法句譬喻經 32.p4

32.p4

In days of old when Buddha was residing at Śrāvastī, and there preaching his doctrine for the good of Devas and men, there was residing in the city a certain rich Brahman of a very covetous and niggard disposition, who, from a desire to save alms, used to order his servant to shut his door and fasten his windows whenever he took his meals, so that no beggar should molest him with his importunities. And so no religious person (Shaman) could ever gain admittance, or stand in the presence of this Brahman. One day having desired his wife to kill a fowl and make a highly savoury dish of the same, they both sat down together to eat it, the doors and the windows having first been closed—and between them their little child, into whose mouth they both occasionally put scraps of the savoury dish. Now Buddha, knowing that there was a capacity for conversion in this man's case, transformed himself into the appearance of a Shaman, and waiting till the master of the house had finished his meal he placed himself before his chair, or seat, and recited the usual formula. “He who gives little or much (or he who gives a little of his abundance) in charity, lays up for himself a great reward.” The Brahman, raising his head and seeing the Shaman (as it seemed), began to abuse him and said, “You call yourself a religious mendicant, do you? and yet have no better manners than this, to force yourself into my presence when at my meals with my family?” To which he replied, “It is you, my lord, who ought to be ashamed—I need not feel shame for begging as a mendicant.” The Brahman then replied—"And what shame should I feel for eating thus with my wife in comfort?” “You, my lord, who have killed your father, and married your mother, and thus involved yourself in family disgrace, and feel no shame, nevertheless upbraid me and would put me to shame for begging a little food,” and then he recited the following verses :—