Toh 314 — Entry into the Gloomy Forest

F.163.b Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. At that time there was a brahmin named Kambala from a mountain village in the country known as Trigarta. Desiring a son for himself and his kinsmen, Kambala undertook austerities at a place called Brahmin’s Flat Stone. F.164.a After praying to one hundred thousand gods for a son, he eventually had a boy whom he called Pradarśa. To his brother was born another boy, who was called Nanda. On the very day Pradarśa was born, five hundred sons were born to five hundred brahmins. As they gradually grew older, Pradarśa and the five hundred other boys trained together in the traditional subjects of learning. Soon Pradarśa and the others attained mastery and dexterity in all fields of learning, and they obtained a hundred thousand exceptional enjoyments due to their perfect accumulations of merit.

At that time, a brahmin youth arrived from the Middle Country and encountered the boys. Welcoming him, the boys struck up a conversation and asked, “So, where have you arrived from?”

“I’m from the Middle Country,” he replied. “There we have six great cities, and in them we have eighteen teachers who are experts in the six correct forms of knowledge and who can lecture without any reticence on the six activities of a brahmin.^[1] There is also a river there. Additionally, there is someone with a great amount of merit who is virtuous and glorious and who knows everything about the world—he is the blessed Buddha.”

As soon as Pradarśa heard this, his hair bristled and his mind became overjoyed. Thinking that he must go there, he approached his father and announced, “Father, I will go to the Middle Country. I will defeat those with heretical views and debate those regarded as experts.” His father granted him permission.

Pradarśa possessed a majestic presence due to the great merit resulting from generosity, and he was exceedingly generous toward all beings. He was a person protected by the gods. Accordingly, the gods approached him and went ahead to announce, “You must worship the great Pradarśa! It will bring you great results in the form of many benefits!” F.164.b

In turn, with gods and humans worshiping him, Pradarśa arrived at Śrāvastī. Having recuperated^[2] from the fatigue of his journey, he went to where the Blessed One was dwelling and, bowing his head at the feet of the Blessed One, took his place to one side.

The Blessed One then taught the Dharma to Pradarśa and the rest of the assembly. All five hundred members of the assembly^[3] had their clinging to false views undermined and destroyed, and seeing the truth, they went forth and took up monkhood on the spot. Apart from Ānanda,^[4] they all vanquished their mental afflictions and became worthy ones. A multitude of other people also came to understand the Dharma.

Because they had been observing the generous^[5] Pradarśa, the gods and others also arrived in the assembly. Upon their arrival, the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, among my monks and the hearers who are monks—however they may be worshiped by gods and humans—the monk Pradarśa is the supreme object of worship by gods and humans!”

Immediately thereupon, Brahmā, the lord of the Sahā world; Śakra, chief of the gods; the Four Guardians of the World; the twenty-eight great yakṣa generals; the king of gandharvas; the general of the kumbhāṇḍas; and others departed from their respective abodes and arrived before the venerable great Pradarśa.

Taking their places to one side, they faced Pradarśa, joined their hands, and said, “Honorable great Pradarśa! There is an abode that was visited and inhabited by previous blessed, perfect buddhas. It was an abode for solitary buddhas, a place for those devoid of desire, and an abode for sages. Ninety-one eons ago, the perfect Buddha Vipaśyin, having ascertained the nature of things, appeared in the world. F.165.a At that time, there was a monk named Shining, who was the most highly revered by gods and humans. He also resided in this place. On the northern border of the Middle Country, there was Mount Conch Spire, so called because on it grew grass that resembled the spire of a conch.^[6] Nearby was the Eni Forest,^[7] so called because the nāga lady Eni resided therein. In that forest there were caves around which trumpet flower trees grew, and so they were called Pāṭalī Caves. It was there that the blessed, perfect Buddha Vipaśyin arrived and resided along with his retinue of eighty thousand worthy ones. The monk Shining was also there. Then the Blessed One and his retinue gradually passed into nirvāṇa. Once his teaching had disappeared, seventy thousand solitary buddhas who were endowed with the six forms of superknowledge arrived and resided together. When those solitary buddhas had also passed into nirvāṇa, sixty thousand sages who were endowed with the five forms of superknowledge came to inhabit that same place.

“Honorable great Pradarśa, thereafter, sixty-one eons ago, the blessed, perfect Buddha Śikhin appeared in the world. His monk named Luminosity, who was the most highly revered by gods and humans, also resided in that very place. Because the bordering mountain had rohita grass growing on it,^[8] it was called Mount Rohita. The forest was called Unclothed Forest because the nāga lady Unclothed resided there. Because parrot trees grew nearby, the caves were called Parrot Tree Caves. It was there that the perfect Buddha Śikhin, along with his retinue of seventy thousand worthy ones, arrived and resided together. They too passed into nirvāṇa, and the teaching disappeared. Then, sixty thousand solitary buddhas F.165.b arrived and resided in that place. When those solitary buddhas had also passed into nirvāṇa, fifty thousand sages who were endowed with the five forms of superknowledge came to inhabit that same place.

“Honorable great Pradarśa, thereafter, thirty-one eons ago, the perfect Buddha Viśvabhū appeared in the world. His monk named Shining Forth Dharma, who was the most highly revered by gods and humans, also resided in that very place. Because the bordering mountain had bhasabha^[9] grass growing on it, it was called Mount Bhasabha. The forest was called Rock Forest because the nāga lady Rock resided there. Because pipal trees grew nearby, the caves were called Pipal Tree Caves. It was there that the perfect Buddha Viśvabhū, along with his retinue of sixty thousand worthy ones, arrived and resided together. They too passed into nirvāṇa, and the teaching disappeared. Then, fifty thousand solitary buddhas also arrived and resided there. When those solitary buddhas had also passed into nirvāṇa, forty thousand sages who were endowed with the five forms of superknowledge came to inhabit the place.

“Here, honorable great Pradarśa, during this very Excellent Eon when the lifespan of humans was forty thousand years, the perfect Buddha Krakucchanda appeared in the world. His monk named Dharma Endowed, who was the most highly revered by gods and humans, also resided in that very place. Because the bordering mountain had kauśika grass growing on it,^[10] it was called Mount Kauśika. The forest was called Cloud Forest because a nāga lady named Cloud resided there. Because the cluster fig tree grew nearby, the caves were called Cluster Fig Caves. It was there that the perfect Buddha Krakucchanda, along with his retinue of fifty thousand worthy ones, arrived and resided together. They too passed into nirvāṇa, and thirty thousand sages who were endowed with the five forms of superknowledge F.166.a came to inhabit the place.^[11]

“Here, honorable great Pradarśa, during this very Excellent Eon when the lifespan of humans was thirty thousand years, the perfect Buddha Kanakamuni appeared in the world. His monk named Uplifted by Dharma, who was the most highly revered by gods and humans, also resided in that very place. Because the bordering mountain had green leafy grass growing on it, it was called Mount Leafy Green. The forest was called Drop Forest because the nāga lady named Drop resided there. Because elephant trees grew nearby, the caves were called Elephant Tree Caves. It was there that the perfect Buddha Kanakamuni, along with his retinue of forty thousand worthy ones, arrived and resided together. They too passed into nirvāṇa, and the teaching disappeared. Then, thirty thousand solitary buddhas arrived and resided there. When those solitary buddhas had also passed into nirvāṇa, twenty thousand sages who were endowed with the five forms of superknowledge came to inhabit that same place.

“Here, honorable great Pradarśa, during this very Excellent Eon when the lifespan of humans was twenty thousand years, the perfect Buddha Kāśyapa appeared in the world. His monk named Śeḍoka, who was the most highly revered by gods and humans, also resided in that very place. Because the bordering mountain had a type of grass named moon growing on it, it was called Mount Moon. The forest was called Victorious Forest because the nāga lady Victorious resided there. Because black plum trees grew nearby, the caves were called Black Plum Caves. It was there that the perfect Buddha Kāśyapa, along with his retinue of twenty thousand worthy ones, arrived and resided together. They too passed into nirvāṇa, and the teaching disappeared. Then, fifteen thousand solitary buddhas arrived and resided there. When those solitary buddhas had also passed into nirvāṇa, ten thousand sages who were endowed with the five forms of superknowledge F.166.b came to inhabit the place.

“Now, honorable great Pradarśa, during this very Excellent Eon when the lifespan of humans is one hundred years, the perfect Buddha Śākyamuni has appeared in the world. You, noble and great Pradarśa, the monk most highly revered by gods and humans, will reside in that very place. Because the bordering mountain has vetiver grass growing on it, it is called Mount Uśīra. The forest is called Gloomy Forest because the nāga lady Gloom resides there. Because mango trees grow nearby, the caves are called Mango Caves. Honorable great Pradarśa, it would be good if you, thinking compassionately, were to reside on that very Mount Uśīra.”

At this point Brahmā, Śakra who is chief of the gods, and the Guardians of the World bowed at the feet of the great elder. Joining their hands together, they respectfully addressed him, “O compassionate one, this forest is a place to which you should come and reside. Please let us be your disciples, and please accept others as well. This forest is praiseworthy and excellent. Please consider the water and extract it!”^[12]

Then the eight yakṣa generals—namely, Siṅgala, Dharma Protector, Successful, Victorious, Bull Ear, Jewel Ear, Dharma Endowed, and Uplifted by Dharma—also bowed at the feet of the great elder. Joining their hands together, they respectfully addressed him: “O compassionate one, this forest is a place to which you should come and reside. Please let us be your disciples, and please accept others as well. This forest is praiseworthy and excellent. Please consider the water and extract it!”

Then the eight great yakṣīs—namely, Aśiḍi, Many Sons, Hanging Down, F.167.a Fully Hanging, Terrible Lady, Fierce Lady, Small Club Holder, and Sky Dweller—also bowed at the feet of the great elder. Joining their hands together, they respectfully addressed him: “O compassionate one, this forest is a place to which you should come and reside. Please let us be your disciples, and please accept others as well. This forest is praiseworthy and excellent. Please consider the water and extract it!”

Similarly, the eight great nāgas—namely, Tawny, Scent, Watery, Wrathful, Staircase to Heaven, Staircase to a Vase, Nearby Nāga, and Oḍasuta—also bowed at the feet of the great elder. Joining their hands together, they respectfully addressed him: “O compassionate one, this forest is a place to which you should come and reside. Please let us be your disciples, and please accept others as well. This forest is praiseworthy and excellent. Please consider the water and extract it!”

Similarly, the eight nāga ladies—namely, Darkness, Eager to Leave, Seer, Cool, Load Carrying, Speech Strewing, Universal Army, and Gandharva Lady—also bowed at the feet of the great elder. Joining their hands together, they respectfully addressed him: “O compassionate one, this forest is a place to which you should come and reside. Please let us be your disciples, and please accept others as well. This forest is praiseworthy and excellent. Please consider the water and extract it!”

The venerable great Pradarśa, by remaining quiet, consented to this request. F.167.b And those gods, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, gandharvas, mahoragas, and so on happily rejoiced, as they knew that the venerable great Pradarśa had consented to the request by remaining quiet. The venerable great Pradarśa then gazed intently at the Teacher’s face and left for the Gloomy Forest. Arriving there, he stood in the open air and struck the gaṇḍī, the sound of which was heard by the monks as it covered the whole of Jambudvīpa. They began to think, “This sound has come from the Gloomy Forest.” This being an abode that was also inhabited by the previous perfect buddhas, by the solitary buddhas, by those without desire, and by the sages, the monks knew, understood, and saw that now the sound could only be from the honorable great Pradarśa. Eighteen thousand worthy ones then traveled to the Gloomy Forest to undertake the summer rains retreat.

Brahmā, the chief of the gods, and the Guardians of the World brought the hair and nails of the Thus-Gone One. Having arrived, they erected a reliquary containing the hair and nails. They also constructed a monastery, which was given the name Vajra Monastery. Brahmā, the lord of the Sahā world, and the Four Guardians of the World also built their own individual monasteries, and the gods resided in them for the first year. For a full year, Śakra, chief of the gods, personally offered essential supplies such as monks’ robes. Apsarases such as Blissful also offered each monk cotton cloth for their monks’ robes.

Then the venerable great Pradarśa, situated in the large assembly hall and surrounded by a retinue of gods, said, “So that this place may be habitable for a long time to come and contain cities for gods and humans, I have taught the Dharma to people such as the kṣatriya known as Tough Man, F.168.a and they have become pleased and devoted. The great king Tough Man has gone for refuge to the Three Jewels, and others have also become devotees. Work has been done on five hundred caves. Five hundred sages endowed with the five forms of superknowledge have also gone forth and achieved the realization of a worthy one. In this area, there is also a person who is an expert in the religion of the brahmins. I defeated him in debate, and he has gone forth. He too has achieved the realization of a worthy one.”^[13]

Thus, it became well known in the palaces of kings and in the cities and towns that the venerable great Pradarśa, along with eighty thousand worthy ones, resided in the Gloomy Forest. Every day, people such as King Tough Man offered buttermilk to the noble saṅgha. The nonhumans offered ghee, and others, being happy and inspired, were pleased and rejoiced and offered their service. Similarly, the nāgas, being happy and pleased, offered meals of eighteen different varieties.

Other beings also developed a similar intention. For example, the kṣatriyas and ministers cooperated to establish a park that contained many beautiful flowering and fruit-bearing trees, such as the mango tree, the trumpet flower tree, the cutch, the Indian banyan, the pipal tree, the three myrobalans, the campaka tree, the uduka tree,^[14] the licorice tree, the bel fruit tree, the braho tree,^[15] the black plum tree, the duna tree,^[16] and the banana plant. There were also flowers such as arabian jasmine, downy jasmine, and common jasmine. The rulers and ministers then offered this park to the saṅgha so that the monks would be able to live comfortably and have an abode conducive to wholesome pursuits.

Later, however, the monks came to have doubts, and so they asked the blessed Buddha, who quells all doubts, F.168.b “What action did the honorable and venerable Pradarśa previously perform so that now, as this action ripens, he is rich, wealthy, and born in a prosperous lineage, so that he is handsome and the one most highly revered by gods and humans, and so that he is endowed with a great amount of merit? Please make this known to us!”

The Blessed One responded, “O monks, ninety-one eons ago, the perfect Buddha Vipaśyin appeared in the world. He was perfect in terms of wisdom and conduct, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, a charioteer for beings, an unsurpassed being, a teacher of gods and humans, and a blessed buddha. He resided in King Bandhumat’s palace. At that time, a certain rich man from the caste of plasterers built a monastery for Vipaśyin. Landscaping it beautifully with flowers and fruit-bearing trees, the man offered the monastery, which was enveloped by pleasing scents, to Vipaśyin. He also went forth under the teaching of that very Teacher. After the perfect Buddha Vipaśyin had passed into nirvāṇa, this monk erected a precious pillar at the foundation of the reliquary that held the Buddha’s relics. The people in the retinue of this monk, who had gone forth from the caste of plasterers, rejoiced and felt admiration. Then they made the following aspiration: ‘Just as you admire the Teacher, may we too have faith and admiration. May we act according to the words of the Teacher and please him. May we not displease him.’

“O monks, what do you think? At that time, on that occasion, the person who was the plasterer is none other than the venerable great Pradarśa. Similarly, those other beings are these gods and humans present here, and now too he is guiding them.

“Moreover, he went forth under the teaching of the Blessed Kāśyapa, and his preceptor was the one who was the one most highly revered by gods and humans. He made the following aspiration: ‘Just as my preceptor is the one most highly revered by gods and humans, may I too, under the teaching of the perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, F.169.a become the one most highly revered by gods and humans.’ For that reason, he has now become the one most highly revered by gods and humans.

“Therefore, O monks, the ripening of thoroughly black deeds is thoroughly black. The ripening of truly white deeds is white. The ripening of mixed deeds is mixed. For that reason, O monks, abandon truly black deeds and mixed deeds. You must carry out those deeds that are truly white. Monks, you should train in this way!”

When the Blessed One had said this, the monks contemplated the Blessed One’s speech and were pleased.