Sutta 37: The Bodhisattva and the Ghost City

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

[0019c18] “In the past, the Bodhisattva 菩薩 [pu sa] was sailing across the sea, gathering treasures to help the needy. By the sea was a city, fully equipped with gardens and parks. Beautiful women 華女 [hua nu] stood by the shore, beckoning their companions, saying: ‘This country is rich and abundant; you can seek treasures as you wish. You are welcome to enter the city and see the abundance of the people.’ The merchants believed them, deceived by the illusions of ghosts and demons, and stayed to live there for five years. The Bodhisattva 菩薩 [pu sa] remembered his parents and homeland. He left the city, climbed a mountain, looked around, and saw an iron city with a man inside, wearing a heavenly crown 天冠 [tian guan], sitting respectfully. He said to the Bodhisattva 菩薩 [pu sa]: ‘Are you all deluded? You take ghosts and demons as wives, abandoning the deep affection of your parents and nine generations of kin. Are you not deluded to be swallowed by ghosts? You all should not sleep, but observe their true nature. Soon, a divine horse 神馬 [shen ma] will fly here to save people. You can attach yourselves to it and return home, preserving your lives. If you are attached to your bewitching wives, you will die and enter this city, where all poisons will be applied to you, and regret will be of no avail.’ The Bodhisattva 菩薩 [pu sa] obeyed, feigned sleep, and observed. He saw the truth as it was said, and his heart was filled with fear. The next day, he secretly told his companions, and they all observed their wives transform into foxes 狐體 [hu ti], competing to eat people. They were all stunned and said: ‘We are going to die!’ They alarmed each other; if they relaxed their guard, they would be lost. The horse king 馬王 [ma wang] arrived and said: ‘Whoever has left home and longs for their loved ones, quickly come here; I will save you.’ The merchants joyfully said: ‘This must be a deity 天 [tian].’ They all rushed to take refuge 歸命 [gui ming]. Their wives immediately embraced their children and followed their tracks, wailing. Their words were: ‘Alas, Heaven 皇天 [huang tian]! We were wives for years, and now we are considered ghosts.’ Their mournful voices saddened them. They went to the king’s residence, and their words were as above: ‘Now we are distraught, with no one to rely on. We only wish that the great king would compassionately consider our feelings.’ The king summoned the Bodhisattva 菩薩 [pu sa] and asked him why. He then explained everything he had witnessed from beginning to end. The king, seeing her beauty, quickly sent his son-in-law away and brought her into his harem 後宮 [hou gong] for his lewdness, and the country’s governance became chaotic. The ghost transformed into a fox 狐 [hu], eating people daily, causing great harm, yet the king was unaware.

[0019c18] “xī zhě pú sà, chéng chuán dù hǎi, cǎi bǎo jì fá. hǎi biān yǒu chéng, yuàn yuán bèi yǒu, huá nǚ lín zhǔ yào qí bèi yuē: ‘sī guó fēng wò, zhēn bǎo zì qiú, kě qū rù chéng, guān mín yǒu wú.’ shāng rén xìn cóng guǐ mèi yàn huò, suì liú yǔ jū, jī nián yǒu wǔ. pú sà gǎn sī èr qīn běn tǔ, chū chéng dēng shān sì gù yuǎn wàng, dǔ yī tiě chéng zhōng yǒu zhàng fū, shǒu dài tiān guān yǎn rán gōng zuò, wèi pú sà yuē: ‘ěr děng huò hū? yǐ guǐ mèi wèi qī, juān ěr èr qīn jiǔ zú zhī hòu, wèi guǐ suǒ tūn qǐ bù huò zāi? ěr děng wú mèi, chá qí zhēn yàn yǐ. fāng yǒu shén mǎ xiáng zī jì zhòng, kě fù xuán jū quán ěr shēn mìng. ruò liàn gǔ qī. sǐ rù sī chéng, zhòng dú pǔ jiā, huǐ jiāng wú jiù.’ pú sà chéng mìng, é mèi chá zhī, dǔ zhēn rú yún, jué xīn jù yān. míng rì mì xiāng gào, děng rén qiān rán, gè cì dǔ qī biàn wèi hú tǐ, jìng zhēng shí rén. mí bù wǔ rán, yuē: ‘wú děng sǐ yǐ.’ xiāng jīng bèi yù xiè jí sàng yǐ. mǎ wáng zhēn yuē: ‘shú yǒu lí jū xīn huái suǒ qīn, jí lái fù zī, wú jiāng jì ěr.’ shāng rén xǐ yuē: ‘sī bì tiān yě.’ qún chí guī mìng. qī jí bào zi xún jī āi tòng, qí cí yuē: ‘yuàn hū huáng tiān, wèi qī lèi zài, jīn yǐ wèi guǐ.’ āi shēng shāng qíng. cí yì wáng suǒ, jué yún rú shàng, ‘jīn zhě huáng huáng, wú yóu zì shì, wéi yuàn dà wáng āi lǐ qiè qíng.’ wáng zhào pú sà wèn qí suǒ yóu, jí yǐ suǒ dǔ běn mò chén zhī. wáng dǔ sè měi jí qiǎn xù qù, nèi zhī hòu gōng wèi qí yín huāng, guó zhèng fēn luàn. guǐ huà wèi hú, rì xíng shí rén, wèi hài zī shén, wáng bù jué yǐ.

[0019c18] "xi zhe pu sa, cheng chuan du hai, cai bao ji fa. hai bian you cheng, yuan yuan bei you, hua nu lin zhu yao qi bei yue: 'si guo feng wo, zhen bao zi qiu, ke qu ru cheng, guan min you wu.' shang ren xin cong gui mei yan huo, sui liu yu ju, ji nian you wu. pu sa gan si er qin ben tu, chu cheng deng shan si gu yuan wang, du yi tie cheng zhong you zhang fu, shou dai tian guan yan ran gong zuo, wei pu sa yue: 'er deng huo hu? yi gui mei wei qi, juan er er qin jiu zu zhi hou, wei gui suo tun qi bu huo zai? er deng wu mei, cha qi zhen yan yi. fang you shen ma xiang zi ji zhong, ke fu xuan ju quan er shen ming. ruo lian gu qi. si ru si cheng, zhong du pu jia, hui jiang wu jiu.' pu sa cheng ming, e mei cha zhi, du zhen ru yun, jue xin ju yan. ming ri mi xiang gao, deng ren qian ran, ge ci du qi bian wei hu ti, jing zheng shi ren. mi bu wu ran, yue: 'wu deng si yi.' xiang jing bei yu xie ji sang yi. ma wang zhen yue: 'shu you li ju xin huai suo qin, ji lai fu zi, wu jiang ji er.' shang ren xi yue: 'si bi tian ye.' qun chi gui ming. qi ji bao zi xun ji ai tong, qi ci yue: 'yuan hu huang tian, wei qi lei zai, jin yi wei gui.' ai sheng shang qing. ci yi wang suo, jue yun ru shang, 'jin zhe huang huang, wu you zi shi, wei yuan da wang ai li qie qing.' wang zhao pu sa wen qi suo you, ji yi suo du ben mo chen zhi. wang du se mei ji qian xu qu, nei zhi hou gong wei qi yin huang, guo zheng fen luan. gui hua wei hu, ri xing shi ren, wei hai zi shen, wang bu jue yi.

