慈悲道場懺法 4.8

4.8

今日道場同業大眾！重復至誠一心諦聽。爾時佛在王舍城，城東南有一池水，屎尿污穢盡入其中，臭不可近。有一大虫生此水中，身長數丈無有手足，宛轉低昂觀者數千。阿難往見，具以啟佛。佛與大眾共詣池所，大眾念言：「今日如來當為眾會說虫本末。」佛告大眾：「維衛佛泥洹後，時有塔寺，有五百比丘經過寺中，寺主歡喜請留供養，盡心供饌無有遺惜。後有五百商人，入海采寶還過塔寺，見五百比丘精勤行道，並各發心欣然共議，福田難遇當設薄供。人捨一珠，得五百摩尼珠以寄寺主。寺主後時生不善心，圖欲獨取不為設供。大眾問言：『賈客施珠，應當設供。』寺主答言：『是珠施我。若欲奪珠，糞可與汝。若不時去，割汝手足投之糞坑。』眾念其癡，默然各去。緣是罪惡受此蟲身，後入地獄又受眾苦。」

Today, assembly sharing this karmic endeavor in the bodhimaṇḍa! Once again, with utmost sincerity and single-mindedness, listen carefully. At that time, the Buddha was in Rājagṛha. To the southeast of the city was a pool of water into which feces, urine, and all filth drained; it was so foul that none could approach it. There was a giant worm that lived in this water, several zhang in length and devoid of hands and feet, twisting and writhing up and down, observed by thousands of spectators. Ānanda went and saw it, and reported it fully to the Buddha. The Buddha and the great assembly went together to the site of the pool. The assembly thought: "Today, the Tathāgata will surely explain to the gathering the origins of this worm." The Buddha told the assembly: "After the parinirvāṇa of Vipaśyin Buddha, there was a monastery at that time with a stūpa. Five hundred monks passed through the monastery. The monastery master was delighted, inviting them to stay and offering them provisions, exerting his full heart to provide meals without holding back anything. Later, five hundred merchants, having gone into the sea to gather jewels, returned and passed by the stūpa monastery. Seeing the five hundred monks diligently practicing the Path, each of them gave rise to faith and joyfully deliberated together: 'A field of merit is hard to encounter; we should make a modest offering.' Each person gave up one pearl, yielding five hundred maṇi jewels which were entrusted to the monastery master. Later, an unwholesome thought arose in the monastery master: he plotted to keep them for himself alone and not provide the offerings. The assembly asked: 'The merchants offered the pearls; you ought to provide the offerings.' The monastery master replied: 'These pearls were given to me. If you wish to seize the pearls, I can give you feces! If you do not leave immediately, I will cut off your hands and feet and cast them into the cesspool!' The assembly, considering his folly, departed silently. Due to this evil sin, he received the body of this worm, and afterward he will enter hell to suffer manifold agonies once more."