金色王經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the grove of Prince Jeta, in the park of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the country of Śrāvastī, together with a great assembly of bhikṣus numbering one thousand two hundred and fifty.

At that time, beside the Blessed One there were always many assemblies of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, kings, royalty, great ministers, chancellors, members of other paths, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, parivrājakas, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas... who waited upon, revered, made offerings to, honored, and supplied with the necessities of life. Thus the Blessed One received many kinds of pure gains, such as robes, food, bedding, medicines... obtaining all those things enjoyed by devas and humans; yet the Blessed One was never defiled by them, just like a lotus flower in water that remains untouched. His good renown resounded throughout the world, and all beings praised and extolled him.

At that time the Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the One Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone One, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed One, the Tamer of Beings, the Teacher of Devas and Humans, the Buddha, the Blessed One, among the devas, humans, Māras, Brahmās, śramaṇas, and brāhmaṇas of all the worlds, always knew the right time and what was suitable for expounding the Dharma. All the teachings he expounded were good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end. Their meaning and their words were good, perfectly pure, and complete in the holy life.

The Blessed One addressed the bhikṣus:

"Bhikṣus, if there were any being who could clearly know the merit and the fruit of the act of giving, just as I have known the merit and the fruit of the act of giving, then at a meal, from the very beginning until the end, if he had not first given even a little, he ought not to eat by himself. Let him abandon the mind of greed and miserliness, and then he will be able to give.

"Bhikṣus, if there is any being who does not know giving and the fruit of giving, as I have known the fruit of giving, such a being, at a meal, from the beginning until the end, who does not give even a little to others but eats by himself—know that such a person, having a mind of greed and miserliness, will surely not be able to give. Why is this so? Bhikṣus, in a past age there was a king named Golden-Hued, complete with a dignified and extraordinary appearance, having attained a supreme, excellent, and wondrous physical form. This King Golden-Hued was exceedingly wealthy, his goods and possessions overflowing, with gold, silver, and jewels of every kind, and money, carriages, elephants, horses, oxen, and cattle beyond all reckoning.

"King Golden-Hued established his capital in the city of Abundant Gold. The king's palace stood in the center of that city; its length, running east to west, was twenty yojanas, and its width, running north to south, was seven yojanas. The people throughout the city were all well-off, well-fed, and lived happily and at peace.

The whole country had fifty-seven koṭis of villages, hamlets, and settlements, and the people in all those places lived in circumstances of abundance and joy. In each of the sixty thousand regions of mountains and rivers there was a great city, and within each city there was a city-lord. The people too were numerous, with lives of plenty, peace, and joy.

The officials at court together with the king's attendants numbered eighteen thousand, and the palace women numbered twenty thousand. The king was well versed in the law of kings; relying upon the teaching to govern, he upheld the laws of the state with strict justice, for the king always practiced in accordance with the Dharma. King Golden-Hued delighted in the practice of giving, and could give away all that he possessed, even to his own body.

At that time, the lifespan of human beings was eighty-four thousand years.

"One day, King Golden-Hued was in a quiet, secluded, tranquil place, contemplating with this thought: 'I ought not to levy taxes upon all the merchants, nor to levy taxes upon the people.'

"Having thought thus, the king then summoned the great ministers of the left and the right, those within and without, the various departments, and the hundred officials, and issued this command:

"'From now on, all the people and every merchant shall not be taxed. I remit the taxes for the multitudes throughout this realm of Jambudvīpa.'

"The king, employing such means, governed the country in accordance with the Dharma for many years.

"At another time, an inauspicious star appeared in the country, and so for twelve years in succession the heavens did not send rain. There was a brāhmaṇa skilled in the science of signs and in the treatises of incantation, well versed in the discipline of astrology, who, having clearly understood that inauspicious star, then came to the royal palace to have audience with the king. Upon arriving, the brāhmaṇa addressed the king:

"'Now may the Son of Heaven know: the appearance of an inauspicious star is an ill omen, and so for twelve years on end the heavens will not send rain.'