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

[0020a11] “Later, they all died and revolved through the cycles of samsāra 生死輪轉 [sheng si lun zhuan]. The Bodhisattva 菩薩 [pu sa] accumulated virtue and eventually attained Buddhahood 佛 [fu]. The soul of the fox-ghost 狐鬼魂靈 [hu gui hun ling] was reborn into a Brahmin 梵志 [fan zhi] family, possessing extraordinary beauty. At that time, the Buddha 佛 [fu] was seeking alms in the Dharma County 作法縣 [zuo fa xian]. After eating, he left the city and sat under a tree. The Brahmin 梵志 [fan zhi] saw the Buddha’s 佛 [fu] auspicious marks, his golden-purple complexion, and the halo of light around his head, like the moon among stars. Seeing the Buddha 佛 [fu] like this, his joy was immeasurable. He returned and told his wife: ‘My daughter has found a husband, who is a hero of the world. Quickly prepare noble clothes and all the world’s finest things.’ The Brahmin’s 梵志 [fan zhi] family took their daughter and presented her. On the way, they saw footprints. His wife said: ‘This is a divine hero 神雄 [shen xiong] without desire; how could he let lust and evil disturb his mind?’ The father said: ‘My daughter is the top beauty in the country; how could a highly virtuous person not turn back for her?’ His wife then recited the meaning:

[0020a11] “hòu gè mìng zhōng, shēng sǐ lún zhuǎn, pú sà jī dé, suì dé wèi fú. hú guǐ hún líng, huà shēng fàn zhì jiā, yǒu jué miào zhī sè. fú shí yú zuò fǎ xiàn qiú shí, shí bì chū chéng zuò shù xià. fàn zhì dǔ fú xiāng hǎo, róng sè zǐ jīn, xiàng yǒu rì guāng, ruò xīng zhōng yuè. dǔ fú ruò cǐ, qí xǐ wú liàng, guī bái ér mǔ: ‘wú nǚ huò xù, qí wèi shì xióng. jí yǐ míng fú,, jù shì zhū hǎo.’ fàn zhì jiā shì xié nǚ gòng zhī, dào dǔ zú jī. qī yuē: ‘sī wú yù zhī shén xióng, qǐ yǐ yín xié luàn qí zhì hū?’ fù yuē: ‘wú nǚ guó zhī shàng huá, hú gāo dé ér bù huí yé?’ qī jí sòng qí yì yuē:

“ ‘yín zhě yè zú xíng,　　duō huì liǎn zhǐ bù,
　　yú zhě zú zhú de,　　sī jī tiān rén zūn.

[0020a11] "hou ge ming zhong, sheng si lun zhuan, pu sa ji de, sui de wei fu. hu gui hun ling, hua sheng fan zhi jia, you jue miao zhi se. fu shi yu zuo fa xian qiu shi, shi bi chu cheng zuo shu xia. fan zhi du fu xiang hao, rong se zi jin, xiang you ri guang, ruo xing zhong yue. du fu ruo ci, qi xi wu liang, gui bai er mu: 'wu nu huo xu, qi wei shi xiong. ji yi ming fu,, ju shi zhu hao.' fan zhi jia shi xie nu gong zhi, dao du zu ji. qi yue: 'si wu yu zhi shen xiong, qi yi yin xie luan qi zhi hu?' fu yue: 'wu nu guo zhi shang hua, hu gao de er bu hui ye?' qi ji song qi yi yue:

" 'yin zhe ye zu xing, duo hui lian zhi bu,
yu zhe zu zhu de, si ji tian ren zun.

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

[0020a23] “‘Do not disgrace yourself.’ The father said: ‘You have little wisdom.’ He continued on his way and presented his daughter. The World-Honored One 世尊 [shi zun] said: ‘The Sixth Heaven of Māra 第六魔天 [di liu mo tian] offered me three daughters, who transformed into old demons. Now you, a bag of filth, what do you come for?’ The Brahmin 梵志 [fan zhi] was embarrassed, and his wife was even more ashamed. At that time, Dhruti 除饉 [chu jin] stepped forward and bowed, saying: ‘I wish to give her to someone else.’ The World-Honored One 世尊 [shi zun] warned: ‘You were once a king, and this woman was a ghost. She deceived you with her beauty and swallowed all your people. Are you not tired of it?’ Dhruti 除饉 [chu jin] was ashamed, then retired to meditate and attained concentration 定 [ding], achieving the Stream-Entry Path 溝港道 [gou gang dao].

[0020a23] “ ‘wú zì rǔ yě.’ fù yuē: ‘ěr báo zhì yě.’ lì ér xíng yǐ, yǐ nǚ xiàn yān. shì zūn gào yuē: ‘dì liù mó tiān, xiàn wú sān nǚ, biàn wèi [xué/lǎo] guǐ. jīn ěr shǐ náng, yòu lái hé wèi?’ fàn zhì nǜ rán, qī zhòng chǐ zhī. shí, yǒu chú jǐn, jìn jī shǒu yuē: ‘yuàn yǐ huì yú.’ shì zūn jiè yuē: ‘ěr xī wèi wáng, nǚ shí wèi guǐ, yǐ sè kuáng ěr, tūn jǐn ěr mín, ěr bù yàn hū?’ chú jǐn chǐ yān, tuì chán huò dìng, dé gōu gǎng dào.”

[0020a23] " 'wu zi ru ye.' fu yue: 'er bao zhi ye.' li er xing yi, yi nu xian yan. shi zun gao yue: 'di liu mo tian, xian wu san nu, bian wei [xue/lao] gui. jin er shi nang, you lai he wei?' fan zhi nu ran, qi zhong chi zhi. shi, you chu jin, jin ji shou yue: 'yuan yi hui yu.' shi zun jie yue: 'er xi wei wang, nu shi wei gui, yi se kuang er, tun jin er min, er bu yan hu?' chu jin chi yan, tui chan huo ding, de gou gang dao."

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

[0020a29] The Buddha 佛 [fu] told Śāriputra 鶖鷺子 [qiu lu zi]: ‘After the Bodhisattva 菩薩 [pu sa] received the precepts from the people in the city, he returned home and took refuge in the Three Jewels 三尊 [san zun], vowing to himself: “When it is time to die, I will no longer violate the pure and weighty precepts of the Tathāgata 如來 [ru lai], Arhat 應儀 [ying yi], and Perfectly Enlightened One 正真覺 [zheng zhen jue].” He accumulated many precepts, and thus attained Buddhahood 佛道 [fu dao]. At that time, the elder 長者 [zhang zhe] was I myself. The king 王者 [wang zhe] is now this bhikkhu 比丘 [bi qiu]. The ghost 鬼者 [gui zhe] is the Brahmin’s daughter 梵志女 [fan zhi nu]. The deva 天人者 [tian ren zhe] in the city was Śāriputra 鶖鷺子 [qiu lu zi]. The Bodhisattva’s 菩薩 [pu sa] firm resolve to perfect the practice of precepts was like this.’

[0020a29] fú gào qiū lù zi: “pú sà zì shòu chéng zhōng rén jiè yǐ, xuán jiā, guī mìng sān zūn zì shì cí yún: ‘shí dāng sǐ, sǐ bù fù fàn rú lái,, yīng yí,, zhèng zhēn jué qīng jìng zhòng jiè.’ jī jiè hóng duō, fú dào suì chéng. ěr shí zhǎng zhě, wú shēn shì yě. wáng zhě, jīn bǐ qiū shì. guǐ zhě, fàn zhì nǚ shì. chéng zhōng tiān rén zhě, qiū lù zi shì. pú sà zhí zhì dù wú jí xíng chí jiè rú shì.”

[0020a29] fu gao qiu lu zi: "pu sa zi shou cheng zhong ren jie yi, xuan jia, gui ming san zun zi shi ci yun: 'shi dang si, si bu fu fan ru lai,, ying yi,, zheng zhen jue qing jing zhong jie.' ji jie hong duo, fu dao sui cheng. er shi zhang zhe, wu shen shi ye. wang zhe, jin bi qiu shi. gui zhe, fan zhi nu shi. cheng zhong tian ren zhe, qiu lu zi shi. pu sa zhi zhi du wu ji xing chi jie ru shi."