經律異相 14.20

14.20

Śāriputra and others accepted an invitation from the group of six bhikṣuṇīs, who prepared much fine food and drink. To the lower-seated [monks] and novice monks (śrāmaṇeras), they gave sixty-day rice mixed with sesame dregs and boiled greens. The Buddha asked Rāhula, “Was the Saṅgha full and satisfied with the food and drink?” He answered fully. He asked again, “Who was the senior elder present?” He answered again, “The upādhyāya Śāriputra.” The Buddha said, “Śāriputra ate impure food.” Śāriputra vomited out what he had eaten and vowed: “To the end of my life, I will cease accepting outside invitations and will always practice begging for food.” Later, when various great nobles wished to offer a meal to the Saṅgha, they wished to have Śāriputra. They addressed the Buddha, begging him to instruct Śāriputra to once again accept outside invitations. The Buddha said, “Do not entreat him; his nature is fiercely stubborn. In the past, there was a king who was bitten by a poisonous snake. A master healer of poison cast the Śākara mantra to summon the poisonous snake. He first made a heap of fire and said to the snake, ‘Would you rather enter the fire, or would you rather suck back the poison?’ The snake reflected, ‘I have already expelled it,’ and threw itself into the fire. That poisonous snake was Śāriputra.” (Extracted from the introductory latter part of the Daśabhāṇavāra-vinaya; also extracted from the Mahīśāsaka-vinaya, scroll 31; also extracted from the Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya, scroll 40)