Chapter 25: Jalavāhana, the Head Merchant’s Son

25.1Then the Bhagavat said to the goddess of the Bodhi tree, “Noble goddess, at that time, Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, had previously cured beings of all the suffering of illness in the kingdom of King Sureśvaraprabha, so that they had recovered and regained the health they had previously possessed. At that time, the many beings who had been cured of their illnesses accumulated many meritorious actions and accomplished vast acts of generosity, and they themselves prospered. Therefore, they all went together to the head merchant’s son, and with veneration they said, ‘Son of the great head merchant, it is excellent, excellent that you developed extremely excellent merit and benefited us and enabled us to live happily. You are a king of healing with great power and a bodhisattva with love and compassion. As you are completely skilled in medical treatments, you perfectly cured countless beings of the suffering of illness!’ In that way, they praised him throughout all the villages and towns. [F.133.a]

25.2“Noble goddess, at that time, the head merchant’s son and his wife, Jalāmbujagarbhā, had two sons. The name of one was Jalāmbara and the name of the other was Jalagarbha.

25.3“Jalavāhana then took his two sons and, having passed through the villages, towns, and market towns, eventually passed through a very desolate wilderness. There he saw jackals, wolves, foxes, baboons, vultures, and many other wild beasts that eat flesh and drink blood, running and flying in one direction. The head merchant’s son wondered, ‘What can be the reason these wild animals are running and flying in one direction? I will follow them for a while to discover why.’

25.4“He followed them and reached a great lake called Aṭavīsaṃbhavā, which had almost dried up completely. In that lake there were many fish.

25.5“When he saw them, great compassion arose in his mind. At that time, a tree goddess revealed the upper half of her body and said, ‘Excellent, excellent! Noble one, you have a meaningful name‍—Jalavāhana‍—and can sympathize with these fish, and therefore you will give them water. This is because of two causes and circumstances: your name, Jalavāhana, means bringing water and giving water. Today, you should act in accordance with your name!’

25.6“Then Jalavāhana asked the tree goddess, ‘How many fish are there?’

“The tree goddess answered, ‘Their number is a full ten thousand.’

25.7“Noble goddess, when the head merchant’s son heard from the goddess how many fish there were, he developed an even greater motivation of compassion.

25.8“At that time, the sun was beating down on the great lake and there was only a little water left, so that those ten thousand fish were at death’s door, their bodies writhing around. Seeing the head merchant’s son, with hope in their minds and ever-staring eyes, they followed him, looking at him. [F.133.b]

25.9“When the head merchant’s son saw that, he ran in all four directions hoping to find water but did not find any. However, in one direction he looked he saw a great tree. He climbed it, cut off branches and leaves, and created a shade for the fish.

25.10“Moreover, he searched for the source of the water that fed this lake and saw a great river called Jalāgamā. At that time, there were many fishermen on the banks of that river, and in order to obtain those fish they had stopped the river from flowing onward in a place upstream where there was a great precipice. It would be so difficult to correct where the river had been diverted that he thought, ‘This is such a great, deep precipice, not even a hundred thousand men working for three months would be able to cut through it, so it goes without saying that I could not do so on my own.’

25.11“Then the head merchant’s son quickly returned to his town and went before King Sureśvaraprabha, bowed down his head to his feet, seated himself to one side, and, with his palms together in reverence, said, ‘I healed the various illnesses of the subjects in the great king’s domain such that they were all happy, and while proceeding throughout the land, I came to a wilderness. There I saw a lake called Aṭavīsaṃbhavā, the water of which had almost completely disappeared, and in it were ten thousand fish that would soon die from being dried up by the sun. Great king! Look upon me with love, compassion, and kindness and bestow upon me for a while twenty elephants for carrying water. Just as I saved the lives of many ill people, so I will save the lives of those fish.’

25.12“The great king then commanded the prime minister, ‘Quickly provide this king of doctors with elephants!’

25.13“At that time, the prime minister, obeying the king’s command, said to the head merchant’s son, ‘O great being! [F.134.a] Go to the elephant pen yourself, choose the twenty elephants that you want, and take them and bring benefit to beings so that they will gain happiness.’

25.14“Then Jalavāhana, with his two sons, took away twenty elephants, borrowed many bags from a tavern, went to where the river was interrupted, filled the bags with water, loaded them onto the elephants, brought them to the lake, and emptied them into the lake, so that it became full and vast as before.

25.15“Noble goddess, at that time, the head merchant’s son walked around the four sides of the lake, looking at it, and many fish followed him, milling around at the shore. Then the head merchant’s son thought, ‘Why are these fish following me? No doubt it is because they are tormented by the fire of hunger and are begging me for food, so I shall give it to them.’

25.16“Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, then said to his sons, ‘Take the strongest elephant and quickly go home and tell my father, the head merchant, to gather together everything there is to eat in the house‍—that which is intended for my parents and that which is intended for my wife, children, male servants, and female servants‍—and bring it to me.’

25.17“Then the two sons, obeying their father, rode the strongest elephant, hurried home, went before their grandfather, and said in detail what they had been told to say, obtained everything that was edible in the house, quickly loaded it onto the elephant, and hurriedly went back to their father beside the lake.

25.18“When Jalavāhana saw them coming, his body and mind were filled with happiness, delight, and joy. He took the food and scattered it throughout the lake. The fish obtained the food, and they were all filled and satiated.

25.19“Then he thought, ‘I have given the fish food and saved their lives. In the future, may I give the food of the Dharma and satisfy an infinite number of beings!’ [F.134.b]

25.20“He also thought, ‘In the past, in a solitary forest, I saw and listened to a bhikṣu who was reading from a Mahāyāna sūtra that was teaching the profound Dharma of the twelve phases of dependent origination. Moreover, he also taught from that sūtra that anyone who hears the name of the Tathāgata Ratnaśikhin at the time of their death will be reborn in a higher existence. Therefore, today I will teach the fish the profound Dharma of dependent origination, and I will also recite the name of the Tathāgata Ratnaśikhin. There are two kinds of beings in this Jambudvīpa: those who have complete faith in the Mahāyāna, and those who do not believe in it and disparage it, and so I will increase those who in their minds have belief in it.’

25.21“At that moment, the head merchant’s son thought, ‘I will enter this lake and I will teach the extremely wonderful profound Dharma to these many fish!’ Having thought that, he entered the water.

25.22“He recited, ‘I pay homage to the past Tathāgata Arhat Samyaksaṃbuddha, the one with wisdom and virtuous conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the unsurpassable being, the guide who tames beings, the teacher of devas and humans, the buddha, the Bhagavat Ratnaśikhin! Previously, when this tathāgata was practicing bodhisattva conduct, he made this commitment: “May anyone in the world realms in the ten directions who hears my name at the time of their death, after passing away, be reborn as a deva in Trāyastriṃśa.” ’

25.23“Jalavāhana then taught those fish the wonderful, profound Dharma with these words: ‘Because this exists, that exists; because this is produced, that is produced. Thus, because of the factor of ignorance, there is formation; because of the factor of formation, there is consciousness; [F.135.a] because of the factor of consciousness, there are name and form; because of the factor of name and form, there are the six āyatanas; because of the factor of the six āyatanas, there is contact; because of the factor of contact, there is sensation; because of the factor of sensation, there is craving; because of the factor of craving, there is grasping; because of the factor of grasping, there is becoming; because of the factor of becoming, there is birth; because of the factor of birth, there is old age, death, misery, lamentation, suffering, and distress. In that way is produced this great mass of nothing but suffering.

25.24“ ‘If this ceases, then that ceases. Thus, through the cessation of ignorance, formation ceases; through the cessation of formation, consciousness ceases; through the cessation of consciousness, name and form cease; through the cessation of name and form, the six āyatanas cease; through the cessation of the six āyatanas, contact ceases; through the cessation of contact, sensation ceases; through the cessation of sensation, craving ceases; through the cessation of craving, grasping ceases; through the cessation of grasping, becoming ceases; through the cessation of becoming, birth ceases; through the cessation of birth, old age and death cease; through the cessation of old age and death, misery, lamentation, suffering, and distress cease. In that way, this great mass of nothing but suffering will cease.’

25.25“Having taught this Dharma, he then also taught the dhāraṇī that is the same as the twelve phases of dependent origination:

25.26tadyathā | vicani vicani vicani saṃścani saṃścani saṃścani bhiśini bhiśini bhiśini, svāhā | tadyathā | nimini nimini nimini śadhini śadhini śadhini sapraśini sapraśini sapraśini svāhā | tadyathā | vetrani vetrani vetrani triśinini triśinini triśinini upadhini upadhini upadhini svāhā | tadyathā | bhavini bhavini bhavini satini satini satini samanini samanini samanini svāhā |

25.27At that time, when the Bhagavat [F.135.b] taught the past causes of the head merchant’s son to the great assembly, the assembly of devas and humans was greatly amazed and praised him.

25.28Then the Four Mahārājas, each from his individual place, said in one voice:

25.32tadhyathā hirimigāte gandhari candhari dharijebhare śihibhari pure pure gugumti khiramati dhadhimukhi laurubha murubhi kucumurugandhe turu turu turu vīrye adhisiddhi davabbye dhadavabye uste ustabaddhe anle badhe padumabaddhe asumabaddhe svāhā |

25.33The Bhagavat continued, “Noble goddess, Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, and his two sons, having given water and food to the fish and taught them the Dharma, returned to their home.

