本起該容品第八
Chapter 8: The Origin of Adornments
爾時，如來與比丘僧千二百五十人俱，從舍衛祇洹，遊於拘藍尼國美音精廬，足蹈門閫，天地震動，珠璣樂器，不鼓自鳴，蠱毒隱伏，吉瑞和清。當爾日也，境界人民，靡不敬肅渴仰世尊。是時國王，名曰優填，強暴侵剋，開納佞言，躭荒女樂，疑網自沈。又置大夫人二人，左右番上，二后姿容一國少雙。左夫人字照堂，為人憍慠，唯惡是從，讒疾賢良，譖入無厭。右夫人字該容，執行仁愛，虔敬肅恭，清素約己，文不加身。王珍其操，每事私焉。照堂懷嫉，譖之至深，王察其行，不納其言。
At that time, the Tathāgata (Thus-Come One) journeyed from the Jetavana Grove in Śrāvastī, accompanied by a community of twelve hundred and fifty monks, and arrived at the beautiful dwelling of the park in the land of Kalandanī. He stepped across the threshold; heaven and earth trembled. Jewels and musical instruments played on their own, without being struck. Poisons and plagues hid themselves away. Auspicious signs and peaceful harmony pervaded all. On that day, the people throughout the land were filled with reverence, drawn in admiration to the World-Honored One.
At that time, the king of the land was named Udayana. He was violent and oppressive, listening only to flattery. He indulged in women and music, and sunk himself deeper into a web of doubt. The king kept two primary queens, who took turns attending him in the palace. The beauty of both was unparalleled in all the land. The queen on the left was named Zhaotang (Shining Hall). She was arrogant and stubborn, delighting only in evil deeds. She slandered the worthy and virtuous, and her jealousy knew no bounds. The queen on the right was named Gairong (Virtuous Countenance). She practiced kindness and compassion, was respectful and reverent, lived simply, controlled herself, and never adorned herself with finery. The king treasured her virtue and held her close in private affairs. Zhaotang burned with jealousy and slandered Gairong bitterly. But the king, understanding Gairong's true conduct, refused to listen.
該容有長老青衣，名曰度勝，恒行市香。因歸問訊，路由精舍，每過修敬，減省香錢，合集寄聚，便行飯佛及比丘僧。佛為說法，書心不忘。施訖還宮，過肆取香，因此功福，本行所追，香氣熏聞斤兩倍常。詰問理窮，任實首情，每減香錢，飯佛及僧，法深義妙，非世所聞。該容聞說佛聲，悚然心歡喜自念曰：「吾心喜踊，何因得聞無量法乎？」即告度勝：「試為我說。」度勝白曰：「身賤口穢，不敢便宣如來尊言。乞行詣佛，受勅而還。」便遣出宮，重告之曰：「具受儀式！」度勝未還，夫人、侍女側息中庭。佛告度勝：「汝還說法，多有度者。說法之儀，先施高座。」度勝受勅，具宣聖旨。該容欣悅，開笥出衣，積為高座，承佛威神，如應說法。夫人該容，及諸侍女，疑解破惡，得道溝港。度勝應時，逮得總持。
Old Ga Rong had a servant named Du Sheng, whose job was to sell incense on the market. One day, on her way home to pay respects, Du Sheng passed by a monastery. Every time she passed by, she would stop to offer reverence. She saved a little from the incense money she was given, collected it bit by bit, and eventually used it to make offerings to the Buddha and the monastic community. The Buddha taught the Dharma to her, and she kept it in her heart without forgetting.
After making her offerings, she returned to the palace and went to the shop to collect incense to sell. Because of the merit and good fortune from her actions, her spiritual practice caught up with her: the fragrance of the incense she handled was doubled, and its weight was also doubled from the norm. When questioned, she was forced to explain the situation and honestly told the truth—that she had been saving some of the incense money each time to make offerings to the Buddha and the monks. She added that the Dharma the Buddha taught was profound and wonderful, unlike anything in this world.
When Old Ga Rong heard the Buddha’s name mentioned, she was startled, and her heart filled with joy. She thought to herself: "My heart is leaping with happiness! How can I hear the boundless Dharma myself?" So she said to Du Sheng: "Please try to teach it to me."
Du Sheng replied: "I am a lowly servant with an impure mouth. I dare not freely proclaim the revered words of the Tathagata. Please allow me to go to the Buddha, receive his instruction, and then return."
