Dharma Torch

Translated in Wu by the Upāsaka Zhi Qian from Yuezhi Country

Heard like this.

At one time, the Buddha traveled and taught in the country of Vaiśālī, in the Mango Maiden’s Garden, together with a great assembly of one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikṣus, and also five hundred Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas.

At dawn, when the sky had just begun to grow light, the Buddha put on his Dharma robe, took up his alms bowl, and entered the city to go on alms rounds. The entire assembly followed him. The flowers scattered by devas and nāgas, and the music they played, were more abundant and magnificent than usual.

The Buddha arrived at the gate of the elder Sublime-Merit. Sublime-Merit had a daughter named Nāga-Giving, who was fourteen years of age. At that time she was in the bathing chamber, washing and anointing herself with fragrant ointments, and had put on fine garments. When the radiance from the white tuft of hair between the Buddha’s brows shone upon the seven-storied tower, she looked eastward and saw the Buddha standing peacefully outside the gate. His appearance was upright and dignified, like the bright moon among the constellations, adorned with extraordinary marks and signs. His golden body was composed and gentle, and all his faculties were tranquil and at rest. Nāga-Giving Maiden was filled with great joy, and she thought to herself, “Today I am able to see the Buddha and the assembly of disciples. I should arouse a great mind and practice the Bodhisattva path. May I in the future attain the Way just as the Buddha has done.”

Māra saw that Nāga-Giving Maiden had aroused the great mind, and he was displeased. He thought, “This woman has now generated great merit and aspires to become a Buddha. In the future she will certainly surpass my domain and liberate countless beings. I must go and destroy her aspiration.”

Māra then descended from the heavens and transformed himself into the likeness of her father, wearing her father’s clothing. He said to Nāga-Giving, “What you now intend is far too weighty. The Buddha path is difficult to obtain. One must pass through tens of thousands of billions of kalpas, striving diligently without slackening, and only then can it be accomplished. Now that there is a Buddha in the world, it would be better to seek to become an Arhat. That is both important and easier to realize. It can equally liberate the world and equally lead to Nirvāṇa, without difference. Why then pursue Buddhahood and endure long hardship? You are my daughter, therefore I tell you this.”

Nāga-Giving replied, “It is not as you say. Although Arhats and Buddhas both liberate the world, their merits are not the same. The Buddha’s wisdom is vast and delivers beings like the boundless space of the ten directions, with no limit to those he liberates. The Arhat’s wisdom is slight, like something momentary. How could one who has greater capacity delight in seeking what is lesser?”

Māra said again, “It has never been heard that a woman can become a Wheel-Turning Sage King, much less aspire to become a Buddha. The Buddha path requires a long time to attain. It would be better to seek Arhatship and quickly enter Nirvāṇa.”

Nāga-Giving replied, “I have also heard that a woman cannot become a Wheel-Turning Sage King, cannot become Śakra, cannot become a Brahmā king, and cannot become a Buddha. Yet I should be diligent and transform this female body, so that afterward I may receive a male body. I have heard that anyone in the world who can practice the Bodhisattva path and remain unremitting through countless kalpas will afterward be able to become a Buddha.”

Māra saw that Nāga-Giving’s resolve could not be changed, and he became even more distressed. He then used more urgent words to instruct her, saying, “One who practices the Bodhisattva path should not cling to the world and should not cherish life. Now that you are diligent, if you are able to cast yourself down from the tower, then afterward you will be able to become a Buddha.”

Nāga-Giving thought to herself, “Now that I have seen the Buddha, I delight in the Bodhisattva path. My father has instructed me that by diligently abandoning the body one may realize the Buddha path. Why then should I cherish this fragile and impermanent life?”

She then stood by the railing, joined her palms, and addressed the Buddha, saying, “I now take refuge with the deva among devas. Through his compassion for all, he knows what I seek. I vow to relinquish this body and life, without abandoning the Bodhisattva path. With this body I make an offering to the Buddha.” Having spoken this vow, she scattered fragrant flowers and leapt from the tower. Before she reached the ground, while still in midair, her body transformed into that of a man.

At that time the Buddha smiled, and five-colored rays of light issued from his mouth, illuminating an entire Buddha-field, and then returned and entered through the crown of his head. The venerable Ānanda stepped forward, knelt, and asked, “The Buddha does not smile without cause. I wish to hear the meaning of this.”

The Buddha said, “Ānanda, did you see this woman cast herself into the air and transform into a man?”

Ānanda replied, “I saw it.”

The Buddha said, “This woman in past lives has already served ten thousand Buddhas. In the future she will make offerings to as many Tathāgatas as the sands of the Ganges. After a further seven hundred and sixty million kalpas, she will become a Buddha named Nāga Abundance. His lifespan will be one kalpa. After his Parinirvāṇa, the sūtras and the Dharma will flourish for half a kalpa and then come to an end. At that time, when that Buddha teaches the Dharma, he will deliver ninety-seven trillion beings, enabling them all to attain the fruits of the Bodhisattva path and of Arhatship. At that time, the abundance of food and drink among the people will be like that of the second Heaven of the Thirty-Three.”

Then the male form transformed from Nāga-Giving stood before the Buddha and addressed his parents, saying, “I ask that you release me, so that I may become a śramaṇa.” His parents immediately consented. Among their relatives, numbering five hundred persons, together with eight hundred devas, upon seeing Nāga-Giving transform from a woman into a man, all aroused the aspiration for the Unsurpassed and Perfect Enlightenment. When the Māra king saw that the multitude aspired to become Buddhas, he became even more distressed and unhappy, and withdrew in shame.

When the Buddha proclaimed these teachings, there was none who did not rejoice.