26.7 （七）阿夷

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, King Prasenajit immediately ordered his ministers to prepare a jeweled carriage with feathered wheels, wishing to leave the city of Śrāvastī to view the lecture hall. At that time, King Prasenajit's mother had passed away. She was extremely old, approaching a hundred years. The king respected her deeply, never leaving her side. At that time, there was a great minister by the name of Bheṣaka, who was highly talented and respected by the world. He then thought, "King Prasenajit's mother is approaching a hundred years old. If he hears of her death today, he will be greatly saddened, unable to eat or drink, and will become seriously ill. I shall now devise a means to prevent the king from being sorrowful and ill."

At that time, the great minister immediately prepared five hundred white elephants, five hundred horses, five hundred infantry, five hundred courtesans, five hundred old women, five hundred brahmins, five hundred śramaṇas, five hundred garments, and five hundred precious treasures. He made a large coffin for the deceased, painting it to the utmost perfection, hanging silk banners and canopies, and performing music and entertainment beyond measure, leaving the city of Śrāvastī.

At that time, King Prasenajit returned to the city. At that time, King Prasenajit had a minor matter. From afar, he saw the deceased and asked those around him, "Who is this person being honored in this way?"

At that time, Unsurpassed said, "In this city of Śrāvastī, there is a mother of an elder who has passed away. This is her funeral."

The king then asked again, "What are these elephants, horses, and carriages used for?"

The minister replied, "These five hundred old mothers are offered to King Yama to redeem their lives."

The king then laughed and said, "This is the method of fools. Life is hard to guarantee. What can be fixed? It is like a person falling into the mouth of a makaras fish, wanting to escape, but it is really difficult to get out. It is the same here, falling into the side of King Yama, wanting to escape, it is really hard to get out."

"These five hundred courtesans are also used to redeem their lives."

The king replied, "This is also difficult to obtain."

The minister said, "If these courtesans cannot be obtained, then use others to redeem them."

The king said, "This is also difficult to obtain."

The minister said, "If this cannot be obtained, then use five hundred precious treasures to redeem them."

The king replied, "This is also difficult to obtain."

The minister said, "If this cannot be obtained, then use five hundred garments to redeem them."

The king said, "This is also difficult to obtain."

The minister said, "If these garments cannot be obtained, then use these five hundred Brahmins' spells to obtain them through spells."

The king said, "This is also difficult to obtain."

The minister said, "If these five hundred Brahmins cannot be obtained, then use this monk's eloquence in teaching the Dharma to redeem them."

The king said, "This cannot be obtained."

The minister said, "If the Dharma cannot be obtained, then gather the troops and fight a great battle to take it."

At that time, King Prasenajit laughed and said, "This is the method of fools. Falling into the mouth of a makaras fish, one will never be able to escape."

The king said, "You should know, is there anyone who is born and does not die?"

The great minister said, "This is truly impossible."

The great king replied, "It is truly impossible. The Buddhas also say this. For those who are born, there is death. Life is also difficult to obtain."

At that time, Unsurpassed Honey knelt and said to the king, "Therefore, great king! Do not be so worried. All sentient beings return to death."

The king asked, "Why should I be worried?"

The minister said to the king, "You should know, great king, that your mother has died today."

When King Prasenajit heard these words, he sighed eight or nine times and said to the great minister, "Excellent! As you have said, you are able to know skillful means and expedient methods."

At that time, King Prasenajit returned to the city and prepared various incense and flowers to make offerings to his deceased mother. After making offerings to his deceased mother, he returned to where the World-Honored One was. Upon arrival, he bowed his head at the Buddha's feet and sat to one side.

At that time, the World-Honored One asked, "Great King! Why is your body covered in dust and dirt?"

The king said to the World-Honored One, "My heavenly mother passed away and was sent outside the city. I have now come to the World-Honored One to inquire about the reason. However, my heavenly mother, while alive, upheld the precepts, diligently practiced, and constantly cultivated good dharmas. She was nearly a hundred years old, but now she has passed away. That is why I have come to the World-Honored One. If I can redeem her life with elephants, I will use elephants to redeem it; if I can redeem her life with horses, I will use horses to redeem it; if I can redeem her life with carriages, I will use carriages to redeem it; if I can redeem her life with gold, silver, and precious treasures, I will use gold, silver, and precious treasures to redeem it; if I can redeem her life with slaves, servants, cities, or kingdoms, I will use cities, kingdoms, or slaves and servants to redeem her life; if I can redeem her life with the people of the kingdom of Kashi, I will use the people of Kashi to redeem her life. I do not want my heavenly mother to pass away."

The World-Honored One said, "Therefore, Great King! Do not be so sorrowful. All sentient beings return to death. All changing dharmas, if one wishes for them not to change, it will never happen. Great King! You should know that the human body is like a snow ball, which will eventually disintegrate; it is also like a clay pot, which will also disintegrate and cannot be preserved; it is also like a mirage, illusory and unreal; it is also like an empty fist, deceiving a child. Therefore, Great King! Do not be sorrowful and rely on this body. Great King! You should know that there are these four great terrors that come to this body, which cannot be guarded against, and cannot be removed by words, mantras, medicine, or talismans. What are the four? First, it is called old age, which destroys youth and makes it lose its complexion; second, it is called sickness, which destroys health; third, it is called death, which destroys the life force; fourth, things that are permanent return to impermanence. These are called, Great King! The four dharmas that cannot be guarded against, which cannot be subdued by force.

"Great King! You should know that there are four great mountains from the four directions that come to crush sentient beings, which cannot be repelled by force. Therefore, Great King! Inconstant things cannot be relied upon. Therefore, Great King! You should govern with the Dharma, not with unrighteousness. The king will also not live long before reaching the ocean of birth and death. The king should also know that those who govern with the Dharma, when their bodies perish and their lives end, will be reborn in the heavens; but if they govern with unrighteousness, when their bodies perish and their lives end, they will be reborn in hell. Therefore, Great King! You should govern with the Dharma, not with unrighteousness. Thus, Great King! You should train in this way."

At that time, King Prasenajit addressed the World-Honored One, saying, "What is the name of this Dharma? How should it be practiced?"

The World-Honored One said, "This Dharma is called 'Removing the Thorn of Sorrow and Worry.'"

The king said to the Buddha, "Indeed, World-Honored One! The reason is that after hearing this Dharma, all the thorns of sorrow and worry have been removed today. However, World-Honored One, there are many affairs in the kingdom, and I wish to return to my place."

The World-Honored One said, "It is time for you to know." King Prasenajit immediately rose from his seat, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and then left.

At that time, King Prasenajit, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully received and practiced it.