Section Fifteen: Father Met Son
Heard like this:
When the Buddha was in the Śākya clan, he was accompanied by several thousand disciples, all of whom had reached old age. They had all attained the state of Arhat and possessed the six supernatural powers, with all their wishes fulfilled. While the Buddha was traveling to teach in various towns, he arrived at the Nyagrodha Garden outside of the city of Kapilavastu. Upon hearing that the Buddha, accompanied by a thousand elder bhikṣus who had attained enlightenment, had arrived at the garden outside their city, the Śākya people of Kapilavastu spread the news, saying, “Let everyone gather before the rooster crows.” They discussed among themselves, saying, “Honorable ones! If the crown prince had not pursued the path of enlightenment, he would have become the Chakravarti king, and we would all have been his subjects. Now, he has forsaken the seven treasures and attained Buddhahood. Let each family select one person to go forth with the Buddha and become a bhikṣu. This way, the Śākya clan will continue to flourish.” So, the people of Kapilavastu set out, eager to meet the Buddha and hear his teachings. The women of the Śākya clan also gathered together and went to the Buddha to seek the Dharma. At this time, the Buddha displayed his supernatural powers and, after entering a state of deep concentration, walked in the air. The Śākya people, seeing this display of powers, were filled with joy and reverence.
At that moment, King Suddhodana bowed his head and paid homage to the Buddha’s feet. After worshipping, he stood by respectfully. The people of Kapilavastu discussed among themselves, saying, “The king is bowing to the Buddha. How can a father bow to his son?” Hearing their criticism, the king explained, “Honorable ones! When the prince was born, the earth trembled, and light shone in all directions. He did not rely on external objects and walked seven steps, looked around in all directions, and said, ‘All of the three realms are suffering; what is there to enjoy?’ The gods held white parasols in the sky, scattered jewel flowers, played five hundred kinds of music, and poured fragrant water for the prince’s bath. At that time, I first paid homage to the prince. Honorable ones! The prince once sat in meditation beneath the banyan tree in the garden. The shade of the tree always covered him. In the morning, the branches and leaves spread to the east; in the afternoon, they turned to the west. Even the tree followed the prince’s wishes. People, it was then that I paid my second homage.” The king then recited a verse.
“Today, I pay homage to the great wise and courageous one of the three realms, by bowing my head and paying respects to the feet of the World-Honored One.
At his birth, the heavens and the earth trembled, and his body was sheltered by the tree’s shade.”
The Buddha then withdrew his supernatural powers and seated himself in front of the assembly of bhikṣus. The Śākya people and their families all prostrated to the Buddha and then returned to their seats. The king also sat down and praised the Buddha with a verse:
“With an elephant and a noble horse pulling a golden chariot, riding the chariot, traveling among high platforms and towers.
Golden feet that tread the earth, how can such feet produce calluses?”
The Buddha replied, “The power of my supernatural abilities is my chariot, boundless in its freedom.
Riding in such a marvelous chariot, how could the worldly chariot last long?”
The king asked, “You once wore soft, fine white robes, fitting perfectly and showing dignity.
Now you wear the robes of a bhikṣu, how can such garments be considered beautiful?”
The Buddha replied, “The Dharma is my robe, worn with compassion for the world to teach and guide.
This robe is the result of past practice, and now I have awakened and become the Tathāgata.”
The king asked, “You once enjoyed residing in magnificent palaces, building splendid towers according to the seasons.
Now you sleep alone beneath trees in the forest, in times of fear, what do you rely on?”
The Buddha replied, “Gautama has severed all worldly enmity and cut off the entanglement of desires.
When desires are abandoned, there is no sorrow, and without enemies, how can there be fear?”
The king asked, “In the past, you enjoyed various delicious foods, served in golden vessels with fragrant dishes.
Now, you eat coarse food, what joy can there be in such meals?”
The Buddha replied, “I have long made the Dharma my food, abandoning greed and seeking the path of suffering and emptiness.
I no longer require the four types of food; I only beg to help others with compassion.”
The king asked, “In the past, you bathed your noble body with fragrant flower baths, accompanied by singers and dancers, traveling wherever you went.
Now you rise and rest in the mountains and forests; who will bathe the one who has awakened?”
The Buddha replied, “I use the Dharma and precepts as my pure river, where wisdom and purity reside.
When encountering the highest wisdom, I go to bathe in its purification; once I cross this river, I no longer return to the cycle of rebirth.”
At that time, the Buddha was teaching the king and many of the Śākya women, explaining the Dharma. He first taught the path of generosity and the observance of precepts, then spoke briefly about the happiness of ascension to heaven and more elaborately on the suffering that comes with it. He guided them to understand the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, which would bring stability.
The Buddha, with the wisdom of one who has attained enlightenment, saw that King Śuddhodana’s mind was full of joy, his temperament gentle, and his defilements and attachments were released. He was ready to be taught the path of liberation. The Buddha then taught him the Four Noble Truths—suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering. After hearing the Buddha’s teachings, the king’s mind was instantly clarified. The three poisons of greed, hatred, and delusion were eradicated, and he attained the wisdom of truth—like white cloth dipped into dye, which immediately takes on a beautiful color. The king entered the state of the Dharma in the same way.
At that time, the king had eliminated his doubts about the truth and understood the teachings. He stood up, joined his palms, and respectfully addressed the Buddha, saying, “I have now approached what I should have approached, and I have abandoned what I should have abandoned. Today, I wholeheartedly take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. Please accept me as an upasaka, and for the remainder of my life, I will never violate the precepts of purity.” Among the Śākya people present, some took refuge in the Buddha, some in the Dharma, and others in the Sangha. The women of the Śākya families also took refuge in the same manner. Among them, some took the vow of non-killing, some the vow of non-stealing, some the vow of celibacy, some the vow of non-lying, and others the vow of abstinence from alcohol.
At that time, King Śuddhodana’s mind had already deeply understood the Dharma and no longer had doubts about the truth. With great diligence and energy in his practice, he again stood up, joined his palms, and praised the Buddha with the following verse of perfect doctrines:
“Who is truly a keeper of the precepts? I have heard that following desires leads to suffering.
I ask you, O Gautama, the greatest of beings, to explain this issue.”
The Buddha replied: “They have already abandoned deep hatred and do not cling to future desires.
They do not grasp at present things, and if others respect them, they do not rejoice; they consider it to be like space.
Their hearts are not attached to the future, and they do not dwell on the past with sorrow.
In the midst of all sensory contacts, they remain detached and are not led astray by wrong views.
They have cast off fear and have no dread, their faith is unwavering, and they remain steadfast.
Without jealousy, they take joy in giving. Such a practitioner cherishes a pure life,
able to restrain themselves from greedy desires, their wisdom abundant, free from envy.
They do not despise ugliness, do not crave beauty, do not speak divisively, and abandon frivolity and doubt.
Their hearts are fully liberated, without attachment, abandoning the view of self, and without idle or false speech.
Their hearts are peaceful and naturally still, without craving sensory pleasures.
They do not intentionally pursue the objects of their desires. They have nothing, yet they are not troubled,
without resentment, abandoning desires, not driven by sensory pleasures.
They do not think ‘I am incomparable.’ Even when facing slander or insults, they remain respectful.
They observe and eliminate wrong thoughts, without distinguishing between good and bad.
They understand that all dharmas are inherently empty, so what can attachment to desires or beautiful things rely on?
Desire and forms are illusions, even ‘formless’ is not real. Therefore, starting with wisdom as the basis for thought, they do not intentionally pursue ‘liberation.’
Once craving has been extinguished, it ceases. The three realms are empty—where is happiness to be found?
What need is there after fully abandoned? Crossing the ocean of suffering, they are free from worries.
They do not long for children, do not desire offspring, nor pursue land or wealth.
The future has not yet arisen, and the past cannot be traced—what is there to seek? What can be attained?
No matter how worldly people, bhikṣus, or brahmins may criticize them with greed or harsh words,
they remain unaffected by these accusations, like touching a bubble—knowing it’s illusory, they move on.
Without jealousy or greed, though in a high position, they do not indulge in pleasure,
they do not make distinctions between advantageous or disadvantaged situations, but follow the true path, abandoning the wrong.
They know all is empty, that they cannot possess or demand what cannot be obtained,
so do not covet the pleasures of the world or the wrong path. When their minds are at rest, they reach the ultimate.”
After the Buddha recited this verse of perfect doctrines, the bhikkhus, King Śuddhodana and Śākya people were filled with joy.
Section sixteen: King Virūḍhaka
Heard like this:
The Buddha was in the Jeta Grove in Śrāvastī. At that time, the Śākyas of Kapilavastu had newly built a large hall. After it was completed, the Śākyas said, “From now on, do not let the Sramanas, Brahmins, young men of Śākya, or the elder sons enter this hall before the Buddha. The Buddha and then the Bhikkhus should enter first, and only after that can others enter.”
At that time, Prince Virūḍhaka of Shravasti came to Śākya clan on business. Before entering the city, he stayed at the newly built hall. The next day, after completing his business in the city, he returned to his kingdom.
The Śākyas heard that Prince Virūḍhaka had stayed in the new hall and were very displeased. They were so angry that they began to curse, “How could they allow the son of a maid to enter this hall first?” They then dug up the earth from the hall to a depth of seven feet, discarded it, filled the hole with clean earth, and washed the hall with cow’s milk.
When Prince Virūḍhaka heard that the Śākyas said he had polluted the hall, and Śākyas digging up the earth, discarded it, and washed the hall with cow’s milk, and that they had insulted him by calling him the son of a maid, he became resentful and sad. He thought to himself, “When I come to power, how will I take revenge on the Śākyas?”
Not long afterward, the king of Shravasti passed away. The ministers gathered together to invite the prince to take the throne. King Virūḍhaka then asked his ministers, “What should be done to those who slander the king as impure and wicked?” The ministers replied, “Such a crime should be punished by death.” The king said, “But the Śākyas slandered me as an impure person. The Śākyas are related to the Buddha, and the Buddha loves them. Therefore, I cannot punish them.” One minister responded, “The Buddha has renounced worldly desires and does not favor his relatives. It would not be difficult to punish the Śākyas.” Hearing this, the king ordered the mobilization of the four divisions of the army: the elephant corps, cavalry, chariot soldiers, and infantry, to march out of the city and prepare to attack Kapilavastu.
While the Buddha was going into the city of Shravasti to collect food with his alms bowl, after finishing his meal, he went out of the city and sat beneath a tree with sparse branches and little shade. King Virūḍhaka, leading his army, saw the Buddha sitting under the tree with little shade, and he got off his chariot and approached the Buddha. After paying his respects, he stood to the side and said, “Now there are many large trees with abundant leaves and plenty of shade. The trees known as Kātyā, and there are many udumbara and nyagrodha trees in Kapilavastu. Why do you not sit under those trees? Why sit under this small Shākya tree, which has few branches and no cool shade?” The Buddha replied, “I love the name of this tree, and I enjoy its shade, so I sit under it.” The king thought to himself, “It seems that the Buddha still has affection for the Śākyas and continues to offer them his help.” He then withdrew his troops and returned to his kingdom. Afterward, the Buddha, having taught the people of Shravasti, desired to go to Kapilavastu. He led the Bhikkhus, left Śākya clan, and went to the Nyagrodha Garden to continue his teachings.
After a long time, the king of Shravasti asked his ministers: “What should be done to those who slander the king as impure and wicked?” The ministers replied, “Such a crime should be punished by death.” The king then said, “The Śākyas have wronged me, but they are all closely related to the Buddha. The Buddha must have affection for them, and I cannot overcome them.” The ministers replied, “We have heard many of the Sramanas say, ‘Sakyamuni has already eliminated his desire.’ What affection could he have for his relatives? It would not be difficult for the king to punish them.” When the king heard this, he ordered the mobilization of the four divisions of the army: the elephant corps, cavalry, chariot soldiers, and infantry. They sounded the war horns and marched out of the city, heading towards the Śākya clan. They stopped to camp about forty miles from the Śākya kingdom when night fell.
The Śākyas heard that the king of Shravasti had mobilized the four divisions of the army and was preparing to attack their kingdom. With only a few miles left before reaching the city, they feared that the king would arrive the next day. They sent out light cavalry to consult the Buddha, saying, “Please, Buddha, teach us how to deal with this.” The Buddha replied to the Śākyas: “Close the city gates tightly. The king will not prevail. If you open the gates to meet him, King Virūḍhaka will certainly kill the Śākyas.” The cavalryman heard the Buddha’s words, paid his respects, and rode back.
At that moment, the sage Mahā Maudgalyāyana stood behind the Buddha and said, “Wise and enlightened one, do not worry about the Śākyas. I can lift the entire Śākya kingdom and move it to another world, protected by an iron cage. Even if the whole world joined forces to attack, what could they do?”
The Buddha then told Mahā Maudgalyāyana: “You can lift the entire kingdom, but what about the Śākyas’ karmas?” Maudgalyāyana responded, “I am speaking of the physical realm. What about the invisible karma?”
At that time, the Buddha spoke this verse:
“Both good and bad actions will never deteriorate and vanish; good actions lead to happiness and comfort, while bad actions lead to suffering.
Good and bad actions are like seeds, once planted, they will sprout when the sun rises.
No matter how long ago the actions were performed, they will inevitably bear fruit and stop only when the results are manifested.”
At that time, the king of Shravasti immediately organized his battle equipment and prepared to attack the Śākya clan. The Śākyas also mobilized their army, including the elephant corps, cavalry, chariot troops, and infantry, to defend against King Virūḍhaka. The Śākyas also prepared their weapons, ready for battle with the king and his forces. Before the two armies met, the Śākyas began to shoot arrows from their bows, cutting the chariot shafts, yokes, hubs, and axles, as well as the horses’ manes and the jewels, but without causing any real harm.
King Virūḍhaka was greatly frightened and turned to his ministers, asking, “Do you know that the Śākyas have already come out to battle? We will not win in this way, so it is better to retreat early.” The ministers replied, “We have heard that the Śākyas all keep the five precepts and never break them. Even in the face of death, they will not harm others, as harming others would break their precepts. If we keep advancing, we will surely win.” The king then ordered his army to advance and break through the Śākyas’ formation. Seeing the king’s aggressive advance, the Śākyas retreated back into the city and shut the gates.
At that time, King Virūḍhaka sent a messenger to the Śākyas, saying, “What grievance do you have against me, my uncle? Why won’t you open the gates? I only wish to pass through and rest briefly before leaving again.”
Among the Śākyas, those who truly believed in the Buddha and followed the Dharma without doubt, said, “Do not open the gates.” However, some Śākyas, who did not fully embrace the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, still had doubts and thought it was acceptable to open the gates. They gathered together and discussed: “We should not do this, for there may be a trick involved. Let us ask the elders to vote. Those who vote against opening the gates do not want the king to enter; those who vote in favor want the king to enter. We will follow the majority decision.” As a result, the majority of the people agreed to let King Virūḍhaka enter the city, and only a few disagreed. The Śākyas then opened the gates and allowed the king to enter Kapilavastu. The king immediately captured the Śākyas and prepared to take them out of the city to execute them.
At that time, Mahā Nāman said to the king of Shravasti, “Your Majesty, please fulfill a small request of mine.” The king asked, “What wish do you have, General?” Mahā Nāman replied, “I wish to jump into the pond for a while, and during that time, allow the Śākyas to leave the city.” The ministers said, “The king should fulfill Mahā Nāman’s wish and see how long he stays in the water.” The king agreed to his request. Mahā Nāman jumped into the pond and tied his hair around a tree root, dying there. The king was curious about how long he had stayed in the water, so he sent a messenger to check, saying, “What is Mahā Nāman doing in the water?” The messenger went to check and found that Mahā Nāman had died, with his hair tied around the tree root. The messenger reported back to the king, “Your Majesty, Mahā Nāman died by tying his hair around a tree root.” The king then executed the remaining Śākyas in the city and asked, “Have all the Śākyas I captured been executed?” The ministers replied, “All have been trampled to death by elephants.” The king then returned to his own kingdom.
In the evening, the Buddha said to the bhikṣus, “Let us go to the Brahma Sukali hall.” The bhikṣus responded, “Yes.” The Buddha and the bhikṣus proceeded to the Brahma hall and passed by the place where the Śākyas had been killed. Some of the Śākyas who were still able to speak saw the Buddha from afar and cried out in grief. Upon hearing the Śākyas’ cries, the Buddha felt great sorrow in his heart. He said to the bhikṣus, “The sins of Virūḍhaka, the foolish one, are not small.” The Buddha then performed a miraculous act at the site of the Śākyas’ deaths, creating numerous natural beds for the bhikṣus, and they all sat down. After teaching the Dharma to the Śākyas, the Buddha said to the bhikṣus, “Do you think that a butcher, who makes a living by killing animals, can attain the happiness of riding a divine elephant, a sacred horse, or a seven-jeweled chariot?” The bhikṣus replied, “Certainly not.” The Buddha said, “Yes! I too believe this. I have never seen or heard of a butcher who makes a living by killing animals and is rewarded with wealth and comfort. Why? Because the butcher has no compassion and only focuses on observing and slaughtering animals.”
The Buddha continued, “bhikṣus, do you think that a fisherman, a hunter, or a cow butcher, who makes a living by killing animals, can attain the happiness of riding a divine elephant, a sacred horse, or a jeweled chariot?” The bhikṣus replied, “Certainly not.” The Buddha said, “Yes! I too have never seen or heard of a fisherman, a hunter, or a cow butcher who makes a living by killing animals and is rewarded with wealth and comfort. Why? Because they are far from compassion and only focus on observing and slaughtering animals. How can they attain happiness? These foolish people are harming those who follow the Buddha’s teachings and have attained enlightenment. They are far from the path of good, and in seven days, they will be drowned by water. bhikṣus, therefore, you should always maintain compassion and never learn the heart of harming others. Even when witnessing injustice, do not harbor thoughts of harm toward others.”
The Buddha taught his disciples these fundamental principles, conditions, and meanings, guiding them to understand and spread these teachings, leaving a beacon for future generations, ensuring that the Dharma would remain in the world.
At that time, Buddha recited this perfect doctrines:
“Because of a lack of compassion, fear arises. People throughout countless lifetimes do not listen to the teachings of wisdom.
The teachings I am sharing today are sorrowful, but they are how I have overcome fear.
People turn over in suffering, like fish in dried-up water, unable to flow.
In suffering, they give rise to thoughts of harm, clinging to the foolish pleasures that attempt to escape fear.
The entire world is burning, ten directions are in chaos,
People are arrogant, unable to relinquish greed, thus clinging to foolish thoughts.
Do not be bound, chasing after the foolish suffering. I have observed these thoughts, and they are not happy,
On the contrary, they are like thorns causing pain that is unbearable.
However, the thorns remain unrelieved, and people walk the world with thorns in their hearts.
The wise see this and remove the painful thorns, so the suffering no longer arises and ceases to circulate.
Do not immerse yourself in the teachings of the world or in desires; abandon the roots of confusion and do not depend on them.
Desire is detestable, it must be transcended, and through learning, one should avoid suffering and attain self-realization.
Speak the truth, do not act in vain, maintain upright conduct, and avoid divisive speech.
Extinguish the fire of anger, destroy greed, and with wisdom, discard attachments.
Abandon lethargy, do not indulge in sleep, avoid those without moderation, and do not associate with them.
Frivolous speech is to be detested, do not immerse in it, consider it empty and discard it.
Do not be led by false speech; seeing forms, do not succumb to them.
Know that you should not cling to those beautiful bodies, as attachment to the five aggregates for liberation is difficult.
Abandon past long-standing attachments, and do not think or expect of future closeness.
See the present without attaching to sorrow, and stay away from the painful things of the four seas.
I say that desire is the greatest and most dangerous disease, like a rushing torrent, also known as attraction and craving.
Because of desire, thoughts are bound, and desires stain the mind, making it difficult to escape.
The strength to abandon desire is rare, and few in the world can truly do it.
Once desire is abandoned, there will be no sinking or returning to the cycle, as the torrent of desire has been cut off, and no more bindings remain.
If one rides on the strength of truth, with wisdom as the chariot, one will immediately reach the other shore without sorrow.
In practice, one must be cautious and diligent, like guarding an unborn child in danger, to reach stability.
Once suffering is far removed, observe the emptiness of all dharmas without attachment.
From right views, one can see the broad and flat road, with no attachment to worldly perspectives.
Do not cling to this lowly body, for since it is not truly existent, why concern yourself with it?
Since it does not exist, and does not belong to me, why should I grieve?
The root of ignorance has been removed, and one becomes pure, so future afflictions cannot arise.
When future adversities arise, do not cling to them, and do not need a partner; abandon enemies.
All names and forms have been abandoned, and no thoughts are held onto.
Since there is nothing to cling to, and nothing to be found, there is no resentment toward the world.
All attachments have been cut off, with no thoughts or forms, remaining equal and still in all situations.
One follows the Buddha’s teachings, speaks of the Buddha’s Dharma, and can answer all questions without hesitation.
With a mind that is undisturbed and full of wisdom, one no longer creates good or bad karma.
One is far removed from all distractions, seeing stability everywhere.
He is not proud when in a high position, nor is he afraid when in a humble position, but resides in equality.
They stop at purity, free from resentment and jealousy, with no grasping or negligence.”
After the Buddha recited this verse of perfect doctrines, the bhikkhus were filled with joy.
Dharma Torch 