestowed money, clothes, and jewelry
upon him.
Upon his return to the king, the king saw him and was greatly
surprised. So he called the one whose livelihood depended on
the king and asked him, “I sent you. Why did you not go?” He
answered, “When I went out of the door, my nose suddenly started
to bleed. I could not bear it, so I had the other one take the rest of
your wine, O king, and give it to your wife.”
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Chapter II
Then the king sighed and said, “Now I know that the Buddha’s
words are the truth: one performs his own deeds and must experience their recompense. One cannot take it away. Looking at it from
this vantage point, a wholesome or an evil recompense is brought
about by one’s deeds. Neither a god nor a king can bestow it.”
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Chapter III
Parable 27:
Parable 28:
Parable 29:
Parable 30:
Parable 31:
Parable 32:
Parable 33:
Parable 34:
Parable 35:
Parable 36:
Parable 37:
Parable 38:
Parable 39:
Two Brothers Both Go Forth
Kokalika Slanders Sariputra
The Stanzas of the Dragon Kings
Devadatta Wants to Harm the Buddha
The Jlvamjivaka Bird
The White Swan King
The Big Tortoise
Two Scheming State Councillors
The Wild Cock King
The Krkara Bird
The Aged Seer
The Two Traders
Eight Gods, One after the Other, Ask about
the Doctrine
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Chapter III
Parable 27: Two Brothers Both Go Forth
460b Once upon a time there were two brothers who found their
happiness in the Buddha’s Doctrine. They went forth and applied
themselves to the path. The elder brother was diligent, and he
developed many good qualities. He practiced aranyaka conduct
and shortly afterward obtained arhatship. The younger brother
was intelligent. His learning was extensive, and he recited the
scriptural texts of the Tripitaka. Later he was invited by the
state councillor to be his tutor and received a great deal of
money. The councillor commissioned him to construct monks’
quarters and a temple with a pagoda. The master of the Tripitaka
Doctrine accepted the riches, and he had people measure out
the area to build a temple with a pagoda. The pagoda was dignified,
and the buildings were magnificent. Their construction was a
piece of wondrous craftsmanship. When the state councillor saw
the temple, his respect increased twofold. He granted the bhiksu
honors.
Encouraged by this, and finding himself better off, the Tripitaka
bhiksu saw that the councillor was kindly disposed. So he thought,
“The monastery may be completed, but it is still necessary that
monks dwell in the monastery. I shall speak to the state councillor,
so that he may invite my elder brother.” Having had this thought,
he addressed the state councillor, “I have a brother who lives
elsewhere. He gave up his home to enter the path. Diligent and
zealous, he has practiced aranyaka conduct. O danapati, you might
now invite him to stay in the monastery.” The state councillor
answered, “That which is decided by my teacher, a regular bhiksu,
I dare not oppose. This is still more so for my teacher’s elder
brother, an aranyaka. ”
He immediately sent someone with an urgent invitation. Upon
the elder brother’s arrival, the state councillor saw his diligent
behavior, and he increased his homage twofold. Later the state
councillor gave the aranyaka bhiksu a fine piece of cloth of inesti460c mable value, but the aranyaka bhiksu was not willing to accept it.
Only when insistently urged to accept it did he do so, formulating
Parable 27
the following consideration, “My younger brother manages things.
When he needs anything valuable, I shall give it to him.”
Afterwards the state councillor gave a piece of coarse cloth to
the Tripitaka master (younger brother). Upon receiving it, he
became very angry. And later the state councillor again gave the
elder brother, the aranyaka, a priceless piece of fine cloth. When
the elder brother received it, he passed it on to his younger brother.
When the younger brother saw it, he became twice as jealous. So
he took this piece of cloth, went to the beloved daughter of the state
councillor, and said to her, “Your father, the state councillor, treated
me generously before. Now, ever since my elder brother came,
perhaps he has in some way deceived your father, who is now no
longer generous toward me. I give this cloth to you. Take it before
the state councillor and stitch it to make a garment. If he asks
questions, answer, ‘The aranyaka whom you, O father, hold in
esteem, has taken this and given it to me.’ The state councillor is
bound to become angry, but do not talk with him.” The daughter
said to the Tripitaka master, “My father is now generous and
reverential toward that bhiksu, holding him as dear as his own
eyes or a bright pearl. Why should I suddenly slander him?” The
Tripitaka master then said, “If you do not do so, I shall break with
you forever!” The daughter replied, “Why be so precipitate? There
must be a better way!” As the situation could not be resolved, she
accepted that cloth and cut it in front of her father, making it into
a garment. Then when the state councillor saw the cloth, he
recognized it and thought to himself, “That so-called bhiksu (the
elder brother) is a very evil man. Obtaining my piece of cloth, he
did not keep it for himself, but he deceives a woman, my child, with
it.”
After that, whenever the aranyaka came, he no longer went out
to welcome him any more and his countenance changed. Then,
when the elder brother saw how the state councillor behaved, he
thought to himself, “Someone must have slandered me so that he
is acting like this.” Then he ascended into the sky and made the
eighteen transformations. When the state councillor saw this, he
felt profound respect and obedience. With his wife, he fell at the
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bhiksu’s feet and confessed. His respect and affection were twice
as great as before. He then expelled the Tripitaka master and his
own daughter. He had them both leave the country.
The Buddha said, “At that time I was the Tripitaka master.
Because I slandered someone, I experienced great suffering during
countless kalpas. Even now I am slandered by Sundari. The girl is
expelled now because she slandered a noble one, and she is needy,
begging for a living. Therefore you people should always think
carefully! Do not slander lightly, because you will thus bring
punishment on yourself!”
Parable 28: Kokalika Slanders Sariputra
46ia Long ago, the Venerable Sariputra and the Venerable Maudgalyayana were wandering from town to town. Arriving at a potter’s workshop, they encountered a rain storm, so they stayed
there for the night. It happened that a cowherd girl had arrived
at the pottery first. She was staying deep in the back; and because disciples are no different from common men when they
have not entered concentration, they did not notice her. When
the cowherd girl saw that the looks of Sariputra and Maudgalyayana were fine, she was deluded inside and she lost impurity.
The Venerable Sariputra and Maudgalyayana left the pottery.
Kokalika was well versed in judging facial expressions. Upon
examining someone’s countenance, he knew whether or not that
person had given way to desire. He saw the cowherd girl leave
after them, and the countenance of the girl suggested that she
had fulfilled her desire. He did not know that the girl had deluded herself and lost impurity. So he slandered the Venerable
Sariputra and the Venerable Maudgalyayana, accusing them
of debauching the cowherd girl. He widely proclaimed this to
the bhiksus. Then the bhiksus remonstrated three times, “Do not
slander the Venerable Sariputra and the Venerable Maudgalyayana!” Kokalika then become angry, and his anger grew and
grew.
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There was an elder called Baka. The Venerable Sariputra and
the Venerable Maudgalyayana had explained to him the essentials
of the Doctrine, and he had become an anagamin. When his life
had ended, he was born in the Brahma Heaven, so they called him
Baka-brahmana. Then Baka-brahmana directly knew in heaven
that Kokalika had slandered the Venerable Sariputra and the
Venerable Maudgalyayana, and he descended into Kokalika’s
house. Kokalika asked, “Who are you?” He answered, “I am Bakabrahmana.” “Why did you come?” The brahmana said, “With my
heavenly ear I have heard you slander the Venerable Sariputra
and the Venerable Maudgalyayana. Do not say that these venerables have done such things!” Thus he remonstrated three times.
He remonstrated with him, but Kokalika did not stop. He replied,
“You, O Baka-brahmana, say that you are an anagamin. Anagamin
means one who does not return. Why did you come to me? If you
are like that, the Buddha’s words are untrue.” The brahmana said,
“Not to return means not to return to the realm of desire and to
experience birth.”
Then Kokalika got nasty boils as big as beans all over his body,
from head to toe. He went to where the Buddha was, and he said
to the Buddha, “Why did Sariputra and Maudgalyayana debauch
the cowherd girl?” The Buddha remonstrated, too, saying, “Do not
accuse Sariputra and Maudgalyayana of that!” Hearing these
words spoken by the Buddha, he became twice as angry. Then his
nasty boils gradually became as big as crab apples. He asked the
Buddha a second time. The Buddha again remonstrated, saying,
“Do not say this!” His boils gradually became as big as fists. He did
4 6 ib not desist from asking a third time, and his boils gradually became
as big as gourds. He got a fierce fever and jumped into a cool pool,
which caused it to start boiling vigorously. His boils all burst open.
His life immediately ended and he fell into the Mahotpala Hell.
Then the bhiksus said to the Buddha, “O World-honored One,
why did someone gravely slander the Venerable Sariputra and the
Venerable Maudgalyayana?” The Buddha said, “In a past kalpa
Sariputra and Maudgalyayana were common men. They saw a
pratyekabuddha leave a potter’s workshop. A cowherd girl also
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happened to be there. She left after him, and they immediately
slandered him, saying, ‘That so-called bhiksu certainly had intercourse with this girl!’ Because of this deed, they fell into the three
unwholesome destinations and experienced immeasurable suffering. Though they have become noble now, their previous karmic
causality had not ended. They were still slandered. Know that
srâvakas cannot be great teachers to sentient beings. Why? If
Sâriputra and Maudgalyâyana had shown any element of supernatural power for Kokâlika’s sake, Kokâlika would surely have
escaped hell. Because they did not show it for him, they let Kokâlika
fall into hell.”
The Buddha explained that event in this manner: “In the case
of a bodhisattva it would be just as in the time of Krakucchanda
Buddha. There was a sage called Dipamkara. He lived together
with five hundred sages in a thatched cave in a mountain forest.
A woman accidentally passed there. It happened to be raining,
and the wind and cold were extreme. She did not have a place to
shelter herself against the rain, so she turned to where the sage
Dipamkara was and spent the night there. The next morning she
went away. When the sages saw her, they immediately slandered
him and said, ‘This sage, Dipamkara, certainly committed impure
behavior with that woman!’ Dipamkara knew then what was on
their minds. Apprehensive that their slander would cause them to
fall into hell, he ascended seven tala trees high in the sky and
made the eighteen transformations. When the sages saw this they
said, When ones body can leave the ground to the distance of
four fingers length, it is free from lust. How much less would
Dipamkara, who, having ascended into the sky, makes these great
magic transformations, have sensuous delight! How could we slander a pure person!’ Then the five hundred sages threw themselves
to the ground. They bent down and repented. For this reason they
escaped heavy punishment. Know that a bodhisattva has great
expedient means. He is truly a good teacher to sentient beings.”
The Buddha said, “The sage Dipamkara is now Maitreya. The
five hundred sages are now the elders, the five hundred bhiksus.”
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Parable 29: The Stanzas of the Dragon Kings
When the Buddha was in Rajagrha, Devadatta went to where the
Buddha was and scolded him with foul words. When Ananda heard
this, he became extremely angry. He drove Devadatta away, ordering him to leave. He said to him, “If you come again, I will see to it
that you suffer greatly! ”^Wien the bhiksus had seen this, they said
to the Buddha, “Strange, O World-honored One! You, O Tathagata,
always have compassionate thoughts for Devadatta; but Devadatta always harbors evil thoughts toward you, O Tathagata.
Ananda became angry. He drove him away and made him leave.”
The Buddha said, “Not only now! In the past it was also like
this. Long ago in the land of Kasi there were two brothers, dragon
kings. One was called Dardara and the other Upadardara. They
always let it rain in the right season, so that the vegetation in that
land grew abundantly. The five cereals ripened, and the animals
drank water. They all became fat. The number of oxen and sheep
grew. The king of the land then often had oxen and sheep killed.
He went to where the dragons were and sacrificed the animals to
the dragons. The dragons appeared and said to the king, Since we
do not eat them, what is the use of killing these creatures and
sacrificing them to us?’ Although they repeated these words, it was
to no avail.
“The two brothers then went away together and avoided that
place. They arrived at the dwelling of a small dragon called Dundubhi. The dragon Dundubhi was always angry. He scolded them
with foul words. Dardara said to him, ‘Don’t get angry! We shall
soon be gone.’ Upadardara was extremely angry and said, ‘You are
just a petty dragon that always eats frogs. If I gave vent to my
anger, I would blow you and your relatives away so that you would
all be extinguished!’ Dardara said to his younger brother, ‘Don’t be
angry! We shall return to our former place. The king of Kasi is
longing for us.’ The king of Kasi said these words, ‘If the two
dragons come, I shall bring them sacrifices of curds according to
their needs, and I shall not slaughter any beings any more!’ When
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the dragon kings heard this, they returned to their former place.
Thereupon Dardara spoke these stanzas:
1. May you all be in harmony and listen attentively! It is
extremely wholesome to purify one’s mental dharmas.
Listen to the deeds explaining the bodhisattva’s former karmic causality and to ancient stanzas about the
appearance of the present Buddha!
2. When the god among gods, the Sambuddha, the Tathagata, was in the world, the bhiksus still uttered evil
words and derided one another. The One with Great
Compassion heard such words.
3. He assembled the Sangha of bhiksus and spoke thus, “O
bhiksus, you have left your homes, relying on me. You
must not do wrong deeds, but you all speak harsh words.
4. You slander each other, harming yourselves. Do you
know that one who seeks bodhi must develop friendly
forbearance, a difficult and hard practice? If you want to
rely on the Buddha’s Doctrine,
5. You must practice the sixfold respectful behavior. The
wise one listens well when applying himself to the
Buddha’s path! Because he wants to benefit and bring
peace to beings, he vexes absolutely no one.
6 . “If he is learned in his practice, he must shun evil. When
someone who has gone forth raises strife, it is like ice
water coming out of a fire. I was a dragon king in the
past.
7. I and my younger brother lived together. If you want to
comply with the rules of going forth, you must do away
with strife and behave in agreement with the path. One
brother, the elder one, was called Dardara.
8 . “The other was called Upadardara. They both did not kill
any living being and maintained the precepts in purity.
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Having mighty qualities, they disliked their dragonlike
appearances. Constantly turning toward a wholesome
destination, they sought to become men.
9. “When they met a sramana or Brahman, one who practiced the precepts in purity or who was learned, they
changed their appearances and honored him, devotedly
serving him. On the eighth day, the fourteenth day, and
the fifteenth day
10. “They observed the eight precepts and checked their
minds. They left their dwelling and went elsewhere.
There was a dragon called Dundubhi who saw the mighty
qualities of us two dragons.
11. “He knew he was inferior and he became envious. He
kept scolding us with harsh words. With swollen jaws
and swollen mouth, he breathed heavily. His mind was
filled with hatred and his body was inflated.
12. “What he uttered were nasty sounds and slanderous
words. He was seized by deception and falsehood. Hearing this infamous scolding by the evil dragon, Upadardara
was extremely angry.
13. “He insistently said to his elder brother, Dardara, ‘I am
slandered by these foul words. He always eats frogs and
lives near the water. How dare this insignificant creature
scold me!
14. “ ‘In the water he annoys the water animals, and on land
he vexes people. Hearing this foulness, I would like to be
patient, but it is hard to bear. I shall now destroy him and
his relatives.
15. “ ‘When all are destroyed, let us go back to our place!’
When the dragon king with great power heard his younger
brother’s words, the fine stanzas that he expounded were
praised by the wise. ‘If at the place where one stays one
night
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462b
16. “ ‘One is poorly equipped but sleeps peacefully, one must
not think evil thoughts there. Thankfulness and gratefulness are praised by the noble. If one rests under a tree
with little shade,
17. “ ‘One must not destroy its branches and leaves or its
flowers and fruits. If one does some evil to relatives, one
will never find happiness. If the kindness of one meal is
repaid with evil,
18. “ ‘One is an ungrateful evildoer. His wholesome fruit does
not grow but is extinguished again. If a forest is burned
and scorched, it later grows again, as before,
19. “ ‘But the good of an ungrateful person does not grow. If
one cares for an evil person with a hundred offerings, he
will never be grateful; he will certainly repay with evil,
just as in the case of the sage on whom an elephant cow
relied.
20. “ ‘She had a son and died. The sage kept the son alive;
but when grown he became deranged and killed the sage,
trampling his wooden dwelling to pieces. Such is the
ingratitude of an evil person.
21. “ ‘His mind is fickle and unstable, just like a tree in a
whirlpool. He does not develop friendliness nor does he
return any kindness. He is like a white cloth, as distinguished from a skillfully dyed one.
22. “ ‘If one wants to repay hatred, one should increase
goodness. One must not harm with evil! The wise repay
hatred with friendliness. One may carry the burden of
heaven and earth, of mountains and seas;
23. “ ‘But this burden is lighter than the weight of ingratitude. Equal friendliness toward all beings, this is
the highest and most excellent happiness. When one
helps someone cross a ford and pass in uttermost
safety,
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2 4 « twofold happiness of such friendliness is like this:
not to harm one’s friend means happiness, and doing
away with one’s arrogance also means happiness. If
internally one has no virtuous conduct and externally
one is negligent,
25. ‘“ One is truly ignorant and produces arrogance. If one
likes violent strife and is friendly with evil friends, one’s
fame is spoiled and one has a bad name. Orphans, old
people, sick people,
26. ‘“ The weak who have recently lost their riches and
honor, a lord who has lost his land, who is destitute and
poor, those who are distressed by loneliness and have no
support—if for those who are distressed by calamities
27. “ ‘One does not feel pity, one is not called benevolent.
If one reaches another country, without any relatives,
forbearance means happiness when one meets with any
foul scolding. Restraining any foulness, strife is appeased.
28. “ ‘It is better to stay in another country where people do
not know you than to be in one’s own state scorned by all.
If one is respected in another country, people will all
come and be close to you, not creating any angry strife,
29. “ ‘Like one’s friends and relatives in one’s own country.
The happiness of riches and honors in the world is very
little. The sufferings of decay are very many. If one sees
that beings all give in
30. “ ‘And are unable to restrain themselves, silence means
happiness. “The enemy’s power is superior and I am
weak. Since my friends are few, I have no one to rely on.”
If one considers thus, silence means happiness.
31. “ ‘Unrighteous people desire and are stingy. They do not
trust, are shameless, and do not accept a word. Silence
toward those evil ones means happiness. They have a
great deal of hatred and the harm they bring is evil.
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32. “ ‘They like to bring distress to beings. Near such people
silence means happiness. They do not trust, are overbearing, and like to be conceited. When they meet with
opposition, they simulate, mislead, and deceive.
33. “ ‘Silence toward such people means happiness. They
break the precepts and are malignant. They do not
bother with forbearance. They always do what is wrong
and never walk in faith. Silence toward these people
means happiness.
34. “ ‘They lie and have no moral dread. They like slander,
wrong views, harsh words, and frivolous talk. They are
haughty and conceited, and they count on their egos.
They are extremely stingy and cherish envy.
35. “ ‘Silence toward these people brings happiness. If people
do not know you in some other place, and if they do not
distinguish your different characteristics and conduct,
you must not be conceited and feel pride.
36. ‘On reaching another region and staying there, one
looks to others for clothing and food; one is not selfsufficient. If one is reviled, one must bear it all. If, while
staying in another region and expecting clothing and food,
37. One wants happiness in one’s undertakings, one must
also be forbearing, just as I mentioned earlier. If one
stays in another region and expects clothing and food,
even if a vile person comes to despise you,
38. “ ‘The wise person ought to bear this. If an evil friend
lives in another region, a foolish one may dwell together
with the vile person. A wise one brings himself to safety,
as when covering over a fire.
39. “ ‘Just as when a blustering gale blows over a blazing
fire, the flames spread through the forest and burn
everything, so hatred burns oneself and the others, just
like fire. This is known as the damage of utter evil.
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40. “ ‘Hatred and desire are eliminated by the wise person.
If one develops compassion and so forth, hatred will
gradually be extinguished. He who has never lived with
goodness, but who claims it at once, having always been
near evil, is a deluded person.
41. “ ‘He who does not contemplate his faults, but denies
them at once, he who performs such deeds, is not a wise
one. If there were no foolishness, wisdom would not be
manifest. Just as when a bird has a broken wing and
cannot fly,
42. “ ‘A wise one is just like that if there are no fools. Because
of one’s ample foolishness and ignorance, one cannot
understand that wisdom has power. Because of this
[power] intelligent ones,
43. “ ‘Having extensive knowledge and being learned, can
dwell in happiness. When a wise one gains an advantage,
his mind is not exalted; and when he loses an advantage,
he is not dejected, being free from delusion. The principles he explains are praised as explanations of the truth.
44. “ ‘His every word is a protection against evil. His eloquence is for happiness and benefit. He gives explanations to bring about the necessary understanding. When
a wise one hears about something, he does not immediately act.
45. “ ‘He considers and deliberates, and he investigates
whether it is true. He acts only after he has understood
whether it is right. This is called benefitting oneself and
benefitting others. The wise one never
46. “ ‘Performs an unwholesome action or an unprincipled
deed for his own sake. He does not offend against the
Right Doctrine because of suffering or happiness, and he
never forsakes right conduct for his own sake. The wise
one is not stingy, and he is free from envy.
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463a
47. “ ‘He also finds evil unsuitable, and he is free from foolishness. When peril is imminent, he does not fear. He never
vilifies another to gain advantage. He is neither fierce
nor timid,
48. ‘“ Nor is he inferior, but he stays exactly in the middle.
Such deeds are characteristic of a wise one. Fierceness
produces jealousy, and timidity is despised by others. Rid
of these two extremes, his behavior holds to the middle.
49. “ ‘Sometimes he is silent, as if he were dumb. Sometimes
he kills with words, as if he were a king. Sometimes he
brings cold, like the snow, and sometimes he offers heat,
like a blazing fire.
50. “ ‘Sometimes he is as lofty as Sumeru. Sometimes he
looks as low as ground covering. Sometimes he is as
illustrious as a king, and sometimes he is quiet, as if
released.
51. “ ‘Sometimes he bears the hardships of hunger and thirst.
Sometimes he bears what is painful or pleasant. All
wealth is like excrement to him. In his mastery he
subdues all hatred.
52. “ ‘Sometimes he relaxes with music in merrymaking.
Sometimes he is as frightened as a deer, and sometimes
he is as fierce as a tiger or a wolf. He contemplates the
right time and the wrong time, power and powerlessness.
53. “ ‘He contemplates riches and honor and their decline. To
bear the unbearable, this is true forbearance. To forbear
the bearable, this is ordinary forbearance. One must also
be forbearing toward the weak.
54. “ ‘When riches and honors are abundant, one should
always be humbly forbearing. Forbearance of the unbearable, this is called forbearance. One must bear no grudge
because of what may be resented. Among people who
hate, one’s mind must always be pure.
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55. ‘“ If one sees someone doing evil, one must not do it
oneself. Forbearance toward someone who is victorious
over you is called forbearance from fear. Forbearance
toward someone who is your equal means one is afraid
of strife. Forbearance toward one who is inferior is called
extensive forbearance.
56. “ ‘The fool cannot bear foul scolding and defamation,
feeling as if he had two stones in his eyes. Experiencing
foul scolding and grave defamation, a wise one can bear
it, [like] an elephant in a shower of flowers.
57. “ ‘If he is gravely defamed by foul scolding, the wise one
can bear it with his eye of wisdom, just as, when rain falls
on a big rock, the rock suffers no damage and is not
destroyed.
58. “ ‘Bad words or good words, painful or pleasant deeds,
the wise one bears them, also, as if he were a rock. If one
is reproached with the truth, one may not be angry over
a man’s true words.
59. ‘“ If someone reproaches you with untrue statements,
that person makes a fool of himself through his own
nonsense. The wise person understands and feels no
anger in either event. When, for the sake of wealth or of
profit,
60. “ ‘One endures suffering or happiness and defamation
through foul scolding, or when one can endure, not
expecting wealth or profit, even if the evil person has a
hundred, a thousand precious objects, one should quickly
leave him.
61. “ ‘When the branches of a tree are broken off, one cannot
climb it. When someone’s thoughts are dispersed, he
must not be befriended. Then follow another road and
leave him far away. The world will be full of potential
friends.
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463b
62. ‘“ When one is first respectful and then haughty, one is
despised, one is not praised, and one does not get any
respect. Just like a white crane that swiftly flies away,
the wise person stays away from the fool and should
leave him quickly.
63. “ ‘When a person likes strife and cherishes crookedness,
when he is happy to see someone else’s wrong, when he
slanders, lies, speaks harsh and frivolous words, when he
despises and defames sentient beings,
64. “ ‘When furthermore he utters painful words, penetrating to the marrow, and when he does not guard his
corporal, verbal, and mental actions, the wise one should
leave for somewhere else. An evil person who is envious
does not have wholesome thoughts.
65. “ ‘When he sees someone else’s profit, happiness, and
fame, vexation and great bitterness arise in his mind.
His speech may be soft, but his mind is utterly evil. Yes,
a wise one must leave him and go somewhere else!
66. “ ‘When people find happiness in foul desire and covet
advantages and honors, when they are crooked and need
something to cling to, lacking any shame, when inwardly
they are not pure, and likewise outwardly, a wise person
must quickly leave and go somewhere else!
67. “ ‘When someone has no reverential thoughts, when he
is taken in by pride but cannot be instructed, when he
calls himself a wise one but is a fool in reality, a wise
person must leave him and go somewhere else!
68. “ ‘When one has food and drink here, and bedding and
clothing on life’s road, one must guard them and remember this kindness, like a kind mother who saves her only
child.
69. “ ‘Craving increases all suffering. First, abandon craving and leave hatred! They can lead all people to an
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463c
unwholesome destination. Haughtiness and pride must
be abandoned, too!
70. “ ‘When you are rich, you have friends, but when you are
poor, they leave. Quickly leave such friends! If it is for the
sake of one family, give up one person. Give up one family
for one village.
71. “ ‘Give up one village for a country. Give up the world for
your own person. Give up your own person for the Right
Doctrine. Give up present riches for one finger.
72. “ ‘Give up your four limbs for your life. Give up everything for the True Doctrine. The Right Doctrine is your
shelter against the rain, as if it were an umbrella. Those
who practice the Doctrine are protected by the Doctrine.
73. “ ‘Through the power of practicing the Doctrine, one
avoids any unwholesome destination. Practicing the Doctrine is just like finding shade in the scorching heat of
spring. Be on your way together with the wise!
74. “ ‘If one does not consider the possession of ample riches
as joyful, if one does not consider the loss of important
valuables as sorrowful, and if one does not constantly toil
and seek, one is called a strong hero.
75. “ ‘If one gives away one’s riches and is very happy, if
worldly wrong is swiftly given up, if one establishes
oneself in peace even deeper than the sea, one is called a
vigorous, superior man.
76. “ ‘If one understands what is meaningful, [if one is]
skillful in everything, if one is pliable as a person dwelling in happiness, everybody will praise him as a fine
man.’
“Upadardara said these words:
77. I shall double my devotion to my brother now. If I
meet with hardship, if I am extremely distressed, I shall
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never do anything wrong again. Whether dying or living,
[whether] I gain riches
78. Or lose riches, I shall do no evil. O brother, know now that
I shall serve you! I would rather die because of moral
conduct than live because of immoral conduct.
79. Why should one live a whole life and be negligent and do
evil? Between birth and death one must not be negligent!
In my birth and death I have done what is not good.
80. I have met evil friends and done what is not right, but
upon meeting with a virtuous friend, I have ceased all
this.” ’
With his knowledge of his previous lives, the Buddha expounded
these gathas to the bhiksus:
81. I was Dardara and Upadardara is Ananda. Know that
Dundubhi is now Devadatta!
82. 0 bhiksus, you must know that the practice of this
application is explained in collections of terms and in
compilations of the Doctrine! You must widely comply
with the utmost respect! 0 bhiksus of the Sangha, practice this Dharma!
Parable 30: Devadatta Wants to Harm the Buddha
When the Buddha was in Rajagrha, he said to Devadatta, “Do not
harbor excessively obnoxious thoughts toward me, the Tathagata!
You will sustain loss, fall prey to unhappiness, and yourself experience its suffering.”
The bhiksus said, “It is extraordinary, O World-honored One,
that Devadatta always has evil thoughts for you, O Tathagata;
but for a long time you, World-honored One, have had friendly
thoughts and pity [toward him]. You talk to him gently.” The
Buddha said, “Not only now, but also in the past! In the land of
Kasi, in the city of Benares, there was a great dragon king by the
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name of Campeya. He used to bring seasonal rain so that the
grains would ripen. On the fourteenth and on the fifteenth day he
changed into a man and kept the five precepts, practiced liberality,
and listened to the Doctrine.
“At the time, in southern India, there was a master of spells.
He came and planted an arrow and made an incantation, taking
hold of the dragon king Campeya. Then a celestial spirit said to the
king of Kasi that there was a master of spells who was going to
take the dragon king Campeya away from Kasi. The king immediately brought out his troops and went out to chase him. That
Brahman [the spell master] then made another incantation so that
the king’s troops could not move at all. The king spent a fortune to
redeem the dragon king. The Brahman came a second time to take
the dragon king with his incantation, but the relatives of the
dragon raised clouds and made it rain. Thunder crashed, and they
wanted to kill the Brahman; but the dragon king was kind at heart
and said to the crowd of dragons, ‘Do not take his life!’ He soothed
them with his goodness and let the man return. When he came
back a third time, the dragons immediately wanted to kill him; but
464a the dragon king protected him and did not let them kill him. He let
him go.
“That dragon king is now I. The master of spells is now
Devadatta. Even when I was a dragon, I could be kind at heart, and
I frequently rescued others. How much less would I lack friendliness now!”
Parable 31: The Jlvam jivaka Bird
When the Buddha was in Rajagrha, the bhiksus said to the
Buddha, “O World-honored One, Devadatta is your brother (i.e.,
cousin), O Tathagata. Why does he always want to find fault with
you, O Buddha?”
The Buddha said, “Not only now! In the past, in the Snowy
Mountains, there was a bird called jivamjivaka. He had one body
and two heads. One head used to eat fine fruits and wanted the
body to be safe. The other head became jealous and said, “Why does
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he always eat fine fruits while I never get them?’ He then picked a
poisonous fruit and ate it so that the two heads both died.
