Lectures on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamanasūtra) (235)

The previous life of Śākyamuni Buddha

Original text: 时无边称王。从天退已。初闻人间。饮食气味。不能堪任。犹如酥油。沃热沙中。时作爱王。见其顿弊。不能止住。有何善说。我于来世。作何宣传。时无边称王。语作爱王曰。我从昔来。富贵自在。王四天下。一切所须。皆得如意。升忉利天。帝释分座。贪无厌故。从天退下。如上众事。当如是说。作是语已。即便命终。佛言大王。往昔无边称王者。岂异人乎。今我身是。是故当知。诸根如幻。境界如梦。系心正观。勿生疑惑。

Explanation: At this time, King Anantakīrti had just fallen back from the heavenly realm. Upon first smelling the odors of food and drink in the human world, he could not bear them—it was like ghee pouring into hot sand. Seeing that King Anantakīrti's body had become frail and weak, King Udayana knew he did not have long to live, and asked him: "What last words do you have? How shall I proclaim you in the future?" King Anantakīrti said: "From the past until now, I have been wealthy and at ease, ruling over the four continents, with everything I needed granted according to my wishes. After ascending to the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, Śakra shared his seat with me. But because of my insatiable greed, I fell back from heaven. These matters above should be told exactly as such." After speaking these words, he passed away.

Finally, Śākyamuni Buddha said: "Great King, this King Anantakīrti of the past—was he anyone other than myself? It is my present body. Therefore you should know: the sense faculties are like illusions, and sense objects are like dreams. Gather the mind in one place, contemplate with right mindfulness, and do not give rise to doubt."