眾經撰雜譬喻 2.26

2.26

佛般涅槃後百歲，有國王事天神，大祠祀用牛、羊、猪、豚、犬、雞各百頭，皆付厨士殺牛羊。厨士中有一優婆塞言：「我持佛戒不得殺生。」厨監大恚，即白王言：「欲治之。」王問曰：「汝故欲違我教耶？當殺汝！」厨士答曰：「我是佛弟子受持五戒，寧自殺身不違佛教而便殺生。若隨王教犯殺者死入地獄，巨億萬歲罪竟乃出，常當短命。持戒不缺就王誅者，死轉上天，天上得福所願自然，今假令當死，轉此生身當受天上，罪福之報相去殊遠。我以是故死，死不犯耳！」王言：「與七日期，當以象蹈殺汝，若不死者，語乃有實。」七日之後，士盡是優婆塞身作佛身，相如佛形。以驗五百象往蹈之。優婆塞如佛法，則舉手五指化為五嶽山，一山間有一師子出，象見師子惶怖悉皆伏地，如佛在時。王爾乃信知有佛，便罷祠祀。從此人受佛戒，臣吏人民亦皆從受戒，遂為國師。賢者持戒度人如此。

A hundred years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, there was a king who served heavenly spirits. In a great sacrificial offering, he used cattle, sheep, pigs, piglets, dogs, and chickens, one hundred of each, handing them all over to the cooks to slaughter the cattle and sheep. Among the cooks was an upāsaka who said, "I observe the Buddha's precepts and cannot kill living beings." The master cook was furious, and immediately reported to the king, "I wish to punish him." The king asked, "Do you intentionally disobey my command? You shall be killed!" The cook replied, "I am a disciple of the Buddha and receive and uphold the five precepts. I would rather kill myself than violate the Buddha's teaching and kill living beings. If I comply with the king's command and commit slaughter, upon death I will enter hell for countless hundreds of millions of years, only emerging when the retribution is exhausted, and I would constantly have a short lifespan. If I observe the precepts without breach and face execution by the king, upon death I will ascend to heaven, obtaining merit in heaven where whatever I wish for arrives naturally. If I must die now, transforming this mortal body, I shall receive heavenly existence. The retributions of offense and merit are far apart! For this reason, I would die, but even in death I will not violate them!" The king said, "I grant you a period of seven days, after which I will have elephants trample you to death. If you do not die, then your words are true." After seven days, the man's entire body as an upāsaka transformed into the Buddha's body, possessing marks like the Buddha's form. To test him, five hundred elephants were sent to trample him. Following the Buddha's manner, the upāsaka raised his hand, and his five fingers transformed into the five great mountain peaks. Between each mountain, a lion emerged. Seeing the lions, the elephants were terrified and all prostrated on the ground, just as when the Buddha was alive. Only then did the king believe and know there was a Buddha, and he put an end to the sacrifices. From this man he received the Buddha's precepts, and the ministers, officials, and people also received the precepts from him. He then became the national teacher. Such is the way a worthy person observes the precepts and delivers people.