六度集經

Chapter I: THE PARAMITA OF GIVING (continued)

11 - The Sutra of King Bā-đa.

Long ago, the king of Varanasi, named Bā-đa, governed his realm with benevolence. He abandoned weapons of war, did away with whips and staves, and demolished the prisons. No voices of lament or complaint were heard in the streets; all the people lived in peace, the kingdom was strong, and the people were prosperous. The devas praised his benevolent virtue. The king’s city extended four hundred miles in length and breadth and measured one thousand six hundred miles in circumference. Every day, the king provided the inhabitants of the city with whatever food and drink they desired. The king of a neighboring realm learned that this kingdom was wealthy and free from calamity, so he plotted with his ministers:

“That kingdom is flourishing, and its people are prosperous, peaceful, and happy. I wish to seize it. If I advance against it, I shall surely prevail.”

All the officials reported:

“May Your Majesty freely carry out your will.”

At once, he raised an army and marched against the benevolent kingdom. The ministers of the benevolent kingdom reported to their king and sought permission to deploy the army against the enemy. The benevolent king sorrowfully said:

“For the sake of my body—mine alone—millions of people would be slain. Out of attachment to my single life, the lives of millions would be harmed. One mouth requires only two meals a day, and one body wears only a few sets of clothing. What is there to contend over, so that we should cast aside the virtue of springtime under heaven and cling instead to the cruelty of wolves and jackals? I would rather relinquish the life of this one incarnation than ever abandon my great vow. To forget oneself so that all beings may dwell in peace is benevolence encompassing heaven and earth.”

He then commanded his ministers:

“That is enough. Return for now, and tomorrow morning we shall discuss the matter further!”

When night came, the king slipped over the city wall and fled far away. He went deep into the mountains and sat beside the root of a tree. A Brahmin about sixty years old arrived and asked the king:

“Does the king of that benevolent realm enjoy the blessings of every good fortune?”

The king replied:

“That king is already dead.”

On hearing this, the Brahmin collapsed to the ground and wept in grief.

The king asked him:

“Why are you so deeply sorrowful?”

The Brahmin replied:

“I heard that the benevolence of that king pervaded all beings like that of Shakra, so I hastened here to seek refuge with him. Now that the king is dead, I, in my old age, truly have nowhere left to turn!”

The king said:

“That benevolent king is none other than I. The king of the neighboring realm learned that my kingdom was prosperous and flourishing, with a great population and abundant treasures, and ordered his warriors: ‘Whoever brings me his head shall be rewarded with one thousand male servants and one thousand female servants, one thousand horses, one thousand cattle, and one thousand catties each of gold and silver.’ Now take my head, and bring my golden crown and precious sword as proof. Go to that king, and you will receive a great reward. You may make those things an inheritance for generations to come, and my heart will be entirely at peace.”

The Brahmin replied:

“To act without benevolence and contrary to the Way—I would rather die than do it!”

The king said:

“You are old and came to rely upon me for your livelihood. How could I bear to leave you destitute? I shall now take my own head for you, so that you will incur no guilt.”

The king then rose, bowed his head in reverence to the ten directions, and tearfully vowed:

“Whenever any being is imperiled or afflicted, I shall bring that being peace and happiness. Those who abandon the true path and follow what is false, I shall cause to take refuge in the Three Jewels. I now use this head to rescue you from poverty and distress; therefore, you bear no guilt.”

The king then drew his own sword and destroyed his body to rescue that man from hardship. The Brahmin carried the king’s head, crown, and sword to the other king. The king asked the former ministers:

“The benevolent king possessed the strength to withstand a thousand men. How could he have been captured by this man?”

The former ministers bowed their heads, fell to the ground, and wept bitterly, unable to answer. The king then questioned the Brahmin. The Brahmin reported the entire matter from beginning to end. Millions of people poured into the streets, wailing and weeping. Some cried until they coughed up blood; others died where they stood. From that wicked king down to his ministers and warriors, great and small, there was no one who was not choked with grief. The wicked king raised his face toward heaven and sighed deeply:

“I am truly devoid of the Way, for I have cruelly destroyed one whose benevolence was like heaven!”

He then reunited the benevolent king’s body with his head, covered the body with thin sheets of gold, and seated it in the royal hall as king for thirty-two years. Only afterward did he enthrone that king’s son as successor. No one in the neighboring kingdom failed to cherish the son. After his death, the benevolent king was reborn in a heavenly realm.

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

“That benevolent king was I in a former life. The king of the neighboring realm was Maudgalyayana, and the ministers of that realm are now these bhikshus.”

The bodhisattva, out of loving-kindness and compassion, bestowed kindness and cultivated the boundless practice of the paramita. Thus did he practice giving.

– *

*

12 - The Sutra of the King of Varanasi.

Long ago, the crown prince of the king of Varanasi was named Ca-lan, and he had a younger brother. When their royal father died, the brothers each offered the throne to the other, and neither was willing to ascend it. The elder brother took his wife and fled into the mountains to cultivate the Way, settling beside a riverbank.

At that time, in another kingdom, there was a criminal who, in accordance with the law of the realm, had both hands and feet chopped off and his ears and nose cut away. He was placed upon a raft and set adrift down the river. The criminal cried out to heaven and lamented his plight. Hearing his anguished cries, the ascetic was moved with compassion and thought:

“Alas! Who is that person, suffering such misery? One who possesses a vast mind of loving-kindness forgets his own peril to rescue all beings from calamity and distress. This indeed is the undertaking of a Great Being.”

He immediately plunged into the water, cleaved through the waves, and swam with the current. He pulled the raft ashore, carried the man on his back to his dwelling, and cared for him with all his heart. The man’s wounds gradually healed, and his life was preserved. For four full years, the ascetic compassionately supported him without weariness. The ascetic’s lustful wife shamelessly committed adultery with the criminal and conspired to murder her husband. The woman said:

“Kill him, so that you and I may live together.”

The criminal said:

“He is a virtuous man. Why should we kill him?”

The woman repeated what she had said before. The criminal replied:

“I no longer have hands or feet; I cannot kill him.”

The woman said:

“Just remain seated there. I have a plan of my own.”

She then pretended to suffer from a headache and told her husband:

“This must have been caused by the mountain spirit, and I wish to dispel it. Tomorrow morning, I shall go with you to pray for blessings.”

Her husband said:

“Very well.”

At daybreak, husband and wife climbed a mountainside for as far as forty miles. On three sides, the cliffs rose sheer; merely looking at them inspired terror. The wife said to her husband:

“According to the proper rite, you must stand facing the sun while I personally make the offering.”

The husband then faced the sun. The wife pretended to circle him several times, then suddenly pushed him off the mountain. Halfway down the mountain, however, a tree jutted from the cliff, and its foliage was both dense and soft.

The ascetic caught hold of a branch and brought his fall to a halt. The tree’s fruit was sweet and delicious, and by eating it he preserved his life. Near the tree lived a tortoise that also came each day to eat the fruit.

Seeing a man in the tree, it was frightened and dared not approach. After fasting for five days, the tortoise risked coming to seek fruit. Since neither harmed the other, they became familiar and close.

One day, the ascetic leapt onto the tortoise’s back. Startled, the tortoise sprang violently down to the ground. Because a heavenly spirit supported them, neither suffered any injury.

Through this means, the ascetic returned to his former kingdom. His younger brother relinquished the kingdom to him. With his own vast and magnanimous heart, the elder brother extended compassion to all, aided all beings, and became king, governing that realm.

Every morning he practiced giving. Throughout a radius of four hundred miles, people were free to take and use people, horses, carts, carriages, precious objects, food, drink, and all other things. To the east, west, south, and north, the king bestowed kindness and provided sustenance in this manner.

His beneficence and good renown resounded everywhere, and throughout the ten directions all praised the king’s virtue.

The wife, believing that her husband had died and that no one in the country knew who she was, carried her crippled husband back to the kingdom. She then explained the circumstances of their marriage, saying that they had encountered an age of decline and disorder, that his body had become disabled, and that, having heard that the heavenly king compassionately bestowed favors, they had come to seek his aid. The people of the country praised her and told her:

“The heavenly king extends his loving-kindness universally and sustains all living beings. Tomorrow morning he will go out through the eastern gate of the city to give alms. Go there and meet him to make your request. Because he esteems your virtuous conduct, he will surely give you abundantly.”

At daybreak, they followed the crowd seeking alms from the king. The king secretly recognized that she was his wife, so he related the entire course of her deeds to his ministers. One minister reported:

“She should be burned alive.”

Another said:

“She should be beheaded.”

The minister charged with enforcing the law reported:

“Among all offenses, none is greater than abandoning what is right to follow what is wrong and committing acts of treachery and rebellion. Therefore, the vicious man should be fastened to the back of the wicked woman, so that they must carry one another forever.”

All the ministers said:

“That is right! Let them follow what they themselves desired, thereby making clear the proper observance of the law.”

The king taught and transformed the myriad people through the ten wholesome deeds, and everyone joyfully accepted his teaching. After death, the king and his subjects were all reborn in the heavenly realm, while the guilty husband and wife fell into hell after they died.

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

“The king at that time was I myself. The guilty man was Devadatta, and the wife was the daughter of Hoài Vu.”

The bodhisattva compassionately bestowed beneficence and cultivated the perfection that transcends all bounds. Thus did he practice generosity.

***

13- The Sutra of King Tát-hòa-đàn.

Long ago, there was a king named Tát-hòa-đàn, meaning “Universal Giving to All.” Whatever anyone requested, he never denied their wish. Because he practiced generosity in this way, his name resounded throughout the eight directions, and there was no one who had not heard of him.

At that time, Manjushri wished to go and test him, so he transformed himself into a young Brahmin and came directly from another country to the gate of the royal palace. He said to the gatekeeper:

“I have come from afar and wish to have an audience with the great king.”

When the gatekeeper reported this, the king was exceedingly joyful. He immediately went out to welcome the visitor as a son meeting his father. After first exchanging greetings, he invited him to sit and then asked:

“Practitioner, from where have you come? Have you remained well while making the arduous journey here?”

The Brahmin said:

“I am from another country. Having heard of the king’s merit and virtue, I came to see you. I now wish to request some wealth.”

The king said:

“Excellent! Whatever you wish to request shall be granted at once; do not hesitate! My name means ‘Giving Everything.’ What objects, then, do you wish to request?”

The Brahmin said:

“I seek no other object. I wish only to have the king himself as my male servant and the king’s wife as my female servant. If this is granted, the king must follow me.”

The king was exceedingly joyful and replied:

“Excellent! I have authority over my own body, and I vow to give this body to the practitioner for his service. But my wife is the daughter of a great king, so I must go and ask her wishes.”

The king immediately entered and said to his consort:

“A young and handsome practitioner has now come from afar. He wishes to request my person as his male servant, and he also wishes to request you as his female servant. What do you think?”

The consort asked:

“How did the king reply?”

The king said:

“I have already promised to become his male servant, but I have not yet promised you to him.”

The consort said:

“The king seeks deliverance for himself alone and wishes to leave me behind, without thinking of delivering me as well.”

The consort then followed the king outside and said to the practitioner:

“I vow to offer this body to the practitioner for his service.”

The Brahmin again said to the king:

“Has the king considered this carefully? I wish to depart now.”

The king said to the practitioner:

“Throughout my life, I have never regretted an act of generosity. I ask to follow the practitioner.”

