六度集經

Chapter I: THE PERFECTION OF GENEROSITY

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling on Mount Yao near the city of Rajagriha, seated together with five hundred Worthy Ones (arhats) and one thousand bodhisattvas. Among them was a bodhisattva named Anishat. Whenever the Buddha expounded the sutras and taught the Way, he would purify his mind and listen attentively, remaining silent and free from discursive thought, his mind wholly focused on hearing the Dharma. The Blessed One knew all this.

For the assembly, the Buddha expounded the six infinite perfections (the six paramitas), the lofty practices of bodhisattvas that are difficult to attain and constitute the swift path to Buddhahood.

What are these six lofty infinite perfections?

The first is generosity. The second is moral discipline. The third is patience. The fourth is diligence. The fifth is meditative concentration. The sixth is wisdom (illumination).

What is called the infinite perfection of generosity (dana-paramita)?

It is kindly nurturing people and other beings, showing compassion even to multitudes of those gone astray, rejoicing when the virtuous attain liberation, and rescuing beings with a beneficence surpassing heaven and earth, whose grace permeates all seas and rivers. One gives to sentient beings: food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing to those who are cold, coolness to those who suffer from heat, and medicine and care to the sick. One gives carriages, horses, boats, palanquins, every kind of precious jewel, one’s wife and children, lands and kingdom—whatever anyone requests, one immediately gives. Thus did Prince Sudana give to countless destitute people as parents nourish their children. Though banished by his royal father, he remained loving and bore no resentment.

– *

*

1—Long ago, there was a bodhisattva whose mind comprehended the right path. Seeing that the world was impermanent and life difficult to preserve, he gave away all his wealth. Shakra, Lord of the Gods, saw the bodhisattva nurturing all beings with loving-kindness, giving alms and rescuing everyone. His merit towered aloft, and the influence of his virtue resounded throughout the ten directions. Fearing that the bodhisattva would take his throne, Shakra conjured a vision of hell before him, then appeared and said:

“If one practices generosity and helps others, after death one’s spirit enters the hell of Mount Tai, where one is burned and boiled ten thousand times and suffers torment. If generosity brings such harm, why do you practice it?”

The bodhisattva replied:

“How could a person possessing the merit of generosity be obliged to enter the hell of Mount Tai?”

Shakra said:

“If you do not believe it, bodhisattva, then ask the condemned man.”

The bodhisattva asked the condemned man:

“Why did you enter hell?”

The condemned man answered:

“While in the world, I gave away all my wealth to aid the poor and rescued people from calamities. Therefore, I must now undergo punishment in the hell of Mount Tai!”

The bodhisattva asked Shakra:

“If a benevolent person incurs disaster by practicing generosity, what becomes of those who receive the gifts?”

Shakra replied:

“When the recipients of generosity die, they will be reborn in heaven!”

The bodhisattva said:

“I render aid solely for the sake of sentient beings. If what you say is true, then in accordance with my vow, even if I must undergo punishment for giving with compassion, I shall resolutely continue. To rescue others at peril to oneself—this is the sublime resolve of a bodhisattva!”

Shakra asked:

“Why does your aspiration esteem such lofty practices?”

He replied:

“I seek to attain Buddhahood so that I may rescue sentient beings, lead them to nirvana, and free them forever from birth and death.”

When Shakra clearly understood the sage’s aspiration, he bowed his head and said:

“In truth, one who practices generosity and compassionately aids sentient beings does not become estranged from merit or incur the calamity of falling into the hell of Mount Tai! Because your virtue moves heaven and earth, I feared that you would take my throne, so I manifested this vision of hell solely to confuse your resolve. In my ignorance, I deceived a sage; I beg forgiveness for this grave offense.”

After repenting of his offense, Shakra bowed his head and took his leave.

Thus did the bodhisattva compassionately bestow kindness and cultivate the infinite perfection, practicing generosity in this manner.

– *

*

2—Long ago, there was a bodhisattva named Sarvada, the king of a great realm. He gave to sentient beings whatever they requested, rescued them from calamities, and always cherished a compassionate heart. Shakra, Lord of the Gods, saw that the king’s virtue of compassion and generosity encompassed the ten directions. Gods, spirits, ghosts, and dragons all said:

“The exalted throne of the king of the gods has never permanently belonged to any one person. Whoever perfectly observes the precepts, practices sublime conduct, possesses compassionate virtue, and has abundant merit will certainly become king of the gods after death.”

Shakra feared that the king would take his throne, so he wished to visit him and test the truth of the matter. Shakra commanded the Frontier King:

“The loving-kindness of that human king now permeates all like rain, and his merit and virtue tower aloft. I fear that his aspiration is to take my imperial throne. You must therefore transform yourself into a dove, fly swiftly to the king, assume a terrified appearance, and seek his compassion.

The king is inherently benevolent and will certainly take you under his protection. I shall arrive afterward and demand that he return you to me. The king will surely refuse and will have to go to the market to buy an amount of flesh equal to yours in exchange.

I shall continue deceiving him. Because the king’s heart is pure and sincere, once he has made a promise he will certainly not break his word, and he will agree to cut flesh from his own body equal to the weight of yours in exchange. If the flesh on the scale continues to grow progressively heavier until all his flesh is gone and his body is racked with pain, the king will surely regret his deed.

If even the slightest regret arises in his mind, his aspiration will not be fulfilled.”

Shakra then transformed himself into a hawk, while the Frontier King transformed himself into a dove. The dove hastily flew to the king, alighted beneath his feet, and cried in terror:

“O Great King, my life is at an end!”

The king said:

“Do not fear, do not fear! I shall now save your life!”

The hawk then flew up behind it and said to the king:

“My dove has just come here. Doves are my food; I beg Your Majesty to return it to me!”

The king said:

“The dove has entrusted its body and life to my protection, and I have accepted its refuge. I must keep faith with the words I have spoken and never contradict them, whether before or afterward! If you desire flesh, I shall provide you with more than a hundred times as much!”

The hawk said:

“I desire only dove’s flesh and will accept no other kind. I beg the king to return it to me. Why would you deprive me of my food?”

The king replied:

“I have accepted this bird’s refuge. My pledge is as weighty as heaven and earth; how could my heart permit me to break it? Tell me, then: what must I give you so that you will allow the dove to remain and depart contentedly?”

The hawk said:

“If the king, considering the matter with compassion, is resolutely determined to rescue sentient beings, then I ask the king to cut from his own flesh an amount equal to the dove’s flesh. I shall gladly accept it at once.”

The king said:

“Very well.”

The king immediately cut flesh from his own thigh and placed it on the scale to equal the dove’s weight. Yet the dove grew progressively heavier. The king continued cutting flesh from his own body until all his flesh was gone, but its weight still did not equal that of the dove. The agony of his wounded body was truly beyond description. Out of compassion, the king endured it all in the hope that the dove might live, and he commanded a close minister:

“Quickly kill me and take out my marrow to weigh against the dove’s flesh. I reverently serve all Buddhas and uphold the solemn, true precepts in order to rescue sentient beings from peril and calamity. Though hosts of evil beings may trouble me, they are no more than a light passing breeze; how could they shake Mount Tai?”

The hawk realized that the king’s resolve to uphold the Way was unchanging and that his compassionate generosity was beyond compare. The two therefore immediately resumed their original forms. Shakra and the Frontier King bowed their heads to the ground and asked:

“What does the Great King seek to attain that you would endure such suffering?”

The human king replied:

“My aspiration does not seek the throne of Shakra, king of the gods, nor that of a Flying Emperor, or anything of the kind. I see sentient beings perpetually submerged in darkness, unable to behold the Three Jewels or hear the Buddha’s teachings. Abandoning their minds to evil deeds, they cast themselves into the Avici hell. Seeing them thus ignorant, deluded, and confused, I feel compassion for them. Therefore, I have made a vow to attain Buddhahood, rescue sentient beings from every suffering and calamity, and enable them to realize nirvana.”

The god Shakra was terrified and said:

“I was foolish and thought that Your Majesty wished to seize my throne, so I came to trouble you. What instruction would you give me?”

The king said:

“Cause the wounds upon my body to heal as before, so that my resolve, which has always delighted in giving alms and bringing aid, may become even more exalted than it is today.”

Shakra immediately ordered a celestial physician to infuse divine medicine into the king’s body. The king’s wounds at once healed, and his complexion and strength became greater than before. In an instant, all the cuts upon his body suddenly became whole. Shakra bowed his head in apology, circumambulated him three times, and joyfully departed.

From that time onward, the king practiced generosity even more than before.

With compassion, the bodhisattva bestowed kindness and cultivated the practice of the perfection beyond measure. Thus did he practice giving.

– *

*

3- Long ago, there was a bodhisattva who was exceedingly poor and destitute. He journeyed to another country together with a group of merchants. These people all had faith in the Buddha, gave alms to the poor and needy, and aided sentient beings. They all said:

“We all possess compassion and give assistance, but what do you have with which to practice giving?”

The bodhisattva replied:

“Alas! Life and body are only temporarily borrowed; there is nothing that cannot be relinquished.

“I see that in the sea, large and small fish devour one another, and my heart is filled with sorrow and pity. Therefore, I shall offer this body in place of the small fish, so that they may live a little longer.”

Having said this, he cast himself into the sea. The large fish thereby had their fill, while the small fish survived. The bodhisattva’s spirit was transformed into a great Candana fish whose body was several leagues long.

Along the seacoast was a country afflicted by drought. Its people were starving and parched, and so they devoured one another. Seeing this, the great fish shed tears and said:

“Sentient beings are in turmoil, and their suffering is truly oppressive! The flesh of my body extends for several leagues and can supply the needs of the common people for ten months.”

The fish then cast its body onto the shore of the drought-stricken country. By eating its flesh, the entire country preserved its people’s lives. The people took its flesh and ate it for several months, yet the fish remained alive. A celestial spirit descended and said to the fish:

“Can you endure such suffering? Why do you not die and thereby escape such pain?”

The fish replied:

“If I were to die, my spirit would depart and my body would decay. Later, when the people again suffered hunger and thirst, they would once more devour one another. Out of compassion, I could not bear to behold that!”

The celestial spirit said:

“The bodhisattva’s compassion is truly beyond compare.”

The celestial spirit was all the more deeply moved and said:

“You will surely attain Buddhahood and deliver sentient beings from suffering.”

Someone struck off the fish’s head with an axe, and the fish died. Its spirit was then reborn as the crown prince, the son of a king. From the moment of his birth, the prince possessed the luminous wisdom of a supreme sage. His loving-kindness spread far and wide, and the four benefactions suffused heaven and earth. His compassion for the people was boundless, and his speech was gentle and benevolent. Nevertheless, the country continued to suffer from drought. The king purified his mind, observed the precepts and fasting, refused all food and drink, and knocked his head upon the ground in repentance, saying:

“The people have not encountered favorable conditions, and the fault lies with me! I vow to relinquish this life so that the myriad people may receive the nourishing grace of rain.”

Day after day, the king grieved like a most filial son mourning the death of a benevolent father. The sincerity of his heart spread afar, whereupon five hundred Buddhas came to that country. When the king heard the news, his heart was so filled with joy that he forgot himself. He reverently went forth to welcome them and escorted them to the main hall. The queen, crown prince, and all the others were likewise utterly sincere. They fully offered delicious foods and fine Dharma robes, prostrated themselves with all five limbs upon the ground, bowed their heads, and tearfully said:

“My mind and conduct are defiled and turbid. I have not obeyed the teachings concerning the four benefactions of the Three Honored Ones, and I have brought suffering upon the people. My offense truly deserves execution or banishment to a lowly and wretched place. For many years there has been drought, and the myriad people have suffered hunger, thirst, resentment, anguish, and heartbreak. I beseech you to remove the people’s calamities and afflictions and cause the guilt and misfortune to fall upon me.”

The Buddha said:

“You are a king who cherishes his people. You possess a benevolent heart and constantly bestow kindness and favor. Your virtue equals that of the god Shakra, and all the Buddhas know this. We now confer this blessing upon the king. Do not be anxious. Quickly instruct the people to sow and cultivate grain.”

The king immediately obeyed the instruction. Men and women each took up their occupations, and all the people went to work. When the grain had formed kernels, the official overseeing agriculture reported this to the king. The king said:

“You must allow it to ripen fully.”

Consequently, rice and grain filled the entire country. Every household possessed several hu of grain. The rice was fragrant and delicious, and its aroma spread everywhere. The whole country rejoiced and praised the king’s merit and virtue. The surrounding countries, which had formerly been hostile, now all came to declare themselves his vassals. The population grew more numerous, and the borders expanded day by day. Throughout the country, all observed the precepts and took refuge in and revered the Three Jewels. After the king and his people died, they were all reborn in the heavenly realm.

The Buddha taught:

“The poor man of that time was none other than I. Because for many kalpas I practiced benevolence and generosity and rescued sentient beings, and because that merit and virtue were never destroyed, I have now attained the fruit of Buddhahood. I am called the God Above Gods and am the Great Hero of the three realms.”

With compassion, the bodhisattva bestowed kindness and cultivated the practice of the perfection beyond measure. Thus did he practice giving.

– *

*

4- Long ago, when the bodhisattva was a devoted ascetic brahmin, he constantly dwelt among mountains and marshes, diligently upheld the Way, and committed no evil deeds. He ate fruit and drank spring water, kept no possessions, and always reflected with compassion upon sentient beings who, through ignorance, brought suffering upon themselves. Whenever he saw anyone in peril, he relinquished his own body to bring them aid.

One day, while searching for fruit and flowers, he encountered a tigress nursing her cubs. After nursing them, the tigress was exhausted from lack of food. Bewildered by hunger and thirst, she was about to turn back and devour her own cubs.

Seeing this, the bodhisattva’s heart was moved with compassion. Sorrowfully reflecting that the anguish and suffering of beings living in the world were truly immeasurable, and that a mother would devour her own children, he was choked with grief and shed tears at the unspeakable pain. The bodhisattva looked all around to see whether there was anything he could give the tigress to eat and thereby save the cubs’ lives, but he found nothing.

He thought to himself, “Tigers are creatures that eat flesh!” He then reflected further, “I resolved to study the Way solely because sentient beings are submerged in the ocean of suffering. My heart wishes to rescue them, cause them to abandon calamity, and enable their lives always to be peaceful and secure. In the future, I too shall grow old and die, and this body will ultimately be cast away.

It would be better to give this body to sentient beings and thereby create merit.” Having reflected thus, the bodhisattva placed his own head into the tigress’s mouth. He offered his head because he wished to die quickly and avoid feeling prolonged pain. Both the tigress and her cubs thereby survived.

The Buddhas praised this merit as equal to that of a supreme sage. Gods, dragons, benevolent spirits, and those whose minds were directed toward the Way—all were moved with compassion. Among those who diligently cultivated the path, some attained the fruit of Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, or Worthy One—the arhat or solitary enlightened one—while others aroused the resolve to seek unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. Through the power of that mighty resolve, he advanced nine kalpas beyond the bodhisattvas who had preceded him and vowed that, during the age of the five turbidities, he would become the teacher of gods and humans, transform and deliver the hostile and wicked, and cause the deviant to follow the true path.

With compassion, the bodhisattva bestowed kindness and cultivated the practice of the perfection beyond measure. Thus did he practice giving.

– *

*

5- In former times, a bodhisattva was the great king of a realm named Ganyi. The king was called Tianyue. Inwardly discerning and outwardly benevolent, his countenance was always gentle and sincere. The myriad people followed his virtuous instruction, the prisons stood empty, and whenever the poor and needy asked for anything, he gave it to them. His kindness permeated the land, and his beneficence was like that of Shakra. Those who had made vows in other countries all revered the king's benevolence and his constant generosity in fulfilling everyone's wishes. Wicked men, jealous of him and seeking to destroy the genuine through deceit, came to the palace gate and said:

-We have heard that the enlightened king aids the poor and needy, his beneficence extending everywhere like the sheltering heavens.

They then asked a guard:

-Can you report our request to the king?

A close minister reported it, and the king immediately appeared. The men who had made vows came forward and said:

-Wise King, your benevolence permeates the four quarters, and among all sentient beings, none fails to praise you. We venture to ask that you grant the request we wish to present.

The king said:

-Very well.

One of the men said:

-The heavenly king delights in giving, and if I make a request, surely you will not refuse. At present, I need a human head for a certain undertaking. I pray that you give me your head to fulfill my wish.

The king said:

-What is so fine about my head that you wish to ask for it? I possess many precious jewels that would benefit you more.

The man would not accept them. The king then ordered skilled craftsmen to fashion heads from the seven kinds of precious substances, making several hundred of them to give to the man.

The man said:

-I desire only the king's own head.

The king had never gone against the wishes of anyone who begged from him. He therefore descended from the hall of his own accord, tied his hair to a tree, and said:

-I give you my head!

The man drew his knife and quickly stepped forward. Seeing what was happening, the tree spirit became enraged at that unrighteous man and slapped him across the cheek. His body spun around, his face was twisted backward, and his hand released the knife, which fell to the ground. The king remained unharmed. His subjects came to wish him long life, mingling joy with sorrow. The devas praised the king's merit, saying, “This is truly the gift of one's own body.” The Four Heavenly Kings protected him, all poisons vanished, there was no illness in the realm, the grain harvests were abundant, all prisons were dismantled, and ruler and subjects alike rejoiced.

The Buddha told the shramanas:

-The king of Ganyi at that time was I myself, and the man who had made the vow was Devadatta.

Thus did the bodhisattva, bestowing kindness out of compassion, cultivate the perfection of giving and practice generosity.

– *

*

6- In former times, a bodhisattva was the great king of a realm. He governed the people with benevolence, forgetting himself in order to help others. Every month the king toured his lands. Whenever he encountered the poor and needy, he assisted them; to orphans, widows, the sick, and the infirm, he gave medicine, rice, and gruel. Whenever he went on a royal tour, he ordered carts laden with jewels, clothing, medicines, and other necessities to follow behind. Whenever he encountered someone who had died, he arranged for the burial. Seeing his people in poverty, he blamed himself:

-The king lacks virtue, and therefore the people suffer. When the king is rich in benevolent virtue, the people have abundance, warmth, and sustenance. Now that the people are poor, I too am poor.

Because the king was so benevolent, his good name spread throughout the ten directions. The second Shakra sat troubled and uneasy. Fear arose in Shakra's heart, and he thought, “That king's virtue towers exceedingly high; he will surely seize my throne. I must destroy his resolve so that his practice will cease.” Shakra then transformed himself into an elderly brahmin and asked the king for one thousand silver coins. The king immediately gave them to him. After receiving the silver, the brahmin said:

-I am already old and fear that someone may steal this silver. I therefore ask to entrust it to the king for safekeeping.

The king replied:

-There are no thieves in my realm.

The brahmin again said:

-I nevertheless ask to leave it in Your Majesty's care.

The king then accepted it for safekeeping. The deva Shakra transformed himself again into another brahmin and came to the palace gate. A close minister reported his arrival, and the king immediately came out. The brahmin praised him:

-Great King, word of your achievements and renown has spread throughout the eight directions. Your virtue is exceedingly rare, and so I have come from afar to make a request.

The king said:

-Very well.

The brahmin said:

-In the past, my merit was meager, and so I was born among the common people. Yet I greatly desire nobility and honor, and therefore I wish to ask for this entire kingdom.

The king replied:

-Very well!

He then immediately mounted a small carriage with his wife and child and departed. The heavenly king again transformed himself into a brahmin and followed the king to ask for the carriage. The king gave him the carriage and horses, then continued on foot with his wife and child.

They took shelter near a mountain and stopped to rest for the night. A spiritual adept who had attained the five superknowledges was a friend of the king. Suddenly remembering the king's virtue, he looked up at the stars and learned that the king had lost his realm.

He then calmed his mind and entered meditation, whereupon he saw that the deva Shakra, out of greed and jealousy, had taken the kingdom and caused the king to suffer hardship and become haggard. Exercising his supernormal powers, the adept instantly appeared before the king and asked:

-What do you seek, O King, that you have so wearied your resolve?

The king replied:

-You already know what my aspiration seeks.

The adept then conjured a two-shafted carriage to carry the king back, just as the morning star was fading.

The deva Shakra again transformed himself into another brahmin and followed them to ask for that carriage. The king immediately gave it to him as well. The king and his family then gradually continued their journey homeward. When they were some tens of miles from that realm, the deva Shakra again transformed himself into the first brahmin and came to demand his silver. The king said:

-I gave my kingdom to another and therefore forgot about your money.

The brahmin said:

-I give you three days to repay me in full.

The king then took his wife and child and pledged them as servants to a certain household, receiving one thousand silver coins with which to repay the brahmin.

The king's wife became the servant of the daughter of that household. When the young woman went to bathe, she removed her various ornaments of gold, jade, and jewels and hung them on a rack. The deva Shakra then transformed himself into a hawk, seized the clothing and jewels, and flew away.

The daughter of the household thought that her servant had stolen them, so she accused her and had her imprisoned. The king's child slept together with the householder's child. During the night, the deva Shakra came and killed the householder's child, whereupon the household seized the king's child and cast him into prison.

Thus both mother and child were imprisoned. Hungry, thirsty, and haggard, they cried out, but no one came to save them; throughout each day, they could only weep. When their guilt had been determined, they were taken out and exposed in the marketplace.

The king labored as a hired hand until he had earned a full one thousand silver coins, and then went to redeem his wife and child. Passing through the marketplace and seeing them in that condition, the king immediately recollected the Buddhas of the ten directions and reproached himself:

-Was I so wicked in a former life?

He then calmed his mind and entered meditation. Through the illumination of his supernormal knowledge, he saw that this had been done by the deva Shakra. A voice in the sky said:

-Why do you not quickly kill him?

The king replied:

-I have heard that Shakra aids all sentient beings everywhere. His sincere heart is compassionate, and he nurtures them even more tenderly than a loving mother. Even creatures with blood in their mouths that spit venom at people receive his beneficent aid. Moreover, it was because you had no evil conditions that you attained the position of Shakra. Yet Shakra has harbored a cruel and venomous heart; when that evil ripens into transgression, while still alive he will fall into the Taishan hell.

Devas, humans, nagas, and spirits all praised the king's goodness. The king who ruled that land immediately absolved the king's wife and child of their alleged crimes. The two kings met and inquired into the cause of these events. When the entire story was recounted from beginning to end, everyone in the realm, high and low alike, shed tears. The king who ruled that land divided his realm and gave a portion to the king to govern. The subjects of the king's former realm found where their king was and arranged to welcome him back. Among the rulers and subjects of the two realms, some grieved while others rejoiced.

The king at that time was I myself; his wife is now Gopi; his child is now Rahula; the deva Shakra is now Devadatta; the adept in the mountains is now Shariputra; and the king who ruled that land is Maitreya.

Thus did the bodhisattva, bestowing kindness out of compassion, cultivate the perfection of giving.

– *

*

7- Long ago, there was a bodhisattva who was the king of a great kingdom. He governed the people with justice and integrity, without partiality, but was unwilling to go out and observe the condition of the people. The prime minister petitioned:

-May Your Majesty leave the palace and go forth once to observe the condition of the people.

The king said:

-Very well!

At daybreak, he immediately set out. The people rejoiced, and all were satisfied. The king saw that the wealthy people of the kingdom lived in splendid residences roofed with tiles of gold and silver and wore magnificent garments and ornaments. The king was greatly pleased and said:

-How prosperous my kingdom is!

After returning to the palace and recalling this matter, the king said:

-What benefit have those Licchavis brought to the kingdom?

He then ordered that their wealth be requisitioned to support the army.

One Licchavi, whose personal property amounted to thirty million, submitted a memorial to the king. The king became angry and said:

-How dare you slight me?

The man replied:

-From childhood until now, I have diligently attended to my livelihood and, all told, have acquired some personal wealth. As for the jewels and treasures in my household, they are all the share belonging to the five claimants; they are not my personal possessions.

The king said:

-What do you call personal possessions?

The man replied:

-To keep the Buddha’s meritorious works in mind, to speak the Buddha’s teachings with my mouth, and to perform the Buddha’s deeds with my body; to relinquish the share of the five claimants in order to build monasteries and hermitages where the Buddha is enshrined; to venerate the noble Sangha; to offer food, drink, and robes; and compassionately to nurture all creatures that crawl, fly, stir, and move—whatever I myself dislike, I do not inflict upon others.

Such merit remains with me as a shadow follows its form, and therefore I call it my personal possession. As for the share of the five claimants, the first claimant is water, the second fire, the third bandits, the fourth the authorities, and the fifth the ending of one’s life. When the body perishes, the treasures in the household are left behind in the world.

One departs alone, not knowing where the gates of misfortune and blessing may lead. Seeing the world as a dream and an illusion, I dare not regard these things as mine. If the share of the five claimants is reckoned, it amounts to several billion.

It is truly a den of calamity. I constantly fear that danger may befall me, so how could I dare regard it as my personal wealth? I ask that the soldiers carry it away and thereby relieve me of this anxiety.

The king said:

-How sincere these words are!

