Once when the Buddha was residing in Rajgir in the bamboo grove of Kalandaka, there was a householder named Rabsang, an avid admirer of non-Buddhists, and his wife Dedenma, a faithful devotee of Buddhists. When Dedenma was pregnant, the Buddha and his assembly who were on their way to beg alms were invited to their home and treated with respect. They asked the Buddha whether their child would be a son or a daughter. The Buddha said that the child would be a son and would be endowed with the wealth of both gods and humans. He would follow his doctrine and would be ordained.
Later, Rabsang narrated the incident to a non-Buddhist named Bharika. “What the Buddha said is certainly true; but if our benefactors start believing in Buddhism it will definitely harm our community.” Thinking this, he said, “What does this arrogant Buddha know? Gods are worthy of their riches. The excellence of gods is not right for mankind. It is true that he will be ordained, but due to lack of food and clothing, the poor boy will remain as a monk to be able to beg easily. If my clairvoyance is right, this child will be born to bring degradation to his family lineage.”
Believing this, Rabsang gave all kinds of medicine to his wife to cause an abortion but when it didn’t happen, he got furious and killed her by punching her womb. When he was about to burn her body in the charnel ground of Sitavana, all the non-Buddhists became happy. They all were saying, “The child whom the Buddha had predicted is this one. The one with the riches of gods and humans is this one. The one who would have been ordained is this one. Look at them, the dead mother and son.” Knowing this, the Buddha quickly reached Sitavana; everyone else rushed there too. King Bimbisara and a great assembly of ministers and others also ran after the Buddha and everyone gathered.
There, a child lucidly emerged upon a lotus from the inside of the burned and cracked stomach. Everyone loudly cried out, “Ha ha!” thinking that the child would burn in the fire. The Buddha commanded a youthful physician to take the child from the fire. The fire became as cool as the finest sandalwood when the child was taken away. As the most beautiful, perfect child appeared from the fire, all the non-Buddhists felt so ashamed that they suffered as if they were about to die. When the Buddha told Rabsang to take care of his son, he remained staring at the non-Buddhists. Fearing that the child born from fire would bring disaster to his household, he didn’t accept the child. Then the Buddha said to King Bimbisara, “Well, you take care of the child, King!” So, the king accepted and raised the child. The child possessed a radiance like the light of a fire, and thus he was known as ‘Fire-Born’.
One day, his uncle, who lived a distance away, heard the story from his attendants. He went to Rabsang and furiously exclaimed, “You idiot! You listened to the non-Buddhists, killed your own wife, and didn’t even take care of your son. It will be good if you bring your son back from Rajgir and take care of him from now on. If you don’t, I shall disclose to the king what you have done and let him punish you.” Fearing this, Rabsang agreed and took care of his son.
Later, Rabsang passed away. The son grew up and became very wealthy. He rendered great service to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha in the name of his dead mother. He gave generously to everyone. God-like wealth came to him effortlessly like the water gathering together in the ocean.
One day his god-like cloth—which no one had—was left out to dry in the sun. The wind blew it away and landed upon the king’s head. Later, the king was invited as a guest to his house. When the king saw all the fine clothes and the treasury of jewels, he thought that his kingdom was just like grass in comparison.
The noble king, possessing religious discipline, was filled with kind thoughts towards Fire-Born but his son Prince Ajatashatru killed him deceptively. In order to rule the kingdom, Ajatashatru told Fire-Born, “As you were raised by my late father, you are like a brother to me. So, you must give me half of your wealth. If not, I will wage a war.” Thus, Fire-Born gave all of his household and wealth to the king and moved to another house. But, because of his past merit, he became even wealthier than before.
King Ajatashatru did not gain more wealth, so he protested again and again. Although Fire-Born gave all his belongings seven times to the king, the same happened as before. By quarreling and robbing alone he caused a great deal of loss to Fire-Born’s wealth. At last, Fire-Born thought, “These riches and wealth will bind me to samsara and all the disputes caused by the intolerable minds of others will only create wrongdoings for myself and others. If my father, the Dharma king [Bimbisara] were reigning, everyone would act according to the Dharma; this king and his wicked actions have led all the people to be unruly. So, whatever way I think about it, there is nothing but sadness.” After this, he gave all his wealth and possessions to the poor, and went to the Buddha and got ordained as a monk. He then attained the supreme liberation which is peaceful and gentle.
Then the monks asked the Buddha about the karma that had led to all this. The Buddha replied, “Once there was a kindhearted and intelligent householder named Palden Madampa in the city of Bandhumati. He faithfully offered excellent hospitality to Buddha Vipasyin and his sixty thousand bhikshus for three months. Later, when the king of the city competitively offered his superior provisions such as elephants, victory banners, jewels, umbrellas, and so forth, to the Buddha and his followers, Palden Madampa became sad and depressed. Then, with the help of Indra, the lord of the gods, he was able to offer the superior wealth of the gods to the Buddha and made a genuine prayer. Palden Madampa is at present Fire-Born.”
Thus, for all those who are meritorious and fortunate, even the harm of others turns into virtuous friends like darkness helping to see the luminous forest of medicine; and for the ignorant ones, by the power of karma, even virtuous actions change into non-virtues like the rays of the sun becoming dark for owls. Reflecting upon the incidents that happened to Fire-Born and King Bimbisara, it is advised that a powerful prayer is necessary for the fruition of merit.
Loponma Thinley Chonzom
Padma Mani Translation Committee, NNNI
