慈悲道場懺法 4.8

4.8

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."