“If you want to know who is the one who ate the sweet fruit at
that time, it was myself. The one who ate poisonous fruit then was
Devadatta. Formerly he shared one body with me, but he still had
evil thoughts. Now he is my brother in the same way.”
Parable 32: The White Swan King
The Buddha was in Rajagrha. Devadatta pushed [rocks from] a
mountain to crush the Buddha. He let the elephant Dhanapala
loose, wanting him to trample upon the Buddha. His bad reputation was spreading. In front of a crowd Devadatta repented toward
the Buddha, touching the Tathagata’s feet; but when there was no
crowd he spoke foul words among the bhiksus and reviled the
Buddha. Everyone said, “Devadatta repents toward the Buddha.
His mind is well subdued. There is no reason for the spread of
his bad reputation.” The bhiksus said, “Extraordinary, O Worldhonored One, is Devadatta’s ability to be treacherous. In front of a
crowd he is subdued toward the Buddha; but when he is in a
secluded spot, he has evil thoughts and reviles the Buddha.”
The Buddha said, “Not only now, but also in long bygone times.
There was a lotus pond in which lived many water birds, among
them a stork. He slowly stepped around in the pond, lifting his feet.
All the birds said, ‘This bird behaves well; there is dignity in his
upbringing. He does not disturb the water animals.’ Then there
was a white swan who spoke the gatha:
Lifting his feet he takes slow steps. His voice is very soft. He
fools the world. Who does not know his treachery!
The stork said, ‘Why do you say these words? Come and be friends
464b with me!’ The white swan replied, ‘I know your treachery. I shall
never be your friend!’
“If you want to know, the swan king was myself. The stork of
that time is now Devadatta.”
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Parable 33: The Big Tortoise
The Buddha was in Rajagrha. Devadatta constantly harbored
malicious feelings. He wanted to harm the World-honored One. So
he engaged five hundred Brahmans who could shoot well. He had
them go to the World-honored One with bows and arrows to shoot
the Buddha with their bows, but the arrows they shot changed to
kumuda flowers, pundarika flowers, padma flowers, and utpala
flowers. When the five hundred Brahmans saw this divine change,
they all grew very frightened and put aside their bows and arrows.
They worshipped the Buddha, repented, and sat down on one side.
The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to them and they all became
srotapannas.
They further said to the Buddha, “Please let us go forth
to study the path!” The Buddha said, “You have come well, O
bhiksusl” Their hair fell off, and they donned the robe of the
Doctrine. Again he expounded the Doctrine to them, and they
became arhats. The bhiksus said to the Buddha, “O World-honored
One, your divine power is miraculous! Devadatta always wants to
harm you, O Buddha, but you, O Buddha, always show great
friendliness.”
The Buddha said, “Not only now! In the past in Benares there
was a merchant chief called Akrtajna. He went to sea with five
hundred traders to gather valuable objects. Having obtained them,
he returned and was caught in a whirlpool. His ships were seized
by a water raksasa, and he could not go any further. The merchants
were extremely frightened. They all called out. ‘O spirits of heaven
and spirits of earth, spirits of sun and moon, who would be so kind
as to rescue us from our distress?’
“There was a big tortoise whose back was a mile wide. It
felt compassion and approached the ships. Carrying all the men
on its back, they were able to cross. Then the tortoise grew a
little sleepy and Akrtajna wanted to hit the tortoise on the head
with a large stone and kill it. The merchants said, ‘We are alive,
saved from danger by the tortoise. To kill it is unlucky and ungrateful.’ Akrtajna said, ‘I am starving; who is going to worry about
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gratitude?’ He immediately killed the tortoise and ate its flesh.
That same night a herd of elephants trampled them all to death.
At that time, the big tortoise was myself. The one who was
Akrtajna is Devadatta. The five hundred merchants are the five
hundred Brahmans who went forth and obtained the path. I
rescued them from their distress in the past, and now I have again
pulled them out of the misery of birth and death.”
Parable 34: Two Scheming State Councillors
464c When the Buddha was in Rajagrha, Devadatta wanted to see the
Buddha killed for all kinds of reasons, but he did not succeed. Then
there was a Brahman who came from southern India. He was an
expert in magical skills and was able to compound poisonous
drugs. Devadatta then compounded a poisonous drug at the Brahman’s place and scattered it on the Buddha. The wind blew the
drug away, making it fall back on Devadatta’s own head so that he
was stupefied on the spot. He crawled on the ground and was about
to die. A doctor could not heal him. Ananda said to the Buddha, “O
World-honored One, Devadatta is about to die because of the
poison. Out of pity the Buddha explained to him the truth: “From
the time I achieved Buddhahood as a bodhisattva, I have always
felt compassion for Devadatta, without any ill-feeling. Devadatta’s
poison will be dissipated by itself.” After he spoke these words,
the poison was immediately dissipated. The bhiksus said, “Extraordinary, O World-honored One! Devadatta always has evil in mind
for you, O Tathagata; but you, O Tathagata, intend to keep him
alive still.”
The Buddha said, Not only now does he have evil in mind for
me. In the past he was the same.” So they asked the Buddha, ‘What
were these evil intentions toward you, O Buddha?” The Buddha
said, “In a time gone by, in KasI, in the city of Benares, there were
two state councillors. One was called Senaka and the other was
called Durmati. Senaka always behaved according to the law, but
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Durmati always performed evil deeds. He liked to scheme, and
he said to the king, ‘Senaka wants to perform a rebellious act.’
So the king had [Senaka] put away. The good spirits of heaven
spoke out in the sky and said, ‘Such a worthy man! He really
has not committed any crime. Why do you keep him under arrest?’
The dragons then spoke in similar fashion and the officials and
the people also spoke in the same way. So the king set [Senaka]
free.
“Then Durmati stole from the king’s treasury and put [what
he had taken] in Senaka’s home. But the king did not believe
Durmati and said to him, ‘Being envious of him, you have acted in
this unreasonable manner.’ The king ordered that Durmati be
apprehended and handed over to Senaka, who was instructed to
pronounce judgment on him.
“Senaka instructed Durmati to show repentance toward the
king, but Durmati, knowing his own guilt, fled to the king of
Videha. He prepared a jeweled box and filled it with two vicious
snakes, knowing that they were poisonous. He had a messenger of
the king of Videha send it to the other country. Both the king and
Senaka were to look at it together, and not to show it to anyone
else. When the king saw the jeweled box, he felt great joy on
account of its excellent decoration. So he called Senaka; he wanted
to open it for both of them to see together. Senaka answered, ‘When
something comes from afar, one ought not to look at it oneself.
When fruit comes from afar, one ought not to eat it immediately.
Why? There are evil people there. It may be that they come with
evil to see you hurt.’ The king said, ‘I do want to have a look!’
“Senaka emphatically warned him three times, but the king
did not heed his words. He again said to the king, If you do not
accept my words, you may look at it yourself, O king! I cannot look
at it.’ The king then opened it. Both his eyes were blinded and he
could see nothing. Senaka was mortified; he could have died of
anxiety. He sent people forth to the four directions to pass through
every country, to search for a good medicine far and wide. When he
had obtained fine medicine, the king’s eyes were cured and his
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sight restored. They were healed and just as before. The king at
that time is Sariputra now.
“The Senaka of that time is myself. Durmati is Devadatta.”
Parable 35: The Wild Cock King
When the Buddha was in Rajagrha, Devadatta went to where the
Buddha was and said these words, “O Tathagata, now is the time
for you to dwell in a quiet place. Let me take charge of this great
assembly!” The Buddha said, “Swallow your spittle, foolish fellow!
I would not commit any great assembly even to Sariputra or
Maudgalyayana. How could I commit one to you!” Devadatta went
away cursing. The bhiksus said, “O World-honored One, Devadatta
wants to cause you, O Buddha, all kinds of distress. He is full of
ways to deceive you, O Tathagata.”
“The Buddha said, “Not only now! In the past, by the Snowy
Mountains, there was a cock king, who was the leader of a multitude of chickens. His comb was extremely red and his body absolutely white. He said to the chickens, ‘Stay away from towns and
villages! Do not let yourselves be eaten by people! We have many
enemies. Watch out for yourselves!’
“Then there was a cat in a village that heard about the
presence of the cock. So she went to him. She crawled slowly
underneath the trees, looking downward, and said to the cock, ‘I
shall be your wife, and you will be my husband. Your looks are
proper and enchanting. The comb on your head is red and your
body is all white. If we do this, we shall be safe and happy.’ The cock
then spoke the gatha:
The cat’s yellow eyes may fool a small being.
Stimulated by this and harboring malignity,
[The cat] wants to eat [me].
I have never seen anyone whose life was safe, caring for
such a wife.
The cock at that time was myself; the cat Devadatta. Formerly, in the
past, he wanted to entrap me, and now he wants to entrap me again.”
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Parable 36: The Krkara Bird
The Buddha was in Rajagrha. Devadatta then thought, “The
465b Buddha has five hundred spirits in dark garments constantly
guarding him. The Buddha has ten powers. A hundred, a thousand
Narayanas cannot equal them. I cannot hurt him now. I shall serve
him still When I hurt him, having observed his essential traits, I
may be able to kill him.”
So he repented toward the Buddha in the great assembly of
bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, and upasikas, and he thought: “If he
accepts my repentance, I can make convenient use of it. If he does
not accept my repentance, this will make the Tathagata’s bad
name spread.” So he said to the Buddha, “O World-honored One,
accept my repentance! I want to develop the determination [for
practice] in that solitary place.” The Buddha said, “My Doctrine is
free from deceit. All who deceive are without my Doctrine.” The six
heretical teachers said, “Devadatta kindly repents toward the
Buddha, but the Buddha does not accept this repentance.” The
bhiksus said, “Devadatta turns to the Buddha with deceit.”
The Buddha said, “Not only now! In the past, long ago, there
was a king in Benares called Brahmadatta. He had made a rule to
stop killing. There was a hunter then. Wearing the garment of a
seer, he was killing deer and birds. No one knew about it; but there
was a krkara bird who said to the people, ‘This very evil person
may wear the garment of a seer, but in reality he is a hunter. He
constantly commits killings, but people do not know it.’ Everybody
believed the krkara bird, that the truth was as it had said.
“At that time, the krkara bird was myself. The hunter was
Devadatta. The king was Sariputra.”
Parable 37: The Aged Seer
The Buddha was in Rajagrha. King Ajatasatru then sent five
hundred large measures of food a day to Devadatta, and Devadatta
was greatly honored. The bhiksus all said to the World-honored
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One, “King Ajatasatru sends five hundred large measures of food
a day to Devadatta.” The Buddha said, “O bhiksus, do not extol the
fact that Devadatta has obtained honors.’’And he spoke the stanza:
The plantain withers when it bears fruit.
For bamboo it is the same with its reeds.
The mule dies when big with young,
And the same applies to the hinny
The fool is hurt by his desire for honors,
But the wise one laughs at him.
Having spoken this stanza, he said to the bhiksus, “Not only now
is Devadatta hurt by honors. He does not slander me only now. It
465c was the same in the past.” The bhiksus asked the Buddha, “What
do you mean by the past?”
The Buddha said, “Formerly, in Benares, on the Seer Mountains, there were two seers. One of them was aged and had
obtained the five superknowledges. The other one was in the prime
of life and had obtained absolutely nothing. Then the aged seer
went to [the northern continent of] Uttarakuru through his supernatural power. He came back with ripe rice, and they both ate it.
He later went to the jambu tree. He also came back with jambu
fruit, and they both ate it. Having arrived in the Trayastrimsa
Heaven, he came back with divine sudha; and they both tasted it.
When the young seer had seen this, his mind started longing and
he said to the aged one, I wish you would teach me how to develop
the five superknowledges.’ The aged seer said, ‘If you are goodhearted, you will obtain the five superknowledges and certainly be
benefitted. If you are not good-hearted, you will, on the contrary,
experience damage.’
He still zealously stated his desire, ‘O please, teach me!’
Then the aged seer taught the five superknowledges and the
younger seer consequently obtained them. After he had obtained
the five superknowledges, he showed all kinds of supernatural
power in front of a crowd. After that he became very famous and
honored, and so he became envious of the aged one. Slandering him
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everywhere, he lost his supernatural powers. When all had heard
this, they said, ‘The aged seer has had these qualities for a long
time and the young seer slanders him unreasonably!’ So they were
all angry at him. They blocked his way at the gate of the city and
did not let him in. So he lost his honors.
“If you want to know, the aged seer then is [now] myself. The
young seer then is [now] Devadatta.
Parable 38: The Two Traders
The Buddha was in Rajagrha. Those then among the bhiksus who
took the Buddha’s words to heart all obtained nirvana or the
destination of gods and humans. Those who took Devadatta’s
words to heart all fell into hell and experienced great suffering.
The Buddha said, “Not only now do those who receive my
teaching get considerable gain and those who follow Devadatta s
words get considerable suffering. It was the same in the past. In
the past, there were two traders who both led five hundred merchants. In the desert there was a yaksa demon who had taken on
the appearance of a youth. He wore fine clothes and on his head he
wore a garland of flowers. He was walking while playing the lute.
He said to the traders, ‘Aren’t you completely exhausted? What is
the use of all the water plants you are carrying? Right ahead of you
there are fine water plants. If you come with me, I shall show you
the way.’
“One merchant leader consequently believed his words. ‘Let us
now throw away the water plants we are carrying so that we may
travel light.’ He went on ahead of the others. The other trader said,
4 6 6 a ‘We do not see water plants now. Do not throw them away! The one
who threw the water plants away died of thirst. The one who did
not throw them away reached his destination.
“The one who did not throw away the water plants then is
[now] myself. The one who threw away the water plants is [now]
Devadatta.”
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Parable 39: Eight Gods, One after the Other, Ask
about the Doctrine
Formerly, when the Buddha was in the world, eight gods, one after
the other, suddenly came late at night to where the World-honored
One was. The appearance of the one who came first was dignified
and his luminescence shone for a whole mile. With ten goddesses
as his retinue, he came to the Buddha. He bowed most reverently
and withdrew to one side. The Buddha said to the god, “Because of
the merits you have developed, you have received a celestial body,
rejoice in the five desires, and readily obtain happiness.” Then the
god said to the Buddha:
0 World-honored One, I was born and live in heaven, but my
heart is always sad. Why? Although in my behavior in my
former existence I was loyal and pious toward my parents,
toward my masters, and toward sramanas and Brahmans,
although I felt respect for them, still I could not be diligent
toward them when paying respect or worshiping [them],
when welcoming them or seeing them off. Because of this
action, my recompense is truly little, less than that of other
gods. Because it is less, I myself disapprove of my conduct,
being unable to find satisfaction.
There was another god. The appearance of his body was brilliant,
and his retinue excelled ten times that of the previous one. He
came to the Buddha, made a deep obeisance, and withdrew to one
side. The Buddha said to the god, “Being bom in heaven, you
readily obtain happiness.” The god said to the Buddha:
0 World-honored One, I was born and live in heaven, yet
1 am always sad. Why? Although in my behavior in the
previous world I was loyal and pious toward my parents,
toward my masters, and toward sramanas and Brahmans,
although I was respectful and worshiped [them], still I
could not give them a smooth mat for a bed or a seat.