He then permitted the man to depart. The king withdrew into his fasting chamber, calmed his mind, and reflected. He immediately awakened to the truth:

-One cannot preserve even one’s own body; how much less could the kingdom, wife, children, and all these other things endure forever?

The king then had Buddhist sutras copied, read and recited them, and expounded their meaning. The defilements of his mind were completely cleansed. He promoted loyal and generous officials, accepted remonstrance, proclaimed a general amnesty throughout the kingdom, returned the jewels and treasures to the people, treated the officials generously, and deliberated on lenient and righteous governance. The king summoned his ministers and told them:

-Anyone who fails to perceive the profound and precious meaning of the Buddhist sutras is merely blind and deaf! That Licchavi is wealthy; I alone am poor.

The king then ordered that the treasures be distributed throughout the kingdom to aid the poor and distressed, giving the people whatever they desired. He established monasteries and hermitages where the Buddha was enshrined, burned incense, offered food and drink to the sramanas, and personally observed the six monthly fast days. He continued in this manner for three years. The four quarters became peaceful, theft and banditry ceased entirely, the five kinds of grain yielded abundant harvests, and the people were freed from hunger and cold. After his death, the king was immediately reborn in the second heaven.

The Buddha told the sramanas:

-The king of that time was I myself; the Licchavi was the Venerable Sariputra; and the person who urged the king to go forth and observe the condition of the people was the Venerable Ananda.

The bodhisattva compassionately bestowed kindness and cultivated the perfection of transcendence, practicing generosity in this manner.

– *

*

8- Long ago, the bodhisattva was a great Licchavi named Xian Tan, who was wealthy and noble and possessed incalculable riches. Having seen the luminous teaching of the Buddha, he understood that the world is impermanent, that life in the body is difficult to preserve, that wealth is not truly one’s own, and that only the merit of generosity does not perish. He therefore announced to the people: “If anyone is poor or in want, let that person come and take whatever is needed!” He continued in this way for many months.

At that time, the state pursued generous policies, and all the people were prosperous; no one remained poor or destitute. Xian Tan reflected: “I should now purchase medicines to help the sick.” He immediately bought excellent medicines and saved the lives of sentient beings. His compassionate care spread everywhere, and there was nowhere his beneficence did not reach.

He practiced generosity for many years, and the fragrance of his virtue spread afar. Sick people came from the four directions, and everyone praised his all-pervading kindness, saying that his virtue equaled heaven. When his wealth was completely exhausted, he personally set out in search of treasure.

More than a hundred li from his home, at a river landing, he encountered several carts carrying people who were gravely ill. Xian Tan asked:

-Where are you going?

They replied:

-We are going to Xian Tan’s dwelling in the hope that we may survive.

Xian Tan immediately turned back. He went to the king and borrowed five hundred taels of gold, purchased medicines, and cured all those people of their illnesses. He then personally accompanied some merchants into the sea to seek jewels and treasures.

After they had acquired a great many, they abandoned their boat and returned to the kingdom on foot. Along the road, they lacked drinking water. Xian Tan found a well and called everyone over to draw water; then he himself drew water to drink.

The merchants saw that Xian Tan had obtained a white jewel, sparkling brilliantly and incomparably beautiful. Greed made them increasingly wicked, and they wished to violate a noble being and harm a righteous man. Together they pushed Xian Tan into the well.

Yet because the bodhisattva was virtuous and had moved the spirits, a heavenly deity supported him, and he suffered no injury. The merchants returned to the kingdom. The king asked them:

-Where has Xian Tan gone?

They replied:

-Soon after leaving the kingdom, he disappeared, and we do not know where he went!

The king said:

-Did you kill him?

They replied:

-We did no such thing!

While in the well, Xian Tan saw an opening beside him and, by means of it, escaped from the well. After exactly seven days, Xian Tan returned to his own kingdom. The king asked:

-Why have you returned empty-handed?

Xian Tan replied:

-I did not find any jewels or treasures.

The king silently reflected: “There must surely be some reason for this.” He then summoned the merchants and asked:

-If you truthfully confess your crime, you shall live; but if you lie to me, you shall die.

The merchants all confessed. They were immediately arrested and imprisoned to await the day of sentencing. Xian Tan wept and hurried to the palace gate, where he bowed his head to the ground and begged forgiveness for those men. The king said:

-That would violate the laws of the kingdom.

Xian Tan pleaded once more:

-The perceptions and understanding of the ignorant are always mistaken, for their wisdom is not yet sufficient. I beg you to forgive their lack of understanding.

The king praised Xian Tan’s all-embracing benevolence, pardoned the merchants’ grave crime, and ordered them to return the treasures they had taken. The merchants all said:

-If Xian Tan did not revere the Buddha, how could he possess such benevolence?

They each selected jewels and treasures to return to him. Xian Tan accepted only half from each person. The merchants all bowed and said:

-We have received the grace of your saving our lives; please accept everything!

Xian Tan accepted the goods, returned the gold to the king, and then resumed giving on an even greater scale. The king and his subjects together requested to receive the precepts. Children were filial, ministers were loyal, and heavenly spirits gave their protection. The kingdom was prosperous, the people were at peace, and the four quarters received the benefit of his virtue. There was no one who did not praise his goodness.

The Buddha said:

-Xian Tan at that time was I myself.

The bodhisattva compassionately bestowed kindness and cultivated the perfection of transcendence, practicing generosity in this manner.

– *

*

9- Long ago, there was a bodhisattva born into a wealthy and noble family. As soon as he was born, he said:

—Living beings suffer myriad calamities; I must rescue and aid them. They do not behold the radiance of the Buddha, nor do they hear the luminous Dharma. I must open their ears and eyes, remove their blindness and deafness, and enable them to hear and see the unsurpassed, Right and True Teaching, which is the king of all that is sacred and the source of the manifest principles of Dharma. I shall guide them to practice generosity with diligence, and none shall fail to follow.

His relatives were alarmed and said:

—Never before have we heard a child speak such words. Could this be a miraculous response from devas, nagas, ghosts, or spirits? We should perform divination and see.

The child immediately replied to his relatives:

—I have manifested from the realm of the Supreme Sage and naturally comprehend all things. I am not one of the demons or ghosts. Be at ease and harbor no doubts.

Having said this, he fell silent. His parents said:

—Your great aspiration encompasses heaven and earth. Will you not become an extraordinary person?

They therefore named their son Universal Giving. Though only ten years old, there was nothing in the Buddhist scriptures or the various branches of worldly learning that he did not thoroughly understand. He then bade farewell to his parents and went forth to help everyone, giving alms to the poor and destitute. His parents said:

—Our family is renowned for its great wealth. You may freely give alms to those who are poor and in need.

Universal Giving replied:

—That will not be enough! I ask to become a sramana. Give me sufficient robes and an alms bowl, together with a khakkhara staff, so that I may undertake the work of delivering myriad people. This is the aspiration of my entire life.

His parents recalled the vow he had made at birth, so they neither hindered nor refused him. In accordance with his aspiration, they allowed him to become a sramana and travel everywhere teaching and transforming beings.

He passed through a great kingdom where there lived a wealthy man who was also well versed in the scriptures. Seeing Universal Giving's dignified bearing, handsome features, mature disposition, and purity like celestial gold, and perceiving that he possessed the bearing of a Supreme Sage and would become a hero in the world, the wealthy man summoned him and said:

—Whatever you desire, please tell me, and I shall satisfy the Sage. I have an unworthy daughter whom I respectfully offer to serve at your command.

Universal Giving replied:

—Very well. But you must wait until I return.

Universal Giving then set out for the seashore. He boarded a ship and crossed the sea, went ashore, entered the mountains, and reached an uninhabited place. From afar he saw a city of silver with radiant, beautiful palaces.

A venomous serpent was coiled seven times around the city; its enormous body measured a hundred spans. When it saw Universal Giving approaching, it raised its head high. Universal Giving thought, “This venomous creature must harbor a harmful mind.

I must arouse boundless loving-kindness to extinguish its venom. Ferocity is fire, and compassion is water. How could water fail to extinguish fire?” He then sat in meditative concentration, aroused loving-kindness, and vowed that living beings would soon escape the eight difficulties, abandon evil thoughts, encounter a Buddha, behold the Dharma, meet with sramanas, and hear the luminous, unsurpassed, Right and True Way, so that their minds would open and their delusions be extinguished, just as in my own vision and understanding.

When he aroused loving-kindness through this Dharma of concentration, the serpent's venom was immediately extinguished, and it lowered its head and fell asleep. Universal Giving stepped upon the serpent's head and entered the city. Within the city was a celestial spirit who rejoiced upon seeing Universal Giving and said:

—For a long time I have admired your sacred virtue. Now that you have deigned to come here, it truly accords with my original wish. Please remain for one period of ninety days.

Universal Giving consented. The celestial king immediately entrusted the affairs of his court to a close minister, while he personally offered and served every kind of food and drink morning and evening. He reverently observed and cultivated the exalted practices of the Buddhas concerning impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self—the luminous Dharmas by which living beings are delivered. When the appointed period of offerings was complete, Universal Giving prepared to depart. The celestial king presented him with a luminous moon-jewel and escorted him on his way, saying:

—When you carry this precious jewel, it casts light for forty leagues. Whatever treasure your mind desires will appear in abundance. If in the future you attain Buddhahood, I ask to become a close disciple who attends upon you.

Universal Giving replied:

—So be it.

Universal Giving continued onward and saw a city of gold, adorned far more beautifully than the city of silver. Another venomous serpent was coiled fourteen times around the city. Its body was twice as large as that of the former serpent, and its head rose several fathoms high. Universal Giving again contemplated through meditative concentration, manifesting vast loving-kindness. The serpent's venom immediately vanished; it lowered its head and fell asleep. Universal Giving stepped across its body and entered the city. Within that city was a celestial being who rejoiced upon seeing Universal Giving and said:

—For a long time I have revered and admired the sacred Sage. It is exceedingly good that you have now come! Please remain here for two periods, one hundred and eighty days. I vow to make offerings to you with all my heart and ask only that you leave the influence of your awesome spiritual power here.

Universal Giving consented to remain and expounded to that celestial being the Dharma of the unsurpassed luminous practice. When the full one hundred and eighty days had elapsed, he bade farewell and departed. The celestial being likewise gave him a divine jewel and escorted him on his way. The jewel cast light for eighty leagues, and as soon as one formed an aspiration, every kind of treasure would appear in abundance. The celestial being said:

—If you attain the Way, I vow to become your disciple foremost in spiritual powers.

After receiving the divine jewel, Universal Giving continued his journey and saw a city of vaidurya, more resplendent than the previous city. Yet another venomous serpent, immense in body, was coiled twenty-one times around the city. It raised its head, glared with its eyes, and guarded the city gate.

Universal Giving again sat down, entered meditative concentration, and deeply contemplated all-embracing loving-kindness, vowing to deliver living beings. The serpent's venom vanished; it lowered its head and lay peacefully at rest. Universal Giving again stepped across it and entered the city.

The deva within joyfully welcomed him as before and invited him to remain for three periods, asking to make offerings to him wholeheartedly in accordance with his wish. When the appointed period ended, Universal Giving again bade farewell and departed. The deva likewise escorted him on his way with a divine jewel that cast light for as far as one hundred and sixty leagues.

Wherever the jewel was present, all kinds of treasure would appear in abundance throughout the region illuminated by its light, according to one's wishes; nothing one sought would fail to be obtained. The deva also requested:

—If you attain the fruit of unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment, I ask to become your disciple foremost in lucid wisdom.

Universal Giving replied:

—Your wish will certainly be fulfilled.

Having obtained the precious jewels, Universal Giving said:

—These are sufficient to relieve every hardship suffered by living beings!

He then set out to return to his former abode. The naga spirits of the sea conferred among themselves, saying:

—Our great sea depends upon those three wondrous divine jewels for its splendor and prosperity. Now that this ascetic has obtained them all, what shall we have to preserve our wealth and glory? We would sooner lose every other kind of treasure than allow those three precious jewels to be taken away.

The sea spirit transformed himself into an ordinary man, blocked Universal Giving's path, and said:

—I have heard that you have obtained the finest treasures in the world. Might you let me see them?

As soon as Universal Giving displayed the jewels, the sea spirit struck him on the head and seized them. Universal Giving thought, “I endured dangers and crossed the great sea to obtain these precious jewels, intending to use them to relieve every hardship suffered by living beings. Who could have expected that this spirit would see them and take them away?” Having thought this, he said:

—Return my precious jewels to me, or I shall drain your sea dry!

The sea spirit replied:

—What boastful words are these? This is the great sea, unfathomably deep and vast. Who could ever dry it up? The sun might fall from the sky, and tempests might cease to blow, but how could the sea easily be exhausted? It would be as difficult as destroying empty space!

