經律異相 43.45

43.45

有一縣人。皆奉行五戒十善。縣界無釀酒者。中有大姓家子。欲遠賈販。臨途父母語曰。汝勤持五戒奉行十善。慎莫飲酒犯佛重戒。行到他國見故同學。歡喜歸家出蒲陶酒欲共飲之。辭曰。吾國奉佛戒無敢犯者。且辭親近父母又戒相別久會同心雖喜悅。不宜使吾犯戒違親教也。主人言。吾與卿同師恩則兄弟。吾親則是子親。父母相飲豈可違之。若吾在卿家必從子親。事不獲已乃從飲之。事訖還家具白於親。父母報言。汝違吾教加復犯戒。亂法之漸非孝子也。無得說之。便以所得物逐令出國。子以犯戒為親所驅。乃到他國住客舍家。主人事三鬼神。能作人形。對人飲食與人語言。事之積年居財空盡。而家疾病死喪不絕。私共論之。鬼知人意。鬼共議言。此人財產空訖。正為吾等未曾有益。今相厭患。宜求珍寶以與之。便行盜他國王庫藏好寶積置園中。報言。汝事吾歷年勤苦甚久。今欲福汝使得饒富。主人言。受大神恩。鬼曰。汝園中有金銀可往取之。主人欣然。入園見物負摙歸舍。辭謝受恩。明日欲設飯食。願屈顧下。施設皆辦。鬼神詣門。見舍衛國人在主人舍。便奔走而去。主人追呼。既已顧下。委去何為。神曰。卿舍尊客吾焉得前。重復驚走。主人思惟。吾宅之中無有異人。正有此人耳。即出言語恭設已竟。因問之曰。卿有何功德吾所事神畏子而走。客具說佛功德五戒十善。實犯酒戒為親所逐。尚餘四戒故為天神所護。卿神不敢當之。主人語言。欲奉持五戒。因從客受三自歸五戒。一心精進不敢懈怠。問佛在處可得見不。客曰。在舍衛國給孤獨園。主人一心到彼經歷一亭。中有一女。正是噉人鬼婦。行路逈遠時日逼暮。從女寄宿。女即報言。慎勿留此。宜急前去。男子問曰。用何等故將有意乎。女人報言。吾已語卿用復問為。男子自念。前舍衛國人完佛四戒我神尚為畏之。我已受三歸五戒。心不懈怠。何畏懼乎。遂自留宿。時噉人鬼見護戒威神去亭四十里。一宿不歸。明日進見鬼所噉人骨骸狼藉。心怖而悔退。自思惟。我在本國衣食足用。空為此人所化。言佛在舍衛國。未覩奇妙乃見骸骨縱橫。不如携此女人將歸本土共居如故。即時迴還。因從女人復求留宿。女人謂男子。何復還耶。答曰。行計不成故迴還耳。復寄一宿。女言卿死矣。吾夫是噉人鬼。方來不久。卿急去此。男子不信遂止不去。便迷惑婬意復生。不復信佛三歸五戒。天神即去鬼得來還。女人恐鬼食此男子。藏之甕中。鬼聞人氣謂婦言。爾得肉耶。吾欲噉之。婦言。我不行何從得肉。婦問鬼。卿昨何以不歸。鬼言。坐汝所為而舍宿尊客。令吾被逐。甕中男子踰益恐怖。不復識三自歸。婦言。何以不得肉乎。鬼言。正為汝舍佛弟子。天神逐我出四十里外。露宿震怖于今不安故不得肉。婦因問夫。佛戒云何。鬼言。我大飢極急以肉來不須問此。此是無上正真之戒。非吾所敢說也。婦言。為說之。我當與卿肉。鬼類貪殘食欲食無止。婦迫問之。因便為說三歸五戒。鬼初說一戒時婦輒受之。至第五戒心執口誦。男子於甕中識五戒隨受之。天帝釋知此二人心自歸佛。即遣善神五十人擁護兩人。鬼遂走去。到明日。婦問男子。怖乎。答曰大怖。蒙仁者恩。心悟識佛。婦言男子。昨何以迴還。答曰。吾見新久死人骸骨縱橫恐畏故還耳。婦言。骨是吾所棄者也。吾本良家之女。為鬼所略取吾作妻。悲窮無計。今蒙仁恩。得聞佛戒離於此鬼。又言。賢者欲到何所。男子報言。吾欲到舍衛國見佛。婦曰善哉。吾隨賢者見佛。便俱前行逢四百九十八人。因相問訊。諸賢者從何所來欲到何所。答曰。吾等從佛所來。問言。卿等已得見佛何為復去。報言。佛口說經意中罔罔故尚不解令還本國。兩賢者具說本末。以鬼畏戒高行之人。意乃開解俱還見佛。佛遙見之則笑。口中五色光出。阿難長跪。佛不妄笑將有所說。佛語阿難。汝見是四百九十八人還不。此諸人等今得其本師。來見佛者皆當得道。時五百人來至佛所一心聽經。心開意解皆作沙門。得阿羅漢道。然此二人是四百九十八人前世之師也。人求道要。當得其本師及其善友。爾乃解耳（出戒消災經）。

In a certain county, all the people practiced the five precepts and ten wholesome deeds; within its borders, no one brewed liquor. Among them was a youth of an eminent clan who wished to travel far for trade. When he was setting out on his journey, his parents said to him: 'Strive diligently to maintain the five precepts and practice the ten wholesome deeds. Be careful never to drink liquor and violate the Buddha’s weighty precept.' When he traveled to another country, he met a former schoolmate. Delighted, the schoolmate brought him home, set out grape wine, and wished to drink together. He declined, saying: 'My country honors the Buddha’s precepts; no one dares violate them. Moreover, upon taking leave of my parents, they also cautioned me. Although I am joyful at our reunion after a long parting, you should not cause me to break the precepts and disobey my parents' teachings.' The host said: 'You and I had the same teacher; in kindness we are brothers. My parents are your parents. When parents offer a drink, how could you refuse them? Were I at your house, I would certainly obey your parents.' Out of helplessness, he yielded and drank with him. When his business was concluded, he returned home and told everything to his parents. His parents replied: 'You have disobeyed our teachings and, on top of that, violated the precepts. This is the beginning of disordering the Dharma; you are no filial son. Speak no more of it.' Thereupon, using the goods he had acquired, they drove him out of the country. Having been expelled by his parents for breaking the precept, the son traveled to another country and stayed at an inn. The innkeeper served three ghosts who could assume human form, eating, drinking, and conversing with people face to face. Having served them for years, the host’s wealth was completely exhausted, while illnesses and deaths in his household never ceased. They secretly discussed this among themselves. The ghosts knew the humans’ thoughts and conferred together, saying: 'This man’s wealth and property are entirely gone, precisely because we have never brought him any benefit. Now he resents us. We should seek rare treasures and give them to him.' They then went and stole fine treasures from the royal storehouses of other countries and piled them in his garden, announcing: 'You have served us diligently through the years for a very long time. Now we wish to bestow fortune upon you, making you abundantly wealthy.' The host said: 'I am indebted to the great spirits’ favor.' The ghosts said: 'There is gold and silver in your garden; you may go and take it.' The host was delighted. Entering the garden and seeing the goods, he carried them home on his back and thanked them for their favor. The next day, wishing to offer a meal, he said: 'May it please you to condescend to visit.' All the preparations were made. The spirits came to the gate, but seeing a man from the country of Śrāvastī in the host’s house, they turned and fled. The host chased after them and called out: 'Since you already condescended to visit, why do you abandon me and leave?' The spirits said: 'There is an honorable guest in your house; how could we approach?' Again they fled in fright. The host pondered: 'There are no other people in my house, only this man.' He immediately went out, spoke respectfully, and after finishing the meal, asked him: 'What merit do you possess that the spirits I serve feared you and fled?' The guest fully explained the Buddha's merit, the five precepts, and the ten wholesome deeds, [adding]: 'In truth, I violated the precept against liquor and was expelled by my parents. Yet because the remaining four precepts still protect me, the heavenly deities shield me, and your spirits dared not confront them.' The host said: 'I wish to uphold the five precepts.' He then took the three refuges and five precepts from the guest, focusing his mind diligently without daring to slacken. He asked: 'Where is the Buddha? May he be seen?' The guest said: 'He is in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada's park, in the country of Śrāvastī.' The host, with a focused mind, set out there. He passed by a pavilion where there was a woman, who was none other than the wife of a man-eating ghost. The journey was long and the sun was setting; he asked the woman for lodging. The woman immediately replied: 'By no means remain here! You should leave quickly.' The man asked: 'For what reason? Do you have some hidden intention?' The woman replied: 'I have already told you; why ask again?' The man thought to himself: 'Previously, the man from Śrāvastī had kept only four of the Buddha's precepts, and yet my spirits feared him. I have already received the three refuges and five precepts, and my mind is not remiss. What should I fear?' Thereupon he stayed the night. At that time, seeing the majestic power of the deities protecting the precepts, the man-eating ghost stayed forty li away from the pavilion and did not return for the night. The next day, proceeding forward, [the man] saw the scattered bones of people eaten by the ghost. He became terrified and retreated with regret, thinking to himself: 'In my home country I had plenty of food and clothing. In vain was I converted by this man, who said the Buddha is in the country of Śrāvastī. Before seeing any wonders, I have only seen bones lying crisscross. It would be better to take this woman back to my native land and live together as before.' He immediately turned back and again asked the woman for lodging. The woman said to the man: 'Why have you returned?' He replied: 'My travel plans fell through, so I returned. Grant me lodging for one more night.' The woman said: 'You are a dead man! My husband is a man-eating ghost; he will arrive shortly. Leave here at once!' The man did not believe her and stayed, refusing to leave. Then, bewildered, lustful thoughts arose in him again, and he no longer had faith in the Buddha, the three refuges, and the five precepts. The heavenly deities immediately departed, and the ghost was able to return. Fearing that the ghost would eat the man, the woman hid him in a vat. Smelling the scent of a human, the ghost said to his wife: 'Did you get some meat? I want to eat it.' The wife said: 'I have not gone out; from where would I get meat?' The wife asked the ghost: 'Why did you not return yesterday?' The ghost said: 'It was because of what you did—lodging an honorable guest—that caused me to be driven away.' The man in the vat became even more terrified and could no longer remember the three refuges. The wife asked: 'Why could you not get any meat?' The ghost said: 'Precisely because you lodged a disciple of the Buddha. The heavenly deities drove me forty li away, where I slept in the open, terrified, and am still unsettled; thus I could get no meat.' The wife then asked her husband: 'What are the Buddha’s precepts like?' The ghost said: 'I am exceedingly hungry. Bring meat quickly; there is no need to ask this! These are the unsurpassed, truly genuine precepts, which I dare not speak of.' The wife said: 'Speak of them for me, and I will give you meat.' The ghost species is greedy and cruel, with unceasing cravings to eat. Pressed by his wife, he then explained the three refuges and five precepts. When the ghost first spoke one precept, the wife immediately received it; by the fifth precept, she held them in her heart and chanted them with her mouth. Inside the vat, the man remembered the five precepts and received them as well. Śakra Devānām Indra knew that these two people had taken refuge in the Buddha in their hearts, and immediately dispatched fifty wholesome deities to protect them. The ghost then fled. When morning came, the wife asked the man: 'Were you afraid?' He replied: 'I was terrified. Thanks to your kindness, my mind awakened and remembered the Buddha.' The wife said to the man: 'Why did you turn back yesterday?' He replied: 'I saw the bones of recently and long-dead people lying crisscross. Terrified, I returned.' The woman said: 'Those bones were discarded by me. Originally a woman of good family, I was abducted by the ghost to be his wife. In grief and helplessness, I had no recourse. Now, through your kindness, I was able to hear the Buddha’s precepts and be freed from this ghost.' She also said: 'Where does the worthy one wish to go?' The man replied: 'I wish to go to the country of Śrāvastī to see the Buddha.' The woman said: 'Excellent! I shall follow you to see the Buddha.' Thereupon they traveled on together and met four hundred and ninety-eight people. They exchanged greetings: 'Where do you worthies come from, and where do you wish to go?' They replied: 'We come from the Buddha’s presence.' They asked: 'Since you have already seen the Buddha, why are you leaving again?' They replied: 'When the Buddha spoke the sūtras with his own mouth, our minds were bewildered and could not understand, so he bade us return to our home countries.' The two worthies fully recounted their story from beginning to end, showing how the ghost feared a person of precepts and exalted conduct. Thereupon their minds opened with understanding, and they all returned together to see the Buddha. Seeing them from afar, the Buddha smiled, and five-colored light issued from his mouth. Ānanda knelt upright, saying: 'The Buddha does not smile without reason; surely there is something to be preached.' The Buddha said to Ānanda: 'Do you see these four hundred and ninety-eight people returning? Now having met their former teachers, those who come to see the Buddha will all attain the Way.' Then the five hundred people came before the Buddha, listened to the sūtra with one mind, and with minds opened and enlightened, they all became śramaṇas and attained the path of arhatship. Indeed, these two people were the teachers of the four hundred and ninety-eight people in a past life. When a person seeks the essentials of the Way, one must meet one’s former teacher and good friends; only then will one attain understanding (from the Sūtra on Dispelling Calamities through Precepts).