So Ga Rong sent Du Sheng out of the palace, instructing her solemnly: "Learn the full ritual and procedure!" While Du Sheng was still away, Lady Ga Rong and her maidservants stood in the courtyard, barely daring to breathe, waiting.
The Buddha said to Du Sheng: "You return and teach the Dharma, for many will be liberated by it. The proper protocol for teaching the Dharma is to first arrange a high seat." Du Sheng received the Buddha's command and fully relayed his sacred instruction.
Lady Ga Rong was overjoyed. She opened her chest and took out cloth, piling it up to make a high seat. Relying on the Buddha's spiritual power, Du Sheng taught the Dharma accordingly. Lady Ga Rong, along with all her maidservants, had their doubts resolved, their evil tendencies broken, and they attained the first stage of enlightenment—the stream-enterer. At that very moment, Du Sheng also attained the stage of dharani, the power of retaining all the teachings.
照堂恊恨，妬憤內發，數譖非一。王反辱曰：「汝輩妖蠱，言不及義，彼人操行，執節可貴。」照堂心忌，猶欲害之。密白王曰：「恒遣青衣，往來佛所，情蕩外交，志溢邪趣。妾實修良，忠直見忽。」數譖不已，王頗惑之。照堂心謀念曰：「伺子齋日之中必矣！」伺其齋日，因勸白王：「今日之樂，宜請右夫人。」王便普召，被命皆會。該容持齋，獨不應命。反覆三召，執節不移。王怒隆盛，遣人拽出，縛置殿前，將欲射殺。該容不怖，一心歸佛。王自射之，箭還向己，後射輒還。王時大懅，惶怖解焉，而問之曰：「汝有何術，乃致是耶？」夫人對曰：「唯事如來，歸命三尊，朝奉佛齋，過中不飡，加行八事，飾不近身。必是世尊哀顧若茲！」王曰：「善哉！豈可言不？當詣精舍，覲見表虔。」
會有敵國興兵入界，彼眾強盛，王自出征，顧命梵志，名曰吉星，權領國政。照堂喜曰：「吾父領政，殺子必矣。」王去之後，女與父謀，燒殺該容及其侍女，詐言失火，謂可掩塞。事會發露，王大恚之，斥徙吉星，捐弃於外，以其道士故全其命；照堂等輩，幽之地窟；推逐邪道，廣闡佛法。
A foreign enemy invaded the kingdom with a powerful army. The king himself led the expedition, entrusting the state to a Brahmin named Auspicious Star to govern in his absence. Palaces' Heiress rejoiced, saying, "If my father is in charge, he will surely kill him." After the king departed, the princess conspired with her father to burn Garment and her serving maids to death, then claimed it was an accident, hoping to cover it up. But the truth came to light. The king was furious, banishing Auspicious Star and exiling him abroad—sparing his life only because he was a spiritual practitioner. Palaces' Heiress and her accomplices were imprisoned in a dungeon. The king then drove out heretical teachings and widely promoted the Buddha's Dharma.
諸比丘退席白佛言：「王后該容，及其侍女，精進乃爾，見諦得道，不審何罪遇此火害？唯願世尊，彰告未聞。」佛告比丘：「過去有城，名波羅奈，有婬女五百人，延致輕薄，以自供濟。世有辟支佛，名曰迦羅，教化人民，令持五戒，舉國士女，歸心師焉。」諸女恚曰：「此人奚來，斷吾賓客。」咸共興恚，謀圖毀害。後日迦羅復入其聚，諸女同忿，皆以火爐，打撲迦羅，舉身焦爛，無所悔恨。便現神足，飛升虛空，眾女驚怖泣淚悔過，長跪舉頭而陳情曰：「女子憃憨，不識至真，群愚荒憨，毀辱神靈。自惟過舋，罪惡若山，願降神德，以消重殃。」尋聲即下，而般泥洹。諸女起塔，供養舍利。
世尊又曰：「于彼婬女，該容等是也。罪福追人，久無不彰。」說是法時，國內大小，信伏歡喜，咸歸三尊，受戒而退。佛與比丘，還到舍衛，止頓祇洹。
The World-Honored One then said, "As for that courtesan, she represents all such people. Good and evil deeds follow a person, and eventually nothing remains hidden." As this teaching was given, people throughout the kingdom—both high and low—felt faithful and joyful. They all took refuge in the Three Treasures, received the precepts, and respectfully withdrew. The Buddha and his monks then returned to Shravasti and stayed at Jeta Grove.