Universal Giving said:

—Long ago, before Dīpaṅkara Buddha, I made a vow to attain the spiritual power to overturn the seas, lift Mount Sumeru in my hand, shake heaven and earth, and move the realms. The Buddha, in accordance with that aspiration, enabled me to attain my vow. Now that I have attained such spiritual power, how could one possessing only the deviant strength of demons and ghosts, no more substantial than a strand of hair, obstruct my righteous power?

He then proclaimed this teaching:

—Throughout countless kalpas until now, the milk I have drunk from my mothers, the tears I have shed, and the blood that has flowed when my bodies died could not be contained even by the ocean. Affection and attachment are difficult to sever, and birth and death are difficult to bring to an end. Yet I remain determined to eradicate the root of affection and attachment and bring the consciousness subject to birth and death completely to rest. If I cannot finish draining it away in this life, then in life after life I vow to continue draining it away.

He then stood with his feet evenly planted, drained the ocean into his water vessel, and cast the water beyond the Iron Ring Mountains.

At that time, a deva named Pervasive Purity heard those profound and wondrous words from afar and thought to himself: “Long ago, before Dīpaṅkara Buddha, I heard that this man had formed such an aspiration. He will certainly become a World-Honored One and deliver all sentient beings.” That deva immediately descended to lend his power and help drain the water vessel, until eight parts out of ten of the water had disappeared. The ocean deities, filled with remorse and fear, said:

—Alas! Who is this man, whose spiritual efficacy is so boundless? If the water here is exhausted, we shall have nowhere to dwell!

They immediately brought forth all the precious objects in their treasuries and offered them to Universal Giving. Universal Giving refused them, saying:

—I wish only to have the precious jewel returned.

The ocean deities returned the precious jewel. Universal Giving then restored the water and traveled throughout his country, seeking opportunities to practice generosity. In every country through which Universal Giving passed, the people were no longer poor. Every country without exception reformed and changed, adopting the Five Precepts and the Ten Wholesome Actions as the principles by which the nation was governed, opening the prisons and proclaiming a general amnesty. His gracious virtue permeated all sentient beings, and he subsequently attained Buddhahood.

The Buddha told the śramaṇas:

—Universal Giving was I myself; his father was King Śuddhodana; his mother is now Māyā, my mother; the woman of great resolve was Gopā; the deva in the silver city is now Ānanda; the deva in the golden city is now Maudgalyāyana; and the deva in the crystal city is now Śāriputra.

Throughout many kalpas, the bodhisattva practiced diligently, carried out the four acts of kindness, and vowed to seek Buddhahood in order to rescue sentient beings.

With compassion, the bodhisattva bestowed kindness and cultivated the pāramitā, practicing generosity in this manner.

– *

*

10—Long ago, the bodhisattva was the great king of a powerful realm, named Long Life, and his crown prince was named Long-Lived. That king was benevolent, always cherishing compassion for sentient beings. He vowed to deliver them and strove diligently without ever knowing weariness. Knives and clubs were never put to use; his subjects uttered no complaints; winds and rains came in due season; and precious grain was abundant.

The petty king of a neighboring country was violent by nature, and because his laws were greedy and cruel, his people were impoverished and his country depleted. That king summoned his ministers and said:

—I have heard that King Long Life's country is wealthy and not far from here. Because he is always benevolent, he does not kill and has no army prepared for defense. I wish to seize his country. Should I do so?

The ministers replied:

—You should.

That king immediately raised an army and advanced to the frontier of the great kingdom. The officer guarding the pass hastily submitted a memorial reporting the situation and requesting that preparations for defense be made at once. King Long Life then convened his ministers and said:

—That king has come here only because he covets our populous country and its many treasures. If we engage them in battle, we will surely destroy the lives of countless people. To slaughter the people for one's own benefit is greedy and inhumane. I will not do such a thing.

All the ministers submitted:

—We, your servants, have long studied military strategy and the art of war. We beg permission to lead the troops, attack, and annihilate them, so that Your Sacred Majesty need not trouble yourself.

King Long Life said:

—If I prevail, they will die; if I am defeated, I will perish! Their soldiers and our people are all born and nurtured by heaven. Who does not cherish the body and value life? But to preserve one's own person by harming countless people is something a worthy person will not do.

The ministers all came forward and said among themselves:

—This is a virtuous, heavenly king. We cannot allow him to lose his country. We must muster the troops and horses ourselves and go forth to resist the enemy.

When King Long Life learned of this, he summoned the crown prince and said:

—That king covets our country and has come here harboring a cruel and venomous heart. For the sake of my single person, the ministers wish to take the lives of countless people. Now, should I relinquish the kingdom in order to preserve the lives of the people nurtured by heaven? Would this accord with righteousness?

The crown prince replied:

—Yes, it would.

Father and son then slipped beyond the city walls and departed. They changed their names and lived in seclusion among mountains, forests, and wilderness. Only then was the greedy king able to enter that country.

The ministers and people, having lost their former king, were like filial children who had lost both parents. In every household they grieved bitterly and rolled upon the ground in anguish. The greedy king announced a reward for the capture of the former king: a thousand catties of pure gold and ten million strings of cash.

After departing, King Long Life sat in meditative concentration beneath a tree by the roadside, reflecting with compassion that sentient beings undergo birth and death and suffer extreme hardship, yet fail to perceive impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self because they are deluded by craving and desire. Their sufferings are truly innumerable.

A brahmin from a distant country heard that King Long Life delighted in generosity and saved the lives of sentient beings. He journeyed from afar and also stopped to rest beneath this tree. The two exchanged inquiries, and each related the circumstances that had brought him there. With deep reverence, the brahmin said:

—O Heavenly King, how have you come to such a plight?

Then, shedding tears, he lamented:

—Few of the declining years of my life remain. I therefore intended to come and beg you to sustain what is left of my life. But now that the great king has lost his country, my own life too has reached its end.

After saying this, he wept and wailed.

The king said:

—You are poor and distressed and have come from afar, only to encounter me when I have lost my kingdom and have nothing with which to help you. Is this not truly lamentable?

Then, wiping away his tears, he continued:

—I have heard that the new king has offered a very great reward for my capture. Take my head to him, and you may receive the generous reward.

The brahmin replied:

—I cannot do that! From afar I came to admire the Heavenly King as a benevolent man who always rescues sentient beings, whose profound virtue enriches all as heaven and earth do. Thus I left my country and came here, hoping that you would save my life. Now the king tells me to cut off his head—how could I dare obey such a command?

The king said:

—This body is a decaying thing; how could I dare hope to preserve it forever? Whatever is born must die—who can endure eternally? Even if you do not take it, in the end it will merely turn to ashes and dust.

The brahmin submitted:

—The Heavenly King's benevolence truly extends far and wide, and your humane virtue is like heaven itself. Surely you wish to sacrifice your own body to rescue one who is lowly. Please release your hand so that I may lead you away.

The king immediately extended his hand and followed him. When they reached the gate of his former city, the king told the brahmin to bind him and deliver him to the greedy king. When the people of the country saw their king, they grieved, and their cries resounded everywhere. The brahmin received the reward. The greedy king ordered that King Long Life be taken to the crossroads and burned alive. All the ministers submitted:

—Our former king must now die. We beg permission to prepare a small offering of food to bid farewell to his spirit.

The greedy king said:

—Very well.

All the officials and the people poured into the streets in grief, writhing and crying out together to heaven. Crown Prince Long-Lived, disguised as a seller of firewood, came and stood before his father. When the king saw his son, he raised his face toward heaven and said:

—If you go against your father’s final admonition, harboring cruel malice and bearing deep resentment, you will bring calamity upon yourself for ten thousand generations and cannot be called a filial son. The four immeasurable minds of the Buddhas pervade all beings universally, and their virtue encompasses heaven and earth. In following the Way, I would even sacrifice my own body to rescue sentient beings, yet I still fear that I have not perfectly fulfilled even a small part of filial conduct. How much less, then, could I commit the rebellious act of taking revenge? Only by not abandoning my teaching can you be called filial.

Unable to bear watching his father die, the prince returned to the depths of the mountains.

When the king’s life ended, the prince wept in grief until blood flowed from his mouth with his tears, and said:

—Although my royal father, at the time of his death, instructed me to be compassionate to the utmost, I shall surely have to disobey that teaching and destroy that vicious and poisonous beast.

The prince then left the mountains to seek a place where he might hire himself out, and became a vegetable gardener for an official. One day, the official happened to stroll through the garden. Seeing the vegetables flourishing, he asked about the matter. The keeper of the garden replied:

—It is because we hired a man skilled in gardening.

The official summoned the gardener and asked:

—What other abilities do you possess?

He replied:

—I am skilled in a hundred crafts and foremost in them all.

The official invited the covetous king to come and instructed the gardener to prepare and offer him a meal. His cooking proved even better than that of the officials responsible for preparing the king’s food. The king asked:

—Who prepared this meal?

The official then reported the man’s present circumstances. The covetous king took him into his service as an official overseeing the royal kitchens, and everything he did was satisfactory. Gradually, Prince Long-Lived was promoted by the covetous king and appointed a close attendant. The king said:

—The son of King Long-Life is my bitter enemy. I now appoint you as an officer of my personal guard.

The prince replied:

—Yes, Your Majesty.

One day, the covetous king asked Prince Long-Lived:

—Do you enjoy hunting?

He replied:

—Your servant enjoys it greatly!

The covetous king then organized a hunt. While spurring his horse in pursuit of the game, the king became separated from everyone else, with only Long-Lived remaining at his side. They stayed in the mountains for three days, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. The covetous king then removed his sword and handed it to Long-Lived, after which he rested his head upon the prince’s lap and fell asleep. Long-Lived said:

—Now that I have you in my power, should I not kill you?

He drew the sword, intending to cut off the king’s head, but suddenly remembered his father’s admonition: “To disobey one’s father’s teaching is unfilial.” He therefore stopped and sheathed the sword. The covetous king awoke and said:

—I just dreamed that Long-Lived intended to cut off my head. What should I do?

The prince replied:

—There are vicious demons in these mountains who delight in tormenting people, but with a guardian spirit serving as your escort, what is there to fear?

The covetous king went back to sleep. The same thing happened again, and then a third time. At last, the prince threw away the sword and said:

—Because my father was compassionate, I spare your life!

The covetous king awoke again and said:

—I dreamed that Prince Long-Lived had spared my life!

The prince said:

—I am Long-Lived! Remembering my father, I have pursued my enemy to this very day. Even as my father was dying, his lips continued to teach me words of compassion, causing me to follow the Buddhas’ principles of patient endurance and repaying evil with goodness. Yet my nature is ignorant and deluded, and I wished to mingle those two poisons together. Three times I recalled my father’s teaching, and three times I lowered the sword. I therefore beseech Your Majesty to kill me swiftly and eliminate any future danger. Once my body is dead and my spirit has departed, evil intentions will no longer arise.

The covetous king repented and said:

—I acted tyrannically, unable to distinguish good from evil. Your late father, the former king, possessed lofty and perfectly pure conduct. He lost his kingdom but did not lose his virtue and deserves to be called a supreme sage. A son who preserves his father’s conduct deserves to be called filial! As for me, I am of the breed of jackals and wolves, destroying living beings to satisfy myself. Now my life lies in your hands, yet you spare me and do not kill me. How could I dare violate the Way again hereafter? I now wish to return to my kingdom. Which road should I follow?

Long-Lived replied:

—I arranged for us to lose our way.

The prince then led the king out of the forest, where they rejoined the officials. The king asked them:

—Do you know Prince Long-Lived?

They all replied:

—No, Your Majesty, we do not.

The king said:

—This man is Prince Long-Lived. He shall now return to his kingdom, while I shall return to my former kingdom. From this day forth, let us become brothers and share both calamity and good fortune.

On the day Prince Long-Lived was installed as king, the entire kingdom was filled with mingled joy and sorrow, and everyone came to offer congratulations and praise. The covetous king returned to his own kingdom and resumed paying tribute as before. From that time onward, the country became prosperous, powerful, peaceful, and secure.

The Buddha told the monks:

—King Long-Life at that time was none other than I myself. The prince was Ananda, and the covetous king was Devadatta. Life after life, Devadatta has always harbored evil intentions toward me, yet I have continually delivered him. Ananda and Devadatta originally bore no enmity toward one another and therefore did not harm each other. Life after life, I endured what could not be endured, mastered my mind, and established virtuous conduct. Thus I have now attained Buddhahood and am revered throughout the three realms.

The bodhisattva compassionately bestowed kindness and cultivated the perfection of generosity. Such was his practice of giving.