眾經撰雜譬喻 1.35

1.35

昔有沙門行草間，有大蛇言：「和尚道人！」道人驚，左右視之。蛇言：「道人！莫恐莫怖，願為我說經，令我脫此罪身？」蛇曰：「道人！聞有阿耆達王不？」答曰：「聞！」蛇曰：「我是也！」道人言：「阿耆達王立佛塔寺供養功德巍巍，當生天上，何緣乃爾也？」蛇言：「我臨命終時，邊人持扇墮我面上，令我瞋恚，受是蛇身。」道人即為說經，一心樂聽不食七日，命過生天。却後數月持花散佛，眾人怪之。在虛空曰：「我阿耆達王，蒙道人恩，聞法得生天上，今來奉花報佛恩耳！」是以臨命之人，傍側侍衛者不可不護病者心也。

Once there was a śramaṇa walking among the grass. A great serpent said: "Upādhyāya! Renunciant!" The renunciant was startled and looked to the left and right. The serpent said: "Renunciant! Do not fear, do not be terrified! Would you please preach the sūtras for me, so that I may be freed from this body of guilt?" The serpent asked: "Renunciant! Have you heard of King Arcintya?" He replied: "I have!" The serpent said: "I am he!" The renunciant said: "King Arcintya erected Buddhist stūpas and vihāras, and his merit from making offerings was magnificent; he should have been born in heaven. For what reason did it come to this?" The serpent said: "When my life was ending, an attendant holding a fan dropped it onto my face, causing me to become angry, and so I received this serpent body." The renunciant then preached the sūtras for him. [The serpent] listened single-mindedly with delight, did not eat for seven days, passed away, and was born in heaven. Several months later, he scattered flowers over the Buddha. The people wondered at it. He said from mid-air: "I am King Arcintya. Relying upon the renunciant's kindness, I heard the Dharma and was able to be born in heaven; now I have come to offer flowers to repay the Buddha's kindness!" Therefore, when someone is at the end of life, those attending at their side must protect the sick person's mind.