華嚴經探玄記 8.7

8.7

The limbs and various bones are given together. Regarding giving the skin: in Dà zhìdù lùn, fascicle 16, it is like the venomous dragon who took the one-day-and-one-night precepts, and when flayed of its five-colored skin, endured it and gave it away. Furthermore, regarding the vajra-flanked deer king: in the Sūtra of the Collection of the Bodhisattva's Past Avadānas, fascicle 4, the bodhisattva in a past life fell among animals and took the body of a deer, with both flanks golden in color, its back like lapis lazuli, the rest of its body variegated with diverse colors difficult to name, its ankles like tridacna, its horns like the essence of gold, its body adorned like a treasury of seven jewels, the brilliant glow of its body like the rising sun, bringing abundant benefit to the herds of deer. At a great turbulent river, seeing a man about to drown, it threw its body in and rescued him. That man was saved, but later betrayed this kindness, informing the king and leading soldiers wishing to kill the deer to take its skin. Leading the king and soldiers there, as the deer pointed it out, both of the man's arms fell off. The king knew he had betrayed this kindness, aroused the mind [of faith], bowed to the deer, apologized for the transgression, and departed. It is extensively as spoken there. In giving the fingers of the hands and feet, instances such as burning fingers as an offering and the like also belong to this category.