Sixth Section: The Past Cause of the Wooden Spear Piercing the Foot
Heard like this:
Once, the Buddha was residing in the Bamboo Grove at the Jeta Grove Monastery in the city of Rajagriha. One morning, the World-Honored One, dressed in his robes and holding his alms bowl, went into the city with five hundred great bhikṣus and Ananda for alms round. Along the way, they came across a piece of hard, broken wood, about one foot and two inches long, lying by the side of the road. When the Buddha passed by, the broken wood stood upright in front of him, resembling a wooden spear. The Buddha thought to himself, “This is the result of past karma, something I have done in the past. Now, I must bear the consequences.” When the people saw this, they gathered around in astonishment, deeply surprised by the event. The Buddha thought again, “I will now demonstrate the karmic retribution of past deeds to show the people the truth of cause and effect, so that they will not dare to commit evil deeds.”
The Buddha then leaped into the air, rising one blade’s height above the ground. The wooden spear followed him, rising one blade’s height and standing in front of him. The Buddha rose another two, three, four, five, and even seven blade’s heights, with the spear following him. The Buddha rose higher and higher, to a tall tree, and the spear followed, reaching the same height. The Buddha then rose to seven trees high, seven miles, ten miles, one yojana, and seven yojanas. The spear followed him, always standing in front of him.
The Buddha then transformed in midair, becoming a massive stone six yojanas thick and twelve yojanas wide. The Buddha stood on the thick stone, and the spear pierced through the stone and stood in front of him. The Buddha then transformed into a vast body of water, twelve yojanas wide and six yojanas deep. The Buddha stood on the water, and the spear passed through the water and stood in front of him. The Buddha transformed again into a vast flame, twelve yojanas wide and six yojanas high. The Buddha stood on the flame, and the spear passed through the flames and stood in front of him. The Buddha then transformed into a great whirlwind, twelve yojanas wide and six yojanas high, and stood in the wind, while the spear came from the side and stood in front of him.
The Buddha then ascended to the palace of the Four Heavenly Kings, and the spear followed him to the palace, standing in front of him. The Buddha then ascended to the Thirty-Three Heavens, where there was a wall made of glazed stone, one yojana in size. The Buddha stood on the glazed stone, and the spear followed and stood in front of him. After the Buddha left, the Four Heavenly Kings discussed among themselves, saying, “The Buddha fears this spear, yet it relentlessly follows him.” They were displeased and left. The Buddha then ascended to the realms of the Yama Heaven, the Tuṣita Heaven, the Chāra Heaven, the Tāvatiṁsa Heaven, and the Brahma Heaven. The spear followed him to these realms as well, always standing in front of him.
The heavenly beings discussed among themselves, saying, “The Buddha fears this spear and runs away, but it always follows him.” The World-Honored One then explained his past karma to Brahma. Gradually, the Buddha descended from the Brahma Heaven, through the other heavens—Tāvatiṁsa, Chāra, Tuṣita, Yama, and the Thirty-Three Heavens—and the Four Heavenly Kings, explaining to the Gods and beings the karmic causes of his past life. Eventually, he returned to Rajagriha, with the spear following him all the way, where the Buddha also explained his past karmic causes to the people of Rajagriha.
The Buddha and the bhikṣus were leaving the city to return to the monastery. The wooden spear followed behind the Buddha, and the people followed the Buddha out of the city. The Buddha asked the crowd, “Where are you going?”
The people answered, “We wish to follow the Tathagata to explore this karmic connection.”
The Buddha told them, “Go back to your homes. The Tathagata knows the right time.”
Ananda asked the Buddha, “Why did the Tathagata send the people back?”
The Buddha replied to Ananda, “If the people saw me bearing the karmic consequences of my past life, they would surely faint from shock.” Ananda remained silent.
The Buddha returned to the Monastery and instructed the bhikṣus to go to their respective rooms. Thus, each bhikṣu followed the Buddha’s command and went to their room.
Ananda asked the Buddha, “What about me?”
The Buddha said, “You should also return to your room.” So Ananda went back to his room as well.
The Buddha, alone in his dwelling, reflected, “This is the result of my past karma. I have created evil deeds and must now face the consequences.” The Buddha took his large robe, folded it into four, and sat upright in meditation. He then extended his right foot, and the wooden spear pierced the top of his foot, entering through the sole and gradually passing through the six great wheels of the earth, water, and fire, which are sixty-eight thousand yojanas deep and high. The spear was finally consumed by the flames of the fire wheel. At this moment, the earth trembled in six ways. Ananda and the bhikṣus each thought, “This earth tremor must be due to the spear piercing the Buddha’s foot.”
The pain in the Buddha’s foot was extreme—agonizing, sharp, and intense, like the pain of one’s breath leaving the body. Ananda came to the Buddha’s dwelling and saw the wound from the spear in the Buddha’s foot. He immediately fainted. The Buddha sprinkled water on Ananda, bringing him back to consciousness. Ananda rose, bowed to the Buddha’s feet, and wiped the Buddha’s feet, weeping and saying, “With these very feet, the Buddha walked to subdue Mara, went to the Thirty-Three Heavens to teach his mother the Dharma. The Tathagata, with his indestructible body, how is it that such a small piece of wood caused such a wound?”
The Buddha said to Ananda, “Stop, do not grieve and weep. The causes and effects of the world, the cycle of birth and death, bring about this suffering.”
Ananda asked the Buddha, “Is your foot better now, or does it still hurt?”
The Buddha replied to Ananda, “It is gradually getting better.”
Sariputta and the other bhikṣus arrived and bowed to the Buddha’s feet. Sariputta asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, is your wound better or does it still hurt?”
The Buddha told Sariputta, “The pain is gradually lessening.”
Among the bhikṣus, those who had not yet eradicated all their afflictions, upon seeing the condition of the wound, were filled with sorrow and wept, saying, “The World-Honored One, full of great compassion and great mercy, who saves all beings, how could He have such painful karma?”
The Buddha said to the bhikṣus, “Do not cry anymore! This is the result of evil karma I created in a past life, and I must bear it. There is no escaping from cause and effect. This grievance was not caused by my father or mother, nor by a king, nor by the gods, nor by ascetics or Brahmins; it was created by me, and now I must bear it.” Among the bhikṣus, there were those whose afflictions had been eradicated, and who possessed supernatural powers. Upon hearing the Buddha’s words, they reflected silently on the verse the Buddha had spoken in the past:
“Whatever actions people do, whether good or bad,
These actions return to the person, and will not perish or fade.”
Jivaka, upon hearing that the Buddha had been pierced by the wooden spear, wept and went to the residence of King Ajatashatru. The king asked, “Why are you crying?”
Jivaka replied, “I heard that the Buddha was pierced in the foot by a wooden spear, and that is why I am so saddened and crying.”
Upon hearing this, King Ajatashatru fell from his seat in shock and fainted. After a long time, he regained consciousness, and everyone in the palace was astonished. The king stood up, weeping, and commanded his ministers, “Prepare the carriage immediately; I must go to the Buddha.” King Ajatashatru, along with Jivaka and the ministers, left the city of Rajagriha and went to the Bamboo Grove Monastery.
People of all casteses and the disciples of the city, upon hearing that the Buddha had been pierced by the wooden spear, gathered in hundreds and thousands, surrounding the king, Jivaka, and the others, and went together to the place where the Buddha was. Upon arrival, King Ajatashatru dismounted from the carriage, removed his crown, unsheathed his sword, and removed his umbrella. He walked in to visit the Buddha. The Buddha was lying on his right side, and after bowing in reverence, King Ajatashatru gently held and rubbed the Buddha’s feet, while introducing himself, “King Ajatashatru of the kingdom of Magadha respectfully greets the World-Honored One. Is your foot feeling any better from the pain of the wound?”
The Buddha said to the king, “I hope, Great King, that you always find peace and safety, live long without illness. You should govern your kingdom with the right Dharma and not with wrong actions.” The Buddha then invited the king to sit, and the king sat down.
After sitting, the king asked the Buddha, “I have learned from the Tathagata’s teachings that your body is indestructible, like diamond, unbreakable. Why then has it been so severely wounded by the wooden spear?”
The Buddha replied, “All things arise due to causes and conditions. Although my body is like diamond, impervious to destruction, it can be harmed by the lingering grudges of past lives.”
The Buddha then recited this verse:
“All actions performed by beings, each sees the results of their deeds,
Good actions bring good results, and bad actions bring bad results.”
Therefore, Great King, you should abandon all evil actions and engage in all good actions. If one lacks wisdom and cannot recognize those who have truly entered the sacred path, and instead mocks and despises them, this act of disdain will lead to future sorrow and retribution. Thus, Great King, you should remind yourself not to commit such offenses by mocking others. This is the path you should follow.
The king instructed Jivaka, “Prepare the best medicine to treat the Buddha’s wound, ensuring that the foot injury would heal quickly.”
Jivaka said, “I will obey your command.” Jivaka then respectfully served the Buddha, washed his feet, applied a miraculous healing ointment to the wound, and recited pain-relieving mantras with great devotion. Jivaka also wrapped the Buddha’s foot in a precious cloth, gently massaged it, and sincerely prayed, “May the Buddha live long, and may this ailment be removed quickly. May all beings, suffering in the long night of existence, be liberated.”Jivaka then rose, bowed to the Buddha, and stood to the side.
The Buddha then taught the Four Noble Truths to King Ajatashatru and the assembly, “What are the Four Noble Truths? They are the Truth of Suffering, the Truth of the Cause of Suffering, the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering, and the Truth of the Path to the Cessation of Suffering.” When the Buddha explained these Four Noble Truths, sixty bhikṣus achieved the end of afflictions and their minds were liberated. Eleven thousand people gained the pure Dharma eye.
King Ajatashatru then said, “World-Honored One, I still have matters of state to attend to, so I must take my leave now.”
The Buddha replied, “It is good. The time is right.”
The king stood up, bowed to the Buddha’s feet, circled the Buddha three times, and left. The people who were with him also bowed to the Buddha, circled three times, and returned.
That very night, at midnight, seven celestial beings came to the Buddha’s place, bowed to the Buddha’s feet, and walked around the Buddha’s bed, standing in a circle. One celestial being spoke to the Buddha, “Gautama Sramana, like a lion that is injured, you endure great pain without speaking about it.”
Another celestial being said, “Gautama Sramana, like an elephant that is injured, you endure great pain without speaking about it.”
A third celestial being said, “Gautama Sramana, like a bull that is bellowing, you do not feel the pain.”
A fourth celestial being said, “Gautama Sramana, like a water buffalo that is bellowing, you do not feel the pain.”
A fifth celestial being said, “Gautama Sramana, like a Eight-armed Heavenly King who is injured, you can endure great pain .”
A sixth celestial being said, “Gautama Sramana, like a precious horse that is injured, you do not feel the pain.”
A seventh celestial being said, “Gautama Sramana, with your mind purified and awakened, you do not feel the pain.”
The first celestial being said, “Buddha! You are like the lion among humans, the elephant among humans, the bull among humans, the water buffalo among humans, the Eight-armed Heavenly King among humans, the precious horse among humans, and the one who possesses pure wisdom and understanding. Because of this, World-Honored One, you can endure such intense pain. Ordinary people can only endure the pain with force, but the World-Honored One uses wisdom to understand the true nature of suffering and thereby transcends it. The externalists and Brahmins, who, after middle age, become slack in their practice, clinging to desires like marriage, while hoping to escape the ocean of suffering, will never attain liberation. Their methods of practice are not complete. The teachings of the Tathagata are pure and ultimate, cutting off all attachments and extinguishing afflictions, leading to Nirvana. Only through the Tathagata’s teachings can beings cross the sea of suffering in the Three Realms and reach the other shore. Why? Because those who practice the Tathagata’s teachings with right understanding will gain liberation through the Four Noble Truths.”
The celestial beings then recited this verse in praise:
“Temperament is fierce and hard to tame, ignorance and doubt cloud the mind with no wisdom to claim,
The mind is wasted like the dew of the wild, unable to cross the deep abyss of birth and death.
Steadfast wisdom removes fierceness and ignorance, it adjusts the mind and releases all bonds,
The mind becomes still, free from confusion and delusion, this is the way to cross the great ocean of birth and death.”
After the celestial beings recited the verse, the Buddha silently approved. Seeing the Buddha’s silence, the celestial beings understood that it was an approval. They bowed to the Buddha’s feet, circled the Buddha three times, and in an instant, they disappeared.
In the early morning, the Buddha said to Sariputta, “Countless asamkhyeya kalpas ago, in the kingdom of Varanasi, there were two merchant caravans, each consisting of five hundred people. They gathered their wealth together and planned to build ships to cross the sea. After preparing everything, they set sail. They sailed with the wind and eventually arrived at an island. The island was rich in resources, providing all the necessities for food, clothing, shelter, and travel, as well as various precious gems and beautiful women.One of the caravan leaders said to his group, ‘We have worked hard to gather our wealth and crossed the sea to arrive here. Our desires are fulfilled, and we can now live here, enjoying the five pleasures.’The leader of the second caravan, however, said to his group, ‘Although this place is abundant in treasures and the five pleasures, we should return home and not stay here for too long.’
At that moment, a heavenly maiden, seeing the merchants and wishing to guide them to return home with their newfound wealth, spoke from the sky: ‘Though there are treasures, the five pleasures, beautiful women, clothing, and food here, it is not wise to stay long. You should leave soon and return to your homeland. In seven days, this place will be submerged by the sea.’ After saying this, the heavenly maiden disappeared.Later, a demonic heavenly maiden appeared in the sky, trying to make the merchants stay and perish in the place. She spoke to the merchants: ‘Do not worry about the flooding. This is a joyful place, and it will not be submerged. If it were to flood, how could there be all these treasures, food, clothing, women, and pleasures? The first heavenly maiden’s words about the water flooding this place are not true, so do not believe them.’ After saying this, the demonic maiden disappeared.
The first caravan leader did not believe the heavenly maiden and instead believed the demonic maiden. He said to his group: ‘Do not believe the words of the first heavenly maiden, for they are lies. Here, we have all the pleasures of the five desires. We have worked hard our whole lives, hoping to enjoy this. Now that we have it, why should we leave?’The second caravan leader, however, believed the heavenly maiden’s advice and told his team: ‘Do not let greed for the pleasures here cause us to stay too long. Seven days from now, this place will be submerged by the sea. We must prepare our boats and get ready to leave. The first heavenly maiden’s words are sincere and true. Even if the flood does not come in seven days, we should leave. How can we forsake our fathers, mothers, and wives for the sake of enjoyment? If the flood does not come, we can still enjoy the pleasures here for a while before leaving. But if the flood does come, we are well-prepared and can leave safely.’
Seven days later, just as the first heavenly maiden had said, the sea flooded the land. The second caravan leader had prepared everything in advance and immediately led his team onto the boats. The first caravan leader, having not prepared, tried to take the boat from the second caravan. The leader of the second caravan, in order to protect his group, fought with the first leader. The second caravan leader pierced the first caravan leader’s foot with a spear, and the first leader died from the wound.
The Buddha said to Sariputta: ‘Do you know who the first caravan leader was? He was Devadatta. The second caravan leader, who pierced the first leader’s foot with a sharp spear, was my past life. The five hundred people of the first caravan were the five hundred disciples of Devadatta today. The five hundred people of the second caravan were the five hundred Arhats today. The first heavenly maiden was Sariputta. The second heavenly maiden was the present-day Brahmin disciple, Bhikshu Full-Moon.’
‘Because in my past life, when I was a merchant leader, I fought with another merchant leader over a boat and wounded him with a sharp spear, causing his death, I have suffered the consequences for countless thousands of years, enduring torment in heck. In heck, I have been pierced by iron spears countless times. After countless thousands of years, I fell into the animal realm and was shot with iron spears. After countless thousands of years in the hungry ghost realm, I was hung on an iron spear tree. Now, I have become a Buddha, but despite having the indestructible body of the Tathagata, I still cannot escape the remaining karmic consequences, which is why today I was pierced by the wooden spear.’
At that time, the Buddha spoke the following verse about his past karmic causes:
“In my past life, I was the leader of a merchant caravan, sailing across the sea.
Two merchants fought over a boat, and I wounded one of them in the foot with a spear.
Because of this, in heck, I endured the pain of being pierced,
As an animal, I was often shot by humans, and as a hungry ghost, I was nailed to an iron spear tree.
Now, I have attained Buddhahood, out of compassion for all beings,
Even though I have obtained the indestructible body of a Buddha, I cannot escape the calamity of the wooden spear.
The cycle of cause and effect will never vanish, nor will it disappear into thin air.
We should protect these three types of cause and effect and not violate the moral conduct of body, speech, and mind.
Now, I have become the honored Buddha, the leader of the three realms,
And in the Anavatapta Spring, I personally recount the karmic causes of my past lives.”
The Buddha then said to Sariputta, “Look at the Tathagata. All evil has been eradicated, all virtues are complete. The Heavenly beings, Nāgas, gods and spirits, kings, ministers, common people, and all beings desire to be guided to the other shore. Yet, even I cannot avoid the retribution for past wrongs. How much more so for ignorant beings who have not yet attained the Way? Sariputta, you should diligently protect the three practices of body, speech, and mind. Sariputta, all should learn this!”
After the Buddha spoke of these past karmic causes, Sariputta rejoiced, accepted the teaching, and followed it faithfully.
Dharma Torch 