眾許摩訶帝經

Fascicle 12

At that time, the Blessed One was staying in the Cold Grove. He had accepted the invitation of the householder Anathapindika and knew beforehand that in the kingdom of Sravasti there were many non-Buddhist ascetics who practiced austerities. They were quite intelligent and diligent in cultivation, yet had not attained liberation. The Buddha also saw that the conditions for their conversion had ripened and that, among the assembly, the Venerable Sariputra had many past affinities with them. Therefore, sending the Venerable One there would bring many benefits.

The Buddha then summoned the Venerable Sariputra and instructed him to go ahead to the kingdom of Sravasti to help the householder Anathapindika build a monastery. Obeying the Buddha, the Venerable One went to Sravasti and met the householder Anathapindika. The householder reported to him the challenge issued by the non-Buddhists and asked what he thought, adding:

“The people of Sravasti do not yet know the Buddha. Through this contest they will see who is superior and who is inferior, and thereby the Buddhadharma will be proclaimed.”

The Venerable Sariputra replied:

“Excellent. Those words are indeed worthy of careful consideration.”

After saying this, the Venerable One entered samadhi and contemplated. He saw that the conditions and capacities of the non-Buddhists and the people of Sravasti had ripened, but that seven more days must pass before the time would be favorable.

Emerging from samadhi, the Venerable One told the householder:

“Arrange with them to hold the contest seven days from now.”

The householder announced the date to the groups of non-Buddhists. On hearing it, they discussed among themselves:

“He has set the contest for seven days hence. Either he knows he cannot win and is seeking a way to withdraw secretly, or he is going to find companions to assist him. Why, then, should we not invite more companions ourselves?”

Having reached this decision, they traveled everywhere seeking companions to help them and found a brahmin named Red-Eye. They said to him:

“The chief disciple of the sramana Gautama has challenged us to a debate. You follow the same path as we do, so please help us. If we win, our privileges will not be lost; but if they win, where shall we go?”

He asked:

“When will the contest take place?”

They replied:

“Seven days from now.”

The brahmin said:

“Then inform me when the time comes, and I shall come to assist you.”

Nevertheless, that brahmin still feared defeat and was deeply anxious. He therefore sent word throughout the region to seek further supporters. Meanwhile, the householder Anathapindika found a quiet, spacious place and erected a platform for the debate. He prepared a lion seat for the Venerable Sariputra and a high seat for the non-Buddhist teacher.

When all arrangements had been completed, the householder made an announcement throughout the surrounding regions. On the day of the contest, young and old alike, whether attending on public or private business, gathered to the number of one hundred thousand. Brahmin non-Buddhists from foreign kingdoms also came to the place of contest.

Holding an incense burner in his hands, the householder Anathapindika, together with his retinue, escorted the Venerable Sariputra to the lion seat. When the Venerable One was seated, everyone beheld his majestic deportment and praised him. On the other side, the non-Buddhist brahmin was likewise escorted by the non-Buddhists to his high seat.

The Venerable Sariputra asked:

“How do you wish to compete?”

The non-Buddhist said:

“Whatever transformation I manifest, you must manifest the same.”

The Venerable One said:

“What I can do cannot be done by either gods or humans. Why, then, do you tell me to perform transformations like yours? Brahmin Red-Eye, whatever you manifest, I shall be able to destroy.”

The brahmin Red-Eye conjured a tree covered with flowers that were both beautiful and fragrant, causing everyone to praise him. Through spiritual power, the Venerable One conjured a wind that merely blew gently past, yet all the flowers withered and fell in disarray. Red-Eye then conjured a clear pond filled with lotuses, and everyone praised his skill.

The Venerable One conjured a great elephant of majestic form, which waded into the pond and thrashed about until all the lotuses were ruined. The non-Buddhist next conjured a seven-headed dragon, which spread its fins, glared fiercely, and somersaulted through the air. The Venerable One conjured the king of the garudas, which swooped down from the sky upon the dragon’s head and forced it to submit.

Finally, the non-Buddhist conjured a raksasa spirit before the assembly, terrifying everyone. The Venerable One recited a mantra and, through spiritual power, bound the raksasa, causing it to become enraged by its suffering. The non-Buddhist was terrified, the hair on his body standing on end.

Fearing that he would be harmed, he cried out for help and said to the Venerable One:

“I now take refuge. Please save me!”

The Venerable One ceased reciting the mantra, and the raksasa was no longer enraged. Having escaped the calamity of the raksasa’s wrath, the brahmin Red-Eye realized that his path of cultivation was not the true path. He respectfully addressed the Venerable Sariputra:

“I now wish to follow the Venerable One, leave the household life, and become a sramana. I beg you compassionately to accept me.”

The Venerable One admitted him into the order of sramanas. Thereafter, Red-Eye diligently cultivated and extinguished his afflictions. Though still within the three realms, he had eliminated the three poisons; his mind was impartial like empty space, and he regarded gold as earth. After cultivating for a time, he attained the three knowledges and six superknowledges and realized arhatship. Sakra, king of the gods, came to make offerings to him.

At that time, everyone gazed intently at the Venerable Sariputra in astonishment and praised him in unison. They regarded him as the foremost master of debate, without equal, like a king of bulls amid the herd. All gazed upon the Venerable One without ever tiring of the sight.

Knowing that the minds of the people were now ready to be converted, the Venerable Sariputra taught the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths. After hearing the teaching, some in the great assembly resolved to take refuge in the Three Jewels; some aspired to attain the fruit of a sravaka; some aspired to attain the fruit of a pratyekabuddha; and some aspired to attain unsurpassed bodhi. Some requested ordination and realized the fruit of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, or arhatship.

After the debate, everyone departed. Among the non-Buddhists were certain obstinate people who considered their defeat a humiliation. They therefore gathered secretly and plotted to pretend to seek employment as workmen under the householder, so that, when an opportunity arose, they could kill the Venerable One. Having devised this plan, they went to the householder and said:

“You have caused us to lose our privileges, and now we have nowhere to depend upon. Please take pity on us and employ us, so that we may remain near our homeland. If you will not accept us, we shall have to go to another kingdom.”

They pleaded repeatedly, moving everyone who heard them. The householder reported their words to the Venerable Sariputra, asking him compassionately to consider the matter. The Venerable One immediately entered samadhi and saw that before long those people would attain the path. He therefore told the householder that there was no need to worry.

The householder returned and employed the non-Buddhists. The Venerable One conjured a man to supervise the workmen and then observed them from behind. Knowing that their capacities and conditions had matured and that they could now be converted, he went to their workplace, chose the shade of a tree, and calmly sat in meditation. At first the non-Buddhists thought that their opportunity had come, and each rejoiced and tried to approach him. The supervisor, however, drove them away with a stick and would not allow them near the Venerable One.

Exhausted by their labor, they cried out for help:

“Great Sage, Venerable One, please come quickly and save us!”

Sariputra said:

“You have become weary from your work. Rest for a while.”

The non-Buddhists thought to themselves, “This great Venerable One knows that we have plotted to harm him, yet he still permits us to rest. We are utterly ashamed. What more can we say?” Sariputra knew that they felt remorse and that the time to teach them had arrived, so he told them to come near.

When they approached, the Venerable One taught them the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths. On hearing the teaching, their old, deeply rooted views, as heavy as twenty mountains, were shattered to pieces by vajra wisdom. At that very moment, they all attained the fruit of stream-entry and asked the Venerable One to allow them to leave the household life.

The Venerable Sariputra admitted them into the order as sramanas. After diligently cultivating for a time and preserving the pure conduct, they fully understood the path of escape from samsara, eradicated their afflictions, and realized arhatship. Their minds were impartial like empty space; they regarded gold as earth, relinquished all worldly gains and support, and became inwardly peaceful and pure.

All the gods, including Sakra, made offerings to them.

After converting those non-Buddhists, the Venerable Sariputra and the householder Anathapindika used measuring cords to determine the dimensions of the monastery. When the perimeter had been measured, the householder Anathapindika, because of his meritorious rewards, saw the gods of the Tusita Heaven reveal a golden palace. The householder did not understand the gods’ intention, however, and said to the Venerable Sariputra:

“This monastery is not intended solely for the arhats; it is being built for the Buddha.”

Sariputra said:

“My first thought was indeed of the Tathagata, but afterward also of the arhats. Because you have offered this land, the gods have manifested this portent.”

Sariputra then enabled the householder to obtain the divine eye so that he could see the portent. When he saw the golden palace, the householder Anathapindika was astonished and filled with joy, and he brought forth the highest aspiration.

The Venerable Sariputra himself held one end of the measuring cord and told the householder to hold the other. In succession, they divided the grounds into sixteen large rooms and sixty small rooms, designating places for the Buddha and places for the Sangha. Every detail was fully planned, and majestic palaces appeared within the householder’s mind. The Venerable One again helped the householder obtain the superknowledge of the divine eye, enabling him to see the palaces in the heavenly realms. The householder was overjoyed and exclaimed:

“Will my deed bring such responsive benefits and merit?”

Seeing the extraordinary rewards awaiting him in future lives, the householder became doubly diligent in the construction.

When the monastery had been completed, the householder furnished it with every necessary amenity. He then approached the Venerable Sariputra and asked:

“Venerable One, in what manner should we welcome the Blessed One here?”

The Venerable One replied:

“You should employ the ceremonial protocol used for a wheel-turning king.”

The householder then caused palaces to be erected from Sravasti to Rajagrha, one every ten krosas, so that the Buddha and the noble assembly might rest whenever they halted along the road. Within those palaces were storerooms containing every necessary article, and a person was stationed at each to maintain it and sprinkle it daily with sandalwood water so that it would remain fragrant and clean. Because they were intended to welcome the Tathagata, they had to be kept constantly pure. When all the places had been prepared, the householder sent a messenger to Rajagrha to invite the Buddha and the noble assembly. He said to the messenger:

“When you arrive, report to the Buddha on my behalf that the householder Anathapindika respectfully bows at the Buddha’s feet and asks whether the Blessed One has little illness, little distress, and whether all his activities are peaceful and joyful. The monastery has now been completed. May the Buddha and the noble assembly compassionately deign to visit us. Throughout our lives, we vow wholeheartedly to serve the Buddha and the noble assembly with every provision of robes, bedding, medicines, and all other necessities. May the Greatly Awakened One discern our sincerity.”

The messenger accepted these instructions and sincerely reported everything in full to the Buddha. He bowed his head to the ground in homage, thereby expressing his utmost reverence for the Buddha, then rose, circumambulated him three times, and stood to one side.

Wishing to benefit beings and bring them peace and happiness, the Buddha silently indicated his acceptance of the invitation. Knowing that the Buddha had accepted, the messenger quickly turned his carriage around and returned to Sravasti. He met the householder Anathapindika and reported that the Tathagata had heard the invitation and remained silent, and therefore would certainly come. Rejoicing, the householder prepared banners, parasols, incense, and flowers to welcome the Buddha.

The Blessed One then instructed the arhats to leave Rajagrha with him and travel to Sravasti in response to the invitation of the householder Anathapindika. Along the road, the Buddha looked upon the great assembly and said:

“My retinue consists of those who have tamed body and mind, abandoned desire, become well liberated, and attained arhatship. Such is the Buddha’s retinue. It is like a king of bulls amid the herd, an elephant king surrounded by a herd of elephants, a lion king surrounded by lions, a goose king surrounded by geese, or a garuda king surrounded by garudas.

It is also like students following a teacher, patients seeking a skilled physician, soldiers attending their commander, or merchants following their caravan leader. It is like a wheel-turning king surrounded by his thousand sons; Dhrtarastra, the Heavenly King Who Upholds the Realm, surrounded by celestial musicians; Virudhaka, the Heavenly King of Increase, surrounded by kumbhandas; Virupaksa, the Heavenly King of Broad Vision, surrounded by hosts of dragons; Vaisravana, the Heavenly King of Great Learning, surrounded by yaksas; the sun surrounded by a thousand rays; the moon surrounded by stars; Sakra surrounded by the hosts of gods; and the Brahma king surrounded by the Brahma hosts.

