法句譬喻經 25.p1

25.p1

In days of old, when Buddha was residing in the Gridhrakūta Mount, near Rājagriha, then Devadatta, in concert with Ajātaśatru Rāja, contrived a plan for the destruction of the Teacher and his followers. The plan was this:— That the King should prohibit the people of the town from giving anything in charity to the community, and so, when they had found their begging excursion through the streets ineffective, that then the King should ask them all to an entertainment at the palace. Meantime Devadatta, having intoxicated 500 elephants, was to let them loose on the Teacher and his followers, and so destroy them all. Accordingly, the invitation was given and accepted by Buddha, and so on the morrow they entered the city as agreed upon. On this the elephants, having been let loose, with upraised trunks, came bellowing down on the crowd, on which the 500 Rahats who followed Buddha rose into the air (and flew away), but Buddha, with Ānanda by his side, checked the fury of the beasts, who now came and bowed down, and went before the Teacher perfectly subdued. On this Buddha, raising the five fingers of his hand, caused the appearance of five lions, who uttered their roar, whilst the earth shook, and the elephants lay down affrighted on the ground. Hereupon Buddha and his followers proceeded to the King's palace, and after listening to the confession of the King, Buddha uttered these stanzas :—