"When King Golden-Hued heard this, he was deeply grieved and, lamenting, said: 'Alas for the people of this realm of Jambudvīpa! Alas for the people of my realm of Jambudvīpa! When will my realm of Jambudvīpa again become abundant and at peace, with people and creatures always numerous and flourishing? Will it not be that before long this entire country will become empty and desolate, with no people left at all?'

"After a moment, King Golden-Hued ceased his lamenting and reflected: 'Those who are wealthy always store up much property and food; for twelve years they can pull through and not die. But the poor and destitute, with few possessions and scant food—how will they live? How can they get through those twelve years?'

"The king further reflected: 'Now I must have all the food in this realm of Jambudvīpa gathered together and kept in one place. All households, inner and outer, all villages, towns, and cities, and all the people in my realm—whoever has provisions must hand them over and concentrate them in the storehouses so that their quantity may be reckoned and known. For all the people in the realm of Jambudvīpa, I must know exactly the number of persons, so that the food obtained may be divided equally among them over the twelve years.'

"Having thought thus, the king then summoned the great ministers in attendance, the departments within and without, the hundred officials, all the bureaus under his authority, and the officers overseeing all those places, to gather at the royal palace. The king commanded:

"'You, my ministers, are to go throughout all the regions of Jambudvīpa, and wherever there is food, gather it all together so that its quantity may be reckoned and known.'

"The command that the king issued was carried out swiftly by the officials. Afterward, the officials who had executed the king's command came together into the court and reported:

"'We have exerted our utmost strength of mind to complete the task assigned to us. The food throughout the entire realm has been gathered and concentrated in the storehouses. We await the command of the great king.'

"Then King Golden-Hued summoned those skilled in calculation and in record-keeping throughout the realm of Jambudvīpa and issued this decree:

"'You are to go to all the places in the realm of Jambudvīpa to calculate and ascertain exactly the number of persons—beginning with me as the first—and accordingly, comparing this against the food supply, to consider its distribution on an equal basis.'

"These men, obeying the king's decree, carried out the above task one by one.

"The number of all the people in the realm of Jambudvīpa was reckoned and fully known. Those who kept the records made up a report and presented it to the king.

"At that time, King Golden-Hued, being the foremost among all the people in the realm of Jambudvīpa, personally oversaw the work of dividing the food equally. Because of this, for eleven full years all the people did not die of starvation.

"After more than eleven years and one month, in many places throughout the country, one by one there were men or women who went hungry. Why? Because the food supply was nearly exhausted. With only eleven months remaining, already there were many men or women in places throughout the country who, hungering and thirsting, were on the verge of death.

"At that time, all the food in the realm of Jambudvīpa had been completely used up; all the storehouses were utterly empty. There remained only five sheng of cooked rice, enough to supply one person for a single day's eating, which was offered up to King Golden-Hued to use for one meal.

"At that time, there was a being who in a past existence had passed through forty kalpas practicing the conduct of a bodhisattva, who had just come to this Sahā world. He saw in that forest two beings, a mother and her son, engaging together in the act of lust. Seeing this, the bodhisattva sighed to himself:

"'When beings are as evil as this, then the afflictions are right within their minds. A child reared by its mother yet goes and does what is wrong. Where could there be such an evil dharma as this? Now I will not act for the sake of these beings, will not act for the sake of beings who do unlawful deeds. Their unlawful deeds are defiled by craving and lust, and their minds are obscured by wrong views and covetous evil, so that they do not know father and mother, do not know śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, do not know how to preserve their clan and lineage, do not respect their elders and superiors, and do not remember kindness and gratitude. Now I will not act for the benefit of beings so utterly evil as these; my conduct of awakening should now only create benefit for myself alone.'

"The bodhisattva, having given rise to such a thought, then went to another tree, and relying upon that tree, sat in the cross-legged posture, his body upright and his mindfulness rightly established. Then the bodhisattva, in accordance with the practice, contemplated the arising and ceasing of the five aggregates of clinging: this form arises, this form perishes. So too, this is feeling, this is perception, this is the formations, this is consciousness arising, this consciousness perishes. The bodhisattva, contemplating the five aggregates of clinging in this way, before long, saw all the arising of dharmas dissolve away. Having come to know this, by reason of this cause and condition the bodhisattva attained the state of a pratyekabuddha, and then spoke this verse:

"At that time, the pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One, reflected:

"'Because I resolved to bring benefit to beings, I have practiced many austerities; yet truly I have not created benefit for even a single being! Today I will be mindful of them with compassion and will create much benefit for them—especially for whoever, in whatever place, allows me to receive food and drink.'

"The pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One, attained the pure heavenly eye, surpassing that of humans, and surveying the whole realm of Jambudvīpa, saw that all the food in this realm had dried up and was exhausted, and that there remained only five sheng of cooked rice, enough for King Golden-Hued to use for a single meal. Having observed this, the bodhisattva gave rise to this thought: 'Now I should have compassion and create benefit for King Golden-Hued.

I will go to that king and beg for one meal.' The pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One, then by his spiritual power rose into the open sky, manifesting his body so that everyone could see him. That spiritual power was like the bird Śakuni flying toward the city of Abundant Gold, the city of King Golden-Hued.

"At that time, King Golden-Hued was upon a high tower. Five thousand great ministers all saw that pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One. Among those great ministers, there was one who first saw the pratyekabuddha advancing closer from afar, and he said to the others:

"'Sirs, look there! Far away yonder there is a red-winged Śakuni bird flying this way.'

"A second great minister, seeing it, said:

"'Look closely! It is not a red-winged Śakuni bird. That is an evil rākṣasa demon that feeds on the vital essence of human beings, wishing to come here to plunder our very lives!'

"That great minister pointed it out to King Golden-Hued and spoke as above. King Golden-Hued had to rub both hands over his face before looking carefully. When he had seen clearly, the king then said to the officials:

"'You, my ministers, should know: it is not a red-winged Śakuni bird, nor is it an evil rākṣasa demon that feeds on the vital essence of human beings, but it is a sage who, out of compassion and mindfulness for me, has therefore come here.'

"At that time, the pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One, in but a moment arrived at the tower of King Golden-Hued. When the king saw that pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One, he at once rose, reverently bowed his head to the feet of the venerable one, then spread out a fine seat, invited the Buddha to be seated, and then, facing the place of the pratyekabuddha, said:

"'Is it true that you are a sage who has just come to this realm?' The pratyekabuddha replied:

"'Great king, I wish to beg for food, and so I have come here.'

"When King Golden-Hued heard the Buddha speak thus, he wept sorrowful tears and said: 'Why has my country at present fallen into such poverty and hardship! There was a time when this whole realm of Jambudvīpa was wealthy, abundant, and at peace; yet suddenly today, when a sage has come here, I cannot even provide a single delicious meal.'

"At that very moment, in a place within the royal city of Abundant Gold, there was a young woman who, facing King Golden-Hued, spoke this verse:

"When King Golden-Hued had heard the verse, he then summoned the cook and asked:

"'See what food still remains. I wish to make an offering to this great sage.'

"The cook reported:

"'May the great king know: all the food in the realm of Jambudvīpa has been completely used up; there remains only the portion of food sufficient for a single meal of the great king.'

"When King Golden-Hued heard this report, he reflected: 'If I eat and drink, then my life will continue for a while; but if I do not eat, then my life will quickly come to an end.'

"Then the king reflected again: 'If today I eat that portion of rice, I still cannot avoid death; and if I do not eat, I must die as well. I should not cling to this short and fleeting life! This great sage is one who upholds the precepts purely, who cultivates the wholesome Dharma rightly, and who has sought out the royal palace—why then should I let him depart with an empty bowl?'

"Having reflected thus, the king summoned the great ministers in attendance, the hundred officials within and without... together with his relatives, and said to them:

"'All of you should rejoice along with me! I, King Golden-Hued, today make this last act of giving, vowing by this root of goodness to pray that all the people in the realm of Jambudvīpa, from now on forever, may utterly cut off the karma of poverty and destitution.'

"When King Golden-Hued had made this vow, he then took the food of one meal and placed it into the bowl of the pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One. When this was done, the king placed the alms-bowl into the right hand of the pratyekabuddha. At that time, the pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One, in accordance with the practice he upheld, used his body to manifest his acceptance, and not words.

"The pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One, having received the offering of King Golden-Hued, then employed his spiritual power and flew away. King Golden-Hued and the great assembly all joined their palms and gazed after the Buddha for a long while, not blinking their eyes, until that Buddha had flown far beyond the realm. Then King Golden-Hued said to all who were present:

"'You, my ministers, go back to your own homes so that you do not die of hunger and thirst.'

"The great ministers and all the rest replied:

"'When the great king is at peace and joy, then all of us, your ministers, rejoice together with you and share in every grace and benefit. How now could we, your ministers, abandon the great king and depart?'

"When the king heard this, he wept choked with tears, then raised his hand to wipe his eyes and said:

"'You, my ministers, should all go back to your own homes; do not cause everyone to remain here and together starve to death with me.'

"At that time, all the officials together with the company of relatives wept, raised their hands to wipe away their tears, and then together approached the king, bowed their heads in reverence at the king's feet, and when this was done, all joined their palms and, facing the king, said:

"'According to the evil karma we have created, whether much or little, we must receive its fruit. We humbly beg the great king to grant us this: that tomorrow morning we may meet the great king for the last time.'

"In this way, during the time that the pratyekabuddha, the Solitarily Awakened World-Honored One, had received the bowl of rice as an offering, when he was about to set out toward another place to take his meal, then throughout the four directions clouds gathered in surging masses, and a cool wind blew sweepingly, making the ground throughout the realm of Jambudvīpa entirely clean. Half a day after the cool wind had blown into the realm of Jambudvīpa, the heavens rained down innumerable kinds of provisions—all manner of foods, both fresh and raw and cooked—satisfying every need of the people.

"When King Golden-Hued saw such rains, his heart was filled with great joy and delight, and a wholesome thought arose in his mind. He then said to the great ministers in attendance and the hundred officials within and without:

"'Do you not see, my ministers! By making an offering of but a single morning meal, such a fine fruit has been attained! And there will yet be immeasurable other fruits to come hereafter.'

"After it had rained for one day in this way, on the second day, and then throughout seven days, the rains poured down in succession all manner of other foods—such as sesame, large beans, small beans, barley, wheat, cowpeas, hyacinth beans, and all kinds of fine rice and grain.

"When the seven days of rain had cleared, again it continued to rain in successive periods of seven days: seven days it rained ghee, seven days it rained oil, seven days it rained money, seven days it rained cloth and garments, and there were also many intermingled rains. During this time, for one day only it rained the seven treasures. These are: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red pearls, agate... The Buddha said:

"'Bhikṣus, you should know that King Golden-Hued of that time was no stranger, but was indeed myself.

"'Bhikṣus, you should well understand this gateway of the Dharma. If there is a being who knows giving and the fruit of giving, just as I have known the fruit of giving—then from the beginning until the end of a meal, if he has not given even a small portion, if he has not first relinquished and given, he ought not to eat by himself. He must abandon the mind of envy and defilement, and then he will be able to relinquish and give. Conversely, there is the being who does not know giving and the fruit of giving as I have known the fruit of giving.

"'Thus, if there is a being who, from the beginning until the end of a meal, does not relinquish and give even a small portion to others but eats by himself, then know that this being has a mind of envy and defilement, and so is unable to give.'

"Then the Blessed One spoke this verse:

"When the Blessed One had expounded thus, the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, the assemblies of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas—all the assembled multitude, having heard what the Buddha taught, rejoiced greatly.