Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Sacrificing (offering) one’s life

When the Tathagata has spoken about the story of the 10000 devas, the Tathagata continues to speak to the Bodhi Upholding goddess and the assembly: in the past, when the Tathagata was still on the path of a bodhisattva, the Tathagata not only gave water and food to save the school of fish, but the Buddha also offered His life. Such a phenomenon should be known together.

At this time, the Tathagata- the Arhat, Unsurpassed Buddha, the Master of human and devas, the one whose hundreds and thousands rays of light shine forth in the worlds in the 10 directions, Knower of the world, the one who completes great merits- leads the monks and the whole assembly to the residential area called Bajara, and from there enters a forest. The land here is flat, free from thorns; there spring up many renowned kinds of flowers; soft grass grows all over the earth surface. The Tathagat says to the Venerable Ananda: do make a seat for the Tathagata under the trunk of that tree, The Venerable carries is out and says to the Blessed One: I have already arranged a sitting place, may the Tathagata tell me when the time is suitable. The Tathagata then sits cross-legged on that place, his body is up straight, and with mindfulness, he ask of the monks: do you wish to see the relics of the ancient bodhisattva who underwent arduous activities? The monk replies, Blessed One, we wish to. The Tathagata then uses his hand with hundreds of solemn merits and presses on the ground. Immediately, the whole world trembles in six ways, and cracks apart, and a stupa made of the 7 precious substances appears, on the top of this stupa are covered nets of pearls and jewels attached to it. The whole assembly sees this and regards it as very rare. The Tathagata then stands up from his seat, pays homage to the stupa, walks around the stupa on the right side, and goes back to his seat. He then tells the Venerable Ananda to open the door of the stupa. When the Venerable does that, he sees that there is a box made of the 7 precious substances, greatly adorned with many rare kinds of jewels. The Venerable speaks to the Tathagata: there is a box made of the 7 precious substances, decorated with many kinds of gems. The Tathagata tells him to open it; the Venerable obeys, and opens it; when he opens, he sees that there are white relics, just like the white agate, like white snow and the white lotus. The Venerable says to the Tathagata: there are relics in the box, which have extraordinary color and beauty. The Tathagata tells him to bring the relics of the great bodhisattva here, and the Venerable Ananda take the relics and respectfully hand it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One holds the relics in his hand and speaks to the monks, do take a look at the relics of the bodhisattva who undergoes arduous activities. He then speaks in verses:

The great virtues of the Bodhisattva

Correspond with having wisdom,

He is courageous and constantly exerting efforts

And able to consummate the 6 realms

He often cultivates virtues, without stopping,

All just for the great Enlightenment.

He does not leave (the mind of) fortitude

 And his mind is never tired

Monks, you should together bow down in homage to the bodhisattva’s relics. These relics are fumed (supported) by infinite perfumes of (the precepts of) great wisdom and meditation, it is the supreme field of merits, and extremely hard to see. The monks, together with the whole assembly one-mindedly hold the palms together and respectfully bow down to those relics, praising: excellence, how rare! At this time, the Venerable Ananda walks forward to the Tathagata and bows down to his feet, saying, Blessed One, You are the great master, surpassing all, and You are venerated by all sentient beings; (then) why do you bow down to this Relics? The Blessed One says, Venerable Ananda, thanks to these Relics, the Tathagata has quickly attained Unsurpassed Enlightenment. To repay the past kindness, Buddha bows down (to the Relics). The Tathagata also says, Ananda, I will speak to you about the past story of these Relics, so that all your doubt, and the doubt of the whole assembly, will be eliminated. You should ruminate on this, and one-mindedly listen. The Venerable Ananda says: we wish to listen. May the Blessed One speak to us (about the history of these Relics)

The Blessed One says, Venerable Ananda, in the past there was a king named Great Chariot, he was very rich, having many properties; his whole stores were always abundant and filled up; his armies were strong and mighty, earning great respect from all. The king also used the Dharma to teach those who are less fortunate. The people are populous, and there were no enemies to that kingdom. The Queen gave birth to 3 sons, who were all handsome, solemn, and good-looking. The Eldest Prince was named Mahabala, the second eldest was named Mahadeba, and the youngest was Mahasatva. At this time, the king travelled to the forest, and the three Princes followed as his retinues. They were busy looking for fruit and flowers, thus, the three Princes were separated (from the king?); they wandered about the bamboo forest and rested here. The Eldest Prince said: I feel insecure, are there wild beasts in this forest who want to harm us? The second eldest Prince said: I have never held on to my body; I am just afraid of the sorrow of those who are close to me (when I am gone). The youngest Prince said to his two Elder brothers:

This is the dwelling place of fairies

I am not afraid, not even of the suffering

Caused by being separated from my loved ones

My body and mind

Are suffused with great bliss

This is the sign that there will be

Supreme and Distinctive merits and virtues

(To be acquired)

When the three Princes had spoken about their feelings and premonitions, they walked forward, and saw a tiger which had just given birth to 7 cubs. Since the mother tiger had just given birth (to the cubs), and was surrounded by its youngsters, it suffered greatly from thirst and hunger; its body was thin and emaciated, as if about to die. The first Prince said: this tiger is really pitiful, since it was surrounded by its youngsters, and was unable to look for food. It must be so hungry that it might even eat its cubs. The Satva Prince asked his brother, what does this mother tiger often eat? The Eldest one spoke to him:

Tigers, leopards, wolves and lions

Only eat hot-blooded creatures

And nothing else

To overcome this hunger

When the second eldest Prince heard this, he said: this tiger is about to die, but how can we look for the food like what you have said? Who wants to give up one’s life for the sake of this tiger (his predicament)? The Eldest Prince said: There is nothing harder than giving up one’s life. The Satva Prince said, we hold on to this life, and have no wisdom, not being able to give anyone else some benefits. However, the great bodhisattvas have the heart of compassion, often giving up one’s life for the sake of others. The Prince Satva then thought to himself, this body of mind has been thrown away and left to rot for hundreds of thousands of eons, yet not bringing about a single benefit to anyone, why may I not give up this life to save the tigress from hunger. All the 3 (2?) Princes, having spoken the above words, showed great pity and worry for the hungry tigress, they looked at the tigress, not knowing what to do and so they left. However, the Satva Prince thought to himself incessantly: now is just the time for me to abandon this body. Why?

Since a long time ago in the past

I have held on to this body

The body is which belching and impure

I am unable to love it

I have offered beds to lie on

Together with clothes, chariots

And all kinds of precious items

Yet this body still decays,

Because it is impermanent

One is unable to be satisfied

With what one wishes (to have for this body)

And even if one holds on to this body

It still perishes.

I nourish it so

And now, it still comes back to harm me

And then abandons me,

Not knowing anything about gratitude!

Moreover, this body is not permanent; it is useless to me. This body is as fearful as the enemy, as stained and impure as manure. Today, I command it to work for a great cause. In the great sea of birth and death, it must be the great vessel. It must abandon cyclic existence and reach liberation. The prince also thought: when one abandons this body, one also abandons much sickness and terrors. This body only has decomposition. It is as fragile as water bubbles. It is the gathering place of worms and maggots; it lives only because of the connections between ligaments, bones, blood and veins. As such, I should abandon it, to pray for the Supreme Nirvana and the great salvation. In there, one forever abandons impermanence, birth-death and the suffering of cyclic existence. That place is cultivated by the might that comes from meditation and wisdom, solemn with hundreds of virtues and merits. That place consummates the Supreme Knowledge, attaining the miraculous Dharma body. When one has accomplished and attained such qualities, one then give to sentient beings boundless joy that comes from the Dharma. The Prince Satva at this time generated the thought of great courage and strength; he made great vows, and fortified himself (his mind) with great compassion. However, he was afraid that his two brothers might grow attached and worried, and thus stop him. Thus, he said, my two brothers please go first, and I will follow awhile. The Prince Mahasatva then returned to the forest, to the place where the hunger tigress was; he then took off his clothes and hang them on the bamboo trees and make a vow:

For the sake of sentient beings

As numerous as contained in the whole worlds

I pray for the Unsurpassed Enlightenment

And great Wisdom

I now generate the thought of great compassion,

Which is unswerving

And I will abandon the body

That the lay people held on to.

The Bodhi place is free from all heat

Whoever is wise likes It much.

All kinds of sentient beings,

Who are in the great sea of sufferings

May I liberate them,

And raise them to Enlightenment.

When the Prince has made those vows, he then lay prostrate in front of the tigress. However, the might of great compassion of the bodhisattva prevented the tigress from doing anything. Seeing so, the bodhisattva then ran to a high mountain top and threw himself down, yet still he did not die; it was due to the support of gods and fairies. The Prince thought, the tigress must be really hungry, thus it cannot even devour me. He stood up and looked for a knife, but could not find any. He then took dry bamboo sticks and stabbed through his throat to bleed himself, and walked to the place of the tiger. At this time, the great earth trembled in six ways, just like the wind agitating the water, the earth shook up and down continuously. The sun did not shine, just as if it had been covered by Rakula. Everywhere, there was darkness, without any light. The devas scattered renowned flowers and wondrous perfumes all over the forests. In mid space, when they saw such scenes, they praised: How rare and benign, great being! They spoke in the following verses:

The great one has generated great compassion

To save the animals,

He looks at all sentient beings

Just like his only child;

Strong and rejoiced

He does not regret

Giving up his life,

This is truly inconceivable and hard to measure

You will definitely reach

The supreme permanent truth

And be released from cyclic existence

Together with all its bonds;

You will quickly attain

The supreme Knowledge of Enlightenment,

Which is quiet and peaceful-

Appearing the state of Non-birth

At this time, when the tigress sensed the blood that trickled from the neck of the Bodhisattva, it licked the blood, and ate the flesh of the bodhisattva, only leaving behind bones

When the Eldest Prince saw the earth trembling, he spoke to his brother:

The great continent, mountains and rivers

All trembled together

All four directions, there is no light

Not seeing the sun rays

Heavenly flowers fell down

All over the space

This must be the sign

Of our youngest giving up his life

.

When the second eldest Prince heard his brother, he spoke the following verses

I heard our youngest

Speak kind words of compassion

When he saw the hungry tigress

With its pale and thin body

Hunger tormented it

It must have nearly eaten its cubs

I suspect that our brother,

Has given up his life.

 The second Prince was devastated, grieved and cried out in lamentation. They immediately travelled to the place where the tigers were. When they reached there, they saw the clothes of their youngest brother hanging on the bamboo trees, while bones and hair were scattered all over, and blood stained the whole ground red. Upon seeing this, they fainted, uncontrollably, They fell down to the bones of their youngest brother, and only regained consciousness after a while. They raised their arms, cried out and lamented:

My brother has great appearance, good signs

Our parents love him the most

Why, we arrived here as 3 people

And now, he abandoned us, never to return!

If our parents should ask,

How are we to reply?

Rather that we also kill ourselves

What use is there to live?

While the two princes cried out in lamentation, and decided to return home, the retinues of the youngest prince said to one another, where is the Prince? We must look for him!

As for the queen, who was sleeping on a high platform, she saw many unusual phenomenons in her dream: she saw that her breasts have been cut off, and all her teeth were dislodged (from their cavities). And that there are 3 doves, one was captured and killed, the other 2 was terrified. When the tremor occurred, she woke up, bearing great sorrow in her blossom:

Why is there such a great tremor today?

The whole continent shook,

The rivers and forests were all shifting

The sun became pitch black

As if covered by something,

My eyes are twitching, and my chest is moving

These are abnormal (compared to daily phenomenon)?

My heart was as if struck by an arrow

Of great fear and impatience,

My whole body is trembling uncontrollably

The unusual phenomenons that I dreamed of,

Must have indicated some extraordinary incident!

From the breasts of the queen there flowed milk. She was certain that there must be something amidst. At this time, when the female messengers have heard those from the outside saying that they could not find the prince, she was terrified, and immediately rushed to the queen, saying: Your Majesty, you should know that outside, the people are running in great disorder to look for the prince, yet could not find him. When the queen heard this, she became even more worried, and her eyes were full of tears; she approached to the king and say: Great king, I heard those outside say that our youngest- the one we love the most- has been lost. The King was in great shock when he heard this, and he cried: This is too much; I have lost my dear child. However, he washed away his tears and said to the Queen: Benign Sustainer, do not cry any more. We should together go to look for our dear child. After that, he, together with the queen and the people exit the castle and spread out to look (for the Prince) everywhere. After a while, a great minister came up, and said: I heard that the Princes are still alive, pray Your Highness worry not. Only the youngest prince is yet to be found. The king having heard just that, lament- I am wretched, my poor child, I have lost the child I love the most!

When I have just had a son

I was happy for a little

Now that I have lost my son

I suffer much

Whoever can revive my son,

Even if I lost my life

I am willing to.

When the Queen has heard such words, she appeared as if struck by an arrow, and she lamented

I had 3 sons, together with their retinues

They went to the forest

To enjoy the scenery

Now my youngest, he alone did not return

There must be something amidst!

When the second Minister approached the king, the king immediately enquired him: where is my son? The great minister was full of misery and sorrow, his tongue was dry, and his throat hurt, he was speechless, not knowing how to reply. The queen said:

Great Minister, please quickly say

Where is my son?

My whole body is set ablaze

I am terrified and in great panic

I have no patience left

Do not let my stomach burst!

The great Minister had no choice but to recount the story of the prince giving up his life. When the king and queen have listened, they felt great unbearable sorrow, and they ran to the place where the Prince gave up his life- to the bamboo forests where the bodhisattva abandoned his life. When they see the bones scattered all over the place, they also fell to the ground, as if they were struck dead. They are like a great tree that has been uprooted by the wind. They passed out, and only regained consciousness when the great Minister spray water on them. They spread their arms wide, cry out and lament:

A disaster has befallen on you

You are very beautiful!

Why has death come to you first?

I would rather see my own death before you,

So as not to see such great misery as this!

When the queen regained consciousness, her hair was disheveled; her two hands beat at her own stomach and lay writhing on the ground. Just like a fish away from the water, like a cow losing her calf, the queen was greatly depressed:

Who has killed my son?

There are only bones remaining.

Now that I have lost my dear child

I am in great unendurable distress!

Who has killed my son?

And created this misery

My heart is not made of Vajra

How can it not break into pieces!

In my dream, I saw my two breasts cut off

My teeth also fell off.

And now I was suffering so much!

I also dreamed of 3 doves

One was taken away and killed

Now I know reason,

My son was killed

The nightmare was not false!

At this time, the king, together with the queen and his two sons, everyone was crying in lamentation, they left behind their strings of pearls. Together with the people, they collected the relics of Bodhisattvas, and placed them in a stupa to make offering. Venerable Ananda, you should know, these are the relics of that Bodhisattva

The Blessed One says to the Venerable Ananda, in the past, when the Tathagata still had (some remnants of) greed, hatred and ignorance, together with all kinds of defilement, yet (even on these 5 evil paths), the Tathagata still salvaged sentient beings (from those realms), depending on their particular predicaments and circumstances; there is no need to speak of the Tathagata now, when I have uprooted all defilements, all past habits having been eliminated, and become the Master of human and devas, Knower of the world, how much more do I wish to benefit them now? I am willing to help each individual sentient beings, willing to live in hell and other realms for many eons on their behalf (so that they will not suffer), and liberate them from birth-death, defilement and cyclic existence. At this time, the Tathagata wants to repeat what he has said in verses:

I remembered in the past

Countless of eons ago

I was kings, and also princes.

I have often done great acts of offering

Even giving away my own life

And pray to become liberated from birth-death

To approach the Great Enlightenment.

In the past there was a great kingdom

The king was called Great Chariot,

And the prince was named Great Strength

He courageously gave offering

The Prince had two brothers

Great Skills and Great Heaven

The three brothers embarked on a journey

And gradually they entered a forest

Where they saw a tiger, which was suffering from hunger

They thought: this tigress was tormented by hunger

And it had nothing to eat.

The great bodhisattva upon seeing this

Feared that the tigress might even devour its cubs

As such, he gave up his life,

To save both mother and child.

The great continent and mountains

All tremble at the same time

Water in rivers and ocean also boiled up

Waves grew fierce and the river flowed

In opposite directions

The earth lost its light

And there was darkness everywhere

Beasts and animals dwelling in the forests

Also flew from their lairs

The other two Princes, not seeing their brother

Were troubled and devastated

They together with their retinues

Looked for him everywhere in the forest

The two brothers discussed with each other

Let us go back to the mountain far away

They looked around and saw no sign of him

What they saw was just the tigress

And its 7 cubs, their snouts smeared by blood

While the heap of bones and hair

Was scattered everywhere

They also saw blood dripping

From the jungle’s trees

And they were terrified.

They fell down to the ground

And was unconscious, not knowing anything.

Their bodies were soiled with dirt

And there senses lost their consciousness.

The retinues of the two princes

Cried out and remained in great fear,

They took the water and sprayed on the princes

And shook their arms to the sky

Cried out and shouted in lamentation.

At the same time as when the bodhisattva

Gave up his life, the mother in the palace

Together with 500 female servants

Was still enjoying bliss

Suddenly, from the Queen’s two breasts

Milk flew out,

Her body was as if punctured by needles

Which was greatly painful and uncomfortable.

Suddenly, she thought of losing her son

She was terrified, as if her heart was struck

With an arrow

She immediately came to the king

And told him the suffering she was enduring.

She bursted into tears and was unable to calm down

And heart-rendingly spoke to the king

Your Highness, please know that I am in great misery

From my breasts suddenly flows out water

And I could not stop it.

My whole body was as if punctured

My body was ablaze, and my stomach

Is almost ready to burst.

The evil premonition of that nightmare

Must have indicated that I would lose my son

Pray the king, please save me

And order people to look for him.

I dreamed of 3 doves

The youngest one was my favorite

Suddenly, it was snatched away and killed

And I was indescribably sorrowful.

I was flooded with fear and terror

Quickly arriving death

I fear that the prince is no longer alive

Pray the king, please quickly go and look for him.

When I heard others say that

My youngest was nowhere to be found

I was uneasy

Pray the king please sympathize with me!

When the Queen has spoken to the King

Her whole body crashed to the ground,

In great pain, she fainted

And lost consciousness, not knowing anything

When the female servants saw the Queen faint,

They let out a piteous cry

As they lost their balance, and also a support.

When the King has heard the Queen say so

He was greatly worried and agitated

Then, he ordered to soldiers

To look for his most beloved son.

The king and his retinues exit the castle

And divided themselves into groups

To look for the Prince

Whoever they saw, they ask:

Do you see the Prince?

Is the Prince still alive?

Where did he go?

How can I find him, and make my heart rest easy.

(And liberate me from all fear)

Everyone heard the rumor

That the Prince is dead.

Whoever heard that was in great pain and sympathy

They can hardly control their pain and sorrow.

At this time, the Great Chariot king

Stood up and cried out

And arrived at the place

Where the Queen was (unconscious)

And spray water on her body.

After a long time, when she was sprayed with water

She came round, and cried out, asking the King

Is my son still alive?

The King said to the Queen:

I have ordered people to travel

To 4 directions to look for the Prince

Yet I have heard no news.

The King then said to the Queen:

You should not be too worried,

Try to keep calm a little

So we can go together and look for him.

The king and the queen travelled by a chariot

Uttering great yells of despair

They were worried, as if their body were burnt.

Thousands of the king’s people

Also travelled with the king,

They also wish to find the Prince,

Their lamentation was incessant.

The King tried to look for his son,

And looked to the 4 directions,

As he saw a person, walking towards him

That person’s body was covered with blood

And his hair was let loose.

His body was soiled by dust.

He was crying and walking in the opposite direction.

When the king saw this evil sign

He became more distressed and uneasy.

He raised both his arms and shouted uncontrollably.

The first great Minister

Quickly went near the king,

And tried to comfort the king, saying:

Your Majesty, please do not be so distressed,

Your most beloved son has yet been found,

But maybe after in a while, he will arrive

And disperse your worries.

The king kept on moving, and saw the second Minister.

This person went to the king

With tears trickling down from his eyes, he said

The two Prince are still alive,

But they are greatly troubled.

As for the third Prince,

He had been devoured

By impermanence.

A hungry tigress gave birth to its cubs

And was about to eat them.

When the Prince Satva saw this,

He loved and pitied them,

Wishing to attain the Unsurpassed method

And salvage all sentient beings.

His mind was intent on the great Enlightenment

As deep and wide as the sea.

Thus, he climbed on top of a mountain,

And tried to tumble down

In front of the hungry tigress

Since the tigress was too weak,

It could not grab and devour the Prince,

The Prince then used bamboos

And inflicted a wound on his neck

Letting our blood.

The Tigress licked his blood, and ate him

Now what remained are just bones.

When the King and the Queen heard this

They faint (right there),

And great love and sorrow filled their hearts,

In the great blazing fire of defilement.

The great Minister used perfumed water

To scatter on the King and the Queen.

When they came round, they again shouted out

And used their fists to beat on their chests.

The third Minister said as followed to the king:

I have discovered the 2 Princes

Who have fainted in the forest.

I have used cool water to spray on them,

Thanks to that, they regained consciousness,

And looked to 4 sides

Saw it as if it were consumed by fire.

Thus, he fell again while making an attempt

To stand up, they cried out ceaselessly.

Raising both their arms and said,

My younger brother is rare.

When the King heard this,

He became even more worried.

While the mother shrieked out

And lamented as followed:

How I love my youngest son,

Now, he has been devoured by demons!

Though my two elder sons are still alive

They are burnt by the fire of sorrow.

I must quickly go under that mountain,

And console them, to save their lives.

The Queen immediately drove there,

Wishing to quickly come to the place

Her youngest son had given up his life.

On the way, she saw her sons

Crying while walking, and beat about their stomachs

They lost all refined gait, and in deep despair.

When the parents see them thus,

They hugged their sons with sorrow,

And together, they went to the place

Where the youngest one gave up his life.

When they arrived at the place

The bodhisattva had given up his life,

The family cried out

With extreme pains

They took off the strings of pearls

And woefully collected

The bones of the bodhisattvas.

Then everyone made offerings together:

They took that Relic, and put It inside this box

And construct at that place

A stupa (tower) made of the 7 precious substances,

After that, they came back to the castle

With great despair.

Venerable Ananda,

The past Satva

Is Me now, Sakyamuni,

Do not think as of anyone else.

The king is The Pure Brahma,

The queen is Maya,

The Eldest Prince is Compassionate views (Từ thị)

And the second eldest is Manjushri

The Tigress is the Great Lord of the world

5 cubs: the 5 monks

Another is Mahamagkashyapa (Mục kiền liên)

Another is Sariputra.

The Tathagata speaks of the old story

For the assembly to know

That one should benefit others

That is the practice of a bodhisattva

The cause of becoming a Buddha:

The whole assembly

Should practice as such.

When a bodhisattva gives up his life,

He made a great vow,

I vow that my bones

Will bring great benefits

To all sentient beings,

In countless lives after this.

And at this location here

Is exactly the place

Where the bodhisattva has given up his life,

It is also the place of the Stupa

Made of the 7 precious substances,

Since many eons have passed

It has been buried deep in the ground.

Thanks to the might of the past great vow,

That I will salvage sentient beings

Depending on suitable conditions

As such, this treasure tower appears

To benefit all human and devas

.

When the Tathagata speaks of this story, the whole assembly, including countless human and devas, everyone was greatly moved and sad, they praise and rejoice, saying that it is a rare phenomenon, and they together generated the thought of Unsurpassed Enlightenment. The Tathagata speaks to the Bodhi Upholding goddess: The Tathagata respectfully bowed to repay the past kindness. Having said so, Buddha withdrew His power, and the treasure tower came back to earth.