“Congratulations on your new baby!”
“It is unbelievable that seven treasures rained from the sky and filled the entire house!”
“Yes indeed! You are so blessed. This must be a special child.”
Sounds of praise filled the Elder’s house after his wife had given birth to a son that day. During the birth, precious treasures fell from the sky over every corner of their residence and brought great joy to all.
One day, the Elder invited a sage to read his newborn’s features. With wholehearted admiration, the sage told the Elder, “Your son’s appearance is truly extraordinary.” The Elder was overjoyed and asked the sage to name his son. The sage asked the Elder, “When your child was born, were there any auspicious signs?” The Elder replied, “When the child was born, the seven jewels of heaven rained down on the house.” The sage continued, “This child is blessed with great virtue from his previous lives and should be named ‘Bao Tian’ (lit. Heavenly Jewel).”
Bao Tian gradually grew up and excelled in various arts and crafts. When he heard that the Buddha was a great sage with great virtue, he felt deep admiration and wished to follow him by joining the sangha. Thus, Bao Tian bid farewell to his parents and went to the Buddha to become a monk. As soon as the Buddha saw him, he said, “Come Bhikshu Shanlai (lit. bhikshu who comes in goodness), shave off your beard and hair and adorn yourself with the sangha robe.” Then the Buddha spoke the wondrous Dharma. As soon as Bhikshu Bao Tian heard, he attained the fruit of arhatship.
Witnessing this from the side, Ananda asked the Buddha in disbelief, “What kind of merits did Bhikshu Bao Tian cultivate in his previous life that the sky rained down seven treasures at his birth, and he enjoyed abundant food and clothing ever since?”
The Buddha replied, “In the past, when Vipasyin Buddha was teaching the Dharma, many practitioners made offerings of money, treasure, food, clothing, bedding, and other valuables to the Buddha and the sangha. At that time, there was a poor man who, despite having nothing at all, deeply desired to make an offering. With the utmost respect, he offered a handful of jewel-like white stones to the monks. At the same time, he made a great vow. That poor man is Bhikshu Bao Tian. Because of this reverent offering of white stones, he has enjoyed endless blessings in ninety-one rebirths, with plentiful food, clothing, and money. And because of his sincere faith and reverence at the time of the offering, he encountered the Buddha and the Dharma in this lifetime and joined the monastic community, thereby attaining arhatship.
Once the Buddha finished explaining the causes and conditions of Bhikshu Bao Tian’s previous life, the audience gave rise to great faith and reverence. Some attained different levels of enlightenment, while some brought forth the bodhi mind. All accepted and practiced the Buddha’s teaching faithfully.
REFLECTION
Respectfully offering a handful of white stones brings abundant merits for countless lifetimes. Having pure and sincere faith, even in a single thought, leads to wisdom and samadhi for many kalpas. The most precious thing everyone has is their intrinsic mind of purity and virtue. Cultivating all good deeds in accordance with the pure mind is like planting seeds in a field of merit. With the sunlight of wisdom, the nourishment of diligent effort, and the watering of merits and virtue, there will be the everlasting harvest of fruits and flowers from the bodhi tree.