經律異相 11
English (machine translation) 11
- Language
- English
11.1
Compiled by the Liang dynasty śramaṇas Sengmin, Baochang, and others
11.2
1. Formerly attending upon four sages, in a later birth he became a king.
2. In the rebirth as brothers, their minds were not identical, hence their conduct and establishment were distinct.
3. In the rebirth as a mountain of flesh, to bestow it on sentient beings.
4. In the rebirth as the head of a great family, he saved a turtle, a snake, and a fox.
5. In the rebirth as a lion, he formed friendship with an ape.
6. In the rebirth as a white elephant, he manifested benefit to creatures.
7. Formerly in the rebirth as a dragon, he exhorted his companion to practice patience.
8. In the rebirth as a bear, he saved a lost traveler.
9. In the rebirth as a deer king, he took the place of a pregnant one to undergo death.
10. In the rebirth as a majestic deer king, falling into a net he was released by a hunter.
11. In the rebirth as a nine-colored deer, to save a drowning man.
12. In the rebirth as a wild goose king, captured by a hunter and released, he sought the kingdom to repay the kindness.
13. In the rebirth as a parrot manifesting his body, he extinguished a mountain fire to repay kindness.
14. In the rebirth as a sparrow king, he extracted a bone from a tiger's mouth.
15. In the rebirth as a great fish, to relieve hunger and thirst.
16. In the rebirth as a turtle king, transforming his kin to preserve a multitude of merchants.
11.3
1. Formerly Attending upon Four Sages, in a Later Birth He Became a King
11.4
Immeasurably many kalpas ago, in the remote past, there were five sages living in a mountain wilderness. Four were the masters, and one waited upon and served them, never failing their wishes, gathering fruits, drawing water, and presenting them at proper seasons. One day, having gone far off to gather fruit juice, he grew indolent and fell asleep, failing to return on time. The sun had already passed midday, and the four missed their meal. Harbouring resentment, they were about to cast an ominous curse. The attendant, hearing this, withdrew beneath a tree. Pondering in self-reproach, [he thought]: 'I have undertaken toil for many years, yet today I failed the timely offering of food to the four sages. Having lapsed from the teaching of the Path and not adhered to the four immeasurables, I am deeply grieved.' Thereupon, grieving, he died. His feet always wore clogs made of the seven precious substances; as he sat with raised feet, one precious clog fell into the water and sank. After his life ended, he was immediately reborn among the non-Buddhists as the son of an ominous curse-caster. At the age of ten and more, he was playing with his peers by the roadside. At that time, a brahmacārin encountered the playing children. Because their numbers were dense and many, he observed them thoroughly, and saw that the child of the ominous curse-caster possessed extraordinarily noble marks, indicating that he should become a king; his countenance was extraordinary, superior among men. The brahmacārin said to him: 'You have the marks of a king; you should not be idling among the common herd.' The boy replied: 'I am the son of an ominous curse-caster; how could I have the marks of a king?' The brahmacārin said further: 'According to my scriptures, your appearance and bodily form accord with the books of prognostication; you indeed correspond to them. When the king of this state passes away, he is sure to cede the throne to you.' The boy said: 'Indeed, if it is as your benevolence faithfully declares, I shall remember your great kindness.' When the brahmacārin finished speaking, he soon fled away and traveled to another kingdom. A short time thereafter, the king passed away without an heir. They searched for a worthy man to be the state's successor. Envoys were dispatched in all four directions; seeing from afar that this boy possessed the bearing of an extraordinary man, they immediately dispatched someone to return and report to the ministers: 'Just prepare the royal carriage, and come soon to receive and welcome him.' The ministers and all officials were overjoyed. They bathed him with scented water, dressed him in the court robes of the five seasons, and with a jeweled crown and a sword-belt, he ascended the throne in the palace. Facing south, he proclaimed his rule. The borders and territory were peaceful, and the common people rejoiced. At that time, the brahmacārin looked up to examine the heavenly signs and looked down to observe the geography, knowing that he had already succeeded to the throne. Thereupon, he went to the palace gate and requested an audience with the king. The brahmacārin divined and offered congratulations, invoking a vow, saying: 'It is truly as pledged!' The king said: 'Indeed! You may have whatever you desire.' The brahmacārin replied: 'I only seek two wishes: first, that my food and drink, movements, clothing, sleeping and waking be on par with the king; second, that in deliberating on state affairs, decisions be made by mutual agreement, and that you do not act unilaterally.' The king said: 'Excellent.' The king governed with the correct Dharma, not oppressing the myriad common people. The brahmacārin, arrogant and willful, slighted the senior ministers. The ministers, resentful and indignant, jointly submitted a remonstrance, saying: 'The king’s status is elevated and exalted. It is fitting to deliberate state affairs with the state’s senior elders. Yet by partial trust in a mendicant, you have allowed him to be arrogant and willful, insulting all the officials. If neighboring states hear of this, they will mock us, bringing about calamity from invasion.' The king said: 'I made a pledge with him; how can it be abandoned?' The ministers remonstrated unceasingly: 'When the king eats, do not dine with him; then he must surely change.' The king then consented to this. Watching until the brahmacārin went out, he ate before him. The brahmacārin said in anger: 'What was the original agreement, that you eat alone first?' He cursed: 'Bah, son of an ominous curse!' He was merely provided with travel supplies and driven out of the kingdom. Traveling the long road alone, enduring the cold and heat, exhausted and haggard, he reached another country. He went to the house of another brahmacārin with whom he had old ties of kinship. [The host] questioned him, saying: 'Where do you come from? What have you mastered and studied? What scriptures have you worked on; can you remember them all?' He replied: 'I have come from afar, pressed by hunger and cold; I have forgotten what I studied and recited.' The host brahmacārin thought to himself: 'This man can do nothing; I should have him farm the fields.' He then gave him a male slave along with a plow-ox and farming implements. The brahmacārin farmed and planted, toiling the slave harshly, cruelly forcing him to level the ground and run errands to and fro. The slave was desperate, and wishing to throw himself into the water, he went to the riverside, where he found a clog made of the seven precious substances. He thought to himself: 'The brahmacārin wears me out with unceasing toil. I ought to show him respect; by presenting this clog to him, I might obtain his forgiveness.' Thereupon, taking the clog, he returned and presented it to him. The brahmacārin was joyful, and thought to himself: 'This clog of seven precious substances is of inestimable value. Having crossed the king's will, if I offer this clog to him, my fault and blame may be dissolved.' He soon returned to the king’s state and presented the clog to the king, deeply confessing his former guilt and transgression, wishing that pardon be granted. The king said: 'Excellent.' He then placed him inside the curtain and offered him a seat. Gathering all the ministers, he decreed: 'Do you gentlemen see the former brahmacārin?' They answered: 'We do not see him.' The king said: 'Supposing you saw him, what should be done with him?' All said: 'He should be punished with the five cruelties.' The king brought out the precious clog and showed it to the ministers, ordering the brahmacārin to come out and meet the ministers: 'Having brought this extraordinary treasure, we should jointly pardon him.' The ministers stated: 'This brahmacārin’s crimes are like mountains and seas. In presenting one clog, what does it make amends for? If a pair is obtained, his crime may be wiped out.' The king then agreed, and once again drove out the brahmacārin, ordering him to seek the other one. Agonized, the brahmacārin returned to his former host, and asked the slave: 'Where did you originally obtain that precious clog before?' The slave went with him and showed him the place where he obtained the clog. Reaching the waterside, he searched everywhere at will, but could not find the place of its twin. The slave departed. The brahmacārin thought: 'This clog must have floated down from the upper stream.' He immediately traveled upstream, and saw a great lotus flower swirling in the waves, held in the mouth of a fish. The flower had over a thousand petals. The brahmacārin thought: 'Although I did not obtain the clog, by offering this flower to him, perhaps my fault may be dissolved and I may regain my former favor.' Thereupon taking the flower, he saw four sages sitting beneath a tree. The sages said: 'Where do you come from?' He replied: 'I lost the king's favor. Although I presented one clog, it was insufficient to dissolve my fault. Therefore I came upstream seeking it, but have not yet obtained it.' The sages told him: 'You are a student; you ought to know when to advance and retreat. The king of that country is our disciple; while living he served us with love and respect, sharing meals and seating with us. How could you suddenly curse him as the son of an ominous curse? The crime extends to execution and harm. Now, not interrogating you, we point beneath the tree. The king's former body was our attendant, who died with his legs raised. One precious clog fell into the water, and one remained on his foot.' The brahmacārin took the clog, bowed with his head to the ground to apologize for his fault, returned to his home country, and continuously presented it to the king. The king was immediately delighted, the ministers' resentment was dissolved, and his favored position was restored. The Buddha said: 'The king was my own person. The four sages were Krakucchanda Buddha, Kanakamuni Buddha, Kāśyapa Buddha, and Maitreya Buddha. The brahmacārin was Devadatta.' (Extracted from the Sūtra on the Five Sages.)
11.5
2. In the Rebirth as Brothers, Their Minds Were Not Identical, Hence Their Conduct and Establishment Were Distinct
11.6
Formerly, two Bodhisattva brothers [elder and younger], each carrying commodities from their country, went together to a naked realm. The younger brother said: 'When entering a country, one conforms to its customs; in advancing and retreating, one follows its decorum. With a gentle heart and humble words, conceal your brilliance to partner with the foolish.' The elder brother said: 'Etiquette must not be compromised, and virtue must not regress. How could I go naked and violate my old decorum?' The younger brother said: 'The exemplary standards of past sages hold that one may lose one's body, but not lose one's proper conduct. To adapt to the times may meet with initial derision, yet the greatness of expedient means is also praised.' Thereupon they went there together. The elder said: 'You go in first to observe the advantages and disadvantages, and immediately dispatch a messenger to inform me of the truth.' The younger brother said: 'Respectfully understood.' Within ten days, the messenger returned to inform him. The elder said: 'You must follow the local custom.' The elder was furious and said: 'Discarding benevolence to follow beasts—is this the conduct of a superior person? What the younger brother does, I will not!' According to that country's customs, on the night of the new moon and the fifteenth day, they made merry all around; with sesame oil they smeared their heads, with white earth they painted their bodies, and they hung various bones around their necks. Clapping two stones together, the men held hands and sang and danced leisurely. The Bodhisattva conformed to them. The countrymen rejoiced and admired him; the king cared for him and the people respected him. The guest and the king took all his goods, paying him tenfold. The elder brother entered the country in a carriage, speaking with rigid laws, consistently contradicting the minds of the people. The king was indignant and the people were contemptuous; they seized his wealth and subjected him to flogging. Only upon the younger brother's plea was he released. They returned together to their home country. Those sending off the younger brother filled the road, while those cursing the elder brother deafened the ears. Humiliated and enraged, the elder brother said: 'What relation are they to you, and what enmity do they have toward me? That you were bestowed upon and I was plundered—is this not due to your slanderous words?' Forming a vow against the younger brother, he said: 'From this time forth, in life after life, I shall be cruel to you and never forgive you.' The Bodhisattva, weeping sorrowfully, made a vow, saying: 'May I, in life after life, meet the Buddhas, see the Dharma, and personally serve the śramaṇas. May the four kindnesses cover all, moistening and saving sentient beings. In serving my elder brother as myself, I will not violate this vow.' From this time forth, the elder brother was always oppressing the younger brother, and the younger brother was always saving him. The Buddha addressed the bhikṣus: 'The younger brother at that time was myself, and the elder brother was Devadatta.' (Extracted from the Sūtra on the Peacock King; also extracted from the fifth fascicle of the Sūtra on the Limitless Collection.)
11.7
3. In the Rebirth as a Mountain of Flesh, to Bestow It on Sentient Beings
11.8
In the past, immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, this world was then called Vimalasumeru. The human lifespan was one hundred years. A Buddha appeared in the world named Gandhahastin [or Sugandhapuṣpa, 'Fragrant Lotus']. During the Semblance Dharma after his parinirvāṇa, I was at that time a great and mighty wheel-turning sage king named Durnirodha ('Hard to Subdue'). Ruling over Jambudvīpa, I was fully endowed with a thousand sons. I admonished and converted them all, causing them to bring forth the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, wishing that they would leave the household life and cultivate the Way during the Semblance Dharma to blaze forth and enhance the Buddha's bequeathed teachings. Only six sons refused to leave the household life and bring forth the bodhi-mind. Though I addressed them with wholesome words, in the end they would not leave home. I asked them again, bidding them bring forth the supreme mind of the Way. The six sons answered: 'If you can give us Jambudvīpa, then we shall bring forth the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi.' When I heard this, my heart gave rise to joy, and I reflected: 'I have now already converted the people of Jambudvīpa. Now I ought to divide this Jambudvīpa into six parts and give them to these six sons so that they may bring forth the supreme mind of the Way, and then I shall leave home and cultivate the Way.' I thereupon divided Jambudvīpa into six parts to bestow upon the six sons, and soon after left the household life. At that time, the six sons turned against one another, plundering, attacking, and warring. Thereupon, throughout the entire realm of Jambudvīpa, crops did not ripen, the people starved, rains were unseasonable, and the trees withered, bearing neither flowers nor fruits. Birds and beasts were all starved, their bodies burning [with hunger]. At that time, I cast off my own physical body, flesh, skin, and blood, to bestow upon sentient beings and satisfy them. At that time, I cast myself down, and through the power of my vow, I instantly became a mountain of meat, one yojana high, and equal in length and breadth. At that time, the people, flying birds, and beasts began to eat the meat and drink the blood. Through my original vow, from its midst my body expanded and grew larger, reaching a height of a thousand yojanas, with its length and breadth also equal at a thousand yojanas. Along its sides human heads spontaneously grew, fully endowed with hair, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, lips, and tongue. From each of those heads came a voice proclaiming these words: 'Sentient beings, take and use freely as you wish! Drink blood and eat meat; take eyes, ears, nose, tongue, teeth, and so forth, letting all be satisfied. Afterward, let all bring forth the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, or bring forth the mind of a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha, or seek the wealth and joy among gods and men!' Through the power of the original vow, the body suffered no diminish or loss, and for up to ten thousand years, humans, ghosts, spirits, flying birds, and beasts throughout Jambudvīpa were all fully satisfied. You should know now: the immeasurable, boundless asaṃkhyeyas of physical bodies I gave up throughout those ten thousand years in the past, giving my blood and flesh to immeasurable and boundless [beings] to let them all be fully satisfied, never gave rise to a single thought of regret. In this manner, progressively filling Buddha-worlds in the ten directions equal in number to the sands of the Ganges, I gave up the flesh and blood of my bodies to provide for sentient beings and fully satisfy them, for the sake of the perfection of giving (dāna-pāramitā). (Taken from the ninth fascicle of the Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka Sūtra; the Scripture on the World of the Past Fragrant Lotus Buddha is largely the same, but does not speak of the bodhisattva.)
11.9
4. As a Great Judge, Saving a Turtle, a Snake, and a Fox
11.10
In the past, the Bodhisattva was a great judge who had accumulated wealth of hundreds of millions. He always revered the Three Honoured Ones and harboured compassion toward sentient beings. Going to the market to watch the spectacles, he saw a turtle and felt sorrow for it. He asked its price, high or low. The turtle's owner knew that the Bodhisattva had the virtue of universal kindness, was always saving sentient beings, had incalculable wealth, and never argued over the price. He answered: 'One million. If you can take it, well and good; if not, I shall eat it.' The Bodhisattva replied: 'Very well.' He took the turtle home, washed and cared for it without harming it. Coming to the water to release it and watching it swim away, he made a vow in sorrow and joy: 'May all beings like those in Taishan and the hungry ghosts, as well as those in the earthly ruler's prisons, swiftly obtain escape from distress, with their bodies at peace and their lives preserved, just like you today!' Bowing toward the ten directions with joined palms, he vowed: 'Sentient beings are restless and their suffering is immeasurable. I shall be the ground for them, moisture for drought, a raft for flood, food for the hungry, drink for the thirsty, clothing for the cold, coolness for the heat, a physician for the sick, and light for the dark. If there be an age of turbidity and inversion, I shall become a Buddha in its midst to deliver those sentient beings.' The Buddhas of the ten directions all praised his vow, extolling: 'Excellent! You shall surely attain your aim.' Later at night, the turtle came and bit at his gate. Surprised by the sound at the gate, [the Bodhisattva] sent someone out, who saw the turtle and returned to report the matter. The Bodhisattva looked at the turtle, which spoke in human tongue: 'I received your great favor, and my life was preserved. I have nothing with which to repay you. A creature that dwells in water knows its waxing and waning: a deluge is about to arrive, which will surely bring great disaster. Please quickly prepare a boat, and when the time comes, I shall come to meet you.' He replied: 'Very well.' The next morning he went to the palace gates and reported the matter to the king. The king said: 'The Bodhisattva has long had a reputation for goodness; I trust his words and will move from the lowlands to the heights.' Then the turtle came and said: 'The deluge has arrived! Quickly board [the boat] and follow where I go, and you will surely be free from harm.' The boat followed behind it. There was a snake rushing toward the boat. The Bodhisattva said: 'Take it.' The turtle said: 'Very well.' He also saw a floating fox and said: 'Take it.' The turtle also said: 'Good.' He then saw a drowning man, beating his cheeks, crying out to Heaven, and pleading to save his life. [The Bodhisattva] again said: 'Take him.' The turtle said: 'Beware, do not take him! The human heart is deceitful and false, seldom keeping faith to the end. It turns its back on kindness to chase after power, delighting in evil and rebellion.' The Bodhisattva said: 'Even crawling creatures have all been saved; yet to cast aside a man who seeks help—how could that be benevolence? I cannot bear to do so.' Thereupon he took him. The turtle said: 'What a regret!' They then arrived at fertile land. The turtle took its leave, saying: 'My debt of kindness is fulfilled; please allow me to withdraw.' [The Bodhisattva] replied: 'When I attain [the state of] a Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha, I will surely deliver you.' The turtle said: 'Very well.' The turtle withdrew, and the snake and the fox each departed. The fox made its dwelling in a burrow and found a hundred catties of purple-gold hidden by ancients. Rejoicing, it said: 'I must repay that kindness!' It ran back and reported: 'This little insect received your favor and had its meager life saved. A creature dwelling in holes, seeking a hole to settle itself, found a hundred catties of gold. This hole was neither tilled nor inhabited, nor was it robbed or stolen; it was brought about by my sincere devotion. I wish to offer it to the worthy one.' The Bodhisattva reflected deeply: 'If I do not take it, it will simply be wasted, offering no benefit to the poor. Taking it to give in charity so that sentient beings may be saved—is that not good?' Soon he took it. The drowning man saw it and said: 'Share half with me.' The Bodhisattva immediately bestowed ten catties upon him. The drowning man said: 'You dug and excavated to plunder gold; what should your crime be? If you do not divide it equally in half, I will surely inform the authorities.' [The Bodhisattva] replied: 'I wish to bestow it equally upon the destitute and poor. You wish to monopolise it—is that not biased?' The drowning man then informed the authorities. The Bodhisattva was arrested and had no one to appeal to. He simply took refuge in the Three Honoured Ones, repenting of his faults and reproaching himself, and compassionately vowed: 'May sentient beings swiftly escape the eight difficulties, and let there be no resentful enmity such as mine today!' The snake and the fox met and said: 'What can be done about this matter?' The snake said: 'I will save him.' It then held an efficacious herb in its mouth, unbarred the gate, and entered the prison. Seeing that the Bodhisattva's complexion was impaired, it felt sorrow and grief. It said to the Bodhisattva: 'Keep this herb with you. I will bite the crown prince; the venom will be so extreme that none will be able to save him. When the worthy one applies the herb himself, he will immediately recover.' The Bodhisattva remained silent. The snake did as it had said. The crown prince was on the verge of death. The king issued a command: 'If anyone can save him, I will enfeoff him as chancellor and let him participate in ruling with me.' The Bodhisattva reported this [from prison]; he applied [the medicine], and [the prince] immediately recovered. The king rejoiced and asked about the cause, whereupon [the Bodhisattva] recounted the whole matter from beginning to end. The king was filled with regret and reproached himself; he immediately executed the drowning man, proclaimed a great amnesty throughout his realm, and enfeoffed [the Bodhisattva] as chancellor. Taking him by the hand into the palace, they sat side by side, and the king said: 'What texts does the worthy one expound, and what Way do you embrace, to show the benevolence and kindness of Heaven and Earth and reach sentient beings?' He replied: 'I expound the Buddha's scriptures and embrace the Buddha's Way.' [The king] asked: 'Does the Buddha have essential instructions?' He answered: 'Yes. The Buddha spoke of the four impermanences; for those who preserve them, manifold blessings will flourish.' The king said: 'Excellent! I wish to receive the reality of them.' The Bodhisattva expounded them. The king said: 'Excellent! The Buddha's teaching that the body is not the self—my heart now believes it. Even the body cannot be preserved, how much less the kingdom? How lamentable that the former kings did not hear the teaching of the unsurpassed, truly enlightened one on impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self!' The king then emptied his treasury to give in charity to the poor and needy, cherishing widowers, widows, and orphans like his own children. The whole country was jubilant, smiling as they walked, looking up to Heaven and sighing: 'The divine transformation of the Bodhisattva has reached such a height!' The four quarters praised his virtue, and great peace was achieved. The Buddha said to the monks: 'The Bodhisattva was myself. The king was Maitreya. The turtle was Ānanda. The fox was Śāriputra. The snake was Maudgalyāyana. The drowning man was Devadatta.' (Taken from the Scripture on the Perfection of Giving).
11.11
5. As a Lion, Being Friends with a Monkey
11.12
In the past, the Bodhisattva was once a lion dwelling in a forest, being close friends with a monkey. The monkey entrusted its two young to the lion. At that time, a hungry vulture was roaming in search of food. Encountering the lion asleep, it seized the monkey's young and perched in a tree. When the lion awoke and could not find the monkey's young, he saw the vulture holding them in the tree. He said to the vulture: 'I received the monkey's entrustment of its two young, but failed to guard them carefully, allowing you to take them away. I have broken faith with my word; I beg to ask them back from you. I am the king among beasts, and you are the master among birds; our noble status and power are equal, so you ought to return them.' The vulture said: 'You do not understand the time. I am now starving and exhausted; why speak of equality or difference?' Knowing he could not obtain them, the lion with his own sharp claws tore out the flesh of his own flanks to exchange for the monkey's young. Furthermore, in a past age, the people had many diseases—jaundice, paleness, and withered frailty. The Bodhisattva was at that time a red fish, giving his own flesh to all the sick to cure their illnesses. Furthermore, in the past, the Bodhisattva assumed the body of a bird dwelling in a forest. He saw a man enter deep water, a place not traversed by humans, and become snared by a water spirit. According to the spirit's law of snaring, once bound, it could not be undone; but if one could reach Mount Gandhamādana, fetch an herb, and apply it to the snare, the rope would immediately rot away and the man could escape. Immeasurable jātaka stories such as these, which brought vast rescue, are called Jātaka Sūtras. (Taken from the thirty-third fascicle of the Da zhidu lun).
11.13
6. Manifesting as a White Elephant to Benefit Beings
11.14
Subhūti asked, "A bodhisattva has perfected roots of goodness; why would he be reborn as an elephant or a horse?" The Buddha said, "A bodhisattva indeed possesses merit and has perfected roots of goodness; for the benefit of sentient beings, he takes on an animal form without the defilements of an animal. When a bodhisattva is among animals, he feels loving-kindness and pity toward enemies and bandits, which arhats and pratyekabuddhas do not possess. When enemies or bandits come to harm arhats and pratyekabuddhas, although they do not retaliate, they cannot cherish, support, and provide for them with affection. For instance, in a past life the Bodhisattva was a six-tusked white elephant. A hunter shot him in the chest with a poisoned arrow. At that time, the Bodhisattva embraced the hunter with his trunk, preventing the other elephants from harming him, and said to the female elephant, 'You are the wife of a bodhisattva; why would you give rise to an evil intention? The hunter is under the affliction of defilements; it is not the man's fault. When I attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi, I will extinguish his defilements. Just as when a demon possesses a person, a spellmaster treats the demon and does not blame the person.' He gently asked the hunter, 'Why did you shoot me?' [The hunter] replied, 'I need your tusks.' The elephant thereupon went up against a rock, broke off his tusks, and gave them to him. Flesh and blood came out together, yet he did not consider it painful. He provided him with provisions and showed him the path. Loving-kindness and compassion such as this are what arhats and pratyekabuddhas do not have. It was asked, 'Why not take human form and explain the Dharma, instead of taking this beast's body?' The answer was, 'Sometimes when sentient beings see a human body, they do not believe and accept [the teaching]; but seeing an animal body explaining the Dharma, they give rise to faith and joy, and receive its conversion. A bodhisattva wishes to complete a mind of great loving-kindness and wishes to practice its actual deeds; when sentient beings see this, they are astonished and delighted, and all are able to enter the Path.' (Extracted from Fascicle 93 of the Dazhidu lun)
11.15
7. Formerly as a Dragon Body, Urging a Companion to Practice Forbearance
11.16
Formerly, the Bodhisattva, together with Ānanda, had finished undergoing their retribution for offenses and each had become a dragon body. One dragon said, 'Only you and I dwell together in the ocean, where there is nothing we have not seen. Could we not go up to the dry land together to roam and play?' [The other] replied, 'Humans on dry land are wicked, and if we encounter something unforeseen, we cannot get away; we must not go out.' The first dragon said again, 'We can transform into small snakes. If there is no one on the road, we can roam the thoroughfare; if we meet humans, we will conceal ourselves. What is there to worry about?' Thereupon they agreed with each other and together went up to roam and look around. Not long after coming out of the water, they encountered on the road a viper harboring poison. When the viper saw the two snakes, it had a malicious thought and wished to harm them, so it spat venomous foam. One snake wanted to kill the venomous viper, but the other snake, with compassionate forbearance, remonstrated with him to stop, saying, 'One who is an eminent person ought to pardon the folly of the masses. To endure what cannot be endured—this is the admonition of the sages.' He then spoke a verse:
11.17
"Those driven by greedy desire are madmen, / Completely lacking a heart of human righteousness. / Jealousy wishes to harm the precepts; / Only silent forbearance brings peace."
11.18
One snake praised forbearance, and the other snake respectfully accepted it and ultimately did not harm the viper. One snake said, 'Let us return to the ocean.' Agreeing with one another, they departed together. Thereupon they displayed their awe-inspiring spiritual power, shaking heaven and moving the earth, raising clouds and causing rain to fall, so that humans and ghosts were all alarmed. The viper was terrified, staring like a corpse without consciousness, and starved for seven days wishing to harm them. The dragon [who wished to retaliate] was Ānanda; the dragon who spoke of forbearance was my own self; and the venomous viper was Devadatta. (Extracted from Fascicle 5 of the Liudu ji jing)
11.19
8. As a Bear Body, Rescuing a Lost Person
11.20
There was a person who entered a forest to chop wood and became bewildered, losing his sense of direction. At that time, it happened to rain heavily; it was evening, and he was hungry and cold, with vicious vermin and poisonous beasts wishing to harm him. This person entered a stone cave. There was a large bear inside; seeing it, he was terrified and ran out. The bear spoke to him, saying, 'Do not be afraid. This dwelling is warm, and you may lodge in it.' It rained continuously for seven days, and [the bear] constantly provided this person with sweet fruits and fine water. When the rain stopped after seven days, the bear led this person out and showed him the path. The bear said to the person, 'I have the body of an offender, and humans are enemies. If anyone asks, do not say you saw me.' The person replied, 'Yes.' This person went forward and met hunters. The hunters asked, 'Where have you come from? Have you seen any beasts?' He replied, 'I saw a large bear. It was kind to me, so I cannot show you.' The hunters said, 'You belong to humankind; looking at it from the perspective of human beings, why spare a bear? Having lost your way this once, when will you ever come back again? If you show us, we will give you a large portion.' This person's mind changed, and he immediately led the hunters to the bear's dwelling. The hunters killed the bear and gave him a large portion. When this person stretched out his hands to take the meat, both of his elbows dropped off. The hunters said, 'What crime have you committed?' He replied, 'This bear looked after me as a father looks after his son. Now I have betrayed its kindness; this must be the karmic retribution for my offense.' The hunters were terrified and did not dare eat the meat, but took it to offer to the Saṅgha. The elder monk was an arhat endowed with the six supernatural powers, and he said to the lower-ranking monks, 'This is a bodhisattva, who in a future age will become a Buddha. Do not eat this meat.' Immediately they erected a stūpa to make offerings to it. When the king heard of this matter, he issued an order throughout the country: 'Do not allow anyone who betrays kindness to dwell here.' People, through various causes and conditions, praised those who know kindness. (Extracted from the Zhujing zhong yaoshi)
11.21
9. As the Deer King Body, Undergoing Death on Behalf of a Pregnant One
11.22
Formerly, when the Buddha was in the Deer Park of the Ṛṣis in the kingdom of Vārāṇasī, ṛṣis endowed with the five supernatural powers all roamed and studied in this kingdom, and it was not a place where ordinary mortals dwelt. The king went out to hunt and came upon a herd of a thousand deer, all of which fell into his nets. The king deployed foot soldiers to surround them completely. The herd of deer was terrified; some cried out and dashed blindly against the snares, while others prostrated themselves on the ground to conceal their forms. When Śākyamuni Buddha was formerly a bodhisattva, he was the king of the deer herd. The Buddha himself told the herd of deer, 'Calm your minds and do not be afraid. I will devise an expedient means to beg for mercy from the king, and our lives will surely be saved; each of you will remain unharmed.' The Deer King came before the human king, knelt on his knees, and begged for mercy. Seeing him from afar, the human king ordered his attendants not to harm the deer. The deer said, 'Observing the king's intention now, you wish to kill a thousand deer in one day to supply the kitchen. It is intensely hot now, and the meat cannot keep long. May the king take pity, and kill one deer each day to supply the kitchen butchery. Without troubling the king's messengers, a deer will come of its own accord to the kitchen to undergo death. The supply of meat will be uninterrupted, and the deer will be able to multiply.' The king asked the deer, 'Are you the leader among the herd of deer?' He replied, 'Yes.' The king again asked the deer, 'Is this genuinely true?' He replied, 'It is genuinely true.' The king thereupon released the deer, withdrew his ranks, and entered the city. At that time, the Bodhisattva led five hundred deer, and Devadatta also led five hundred deer, each day assigning one deer to go to the king to supply the kitchen. When it was Devadatta's turn to send a deer to the king, it fell upon a mother deer who had been pregnant for several months and was next in turn to supply the kitchen. The mother deer said to the king [Devadatta], 'Now I am about to give birth. My turn has come, but my offspring's turn has not yet come. May you adjust the order and permit me to be placed a little later.' Devadatta said angrily, 'Why do you not go quickly? Who could die ahead of you on your behalf?' The mother deer wept with grief, crying out and lamenting, and immediately went to the Bodhisattva and explained this herself: 'May the king show leniency and permit me to be later in turn.' The Bodhisattva asked the deer, 'Did your master permit you to explain this yourself?' She replied, 'My master did not grant permission.' The Bodhisattva comforted that deer: 'Do not be afraid for now; I will now take your place to supply the kitchen butchery.' The Bodhisattva Deer King then summoned the thousand deer and earnestly admonished them: 'Do not harbor laxity or arrogance, and do not encroach upon the king's autumn crops and grain.' Devadatta was angry at the mother deer, saying, 'Your turn has come; what excuse do you have?' The Bodhisattva said to Devadatta, 'Stop, stop! Do not utter such words. The mother deer indeed ought to die in turn, but out of pity for her unborn fawn, she should not yet die. I will take her place to save the life of the unborn fawn.' The herd of deer declared themselves: 'We wish to undergo death on behalf of the King. While our King is here, we survive, finding water and grass to eat, roaming freely at will without fear or dread.' The King thereupon went to the kitchen, and the herd of deer pursued and followed him to the royal palace. The Deer King went to the kitchen and offered himself for slaughter. When the kitchen master saw the Deer King, he went to inform the king: 'The Deer King has entered the kitchen; it is his turn to supply the butchery. I do not know, Great King, whether he may be killed or not.' The king ordered his ministers, 'Quickly bring the Deer King here.' The king asked the deer, 'Are the thousand deer exhausted? Why have you come?' The deer said to the king, 'The thousand head have bred and multiplied, growing into a great herd; each day they increase and do not decrease.' He explained the previous matter in full. The king earnestly reproached himself and lamented his own inadequacy: 'I am as a beast, unable to distinguish the genuine from the false, wrongfully killing living beings to such an extent.' The king told his ministers, 'Let it be proclaimed universally throughout the realm that whoever hunts and slaughters deer shall be executed.' He immediately sent the Deer King back and commanded that no one in the country eat deer meat; if anyone ate the meat, his head would be cut off and displayed on a pole. Because of this, it was named the Deer Park. (Extracted from Fascicle 9 of the Chuyao jing)
11.23
10. As the Deer King Weide, Falling into a Net and Being Released by a Hunter
11.24
The Buddha said, "In a past age, near the foot of the Snowy Mountains, there was a deer king named Weide, who was the master of five hundred deer. At that time, a hunter set out grain and laid a snare. The deer master walked ahead, and his right foot fell into the hair snare. The Deer King thought, 'If I show signs of this, the deer will not dare eat the grain; I must wait until they finish eating the grain, and only then show the signs of my foot [being trapped].' When the deer had all departed, one doe remained and spoke a verse, saying:
11.25
'Great King, you should know / that hunter is coming! / Please make diligent effort by expedient means / to escape from this snare.'"
11.26
"At that time, the Deer King answered in verse, saying:
11.27
'I have made diligent effort by expedient means, / but my strength and power are exhausted. / The hair snare turns ever tighter; / I cannot get out.'"
11.28
"When the doe saw the hunter arrive, she spoke a verse to him, saying:
11.29
'With your sharp knife, / kill my body first, / and after that, please release / the Deer King and let him go.'"
11.30
"When the hunter heard this, he gave rise to pity and answered in verse, saying:
11.31
'I shall never kill you, / nor shall I kill the Deer King; / I release both you and the Deer King / to go wherever you please.'"
11.32
"The hunter immediately untied and released the Deer King. The Buddha said, 'The Deer King of the past was my own self; the five hundred deer were the five hundred monks.' (Extracted from Fascicle 1 of the Miscellaneous Section of the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya)"},後
11.33
11. As a Nine-Colored Deer Body, Rescuing a Drowning Person
11.34
In the past, the Bodhisattva was a nine-coloured deer. Its coat was of nine colours, and its antlers were as white as snow. It ate and drank water and grass beside the Ganges River, and was constant friends with a crow. At that time, a drowning man in the water came floating down with the current, now rising, now sinking. Looking up, he cried out to Heaven: 'Mountain spirits, tree spirits, all heavenly and nāga spirits, why do you not pity me?' Hearing him, the deer entered the water and said, 'You may mount my back and grasp my antlers.' It carried him out and onto the bank. Reaching land, the drowning man circumambulated the deer three times and kowtowed to it, begging to become a slave to this great master, to run its errands and gather water and grass. The deer said, 'There is no need. Just go your own way. If you wish to repay my kindness, do not tell anyone that I am here. People covet my pelt and antlers, and will surely come to kill me.' At that time, the queen of the country saw the nine-coloured deer in a night dream. She immediately feigned illness and would not rise. The king asked why. She replied, 'Last night I saw in a dream an extraordinary deer: its coat had nine colours and its antlers were as white as snow. I long to obtain its pelt to make a seating mat, and its antlers to make a whisk-handle. The king must obtain it for me. If the king does not obtain it, I shall surely die.' The king recruited throughout the country: 'If anyone can obtain it, I shall divide the kingdom with him to rule, and bestow upon him a gold bowl filled with silver millet and a silver bowl filled with gold millet.' Hearing of this and wishing to acquire wealth and honour, the drowning man reflected, 'A deer is a beast; what does its life or death matter?' He went to the king's place and said he knew where the deer was. Overjoyed, the king said, 'If you can bring its pelt and antlers, I will reward you with half the kingdom.' Leprous sores immediately broke out upon the drowning man's face. The drowning man said, 'Great King, though this deer is a beast, it possesses great spiritual power. The king ought to dispatch many soldiers; only then can it be taken.' The king immediately dispatched a great host of men. When they reached the bank of the Ganges River, the crow was atop a tree. Seeing the soldiers coming, it called out to the deer, 'Friend, arise! The king has arrived!' The deer was still fast asleep and unaware. The crow flew down and pecked its ear. Only then was the deer startled awake. Looking around in all four directions, there was no way to escape; so it went directly towards the king's carriage. The attendants wished to shoot it. The king said, 'Do not shoot! This deer is extraordinary; it may be a heavenly spirit.' The deer said, 'Great King, please do not shoot me. Previously, I saved the life of a person in the king's realm.' The deer then knelt long and asked the king, 'Who told you I was here?' The king pointed it out: 'It was the leper-faced man beside the carriage.' The deer then raised its head and looked at this man's face. Tears flowed from its eyes, and it could not contain itself: 'This man was drowning in the water previously. Sparing neither body nor life, I threw myself into the water and carried this man out. We made a covenant not to speak of me. One without gratitude is not as good as a piece of floating wood retrieved from the water!' The king looked ashamed and reproached his subject three times: 'You received its kindness, yet how could you turn around and seek to kill it?' He then decreed throughout the realm: 'If anyone chases this deer, their five familial clans shall be executed.' Several thousand deer all came to take refuge with it. They ate and drank water and grass without harming the crops. The winds and rains came in season, the five grains were abundant and ripe, the people were free of disease, and the realm was at great peace. The nine-coloured deer at that time was my own person. The crow was Ānanda. The king was my present royal father Śuddhodana. The queen of that time was Sundarī. The drowning man was Devadatta. Though I had a wholesome heart towards him, he still wished to harm me. Ānanda had earnest intentions. (Extracted from the Sūtra on the Nine-Coloured Deer.)
11.35
12. Manifesting as a Goose King, Being Caught by a Hunter and Released, Seeking the Realm's Repayment of Kindness
11.36
In a past age, there was the city of Vārāṇasī. Beside the city was a pond named Yūcheng ('Rain-Formed'). In this pond were many fish, turtles, geese, and ducks. Among them was a goose king named Zhiguo ('Ruler of the Realm'), who was lord over five hundred geese. At that time a hunter set a hair snare in advance. The goose king walked ahead, and its right foot caught in the snare. It thought: 'If I pull my foot out of this snare, the other geese will not dare to eat the grain.' When they had finished eating, it then revealed its foot. The flock of geese flew off; only one goose, named Soma, would not abandon the king and leave. The king said to the minister: 'I give you the post of king to walk ahead of the geese.' He replied, 'I cannot.' The king asked, 'Why?'
11.37
Then the minister replied in verse:
11.38
'I vow to follow the king, / Unchanging in death and life. / I would rather die with the king / Than live separated from you. / The Great King should know / That this snare-master is coming; / Exert your expedients / And seek release from this snare.'
11.39
Then the goose king replied in verse:
11.40
'I have exerted my expedients diligently, / But my strength and power are already exhausted. / The hair snare tightens more and more, / And I cannot get free.'
11.41
Minister Soma, seeing the snare-master arrive, addressed him in verse:
11.42
'The Great King's feathers, fat, and meat / Are equal and no different from mine. / Kill me with your blade, / And release the king; you will lose nothing.'
11.43
Then the snare-master said to the minister, 'I will not kill you. I release both you and the king; go wherever you please.' The hunter then released the goose king. The two geese departed together, saying to one another: 'This hunter has done a rare thing: he has granted us life. We must richly repay him with livelihood.' The hunter asked, 'You are beasts; what means of living do you have to repay me?' The two geese replied, 'The king of Vārāṇasī is named Brahmadatta. Carry us and present us to him.' The hunter carried the geese on both shoulders into the city streets. These geese were shapely, and everyone took pleasure in seeing them; some gave five coins, some ten coins, some twenty coins, all saying, 'Do not kill them!' By the time this man reached the royal palace, he had gained immense wealth. The hunter arrived at the palace gates and set the geese on the ground. The goose king said to the gatekeeper, 'Report to King Brahmadatta: the goose king Zhiguo is now outside the gates.' He went and reported to the king. The king immediately permitted them to enter and set out a golden couch for them. Minister Soma exchanged greetings with him as was proper, and only then took his seat. He inquired after King Brahmadatta in verse:
11.44
'Is the king's person at peace? / Is the country prosperous and sufficient? / Do you transform the people in accordance with Dharma? / Do you govern the realm with an impartial mind?'
11.45
Then King Brahmadatta replied in verse:
11.46
'I am always at peace; / I transform the realm's people through Dharma. / The country is constantly prosperous and tranquil; / My mind is impartial, without bias.'
11.47
Thus replying to one another, they spoke five hundred verses. Minister Soma remained silent at the time. King Brahmadatta said, 'Why are you silent?' The minister replied, 'You are a king of men, lord of a realm; this goose king is a lord of the realm of marshes and pools. When two kings converse together, how would I dare interject?' The king said, 'I have a fine park; can you live there?' He replied, 'We cannot.' The king asked, 'Why?' The goose said, 'The king may wake from sleep and forget to exempt us, ordering goose meat to be prepared as food. If the cooks cannot obtain other geese, they might kill us to supply the king's kitchen.' When the goose king Zhiguo entered the royal palace, the flock of geese emerged from the Rain-Formed Pond and hovered mournfully above the palace. Their wings were wet with water, which splattered and soiled the palace halls. The king asked, 'What is this?' The goose king replied, 'These are my kin.' The king said, 'Do you wish to leave?' He replied, 'We wish to leave.' The king asked, 'What do you need?' He replied, 'We were captured by the hunter. He did a rare thing for us, granting us our lives. Had he killed one first and then the other, who could have stopped him?' The king asked, 'With what should he be rewarded?' The two geese replied, 'Give him gold and silver, musāragalva, agate, clothing, and food and drink.' Having spoken these words, they flew up into the void. The Buddha said: 'The goose king was my own person. The five hundred geese were the five hundred monks. The hunter was the elephant Dhanapāla. King Brahmadatta was King Śuddhodana. Minister Soma was Ānanda. (Extracted from the first fascicle of the Miscellaneous Section of the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya.)'
First 47 of 57 passages. Read on
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- 經律異相 — Classical Chinese