67. Mahādeva’s Mango Grove （六七）大天［木＊奈］林经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Vidéha, together with a great assembly of bhikṣus. He went to the city of Mīṣāśva and stayed in the great Tāmalinda Grove.

At that time, the World-Honored One, while walking on the road, smiled with joy. Venerable Ānanda, seeing the World-Honored One smile, joined his palms towards the Buddha and said, "World-Honored One, for what reason did you smile? Tathāgatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones do not smile without a reason. I wish to hear the meaning of it."

At that time, the World-Honored One said, "Ānanda! In the past, in this Tāmalinda Grove of Mīṣāśva, there was a king named Mahādeva, a wheel-turning monarch, wise and intelligent, with a fourfold army, ruling the world, self-controlled, a righteous Dharma king, who had accomplished the seven treasures and attained the four kinds of human supernatural powers. Ānanda! What are the seven treasures accomplished by that great heavenly king? They are the wheel treasure, elephant treasure, horse treasure, jewel treasure, woman treasure, householder treasure, and general treasure. These are called the seven.

Ānanda! How is it that the great heavenly king is said to have accomplished the wheel treasure? Ānanda! When the great heavenly king, on the fifteenth day of the lunar month, the day of the full moon, the day of liberation, bathed and ascended to the main hall, a heavenly wheel treasure appeared from the east, with a thousand spokes, complete in all aspects, pure and natural, not made by humans, the color of fire, its light shining brightly. Seeing this, the great heavenly king was overjoyed and thought to himself, 'The wise wheel treasure has appeared, the wonderful wheel treasure has appeared. I have also heard from the ancients that if a kṣatriya king, on the fifteenth day of the lunar month, the day of the full moon, the day of liberation, bathes and ascends to the main hall, a heavenly wheel treasure appears from the east, with a thousand spokes, complete in all aspects, pure and natural, not made by humans, the color of fire, its light shining brightly, then he will surely become a wheel-turning king. Could it be that I will become a wheel-turning king?'

Ānanda! In the past, the great heavenly king wanted to test the heavenly wheel treasure. At that time, he assembled the four divisions of the army - the elephant division, horse division, chariot division, and infantry division. Having assembled the four divisions of the army, he went to the heavenly wheel treasure, stroked it with his left hand, turned it with his right hand, and said, 'Follow the heavenly wheel treasure, follow where the heavenly wheel treasure turns.' Ānanda! The heavenly wheel treasure turned and then went towards the east. At that time, the great heavenly king also followed behind with the four divisions of the army. Wherever the heavenly wheel treasure stopped, the great heavenly king also stayed there with the four divisions of the army. Then, the kings of the small countries in the east all came to where the great heavenly king was and said, 'Heavenly king! Welcome, heavenly king! These lands are extremely prosperous and peaceful, with many people. They all belong to the heavenly king. I only hope that the heavenly king will teach them with the Dharma. We will also assist the heavenly king.' Then, the great heavenly king told the small kings, 'You should each rule your own territories. You must all use the Dharma, not unrighteousness. Do not let there be evil deeds and non-virtuous people in your countries.'

Ānanda! When the heavenly wheel treasure passed through the east and crossed the eastern ocean, it turned back to the south, west, and north. Ānanda! When the heavenly wheel treasure turned around and went, the great heavenly king also followed behind with the four divisions of the army. Wherever the heavenly wheel treasure stopped, the great heavenly king also stayed there with the four divisions of the army. Then, the kings of the small countries in the north all came to where the great heavenly king was and said, 'Heavenly king! Welcome, heavenly king! These lands are extremely prosperous and peaceful, with many people. They all belong to the heavenly king. I only hope that the heavenly king will teach them with the Dharma. We will also assist the heavenly king.' Then, the great heavenly king told the small kings, 'You should each rule your own territories. You must all use the Dharma, not unrighteousness. Do not let there be evil deeds and non-virtuous people in your countries.' Ānanda! When the heavenly wheel treasure passed through the north and crossed the northern ocean, it immediately quickly returned to the king's original city. The great heavenly king sat on the main hall and judged financial matters. At that time, the heavenly wheel treasure stayed in the sky. This is called the great heavenly king accomplishing such a heavenly wheel treasure.

Ānanda! How is the great heavenly king said to have accomplished the elephant treasure? Ānanda! At that time, the great heavenly king gave birth to an elephant treasure. The elephant was extremely white with seven limbs. The elephant was named Uṣaṇa. The great heavenly king, having seen it, was overjoyed and leaped. If it was tamable, he made it extremely well-behaved. Ānanda! The great heavenly king then later told the elephant trainer, 'Quickly train the elephant to be extremely well-behaved. When the elephant is trained, come and tell me.' At that time, the elephant trainer, having received the king's order, went to where the elephant treasure was and quickly trained the elephant treasure to be extremely well-behaved. At that time, the elephant treasure, having received extreme training, was quickly well-trained. It was like an excellent elephant of the past, living for countless hundreds of thousands of years, and having been trained for countless hundreds of thousands of years, it was quickly well-trained. The elephant treasure was also like this, having received extreme training, it was quickly well-trained. Ānanda! At that time, the elephant trainer quickly trained the elephant treasure to be extremely well-behaved. When the elephant treasure was trained, he went to where the great heavenly king was and said, 'Heavenly king! You should know that I have trained it to the utmost. The elephant treasure is now trained and follows the heavenly king's intention.' Ānanda! In the past, when the great heavenly king tested the elephant treasure, at dawn when the sun rose, he went to where the elephant treasure was, rode the elephant treasure, roamed all the lands up to the great ocean, and then quickly returned to his original king's city. This is called the great heavenly king accomplishing such a white elephant treasure.

Ānanda! How is the great heavenly king said to have accomplished the horse treasure? Ānanda! At that time, the great heavenly king gave birth to a horse treasure. The horse treasure was extremely dark blue in color, with a head like a crow, and adorned with hair. It was named the King of Horses. The heavenly king, having seen it, was overjoyed and leaped. If it was tamable, he made it extremely well-behaved. Ānanda! The great heavenly king then later told the horse trainer, 'Quickly train the horse to be extremely well-behaved. When the horse is trained, come and tell me.' At that time, the horse trainer, having received the king's order, went to where the horse treasure was and quickly trained the horse treasure to be extremely well-behaved. At that time, the horse treasure, having received extreme training, was quickly well-trained. It was like an excellent horse of the past, living for countless hundreds of thousands of years, and having been trained for countless hundreds of thousands of years, it was quickly well-trained. The horse treasure was also like this, having received extreme training, it was quickly well-trained. Ānanda! At that time, the horse trainer quickly trained the horse treasure to be extremely well-behaved. When the horse treasure was trained, he went to where the great heavenly king was and said, 'Heavenly king! You should know that I have trained it to the utmost. The horse treasure is now trained and follows the heavenly king's intention.' Ānanda! In the past, when the great heavenly king tested the horse treasure, at dawn when the sun rose, he went to where the horse treasure was, rode the horse treasure, roamed all the lands up to the great ocean, and then quickly returned to his original king's city. This is called the great heavenly king accomplishing such a dark blue horse treasure.

Ānanda! How is the great heavenly king said to have accomplished the jewel treasure? Ānanda! At that time, the great heavenly king gave birth to a jewel treasure. The jewel treasure was bright and pure, naturally without a maker, with eight facets and no impurities, extremely well-polished, strung with a five-colored string of blue, yellow, red, white, and black. Ānanda! At that time, the great heavenly king, in the inner palace, wanted to have lamplight, so he used the jewel treasure. Ānanda! In the past, when the great heavenly king tested the jewel treasure, he gathered the four kinds of armies: elephant troops, cavalry, chariot troops, and infantry. Having gathered the four kinds of armies, he set up a tall banner in the dark night, placed the jewel on top, and went out to the garden. The light of the jewel illuminated the four kinds of armies, and the light reached half a yojana. This is called the great heavenly king accomplishing such a bright jewel treasure.

Ānanda! How is the great heavenly king said to have accomplished the female treasure? Ānanda! At that time, the great heavenly king gave birth to a female treasure. The female treasure had a lustrous body, clear and bright, with a beautiful color surpassing humans, slightly inferior to the gods. Her appearance was upright and beautiful, pleasing to behold. Her mouth emitted the fragrance of blue lotus flowers, and her pores emitted the fragrance of sandalwood. In winter, her body was warm, and in summer, her body was cool. She single-mindedly served the king, her words were delightful, her actions were swift, she was intelligent and wise, and she joyfully practiced goodness. She always kept the king in mind, never leaving her heart, let alone her body and speech. This is called the great heavenly king accomplishing such a beautiful female treasure.

Ānanda! How is the great heavenly king said to have accomplished the householder treasure? Ānanda! At that time, the great heavenly king gave birth to a householder treasure. The householder treasure was extremely wealthy, with immeasurable wealth, many livestock, fiefs, and food-producing lands, and was fully endowed with the rewards of meritorious deeds, and had the heavenly eye; he could see all treasure troves, empty or full, and those guarded or unguarded, gold treasures, money treasures, made or unmade, he could see them all. Ānanda! The householder treasure went to the great heavenly king and said, 'Heavenly King! If you wish to obtain gold and money treasures, Heavenly King, do not worry, I know the right time.' Ānanda! In the past, when the great heavenly king tested the householder treasure, the king rode a boat into the Ganges River and said, 'Householder! I wish to obtain gold and money treasures.' The householder said, 'Heavenly King! May the boat reach the shore.' At that time, the great heavenly king said, 'Householder! I want to obtain them right here, right here.' The householder said, 'Heavenly King! May the boat stay.' Ānanda! Then the householder treasure knelt at the front of the boat, stretched out his hand, and raised four treasures from the water, gold treasures, money treasures, made treasures, and unmade treasures, and said, 'Heavenly King! Take whatever gold and money treasures you wish.' After using them, the remaining ones were returned to the water. This is called the great heavenly king accomplishing such a householder treasure.

Ānanda! How is the great heavenly king said to have accomplished the minister treasure? Ānanda! At that time, the great heavenly king gave birth to a minister treasure. The minister treasure was intelligent, wise, eloquent, and discerning. The minister treasure set forth the meaning of the present world for the great heavenly king and encouraged him to establish it, set forth the meaning of the future world and encouraged him to establish it, and set forth the meaning of the present world and the future world and encouraged him to establish it. The minister treasure for the great heavenly king, when wishing to assemble the four divisions of the army, was able to assemble them, when wishing to dismiss them, was able to dismiss them, and when wishing to prevent the great heavenly king's four divisions of the army from becoming fatigued, and to encourage them, the same was true for the ministers. This is called the great heavenly king accomplishing such a minister treasure. Ānanda! This is called the great heavenly king accomplishing the seven treasures.

Ānanda! How is the great heavenly king said to have attained the four kinds of supernatural powers? Ānanda! The great heavenly king had an extremely long lifespan of eighty-four thousand years, played as a youth for eighty-four thousand years, was a minor king for eighty-four thousand years, was a great king for eighty-four thousand years, shaved off his beard and hair, put on the saffron robes, left home out of faith, became a homeless monk, studied the path, studied the king of sages, and practiced the holy life. He stayed in this Vaiśālī, dwelling in the great Mahāvana forest. Ānanda! If the great heavenly king had an extremely long lifespan of eighty-four thousand years, played as a youth for eighty-four thousand years, was a minor king for eighty-four thousand years, was a great king for eighty-four thousand years, shaved off his beard and hair, put on the saffron robes, left home out of faith, became a homeless monk, studied the path, studied the king of sages, and practiced the holy life, staying in this Vaiśālī, dwelling in the great Mahāvana forest, this is called the great heavenly king's first supernatural power.

Furthermore, Ānanda! The great heavenly king was free from illness, accomplished the path of equal food and taste, neither cold nor hot, peaceful and without conflict, and therefore his food and drink were easily digested. Ānanda! If the great heavenly king was free from illness, accomplished the path of equal food and taste, neither cold nor hot, peaceful and without conflict, and therefore his food and drink were easily digested, this is called the great heavenly king's second supernatural power.

Furthermore, Ānanda! The great heavenly king had a lustrous body, bright and pure, with a beautiful complexion surpassing that of humans, slightly inferior to that of the gods, upright and handsome, delightful to behold. Ānanda! If the great heavenly king had a lustrous body, bright and pure, with a beautiful complexion surpassing that of humans, slightly inferior to that of the gods, upright and handsome, delightful to behold, this is called the great heavenly king's third supernatural power.

Furthermore, Ānanda! The great heavenly king always loved and cared for the brahmins and householders, like a father loves his children. The brahmins and householders also respected the great heavenly king, like children respect their father. Ānanda! Once the great heavenly king said to his charioteer while in the garden, 'Drive the chariot slowly, I want to look at the brahmins and householders for a long time.' The brahmins and householders also said to the charioteer, 'Drive the chariot slowly, we want to look at the great heavenly king for a long time.' Ānanda! If the great heavenly king always loved and cared for the brahmins and householders, like a father loves his children, and the brahmins and householders also respected the great heavenly king, like children respect their father, this is called the great heavenly king's fourth supernatural power.

Ānanda! The great heavenly king then told the barber, 'If you see white hair growing on my head, please inform me.' The barber, having received the king's instruction, later bathed the king's head and saw the white hair growing. Having seen it, he said, 'Heavenly King! Please know that the heavenly messengers have arrived, and white hair is growing on your head.' The great heavenly king again told the barber, 'Take a golden tweezers and gently pull out the white hair and place it in my hand.' The barber, having heard the king's instruction, then gently pulled out the white hair with golden tweezers and placed it in the king's hand. Ānanda! The great heavenly king held the white hair in his hand and spoke a verse:

My head has white hair, my lifespan is declining, the heavenly
messengers have arrived, it is time for me to study the path.

Ānanda! The great heavenly king, having seen the white hair, told the crown prince, 'Crown prince! Please know that the heavenly messengers have arrived, and white hair is growing on my head. Crown prince! I have already obtained human desires, and now I shall seek heavenly desires. Crown prince! I wish to shave my beard and hair, wear the dyed robe, leave home out of true faith, become a homeless one, and study the path. Crown prince! I now entrust this four-continent world to you. You should govern according to the Dharma, not by unrighteousness. Do not let there be evil deeds and non-brahminical people in the country. Crown prince! If you later see the heavenly messengers arrive and white hair growing on your head, you should also entrust this country to your crown prince and instruct him well. Having entrusted the country to the crown prince, you should also shave your beard and hair, wear the dyed robe, leave home out of true faith, become a homeless one, and study the path. Crown prince! I now pass on this succession of Dharma to you. You should also pass on this succession of Dharma, and do not let the people fall into the extreme. Crown prince! How do I now pass on this succession of Dharma to you, and you should also pass on this succession of Dharma, and do not let the people fall into the extreme? Crown prince! If the transmission of Dharma in this country is cut off and not continued, this is called the people falling into the extreme. Crown prince! For this reason, I now pass it on to you. Crown prince! I have already passed on this succession of Dharma to you. You should also pass on this succession of Dharma, and do not let the people fall into the extreme.'

Ānanda! The great heavenly king, having entrusted the country to the crown prince and instructed him well, then shaved his beard and hair, wore the dyed robe, left home out of true faith, became a homeless one, and studied the path, studying the practice of the sage king and practicing the brahmanic way, in this great forest of the great heavenly tree in Mithilā. He also became a wheel-turning king, accomplishing the seven treasures and obtaining the four kinds of human supernormal powers. What are the seven treasures and the four kinds of human supernormal powers? As previously stated, the seven treasures and the four kinds of human supernormal powers.

Ānanda! The wheel-turning king also later told his barber, 'If you see white hair growing on my head, please inform me.' Then the barber, having received the king's instruction, later bathed the king's head and saw white hair growing. Having seen it, he informed the king, 'Heavenly king! Please know that the heavenly messengers have arrived, and white hair is growing on your head.' The wheel-turning king again told the barber, 'Take a golden tweezers and gently pull out the white hair, and place it in my hand.' At that time, the barber, having heard the king's instruction, then gently pulled out the white hair with a golden tweezers and placed it in the king's hand. Ānanda! The wheel-turning king held the white hair in his hand and spoke a verse:

My head has white hair, my lifespan is declining, the heavenly messengers
have already arrived, it is now time for me to study the path.

Ānanda! The wheel-turning king, having seen the white hair, told the crown prince, 'Crown prince! Please know that the heavenly messengers have already arrived, and white hair is growing on my head. Crown prince! I have already obtained human desires, and now I shall seek heavenly desires. Crown prince! I wish to shave off my beard and hair, wear the saffron robes, leave home out of true faith, become a homeless one, and study the path. I now entrust this four-continent world to you. You should govern according to the Dharma, not by unrighteousness. Do not let there be evil deeds and non-virtuous people in the country. Crown prince! If you later see the heavenly messengers arrive, and white hair growing on your head, you should also entrust this country to your crown prince and instruct him well; having entrusted the country to the crown prince, you should also shave off your beard and hair, wear the saffron robes, leave home out of true faith, become a homeless one, and study the path. Crown prince! I now pass on this succession of the Dharma to you. You should also pass on this succession of the Dharma, and do not let the people fall into the extreme. Crown prince! How do I now pass on this succession of the Dharma to you, and you should also pass on this succession of the Dharma, and do not let the people fall into the extreme? Crown prince! If the transmission of the Dharma in this country is cut off and not continued, this is called the people falling into the extreme. Crown prince! For this reason, I now pass it on to you. Crown prince! I have already passed on this succession of the Dharma to you. You should also pass on this succession of the Dharma, and do not let the people fall into the extreme.'

Ānanda! The wheel-turning king, having entrusted the affairs of the country to the crown prince and instructed him well, then shaved off his beard and hair, wore the saffron robes, left home out of true faith, became a homeless one, and studied the path. He studied the practice of the sage-king and practiced the holy life in this great heavenly forest of Miśrakā.

Ānanda! This is how, from son to son, from grandson to grandson, from clan to clan, from generation to generation, there were eighty-four thousand wheel-turning kings who shaved off their beards and hair, wore the saffron robes, left home out of true faith, became homeless ones, and studied the path. They studied the practice of the sage-king and practiced the holy life in this great heavenly forest of Miśrakā.

At that time, the thirty-three gods were assembled in the Sudhamma Hall, praising King Nimi: 'Virtuous ones! The people of Videha have great benefits and great merit. Why is that? The last of their kings was named Nimi, a righteous Dharma king who practiced the Dharma righteously. He practiced the Dharma for the sake of the crown prince, the queen, the concubines, the ministers, the monks, the brahmins, and even the insects. He observed the Dharma fast on the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days of the month, and practiced giving. He gave to the poor, the monks, the brahmins, the destitute, the orphaned, and those who came from afar, providing them with food and drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scattered flowers, ointments, houses, beds, blankets, pillows, servants, and lamps.'

At that time, Sakka, the Lord of the Gods, was also in the assembly. Then Sakka said to the thirty-three gods: 'Virtuous ones! Do you wish to see King Nimi right here?' The thirty-three gods said: 'Kusha, we wish to see King Nimi right here.' Then Sakka, in the time it takes a strong man to bend and stretch his arm, suddenly disappeared from the thirty-three gods and came to King Nimi's palace. Then King Nimi saw Sakka, the Lord of the Gods, and asked: 'Who are you?' Sakka replied: 'Great King! Have you heard of Sakka, the Lord of the Gods?' He replied: 'I have heard of Sakka.' Sakka said: 'I am he. Great King, you have great benefits and great merit. Why is that? The thirty-three gods have assembled in the Sudhamma Hall and are praising you, saying: "Virtuous ones! The people of Videha have great benefits and great merit. Why is that? The last of their kings is named Nimi, a righteous Dharma king who practices the Dharma righteously. He practices the Dharma for the sake of the crown prince, the queen, the concubines, the ministers, the monks, the brahmins, and even the insects. He observes the Dharma fast on the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days of the month, and practices giving. He gives to the poor, the monks, the brahmins, the destitute, the orphaned, and those who come from afar, providing them with food and drink, clothing, vehicles, garlands, scattered flowers, ointments, houses, beds, blankets, pillows, servants, and lamps." Great King! Do you wish to see the thirty-three gods?' He replied: 'I wish to see them.' Sakka then said to King Nimi: 'When I return to heaven, I will order a thousand elephant chariots to be prepared. Great King, ride in the chariots and enjoy yourself, playing and ascending to heaven.' At that time, King Nimi silently accepted Sakka, the Lord of the Gods.

Then Sakka, knowing that King Nimi had silently accepted, in the time it takes a strong man to bend and stretch his arm, suddenly disappeared from King Nimi's palace and returned to the thirty-three gods. When Sakka arrived, he told the charioteer: 'Quickly prepare a thousand elephant chariots and go to welcome King Nimi. When you arrive, tell him: "Great King! Know that Sakka, the Lord of the Gods, has sent these thousand elephant chariots to welcome the Great King. Ride in these chariots and enjoy yourself, playing and ascending to heaven." When the king has mounted the chariots, tell him again: "Great King! Where do you wish me to send you? By the path of evil and evil reports, or by the path of the sublime and sublime reports?"'

Then the charioteer, having received Sakka's instructions, immediately prepared the thousand elephant chariots and went to King Nimi. When he arrived, he said: 'Great King! Know that Sakka has sent these thousand elephant chariots to welcome the Great King. Ride in these chariots and enjoy yourself, playing and ascending to heaven.' When King Nimi had mounted the chariots, the charioteer again said to the king: 'Great King! Where do you wish me to send you? By the path of evil and evil reports, or by the path of the sublime and sublime reports?' At that time, King Nimi told the charioteer: 'Send me by the middle of the two paths, where evil is reported as evil and the sublime is reported as sublime.' Then the charioteer sent the king by the middle of the two paths, where evil was reported as evil and the sublime as sublime. At that time, the thirty-three gods saw King Nimi coming from afar. Seeing him, they praised him, saying: 'Welcome, Great King! Welcome, Great King! You may dwell and enjoy yourself with the thirty-three gods.' Then King Nimi spoke a verse for the thirty-three gods:

Just as one borrows a vehicle for a while, this place
is also like that, called belonging to others. When I return
to Vesali, I will do immeasurable good, and because of this
I will be reborn in heaven, making merit as my provisions.

Ānanda! Do you think that the Great King of the past was someone else? Do not think so. Know that it was I myself. Ānanda! I, from son to son, from grandson to grandson, from clan to clan, from me to the eighty-four thousand wheel-turning kings, shaved off my hair and beard, put on the saffron robes, went forth from the household life into homelessness, and practiced the path of a sage, practicing the holy life of a sage, in this great Tīṇa forest in Vesālī. Ānanda! At that time, I spoke the Dharma for my own benefit, for the benefit of others, for the benefit of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the sake of gods and humans, seeking what is meaningful and beneficial, seeking peace and happiness. At that time, the teaching did not reach the ultimate, did not reach the ultimate purity, did not reach the ultimate holy life, did not reach the ultimate completion of the holy life. At that time, I was not free from birth, old age, sickness, death, crying, sorrow, and distress, and I was not yet able to be free from all suffering.

Ānanda! Now I have appeared in the world as a Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Gods and Men, Buddha, Blessed One. Now I speak the Dharma for my own benefit, for the benefit of others, for the benefit of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the sake of gods and humans, seeking what is meaningful and beneficial, seeking peace and happiness. Now my teaching reaches the ultimate, reaches the ultimate purity, reaches the ultimate holy life, reaches the ultimate completion of the holy life. Now I am free from birth, old age, sickness, death, crying, sorrow, and distress. Now I have attained freedom from all suffering.

"Ānanda! I now turn the Dharma wheel of succession to you, and you should also turn the Dharma wheel of succession to others, so that the Buddha's lineage is not cut off. Ānanda! How do I now turn the Dharma wheel of succession to you, and you should also turn the Dharma wheel of succession to others, so that the Buddha's lineage is not cut off? It means the eightfold noble path, namely right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. Ānanda! This is what I now turn the Dharma wheel of succession to you, and you should also turn the Dharma wheel of succession to others, so that the Buddha's lineage is not cut off."

The Buddha spoke thus. Venerable Ānanda and the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and received them respectfully.