經律異相 19.12

19.12

佛言。于時象者。林中比丘是也。佛復告比丘。過去世時。有五百仙人。住雪山中。時一仙人。於別處住。有好泉水。華果茂盛。去是不遠。有薩羅水。水中有龍。龍見仙人威儀庠序。心生愛念來詣仙人。正復值仙結跏趺坐。龍遶仙人七匝。以頭覆其頂上而住。日日如是。唯有食時不來。仙人以龍遶身故。日夜端坐不得休息。身體萎羸便生瘡疥。爾時近處有人居止。供養仙人。詣仙人所。見羸劣疥搔。即問。何故如是。仙人具說上事。又問曰。欲令龍不復來耶。答曰然。復語仙人。是龍咽上有瓔珞寶珠。可從龍索珠。龍法性慳終不相與。龍來便從索珠。龍聞乞此。心即不喜徐捨而去。明日龍來遙說偈曰。

The Buddha said: 'The elephant at that time was this monk in the forest.' The Buddha further told the monks: 'In a past age, there were five hundred ṛṣis living in the Snow Mountains. At that time, one ṛṣi lived in a separate place, where there was a fine spring with luxuriant flowers and fruits. Not far from there, there was the Sāra River, and in the water was a nāga. Seeing the ṛṣi's dignified and composed deportment, the nāga felt affectionate regard and came to the ṛṣi's place, just when the ṛṣi was sitting cross-legged. The nāga coiled around the ṛṣi seven times and rested with its head covering his crown. It was like this day after day, coming at all times except mealtime. Because the nāga coiled around his body, the ṛṣi sat upright day and night without resting; his body grew emaciated and broke out in sores and scabs. At that time, there was a person living nearby who made offerings to the ṛṣi. He came to the ṛṣi's place, saw that he was emaciated and covered with scabies, and asked: "Why are you like this?" The ṛṣi recounted the above matter in detail. The person further asked: "Do you wish to make the nāga come no more?" He answered: "Yes." The person again said to the ṛṣi: "This nāga has an ornamental precious pearl on its throat; you can demand the pearl from the nāga. Nāgas by nature are stingy and will never give it to you. When the nāga comes, demand the pearl from it." When the nāga heard him begging for this, its mind was displeased, and it slowly withdrew and left. The next day, the nāga came and spoke a verse from afar: