眾經撰雜譬喻 2.10

2.10

昔有屠兒，詣阿闍世王所乞求一願。王曰：「汝求何願？」答曰：「節會之際宜須屠殺，王見賜我當盡為之。」王曰：「屠殺之事，人所不樂，汝何故樂求之？」答曰：「我昔為貧人，因屠羊之肆以自生活，由是之故得生四天王上，盡彼天壽來生人中，續復屠羊，命終之後生第二天上；如是六反屠羊，因是事故遍生六天中，受福無量，以是故今從王乞一願。」王曰：「設如汝語，何以知之？」答曰：「我識宿命。」王聞不信謂是妄語：「如此下賤之人，何能識宿命耶？」後便問佛，佛答曰：「實如其言非妄語也！此人先世曾值辟支佛，見佛歡喜至心諦觀，仰視其首俯察其足，善心即生，緣是功德故得生六天，人間六返自識宿命，以福熟故得人天六返，罪未熟故未得受苦；畢此身方當入地獄受屠羊之罪，地獄罪畢當生羊中一一償之。此人識宿命淺，唯見六天中事，不及過去第七身故，便謂屠羊即是生天因也。如是但識宿命，非通非明也！」是以修功德者必發願，勿便孟浪使果報不明，此可為驗矣！

Once, a butcher went to King Ajātaśatru to request a boon. The king asked, 'What boon do you seek?' He replied, 'Whenever festivals and gatherings occur, butchering is required; if the king would bestow it upon me, I will do it all.' The king said, 'The business of butchering is something people take no pleasure in; why do you delight in seeking it?' He replied, 'Formerly, I was a poor man and sustained my life through a shop butchering sheep. By virtue of this, I was born into the heaven of the Cāturmahārājikas. When my lifespan in that heaven was exhausted, I came to be born among humans and continued to butcher sheep. After my life ended, I was born into the second heaven. In this way, I butchered sheep through six cycles, and on account of this affair, I was born throughout the six heavens and received immeasurable blessing. For this reason, I now seek a boon from the king.' The king said, 'Assuming it is as you say, how do you know this?' He replied, 'I remember my former lives.' Hearing this, the king did not believe him, taking it to be falsehood: 'How could a lowly person such as this know former lives?' Later, he asked the Buddha, and the Buddha replied, 'It is truly as he said; it is not a lie! In a past life, this man once encountered a pratyekabuddha. Seeing the Buddha, he rejoiced and contemplated him with a concentrated mind, looking up at his head and looking down at his feet. A wholesome mind immediately arose. Due to this merit, he was able to be born in the six heavens and undergo six cycles among humans, remembering his former lives of his own accord. Because his blessings had ripened, he was able to make six cycles between humans and devas; because his offenses had not yet ripened, he had not yet suffered pain. When this life is ended, he will enter naraka to receive retribution for the sin of butchering sheep; and when his sins in naraka are ended, he will be born among sheep to repay them one by one. This man's knowledge of former lives is shallow: he sees only the events within the six heavens and does not reach the past seventh life; thus he took butchering sheep to be the cause of being born in heaven. In this way, he only recognizes former lives, but possesses neither spiritual superknowledges nor clear insight!' Therefore, those who cultivate merit must make vows; do not act rashly so as to leave vipāka unclear. This can serve as proof!