Because of this action, the recompense I now obtain is
less than that of other gods. Because it is less, I myself
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466b
disapprove of the karmic cause I developed, being unable to
find satisfaction.
There was another god whose appearance was brilliant and whose
retinue excelled ten times that of the previous one. He came to the
Buddha, made a deep obeisance, and withdrew to one side. The
Buddha said to the god, “Experiencing a celestial body, you readily
obtain happiness.” The god said to the Buddha:
I was bom and live in a celestial palace; still I always feel
sadness. Why? Although in my former existence I was very
loyal and pious toward my parents, toward my masters, and
toward sramanas and Brahmans, although I was respectful
and worshiped [them] and gave them bedding, still I could
not arrange for enough savory food and drink with which to
honor them. Because of this action, the recompense I now
obtain is less than that of other gods. Because it is less, I
reproach myself that the karmic cause I have developed is
not complete. Therefore I am sad.
There was another god whose appearance was brilliant and whose
retinue excelled ten times that of the previous one. He came to the
Buddha, made a deep obeisance, and withdrew to one side. The
Buddha said to the god, “Experiencing a celestial body, you readily
obtain happiness.” The god said to the Buddha:
I was born in heaven, yet my heart is always sad. Why?
Although in the past I was loyal and pious toward my
parents, toward my masters, and toward sramanas and
Brahmans, although I was respectful, worshiped [them],
and gave them mats, food, and drink, still I did not listen to
the Doctrine. Because of this, the recompense I now obtain
is less than that of other gods. Because it is less, I constantly
reprimand myself that the karmic cause I developed is not
satisfying. Therefore I am sad.
There was yet another god whose appearance was brilliant and
whose retinue excelled ten times that of the previous one. He came
to the Buddha, made a deep obeisance, and withdrew to one side.
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The Buddha said to the god, “Experiencing a celestial body, you
readily obtain happiness.” The god said to the Buddha:
I was bom in heaven, yet I always feel sad. Why? Although
in my former existence I was loyal and pious toward my
ruler, my parents, my masters, and toward sramanas and
Brahmans, although I was respectful and worshiped [them],
spread out mats, gave food and drink, and listened to the
Doctrine, I still did not understand its meaning. Because I
did not understand it, the recompense I now obtain is less
than that of other gods. Because it is less, I constantly
reproach myself that the karmic cause I developed is not
satisfying. Therefore I am sad.
There was yet another god whose appearance was brilliant,
and whose retinue excelled ten times that of the previous one.
He came to the Buddha, made a deep obeisance, and withdrew
to one side. The Buddha said to the god, “Experiencing a celestial body, you readily obtain happiness.” The god said to the
Buddha:
I was born and live in a celestial abode, yet I am always sad.
Why? Although in my behavior in my former existence I was
loyal and pious toward my ruler, my parents, and my masters, and toward sramanas and Brahmans, although I was
respectful and worshiped [them], spread out mats, gave food
and drink, listened to the Doctrine and understood its
meaning, still I could not behave according to the explanation. Because of this action, the recompense I now obtain is
less than that of other gods. Because it is less, I profoundly
reprimand myself that the karmic cause I developed is not
satisfying. Therefore I am sad.
There was yet another god whose appearance was brilliant and
whose retinue excelled ten times that of the previous one. He came
to the Buddha, made a deep obeisance, and withdrew to one side.
The Buddha said to the god, “Experiencing a celestial body, you
readily obtain happiness.” The god said to the Buddha:
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466c
I now live in a celestial palace, rejoicing in the five desires.
Whatever I want is here the moment I think about it. I am
really happy, without any sorrow. Why? Because when I was
developing a karmic cause in the previous world, I was loyal
and pious toward my parents, toward my masters, and
toward sramanas and Brahmans, because I was respectful
and worshiped [them], spread out mats, gave food and
drink, listened to the Doctrine, understood its meaning, and
behaved according to the explanation; because of this, I have
obtained recompense as a god. My appearance is fine, and
its brilliance is very beautiful. My retinue is numerous
and excels that of other gods. Because I have practiced
this conduct, the recompense I have obtained is satisfying.
Because it is satisfying, I have obtained the most excellent
recompense. Because I have obtained the most excellent
recompense, no one among all gods can equal me. As no one
can equal me, my heart is full of happiness.
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Parable 40:
Parable 41:
Parable 42:
Parable 43:
Parable 44:
Parable 45:
Parable 46:
Parable 47:
Parable 48:
Parable 49:
Parable 50:
A Poor Man Gives Lumps of Parched Barley
Flour and Presently Obtains His
Recompense
A Poor Girl Gives Her Two Coins and
Obtains Her Recompense
Khanu, a Painter from Gandhara, Arranges
for Food and Obtains His Recompense
Kapila and His Wife Sell Themselves,
Arrange a Gathering, and Presently Obtain
Their Recompense
A Sramanera Saves Ants from Water and Is
Recompensed with Long Life
The King of Gandhara Attends to an Old
Pagoda, and His Life Is Prolonged
A Bhiksu Repairs a Hole in a Temple Wall,
and as a Recompense His Life Is Prolonged
An Elder’s Son Meets the Buddha and Asks
to Lengthen His Life
An Elder’s Son Becomes a Servant, Arranges
a Gathering, and Obtains His Present
Recompense
Puma Gives the Buddha a Bowl of Food and
Obtains His Present Recompense
Mahaprajapatl, Who Gives the Buddha a
Garment Made of a Golden Fabric, and the
Craftsman Who Pierces Pearls
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Parable 40: A Poor Man Gives Lumps of Parched
Barley Flour and Presently Obtains His
Recompense
Once there was a man whose family was destitute. Toiling
for others, he had obtained six pints of parched barley flour.
He took it back home to support his wife and children. On the
way he happened to meet a man of the path. Taking his alms
bowl and holding his staff, he went along begging for food. The
laborer immediately started thinking, “That sramana’s appearance is fine, and his dignity shows his upbringing. He is very
worthy of respect. Even if I can give him only one bite, would that
467a not make me happy?” The man of the path knew what he was
thinking. Following after the poor man, he reached the bank of a
river. The poor man then said to the man of the path, “I have some
parched barley flour with me. I want to give some to you. Would
you eat it?” The man of the path answered, “Only after I have
gotten it!”
Then [the poor man] spread out his garment for him on the
bank, so that the man of the path might sit on it. He mixed one pint
of flour [with water], made a lump with it and gave it to him. He
thought, “If this man of the path has obtained the path by maintaining the precepts in purity, may he now make me king of a small
country.” When the man of the path had gotten the flour, he said to
the poor man, “Why so little? Why so little?”
He thought the man of the path was a big eater; and he mixed
one more nint and made a lump with it. He gave it to him and he
uttered the prayer, “If this man of the path has obtained the path
by maintaining the precepts in purity, may he see to it that I
become king of two small countries.” The man of the path again
said, “Why so little? Why so little?”
The poor man thought, “He may be a man of the path, but he
looks like a very big eater. Even if I give him this much flour, he
still complains that it is too little. However, I have invited him.
Everything must be provided to him.” He mixed two more pints of
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flour, made a lump with it, and gave it to him. He then thought, “If
this man of the path has obtained the path by maintaining the
precepts in purity, may he see to it that I become king of four small
countries.” The man of the path again said, “Why so little? Why so
little?”
[The laborer] had two pints left. He mixed it all, made a lump,
and gave it to the man of the path. He further uttered the prayer,
“Now if this man of the path is someone who maintains the
precepts in purity, may he see to it that I become the king of
Benares, command four small countries, and obtain the path of
insight into the Truths.” Because the man of the path, when
obtaining flour, [always] complained that it was too little, the poor
m an said, “I do wish that you would eat now! If it is not sufficient,
I shall take off my garment, trade it for food and drink, and give
it to you.” But when the man of the path had [finished] eating, he
had only used up one pint, and he gave the rest back to its owner.
The poor man asked him, “O venerable one, you previously complained that there was much too little flour. Why do you not use up
the food now?” The man of the path answered, “When you first
gave me a lump of flour, you wanted to be the king of a small
country, so I said that your heart’s wish was too small. With the
second lump of flour, you wished to be the king of two small
countries, so I said that you wished for too little. With the third
lump of flour, you wished to be the king of four small countries, so
I said that your heart’s wish was too small. With the fourth lump
of flour, you wanted to be the king of Benares and command four
small countries, obtaining later the fruit of the path of insight into
the Truths. That was why I said that your wish was too small. I did
not object that it was too little because the quantity was not
enough.”
Then the poor man started doubting, “If I can now rule five
countries, this is no small matter. I fear it isn’t true!” He further
considered, “If he can know my thoughts, he must be a noble man,
a great field of merit. Surely he does not deceive me!” The man
of the path knew this. He threw his alms bowl into the sky and then
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flew away. He was transformed into a large body, filling the sky.
He then changed into a body as small as a particle. With one
body he changed to innumerable bodies, and he united his innumerable bodies into one. Water emerged above his person and fire
came out beneath him. He walked on water as on earth, and he
walked on earth as on water. Making the eighteen transformations,
he said to the poor man, “You have uttered your great wish well!
Have no doubts about it!” He then rendered himself invisible and
departed.
Then the poor man went to the city of Benares, and on the way
he met a state councillor. When the state councillor saw him, he
carefully looked him over and said to him, “Are you not the son of
Mr. So-and-so?” He answered, “Yes, I am.” He asked him, ‘W hy are
you so shabby?” He answered, “When I was young, I lost those on
whom I relied. In my family all have died and there is no one to
look up to. Therefore I am in poverty and so shabby.” The state
councillor then informed the king of Benares, “The son of Mr.
So-and-so, your dear friend, O king, is now outside the gate. He is
completely impoverished.” The king subsequently ordered that the
man be brought before him. Asking full details, he knew he was a
dear friend. The king then informed him, “Be very close to me!
Beware, do not leave me!”
Seven days later the king fell ill, and his life ended. The
ministers started planning and said, “The king has no heir. Yes,
this poor boy was dear to our king. It is fitting that we promote him
to be the king of Benares.” When he got command over four
countries, he became cruel.
Then that previous man of the path [appeared] sitting in full
lotus posture in the sky in front of the king’s palace, and he said,
“In the past you uttered a prayer to see the Truths. Why do you do
all this evil now, disregarding the past?” He further explained the
Doctrine in several ways to the king. When the king heard the
Doctrine, he regretted the evil he had done before. He gave up his
errors and felt shame. He practiced the path with special zeal and
became a srotapanna.
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Parable 41: A Poor Girl Gives Her Two Coins and
Obtains Her Recompense
Formerly on Mount Grdhrakuta there were many noble ones,
monks living in seclusion. The reputation of that mountain was
well-known throughout the countries spreading in all directions.
Those who brought offerings were numerous. There was an elder
who took his relatives and went to submit offerings. A poor beggar
woman thought: “The elders are bringing contributions to the
mountain now. They are going to hold a gathering, I am sure. I shall
467c go there to beg.” So she went to the mountain.
Upon her arrival on the mountain, where she saw the elders
arranging all manner of delicacies and offering them to the monks,
she thought to herself, “They have developed merit in their previous existences and are rich now. If they now perform meritorious
acts again, they will achieve excellence. I have not performed
anything in my previous existence. In this world, I am poor. If I do
not perform anything now, I shall be even worse off in the future.”
Thinking this, she cried and was unhappy. She further thought, “I
once picked up two coins out of some manure. I have always saved
them for the time when my begging would be unsatisfactory. I was
going to exchange them for food and drink and support myself with
them. Now I shall take them and give them to the monks. I may
not obtain food or drink for a day or two, but that will not kill me
after all.” She waited until the monks had finished their meal, took
the two coins, and presented them.
The monks on the mountain had a rule that when someone
had given something, the karmadana would stand in front of
the monks and offer a prayer for the benefit of the donor. The
senior monk did not let the karmadana pronounce the prayer
then, but uttered one himself. His inferiors were very displeased and thought: “Our senior lacks self-respect. Just for
two small coins from that beggar woman he pronounces his
prayer. Why does he not do as he usually does when he sees
money?”
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The senior subsequently left half of his food for this woman. All
saw that the senior gave a great deal to the woman, and they too
gave her much. The woman could then carry away a great deal of
food and she was extremely happy. “I just happened to give and
now I am recompensed. So she returned from the mountain carrying the food. Arriving under a tree, she lay down to sleep and rested.
The king’s principal wife happened to have been dead for seven
days. The king sent messengers to search throughout the land for
anyone who had enough merits to become his wife. The diviners
foretold that under a yellow cloud cover there had to be a worthy
person. So they all went and, arriving at that tree, they saw that
the woman’s beauty was luminous with the mark of merits. The
tree cast a twisting shadow, but light and shadow did not change.
The diviners said, This woman’s merits are adequate to make her
the wife.” So they bathed her in fragrant water and gave her the
wife’s clothes, which were neither too big not too small but just
right for her. Guided by an escort of a thousand chariots and ten
thousand riders, she was led to the palace. When the king saw her,
he was happy and he felt respect in his heart.
Thus some time passed. She thought to herself, “The reason I
obtained this prosperity is that I gave the coins. Those monks have
done me an enormous favor.” So she said to the king, “I was poor
before, but I was brought forward by you, O king. As I have come
to be someone, let me repay the kindness of the monks!” When the
king told her to do as she wished, his wife immediately went to the
mountain with cartloads of food and even precious things. After
468a she had given the food to the monks, she gave the precious things,
but the senior monk did not rise. He sent the karmadana to
pronounce the prayer and did not pronounce the prayer himself.
The king’s wife said, “For my two coins in the past, you uttered a
prayer for me, but now that I bring you cartloads of precious things,
you do not utter a prayer for me.” All the young bhiksus were
displeased with the senior monk. “Before, when a poor woman gave
two coins, he pronounced his prayer; but now that the king’s wife
brings cartloads of precious things, he does not pronounce a prayer.
Is this because he is getting old?”
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Then the senior monk expounded the Right Doctrine to the
king’s wife, and he said, “Woman, in your heart you are displeased
with me, thinking, ‘Before, when I gave two coins, he pronounced a
prayer for me, but now that I bring cartloads of precious things, he
does not pronounce a prayer.’ Concerning the Buddha’s Doctrine, I
do not prize precious things. I prize only wholesome thoughts.
Woman, when you gave two coins before, your wholesome thoughts
were very excellent. Afterwards you gave precious things, but your
ego was proud. Therefore I do not pronounce a prayer for you now.
Young men of the path, do not be displeased with me either! You
must profoundly understand the thought of going forth!
The young men of the path were all ashamed, and they all
became srotdpannas. When the king’s wife heard the Law, she was
ashamed but happy. She too became a srotapanna. Having heard
the Law, she made obeisance and withdrew.
Parable 42: Khanu, a Painter from Gandhara,
Arranges for Food and Obtains His
Recompense
Formerly in Gandhara there was a painter by the name of Khanu.
For three years of employment he earned thirty ounces of gold. He
was about to return home when he saw that in some other region
they were holding the great quinquennial assembly (pancavarsika).
He asked the karmadana, “How much might you need to arrange
for an assembly for one day?” The karmadana replied, “For thirty
ounces of gold, you can obtain an assembly for one day.” So he
thought to himself, “Because I did not plant meritorious deeds in
my former life, I have received this retribution and must make my
living as an employee. Now I have met the field of merit. Why not
support it?” So he said to the karmadana, “Please let me be a
disciple. Sound the mallet and convene the order! I want to arrange
for an assembly.” After he had arranged for the assembly, he
was happy and joyful. He immediately returned home. When he
reached home, his wife asked him where the money for his three
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468b
years of employment was. Her husband answered, “All of the
money I have earned is now put in a secure repository.” His wife
then asked, “Where is this secure repository?” The man said “In
the Sangha!”
His wife then blamed him, and she called a meeting of their
home town. They tied up her husband, and she went to a judge and
said, “We, mother and child, are poor and suffer hardship. We have
no clothes and no food; but when my husband has earned money,
he spends it elsewhere and does not bring it back home. Would you
please investigate why?” The judge then asked her husband, “Why
so?” He answered, “Just like the flash of lightning, my body does
not shine for long. Also, just like the early dew of morning, it
disappears after a short while. Therefore I was fearful and I said
to myself deeply that I now met with hardship and was in need of
clothing and food because I had not performed meritorious acts in
my previous existences. Therefore, because I saw that they were
holding the pancavarsika in Puskaravati and that the community
was pure, I felt joy. Devout faith arose inside of me, and I asked the
karmadana how much it would take to provide them with food for
one day. The karmadana answered that with thirty ounces of gold
I could provide for one day. I gave the karmadana what I had
earned for three years of work, and I let him provide the order with
food for one day.”
When the judge heard these words, he rejoiced and felt compassion for him. He renounced his own garment, his necklace, his
saddle horse, and all his chariot equipment; and he gave it all to
Khanu. He then selected a village and granted it to him. Such was
his splendid recompense. His fruition would come later.
Parable 43: Kapila and His Wife Sell Themselves,
Arrange a Gathering, and Presently
Obtain Their Recompense
Once there was a man called Kapila. He and his wife were
extremely poor. He provided for their livelihood by hiring himself
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out. He saw that others, the elders, all went to the temple to hold
a great almsgiving gathering. When he returned home, he lay
down to rest for the night with his wife. His head lying on his wife’s
arm, he thought to himself, “I am poor now because I did not
perform meritorious acts in my previous existence. Someone like
that elder has performed meritorious acts both in his previous
existence and now. I do not have any merit now, and in the future
world I shall suffer even more.” Having thought this, he wept with
unhappiness; and his tears fell on the arm of his wife. The wife
asked her husband, “Why do you cry?” He answered, “I see that
when someone develops merit, he is always happy; but I myself am
low and poor. I have nothing to develop merit with. That is why my
tears fall.” The wife said, “What good does it do to weep? You may
sell me to someone else and perform meritorious acts with the
money.” The husband said, “If I were to sell you, how could I stay
alive myself?” The wife said, “If I am not driven out because you
fear for your livelihood, let us both, you and I, sell ourselves now
and develop merit!”
Thereupon the man and his wife both went away to a wealthy
family. They said, “We, man and wife, now ask you to trade these
worthless persons for money.”The master asked them, How much
money do you want?” They replied, “We want ten pieces of gold.”
The master said, “I shall give you the money now, but if after seven
days you cannot repay me, I shall take you and your wife as my
slaves.” They expressed their agreement and settled the matter.
Carrying the money, they went away and came to that temple. With
the gift they arranged to provide for a gathering, but the husband
4 68 c and wife both pounded rice themselves. They encouraged one
another, saying, “Now we have to do our best and perform meritorious deeds. Later, when we belong to another family, how can we
comply with our intentions?” Thereupon, night and day, they diligently made preparations for the gathering.
When the sixth day had arrived and they were going to provide
for the gathering, the lord of the country also happened to want to
provide for a gathering. Upon arrival they quarreled about the day.
The monks all said, “We have accepted the poor one, so we cannot
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change.” The lord of the country heard this, and he said, “What
kind of a small man is he that he can quarrel with me about the
day of the gathering!” So he sent someone to say to Kapila, “Leave
my day to me!” Kapila replied, “I really will not give way for you!”
The messenger returned three times in this way, bringing back the
same refusal as the first time.
The king wondered why. He went himself to the monastery
and said [to Kapila], “Why do you not arrange it for a later
day? Why do you quarrel with me about the day?” He replied,
“I am my own master for just one day more. After that I shall
belong to another family and be unable to provide any more!”
The king asked why he could not, and the one who had sold
himself said, “We considered that we had not performed meritorious deeds in our previous existence, and that we are poor now. If
we do not perform them now, we fear we may suffer more later.
Moved by this fact, we just sold ourselves, trading ourselves for
money. Performing meritorious acts with it, we want to end this
suffering. If we have no property to repay the other party after
seven days, we shall be slaves. Now it is the sixth day, so tomorrow
it will be over. Therefore we quarreled about the day, risking our
lives.”
When the king heard these words, he felt profound pity and
sighed at this unheard-of event, “You truly understand the hardship of poverty! You can change an insecure body for a secure
body. You change insecure riches for secure riches. You change an
insecure life for a secure life.” Then he let them arrange for the
gathering. The king took off his own and his wife’s garments and
their necklaces and gave them to Kapila and his wife. He ceded ten
villages to them and enfeoffed them for their merit.
As for him who develops merit with all his heart, however
splendid his presently obtained recompense may be, how much
greater will be the recompense he obtains in the future! Looking
at it from this standpoint, all people in the world want to escape
from suffering. They must diligently develop merit! How can they
be self-indulgent, lazy, and heedless?
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Parable 44: A Srdm anera Saves Ants from Water and
Is Recompensed with Long Life
Once there was a man of the path, an arhat, who was bringing up
a srdmanera (novice). He knew that this srdmanera’s life was sure
to end after seven days. He gave him a leave of absence and let him
return home. He told him to come back on the seventh day. The
srdmanera took leave of his master and went home.
On his way he saw many ants floating about on the water.
Their life was about to come to an end, and he had compassionate
4 69 a thoughts. He took off his kasdya, filled it with earth, made a dam
in the water, and rescued the ants. He put them up in a high and
dry place, so that they all could live. When he returned to his
master on the seventh day, his master was very astonished. The
master subsequently entered into concentration. Contemplating
with his heavenly eye, he knew that [the srdmanera] had no longer
had any remainder of merit, but that he had obtained [merit] by
saving the ants. He did not die on the seventh day but prolonged
his life.
Parable 45: The King of Gandhara Attends to an Old
Pagoda, and His Life Is Prolonged
Long ago there was a lord in the land of Gandhara. And there was
a wise diviner who predicted that the king’s life was sure to end in
seven days’ time. The king set out on a hunting trip and saw an old
pagoda, dilapidated and in ruins. So he and his ministers had it
restored. When the restoration was completed, he returned to his
palace in good spirits; and for seven days he lived uneventfully.
When the diviner saw that the king had lived through the seven
days, he wondered why, and he asked the king, “What meritorious
act did you perform?” The king answered, “I did not do anything in
particular. There was a ruined pagoda that I restored with plaster.
His merit was due to his restoration of the pagoda.
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469b
Parable 46: A B hiksu Repairs a Hole in a Temple
Wall, and as a Recompense His Life Is
Prolonged
Long ago there was a bhiksu. The time of his death was upon him.
There happened to be a heretic, a Brahman, who saw [certain]
signs [on him] and knew that within seven days the life of this
bhiksu was sure to end. Then when this bhiksu entered a monastery, he saw that there was a hole in the wall. He immediately
made a lump of plaster and filled it in. Because of this merit he
lengthened his life and was able to live through the seven days.
When the Brahman saw this, he wondered why, and he asked
him, What merit did you cultivate?” The bhiksu answered, “I did
not cultivate anything in particular. Yesterday, when I entered the
monastery, I saw that there was a hole in the wall. I just repaired
it.” The Brahman said with a sigh, “The field of merit of the Sangha
is most important. It can let a bhiksu who is about to die live on
and prolong his life.”
Parable 47: An Elder’s Son Meets the Buddha and
Asks to Lengthen His Life
Once the Buddha was in the world. A diviner predicted that
although the five- or six-year-old son of an elder was endowed with
good qualities, his life would be short. The elder led him to the six
heretical teachers, expecting that they might lengthen his life; but
not one of those six teachers could provide a way to prolong it, and
he was angry. He led [his son] to the Buddha and said, “Please, O
World-honored One, prolong this boy’s short life for me!” The
Buddha said, “There is no way I can give him a long life.” Again he
said to the Buddha, “Please show us a means!” The Buddha then
instructed him, Go to the gate of the city! When you see anyone
leave, have the child greet him! Greet those who enter, too!”
There was then a demon who had taken the appearance of a
Brahman. He was about to come and enter the city. The child
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greeted him. With an incantation the demon spoke the wish, “May
you live long!” This demon was the demon who killed children. But
the way of a demon does not allow a double standard. Because he
had allowed him a long life, he could not kill him any more. This
being the case, he humbly restrained himself and was respectful.
The son was able to prolong his life.
Parable 48: An Elder’s Son Becomes a Servant,
Arranges a Gathering, and Obtains His
Present Recompense
Once, when the Buddha was in the world, there was an elder’s son
who had lost his parents early. Alone, destitute, and solitary, he
provided for his living by being a servant. He heard people say that
in the Trayastrimsa Heaven there was extreme happiness. He also
heard others say that if one worships the Buddha and his Sangha,
one will surely be born [in that heaven]. So he asked someone,
“How much does it take to be able to worship the Buddha and his
Order?” Then someone said, “For thirty ounces of gold you can
organize a gathering.” So he came to the marketplace, seeking a
post as a servant. Near the marketplace there was a very wealthy
elder who could engage him as a servant. The elder asked him,
“Well, what can you do?” He answered, “I can do any task.” “How
much do you ask for three years of service?” He answered, “I ask
thirty ounces of gold.” When the elder heard that he could do
anything, he hired his services.
His conduct was upright. In gold and silver, in copper and iron,
and in every kind of business he made twice the usual amount of
profit. When the time had come, he asked the elder his price in gold
for his services. The elder asked him, “Now that you have the gold,
what will you do with it?” He answered, “I want to worship the
Buddha and his Sangha.” The elder said, “I shall assist you now. I
shall give you all sorts of vessels and rice and flour to prepare the
food. You just invite the Buddha and his Order!” So he went to the
monastery to invite the Buddha and his Sangha. The Buddha saw
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to it that his whole Order accepted his invitation. The Buddha
stayed in his own quarters, but the monks all accepted the invitation of the son [who had lost his parents].
On the day of the big event, many people sent all kinds of food
and drink to be given to the Order. The monks had already eaten
their fill when they arrived at the abode of the son. The son then
served the food with his own hands, but the abbot said to give just
a little. They all in turn said to give just a little, down to the lowest
rank. The son was distressed and lamented, “I have toiled for three
years to arrange for this food and drink, hoping that the Sangha
would eat it, but the monks do not take the food. I want to be born
in heaven, but I shall certainly not be born there.” He went to the
Buddha and said, “As the monks do not eat my offerings, my wish
469c will certainly not be realized.” The Buddha said, “Did they eat
something?” He answered, “They all ate something.” The Buddha
said, “Even if they had not eaten anything, your wish would surely
be fulfilled. How would it not be fulfilled when they have eaten
something!” The youth was glad, and he returned to eat and drink.
At that moment the monks had finished their meal and gone back.
Then five hundred merchants came back from the sea. They
entered the city and asked for food and drink. There was a dearth
of food at that time. Nobody gave anything. Someone said, “The son
arranged for a gathering today. He is sure to have food and drink.”
When the son heard that there were merchants, he was happy to
give them food. All five hundred merchants ate their fill. All their
attendants were fully satiated, too. The lowest merchant gave him
a pearl worth ten thousand ounces of gold. The highest one gave
him a pearl worth a hundred thousand ounces of gold. Every one
of the five hundred merchants gave a pearl, and they also gave him
a brass basin. Although they gave this to the son, he did not dare
take it. He went to ask the Buddha about it, and the Buddha said,
“This is your splendid recompense. Just take it without anxiety!
Later you will certainly be bom in heaven; have no fear!”
The elder who had employed him had no son; he just had a
daughter. So he ^ave her to the youth, and in this way the family
possessions increased manyfold. Thus his [family] became the first
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in Srävasti. At the end of the elder’s life, King Prasenajit heard
that he was clever and wise; and he asked the elder to give the
youth all the family possessions. Such was his splendid recompense. His fruition followed.
Parable 49: Purna Gives the Buddha a Bowl of Food
and Obtains His Present Recompense
Long ago, when the Buddha was in the world, there were five
Brahman brothers. One was called Yasas; the second was called
Vimala; the third was called Gavampati; and the fourth was called
Sodayin. These four brothers had gone into the mountains to apply
themselves to the path. They obtained the five superknowledges.
The youngest brother was called Purna. When he saw the
Buddha asking for alms, he filled his bowl with fine white rice and
gave it to the Buddha. At that time, plowing and sowing were
Puma’s regular occupations. So when his plowing and sowing were
finished, he went back to his house.
Once, when he left for his field, he saw that the crop growing
in his field had changed to golden grain several feet high. After he
had harvested it, the crop grew again as before. The king heard
this, and he too came to reap; but he could not gather it all. In the
same way, none of all those who came to collect it could gather it
all.
The brothers thought, “Is our younger brother Purna making
a living, or is he poor?” So they all came to look into the matter.
When they saw that their brother’s occupation was more prosperous than the king’s, they said to their brother, “You used to be
poor. Why are you rich all of a sudden?” He replied, “When I met
Gautama, I gave him a bowl of rice and obtained this recompense.”
When the four brothers heard this, they were oveijoyed. They
further said to their brother, “Now, prepare lumps of sweetmeat for
us! Each of the four of us will take one lump and offer it to
Gautama, with the wish to be bom in heaven.” Not having listened
to his Doctrine, they [thought that they] did not need deliverance.
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Each one thereupon took a lump of sweetmeat and went to
where the Buddha was. The eldest brother grasped one lump and
put it into the Buddha’s bowl. The Buddha said, “All formations are
impermanent.” When the second one then put his lump of sweetmeat into the Buddha s bowl, the Buddha spoke these words,
“They are of the nature that they rise and pass away.” When the
third one then put his lump of sweetmeat into the Buddha’s bowl,
the Buddha spoke these words, “When their coming into existence
and passing away have ended . . .” When the fourth one then put
his lump of sweetmeat into the Buddha’s bowl, the Buddha spoke
these words, “Their allayment means happiness.” So they returned
home. Having reached a solitary place, they asked one another,
“Did you hear what he said?” The first brother said, “I heard,
‘All formations are impermanent.’” The second one had heard,
“They are of the nature that they rise and pass away.” The next
one had heard, “When their coming into existence and passing
away have ended . . .’’ The fourth one had heard, “Their allayment
means happiness.” While the four brothers all considered this
stanza, they became anàgâmins; and they all came to where the
Buddha was. They asked for the homeless state and obtained
arhatship.
