Sutta 11: The Sutra of King (Boye)

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

六度集經卷第二 [liu du ji jing juan di er]

吳康居國沙門康僧會譯 [wu kang ju guo sha men kang seng hui yi]

布施度無極章 [bu shi du wu ji zhang] (This has four chapters)

liù dù jí jīng juǎn dì èr

wú kāng jū guó shā mén kāng sēng huì yì

bù shī dù wú jí zhāng (cǐ yǒu sì zhāng)
bō yé wáng jīng

liu du ji jing juan di er

wu kang ju guo sha men kang seng hui yi

bu shi du wu ji zhang (ci you si zhang)
bo ye wang jing

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0006a28] "In the past, the King of 波羅㮈國 [bo luo nai guo] (Boluonai Guo), named 波耶 [bo ye] (Boye), governed his country with benevolence. Weapons were discarded, punishments ceased, prisons were destroyed, there were no cries of sorrow on the roads, and all living beings found their place. The country was prosperous and its people flourished, and the devas praised his benevolence. The King's city was four hundred li long and wide, with a circumference of sixteen hundred li. Every day, the King provided food for the people within it, fulfilling all their wishes. Neighboring countries, hearing of his country's prosperity and the disappearance of calamities, consulted with their ministers, saying: 'That country is prosperous, and its people are wealthy and joyful. We want to obtain it, and we will surely conquer it if we go.' His ministers and concubines all said: 'We joyfully follow the King's wish.' So, they raised an army to attack the benevolent country.

[0006a28] “xī zhě bō luó nài guó wáng míng bō yé, zhì guó yǐ rén, gàn gē fèi, zhàng chǔ miè, líng yǔ huǐ, lù wú hū jiē, qún shēng dé suǒ, guó fēng mín chì, zhū tiān tàn rén. wáng chéng guǎng zhǎng sì bǎi lǐ, wéi qiān liù bǎi lǐ, wáng rì fàn cǐ zhōng rén, jiē cóng qí yuàn. lín guó wén qí guó fēng shú, zāi hài xiāo miè, yǔ chén móu yuē: ‘bǐ guó fēng shú zhào mín fù lè, wú yù dé zhī, wǎng bì kè yǐ.’ chén qiè qiān yuē: ‘xǐ cóng wáng yuàn.’ jí xìng shī zhī rén guó.

[0006a28] "xi zhe bo luo nai guo wang ming bo ye, zhi guo yi ren, gan ge fei, zhang chu mie, ling yu hui, lu wu hu jie, qun sheng de suo, guo feng min chi, zhu tian tan ren. wang cheng guang zhang si bai li, wei qian liu bai li, wang ri fan ci zhong ren, jie cong qi yuan. lin guo wen qi guo feng shu, zai hai xiao mie, yu chen mou yue: 'bi guo feng shu zhao min fu le, wu yu de zhi, wang bi ke yi.' chen qie qian yue: 'xi cong wang yuan.' ji xing shi zhi ren guo.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0006b06] "The ministers of the benevolent country, hearing of this, wanted to resist. The benevolent King said sadly: 'Should I, for the sake of my single body, slaughter the bodies of millions of people? Should I cherish my single life and destroy the lives of millions of people? One mouth eats twice, one body wears many clothes; what is there to contend with time? And should I abandon the virtue of spring and adopt the cruelty of wolves?' He then told his ministers: 'Each of you, withdraw. We will discuss this again tomorrow.' At night, he climbed over the city wall, fled into the mountains, and sat under a tree.

[0006b06] “rén guó qún chén yǐ wén, yù jù zhī yǐ. rén wáng cǎn rán ér yuē: ‘yǐ wú yī rén zhī shēn, lù zhào mín shēn, ài wú yī rén mìng, wù zhào mín zhī mìng, yī kǒu zài shí,, yī shēn shù yī, yǔ shí hé zhèng? ér qù chūn tiān zhī dé, qǔ chái láng zhī cán hū? wú níng qù yī shì zhī mìng, bù qù dà zhì, shù jǐ ān qún shēng, gài tiān zhī rén yě.’ quán wèi chén yuē: ‘gè tuì, míng rì gèng yì.’ yè zé yú chéng, dùn mài rù shān zuò yī shù xià.

[0006b06] "ren guo qun chen yi wen, yu ju zhi yi. ren wang can ran er yue: 'yi wu yi ren zhi shen, lu zhao min shen, ai wu yi ren ming, wu zhao min zhi ming, yi kou zai shi,, yi shen shu yi, yu shi he zheng? er qu chun tian zhi de, qu chai lang zhi can hu? wu ning qu yi shi zhi ming, bu qu da zhi, shu ji an qun sheng, gai tian zhi ren ye.' quan wei chen yue: 'ge tui, ming ri geng yi.' ye ze yu cheng, dun mai ru shan zuo yi shu xia.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0006b12] "A 梵志 [fan zhi] (Fanzhi) came, sixty years old, and asked the King: 'Is the King of that benevolent country well and free from misfortune?' The King replied: 'That King has already lost his life.' The 梵志 [fan zhi] (Fanzhi), hearing this, collapsed to the ground in sorrow. The King asked him: 'Why is your sorrow so heavy?' He replied: 'I heard that King's benevolence reached all living beings, nourishing them like 帝釋 [di shi] (Dishi), so I hurried to seek refuge; but now he is gone, and I am old and destitute.' The King said: 'I am that benevolent King. The neighboring King heard of my country's prosperity, its flourishing people, and its abundant treasures. He ordered his warriors, saying: "Whoever brings me his head shall be rewarded with a thousand male and a thousand female servants, a thousand horses, a thousand oxen, and a thousand catties each of gold and silver." Now, if you take my head, along with my gold crown and sword as proof, and go to that King, the rewards will be immense, enough to support you for generations. My heart is joyful at this prospect.' The 梵志 [fan zhi] (Fanzhi) replied: 'It is unrighteous and goes against the Way; I would rather die than do it.' The King said: 'This old man relies on me for his livelihood, and now he is destitute? I will now bestow my head upon you, so that you incur no sin.' He rose, prostrated himself before the ten directions, and with tears flowing, vowed: 'I shall bring peace to those in danger among living beings; those who turn their backs on the truth and go towards evil, I shall make them take refuge in the Three Jewels. Now, by offering my head, I shall relieve your destitution and free you from sin.' He drew his sword and destroyed himself to save the [梵志 [fan zhi]'s] (Fanzhi's) predicament.

[0006b12] “yǒu fàn zhì lái, qí nián liù shí, wèn wáng yuē: ‘bǐ rén guó wáng wàn fú wú yàng hū?’ dá yuē: ‘bǐ wáng yǐ sàng mìng yǐ.’ fàn zhì wén zhī dùn de āi tòng. wáng wèn zhī yuē: ‘rǔ āi hé shén zhòng hū?’ dá yuē: ‘wú wén bǐ wáng, rén dǎi qún shēng rùn rú dì shì, gù chí guī mìng； ér bǐ diāo sàng, wú lǎo qióng yǐ.’ wáng yuē: ‘bǐ rén wáng zhě, wǒ zé shì yě. lín guó wáng wén wú guó fēng shú, mín chì bǎo duō, mìng qí wǔ shì yuē: “dé wú shǒu zhě, shǎng nán nǚ zhī shǐ gè qiān rén, mǎ qiān pǐ,, niú qiān tóu, jīn yín gè qiān jīn.” jīn zi qǔ wú shǒu, jīn guān jí jiàn wèi míng zhèng, zhī bǐ wáng, suǒ shǎng zhòng duō, kě wèi chuán shì zhī zī. wú xīn xīn rán yě.’ dá yuē: ‘bù rén nì dào, níng sǐ bù wèi yě.’ wáng yuē: ‘sī wēng shì wú yǐ huó, ér lìng qióng zāi? wú jīn yǐ shǒu huì rǔ, lìng rǔ wú zuì.’ qǐ jī shǒu shí fāng, liú tì shì yuē: ‘qún shēng wēi zhě, wú dāng ān zhī； bèi zhēn xiàng xié zhě, wú dāng lìng guī mìng sān zūn. jīn yǐ shǒu bá zi zhī qióng, lìng zi wú zuì yǐ.’ yǐn jiàn zì huǐ, yǐ jì bǐ nán.

[0006b12] "you fan zhi lai, qi nian liu shi, wen wang yue: 'bi ren guo wang wan fu wu yang hu?' da yue: 'bi wang yi sang ming yi.' fan zhi wen zhi dun de ai tong. wang wen zhi yue: 'ru ai he shen zhong hu?' da yue: 'wu wen bi wang, ren dai qun sheng run ru di shi, gu chi gui ming; er bi diao sang, wu lao qiong yi.' wang yue: 'bi ren wang zhe, wo ze shi ye. lin guo wang wen wu guo feng shu, min chi bao duo, ming qi wu shi yue: "de wu shou zhe, shang nan nu zhi shi ge qian ren, ma qian pi,, niu qian tou, jin yin ge qian jin." jin zi qu wu shou, jin guan ji jian wei ming zheng, zhi bi wang, suo shang zhong duo, ke wei chuan shi zhi zi. wu xin xin ran ye.' da yue: 'bu ren ni dao, ning si bu wei ye.' wang yue: 'si weng shi wu yi huo, er ling qiong zai? wu jin yi shou hui ru, ling ru wu zui.' qi ji shou shi fang, liu ti shi yue: 'qun sheng wei zhe, wu dang an zhi; bei zhen xiang xie zhe, wu dang ling gui ming san zun. jin yi shou ba zi zhi qiong, ling zi wu zui yi.' yin jian zi hui, yi ji bi nan.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0006b27] "The 梵志 [fan zhi] (Fanzhi) took the head, along with the crown and sword, to that King. The King asked his old ministers: 'Could the benevolent King, whose strength was equal to a thousand men, have been captured by this young man?' The old ministers bowed their heads to the ground, lamenting in such pain that they could not reply. He then asked the 梵志 [fan zhi] (Fanzhi), who recounted the whole story from beginning to end. Millions of people wailed in the streets and alleys; some vomited blood, others stopped breathing and appeared as corpses. That King, his ministers, and warriors, great and small, all cried out in sorrow. The King looked up at the sky and sighed deeply, saying: 'I am indeed without the Way! I have harmed a benevolent son of heaven.' He took the benevolent King's corpse and head, joined them with gold leaf, and placed the body sitting on the throne in the palace. He ruled as Son of Heaven for thirty-two years, and only then did he enthrone his son as king. The neighboring countries all loved him as their own son. When the benevolent King's life ended, he was immediately reborn in heaven."

[0006b27] “fàn zhì yǐ shǒu guān jiàn yì bǐ wáng suǒ, wáng wèn jiù chén: ‘rén wáng lì dāng qiān rén, ér wèi cǐ zi suǒ huò hū?’ jiù chén dùn shǒu bì de, āi tòng tòng mò néng duì. gèng wèn fàn zhì, fàn zhì běn mò chén zhī. zhào mín lù yǒng xiàng kū, huò tǔ xuè zhě, huò xī jué ér shī shì zhě. bǐ wáng dǎi chén wǔ shì, jù xì mí bù ō yī. wáng yǎng tiān zhǎng tàn yuē: ‘wú wú dào zāi! cán tiān rén zi yǐ.’ qǔ rén wáng shī jí shǒu, lián zhī yǐ jīn báo, qí shēn zuò zhe diàn shàng, sān shí èr nián wèi tiān zi, hòu nǎi lì qí zi wèi wáng. lín guó mí bù zi ài zhī yě. rén wáng shòu zhōng jí shēng tiān shàng.”

[0006b27] "fan zhi yi shou guan jian yi bi wang suo, wang wen jiu chen: 'ren wang li dang qian ren, er wei ci zi suo huo hu?' jiu chen dun shou bi de, ai tong tong mo neng dui. geng wen fan zhi, fan zhi ben mo chen zhi. zhao min lu yong xiang ku, huo tu xue zhe, huo xi jue er shi shi zhe. bi wang dai chen wu shi, ju xi mi bu o yi. wang yang tian zhang tan yue: 'wu wu dao zai! can tian ren zi yi.' qu ren wang shi ji shou, lian zhi yi jin bao, qi shen zuo zhe dian shang, san shi er nian wei tian zi, hou nai li qi zi wei wang. lin guo mi bu zi ai zhi ye. ren wang shou zhong ji sheng tian shang."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0006c07] [Buddha] (Fo) told the [bhikkhus] (biqiu): "The benevolent King was my own body. The King of the neighboring country was 目連 [mu lian] (Mulian). The ministers of that country are the current [bhikkhus] (bhikkhus). A [Bodhisattva's] (Pusa's) practice of generosity, reaching boundless compassion and wisdom, is like this."

[0006c07] fú gào zhū bǐ qiū: “rén wáng zhě, wǒ shēn shì. lín guó wáng zhě, mù lián shì. qí guó qún chén zhě, jīn zhū bǐ qiū shì. pú sà cí huì dù wú jí xíng bù shī rú shì.”

[0006c07] fu gao zhu bi qiu: "ren wang zhe, wo shen shi. lin guo wang zhe, mu lian shi. qi guo qun chen zhe, jin zhu bi qiu shi. pu sa ci hui du wu ji xing bu shi ru shi."