Chapter 165 - Story of Kāśisundaraka (Kṣāntivādin)

bhūtapūrvaṃ bhikṣavo vārāṇasyāṃ nagaryāṃ brahmadatto nāma rājā rājyaṃ kārayati, ṛddhaṃ ca sphītaṃ ca kṣemaṃ ca subhikṣaṃ ca ākīrṇabahujanamanuṣyaṃ ca; so'pareṇa samayena devyā sārdhaṃ krīḍati ramate paricārayati; tasya krīḍato ramamāṇasya paricārayataḥ devī āpannasatvā saṃvṛttā; aṣṭānāṃ vā navānāṃ vā māsānāmatyayātprasūtā; dārako jātaḥ, abhirūpo darśanīyaḥ prāsādikaḥ sarvāṅgapratyaṅgopetaḥ; tasya jātau jātimahaṃ kṛtvā nāmadheyaṃ vyavasthāpyate, kiṃ bhavatu dārakasya nāmeti; amātyāḥ ūcuḥ: deva ācaritaṃ madhyadeśe yo'bhirūpo bhavati prāsādikaḥ sa sundara ityucyate; ayaṃ ca dārakaḥ abhirūpo darśanīyaḥ prāsādikaḥ, kāśirājasya ca putraḥ; bhavatu dārakasya kāśisundara iti nāmeti; tasya kāśisundara iti nāmadheyaṃ vyavasthāpitam; kāśisundaro dārakaḥ aṣṭābhyo dhātrībhyo dattaḥ; dvābhyāmaṅgadhātrībhyāṃ dvābhyāṃ kṣīradhātrībhyāṃ dvābhyāṃ (a 426 ) maladhātrībhyāṃ dvābhyāṃ krīḍanikābhyāṃ dhātrībhyām; aṣṭābhirdhātrībhirunnīyate kṣīreṇa (i 5) dadhnā navanītena sarpiṣā sarpirmaṇḍena anyaiścottaptottaptairupakaraṇaviśeṣairāśu vardhate hradasthamiva paṅkajam.
bhūyo'pi rājñaḥ krīḍato ramamāṇasya paricārayataḥ devī āpannasatvā saṃvṛttā; sā aṣṭānāṃ vā navānāṃ vā māsānāmatyayātprasūtā; dārako jātaḥ; yasminneva divase vārāṇasyāṃ paurajānapadānāṃ mahān kalirutpannaḥ; tasyāpi jātimahaṃ kṛtvā nāmadheyaṃ vyavasthāpyate, kiṃ bhavatu dārakasya nāmeti; antaḥpurajanaḥ kathayati: deva asya janmani vārāṇasyāṃ paurajānapadānāṃ mahān kalirabhūt; tasmādbhavatu dārakasya kalibhūriti nāmeti; rājā brahmadattaḥ dharmādharmeṇa rājyaṃ kārayati; kāśisundaraḥ kumāraḥ paśyati pitaraṃ dharmādharmeṇa rājyaṃ kārayantam; dṛṣṭvā ca punarasyaitadabhavat: ahamapi pituratyayādrājā bhaviṣyāmi; ahamapi dharmādharmeṇa rājyaṃ kārayitvā narakaparāyaṇo bhaviṣyāmi; yannvahamagārādanagārikāṃ pravrajeyamiti; sa pitussakāśamupasaṃkrāntaḥ; pādayornipatya kathayati: tāta anujāniṣva, pravrajāmyagārādanagārikāmiti; sa kathayati: putra yasyārthe yajñā ijyante, homā hūyante, tapāṃsi tapyante, tattava karatalagataṃ rājyam; kasyārthe apāsya pravrajasīti; sa gāthāṃ bhāṣate:
varaṃ vane valkalacīravāsasā phalāśinā vyāḍamṛgaiḥ sahoṣitam |
na rājyahetorvadhabandhatāḍanaṃ budhena kartuṃ paralokabhīruṇā || iti;
rāja kathayati; yatkhalu kumāra jānīyāstvamasmākamekaputraḥ priyo manāpaḥ kṣānto'pratikūlaḥ; maraṇena te vayamakāmakā viyujyema; na tu jīvantaṃ parityakṣyāmaḥ; kāśisundaraḥ kumāraḥ kathayati; tāta sacedanujñāsyasītyevaṃ kuśalam; no cedanujñāsyasi, adya na bhokṣye, na pāsyāmīti; tatra kāśisundaraḥ kumāraḥ ekamapi bhaktacchedamakārṣīd, dvau, trīn, yāvadṣaḍbhaktacchedānakārṣīt; atha rāja brahmadattaḥ kāśisundaraṃ kumāramidamavocat: (i 6) yatkhalu tāta kumāra jānīyā duścaraṃ brahmacaryam, duṣkaraṃ prāvivekyaṃ, durabhiramamekatve, durabhisaṃbudhānyaraṇyavanaprasthāni, prāntāni śayanāsanānyadhyāvastum, duḥkhamekākino'raṇye vāsaḥ; yāvajjīvaṃ te vyāḍamṛgaiḥ saha vastavyam; yāvajjīvaṃ te paradattabhojino bhavitavyam; yāvajjīvaṃ te mānuṣakebhyaḥ kāmebhyaḥ āvaraṇaṃ kartavyam; yāvajjīvaṃ te mānuṣikābhyo ratikrīḍābhya āvaraṇaṃ kartavyam; ehi tvaṃ tāta kumāra ihaiva sthito yauvarājyaṃ kāraya; kāmāṃśca paribhuṃkṣva;
dānāni ca dehi puṇyāni ca kuru; evamukta kāśisundaraḥ kumārastūṣṇīm.
atha rājā brahmadattaḥ antaḥpuramamātyān paurohitāṃścodyojayati; aṅga tāvadbhavantaḥ kumāramutthāpayata; evaṃ devetyantaḥpurāmātyapaurohitā yena kāśisundaraḥ kumārastenopasaṃkrāntāḥ; upasaṃkramya kāśisundaraṃ kumāramidamavocan: yatkhalu (a 426 ) tāta kumāra jānīyās, tvaṃ hi sukumāraḥ sukhaiṣī; na tvaṃ jñātā duḥkhasya; duścaraṃ brahmacaryam; duṣkaraṃ prāvivekyaṃ, durabhiramamekatve, durabhisaṃbudhānyaraṇyavanaprasthāni, prāntāni śayanāsanānyadhyāvastum, duḥkhamekākino'raṇye vāsaḥ; yāvajjīvaṃ te vyāḍamṛgaiḥ saha vastavyam; yāvajjīvaṃ te paradattabhojino bhavitavyam; yāvajjīvaṃ te mānuṣakebhyaḥ kāmebhyaḥ āvaraṇaṃ kartavyam; yāvajjīvaṃ te mānuṣikābhyo ratikrīḍābhya āvaraṇaṃ kartavyam; ehi tvaṃ tāta kumāra ihaiva sthito yauvarājyaṃ kāraya; kāmāṃśca paribhuṃkṣva;
dānāni ca <dehi puṇyāni ca> kuru; evamukta kāśisundaraḥ kumārastūṣṇīm.
atha rājā brahmadattaḥ kāśisunadrasya kumārasya pāṃsukrīḍanakāmātyaputrān paurohitaputrānanyāṃśca kumārāṇudyojayati; aṅga tāvadkumārakāḥ kāśisundaraṃ kumāramutthāpayata; athāmātyaputrāḥ purohitaputrāḥ kumārāśca rājño brahmadattasya pratiśrutya,
yena kāśisundaraḥ kumārastenopasaṃkrāntāḥ; upasaṃkramya kāśisundaraṃ kumāramidamavocan: yatkhalu somya kumāra jānīyāstvaṃ hi sukumāraḥ sukhaiṣī; na tvaṃ jñātā duḥkhasya; duścaraṃ brahmacaryam; duṣkaraṃ prāvivekyaṃ, durabhiramamekatve; durabhisaṃbudhānyaraṇyavanaprasthāni, prāntāni śayanāsanānyadhyāvastum, duḥkhamekākino'raṇye vāsaḥ; yāvajjīvaṃ te vyāḍamṛgaiḥ (i 7) saha vastavyam; yāvajjīvaṃ te paradattabhojino bhavitavyam; yāvajjīvaṃ te mānuṣakebhyaḥ kāmebhyaḥ āvaraṇaṃ kartavyam; yāvajjīvaṃ te mānuṣikābhyo ratikrīḍābhyaḥ āvaraṇaṃ kartavyam; ehi tvaṃ somya kumāra ihaiva sthito yauvarājyaṃ kāraya; kāmāṃśca paribhuṃkṣva; dānāni <ca> dehi; puṇyāni ca kuru; evamukta kāśisundaraḥ kumārastūṣṇīm.
athāmātyaputrāḥ purohitaputrāḥ ca yena rājā brahmadattastenopasaṃkrāntāḥ; upasaṃkramya rājānaṃ brahmadattamidamavocan: anujānīhi deva somyaṃ kāśisundaraṃ kumāram; kiṃ hi mṛtena kariṣyasi? vijñapraśastā hi pravrajyā; sacedabhiraṃsyase, jīvantamenaṃ drakṣyasi; no cedabhiraṃsyase, punarāvartikā hi ṛṣayo bhavanti; kānyā putrasya gatir, anyatra mātāpitṛbhyām.
rājā brahmadattaḥ kathayati: kumārakā yadyevam, anujñato bhavatu; athāmātyaputrāḥ purohitaputrāḥ kumārāśca yena kāśisundaraḥ kumārastenopasaṃkrāntāḥ; upasaṃkramya kāśisundaraṃ kumāramidamavocan: yatkhalu somya kumāra jānīyāḥ, anujñato'si rājñā pravrajyāyai, yasyedānīṃ kālaṃ manyase:
atha kāśisundaraḥ kumāraḥ maṇḍānupūrvīṃ kṛtvā kāyasya sthāma ca balaṃ ca vīryaṃ ca sañjanya vārāṇasyāḥ ca niṣkramya ṛṣīṇāṃ madhye pravrajitaḥ; tenodyacchamānena, vyāyacchamānena, kāmeṣu vairagyaṃ kṛtvā maitrī samadhigatā; so'tyantaṃ satveṣu dayāvān saṃvṛttaḥ; tasyaitayā matryā vyāḍamṛgā apyāśramapade viśvāsamāpadyante; nāparādhyante; tasya kṣāntivādī kṣāntīvādīti saṃjñāsaṃvṛttā; yāvadapareṇa samayena (a 427 ) rājā brahmadattaḥ kālagataḥ; kalabhū rājye pratiṣṭhāpitaḥ; sa dharmādharmeṇa <rājyaṃ> kārayati; kṣāntivādī ṛṣiḥ kathayati: upādhyāya mamānnapānābhivarjitam; na śaknomyāraṇyakābhiroṣadhībhiryāpayitum; grāmāntaṃ samavasarāmīti; kathayati: vatsa grāme vāraṇye <vā> vasato ṛṣiṇo rakṣitavyāṇyevendriyāṇi; gaccha vārāṇasīsāmantakam; gatvā śākhāparṇakuṭīrakāṇi kṛtvā vāsaṃ kalpayeti; sa upādhyāyāllabdhānujño vārāṇasīṃ (i 8) gatvā śāntavihārasamanveṣaṇayā itaścāmutaśca paribhramannanupūrveṇa pituḥ santakamudyānaṃ gataḥ; tena tasmin paryaṭatā śāntaḥ pradeśo dṛṣṭaḥ; sa tatrāvasthitaḥ.
yāvadapareṇa samayena kalabhū rājā saṃprāpte vasantakālasamaye saṃpuṣpiteṣu pādapeṣu haṃsakrauñcamayūraśukaśārikākokilajīvañjīvakonnādite vanaṣaṇḍe antaḥpurasahīyaḥ udyānabhūmiṃ nirgataḥ; sa tatrodyāne sukhamanubhūya khedamāpanno middhamavakrāntaḥ; puṣpaphalalolupo mātṛgrāmastasminnudyāne itaśca amutaśca paribhramitumārabdhaḥ; yāvatpaśyanti kṣāntivādinamṛṣimekānte śānteryāpathe niṣaṇṇam; dṛṣṭvā ca punargauravāpyāyitacittasantatyaḥ tasya ṛṣeḥ praṇāmaṃ kṛtvā parivāryāvasthitāḥ; kṣāntivādī ṛṣistāsstriyo śāntatareṇeryāpathena dharmaṃ deśayitumārabdhaḥ; yāvatkalabhū rājā nidrāklamaṃ prativinodya prabuddho na paśyatyantaḥpurajanam; sa khaḍgamādāya yuvatijanaṃ samanveṣitumārabdhaḥ; yāvatpaśyati kṣāntivādinaṃ riṣiṃ parivārya avasthitāḥ; dṛṣṭvā ca punarīrṣyājanitakrodhaparyākulīkṛtātmabhāvaḥ tasya riṣeḥ sakāśamupasaṃkrāntaḥ; mātṛgrāmo rājñaḥ sakāśamavasthānaṃ dṛṣṭvā santrasto vidrutaḥ; rājā sāvaṣṭambhaṃ kṣāntivādinamuvāca: bhoḥ puruṣa, kastvaṃ? sa kathayati: kṣāntivādī; kalabhū rājā kathayati: mayi vikupite kṣāntivādinamātmānaṃ pratijānīṣe? idānīṃ kṣāntivādī vā bhavānna veti tena tasya hastau chinnau; bhūyaḥ pṛcchati; ko bhavāniti; sa kathayati, kṣāntivādī; tena tasya pādau chinnau; sa chidyamāneṣvaṅgapratyaṅgeṣu gāthāṃ bhāṣate:
yadi tilaśatamapi kṛtvā kṣepsyase kāyamurvyām
na tyajāmi kṣāntiṃ tilaśato'pi cūrṇitagātraḥ |
yasya mama śubhā maitrī cetasi paribhāvitā sadā kṣāntim
tāṃ notsahe vihantuṃ sutamiva sutavatsalā jananī ||
sa evaṃ gāthābhirgītena rujaṃ vinodya praṇidhānaṃ kartumārabdhaḥ: yathaiṣa rājā kleśābhiniviṣṭabuddhirmamākāryākārya aṅgapratyaṅgāni chinatti; tathāhaṃ kṣāntisauratyasamanvāgatena (i 9) kuśalamūlena kleśagaṇamātmīyamabhinirjitya anuttarāyāṃ samyaksaṃbodhau abhisaṃbuddhaḥ syām; tataḥ prajñāśastreṇasya ākāryākārya tatprathamataḥ kleśān pramlāyeyamiti.
atha yā devatā kṣāntivādinyabhiprasannā sā saṃlakṣayati: anena kalirājena ayamṛṣiradūṣyanapakārī karacaraṇaśūnyo vyavasthāpitaḥ; yanvahamasya vairaṃ niryātayeyam; iti viditvā tīvreṇa (a 427 ) paryavasthānena kṣāntivādinaḥ purastādgāthāṃ bhāṣate:
kalabhūṃ saputradāraṃ sabandhuvargaṃ sapaurajānapadam |
kṛtsnaṃ ca jīvalokamājñāpaya nāśayiṣyāmi || iti;
so'pi gāthāṃ bhāṣate:
karacaraṇanāśavikalaṃ kṛtaṃ mama śarīramākulaṃ yena |
tasyāpi pāpamaṇvapi necchāmi kutaḥ punaradūṣino jagataḥ ||
tasyāpi yā devatā vārāṇasyāmītistata itaḥ sṛṣṭā; mūṣikāḥ śalabhāḥ
śukāḥ prabalāḥ saṃvṛttāḥ; devo na varṣati; janakāyo mriyate; rājñā naimittikā āhūya pṛṣṭāḥ: bhavantaḥ kimarthaṃ devo na varṣati? muṣikāḥ śalabhāḥ śukāḥ prabalāḥ saṃvṛttāḥ; janakāyaśca mriyate iti; te kathayanti: deva devatāprakopa iti; yā devatā kṣāntivādino ṛṣerabhiprasannā sā kupitā; tayā eṣā ītiḥ sṛṣṭā iti; rājā kathayati: bhavantaḥ kathamatra pratipattavyamiti; naimittikāḥ kathayanti: deva balimālyopahāreṇa devatāḥ prakupitā ārādhyante; balimālyopahāraṃ kṛtvā kṣamāpayitavyā sa ca ṛṣiriti; tato rājñā vārāṇasyāṃ ghaṇṭāvaghoṣaṇaṃ kāritam: śṛṇvantu bhavanto vārāṇasīnivāsinaḥ paurāḥ, udyānanivāsinī devatā kṣāntivādino ṛṣerabhiprasannā; tayā ītirutsṛṣṭā; yena devo na varṣati; mūṣikāḥ śalabhāḥ śukāḥ prabalāḥ saṃvṛttāḥ; janakāyaśca mriyate; tadyuṣmābhirītivyupaśamārthaṃ śvo balimālyopahārasametairudyānaṃ gatvā tasyāḥ pūjā saṃvidhātavyā iti. (i 10)
janakāyastāmeva rātriṃ balimālyopahāraṃ samudānīya tadudyānaṃ gataḥ; rājā cāntaḥpurasahīyaḥ; tato janakāyena śramaṇabrāhmaṇakṛpaṇavanīpakebhyo dānāni datvā devatāsthāne ca mahatīṃ pūjāṃ kṛtvā sā devatā kṣamitā; tato rājā ṛṣeḥ kṣāntivādinaḥ sakāśaṃ gatvā pādayornipatya kṣamayitumārabdhaḥ: kṣamasva me maharṣe yanmayā viṣayādhyavasitena krodhaparyākulīkṛtamatinā tavāparāddhamiti; kṣāntivādī kathayati: kṣāntaṃ mahārāja; yathākathaṃ jñāyate? sa gāthāṃ bhāṣate:
gātreṣu vahasi śastraṃ maitrī me sarvasatveṣu |
yadi saṃśayo'tra bhavatāṃ paśyata rudhiraṃ prasannaṃ me || iti;
tasya tadrudhiraṃ parāvṛtam; pāpakarmakārī sa rājā prātihāryasandarśanenāpi na śraddhatte; sa bhūyaḥ kathayati, kṣamasva maharṣe; kṣāntaṃ mahārāja; yathākathaṃ jñāyate? tato bodhisatvaḥ chinnānyaṅgapratyaṅgāni yathāsve sthāne sthāpayitvā satyopayācanayā gāthāṃ bhāṣate:
chidyamāneṣu gātreṣu tvayā rājan yathā na me |
āghāto'sti susūkṣmo'pi syānme kāyastathā purā || iti;
tasya satyopayācanayā śarīraṃ yathāpuraṃ saṃvṛttam; tato rājā vismayotphullalocano gāthāṃ bhāṣate:
aho vratamidaṃ siddhamaho dharmassvanuṣṭhitaḥ |
chidyamāneṣu gātreṣu yasya te nāsti vikriyā ||
rājā kalabhūḥ sāntaḥpurāmātyapauranajānapadaḥ tasya ṛṣeḥ pādau śirasā vanditvā prakrāntaḥ.
kiṃ manyadhve bhikṣavo yo'sau <tena kālena samayena> (a 429 ) kṣāntivādī ṛṣirahameva sa; yo'sau kalibhū rājā eṣa evāsau kauṇḍinyabhikṣuḥ; yanmayā tasyāntike maitracittamutpādya praṇidhānaṃ kṛtam, anenāhaṃ kuśalamūlenāsya ākāryākārya kleśān chedayeyamiti; (i 11) tatpraṇidhānavaśādetarhi tathāgatena asya ākāryākārya dharmo deśitaḥ; ekāntakṛṣṇānāmekāntakṛṣṇo vipākaḥ, pūrvavadyāvadevaṃ vo bhikṣavaḥ śikṣitavyam.
yadā bhagavatā aśītirdevatāsahasrāṇi dharmarasena saṃgṛhya satyeṣu pratiṣṭhāpitāni tadā bhikṣavaḥ saṃśayajātāḥ sarvasaṃśayacchettāraṃ buddhaṃ bhagavantaṃ papracchuḥ: paśya bhadanta bhagavatā aśītirdevatāsahasrāṇi dharmarasena saṃgṛhya satyeṣu pratiṣṭhāpitāni; bhagavānāha: na bhikṣava etarhi yathātīte'pyadhvani mayaitāni aśītirvaṇiksahasrāṇi āmiṣeṇa saṃgṛhya paṃcasu vratapadeṣu pratiṣṭhāpitāni; tacchrūyatām.