經律異相 36.21

36.21

昔波羅奈國長者。名曰日難。大富珍琦。為人慳嫉。日未沒時常勅門監。乞者勿通。日難子旃檀。亦復慳貪。難後壽盡還生國中。為盲婦作子。其夫語婦。汝身重病今復懷軀。我無衣食汝便自去。婦出門去得大聚廧。便止其中。九月生子兩目復盲。乞食養之。至年七歲其母悲言。今有乞我少飯愈飢如雨渴者。兒聞母說便行乞食到其子家。時守門者這小出外入到中庭。栴檀聞語。呼守門問。門監懼罪。即掔盲兒撲於門外傷頭折臂。母聞走到何人無道。時門上神便謂之言。汝得是痛尚為小小。其大在後。汝坐前世有財不施故得勤苦。死更苦痛觀者聞聲。佛問阿難。是何等聲。阿難具說。願佛哀矜。到此兒所分越飯已。往視盲兒以手摩頭。目便開明。折傷即愈。因識宿命。佛問。汝是前世長者字日難非。對曰是也。佛告阿難。人居世間甚苦愚癡。一世父子不相識知。時佛說經解散其意。

In the past, in the kingdom of Vārāṇasī, there was an elder named Rinanguan. He was extremely wealthy with rare treasures, but as a person he was stingy and jealous. Before the sun set, he would constantly instruct the gatekeeper: “Do not let beggars enter.” Rinanguan's son, Candana, was also stingy and greedy. Later, when Rinanguan's life ended, he was reborn in the same country as the son of a blind woman. Her husband said to his wife: “You have a grave illness, and now you are pregnant again; I have no clothing or food, so leave on your own.” The woman went out the door, found a large enclosed wall, and stayed within it. In the ninth month she gave birth to a son, who was also blind in both eyes. She raised him by begging for food. When he reached seven years of age, his mother sorrowfully said: “If only someone would give me a little food to relieve hunger, as rain relieves thirst!” Hearing his mother speak, the boy went begging and arrived at his son's house. At that time, the gatekeeper had stepped out for a moment, and the boy entered the courtyard. Hearing the voice, Candana called the gatekeeper to question him. Fearing punishment, the gatekeeper seized the blind boy and hurled him outside the gate, injuring his head and breaking his arm. Hearing this, the mother ran over [crying]: “What unprincipled person did this?” At that time, the deity of the gate said to them: “This pain you suffer is still a small matter; the greater pain is yet to come. Because in your past life you possessed wealth but did not give, you have met with hardship; when you die, the torment will be even more bitter.” The onlookers heard the voice. The Buddha asked Ānanda: “What sound is that?” Ānanda related the matter in detail, [saying]: “May the Buddha take pity!” When they arrived at this boy's place, having finished their meal, the Buddha went to look at the blind boy and rubbed his head with his hand. The boy's eyes immediately opened and saw, and his broken injuries were healed on the spot. He thereby recognised his past life. The Buddha asked: “Were you the elder named Rinanguan in your past life, or not?” He replied: “I was.” The Buddha said to Ānanda: “When people dwell in the world, their foolishness is exceedingly pitiful: in a single lifetime, father and son do not recognise each other!” At that time, the Buddha spoke a verse to dispel their misconceptions: