經律異相 14.8

14.8

佛住舍衛城。舍利弗請佛制戒。諸比丘言。云何未有過而求制戒。佛言。舍利弗不但今日未有過而請制戒。其往昔時。在一聚落。人民居士未有過患。亦嘗請我制諸刑罰。時國名迦尸。城名波羅㮈。國王名淨稱。淨稱以法治化。布施持戒以道汎愛。人民致盛富樂豐實。村里邑屋雞飛相接。舉國相敬常作諸伎共相娛樂。時有大臣。名曰陶利。多諸謀策。白王言。今日境內自然富樂。人民相敬。願王制立刑罰。莫令樂極生過。王曰。即諸大臣聰明有智。多有朋黨不可卒制。若一訶責或生釁咎。王欲薄啟其。乃說偈言。

When the Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, Śāriputra requested the Buddha to formulate precepts. The monks said, 'Why ask to formulate precepts when there have not yet been any offenses?' The Buddha said, 'It is not only today that Śāriputra has requested the formulation of precepts when there were no offenses. In past times, in a settlement where the people and householders had not yet committed any faults or offenses, he also once requested me to establish punishments. At that time, the kingdom was named Kāśi, the city was named Vārāṇasī, and the king of the kingdom was named Śucikīrti. Śucikīrti ruled and transformed [the people] with Dharma, practicing generosity and keeping the precepts, loving all with the way. The people flourished, rich and happily supplied with abundant goods; the roofs of the villages and towns were so contiguous that cocks flew from one to the next. The whole kingdom respected one another, constantly performing arts to entertain each other. At that time there was a minister named Taoli, who was full of strategies. He addressed the king, saying, 'Today the territory is naturally rich and happy, and the people respect one another. May the king establish punishments, lest pleasure reach an extreme and give rise to offenses.' The king said, 'The ministers are clever and wise, with many factions, and cannot be restrained hastily. If one reproaches them, disputes and faults may arise.' The king, wishing to make light of his petition, thereupon spoke a verse: