眾許摩訶帝經

Fascicle 8

After turning the Dharma wheel for the first time and delivering the five bhiksus, the Buddha traveled with them and stopped to rest on the bank of the Varaka River.

At that time, in the city of Varanasi, there was a son of the elder Kulika named Yasa. His family was exceedingly wealthy and possessed many treasures. His mother’s family belonged to a powerful and affluent clan of the country and had many servants. All the female servants were young, intelligent, accomplished in many arts, skilled in singing and music, and constantly attended their master.

One day, Yasa suddenly ordered the courtesans to adorn themselves, put on beautiful garments, sound the drums, and play music. He and his retinue amused themselves throughout the day, stopping to rest only at midnight.

Exhausted, the courtesans fell deeply asleep, leaving the chamber doors unfastened. At midnight Yasa awoke and walked about, inspecting the storerooms and chambers. Passing the courtesans’ chamber, he saw the women sprawled everywhere, their bodies, hair, and clothing disheveled, like corpses. When he saw this, the conditions for his renunciation had ripened. Disenchantment suddenly arose in his heart, and, as though driven mad, he put on his precious shoes in the middle of the night, went to the royal palace, and loudly called to the gatekeeper:

“I am suffering! I am suffering! Report this to the king.”

The gatekeeper refused to heed him. Yasa then went to the rear gate, called to its keeper, and again cried aloud:

“I am suffering! I am suffering! Report this to the king.”

That gatekeeper likewise paid no heed. Thus, during that night, Yasa left the city and went eastward directly to the bank of the Varaka River, crying as he walked:

“I am suffering! I am suffering!”

At that time, during the third watch of the night, the Blessed One was walking in meditation nearby on the opposite bank of the river. From afar Yasa saw the Blessed One, majestic and dignified beyond compare, truly an extraordinary being, and called out:

“Venerable One, I am suffering greatly!”

The Blessed One gently consoled him:

“Good man, come here to me. Here with me you shall find peace and happiness.”

On hearing this, Yasa immediately removed his precious shoes on the bank, waded across the river, approached and bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, and then stood to one side.

The Buddha and Yasa returned to the place where the Buddha was staying. After seats had been arranged, the Buddha said to Yasa:

“Giving and observing the precepts are causes for rebirth in the heavenly realms. Although one may freely enjoy the pleasures of the five senses there, one has not yet ended samsara. Do not delight merely in the merit that brings rebirth in heaven. If you now wish to seek the path that cuts off the afflictions, removes every obstruction, and leads to liberation, you must diligently cultivate the Noble Path. Then you may awaken to the truth and realize nirvana. Yasa, is form permanent or impermanent? Is it suffering or not suffering? Is it empty or not empty? Does it possess a self or is it without self? Is the same true of the other skandhas—feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness?”

When Yasa heard the Buddha speak thus, his mind was like a clean white cloth readily taking dye. He immediately became free from all dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma eye.

The Blessed One then expounded at length the Four Noble Truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Right there upon his seat, Yasa’s mind was entirely freed from the outflows, and he attained arhatship. He replied to the Blessed One:

“As the Buddha has taught, the skandhas of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are all impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self.”

The Blessed One knew that Yasa’s mind had truly attained the state beyond outflows and realized liberation, though he was still dressed in the fine clothes of a householder. He therefore spoke these verses for Yasa:

Yasa was naturally wise and had now attained the fruit beyond training. As soon as he heard the Buddha’s verses, he thought, “The Blessed One has spoken thus because I still wear the garments of a householder.” Yasa then addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, I now wish to become a sramana in the Buddha-Dharma. May the Blessed One compassionately accept me.”

The Buddha said:

“Welcome, bhiksu!”

Yasa then shaved his beard and hair himself, donned the kasaya robe, and became a sramana fully endowed with dignified conduct. At daybreak, the elder Kulika was alarmed when a servant reported that Yasa had left the city in the middle of the night and had not yet returned, and that no one knew where he had gone. The elder was greatly astonished and thought, “My son left home in the middle of the night; perhaps he has gone to do something improper.” He asked the household:

“What clothes and shoes was my son wearing when he departed?”

They replied:

“His fine garments and precious shoes are no longer in their usual place. The young master must have worn them.”

The elder thought, “Since my son went out dressed in fine clothes and precious shoes, he surely did not go to do anything evil. I must quickly search everywhere for him.” He then sent members of the household out in different directions while he himself left the city and went to the bank of the Varaka River in search of his son. Suddenly the elder saw on the riverbank the precious shoes his son habitually wore.

He also heard people say that the Buddha and his disciples were staying across the river. He thought, “My son must be there.” The elder removed his shoes, waded across the river, and approached the Buddha. Seeing him from afar, the Buddha knew that he was searching for his son.

When the elder came before the Buddha and saw him radiant and endowed with extraordinary marks, amazement and admiration arose in him before he could even ask about his son.

The Blessed One, using skillful means in accordance with the thought that had just arisen in the elder’s mind, said:

“Welcome, elder! You must be weary. Sit down, and I shall speak with you.”

Seeing the Blessed One’s excellent marks and majestic bearing, and hearing his gentle, kindly words, the elder Kulika gazed upon him with such attention that he forgot his search for his son.

The Blessed One asked him:

“I possess a wondrous Dharma. Would you like to hear it?”

The elder replied:

“May the Buddha compassionately expound it for me.”

The Buddha said:

“Giving and observing the precepts are causes for rebirth in heaven, but this is not the ultimate fruit. Only by completely eliminating the afflictions can one attain the Noble Path. Elder Kulika, I now ask you: Is form permanent or impermanent? Is it suffering or not suffering? Is it empty or not empty? Does it possess a self or is it without self? Is the same true of the other skandhas—feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness?”

At that time, wishing to lead the elder to liberation, the Blessed One told him:

“Examine this carefully and tell me what you understand.”

The elder Kulika replied:

“Only now do I truly understand that the five skandhas—form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—are all impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self.”

The Blessed One then clearly expounded the Four Truths. Thereby the elder Kulika cast off all dust and defilement, attained the pure Dharma eye, and experienced boundless joy in body and mind.

The Blessed One knew that the elder’s mind had opened and that ordinary worldly attachment was no longer powerful within him. If he now saw his son as a sramana, he would surely no longer grieve. He therefore asked:

“Kulika, for what reason have you come here?”

The elder related to the Blessed One how he had come in search of his son. The Buddha immediately called:

“Bhiksu Yasa, come here!”

The elder saw that his son had renounced the household life and assumed the appearance of a sramana. Knowing also that his son had transcended the outflows and attained arhatship, he exclaimed:

“How wonderful, my son! You have been able first to benefit yourself and then to benefit others. You have enabled me to hear the most sublime Dharma, become free from dust and defilement, and attain the pure Dharma eye. It is through you that I have gained all this.”

The elder then addressed the Buddha:

“I now wish to practice as a householder. May the Buddha confer the precepts upon me.”

The Buddha praised him:

“Excellent! I shall now confer the Three Refuges upon you. Listen carefully, uphold them throughout your life, and do not transgress them.”

Kulika said:

“I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, and I take refuge in the Sangha.”

The Buddha taught:

“Now that you have received the Three Refuges, from this day onward you are the first male lay disciple in the world.”

Having heard the Buddha teach the Dharma, Kulika became free from dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma eye. Having also received the Three Refuges, his mind was at ease and filled with immeasurable joy. He addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, tomorrow I shall prepare a meal at my home and invite the Buddha and the noble Sangha to receive my offering. May the Buddha compassionately consent.”

The Buddha silently accepted. Knowing that the Buddha had accepted his invitation, the elder rejoiced without measure. He circumambulated the Buddha three times, bowed, and withdrew.

Having invited the Buddha, the elder Kulika hurried home and told his wife, children, and relatives:

“That night Yasa went to the Varaka River, renounced the household life under the Buddha, became a sramana, and attained arhatship. In searching for Yasa, I went there and heard the Buddha teach the Dharma. Through this I became free from dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma eye. The Buddha conferred the Three Refuges upon me, and I have invited him here tomorrow to receive an offering. The Buddha and the noble Sangha will come to take their meal. Therefore, on my behalf, clean the house, sprinkle it with water, sweep it thoroughly, and prepare food, drink, incense, and flowers as offerings to the Buddha. Exert yourselves, and you will obtain great benefit.”

The following day, everything was ready at dawn. From the courtyard of his house, the elder Kulika burned incense, faced toward the Buddha’s dwelling place, and announced:

“The meal is prepared. May the Buddha come to us.”

At that time the Buddha said to Kaundinya:

“Let the arhats go together to Kulika’s house in accordance with the householder’s invitation.”

The Buddha also told Yasa:

“You will return home clothed differently than before, and your mother and relatives must surely have been grieving. Now that you have renounced the household life and attained arhatship, you should employ skillful means so that all who see you will give rise to reverence and joy.”

Having thus instructed him, the Buddha went with the noble Sangha to the elder’s home to receive the meal.

Kulika stood at the entrance to his house, awaiting the Buddha with single-minded longing. When the Buddha arrived, the elder reverently bowed at his feet, burned incense, and escorted him inside. Yasa’s mother, nurse, and all the relatives came out together to welcome them.

For the first time they beheld the Buddha’s excellent, dignified marks and extraordinary majestic radiance. They also saw Yasa and the arhats in solemn robes, their bearing majestic and their every movement and posture extraordinary. They surrounded them, gazing in admiration and rejoicing beyond measure.

The elder Kulika invited the Buddha to sit in the highest place, and the arhats also took their seats. The elder and everyone in the household then bowed in turn at the feet of the Buddha and the noble Sangha and stood to one side.

At that time, wishing Yasa’s mother and all the relatives in the elder’s household to rejoice and give rise to bodhicitta, the Buddha said:

“Giving and observing the precepts lead to rebirth in heaven. Although there is happiness there, samsara has not yet ended. To end samsara, one must eliminate the afflictions and clearly understand the Dharma of arising and ceasing. Listen and reflect carefully, and I shall explain it clearly for you.”

The Buddha taught:

“Good people, form is impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self. The other four skandhas—feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—are likewise. Do you understand?”

The Blessed One then expounded and distinguished these matters at length. Yasa’s mother and nurse had already planted roots of goodness; therefore, when they heard the Buddha clearly explain these wondrous teachings, they understood them easily, like clean white cloth readily taking every color of dye.

The Buddha then expounded at length the four truths: suffering, the cause of suffering, nirvana, and the path of practice leading to nirvana—the Four Truths of suffering, origin, cessation, and the path. On hearing the Buddha’s teaching, Yasa’s mother and relatives eliminated craving from their minds, abandoned doubt, and understood the Dharma without obstruction. Before rising from their seats, they attained the pure Dharma eye. They then rose, approached the Buddha, and said:

“Blessed One, we now truly understand that the five skandhas and the three poisons are all suffering, empty, without self, and impermanent.”

The Buddha then conferred the Three Refuges upon Yasa’s mother and relatives. They rejoiced greatly, bowed at the Buddha’s feet in gratitude, and said:

“Blessed One, it is time for the meal.”

The Buddha remained silent. The elder and his wife personally served the most fragrant, delicious, and pure foods to the Buddha and the noble Sangha.

After the Buddha and the noble Sangha had eaten and washed their hands, the elder and his wife sat upon the lowest seats before the Buddha and requested him to teach the Dharma. Wishing to instruct and benefit them and cause their minds to rejoice, the Buddha consented. The elder and his wife then asked:

“Blessed One, there is something we do not yet understand and wish to ask about. May the Blessed One explain it clearly to us. Through what causes and conditions did our son Yasa suddenly leave home, meet the Buddha, hear the Dharma, become a sramana adorned in the Dharma robe, eliminate all outflows, and attain arhatship?”

The Blessed One told the elder’s family:

“In a past age, not far from the country of Varanasi, there lived a compassionate seer who always benefited sentient beings and regularly entered the city with his bowl to seek alms. One day, upon reaching a crossroads, the seer suddenly saw a corpse. Its body had decayed and emitted a foul stench, and no passerby dared approach it.

The seer thought that when he died, his own body would surely be the same. He therefore became deeply disenchanted and wished to escape samsara. At that time a youth also saw the corpse and, like the seer, became disgusted with the suffering of samsara.

Both were disenchanted with samsara’s suffering and diligently cultivated the liberating Noble Path. That seer was I, and that youth was Yasa. Therefore, today, when Yasa met me and heard the sublime and wondrous Dharma, he immediately attained arhatship.”

The elder Kulika and all his relatives rejoiced greatly upon hearing the Buddha’s words. They accepted them with faith, bowed to the Buddha, and withdrew. The Blessed One and the noble Sangha also returned to the Deer Park.

At that time the elder Kulika had four other sons: Purnaka, Vimala, Gavampati, and Subahu. Seeing that Yasa had renounced the household life under the Buddha and attained arhatship, they all thought, “Why do we remain attached to craving instead of seeking the path of liberation?” They further reflected, “If the Supremely Awakened One had not appeared in the world today, who could proclaim the supreme Dharma? How then could we end samsara? Now that we have encountered the Buddha-Dharma and gained right faith, we should leave our families together and follow Yasa in seeking liberation.”

Having thought thus, the four brothers led by Purnaka left home and went to Varanasi, where the Buddha was staying. They reverently bowed to the Buddha, stood to one side, and said:

“We are sons of the elder Kulika and younger brothers of Yasa. We have come to ask to become sramanas. May the Buddha compassionately accept us.”

The Blessed One directed his disciples to shave their beards and hair, clothe them in kasaya robes, and admit them as sramanas. He then taught them the Dharma, saying:

“Purnaka, as sramanas you must practice austerities, gather in and discipline your minds, and not allow them to become distracted. Seek the true Dharma and bring the mind to realize no-self. You will then clearly understand the true character of all dharmas, end birth and death, cut off samsara, and attain liberation.”

When the four brothers led by Purnaka heard the Buddha’s teaching, right faith arose in them. They devoted themselves diligently to practice, eliminated the afflictions, and attained liberation of mind, clearly knowing: “The task is done, the holy life has been established, there will be no further rebirth, and samsara has been ended forever.” They immediately attained arhatship. At that time the Buddha’s disciples numbered exactly ten great arhats.

Now in the country of Varanasi there were fifty young men, sons of elders from great clans and friends of the elder Kulika’s sons. Suddenly hearing that Yasa, Purnaka, and the others had renounced the household life under the Buddha and attained the fruits of the path, they thought, “Yasa and his brothers are sons of an elder, born into a renowned family, unequaled in wealth, surpassing others in intelligence, dignified in appearance, rarely matched by anyone, and accustomed to pleasure without the least hardship. Yet even they abandoned their household to train in the path of liberation. Why should we remain attached?”

Having reflected thus, the elders’ sons left Varanasi, approached the Buddha, wholeheartedly bowed at his feet, stood to one side, and said:

“Blessed One, we are fifty sons of elders. We now wish to renounce the household life under the Buddha and become sramanas. May the Buddha compassionately accept us.”

The Buddha said:

“Excellent! Sons of elders, the time has now come for you to leave your households and follow the Dharma path.”

Having said this, the Buddha directed his disciples to help them shave their beards and hair, put on kasaya robes, and enter the community of sramanas.

Wishing them to attain the fruits of the path, the Blessed One taught:

“Sons of elders, having left your households to become sramanas, you must wholeheartedly practice austerities, gather in and discipline your minds, and not allow them to become distracted. Seek the truth and remove attachment to self from the mind; then you will certainly awaken, bring the source of birth and death to an end, forever escape samsara, and surely attain liberation.”

After hearing the Buddha’s teaching, the elders’ sons strengthened their true and steadfast faith. They practiced diligently, eliminated the afflictions, and attained liberation of mind, clearly knowing: “The task is done, the holy life has been fulfilled, there will be no further rebirth, and samsara has been forever cut off.” They all attained arhatship. At that time, for the first time in the world, there were sixty great arhats.

The Blessed One then looked upon his disciples and said:

“Throughout immeasurable kalpas I diligently and vigorously cultivated the path, and now I have attained perfect awakening precisely so that I might release all sentient beings from their bonds. Today, having heard me expound the true Dharma, you have eliminated the afflictions and attained liberation. You possess the three knowledges and six superknowledges, and you are free from every bond of gods and humans. You can be the supreme fields of merit for all sentient beings. Therefore, go forth out of compassion, and, in accordance with conditions, benefit the world and bring it peace and happiness.”

As soon as the Buddha finished speaking, a wicked Mara named Manavaka knew from afar that on that day the sramana Gautama had said to his disciples in the Deer Park, “You have escaped every bond of gods and humans. Each of you should go forth according to conditions, benefit sentient beings, and bring them peace and happiness.” Mara thought, “If I do not delude and disturb them now, they will surely lead all beings in the world to follow the Buddha.” The wicked Mara transformed himself into human form and in an instant arrived before the Buddha. Standing there, he spoke these verses:

The Blessed One knew that the wicked Mara had come to delude and disturb their minds. He thought, “You merely create karma for yourself; how could you ever defeat me?” He then spoke these verses:

Hearing these words and knowing that the Buddha had discerned his scheme, Manavaka realized that he could not cause any disturbance. Deeply distressed, he disappeared.

The Blessed One then said to the bhiksus:

“I have declared that you are free from all bonds among gods and humans. Therefore, out of compassion for sentient beings, go forth and spread the true Dharma. Set out quickly!”

The arhats obeyed the Buddha’s instruction, bowed together, took leave of the Blessed One, and departed to teach throughout the land.

After the arhats had left the Deer Park, the Buddha traveled alone to the region of Senanigama, to the shore of Lake Uruvilva. In the Kalapasa forest he practiced walking meditation and then sat in meditative concentration. At that time sixty worthy men of the region regularly amused themselves each day with courtesans, singing and making merry. One day, in the midst of their revelry, one courtesan suddenly became disenchanted and departed without anyone knowing where she had gone. The sixty worthy men had roots of goodness. While searching for the woman, they entered the Kalapasa forest and encountered the Blessed One seated beneath a tree. They were all greatly astonished and said to one another:

“This sramana’s body shines like a mountain of gold. His features are handsome, he possesses all the excellent marks, and his nobility is beyond compare.”

After praising him without measure, they approached the Buddha and asked:

“Sramana, have you seen a woman pass this way?”

The Buddha replied:

“Worthy men, this place is secluded and is not where women come to wander. You have come here seeking a woman, but would it not be better to seek yourselves?”

Hearing the Buddha speak thus, the worthy men immediately awakened and recognized the errors of their former conduct. They said to the Buddha:

“Our search for that woman was indeed misguided. We now wish to seek ourselves. May the Buddha compassionately instruct us.”

The Buddha said:

“Worthy men, if you have understood this, sit down and I shall teach you the Dharma.”

They all bowed to the Buddha, withdrew, and sat to one side. The Buddha taught:

“Worthy men, giving and observing the precepts are causes for rebirth in heaven. Although one enjoys happiness there, it is not eternal happiness. If you wish for liberation, you must eliminate the afflictions and clearly perceive the course of birth and death.”

As soon as the worthy men heard this teaching, all delusion and obstruction were eliminated. They focused their minds in contemplation, and boundless joy arose. Knowing that their minds had transformed, the Buddha next expounded at length the Four Noble Truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

Their minds were like clean white cloth readily taking every color of dye, and each gained benefit in accordance with his capacities. Right there upon their seats they awakened to the wondrous principle of the Four Noble Truths, attained right knowledge and vision regarding all dharmas, eliminated desire, and became free from doubt. They thereby attained the four fearlessnesses.

Rising from their seats, they drew their robes over one shoulder, joined their palms toward the Buddha, and said:

“Revered Blessed One, may the Blessed One compassionately witness our taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha. From now until the end of our lives, we shall not kill living beings and vow to uphold the precepts of lay disciples.”

Having heard the Buddha teach the Dharma, the sixty worthy men rejoiced greatly, bowed to the Buddha, and withdrew.