眾經撰雜譬喻 1.35

1.35

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.