Parable 50: Mahaprajapatl, Who Gives the Buddha a
Garment Made of a Golden Fabric, and
the Craftsman Who Pierces Pearls
Once when the Buddha was in the world, Mahaprajapatl made a
garment for the Buddha out of a fabric with golden threads; and
she took it and offered it to the Buddha. The Buddha then said,
“Give it to my Sangha!” Mahaprajapatl said, “I suckled and raised
you, O World-honored One. I have made this garment myself. And
so I offer it to you, O Buddha. I hoped that you, O Tathagata, would
accept it from me. Why did you say just now to give it to your
Sangha?” The Buddha said, “I would like to let my aunt obtain
great merit. Why? The field of merit of the Sangha is vast and
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endless. That is why I have exhorted you. If you follow my advice,
you will already have brought an offering to the Buddha.”
Mahaprajapati then took this garment and went to the Sangha.
She started with the abbot, but no one ventured to take it. Next it
was Maitreya’s turn, and Maitreya accepted the garment. He put
it on and went to the city to beg for alms. Maitreya’s body had the
thirty-two marks and the color of pure purple gold. After his arrival
in the city, everybody strove to see him; but nobody gave him food.
There was a craftsman who pierced pearls. He saw that not one
person gave [Maitreya] food. So he knelt before him and invited
him. He led Maitreya to his home and gave him food. When
Maitreya had finished his meal, the craftsman who pierced pearls
then spread a small seat in front of him and beseeched him to tell
about the Doctrine. Maitreya had the four powers of eloquence. So
he explained the Good Law to him in several ways. The craftsman
who pierced pearls then wished to listen and was happy to hear it.
He could not hear enough.
Previously there had been an elder who wanted to give his
4V0b daughter in marriage. He had engaged the craftsman who pierced
pearls to pierce one precious pearl for a hundred thousand coins.
At that moment, the family who gave the daughter in marriage
sent someone to ask for the pearl. As the craftsman who pierced
pearls was just then listening intensely to the Doctrine, he did not
have time to pierce it. So he answered, “Could you wait just a little
while?” [The messenger] came a second time with his request. He
even came a third time, but he still did not obtain it. The elder
became angry, and he returned to take away all his money and his
pearl. The wife of the craftsman who pierced pearls was angry at
her husband, and she said, “Don’t you have anything else to do? If
you had pierced the pearl instantly, we should have gained a
hundred thousand coins. Why did you listen to the beautiful explanation of this man of the path?”
When her husband heard this, he felt bitter in his mind. At that
moment, Maitreya knew his bitterness, and he asked him, “Can
you follow me to the temple?” He answered, “Yes.” So he followed
Maitreya to the monastery. Maitreya asked the abbot, “Suppose
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someone obtains a hundred thousand catties of gold. Would it
be better to listen with joy to an explanation of the Doctrine?”
Kaundinya said, Even if someone had obtained a hundred thousand catties of gold, it would be better if he gave a bowl of food to
one who observes the moral precepts. All the more so if he could
listen for a moment with devout thoughts to an explanation of the
Doctrine; he would then surpass him a hundred, a thousand, ten
thousand times.”
Thereupon he asked the question of a second venerable, and
the venerable answered, “If someone had obtained a hundred
thousand chariots filled with gold, it still would be better to give
one bowl of food to one who observes the moral precepts. All the
more so if he were happy listening to the Doctrine.”
In due time he further asked his question of a third venerable,
and the venerable answered, “If someone had obtained a hundred
thousand sheds filled with gold, it still would be better to give one
bowl of food to a person who observes the moral precepts. All the
more so if he listens to the Dharma.”
He further asked his question of a fourth venerable, and the
venerable answered, “If one had obtained a hundred thousand
states filled with gold, it still would be better to give one bowl of
food to a person who observes the moral precepts. All the more so
if he listened to the Doctrine; it would be a hundred, a thousand,
ten thousand times better.”
Thus he asked his question of one after the other, and then it
was Aniruddha’s turn. Aniruddha said, “If someone had obtained
gold that filled the four continents, it still would be better to give
one meal to a person who observes the moral precepts. All the more
so if he listens to the Dharma.” Maitreya asked him, “Reverend,
you say that if one were to give one bowl of food to a bhiksu, it
would surpass even the possession of gold that filled the four
continents. Why is it so?”
The reverend answered, “I shall certify this with my own
person. I recall that nine million kalpas ago there were an elder
and his two sons. One was called Rista, and the other was called
Arista. He used to tell them, ‘The high must come down; the
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Parable 50
permanent must come to an end. That which has come to life
will die, and that which has come together will be separated.’
The elder fell ill. When his life was nearing its end, he admonished
his sons, ‘Beware! Do not dwell apart! For instance, one string
cannot tie down an elephant, but if one assembles many strings,
an elephant cannot break them. If you stay together, you too
will be like a bundle of strings.’ Then, after the elder had given his
last instruction to his sons, he stopped breathing and his life
ended.
“Because their father had told them to, the brothers lived
together, holding each other in high esteem. Later [the elder
brother] let his younger brother marry. Having lived with them for
a while, the wife of the younger brother said to her husband, You
are like his slave. Why? The expenditure of riches and the affairs
dealing with guests all depend on your brother. You only get
clothing and food! If you are not a slave, then what are you?’ She
kept saying these words. At this moment, a change of heart happened to the husband and his wife. He asked his elder brother to
[let him] live apart. The elder brother said to his younger brother,
‘You do not remember our father’s words when he was dying.’
However, the younger brother did not change, but kept asking him
to [let him] live apart.
“When the elder brother saw that his brother’s mind was made
up, they then separated. All their belongings were divided into two.
The younger couple was youthful and given to ease, and their
expenditures were extravagant. After a short while the younger
brother was poor and in trouble, and he came to beg from his elder
brother. His elder brother gave him a hundred thousand coins at
that time. Not long after he had left with the money, he spent it all
and came with a new demand. Thus he returned six times, and
each time he was given a hundred thousand coins. When he
returned the seventh time, his elder brother reprimanded him,
‘You do not remember our father’s words when he was dying. You
have asked for a separation, but you are unable to apply yourself
to making a living. You keep coming to ask for things. I shall give
you a hundred thousand coins once more, but if you cannot do all
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right and come with a new demand, I shall no longer give you
anything in the future.’
After these bitter words, husband and wife both applied themselves to making a living. Gradually they became wealthy. The
elder brother lost his riches and gradually became poor. He came
to beg from his younger brother. His younger brother did not even
give his brother a meal and said, ‘I say, O brother, you were always
rich. Did you become poor too? I once asked you something, brother,
but I was bitterly reprimanded. Why do you come today to ask
something from me?’ When the elder brother had heard this, he
was utterly dejected and he thought, ‘If even brothers from the
same father are like this, it will be all the more so with strangers.’
So, disgusted with birth and death, he did not return home but
went to the mountains to apply himself to the path. Diligent in his
asceticism, he became a pratyekabuddha.
His younger brother afterwards gradually became poor, too;
and as the world met with a drought and famine, he made a living
selling firewood. The pratyekabuddha then came to the city to beg
for food. He obtained absolutely nothing and went back to the
mountains with an empty bowl. The person who sold firewood then
saw the pratyekabuddJ'a leave the city with an empty bowl. He
wanted to give him the millet gruel he had earned selling firewood.
He said to the pratyekabuddha, ‘Reverend, could you take coarse
food?’ The pratyekabuddha answered, ‘It does not make any difference whether it is fine or coarse. It will allow me to sustain myself.’
471a The person who sold firewood then gave it to the pratyekabuddha,
who accepted it and ate it. When he had eaten it, he flew up in the air,
made the eighteen transformations, and returned to the same place.
“The person who sold firewood later went to gather firewood
again. On his way he saw a rabbit and seized it with a stick. It
changed to a dead person who suddenly rose and came at him and
grasped him around the neck. The person with the firewood wanted
to push him away any way he could to make him go away, but he could
not get rid of him. He took off his garment and gave it as payment to
someone to pull him away, but he still could not get rid of him. He
tried to rid himself of the [dead] person until dark and came home
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Parable 50
carrying him on his back. When he was in his home, the dead man
let go and fell to the floor; it was a person made of genuine gold.
“The man who sold firewood then cut off the golden man’s
head, upon which the head grew again. He removed his hands and
feet, and the hands and the feet grew again. Before long, the golden
head and the golden hands filled his room, stacked up as a big pile.
The neighbors informed the minister, ‘In the house of this poor
man, all by itself, there grew this pile of gold.’
“When the king heard this, he sent a messenger to ascertain
what had happened. When he arrived in the room, he saw nothing
but the hands, feet, and head of a putrid corpse. The man of the
house himself took the golden head and came to present it to the
king. Yes, it was genuine gold. The king was very glad. Taking him
to be a man of good fortune, he endowed him with a village.
“After that, his life ended and he was reborn in the second
heaven as Sakra, lord of the gods. He descended to a rebirth among
men as a noble Cakravartin (Wheel-turning King). He was a king
of gods or a king of men for ninety-one kalpas without any interruption whatsoever. Now, in his final body, he was reborn in the
Sakya clan. On the day he was born, over thirty miles of hidden
valuables sprang up all by themselves.
“He gradually grew up, but Sakya Mahanama, his elder brother,
was loved more by his parents. My mother, i.e., Aniruddha’s mother,
wanted to put her sons to the test. So she sent word that she had
no food. I, Aniruddha, said, ‘Just bring me something without any
food!’ So they gave me an empty plate. The empty plate then
naturally filled itself with food of a hundred flavors. Even if one
used the gold of the four continents to feed oneself, it would not be
sufficient for one kalpa, so it certainly could not bring me constant
happiness for ninety-one kalpas. As for the reason that I now
spontaneously obtained this food, it was just because I had given
one bowl of food in a previous life that I now obtained this recompense. From the Buddhas down to the Brahma gods those with
pure morality are called people who observe the moral precepts.
When the craftsman who pierced pearls heard these words, he was
very glad in his heart.
117
Parable 51:
Parable 52:
Parable 53:
Parable 54:
Parable 55:
Parable 56:
Parable 57:
Parable 58:
Parable 59:
Parable 60:
Parable 61:
Parable 62:
Chapter V
A Goddess Worships Kasyapa Buddha’s
Pagoda with Her Flower Garland
A Goddess Worships Kasyapa Buddha’s
Pagoda with Lotus Flowers
A Goddess Observes a Fast Day Following
the Eight Precepts and Is Reborn in Heaven
A Goddess Worships by Lighting a Lamp and
Is Reborn in Heaven
A Goddess Met the Buddha While Riding in
Her Cart; She Was Happy and Went out of
Her Way
A Goddess Scattered Flowers over the
Buddha, and They Were Changed to a
Parasol of Flowers
Sripunyamati Worships the Buddha’s
Pagoda and Is Reborn in Heaven
An Elder and His Wife Construct a Stupa
and Are Reborn in Heaven
An Elder and His Wife Are Devoutly
Respectful; She Greets the Buddha and Is
Reborn in Heaven
A Heretic Brahman Woman Learns That the
Buddha’s Disciples Are Holding a Fast, and
She Is Reborn in Heaven
A Poor Woman Gives Her Piece of Cloth to
Sudatta and Is Reborn in Heaven
An Elder’s Daughter Does Not Believe in the
Triple Jewel; Her Father Engages Her with
Money to Observe the Precepts, and She Is
Reborn in Heaven
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Chapter V
Parable 63
Parable 64:
Parable 65
Parable 66:
Parable 67:
Parable 68:
Parable 69:
Parable 70:
Parable 71:
Parable 72:
A G,ri Sweeping the Floor, Sees the Buddha;
She Is Happy and Is Reborn in Heaven
An Elder Construct, a House, Invites the
Buddha in Order to Worship Him, Donates
His House, and Is Reborn in Heaven
A Woman Gives Sugar Cane to an Arhat and
-is ixeborn in Heaven
A Woman Anoints the Buddha’s Feet with
Perfume and Is Reborn in Heaven
A Servant of the Elder Sudatta Taltes Refuge
m the Triple Jewel and Is Reborn in Heaven
A Poor Woman Begs for Food from the
Buddha and Is Reborn in Heaven
An Elder’s Servant Brings Food to Her
Master, Meets the Buddha and Gives It to
im, and Is Recompensed with Rebirth in
Heaven
An Elder Constructs a Lecture Hall for the
Buddha and Is Recompensed with Rebirth
m Heaven
An Elder Sees That the King Constructs a
Pagoda; He Constructs a Pagoda Too and Is
Recompensed with Rebirth in Heaven
C°nStrUcts a House> Offers It to
the Buddha, and Is Reborn in Heaven
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Parable 51
Parable 51: A Goddess Worships Kasyapa Buddha’s
Pagoda with Her Flower Garland
At that time, Sakra devanam indra had heard the Doctrine from
the Buddha and had become a srotapanna. He returned to his
47ic heaven, called a gathering of all the gods, and praised the Buddha,
his Doctrine, and his Sangha. There was a goddess then who wore
a flower garland on her head. The brilliance of the flower garland
was absolutely dazzling. Together with the crowd of the gods,
she came to the gathering in the assembly hall of the Good Law.
When the crowd of gods saw this goddess, they were dumbfounded.
Sakra devanam indra then pronounced these stanzas, asking the
goddess:
1. What meritorious act did you perform that your body is
fused with pure gold, as it were? Your splendid appearance is like a lotus, and you have an impressive majesty.
2. Your body brings forth a bright splendor, and your face is
like a flower in full bloom. Your golden color shines
brightly. Through what deed did you obtain this? Please
tell me!
Then the goddess spoke a stanza, answering:
Once I offered my flower garland to the pagoda of Kasyapa
Buddha. I am now reborn in heaven. What I obtained was
excellent merit. I was reborn among the gods and recompensed with a gold-colored body.
Sakra devanam indra pronounced stanzas again, saying in praise:
1. Truly wonderful is a field of merit that has been weeded
of all impurity! In that way, an insignificant seed may
provide an excellent recompense as a goddess.
2. Who would not honor you, honoring your mass of pure
gold? Who would not honor the Buddha, the finest field
of merit?
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3. Your eyes are very big, resembling blue lotus flowers.
You were able to worship the unsurpassed Most-honored
One. You have performed a small meritorious deed, but
you have gained such a fair complexion!
Then the goddess descended from heaven. With a parasol of flowers
in her hand, she came to the Buddha. The Buddha expounded
theDoctrine to her. She became a srotapanna and returned to
heaven. The bhiksus wondered why, and they asked the Buddha,
“O World-honored One, what meritorious deed did this goddess
perform that she obtained this divine body that is so extraordinarily beautiful?”
The Buddha said, “Long ago she brought worship to Kasyapa
Buddha’s pagoda with various flower garlands. For this reason she
has now obtained this recompense.”
Parable 52: A Goddess Worships Kasyapa Buddha’s
Pagoda with Lotus Flowers
At that time there was another goddess. The brilliance of the flower
garland on her head was dazzling. Together with a crowd of gods,
she came to the gathering in the assembly hall of the Good Law.
When the crowd of gods saw this goddess, they were dumbfounded.
Then Sakra devanam indra asked her in the stanzas:
1. What merit did you previously perform, that your body
is like a mass of pure gold? Your splendid appearance is
like a lotus, and you have an impressive majesty.
2. Your body brings forth a subtle brightness, and your
face is like a flower in full bloom. Your brightness is
extremely splendid. Through what deed did you obtain
this? Please tell me!
The goddess immediately spoke the stanza, answering:
Once I offered lotus flowers to the pagoda of Kasyapa Buddha.
Today I met the World-honored One. What I obtained was
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Parable 53
excellent merit. I was reborn in heaven and what I obtained
was this golden recompense.
Sakra devanam indra praised her again with the stanzas:
1. Truly wonderful is a field of merit, when one has removed
all impurity! Though the cause one plants may be insignificant, one may obtain an excellent recompense!
2. Who would not find happiness in honoring and respecting your mass of pure gold? Who would not honor the
Buddha, the finest and most excellent field of merit?
3. Your eyes are big and long. They may be compared to
blue lotus flowers. You once were able to worship the
highest and most excellent Honored One. You have performed a fine meritorious deed, and you have gained
such a recompense.
Then the goddess descended from heaven. With a parasol of
flowers in her hand she came to the Buddha. She listened to the
Buddha’s explanation of the Doctrine, obtained the purity of the
eye of the Doctrine, and returned to heaven. The bhiksus asked
the Buddha, “What meritorious deed did this goddess perform in
the past, that she has obtained such a recompense?” The Buddha
said, “Long ago she worshipped Kasyapa Buddha’s pagoda with
beautiful lotus flowers. Therefore she obtained an excellent recompense. She has insight into the path now.”
Parable 53: A Goddess Observes a Fast Day
Following the Eight Precepts and Is
Reborn in Heaven
472b At that time there was another goddess. She observed a fast
day following the eight precepts and was reborn in heaven. She
obtained a beautiful recompense. The majestic look of her bright
countenance surpassed all. She then came together with all the
gods into the assembly hall of the Good Law. When the gods saw
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her, they were dumbfounded. Sakra devanam indra asked her in
the stanzas:
1. What deed did you previously perform, that your body is
like a mountain of pure gold? Your bright countenance
is extremely splendid. Your appearance is like a pure
lotus flower.
2. What you have obtained is excellent splendor. Your body
brings forth a great subtle brightness. Through which
deed did you obtain this? Please tell me!
Then the goddess answered with the stanza:
In the past, under Kasyapa Buddha, I observed a fast day
following the eight precepts. I am now reborn among the
gods, and what I obtained is this beautiful recompense.
Sakra devanam indra again praised her with the stanzas:
1. Wonderful is a field of merit! It can produce an excellent
recompense. You hardly developed a fine cause in the
past, but you are reborn in heaven.
2. Who would not honor such an excellent accumulation
of merit? Who would not respect the most excellent
Honored One?
3. Those who have heard this should all be very glad! Those
who seek rebirth in heaven must maintain the precepts
in purity!
With a beautiful parasol in her hand, the goddess then came to the
Buddha. The Buddha explained to her the Doctrine, and she
obtained the path of insight into the Truths. The bhiksus then
asked the Buddha, “What meritorious deed did this goddess perform in the past, that she was reborn in heaven and gained a noble
fruition? The Buddha said, “Once, when she was a person, under
Kasyapa Buddha, she observed a fast day following the eight
precepts. Because of this meritorious conduct, she was reborn in
heaven and gained insight into the path.”
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Parable 54
Parable 54: A Goddess Worships by Lighting a Lamp
and Is Reborn in Heaven
At that time in Rajagrha, King Bimbisara had obtained the path
in the Buddha’s Doctrine. He had gained unwavering faith, and he
used to worship the Buddha with the light of lamps. Later on,
Devadatta became an evil friend of King Ajatasatru, who wanted
to destroy the Buddha’s Doctrine. Therefore fear spread throughout the territory, and people did not dare light any lamp or worship.
There was a girl who [nevertheless] kept up these practices; she lit
a lamp and worshipped at the Buddha’s walking place on the day
472c of relaxation for the Sangha. When King Ajatasatru heard this, he
was very angry. So he killed her, cutting her at the waist with a
wheel with double-edged knives. She died and was reborn in a
mansion glowing with gems in the Trayastrimsa Heaven. She
ascended into this mansion and went to the assembly hall of the
Good Law. Lord Sakra asked her in the stanza:
What deed did you previously perform, that your body is like
a mass of pure gold? You are like someone with great
majesty. Your looks are extremely brilliant!
The goddess immediately answered with the stanzas:
1. Intently observe the true rescue in the three worlds, the
great torch in the three periods of time, the Buddha, his
body adorned with the primary and secondary marks!
2. For one who excels most in the Doctrine, I lit a bright
lamp; I lit the lamp to remove darkness; the torch of the
Buddha removes all evil.
3. Seeing that the light of the lamp was as bright as the
sun, I truly had devout thoughts. Seeing the glow of the
light of the lamp, I was happy and bowed to the Buddha.
Having spoken these stanzas she came to the Buddha. The Buddha
expounded the Doctrine to her. She became a srotapanna and
returned to heaven.
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The bhiksus asked the Buddha, “For what reason was she born
in the heavenly mansion?” The Buddha said, “When among people,
on the day of relaxation for the Sangha, she once lit a lamp and
worshipped at the Buddha’s walking place. King Ajatasatru killed
her, cutting her in two at the waist. After her life had ended, she
was reborn among the gods as a result of this wholesome karmic
causality. When she heard the Doctrine from me again, she became
zealously devoted and obtained the path of a srotapanna. ”
Parable 55: A Goddess Met the Buddha While Riding
in Her Cart; She Was Happy and Went out
of Her Way
At that time the Buddha was in the land of SravastI, and he
entered the city to beg for alms. There was a girl who was taking a
ride in her cart. She wanted to go to the park. She happened to
meet the Tathagata on her way. She swerved her cart off the road
and was happy in her mind. Later she died and was reborn among
the thirty-three gods. She went to a gathering in the assembly hall
of the Good Law. Sakra devanam indra asked her in the stanzas:
1. What deed did you previously perform, that the color of
your body is like that of pure gold? Your bright countenance is extremely splendid, resembling an utpala.
2. You have obtained excellent splendor, and you are reborn
among the gods. Please explain to me how you came to
obtain this.
The goddess immediately answered with the stanza:
I met the Buddha on his way into the city, and I swerved my
cart off the road. I was happy and had devout respect. When
my life had ended, I was reborn in heaven.
Having spoken this stanza, she came to the Buddha. The Buddha
expounded the Doctrine to her. She became a srotapanna and
returned to her heavenly mansion. The bhiksus asked, “Through
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Parable 56
which karmic causality was she reborn in this heaven?” The
Buddha said, “When among people, she once swerved her cart to
give way to me. Now she is reborn in heaven. When she heard the
Doctrine from me again, she accepted it with devotion and realized
the fruition of a srotapanna. ”
Parable 56: A Goddess Scattered Flowers over the
Buddha, and They Were Changed to a
Parasol of Flowers
At that time in the land of SravastI there was a girl. She had
gathered asoka flowers for a festival and she returned to the city.
As she happened to meet the Buddha on his way out, she scattered
these flowers over the Buddha, and they changed to a parasol of
flowers. She was overjoyed, and her thoughts were full of respect.
Thereupon, when her life had ended, she was reborn among the
thirty-three gods. She ascended to their mansion and went to the
assembly hall of the Good Law. Lord Sakra asked her in the stanza:
What deed did you previously perform, that you are reborn
among the gods here? Your body’s color is like that of pure
gold, and your splendor is extremely bright. Through which
deed did you obtain this? Please tell me!
The goddess answered in the stanza:
Once when I gathered asoka flowers in Jambudvipa, I happened to meet the Tathagata on my way back. So I worshipped the Buddha with them. I was happy and full of
respect. When my life had ended, I was reborn in heaven.
Having spoken this stanza, she came to the Buddha. The Buddha
expounded the Doctrine to her. She became a srotapanna and
returned to heaven.
The bhiksus asked, “For what reason did this goddess experience the body of a goddess?” The Buddha said, “When among
people, she once left the city to gather asoka flowers. On her way
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back, she met me. So she worshipped me with her flowers, and
she was happy in her mind. After her life had ended she was reborn
in heaven as a result of this wholesome karma. When she heard
the Doctrine from me again, she was awakened and realized
srotapatti. ”
Parable 57: Sripunyamati Worships the Buddha’s
Pagoda and Is Reborn in Heaven
After King Bimbisara had gained insight into the Truths, he
often came to the Buddha. He paid his respects and made inquiries. The ladies in the palace could not come to the Buddha
every day then. The king erected a pagoda with a hair of the
Buddha in his palace. The people in the palace continually
worshipped it. After King Bimbisara’s death, Devadatta became
473b King Ajatasatru’s friend and associate. They had slander in
mind, and they did not allow anyone in the palace to worship this
pagoda. There was someone in the palace called Sripunyamati.
On a day of relaxation for the Sangha, she recalled the previous practice. So she worshipped this pagoda with fragrant
flowers. King Ajatasatru disliked her worship of the Buddha’s
pagoda and stabbed her to death with an auger. When her life
had ended, she was reborn among the thirty-three gods. She
ascended to the mansion of the gods and went to the gathering
in the assembly hall of the Good Law. Lord Sakra asked her in
the stanza:
What merit did you previously perform that you are reborn
among the gods? Your splendor is extremely bright, as if you
had the color of pure gold. By performing which deed did you
obtain this? Please tell me!
The goddess answered in the stanzas:
1. When among people, I used to be happy, with respectful
thoughts. I offered fine fragrant flowers to the Buddha’s
pagoda.
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Parable 58
2. However, I was stabbed to death with an auger by
Ajatasatru. When my life had ended, I was reborn in
heaven to experience this extreme happiness.
Having spoken these stanzas, she came to the Buddha. The Buddha
expounded the Doctrine to her. She became a srotapanna and
returned to the mansion of the gods.
The bhiksus asked, “For what reason was she reborn among
these gods?” The Buddha said, “Previously, when among people,
she once worshipped the Buddha’s pagoda with fragrant flowers.
Because of this wholesome karma, she has obtained the body of a
goddess. When she heard the Doctrine from me again, she was
awakened and realized srotapatti.”
Parable 58: An Elder and His Wife Construct a Stupa
and Are Reborn in Heaven
In the land of Sravasti there was an elder who had constructed a
stupa and a monastery. When the elder fell ill, his life ended; and
he was reborn among the thirty-three gods. His wife kept thinking
of her husband, and she was sad and grieved. Because she kept
thinking of him, she repaired the stupa and the monastery just as
it had been when her husband was alive.
The husband reflected alone in heaven, saying, “For what
reason was I reborn in this heaven?” He knew that he had come
there because of his merit for the construction of the pagoda.
Seeing that he decidedly was a god, he was happy in his mind, and
he constantly kept thinking of the pagoda. With his heavenly eye
he observed who was now taking care of the pagoda he had
constructed. He saw that day and night his wife kept thinking of
her husband, sad and grieved, and that she had repaired the
pagoda for the sake of her husband. The husband thought, “My
wife’s merit is bigger than mine. I must now go to her, ask how she
is doing, and comfort her.” He descended from heaven and came to
4 73 c his wife’s side. He said to her, “Are you very sad, thinking of me?
His wife said, “Who are you that exhort me?” He replied, “I am your
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husband. Because I had constructed a monastery and a pagoda, I
was reborn in heaven among the thirty-three gods. Because I saw
that you have diligently repaired the pagoda, I have come to you.”
His wife said, “Come before me and let us have intercourse!” The
husband said, “A human body is noisome. I must not approach it
again. If you want to be my wife, just zealously worship the Buddha
and his Sangha of bhiksus. After your life has ended, you will be
reborn in my heavenly mansion; and I shall take you to be mv
wife.”
Because of the words of her husband, the wife worshipped the
Buddha and his Sangha, acquiring a great deal of merit, and made
a vow that she would be reborn in heaven. Later, after her life had
ended, she was reborn in that heavenly mansion. Both husband
and wife went to the Buddha together. The Buddha expounded the
Doctrine to them and they became srotapannas. The bhiksus were
dumbfounded as to the reason and they asked, “Through which
karmic causality were they reborn in this heaven?” The Buddha
said, “When among people, they once constructed a stupa and a
monastery, worshipping the Buddha and his Sangha. As a result of
this merit, they are now reborn in heaven.”
Parable 59; An Elder and His Wife Are Devoutly
Respectful; She Greets the Buddha and
Is Reborn in Heaven
There was an elder in Rajagrha who went to the Buddha every day.
His wife became suspicious and thought, “Is he not having intimate relations with another, always going out every day?” So she
asked her husband, “Where do you always come from every day?”
The husband answered his wife, “I come from the Buddha.” She
asked, “Can the Buddha overcome you so with his beauty that
you constantly go to him?” So the man extolled for his wife the
Buddha’s various qualities. At that moment, when she heard about
the Buddha s qualities, his wife became happy and rode away in
her cart. She arrived at the place where the Buddha was; but at
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Parable 60
that moment, by the Buddha’s side, kings and important ministers
were crowding all around him, and she could not go before him. She
made obeisance to the Buddha from afar and returned to the city.
Later, when she had parted with her life, she was reborn
among the thirty-three gods. She thought to herself, “I was honored by the Buddha’s momentous kindness. The merit for one
obeisance has allowed me rebirth in heaven.” Then she descended
from heaven to the Buddha. The Buddha expounded the Doctrine
to her and she became a srotapanna.
The bhiksus asked, “For what reason was she reborn in this
heaven?” The Buddha said, “When among people, she once made
obeisance to me. Through the merit of one obeisance she was
reborn in heaven after her death.”
Parable 60: A Heretic Brahman Woman Learns That
the Buddha’s Disciples Are Holding a
Fast, and She Is Rehorn in Heaven
At that time the Buddha’s disciples were in the land of Sravasti.
The women were holding a regional gathering, and they went to
the Buddha in large numbers. A Brahman woman was in their
474a company. She held wrong views and was not a believer. She had
never experienced a fast or kept the precepts. When she saw all
the women assembling for the fast, she asked, “What auspicious
gathering do you hold now? I am your friend, but you do not give
me any instructions.” The women answered, “We are holding a
fast.” The Brahman woman said, “It is not now the sixth day of the
month, nor is it the twelfth day. According to whose rules do you
hold the fast?” The women said, “We hold the Buddha’s fast.” The
Brahman woman said, “If you hold the Buddha’s fast, what merit
do you gain?” They replied, “We shall gain release and be reborn in
heaven.”
Because the Brahman woman wanted food and drink, she was
given water. After the fast was held, they gave her a delicious broth.
According to the rules of a brahmanical fast, one must not drink or
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eat According to the rules of the Buddha’s fast, one may take tasty
food and drrnk a delicious broth. As this fasting was pleasant, she
became happy in her mind.
Later, when her life had ended, she was reborn in heaven. She
came to the Buddha, and the Buddha expounded the Doctrine to
her. She became a srotapanna.
The bhiksus asked, “For what reason was she reborn among
the gods?” The Buddha said, “When among people, she once saw
women assembling to hold a fast. She then enjoyed the fast that
was held. Because of this wholesome action she was reborn in
heaven.”
Parable 61: A Poor Woman Gives Her Piece of Cloth
to Sudatta and Is Reborn in Heaven
At that time the elder Sudatta thought: “None of those who are
bom in my family shall fall into an unwholesome destination after
their life has ended. Why? Because I have instructed them all with
the pure Doctrine. I shall now instruct the poor and suffering,
believers and nonbelievers, with the Good Law, so that they will
worship the Buddha and his Sangha.”Thereupon he announced all
this to King Prasenajit. The king then beat the drum and rang the
bell. During the seven days thereafter, the elder Sudatta was to go
on his begging round, urging worship of the Triple Jewel. Everyone
m the whole population was glad and they offered many gifts.
On the seventh day, when the elder Sudatta had been begging
from everyone, urging them to reform, there was a poor woman
She used to ask a price for her labor. She only had one piece of
cloth, and she covered her body with that. When she saw Sudatta
begging, she immediately gave it to him. When Sudatta had
obtained it, he was surprised at what she was capable of. So he
supplied the poor woman with whatever she wished, property,
money, grain, silk, clothes, and food. Later, when her life was over
and had ended, she was reborn in heaven. She came to the Buddha.
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Parable 62
The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to her, and she became a
srotapanna.
The bhiksus asked, “For what reason is this goddess now
reborn in heaven?” The Buddha said, “When among people,
she once met the elder Sudatta, who was on a begging round
while teaching. She was happy and immediately gave to Sudatta
the piece of white cloth she was wearing. Because of this wholesome deed, she was reborn in heaven. When she heard the Doctrine
474b from me again, she became zealously devoted and became a
srotapanna. ”
Parable 62: An Elder’s Daughter Does Not Believe in
the Triple Jewel; Her Father Engages
Her with Money to Observe the Precepts,
and She Is Reborn in Heaven
At that time there was an elder in the land of Sravasti. His name
was Pusya, and he had two daughters. One had gone forth and
after strenuous effort obtained arhatship. The other held wrong
views. She was full of slander and was not a believer. The father
then said to this daughter who was not a believer, “Take refuge in
the Buddha now, and I shall pay you a thousand gold pieces! Yes,
take refuge in the Doctrine and the Sangha, observe the five
precepts, and I shall give you eight thousand gold pieces!” Thereupon she observed the five precepts. Shortly thereafter, her life
ended and she was reborn in heaven. She came to the Buddha.
The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to her, and she became a
srotapanna.
The bhiksus asked, “Through which action was this goddess
reborn in heaven?” The Buddha said, “Formerly, among people, she
took refuge in the Triple Jewel out of desire for her father’s money.
She observed the five precepts. Because of this, she is now reborn
in heaven. Hearing the Doctrine from me again, she obtained the
path.”
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As a rule in southern India, when there is a girl in the family, she
has to rise early and sweep the premises and the area around the
gate. There was an elder’s daughter who rose early to sweep the
floor. She happened to meet the Tathagata passing by in front of
her gate. As she saw him, she was happy and watched the Buddha
attentively Her life was short, and after it had ended she was
reborn in heaven.
As a rule, for those who are reborn in heaven, there are three
considerations. She thought, “What body did I previously have?”
She knew it was a human body. “Where am I reborn now?” She
knew for certain it was in heaven. ‘Which deed did I once perform
to be reborn here?” She knew she had obtained this recompense
because of the wholesome deed of being happy when she saw the
Buddha. Touched by the Buddha’s momentous kindness, she came
to worship the Buddha. The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to her
and she became a srotapanna.
The bhiksus said, “For what reason did you let this woman be
reborn in heaven and obtain the path?” The Buddha said, “Formerly, among people, she rose early to sweep the floor. I, the
Buddha, happened to pass by her gate. She saw me and was happy.
Because of this wholesome deed, she was reborn in heaven. She
heard the Doctrine from me again and realized the path.”
Parable 63: A Girl, Sweeping the Floor, Sees the
Buddha; She Is Happy and Is Reborn in
Heaven
Parable 64: An Elder Constructs a House, Invites the
Buddha in Order to Worship Him,
Donates His House, and Is Reborn in
Heaven
There was an important elder in Rajagrha who had recently
constructed a house. He invited the Buddha in order to worship him. He donated the house and said to the Buddha, “O
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Parable 65
World-honored One, from now on, when you come to the city,
always come here to wash your hands and your bowl!” Later, when
474c his life had ended, the elder was reborn in heaven, ascending to a
heavenly mansion. He came to the Buddha. The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to him, and he became a srotapanna.
The bhiksus said, “For what reason was he reborn in heaven?”
The Buddha said, “Formerly, among people, he constructed a new
house. He invited me, the Buddha, and donated it. Because of this
wholesome deed, he was reborn in heaven in a heavenly mansion.
Subsequently he heard the Doctrine from me and obtained the
path.”
Parable 65: A Woman Gives Sugar Cane to an Arhat
and Is Reborn in Heaven
In Sravasti there once was a bhiksu, an arhat, who entered the
city to beg for alms. He came to a family that pressed sugar
cane. The wife of the son of the house put a big piece of sugar cane
in the bhiksu’s bowl. When her mother-in-law saw this, she was
angry at her. So she grabbed a stick and gave her a beating. She
happened to hit a vital vein. The woman’s life ended immediately,
and she was reborn in the Trayastrimsa Heaven with a female
body. The mansion she lived in was made entirely of sugar cane.
When a crowd of gods gathered in the assembly hall of the Good
Law, that goddess also went to this hall. Lord Sakra asked her in
the stanza:
What deed did you previously perform that you have obtained
your excellent and beautiful body? The beauty of its brightness is beyond compare. It is like a mass of fused gold.
The goddess answered with the stanza:
When among people, I once gave some sugar cane. Now I
have obtained a considerable recompense among the host of
gods, and my brightness is extremely radiant.
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Once there was a woman in Sravasti who was sitting on the ground
grinding perfume. The Buddha happened to enter the city. When
the woman saw the Buddha, she was happy. She anointed the
Buddha’s feet with the perfume she was grinding Later, when her
life had ended, she was reborn among the gods. The fragrance of
her body reached into the distance, penetrating over four thousand
miles. She then went to a gathering in the assembly hall of the
Good Law. Lord Sakra asked her in the stanza:
What merit did you previously perform, that your body
emits an exquisite fragrance? You are reborn among the
gods, and your splendid appearance is like fused gold.
The goddess answered in the stanzas:
1. I worshipped the most excellent Honored One with the
best perfume. I obtained unequalled splendor.
2. I was reborn among the thirty-three gods, and I experience great joy. The fine fragrances my body emits reach
a hundred yojanas. All who smell my fragrance gain
considerable benefit.
The goddess immediately went to the World-honored One. The
Buddha expounded the Doctrine to her. She obtained the path of a
srotapanna and returned to heaven. The bhiksus asked, “What
merit did she previously perform that she was reborn among the
gods with a body of such fragrance?”
The Buddha said, “Once, among people, this goddess anointed
my feet with perfume. For this reason she was reborn in heaven
after her death to experience this recompense.”
Parable 66: A Woman Anoints the Buddha’s Feet with
Perfume and Is Reborn in Heaven
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Parable 67
At that time, in the land of Sravasti, the elder Sudatta engaged
people to take refuge in the Buddha for a hundred thousand ounces
of gold. There was a servant then who heard the elder’s words and
took refuge in the Buddha. After her life had ended, she was reborn
among the thirty-three gods. Thereupon, she went to a gathering
in the assembly hall of the Good Law. Lord Sakra asked her in the
stanza:
What merit did you have before that you are reborn among
the gods? The beauty of your brightness is exquisite. Please
tell me!
The goddess answered in the stanzas:
1. The Most Firm One in the three worlds can pull one out
of the suffering of birth and death. True rescue in the
three worlds removes the fetters of the three defilers.
2. I once took refuge in the Buddha, in the Doctrine, and
in the Sangha. For that reason I have obtained this
recompense.
Having spoken these stanzas, she came to the Buddha. The Buddha
expounded the Doctrine to her, and she obtained the path of a
srotapanna.
The bhiksus asked, “Through which karmic causality did she
experience that recompense?” The Buddha said, “Formerly, among
people, she took refuge in the Buddha. That is why she is now
reborn in heaven. When she heard me expound the Doctrine, she
obtained the path of a srotapanna.”
Parable 67: A Servant of the Elder Sudatta Takes
Refuge in the Triple Jewel and Is Reborn
in Heaven
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Chapter V
Parable 68: A Poor Woman Begs for Food from the
Buddha and Is Reborn in Heaven
Once there was a woman in Sravasti who was poor and in distress. She used to beg for a living at the roadside. Gradually,
as time went by nobody in the whole population looked at her
anymore. The Buddha happened to see her on his way She went
to him and asked the Buddha for food. The Buddha felt compassion because the poor woman was about to die, exhausted by
hunger. So he ordered Ananda to give her food. When the poor
woman had obtained the food, she was happy. Later her life
475b came to an end, and she was reborn in heaven. Moved by the
Buddha’s former kindness, she came to worship the Buddha.
The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to her, and she became a
srotapcmna.
The bhiksus asked the Buddha, “For what reason is this
goddess now reborn in heaven?” The Buddha said, “Formerly,
when among people, this goddess was about to die, exhausted by
hunger. I, the Buddha, had Ananda give her food. When she had
obtained the food, she was happy. When her life had ended, she was
reborn in this heavenly mansion because of that wholesome root.
When she heard the Doctrine from me again, she obtained the
path.”
Parable 69: An Elder’s Servant Brings Food to Her
Master, Meets the Buddha and Gives It to
Him, and Is Recompensed with Rebirth
in Heaven
There was an elder s son in the land of Sravasti who was enjoying
himself in a park together with the sons of elders. When he was
about to go there, he said to his family, “Bring me food!” His family
then sent a servant to bring him food. When the servant had left
the gate, she happened to meet the Buddha. So she offered the food
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Parable 69
to the Tathagata and returned to the house. She took some more
food and brought it again. However, on her way she met Sariputra
and Maudgalyayana. So she gave it to them. The third time she
gave the food to the elder’s son.
After the elder’s son had eaten it, he returned home himself.
He said to his wife, “Why was the food you sent me today so terribly
late?” His wife replied to him, “Three times I sent you food today.
Why was it so late?” So they called the servant and they asked
her, “You went three times today. Who did you bring the food to?”
The servant then answered, “When I brought food the first time,
I met the Buddha and gave it to him. When I brought food a
second time, I met Sariputra and Maudgalyayana and I gave it to
them. Only when I took food a third time did I give it to you,
master.” When her master had heard this, he became extremely
angry. He beat her with a stick. She then died and was reborn in
heaven.
Just when she was reborn in heaven she made all three
considerations. First she thought, “Where am I reborn now?” She
knew she was reborn in heaven. Second she thought, From where
was I reborn in heaven after my death?” She knew she was reborn
in heaven from a human destination. Third she thought, As a
result of which karmic causality was I reborn in heaven?” She
knew she had obtained this recompense because she had given
food. Then she came to the Buddha to worship him and pay her
respects. The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to her, and she
became a srotapanna.
The bhiksus asked the Buddha, “For what reason was this
goddess reborn in heaven now?” The Buddha said, Formerly,
among people, she was the servant of an elder. When she was
bringing food to the elder’s son, she met me, the Buddha, the
Tathagata. So she gave it to me, the Buddha. Her master was
angry, and he beat her to death with a stick. Because of this
karmic causality, she was reborn in heaven after her life had
4 75 c ended. She heard the Doctrine from me again, and she realized the
path.”
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Parable 70: An Elder Constructs a Lecture Hall for
the Buddha and Is Recompensed with
Rebirth in Heaven
At that time in Rajagrha King Bimbisara built a stupa and a
monastery for the Buddha. There was an elder who also wanted to
make a fine dwelling for the Buddha. He could not find a place. So
he constructed a lecture hall where the Tathagata made his promenade, and he opened up the four doors. Afterwards, when his life
had ended, he was reborn in heaven and ascended to a heavenly
mansion. He came to worship the Buddha. The Buddha expounded
the Doctrine to him, and he became a srotapanna.
The bhiksus asked, “For what reason was this heavenly son
reborn in a heavenly mansion?” The Buddha said, “Formerly,
among people, he constructed a lecture hall for me. Because of
this wholesome cause, he was reborn in heaven after his death.
He came to me, and, moved by my kindness, he worshipped me.
When he heard an explanation of the Doctrine again, he became a
srotapanna. ”
Parable 71: An Elder Sees That the King Constructs a
Pagoda; He Constructs a Pagoda Too and
Is Recompensed with Rebirth in Heaven
At that time, on Mt. Grdhrakuta there was an elder from southern
India. He saw that King Bimbisara constructed a splendid stupa
and a monastery for the Buddha. He too invited the Tathagata and
constructed a stupa and a monastery for him to dwell in. Afterwards, when his life had ended, the elder was reborn in heaven.
He came to the Buddha. In his gratitude he worshipped him.
The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to him, and he became a
srotapanna.
The bhiksus asked, “As a result of what previous karma was
this heavenly son reborn in a heavenly mansion?” The Buddha
said, “Formerly, among people, he saw that the king erected a
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Parable 72
476a
pagoda and grew happy. He invited me, the Tathagata, and built a
stupa. As a result of this wholesome action, he was reborn in
heaven. He heard the Doctrine from me again, he was devoutly
awakened, and realized srotapatti. ”
Parable 72: A Merchant Constructs a House, Offers It
to the Buddha, and Is Reborn in Heaven
At that time in the land of SravastI there was a merchant. He went
off to trade, but he died and did not return. His mother raised his
son. When the son had grown up, he too wanted to go on a far
journey. His grandmother said to him, “Your father went away on
a far journey, but he died and did not return. Do not go on a far
journey! Open a shop in town, in the neighborhood!” He then
respected her command and put up a shop in town. He thought,
“The people of this city all invite the Buddha. Now I have recently
constructed a house. I too shall invite the Tathagata.” So he went
to invite the Buddha. When the Buddha arrived, he said to the
Buddha, “I offer you this house, O Tathagata. From now on, when
you come to the city, you may always come to my house to wash
your hands and to wash your bowl.” Afterwards, [the merchant’s]
life ended, and he was reborn in heaven. He came to the Buddha.
The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to him, and he became a
srotapanna.
The bhiksus asked, “Because of which previous karmic causality was this god reborn in heaven?” The Buddha said, “Formerly,
when he was a man, he had just built a shop. He invited me, the
Buddha, there. As a result of this wholesome action he is now
reborn in heaven. He heard the Doctrine from me again and
obtained his recompense.”
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