經律異相 47.31

47.31

In a past age, at the foot of the Snow Mountains, there were two beasts: one was named the Fine-Maned Lion, and the second was named the Fine-Toothed Tiger. They were good friends together, closing their eyes and licking one another. These two beasts constantly obtained fresh, fine meat to eat. Not far from them was a two-tongued jackal who thought: "I will go to the two beasts and say, 'I will be a third companion to you; allow me to join.'" The lion and the tiger said, "As you please." The two-tongued jackal ate the meat left over by the two beasts, and its body grew fat and large. It then thought: "This Fine-Maned Lion and Fine-Toothed Tiger are good friends, deeply affectionate toward each other, closing their eyes and licking one another, and constantly eating fine meat. If sometimes they obtain none, they will surely eat me. I should first use an expedient means to alienate their minds." It spoke to the lion, saying: "The tiger harbors ill will toward you, lion, saying, 'Whatever we eat is all by my power.'" The lion said, "How is this known?" The two-tongued jackal answered, "Tomorrow, when the tiger sees you, if it closes its eyes and licks your mane, you should know that is an evil sign." It went and spoke to the tiger, saying: "The lion harbors ill will toward you, saying, 'Whatever we eat is all by my power.'" The tiger said, "How is this known?" It answered, "Tomorrow, when it sees you, if it closes its eyes and licks your mane, you should know that is an evil sign." Between the two friends, the tiger conceived fear; therefore, it went first to the lion and said, "Do you harbor ill will toward me?" The lion said, "Who spoke these words?" It answered, "The two-tongued jackal." Fine-Mane asked again, saying, "Do you also harbor ill will toward me?" The tiger said, "No." The tiger said to the lion, "If you speak such evil words, we cannot remain good friends together." Fine-Mane said, "It is this two-tongued jackal that spoke such words. Why should you be unhappy to live with me?" He then spoke a verse, saying: