經律異相 28.24

28.24

Jīvaka, the king of physicians, invited the Buddha and the Sangha, excluding only Panthaka. Panthaka had spent four months reciting the words 'broom' and 'sweep,' but in the end could never master them. The Tathāgata and the Sangha went and sat in Jīvaka's residence. Pure water was offered, but the Tathāgata would not accept it. Jīvaka addressed the Buddha, 'I wonder for what reason the Tathāgata does not accept the water?' The Buddha told Jīvaka, 'In this assembly today there is no monk Panthaka; therefore I do not accept it.' Jīvaka addressed the Buddha, 'This Panthaka is dull and stupid; even cattle and sheep herders surpass him.' The Buddha told Jīvaka, 'If you do not invite Panthaka, I will not accept the pure water.' Then Jīvaka, obeying the Buddha's instruction, dispatched a man to go and summon Panthaka. The Buddha told Ānanda, 'Hand the bowl to Panthaka, and have him, without rising from his seat, hand it to me from afar.' Jīvaka, seeing this divine power, reproached himself in remorse: 'Alas! What a grave error to insult a worthy sage! Only today do I realize that I have committed a great fault of speech.' He immediately gave rise to a reverent mind toward the monk Panthaka, surpassing his reverence for the five hundred monks. The Bhagavat explained at length: 'In a past life, Jīvaka was a horse dealer conducting trade. He once drove a thousand horses to another country. Midway, one horse gave birth to a foal. He gave the foal away to a man and went on to the other country. When he had an audience with the king of that country, the king told the horse dealer, "Your thousand horses are all ordinary horses. One horse whinnied sorrowfully with a peculiar sound; she must have given birth to an extraordinary foal. When that foal grows up, its value will equal that of a thousand horses. If you can obtain this foal, I will buy all of your horses; if not, I have no need for them." The horse dealer retraced his steps to the place where he had given the foal away. Before ten days had passed, that foal spoke human speech, saying to its owner, "If the horse dealer comes looking for me, you may give me up only if you receive five hundred horses." The horse dealer sought to redeem it with one fine horse. The man replied, "I did not force you to give it to me originally. I raised and kept it with great toil and hardship. Now if you want it back, you may have it in return for five hundred horses." He finally agreed to it. Previously he had despised the foal, and now he neglected Panthaka, yet afterwards he valued them both highly. The causes and conditions regarding Panthaka are of long standing; they did not begin just today.' (From the Qing Pante biqiu jing.)