War • Buddhism 2

A youngling at his age of 15 Named as Sama Climbed up the wall and fought alone He dealt great damage to many foes The enemies scattered and ran Hiding in the holes The Shakyas denied Sama: “You are a shame of our people. Who knows not fight here? Yet we Shakyas live for good. We do not even harm an insect, not to mention to take away human lives. One warrior of ours can stand against ten thousand foes. We can destroy them if we really fight. But killing only leads us to the suffering in hell. Even in this world, lives are short and only last for an instance. You should leave this place soon.” Sama therefore left the city Afterwards, the army of Virudhaka once again stood before the gate The evil Pāpman transformed into a Shakya Ordered them to open the gate The Shakyas, mistakenly seeing him as one of their kind Opened the gate And the army thrust them into the city Virudhaka said: “The Shakyas are many. We should bury them under the ground, and let the elephants crush them. Also, select 500 Shakyan women and bring them to me.” Mahanama begged to Virudhaka: “I will now drown myself in the water. Before I can resurface, please let the Shakyas go no matter how long I endure. You may slay them after I resurface.” Virudhaka permitted Mahanama then jumped into the water He bound himself to roots of a tree with his hair And ceased to breathe The Shakyas escaped from the city through the four gateways Virudhaka asked his servant: “Why hasn’t Mahanama resurfaced?” They entered the water and brought back Mahanama, who’s long gone already Seeing his grandfather dead, Virudhaka was deeply regretful: “My grandfather died for protecting his people. If I could foresee this, I shouldn’t have begun this invasion.” Those who got killed by Virudhaka Were ninety-nine thousand and nine hundred and ninety The blood ran like a river Surrounding the city of Kapilavastu After the retreat Maudgalyāyana said to the Buddha: “With your power, I’ve had four or five thousand people protected.” The Buddha asked Maudgalyāyana to see Maudgalyāyana took the bowl from the starry sky All whom he hid were all dead Virudhaka stepped in Nyagrodhārāma And tried to comfort the 500 maidens: “Do not be sorrowful. I am your husband from now on.” He wanted to copulate with one of the Shakyan women The woman scolded: “Why should I have an intercourse with the son of a slave?” Virudhaka was furious He then cut off her limbs And threw them into the pits The 500 maidens taunted Virudhaka: “We would not submit our body to the son of a slave!” And they all met the same fate The 500 maidens were suffering They called the name of Buddha: “We are all Shakyas. He became the Budhha, but we have to suffer. Why didn’t he save us?” The Buddha then led his bhikkhus to Kapilavastu The women saw the Bhagavan And felt ashamed The Bhagavan told to Śakra: “They are in shame for not being dressed” Śakra then had the heavenly clothes covering their body The Buddha said to Vaiśravaṇa: “They have been hungered for long. Prepare some heavenly foods and make them full and satisfied.” The Buddha then addressed to them of the Four Noble Truths As the maidens were cleansed from dirt They obtained dharma-cakṣu, the eye of wisdom And ascended to the heaven after the end of their lives (All who’ve read the scriptures know that these 500 maidens were just harvesting their past karmas in which they, as monks, cursed other monks to have their limbs severed.) The Buddha walked to the eastern gate And saw the city lying in ruins He told the bhikkhus: “I used to have my sermon here with all of you. Now it is a ruin and none is survived. From this day, I will no longer come to this place.” He returned to Jetavana of Shravasti And claimed to the bhikkhus: “After the rise of seven suns, Virudhaka and his minions shall meet their demise.” Hearing this A terror grew in the mind of Virudhaka At the seventh day Virudhaka thought that he was spared of the disaster And so brought his army and maidens to feast by both sides of the river Suddenly in the sky The clouds were writhing The lightning thundered The storm came All were drowned to death Virudhaka himself fell to the depth of Avici The fire from the sky hit the palace and burned it to ash The bhikkhus asked the Buddha: “How the Shakyas have to suffer like this?” The Buddha answered: “In the past, there was a fishing village in Rajgir. Due to the famine, the grains were as expensive as gold, and so people had to live on grass and roots. A large lake was by the village. Many fishes lived in the lake, and the people claimed them as the food. Two of great fish talked to each other: ‘We are of watery kind, not living on the land. Yet they killed us as their food.’ “The last two great fish were then killed and consumed ［Translated by 天成翻譯公司］