眾經撰雜譬喻 2.26

2.26

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.