T211 The Scriptural Text Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables

Volume Four

Chapter XXXII

(icontinued,)

Once, when the Buddha was in the land of SravastI, expounding the Doctrine to gods and men, there was a brahman elder in the city whose wealth was immeasurable. He was stingy and not fond of giving. He used to close the gate during meals and did not like to have guests. When it was mealtime he would order his gatekeeper to close the doors firmly and not let anyone enter the gate unless he had a good reason. When begging or asking for something, an ascetic or a brahman could not gain entry to see him. The elder would immediately think of nice food, and order his wife to prepare food and drink. He instructed her to kill a plump chicken, blend it with ginger and pepper, and broil it. An arrangement of dishes was made on the spot, and he ordered that the outside gate be closed. Husband and wife both sat down and their small child was placed in the middle. In this way, they drank and ate together. The parents took the chicken meat and fed the child. They did this a number of times and did not abandon the practice. The Buddha knew that this elder's former merit should save him, and so he transformed himself into an ascetic. Watching while they sat down eating, he appeared in front of their seats. He uttered incantations and further mentioned that with some giving, one could obtain great merit. When the elder raised his head and saw the transformed ascetic, he immediately scolded him, saying: "You may be a man of the Path, but you are shameless. Why do you give offense while I sit eating with my household?" The ascetic 181

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables 602b answered: "You, sir, are foolish. You do not know any shame! I am a beggar. Why would I be ashamed?" The elder asked: "I and my household, we are enjoying ourselves. Why would I be ashamed?" The ascetic replied: "You have killed your father and married your mother, and you worship your enemy, not knowing any shame. But you say to me, a beggar, how shameful I am!" Thereupon the ascetic spoke the stanzas:

6. The sprouting creeper is not cut off, and yet you just keep enjoying your desire for food. You feed your enemy and augment the tombs. A foolish person is always pressed.

7. In a prison there may be hooks and irons, but a wise person does not consider them to be a prison. When a fool sees the adornments of wife and child, his mind is firmly attached to them.

8. The wise explain craving as a prison, very solid and difficult to leave. Therefore, sever from it! Do not see desire as bringing happiness!

When the elder heard these stanzas, he was startled, and asked earnestly: "Man of the Path, why do you expound these words?" The man of the Path answered: "The chicken on your table was your father in a previous existence. Because of his stinginess he was constantly reborn among chickens to be eaten by you, sir. This small child was a flesh-eating devil (raksasa), and you, sir, were a trader. Your father had boarded a ship and gone to sea. A sudden current shipwrecked him in the land of the raksasas, and he was eaten by a raksasa. And so, when his life ended after five hundred existences, the raksasa came to be your son, sir. Because your remaining evil is not over yet, he came with the intention to harm you. Your present wife was your mother in a previous existence, sir. Because her love was so strong, she now is your wife still. You are foolish now and you do not know your previous lives. You killed your father and fed your enemy, and you have taken your mother 182

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as your wife. The wheel of birth and death in the five destinations turns without end. Going round in the five destinations, who can know? Only a man of the Path sees this world and observes the other. A fool does not know. How would he not be ashamed! " Thereupon the elder's hair was suddenly standing on end and he was terrified. The Buddha manifested his awesome supernatural power and revealed to him his former lives. When the elder saw the Buddha, he immediately recognized his former lives. He subsequently repented, apologized to the Buddha, and accepted the five precepts. The Buddha expounded the Doctrine to him, and he immediately became a stream-enterer.

Once the Buddha was in the Jetavana in Sravasti, expounding the Doctrine. There was a young monk then who had gone to the city on his alms round. He saw a young woman whose beauty was beyond compare. His thoughts kept longing for her. Bound by delusion, he could not free himself. He then fell ill and could not eat or drink. His appearance was haggard and he just lay down without getting up. When the men of the Path who were his fellows in study went to ask him what was ailing him, the young monk explained all that was on his mind. "I want to do away with my thoughts of the Path and follow my craving, but my wish is not fulfilled. I am sick with grief." His fellow students reproved him, but it did not enter his ears. So they forced him and helped him to go to where the Buddha was. They reported the whole matter to the World-honored One. The Buddha informed the young monk: "Your wish is easy to obtain. It is not worth any grief. I shall expediently solve this for you. Stand up and eat and drink!" When the monk heard this, he gained confidence and was glad, and his sadness was immediately over. Then the World-honored One led this monk and his great multitude to the city of Sravasti, to the home of the beautiful woman. The woman had died and they had laid her corpse out for three days. Her household was in mourning and could not stand to bury her. Her body was putrid and swollen, with impurities flowing out. The Buddha informed the monk: "The 183

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables beautiful woman you were longing for is now like this. Everything is impermanent. Change comes within a breath. A fool contemplates the outside and does not see the ugly side. He thinks falsely that being entangled in the net of sin brings happiness. " Thereupon the World-honored One spoke the stanzas:

9. Seeing beauty the mind is fascinated. It does not reflect on seeing it as impermanent. The fool considers what is beautiful to be good. How would he know that this is untrue!

10. [The fool] likes to be wrapped up in lust, like a silkworm weaving a cocoon. The wise one is able to give it up. Without ogling, he removes all suffering.

11. One whose thoughts are loose sees lust as pure. His craving mind increases and he consequently builds his own prison.

12. He who awakens his mind and destroys his lust always thinks that desire is impure, and he consequently leaves his evil prison. He can do away with the calamities of old age and death.

Thereupon, when the young monk saw that this woman had been dead for three days, that her countenance was swollen and rotting, and that the stench was hard to approach, and when he further heard the stanzas with the World-honored One's pure instructions, he was sorry and his mind opened up. He knew he had been wrong. He did obeisance to the Buddha, kowtowed, and repented his error. He took refuge in the Buddha and was led back to the Jetavana. Throughout his life he was full of zeal, and he attained arhatship. When the countless people in the crowd understood that the desire for beauty was impure, their belief in the nature of impermanence was confirmed. Their coveting minds ceased and they attained the Path.

Once the Buddha was in a pure abode of Sravasti, expounding the Doctrine to gods, people, and dragons. There was an elder there 184

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whose wealth was immeasurable. He had a son, twelve or thirteen years of age. When his parents died, he was young and did not know about livelihood and how to manage the affairs of the family. He wasted the riches and within a few years they were gone. He went begging some time after, but he still could not provide for himself. His father had a relative, an elder whose great riches were immeasurable. One day the elder met him and he asked him about his circumstances. The elder took pity on him, took him back with him, and regulated everything. He gave him his daughter in marriage and provided him with servants, carriages, and horses. His riches were countless. He further built a residence and established a family. But as a man he was lazy. He did not keep any accounts and could not provide for their livelihood. Squandering and depleting his wealth, they were more distressed by hunger every day. Because of is daughter the elder gave him more riches, but he squandered them as before. They consequently became destitute. The elder frequently gave him money, but he used it recklessly. Thinking that he could not get any result, he wanted to take the wife away and marry her to another. While he was talking it over with his kindred, the daughter overheard them and went back to tell her husband: "My family is powerful and can take me away from you because you cannot provide a living. What will you do? What plan will you make?" When he heard his wife's words, he felt shame and thought to himself: "Yes, my merit is meager and I am full of mistakes. I am not versed in the ways of a family livelihood or of making a living. I am going to lose my wife now and I shall be begging, just as before. After love one becomes covetous. We shall part with life. How shall I cope with it!" He reflected and reflected and then he had an evil idea. He led his wife into their chamber and said: "I now want to die with you in the same place." He stabbed his wife on the spot and then stabbed himself. Both were dead. The slaves panicked and ran to inform their elder. The elder and the young and old were alarmed, and when they came to have a look, they confirmed that they were dead. A funeral was held with their coffins and shrouds, as was 603a

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables the established custom in the land. The elder and the young and old were filled with grief. They kept thinking about the woman and did not leave. A while later, the elder heard that the Buddha was in the world converting and expounding the Doctrine, and that those who saw him were very glad, as they forgot their sorrow and did away with their distress. He thus led the family, young and old, to where the Buddha was. They did obeisance to the Buddha, withdrew, and sat aside. The Buddha asked the elder where he came from. "Why are you so sad and unhappy?" The elder said: "My house is unfortunate. I gave my only daughter in marriage, but she happened to meet a foolish husband who could not provide for a livelihood. When I wanted to take away his wife, he killed his wife and himself. They both died there. So we gave them a funeral. On our way back, we come to visit you, Worldhonored One." The Buddha informed the elder: "Covetousness and wrath are constant ailments in the world. Foolishness and ignorance are the gate to calamity. One falls into the abyss of the three realms and the five predestinations because of them. One keeps turning in the birth and death cycle for countless eons. One experiences every suffering, but still one does not repent. How much less could a foolish man realize this! The poison of covetousness destroys the self and one's family. It even harms all beings, a fortiori man and wife. " Thereupon the World-honored One spoke the stanzas:

13. The fool binds himself with his covetousness, and he does not seek to cross to the other shore. He longs for riches, hurting others and himself too.

14. A mind that desires is a field in which lust, hatred, and delusion are the seeds. Therefore, when one gives to him who has passed beyond worldly things, the merits obtained are immeasurable.

15. When associates are few but goods numerous, a merchant is frightened and afraid. Exploiting his emotions, 186

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bandits will harm his life. That is why the wise do not covet anything.

Then, when the elder heard the Buddha's exposition of the stanzas, he was delighted and happy. He forgot his sorrow and removed his distress. Still in their seats, young and old, and all who were listening, destroyed their two million evil misdeeds and attained the path of the stream-enterer.

Once the Buddha was in a pure abode in Sravasti expounding the Doctrine to gods, dragons, spirits, and the ruler and his subjects. Then there were two wandering fellows who were very good friends. They always followed each other and did things together as if hey were one, without any difference. The two men deliberated and decided that they wanted to be ascetics. They both went to where the Buddha was, did obeisance, knelt deeply, and folded their hands. They said to the Buddha: "We wish to be ascetics. Do give us your permission!" The Buddha accepted them and they then became ascetics. The Buddha ordered them to stay together in one room. While the two were staying together, they just thought of worldly desires and pleasures. Again and again they sighed for sensuous appearances. Talking about their seductive exploits, they were totally attached to them and did not forsake them. Their fondness did not cease. They did not consider the nature of impermanence or the impurity of foul exposure. With these anxieties they became internally ill. With his eye of wisdom the Buddha knew that their thoughts were disturbed and that their minds were rampant with desire. They were unable to settle down their thoughts and thus they could not be saved. The Buddha made one of them go away, and transformed himself into that man. He entered the room [where the other man remained] and asked: "The ideas we have in mind do not go away. We might both go and have a look. When we see their appearances we shall know what they are like. Yes, our vain imaginings are utterly tiresome and amount to nothing." Both men left the dwelling and arrived in a village with dissolute women. The Buddha magically created a prostitute 187

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables in the village. They both entered her dwelling and said to her: "We, men of the Path, have received the Buddha's prohibitory precept not to perform any sexual act. It is our intention to have a look at a woman's personal beauty. We shall pay the price, following the policy." Thereupon the transformed woman took off her necklaces and her perfumed clothes. She stood there naked and her offensive smelly part was difficult to approach. When the two men looked at her, they fully saw her foul exposure. The transformed ascetic then said to the other: "A woman's beauty just consists of cosmetics, perfumes, and flowers. She bathes and smears ointments. She wears clothes of different hues to cover her foul exposure. She vigorously applies fragrances and wants people to gaze at her. Just like a skin bag filled with manure, what is there desirable about her?" Thereupon the transformed monk spoke the stanzas: 16. Desire, I know your root! In my mind you are produced by thoughts. If I do not think of you, then you do not exist!

17. If the mind allows, then it becomes desire. Why necessarily just five desires! If one can swiftly destroy the five desires, he is a brave one.

18. Without desire and without fear one is undisturbed and without grief. When desire is removed and fetters are undone, he is someone out of the abyss for a long time. After the Buddha had spoken the stanzas, he manifested his brilliant appearance. When the monk saw this, he was ashamed and repented of his wrongdoing. He fell prostrate and did obeisance to the Buddha, who again expounded the Doctrine to him. He was glad and gained understanding, and he attained arhatship. When the other man returned, he saw that his companion's expression was happier than usual. So he asked his companion why he was like that. The companion then gave an explanation according to the facts. The Buddha's great compassion had caused the rescue. Having received the World-honored One's mercy, he had been able 188

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to escape from every suffering. Thereupon the monk further spoke the stanza:

19. If day and night one thinks of desire and the mind wanders, not giving any thought to curbing it, one will then long for her foul exposure on seeing a woman. When one's imaginings are extinguished, one is free from sorrow.

When his companion, the monk, heard this stanza, he immediately started reflecting. He did away with his desire, extinguished his imaginings, and attained the eye of the Doctrine. 189

Chapter XXXIII

Nurturing by Gain

Once the Buddha led his disciples to the pure abode of Ghosila in the land of Kausambi, and expounded the Doctrine to gods, men, spirits, and dragons. The king was called Udayana. He had a wife who practiced benevolence and was famous for her purity. He valued her principles and respected her privately. When he heard that the Buddha had come to make conversions, he made preparations for both to go to where the Buddha was. They did obeisance to the Buddha, withdrew, and sat down according to their regular rank. The Buddha explained to the king, his wife, and the ladies in waiting the nature of the following: impermanence, suffering, the void, why man is reborn, that what comes together must separate, that meeting with enmity is painful, that one is reborn in heaven because of one's merits, and that one enters the abyss because of one's evil. The king and his wife were happy and gained pious understanding. Each accepted the five precepts and became a man and wife with pure faith. They saluted the Buddha and withdrew, returning to the palace.

There once was a brahman called Magandika who had a most lovely daughter unequaled in the society. When she was sixteen years old, no one could find fault with her. He offered a reward of a thousand taels over a period of ninety days to find that she was not an upright woman, [and if someone could] the money would be given away, but no one complied. As she attained womanhood, she should find someone to marry. He pondered on the possible person: "If there is anyone who is as upright as my daughter, I shall give him my daughter. I have heard about the monk Gautama of the Sakya clan. His appearance is golden and rare in the world. 603c

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables 604a I shall go and give this daughter in marriage to him." So he took her to the Buddha, did obeisance, and informed the Buddha: "My daughter's loveliness is unequaled in society. She has grown up and should marry, but there is no suitable companion in society. Your beauty, Gautama, may be considered as the equal of hers. That is why I have come with her from afar to make her your companion, World-honored One." The Buddha informed Magandika: "Your daughter's beauty, sir, is considered good by her family, but my beauty is considered good by the Buddhas. My good appearance and beauty are in principle not the same. You, sir, praise the beauty of your daughter as truly good. She is like a painted vase filled with excrement. What is particularly fine about that? Her beauty is local, attached to the great villains of er eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and body. The beauty of an outward appearance is a great personal calamity. It destroys one's house and extinguishes one's family. It kills relatives and harms children. All this because of a woman's beauty! I am an ascetic. I stand alone, all by myself. Although I am afraid of real danger, how much less would I accept your disastrous and villainous offspring! Go away, sir! I do not accept her. " Thereupon the brahman became angry and left. He went to King Udayana, praised the attractiveness of his daughter and told the king: "By her looks this daughter should be your concubine. Because she is of age I present her to you now, O king." When the king saw her he was happy, and immediately accepted her. She respectfully agreed to be his second, subordinate wife. He conferred his official seal, gold and silver, and precious things on Magandika, who respectfully agreed to be his councilor. When this woman obtained her rank, she was always jealous and her witchcraft misled the king. She spoke ill of the first wife, and not just once. But the king put her to shame, saying: "You allure me, but your words are insolent. The deportment of that person [i.e., the first wife] is honorable, and yet you speak ill of her." The thoughts of this woman were malicious as she still wanted to harm her. She kept on speaking ill, and the king was somewhat perplexed. Always scheming, she secretly waited for the time of asting. Then 192

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she advised the king: "It would be proper to invite your esteemed wife to today's auspicious event." The king then issued a general summons for all to gather. His first wife kept her fast and she alone did not comply with the order. He repeated it and called her three more times, but she kept her fast and did not move. The king was in a great rage and sent someone to drag her out. He had her tied up in front of his palace and prepared to shoot her dead. But his wife was not afraid, as she wholeheartedly took refuge in the Buddha. The king himself shot at her, but the arrow returned to him. Another shot, and it returned at once. And so it was with several more arrows. The king had great fear by then. Untying her, he asked: "What artifice do you have that you bring this about?" His wife replied: "I just serve the Tathagata. I have taken refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. In the morning I observe the penance of the Doctrine and I do not eat after noon. I observe the eight things, and I do not have ornaments near me. It must be that the World-honored One looked after me like that." The king said: "Excellent! How well said!" He immediately sent Magandika away and the second wife was returned to her parents. He correctly established his first wife in the palace. The king, his first wife, the women of the palace, and the crown prince made preparations to leave, and along with their ministers they all went to where the Buddha was. They did obeisance, withdrew, sat down, and listened to the Doctrine with their hands folded. The king then gave the Buddha a complete explanation of he event according to the facts. The Buddha said to the great king: "A bewitching woman has eighty-four attitudes, but there are eight main attitudes, detested by the wise. Namely, which eight? One, jealousy; two, false anger; three, insulting; four, imprecation; five, repugnancy, six, greediness; seven, fondness for embellishment; eight, a poisonous mouth. These are the eight main attitudes. Thereupon the World-honored One spoke the stanzas:

1. Even a shower of the seven precious things will not satisfy one's desire. He who realizes that happiness is small [compared to] mountainous suffering is a wise one. 193

The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables 604b 2. Even if there were celestial desires, a sage does not covet but removes them. Happy to forsake affection, he is a disciple of the Buddha.

The Buddha informed the great king: "The demerit and the merit performed by man has each its own real nature. The retribution reflected in each experience is ten-thousandfold, never equal. If one practices the six qualities and keeps the fast, the merits are numerous. Praised by the Buddhas, one will finally be reborn in the brahma heaven and the happiness based on merit will come naturally." When the Buddha said this, the king, his wife, the ladies in waiting, and great ministers all opened up their minds and obtained the Path.

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Chapter XXXIV

The Ascetic

Once the Buddha was in a pure abode in Sravasti, expounding the Doctrine to gods, dragons, spirits, the king, and his subjects. Then there was a young monk. At daybreak he donned his robe and with staff and bowl in hand, he went to a large village on his alms round. By the side of the main road, there was a vegetable garden cultivated by an official. At the edge of the garden he planted millet. In the outer grassy area of the garden, he had installed a net to discharge arrows. If an animal or thief ere to disturb it, an arrow would be discharged upon touching the net, killing the intruder. A beautiful young girl guarded this garden alone. If someone wanted to go in, she called out from afar and showed the way to safely enter. Someone who did not know the way was sure to be killed by a discharged arrow. However, while this girl was on guard all by herself, she sang melancholy songs. Her voice was clear and bewitching. Of those who heard it, there was none who did not halt his chariot or horse. They turned around and, mincing their steps, they wanted to hurry to her, but they lingered about and did not go further. They were all under the spell of her voice. Then, when this monk had gone on his alms round, on his way back, he heard her singing. He inclined his ear and listened to her voice, and his five feelings were aroused. His thoughts were confused and his mind disturbed. He was seized by desire and could not forsake it. He imagined that this woman must surely be very beautiful. As he was thinking, he wanted to meet her, sit down, and start a conversation. So he turned around and walked toward her. Before he was halfway there, his mind was in a flurry. His hand 195

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables let go of his staff, his robe fell from his shoulder, and he lost his alms bowl, but he did not really notice. The Buddha saw with his three penetrating insights that if this monk went a little further, he would be killed by an arrow. Through his merit he deserved to obtain the Path, although he was misled by foolishness and overwhelmed by the screen of desire. The Buddha had pity on his foolishness and wanted to save him. He changed himself nto someone clad in white and went to his side. He reprimanded him with the stanzas:

1. If the practice of an ascetic means just following one's whims without any restraint, then with every step taken, one will get stuck deeper. He merely follows his [stray] thoughts.

2. He wears the kasaya over his shoulder, but he still performs evil and does not destroy it. When the evildoer dies, he falls into a woeful destination.

3. Cut off from the stream, ponder by yourself! Stop your [stray] thoughts and drive away desire! If one does not sever desire, a thought will accordingly run its course. 4. Do it! Do it! You must restrain yourself with force! When one has renounced home but is indolent, the mind is still tainted.

5. He whose conduct is indolent must exert his will, not suspend it! If conduct is not clean or pure, how could it bring about the great treasures?

6. If one is not trained and hard to instruct, he is like a tree withered by the wind. A person is of his own making. Why not be zealous?

Having spoken these stanzas he returned to his own appearance. His primary and secondary marks were evident and his light illuminated heaven and earth. Anyone who saw it had his delusion cleared away and his confusion ended. They were all back in their 196

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element. When the monk saw the Buddha, his mind suddenly opened up, as when observing a light in darkness. He immediately fell prostrate and did obeisance to the Buddha. He kowtowed, repented his wrongdoing, confessed, and apologized to the Buddha. When he had deeply understood tranquility and insight, he attained arhatship and followed the Buddha back to the pure abode. The countless [people] who heard this all attained the eye of the Doctrine.

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Chapter XXXV

The Brahman

Once, in the land of Ssu-ho-tieh, there were big mountains called Ssu-hsiu-che-t'o. In the mountains there were more than five hundred brahmans who excelled in the superknowledges. They said to each other: "What we have attained is exactly nirvana." Meanwhile, the Buddha had just appeared in the world to establish the Doctrine to open up the gate of immortality. The brahmans heard about it, but they did not go to meet him. They deserved to be saved, however, because of heir previous merits. The Buddha went to them alone, without a companion. At the entrance of the road he sat down under a tree. As his mind concentrated in meditation C samadhi), light emitted from his body and illuminated the whole mountain. The whole mountain was ablaze as if it were on fire. The brahmans were frightened. They recited incantations over water and tried to extinguish it. They exhausted their divine powers and were unable to extinguish it. They felt strange and gave up, and then left the mountains following the road. In the distance they saw the World-honored One meditating under a tree, as if the sun had risen at the edge of he golden mountains. His primary and secondary marks were evident, just like the moon among the stars. They wondered what kind of spirit he was. They approached him and gazed at him. The Buddha bade them sit down, and asked them where they came from. The brahmans replied: "We are staying in these mountains, and we have long been practicing the Path, but at dawn a fire suddenly started, burning the trees in the mountains. We were frightened and left." The Buddha informed the brahmans: "This is the fire of merit. It does not harm anyone. It 199

The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables 605a wants to extinguish your impurity, the fetter of delusion." The brahmans, masters and followers, turned their heads and said to each other: "Who is this man of the Path? Among the ninety-six kinds there never was this master." They said [to each other]: "We have heard that the son of King Suddhodana, called Siddhartha, was not happy with his majestic position and that he has gone forth in search of Buddhahood. Might he not be the one?" The disciples asked the masters to question the Buddha on whether the practices of the brahmans were correct or not. The masters and the followers all rose and said to the Buddha: "The scriptural doctrine of brahmans, called the four non-obstructions, including astronomy, geography, regnal rule, rules which govern the people, and the ninety-six kinds of magical arts, are the rules that should be practiced. Are these scriptural texts the way to nirvana? Please, O Buddha, explain and disclose what we have not yet heard!" The Buddha informed the brahmans: "Listen well and think about it! Countless eons of previous lives I have constantly been practicing these scriptures. Having attained the five superknowledges too, moving mountains and stopping currents, I still passed through countless cycles of birth and death. I neither attained nirvana nor did I hear of someone who had attained the Path. Such practices as yours cannot be those of rahmans. " Thereupon the World-honored One sighed and spoke the stanzas:

1. When, having crossed the stream, one is desireless like Brahma and knows that the formations have ended, I call him a brahman.

2. When, because he does not have two [separate] doctrines, he is pure and has crossed the abyss and his fetters of desire are undone, I call him a brahman.

3. One is not called a brahman because one has matted hair. When one sincerely practices in accord with the Doctrine, he is pure and wise.

4. When one has adorned one's hair but has no wisdom, for what purpose is a simple coarse garment! When 200

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inwardly one is not free from attachment, what is the gain in one's outward [show of] rejection! 5. When one has removed lust, hatred, delusion, conceit, and all evil, like a snake casting off its skin, I call him a brahman.

6. When one has relinquished worldly things and does not utter harsh words, and is mindful of the eightfold path, I call him a brahman.

7. When, having done away with affection, one has left home, become free from desire, and removed attachment to craving itself, I call him a brahman. 8. When one shuns the places where people gather, does not fall into a gathering of gods, and does not revert back to any gathering, I call him a brahman.

9. When one is knowledgeable concerning one's previous lives, where one has come from time and again, when one's cycles of birth and death have ended, when one understands the profundity of the Path, and one is as wise as the one who is silent (the muni), I call him a brahman.

After the Buddha had spoken the stanzas he informed the brahmans: "As for what you have practiced, you think that you have already attained nirvana. Just like fish in shallow water, how could you have lasting happiness! It is actually missing in your lives!" When the brahmans heard his teaching, an inner joy arose in their five feelings. They knelt deeply and said to the Buddha that they wished to be his disciples. Their hair fell off naturally and they immediately became ascetics. Because they had previously conducted themselves in purity, they attained the Path and became arhats. The gods, dragons, and spirits of the mountains all attained the Path.

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Chapter XXXVI

Nirvana

Once the Buddha was on Mount Grdhrakuta near the city of Rajagrha, together with one thousand two hundred fifty monks. At that time the king of Magadha was called Ajatasatru. Each of the one hundred countries he controlled had a name. Nearby there was a country called Vrji. It did not obey the king's orders. Therefore, he wanted to attack it, and forthwith summoned his ministers. In the discussion he argued: "The people of rji are extremely well off. They produce plenty of precious things but do not submit to me! Should we rather raise troops to attack them?" In the land there was a wise lord, the prime minister, called Varsakara, who replied: "Yes, indeed." The king said to Varsakara: "The Buddha is not far from here. With his three insights of a noble sage there is nothing he does not see clearly. Bring my words to where the Buddha is! Ask him the full details according to your sentiment and ability! If I want to attack them, will I gain a victory or not?" When the prime minister received the instruction, he had a wagon and horses prepared and went to the pure abode. When he arrived, he did obeisance to the Buddha, his head touching the ground. The Buddha bade him sit down and he took a seat. The Buddha asked the prime minister where he came from, and the minister replied: "The king sends me." He kowtowed at the Buddha's feet and asked how he was, whether he was taking his meals as usual. The Buddha then asked the lord: "Are the king, the people, and the subjects of his land all in peace?" The minister said that the sovereign of the land and the people were all receiving the Buddha's grace. He informed the Buddha: "The king feels 203

The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables 605c dislike toward the country of Vrji and wants to attack it. Can he, according to your noble opinion, 0 Buddha, gain a victory?" The Buddha informed the minister: "If the people of the country of Vrji are carrying out seven rules, one cannot have victory over them. The king must think carefully! He must not initiate anything recklessly!" The minister then asked the Buddha what the seven rules were. The Buddha said: "The people of Vrji frequently gather together to discuss the right Doctrine. While developing merit they guard themselves and take this to be their norm. This is namely the first [rule]. The people of the country of Vrji, the ruler, and his ministers are in constant harmony. They are very loyal in their duties. Whether instructing or carrying out their duties, they do not offend anyone. This is namely the second [rule]. The people of Vrji are involved in observing the Law. There is nothing they do not attend to, and they also do not dare commit any violation. Superior and inferior comply with the rules. This is namely the third [rule]. The people of Vrji are courteous and respectful. Men and women are separate, but the old and young are together. They do not commit any breach of the rules of proper deportment. This is namely the fourth [rule]. The people of Vrji piously care for their parents and are obedient to their elders. They receive instructions on the acceptance of the precepts and consider this to be a national rule. This is namely the fifth [rule]. The people of the country of Vrji support heaven and are in harmony with the earth. They venerate the gods of the soil and grain. They respectfully comply with the four seasons, and do not neglect farming. This is namely the sixth [rule]. The people of the country of Vrji honor the Path and respect virtue. In the land there are ascetics who have attained the Path and who are arhats. When someone has come from afar, they worship him and provide clothing, bedding, and medicine. This is namely the seventh [rule]. Now, when the lord of a country acts according to these seven rules, he cannot easily be endangered. Even if all the people in the world went to attack him, they could not gain a victory." The Buddha informed the minister: "If the people of Vrji were to observe even 204

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a single rule, one still must not attack them. How much less when they observe all seven such rules!" Thereupon the World-honored One spoke the stanza:

1. An advantageous victory must not be relied on! Even if one wins, one shall suffer further yet. Strive for the winning Doctrine! Being victorious, nothing is really produced!

When Prime Minister Varsakara heard the stanza expounded by the Buddha, he immediately attained the Path. Young and old at the meeting all attained the path of the stream-enterer. The minister then rose from his seat and said to the Buddha: "The affairs of the state are very troublesome. I wish to return. Please excuse me." The Buddha said: "You may, but keep this event in mind." He then rose from his seat, did obeisance to the Buddha, and left. Upon his return he reported everything to the king, who then gave up his attack. He upheld the Buddha's majestic teaching and thereby transformed his nation. The people of Vrji then came and obeyed his orders. Superiors and inferiors were respectful to one another and the land consequently prospered. 205

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The Birth and Death Cycle

Once the Buddha was in the pure abode of the Jetavana in the land of Sravasti, widely expounding the wondrous Doctrine to gods and men and to the king and his high officials. There was an elderly brahman who was dwelling along the road and his wealth was immeasurable. He had a son who was twenty years of age and who had recently married, not yet fully seven days. Husband and wife respected each other and their words were in harmony. The wife said to her husband: "I would like to go to the rear garden to have a look and enjoy myself. Couldn't we go there?" It was the third month of spring when they went to the rear garden. There was a tall mango tree that was high and had beautiful blossoms. The wife wanted some flowers, but there was no one who could get them for her. The husband of course knew what was on his wife's mind, and so he wanted to comply with her wishes. He immediately climbed up the tree to fetch a flower. He wanted to get one more and yet another as he climbed the tree again and again. Finally he reached a small branch which snapped. He fell to the ground, was injured badly, and died. The whole family, young and old, was in a frenzy as they ran to where the son was. Calling out to heaven they mourned but then stopped and came to their senses again. Kinsmen far and near came in countless numbers, and they were all very grieved. All who heard about it were heartbroken. All who had seen it were painfully distressed. His parents and wife blamed heaven and earth, thinking they had not protected him. They placed him in a coffin and covered him with his garments, giving him a burial according to the rules. When they returned 207

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables home they wept and were unable to stop weeping. Thereupon the World-honored One was saddened by their foolishness. He went to ask how they were. When the household of the elder, young and old, saw the Buddha, they were moved and did obeisance. They stated their hardship in detail. The Buddha said to the elder: "Stop and listen to the Doctrine! Everything is impermanent and cannot possibly remain long! Having come into existence, one will die, and evil and merit will follow. As for this son, in three places one weeps for him. The distress may cease, but still it is hard to overcome. Whose son is it, after all? Who are his relatives?" Thereupon the World-honored One spoke the stanzas:

1. Life is like a fruit that ripens, always in fear that it might fall. Having come into being, all experience suffering. Who then can bring about immortality?

2. From the beginning one finds pleasure in desire. Because of lewdness one enters the shadow of the womb. Having received a form, life moves like lightning, flowing night and day and difficult to halt.

3. This body is a mortal thing, but the spirit is a formless entity. If life expires, it will be reborn, but evil and merit are not lost.

4. Beginning and end are not [limited to] one generation, but delusion remains longer as a result of desire. One creates and experiences one's own suffering and happiness. Although the body dies, the spirit does not perish. When the elder heard the stanzas, he understood their meaning and forgot his sorrow. He knelt deeply and said to the Buddha: "What evil did this son commit in his previous life, that he met an untimely death in his wonderful life? Please explain the misdeed he committed previously!" The Buddha informed the elder: "Well, in the past there was a young child who played with bow and arrows among the divine trees. Nearby there were three other people. 208

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When they saw a sparrow high on a tree, the young child wanted to shoot it down. The three people urged him on: 'If you can hit the sparrow, people will praise you as a hero.' The young child thought it was fine. He drew his bow and shot the sparrow which died instantly, falling to the ground. The three people all laughed. They joined him in their merriment and then each went his way. They passed through the cycle of birth and death for countless eons. They encountered each other wherever they existed and all met and experienced their evil. One of the three people had merit, however, and he is now in heaven. One is reborn in the sea and has transformed there into a dragon king. One is yourself now, O elder. This young child was previously reborn in heaven and was the son of a god. When his life ended he descended and was reborn as your son, 0 elder. He fell from the tree, and when his life ended he was immediately reborn in the sea as the son of he transformed dragon king. On the very day of his rebirth a transformed bird king with golden wings took him and ate him up. Now two are distressed and weep in three places, I would say. It is your son who shot the sparrow in the past but who died now. The sparrow of the past is the transformed bird king with golden wings. The three people who had joined him in their merriment are you now, O elder, the god, and the dragon, who have lost their child. Because the bird king with golden wings has eaten him, today they are distressed and weeping in three places, I would say. Because they joined him in their merriment the retribution of these three is to weep." Thereupon the World-honored One spoke the stanzas: 5. The spirit creates the three realms and the five places, both wholesome and unwholesome. While one quietly proceeds, they arrive in silence. That which is born responds quickly [like an echo].

6. The essence of form, desire, and formlessness all depend on one's former conduct. Just as a seed accords with its former appearance [of a tree], retribution naturally follows one's [former] shadow.

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables When the Buddha had spoken the stanzas, he wanted to open up the mind of the elder. So he manifested his previous life with his power of the Path, fully showing the events in heaven and among the dragons. The elder's mind opened up and he rose with joy. He knelt deeply, folded his hands, and said to the Buddha: "I and the young and old wish to be your disciples, O Buddha, dedicating ourselves to the five precepts and becoming upasakas." The Buddha then conferred the precepts, and once again expounded the Doctrine and the meaning of impermanence to them. Young and old were glad, and they all attained the path of he stream-enterer. 210

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The Advantage of the Path

Once there was a king who ruled according to the right Doctrine; and the people longed for a change. But he had no heir apparent and this was sad. When the Buddha came to his country, he went out to visit the Honored One. Listening to the scriptures, he was glad, and he immediately accepted the five precepts. He observed them respectfully with all his heart, but his only wish was to have a son. Night and day he was zealous, not lax during the three moments. He had a servant who was eleven years old and who constantly served him. The servant was faithful, trustful, served the Law, and did not lose the dignity of his demeanor. He was humble, forbearing, and zealous. With all his heart he applied himself to the recitation of scriptural stanzas. In timely fashion, he got up first to take care of incense burning. He was zealous in such a manner for several years without growing weary. All of a sudden he fell seriously ill and it resulted in his [untimely] death; but his spirit returned and became the king's son. He was reared to adulthood and at fifteen years of age he was established as the heir apparent. When the life of the king, his father, had ended, by way of inheritance he became the king. He was arrogant and licentious, lewd and lustful. Night and day he was indolent and he did not manage the affairs of the land. His officers of state gave up the court and the people suffered from calamity. The Buddha knew that this behavior was not in agreement with his office, and so he led his disciples to that country. When the king heard about the Buddha's arrival, he did exactly as the late king. He welcomed him with a large crowd, kowtowed to the ground, withdrew, and 211

The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables 606c sat on the king's seat. The Buddha said to the king: "The officers, the people, the officials, and ministers, are they all their usual selves?" The king said: "As a young man I am unable to find tranquility yet. We have all received your favors with gratitude, O Buddha. In this land there is no one else." The Buddha said to the king: "Do you know now, O king, where you actually came from or what merit you have performed to obtain this royal position?" The king said: "I wonder. In my ignorance I do not understand. I do not know where I came from in the previous world." The Buddha said to the great king: "Actually one becomes a king through five things. Which are the five? One, through giving one becomes a king. [Then] all people offer with reverence palaces and halls, and one's wealth is without limit. Two, constructing temples, and worshiping the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha with bedding and decorative hangings, through this one becomes king. One governs the country on one's imperial seat in the main hall. Three, personally revering the Honorable Things and all venerables, through this one becomes a king. All people do obeisance to him. Four, forbearance of the three [evils] of the body and the four of the mouth, and seeing that the mind is without its three evils, through these one becomes a king. All who see this are glad. Five, in learning one always strives for wisdom. Through this one becomes a king. When making decisions about the affairs of the land, all respectfully apply them. When one practices these five things, one will be a king in every existence." Then the World-honored One spoke the stanzas:

1. When one knows how to wait on his superiors, the ruler, his father, his teacher, and men of the Path; when he is trustful, moral, charitable, learned, and wise, he will finally be lucky and peaceful in his rebirth.

2. When one had merit in his previous life, he will be honored among men in the next existence. When one brings peace to the world with the Path and serves the Doctrine, all will follow him.

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3. The king is the lord of his ministers and people. He always loves his subjects with compassion. He leads in accord with the precepts of the Doctrine, and he exemplifies the Doctrine, propitious or otherwise.

4. Dwelling in safety, he does not forget danger. As his thinking is clear, his merit gradually increases. As for merit's recompense, it does not matter whether one is revered or despised.

The Buddha said to the king: "At the time of your previous existence, O King, you were a servant of the great king. You faithfully served the Buddha and the Doctrine with purity. You served the Sangha with respect, your relatives with piety, and your lord with loyalty. You always were zealous and charitable with all your heart. You exhausted yourself physically and suffered without being indolent. It was thus that your merit followed you and you became the king's son, complementing the king's splendor. Now you are honorable, but you are, on the other hand, indolent. If you are a king, you must practice the five things. What are the five things? One, guiding all people, without being condescending or abusive. Two, training the officers, and receiving and giving in timely fashion. Three, mindfulness to the development of one's actions, while the merits do not cease. Four, trust in the right admonitions of loyal ministers, and do not accept slandering words that will harm those in the right. Five, do not allow the mind to be negligent, covetous, and desirous for affection. If one practices these five things, one's fame will extend to the four seas, and prosperity will come naturally. If one forsakes these five things, no principle will work. When people are in straits, their thinking is confused. When officers are weary, their authority does not function. A spiritual being without any merit is of no help, and a self-satisfied being lacks the great principle. When loyal ministers do not dare to admonish, and their thoughts are heedless, the land is not managed. When ministers are evil, people become resentful. In such conditions you will lose your good name, and later you will have no 607a

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables merit." Thereupon the World-honored One further spoke the stanzas:

5. When one leads a society by practicing what is right and refrains from wrong, and one controls his thoughts and overcomes all evil, such a one is a righteous king. 6. When one's perception is proper and one bestows kindness, and one is compassionate and likes to benefit others, benefiting them with impartiality, all feel close to such a one.

When the Buddha had said this, the king was very glad. He rose and stood in front of the Buddha. He fell prostrate in obeisance, confessed, and apologized to the Buddha. He immediately accepted the five precepts. When the Buddha again expounded the Doctrine he attained the path of the stream-enterer.

Once the Buddha was in the land of SravastI, in the pure abode of the Jetavana, expounding the unsurpassed great Doctrine to gods and men, to the king, high officials, and the four classes of disciples. In the south of the land of SravastI there were deep mountains. A wild elephant often appeared there which had three colors: white, blue, and black. The king wanted to have a famous great fighting elephant. So he dispatched someone to catch it and bring it back to be tamed by an elephant master. Within three years the elephant could be mounted and ordered into battle. At that time there also was a divine elephant, brought forth by a dragon. Its body was as white as snow and its tail as red as cinnabar. The two tusks looked like they were gold colored. When the hunter saw this exceptionally fine elephant, he returned to inform the king that there was another big elephant of such an appearance and fit to be ridden by a great king. The king immediately called more than thirty elephant catchers and ordered them to catch this elephant. They all went to where the elephant was and set a snare to catch it, but the divine elephant knew what was on their minds. So it immediately came forward as if to fall into their trap. 214

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When they all came and wanted to catch it, the elephant became angry and rashly kicked and jumped at them. Those nearby were killed and those further away fled, but the elephant did not give up its pursuit.

On the flanks of the mountain there were young men of the Path, full of vigor and daring. They had been applying themselves to the Path in the mountains for a very long time, but they had not yet attained a concentrated mind. When one of the men of the Path saw from a distance the elephant chasing after and killing people, he felt pity and wanted to rescue them, [being] full of confidence and brave. When the Buddha saw this from afar, he was afraid that this monk would be killed by the divine elephant. So he went to the elephant's side and emitted a great bright light. When the elephant saw the Buddha's light, its anger ceased and its wrath was dispelled. It did not chase and kill people any longer. When the monk saw the Buddha, he drew back and did obeisance to him. The Buddha then spoke the stanza to the monk: 7. Do not recklessly disturb a divine elephant! You will only bring suffering and calamities on yourself. Evil intentions mean one's death, and that one will never reach a wholesome place.

When the monk had heard the stanza, he immediately kowtowed, confessed, and apologized for his wrongdoing. He inwardly and deeply rebuked himself and really felt himself o be wrong. In front of the Buddha he immediately attained arhatship. The men who had been catching the elephant came to their senses again. Those who had fled returned and they all attained the Path. Once the Buddha was on Mount Grdhrakuta in Rajagrha. King Bimbisara then had a high official who had committed an offense. He discharged him and moved him to the mountains in the south, a thousand li from his country. Moreover, nobody lived there and the five cereals did not grow. But when the high official arrived there, the spring water flowed in excess and the five cereals grew 215

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables in abundance. Those who were suffering from hunger or cold in the countries in the four quarters all came to this mountain. Within a few years there were three or four thousand families. To those who came he gave arable land, so that they might provide for their livelihood. The three elders among them and the senior members deliberated among themselves: "A country without a ruler is like a body without a head." They went to where the high official was, and installed him as their king. The high official replied to the elders: "If you take me as your king, it should be in conformity with the rules of a king! High officials, left and right, and both civilian and military leaders, high and low, should visit my court! One should present women to fill my palace! The taxes, grain, and silk should be in accordance with the civil laws! " The elders of the land said: "Indeed! We accept your commands. They should be in conformity with the rules of a king!" So they established him as their king. They placed in offices ministers as well as civilian and military leaders, high and low. They incited the people to construct the city walls and build houses, a palace, and pavilions. But [in the process] the people were subjected to suffering, and they could not take it any more. They started to think, and began to plot against the king. [One day] villainous ministers and associates took the king out hunting. They led the king into a marshy wilderness thirty or forty li from the city with the intention of killing him. The king asked those around him: "Why would you want to kill me?" They replied: "The people were fond of ou when they were prosperous and happy. They served you, 0 king, with reverence. But now the people are in distress and their thoughts are running rampant. Families are in ruin; they plot against the state." The king informed them: "Sirs, it is of your own making. It is not my doing. If ou unjustly kill me, the spirits will know about this. Let me have one wish so that I shall have no animosity in dying!" So he made the wish: "When I first opened up the wasteland, I produced cereals and nourished the people. Those who came all made a living. Their prosperity and happiness were without limit. They themselves promoted me and established me as their 216

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king. They did this in accordance with the policies of other countries. If you nevertheless kill me now, I go without any real crime against the people. Should I die, I wish to become a flesh-eating devil (raksasa) and enter my old body again. I shall avenge this grievance." Thereupon they strangled him, abandoned his corpse, and left. After three days the king's spirit became a flesh-eating devil and was in his old body again. He was called Atavaka. He then rose, entered the palace, and sucked up the new king, the ladies of his harem, and the villainous ministers around him. He killed them all. The devil left the palace in anger, and wanted to kill everyone. The three elders in the land tied themselves with a straw rope and went to the flesh-eating devil to surrender voluntarily. "This was done by villainous ministers. The populace could not have known this. We implore your leniency. We hope you will return to govern the land! " The [former] king said: "I am a devil. How could I devote myself to the people! I have to obtain human flesh as nourishment. A devil is irritable by nature. He is wrathful and does not consider what may be grievous." The three elders said: "The land is yours, O king. Therefore it should be as before, but the nourishment you need will be a different matter." The elders of the land issued an order that the people should all draw lots to determine the sequence in which the families should provide an infant to serve as live food for the devil king. Among the three or four thousand families there was just one household whose members were the Buddha's disciples. They were zealous in their home, and did not violate the five precepts. They drew the lots with the rest of the people and [unluckily] obtained the first lot. They happened to have an infant who would be the first to be fed to the devil king. The intelligent ones, young and old, were sorrowful and lamented. They went far away to Mount Grdhrakuta and did obeisance to the Buddha. They repented their wrongdoings and rebuked themselves. The Buddha saw their suffering with his eye of he Path, and he spontaneously declared: "Because of his infant, I shall save countless people." He then flew alone to the devil's gate. He manifested his bright form which illuminated the palace. 607c

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608a The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables When the devil saw the light, he suspected it might be some special person. He immediately went out and saw the Buddha. He became malicious, and wanted to spring forward and suck up the Buddha, but the light pierced his eyes. Shouldering a mountain and spitting fire, he changed everything to dust. Only when he became weary after a long while did he surrender. He invited the Buddha in to sit down, and he kowtowed to the ground. The Buddha expounded the scriptural texts to him, and after carefully listening to the Doctrine he accepted the five precepts and became an upasaka. He sent an officer to expedite his meal, to take the child and bring it to him. The whole family loudly cried, and followed the child. Those who looked on were countless, grieving for them as the officer carried the child in his arms, lifted this food, and placed it in front of the devil. The devil then took this child, lifted the food, and went in front of the Buddha. He knelt deeply and said to the Buddha: "I am different from the people of the land if I take the child as my food. I have now accepted your five precepts, O Buddha, and I do not have to eat this child any more. Please let me offer this child to you, O Buddha. I present him to you, O Buddha." So the Buddha accepted him, expounded the Doctrine, and made an incantation. The devil was glad and attained the path of the stream-enterer. The Buddha placed the child in his bowl and took him out through the palace gates. He returned him to his parents and informed them: "Raise the infant in good health! Do not be sad any longer! " Of all the people who saw the Buddha there was none who was not startled. They wondered what spirit it was. "What merit does this child have that he was rescued, him alone? The devil's food was taken away and returned to the parents. Thereupon the World-honored One spoke the stanzas among the great multitude:

8. The quality of the precepts can be depended on. Its meritorious reward will always follow. He who sees the Doctrine is most respected among men. He finally keeps himself far from the three evil predestinations. 218

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9. When the precepts are heeded, one removes any fear. Meritorious reward is most revered in the three worlds. Demons, dragons, or a snake's poison cannot harm a person who maintains the precepts.

When the Buddha had spoken the stanzas, countless people saw the Buddha's radiant appearance; and they knew that he was the most honorable one, beyond compare in the three worlds. They were all converted and became the Buddha's disciples. They were glad on hearing the stanzas and all attained the Path. Once the Buddha was in the Deer Park in the land of Benares expounding the Doctrine to a countless multitude, to gods and men, dragons and demons, and kings and their subjects. The crown princes of large kingdoms and their attendants, and the eldest sons of the princes of smaller kingdoms, more than five hundred people, went to where the Buddha was. They did obeisance to the Buddha, withdrew, and sat aside listening to the Doctrine. The crown princes then said to the Buddha: "Your Path, 0 Buddha, is fine, wondrous, and difficult to reach! Has there from of old ever been a king, a crown prince, a high official, or the son of an elder who has forsaken officialdom, love, and happiness to become an ascetic?" The Buddha informed the crown princes: "Happiness and love in the societies of the world are like an illusion, a mirage, a dream, or an echo. They suddenly come and they suddenly go in such a way that one cannot long sustain them." He further said: "Kings and crown princes, because of three things one cannot obtain the Path! What three? One, one is arrogant and does not have the mindfulness to study the fine meaning of the Buddha's scriptures in order to save one's spirit. Two, one is covetous and not mindful of being charitable to the poor and distressed. The wealth accumulated by officials and military officers is not shared with the people so that only their capital increases. Three, one cannot forsake lust and desire for affection and reject the distress of ts prison-like confines in order to become an ascetic, extinguishing all hardships and developing one's person. Therefore whosoever is 608b

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables born a bodhisattva is regal, and removing these three things one attains Buddhahood. There are three more things. What three? One, study when young and lead the people to transform while governing the land so that they will practice the ten wholesome [actions]. Two, in middle age give away your possessions to the poor and lonely, while your officials and military officers are as happy as the people! Three, truly reckon with the nature of impermanence! Life does not last long. Go forth and become ascetics, extinguishing painful causal conditions, and be free from further cycles of birth and death! If you do not practice the three things, you simply will not obtain anything!"

Thereupon the World-honored One stated: "Once, in a previous world, I was a noble universal sovereign, called Emperor Nemi, ruling with the seven precious things. There were palaces and pools, lodges and theaters, and also officials, crown princes, their wives and ladies, elephants and horses, and kitchen servants, each eighty-four thousand strong. Nemi had a thousand sons who were brave and skillful. One of them was worth a thousand men. He flew through the air and traveled throughout the four seas. He was sovereign in his actions, and no one was higher than he was. His lifespan was eighty-four thousand years. He governed according to the Doctrine and did not do wrong to his people. The noble king then thought to himself: 'Man's life is short, impermanent, and hard to preserve. I should just perform acts of merit, and thereby seek the truth of the Path. Keeping in mind being constantly charitable toward the people in the world, I shall share my riches with the people. Having seeded my merits, I shall just go forth and become an ascetic. Having eliminated desire, I shall attain the extinction of suffering. ' So the king ordered his barber: 'If ou see that [any one of] my hairs is white, inform me! ' After a very long period, tens of thousands of years, the barber informed the king: 'You have a white hair.' The king ordered him to pull it out and put it on the table. When the king saw the white hair he wept and decreed: 'The first messenger has suddenly come again. Now that my hair is white, I must go forth and become an ascetic 220

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to seek the natural Path.' He lifted the hair in his palms and spoke the stanza:

10. My hair on top of my body has grown white now, and I am depleted. A heavenly messenger has given me notice that the time is right for me to go forth!

He immediately summoned his officials and installed his crown prince on the royal throne. He became an ascetic and entered the mountains to develop the Path. When his life as a man ended, he was immediately reborn in the second heaven as the crown prince of Sakra, emperor of the gods. Thereafter [born again on earth], he governed the world, simply as a great king. He again ordered his barber: 'If you see that [any one of] my hairs is white, inform me!' After a very long period, the barber again informed him: 'You [have a] white hair.' The king ordered him to pull it out, held it in his hands, and spoke the [same] stanza:

11. My hair on top of y body has grown white now, and I am depleted. A heavenly messenger has given me notice that the time is right for me to go forth!

He again summoned his officials and installed his crown prince on the royal throne. He immediately became an ascetic and entered the mountains to develop the Path. When his life as a man ended, he was further reborn in heaven as Sakra, the emperor of he gods. When the former Sakra, the emperor of the gods, ended his life as a god, he descended to a rebirth in the world. He became the crown prince of a noble king. These three noble kings again became father and son. High above they were emperors of the gods, down below they were noble lords, and in the middle they were crown princes, thirty-six times each, to end and yet to begin, for several thousands of tens of thousands of years. When I practiced these three things, I realized Buddhahood. The father in those times is myself now. The crown prince is the worthy Sariputra. The king's grandson is the worthy Ananda. Following one another, they were reborn, and in this process they became kings in order to transform 221

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables the world. Therefore I am especially honored, and I am beyond compare in the three worlds." When the Buddha said this, the king and his crown prince and all the other crown princes were very glad. They accepted the Buddha's five precepts, became upasakas, and attained the path of the stream-enterer. 222

Chapter XXXIX

Good Fortune

Once the Buddha was on Mount Grdhrakuta in Rajagrha, turning the wheel of the Doctrine of the three vehicles for gods and men and for dragons and demons. Then, south of the mountains, on the bank of the Ganges, there lived a nirgrantha (Jain) brahman. When he first appeared he was already aged, learned, and very wise. His forte was the five superknowledges with his clear knowledge of the past and present. He had five hundred disciples under his wing. He taught and trained them, and they were all versed in astronomy, geography, the constellations, and human nature. There was nothing they did not look into as they examined both the internal and the external nature of things. Fate, luck, prosperity, and appearances, they all understood and firmly knew them. Through the actions of a former Buddha, the brahman's disciples deserved to obtain the Path. They all went together to the bank of the river. They arranged their seats and started a discussion by asking themselves: "As to the actions of the peoples in various societies, what can we consider good fortune in the world? We disciples do not understand!" They went to their teacher, did obeisance, and with folded hands said: "We disciples have been studying for a long time. We know well what we have studied, but we have not heard what the countries consider to be good fortune." The nirgrantha informed them: "Splendid is your question! In Jambudvipa there are sixteen great countries and eighty-four thousand small countries. Each country has its own good fortune, whether it is gold or silver, crystal, lapis lazuli, the divine brightmoon gem, elephants or horses, chariots, beautiful women, coral, 223

The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables 609a shells, line music, a phoenix or a peacock, the sun, the moon, the stars, a precious vase, the four classes [of disciples], a brahman, or a man of the Path. These are the signs of good fortune, held dear by the countries. If they see them, their esteem is immeasurable. These are the signs, the good fortunes, of countries." The disciples said: "Could there rather be another very special good fortune which is beneficial to oneself, by which one may finally be reborn in heaven?" The nirgrantha replied: "Since the time of former teachers there has never been anything that surpasses these. No book records anything superior." The disciples said: "Recently we heard that someone of the Sakya clan has gone forth to practice the Path. He sat upright for six years, subdued Mara [the tempter], and became a Buddha. His three penetrating insights are unhindered. Let us all go and test him, selecting [items] from his wide knowledge. How about it, O great teacher?" The teacher and his followers, more than five hundred disciples, went along the mountain roads to where the Buddha was. They did obeisance to the Buddha and took their positions as brahmans. They folded their hands, knelt deeply, and said to the World-honored One: "As for the good fortune in every country, such are what the people are fond of, but we wonder if there is still something else that excels these. " The Buddha informed the brahmans: "What you, sirs, are discussing refers to worldly things. By following them you may know good fortune. By going against them you may know misfortune. They cannot save man's spirit and deliver him from suffering. The doctrine of ood fortune, as I know it, is that if ou practice properly, you will obtain merit and be forever free from the three worlds. You will bring about nirvana." Thereupon the World-honored One spoke the stanzas:

1. The Buddha is honored above any god. The Tathagata always shows what is meaningful when there is a brahman, a man of the Path, who comes to ask what is good fortune. 2. The Buddha feels pity and expounds what is really important. Devout happiness is the true Doctrine. It is the utmost good fortune.

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3. And if one does not follow god or man in the hope and quest for luck, and if one does not pray and sacrifice to the spirits, this is the utmost good fortune. 4. Friendship with a worthy, selection of a good companion, constant and foremost performance of merits, and acceptance of the truth with all one's being, this is the utmost good fortune.

5. If one does away with evil and follows what is wholesome, if one avoids liquor, knows moderation, and does not lust after female beauty, this is the utmost good fortune.

6. If one is learned and practices the precepts, if one zealously applies oneself to the rules, and if one develops oneself, free from any strife, this is the utmost good fortune.

7. If one is pious as a layman and filially serves one's parents, if one regulates one's family and cares for wife and child, and if one's conduct is not deficient, this is the utmost good fortune.

8. If one is not arrogant or conceited, if one knows satisfaction and remembers to be thankful, and if one recites the scriptures properly and in a timely fashion, this is the utmost good fortune.

9. If one often patiently accepts what one hears, and if one is happy to meet an ascetic and quickly heeds his every exposition, this is the utmost good fortune. 10. If one observes the fast and develops pure conduct, if one persists in meeting the wise and stays close to the sages, this is the utmost good fortune.

11. If one practices the qualities of the Path through faith, if one corrects one's intentions and directs himself toward the removal of doubt, and if one wants to rid 609b

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The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables himself of the three evil predestinations, this is the utmost good fortune.

12. If one practices liberality with an impartial mind, if one serves those who have attained the Path and respects gods and men, this is the utmost good fortune. 13. If one always wants to free himself from desire, delusion, and hatred, and if one is able to practice insight into the true Path, this is the utmost good fortune. 14. If one rejects envious efforts and can faithfully apply oneself to the development of the Path, and if one constantly resorts to matters that are of [meaningful] concern, this is the utmost good fortune.

15. If everything in the world is established with a great compassionate mind, and if this brings about benevolence and peace to all beings, this is the utmost good fortune. 16. When the wise dwell in the world and always practice behavior reflecting good fortune, and when they bring about the perfection of their wise insight, this is the utmost good fortune.

When the brahmans heard the Buddha's teaching, they were very happy. They immediately did obeisance at the Buddha's feet and took refuge in the Buddha, his Doctrine, and his Order. When the brahmans, teacher and disciples, heard the Buddha's exposition of the stanzas, they were glad and their minds opened up. They were very happy, came forward, and said to the Buddha: "Very wonderful, World-honored One! Extraordinary in the world! There is a reason why we were deluded and unable to gain insight yet. We hope, World-honored One, that you will have compassion and save us. We wish personally to take refuge in the Three Honorable Things of the Buddha's Doctrine. We need to become ascetics and long to behave as such from now on! " When the Buddha said: "Excellent! Welcome, monks!", they immediately became ascetics. 226

Chapter XXXIX They internally reflected on anapana (breathing in and out) and attained arhatship. The countless listeners all attained the eye of the Doctrine. 227