經律異相 47.48

47.48

往古世時。有閑居一象。生一子。墮地未久。其母終亡。去彼不遠仙人所處。有威神。功德具足志懷大哀。遙見象子。其母命終纔能舉足。東西遊洋不能自活。即時扶還所止。飲食之以水果。彼時象子。仁和賢善功德姝妙。樂于義理。既得安隱無有憂患。於時仙人臥起同處。身形轉長衣毛鮮澤。則以水漿供養仙人其好果苽。然後自食。仙人愍哀觀其德行愛念如子視之無厭。時天帝釋即時發念。今此仙人志在象子倚念無厭。今我寧可別令愁感。時帝釋示現試之化使象子忽然死地而血流離。仙人見象子死愁憂涕泣。餘仙人聞來諫曉之。不能除憂。時天帝釋住在虛空。為仙人說偈。時天帝釋令象子活。仙人大喜。仙人者和尚身是。象子死者弟子是也。天帝釋者則我身也（出佛說弟子過命經）。

In ancient times, there was an elephant dwelling in seclusion who gave birth to a young one. Not long after it fell to the earth, its mother died. Not far from there was the dwelling place of a ṛṣi who possessed spiritual power, was fully endowed with merit, and harbored great compassion in his heart. Seeing the young elephant from afar, whose mother had died and who was barely able to lift its feet, wandering east and west unable to survive on its own, he immediately helped it back to where he dwelt and fed it with fruits. At that time, the young elephant was gentle, harmonious, virtuous, and good, its merits fine and wonderful, taking delight in righteousness and principle. Having attained peace and security, it had no sorrow or suffering. At that time, it lay down and arose in the same place as the ṛṣi; its body grew ever larger, and its hair became bright and sleek. It then made offerings of water and beverages to the ṛṣi, and only after offering him fine fruits and melons would it eat itself. The ṛṣi took pity on it, observed its virtuous conduct, loved and cared for it like a child, and never grew tired of watching it. Then Śakra, king of the gods, immediately had this thought: 'Now this ṛṣi has set his heart on this young elephant, relying on it and doting on it without end. I should now cause him to feel grief and sorrow through separation.' Śakra then manifested a test, magically transforming the young elephant so that it suddenly lay dead on the ground with blood flowing out. The ṛṣi, seeing the young elephant dead, wept and lamented in sorrow. Other ṛṣis, hearing this, came to admonish and enlighten him, but could not dispel his sorrow. Then Śakra, king of the gods, abode in empty space and spoke a verse for the ṛṣi. Then Śakra, king of the gods, caused the young elephant to revive, and the ṛṣi was overjoyed. The ṛṣi was none other than myself as the preceptor (upādhyāya); the dead young elephant was this disciple; and Śakra, king of the gods, was myself in a past life. (Extracted from the Fo shuo dizi guoming jing.)