經律異相 44.56

44.56

昔有三人共賈行。各分得五百萬餘。有一錢欲與一人。則為不平。欲破分之。事為不然。時沙門分衛。三人共言布施沙門各言大佳。手共持與。沙門呪願。令汝今世後世並得其福。共生羅閱國中各得豪富。一人主山中採金。一人主耕田取金。一人主水中汲取金。為受前世布施之福。國王聞之。念我國人物皆我許。便將人兵詣山採之。金化作石。復至一家地。耕取金。金化為土。復至一家井中汲取金。金化作瓦。都不能得。王問佛言。此三人金計為我許。往取皆化不得是金。此人前世有何功德今致此福。佛具言之。非是王物。王不應取（出雜譬喻經第三卷）。

Formerly, three men were traveling together for trade. Each received a share of five million and more. There was one coin remaining: if given to one person, it would be unfair; to break and divide it would not do. At that time, a monk was begging for alms. The three said together, 'Let us give it to the monk.' Each said, 'Very good!' Together, their hands held it and gave it. The monk made an aspirational prayer: 'May you obtain its blessing in both this life and future lives.' They were reborn together in Rājagṛha, each gaining immense wealth: one was in charge of mining gold in the mountains, one was in charge of plowing fields to obtain gold, and one was in charge of drawing gold from water, all enjoying the blessings of their past generosity. Hearing of this, the king of the country thought, 'The people and things of my country all belong to me.' He led troops to the mountain to mine it, but the gold turned into stone. He went to another family's land to plow for gold, but the gold turned into dirt. He went to another family's well to draw gold, but the gold turned into tiles. He could obtain nothing. The king asked the Buddha, 'This gold belonging to the three men should by rights be mine, yet when I go to take it, it transforms, and I cannot get this gold. What merit did these men have in past lives to bring about such blessing now?' The Buddha explained it in full: 'It is not the king's property; the king should not take it.' (From the Za piyu jing, fascicle 3)