佛說嗟韈曩法天子受三歸依獲免惡道經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the country of Śrāvastī, together with a great assembly of bhikṣus, fully gathered.

At that time, there was a devaputra named Samaṇa-dharma whose heavenly merit was about to be exhausted, his life span having but a little more than seven days remaining. The five signs of decline appeared clearly upon him: his body lost its majestic radiance, defilement arose once more, the garland of flowers upon his head withered, and the limbs of his body gave off a foul odor. Because of this, the devaputra Samaṇa-dharma took no delight in his former seat; he rolled upon the ground, weeping piteously, and lamented:

"How miserable, how miserable! The bathing pool of Mandākinī. How miserable, how miserable! The pool for bathing. How miserable, how miserable! The jeweled chariots and the delightful groves have become hideous... Such gardens can be wandered in no longer. How miserable, how miserable! The Pārijātaka flowers can be gathered nevermore, and the ground adorned with all manner of soft and tender jewels can be trodden upon no longer. How miserable, how miserable! The maidens of the heavens, upright and beautiful, who ever attended upon me, are now all parted from me."

At this time, another devaputra, seeing this happening, went to the place of Śakra and said:

"O Lord of Devas! The devaputra Samaṇa-dharma manifests clearly the five signs of decline, with but seven days of life remaining. He rolls upon the ground, wailing and weeping piteously, lamenting: 'How miserable, how miserable!'... O Lord of Devas! Having seen this happening, my heart is filled with great pity, and so I have come to report it."

Then Śakra, Lord of Devas, out of a heart of compassion, went to the place of the devaputra Samaṇa-dharma and said:

"O devaputra! Why is it that you roll upon the ground, weeping piteously, speaking of these miseries that move all who see you to pity?"

The devaputra Samaṇa-dharma, hearing this question, rose at once, arranged his robes, and with reverence joined his palms together and said:

"O Śakra, Lord of Devas! At present my life has but seven days remaining, and after death I shall fall into Jambudvīpa, into the city of Rājagṛha, where, on account of the karma created in a former life, I shall take on the body of a pig. O Lord of Devas! Once I have received that body, for many years I must eat and drink filthy things. Seeing such suffering, I am filled with great sorrow and dread."

When Śakra, Lord of Devas, heard this, he was filled with great pity and said to the devaputra Samaṇa-dharma:

"O devaputra! You can, with a sincere heart, take refuge in the Three Jewels. You should say these words:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the Most Honored among Two-Legged Beings.

I take refuge in the Dharma, that which is free from desire.

I take refuge in the Saṅgha, the most venerable of assemblies."

At that time, the devaputra Samaṇa-dharma, fearing that upon death he would fall into the realm of animals, said to Śakra:

"O Kauśika! Today I make this vow:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the Most Honored among Two-Legged Beings.

I take refuge in the Dharma, that which is free from desire.

I take refuge in the Saṅgha, the most venerable of assemblies."

Having received the threefold refuge, the devaputra kept his mind ever fixed in remembrance of the Three Jewels, up until the moment his life came to an end. As for the dharmas of the devas, those of inferior wisdom are still bound by speculative views and cannot contemplate them.

At that time, Śakra, Lord of Devas, contemplated to see into what place that devaputra had been reborn. Had he been reborn in the great city of Rājagṛha in the southern continent of Jambudvīpa, taking on the body of a pig, or had he not taken on the body of a pig?

Śakra exerted his divine eye to the utmost to contemplate, yet he could not see him; he also observed the realm of hungry ghosts and the realm of animals, but there too he could not see him. He further observed the human realm in the Sahā world, yet again he could not see him; and even among the devas of the Realm of the Four Heavenly Kings and the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, observing them all, he was likewise unable to see him. At this time, because he could not see him, Śakra, Lord of Devas, gave rise to a doubting mind, and so he went to the place of the Buddha in the grove of the Jeta trees, bowed his head at the feet of the Buddha, withdrew, sat to one side, and said:

"O World-Honored One! The devaputra Samaṇa-dharma, with the five signs of decline manifesting clearly upon him and with but seven days of life remaining, rolled upon the ground, wailing and weeping piteously, voicing all manner of suffering and anguish, moving all who saw him.

When I went there and saw this happening, I asked:

'Why is the devaputra so sorrowful, weeping piteously, his form so haggard?'

The devaputra Samaṇa-dharma said:

'My life now has but seven days remaining, and after death I shall be reborn in the city of Rājagṛha in Jambudvīpa, fallen into the body of a pig, and for many years I must eat and drink filthy things.'

Hearing this, my heart was filled with great pity, and so I said:

'If the worthy one wishes to escape that suffering, he should take refuge in the Three Jewels, reciting these words:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the Most Honored among Two-Legged Beings.

I take refuge in the Dharma, that which is free from desire.

I take refuge in the Saṅgha, the most venerable of assemblies.'

At that time, the devaputra Samaṇa-dharma, fearing that upon death he would fall into the animal realm, said:

'Now I make this vow:

I take refuge in the Buddha, the Most Honored among Two-Legged Beings.

I take refuge in the Dharma, that which is free from desire.

I take refuge in the Saṅgha, the most venerable of assemblies.'

The devaputra Samaṇa-dharma, having received the threefold refuge, thereafter came to the end of his life."

Śakra said:

"O World-Honored One! Now I do not know into what place that devaputra Samaṇa-dharma has been reborn."

The World-Honored One, with his perfect and universal knowledge, said to Śakra:

"O Kauśika! The devaputra Samaṇa-dharma has been reborn in the Tuṣita Heaven, where he enjoys the five kinds of sensual delights."

When Śakra, Lord of Devas, heard the Buddha declare this so clearly, he was exceedingly joyful; his mind was at ease and all his faculties were full and complete. Then, before the Buddha, he spoke these verses:

Śakra further spoke these verses:

One who with utmost heart takes refuge in the Dharma,
That one shall attain this:
Whether by day or in the night,
The power of the Dharma ever blesses and protects him.

When Śakra had finished speaking these verses, the World-Honored One then said:

"It is so, it is so!

At that time, the World-Honored One again spoke these verses:

He further spoke these verses:

When the Buddha had spoken this sūtra, all the bhikṣus, Śakra Lord of Devas, and the entire great assembly rejoiced, believed, and received it; they bowed their heads in homage and withdrew.