大唐西域記 9.4

9.4

菩提樹東渡尼連禪那河，大林中有窣堵波。其北有池，香象侍母處也。如來在昔修菩薩行，為香象子，居北山中，遊此池側。其母盲也，採藕根，汲清水，恭行孝養，與時推移。屬有一人，遊林迷路，彷徨往來，悲號慟哭。象子聞而愍焉，導之以示歸路。是人既還，遂白王曰：「我知香象遊舍林藪，此奇貨也，可往捕之。」王納其言，興兵往狩，是人前導，指象示王，即時兩臂墮落，若有斬截者。其王雖驚此異，仍縛象子以歸。象子既已維縶多時，而不食水草，典廐者以聞，王遂親問之。象子曰：「我母盲冥，累日飢餓，今見幽厄，詎能甘食？」王愍其情也，故遂放之。

To the east of the Bodhi tree, crossing the Nairanjana (Ni-len-shan-na) river, in the middle of a wood, is a stupa. To the north of this is a pool. This is the spot where a perfume elephant (Gandhahasti) waited on his mother. Formerly when Tathagata was practising discipline as a Bodhisattva, he was born as the offspring of a perfume-elephant, and lived in the mountains of the north. Wandering forth, he came to the border of this pool. His mother being blind, he gathered for her the sweet lotus roots, and drew pure water for her use, and cherished her with devotion and filial care. At this time there was a man who had changed his home, who wandered here and there in the wood without knowing his way, and in his distress raised piteous cries. The elephant-cub heard him and pitied him; leading him on, he showed him his way to the road. The man having got back, forthwith went to the king and said, "I know of a wood in which a perfume-elephant lives and roams. It is a very valuable animal. You had better go and take it."

The king, assenting to his words, went with his soldiers to capture it, the man leading the way. Then pointing to the elephant to show it to the king, immediately both his arms fell off as if cut by a sword. The king, though he saw this miracle, yet captured the elephant-cub, and bound it with cords, and returned to his palace. The young elephant having been bound (in order to tame it), for a long time would neither eat nor drink. The stable-keeper stated the matter to the king, who, on his part, came to see for himself, and asking the elephant the reason. "Lo!" he answered and said, "my mother is blind, and now for days together is without food or drink, and here I am bound in a dreary dungeon. How can I take my food with relish!" The king, pitying his feelings and resolution, therefore ordered him to be set free. By the side of this (pool) is a stûpa, before which is built a stone pillar. In this place the Buddha Kâśyapa (Kia-she-po) long ago sat in meditation. By its side are traces where the four past Buddhas sat down and walked.