Commentary on the Sutra of the Compendium of Father and Son (CCXXV)

The King Tests the Power of His Merit

Original Text:

O great king, that King Anantayaśas (Boundless Renown) suddenly thought at one time: "I shall test the power of my merit. By virtue of my merit, may all trees, flowers, and fruits throughout the four continents flourish abundantly, yielding an inexhaustible supply for enjoyment." Having formed this thought, all flowers and fruits across the four continents bloomed and flourished.

Explanation:

The Buddha said: "O great king, this Cakravartin King Anantayaśas suddenly conceived a thought at one time: 'I should test how vast my merit is and how powerful its strength might be. Through the power of my merit, may all flowers, fruits, and trees across the four continents—Jambudvīpa (the southern continent), Pūrvavideha (the eastern continent), Aparagodānīya (the western continent), and Uttarakuru (the northern continent)—grow luxuriantly, and once grown, may they provide an inexhaustible supply, never to be depleted by harvesting.' After King Anantayaśas formed this thought, indeed, all trees, flowers, and fruits across the four continents bloomed and flourished in accordance with his wish, yielding abundant fruit."

Without merit, one cannot even make a single sapling thrive, let alone the flowers, fruits, and trees across all four continents. The Cakravartin King could cause all flora across the four continents to grow with exceptional luxuriance, bearing fruits so abundantly that the beings of the four continents could never exhaust them. That a single thought of the Cakravartin King could achieve this—how powerful must his mental strength have been? Was this the work of mental power? In truth, it was the power of merit.