佛說天王太子辟羅經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the garden grove of Jeta and Anāthapiṇḍika, in the country of Śrāvastī.

At that time, the crown prince of the Heavenly King, named Tickra, descended from the heavens to the place where the Buddha was. He reverently bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, then stood still with palms joined and said:

"People throughout the world all seek food, clothing, the seven kinds of precious treasures, the various pleasures, official ranks, and dominions. Yet could it be that there is no one who earnestly seeks the conduct of truth?"

The World-Honored One praised him:

"Your question is truly meaningful.

There are indeed those who seek dominions and precious treasures, and there are also those who wholeheartedly seek the practices of conduct."

Tickra asked again:

"As for one who seeks the practices of conduct and attains his wish according to his heart's desire—what is the meaning of this?"

The Buddha taught:

"There are two kinds of conduct: wholesome conduct brings blessings, while evil conduct brings calamity. Blessings and misfortunes follow a person as the shadow follows the form."

Tickra said:

"Excellent, excellent! It is just as the Buddha has taught.

I recall that in my former life I was a king in the world. Reflecting that the span of life is impermanent, my heart wished to give in charity. So I gathered my ministers and said:

'I wish to make a great drum, so that its sound may carry far across a hundred leagues. Who among you is able to accomplish this task?'

The officials all replied:

'We, your ministers, are not able to do it.'

There was one official named Khuông Thượng, who was ever loyal to the king and who cherished and rescued the multitude of the people. He then submitted:

'Your servant is able to accomplish that task, but it will require funds for the expense.'

The king said:

'Very well.'

The king then opened his treasury and handed it over to that man.

Khuông Thượng carried the precious goods to the gate of the king's palace, beat a drum, and proclaimed:

'Today the king, being benevolent, out of compassion gives in charity. He wishes to rescue the poor, the destitute, and the suffering among the people, and to offer the various kinds of clothing and food to the religious mendicants. If anyone is in want, let him come to the gate of the king's palace.'

The poor and the needy from all the countries came, carrying one another on their backs and helping one another along, until they filled the roads and crowded the byways. Lifting their faces toward heaven, they praised:

'The destitute multitude have now been brought back to life!'

A year later the king issued a decree:

'Is the drum finished or not yet?'

The official Khuông Thượng answered:

'It is already finished.'

The king said:

'Why then have I not heard the sound of that drum?'

The official replied:

'I beg the Wise King to deign to bring forth his sacred person out of the palace and travel throughout the country, so as to hear the sound of the drum of the Buddha-Dharma, whose sound resounds throughout the ten directions.'

The king then prepared his carriage and traveled throughout the country, drawing near to the people.

The king said:

'Are the people numerous?'

The official submitted:

'Formerly Your Majesty commanded your servant to make a great drum, so that its sound might carry to a hundred leagues, intending thereby to proclaim your meritorious virtue, so that your renown might spread far across the four directions. Your servant thought: "Dry wood and dead hide cannot proclaim the glory and the merit of the king's virtue." Your servant therefore took the precious goods and provided clothing and food to the śramaṇas and the brahmacārins, and rescued the poor, the destitute, and the needy throughout the whole country, proclaiming it everywhere. The neighboring countries all submitted in allegiance and came to enjoy its benefit, like a hungry and thirsty child meeting its loving mother.'

The king asked the people:

'From where have you come?'

The multitude bowed their heads and said:

'From a hundred leagues, two hundred leagues... from beyond ten thousand leagues we have come.'

They all submitted to the king:

'O Wise King! The grace and virtue of the king have permeated throughout all the regions. For this reason we have left our former countries to come and dwell here, cherishing the loving-kindness of Your Majesty, who has rescued us.'

The king said:

'Excellent, excellent! This is my command: the unrest of a country is like a body that has an illness. I rescue them with medicine, and my ministers nourish them with gruel.'

The king said:

'According to the needs of the multitude, let them be granted as they please, without need to submit a request.'

After the king passed away, his consciousness was born up into the heavenly realm as King Heavenly-Splendor. When his life span was exhausted, he was born down into the world as a Wheel-Turning Sage King, dwelling and coming and going in peace and security, and the king was fully endowed with the seven treasures. Today he has again been born up into the heavens as the crown prince of the Heavenly King. The reason he attained such a state is that, with his body upholding the precepts, rescuing sentient beings, reverently practicing the Buddha's precepts and Dharma, and acting from the depths of his heart in complete uprightness, he wholly attained that blessing."

The Buddha said to Crown Prince Tickra:

"For everyone who performs deeds, they are answered as the shadow follows the form, as the echo follows the sound."

When Crown Prince Tickra had heard the Buddha's teaching, he rejoiced, paid his respects, and withdrew.