The Pure Youth Moonlight arose from his seat,
bowed at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "I remember
that long ago, beyond Kalpas as many as there are sands in the
Ganges, there was a Buddha in the world named Water-God, who taught
all the Bodhisattvas to cultivate the contemplation of water and
enter Samadhi.
"I reflected upon how throughout the body the essence of water is
not in discord. I started with mucus and saliva and went on through
my body, the nature of water was identical. I saw that the water in
my body was not at all different from that in the world
outside-even that in royal lands of floating banners with all their
seas of fragrant waters.
"At that time, when I first succeeded in the contemplation of
water, I could see only water. I still had not gotten beyond my
physical body.
"I was a Bhikshu then, and once when I was in Dhyana repose in my
room, a disciple of mine peeked in the window and saw only pure
water there, which filled the entire room. He saw nothing
else.
"The lad was young, and not knowing any better, he picked up a tile
and tossed it and into the water. It hit the water with a 'plunk.'
He gazed around and then left. When I came out of concentration, I
was suddenly aware of a pain in my heart, and I felt like
Shariputra must have felt when he met that cruel
ghost.
"I thought of myself, 'I am already an Arhat and have long since
abandoned conditions that bring on illness. Why is it that today I
suddenly have a pain in my heart? Am I about to lose the position
of non-retreat?'
"Just then, the young lad came promptly to me and related what had
happened. I quickly said to him, 'When you see the water again, you
may open the door, wade into the water, and remove the tile.' The
child was obedient, so that when I re-entered Samadhi, he again saw
the water and the tile as well. He opened the door and took it out.
When I came out of concentration, my body was as it had been
before.
"I encountered limitless Buddhas and cultivated in this way until
the coming of the Thus Come One, King of Masterful Penetrations of
Mountains and Seas. Then I finally had no body. My nature and the
seas of fragrant waters throughout the ten directions were
identical with true emptiness, without any duality or difference.
Now I am with the Thus Come One and am known as a Pure Youth, and I
have joined the assembly of Bodhisattvas.