138. （一三八）福经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying at the Jeta Grove Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "Do not fear merit, but delight in what is intended. Why is that? Merit is said to be happiness. Those who fear merit and do not delight in what is intended, why is that? Non-merit is said to be suffering. Because I remember in the past, for a long time I made merit, for a long time I received the reward, delighting in what was intended. In the past, for seven years I practiced loving-kindness, seven times I achieved and declined, not coming to this world. When the world declined, I was born in the Ābhāsvara Heaven. When the world was established, I descended and was born in the empty Brahmā palace. Among those Brahmās, I became the Great Brahmā Heaven. In other places, I was the Lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-three for a thousand times, and thirty-six times I was the Heavenly King Śakra. I was also the king of the Kṣatriyas born from the crown of the head for countless times.

Bhikṣus! When I was the Kṣatriya King born from the crown of the head, I had eighty-four thousand great elephants, adorned with fine riding equipment and various precious ornaments, covered with white pearl necklaces, with the elephant king Saha at the head. Bhikṣus! When I was the Kṣatriya King born from the crown of the head, I had eighty-four thousand horses, adorned with fine riding equipment and various precious ornaments, interwoven with gold and silver, with the horse king Māra at the head. Bhikṣus! When I was the Kṣatriya King born from the crown of the head, I had eighty-four thousand chariots, adorned with four kinds of ornaments and various fine things, woven with the spotted skins of lions, tigers, and leopards, with various ornaments, the most sharp and fast chariot named Leisong at the head. Bhikṣus! When I was the Kṣatriya King born from the crown of the head, I had eighty-four thousand great cities, extremely rich and happy, with many people, with the city of King Kuśāgra at the head. Bhikṣus! When I was the Kṣatriya King born from the crown of the head, I had eighty-four thousand towers, with four kinds of precious towers made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal, with the Zhengfa Hall at the head.

Bhikṣus! When I was the Kṣatriya King born from the crown of the head, I had eighty-four thousand thrones, with four kinds of precious thrones made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal, covered with woolen blankets, spread with brocade, gauze, and fine silk, with a body-covering robe, with pillows at both ends, and with a Kālinga robe. Bhikṣus! When I was the Kṣatriya King born from the crown of the head, I had eighty-four thousand pairs of garments, with Kāśika cloth, brocade cloth, silk cloth, and Kālinga cloth. Bhikṣus! When I was the Kṣatriya King born from the crown of the head, I had eighty-four thousand women, with radiant and lustrous bodies, bright and pure, with beauty surpassing humans but slightly inferior to the gods, with pleasing and upright features, delightful to behold, fully adorned with various precious necklaces and ornaments, all from the Kṣatriya caste, with countless other clans.

Bhikṣus! When I was the Kṣatriya King born from the crown of the head, I had eighty-four thousand kinds of food, constantly offered day and night, prepared for me to eat. Bhikṣus! Among those eighty-four thousand kinds of food, there was one kind of food that was extremely delicious and pure, with countless flavors, which I always ate. Bhikṣus! Among those eighty-four thousand women, there was one Kṣatriya woman who was the most upright and beautiful, who always attended to me. Bhikṣus! Among those eighty-four thousand pairs of garments, there was one pair of garments, either Kāśika cloth, brocade cloth, silk cloth, or Kālinga cloth, which I always wore. Bhikṣus! Among those eighty-four thousand thrones, there was one throne, either made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, or crystal, covered with woolen blankets, spread with brocade, gauze, and fine silk, with a body-covering robe, with pillows at both ends, and with a Kālinga robe, which I always sat on.

Bhikṣus! Among those eighty-four thousand pavilions, there was one pavilion, either made of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, or crystal, called the Dharma Hall, which I always stayed in. Bhikṣus! Among those eighty-four thousand great cities, there was one city that was extremely rich and happy, with many people, called Kuśāvatī, which I always lived in. Bhikṣus! Among those eighty-four thousand chariots, there was one chariot adorned with various beauties, woven with the spotted skins of lions, tigers, and leopards, with various decorations, extremely sharp and fast, called the Joyful Sound Chariot, which I always rode in to go to the pleasure garden to view. Bhikṣus! Among those eighty-four thousand horses, there was one horse with a dark blue body and a head like a crow, called the Horse King, which I always rode to go to the pleasure garden to view. Bhikṣus! Among those eighty-four thousand great elephants, there was one elephant with a completely white body and seven limbs perfectly straight, called the Elephant King, which I always rode to go to the pleasure garden to view.

"Bhikṣus! I thought like this: 'What are the fruits of karma, what are the results of karma, that cause me to have great supernatural powers, great authority, great blessings, and great spiritual power today?' Bhikṣus! I further thought like this: 'These are the fruits of the three karmas, the results of the three karmas, that cause me to have great supernatural powers, great authority, great blessings, and great spiritual power today. One is giving, two is taming, and three is guarding.'"

Then the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

Looking at the rewards of this merit, it is wonderful, good, and very beneficial
Bhikṣus! In the past, I practiced loving-kindness for seven years. Seven times I experienced
the eons of formation and destruction, not returning to this world. When the world
was destroyed, I was reborn in the Ābhāsvara Heaven. When the world was formed
I was reborn in the Brahmā Heaven. In the Brahmā Heaven, I became the
Great Brahmā, and was reborn as the Lord of a Thousand Worlds a thousand
times. Thirty-six times I was born as Śakra, and countless times as the King
of the Topknot. As a Kṣatriya King with a Topknot, I was the most
honored among humans. Ruling the world according to the Dharma, without using swords or
weapons, I governed the world according to the Dharma, without adding any harm. I
peacefully and happily instructed according to the Dharma. Passing it on according to the
Dharma, it spread throughout the entire great earth. I was greatly wealthy, with much
money and wealth, and was born into such a clan. My wealth and grain
were fully abundant, and I accomplished the seven precious treasures. Because of this great
merit and blessings, I was born with mastery. The Buddhas rule the world, and
the Dharma they teach is known to be very wonderful. Seeing the supernatural powers
there are not many who do not believe. Who would know and not believe?
Being born in such darkness, therefore one should do it for oneself, seeking great
merit and blessings. One should respect the Dharma and always remember the Buddha's teachings
and the Dharma.

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and practiced accordingly.