...In the past, Shakyamuni Buddha had made a vow, “If I become a Buddha, I will first save the people who have slandered me, killed me, and treated me the most badly.” Who treated the Buddha the most badly? The Vajra Sutra mentions the King of Kalinga. When Shakyamuni Buddha was cultivating as the Patient Immortal in his former lives, the King of Kalinga dismembered that old cultivator’s body. Why did he do that? Because Shakyamuni Buddha stayed up in the mountains cultivating the Way, his body became covered with a thick layer of dust. Yet he never came out of the mountains; he remained there working hard and cultivating ascetic practices. One day the King of Kalinga took his concubines along as he went hunting in the mountains. The concubines were were fond of playing, and instead of following the King as he hunted, they went to play in the mountains. After the King returned from hunting, he went looking for his concubines. He discovered them all standing together, talking with a very strange-looking person. They were touching his hands and feet, and it looked very improper. He was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of jealousy. The King listened to what the man was saying. He was talking about cultivating the Way. The King of Kalinga was enraged, “Don’t you be cheating my women! Just what kind of Way are you cultivating?” The old cultivator said, “I’m cultivating patience.” “What do you mean by patience?” “Patience means that no matter who curses me or beats me, I don’t get angry.” “You say you can be patient? Is that for real or not?” “Of course it’s for real.” “All right, then let me test you out.” The King of Kalinga drew his jeweled sword and hacked off the cultivator’s hand. Then he asked, “I’ve cut your hand off. Are you angry?” The old cultivator said, “No, I’m not angry.”.... _______ ...One day, without provocation, he was dismembered by King Kali. Even so, he felt no hatred towards the king. Instead, he pitied the king for his ignorance. He said, "In the future when I become a Buddha, I will take you across first."...
When Shakyamuni Buddha cultivated in ages past, he specialized in the Dharma-door of patience, so he became known as the Patient Immortal. One day, without provocation, he was dismembered by King Kali. Even so, he felt no hatred towards the king. Instead, he pitied the king for his ignorance. He said, "In the future when I become a Buddha, I will take you across first." Upon hearing those words, King Kali felt deep remorse and requested to take refuge with the Patient Immortal. In a later reincarnation, he was the Venerable Ajnata-kaundinya, one of the first five Bhikshus who realized the fruition of Arhatship upon hearing the Buddha expound the three turnings of the Dharma-wheel of the Four Noble Truths. _____ ... ,the King knelt before the cultivator and begged to repent. The old cultivator then made a vow, "If I don't become a Buddha, then there's nothing to be said. But if one day I do attain Buddhahood, then I will first come and teach you to become a Buddha. If you don't get enlightened and become a Buddha, then I won't become a Buddha either. Therefore, after the Buddha attained Buddhahood, he went to the Deer Park to save Ajnatakaundinya first. The old cultivator was a former incarnation of Shakyamuni Buddha, and the King of Kalinga was a former incarnation of Ajnatakaundinya. Because the Buddha made that vow in his past life, he wanted to save the person who had treated him the worst. Resources：
http://www.fjdh.cn/wumin/2014/03/204929323514.html http://www.fjdh.cn/wumin/2014/03/211707323533.html 🌸 May the merit of my practice Adorn Buddhas’ Pure Lands, Requite the fourfold kindness from above, And relieve the suffering of the three life-paths below. Universally wishing sentient beings, Friends, foes, and karmic creditors, All to activate the bodhi mind, And all to be reborn in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.
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