English
“Endowed with that mark, if he lives the household life, he becomes a Wheel-turning Monarch… (as before)… What does he gain as a king? He is greatly wise; there is no one equal or superior to him in wisdom among those who enjoy sensual pleasures. As a king, he gains this… What does he gain as a Buddha? He is greatly wise, widely wise, joyful in wisdom, swift in wisdom, sharp in wisdom, penetrating in wisdom; there is no one equal or superior to him in wisdom among all beings. As a Buddha, he gains this.” The Blessed One spoke this meaning. 217. In this regard, it is said: In former times, in former births, Desiring to know, he questioned; He listened intently, attended on renunciants, And heard the discourse on the meaning of things. By the action leading to the acquisition of wisdom, Being a human, fine-skinned He was born; Experts in birth-omens declared, He will discern subtle meanings, having understood them. ‘‘If such a one does not go forth, He will turn the wheel, ruling the earth; In instructions on welfare and in protection, None better than him, nor his equal, exists. ‘‘But if such a one goes forth, Discerning, delighting in the wish for renunciation; He obtains unsurpassed distinction in wisdom, He attains awakening, with noble, profound wisdom.’’ (13) The Mark of Golden Hue 218. ‘‘Monks, in a former birth, a former existence, a former dwelling, when the Tathāgata was previously a human being, he was not wrathful, he was not often distressed; even when much was said to him, he did not resent, did not get angry, did not become malicious, did not persist, did not manifest anger, hatred, or displeasure. And he was a giver of fine, soft coverings and cloaks: fine linen, fine cotton, fine silk, fine wool. Having performed and accumulated that karma... (and so on)... having passed away from there and come to this state, he obtains this mark of a great man. He is golden-hued, with skin like burnished gold. ‘‘Endowed with that mark, if he dwells in a house, he becomes a wheel-turning king... (and so on)... What does he obtain as a king? He obtains fine, soft coverings and cloaks: fine linen, fine cotton, fine silk, fine wool. As a king, he obtains this... What does he obtain as a Buddha? He obtains fine, soft coverings and cloaks: fine linen, fine cotton, fine silk, fine wool. As a Buddha, he obtains this.’’ The Blessed One said this meaning. 219. Therein it is said: ‘‘He resolved on non-anger and gave, And gifts of fine, pure-textured clothes; Having stood in a former existence, he bestowed, Like the sun [shining on] the earth. raining down. Having done that, departed from here, He was reborn, experiencing the result of good deeds; With a body like gold, he shines forth here, Like Indra among the best of gods. A man who lives in a house, not having gone forth, Rules a great land wrongly; Yet he forcibly obtains here seven treasures, And a pure, subtle, and clean skin. He becomes one who obtains robes, clothes, and cloaks, If he goes forth into homelessness; He experiences the results of deeds done before, For what is done is not lost. (14) The characteristic of the private parts being enclosed in a sheath Moreover, monks, in a former birth, a former existence, a former dwelling, the Tathāgata, being a human being before, was one who reunited long-lost, long-separated relatives, friends, and companions. He reunited a mother with her son, and a son with his mother; he reunited a father with his son, and a son with his father; he reunited a brother with his brother, and a brother with his sister; he reunited a sister with her brother, and a sister with her sister. And having brought them together, he rejoiced with them. Because of the performance of that action… (and so on)… having departed from there, having come to this state of being, he obtains this great mark of a great man: his private parts are enclosed in a sheath. Endowed with that mark, if he dwells in a house, he becomes a wheel-turning monarch… (and so on)… What does he obtain as a king? He has many sons; indeed, he has more than a thousand sons, brave, heroic in form, crushers of enemy armies. As a king, he obtains this… What does he obtain as a Buddha? He has many sons; indeed, he has many thousands of sons, brave, heroic in form, by crushing with juice. Being a Buddha, he obtains this.” The Blessed One spoke this matter. 221. Therein it is said: “In former times, in former births, long lost, long departed, he reunited relatives, friends, and companions; having made them harmonious, he rejoiced. “By that deed, he ascended to heaven, and enjoyed happiness, play, and delight; having passed away from there, he returned here again, and finds clothing stored in a chest. “Such a one has many sons, more than a thousand are his offspring; they are brave and heroic, tormentors of enemies, bringers of joy to the householder, and pleasant speakers. “Even more are the sons who follow his word, if he becomes a renunciant; whether for a householder or for a renunciant, that mark arises, revealing that purpose.” The First Recitation Section is finished. (15-16) The Marks of a Banyan-Tree-Like Stature and Reaching Knees Without Bending 222. “Moreover, monks, in a former birth, a former existence, a former dwelling, when the Tathāgata was formerly a human being, looking to gather a great multitude, he knew equally, he knew by himself, he knew men, he knew distinguished men— ‘this one deserves this, this one deserves that’— and in those places, he was a distinguisher of men. Due to the performance of that action… …he, having passed away from there, and having come to this state, obtains these two marks of a Great Man. He is like a banyan tree in stature, and standing upright, without bending, he touches and strokes his knees with both palms. “Endowed with these marks, if he lives in a house, he becomes a Wheel-turning King… …Being a king, what does he obtain? He is rich, of great wealth, of great possessions, with abundant gold and silver, with abundant property and implements, with abundant grain and provisions, with full treasuries and storehouses. Being a king, he obtains this… …Being a Buddha…” What does he obtain? He becomes rich, greatly wealthy, greatly prosperous. These are his treasures, namely: the treasure of faith, the treasure of morality, the treasure of shame, the treasure of dread of wrongdoing, the treasure of learning, the treasure of generosity, the treasure of wisdom. Being a Buddha, he obtains this. The Blessed One spoke this meaning. 223. Therein it is said: Having weighed, reflected, and thought, Considering the gathering of many people; This one deserves this, there and there, He was formerly a distinguisher of men. Standing on the earth, without bending, He touches both knees with his hands; He was like a perfectly rounded tree, By the remaining result of well-performed deeds. Knowing various signs and marks, Very skillful men declared; Many kinds of worthy things for householders, The young, tender boy obtains. Here, for the lord of the earth, enjoying sensual pleasures, Many householder-like ones exist; But if he abandons all sensual enjoyments, He obtains the unsurpassed, supreme treasure. (17-19) The mark of the lion's forepart of the body, etc. 224. "Moreover, bhikkhus, in a former birth, a former existence, a former dwelling, when the Tathāgata was formerly a human being, he was desirous of the welfare of many people, desirous of their benefit, desirous of their comfort, desirous of their security from bondage – 'May they increase in faith, may they increase in morality, may they increase in learning, may they increase in generosity, may they increase in Dhamma, may they increase in wisdom, may they increase in wealth and grain, may they increase in fields and land, may they increase in bipeds and quadrupeds, may they increase in sons and wives, may they increase in slaves, workers, and servants, may they increase in relatives, may they increase in friends, may they increase in kinsmen.' Having performed that action... having passed away from there and come to this state, he obtains these three marks of a Great Man. He has the forepart of his body like a lion, and his shoulders are well-rounded and... And with evenly rounded shoulders. He, endowed with those marks, if he dwells in a home, becomes a Wheel-turning Monarch… Being a king, what does he gain? He is one whose nature is not to decline, he does not decline in wealth and grain, in fields and land, in bipeds and quadrupeds, in sons and wives, in slaves, workers, and servants, in relatives, friends, and kinsmen, he does not decline in all prosperity. Being a king, he gains this. …Being a Buddha, what does he gain? He is one whose nature is not to decline, he does not decline in faith, virtue, learning, generosity, wisdom, he does not decline in all prosperity. Being a Buddha, he gains this. The Blessed One spoke this meaning. 225. Therein it is said: By faith, by virtue, by learning, by wisdom, By generosity, by Dhamma, by many good things; By wealth, by grain, and by fields and land, By sons, by wives, and by quadrupeds. By relatives, by friends, and by kinsmen, By strength, by beauty, and by happiness in both; How should they not decline? He desires this, And he longs for the attainment of his purpose. He was well-formed in the forepart like a lion, And with evenly rounded shoulders, with a well-filled space between them; By deeds well-done in the past, That was his non-declining prior sign. Even a householder increases in grain and wealth, In sons, in wives, and in quadrupeds. The homeless one, possessing nothing, attains The unsurpassed Awakening, whose nature is not to decline. (20) The Mark of the Foremost of Tastes 226.