阿闍世王問五逆經

Thus have I heard.

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling on Vulture Peak Mountain in the city of Rājagṛha, together with a great assembly of five hundred bhikṣus.

Devadatta[1] went to the place of King Ajātaśatru; having arrived, he then sat down in his seat. At that time, King Ajātaśatru rose from his seat, bowed his head and face to the feet of Devadatta in homage, and then returned to sit in his seat. At that time, King Ajātaśatru said to Devadatta: "I have heard, venerable Devadatta, that the one whom the Śramaṇa Gautama often speaks of thus: 'There are five offenses of immediate retribution; if there be any man or woman who commits these five offenses, that person cannot be saved from the offense, but enters at once into the hells with no doubt whatsoever.

What are the five? They are: to kill one's father, to kill one's mother, to harm an Arhat, to cause schism[2] in the Saṅgha, and to give rise to a malevolent and evil intention toward the Tathāgata. Such five offenses cannot be saved.

If any man or woman performs these deeds, he enters at once into the hells with no doubt whatsoever.' Now I, Devadatta, have killed my own father with my own hand; shall I too enter into the hells?"

At that time, Devadatta said to King Ajātaśatru: "Great King! Do not be anxious or afraid. How could there be any harm? How could there be any fault? Who is it that does harm and undergoes retribution? Who is it that does harm and must receive this fruit? Moreover, the Great King has not done an evil and contrary deed. The one who does the evil deed must himself receive its fruit of retribution."

At that time, among the assembly, many bhikṣus, when the time came, put on their robes, took up their bowls, and entered the city of Rājagṛha to beg for alms. At that time, among the assembly, many bhikṣus who had entered the city of Rājagṛha to beg for alms heard King Ajātaśatru speaking with Devadatta, saying: "Venerable Devadatta! I have heard the Śramaṇa Gautama speak thus: 'There are five offenses that cannot be saved.

If there be any man or woman who performs these five deeds, he enters at once into the hells with no doubt whatsoever.' I am not the only one to have killed the royal father; shall I have to enter into the hells?" At that time Devadatta replied: "Do not fear, Great King! Who is it that does the harm—from where is the harm born? Who is it that does the evil that afterward receives the fruit of retribution?

The King too has done no harm. The one who does the harm must himself receive its fruit of retribution."

At that time, among the assembly, many bhikṣus, having finished begging for alms in the city of Rājagṛha, after they had eaten, put away their robes and bowls, gathered them with their sitting cloths, bore them upon their shoulders, and went to the place of the World-Honored One. They bowed their heads and faces to his feet in homage and sat to one side; then they spoke of King Ajātaśatru and the matters discussed between them, and recounted them clearly before the World-Honored One.

At that time, the World-Honored One then spoke this verse:

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the bhikṣus: "Though that King Ajātaśatru of the land of Magadha has killed the royal father, before long he will come to my place and there will gain a faith in me. After his life ends, he shall fall into the Pāṭkukṣipta hell[3].

At that time, one bhikṣu said to the World-Honored One: "When his life ends in that hell[4], where will he be born?"

The World-Honored One said: "When his life ends in that hell, he will be born in the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings."

The bhikṣu said: "When his life ends in that realm, where will he be born?"

The World-Honored One said: "Bhikṣu! When his life ends in that realm, he will be born in the heaven of the Thirty-three."

The bhikṣu said: "When his life ends in the heaven of the Thirty-three, where will he be born?"

The World-Honored One said: "Bhikṣu! When his life ends in the heaven of the Thirty-three, he will be born in the Yāma heaven."

The bhikṣu said: "World-Honored One! When his life ends in that realm, where will he be born?"

The World-Honored One said: "When his life ends in the Yāma heaven, he will be born in the Tuṣita heaven."

The bhikṣu said: "World-Honored One! When his life ends in the Tuṣita heaven, where will he be born?"

The World-Honored One said: "When his life ends in the Tuṣita heaven, he will be born in the Nirmāṇarati heaven (the heaven of those who delight in their own creations)."

The bhikṣu said: "When his life ends in the Nirmāṇarati heaven, where will he be born?"

The World-Honored One said: "Bhikṣu! When his life ends in the Nirmāṇarati heaven, he will be born in the Paranirmita-vaśavartin heaven (the heaven of those who control the creations of others)."

The bhikṣu said: "World-Honored One! When his life ends in the Paranirmita-vaśavartin heaven, where will he be born?"

The World-Honored One said: "Bhikṣu! When his life ends in the Paranirmita-vaśavartin heaven, he will be born in the Nirmāṇarati heaven, born in the Tuṣita heaven, the Yāma heaven, the heaven of the Thirty-three, and the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings, and will again be born in the human realm."

The bhikṣu said: "World-Honored One! When his life ends in that realm, where will he be born?"

The World-Honored One said: "Bhikṣu! King Ajātaśatru of the land of Magadha, for twenty kalpas shall not enter the three evil destinies, but shall pass through the realms of Devas and humans. Receiving his final body, he shall shave off his hair and beard, put on the three Dharma robes, hold to faith firmly, leave the household life to study the Way, and become a Pratyekabuddha named Vimala (the Undefiled)."

The bhikṣu said: "How marvelous[5]! How marvelous! World-Honored One! Having committed such an offense and fault, yet he enjoys happiness and becomes a Pratyekabuddha named Vimala."

The World-Honored One said: "Ajātaśatru, King of the land of Magadha, has given rise to an intention that is accomplished, and so all wholesome things come to him. Bhikṣu! Through patient endurance and forbearance, by giving rise to an intention that is accomplished, one is able to be saved and delivered from the hells. If a person gives rise to an intention that is not accomplished, but the causes and conditions are accomplished, then although he has not yet been born into the hells—because the means have been prepared—he does not arrive at the hells."

The bhikṣu said: "If a person has both matters accomplished, where will that person be born?"

The World-Honored One said: "When both matters are accomplished, he will be born in two places. What are the two? Birth in the realm of Devas and the realm of humans."

The bhikṣu said: "When a person gives rise to an intention that is accomplished, but the causes and conditions are not accomplished—what is the difference between these two cases?"

The World-Honored One said: "When a bhikṣu gives rise to an intention that is accomplished but the causes and conditions are not accomplished, this is a faculty soft and weak. When one gives rise to an intention that is not accomplished but the causes and conditions are accomplished—Bhikṣu! This is a faculty keen and sharp."

The bhikṣu said: "What is the difference between dull faculties and keen faculties?"

The World-Honored One said: "Dull faculties are the conduct of a bhikṣu who does not advance. Keen faculties are a bhikṣu who is intelligent and clear in understanding."

The bhikṣu said: "What is the difference between these two cases? Which karma will return?"

At that time, the World-Honored One then spoke this verse:

At that time, that bhikṣu, having heard what the Buddha said, rejoiced and reverently practiced it; he then rose from his seat, bowed his head and face to the feet in homage, circumambulated three times, and withdrew. At that time, that bhikṣu, when the time and hour had come, put on his robe, took up his bowl, and entered the city of Rājagṛha to beg for alms, going to the outside of the palace gate of the King of Magadha.

At that time, King Ajātaśatru saw from afar that bhikṣu coming and going. Having seen him, he then commanded the gatekeeper: "Why is this? Gatekeeper, I have previously given the order that the assembly of bhikṣus of the Śākya clan are not to come into this place, except for the venerable Devadatta."

At that time, the gatekeeper took the hand of that bhikṣu and led him outside the city gate. Then, that bhikṣu raised his right hand and said to the King of the land of Magadha: "I am the great good and virtuous friend of the Great King, the place of peace and security, free from all afflictions."

At that time, the King replied: "How does the bhikṣu see this meaning? To speak such words: 'I am the good and virtuous friend of the Great King, the place of peace and security.'"

At that time, that bhikṣu said to King Ajātaśatru: "The World-Honored One has spoken concerning the King, with words such as these: 'The King of the land of Magadha, because he killed the royal father—through that evil deed committed, after his life ends he will be born in a hell like the Pāṭkukṣipta. When his life ends there, he will be born in the palace of the Four Heavenly Kings. When his life ends in that realm, he will be born in the heaven of the Thirty-three.

When his life ends in that realm, he will be born in the Yāma heaven, the Tuṣita heaven, the Nirmāṇarati heaven, the Paranirmita-vaśavartin heaven. When his life ends in that realm, he will again be born in the Nirmāṇarati heaven, the Tuṣita heaven, the Yāma heaven, the heaven of the Thirty-three, the palace of the Four Heavenly Kings. He will again be born in the world of dust and receive a human body.

Thus, Great King, for twenty kalpas he shall not enter the three evil destinies, but pass through the human realm. Receiving his final human body, he shall shave off his hair and beard, put on the three Dharma robes, hold to faith firmly, leave the household life to study the Way, and attain to becoming a Pratyekabuddha, with the title Vimala (the Undefiled).' This is the reason for it. Thus, Great King, you shall gain a faith without root[6]." At that time, that bhikṣu, having spoken these words, then departed.

Then, King Ajātaśatru, having heard what that bhikṣu said, was neither joyful nor angry, nor did he accept those words; he then said to the prince Jīvaka: "Jīvaka! A śramaṇa came to my place and spoke words such as these: 'The Tathāgata, the Perfectly Worthy One, the Fully and Rightly Enlightened One, having seen and known, has handed down the determination that: to kill the royal father is to do an evil and contrary deed, and after his life ends he will be born in a hell like the Pāṭkukṣipta.

When his life ends there, he will be born in the palace of the Four Heavenly Kings, the heaven of the Thirty-three, the Yāma heaven, the Tuṣita heaven, the Nirmāṇarati heaven, the Paranirmita-vaśavartin heaven. When his life ends in that heaven, he will again be born in the Nirmāṇarati heaven, the Tuṣita heaven, the Yāma heaven, the heaven of the Thirty-three, the palace of the Four Heavenly Kings. When his life ends in that realm, he will be born in the human realm.

Receiving his final human body, he shall shave off his hair and beard, put on the three Dharma robes, hold to faith firmly, leave the household life to study the Way, and become a Pratyekabuddha, titled Vimala (the Undefiled).' Go, Jīvaka! Go to the place of the Śramaṇa Gautama and examine whether there are words such as these or not." He replied: "Yes indeed, Great King!"

At that time, the prince Jīvaka, having received the instruction of the King of the land of Magadha, then went out from the city of Rājagṛha and came to Vulture Peak Mountain, to the place of the World-Honored One. Having arrived, he bowed his head and face to the feet in homage and then sat to one side. At that time, the prince Jīvaka took the instructions and questions of the King of the land of Magadha and recounted them all before the Tathāgata.

The World-Honored One said: "It is so, Jīvaka! The Buddha, the World-Honored One, does not speak with two tongues; what is spoken accords with the matter at hand. Why is this?

Jīvaka! That King Ajātaśatru shall gain a faith without root. Jīvaka!

Just as there may be any men or women, all of them too shall gain those realms with nothing different about it."

Then, the prince Jīvaka, having received these instructions from the Tathāgata, then rose from his seat, bowed his head and face to the feet of the Buddha, and withdrew; he went to the place of the King of the land of Magadha, and having arrived, then said to King Ajātaśatru: "That Tathāgata, the Perfectly Worthy One, the Fully and Rightly Enlightened One, truly did speak these words. Why is this? Because, with regard to those who have a faith without root, there is nothing different about it. I beg the King to go to the place of that Tathāgata, the Perfectly Worthy One, the Fully and Rightly Enlightened One."

At that time, the King replied: "Jīvaka! I have heard that this Śramaṇa Gautama possesses incantations, able to subdue the people, causing the followers of other paths and other schools to be unable not to accept his teaching. Therefore, I am not willing in my heart to go and meet the Śramaṇa Gautama. Let it be, Jīvaka! I shall observe whether that Śramaṇa Gautama indeed possesses all wisdom. If he is truly one who has all wisdom, then afterward I shall go to meet that Śramaṇa Gautama."

At that time, the prince Jīvaka, having heard these words from the King of the land of Magadha, went out from the city of Rājagṛha and came to Vulture Peak Mountain, to the place of the World-Honored One. Having arrived, he bowed his head and face to the feet of the Buddha and sat to one side; he took these matters of meaning and reported them to the World-Honored One.

Then, the World-Honored One said: "Jīvaka! Before long the King of the land of Magadha will come to my place and shall gain a faith without root. Even after I have entered Nirvāṇa[7], he shall make offerings to my relics." The prince Jīvaka was joyful and exultant, with nothing more joyful than this. At that time, the World-Honored One spoke the subtle and wondrous Dharma for the prince Jīvaka, causing joy to arise in him.

At that time, the prince Jīvaka, having heard this profound teaching from the Tathāgata, then rose from his seat, bowed his head and face to the feet of the Buddha, circumambulated three times, and then withdrew and departed. At that time, the prince Jīvaka, having heard what the Buddha said, rejoiced and reverently practiced it.

Notes:

[1] Devadatta (Skt. Devadatta), also transliterated as Đề-bà-đạt-đâu, Địa-bà-đạt-đâu, Đế-bà-đạt-đâu, and also called for short Điều Đạt (Devadatta) or Đề Bà (Deva).

[2] To cause schism or disturbance, that is, to stir up trouble so as to make the Saṅgha divided, scattered, and at discord with one another.

[3] 拍毱 Pāṭkukṣipta: A hell in which the punishment is the crushing of the hands.

[4] The original text uses the word 泥犁 Niraya, that is, the Hell.

[5] Original text: 甚奇！甚特！"How marvelous! How extraordinary!" (acchariya abbhuta): rare, inconceivable.

[6] Faith without root 無根信. Faith without wholesome roots—having faith but without roots in the seeing of the Path. A faith without root means that at first one had no wholesome root, did not know to revere and trust the Three Jewels, but afterward, owing to hearing the teaching of the Buddha, gave rise to faith.

[7] Original text 泥洹 nê hoàn: Nirvāṇa.