record of buddhistic kingdoms-第22部分

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ain；　to　perfect　Wisdom。　Less　than　half　a　yojana　from　this　to　the　south…west　will　bring　you　to　the　patra＇4＇　tree；　where　all　past　Buddhas　have　attained；　and　all　to　come　must　attain；　to　perfect　Wisdom。〃　When　they　had　spoken　these　words；　they　immediately　led　the　way　forwards　to　the　place；　singing　as　they　did　so。　As　they　thus　went　away；　the　Bodhisattva　arose　and　walked　（after　them）。　At　a　distance　of　thirty　paces　from　the　tree；　a　deva　gave　him　the　grass　of　lucky　omen；＇5＇　which　he　received　and　went　on。　After　（he　had　proceeded）　fifteen　paces；　500　green　birds　came　flying　towards　him；　went　round　him　thrice；　and　disappeared。　The　Bodhisattva　went　forward　to　the　patra　tree；　placed　the　kusa　grass　at　the　foot　of　it；　and　sat　down　with　his　face　to　the　east。　Then　king　Mara　sent　three　beautiful　young　ladies；　who　came　from　the　north；　to　tempt　him；　while　he　himself　came　from　the　south　to　do　the　same。　The　Bodhisattva　put　his　toes　down　on　the　ground；　and　the　demon　soldiers　retired　and　dispersed；　and　the　three　young　ladies　were　changed　into　old　（grand…）mothers。＇6＇

At　the　place　mentioned　above　of　the　six　years'　painful　austerities；　and　at　all　these　other　places；　men　subsequently　reared　topes　and　set　up　images；　which　all　exist　at　the　present　day。

Where　Buddha；　after　attaining　to　perfect　wisdom；　for　seven　days　contemplated　the　tree；　and　experienced　the　joy　of　vimukti；＇7＇　where；　under　the　patra　tree；　he　walked　backwards　and　forwards　from　west　to　east　for　seven　days；　where　the　devas　made　a　hall　appear；　composed　of　the　seven　precious　substances；　and　presented　offerings　to　him　for　seven　days；　where　the　blind　dragon　Muchilinda＇8＇　encircled　him　for　seven　days；　where　he　sat　under　the　nyagrodha　tree；　on　a　square　rock；　with　his　face　to　the　east；　and　Brahma…deva＇9＇　came　and　made　his　request　to　him；　where　the　four　deva　kings　brought　to　him　their　alms…　bowls；＇10＇　where　the　500　merchants＇11＇　presented　to　him　the　roasted　flour　and　honey；　and　where　he　converted　the　brothers　Kasyapa　and　their　thousand　disciples；＇12＇at　all　these　places　topes　were　reared。

At　the　place　where　Buddha　attained　to　perfect　Wisdom；　there　are　three　monasteries；　in　all　of　which　there　are　monks　residing。　The　families　of　their　people　around　supply　the　societies　of　these　monks　with　an　abundant　sufficiency　of　what　they　require；　so　that　there　is　no　lack　or　stint。＇13＇　The　disciplinary　rules　are　strictly　observed　by　them。　The　laws　regulating　their　demeanour　in　sitting；　rising；　and　entering　when　the　others　are　assembled；　are　those　which　have　been　practised　by　all　the　saints　since　Buddha　was　in　the　world　down　to　the　present　day。　The　places　of　the　four　great　topes　have　been　fixed；　and　handed　down　without　break；　since　Buddha　attained　to　nirvana。　Those　four　great　topes　are　those　at　the　places　where　Buddha　was　born；　where　he　attained　to　Wisdom；　where　he　（began　to）　move　the　wheel　of　his　Law；　and　where　he　attained　to　pari…nirvana。

NOTES

＇1＇　Gaya；　a　city　of　Magadha；　was　north…west　of　the　present　Gayah　（lat。　24d　47s　N。；　lon。　85d　1s　E）。　It　was　here　that　Sakyamuni　lived　for　seven　years；　after　quitting　his　family；　until　he　attained　to　Buddhaship。　The　place　is　still　frequented　by　pilgrims。　E。　H。；　p。　41。

＇2＇　This　is　told　so　as　to　make　us　think　that　he　was　in　danger　of　being　drowned；　but　this　does　not　appear　in　the　only　other　account　of　the　incident　I　have　met　with；in　〃The　Life　of　the　Buddha；〃　p。　31。　And　he　was　not　yet　Buddha；　though　he　is　here　called　so；　unless　indeed　the　narrative　is　confused；　and　the　incidents　do　not　follow　in　the　order　of　time。

＇3＇　An　incident　similar　to　this　is　told；　with　many　additions；　in　Hardy's　M。　B。；　pp。　166…168；　〃The　Life　of　the　Buddha；〃　p。　30；　and　the　〃Buddhist　Birth　Stories；〃　pp。　91；　92；　but　the　name　of　the　ministering　girl　or　girls　is　different。　I　take　Gramika　from　a　note　in　Beal's　revised　version；　it　seems　to　me　a　happy　solution　of　the　difficulty　caused　by　the　｛。｝　｛。｝　of　Fa…hien。

＇4＇　Called　〃the　tree　of　leaves；〃　and　〃the　tree　of　reflection；〃　a　palm　tree；　the　/borassus　flabellifera/；　described　as　a　tree　which　never　loses　its　leaves。　It　is　often　confounded　with　the　pippala。　E。　H。；　p。　92。

＇5＇　The　kusa　grass；　mentioned　in　a　previous　note。

＇6＇　See　the　account　of　this　contest　with　Mara　in　M。　B。；　pp。　171…179；　and　〃Buddhist　Birth　Stories；〃　pp。　96…101。

＇7＇　See　chap。　xiii；　note　7。

＇8＇　Called　also　Maha；　or　the　Great　Muchilinda。　Eitel　says：　〃A　naga　king；　the　tutelary　deity　of　a　lake　near　which　Sakyamuni　once　sat　for　seven　days　absorbed　in　meditation；　whilst　the　king　guarded　him。〃　The　account　（p。　35）　in　〃The　Life　of　the　Buddha〃　is：〃Buddha　went　to　where　lived　the　naga　king　Muchilinda；　and　he；　wishing　to　preserve　him　from　the　sun　and　rain；　wrapped　his　body　seven　times　round　him；　and　spread　out　his　hood　over　his　head；　and　there　he　remained　seven　days　in　thought。〃　So　also　the　Nidana　Katha；　in　〃Buddhist　Birth　Stories；〃　p。　109。

＇9＇　This　was　Brahma　himself；　though　〃king〃　is　omitted。　What　he　requested　of　the　Buddha　was　that　he　would　begin　the　preaching　of　his　Law。　Nidana　Katha；　p。　111。

＇10＇　See　chap。　xii；　note　10。

＇11＇　The　other　accounts　mention　only　two；　but　in　M。　B。；　p。　182；　and　the　Nidana　Katha；　p。　110；　these　two　have　500　well…laden　waggons　with　them。

＇12＇　These　must　not　be　confounded　with　Mahakasyapa　of　chap。　xvi；　note　17。　They　were　three　brothers；　Uruvilva；　Gaya；　and　Nadi…Kasyapa；　up　to　this　time　holders　of　〃erroneous〃　views；　having　500；　300；　and　200　disciples　respectively。　They　became　distinguished　followers　of　Sakyamuni；　and　areeach　of　themto　become　Buddha　by…and…by。　See　the　Nidana　Katha；　pp。　114；　115。

＇13＇　This　seems　to　be　the　meaning；　but　I　do　not　wonder　that　some　understand　the　sentence　of　the　benevolence　of　the　monkish　population　to　the　travellers。



CHAPTER　XXXII

LEGEND　OF　KING　ASOKA　IN　A　FORMER　BIRTH；　AND　HIS　NARAKA。

When　king　Asoka；　in　a　former　birth；＇1＇　was　a　little　boy　and　played　on　the　road；　he　met　Kasyapa　Buddha　walking。　（The　stranger）　begged　food；　and　the　boy　pleasantly　took　a　handful　of　earth　and　gave　it　to　him。　The　Buddha　took　the　earth；　and　returned　it　to　the　ground　on　which　he　was　walking；　but　because　of　this　（the　boy）　received　the　recompense　of　becoming　a　king　of　the　iron　wheel；＇2＇　to　rule　over　Jambudvipa。　（Once）　when　he　was　making　a　judicial　tour　of　inspection　through　Jambudvipa；　he　saw；　between　the　iron　circuit　of　the　two　hills；　a　naraka＇3＇　for　the　punishment　of　wicked　men。　Having　thereupon　asked　his　ministers　what　sort　of　a　thing　it　was；　they　replied；　〃It　belongs　to　Yama；＇4＇　king　of　demons；　for　punishing　wicked　people。〃　The　king　thought　within　himself：　〃（Even）　the　king　of　demons　is　able　to　make　a　naraka　in　which　to　deal　with　wicked　men；　why　should　not　I；　who　am　the　lord　of　men；　make　a　naraka　in　which　to　deal　with　wicked　men？〃　He　forthwith　asked　his　ministers　who　could　make　for　him　a　naraka　and　preside　over　the　punishment　of　wicked　people　in　it。　They　replied　that　it　was　only　a　man　of　extreme　wickedness　who　could　make　it；　and　the　king　thereupon　sent　officers　to　seek　everywhere　for　（such）　a　bad　man；　and　they　saw　by　the　side　of　a　pond　a　man　tall　and　strong；　with　a　black　countenance；　yellow　hair；　and　green　eyes；　hooking　up　the　fish　with　his　feet；　while　he　called　to　him　birds　and　beasts；　and；　when　they　came；　then　shot　and　killed　them；　so　that　not　one　escaped。　Having　got　this　man；　they　took　him　to　the　king；　who　secretly　charged　him；　〃You　must　make　a　square　enclosure　with　high　walls。　Plant　in　it　all　kinds　of　flowers　and　fruits；　make　good　ponds　in　it　for　bathing；　make　it　grand　and　imposing　in　every　way；　so　that　men　shall　look　to　it　with　thirsting　desire；　make　its　gates　strong　and　sure；　and　when　any　one　enters；　instantly　seize　him　and　punish　him　as　a　sinner；　not　allowing　him　to　get　out。　Even　if　I　should　enter；　punish　me　as　a　sinner　in　the　same　way；　and　do　not　let　me　go。　I　now　appoint　you　master　of　that　naraka。〃

Soon　after　this　a　bhikshu；　pursuing　his　regular　course　of　begging　his　food；　entered　the　gate　（of　the　place）。　When　the　lictors　of　the　naraka　saw　him；　they　were　about　to　subject　him　to　their　tortures；　but　he；　frightened；　begged　them　to　allow　him　a　moment　in　which　to　eat　his　midday　meal。　Immediately　after；　there　came　in　another　man；　whom　they　thrust　into　a　mortar　and　pounded　till　a　red　froth　overflowed。　As　the　bhikshu　looked　on；　there　came　to　him　the　thought　of　the　impermanence；　the　painful　suffering　and　insanity　of　this　body；　and　how　it　is　but　as　a　bubble　and　as　foam；　and　instantly　he　attained　to　Arhatship。　Immediately　after；　the　lictors　seized　him；　and　threw　him　into　a　caldron　of　boiling　water。　There　was　a　look　of　joyful　satisfaction；　however；　in　the　bhikshu's　countenance。　The　fire　was　extinguished；　and　the　water　became　cold。　In　the　middle　（of　the　caldron）　there　rose　up　a　lotus　flower；　with　the　bhikshu　seated　on　it。　The　lictors　at　once　went　and　reported　to　the　king　that　there　was　a　marvellous　occurrence　in　the　naraka；　and　wished　him　to　go　and　see　it；　but　the　king　said；　〃I　formerly　made　such　an　agreement　that　now　I　dare　not　go　（to　the　place）。〃　The　lictors　said；　〃This　is　not　a　small　matter。　Your　majesty　ought　to　go　quickly。　Let　your　former　agreement　be　altered。〃　The　king　thereupon　followed　them；　and　entered　（the　naraka）；　when　the　bhikshu　preached　the　Law　to　him；　and　he　believed；　and　was　made　free。＇5＇　Forthwith　he　demolished　the　naraka；　and　repented　of　all　the　evil　which　he　had　formerly　done。　From　this　time　he　believed　in　and　honoured　the　Three　Precious　Ones；　and　constantly　went　to　a　patra　tree；　repenting　under　it；　with　self…reproach；　of　his　errors；　and　accepting　the　eight　rules　of　abstinence。＇6＇

The　queen　asked　where　the　king　was　constantly　going　to；　and　the　ministers　replied　that　he　was　constantly　to　be　seen　under　（such　and　such）　a　patra　tree。　She　watched　for　a　time　when　the　king　was　not　there；　and　then　sent　men　to　cut　the　tree　down。　When　the　king　came；　and　saw　what　had　been　done；　he　swooned　away　with　sorrow；　and　fell　to　the　ground。　His　ministers　sprinkled　water　on　his　face；　and　after　a　considerable　time　he　revived。　He　then　built　all　round　（the　stump）　with　bricks；　and　poured　a　hundred　pitchers　of　cows'　milk　on　the　roots；　and　as　he　lay　with　his　four　limbs　spread　out　on　the　ground；　he　took　this　oath；　〃If　the　tree　do　not　live；　I　will　never　rise　from　this。〃　When　he　had　uttered　this　oath；　the　tree　immediately　began　to　grow　from　the　roots；　a