福力太子因緣經

At that time, the Blessed One rose from his seat, went to the Andha Forest, and sat at the foot of a tree. He remained there the whole day, dwelling in serene meditation.

At that time, the assembly of bhikṣus dwelling in the forest gathered in a single dwelling and sat in order. They were the Venerable Ānanda, the Venerable Śroṇa-koṭikarṇa, the Venerable Aniruddha, the Venerable Śāriputra...

When these assemblies of bhikṣus had fully gathered, they then spoke with one another:

"What should people in the world cultivate in order to attain great benefit?"

The Venerable Ānanda said:

"If a person cultivates the practice of physical form, he will attain great benefit."

The Venerable Śroṇa-koṭikarṇa said:

"If a person cultivates the practice of diligence, he will attain great benefit."

The Venerable Aniruddha said:

"If a person cultivates skillful means, he will attain great benefit."

The Venerable Śāriputra said:

"If a person cultivates the practice of wisdom, he will attain benefit."

When they had spoken thus, the Venerable Ones further thought: "We have put forth differing opinions, not alike, yet each of these opinions has been established as supreme. If we bring these matters to inquire of the Blessed One, surely he will expound them for us, and we shall uphold and practice according to his teaching. Why is this?

Because the Blessed One is the Teacher who can sever all our doubts; therefore he is the One of Great Compassion. Just as the light of the sun dispels the gloom of darkness, he uses Omniscience to break through doubt, to dispel the net of suffering and to liberate sentient beings, causing all to return to the right path. The Buddha regards all beings as his only child.

In all dharmas he is sovereign, and he uses all dharmas to bring benefit (to the multitude of beings). The honored Great Muni is able to put an end to the doubts of all. He ever dispels all our doubts.

Therefore we should go and inquire of him."

When the bhikṣus had thus discussed among themselves, they wished to go and meet the Buddha. At that time the Blessed One, in the forest, using his pure divine ear surpassing that of all people, heard the bhikṣus gathering and discoursing upon such matters. He rose from meditation and went to the place of the bhikṣus. The bhikṣus came forth to welcome the Blessed One, prepared a seat, and respectfully invited the Buddha to be seated. He said to the bhikṣus:

"O bhikṣus, just now I heard you discussing together: 'What should people in the world cultivate in order to attain great benefit?' First, Ānanda said that cultivating physical form would attain great benefit; Śroṇa-koṭikarṇa said that cultivating diligence would attain great benefit; Aniruddha said that cultivating skillful means would attain great benefit; Śāriputra said that cultivating wisdom would attain great benefit. When you had spoken thus, you bhikṣus further thought: 'We have put forth differing opinions, not alike, yet each of these opinions has been established as supreme. If we bring these matters to inquire of the Blessed One, surely he will expound them for us, and we shall practice according to his teaching.' Is this matter so, or not?"

The bhikṣus addressed the Buddha:

"Blessed One, it is truly so. We gathered together to discuss this matter. We humbly beg you to open and explain it, to resolve our doubt."

Then the Blessed One, on account of this arising condition, spoke a verse:

Physical form, skillfulness, and diligence—

Among these, wisdom is supreme.

If sentient beings cultivate the causes of merit,

They will attain a fruit of merit boundlessly great.

Having spoken that verse, the Buddha said to the bhikṣus:

"O bhikṣus, suppose there is a person who cultivates physical form... cultivating accordingly—it is not the case that in all circumstances and at all times he attains great benefit. But one who cultivates the power of merit attains great benefit in whatever circumstance and at whatever time.

"O bhikṣus, apart from this power of merit, I do not see a single dharma by which sentient beings, cultivating accordingly, attain great benefit. Why is this? O bhikṣus, I recall that in a past age there was a king named Eye-Power, who dwelt in his royal city, governed his country well, possessed vast majestic power, was prosperous and at peace, and his people flourished. The king had a queen named Vast Radiance, who possessed beauty incomparable, so that all delighted to look upon her.

"One day, the queen and the king met and enjoyed themselves together in play, and thus they begot a child of beautiful form, whom all delighted to look upon. Because he possessed exquisite beauty, surpassing others, complete with the physical features of the heavenly realms—life after life this prince had planted the causes and conditions of beauty, and thus he was endowed with perfectly beautiful form—he was therefore given the name Form-Power.

"Thereafter, in time, the queen bore three more children: The first was endowed with the practice of diligence. The second was endowed with skillfulness. The third was endowed with wisdom.

"Furthermore, O bhikṣus, at last the queen Vast Radiance conceived another child. On that day, in the king's palace there suddenly fell down from heaven various kinds of precious treasures. There also appeared at once various marvelous canopies of jewels and pearls, adorning and sheltering the king and queen.

"King Eye-Power, beholding such a rare event, was greatly astonished in his heart, and at once summoned the soothsayers and asked:

"'What is the meaning of these extraordinary, rare signs?'

"The soothsayer replied:

"'Great King, you should know: the queen carries in her womb a child who is a sage. This child possesses great merit, complete with majestic virtue and good renown.'

"When the king heard this, he was exceedingly delighted. Thereafter the queen Vast Radiance reflected and said:

"'How wonderful! Now I wish to sit upon a supremely marvelous lion throne, with a white parasol overhead and a precious fly-whisk.'

"The queen reported this wish to the king, and the king's mind gave rise to joy. He commanded all the people within and without the palace and the city walls that everywhere should be made adorned and pure as the queen wished, and all was carried out accordingly.

"Again one day the queen reflected and said:

"'Now I would go to the place where there is much gold, silver, and precious jewels, and there, taking and using them as I please, choose gold and silver myself to give in charity to all people, so that they may be amply supplied with wealth and treasure, and none may suffer want.'

"When the king heard this matter, he complied with the queen's wish.

"One day the queen again reflected and said:

"'How joyful! Now I wish to set free all those who are bound and imprisoned.'

"When the king heard this matter, he complied with the queen's wish, and commanded that within and without all who were bound and imprisoned be set free.

"One day the queen reflected and said:

"'How delightful! Now I wish to stroll in the garden of trees.'

"When the king heard this matter, he yielded to the queen's wish, and commanded that the garden of trees be cleaned and made ready for the queen to stroll and behold.

"One day the queen reflected and said:

"'How delightful! Now I would stand before all the people within this palace.'

"On account of this thought, the queen uttered words of truth:

"'If I truly possess the reward of merit, I humbly beg the devas and humans to swiftly grant me a supreme lion throne, marvelously adorned. If I may sit upon this throne, I shall expound the essentials of the Dharma for all people.'

"When the queen had spoken thus, suddenly the devas manifested rare signs.

"Then King Eye-Power, hearing of this matter within the palace, at once commanded that throughout the whole of the royal city, within and without, all be made clean and adorned. All the people put on clean garments and beautiful ornaments, and each, bringing garlands of flowers and precious incense, gathered at the royal palace. The queen Vast Radiance, adorned with the finest, most supreme and marvelous things, with her court ladies and retinue attending all around, came forth before all the people, her excellent features and adornments like those of a heavenly maiden. All the people came to gaze upon her and gave rise to joy.

"Then the queen, giving rise to a mind of loving-kindness toward all sentient beings, gazed up into the empty sky, and by the power of that true sustaining grace spoke a verse:

Lord of devas, lord of humans, and liberation—

These are the three powers of merit, most supreme.

Now by this power of true merit,

May the heavens swiftly grant a lion throne.

"When the queen had spoken the verse, the heavens suddenly let down a supremely marvelous lion throne and scattered beautiful flowers. The devas in the sky rejoiced greatly. All the people, beholding this most extraordinary and rare event, gave rise to delight and joy, and together they praised it, speaking a verse:

How rare—great merit, great power!

All the people now make offerings.

What humans aspire to, the heavens accomplish.

Only the power of heavenly merit is supreme.

"Then the queen Vast Radiance, giving rise to a mind of joy, ascended the lion throne. When the queen mounted the throne, the earth quaked in six ways. That lion throne sprang up from the earth and stood in the empty sky, about the height of seven men. Again there were precious treasures, supremely marvelous and adorned, and a canopy spread overhead covering the throne. All the people, beholding this excellent and supreme sign of the power of merit, gave rise to gladness in their hearts, and each, bringing garlands of flowers and precious incense, reverently joined their palms and offered them up to the queen. Their minds grew yet more benefited and joyful; they sat down before the throne, listening to and receiving the teaching the queen expounded.

"King Eye-Power, beholding such an event, rejoiced greatly. Together with his close ministers, he reverently joined his palms and sat in order. The queen Vast Radiance spoke a verse:

People should cultivate the causes of merit;

Practicing thus, do not let it be interrupted.

Giving in charity according to benefit,

Through the treasury of merit one attains marvelous bliss.

"When the queen had spoken the verse, there came spontaneously from the sky a voice of praise:

"'Well spoken now, well spoken—a lofty saying!'

"In the sky there resounded delightful and marvelous music. King Eye-Power, together with all the people, heard the verse spoken; and at that moment the heavens spontaneously let fall garments and adornments, which fell upon the body of each person. The king and all the people took these fine garments and offered them up to the queen, and all together uttered words of praise:

"'Well spoken, well spoken!'

"At that very moment, the queen slowly descended from the lion throne in the sky, coming safely down upon the earth. The heavenly music ceased, and the music of the human world struck up again. The king and all the people gave rise to reverence, provided ample offerings, and rejoiced greatly. Then the queen Vast Radiance returned within the palace! After the queen had entered the palace, that lion throne vanished into the sky. The people, having clearly beheld such auspicious signs as above, rejoiced and praised:

"'How marvelous—the power of merit complete, majestic virtue great! How marvelous—the power of merit is a sweet and delicious fruit!'

"Then the queen, within the palace, put an end to all idle thoughts and deliberations; and when ten full months had passed, just as dawn appeared, she gave birth to a prince. The prince had upright and dignified features, whom all who saw delighted to look upon. At that moment the earth quaked in six ways, and in the king's palace the heavens spontaneously rained down seven kinds of precious treasures from the sky. Within and without the royal city and everywhere all around there rained fine heavenly garments; the heavens rained down flowers of utmost beauty and delight. Everywhere the trees bore fruit and put forth blossoms; an auspicious rain drifted gently down, sprinkling everywhere; and a soft breeze blew throughout all regions.

"As soon as the prince was born and set down upon the earth, at once the Four Great Heavenly Kings, using their majestic power, caused the earth to split open, and there sprang up a lion throne made of the finest precious adornments to support the prince. Indra, lord of the devas, used a marvelous heavenly parasol and rained down precious fly-whisks to shelter the prince. The devas of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven either scattered fine heavenly garments and precious canopies, rained down various kinds of precious treasures, or adorned garments, or beautiful ornaments, or fine blue heavenly flowers, or wreaths of flowers and powdered incense and unguent incense, or heavenly music issuing forth in melodious song.

"The deva-son Viśvakarman, using heavenly spiritual power, caused everywhere within and without the city to be free of thorns, brambles, stones, and gravel, but instead spread with embroidered silk, adorned with jeweled necklaces of pearl; precious and marvelous banners and pennants were raised; everywhere was sprinkled with pure sandalwood-scented water; vessels of the finest flowers were set out all around; flowers of every kind were scattered; and all things that gladden people's hearts were arrayed.

Furthermore, a hundred great elephants came of their own accord from the open wilds into the king's palace and stood in their stalls. There also came a hundred oxen to the fields; without plowing or harrowing, naturally, in accordance with the seasons, all the seeds would ripen of themselves. And beneath the lion throne there were five great treasure stores filled with precious jewels; one might open the stores and take and use them at will, and they would never be exhausted.

"Furthermore, all the sentient beings who were enemies, at that moment, in but an instant, all turned toward minds of loving-kindness. Then the prince, by the power of recollection of past lives, having given rise to majestic virtue and spiritual penetration, at once surveyed the four directions and spoke a verse:

People should cultivate the causes of merit;

Practicing thus, do not let it be interrupted.

Delighting at the proper time to practice giving,

Through the treasury of merit one attains marvelous bliss.

"At that time, in the sky there were also a certain number of devas who, seeing this vast power of merit, spiritual penetration, and rare and extraordinary majestic virtue, gave rise to joy, their bodies and minds delighting; and so, arousing the majestic power of merit, they spoke a verse:

The Four Great Heavenly Kings, the deva-sons,

The lord of the devas of Trāyastriṃśa's heavenly palace—

Those powers of merit are precious beyond measure.

Beholding such supreme merit, joy arises.

"Then King Eye-Power, together with his court ladies, attendants, retinue, and veteran great ministers..., clearly beholding such excellent auspicious signs, were all astonished and said:

"'How marvelous! The prince possesses great power of merit. How marvelous! The prince is endowed with great renown. Now, born in the realm of humans, such auspicious, vast, and supreme signs of the heavenly realms have appeared all at once.'

"The king, rejoicing and greatly loving his son, commanded the keeper of the stores:

"'Open my treasure stores and bring forth all the gold, silver, and precious jewels. I shall give them in charity and bestow blessings upon all the people, so that they may all obtain wealth and treasure in abundance. Let all the people, on my behalf, praise the marvelous good and perform deeds of merit, that thereafter I may vow life after life to accumulate supreme and auspicious merit. Now I shall give the prince a name.'

"The king said to his close ministers:

"'Now, what name should we give the prince?'

"The assisting great ministers replied:

"'Great King, when the prince was born, there appeared many things of auspicious and supreme power of merit. Therefore the prince should be named Merit-Power.'

"The king then issued a command to name the prince Merit-Power, and entrusted the prince to eight wet-nurses: two to attend to carrying him, two to attend to nursing him, two to attend to bathing him, two to attend to playing with him. These eight wet-nurses cared for the prince in due time, nurturing, nursing, bathing, and playing with him... In addition there were fine musical instruments, and all things were supplied and given for his full enjoyment, in hope that the prince would swiftly grow.

"Like a pure lotus flower living in a pond, the prince gradually grew up, studying the various texts and investigating the profound and marvelous meanings under teachers of the Kṣatriya lineage, and likewise with all scholars; in all the fields of learning he became thoroughly versed. Yet the prince was deeply faithful, virtuous and good, pure in his inner mind, and all his conduct ever embraced a heart of compassion, benefiting himself and benefiting others. With regard to the Dharma he was sovereign, taking pity upon and rescuing sentient beings, performing acts of charity, never hoarding anything. The prince relinquished all; there was not the slightest thing that he did not give away.

"If there were śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, the destitute and forlorn, those poor and lacking who came begging for food, or someone who came begging for the flesh and blood of his own body, then the prince, toward those who came to beg, would at once give rise to a mind of loving-kindness, contemplating it as empty space, and would think: 'How joyful! Now I shall cause those who come to beg to be fully satisfied, giving according to their wish—how much more so with gold, silver, precious jewels, food, garments, garlands, unguent incense, all kinds of bedding... and all things needed for use. I vow that all I think of may appear, so that I may give it in charity to all who come to beg, causing my aspirations to be fulfilled completely.'

"Because the prince was endowed with merit and virtue, his renown spread throughout all of Jambudvīpa, down to the Dragon Palace, up throughout the realm of Brahmā—all heard of it."