Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamasūtra) (Four)

King Śuddhodana Pays Homage to the World-Honored One

All the people of the world, including all sentient beings throughout the three realms (the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm), were filled with joy and delight upon hearing the Buddha's voice of Dharma. When King Śuddhodana first saw the Buddha — for this was the first time he had seen the World-Honored One since He left home to cultivate the path in the Snow Mountains — he still had the affection of a father for his son, and still regarded the Buddha as his own son. At the moment he first saw the Buddha, the thought in his mind was still that He was his father the king, and the Buddha was his son, so the Buddha should bow to him. King Śuddhodana therefore stood there waiting for the World-Honored One to bow to him, while the World-Honored One also stood opposite, waiting for King Śuddhodana to bow to Him, because the World-Honored One knew that He was the supreme venerable one of the three realms; although King Śuddhodana was His father, he was still just an ordinary person. At this point, the World-Honored One's disciples said to King Śuddhodana: "The World-Honored One is now the supreme venerable one of the three realms; you should pay homage to the World-Honored One." Upon hearing this, King Śuddhodana understood, and immediately bowed in homage to the World-Honored One.