him with cries of “Excellent! Excellent!,” Shakra addressed the king once more, saying:
“The purity of your mind
was not unknown to me, Your Majesty.
That is why, king,
I have given you back your eyes.
With these eyes
you will have unimpeded sight
for a hundred leagues on every side,
even when obstructed by rocks.”
2.85
Saying this, Shakra disappeared at that very spot.
The Bodhi·sattva then proceeded to the palace, which was draped with raised banners and colorful flags, exhibiting a festive radiance. Hailed by brahmins with benedictions of victory, he was stared at by the townspeople and by the ministers who followed him, their eyes wide open and hardly blinking, their hearts filled with wonder and joy. Seated in the assembly hall, the king then delivered a teaching on the Truth, drawn from his own experiences, to a crowd of brahmins, elders, and citizens, headed by ministers who had gathered to do him honor:
“Who in this world would be lax
in favoring a beggar with wealth
when they see my eyes of divine power,
produced by the merit of giving?
I can see an object in any direction
as clearly as if it were near,
even when concealed by mountains
and a hundred leagues afar.
Giving arises from humility and compassion
for others.
What way of gaining prosperity is greater than this?
In this very life, after giving a human eye,
I have received a non-human, divine eye.
2.90
Knowing this, Shibis, make your wealth bear fruit by giving gifts and enjoying the reward. This is the path to fame and increased happiness in both this world and the next.
Wealth itself is essenceless and trifling.
Its essence lies in being given by benefactors
of the world.
When given, it becomes a treasure.
When ungiven, it ends only in loss.”
So it is that the Lord acquired the Good Teaching for us through hundreds of difficult feats. One should therefore listen to it reverently.
One should also narrate this story when discussing the Tatha·gata’s magnanimity,* or when praising compassion as in the previous story, or when illustrating the rewards that arise in this life from pure deeds, saying: “In this way, the merit accumulated through good actions reveals, in this very life, the mere bud of its power through the captivating reward of uninterrupted fame.”
STORY 3 THE BIRTH-STORY ON THE LUMP OF GRUEL
3.1
D
ue to the greatness of the reward, no gift is small when offered to a superior recipient with a faithful mind.
Tradition has handed down the following story.
When he was a Bodhi·sattva, our Lord is said to have ruled over Koshala. The splendor of his godlike perfection surpassed even his abundant royal qualities, distinguished though they were, including accomplishments in vigor, guidance, strength, and power.
Adorned by godlike perfection,
his virtues radiated even more,
just as autumn enhances
the splendor of moonbeams.
3.5
Fortune belonged to him but to other kings
she dispensed both anger and favor.
Abandoning his enemies, proud though they were,
she was like an affectionate lover to his subjects.
As virtue was inherent in his nature,
he had no cruel thoughts at the torment of his foes.
But so expansive was the devotion of his subjects
that Prosperity displayed no love for his enemies.
