經律異相 28.4

28.4

昔瓶沙王。有一大臣。犯事徙南山中去國千里。由來無人不熟五穀。大臣到中。泉水通流五穀大熟。四方諸國有飢寒者來至此中。數年之中便有三四千家。來者給與田地令得生活。其中三老諸長者宿年。共議國之無君。由身之無首相將至大臣所。舉大臣為王。大臣答長老曰。若以我為王者。當如諸國王之法。左右大臣文武將士。上下朝貢發女開宮租稅穀帛當如民法。諸國老曰。唯然奉命。一隨王法。即立為王。處置群臣。文武上下發調人民。築城作舍宮殿樓觀。民被苦毒不復能堪。皆發想念欲謀圖於王。諸姦臣輩將王出獵。去城三四十里。於曠野澤中索王欲殺。王問左右。何緣殺我。並曰。民慕豐樂奉王以禮。民困思亂破家圖國。王告之言。卿等自為非我本造。抂殺我者神祇知之。聽我發一願死不有恨。即時願曰。我本開荒出土養民。來者皆活富樂無極。自舉我為王。依案諸國自共作此今反殺我。我實無惡於此人民。若我死者願作羅剎。還入故身中當報此怨。於是絞殺棄尸而去。三日之後王神還身中。自名阿羅波。即起入宮。殺新王并後宮婇女左右姦臣。欲盡殺人。國中三老草索自縛來。向羅剎自首。此是姦臣所為。非是細民所可能知。乞匃原恕願還治國。曰我是羅剎。與人從事食飲當得人肉。羅剎急性忿不思難。三老曰。國是王許故當如前。食飲所須當相差次。國老共出宣令人民。從此為次。家出一小兒。生用作食。食羅剎王三四千家。正有一戶為佛弟子。居門精進持佛五戒。賢者大小懊惱啼哭。遙向崛山為佛作禮。悔過自責。佛以道眼見其辛苦。便自說言。因是小兒當度無數人。便獨飛往至羅剎門。現變光相照其宮內。羅剎見光疑是異人。即出見佛便起毒心。欲前唅佛光刺其目。擔山吐火皆化為塵。至久疲頓然後降化。請佛入坐頭面作禮。佛為說法一心聽法。即受五戒為優婆塞。里吏催食奪兒將還。室家㘁哭隨道而來。觀者無數為之悲哀。吏抱兒擎食著羅剎前。羅剎以手擎兒。長跪白佛。國人相次以兒食。我今受佛五戒不復得食人。請以小兒持布施佛。為佛給使。佛為受之。說法呪願。羅剎歡喜得須陀洹道。佛以小兒著鉢中。擎出宮門還其父母。而告之曰。快養小兒勿復愁憂。眾人見佛莫不驚怪。是何神此兒何福。而獨救之。羅剎所食奪還父母。佛即說偈言。

Formerly, King Bimbisāra had a minister who committed an offense and was banished to the southern mountains, a thousand li away from the country. From antiquity, no people lived there and the five grains would not ripen. When the minister arrived there, spring waters flowed freely and the five grains flourished in abundance. Those from neighboring countries who suffered from hunger and cold came to this place. Within a few years, there were three to four thousand households. Those who came were provided with land so that they could make a living. The elders and senior venerable ones among them conferred, saying: 'A state without a ruler is like a body without a head.' Together they went to the minister and elevated him to be king. The minister answered the elders: 'If you take me as king, it must be according to the laws of kings of various realms. There must be ministers of the left and right, civil and military generals, tribute paid from superiors to inferiors, women drafted to fill the palace, and taxes in grain and silk levied as ordinary civil law.' The elders of the state said: 'We respectfully obey your commands; we will follow the king's law in all respects.' Thereupon he was established as king. He appointed his ministers, civil and military officials, and levied corvée upon the people, building city walls, houses, palaces, and watchtowers. The people suffered bitter torment and could no longer bear it. They all conceived thoughts of plotting against the king. The treacherous ministers took the king out hunting, thirty to forty li from the city. In the open wilderness and marsh, they seized the king, intending to kill him. The king asked his attendants: 'For what reason do you kill me?' They all replied: 'The people longed for abundance and ease and treated the king with ritual respect; but when the people are exhausted they think of rebellion, destroying their families and plotting against the state.' The king told them: 'You brought this upon yourselves; it was not my original doing. The gods and spirits know that you wrongfully kill me. Grant me one vow, and I will die without resentment.' He then made this vow: 'Originally, I cleared the wasteland, brought forth the soil, and sustained the people. All who came survived and enjoyed boundless wealth and joy. You yourselves raised me to be king, and relying on other realms we established these measures together; yet now in turn you kill me. I truly harbored no ill will toward these people. If I die, I vow to become a rākṣasa, enter my former body again, and avenge this wrong!' Thereupon they strangled him to death, abandoned his corpse, and left. Three days later, the king's spirit returned to his body, calling itself A-luo-po. He immediately arose, entered the palace, and killed the new king, the palace concubines, and the treacherous ministers around him. He intended to kill everyone. The elders of the state tied themselves with straw ropes, came forward, and confessed to the rākṣasa: 'This was the doing of treacherous ministers, not something the common folk could have known. We beg for your forgiveness and pray that you return to govern the country.' He said: 'I am a rākṣasa. In dealing with humans, for food and drink I must have human flesh.' Rākṣasas are by nature impetuous and angry, not considering difficulties. The elders said: 'The country belongs to the Great King, so it shall be as before. What is needed for food and drink will be provided in turn.' The elders went out together and proclaimed the order to the people: 'From now on, by turn, each household shall produce a small child, alive, to serve as food.' The rākṣasa king ate his way through the three to four thousand households. There happened to be one household of Buddha's disciples who lived piously and kept the Buddha's five precepts. Great and small, the worthy family members wept in sorrow, bowed toward Gṛdhrakūṭa from afar in homage to the Buddha, and repented and blamed themselves. With his divine eye, the Buddha saw their suffering, and said to himself: 'Because of this child, countless people shall be delivered.' He then flew alone to the rākṣasa's gate, manifesting transformative radiant marks that illuminated the interior of his palace. Seeing the light, the rākṣasa suspected it was an extraordinary person; he immediately went out, saw the Buddha, and gave rise to a poisonous mind. He wanted to step forward and devour the Buddha's light, piercing his own eyes. Carrying mountains and spitting fire, all turned into dust. After a long while, exhausted, he was finally subdued and converted. He invited the Buddha to enter and sit, and bowed his head to the ground in homage. The Buddha expounded the Dharma for him, and he listened with single-minded devotion. He immediately received the five precepts and became an upāsaka. The village official had urged the meal forward, snatched the child, and brought him along. The entire family, wailing loudly, followed along the road; countless onlookers felt grief for them. The official cradled the child and presented the food before the rākṣasa. The rākṣasa raised the child in his hands, knelt long, and said to the Buddha: 'The people of the country have been taking turns offering children for my food. Now that I have received the Buddha's five precepts, I must no longer eat humans. I pray to offer this small child as a gift to the Buddha to serve as the Buddha's attendant.' The Buddha accepted it on his behalf, taught the Dharma, and pronounced a benediction. The rākṣasa rejoiced and attained the path of srotāpanna. The Buddha placed the child in his almsbowl, carried him out of the palace gate, returned him to his parents, and said to them: 'Nourish the child well; do not sorrow any longer.' When the crowd saw the Buddha, all were astonished and wondered: 'What deity is this? What blessing does this child possess, that he alone is rescued? What was to be the rākṣasa's food has been snatched back and returned to his parents!' The Buddha then spoke a verse: