SA 264（二六四） 小土塼

Thus have I heard:

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

At that time, a certain bhikṣu was contemplating in meditation and thought, “Is there any form that is permanent, constant, unchanging, and rightly abiding? Is there any feeling, perception, volition, or consciousness that is permanent, constant, unchanging, and rightly abiding?”

That bhikṣu rose from his meditation in the afternoon, went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, stood to one side, and said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! While contemplating in meditation, I thought, 'Is there any form that is permanent, constant, unchanging, and rightly abiding? Is there any feeling, perception, volition, or consciousness that is permanent, constant, unchanging, and rightly abiding?' Does the World-Honored One today have any form that is permanent, constant, unchanging, and rightly abiding? Does he have any feeling, perception, volition, or consciousness that is permanent, constant, unchanging, and rightly abiding?"

At that time, the World-Honored One took a small ball of earth in his hand and said to that bhikṣu, "Do you see this ball of earth in my hand?"

The bhikṣu said to the Buddha, "I see it, World-Honored One!"

"Bhikṣu! This small amount of earth cannot be found by me. If it could be found by me, it would be permanent, constant, unchanging, and abiding in the right way."

The Buddha told the bhikṣu, "I remember from my past lives that I practiced merit for a long time and attained various excellent, wonderful, and delightful karmic results. Once, for seven years, I cultivated the mind of loving-kindness. After seven kalpas of formation and destruction, I did not return to this world. When the seven kalpas were destroyed, I was reborn in the Ābhāsvara Heaven. When the seven kalpas were formed, I was reborn in the Brahma world, becoming the Great Brahma King in the empty palace, without equal or superior, ruling over a thousand worlds. After that, I became Śakra, Lord of the Devas, thirty-six times. I also became a wheel-turning sage king, ruling over the four continents, governing with the right Dharma, possessing the seven treasures, namely, the wheel treasure, elephant treasure, horse treasure, jewel treasure, queen treasure, chief minister treasure, and general treasure; with a thousand sons, all brave and strong; within the four seas, the land was level and free from thorns, without coercion or oppression, governed by the Dharma.

The king's law of consecration has eighty-four thousand dragon elephants, all adorned with various treasures, covered with jeweled nets, and with jeweled banners erected. The elephant king Puṣpadanta leads the way, gathering in front of the palace twice a day. I thought at that time, 'These great herds of elephants go back and forth every day, trampling to death countless beings. I wish that the forty-two thousand elephants come once every hundred years.' It was as I wished. Among the eighty-four thousand elephants, forty-two thousand elephants came once every hundred years.

The king's law of consecration also has eighty-four thousand horses, all with pure gold carriages, covered with golden nets, with the horse king Balāhaka leading the way.

The king's law of consecration has eighty-four thousand four kinds of jeweled carriages, namely, golden carriages, silver carriages, lapis lazuli carriages, and crystal carriages, covered with lion, tiger, leopard skins, and various colored cotton cloth, with the carriage of the sound of Vāḍava and Nanda leading the way.

The king's law of consecration governs eighty-four thousand cities, which are peaceful, prosperous, and densely populated, with Kuśāvatī City as the foremost.

The king's law of consecration has eighty-four thousand four kinds of palaces, namely, golden, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, and maṇi lapis lazuli, with the Yugandhara Palace as the foremost.

Bhikṣus! The king's law of consecration has eighty-four thousand four kinds of jeweled beds, namely, golden, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, with various silk cushions, woolen blankets, and kāliṅga bedding spread on them, with red pillows placed.

Furthermore, bhikṣus! The king's law of consecration also has eighty-four thousand four kinds of clothing, namely, kāśika fine cloth, cūma cloth, tūla cloth, and kuśa cloth.

Furthermore, bhikṣus! The king's law of consecration has eighty-four thousand jade maidens, namely, kṣatriya maidens, kṣatriya-like maidens, let alone other maidens.

Furthermore, bhikṣus! The king's law of consecration has eighty-four thousand foods and drinks, with all flavors complete. Bhikṣus! Among the eighty-four thousand jade maidens, only one is appointed as an attendant; among the eighty-four thousand jeweled garments, only one is worn; among the eighty-four thousand jeweled beds, only one is slept on; among the eighty-four thousand palaces, only one is dwelled in; among the eighty-four thousand cities, only one is resided in, named Kuśāvatī; among the eighty-four thousand jeweled chariots, only one is ridden, named Vijaya-nandin-guśa, for going out of the city to observe; among the eighty-four thousand jeweled horses, only one is ridden, named Varāha, with a blue-black mane and tail; among the eighty-four thousand dragon elephants, only one is ridden, named Puṣpadanta, for going out of the city to observe.

"Bhikṣus! What kind of karmic retribution is this, to attain such majestic and sovereign power? This is the retribution of three kinds of karma. What are the three? First, giving; second, taming; third, cultivating the path. Bhikṣus should know, ordinary beings are addicted to the five desires and have no contentment. The wisdom of the noble ones is perfected, and they are always content. Bhikṣus! All conditioned phenomena of the past have ceased and changed. Those naturally accumulated resources and fame all perish. Therefore, bhikṣus! Permanently cease conditioned phenomena, be disgusted, cut off desire, and be liberated. Bhikṣus! Is form permanent or impermanent?"

The bhikṣu said to the Buddha, "Impermanent, World-Honored One!"

"If it is impermanent, is it suffering?"

The bhikṣu said to the Buddha, "It is suffering, World-Honored One!"

"Bhikṣu! If it is impermanent and suffering, and subject to change, would a noble disciple still grasp at 'self,' 'other,' or 'both' in relation to it?"

The bhikṣu said to the Buddha, "No, World-Honored One!"

"Is feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness permanent or impermanent?"

The bhikṣu said to the Buddha, "Impermanent, World-Honored One!"

"If it is impermanent, is it suffering?"

The bhikṣu said to the Buddha, "It is suffering, World-Honored One!"

"Bhikṣu! If it is impermanent and suffering, and subject to change, would a noble disciple still grasp at 'self,' 'other,' or 'both' in relation to it?"

The bhikṣu said to the Buddha, "No, World-Honored One!"

The Buddha told the bhikṣu, "All forms, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, beautiful or ugly, far or near, are not the self, not different from the self, nor do they coexist with the self. Similarly, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, beautiful or ugly, far or near, are not the self, not different from the self, nor do they coexist with the self. Bhikṣu! One should generate disgust, revulsion, detachment, and liberation towards form. Similarly, towards feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness, one should generate disgust, revulsion, detachment, and liberation, and know and see liberation: 'My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I know that I will not be subject to any future lives.'"

At that time, the bhikṣu, having heard the Buddha's teaching, was overjoyed and paid homage before departing. Always contemplating the teaching of the clay ball, he dwelled alone in a quiet place, diligently cultivating and not being negligent. Having dwelled without negligence, he thought: "The reason good sons shave their heads and beards, with right faith leave home, and go forth to practice the path, is to ultimately realize the unsurpassed holy life, see the Dharma, and personally know and realize: 'My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I know that I will not be subject to any future lives.'"

At that time, the Venerable also personally knew the Dharma, attained liberation of the mind, and became an arhat.