經律異相 37.9

37.9

昔有優婆塞。僑居舍衛國。婦形端正一國同聞。朋友欲觀終不肯示。人以白王。王思欲見不知何由。一臣啟言。夫婦並持五戒供養道士手自斟酌。王可詐作道士持鉢詣門。必得見之。即隨臣言。權變形服竊到其家。婦見道士頭面作禮。王覩察已還語臣等。此婦實好入我心中。不知何從得之。眾臣白言。此雖僑士應覲於王。憍慢不來可以為罪。去舍衛城千有餘里。大池水中生五色蓮華。聞有三難。蝮蛇鬼神惡狩。罪應死者使往取華。輒沒於彼。王便呼問言。卿何等人再拜答曰大王民也。王言。何以不來。答曰。愚癡不及耳。自知有罪。王言。罰卿詣池取華七日當還。若違期至當重治卿。受教辭退。還具告婦。婦語夫言。君今有罪由我美色。君識佛明教三界無怙唯戒可恃。上道之日心念三尊口誦十善莫忘須臾。若君不還吾當出家以戒自樂不經二男。給夫資糧。辭決進路行至半道。有啖人鬼問曰。何人答言。是佛弟子。鬼言。諸犯罪者遣付吾等。詐言取華。賢者實犯罪。為惡人所讒。答鬼言。人命難得唯在大神耳。鬼言。卿是佛弟子又復無罪。我不相害也。餘有二難恐卿不免當如之何。鬼復言曰。相代取花以濟卿身。使我長夜得福無量。卿急住此間鬼於是去。須臾便還。五色好華以與賢者。賢者重不能舉。鬼便取華并扶賢者。屈申臂頃已到宮門。辭別而去。賢者詣門自通。王怪還速。具問本末。如實自陳。王大驚慚曰。鬼無人義害於眾生。今濟善人我乃無義。不別善惡不如鬼魅。即自責過稽首歸命。願為弟子。奉受五戒廣行六度。國致太平。賢者夫婦并加精進。得不退轉（出譬喻經第五卷）。

Formerly, there was an upāsaka who resided as a guest in Śrāvastī. His wife's appearance was handsome and upright, known throughout the country. His friends wished to see her, but he would never show her. Someone reported this to the king. The king longed to see her, but knew of no way. A minister suggested: "Both husband and wife observe the five precepts, serving Daoists and serving food with their own hands. The king may pretend to be a Daoist holding a bowl and approach their gate; you will surely get to see her." He then followed the minister's words, changed his clothes and appearance as a makeshift device, and secretly went to their home. Seeing the Daoist, the wife prostrated with her head and face to the ground. After the king observed her, he returned and said to his ministers, "This woman is truly beautiful; she has entered into my heart. I do not know how I may obtain her." The ministers said, "Although he is a guest here, he ought to have had an audience with the king; that he did not come out of arrogance can be treated as an offense. More than a thousand li from the city of Śrāvastī, five-colored lotus flowers grow in the water of a great lake. We hear there are three perils: vipers, ghosts and spirits, and fierce beasts. Those whose crimes merit death are sent there to fetch flowers, and invariably perish there." The king then summoned and questioned him, saying, "What sort of person are you?" Bowing twice, he replied, "I am a subject of the Great King." The king said, "Why have you not come [for an audience]?" He replied, "It was merely out of foolishness that I failed to arrive. I know myself to be guilty." The king said, "I penalize you by sending you to the lake to fetch flowers; you must return in seven days. If you exceed the deadline, I shall punish you severely." Having received the order, he took his leave, returned, and told his wife everything. The wife said to her husband, "Your present guilt is on account of my beauty. You know the Buddha's clear teaching: in the three realms there is no refuge; only the precepts can be relied upon. When you set out on the road, bear the Three Honoured Ones in mind and recite the ten wholesome deeds with your mouth, not forgetting them for an instant. If you do not return, I shall go forth and find joy in the precepts, never taking a second husband." She supplied her husband with provisions, and taking his leave, he set out on the journey. When he reached midway, a man-eating ghost asked him, saying, "Who are you?" He replied, "I am a disciple of the Buddha." The ghost said, "Those who commit offenses are sent and delivered to us under the pretense of fetching flowers. Did you, worthy sir, truly commit an offense, or were you slandered by evil people?" He replied to the ghost, "Human life is difficult to attain; it rests solely with the great spirit." The ghost said, "You are a disciple of the Buddha and furthermore are guiltless; I will not harm you. But there are two other perils, and I fear you will not escape them; what shall be done?" The ghost spoke again, saying, "I will fetch the flowers on your behalf to save your person, that I may obtain immeasurable blessings throughout the long night [of saṃsāra]. Wait here urgently!" The ghost then departed. In a moment he returned and gave the fine five-colored flowers to the worthy man. The flowers were too heavy for the worthy man to lift. The ghost then took the flowers and supported the worthy man; within the span of bending and extending an arm, they arrived at the palace gate. Taking his leave, the ghost departed. The worthy man went to the gate to announce himself. The king marvelled at his quick return, and thoroughly questioned him from beginning to end. He related it truthfully. The king was greatly astonished and ashamed, saying, "Ghosts lack human righteousness, and harm living beings; yet now he saves a good person, whereas I have been without righteousness, unable to distinguish good from evil, inferior even to a ghost!" He immediately reproached himself for his fault, bowed his head, took refuge, and wished to become a disciple. He received and observed the five precepts, widely practiced the six perfections, and brought the state to great peace. The worthy man and his wife both increased their vigor and attained the stage of non-retrogression. (Extracted from the fifth volume of the Sūtra of Parables.)