經律異相 19.66

19.66

In the kingdom of Kosala, there was a monk living alone in the deep mountains. In the forest there was a non-human woman who said to the monk: "Engage in sexual desire with me." The monk said: "Do not utter such words; I am someone who has cut off desire." The woman said: "If you do not come, I will ruin your material support and bring you ruin and distress." The monk said: "As you wish." In the middle of the night, while the monk was sleeping, the female ghost wrapped the monk in his patched robe and placed him to sleep beside the queen inside the royal palace. When the king woke up, he asked: "What kind of person are you?" The monk said: "I am a śramaṇa." "What kind of śramaṇa?" He replied: "A Śākyan disciple śramaṇa." The king said: "Why have you come here now?" The monk explained everything to the king. The king said: "Why do you stay in the deep mountain forest, where you are harassed by evil ghosts? Get out! Because I understand the Buddha's Dharma, I will not interrogate you." The monk escaped and related the matter in detail. Because of this, the Buddha instituted a precept: "Do not enter deep into the mountains." Again in the kingdom of Kosala, there was a monk living in an araṇya (wilderness). A piśācī (female goblin) came and said to the monk: "Come, let us engage in sexual desire." The monk said: "Do not speak such words; I am someone who has cut off sexual desire." The female goblin said: "If you do not do so, I will ruin your material support and cause you ruin and distress." The monk said: "As you wish." At night while the monk was sleeping, the female goblin wrapped him in his patched robe and put him inside a wine vat at a tavern. The next morning, the tavern keeper saw the monk inside the wine vat and asked: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am a śramaṇa." "What kind of śramaṇa?" He replied: "A Śākyan disciple śramaṇa." The keeper asked: "Why are you in here?" The monk recounted the matter in full. The tavern keeper said: "Begone!" Because of this, the Buddha said: "Monks must not enter deep mountain forests, empty places, frightening places, or unpopulated places to dwell." (Extracted from the second fascicle of the Good Recitations of the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya).