經律異相 19.52

19.52

In the kingdom of Kosala there were two monks. One broke the precepts, while the other kept them. They wished to travel together to see the Buddha. On the road they encountered water containing living organisms. The one who broke the precepts said to the one who kept them: "We can drink this water together." The precept-keeper said: "There are living creatures in the water. How can it be drunk?" The one who broke the precepts said: "If I do not drink, I shall die, and I will not be able to see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and see the Saṅgha." The precept-keeper would rather die than drink, while the one who broke the precepts drank it. Not drinking, the precept-keeper died, and immediately took rebirth in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, complete with a divine body. He arrived first before the Buddha, prostrated with his head and face at his feet, and stood to one side. The Buddha preached the Dharma to him in various ways, and he attained the purification of the Dharma-eye. He then bowed to the Buddha's feet and said: "I take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma, and take refuge in the Saṅgha. For the rest of my life I shall be an upāsaka." After the Buddha further preached the Dharma to him, he fell silent. Having bowed to the Buddha, the deity suddenly vanished. The one who had drunk the water arrived later at the Buddha's dwelling. The Buddha was surrounded by an immeasurable multitude, expounding the Dharma. Seeing the monk arrive, the Buddha pulled back his uttarāsaṅga and displayed his golden hand: "Foolish man, you wished to see my physical body; are you not inferior to the one who kept the precepts? He was the first to see my Dharma-body." The Buddha spoke a gāthā: