經律異相 47.82

47.82

昔有一國。穀米踊貴人民飢餓。時有沙門入城分衛。無所一獲。次至長者大豪貴門。得麁惡飯。這欲出城。逢一屠兒抱一狗子持歸欲殺。見沙門歡喜前為作禮。沙門呪願。老壽長生知有狗子。而欲殺之。故問其人何所齎持。答曰空行。又問。吾以見之願持示我。食貿狗子令命得濟。其人答曰。不能相與。如是至三慇懃喻請。其人抵突不肯隨言。又言可以示我。其人即出以示沙門。舉飯飴狗子摩捋呪願。狗子淚出。卿罪所致不得自在。使爾世世罪滅福生。離狗子身得生為人。值遇三寶。狗子得食善心生焉。命過即生豪貴大長者家。這生墮地便有慈心。時彼沙門次到長者門裏分衛。時長者子年以七歲。見彼沙門憶識本緣。便前稽首禮沙門足請前供養。還白父母。今我欲逐此大和尚奉受經戒。為作弟子。父母愛重不肯聽之。小兒啼泣不肯飲食。不欲聽去我便就死。父母便聽。隨師學道。除去鬚髮被三法衣。便得三昧立不退轉。開化一切發大道意（出迦葉詰阿難經）。

Formerly, in a certain kingdom, grain prices surged and the people starved. At that time, a śramaṇa entered the city on his alms round (*piṇḍapāta*) and obtained nothing whatsoever. He then came to the gate of a prominent and wealthy elder, where he received some coarse and unpalatable food. Just as he was about to leave the city, he encountered a butcher carrying a pup, taking it home with the intent to kill it. Seeing the śramaṇa, the butcher rejoiced and stepped forward to pay homage. The śramaṇa pronounced a benediction: 'May you have long life and longevity.' Knowing that he had a pup and wished to kill it, he intentionally asked the man, 'What are you carrying?' The man replied, 'I am walking empty-handed.' He asked again, 'I have already seen it; please show it to me. Trade the pup for this food, so that its life may be saved.' The man replied, 'I cannot give it to you.' Thus, up to three times, the monk earnestly entreatd him, but the man was stubborn and unwilling to comply. The monk said again, 'At least show it to me.' The man then brought it out and showed it to the śramaṇa. The śramaṇa took the food and fed the pup, stroking it and making a vow of transference: 'The pup wept tears. [The monk said:] "This is brought about by your past misdeeds, leaving you without autonomy. May your sins be extinguished and blessings arise lifetime after lifetime; may you be freed from the body of a pup, obtain birth as a human, and encounter the Three Jewels."' Having received the food, a wholesome mind arose in the pup. When its life ended, it was immediately reborn into the family of a prominent and great elder. As soon as it was born and fell to the ground, it possessed a mind of loving-kindness. At that time, the śramaṇa came in turn to the gate of this elder on his alms round. The elder's son was then seven years old. Seeing the śramaṇa, he remembered his past conditioning, came forward, bowed down with his head to the śramaṇa's feet, and invited him inside to offer him sustenance. Returning, he spoke to his parents: 'Now I wish to follow this great preceptor (*upādhyāya*) to receive the scriptures and precepts and become his disciple.' The parents loved and valued him, and were unwilling to permit it. The boy wept and refused to eat or drink, saying: 'If you will not allow me to go, I shall die.' The parents then permitted it. He followed the master to study the Path, shaved his hair and beard, put on the three Dharma robes, soon attained samādhi, and was established in non-retrogression, converting all beings and generating the aspiration for the Great Path (from the *Sūtra of Kāśyapa Questioning Ānanda*).