佛說天王太子辟羅經
Sutra on the Heavenly King's Prince Pilo Spoken by the Buddha
僧祐錄云關中異經今附秦錄
Recorded by Sengyou as an Unverified Sutra from Guanzhong, now appended to the Qin Catalog
聞如是：
This is what I heard:
一時佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。天王太子，名曰辟羅，飛從天來，下至佛所，五體投地，稽首足下，却叉手住，問佛言：「普世之人，皆求衣食，七寶諸樂，官爵國土，寧有寶行求人不乎？」世尊歎曰：「大哉問也！亦有國土、珍寶、諸欲行求索人。」
Once, the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove, in Anathapindika's Park in the kingdom of Shravasti. A heavenly prince named Pira descended from the heavens, flew to the place where the Buddha was, prostrated himself fully on the ground, touched his head to the Buddha's feet, then stood up with his palms together and asked the Buddha: "All people in the world seek food, clothing, the seven treasures, pleasures, official positions, and kingdoms. Is there any treasure or action that seeks after people?"
The World-Honored One praised him, saying: "This is a great question! Indeed, there are also kingdoms, treasures, and various desires that seek after people."
辟羅又曰：「可意之願行求人者，其義云何？」世尊即曰：「凡有二行——行善有福，行惡有殃——殃福追人，猶影隨形。」
Pi Luo asked, "What is the meaning of someone who follows desires that are pleasant?"
The World-Honored One replied: "There are two kinds of actions: doing good brings blessings, doing evil brings misfortune. Misfortune and blessings follow a person just like a shadow follows its form."
辟羅言：「善哉，善哉！實如佛教。惟我前世，處世為王，念命無常，意欲布施，群臣普會，王曰：『吾欲作大鼓，令其音震聞百里，能有為之者乎？』眾臣僉曰：『臣等無能為者。』有一臣名曰匡上，常忠於上，慈濟國民，前對曰：『臣能為之，當須資費。』王曰：『大善！』即開藏付之。因輦寶於王宮門，鳴鼓令之：『今天仁之王施無蓋慈，欲濟黎民之窮乏，供道士之衣食；若有乏者，悉詣宮門。』四國乏者，襁負相扶填國塞路，仰天歎曰：『人民窮者，今得活哉。』
Kuang Shang said: "Excellent, excellent! Truly as the Buddha has taught. Let me tell you of my past life. I was once a king ruling this world, mindful of life's impermanence and wanting to practice generosity. I gathered all my ministers and said: 'I wish to make a great drum whose sound can be heard for a hundred miles. Is there anyone among you who can accomplish this?' All the ministers replied, 'We are not capable of such a task.' Then one minister named Kuang Shang, who was always loyal to his king and compassionate toward the people, stepped forward and said, 'I can do it, but I will need funds and resources.' The king said, 'Excellent!' and immediately opened the treasury and gave him what was needed. Kuang Shang then loaded treasure onto carts, brought it to the palace gate, and beat the drum to announce: 'Today, the benevolent king, whose compassion is boundless, wishes to relieve the poverty of the people and provide clothing and food for wandering ascetics. Anyone in need should come to the palace gate.' The poor from all four corners of the nation came, carrying their infants on their backs and supporting one another, filling the roads and crowding the land. They looked up to heaven and sighed with gratitude, saying, 'The people are impoverished, but now we have a chance to live.'"
「一歲之後，王有詔曰：『鼓成未乎？』對曰：『已成。』王言：『何故不聞其聲？』臣白言：『願明王勞屈聖體，出臨國內，聽佛法鼓，聲震十方。』王即嚴駕，出行國中。其民比肩，王曰：『民多乎！』對曰：『王前勅臣，令作大鼓，使聞百里，欲以揚德聲于四遠。臣念枯木死皮，不能揚王之德譽。臣所受寶，供沙門梵志之衣食，以濟國民之窮乏也。布告之來，四隣歸潤，猶飢子之慕慈母。』王問民曰：『爾從來乎？』民稽首曰：『百里來者，二百里、萬里外來者。』咸曰：『明王大潤，四國欣澤，是以去舊土之所生，慕潤澤以自濟也。』王曰：『善哉！吾著矣。國之不安，猶身有病，吾救之以藥，臣飼之以糜粥。』王曰：『黎民所求恣之，無啟聞矣。』
After a year had passed, the king issued a decree, asking, "Is the drum finished?" The minister replied, "It is already finished." The king said, "Then why have I not heard its sound?" The minister responded, "I humbly request that your majesty, in your grace, take a moment to come out and tour the country, so that you may hear the Dharma drum of the Buddha, whose sound vibrates throughout the ten directions." The king immediately prepared his carriage and set out to tour the land.
The people were shoulder to shoulder. The king said, "There are so many people!" The minister replied, "Your majesty previously commanded me to make a great drum so that its sound could be heard for a hundred miles, to spread your virtue far and wide. But I thought that withered wood and dead animal skin could never proclaim your majesty's virtue and renown. Instead, I used the treasures you gave me to provide food and clothing for wandering monks and ascetics, and to relieve the poverty and hardship of the people in the country. As the news spread, neighboring states came to partake of your grace, just as starving children long for a loving mother."
The king asked the people, "Where have you come from?" The people bowed low and said, "Some have come from a hundred miles away, others from two hundred, and still others from ten thousand miles away." And they all said, "Your majesty's great grace pours rain across the four lands, and everyone rejoices in your nurturing kindness. So we have left our homelands, longing for the nourishment of your virtue to sustain ourselves."
The king said, "Excellent! Now I understand. If a country is troubled, it is like a body that is ill. I treat it with medicine, and my minister feeds it with nourishing broth." Then the king proclaimed, "Whatever the people seek, they may be given. There is no need to seek my permission."
「王後壽終，魂靈上生天上，作天妙王。天上壽盡，下生世間，位為飛行皇帝，安所出入，七寶飛行，導從前後。今復上天為天王太子。所以然者，自身持戒，覆濟眾生之所致也。奉佛教戒，正身心行，無不獲其福者矣。」
After the king passed away, his spirit ascended to heaven and became a wondrous heavenly king. When his time in heaven ended, he was reborn in the human world as a universal monarch, a wheel-turning king. Wherever he traveled, seven precious treasures accompanied him, guiding his way before and behind. Now he has returned to heaven to be a heavenly prince. The reason for this is that he upheld moral precepts himself and protected and aided countless beings. Those who follow the Buddha's teachings and observe his precepts, rectifying their bodies and minds in conduct, will never fail to reap the blessings.
佛告辟羅：「凡人作行，譬若影之隨身，響之應聲，無不報答矣。」
The Buddha addressed Pi Luo, saying: "The actions of ordinary people are like a shadow following the body, or an echo responding to a sound—there is nothing that goes without a result."
辟羅歡喜，作禮而去。
Pilu rejoiced, paid homage, and departed.
佛說天王太子辟羅經
Sutra on the Heavenly King's Prince Pilo Spoken by the Buddha