25.34“At another time, Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, held a feast, and after various entertainments, intoxicated from alcohol, he fell asleep. At that time, the ten thousand fish all passed away at the same moment and were reborn as devas in Trāyastriṃśa. They wondered, ‘Through what good karma as a cause and condition have we been reborn in this paradise?’ and then they said to each other, ‘We had fallen into an animal rebirth in Jambudvīpa and had obtained the bodies of fish, but Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, gave us water and food, and moreover he taught us the profound Dharma and the dhāraṇī of the twelve phases of dependent origination. He also recited the name of the Tathāgata Ratnaśikhin, and it is through those causes and conditions that we have been reborn in this paradise. [F.136.a] Therefore, we should go to Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, and make offerings to him to repay his kindness.’

25.35“Those ten thousand devas then vanished from that paradise and arrived beside the king of healing in Jambudvīpa.

25.36“At that time, the head merchant’s son was sleeping happily upon a high roof, and those ten thousand devas placed ten thousand pearl necklaces above his head. They also placed ten thousand pearl necklaces in front of his feet. They also placed ten thousand pearl necklaces to his right. They also placed ten thousand pearl necklaces to his left. They sent down a rain of coral tree flowers and great coral tree flowers to a depth that would reach the knees and radiate everywhere. The melodious sounds of various kinds of divine music resounded, and everyone who was asleep in Jambudvīpa woke up. Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, was also awoken from his sleep. Then those ten thousand devas, having made their offerings, flew into the sky and departed.

25.37“They let fall a rain of excellent lotuses here and there throughout the domain of King Sureśvaraprabha. Then they returned to their previous abode, to the lake in the wilderness, and sent down a rain of various kinds of divine flowers, and then they vanished and returned to paradise, where they enjoyed the bliss of whatever sensory pleasures they delighted in and wished for.

25.38“At daybreak, King Sureśvaraprabha asked his prime ministers, ‘What is the cause and condition whereby last night there appeared such wonderful signs and there shone a great light?’

25.39“Those prime ministers answered, ‘Great king, know this: at the mansion of Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son, a great host of devas sent down forty thousand pearl necklaces and also a rain of divine coral tree flowers to a depth that covers the knees.”

25.40“The king commanded the ministers, saying, ‘Go to the head merchant’s home and summon his son.’

25.41“The prime ministers obeyed the king’s command [F.136.b] and went to his home, and there they repeated the king’s command, summoning the head merchant’s son.

25.42“The head merchant’s son then went before the king, who asked him, ‘What is the cause and condition whereby there appeared such wonderful signs last night?’

25.43“The head merchant’s son answered, ‘According to my analysis, I think that without doubt those many fish in that lake, as described in the sūtra, have passed away and been reborn as devas in Trāyastriṃśa. Therefore, in order to repay my kindness, they manifested those marvelous signs. I know that the time of death for those ten thousand fish definitely came.’

25.44“ ‘How do you know that?’ asked the king.

“ ‘Your Majesty,’ answered Jalavāhana, ‘send an emissary and my two sons to that lake, so that they can investigate whether those fish have died or are alive, and then you will know whether this is true or not.’

25.45“Having heard what he said, His Majesty sent an emissary and Jalavāhana’s two sons to the lake, where they saw in the lake a great mass of many coral tree flowers and that all the many fish had passed away. Having seen that, they quickly returned and related this to the king in detail.

25.46“When the king heard this, he was overjoyed and uttered words of praise, saying, ‘Never has such a wonder occurred before!’ ”

25.47Then the Bhagavat said to the goddess of the Bodhi tree, “Noble goddess, know this: I was Jalavāhana, the head merchant’s son in the past. Ruciraketu was the head merchant Jaladhara. Rūpyaketu was his older son, Jalāmbara. Rūpyaprabha was his younger son, Jalagarbha. You, the goddess of the Bodhi tree, were King Sureśvaraprabha. The ten thousand fish were these ten thousand devas. In the past, I satisfied those fish with water and food and then taught them this dhāraṇī that is the same as the profound Dharma of the twelve phases of dependent origination. [F.137.a] I also recited and taught them the name of the Tathāgata Ratnaśikhin. It is through those good roots as causes that they were reborn in a higher existence so that today they have come before me and listened to the Dharma with joy and I have revealed to them the prophecy of their highest, most complete enlightenment and revealed to them what their names will be.

25.48“Noble goddess, in my previous existences, while I was continuing through saṃsāra, I benefited countless, vast numbers of beings and eventually revealed to them the prophecies of their highest, most complete enlightenment. In that same way, all of you should with diligence and dedication seek to set forth from saṃsāra and not be inattentive.”

25.49Then all of that great assembly, having heard those words, understood that they should, with great love and compassion, become disillusioned with all saṃsāra, and with diligence and dedication undergo hardships and subsequently realize and manifest the highest enlightenment. With trusting minds they had complete certainty of this and were overjoyed.

25.50This concludes “Jalavāhana, the Head Merchant’s Son,” the twenty-fifth chapter of “The Supremely Victorious King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light.” [B10]