根本說一切有部毘奈耶雜事

Fascicle Two

(Continuation of the second summary verse in the first special section—concerning the story of the householder Fire-Born)

– At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Bamboo Grove at Rajagriha.

In the city lived a householder named Suprudent, who possessed abundant wealth and enjoyed a prosperous life. He was deeply devoted to the naked ascetics. Not long after he married, his wife became pregnant. Early one morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl, and entered the city to seek alms in due order, eventually arriving at Suprudent’s house. Seeing the Blessed One approach, the householder brought his wife before him and asked:

“Venerable Blessed One, my wife is pregnant. Will she bear a son or a daughter?”

The Buddha said:

“Householder, she will certainly bear a son. He will bring prosperity and glory to the family, possess all the wondrous marks of the devas, renounce the household life and cultivate within my teaching, destroy all defilements, and attain arhatship.”

Having heard this, the householder filled the Buddha’s bowl with pure, fragrant, delicious food and offered it to the Blessed One. After bestowing a blessing for the householder’s well-being, the Blessed One departed.

Not far away, a naked ascetic saw the Blessed One and thought, “This is the only household that regularly offers me food, yet now it too has been won over by the ascetic Gautama. I shall visit them and ask why he came and what prediction they received.” On arriving, the ascetic asked the householder:

“Did the ascetic Gautama come here?”

“He did.”

“Would you tell me what happened?”

“Venerable sir, my wife is pregnant, so I asked him about the birth. He foretold that she would bear a son who would bring glory to the family, possess all the wondrous marks of the devas, renounce the household life and cultivate under his discipline, eradicate every defilement, and attain arhatship.”

This ascetic was proficient in calendrical calculations. When he examined and calculated the yin and yang influences, he found that everything accorded with the Buddha’s words. He therefore thought, “If I agree and praise this as true, the householder will revere him even more. I should conceal the truth and say otherwise.” Having reflected thus, he propped his face upon his hand as though deep in thought. Seeing this, the householder asked:

“Venerable sir, why are you resting your face upon your hand?”

“The ascetic’s words are half true and half false.”

The householder asked:

“What is true, and what is false?”

“It is true that a son will be born, but false that he will bring glory to the family. ‘Glory’ is another name for fire. This unfortunate child, as soon as he is born, will burn up the family. The claim that he will possess all the wondrous marks of the devas is a lie.

Householder, have you ever seen anyone born among human beings who possessed all the wondrous marks of the devas? It is also true that he will renounce the household life and cultivate under that ascetic’s teaching, for after his birth the family will become destitute, suffering hunger and cold, without food or clothing, and he will naturally have to enter the ascetic’s community. The claim that he will eradicate all defilements and attain arhatship is likewise false, for even the ascetic Gautama has not eradicated all afflictions and attained arhatship, much less his other disciples.”

Hearing this, the householder Suprudent became deeply distressed and asked:

“Venerable sir, what should I do?”

The ascetic said:

“Householder, I am one who has renounced the household life and observes the precepts. I do not casually utter falsehoods. In time, you yourself will discover what is true and what is false.”

Having spoken, the ascetic took his leave.

Suprudent thought, “I should kill the fetus in her womb.” He therefore gave his wife an abortifacient, but because this child was in his final existence, the poison turned into wholesome medicine. The householder then kicked her left side, and the fetus moved to the right; he kicked her right side, and the fetus moved to the left. One in his final existence cannot die prematurely while his outflows have not yet been exhausted. Many months passed. Whenever the woman’s abdomen was squeezed and she cried out in pain, the people nearby heard her cries, hurried over, and asked the householder:

“Why is your wife crying out so loudly?”

The householder replied:

“My wife has abdominal pains and is about to give birth.”

Hearing this, the neighbors went home. The householder thought, “I cannot destroy the fetus in her womb. I should therefore take the mother to an uninhabited forest and kill her.” He led his wife away, carried out his murderous scheme, and secretly brought her corpse home. He told his relatives and neighbors, “My wife met with a sudden misfortune and died.” Her relatives grieved and mourned. They wrapped the body in five-colored silk and carried it to the charnel ground for cremation.

When the ascetic heard this, he was overjoyed. In his elation, he raised banners, entered the royal city, and proclaimed loudly throughout its streets and thoroughfares:

“Everyone, come and examine the prediction made by the ascetic Gautama! He said: ‘The wife of the householder Suprudent will bear a son who will bring glory to the family, possess all the wondrous marks of the devas, renounce the household life and cultivate within my teaching, eradicate all defilements, and attain arhatship.’ Now the householder’s wife is dead, and her corpse has been abandoned in the charnel ground. It is like a great tree without roots, branches, leaves, flowers, or fruit. How can such a prediction be accepted?”

It is the natural way of the Blessed One at all times to contemplate, hear, see, and clearly know all sentient beings. He constantly cherishes great compassion and benefits them all. Foremost in rescuing and protecting beings, endowed with great heroic power, he never speaks duplicitously.

Relying upon concentration and wisdom, he manifests the three knowledges; he has perfectly cultivated the three trainings and completely disciplined the three karmic activities. He has crossed the four violent currents and securely abides in the four bases of spiritual power. He constantly cultivates the four means of embracing beings, has cast off the five hindrances, become remote from the five factors, and escaped the five destinies.

His six faculties are complete, and the six paramitas are perfected. He bestows universally the seven noble treasures and causes the seven factors of awakening to blossom. He is far removed from the eight difficulties, cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path, has forever severed the nine fetters, mastered the nine meditative attainments, and possesses the ten powers.

His renown fills the ten directions. Supreme in every mastery, he has attained the fearless Dharma, vanquished the hosts of Mara, sounded the great thunder, and roared the lion’s roar. Throughout the six periods of day and night he continually surveys the world with the Buddha-eye:

“Who is increasing in wholesome roots? Who is declining in wholesome roots? Who is encountering suffering and calamity? Who is headed toward an evil destiny? Who is sinking in the mire of desire? Who can be guided to liberation? By what skillful means may I rescue them and bring them forth? How may I enable those without noble wealth to gain noble wealth, use the medicine of wisdom called Anjana to break through the cataract of ignorance, enable those without wholesome roots to plant wholesome roots, cause those who possess wholesome roots to develop them, lead humankind onto the path to the heavens, and bring them safely and unobstructed to the city of nirvana?”

As a verse says:

While walking in meditation, the Blessed One smiled. From his mouth issued a wondrous five-colored radiance that shone downward upon the earth and upward into the heavens. It illuminated the Avici hell and all the other hells. Those suffering from burning heat were immediately cooled, while those submerged in freezing water became warm.

All the sentient beings there experienced peace and happiness and thought together, “Have we died in hell and been reborn here?” After causing those beings to develop faith, the Blessed One manifested another sign. Seeing this different sign, they thought, “We have not died here and been born elsewhere. Surely, through the majestic power of the unsurpassed Great Sage, our bodies and minds are now enjoying peace and happiness.” Once they had given rise to reverent faith, their sufferings ceased. They later received excellent bodies among devas and humans and became fit vessels for the Dharma, able to perceive the principle of the noble truths.

The radiance ascended as far as the Akanishtha Heaven. Within the light, teachings on suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self were proclaimed, together with these two verses:

The radiance then illuminated the entire great trichiliocosm and circled back to the Buddha. When the Buddha, the Blessed One, is about to teach events of the past, the radiance enters his back. When he is about to teach events of the future, it enters his chest.

When he is about to speak of the hells, it enters the soles of his feet. When he is about to speak of animals, it enters his heels. When he is about to speak of hungry ghosts, it enters his toes.

When he is about to speak of human beings, it enters his knees. When he is about to speak of a mighty regional king, it enters his left palm. When he is about to speak of a wheel-turning king, it enters his right palm.

When he is about to speak of the devas, it enters his navel. When he is about to teach the Dharma of the shravakas, it enters his mouth. When he is about to teach the Dharma of the pratyekabuddhas, it enters the space between his eyebrows.

When he is about to speak of unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening, it enters the crown of his head. This radiance circled the Buddha three times and then entered his mouth.

The venerable Ananda respectfully placed his palms together and addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One, the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Completely and Perfectly Awakened One, does not smile without a cause.”

The venerable one then entreated the Buddha in verse:

From your mouth issue wondrous rays of light,
Illuminating the great trichiliocosm in many forms,
Enveloping all lands throughout the ten directions,
Like the sun shining across the whole expanse of space.
The Buddha is the supreme benefactor of sentient beings,
Able to dispel their pride and grief.
Since a cause has brought a smile to the Buddha’s golden mouth,
Surely you will proclaim some rare and wondrous event.
The Blessed One thoroughly knows all things;
Please instruct those who wish to hear.
Like the lion king sounding a great thunderous roar,
We pray that you resolve our doubts.
Like Mount Sumeru, king of mountains within the great ocean,
Which never moves without a cause,
The Compassionate and Self-Mastered One has smiled;
We pray that you clearly reveal its cause.

The Blessed One said to Ananda:

“So it is! So it is! Ananda, the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Completely and Perfectly Awakened One, does not manifest a smile without a cause. Inform the bhikshus that the Tathagata is about to go to the charnel ground. Any venerable one who wishes to accompany him should put on his robe.”

The venerable Ananda obeyed the Buddha’s instruction and told the bhikshus:

“Any venerable one who wishes to accompany the Buddha to the charnel ground should put on his robe.”

The bhikshus then assembled before the Buddha. The Great Teacher, himself disciplined, was surrounded by the disciplined; himself serene, was surrounded by the serene; himself liberated, was surrounded by the liberated; himself secure, was surrounded by the secure; himself well-composed, was surrounded by the well-composed; himself an arhat, was surrounded by arhats; himself free from desire, was surrounded by those free from desire; himself upright and handsome, was surrounded by the upright and handsome.

Like a sandalwood forest, he was surrounded by sandalwood; like a lordly elephant, by elephants; like a lion king, by lions; like a mighty bull, by bulls; like a king of geese, by geese; like a brahmin, by his students; like a skilled physician, by his patients; like a great general, by his soldiers; like an excellent guide, by travelers; like a great king, by his ministers; like a wheel-turning king, by his thousand sons; like the bright moon, by the stars; like the sun’s orb, by its thousand rays; like Dhritarashtra, the Heavenly King, by hosts of gandharvas; like Virudhaka, the Heavenly King, by hosts of kumbhandas; like Virupaksha, the Heavenly King, by hosts of nagas; like Vaishravana, the Heavenly King, by hosts of yakshas; like King Vemacitrin, by hosts of asuras;

like Shakra, by the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; and like Great Brahma, by hosts of Brahma devas.

He was like the great ocean, deep, transparent, and still, and like a great cloud spreading mist everywhere. Like a lordly elephant whose rutting frenzy has ceased, his faculties were disciplined and his deportment serene. He was adorned with the thirty major marks, while the eighty minor characteristics embellished his body. The radiance extending one fathom around him blazed more brilliantly than a thousand suns. His steps were steady and unhurried, like a jeweled mountain moving. He possessed the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, great compassion, and the three foundations of mindfulness. His boundless merit and wisdom had all been cultivated, and his immeasurable virtues were complete.

There were also the venerable Ajnata Kaundinya, the venerable Ashvajit, the venerable Vashpa, the venerable Mahanaman, the venerable Aniruddha, the venerable Shariputra, the venerable Mahamaudgalyayana, the venerable Kashyapa, the venerable Ananda, and the venerable Revata. Thus, innumerable great shravakas and bhikshus, together with countless hundreds of millions of devas and humans, reverently surrounded the Blessed One as he set out for the charnel ground.

Traveling with the Buddha brings eighteen supreme benefits:

1. One need not fear kings.

2. One need not fear evildoers.

3. One need not fear water.

4. One need not fear fire.

5. One need not fear hostile states.

6. One need not fear lions, tigers, wolves, or other savage beasts.

7. One need not fear closed gates.

8. One need not fear taxes at ferry crossings.

9. One need not fear lacking protection.

10. One need not fear human beings.

11. One need not fear nonhuman beings.

12. One continually sees devas.

13. One hears the voices of devas.

14. One sees a great radiance.

15. One hears voices making predictions.

16. All receive the wondrous Dharma together.

17. All share in food together.

18. The body is free from sickness and suffering.

As the devas and the great assembly followed the Buddha to the charnel ground, cool breezes blew through the forest from all four directions. At that time, two youths in Rajagriha—one of kshatriya lineage and the other of brahmin lineage—were traveling together for pleasure. The kshatriya youth possessed deep faith, while the brahmin youth lacked reverence and faith. The brahmin youth said to the kshatriya youth:

“Do you know that your teacher, the Tathagata, foretold that the wife of the householder Suprudent would bear a son who would bring glory to the family, possess all the wondrous marks of the devas, renounce the household life and cultivate under his teaching, eradicate the defilements, and attain arhatship? Now the woman is dead, and her corpse has been abandoned in the charnel ground. Does this not mean that the Blessed One’s words were false?”

The kshatriya youth replied in verse:

Even if the moon and stars should all fall,
And the earth, mountains, forests, and trees fly into the sky;
Even if the great ocean’s billowing waters should run completely dry,
The words of the Blessed One would never be false.

The brahmin youth said:

“If so, let us go together to the place where corpses are burned in the charnel ground and determine what is true and what is false.”

The other replied:

“Let us go together.”

When the kshatriya youth saw the Blessed One, he spoke this verse:

King Bimbisara heard what had happened: “The Blessed One predicted that the wife of the householder Suprudent would bear a son who would bring glory to the family, possess all the wondrous marks of the devas, renounce the household life and cultivate within the Buddha’s teaching, eradicate the defilements, and attain arhatship. Now she is dead, and her corpse has been abandoned in the charnel ground. The Great Teacher, the Tathagata, together with the shravakas and the entire assembly from near and far, is going to the place of cremation.”

The king then thought, “The Blessed One would not go to the charnel ground without a cause. Surely this concerns Suprudent’s wife, and he will use the occasion to discipline sentient beings who have the necessary conditions. I should go there and witness it.” The king ordered the army to assemble with its ceremonial retinue, and together with the crown prince, queens, ladies of the palace, and attendants, he departed from the city. When the kshatriya youth saw King Bimbisara, he spoke this verse:

When they saw the Blessed One, the assembly opened a path before him. Smiling, the Blessed One entered among them. The naked ascetics all thought, “Gautama is smiling as he enters the assembly. Could the child possibly still be alive?” They said to the householder:

“This is a being whose merit is exhausted, yet whose life has not ended.”

The householder replied:

“Venerable sirs, now that this disaster has occurred, what should I do?”

“Householder, we are renunciants who uphold the precepts and know only how to contemplate the good. In time, you will understand for yourself.”

The householder then placed his wife’s corpse upon the funeral pyre and set it alight. Brilliant flames consumed her whole body, yet the area around her abdomen remained unharmed. Her womb suddenly split open, and a blue lotus arose from it. Within the lotus was a beautiful infant, sitting peacefully and looking exceedingly lovely. Seeing this, the great assembly was astonished at an event never witnessed before. The ascetics lost all their boldness, and their conceit was subdued. The Great Teacher said to the householder Suprudent:

“Take the infant from the fire.”

The householder continued looking toward the ascetics. They told him:

“If you enter the fire, you will certainly die.”

Hearing this, the householder trembled with fear and dared not enter to take his son. The Blessed One said to Jivaka:

“Enter the fire and bring out the infant.”

Jivaka thought, “The Blessed One would not command me to do something improper in place or time. I shall enter the fire and bring out the infant.” Without fear, Jivaka entered the flames and carried out the child. The devas spoke this verse:

The Blessed One asked Jivaka:

“When you entered the fire just now, was your body injured or burned?”

“Blessed One, I was born and raised in the royal palace, and my body has been anointed with ox-head sandalwood perfume, yet never have I experienced such coolness as I did today.”

The Buddha said to the householder Suprudent:

“Now take your son home.”

At that time, the householder’s mind was obscured by wrong views, and he still did not believe. He turned again toward the ascetics. Those holders of wrong views said together:

“Householder, this child possesses very little merit and is violent by nature. Fire can consume everything, yet it could not burn him. This proves that he is a vicious being laden with sin and suffering. The evidence is before your eyes; there is no need to say more. If you take him home, disaster will surely occur, and your own life will certainly be destroyed.”

People in the world cherish nothing more than their own lives. Hearing that disaster would follow, the householder immediately withdrew. The Blessed One then said to King Bimbisara:

“Great King, you should take this infant.”

The king hurriedly extended his hands and received the infant. After looking carefully over the child, he asked the Blessed One:

“What name should be given to this child?”

The Buddha told the king:

“This child was born from fire; therefore, name him Fire-Born.”

The Buddha then taught the Dharma according to the capacities and inclinations of those present. In the assembly, immeasurable myriads of millions of sentient beings attained supreme benefits. Some attained the fruit of stream-entry, once-returning, or non-returning. Some renounced the household life, eradicated the defilements, and attained arhatship. Some attained the wholesome roots of warmth, summit, or patience. Some aroused the aspiration for shravaka awakening, some for pratyekabuddha awakening, and some for unsurpassed awakening. Some took refuge in the Three Jewels, while others undertook the precepts and developed profound faith. King Bimbisara entrusted the infant to eight wet nurses to be raised, as explained extensively elsewhere.

At that time, Fire-Born’s maternal uncle had previously gone to another region to trade. When he heard that his younger sister was pregnant, he rejoiced greatly. He also heard that the Blessed One had predicted that she would bear a son who would bring glory to the family and so forth, up to his attainment of the fruit. He immediately sold his merchandise, gathered other goods, and returned to Rajagriha. When he heard that his sister had died, he thought, “The Blessed One predicted that my sister would bear a son who would attain the fruit. Could that prediction have been false?” He questioned the neighbors:

“My sister was pregnant and received the Buddha’s prediction, so I rejoiced. Not long afterward, I now hear that she has died, contrary to all my hopes. Surely the Blessed One’s words could not have been false?”

The neighbors said:

“Indeed, the words of the Buddha, the Great Teacher, were not false. Her husband believed the ascetics and unjustly murdered her. The child was born with great spiritual power and remained unharmed amid the flames. He is now being raised in the royal palace.”

Hearing this, the uncle went to see the householder Suprudent. After exchanging greetings, he said:

“Householder, what you did was contrary to reason.”

The householder replied:

“What did I do?”

“You listened to the evil views of the ascetics and unjustly killed my pregnant sister. The child was born with great spiritual power and remained unharmed amid the flames. He is now being raised in the royal palace. Matters have already come to this, so there is no need to speak further. If you bring the child back here, I will forgive you. If you do not, I will assemble our relatives and neighbors and have you expelled by a vote of more tally sticks than you could count. I will proclaim your infamy along every road: ‘My blameless sister was unjustly murdered by Suprudent.’ One who kills a woman may speak with no one and will be condemned and executed according to the law.”

Hearing this, the householder became deeply distressed and thought, “Judging by what he has said, he certainly will not forgive me.” The householder went to King Bimbisara and reported the matter in full, up to the threat of capital punishment, then begged the king to show mercy and return the child to him. The king said:

“I did not take your child from you. The Buddha, the Blessed One, personally entrusted him to me. If you require him, go and ask the Buddha.”

The householder immediately went to the Buddha, bowed with his head at the Buddha’s feet, and said:

“Blessed One, I am suffering greatly because my relatives reproach me”—and he related the matter extensively as before, up to the threat of capital punishment—“I implore the Buddha, in his compassion, to let me have the child back.”

The Blessed One thought, “If this householder does not receive the infant, hot blood will certainly burst forth from him, and he will die.” The Blessed One said to the venerable Ananda:

“Go with this householder to King Bimbisara. Convey my wishes for the king’s well-being and ask the Great King to return the child Fire-Born to the householder. If the householder does not receive the infant, hot blood will burst forth from him, and he will die.”

The venerable Ananda went to the king and fully conveyed the Buddha’s words. The king said:

“Venerable sir, you are one whom I trust and revere, and you attend closely upon the Blessed One. I shall carry out the Buddha’s instruction.”

After wishing the king well, the venerable Ananda took his leave and returned. The king said to the householder:

“I raised this child at the Buddha’s command and have come to love him dearly. Therefore, I will return him only after you agree to bring him to see me every three days. If you agree, you may take him as you wish.”

The householder replied:

“Your servant would not dare disobey your command.”

The king ordered that the child be dressed in an upper robe and fully adorned with necklaces. He then placed him upon a great elephant and had him escorted home. Ordinarily in the world, while the father is still alive, the son’s reputation does not shine brightly. After his father died, the youth Fire-Born personally managed the family estate. He possessed deep faith in the Three Jewels. On the very ground where his father had once killed his mother, he built a Sangha monastery fully supplied with the necessities of life and offered it to the Sangha of the four directions. It was called the Tender-Blessing Grove. Thus, the sutras say, “The Buddha was staying at Rajagriha in the Tender-Blessing Grove.”

Previously, the householder Suprudent had sent merchants to trade in other regions. When they heard that the householder had died and that the youth Fire-Born was managing the family estate in his father’s place and possessed great reverence and faith toward the Three Jewels, the merchants obtained many superb bowls made of ox-head sandalwood. They filled one bowl with precious jewels and sent a messenger to present it to Fire-Born. After receiving it, Fire-Born placed the bowl atop a tall banner pole and announced everywhere:

“Any ascetic or brahmin endowed with great power and mastery of spiritual abilities who can retrieve this bowl without using a ladder or steps shall receive it as a gift from me.”

Early one morning, some ascetics going to bathe saw the tall banner pole and asked the householder:

“What is that object?”

The householder explained the entire matter. The ascetics replied:

“Householder, you have always revered the sons of the Shakya clan. Will one of them be able to take it?”

Having said this, the ascetics departed. Many senior bhikshus entered the city for alms and, seeing the tall banner pole, asked the householder:

“What is that object?”

He explained the matter. The bhikshus said:

“Would we display our abilities merely for the sake of a bowl?”

As the Buddha taught:

“To conceal one’s virtues and disclose one’s faults is the conduct of a renunciant.”

Having said this, they departed. The venerable Dashabalakashyapa passed that way and likewise asked the householder:

“What is that object?”

The householder explained it to him as well. The venerable one thought, “Throughout beginningless samsara I have nourished the enemies that are the afflictions, but I have now overturned and cast them all away, leaving nothing. I should now accept the condition created by the householder’s invitation and fulfill his wish.” The venerable one stretched out his arm like the trunk of a great elephant, reached the top of the banner pole, took the sandalwood bowl, and carried it back to his dwelling.

Seeing it, the bhikshus asked:

“Venerable one, where did you obtain this excellent ox-head sandalwood bowl?”

The venerable one recounted the matter to them. The bhikshus said:

“Did the venerable one display spiritual powers merely for this wooden bowl?”

He replied:

“Whether right or wrong, I have already done it. What can be done now?”

The bhikshus reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha said:

“A bhikshu must not display spiritual power before laypeople. Whoever violates this incurs an offense of transgressing the Dharma. There are four kinds of bowls made of gold, silver, vaidurya, and crystal. There are another four kinds made of stone, red copper, white copper, and various kinds of wood. If one does not already possess any of the first four kinds, one must not accept one; if one already possesses one, it must be discarded. If one does not already possess any of the latter four kinds, one must not accept one; if one already possesses one, it may, as appropriate, be used as a vessel for medicine. You should know that there are two kinds of bowls permitted by the Dharma: iron bowls and earthenware bowls.”

Later, all the wondrous marks of a celestial being appeared upon the youth Fire-Born. Between the city of Champa and Rajagriha stood a customs station. A tax collector there died and was reborn as a yaksha. At night, he appeared in a dream to his son and said:

“After my death, I was reborn among the yakshas.”

At the customs station, his son built a shrine for his father as a yaksha deity and hung a ringing bell before its entrance. Whenever someone carrying goods passed by without paying the tax, the bell would ring. The officials would then call the person back, collect the tax, and allow him to proceed. One day, the son told his relatives about his dream. Together they examined what was needed, established the shrine, and hung the ringing bell outside.

In Champa lived the wife of a brahmin. She thought, “Through his activities, this brahmin has gathered possessions that I have continually used. Yet now I sit idle, doing nothing to earn a livelihood. This is not right.” Thinking thus, she went to the market, bought kapok thread, spun it into fine yarn, and took it to a weaver, asking him to weave it beautifully. She obtained two pieces of cloth worth one thousand gold coins and said to her husband:

“These pieces of cloth are worth one thousand gold coins. Take them to the market and sell them. If someone buys them, that will be good. If no one even asks about them, proclaim, ‘There are no people in this market,’ and then go elsewhere.”

Her husband took the cloth to sell and asked a price of one thousand gold coins, but no one offered that amount. He therefore proclaimed that there were no people in the market. He then rolled up the two pieces of cloth, placed them inside the bamboo handle of his parasol, and joined a merchant caravan traveling to Rajagriha.

They gradually reached the shrine of the yaksha deity. After everyone had paid the tax, the brahmin was about to continue on his way when the bell suddenly rang. Hearing it, the tax officials said among themselves:

“The bell has sounded. There must still be goods on which tax has not been paid. Inspect everything again and allow nothing to escape.”

They detained the caravan and searched it carefully, but found no untaxed goods, so they allowed the merchants to depart. The bell rang again. They carefully searched them once more, and then a third time. The merchants found this strange, became dissatisfied and angry, and told the officials:

“You are trying to oppress us and have invented this affair to detain us.”

The officials then divided the caravan into two groups. They allowed the group without the brahmin to depart, and the bell did not ring. When the remaining group set out, the bell rang again. As before, they divided that group into two, allowing one part to leave and retaining the other. Eventually all the merchants had departed, and only the brahmin remained. When the officials detained him and refused to let him proceed, the brahmin said:

“Search me carefully. If I possess anything, simply take it.”

After searching carefully and finding nothing, they allowed him to go. The bell rang again, and once more he was detained. They told the brahmin:

“Even if you possess goods, we will no longer take them. Tell us the truth and do not deceive the deity. We wish to demonstrate that this divine being is holy.”

The brahmin said:

“If you will not lie to me, I shall tell you the truth.”

He removed the two pieces of cloth from the parasol handle. Seeing them, the tax officials were greatly astonished and praised this wondrous event:

“Excellent! The deity’s warning was not mistaken.”

A tax official took out one piece and draped it over the deity. The brahmin said:

“You clearly said that you would not collect tax, yet now it appears that you intend to take everything I have.”

The official replied:

“Do not be afraid. We will not take your property. We merely wish to demonstrate that the great deity’s words are not false. We shall temporarily offer one piece in gratitude and then return it so that you may take it with you.”

After receiving the cloth back, the brahmin rolled it up, placed it in the parasol handle, and continued on his way. Reaching Rajagriha, he entered the market, displayed the cloth, and asked one thousand gold coins for it. In the end, no one offered the full price, so he proclaimed in the middle of the market:

“There is no market here.”

When the youth Fire-Born left the royal palace and was riding an elephant through the marketplace on his way home, he heard the proclamation and asked:

“Why is that man proclaiming that there is no market? Summon him so that I may ask him.”

The brahmin came, and Fire-Born asked:

“Why do you say that there is no market in this city?”

The brahmin replied:

“I possess two pieces of cloth worth one thousand gold coins, but no one has offered the price.”

“Bring them here and let me examine them.”

The man brought them and displayed them. Fire-Born said:

“One piece is still new, while the other has already been worn. I offer two hundred and fifty gold coins for the worn piece and five hundred for the unworn one.”

The brahmin said:

“What do you mean by this? Neither piece has ever been used.”

Fire-Born said:

“Let someone examine them and determine the truth. Unfold the unused piece and toss it into the air. It will remain aloft like a parasol and descend slowly. The used piece will fall straight to the ground.”

When the owner saw that this was indeed so, he regarded it as extraordinary and said:

“Householder, you possess great wisdom and spiritual insight surpassing that of others.”

Fire-Born further said:

“Place the unused piece upon thorns, and their sharp points will not pierce it. The used piece will certainly be penetrated by them.”

It happened exactly as he had said. The brahmin again regarded this as extraordinary and said:

“Householder, your intelligence and knowledge are truly unprecedented. Take the cloth at the price you offered.”

Fire-Born said:

“You are a traveling merchant. I shall pay the full amount; there is no need to reduce the price.”

Having received the entire thousand gold coins, the brahmin departed joyfully.

The householder then gave the used cloth to a servant to wear and used the unworn cloth as a bathing towel.

One day, King Bimbisara and his chief ministers ascended a high tower. A garment belonging to Fire-Born that had just been washed and was drying on the corner of the tower was blown by the wind before the king. The king said:

“This is a garment used by the devas. From where has it flown here?”

A minister said:

“Your servant has heard that in ancient times there was a king named Mandhatr, during whose reign gold and precious objects rained from the sky for seven days. Now a garment has fallen before the king; surely gold will arrive before long.”

The king said:

“I have heard that the householder Fire-Born was predicted by the Buddha to possess all the wondrous marks of devas and humans. This splendid celestial garment has fallen from the sky. When the householder comes, I shall present it to him.”

When Fire-Born arrived, the king said:

“The Blessed One predicted that you possess the excellent marks of devas and humans. This celestial garment has flown down from the sky. Take it and wear it.”

Fire-Born extended his hands and accepted the garment from the king. Examining it carefully, he recognized it as his own. He smiled and said:

“Great King, have you touched this object?”

The king replied:

“I have.”

“You have handled a soiled garment; please wash your hands. This is not a celestial garment but your servant’s bathing towel.”

The king asked:

“How do you know?”

Fire-Born replied:

“There is another piece like this that I gave to a servant to wear. Your Majesty may verify it.”

Seeing that this was so, the king was greatly amazed and said to the youth:

“Have the wondrous marks of the devas now appeared upon you?”

He replied:

“They have appeared.”

“If so, why have you not invited me to your house?”

“If the Great King permits, today your servant invites you.”

The king said:

“Return home and prepare food and drink.”

“Great King, when a person manifests the excellent marks of the devas, provisions arise naturally without labor or hardship. I now respectfully invite Your Majesty to attend a feast at my house.”

When they reached the householder’s gate, the king saw a maidservant and immediately lowered his gaze toward the ground. The householder asked:

“Why does Your Majesty look toward the ground?”

The king replied:

“I am averting my eyes from your wife.”

Fire-Born said:

“She is an outer household servant, not my wife.”

The king said:

“How extraordinary!”

Afterward, he saw another woman inside the house and again lowered his gaze. The householder asked him once more, and the king replied as before.

“She too is a servant, not my wife.”

Hearing this, the king found it remarkable. Upon passing through the inner doorway, he saw a vaidurya floor as transparent as a clear pond. Mechanical fish had been installed above the doorway, and their reflections appeared in the floor. Thinking it was a pond, the king removed his shoes.

Fire-Born asked:

“Why does the Great King remove his shoes?”

The king replied:

“I am about to cross water and fear that my shoes will become wet.”

Fire-Born said:

“This is a vaidurya floor, not water.”

The king asked:

“Why, then, are fish swimming in it?”

He replied:

“They are not real fish but merely the reflections of mechanical fish.”

The king did not believe him, so he removed his ring and threw it down. The ring struck the floor with a sound and rolled to one side. The king marveled repeatedly and ascended the lion throne. Everyone in the house then came forth to pay homage to the king. Before they could rise, all the women began shedding tears. The king asked Fire-Born:

“Why do the people of your household shed tears when they see me?”

Fire-Born replied:

“They are not weeping. The king’s garments have been fumigated with smoke from sandalwood and agarwood incense. The smoke’s fragrance irritates their eyes and causes tears to flow.”

King Bimbisara then enjoyed sublime pleasures as inconceivably excellent as those of a celestial realm. Delighted and never satiated, he refused to return to the palace and neglected all affairs of state. The chief ministers said to Crown Prince Ajatashatru:

“The Great King of our country has entered the house of the householder Fire-Born and, engrossed in sensual pleasure, refuses to return to court. We implore the crown prince to go there and invite the Great King to return.”

Ajatashatru went before the king and said:

“Great King, why do you remain here without attending to the realm?”

The king said to the crown prince:

“Can you not manage the affairs of state for a single day?”

The crown prince replied:

“Does the Great King think it has been only one day? It has been seven days since you left the palace.”

Hearing this, the king looked at Fire-Born and said:

“Has it truly been seven days?”

Fire-Born replied:

“Great King, it is indeed so.”

The king said:

“If so, how can day and night be distinguished?”

Fire-Born replied:

“Great King, one knows whether it is day or night by observing whether flowers open or close, whether precious jewels shine or do not shine, and whether birds sing or remain silent.”

The king said:

“Yet I still do not understand.”

Fire-Born replied:

“Some flowers open at night and close by day, while others close at night and open by day. Some jewels are dark at night and bright by day, while others shine at night and become dark by day. Some birds sing at night, while others sing during the day.”

Hearing this, the king found it exceedingly remarkable and said to the youth:

“The words of the Great Teacher, the Blessed One, are truly never false. Everything that he foretold, you now fully enjoy.”

THE MULASARVASTIVADA

VINAYA MISCELLANY.

End of Fascicle Two.