經律異相 47.17

47.17

佛告目連。勇智菩薩。昔光明佛時作師子王。吾為梵志修於淨行。時師子王晨朝跱立八處不動。奮迅身體便大雷吼。走獸伏住飛者墮落。然後乃起。曠野山澤案行屬界求覓群獸。逢一象王殺而食之。脾骨哽咽死而復蘇時告木雀。與吾挽骨。後若得食當相報恩。木雀聞之入口盡力拔骨乃得去之。時師子王後日求食大殺群獸。木雀在側少多求恩師子不報。佛告目連。時師子王。以此偈報木雀曰。

The Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: 'In the past, at the time of the Buddha Prabhāsa, the Bodhisattva Śūramati was a lion king, and I was a brahmacārin cultivating pure conduct. At that time, the lion king would stand firm at dawn, remaining motionless at eight points, shake his body, and let out a great thunderous roar. The running beasts cowered and crouched, and the flying birds tumbled down. Only then did he set out, patrolling the wilderness, mountains, and marshes within his domain in search of herds of beasts. Meeting an elephant king, he killed and ate it. A spleen bone lodged in his throat, and he died and revived again. At that time, he told a woodpecker, "Pull out the bone for me; if I obtain food later, I will repay your kindness." Hearing this, the woodpecker entered his mouth, pulled out the bone with all its might, and was able to remove it. Later, when the lion king sought food and killed many beasts, the woodpecker was at his side, begging for a little favor, but the lion would not repay him.' The Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: 'At that time, the lion king replied to the woodpecker with this verse, saying: