經律異相 44.34

44.34

Formerly, there was an extremely poor man who understood the language of birds well. He worked as a hired porter for a merchant. Passing by a water's edge, they stopped to drink. A crow cawed. The merchant was frightened, but the laborer laughed instead. When they reached home, the merchant asked: 'When I was drinking there, I heard a crow caw; I was terrified, yet you laughed instead. Why?' The laborer replied: 'The crow said to me: "The merchant has fine white pearls on his body. You should kill him and take the pearls; I wish to eat his flesh." For this reason alone I laughed.' The merchant asked: 'Why did you not kill me?' He replied: 'Because in a past life I was greedy for others' wealth, I am now poor and work as a hired porter. If I were again to kill a man and take his goods, what end would there ever be to the suffering I would undergo in future lives? Even unto death I will never do such a thing.' (Extracted from the Parable Sūtra).