釋門歸敬儀 1.28

1.28

因引古事，昔有鵽鳥、獼猴、大象，同在一林以為朋友，乃相謂曰：「先生宿舊，禮應供養，如何同住，不識禮敬？」象云：「我見此樹生齊吾腹。」猴言：「我曾蹲地，手挽樹頭。」鳥言：「我於遠林食此樹子，墮出而生，我應最長。」即時大象背負獼猴，鳥在猴上，周遍而行，仍說偈云：「有敬長老者，是人能護法，現世得名譽，將來生善道。」於是人皆効之，悉行禮敬。諸有智人，以喻取解。《經》云：「恭敬於塔廟，謙下諸比丘，遠離自高心，常思惟智慧。」又云：「若有智慧，則無貪著。今貪慢而著隨，則其愚不可及也。」

He therefore cited an ancient story: In the past, a partridge, a monkey, and a great elephant lived together in the same forest as friends. They said to one another, "Those who are elder and senior should by propriety be sustained with offerings. How can we live together without knowing ritual respect?" The elephant said, "I saw this tree when its growth only reached up to my belly." The monkey said, "I once squatted on the ground and pulled down the top of the tree with my hand." The bird said, "In a distant forest I ate a fruit of this tree, dropped it out [in my droppings], and it sprouted; I must be the eldest." At once the great elephant carried the monkey on its back, the bird perched atop the monkey, and they traveled all around, whereupon they spoke a verse: / "Those who revere the elderly— / Such people can protect the Dharma, / Gaining renown in the present life, / And being born in the good destinies in the future." / Thereupon people all emulated them, and universally practiced ritual respect. All wise people grasp the meaning through metaphor. A sūtra says: "Revere stūpas and temples, / Humble yourself before all monks, / Stay far from a haughty mind, / And constantly contemplate wisdom." It also says: "If one has wisdom, there is no greed or attachment. If one is now greedy and haughty, accompanied by attachments, then such folly is unsurpassable."