The Brahmin said:

“Those who follow me must all walk barefoot and may not wear shoes. You must strictly observe the rules governing servants and may conceal nothing.”

The king and his consort both said:

“Yes, sir! We shall follow our master’s instructions and dare not disobey his commands.”

The Brahmin then led the two servants away along the road. Manjushri immediately created two other people to take the places of King Tát-hòa-đàn and his consort and remain behind to administer the affairs of the kingdom, so that everything there continued as before. The king’s consort was originally the daughter of a great king. Her beauty was incomparable, her hands delicate and her feet tender. She had grown up deep within the palace and had never endured hardship. Moreover, she had been pregnant for several months. She struggled to walk behind her master, her whole body aching and her feet wounded. Unable to proceed any farther, she could only drag herself wearily along behind. The Brahmin turned back and scolded her:

“You are a female servant and must follow the rules governing female servants. You cannot behave as you did in the past.”

The consort knelt upright and said:

“I dare not do so. I was merely a little weary and therefore had to stop and rest.”

The Brahmin shouted:

“Come here quickly and follow directly behind me!”

When they reached the marketplace of another country, the Brahmin sold each of the two servants separately to a different master, several miles apart. An elder purchased the male servant and ordered him to guard his burial grounds. Whenever anyone came to bury the dead, he was to collect the required fee and was not to act improperly. Meanwhile, the female servant came into the possession of the jealous wife of a wealthy master, who made her labor ceaselessly day and night. Several days later, the female servant went into labor and gave birth to a son. Her mistress angrily said:

“You are a servant! How could you have such a child? Take him away and kill him at once!”

Obeying her mistress’s command, the female servant killed the infant and then carried him away for burial, stopping at the place where the male servant worked. When the two met, she said:

“I gave birth to a son, but now he has died. I brought no money with me, so surely I cannot dishonestly bury him here without payment, can I?”

The male servant said:

“My master is extremely quick-tempered. If he learns of this, my offense will be grave. Take him elsewhere and find another place; you should not remain here.”

Although the king and his consort had met again, they did not recount their sufferings, nor did either harbor resentment. After they had spoken in this way for a brief moment, everything became indistinct, as though in a dream. The king and his consort naturally found themselves once again seated in the main hall of their own royal palace, just as before, with nothing changed. The ministers and the women of the inner palace were all as they had been. The newborn crown prince also naturally came back to life. The king and his consort wondered inwardly, “What is the reason for all this?”

Manjushri manifested his form, seated upon a lotus throne made of the seven treasures in midair, and praised them:

“Excellent! Your generosity has now been utterly sincere!”

The king and his consort were filled with immeasurable joy. They immediately approached and paid homage to Manjushri, who expounded the sutras and the Dharma for them. The three thousand realms shook mightily, and all the people throughout the kingdom aroused the aspiration to attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. At that very moment, the king and his consort attained acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas.

The Buddha told the Venerable Ananda:

“The king of that time was I myself. The consort of that time is now Câu-di, and the crown prince is now La-vân.”

The Buddha taught:

“Ananda, in a former life I practiced generosity in this way. For the sake of all beings, I spared neither body nor life. Throughout innumerable kalpas, I never regretted it, nor did I ever seek fame or gain, and I attained perfect enlightenment by myself.”

The bodhisattva compassionately bestowed beneficence and cultivated the perfection that transcends all bounds. Thus did he practice generosity.

***

14- The Sutra of Tu-đại-noa.

Long ago, the king of the kingdom of Yeba bore the title Shisui and the name Sacha. He governed the country according to the true Dharma, and the people harbored no resentment. The king had a crown prince named Sudaina, whose radiant countenance surpassed all others in the world and whose benevolence and filial devotion were difficult to equal. He constantly brought aid to all beings with the four immeasurable minds, and his words never caused harm to anyone. Since the king had only this one son, he cherished him exceedingly.

The crown prince revered his father as he would Heaven. Upon reaching the age of understanding, he constantly vowed to practice generosity and rescue all beings so that in future lives he might enjoy inexhaustible merit. Fools fail to perceive the changes of impermanence and therefore suppose that things can be preserved.

Wise persons clearly perceive the five claimants and thus delight in generosity. Among the Buddhas of the ten directions, pratyekabuddhas, and arhats, there is none who does not praise this teaching: Generosity is the most precious thing in the world. The crown prince therefore gave universally, bestowing gifts upon beings of every kind.

Those who asked for food or clothing immediately received what they sought; those who desired gold, silver, precious jewels, carts, horses, fields, houses, or anything else were given whatever they requested.

His good name spread afar, and he was praised throughout the four seas. The king, his father, possessed a white elephant of such valiant strength that it could withstand sixty ordinary elephants at once. Whenever an enemy kingdom came to wage war, the white elephant was always victorious. The other kings conferred among themselves:

– The crown prince is a sage who gives whatever anyone asks of him. Let us therefore send eight brahmins to request that white elephant from the crown prince. If they obtain the elephant, we shall reward them handsomely.

The brahmins accepted the command and departed at once. Wearing deerskin robes and sandals, carrying water vessels and leaning upon staffs, they journeyed laboriously through distant commanderies and districts for more than a thousand miles before reaching the kingdom of Yeba. Leaning on their staffs, they each stood upon one foot facing the palace gate and called to the guards, saying:

– We have heard that the crown prince gives alms to the poor and destitute and that his kindness extends to all beings. We have therefore journeyed here from afar through great hardship to ask for something we lack.

The guards immediately reported the matter. On hearing it, the crown prince rejoiced and hurried out to welcome them. As though a son were meeting his parents, he bowed his head at their feet, comforted them, and asked:

– What has caused you venerable ones to subject your bodies to such hardship? What do you wish to request that compels you to stand upon one foot like this?

They replied:

– The crown prince’s radiant virtue illuminates the eight directions, reaching upward to the azure heavens and downward to the Yellow Springs. Lofty as Mount Tai, it is praised and revered by all. You are the son of a heavenly king, and your spoken word must surely be trustworthy. You always practice generosity without going against anyone’s wishes. We now wish to request from you the “white elephant that walks upon lotus blossoms,” named Rajahavadana.

The crown prince said:

– Excellent! Allow me to present you with gold, silver, and precious jewels. Choose freely whatever you wish, and do not make things difficult for yourselves!

He then ordered his attendants to swiftly equip the white elephant with a golden howdah and a silver bridle and to lead it forth at once. With his left hand, the crown prince held the elephant’s bridle; with his right, he held a golden vessel and poured water over the brahmins’ hands. Rejoicing, the brahmins pronounced their blessings, mounted the elephant, and departed smiling.

The prime minister and all the officials were deeply grieved and said to one another:

– That elephant possesses tremendous strength, and through it the kingdom has remained secure. Whenever enemies came to attack, they were defeated and driven away. Now that the crown prince has given it to an enemy kingdom, upon what can we rely?

Together they went to have an audience with the king and reported clearly:

– That white elephant has enough strength to overthrow sixty other elephants. It is the kingdom’s treasure for resisting enemies, yet the crown prince has given it to our foes. Furthermore, the national treasury grows emptier every day, while the crown prince continues giving things away at his own discretion without cease. In another few years, we fear that even the wives and children throughout the kingdom will all have been given away.

Hearing these words, the king remained sorrowfully silent for a long while and then said:

– The crown prince delights in the Buddha’s path and regards helping the poor and destitute and compassionately nurturing all beings as the foremost of practices. If I were to forbid him or punish him for this, I would be acting against the Way.

All the officials said:

– We dare not disobey Your Majesty’s earnest and exemplary instruction. Yet, speaking boldly, we ask that, instead of punishing him for this transgression, the crown prince be banished from the kingdom to the rural wilderness for about ten years, so that he may feel ashamed and repent on his own. This is our earnest wish.

The king immediately dispatched a messenger to tell the crown prince:

– The elephant was a treasure of the kingdom. Why did you give it to the enemy? The king cannot bear to punish you, so you must leave the kingdom at once!

The messenger obeyed the command and delivered these words. The crown prince replied:

– I dare not disobey Heaven’s command, but I beg permission to continue giving alms to aid the poor for seven more days. I shall then leave the kingdom without the slightest regret.

The messenger returned and reported this, but the king said:

– He must depart at once. I do not permit it!

The messenger returned and said:

– The king’s command does not permit it.

The crown prince entreated once more:

– I dare not disobey Heaven’s command, but I possess personal wealth and would not dare encroach upon the property of the kingdom.

The messenger returned and reported this to the king, who then granted permission. Rejoicing, the crown prince ordered his attendants to find anyone in the kingdom who was poor or in need and urge them to come quickly, so that he might bestow kindness upon them according to whatever they requested. Kingdoms, official ranks, fields, houses, treasures—all are things of dream and illusion, and all are subject to deterioration and destruction.

Millions of people, old and young, hastened to the palace gates. The crown prince gave them food, drink, clothing, the seven treasures, and all manner of other jewels, granting everything according to the people’s wishes. When the giving was complete, all the poor had become wealthy.

The crown prince’s wife was named Mandi. She was the daughter of a royal house and possessed beauty unequaled throughout the kingdom. From head to foot, she was adorned with necklaces of the seven treasures.

The crown prince summoned his wife and asked:

– Listen to what I have to say! The great king has exiled me to Mount Dandaka for a period of ten years. Do you know this?

His wife rose in alarm, gazed at the crown prince, and said through her tears:

– What offense have you committed that you should be banished, compelled to abandon a prosperous kingdom and live deep among remote forests and mountains?

The crown prince answered his wife:

– Because my generosity has depleted the wealth of the kingdom, and because I even gave the renowned elephant, the kingdom’s treasure for battle, to the enemy, the king and his ministers became angry and exiled me.

The crown prince’s wife then expressed her aspiration that the kingdom might prosper, that the king, the ministers, and the millions of people might enjoy abundance and immeasurably long lives. As for herself, she would firmly resolve to accompany the crown prince into the mountains and marshlands so that, through their vast vows, they might attain the fruit of the path.

The crown prince said:

– Those mountains and marshlands are filled with fearful things. Tigers, wolves, and savage beasts make it exceedingly difficult to find shelter. There are also venomous creatures, tree demons, stone spirits, malevolent ghosts, thunder and lightning, tempests, wind, rain, clouds, and mist—all truly terrifying. The extremes of cold and heat, trees that afford little shelter, thorns, gravel, and rocks—you will not be able to endure them. You are the daughter of royalty, born amid splendor and raised within the palace. Your garments have always been soft, your food and drink delicious; when you lay down, you had curtains and canopies, while music continually delighted your ears, and whatever you desired was granted. But in those mountains and marshlands, grass will serve as your pillow when you sleep, and flowers and fruits as your food. Not everyone can endure such a life. Will you truly be able to bear it?

His wife replied:

– Fine and beautiful things, treasures, canopies and curtains, sweet delicacies… what use could they be to me if I must suffer separation in life from the prince? When a king goes forth, he uses banners as his signal; fire uses smoke as its signal; a wife takes her husband as her guide. I now rely upon the prince as a young child relies upon mother and father. While the prince was still in the kingdom and gave alms everywhere, I always agreed with him. Now he is about to undergo perils while I remain behind clinging to glory and luxury—could that still accord with human morality? Moreover, if someone should come seeking alms and I could no longer see the prince, my heart would pine for him without cease, and I would surely die; of that there can be no doubt.

The prince said:

– If someone from a distant land comes to ask for my wife and children, I would not deny his request. But if, because of emotional attachment, you refused, you would thereby act contrary to the way of giving, bring to an end the great kindness that has pervaded all beings, and ruin the grave responsibility I bear.

His wife replied:

– The prince’s giving is truly rare in this world! You should resolutely fulfill your great vow and never grow weary. Through hundreds of thousands of kalpas, none has been like you, continually carrying on and advancing the Buddha’s grave responsibility. I would not dare oppose your will.

The prince said:

– Good.

He then took his wife and children to bid farewell to his mother. Bowing his head to the ground, he sorrowfully took leave of her:

– Mother, please do not worry about us. Take good care of your precious person. Whenever matters of state arise, I beg you repeatedly to admonish them with a compassionate heart; do not allow the court wantonly to wrong the myriad people. One must patiently endure what cannot be endured; the ability to endure is precious.

Hearing his words of farewell, his mother turned and said to an attendant:

– My body is like stone and my heart like hard iron. Now I have only one son, yet he is being driven away—how could my heart bear it? Before I had a child, I made vows and prayed for an heir. During the days of pregnancy, I was like a tree holding blossoms, awaiting the day they opened. Heaven did not thwart my vow and so granted me a son. I raised him to adulthood, and now must we be parted while still alive?

The ladies, consorts, and female attendants who had formerly been jealous openly rejoiced and no longer showed any deference. The prince, his wife, and his children bowed their heads before his mother and withdrew. Throughout the palace, old and young alike choked with grief. At the city gate, the prince sorrowfully bade farewell to the hundred officials and the people, and then they all went outside the city. There was no one who did not secretly think:

– The prince is the sacred spirit of the kingdom, the most precious of all treasures. How could his parents bear to banish him?

The prince sat outside the city, thanked those who had accompanied him, and told them to return home. All the people bowed in reverence, and everyone grieved for him. Some cast themselves upon the ground and cried out to Heaven, their voices resounding throughout the kingdom.

The prince set out with his wife and children. When he knew they were already far from the kingdom, the entire family sat down for a while to rest beneath the shade of a tree. A brahmin came from afar to beg.

The prince at once removed the precious robe from his own body and gave him all his wife’s pearls and jewels as well. He then told his wife and children to mount the carriage, while he himself took the reins. Just as they were about to depart, another brahmin came and asked for the horse.

The prince unharnessed the horse and gave it to him, then pulled the carriage himself as they continued on their way. They encountered yet another brahmin who asked for the carriage. The prince immediately helped his wife and children down and gave the carriage to that man.

The carriage and horse, their clothing, the pearls and jewels upon their bodies, and all their other possessions had now been given away, and nothing remained. The prince therefore told his wife to carry their daughter, while he carried their son, and they continued on foot. While still in the kingdom, he had given others precious elephants, jewels, carriages, horses, and more, until he was banished from the country and sent into exile.

Yet he had never become angry or regretful; his heart remained harmonious and joyful as he entered the mountains.

Only after twenty-one days did they reach Mount Dandaka. The prince saw that the mountain was thick with luxuriant trees, clear water flowed through its streams, and sweet fruit abounded. Teal, wild geese, mandarin ducks, and other birds roamed here and there, while hundreds of kinds of birds chirped together in harmonious, joyous song. Seeing this, the prince called to his wife and said:

– Look at that mountain: its trees cover the sky and few are broken or fallen. Flocks of birds sing with truly delightful voices. Streams flow everywhere and fruit is abundant, providing food and drink. We need only make the Way our vocation and must not go against our vow.

The ascetics in the mountain all steadfastly maintained their discipline and earnestly pursued learning.

There was an ascetic named A-chau-da who had long dwelt in the mountain and whose virtue in the Way was profound, subtle, lofty, and far-reaching. The prince, together with his wife and children, went to him and bowed at his feet. Then, standing with palms joined before the ascetic, he said:

– I have brought my wife and children here to study the Way. I humbly beseech you, out of your vast compassion, to instruct us so that my aspiration may be fulfilled.

Whatever instruction the ascetic gave, the prince followed. He then used trees and grasses to make a dwelling, wore coarse clothing, ate fruit, and drank stream water. His son, named Jali, wore a small garment of grass and often stayed by his father’s side. His daughter, named Krishnajina, wore a deerskin garment and followed her mother wherever she went. After they had spent one night in the mountain, Heaven caused the stream water to become sweeter, many precious medicinal plants to grow, and delicious fruit to fill the branches.

Later, there was an old and impoverished brahmin who lived in Kuru district. Although his wife was advanced in years, she had a comely and dignified appearance. She often carried a jar to fetch water. One day, she encountered a young man who blocked her path and mocked her:

– Living in such poverty, how do you sustain yourself? Do you covet that old man’s possessions, that you live with him? That old man understands neither what is right nor wrong in his study of the Way, and there is little hope that his teaching will ever bear fruit. He is a foolish, deaf old man—what could you still desire in staying with him? His form is ugly and dark, his nose crooked, his body shriveled, his face wrinkled, his lips protruding, his speech stammering, and his two eyes green like a demon’s eyes… There is not one beautiful place on his entire body; who would not be disgusted by him? Are you not ashamed and sickened to be his wife?

Hearing these disparaging words, the wife shed tears and said:

– I see that his hair is white as frost covering a tree, appearing in the morning and vanishing by evening. In my heart I hope he will soon die, but my wish has not yet been fulfilled. What else can I do?

She returned home, related the incident to her husband, and then said:

– You must have servants whom you can command. I will not go to fetch water anymore. If something like what happened today occurs again, I will leave you.

Her husband said:

– I am poor. Where could I obtain servants to command?

His wife said:

– I have heard of a noble giver named Sudana. Because, out of vast compassion, he aided everyone and thereby depleted the wealth of the kingdom, the king and his ministers exiled him to the mountains. He has two children. If you ask him for them, he will give them to you at once.

His wife repeated this many times. Because he loved her, he found it difficult to oppose her wishes. He therefore followed her advice and traveled to the kingdom of Jaya. Going directly to the palace gate, he asked:

– Is the prince well?

The guards reported this to the king. When the king heard those words, he choked with emotion and tears streamed down his face. Only after a long while did he say:

– It was solely because of people like this that the prince was driven away, and now they have come again?

The king ordered that the man be summoned. After comforting him, he asked why he had come.

The brahmin replied:

– The prince’s fragrant renown pervades everywhere, and people both near and far praise him. I therefore came here from afar to seek his support, hoping that I might continue to live.

The king said:

– The prince has already given away all his jewels and treasures. He now dwells deep in the mountains, where even his food and clothing are insufficient. What could he have to give you?

The old man replied:

– The prince’s wondrous virtue is majestic and boundless. Though he is far away, I revere him with all my heart. How much more so if I could behold his radiant countenance—even if I were to lose my life, I would have no regret.

The king ordered someone to show the old man a shortcut. On the way, he encountered a hunter and asked:

– You have passed through many mountains. Have you encountered the prince?

The hunter knew that the prince had been banished because of people like this man, so he angrily cursed him:

– I will cut off your head! Why do you ask about the prince?

The brahmin was both ashamed and frightened, thinking, “This man will surely kill me.” Then, resorting to cunning, the old man lied to the hunter:

– The king and his ministers sent me to summon the prince back to the kingdom to become king.

The hunter replied:

– Excellent.

He then gladly pointed out the prince’s dwelling place. From afar, the old man saw a small hut, and the prince also saw him approaching. When the two children saw this old brahmin, fear arose in their hearts, and they said to each other:

– Our father has always delighted in giving, but now that this man has come seeking possessions and nothing remains, will Father give the two of us to him?

They took each other by the hand and fled. There was a pit their mother had previously dug, large enough to conceal them. The two children climbed inside, covered it with firewood, and cautioned each other:

– If Father calls us, do not answer.

The prince greeted the old man, invited him to sit before him, and set fruit and drinking water before him. After the old man had eaten the fruit and drunk the water, the prince comforted him:

– Having traveled such a long road, you must be very weary.

The old man replied:

– I have come from afar. My whole body aches, and I am extremely hungry and thirsty. The fragrance of the prince’s virtue spreads everywhere; in every place people sing your praises. Lofty and radiant from afar like Mount Tai, you bring joy to all the celestial spirits and earthly deities. Therefore, I have come from far away today, seeking refuge from my destitution in hopes of prolonging this frail life.

The prince replied uneasily:

– I would withhold nothing from you, but all my possessions are gone.

The brahmin said:

– You may give your two children to provide for this old man.

The prince replied:

– You have come from afar to ask for my two children. I will certainly not refuse your wish.

The prince called loudly for his children. The siblings were terrified and said to each other:

– Father is calling and searching for us. Surely he means to give us to that demon!

They disobeyed and made no sound. Knowing that they were hiding in the pit, the prince removed the firewood and found them. The two children hurried out, embraced their father, trembled violently, and wept. Sobbing, they said:

– That is a demon, not a brahmin. We have seen brahmins many times, but we have never seen anyone with a face like his. Father, do not give us to a demon to be devoured. Mother! Why are you so late returning from gathering fruit? Today we will surely be swallowed by a demon. When Mother returns and searches for us, like a cow seeking her calf, she will run about in grief as though mad. Father will surely regret this!

The prince said:

– Since I began practicing generosity, I have never felt the slightest regret. Your father has already given his word; you must not disobey.

The brahmin said:

– With all-embracing loving-kindness, you have given them to me. If their mother returns, she will surely ruin your great act of generosity and thwart my own intention. It would be better for me to take them away at once.

The prince said:

– You came from afar seeking children. I certainly dare not refuse you, so depart quickly.

The prince then poured water with his right hand to wash the brahmin’s hands, while with his left hand he led his children forward and delivered them to the old man.

The brahmin said:

– I am old and feeble. If the two children escape and return to their mother, how could I catch them? In your great generosity, Prince, please bind them before handing them over to me.

The prince held his two children while the brahmin bound them. Taking the end of the rope in his own hand, the old man dragged them away. The two children fell to the ground and writhed before their father, sobbing and crying out for their mother:

– Celestial spirits, earthly deities, and all spirits of the mountains and forests, please awaken our mother’s heart at once and call to her: “The two children have been given away! Quickly abandon your fruit-gathering so that you may see them one last time!”

Their anguished lament moved heaven and earth. The mountain spirits pitied them and caused a reverberation like rolling thunder. At that moment, while the mother was gathering fruit, her heart suddenly became agitated. She looked up at the blue sky and saw no clouds or rain. Her right eye twitched, her left armpit itched, and milk flowed ceaselessly from both breasts. The mother thought, “How strange this is! Why should I continue gathering fruit? I must hurry back and see whether something has happened to my children.”

She abandoned her fruit-gathering and hastened back in bewilderment, like one gone mad. Shakra thought, “The bodhisattva’s aspiration is supremely noble. He wishes to fulfill the weighty responsibility of his profound and far-reaching vow. If his wife arrives, she will thwart that noble resolve.” He therefore transformed himself into a lion and sat imposingly across the path. The wife said:

– You are the lord of beasts, and I too am a king’s daughter among humankind. We both dwell in this mountain. I have two children who are still very young. They have eaten nothing since morning and are waiting for me to return.

The lion moved aside, and the wife continued on her way. Then the god transformed himself again into a tiger... and did not withdraw until the brahmin had gone far away. When the wife returned and saw the prince sitting alone, she asked sorrowfully and fearfully:

– Where are my children, that you sit here alone? My two children always watched and waited for me to return from gathering fruit. They would rush into my arms, roll upon the ground, rise again, leap about joyfully, and say, “Mother has returned! We who were hungry will now be fed!” Why do I not see them today? Have you given them to someone? When I sat, the children stood beside me, one on my right and one on my left. Seeing dust upon me, they vied with each other to brush it away. Now my children have not returned to their mother’s side, nor can they be seen anywhere. Have you given them to someone? Quickly tell me. To make offerings and prayers to heaven and earth is difficult enough to speak of, yet you have given away even our virtuous heirs! Now the children’s toys—elephants, horses, oxen, pigs made of clay, and other things—lie scattered all over the ground. The sight breaks my heart and is driving me mad. Have you given our children as prey to be devoured by tigers, wolves, demons, or bandits? Quickly untie this knot of doubt, or I shall not be able to live!

Only after a long while did the prince speak:

– A brahmin came from afar and asked for our two children. He said that he was old and feeble and wanted someone to assist him, so I gave them to him.

Hearing this, the wife was overcome with emotion. She fell to the ground, writhed, wept bitterly, and said through streaming tears:

– It is exactly as I saw in my dream. One night, I dreamed that an old, destitute brahmin, beset by hardship, came and cut off both my breasts, then carried them away. So this is what it foretold today!

She then wept and cried out to heaven, her voice resounding throughout the mountains:

– Such a thing has befallen my children! Where can I possibly find them?

Seeing his wife’s grief and sorrow become so unbearable, the prince called to her and said:

– You and I originally vowed together to uphold this lofty and far-reaching path of devotion. My aspiration is to follow the Great Way and rescue sentient beings; therefore, whatever they ask of me, I give. Our vow was clearly made. Why, then, do you now grieve so excessively and disturb my mind?

His wife said:

– Must the prince endure such hardship in seeking the Way? All worthy men who live in a household cherish their wives and children; everyone is alike in this. How much more should this be so for one revered by all! Then she made a vow: “May whatever you seek be attained, like the Omniscient One.”

Shakra and the other devas deliberated together:

– The prince’s practice of generosity is boundlessly vast. We should test him by asking for his wife and see what his heart is like.

Shakra then transformed himself into a brahmin, approached the prince, and said:

– I have heard that your benevolent heart is like heaven and earth, that you deliver all living beings, and that in giving you never refuse the wishes of those who ask. Therefore, I have come to seek your aid. The fragrance of your wife’s virtuous chastity spreads far and wide, so I have come to ask you for her. Surely you will consent to give her to me?

The prince replied:

– Very well.

Then the prince poured water with his right hand to wash the brahmin's hands, while with his left hand he led his wife forward. Just as he was about to hand her over to him, the devas sang praises, and there was no one who did not commend the deed. Suddenly, heaven and earth shook violently, and humans and spirits alike were terrified. The brahmin said:

– Enough, I will not accept her.

The prince asked:

– Does this wife of mine have some fault? She possesses none of the faults found in women, while in feminine propriety and righteousness she stands foremost and is perfect in every respect. Moreover, her royal father has only this one daughter. She has wholeheartedly observed the rites of serving her husband and has never shrunk from misery or hardship. In food, clothing, and pleasures, she has never demanded anything fine or exquisite; she is diligent and vigorous, and her beauty surpasses that of others. You should accept her to make me glad. This is the best way to put an end to every future concern.

The brahmin said:

– Your wife is indeed as virtuous as you have said. I respectfully accept her, and then entrust her back to you; you must not give her to anyone else.

Then the deva continued:

– I am Sakra, Lord of the Devas, not an ordinary mortal. I came to test you. You cherish the wisdom of the Buddha's awakening, and none can rival your embodiment of that ideal. Whatever you now wish for, ask freely, and it shall be fulfilled according to your desire.

The prince said:

– I wish to possess great wealth and always delight in giving, without ever becoming any more covetous than I am now. Please cause my royal father, his ministers, and the people of the kingdom to think of our reunion.

Sakra, Lord of the Devas, said:

– Good.

At that very moment, he vanished.

As for the old brahmin who had obtained the two children, he was delighted that his wish had been fulfilled and walked on without feeling weary, dragging the two children along, for he was about to satisfy his desire to command them. These two children were descendants of royalty, accustomed to wealth, comfort, and freedom. Now they had to leave their parents, be bound with ropes, and suffer wounds all over their bodies.

They constantly wept and called for their mother, but for fear of the rod, they had to run after the old man. While the brahmin slept, the two children fled and submerged themselves in a pond, covering themselves with lotus leaves and weak grasses, while water insects clung all over their bodies. The brahmin awoke, searched for them, and found them.

He beat them all over with a staff, leaving their blood to redden the earth. The heavenly spirits took pity on them, untied their bonds, healed their wounds, produced sweet fruits, and made the ground along their path soft. The brother and sister picked the fruit and gave it to one another to eat, saying together:

– The sweetness of this fruit is just like that of the fruit in the royal garden, and the ground here is as soft as the king's cotton cushions.

The brother and sister embraced, looked up toward heaven, and called for their mother, weeping until tears soaked their entire bodies. Wherever the brahmin walked, the ground became rough and filled with gravel, stones, thorns, and brambles. His body and feet trod upon them, becoming ulcerated and painfully wounded. Whenever he saw fruit, it was always bitter or acrid. The brahmin grew thin and sickly, until his skin clung to his bones, while the two children had rosy complexions and regained their former beauty. When he arrived home, the brahmin said gleefully to his wife:

– For your sake, I have obtained two slaves. From now on, you may command them as you please.

His wife looked at the children and said:

– These are no slaves! These two children are comely and upright, and their hands and feet are delicate. They cannot perform heavy labor. Quickly take them to the market and sell them, then buy others to command.

Again ordered about by his wife, the old man intended to go to another kingdom to sell the two children. But the devas confused his route, causing him to return to their former kingdom. The people recognized them immediately and all said:

– Those are the prince's children, the grandchildren of the great king.

Choking with emotion, they ran to the palace gates and reported the matter. The king summoned the brahmin and had him bring the two children into the palace. Everyone in the palace, high and low alike, sobbed. The king called the children to him, wishing to hold them, but they would not approach. The king asked why. The boy replied:

– Formerly, I was the king's grandson; now I am a slave. How could a lowly slave dare sit upon the king's knee?

The king asked the brahmin:

– Tell me clearly: how did you come to possess these two children?

The brahmin related the events exactly as they had occurred. The king asked:

– For how much will you sell the children?

Before the brahmin could answer, the king's grandson hastily spoke:

– The price of the boy is one thousand silver coins and one hundred bulls. The price of the girl is two thousand gold coins and two hundred cows.

The king asked:

– The boy is older, yet his price is lower; the girl is younger, yet her price is higher. What is the reason for this?

The child replied:

– The prince is both a sage and benevolent. His generosity permeates all heaven and earth, and the whole realm rejoices and relies upon him just as young children depend upon their parents. He attained a radiant and excellent path for the benefit of the realm, yet he was exiled to distant mountains and marshlands, where he became a companion to tigers, wolves, and venomous creatures, ate fruit, wore garments of grass, and was constantly threatened by rain, wind, thunder, and lightning. Truly, he was treated as something vile, no better than grass and refuse! Seeing him cast away in this manner is enough to understand why boys command a low price. Yet when a commoner's daughter possesses even a little beauty, she is brought into the palace. When she lies down, she rests upon feather cushions and is covered by jeweled curtains; when she dresses, she wears garments renowned throughout the realm; and everything she eats consists of delicacies presented as tribute from across the realm. From this, one may understand why girls command a higher price.

The king said:

– This child is only eight years old, yet he already reasons like an eminent scholar. How much more so must his father!

When everyone in the palace, high and low alike, heard the king's grandson speak in such veiled reproach, there was no one who did not feel compassion. The brahmin said:

– I will sell the children for one thousand silver coins, one hundred bulls, and one hundred cows. If that is acceptable, good; otherwise, forget it.

The king said:

– Agreed.

The king then bestowed upon him the entire amount. The brahmin withdrew. The king lifted his two grandchildren onto his knees and asked:

– Earlier, you would not come to me. Why have you come so readily now?

They replied:

– Earlier, we were slaves; now we are the king's grandchildren.

The king asked:

– How does your father find sustenance for himself in the mountains?

The two children replied:

– He sustains himself on herbs and fruit. Every day he delights in the company of beasts and birds, and his heart is not burdened by the slightest sorrow or concern.

The king dispatched an envoy to welcome the prince home. The envoy set forth.

At that time, all the trees in the mountains bent down and rose again, contracting and extending as though kneeling and bowing in homage. Hundreds of species of birds sang mournfully, stirring the hearts of those who heard them. The prince said:

– What omen is this?

His wife, lying upon the ground, said:

– The heart of your royal father has opened, and he has sent an envoy to welcome us home! The earth spirits are greatly joyful and have therefore produced such an omen.

Ever since losing her children, the prince's wife had lain continually upon the ground. Only when the envoy arrived did she rise and bow in acceptance of the king's command. The envoy said:

– The king and queen have forsaken food and swallowed their tears. Their lives and bodies grow weaker with each passing day, and they yearn and long to see the prince.

The prince turned and gazed in every direction, lingering with affection over the trees and streams of the mountain forest. Wiping away his tears, he stepped onto the carriage.

From the time the envoy departed, the entire country rejoiced. The roads were swept clean; curtains and canopies were hung in readiness; incense was burned; acclamations were raised; music was performed; and beautiful banners and precious parasols were displayed everywhere. People throughout the country came in numbers beyond counting to offer wishes for long life.

The crown prince entered the city, bowed his head to the ground, and apologized for his transgression. He then withdrew and comforted the people, inquiring after their welfare. The king once again entrusted the treasury of the realm to the crown prince and encouraged him to practice generosity.

The impoverished people of the neighboring countries came one after another to submit themselves, like rivers flowing into the great ocean. All former enmities vanished; everyone came to pay homage at court, presenting memorials declaring themselves subjects, obeying commands, and offering tribute. Bandits came to esteem benevolence, thieves vied with one another in giving, weapons were put away in arsenals, prisons were abolished, all beings enjoyed lasting peace and happiness, and the ten directions offered praise.

By accumulating merit without cease, he attained the Tathagata’s true and right path of non-attachment, the unsurpassed path of perfect awakening. Alone he passed freely through the three realms and became king among the sages.

The Buddha told the bhikshus:

– I assumed the weighty responsibility of all Buddhas and vowed to rescue all beings. Although I had to endure many hardships, only now have I become the Honored One and brought every obstruction to an end.

After his death, the crown prince was born in the Tusita heaven. From that realm, he descended and was born in the palace of King Suddhodana; he is now myself. The royal father at that time is now Ananda; the wife is now Gopi; the son is Rahula; and the daughter is the mother of the arhat Cudapanthaka. Sakra, lord of the devas, is Maitreya; the hunter is Udayin; the ascetic A-chau-da is Mahakasyapa; the brahmin who sold the children is Devadatta; and that brahmin’s wife is now Devadatta’s wife, named Cinca.

From ancient times until now, throughout the course of my lives, I have always applied myself diligently and endured immeasurable suffering. Yet never have I been afraid or acted contrary to my great vow. I clearly expound this account of practicing generosity for the sake of my disciples.

Thus did the bodhisattva, moved by loving-kindness and compassion, bestow beneficence and cultivate the perfection of generosity, practicing giving in this manner.