It is even like the Tittiri fish in the ocean or the ocean deity gathering all aquatic creatures. The Tathagata’s body possesses the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty secondary characteristics in complete perfection. His majestic radiance is like sunlight illuminating every place.

His gait is steady and majestic like a jeweled mountain. He fully possesses great compassion, the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, and all other qualities.”

At that time, the Blessed One, who had perfected every virtue and was completely liberated, traveled with the Sangha while converting beings along the way, and gradually arrived in Sravasti. The householder Anathapindika, together with his relatives and attendants, carrying banners, pennants, precious canopies, incense, and flowers, went far beyond the city of Sravasti to welcome the Buddha and Sangha. One hundred thousand people from the city, from householders to common citizens, men and women alike, followed them outside the city to welcome the Buddha.

Countless gods in the sky also offered boundless praise. When the Blessed One entered the city, he stepped upon the city gate with his right foot, causing the great earth to quake in six ways. He emitted light that illuminated the entire world; celestial drums sounded spontaneously; and heavenly flowers such as utpala, padmara, kumuda, pundarika, mandara, and kalpa-tree flowers descended like rain.

Various fragrances, including aloeswood, sandalwood, and mala incense, were scattered, and diverse kinds of music played spontaneously. The blind gained sight, the deaf could hear, the mute could speak, and those with disabilities were restored to wholeness. The intoxicated became sober, those poisoned by food or drink remained unharmed, enemies became reconciled, prisoners were released, pregnant women delivered safely, and even the poor obtained wealth.

Thus, when the Blessed One entered the city, he brought countless auspicious events and benefits.

When they arrived at the householder’s residence, the Buddha and the great assembly took their seats in order. Everyone in the household came to burn incense and offer flowers. After paying homage, the householder held an incense burner in his hands and invited the Buddha and the great assembly to the monastery. When the Buddha and noble assembly had all taken their seats, the householder brought a golden pitcher of water to pour over the Buddha’s hands, but the water would not flow from the pitcher. The householder thought, “Could I formerly have created some unwholesome karma? Why has this strange thing now occurred?” Knowing the householder’s thought, the Buddha said:

“It is not because you have created unwholesome karma. It is only because, in the past, you built a monastery on this land and offered it to a Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, and now you are doing the same. Practice giving, but do not place your mind upon it. If you abandon attachment, the water will flow from the pitcher.”

The householder said:

“May it be exactly as the Buddha has taught.”

When he had spoken, the water in the pitcher manifested all five virtues. After pouring the water over the Buddha’s hands, the householder asked the Buddha to name the monastery. Prince Jeta was then present at the gathering. The prince thought, “If the Buddha truly understands this matter, my name will surely be mentioned first.” Knowing the prince’s thought, the Buddha named the monastery “Jeta’s Grove, Anathapindika’s Park.” On hearing this, the prince was overjoyed and gained even greater faith in the Buddha. He then adorned the monastery gate with objects made from the four precious substances. The monastery therefore came to be called the Jeta Grove–Anathapindika Monastery.

At that time, King Prasenajit, the great king of Sravasti, heard that the Buddha had journeyed to his kingdom at the invitation of the householder Anathapindika and was staying at the monastery. Greatly rejoicing, he went there, bowed in homage, praised the Buddha, sat to one side, and said:

“I have heard that the sramana Gautama knows the characteristics of the mind and has attained unsurpassed, perfect and complete awakening. Sramana Gautama, according to the Dharma, the mind may be deviant or upright, wholesome or unwholesome; yet the characteristic of the mind is that it neither comes nor goes, and can neither be known nor described. This Dharma is exceedingly profound. How can it be thoroughly understood?”

The Buddha replied:

“What Your Majesty has said is indeed true. That mind is called deviant and is also called upright; it creates what is wholesome and also what is unwholesome. Yet the characteristic of the mind is that it neither comes nor goes and can neither be known nor described. This is exceedingly profound, but I know that mind and have attained unsurpassed, perfect and complete awakening.”

The king said:

“Sramana Gautama, how can you say this? There are practitioners of long standing, such as Kasyapa Matalin, Gosaliputra, Sanjayavairatiputra, Ajita Kesakambala, Kakuda Katyayana, and Nirgrantha Jnatiputra. They also know the characteristics of the mind, yet have not attained unsurpassed, perfect and complete awakening. Why, then, does the sramana, who is still young and only recently left the household life, say that he has attained it?”

The Buddha said:

“Great King, do not speak in this way. In the world there are four things that should not be despised. What are the four?

First, a king’s son; second, a young dragon; third, a small spark; and fourth, a young monk. Why is this so? A young prince of the ksatriya lineage possesses the great merit of sovereign kingship.

When he matures, the time may come for him to inherit the throne. A foolish and ignorant person may despise him because he is young, but when the prince ascends the throne, that person will incur guilt and regret it too late. Dragons are fierce beings capable of changing their forms, becoming large or small in extraordinary ways.

A fool who does not understand may act contemptuously and offend a dragon, and will certainly be harmed by it. Though a spark is small, it can burn everything. One should not despise it because it is small, for one day it may consume an entire forest or village.

A young monk who knows how to cultivate and preserves pure conduct may, despite his youth, attain the supreme fruit. He should not be despised, because awakening and realization do not depend upon being old or young, noble or lowly. Ignorant worldly people cannot distinguish ordinary beings from sages.

If they encounter an arhat and slander him, they will incur a karmic retribution like that of a tala tree whose crown has been cut off and can never grow again. Even if they diligently repent, they will be unable to extinguish that offense.”

When King Prasenajit heard the Buddha explain these four matters, faith arose in his heart and he regretted his former words. He bowed his head in homage and repented before the Buddha, circumambulated him, and joyfully withdrew.

After converting a number of people in Sravasti, the Blessed One thought of returning to Kapilavastu. Having been converted by the Buddha, King Prasenajit resolutely took refuge in the Three Jewels. He sent a messenger with a letter to King Suddhodana, announcing, “Your prince, Siddhartha, has attained unsurpassed, perfect and complete awakening. Beings both within and beyond this world receive the blessing of his deliverance.” After reading the letter, King Suddhodana thought, “Although it is joyful that my son has attained perfect awakening, if I send a messenger to invite him, that messenger will surely leave the household life and follow the Buddha.” Thus the king remained lost in thought. At that time, a great minister named Udayin saw the king in this state and asked:

“Great King, why do you appear pensive and unhappy?”

The king said:

“It is not that I am unhappy, but there is a matter upon which I am reflecting. King Prasenajit has just sent a letter informing me that the prince has attained perfect and complete awakening. He now has thousands of disciples who have attained arhatship and is staying at the monastery of Anathapindika in Sravasti. I wish to send a messenger to invite him, but then I recall that long ago, when the prince practiced austerities, I sent people to find and assist him, yet those people never returned. If I send someone else now, I fear that he too will not return, for Siddhartha is exceptionally intelligent and wise. Whenever he speaks, everyone believes and loves him. This is the matter upon which I am reflecting.”

Udayin said to the king:

“I now request permission to go. May Your Majesty cease worrying.”

The king said:

“You alone have my trust. If you go, the mission will surely succeed.”

The king then personally wrote a letter to the Buddha. The letter said: “O Sarvarthasiddha, my beloved son, weary of the afflictions, you abandoned the kingdom and left the household life to seek the path of unsurpassed, perfect and complete awakening. I now hear that you have attained the path and are teaching beings. Day and night, I long for you without respite. Others now receive peace and happiness, while I alone suffer. It is like a great tree born from the earth: after it has produced roots and branches, one ultimately hopes to eat its fruit. Now that you have fulfilled your aspiration, remember your former vow that if you did not attain bodhi, you would not return to Kapilavastu. Your vow has now been fulfilled. Think of me and of your relatives.”

Udayin received the king’s letter and traveled swiftly to Sravasti. Entering the monastery, he approached the Buddha and said:

“Blessed One, your royal father, King Suddhodana, has sent you a letter.”

Having said this, he presented the letter. The Buddha accepted it, opened it, read it, and remained silent for a long while. Udayin said to the Buddha:

“I now invite the Blessed One to return to Kapilavastu.”

The Buddha said:

“I shall go.”

Udayin immediately prostrated himself with his five limbs touching the ground, reverently paid homage to the Buddha, and said:

“Blessed One, if you go, I have nothing further to say. But if you do not go, I shall persist in my request until you consent.”

For Udayin, the Buddha spoke these verses:

Udayin said to the Buddha:

“May I take this verse back to the king?”

The Buddha said:

“That was not my intention.”

The great minister then asked:

“If that is not the meaning, what is your intention?”

The Buddha said:

“I only wish you to leave the household life.”

He replied:

“Previously, I made an agreement with the king that, once I had met the Buddha, I would certainly return.”

The Buddha said:

“You will not violate your agreement. Even if you shave your head and dye your robes, nothing will prevent you from returning. If you wish to return, then return.”

Udayin said:

“Blessed One, when you were still a bodhisattva, you followed the words of your parents and teachers. How could I now dare not follow your instruction? I wish to leave the household life. May the Buddha deliver me.”

The Buddha immediately ordained him and instructed him:

“Udayin, you may now return. When you reach the city, do not enter the palace immediately. Stand outside the city gate and ask someone to inform the king.

If the king asks your name, say that you are a bhiksu of the Sakya Buddha. Enter the palace only when the king invites you. If the king asks whether you truly are a bhiksu disciple of the Sakya Buddha, reply that it is indeed so.

If the king asks whether Prince Sarvarthasiddha now has an appearance like yours, reply that he does. If the king asks whether Prince Sarvarthasiddha will return, say that he will. If he asks when, say that it will be in seven days.

After saying this, you should leave. Even if the king asks you to remain, you should not remain. If the king asks whether Sarvarthasiddha will stay in the palace upon his return, reply that he will not.

If he asks where he will stay, answer that he will stay in a mountain forest or a monastery. If the king asks why it is called a monastery, recount to him in full the story of the Jeta Grove–Anathapindika Monastery.”

When the Buddha had finished instructing him, Udayin prepared to leave. The Buddha said further:

“With a single word, a king may bestow wealth and honor; when the gods form a thought, all things are accomplished. So it is with all sages.”

Having said this, the Buddha used his spiritual power to convey Udayin to Kapilavastu in an instant.

Following the Buddha’s instruction, Udayin maintained right mindfulness. When he reached the palace grounds, he stopped outside and stood before the city gate. He told the gatekeeper to report to the king:

“Go and inform the king that a bhiksu of the Sakya Buddha has arrived outside the palace gate but has not entered.”

On hearing the report, the king immediately ordered that he be summoned. Only then did Udayin enter. The moment King Suddhodana saw him, he was greatly astonished and asked:

“Udayin, have you left the household life?”

He replied:

“I have left the household life.”

The king asked:

“What did you say to me when you departed?”

He replied:

“I obeyed Your Majesty’s command and originally had no intention of leaving the household life. But the Blessed One’s spiritual power awakened and transformed me, and I clearly understood that a Buddha is difficult to encounter and the Buddhadharma difficult to hear. The Buddha was a prince, yet he renounced the throne. Why, then, should a lowly minister such as I covet rank and office?”

The king’s words sounded reproachful, but he was not angry. Moreover, seeing Udayin’s majestic and dignified appearance, he no longer treated him as a minister. He invited him into the hall, took his hand and comforted him, and ordered his attendants to prepare a seat and offer him water and fruit.

At that time, Udayin possessed deportment unlike that of ordinary people. His every gesture accorded with proper conduct, and his speech was exceedingly clear, sincere, and reasonable. Seeing that Udayin had shaved his head and changed his clothing, the king conversed with him for a long while and forgot to ask about the prince. Only then did he inquire:

“Does my son Sarvarthasiddha also possess such a majestic appearance?”

He replied:

“For Your Majesty to compare me with the Buddha is no different from comparing a mustard seed with Mount Sumeru, an ox’s hoofprint with the great ocean, or the light through a window with the radiance of the sun.”

Hearing these words, the king remembered the prince and was suddenly overcome with such grief that he fainted and fell to the ground. His attendants hurriedly bathed his face with water. After a long while, the king regained consciousness and immediately asked:

“Will my son return?”

He replied:

“He will return.”

The king asked:

“When will he return?”

He replied:

“In seven days.”

The king immediately ordered that the palace be swept, cleansed, and adorned to welcome the Blessed One and the noble assembly. Udayin said:

“When the Blessed One returns, he will not stay in the palace.”

The king asked:

“Where does the Buddha wish to stay?”

He replied:

“If he does not stay in a mountain forest, he will stay in a monastery.”

The king asked:

“What is meant by a monastery?”

Udayin then related to the king, in order, the account of the Jeta Grove–Anathapindika Monastery:

“The monastery has sixteen large rooms and sixty small rooms. The Blessed One resides in the center, and the noble assembly resides on the four sides. All necessary articles are always fully provided.”

On hearing this, King Suddhodana immediately dispatched officials and soldiers to the Nyagrodha Grove. That very day, they began constructing a monastery like the one in Anathapindika’s Park and adorned it with many precious objects.

When the appointed day arrived, the Blessed One said to the Venerable Maudgalyayana:

“Inform all the bhiksus that I now wish to return to Kapilavastu. Each bhiksu should put on his kasaya in a dignified manner and carry his alms bowl so that we may travel together. Those who still have parents or relatives may return to convert and benefit them.”

The Venerable Maudgalyayana obeyed the Buddha’s instruction and announced his words to all the arhats so that they might prepare for the journey.

The Buddha and the great assembly then left the Anathapindika Monastery and traveled toward Kapilavastu in response to the invitation of his royal father. The arhats followed solemnly behind the Buddha in orderly procession. The Buddha turned to look at his disciples and taught:

“My relatives are those who have tamed body and mind, abandoned desire, attained liberation, and realized arhatship. Such is the Buddha’s retinue. It is like a king of bulls amid the herd, an elephant king surrounded by elephants, a lion king surrounded by lions, a goose king surrounded by geese, or a garuda king surrounded by garudas.

It is also like students following a teacher, patients seeking a skilled physician, soldiers following their commander, or merchants following their leader. It is likewise like a wheel-turning king surrounded by his thousand sons; Dhrtarastra, the Heavenly King Who Upholds the Realm, surrounded by celestial musicians; Virudhaka, the Heavenly King of Increase, surrounded by kumbhandas; Virupaksa, the Heavenly King of Broad Vision, surrounded by hosts of dragons; Vaisravana, the Heavenly King of Great Learning, surrounded by yaksas; the sun surrounded by a thousand rays; the moon surrounded by a thousand stars; Sakra surrounded by the hosts of gods; the Brahma king surrounded by the Brahma hosts;

and even the Tittiri fish in the midst of the ocean, or the ocean deity gathering all aquatic creatures.

The Tathagata’s body possesses the thirty-two excellent marks and the eighty secondary characteristics, complete and perfect in every respect. His majestic radiance is like the sun illuminating every place. His gait is heroic and steady like a jeweled mountain.

He fully possesses great compassion, the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, and all other qualities.”

At that time, the Blessed One and the noble assembly traveled toward Kapilavastu, converting beings along the way. Not far from the capital flowed the Rohini River. King Suddhodana, the royal clan, and officials of every rank had gathered by the riverbank, preparing banners, precious parasols, music, incense, and flowers as they awaited the Blessed One.

From the bank of the Rohini River to the Nyagrodha Grove, both inside and outside the city, the king had ordered everything swept and cleansed. Fragrant water was sprinkled and incense burned along every stretch of road in preparation for welcoming the Blessed One. All the people of Kapilavastu—noble and lowly, old and young, men and women—stood along both sides of the road holding incense and flowers, waiting to welcome and make offerings to the Buddha.

They said among themselves that the Blessed One had formerly been the prince but had now become a Buddha. They were filled with joy and wished to behold his majestic deportment and Brahma-like marks. Some among the people wondered and thought, “How will father and son greet each other when they meet?

If the son bows to the father, it will be no different from worldly custom. If the father bows to the son, there is no such provision in the rites of the kingdom. The prince practiced austerities and became a Buddha, so he must surely differ from worldly people.”

The people crowded the entire road. As the Buddha and the noble assembly approached the river, the Buddha knew that the king and the people were waiting there. He thought, “My royal father, my relatives, and all the people of Kapilavastu believe that when I departed to cultivate, hundreds of thousands of gods surrounded and escorted me, and that I crossed through empty space to practice in the Snow Mountains.

Now that I have attained the path and am returning, it would truly be inappropriate to arrive on foot. I should manifest spiritual powers for my royal father to see and also cause everyone to rejoice.” When he saw his royal father, relatives, and people preparing to rush forward to welcome him, the Buddha immediately entered samadhi. He manifested his body in the eastern sky, displaying the four majestic postures of walking, standing, lying down, and sitting.

From the upper part of his body he emitted water and from the lower part fire, or the reverse. From his body he emitted rays of five colors—blue, red, white, yellow, and rose—intermingled like light passing through a transparent crystal sphere. In the southern, western, and northern regions of space, the Buddha likewise manifested his body in this manner.

Each bhiksu displayed spiritual powers, manifesting a body more than seven tala trees in height. The Buddha, in the midst of the bhiksus, manifested himself in the same way. The transformed bodies of the bhiksus were of unequal heights: some were six tala trees high, some five, and others only four, three, two, or one tala tree high.

Yet the Buddha always appeared clearly taller than everyone else. When the manifestations were complete, the Buddha and the noble assembly spontaneously disappeared and, in an instant, reappeared in their original place. The king and all the people developed even greater reverence and faith and advanced to welcome them.

The king saw that everyone wore kasayas and had similar appearances, so he could not distinguish the Blessed One from his disciples. Udayin therefore guided the king before the Buddha. Although the king met the Blessed One, in his heart he still regarded the Buddha as his son.

Udayin said to the king:

“The Tathagata has ended all afflictions. His mind is sovereign, like the sun in empty space illuminating every place. By cultivating in accordance with suchness, he has attained supreme, complete awakening. He fully possesses the ten powers and omniscience. The radiance of his excellent marks benefits all beings. Your Majesty should reverently seek the noble path.”

On hearing these words, the king awakened to the truth. With faith and reverence, he bowed to the Buddha and spoke this verse:

At your birth, the great earth entirely trembled;
The tree’s shadow sheltered your body and did not move.
With the wisdom-eye, you contemplate all beings;
I now wholeheartedly bow in reverence.

At that time, some among the relatives of the Sakya clan saw the king bowing to the Buddha and said to one another:

“If the Blessed One acts contrary to worldly principles, how can he convert beings?”

Hearing these words, the king said to everyone:

“Have you not heard that when Siddhartha was born, the great earth quaked in six ways and light illuminated the whole world, reaching even the dark places where no other source of light could shine? That majestic radiance was incomparable. When it illuminated those dark places, the beings there who had created evil karma suddenly saw one another by means of that light and wondered, ‘Why are there other beings here?’ At that very time, I bowed to the prince.

Before leaving the household life, Siddhartha sat in meditation beneath the shade of the jambu tree. His mind was pure and free from desire; he had abandoned unwholesome states, eliminated all discriminating thoughts and doubts, and dwelt blissfully in peaceful, non-contentious samadhi. The shadows of all the trees in the grove moved with the sun, but the shadow of the jambu tree alone remained unmoving to shelter him.

When I saw that extraordinary event, I bowed at the prince’s feet. Now I bow to the Buddha for the third time precisely because he is the Liberated One.”