大方便佛報恩經 4.51

4.51

The Buddha said, "Listen attentively! I shall explain and analyze this for you. In the past, incalculable kalpas ago, there was a great king who was fond of eating wild goose meat, and he made a hunter constantly catch geese with nets. At that time, a flock of five hundred geese came from the north, flying through the sky toward the south. Among them, the goose king fell into the net. Thereupon the hunter was overjoyed, and immediately came out of his thatched hut, wishing to take and kill it. At that time, there was a goose that cried mournfully and spat blood, lingering and not leaving. The hunter bent his bow and wished to shoot it, but it did not flee from the bow and arrow, never taking its eyes away for a moment, and flapped its two wings, throwing itself toward the goose king. The flock of five hundred geese lingered in the empty sky, also not leaving. Then the hunter saw this single goose crying mournfully and spitting blood, yearning with such affection. The hunter then had this thought: 'Even birds and beasts can yearn for one another and cherish each other like this, disregarding their own lives. With what heart should I now kill this goose king?' Immediately he opened the net and let it go. At that time, the single goose cried mournfully in joy, flapped its wings and followed behind, and the flock of five hundred geese surrounded them from front and behind, flying away into the sky. Thereupon the hunter reported to the great king: 'I netted a goose king, which should have been delivered to the royal kitchen to prepare meals. But I saw a single goose crying mournfully and spitting blood, not fleeing from the bow and arrow, lingering and not leaving. Pondering this goose, I immediately released the goose king; five hundred followers surrounded them from front and behind and flew away into the sky.' When the great king heard these words, his heart was deeply grieved, and he immediately gave rise to a compassionate mind: 'Even birds and beasts love and cherish each other, protecting and sparing each other's lives like this.' Thereupon the great king immediately ceased eating goose meat, vowing never again to catch them.