佛為優填王說王法政論經

One day, King Udayana, seated in his pure chamber in a quiet, secluded place, reflected: How may one come to know the true faults and the true merits of kings and rulers? If I knew them, I would abandon the faults and cultivate the merits. Is there any pure-conduct Śramaṇa who understands these clearly and could expound them for me? Then the king reflected further: Only my World-Honored One, the great master of the three realms, complete in all-knowing wisdom, surely knows the true faults and merits of kings. I must go to the World-Honored One and inquire about this matter.

Having thought thus, the king then went to where the Buddha was and inquired:

World-Honored One! What are the faults of kings? What are the true merits of kings?

The Buddha taught that a king or ruler has ten faults, ten kinds of merit, five kinds of evil conduct that bring a ruler to decline, and five things that cause a ruler to be loved and revered by his ministers and people.

The ten faults are:

1. A lineage that is not noble.

2. Having no power.

3. A cruel and wicked nature.

4. Harsh and brutal policies.

5. Rarely bestowing favor and grace.

6. Heeding deceitful and flattering words.

7. Acting contrary to the regulations of the former kings.

8. Not inclining toward wholesome dharmas.

9. Not examining what is right and wrong, gain and loss.

10. Only indulging in amusement and dissipation.

If any king commits these ten faults, then even with vast treasuries and a strong army with mighty generals, before long his country will meet with calamity and turmoil. The great king should know that the first fault pertains to the king's lineage, while the latter nine faults pertain to the king's own nature.

The ten merits are:

1. A noble lineage.

2. Attaining great power.

3. A disposition that is not cruel.

4. Lenient and magnanimous policies.

5. Generous favor and grace.

6. Heeding upright and honest words.

7. Acting and thinking in accord with the teachings of the former kings.

8. Inclining toward wholesome dharmas.

9. Clearly knowing what is right and wrong, gain and loss.

10. Not indulging in dissipation and debauchery.

If any king is complete in these ten merits, then even though his country has no treasury, or lacks a strong army with mighty generals, before long the country will naturally become wealthy and strong and be looked up to by all.

And what are the five kinds of evil conduct that bring a king to decline?

1. Not skillfully observing and overseeing his ministers.

2. Though skillfully observing, granting no favor; though granting favor, not doing so in a timely manner.

3. Caring only for pleasure and amusement, with no thought for the affairs of state.

4. Caring only for pleasure and dissipation, not safeguarding the treasury.

5. Caring only for pleasure and not cultivating wholesome dharmas.

If any king commits these five things, he loses his meritorious reward in the present and in lives to come….

There are, moreover, five things that cause a king to be loved and revered by his ministers and people:

1. Nurturing the populace with kindness and grace.

2. Being fully heroic and valiant.

3. Skillfully employing skillful means and expedients.

4. Receiving and using resources properly.

5. Diligently cultivating wholesome dharmas.

What is it to nurture the populace with kindness and grace? It means that the king is by nature content and free of greed. If he has a treasury, then according to his ability he provides and gives alms to the poor and the solitary… and with gentle words he encourages and guides the populace…

What is it to be fully heroic and valiant? It means that the king has a spirit that does not fall into degeneracy, and is complete in martial strength and strategy. Those who have not yet submitted he brings to submission; those who have already submitted he protects.

What is it to skillfully employ skillful means and expedients? It means that the king skillfully understands and clearly discerns all matters, and by skillful means subdues all enemies and adversaries.

What is it to receive and use resources properly? It means that the king knows how to calculate the increase and decrease of the treasury, is neither extravagant nor miserly, uses things at a moderate level, and provides for his ministers and kinsfolk according to the season… when ill, he eats the foods he ought to eat, eating in accord with the physician's instructions… If there is fine food, he should share it with all.

What is it to diligently cultivate wholesome dharmas? It means that the king is complete in faith, precepts, learning, relinquishment, and pure wisdom.

As for pure faith, it is to know clearly and to believe that there is a future life, and to believe in the karmic retribution of humans and gods, and in the wholesome and unwholesome deeds of future lives.

To uphold and keep the pure precepts is, for three months each year and six days each month, to observe the fast and precepts, abstaining from killing, stealing, and so forth—this is pure precepts.

Pure learning is to understand the deeds of this life and their fruits in the life to come, to cultivate merit and virtue, to advance in the practice of the Path, and to delight in the subtle and wondrous Dharma gateways…

Pure relinquishment is for the mind to be far removed from stinginess and greed, to give alms with one's own hand, and to cultivate merit to fulfillment…

Pure wisdom is to understand, as it truly is, what is offense and what is not offense, to draw near to Śramaṇas of great learning and precept-conduct, and to keep far from evil and heterodox teachings. It is also to know clearly the fulfillment of retribution, the fulfillment of human endeavor, and the fulfillment of merit.

When a king succeeds to the royal enterprise, is born into a clan of intelligence and wisdom, and has treasuries and wealth that he can use without ever exhausting—this is called the fulfillment of retribution.

If a king skillfully employs skillful means and expedients, regularly accomplishes all undertakings, is heroic in battle, and is conversant with all the arts and crafts—this is called the fulfillment of human endeavor.

If a king upholds and keeps the true Dharma, and together with his inner palace, the princes, and the great ministers practices almsgiving, performs wholesome deeds, observes the fast, and receives the precepts…—this is called the fulfillment of merit.

If anyone practices fully in this way, it is called being complete in pure wisdom.

After teaching this clearly, the Buddha said to the king: at the early hour of dawn each day you should read, or recite, this supreme teaching, and rely upon it to practice; then you shall be called a Holy King, a Dharma King. Moreover, you will be constantly accompanied and protected by the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, gods, dragons…, and you will be able to move the world to response, so that the rains are timely and the winds favorable, warfare ceases, the other nations come to pay tribute, blessings and emoluments are boundless, the nation is peaceful and joyful, and your lifespan is long. All will gain benefit and attain peace and joy in the present life.

When King Udayana had heard the Buddha's teaching, he was overjoyed and vowed to uphold, keep, and carry it out in practice.