經律異相 48.93

48.93

王舍城東南嵎有一𣴥水。城內溝瀆污穢。屎尿盡趣其中。臭不可近。有一大蟲生𣴥水內。身長數丈無有手足。而宛轉低仰戲𣴥水中。觀者數千。阿難分衛見而往視。蟲即跳梁波浪動涌。具以啟佛。佛與諸比丘共詣池所。眾人見佛。各各念言。今日如來。當為眾會說蟲本末以釋眾疑不當快乎。佛言。維衛佛泥洹後。時有塔寺。有五百比丘經過寺中。寺主見大歡喜。請留供養三月眾皆受請。寺主盡心供饌無有所遺。後五百商人入海採寶還過塔寺。見五百比丘精勤行道。並各發心。欣然共議。福田難遇當設薄供。便白寺主。寺主報言。我請三月更五日滿。乃得廣設。賈人言。吾等當去不得待竟。五百商人各捨一珠。得五百摩尼珠。以寄寺主。囑寺主言。日足以吾等珠供於僧眾。比丘言諾。即皆受之。後生不善心。圖欲獨取。卒不為供。眾僧問言。主前賈客施珠應當設供。而發遣耶。寺主言。是施我耳。若欲奪吾糞可施汝。若不時去。劓汝手足投於糞坑。眾愍其癡默然各去（出十卷譬喻經第四卷）。

In the southeast corner of the city of Rājagṛha, there was a cesspool. The gutters and ditches within the city were foul and defiled, and excrement and urine all flowed into it, stinking so much that one could not approach it. There was a great bug born within the cesspool; its body was several tens of feet long, without hands or feet, and it wriggled, bobbing up and down, playing in the cesspool. Spectators numbered in the thousands. Ānanda, on his alms round, saw it and went over to look; the bug then bounded about, causing the waves to surge and churn. He reported everything to the Buddha. The Buddha, together with the monks, went to the pool. When the multitude saw the Buddha, each thought to themselves, "Today the Tathāgata will surely explain to the assembly the origin and end of this bug to resolve everyone's doubts; will that not be wonderful?" The Buddha said: "After the parinirvāṇa of Vipaśyin Buddha, there was a stūpa-monastery at that time. Five hundred monks were passing through the monastery. Seeing them, the monastery prior was filled with great joy and invited them to stay for three months of offerings, and the assembly all accepted the invitation. The prior devoted all his mind to providing food, with nothing lacking. Later, five hundred merchants who had gone to sea to gather jewels passed by the stūpa-monastery on their return. Seeing the five hundred monks diligently practicing the Path, they all gave rise to the resolve [for awakening], joyfully consulted together, and said, 'A field of merit is difficult to encounter; we should provide a humble offering.' They then informed the monastery prior. The prior replied, 'My three-month invitation still has five days left before it is fulfilled; only then may [others] provide extensive offerings.' The merchants said, 'We must leave and cannot wait until it is finished.' The five hundred merchants each renounced one pearl, obtaining five hundred maṇi-pearls, and entrusted them to the prior, enjoining him, saying, 'Daily provide for the Saṅgha with our pearls.' The monk assented, and then accepted them all. Later, he gave rise to an unwholesome mind, intending to keep them solely for himself, and ultimately made no offerings. The assembly of monks asked, 'Prior, previously the merchants gave pearls, which should have been used to provide offerings; why dismiss them?' The prior said, 'They were given only to me! If you want to rob me, I can give you dung! If you do not leave at once, I will cut off your hands and feet and cast you into a dung pit!' The assembly pitied his folly, and each departed in silence." (Extracted from the fourth fascicle of the ten-fascicle *Avadāna-sūtra*.)