經律異相 47.17

47.17

The Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: 'In the past, at the time of the Buddha Prabhāsa, the Bodhisattva Śūramati was a lion king, and I was a brahmacārin cultivating pure conduct. At that time, the lion king would stand firm at dawn, remaining motionless at eight points, shake his body, and let out a great thunderous roar. The running beasts cowered and crouched, and the flying birds tumbled down. Only then did he set out, patrolling the wilderness, mountains, and marshes within his domain in search of herds of beasts. Meeting an elephant king, he killed and ate it. A spleen bone lodged in his throat, and he died and revived again. At that time, he told a woodpecker, "Pull out the bone for me; if I obtain food later, I will repay your kindness." Hearing this, the woodpecker entered his mouth, pulled out the bone with all its might, and was able to remove it. Later, when the lion king sought food and killed many beasts, the woodpecker was at his side, begging for a little favor, but the lion would not repay him.' The Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: 'At that time, the lion king replied to the woodpecker with this verse, saying: