T203 The Storehouse of Sundry Valuables

Chapter VIII

Chapter Vili

Parable 95:

Parable 96:

Parable 97:

Parable 98:

Parable 99:

Parable 100:

Parable 101:

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

The Buddha's Disciple Nanda Is Compelled by the Buddha to Go Forth, and He Attains the Path A Fine Athlete Converts a Band of Brigands in the Wilderness A State Councillor Hears the Doctrine and Renounces Desire The Nirgrantha Disciples Throw Themselves into a Pool of Fire but Are Saved by the Buddha Five Hundred White Wild Geese Hear the Doctrine and Are Reborn in Heaven Devadatta Releases the Maddened Elephant Dhanapala, Wishing to Harm the Buddha

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Parable 95: A State Councillor and His Wife in the Land of ausambi Have Evil Intentions

toward the Buddha; but the Buddha

Reforms Their Ways, and They Become

Srotapannas

When the Buddha was in the land of ausambi there was a state councillor, a Brahman, who was cruel. His actions were unprincipled. His wife was all viciousness and deceit and no different from himself. The husband told his wife, "The sramana Gautama is in this land. If e comes, shut the gate and do not open it!" One day the Tathagata suddenly was in her room. When the Brahman' wife saw him, she kept silent and did not say a word to him. So the Buddha said, "You, Brahman woman, are foolish, hold wrong views, and do not believe in the Three Precious Things." When the wife heard these words, she became furious. She ripped off er necklaces, put on a dirty and greasy garment, and sat down on the floor. When her husband came in, he asked her, "Why are you like that?" She answered, "The sramana Gautama has abused me. He said something like, You, Brahman woman, have wrong views and do not believe.'" he husband said, "Wait for him tomorrow! Open the gate tomorrow and wait for the Buddha to come!" When the next day the Buddha appeared in his house, the Brahman grabbed his sharp sword and was about to chop the Buddha down; but he could not touch him. Seeing that the Buddha was up in the air, he felt shame, prostrated himself n the floor, and said to the Buddha, Please, World-honored One, come down and accept my repentance!" So the Buddha came down, accepted his repentance, and expounded the essentials of the Doctrine to him. Both husband and wife obtained the path of he srotdpanna. When the bhiksus had heard about the Buddha' subjection of such evil persons, they all said these words, "The appearance of he Worldhonored One in the world is absolutely marvelous; it is totally exceptional!"

The Buddha informed the bhiksus, "Not only today but also in the past I brought about submission." The bhiksus said to the 188

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Buddha, "We wonder how this submission in the past was brought about." The Buddha said, "Once, in the land of KasI, there was a king by the name of O-shou. He acted wrongly, making his people suffer. His banditry was beyond reason. The finest of he valuables of he merchants from the four distances he appropriated as taxes and did not repay their value. For this reason, the precious objects in the land became [the king'] great riches. Everyone told of this abroad, and [the king'] evil reputation spread.

"At that time there was a parrot king in the woods. He overheard people passing by telling about the king' wickedness. So he thought, 'I am a bird, but I still know what is wrong. I shall now go to him and explain the right path to him. If hat king listens to my words, he will certainly say, "He is a king of birds yet he has excellent advice. What if a king of men, rebuked by him, mended his ways!"'

"He subsequently flew up in the air to the king' park. He wheeled around and came down on the top of tree. The king s wife happened to have gone into the park for a stroll. Clapping his wings and calling out, the parrot then said to her, 'The king is tyrannical, absolutely unprincipled. He oppresses all people. He is even malicious toward birds and animals. They are wailing with anger. People and their animals are outraged. The sound of their sighing is heard throughout the world. You, his wife, are oppressive, no different from the king. How can the parents of he people be like that?'

"When the wife heard this, her rage flared up. 'What is this small bird, its mouth hill of eproach for me!' She sent someone to catch it, but at that moment the parrot entered the hands of the birdcatcher, not frightened or afraid. When the wife got the parrot, she gave it to the king. The king said to the parrot, 'Why do you reproach me?'The parrot replied, 'I am only saying that you, O king, are on the wrong path. I want to benefit you. I do not dare to reproach you.'The king then asked, 'What wrong path am I on?' [The parrot] replied, 'You are on a wrong path with seven elements that can endanger your person, O king.' [The king] asked, " hich seven?' [The parrot] answered:

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(1) Besotted with feminine beauty, you do not strive for virtue. (2) Fond of wine, you are befuddled and do not concern yourself ith the affairs of he nation. (3) Addicted to games, you do not develop respect for propriety. (4) On hunting trips you kill living beings, and you have no merciful thoughts at all. (5) You like to utter arsh ords, and you have never spoken nicely. (6) Your taxes, your levies of service, and your fines are twice as heavy as the common rule. (7) You rob your people' riches beyond the principles of righteousness. You have these seven elements that can endanger your person, O king. There are furthermore three elements that may overthrow your state, O king. "The king again asked, 'Which three elements do you mean?' [The parrot] replied:

(1) You are befriended by treacherous and deceiving people. (2) You do not depend on excellent people, nor do you accept sincere reproofs. (3) You like to attack other countries, and you do not care for your people. If these three are not done away with, you will be overthrown, if not some morning, then some evening. The whole territory turns to the one who is a king. A king must be like a bridge saving all people. A king must be like a weighing beam. Those who have relations with him are all equal. A king must be like a path, not going against the tracks of the wise. A king shines over all the world, ust like the sun. A ing brings coolness to things, just like the moon. A king must educate people kindly and be merciful, ust like one' parents. A king must cover everything, just like heaven. A king must support all things, just like the earth. A king must bum away trouble for all his people, just like fire. A king must enrich the four directions, just like water. Like the noble monarchs of the past, he must instruct all beings about the ten wholesome paths [of ction].

"Having heard these words, the king felt deeply ashamed. 'Your words, parrot, are utterly honest and utterly sincere. As a king of 190

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men my behavior was unprincipled. Allow me to comply with your instructions, to have the honor to have you as my teacher, and to experience and develop the right path.' When he practiced the teaching, his bad reputation disappeared in the land. His wife and subordinate officials all became loyal and respectful. In the whole population there was none who was not happy. It was like a royal bull crossing over water. When the leader is right, those who follow are right, too.

"The parrot at that time is [now] myself. O-shou, the king of Kasi at that time, is the present state councillor. The wife at that time is now the state councillor' wife."

Parable 96: The Buddha's Disciple Nanda Is

Compelled by the Buddha to Go Forth,

and He Attains the Path

The Buddha was in the land of apilavastu. He entered the city to beg for food and arrived at Nanda' house. Nanda happened to be preparing some cosmetics for his wife, some fragrant ointment for between her eyebrows. Hearing that the Buddha was at his gate, he wanted to have a ook outside. His wife made an agreement ith him, "Go outside and see the Tathagata, but come back immediately, before the cosmetics on my forehead have dried up!" So Nanda went outside, saw the Buddha, and did obeisance. He took his bowl and went to his house, filled it up with food, and presented it to the Buddha, but the Buddha did not take it. He passed it on to Ananda. Ananda did not take it either. Ananda said, Return the bowl to its place of origin, to the one you obtained it from!" Thereupon Nanda took the bowl and followed the Buddha to the Nyagrodha pure abode.

The Buddha then ordered a barber to shave Nanda' head, but Nanda did not want him to. Making an angry fist he said to the barber, "You should shave all the heads of he whole population of Kapilavastu now!'The Buddha asked the barber, "Why did you not shave him?" The barber answered, "Because I was afraid, I dared 191

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not shave him." he Buddha and Ananda themselves went to him. Because Nanda was afraid, he did not dare not be shaved. Even though he had obtained the tonsure, he always wanted to go back home. The Buddha always took him along, and he could not get away. Later one day, as it was his turn to guard the temple quarters, he was glad. "Now is truly my chance! I can go back home! I shall wait till after the Buddha and the monks have all left and then go back home."

After the Buddha had entered the city, Nanda thought, "I shall draw the water from the well for hem. Only after I have filled their water bowls shall I return." He subsequently drew water from the well, but as soon as one bowl was full, another was overturned. It continued like that for some time, and he could not fill the bowls. So he said, "I cannot fill them up altogether. I shall let the bhiksus draw the water themselves after they return. I shall just put the bowls in the room now and leave them behind." o he shut the gate of the quarters. Just as one leaf was shut, the other leaf opened again. Just as he had shut one door, the other door opened again. Again he thought, "I cannot shut them all as I might wish; I shall just leave them and go. Even if lose the clothing and other effects of the bhiksus, I have plenty of possessions, enough to be able to make it up." So he left the monastery, and he thought, "The Buddha will surely pass by here. So I shall go along the other road." The Buddha knew what was in his mind, and he took the other road also. When he saw the Buddha coming in the distance, Nanda hid behind a big ree, but the spirit of he tree lifted the tree up in he air. The Buddha saw Nanda as he stood there in the open. He led him back to the pure abode and asked him, "Do you think about your wife?" Nanda replied, "I do indeed!" So he took Nanda up on the A-na-po (Anavatapta?) Mountain, and he further asked Nanda, "Is your wife beautiful?" Yes," e replied. As there was an old blind monkey in the mountains, [the Buddha] further asked, "Your wife, Sundarl, is her countenance as beautiful as this monkey' ?" anda was vexed, and he said in his mind, "Few people equal my wife' beauty. Why do you, the Buddha, compare my wife with this monkey?"

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The Buddha next ook im up to the Trayastrimsa Heaven and showed im around in the palaces of he gods. He saw the gods and the goddesses enjoying themselves. He saw that in one palace there were five hundred goddesses but no god. Nanda returned to ask the Buddha about it, but the Buddha said, "Go and ask them yourself." Nanda went to ask them, "In all the other palaces there are gods. Why is there no god in this place only?" The goddesses answered, "In Jambudvlpa the Buddha' disciple Nanda was compelled by the Buddha to go forth. Because he has gone forth, he will be reborn as our god in this heavenly palace after his life has ended." Nanda answered, "It is I myself!" So he wanted to stay right there, but the goddesses said, "We are goddesses, but you are a man now. When you have given up your human life back there and are reborn here, then you can stay." So he returned to the Buddha and told all this to the World-honored One. The Buddha said to Nanda, "How does your wife' beauty compare with that of the goddesses?" Nanda replied, "Beside those goddesses she is like the blind monkey that you compared to her." The Buddha led Nanda back to Jambudvlpa. In order to be reborn among the gods, Nanda was diligent in his morality. Ananda then spoke the stanza: When for instance a ram is fighting, it withdraws when it is going to advance. When you keep the precepts because of desire, it is exactly the same.

The Buddha then took Nanda to hell. He saw the cauldrons, all with people boiling in them. He saw just one cauldron standing there empty but boiling. He wondered why and came to ask the Buddha about it. The Buddha Informed him, "Go and ask about it yourself." So Nanda went and asked a ailer, "All the cauldrons are boiling sinners. Why is this cauldron empty, without anyone being boiled?" The jailer answered, "In Jambudvlpa there is a disciple of the Tathagata, called Nanda. Because of is merit for having gone forth, he will obtain rebirth in heaven.But because of his having given up the path out of desire, he will fall into this hell after his heavenly life has ended. That is why I now make the cauldron boil and wait for him." Nanda was alarmed. Fearing that the jailer 193

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might keep him, he said the words, "Namo Buddhaya. May you protect me! Take me back to Jambudvipa!" The Buddha said to Nanda, "You must diligently keep the precepts, developing your heavenly merit!" Nanda answered, "I do not need a rebirth in heaven. I wish not to fall into this hell." The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to him, and after the first seven days he became an arhat. The bhiksus said in admiration, "The appearance in the world of the World-honored One is truly marvelous, truly exceptional!"

The Buddha said, "Not only now! It was like that in the past, too." The bhiksus said, "Please tell us how it was the same in the past! The Buddha said, "Long ago the king of Kasi was called Purnamukha. In the land of Videha there was a luscious lady of extraordinary beauty. At that time, the two countries had a constant hatred of ach other. By the side of he king of asI there was a deceitful minister who said to tempt him that in the other country there was a luscious lady whose beauty was rare in the world. When the king heard these words, he became deluded in his heart and sent a messenger to ask for er, but that country refused. He sent another messenger to say that he wanted to see her for a while and that he would send her back ithin four or five days. The other king hen ordered the luscious lady, 'In your behavior be fully equipped with all your accomplishments; and let the king of KasI be deluded by ou, so that he cannot leave you for a moment!'Then he sent her away.

After four or five days he called her back, saying he was going to arrange for an important sacrifice, that he needed this woman, and that after she had returned for a while, he would send her back. So the king of Kasi sent her back. When the important sacrifice was over, he sent a messenger to ask for her again. The answer was, 'We shall send her tomorrow.' But when the next day came, she still was not sent back again. Such lying went on for many days. As the king was deluded in his heart, he wanted to go to the other country, taking just a few men with him. His ministers strongly protested, but he did not want to take their advice.

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"In the Seer Mountains there was a monkey king at that time. He was clever, intelligent, and endowed with great knowledge. As his wife had ust died, e took a [certain] female monkey. The whole crowd of monkeys angrily blamed him. 'This luscious monkey is our common property. Why do you alone take her?'The monkey king then took he female monkey away to the land of asi and fled to the king. The whole crowd of onkeys all pursued them. When they reached the city, they violated the houses and destroyed the walls. They could not be brought to reason. The king of Kasi said to the monkey king, ' hy do you not return the female monkey to the monkeys now?'The monkey king said, 'My wife has passed away. I would not have a wife any more. O king, why do you want me to send her back ow?'The king said to him, 'Your monkeys are ruining my country now. Why should she not return! The monkey king said, 'Is this not all right?' he king answered, 'No, it is not all right!'This went on two or three times, but the king kept saying, 'No, it is not all right.'

"Then the monkey king said:

In your palace you have eighty-four thousand wives, but you are not pleased. You want to go to a hostile country in pursuit of a luscious lady. I do not have a wife now. I just took this one, but you say it is not all right. All ten thousand families look up to you for their livelihood. Why do you abandon them for one luscious lady? 0 king, know that the happiness of lustful deeds is little, and that the suffering is great. For instance, when holding a burning torch against the wind, a fool does not let go and is sure to be burned. Desire is impure, like a heap of dung. Desire shows an outward appearance covered y a hin skin. Desire is ungrateful, like a venomous snake daubed in dung. Desire is like a brigand feigning to be a man' friend. Desire is like a loan that must surely be returned. Desire is distasteful, like a flower growing in a lavatory. Desire is like an inflammation of an itching boil. When one scratches it, it becomes worse. Desire is like a dog gnawing a dry bone. As 195

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his saliva is mingled with it, he thinks it has some taste. His lips and teeth are completely broken, but he cannot get enough of it. Desire is like a thirsty person drinking salty water. It increases his thirst. Desire is like a lump of meat eagerly quarreled over by a flock of irds. Desire is like a fish or an animal. The flavors they are after are extremely small, but their distress is very great.

"The monkey king at that time is [now] myself. The king at that time is [now] Nanda. The luscious lady at that time is [now] Sundari. At that time I wanted to pull Nanda out of the mud. I want to pull him out of he suffering of irth and death now, too." 487a Parable 97: A Fine Athlete Converts a Band of Brigands in the Wilderness

Once the Buddha was in Rajagrha. Between the two countries of Rajagrha and Vaisali there was a band of ive hundred brigands. King Bimbisara' kindness was ample and fine. He ruled his country with merciful laws, and he did not hurt the life of any being. So he issued an appeal, saying he would copiously reward with nobility anyone who could go and convert the band of ive hundred thieves, so that they would not commit any more robberies. There was an athlete (malla) then ho came and answered the king' appeal. He went to the wilderness and pacified the band of brigands. He was able to keep them from committing more robberies. After he had thoroughly subdued them, he built the great city Atavl [Forest] with a moat and placed them there. Little by little, their numbers increased and many people entrusted themselves to them. Thereupon they became a great country. The people of the country all said, "We have received the kindness of he fine athlete s care now, so that we all can assemble here. Let us make this agreement, 'From now on, anyone who takes a new wife must offer her first to the athlete.'" So they went to the athlete and said to him, "We have made an agreement that the one who takes a new wife must offer her first to you, O athlete, and for 196

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two reasons: (1) We want to obtain fine sons, so that they may resemble you in strength, O athlete; (2) We want to repay your kindness, O athlete." The athlete answered, "There is no need to do that." When the crowd insisted, he gave in to them. They actually applied this rule.

When quite some time had gone by, there was one woman who was not happy about this. She urinated naked in front of veryone. They all scolded her, saying, "You are shameless. How can a oman urinate standing in front of all the men!" The woman replied, "When a woman urinates naked in front of ou, why should she be ashamed? The whole country is made up of women. Only the fine athlete is a man! If it were in front of him, I would be ashamed. Why should I be ashamed in front of ou?" So the men said to each other, "This woman' explanation is exactly right." Sariputra and Maudgalyayana then passed through the wasteland together with five hundred disciples. When the athlete knew this, he invited the two reverends and their five hundred disciples to stay there and stop for the night. He gave them clothes and food. After three days had passed, the people in the land came together and organized a gathering. Drinking wine, they became drunk and they decided to surround the fine athlete' house and bum it down. The athlete asked, "What are you doing this for?" he crowd answered, "Every newly married wife goes to you first. We are men, and we will not stand for this. Therefore we come to bum you down." The athlete answered, "I did not agree before. You forced me to." No one listened to him. So they burned him to death. When his life was about to end, he made the vow, "May I be reborn in this wilderness through my merit for having worshipped Sariputra and Maudgalyayana, and may I become a very strong demon and annihilate everybody!"

When he had said this, his life stopped. He was immediately transformed and reborn as a demon. He spread a vast epidemic and killed a great many people. Occasionally some wise people 487b implored the demon, 'You have killed innumerable people now. You cannot eat all the flesh. You let a great deal rot. Please let us kill cows and horses, and give you one person every day." So all in 197

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the land drew lots [to select] one person each day. Then it eventually [came to be] the elder Subhadra' turn. Subhadra had a son who was virtuous and upright. He was to be eaten by the demon next. The elder thought, "The Tathagata has appeared in the world and is saving all suffering beings. I wish that the World-honored One would save my son from his present distress!" The Buddha was in Rajagrha. When he knew the elder' thoughts, he immediately came to the demon of he wilderness and sat down in his palace. When the demon of the wilderness came, he saw the World-honored One and became extremely angry. He said to the Buddha, "Sramana, go away!"So the Buddha left. When the demon next entered his palace, [he found that] the Buddha had come again. This happened three times, but the fourth time the Buddha did not leave. The demon said, "If ou do not leave, I shall turn you upside down, grab your feet, and throw you into the Ganges!" The Buddha said to him, "I do not know anyone in the world, neither god nor Mara nor Brahma, who can grab me and do such a thing."

The demon of he wilderness said, "All right, all right! Let me ask you four things, O Tathagata. Explain them to me! First, who can cross the rapid current? Second, who can cross the ocean? Third, who can do away with all suffering? Fourth, who can obtain purity?" The Buddha replied, "Faith can cross the rapid current. Heedfulness can cross the ocean. Strenuous pursuit can do away with suffering. Wisdom obtains purity." After he had heard these words, the demon took refuge in the Buddha and became the Buddha' disciple. He took the elder Subhadra' son and placed him in the Buddha' bowl. They subsequently called the boy Hastaka Atavaka. He grew up little by little. The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to him and he became an anagamin. The bhiksus said, "Your appearance in the world, O World-honored One, is truly wonderful! You could subdue such a very evil demon of he wilderness, O Buddha, and make him an upasaka (lay disciple)." The Buddha said, "Not only now! Also in a past time there once was a vast wilderness between two countries, the land of asi and 198

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the land of ideha. There was an evil demon called Slesaloma. He blocked the road, and no one in the whole population could pass through. There was one leader of merchants called Simha who wanted to take this road with five hundred merchants. They were all frightened and afraid they might not get through. The leader of the merchants said, 'Do not be afraid! Just follow me!' Thereupon he went on.

"He reached the place where the demon was, and he said to the demon, 'Have you not heard my name?' [The demon] replied, 'I have heard your name.' [The merchant said,] 'I came with the intention of fighting you!' [The demon] asked, 'What can you do?' So [the merchant] took his bow and arrows and shot at the demon. He shot five hundred arrows, but they all sank into the demon' belly. His bow, sword, and weapons entered the demon' belly, too. He went right up to [the demon] and hit him with his fist, but his fist also went in. When he used his right hand, his right hand got stuck. He kicked him with his right foot, but his right foot also got stuck. When he kicked him with his left foot, his left foot got stuck, too. He also hit him with his head but his head got stuck, too. The demon said in a stanza:

Your hands, your feet, and your head, everything got stuck. What else is there that did not get stuck? The leader of he merchants replied with the stanzas: 1. Now my hands, my feet, and my head, and all my riches and my weapons [got stuck].I have only my vigor that did not get stuck in you!

2. If my vigor does not cease, my fight with you will never be given up. My vigor does not cease now. I shall never be afraid of ou!

The demon then answered, 'Because of you I shall let all five hundred merchants go now.'

"Simha is now myself. Slesaloma is the present demon of the wilderness."

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Parable 98: A State Councillor Hears the Doctrine and Renounces Desire

When the Buddha was in Rajagrha, [King] Bimbisara had a highranking state councillor who often went to the Buddha with his king to listen to the Tathagata' exposition of the Doctrine of renunciation. After this he had intercourse with his wife only infrequently. His wife conceived evil thoughts. She looked for poison to put in [the Buddha'] food. She invited the Buddha and wanted to give [this food] to him, but her husband was aware that his wife had something evil in mind. When he asked her for the food, his wife did not want to give it but gave him some other food.

After the Buddha' arrival, the husband said to the Buddha, "You must not eat this food!" The Buddha said, "Why must I not eat it?" [The husband] answered, "It s poisoned." he Buddha said, "All the poisons in the world do not surpass the three poisons. When I have dissipated even them, what small poison could there be that could affect me?" So the Buddha ate that food and felt nothing in the least unusual. Then the state councillor' wife had faith, and the Buddha expounded the Doctrine to her. Both husband and wife became srotapannas. The bhiksus marvelled at this wonder.

The Buddha said, "Not only now but also in the past have I converted them. Once the king of Kasi had a wise minister called Vidhura. He constantly counseled the king and all his ministers according to the law of the path, so that they would all develop what is wholesome. There was a dragon ing then called runa. He often visited Vidhura, listening to his words of the Doctrine. His intercourse with his wife became rare. The dragon lady was angry, and she said, 'Only when I have sacrificed Vidhura' heart in fire and drunk his blood can I live!'

"There was a yaksa demon then who visited this dragon king and his wife and who was their friend. Upon hearing the dragon lady' words, he replied, 'I can get you these.' He appeared at the 200

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dragon lady' side as a merchant, carrying a wish-granting gem. He went to the king of Kasi. He gambled with the king, staking his wish-granting gem. The king put up his country, its treasure, and Vidhura as his stake against the gem. The yaksa won. He had no need for the country and its treasure. He just chose Vidhura and gave his gem to the king. The king asked Vidhura if he wanted to go away, and he answered, 'I want to go.'

"As the yaksa took him away, Vidhura asked the yaksa, 'What is your intention in coming to ask for me?' The yaksa did not answer, but [Vidhura] kept asking with such insistence that he said to him, 'The dragon king' wife wants your heart in order to sacrifice it in fire, and she wants your blood to drink.' "Vidhura said, 'If she kills me, she will take my heart and blood. The heart and blood of ny person are the same. How would you know whose it is? Do not kill me now, but let me go! The one who requires my heart wants my wisdom. The one who requires my blood wants my doctrine.'Having heard these words, the yaksa thought, 'He really is a wise one.' So he took him to the dragons. When the dragons saw [Vidhura], they were happy. He expounded the Doctrine to them. The dragon king and his wife and all their dependents had respectful and devout thoughts, and they all took the five precepts. Even the crowd of yaksas took the five precepts.

"At that time, the dragons and yaksas in Jambudvipa offered many precious things and sent them to Vidhura. When Vidhura obtained these precious things, he offered them to the king and to the people. Thereupon, the people of Jambudvipa and the dragon demons took the five precepts and practiced the ten wholesome [paths of action].

"Vidhura at that time is [now] myself. The dragon king Aruna at that time is [now] the state councillor Sudarsana. The dragon lady at that time is [now] the state councillor' wife. The king at that time is [now] Sariputra. The yaksa at that time is [now] Maudgalyayana."

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Parable 99: The Nirgrantha Disciples Throw

Themselves into a Pool of Saved by the Buddha

ire but Are

488b The Buddha was in Sravasti. At that time the Tathagata had subdued the six heretical teachers with their wrong iews and also their followers, so that they were completely ruined. Five hundred Nirgranthas thought, "Our group of isciples is completely ruined and scattered. It would be better to burn ourselves and all go to the afterworld." So they piled up firewood and wanted to burn themselves.

The Tathagata felt great compassion and wanted to pull them out of their suffering. He was next to the firewood but did not let the fire start and entered the samadhi of he fire' glow. When the Nirgrantha disciples saw the great pool of ire they were glad and said, "We do not have to light the fire." They all threw themselves into it. When they were in the pool of ire, their bodies were cool; and they were extremely happy. Seeing the Buddha there, they were twice as oyful. When they asked to go forth, the Buddha said, Welcome, bhiksus\ Their hair fell off, and they had the garments of he Law on their bodies. The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to them, and they became arhats. The bhiksus said, 'Wonderful, O World-honored One, that you could pull these Nirgrantha disciples out of he suffering of eing burnt, so that they became arhats." The Buddha said, Not only now! In the past, in Sravasti, there were five hundred traders who went to sea to gather valuables. They had a leader then called Visakha. He went away with a favorable wind at the head of he group of erchants and arrived where the valuables were. When loading them aboard the ships, all the merchants avariciously took the valuables, placing eavy loads on the ships. Visakha then said to the merchants, 'Do not load too heavy a cargo of aluables! You will lose your ives!'The merchants did not heed his words. They preferred to die with the valuables rather than to reduce their amount. So the leader of he merchants threw the valuables from his ship into the water and had the merchants come aboard his own ship. The ships with the valuables 202

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all sank in the sea. The spirit of he sea saw that the leader of he merchants could give up his valuables to save the merchants and he was happy. He took the valuables that the leader of the merchants had thrown away and flew ahead with them. After they ad come home from the sea, he returned them to the leader of the merchants.

"The merchants said, 'Why did we not risk our lives for the valuables?' Seeing their misery Visâkha then felt profound compassion, and he shared with them all the valuables that he had obtained. He expediently practiced the doctrine of oing forth on a heterodox path, and he obtained the five superknowledges. The merchants said, 'Such a great man! He does not covet riches. Practicing his aspirations, he has obtained considerable gain. We must learn from him.' They all gave up their valuables, went to the seer, and practiced his doctrine. They all obtained the five superknowledges.

"Visâkha at that time is [now] myself. The five hundred merchants at that time are [now] the five hundred Nirgrantha disciples." 488c Parable 100: Five Hundred White Wild Geese Hear the Doctrine and Are Reborn in Heaven

The Buddha was in Srâvasti. At that time, the land of ancâla had contributed five hundred white wild geese to King Prasenajit. King Prasenajit gave them to the Jetavana pure abode. When it was time for the monks to eat, they went begging for their food. When the geese saw a multitude of onks, they came closer and stood in front of hem. The Buddha expounded he Doctrine with one sound, and the beings all gained understanding according to their kind. The flock of eese also understood the Buddha' words at hat ime; and hearing the Doctrine, they were glad. Singing out in harmony, they returned to their pond.

Later, since their feathers had gradually grown, they flew to another place. A hunter covered them all with a net and killed them. When they were caught in the net, one goose made a sound, 203

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and all the geese fell in ith im. It as the sound of he time when they had heard the Doctrine. Because of his wholesome thought, they were reborn in the Trayastrimsa Heaven.

As a rule for rebirth in heaven, there are three considerations. First, one considers where one came from. Second, one considers in which place it has been decided that one would be reborn. Third, one considers what deed one has performed to obtain rebirth in heaven. So they thought this over, and they saw their previous karmic causality. They had only heard the Doctrine with the Buddha' monks; there was nothing else that was a good causality. Having made this thought, the five hundred celestial sons immediately descended to the Tathagata' side. The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to them, and they all became srotapannas.

Whenever King Prasenajit went to the Buddha, he used to see the five hundred geese spread out in front of the Buddha, but one day he did not see them. So he asked the Buddha, "Where have all those geese gone?" The Buddha said, "Do you want to see the geese?" hen he king aid, "Yes," he Buddha said, "Previously the geese flew off o somewhere else and they were killed by a hunter. After their fives had ended, they were reborn in heaven. Those five hundred celestial sons are now wearing splendid celestial caps, and they are exceptionally beautiful. Having heard the Doctrine now, they have all become srotapannas."

The king asked the Buddha, "Because of what karmic causality did this flock of geese fall into the animal [destination]? Why were they reborn in heaven after their fives had ended, and why have they attained the path now?" The Buddha said, "Once, in the time of the Buddha Kasyapa, five hundred women all received the precepts; but their devotion was not strong, and they broke the precepts they had received. Because they had offended against the precepts, they fell among the animals and became these geese. Because they had received the precepts, they met me, the Tathagata, heard my Doctrine, and obtained the path. Because they had heard the Doctrine as geese, they were reborn in heaven."

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Parable 101: Devadatta Releases the Maddened

Elephant Dhanapala, Wishing to Harm

the Buddha

The Buddha was in Rajagrha. At that time Devadatta released the maddened elephant Dhanapala, wanting im to harm the Buddha. The five hundred arhats all flew up into the sky. Only Ananda stayed behind, all alone behind the Buddha. When the Buddha then raised his right hand, the white elephant Dhanapala saw five hundred lions. The elephant was frightened then and was immediately subdued. The five hundred bhiksus had all left the Buddha, and only Ananda had stayed behind with him.

The Buddha said, "Not only now! It was the same in the past. Once, in the land of Kasi, there were five hundred wild geese who all formed a flock. The king of he geese at that time was called [Dhrta]rastra. The king of he geese had a minister named Sumukha. When the king of he geese was caught by a hunter, his flock of five hundred geese all flew away. Only Sumukha followed him and did not leave him. He said to the hunter, 'Please let my king go! I myself hall now take his place.' But the hunter did not agree; he then gave the king of he geese as a contribution to King Fan-mo-yao.

"The king asked the king of he geese, 'Do you feel safe?'The king of the geese answered, 'I receive great kindness, O king. I obtain clean water from you and I also obtain fine herbs. With these I have a livelihood. I dwell in the land in constant peace. I only ish that ou, O great king, would let all geese go, so that they would be free from fear.'A flock of five hundred geese was crying in the air above the king' palace. The king then asked, 'Which geese are they?' The king of the geese answered, 'They are my dependents.'So the king granted them absence of ear. He issued an order that forbade the killing of geese both inside and outside [the city]. The king of he geese said to the king: Well you should govern the land with the Right Doctrine. The impermanence of the world is just like the mountains of the four quarters. For example, the tallest mountain in 205

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the East is infinitely high, but it comes at you at once. The same applies to [the mountains in] the South, the West, and the North. They crush the world and all sentient beings; men and demons are all destroyed. Without escape and without anything to rely on, they cannot be saved. What would they rely on at that moment? Yet considering such things, one should have friendly thoughts and foster them for everyone! Practice the Right Doctrine and perform meritorious acts! O king, know that all riches are broken down and destroyed. Having come from the four quarters, the mountains reduce them to nothing. The strong have diseases, too. Coming from the four quarters, they ruin the strong. All who are in the prime of life have a mountain of diseases coming from the four quarters and ruining their prime. All who have life have the high mountains of death coming from the four quarters and destroying life. All have these four mountains in common. Gods and dragons, people and demons, all living species are subject to them. Therefore always develop friendly thoughts and diligently practice the True Doctrine! If you can do that, you will have no regrets when you die. Because you will have no regrets, you will obtain rebirth in a wholesome place and certainly meet the noble. Meeting the noble, you will certainly be delivered from birth and death.

The king asked Sumukha, 'Why do you keep silent?' Sumukha answered, 'Two kings, a king of geese and a king of men, are talking now. If I were to interrupt, it would be bad manners. I would not show proper respect of subject for superior.' The king said, 'Truly wonderful! You have the body of a goose, but you can practice the restraint of a loyal minister in a manner unequalled by people. You were willing to trade your own life for that of the king of the geese. You furthermore humbly comply and do not interrupt his speech. Such righteousness of lord and his minister, of ou and the king of he geese, is rare in the world!' He gave them all golden neck plates and attached them to their heads. He 206

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dressed the goose king' head up with a beautiful piece of white silk, and he sent them away, saying, 'You expounded the Good Doctrine to me in the past. So I let you go.' "The goose king is myself. Sumukha is Ananda. The king of men is King Suddhodana, my royal father. The hunter s Devadatta." 207

Chapter IX

Chapter IX Parable 102: Parable 103: Parable 104: Parable 105: Parable 106: Parable 107: Parable 108: Parable 109: Parable 110: Parable 111: Parable 112: Parable 113: Parable 114: Parable 115: Katyayana Explains Eight Dreams to King Candapradyota The Golden Cat King Candapradyota Obtains Five Hundred Alms Bowls On Imploring the God Vemacitra, Hoping to Gain Considerable Wealth Hariti Loses Her Son The Priest in Charge of Sacrifices to a God The Sacrifice to the Spirit of a Tree A Woman Is Disgusted with Desire and Goes Forth A Son Lacking in Filial Piety Experiences a Painful Retribution The Discussion of King Menandros with Nagasena

A Woman Lacking in Filial Piety Wants to Harm Her Mother-in-Law, but She Kills Her Husband The King of Benares Hears Calls from the Cemetery

An Aged Bhiksu Obtains the Four Fruitions A Woman Is Utterly Sincere and Obtains the Fruition of the Path [In the Chinese, parable heads 105-115 occur later in the text of the chapter. They have been placed here for convenience.] 209

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Parable 102: Katyayana Explains Eight Dreams to King Candapradyota

In the past, King Candapradyota' behavior was cruel. He did not have compassionate thoughts and was filled with heterodox views. In his great compassion, the Tathagata sent his disciples everywhere to convert other countries. Katyayana came from the Brahman caste in the country of King Candapradyota. So the Buddha sent Katyayana back there to convert its king and its population. When the Reverend Katyayana had received the Buddha' instructions, he returned to his country of origin. King Candapradyota did not see what was right and served a heterodox path. In the morning he never wanted to see anyone. He first paid his respects by sacrificing to the gods. Because he wanted to convert King Candapradyota, Katyayana rose early one clear morning. He changed his appearance so that he looked like a messenger from far away and presented a beautiful figure as he went through the king' gate. When the king aw him, [Katyayana] returned to his original appearance and looked like a sramana. The king particularly detested men of the path, people who had taken the tonsure. The king said in great anger, "You must die now!" e sent someone to seize Katyayana, wanting him to do him harm. Katyayana said to the king, "What did I do wrong that you want to see me harmed?" he king then said, 'You, shaven one, ust seeing you brings bad luck. That is why I want to kill you now." he Reverend Katyayana answered, "The bad luck now is mine, not yours, O king. Why? Even though you have seen me, O king, you have not been harmed; I have been seen by you, O king, and you want to see me killed. The conclusion, one might say, is that I am the one who has the bad luck."

A king, of course, is intelligent. Having heard these words, he understood their meaning. He let Katyayana go and he did not harbor any evil thoughts. He secretly sent two men to follow him, to observe where he stayed and what he ate. They saw that Katyayana was sitting under a tree and that he ate the food he had begged. When he obtained food, he shared it with the two men. 210

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Whatever was left over, they dumped into the river. When the two men returned, the king asked the whereabouts of he reverend and also about is food. The two men reported n detail o the king hat they had seen earlier.

Later the king invited the Reverend Katyayana and gave him some coarse food. He sent someone to ask whether this food was to his liking. The reverend answered, "I am nourished by this food." The king then gave him exquisite food of superior flavor. Again he sent someone to ask, "Is it to your liking?" [Katyayana] replied, "This food gives me nourishment." The king later asked the reverend, "About the food I gave you, no matter whether it was coarse or exquisite, you always say you are nourished. What does this mean?" The Reverend Katyayana answered the king, "One' mouth is like a furnace. It burns both sandalwood and excrement and filth. One' mouth is just the same. Whether the food is coarse or exquisite, it ends up as nourishment." Then he spoke the stanza:

This body is like a wagon:

It does not udge what is good or bad.

Both fragrant oil and stinking grease

Serve equally well [to make it move].

When the king heard these words, he clearly knew [Katyayana'] greatness. He then gave coarse and exquisite food to the Brahmans. When the Brahmans at first received the coarse food, they all were angry. They changed color and cursed. When he later gave them exquisite food, they were happy and had words of praise. When the king saw that the Brahmans were either happy or angry depending on the food, his devout respect for Katyayana doubled. At that time there was a woman hose descent was not related to that of he reverend. She lived in a Brahman village outside the city. She had very beautiful hair. When the time for the summer retreat came, she dearly liked to worship. She cut off er hair and sold it for five hundred pieces of gold. She invited Katyayana and worshipped him during the summer retreat. When the summer retreat was over, the Reverend Katyayana returned to the city. 211

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In King Candapradyota' palace it suddenly emerged that there was a dead pheasant, just like the pheasant eaten by a Wheel-turning King. Thus King Candapradyota wanted to eat it. A prudent minister then said to the king, "This pheasant is not fit to be eaten right away. You should test it first." The king followed his advice and had someone cut off a small slice to give to a dog. When the dog got the meat, he liked the taste of he meat so much that he swallowed his tongue at the same time and died. The king then had some meat cut off o try it on a man. When the man was eating the meat, he liked its exciting flavor so much that he even ate his own hand and died. When the king saw this, he became very afraid. He heard some people say about this meat that only a noble Wheel-turning King, someone who had obtained the path with pure knowledge, could eat it. He immediately had someone blend it with fine food and sent it to the Reverend Katyayana. After Katyayana ate that food, his health was all right. The king later sent someone to observe him. He saw that Katyayana' complexion was clear, twice as fine as usual. When the king heard this, he felt deep amazement and his respect grew even more, while he despised the heretical Brahmans.

The king asked Katyayana, "O reverend, where did you pass the summer retreat? Where have you come from now?" The reverend gave a detailed explanation about the woman of external descent who had sold her hair, exchanged it for money, and worshipped the Sangha. When the king heard these words, he said, The hair of he women with the most beautiful hair in my palace is worth no more than a few copper coins. Now you say that that woman' hair was worth five hundred pieces of old. That woman' hair must have been exceptionally beautiful. Her appearance must be wonderful!" So he asked the name of he woman' parents, and then he sent a messenger to have a look at the woman herself. Her beauty was incomparable, just as he had thought it would be. The king sent messengers to betroth her as his wife, but the family of the woman demanded a great many precious objects, towns, and villages. The king hought it over again, "If give these things, they will still belong to me after the woman has come." o he gave these 212

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things and received her as his wife. The day he first welcomed her the whole country was in a festive mood. All declared that it was a very auspicious event. In the next days he issued a general amnesty, and he called her Lady Sivakosa. The king was very desirous of pleasing her. Later she gave birth to a crown prince called Gopala.

The king then saw eight things while dreaming in his bedchamber. First, on his head a fire was burning. Second, two snakes were twisted around his waist. Third, a fine iron network entangled him. Fourth, he saw that two red fishes swallowed both his feet. Fifth, there were four white swans that came flying toward the king. Sixth, walking in bloody mud, he sank into the mud up to his armpits. Seventh, he climbed a great white mountain. Eighth, a stork relieved itself on his head.

When he had woken up from his dreams, he thought they were inauspicious. He was depressed and dispirited. So he went to the Brahmans; and the Brahmans listened to the dreams of he king. They had disliked the king for some time; and they were jealous of the reverend, too. So they said of he king' dreams, O great king, this is not good luck. If you do not bring satisfactory sacrifices, misfortune will befall your person." When the king heard their words, he believed them to be true, and his sorrow increased. So he asked them, "What is required for me to make satisfactory sacrifices?" The Brahmans said, "What will be needed are those whom you hold most dear, O king. If e tell you, you will certainly not be able to do it, O king." The king then answered, "These dreams are terrible. I only fear that great misfortune will befall my person. I do not have any regard for anyone other than myself. Please tell me what is needed!" hen the Brahmans saw his insistence, they knew that he was very serious. So they said to the king: As for that which you might need, there were eight things in these dreams. You need eight things to be able to avert calamities. First, kill Sivakosa, the wife you respect, O king. Second, kill the crown prince, Gopala, whom you love, O king. Third, kill your most important minister, your state 213

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councillor. Fourth, kill all your officials, O king. Fifth, kill your elephant that can run three thousand miles in one day. Sixth, kill your camel that can run three thousand miles in one day. Seventh, kill your best horse, O king. Eighth, kill the bald-headed Katyayana. After seven days, when you have killed these eight, collect their blood, and when you walk in it, you will do away with the calamities. When the king eard their words, he immediately gave his permission, because he valued his own life. He returned to his palace, and he was depressed and grieved. His wife asked the king what the matter was. The king answered his wife, stating in detail and explaining his previous inauspicious dreams; and he told her that the Brahmans would bring the sacrifices needed for the dreams. When his wife heard it, she said, "Just see to it that you are contented and without distress, 0 king. Why aste words about my worthless person!" She then said to the king, "After seven days I shall return to die. Allow me to go to the Reverend Katyayana, to observe abstinence, and to listen to the Doctrine during the next six days. The king said she could not go. "If you go to him, you might tell him the real situation. If he knows it, he will leave me and fly away." When his wife insisted, the king could not decline. So he allowed her to go.

After his wife came to the reverend, she made obeisance and made [polite] inquiries. Thereupon, after three days, the reverend asked her in astonishment, "The king' wife has come here and never stayed more than two nights. Why is it not the same as usual now?" The wife told him everything about the bad dream of the king. After seven days, they will kill us to avert calamities by sacrificing us. We just have a little while to live. Therefore I came to listen to the Doctrine." nd so she explained the king' dream to the reverend, but the Reverend Katyayana said, "These dreams are very auspicious. One should be happy. They are nothing to worry about. The burning fire on the head means that the land of the jewel lord (western Jambudvipa) will come with a celestial crown worth a hundred thousand taels of gold and offer it to the 214

Parable 102

king. This is the exact meaning of the dream." The wife was worried, because the seven days were almost over and she would be harmed by the king. She was afraid that it would come too late. She asked the reverend, "When will it arrive?" The reverend answered:

Today, between 3:00 and 5:00 P.M., it is sure to arrive. The two snakes twisted around his waist mean that the king of the Kusanas will contribute two swords worth a hundred thousand taels of gold. When the sun sets, they will arrive. The fine iron network entangling him means that the king of Mahacina will contribute a pearl necklace worth a hundred thousand taels of gold. Tomorrow morning it will arrive. The red fishes swallowing is feet mean that the king of Simhala will contribute precious pattens of lapis lazuli (vaidurya) worth a hundred thousand taels of old. The day after tomorrow at mealtime they will arrive. The arrival of the four white swans means that the king of Vrji will contribute a precious golden carriage. The day after tomorrow it will arrive at noon. The bloody mud means that the king of Parthia will contribute a garment (kambala) of deer hair worth a hundred thousand taels of gold. The day after tomorrow, in the afternoon, it will arrive. Climbing the grand white mountain means that the king of Atavi will contribute a large elephant. The day after tomorrow, between 3:00 and 5:00 P.M., it will arrive. The stork relieving itself n his head means that the king and his wife will have some private disagreement. When this happens the day after tomorrow, you will know it.

It was indeed just as the reverend had said. When the stipulated time came, everything hat he countries were to contribute arrived. The king was very happy. Lady Sivakosa already had a celestial crown. She put the celestial crown that the land of the jewel lord had offered on top of it. Just to tease, the king took one celestial crown that Lady Sivakosa was wearing and placed it on the head of ady Suvarnakesa. Lady Sivakosa then became angry and said, 215

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"If here is anything bad, I am the first to suffer. Now you give the celestial crown that I got to her!" She then threw a cup of ream at the king head and soiled it completely. The king was very angry. He drew his sword and was about to cut his wife down. His wife was afraid of he king, and she ran to her room. She closed the door, and the king could not go any further. The king then realized that this was precisely the private disagreement to which the reverend had alluded when he interpreted the dream.

The king and his wife thereupon went to the Reverend Katyayana and discussed everything that had occurred. He had believed in wrong and evil words. He had almost done something very evil to those whom he loved: the reverend, his wife and son, and his most important minister. Now that he had heard the reverend' exposition of he truth, dissipating is blindness, he saw the right path, free from any evil. He then invited the reverend and respectfully worshipped him. He chased the Brahmans away, far from his realm, and he asked the reverend, "Why did these countries offer to me what they each valued most?"

The reverend answered, "In the past, ninety-one kalpas ago, there was a Buddha called ipasyin. When that Buddha appeared, there was a country called Bandhumati. The king' crown prince found devout joy in vigorous pursuit. He went to that Buddha, worshipped him, and made obeisance. He presented the celestial crown that he wore, his precious swords, his necklace, his tall elephant, his precious carriage, and his kambala garment to that Buddha. Because of his merit he was honorable in every irth. The precious things he wanted came without his having to ask for them. When the king had heard this, he had profound and devout respect for the Three Precious Things. He made obeisance and returned to his palace.

Parable 103: The Golden Cat

One day Ring Candapradyota was strolling in his park. In a hall in the garden he saw a golden cat going from the northeastern 216

491b Parable 103

corner to the southwestern comer. The king sent some people to excavate there. They found a bronze jar. The jar had a capacity of three bushels, and it was filled with gold coins. As they dug deeper and deeper, they found another jar. And so they eventually found three jars, each containing three bushels. On the off-chance, they started digging nearby, and they recovered more bronze jars. They kept digging, and over an area of ully five li, they obtained bronze jars filled ith gold coins everywhere. King Candapradyota hought that this was extraordinary, and so he went to the Reverend Katyayana and discussed with the reverend how he had obtained the money. "I ust took it like that, wanting to use it. There will not be a calamity for me and my people, will there?" The reverend replied, "This is a meritorious recompense obtained because of a previous karmic causality, O king. Just use it. There will be no difficulty." The king then asked, "I wonder about this previous causality: what was that?"

The reverend answered, "Listen carefully! Listen carefully! In the past, ninety-one kalpas ago, when the Buddha Vipasyin had left the Doctrine behind, there were bhiksus who set up a high seat at a comer where four roads crossed and placed an alms bowl on it, saying, 'Anyone with worldly possessions who can put his riches into this solid repository and deposit them will find that water cannot dissipate them, fire cannot bum them, the king cannot take them away, and robbers cannot steal them.'There was a poor man who, because he had sold firewood, happened to possess three coins. Hearing these words, he was happy in his heart. So he placed these coins in the alms bowl, one on top of he other, making a sincere vow. He was five li from his house, and when he returned home, he was happy at every step. When he arrived at his gate, he entered his house only after he had made an earnest vow toward the place where he had been inspired to turn to Buddhism."

The reverend said, "The poor man at that time is the present king. Because of his former gift of three coins, he obtained noble birth from generation to generation. He has always obtained three jars filled with coins. Because he rejoiced with every step for five 217

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li, he obtained these gold coins throughout five li." When the king heard about his previous karmic causality he was glad and left. Parable 104: King Candapradyota Obtains Five

Hundred Alms Bowls

Once King Candapradyota went to the city of Ujjayini. When the gatekeeper opened the gate one morning, there all of a sudden were five hundred wagons outside the gate, each loaded with precious bowls filled with golden grain. Each had a seal, the text of which said, These bowls are for King Candapradyota." The gatekeeper reported this to the king, saying, "Outside there are precious bowls. It is written on the bowls that they are for you, O king. I wonder if I may accept them now." The king thought, "These valuables have arrived unexpectedly. They might not bring good luck. If accept them, might there not be a calamity for my house and country?"

Having thought this, he went to the Reverend Katyayana and asked him, "Opening the gate this morning, we suddenly saw precious bowls. The seal on them said, 'For King Candapradyota.' I do not know whether they mean good luck or bad. May I accept them? The reverend answered, "They are your recompense for previous merit, O king. Just accept hem without any afterthought!" The king said to the reverend, "What merit did I earn previously that brings me this recompense?"

The reverend answered, "In the past, ninety-one kalpas ago, there was apratyekabuddha in the Seer Mountains. He slipped in the rain and broke his earthen bowl. The pratyekabuddha then went to a potter and asked him for an earthen bowl. The potter thereupon was happy to give the pratyekabuddha five bowls, all filled with water. When the pratyekabuddha received them, he threw the bowls in the air, jumped up, and ascended into the air, making eighteen transformations. The potter, his wife and child, and the people who were buying earthenware were all joyful at seeing this miracle, and their happiness was without limit. 218

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"The potter at that time is [now] yourself, O king. His wife at that time is [now] the lady Sivakosa. His son at that time is [now] the crown prince Gopala. The one who was buying earthenware at that time is [now] the state councillor Fu-lu-k' ei. His wife who was buying earthenware is [now] the state councillors wife. The king further asked, "I wonder if these bowls appeared by themselves, or did they come from somewhere?" The reverend answered, "These bowls do not exist by themselves. They come from a dragon palace in the River Ganges." "How do you know that?" "Long ago a Brahman, King Rama' uncle, was practicing pure conduct on the bank of he River Ganges. At that time King Rama sent food to his uncle daily in a precious bowl. It is a rule for Brahmans not to use a essel twice. After his meal the uncle threw the bowl in the River Ganges. A blind dragon took the precious bowl, filled it with golden grain, and placed it in his palace. The bowls that were thrown away gradually became more numerous every day. And so he obtained bowls for five hundred wagons. The blind dragon' life ended, and he did not ave a son ho would eep these bowls. The celestial lord knew your karmic causality, O king, that you ad given owls in the past, so he sent these to you. When the king eard these words, e accepted he precious bowls in order to perform meritorious acts with them. He widely practiced liberality and worshipped the Triple Jewel. Because of his he received an auspicious rebirth.

Parable 105: On Imploring the God Vemacitra,

Hoping to Gain Considerable Wealth

There once were two brothers whose family was extremely poor. The elder brother continually, night and day, zealously revered and implored the god Vemacitra, hoping to obtain considerable wealth; but he let his younger brother plow and plant the fields. When [the elder brother] had spent quite some time making such prayers, the god Vemacitra took the form of the younger brother and went to the elder brother. The elder brother was angry at this brother and 219

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said, "Why are you not plowing and sowing? What are you doing here?" he younger brother hen replied, "Brother, day and night you pray in the temple of he god, hoping to obtain considerable wealth. I also want to do as you do now. Through abstention and pledges I hope to obtain considerable wealth." The elder brother said to his younger brother, "If ou do not plow the fields and plant the seeds, how can we obtain an abundance of roperty?" he younger brother asked his elder brother, "Do we really gather that by sowing?" When the elder brother could not reply, the god Vemacitra thereupon returned to his celestial form and said to him, "Now, my power may truly help you today. Only if ou practice liberality can you be wealthy. Your previous karmic causality has made you poor because you did not practice liberality. That is why you are poor. Even though, day and night, you zealously beg me for abundant wealth and riches, how can you obtain them? Take for example an amra tree. If t is winter you cannot obtain any fruit, even though you may serve a hundred or a thousand heavenly gods to get its fruit. The same applies to you. Because you previously did not develop any karmic causality but still beg me for considerable wealth, you cannot obtain it either. When the fruit is ripe you will naturally obtain it without asking for it." e then spoke the stanzas: 1. Meritorious deeds ripen like fruit:

They are not obtained by sacrificing.

Only when one has mounted the carriage of Can one reach heaven. orality

2. Concentration and wisdom are like the extinction of a torch:

They enable one to reach nirvana.

Everything is obtained through formations:

What can imploring a god do about it?

Parable 106: HaritI Loses Her Son

Hariti was the wife of the demon king Pancika. She had ten thousand sons who all had the strength of fine athletes. The 220

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youngest one was called Pingala. This demon mother as inhuman and cruel. She killed people' sons to eat them. People suffered because of her. They appealed to the World-honored One. The World-honored One then took her son Pingala and put him at the bottom of is bowl. HaritI looked everywhere in the world for him for seven days, but she did not find im. She was sorrowful and sad. When she heard others say, "It is said that the Buddha, the World-honored One, is omniscient," she went to the Buddha and asked him where her son was.

The Buddha then answered, "You have ten thousand sons. You have lost only one son. Why do you search for him, suffering and sad? People in the world may have one son, or they may have several sons, but you kill them.'HaritI said to the Buddha, "If can find Pingala now, I shall never kill anyone' son any more." So the Buddha let HaritI see Pingala in his bowl. She exerted her supernatural strength, but she could not pull him out. She implored the Buddha, and the Buddha said, "If ou can accept the three refuges and the five precepts now, and never in your life kill any more, I shall return your son." HaritI did as the Buddha told her to, and she accepted the three refuges and the five precepts. After she had accepted them, he returned her son.

The Buddha said, "Keep the precepts well! In the time of Buddha Kasyapa you were the seventh, the youngest daughter of King Chieh-chi. You performed acts of reat merit, but because you did not keep the precepts you have received the body of a demon." 492b Parable 107: The Priest in Charge of Sacrifices to a God

There once was a Brahman who served the god Mahesvara. Day and night he served him; so the god asked him, "What do you seek?" The Brahman said, "I seek to become [the priest] in charge of acrifices to you now, O god!" he god said, "Over there is a herd of attle. Make inquiries of he one walking in front." o, ust as the god had said, he went to ask the ox, "What is it like for you now, 221

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painful or pleasant?" The ox then answered, "It is extremely painful. I am stabbed by a pricker, bridled on both sides. The firewood is twisting, and my spine is breaking. I am yoked to a lead cart, and I never find rest anymore." He then further asked, "Why did you receive this body of n ox?" he ox answered im, "I was [the priest] in charge of acrifices to that god. Uninhibited and very resolute, I offered the victims at the sacrifices to the god. When my life had ended, I became an ox, enduring this suffering." After he had heard these words, [the Brahman] returned to the god, and the god asked, "Do you want to become [the priest] in charge of sacrifices to me now?" The Brahman said, "When I see this, I really do not dare to." The god said, "When people practice good or evil, they naturally get their retribution." The Brahman repented of is error and he practiced good conduct. Parable 108: The Sacrifice to the Spirit of a Tree There once was an old man whose family was very wealthy. This old man wanted to eat meat, and he cunningly devised a means. Pointing to a tree at the end of a field, he said to his sons, "Our family estate is prosperous now because of he bounty of he spirit of that tree. You should now choose a sheep in the herd as a sacrifice to it." His sons then followed the instructions of their father, and they subsequently killed a sheep and offered it to thank this tree. Underneath the tree they erected a shrine to the god. Later their father' life was over, and he died. Pursued by his actions, he was reborn into the herd of heep of is own family. His sons then happened to decide to make a sacrifice to the spirit of he tree. So they chose one sheep, and by chance took [the one that had been] their father. When they were about to kill it, the sheep started bleating. It laughed and said, "What spirit could this tree have? Because I wanted meat in the past, I falsely let you make a sacrifice. We all ate the meat together; I alone now have to face retribution for the misdeed."

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An arhat appened o arrive there, begging or is food. He saw that the deceased father had received the body of a sheep. So he lent his eye of the path to the owners, so that they might see for themselves. Then they knew that the sheep was their father, and they felt vexed in their hearts. They destroyed the tree and its spirit. They repented of their error and practiced good. They did not kill living beings any more.

492c Parable 109: A Woman Is Disgusted with Desire and Goes Forth

There was once a woman whose beauty was extremely fine. She went forth to follow the doctrine of a heretical teaching and practiced its path. People said to her, "With such a complexion you should have stayed a laywoman. Why did you go forth?" The woman answered, "As for me, it is not that I am not beautiful these days, but I have gone forth now because for some time I have been disgusted by sexual desire. When I was in my family my place was quickly allotted because of my beauty. I had a son very early. So my son grew up, and his beauty was beyond compare.

"I noticed that e was losing eight, as if e were ill. So I asked my son what he was suffering from, but he did not dare speak up. As I kept on asking, he had no alternative but to say to his mother, 'If I do not tell the truth, I fear my life will be in jeopardy. [I fear that] if were to tell you the whole truth, I would make a complete fool of myself.'So he said to me, 'I want to have you to satisfy my sexual desires. Because I do not have you, I am ill.'I said to him, 'Since ancient times there never has been such a thing!'I further thought, 'If I do not comply my son may die. It would be better to go against reason to keep my son alive now.'So I called my son, wanting to comply with his intentions. When he was about to come into my bed, the floor split open; and my son immediately fell in alive. I was frightened and [tried to] pull him back with my hands, 223

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but I got [only] his hair. I still cherish my son' hair in my bosom today. Because I was affected by this event, I went forth." Parable 110: A Son Lacking in Filial Piety

Experiences a Painful Retribution

Once, in the land of Chia-me, there was an aged mother in the village of utasanda. She had only one son. This son was unmanageable. He did not practice benevolence and piety. Because he was angry at his mother, he raised his hand to her and gave her a thrashing. That same day he went away and ran into a bandit who chopped off his arm. The crime of lacking filial piety was immediately punished with suffering of his kind. His later suffering in hell cannot be measured.

Parable 111: The Discussion of ing Menandros with Nagasena

In the past, King Menandros was intelligent and very perspicacious. There was nothing he was not versed in. He thought that his knowledge was matchless. So he asked his ministers, "Is there anyone who is wise and eloquent, who can answer me when consulted about something I am not sure of?"

There was a minister then whose family had previously worshipped an aged bhiksu. [The bhiksu'] conduct was pure, but he was not extensively learned. So he talked to the king, and the king asked him, "Do those who attain the path attain it staying in their families or do they attain it [after] having gone forth?" The aged bhiksu then replied to him, "One may obtain the path in both cases." The king further asked him, "If one may obtain it in both cases, what is the use of going forth?" The aged bhiksu remained silent. He did not know what to reply. King Menandros became even more arrogant then.

His ministers said to the king, "Nagasena' wisdom is superior. He is now in the mountains." Because the king wanted to put 224

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[Nagasena] to the test, he sent a messenger with a flask filled to the brim with curdled milk. The king' purpose was to say, "My knowledge is complete. Who might be able to add [anything] to it?" When Nagasena had obtained this milk, he understood its purpose. With his disciples he collected five hundred needles; he put them in the curdled milk, but the milk still did not spill over. He subsequently sent it back to the king. When the king had received it, he knew the meaning of it. He then sent a messenger to invite Nagasena, who subsequently obeyed the king' call. Nagasena was tall. Leading his crowd of ollowers, he stood out among them. The king was overbearing. Finding some reason or other, he went hunting and met [Nagasena] on he road. When he saw that e was really tall, he pointed to another road from a distance and went away without the exchange of single word. He secretly wanted to mislead him. Not one elder knew about it. Nagasena pointed to his breast with his finger and said, "Yes, only I know." When King Menandros was about to invite him into his palace, he opened up a small room, the door of hich was very low. He was hoping to make Nagasena bend over and bow down to him. But Nagasena knew that the king wanted to get the better of im. So he refused to enter, and he was not humbled.

King Menandros then prepared food and drink, and he gave Nagasena all kinds of oarse food. When agasena ad eaten hree or ive spoonfuls, e said that e had ad enough. hen afterwards he was given delicious food, he ate again. The king asked him, "You said before that you had had enough. Why do you still eat now?" Nagasena answered, "I had enough of the coarse food. I have not had enough of he delicious food yet." e then said to the king, "You might assemble many people in your hall now, so that it is entirely full." So they called people to fill up every part of t until there was no more space left.

The king came at last. As he was about to enter the hall, everyone drew in his belly out of ear. The area became wider and wider, so that there was room for many people. Nagasena then said to the king, "Coarse food is like the common people. Delicious food is like a king. When people see the king, who does not step out of 225

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his way?" The king further asked, "Who obtains the path, he who has gone forth or he who stays in his family?" Nagasena replied, "One may obtain the path in both cases." The king then asked, "If one may obtain it in both cases, why should one go forth?" Nagasena replied, "Suppose, for example, one sends an able-bodied man to go somewhere more than three thousand miles from here. If one gives him a horse to ride and provisions, and if he has a weapon, will he be able to arrive quickly?" When the king said, "Yes," Nagasena continued, "If one sends an old man, and if one gives him a jaded horse to ride, without any provisions, will he be able to arrive?" he king said, "Even if ne gave him provisions, he probably still would not arrive, let alone without any provisions!" Nagasena said, "When one who has gone forth obtains the path, he is like the able-bodied person. When one who stays in his family obtains the path, he is like that old man."

The king further asked, "I would like to ask you now about my person. Is the self permanent or impermanent? Give me a satisfactory reply!" Nagasena replied with the question, "When, for instance, O king, there are fruits on the amra tree in your palace, are they sweet or sour?" The king said, "There is no such tree in my palace at all. Why do you ask me whether the fruits are sweet or sour?" Nagasena said, "The same applies to the self. Since all five aggregates are specifically without a self, why ask me if the self s permanent or impermanent?"

The king then further asked, "Although in the hells swords cut up the body and disperse it everywhere, its life is still preserved. Is this really the case?" Nagasena replied, 'When, for instance, a woman eats cakes, meat, melons, and vegetables, all the food is digested. When she becomes with child, at the moment [when it is] a kalala (early embryo), it is still like fine dust. Why does it become bigger and bigger, without being digested?" The king said that this was through the power of karma. Nagasena replied, "In the hells it is through the power of arma, too, that life is preserved." The king further asked, "When the sun is high, it stays basically the same. Why is it very hot in summer and very cold in winter? In summer days are long, and in winter the days are 226

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short." Nagasena answered, "On Mount Sumeru there is a higher and a lower path. In summer the sun takes the higher path. The road is longer, and the run is slower. It reflects on the golden mountains. Therefore it takes longer, and it is hotter. In winter the sun takes the lower path. The road is shorter, and the run is faster. It reflects on the waters of he oceans. Therefore it does not take so long and it is very cold."

Parable 112: A Woman Lacking in Filial Piety Wants to Harm Her Mother-in-Law, but She

Kills Her Husband

Once there was a woman whose disposition was perverse. She did not abide by the rules of ropriety. In all her words and actions she was constantly in opposition to her mother-in-law. She was angrily reprimanded by her mother-in-law and was always resentful. Her anger grew and grew, and she plotted to kill her mother-in-law. When later she had devised a plan, she told her husband to kill his mother himself. Her husband was foolish, and he accepted his wife' words. So he led his mother to a deserted place. He tied her hands and feet and was going o do her arm. The seriousness of he crime deeply moved the heavens above. Clouds gathered in the four quarters and brought forth a crash of hunder, striking the son dead. When the mother returned home, the wife opened the gate. Thinking that it was her husband, she asked, "Is the killing over yet?" The mother-in-law answered that it was over. Only the next 493c day did she know that her husband was dead. Such was his immediate retribution for his unfilial crime. He afterwards went to hell and experienced immeasurable suffering. Parable 113: The King of Benares Hears Calls from the Cemetery

If one has recourse to appropriate means, everything may be obtained, provided that it may be sought for. If it must not be 227

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sought for, it cannot be obtained at all, no matter how badly one wants to obtain it. It is like crushing sand to press out oil, or trying to obtain ghee by collecting water. Since it cannot be obtained, one toils in vain.

In the land of Benares there once was a king called Brahmayasas. Late at night he used to hear a voice calling from the cemetery crying, "O king! 0 king!" He heard the voice three times each night. When the king heard the strange voice, he was extremely disturbed. The voice did not stop but went on for a long time. The king assembled the Brahmans, his astronomers, and his diviners, and he discussed it with them, saying, "Every night I hear a voice calling me from the cemetery. I always panic. I dare not respond out of ear." They all answered, "There is surely a phantom in the cemetery that makes that sound. You should send a courageous person to the cemetery to have a look." o the king ade an appeal, "If someone will go to the cemetery at night, I shall reward him with five hundred pieces of old."

At that time there was someone who was orphaned, being fatherless. His family was destitute, but he had great courage. So he immediately responded to the appeal. Wearing armor and holding a sword in his hand, he went to the cemetery at night. When he heard the voice calling the king, he called out to it, saying, "Who is it that is shouting?" It answered, "I am Sarikhanidhi [God of reasure]." It said to the one who was summoned [by the king], "You are a strong man. I have constantly called the king at night. If the king would respond to me, I would like to go to his storehouse. But the king is scared, and he has never responded to me. I have seven attendants now. We shall arrive at your house tomorrow at dawn." The one who had been summoned [by the king] asked, "When you come tomorrow, with what shall I welcome you?" Sarikha answered, "Just clean up the house and emove any efuse. See to it that it is absolutely clean and adorned with fragrant flowers. Fill eight cups with sweet soup [made of] grapes and ghee gruel. There will be eight men of the path who will eat your offerings. After hey ave eaten the food, ou must knock he senior attendant over the head with a staff nd tell him to go to a comer, 228

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494a and one by one urge all the others to go to a corner likewise!" hen the one who had been summoned heard this, he returned home. He asked for his five hundred pieces of gold from the king and then used hem to prepare the offerings. The king asked him, "What was that voice?" The one who had been summoned deceivingly replied that it was a demon.

When the one who had been summoned heard Sahkha' words he was personally delighted. He summoned a barber in order to take care of is appearance. When the next day arrived his offerings were ready. There were eight men of the path who came for their nourishment. When they had finished eating, he knocked the senior attendant over the head and urged him to go to a corner. [The senior attendant] immediately changed into a vessel full of gold. He urged the others one after the other to go [to a corner], and they became eight vessels full of gold.

Through an opening in the gate the barber saw that [his neighbor] had obtained these treasures. He silently thought to himself, "I understand this method. I shall try it out." He then made preparations as the other man ad done, and he invited eight men of he path. After he had prepared the food, he closed the gate and covered the windows. He knocked the senior man over the head, expecting o get an accumulation of aluables, ust as had the man who had been summoned. But the head of this man of the path was smashed and hk blood was dripping, soaking his bedding and seating. The barber urged him to go to a corner, but he was overcome with fear and lost consciousness. One by one all seven were beaten, and they rolled about on the floor. Among them there was one whose strength was very great. He immediately seized the barber by the hand, pushed him outside, and cried out, shouting, "Our host wants to harm us!" The king then sent someone to have a look. He seized the barber and made a full investigation into the matter. The barber then made a complete statement to the king of what had happened. The king subsequently sent someone to the house of he one who had been summoned. Seeing the treasure of old, he wanted to tax it fully, but it changed into a poisonous snake, and that changed to a mass of ire. 229

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The king said: "This is your merit. This also applies to ordinary people in the world. Through strenuous perseverance and maintaining the eight precepts, one obtains a wholesome recompense. By gradually practicing the eightfold right [path], one obtains a pure fruition. Even should someone else wish to imitate you and maintain the eight precepts or if he has no true faith within himself and seeks for happiness, not only will he not obtain a wholesome fruition, but he will suffer a calamity, just like that foolish man. It will be the same, with no difference!" Parable 114: An Aged Bhiksu Obtains the Four

Fruitions

494b The Buddha' Doctrine is vast, and it saves [people] without any limit. If one earnestly strives for the path, one is sure to obtain its fruition. Even though one is ridiculed, one' merit is not lost. For instance, once in the past there was an aged bhiksu whose years had decayed and whose spirit was dull. Seeing the young bhiksus expound the Doctrine in various ways, he heard their exposition of he four fruitions and was full of dmiration. He said to the young bhiksus, "You are clever. I wish you would give me the four fruitions." Every young bhiksu mockingly said, "I have the four fruitions. I need delicious food. Only then shall I give them." When the aged bhiksu heard these words, he was happy inside. He took off his kambala and bartered it for what they needed. He thereupon served the young bhiksus all kinds of delicacies and asked them for the four fruitions.

When the young bhiksus had eaten the food, they poked each other and said, playing with the aged bhiksu, "Venerable one, sit down in a comer of this house. We shall give you the fruitions." When the aged bhiksu had heard this, he was glad. He sat down as they had told him to. The young bhiksus hit his head with a felt ball and said to him, "This is the fruition of a srotapanna. " When the aged bhiksu heard this, his concentrated mindfulness was not disturbed. So he obtained the first fruition.

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The young bhiksus further played with him and said, "We have given you the fruition of a srotapanna, so you still have seven births and seven deaths yet. Change to another comer and we shall give you the fruition of a sakrdagamin." As he had obtained the first fruition, the aged bhiksu' thoughts then gradually advanced. So he changed his seat. The young bhiksus again hit his head with a ball and said to him, "We give you the second fruition." The aged bhiksu then increased his concentrated mindfulness and realized the second fruition.

The young bhiksus further played with him and said, "You have obtained the fruition of sakrdagamin now. You still have the adversity of oming and going n birth and death. Change your seat again and we shall give you the fruition of n anagaminV' he aged bhiksu then changed his seat as they had said. The young bhiksus again hit his head with a ball and said to him, "We now give you the third fruition." When he heard this, the aged bhiksu was glad and doubled his concentration. He immediately realized the fruition of an anagamin.

The young bhiksus further played with him and said, "You have obtained the fruition of a non-returner now, but you will still experience an impure body in the realms of orm and formlessness. Impermanent and deteriorating, it will cause constant suffering. Change your seat again and we shall further give you the fruition of n arhat!"The aged bhiksu then changed his seat as he was told to. The young bhiksus again hit his head with a felt ball and said to him, "We now give you the fourth ruition." he aged bhiksu then reflected in concentration and realized arhatship. Having obtained the fourth fruition, he was absolutely delighted. Preparing delicacies and all kinds of fragrant flowers, he invited the young bhiksus and showed is gratitude. He discussed with he young bhiksus the pure qualities contributing to awakening. However, the young bhiksus were at a loss for what to say. Only then did the aged bhiksu tell them, "I have realized the fruition of an arhat." When the young bhiksus heard these words, they were all sorry for their previous misdeed, for having ridiculed him. Therefore practitioners should be mindful of what is wholesome. Even 231