經律異相 21.6

21.6

Devadatta conspired with King Ajātaśatru to harm the Buddha and his disciples. The king decreed to the people of the country that none should revere the Buddha. Thereupon Śāriputra and others, as well as Mahāprajāpatī Bhikṣuṇī and others, each took their disciples and departed for other countries. Only the Buddha, together with five hundred arhats, remained residing upon Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa. Devadatta went to the king's place and said, "The Buddha's disciples have now scattered, yet there are still five hundred disciples at the Buddha's side. May the king invite the Buddha into the city tomorrow. I shall give intoxicating drink to five hundred great elephants, make them drunk, and let them trample them to death. Then I shall become the Buddha and transform the world!" When the king heard this, he was delighted and immediately went to invite the Buddha. Knowing his plot, the Buddha replied, "Very good." The king withdrew and departed, returning to report to Devadatta. The next day at mealtime, the Buddha and the arhats entered the city gate together. The intoxicated elephants snorted through their trunks and charged forward, crashing into walls and breaking down trees, so that the entire city trembled with terror. The five hundred arhats flew into the sky; only the Venerable Ānanda remained at his side. The drunken elephants charged straight toward the Buddha with their heads aligned. The Buddha raised his five fingers, which turned into five lions roaring in unison, shaking heaven and earth. The intoxicated elephants fell prostrate to the ground, not daring to lift their heads. Their drunkenness dispelled, their tears fell, and they repented of their misdeed. The king, his ministers, and the common people were all filled with awe and reverence. The Bhagavat advanced slowly onto the king's palace hall, and after finishing the meal with the arhats, pronounced verses of blessing. The king addressed the Buddha, saying: "My nature is benighted; I believed those slanderous words and brought about this rebellious evil. May you bestow your great compassion and forgive my delusion and folly!" The Buddha told Ajātaśatru and the great assembly: "There are eight conditions in the world that give rise to slanders, all stemming from repute and leading to grave offenses. What are the eight? Gain and decline, disgrace and fame, praise and blame, suffering and pleasure. From antiquity to the present, few are not deluded by them." The Buddha then spoke verses (omitted due to their length). The Buddha said: "In the past, there was a king who liked to eat goose meat. He constantly sent a hunter to spread nets to catch geese, delivering one goose each day to supply the king's food. At that time, there was a king of geese who led five hundred geese flying down in search of food. The king of geese fell into the net and was captured by the hunter. The other geese flew up in alarm and hovered about, refusing to leave. At that time, one goose repeatedly circled and pursued him, heedless of bows and arrows, crying mournfully and spitting blood, ceasing neither day nor night. The hunter saw this, was moved to pity by its loyalty, and immediately released the goose king, allowing them to follow each other away. The flock of geese, having regained their king, circled him joyfully. Then the hunter reported the full matter to the king. The king was moved by its loyalty and resolved never to catch geese again. The goose king of that time was my own person. The single goose was Ānanda. The flock of five hundred geese are now the five hundred arhats. The king who ate goose meat is now the Great King. The hunter of that time is now Devadatta. Since past lives, he has constantly sought to harm me; by the power of great compassion, I was delivered because of it. Without harboring resentment or evil, I naturally attained Buddhahood." The king and all his ministers were overjoyed. (Extracted from the Faju jing, fascicle 4)