輪王七寶經

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was dwelling in the country of Śrāvastī together with a great assembly of bhikṣus. At that time the Buddha addressed the bhikṣus:

"You should know that there is a Kṣatriya Great Anointed King, who has received the rite of consecration upon the crown of his head and has attained the rank of a Wheel-Turning King, whose majestic virtue is sovereign and self-mastered, and who is revered by all people. When such a king appears, seven treasures appear in the world. What are the seven treasures? They are the treasure of the wheel, the treasure of the elephant, the treasure of the horse, the treasure of the steward minister (the householder treasure), the treasure of the commander minister, the maṇi treasure, and the treasure of the woman. Such seven treasures appear in accordance with the king.

"What is called the treasure of the wheel?

"It is a wheel made of gold with a thousand spokes, supremely sublime, its features fully rounded and complete, possessing great majestic power. This precious golden wheel descends from the empty sky and stands before the gate of the king's palace. At that time, when the Kṣatriya Great Anointed Wheel-Turning King sees that this treasure of the wheel has appeared, his heart is filled with utmost joy, and he straightway commands his attendant officer, saying: 'Quickly prepare the fourfold army, that I may go forth to travel.' Thereupon the attendant officer, having received the king's command, straightway prepares the fourfold army.

When all has been set in order, he comes before the king and announces: 'The fourfold army has been fully prepared. May the king go forth to travel; now is the proper time.'

"At that time the Kṣatriya Great Anointed Wheel-Turning King straightway rises from his seat, adjusts his garments, and goes out from the palace gate. That treasure of the thousand-spoked wheel comes before the king and rolls toward the king's right hand. Then the king travels throughout the four seas, and in but the blink of an eye he has returned to the royal palace, by reason of the supremely excellent efficacy of the treasure of the wheel. O bhikṣus, this is what is called: when the Kṣatriya Great Anointed Wheel-Turning King appears, the treasure of the wheel appears. This is the first.

"Furthermore, O bhikṣus, when the Kṣatriya Great Anointed Wheel-Turning King appears, there also appears the treasure of the elephant. The treasure of the elephant has a supremely sublime bodily form, wholly pure white without any admixture, like a great dragon, with seven parts of its body full and complete. It comes riding upon the empty sky from the northern quarter and stands before the king's palace.

At that time the officials, having seen the treasure of the elephant, report it fully to the king. When the Great Anointed Wheel-Turning King sees that this treasure of the elephant has appeared, his heart is greatly delighted, and he reflects to himself: 'How exceedingly auspicious, how supremely excellent! If I have need, let this treasure of the elephant be kept; if I have need, let this treasure of the elephant be kept and used.'

"At that time the king addresses his ministers, saying:

"'The treasure of the elephant has appeared. You should diligently keep and guard it, so that it may be ready for the time when I have need of it.'

"Thereupon the attendant guards, having received the king's command, always diligently keep and guard it, skillfully training the treasure of the elephant, allowing not the slightest oversight, in readiness for when the king has need of it.

"The Buddha addressed the bhikṣus:

"'In times of old, when the Kṣatriya Great Anointed Wheel-Turning King appeared in the world, there also at that time appeared the treasure of the elephant. In the early morning the king would mount that treasure of the elephant and travel throughout the four seas, and in that very instant he would return to the palace. You should know that the treasure of the elephant possesses such excellent and wondrous efficacy.'

"O bhikṣus, this is what is called: when the Great Anointed Wheel-Turning King appears, the treasure of the elephant appears. This is the second.

"Furthermore, O bhikṣus, when the Anointed Wheel-Turning King appears, there also appear four treasure horses. All the parts of their bodies are full and complete, and each of them has a form and color of utmost beauty. They are called the blue, the yellow, the red, and the white.

The front and back of their necks are truly beautiful, like Mecala. They walk and run with great swiftness, and moreover are skillfully tamed. These four treasure horses appear at the king's palace.

At that time the officials, seeing the treasure horses to be exceedingly beautiful and rare, straightway report it to the king. When the Great Anointed King sees these four treasure horses, his heart is greatly delighted, and he reflects to himself: 'The treasure horses have appeared—how exceedingly excellent! If I have need of them, surely it shall be as I wish.'

"The Great Wheel-Turning King then proclaims: 'O ministers, you should diligently keep and skillfully train these treasure horses at all times; when I have need of them, I shall make use of them.' Thereupon the officials, having received the king's command, always guard and protect the treasure horses, awaiting the time when the king shall make use of them.

"O bhikṣus, in times of old there appeared in the world the Great Anointed King, and at that time there also appeared the treasure horses. In the early morning the king would mount these treasure horses and roam throughout the four seas, and in that very instant he would return to the palace. You should know that those treasure horses possess such supremely excellent efficacy. O bhikṣus, this is what is called: when the Anointed Wheel-Turning King appears, the treasure horses also appear. This is the third.

"Furthermore, O bhikṣus, when the Wheel-Turning King appears, there also appears the treasure of the steward minister. At that time the great treasure-stores are vast and secure, abounding in wealth and riches, with the treasure spirit as their master. Thereupon the steward minister of the treasure-stores comes before the king and says: 'There is a great and precious treasure-store, fully furnished with all manner of supremely sublime jewels—that is, gold and all manner of precious things. If the king has need of them, I shall present them all according to your wish, lacking nothing.'

"At that time, when the Wheel-Turning King sees that the treasure spirit, master of the treasure-stores, has appeared, his heart is greatly delighted. The king again hears the treasure spirit say: 'Gold and all manner of jewels are fully provided; take as much as you wish, according to your pleasure.' Thereupon the king addresses the treasure spirit, master of the treasure-stores, saying: 'Now you possess such majestic power, spiritual penetration, and form, and can be master of great treasure-stores hidden in the earth—gold and all manner of jewels, all fully provided. To behold such deeds is exceedingly rare and most auspicious. Skillfully take charge of them. When I have need, you shall supply them; otherwise, when I have no need, skillfully take charge of them.'

"O bhikṣus, you should know that these treasure-stores hidden beneath the earth are not seen by human beings, yet are seen by non-human beings. When the Wheel-Turning King appears, the steward minister of the treasure-stores appears of itself, keeping and supplying all for the king. This is called: when the Wheel-Turning King appears, the treasure of the steward minister appears. This is the fourth.

"Furthermore, O bhikṣus, when the Wheel-Turning King appears, there also appears the treasure of the commander minister. This commander possesses great wisdom, strategy, valor, majestic virtue, great strength, and form—all fully complete. He skillfully trains the troops and guards the borders of the kingdom, so that it is not harassed by enemy forces. At that time the treasure of the commander minister comes before the king and speaks thus:

"'Great King, you should know that I am a commander skilled in arms, who guards the king's realm. At any time, whatever I do is in accordance with the king's wish, never falling short in anything.' At that time, when the king sees that this commander minister has appeared, his heart is greatly delighted, and he straightway says: 'Now you possess great wisdom and strategy, valor, majestic virtue, strength, and form, and can do whatever is needed at any time, skillfully directing the troops to guard the borders of the realm.

You are truly a worthy and good man. Always assist me, and accomplish all your tasks by skillful means. Now you are indeed the great protector of the king.' O bhikṣus, this is what is called: when the Wheel-Turning King appears, the treasure of the commander minister appears.

This is the fifth.

"Furthermore, O bhikṣus, when the Wheel-Turning King appears, there also appears the great maṇi treasure. This precious maṇi jewel is supreme, its colors marvelously beautiful and rare. It is endowed with a great and full radiance, and that radiance is exceedingly powerful, illuminating all things, possessing great merit.

If this precious jewel is within the king's palace, then even in the dark of night, with no lamp to give light, this jewel emits a radiance that naturally illuminates, like the light of the sun. O bhikṣus, in times of old there appeared in the world a Great Wheel-Turning King, and at that time there also appeared the great maṇi treasure jewel with its great radiance. At that time the king, wishing to test the power of the jewel, straightway commanded his great minister to hastily prepare the fourfold army to travel by night through a forest.

Thereupon the great minister, obeying the king's command, straightway hastily prepared the fourfold army, then came before the king and announced thus: 'The fourfold troops have been assembled. Now is the time; may the king set forth.'

"At that time the king took up the great maṇi treasure jewel and set it atop a banner. The king went at the very front, entering into the dark of night, roaming through the forest. The radiance of the jewel illuminated a whole yojana, and all four divisions of the king's troops were lit by its radiance, like the light of the heavens, without any difference. O bhikṣus, this is what is called: when the Wheel-Turning King appears, the great maṇi treasure appears. This is the sixth.

"Furthermore, O bhikṣus, when the Wheel-Turning King appears, there also appears the treasure of the woman. Her form and features are of utmost beauty, her body full and lovely, foremost among all; none among the people of the world can compare with her. She is gentle, graceful, and soft as the Karṇikāra tree; from all the pores of her body there issues a marvelous fragrance, like a jeweled vase filled with sweet perfume, ever wafting forth its fragrance.

Moreover, the breath she draws in and out always bears a fragrance like that of the blue lotus, which all people love. Whenever the king goes anywhere, the treasure of the woman follows behind; all that she does is fitting, joyful, and at ease. Her nature and conduct are chaste and upright, without depraved defilement.

She always speaks lovely words that all delight to hear, and her body is radiant, which all delight to behold. O bhikṣus, this is what is called: when the Wheel-Turning King appears, the treasure of the woman appears. This is the seventh.

"The Buddha addressed the bhikṣus:

"'Thus it is called: when the Wheel-Turning King appears, the seven treasures appear. You should know that when the Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, appears, he expounds the Dharma of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. What are the seven?

"'They are the Enlightenment Factor of Mindfulness, the Enlightenment Factor of Investigation of Dharmas, the Enlightenment Factor of Energy, the Enlightenment Factor of Joy, the Enlightenment Factor of Tranquility, the Enlightenment Factor of Concentration, and the Enlightenment Factor of Equanimity. This is called the Dharma of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. This Dharma is proclaimed only when the Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, appears in the world—just as with the seven treasures spoken of before, so it is likewise: only when the Great Anointed Wheel-Turning King appears do the seven treasures appear.

"'You should know that the Tathāgata has expounded the Dharma of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, causing all sentient beings to practice in accordance with principle, so that all may attain peace, joy, and benefit. You should therefore diligently cultivate and learn in this way.'

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SŪTRA OF THE SEVEN TREASURES OF THE WHEEL-TURNING KING