經律異相 47.84

47.84

The Buddha went to the city of Śrāvastī, wandering on his alms round. He arrived at the home of Śuka, son of Taudeya. It happened that he was not at home. There was a white dog named Jù, sitting on a fine mattress, eating nonglutinous rice and meat from a golden bowl. Seeing the Bhagavat coming from afar, the white dog barked at him. The Bhagavat said, 'Stop, white dog! You need not make this sound. In your past you chanted and recited (the sound of a brahmacārin chanting while begging for food), and because of this you have become a white dog.' The white dog was exceedingly enraged; stepping down from the couch and mattress, it went beneath the door-threshold, lying down in silence. Later, when Śuka Taudeya returned, he saw it and asked the bystanders, 'Who has provoked my dog and caused it to be sad and despondent?' 'Today, the śramaṇa Gautama came to our home to beg for food. The dog barked at him. Gautama said, "Stop, white dog! You should not make this sound. In your past you chanted and recited." The dog was angered and unhappy.' Śuka, son of Taudeya, cursed the Bhagavat from afar, and, filled with slander and anger, went to Anāthapiṇḍada's Park. Seeing Śuka, son of Taudeya, coming from afar, the Buddha told the monks, 'Because of his anger, this man, upon the destruction of his body, will be born in Niraya.' At that time, Śuka, son of Taudeya, said to the Bhagavat, 'The śramaṇa Gautama came to my home today to beg for food. What fault did the white dog commit against you that you caused it to be unhappy?' The Buddha said, 'The white dog saw me and barked. I said, "White dog, you should not make this sound. In your past you chanted and recited." And the white dog was enraged.' [Śuka asked,] 'Gautama, what sort of relative of mine was this white dog originally?' The Buddha stopped him: 'There is no need to ask, Śuka. You might become sorrowful and unhappy.' Thus it went up to three times. The Bhagavat then said, 'Śuka, this white dog, in its previous birth, was your father, named Taudeya.' [Śuka was] doubly enraged: 'My father, Taudeya, constantly practiced generosity and constantly served the fire; when his body broke up at death, he was born in the Brahma Heaven! Why would he be born among dogs?' [The Buddha said,] 'Śuka, it is because of your excessive pride, and your father Taudeya was also likewise, that he was born among wicked dogs.' And he spoke a verse: