經律異相 48

English (machine translation) 48

Language: English

48.1

Compiled by the Liang śramaṇas Sengmin, Baochang, and others

48.2

1. Garuḍas (two matters)
2. Qianqiu (one matter)
3. Geese (three matters)
4. Cranes (one matter)
5. Pigeons (two matters)
6. Pheasants (one matter)
7. Crows (four matters)

48.4

1. Birth, Abode, and Sustenance
2. The Portents of Death of King Zhengyin

Garuḍa birds are of four kinds: first, egg-born; second, womb-born; third, moisture-born; fourth, transformation-born. All, in prior times, practiced great generosity but with elevated minds that soared above others, harassing sentient beings with much anger and arrogance, hence they were born among these birds. They have wish-fulfilling gems as necklaces; their transformations are myriad and manifold, with nothing they cannot accomplish. Their bodies are forty li tall. Their garments are eighty li wide, forty li long, and weigh two and a half liang. They eat giant soft-shelled turtles, caimans, fish, and freshwater turtles as morsel food (the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that they can eat and digest all dragons, fish, gold, silver, and other precious things, except only diamonds). Bathing and clothes serve as their subtle and smooth food. They also have marriage; the physical contact of two bodies accomplishes their sexual union. Their lifespan is one kalpa, though some have less. On the northern shore of the great ocean is a tree named Kūlaśālmalī, one hundred yojanas tall, casting shade for fifty yojanas (the Loutan jing is roughly the same). To the east of the tree are the palaces of egg-born nāgas and egg-born garuḍas; to the south of the tree are the palaces of womb-born nāgas and womb-born garuḍas; to the west of the tree are the palaces of moisture-born nāgas and moisture-born garuḍas; to the north of the tree are the palaces of transformation-born nāgas and transformation-born garuḍas. Each extends six thousand yojanas across, adorned as described above. If an egg-born garuḍa flies down into the ocean, it strikes the water with its wings, and the water immediately parts to a depth of two hundred yojanas; it takes egg-born nāgas and eats them at will (the Avataṃsaka Sūtra says: when this bird eats nāgas, if the wind whipped up by it enters a person's eyes, they lose their sight, hence it does not come to the human realm). The womb-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born are likewise (the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says they cannot eat only those who have taken the three refuges). There was a transformation-born nāga son who observed the eight precepts on the three purification days. At that time, a garuḍa bird wished to capture and eat him. It took him in its beak up to the great iron tree north of Mount Sumeru, which was one hundred and sixty thousand li high, but searching for his tail, it could not find it at all. Hearing of this, the bird also received the five precepts (taken from the Dīrgha Āgama, Fascicle 19; also found in the Ekottarika Āgama, Fascicle 15; and seen as well in the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa and the Avataṃsaka Sūtra).

48.7

2. The Portents of Death of King Zhengyin

48.8

There was a garuḍa king named Zhengyin (Right Sound). Among all winged creatures, he enjoyed bliss and mastery. In Jambudvīpa, he ate one nāga king and five hundred small nāgas each day. In the other three continents, he also ate them, the daily number being as above, cycling round and round. After eight thousand years, the portents of death appeared: the nāgas spewed venom so that he could not feed; pressed by hunger, he was terrified and could find no peace. He went to the Mount of Adamantine; from the Mount of Adamantine he plummeted directly down to the edge of the great waters, and reaching the edge of the wind-wheel, he was blown by the wind back to the Mount of Adamantine. Seven times in this manner he plunged, and then he died. Because of his venom, fire broke out simultaneously on the ten jewelled mountains. Nāga King Nanda, fearing the burning of these mountains, immediately sent down heavy rain with drops as large as chariot wheels. The bird's flesh melted completely, leaving only its heart. The heart also plummeted directly down seven times as before, and rested on the Mount of Adamantine. Nāga King Nanda took it as a radiant pearl; a wheel-turning sage king obtained it as a wish-fulfilling pearl. If a person is mindful of the Buddha, their mind is likewise (taken from the Guan Fo sanmei jing, Fascicle 1).

48.9

Qianqiu, Number Two

48.10

The Qianqiu in Giving Birth Always Harms Its Mother

48.11

The qianqiu has a human face and a bird's body. When it gives birth to offspring, they in turn harm their mother. Furthermore, if it practices, it can attain the fruit of an arhat. Animals do not possess such wisdom or the conception of superior and inferior, so they do not incur the guilt of the five heinous crimes (taken from the Posumituo jing, Fascicle 8).

48.12

Geese, Number Three

48.13

1. A Golden-Feathered Goose Still Cherishes Its Wife and Children from a Past Life and Gives One Feather Daily

48.14

Beside the Monkey River in Vaiśālī, there was a garlic garden. The nun Thullanandā resided not far from the garden. The owner of the garden asked, 'Does the aunt need garlic?' Thereupon the nun, together with novice nuns and śikṣamāṇās, went repeatedly to demand garlic, until it was completely exhausted. Its owner abandoned the garden and left. The Buddha preached a past-life tale: Formerly, there was a brāhmaṇa, one hundred and twenty years old, whose body was frail and emaciated. His wife was incomparably handsome, and she bore many sons and daughters. This brāhmaṇa bound his heart to his wife and his children, never leaving them. Because of this ardent love and attachment, when he came to the end of his life, he was born among geese. The feathers of its body were all golden. Owing to the conditions of his former merit, he remembered his past lives, thinking, 'By what skillful means can I sustain these children so that they will not suffer poverty?' Day after day he returned, and day after day he dropped one feather and departed. Seeing this, the children did not understand the cause, and discussed together, saying, 'We had better wait for him when he arrives, find a way to seize him, and take all his golden feathers.' According to their plan, they plucked all the golden feathers. Once the feathers were gone, white feathers grew back. The Buddha told the monks, 'Do you wish to know who the brāhmaṇa was who died and became a goose back then? Could he have been anyone else? He was none other than the garden owner. His handsome wife was none other than this nun. The sons and daughters were none other than these śikṣamāṇās and novice nuns' (taken from the Vinaya in Four Parts, Part Two, Fascicle 3).

48.15

2. Five Hundred Geese Killed by a Hunter Are Born in Heaven and Attain the Path through Hearing the Buddha's Teaching

48.16

The Buddha was in the country of Vārāṇasī. In a marshy forest, he expounded the sublime Dharma for devas, humans, and the four assemblies. At that time, a flock of five hundred geese was in the sky. Hearing the sound of the Buddha's voice, their hearts felt deep love and joy, and they circled around, wishing to descend. A hunter had spread a net, and the geese fell into it. Killed by the hunter, they were born in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. Seated upon the laps of their celestial parents like eight-year-old children, they were incomparably dignified and handsome, radiating light like golden mountains. Then they thought to themselves, 'By what cause was I born here?' They immediately recognized their past lives and the retribution of their love for the Dharma. Together holding flowers, they descended to Jambudvīpa, went to where the Bhagavat was, prostrated at his feet, and addressed him, saying, 'By virtue of the sound of the Dharma, we were born in a wondrous heaven. We pray that you will elucidate it for us again.' The Buddha preached the Four Noble Truths, and they attained the fruit of srotāpanna, then returned to heaven (taken from the Damamūka-nidāna Sūtra, Fascicle 13).

48.17

3. Geese Captured in a King's Net Refuse Food and Escape

48.18

A king's queen ascended a high tower, and seeing geese flying in the air, she desired to have their flesh; she then informed the king. The king dispatched huntsmen to take nets and go about snaring them, spreading out in search; they caught several tens of them and kept them in cages. Among them was one that would not eat. The other geese said to it, 'Now that our lives have been spared, what benefit is there in not eating?' The one that did not eat said, 'Grief prevents me from eating.' In seven days, it grew emaciated, and was able to escape through an opening in the cage and fly away. From afar it said to the fat ones, 'You crave food, but calamity and pain lie ahead' (taken from the Ten-Fascicle Avadāna Sūtra, Fascicle 6).

48.19

Cranes, Number Four

48.20

1. Constantly Uttering the Sounds of the Faculties, Powers, and Eightfold Path

48.21

In the realm of the Buddha Amitābha, there are always various wonderful birds of diverse colours: white swans, peacocks, parrots, śārikās, kalaviṅkas, and jīvañjīvaka birds. During the six periods of the day and night, they produce harmonious and elegant sounds. The sounds proclaim such teachings as the five faculties, the five powers, the seven limbs of awakening, and the eight limbs of the noble path. Sentient beings of that land, hearing these sounds, are all mindful of the Three Jewels (taken from the Amitābha Sūtra).

48.22

Pigeons, Number Five

48.23

1. A Pigeon Gives Up Its Life as a Gift to an Impoverished Person
2. A Pigeon Pursued by a Hawk Is at Peace in the Buddha's Shadow, but Trembles in the Disciple's Shadow

48.24

1. A Pigeon Gives Up Its Life as a Gift to an Impoverished Person

48.25

Formerly, on the Snowy Mountains, there was a pigeon. At that time, it snowed heavily. A person lost his way and was in dire distress and exhaustion; hunger and cold came upon him simultaneously, and his life hung in the balance. The pigeon flew to seek fire, gathered firewood for him, and lit it. When the fire was blazing, it threw its body into the fire to give it as a gift to this starving man (taken from the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, Fascicle 11).

48.26

2. A Pigeon Pursued by a Hawk Is at Peace in the Buddha's Shadow, but Trembles in the Disciple's Shadow

48.27

When the Buddha was walking in the Jetavana forest in the late afternoon, Śāriputra followed him. At that time, a hawk was pursuing a pigeon. The pigeon flew over to the Buddha's side. The Buddha's shadow fell over it as he walked; the pigeon's body became tranquil, its fear was immediately dispelled, and it made no further sound. Later, when Śāriputra's shadow fell upon it, the pigeon cried out and trembled with fear just as before. Śāriputra addressed the Buddha, saying, 'Both the Buddha and I are free of the three poisons. When the Buddha's shadow covered the pigeon, the pigeon was not frightened; yet when my shadow covered the pigeon, it trembled just as before.' The Buddha said, 'You still have the habitual traces of the three poisons. Observe this pigeon's conditions in past lives: for how many lives has it been a pigeon?' Śāriputra immediately entered the samādhi of knowledge of past lives. He observed this pigeon and saw that for eighty thousand great kalpas it had constantly been in the body of a pigeon. 'Beyond this, I cannot see.' The Buddha said, 'If you cannot fully know the past, try to observe when this pigeon will be released.' Śāriputra then entered the samādhi of knowledge of vows. He observed this pigeon and saw that for eighty thousand great kalpas it would not be released from the body of a pigeon. Beyond this, he did not know. For great kalpas equal to the sands of the Ganges, it would constantly remain in the body of a pigeon (taken from the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, Fascicle 11).

48.28

Pheasants, Number Six

48.29

1. A Pheasant Quenches a Forest Fire

48.30

Formerly, a wildfire burned a forest. In the forest there was a pheasant. Exerting its own strength, it flew into the forest and sprinkled water on the woods, going back and forth until exhausted, yet not considering it hardship. At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra came and asked it, saying, 'What are you doing?' It replied, 'I am saving this forest out of pity for sentient beings. This forest's shade provides broad shelter, coolness, and joy; my kin and relatives all rely upon it. Since I have bodily strength, how could I be indolent and not save it?' Śakra asked, 'You are so diligent, but until when will you continue?' The pheasant said, 'With death as my limit.' Śakra said, 'Who will bear witness for you?' It immediately made a vow: 'If my mind is utterly sincere and my faith is not false, let the fire extinguish itself!' At that time, the devas of the Śuddhāvāsa heaven recognized the pheasant's great vow, and immediately extinguished the fire for it. Thenceforth, the forest remained constantly lush and was never burned by fire (taken from the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, Fascicle 16).

48.31

Crows, Number Seven

48.32

1. The Crow King Sugarcane Leads Four Crows as Envoys to the Country of Sāgara
2. A Red-Headed Crow Befriends a Monkey
3. A Crow and a Hen Mate and Bear a Son
4. A Crow, an Insect, and a Fox Praise One Another in Turn

48.33

1. The Crow King Sugarcane Leads Four Crows as Envoys to the Country of Sāgara

48.34

King Prasenajit had four great ministers, whom he appointed as generals. Marshalling the fourfold army, he wished to attack a small country. The four ministers went to see the Buddha and bowed their heads at his feet. The Bhagavat asked them, "Good sirs, where are you going?" They answered in full with the matter: "We have accomplished much for this king, yet we constantly fear for our lives; now we are about to launch an attack." The Bhagavat praised them, saying: "Well done, virtuous ones! This is repaying kindness and being steadfast. Not only in this life have you acted thus for a king: in the past, in the kingdom of Sāgara, a flock of crows gathered and dwelt in that land. The crow king was named Ikṣu (Sugar Cane), ruling over eighty thousand crows. The crow king had a wife named Jiulini. Being pregnant, she craved strange food and spoke with utmost sincerity to the king: 'My body is indisposed; I desire to eat the meat of the gentle deer king before I can live—otherwise, I shall die.' Thereupon the crow king, hearing her words, assembled the flock of crows and said: 'You must go to the kingdom of Sāgara. The king of Sāgara has a great deer king named Xuju (Sugu); I desire to obtain its meat.' Four crows responded to the call: 'We are capable of this task. Sparing neither body nor life, we shall accomplish this matter.' Then the four crows repeatedly went to the gathering place. When the prince of the kingdom saw the crows, he was terrified and ran back to report to the king: 'I have seen four crows of such appearance frequently coming to the deer park.' The king immediately ordered men to capture them. The bird catchers devised an expedient method and spread nets to catch the crows, forthwith capturing them alive and presenting them to the king. The king questioned the four crows and scolded them: 'Why do you repeatedly come here, trespassing upon my realm?' The crows replied: 'Indeed, Heavenly King, it was not of our own desire. There is a king named Anzhu (Firm Abode), whose wife is pregnant; she desires the meat of the gentle deer Xuju. That king sent us here, and we obeyed our lord's command.' The king was astonished and marvelled at it: 'Obeying their king's command, they devised this plan, casting away their bodies and lives—truly beyond what is expected! Even among worldly men, to seek such steadfastness in obeying the commands of a lord or father is hard to find; how much more so for birds and beasts!' The king said to the crows: 'I now pardon your offense.' (Extracted from the Sūtra on the Vessel of Honey, also called the Sūtra on the Crow King of the Country of Kosala).

48.35

2. The Red-Beaked Crow and the Monkey Were Close Friends

48.36

Anciently, there was a crow named Koji (in the language of Liang, "red-beaked crow"), who roamed in a grove and gave birth to and reared several fledglings in a tree. Koji was closely intimate with a monkey. At that time, among the trees was a venomous snake. Watching for when the crow was away, it devoured all of Koji's fledglings without leaving a single one. Losing her fledglings, Koji wailed and shrieked in grief, not knowing where they were. Thinking carefully, she knew the snake had devoured them. The monkey returned, saw her, and asked what had happened. She replied: "A snake devoured my fledglings, leaving none behind." The monkey said: "I shall avenge them." Then, when the venomous snake was moving, the monkey circled in front of it. The enraged snake coiled around the monkey. The monkey grabbed its head and dragged it onto a rock, smashing it to death. Casting it aside, he returned. Koji leaped for joy. (Extracted from the Sūtra of the Parable of the Red-Beaked Crow).

48.37

3. A Crow Mated with a Hen and Together Begot a Single Chick

48.38

In the past, there was a flock of chickens living near a thicket. A wildcat preyed upon them until only a single hen remained. A crow came, covered her, and together they begot a chick. When the chick made a sound, the crow spoke a verse:

48.39

"This child does not belong to me alone: / A wild father, a village mother; / Mating together, they bore this child, / Neither a crow nor a chicken. / If it wishes to learn its father's voice, / Yet it was born of a hen; / If it wishes to learn its mother's cry, / Its father is yet a crow. / Learning to be a crow, it sounds like a hen's cry; / Learning to be a chicken, it makes a crow's call. / If it tries to learn both crow and chicken, / Neither of the two is achieved."

48.40

(Extracted from the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya, Fascicle 24).

48.41

Long ago, a eunuch died and was abandoned among the ailanthus trees. An old fox and a crow came together to feed on his flesh, and praised each other in turn. The crow said:

48.42

"Your body is like a lion, / Your head like a seer; / Your womb was from the king among deer; / Beautiful are you like a fine flower!"

48.43

The fox said:

48.44

"Who is that venerable one up in the tree, / Whose wisdom is foremost, / Whose radiance shines in the ten directions / Like a heap of refined purple gold?"

48.45

At that time, a great seer dwelling in seclusion, cultivating the path in purity, heard them, spoke a verse, and questioned them:

48.46

"What you do I have long observed: / Your deeds are but double-tongued flattery! / Hiding yourselves among the trees, / Eating the flesh of a dead eunuch, / You base and lowly creatures / Praise yourselves as if superior beings!"

48.47

The crow said:

48.48

"Lions and peacocks / Also eat the flesh of beasts. / How can they be compared to shaven heads / Who beg for food in succession?" (Extracted from the Sūtra of the Fox and the Crow).

48.49

Section on Insects and Beasts, Part Two

48.50

1. Dragons (five matters)
2. Snakes (three matters)
3. Turtles (one matter)
4. Fish (two matters)
5. Clams (one matter)
6. Grain Weevils (one matter)
7. Water Insects (one matter)
8. Lice (one matter)

48.51

1. Dragons

48.52

1. Birth, Abode, and Sustenance
2. The Nāga King Sāgara Protected by Five Hundred Spirits
3. Retinues Initially Few, Later Many
4. A Nāga Upholding the Precepts for One Day, Flayed by a Man, Reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven
5. The Four Great Nāga Kings Afflicted by Garuḍas and Beseeching the Buddha

48.53

1. Birth, Abode, and Sustenance

48.54

Dragons are of four kinds: first, egg-born; second, womb-born; third, moisture-born; fourth, transformationally born. All formerly had much anger and crooked, untruthful minds, yet practiced great giving; hence they have now received this bodily form. They have palaces made of the seven jewels (the location of the palaces is described in the section on the garuḍa birds). Their bodies are forty li tall. Their robes are forty li long, eighty li wide, and weigh two and a half liang. Endowed with sovereign supernormal powers, they enjoy foods of a hundred flavors; the final mouthful turns into a toad. If their transformed retinues arouse the aspiration for awakening, giving black robes to beggars so that all dragons can each provide offerings, then sand does not rain upon their bodies and they are freed from numerous tribulations (it is also said: if they transform their bodies into snakes and vipers, they encounter neither toads nor garuḍas). They eat soft-shelled turtles, alligators, fish, and freshwater tortoises as solid food (the Loutan jing says dragons eat fish, tortoises, and large diweitili fish). Bathing and clothing serve as fine and delicate food. They also have marriage; their bodies touch to achieve copulation. Their lifespan is one kalpa, though for some it is shortened. Only sixteen kings are spared from being eaten by garuḍas: first, Sāgara; second, Nanda; third, Upananda; fourth, Elāpattra; fifth, Dhṛtarāṣṭra; sixth, Sudarśana; seventh, Axu; eighth, Gākura; ninth, Kapila; tenth, Apalāla; eleventh, Jani; twelfth, Kujani; thirteenth, Anavatapta; fourteenth, Supratiṣṭhita; fifteenth, Uśamkapaduma; sixteenth, Takṣaka. (The Loutan jing lists sixty-three; extracted from the Dīrgha Āgama, Loutan jing, and the Dàzhìdù lùn).

48.55

2. The Nāga King Sāgara Protected by Five Hundred Spirits

48.56

The nāga king Sāgara dwells at the bottom of the great ocean north of Mount Sumeru. His palace grounds measure eighty thousand yojanas in length and breadth. They are made of the seven jewels, with seven tiers of walls; balustrades and netting adorn the top. There are groves, gardens, and bathing pools where various birds sing in harmony; walls of gold and gates of silver, the gates being two thousand four hundred li high and two thousand two hundred li wide, finely decorated with colored paintings. He is constantly guarded by five hundred spirits. He can make rain fall according to his wish, which no other flock of nāgas can match. The abyss where he dwells surges and flows into the sea, bearing the color of blue vaiḍūrya. (Extracted from the Loutan jing and the Avataṃsaka Sūtra).

48.57

3. Retinues Initially Few, Later Many

48.58

The nāga king said to the Buddha: "Since the beginning of the kalpa, I have resided in the great ocean. In the time of Krakucchanda Buddha, wives and children in the great ocean were exceedingly few. Now, the ocean nāgas' retinues are exceedingly numerous." The Buddha told the nāga king: "Those who renounce household life in the Buddha-Dharma, transgress the precepts, commit impure conduct, and do not abandon precept-breaking are mostly reborn among the nāgas.

48.59

Through their right view they do not fall into hell; beings such as these, after their lifespans end, are all reborn among the nāgas. The Buddha told the nāga king: 'In the time of Krakucchanda Buddha, ninety-eight hundred million householders and renouncers transgressed their prohibitions and precepts; all were reborn among the nāgas. In the time of Kanakamuni Buddha, eighty hundred million householders and renouncers broke the precepts and indulged their minds; after their lifespans ended, all were reborn among the nāgas. In the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, sixty-four hundred million householders and renouncers violated the precepts; all were reborn among the nāgas. In my world, nine hundred and ninety hundred million householders have quarreled, disputed, and slandered the sūtras and precepts, dying to be reborn among the nāgas—some have already been born. For this reason, the wives, children, and retinues of the nāgas in the great ocean are beyond count. After my nirvāṇa, many evil upāsakas who violate and lose the prohibitions and precepts shall be reborn among the nāgas, or fall into hell.' (Extracted from the Sūtra of the Sāgara Nāga King, Fascicle 2).

48.60

4. A Nāga Upholding Precepts to the Point of Death without Breaking Them

48.61

There was a mighty, venomous nāga: if it looked at a person with its eyes, the weak would instantly die; if it blew its breath at a person, even the strong would die. At that time, the nāga took the one-day precepts, renounced the household life, and entered the forest trees to contemplate. Sitting for a long time, it grew tired and fell asleep. By the nature of nāgas, when sleeping, its form was like that of a snake, variegated with the seven jewels. A hunter saw it and said in joyful surprise: 'To offer this rare and hard-to-find skin to the king of the country as a decoration for his boat—would that not be suitable?' He then pressed down its head with a staff and flayed its skin with a knife. The nāga thought to itself: 'My strength can topple a kingdom; how could this trivial creature overcome me? Yet because I am upholding the precepts now, I take no regard of this body. I must follow the Buddha's words and endure it.' It closed its eyes and did not look; it held its breath and did not exhale. Having pity on this man, for the sake of upholding the precepts, it wholeheartedly endured the flaying without giving rise to regret. After losing its skin, its red flesh lay upon the ground. At that time the sun was intensely hot, and it writhed in the dust. Wishing to make for the great waters, it saw various small insects coming to eat its body. For the sake of upholding the precepts, it dared not move any further. It thought to itself: 'Now I give this body of mine as an offering to these insects. For the sake of the Buddha path, today I give flesh to satisfy their bodies; later I shall give the Dharma to benefit their minds.' When its body dried and its life came to an end, it was immediately reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. (Extracted from the Dàzhìdù lùn, Fascicle 14).

48.62

5. The Four Great Nāga Kings Afflicted by Garuḍas and Beseeching the Buddha

48.63

There were dragon kings: the first was named Sucking-Breath, the second Great Sucking-Breath, the third Nengluo, and the fourth Immeasurable-Colour. They said to the Bhagavat: 'In this ocean there are countless kinds of dragons, and there are four kinds of garuḍas that constantly eat the dragons in the ocean. We pray that the Buddha will protect us so that we may obtain peace and security, harbouring no sorrow or fear.' The Bhagavat took off the black robe from his body and said to the sea dragon kings: 'Take this black robe of the Tathāgata and distribute it among all the dragons so that it reaches them completely. If one thread of it is obtained in the great ocean, the garuḍa king will not be able to harm them.' The majestic virtue of what the Buddha established was so inconceivable as this. Thereupon the sea dragon king took the Buddha's robe and distributed it to the dragon kings; according to what they lacked, whether broad or narrow, large or small, it was naturally provided to them, yet the robe remained as before and could never be exhausted. At that time, the sea dragon king told all the dragon kings: 'You must revere this robe just as you revere the Bhagavat, and after his nirvāṇa make offerings to his śarīra and serve the Bhagavat with all implements.' When the four garuḍa kings heard what the Buddha had established, they were terrified, and hurried to where the Buddha was, bowed their heads at his feet, [and asked]: 'Why has the Bhagavat taken away our food?' The Buddha said: 'There are, in all, four kinds of food by which one is consigned to three places. What are the four? First, netting and hunting birds and beasts, harming the flocks of animals, and taking life unlawfully to make food and drink. Second, wielding weapons, knives, and spears to strike, pierce, coerce, shoot, and plunder others' wealth for food and drink. Third, obtaining food through stinginess, greed, flattery, transgressing prohibitions, wrong views, and deceit. Fourth, not being a teacher yet calling oneself a teacher, not being a Bhagavat yet calling oneself a Bhagavat, following the perverse yet calling it correct, not being of quieted will yet calling oneself of quieted will, not being pure yet calling oneself pure, not practicing the pure life yet calling it the pure life, and falsely seeking and obtaining food through self-proclaimed pretense. These are the four kinds of food by which one is consigned to the three evil destinies: hells, hungry ghosts, and animals. The Dharma I teach eradicates these four kinds of food. One should not harm living beings to nourish one's body. If you wish to protect your own body, you should protect others; be careful not to do what ought not to be done.' At that time, each of the four garuḍa kings, together with a thousand attendants, said to the Buddha: 'From this day forward, we take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha. We confess and repent our past transgressions and faults. Beginning today, we shall uphold the prohibitions and precepts, bestow fearlessness upon all dragon kings, protect the true Dharma until the Buddha's teaching has endured to the end, and follow the way and the Dharma until the complete cessation without disobeying the Buddha's teaching.' (Extracted from the fourth fascicle of the Sea Dragon King Sūtra)

48.64

Snakes, Part Two

48.65

1. A Poisonous Snake Renounces Gold, Holds a Gathering, and is Born in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven
2. The Head and Tail of a Snake Quarrel; Following the Tail Leads to Death
3. A Snake, a Tortoise, and a Frog Talk to One Another in Starvation

48.66

1. A Poisonous Snake Renounces Gold, Holds a Gathering, and is Born in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven

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Formerly, in Jambudvīpa, there was a country named Vārāṇasī. There was a man in it who was particularly fond of yellow gold. Through hardship and toil he sought and obtained seven jars of gold, buried them in the earth, and never spent them on clothing or food. He fell ill and died. Because his greed and attachment were so heavy, he was reborn as a poisonous snake. It coiled around the gold jars, dying and being reborn again for tens of thousands of years. Later, it reflected on this and suddenly awakened: 'It is precisely on account of the gold that I have received this evil retribution. I should renounce it, bestow it on the field of merit, and seek a good rebirth.' Then, coming out to the roadside, it saw a brāhmaṇa and said: 'I have a jar of gold, and I entrust you to feed the saṅgha with it. If you will not do this for me, I will kill you.' The brāhmaṇa said: 'I can do it for you.' The snake brought out the gold and gave it to him. [The brāhmaṇa] took it to the saṅghārāma and reported everything to the monks, stating the snake's intention to offer food. The monks consented and gave the gold to the karmadāna. As the day for the karmadāna to prepare and offer the food drew near, the brāhmaṇa took a small basket and went to the snake. Seeing him, the snake rejoiced, and coiled up in the basket. The brāhmaṇa covered it with fine cotton cloth and carried it on his shoulder toward the monastery. When people on the road saw it, many gave wealth to send to his home. On a designated day, holy monks were invited and provided with food and drink. After the gathering, he went before the saṅghārāma, placed [the basket] before the monks, and stood in the aisle. He had the brāhmaṇa walk down the row, and looking with a faithful mind upon those receiving the food, the snake gazed intently without turning away. When the matter was finished, the snake cherished reverence even more and was unsated. After the monks had finished eating, they preached the Dharma for it again. The snake renounced all seven jars of gold, leading the karmadāna to take them to provide offerings. It immediately abandoned its evil form and was born in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. (Extracted from the fourth fascicle of the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish)

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2. The Head and Tail of a Snake Quarrel; Following the Tail Leads to Death

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Formerly, there was a snake whose head and tail quarreled with each other. The head said to the tail: 'I should be the elder.' The tail said to the head: 'I should be the elder.' The head said: 'I have ears that can hear, eyes that can see, a mouth that can eat, and when moving I go in front; therefore I can be the elder. You have no such arts.' The tail said: 'It is only because I let you go that you can go. If I coil my body three times around a tree, not stopping for three days, you cannot seek food and will be on the verge of death from starvation.' The head said to the tail: 'Release it, and I will let you be the elder.' Hearing its words, the tail immediately released it. [The head] further said to the tail: 'Since you are the elder, I allow you to go ahead.' The tail moved ahead, and before going a few steps, it fell into a fire pit and died.

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3. A Snake, a Tortoise, and a Frog Talk to One Another in Starvation

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Formerly, a snake, a frog, and a tortoise were close friends together in a pond. Afterward, the pond's water dried up completely, and they were starving, destitute, and exhausted, with nowhere to turn. Then the snake sent the tortoise to call the frog, saying:

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"When one encounters poverty and destitution, one loses one's original mind;
One does not consider original loyalty, for food comes first."

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The frog said:

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"Take my voice and say to the snake:
The frog will never go to your side!" (Extracted from the twelfth fascicle of the Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom)

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Tortoises, Part Three

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1. A Blind Tortoise Encounters the Hole in a Floating Yoke

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[The Buddha] told the monks: 'Just as in the great ocean there is a blind tortoise with a lifespan of immeasurable kalpas, which surfaces its head once every hundred years; and there is also a piece of floating wood with only a single hole, drifting on the ocean waves, blown east and west with the wind. The blind tortoise surfaces once in a hundred years and might encounter this hole when it reaches the eastern sea, while the floating wood might reach the western sea, revolving contrary to it in this way. Although they may diverge, they might yet meet each other. But for an ordinary worldling drifting in the ocean of the five destinies to regain a human body is far more difficult than this.' (Extracted from the sixteenth fascicle of the Saṃyuktāgama)

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Fish, Part Four

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1. The Hundred-Headed Fish is Caught by Fishermen; Hearing of Its Past Karma, the Fishermen Awaken to the Way
2. Three Fish Drift into a Small Canal with the Surge; Two Strong Ones Return, While One Weak One is Captured

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1. The Hundred-Headed Fish is Caught by Fishermen; Hearing of Its Past Karma, the Fishermen Awaken to the Way

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The Buddha and the monks were heading toward Vaiśālī and arrived at the river Liyue. By the river were five hundred cowherds and five hundred fishermen. The Buddha sat and rested not far from the river. At that time, the fishermen caught a fish in their net; five hundred men pulled it but could not bring it out. They called the herd of cowherds as well, and with the combined strength of a thousand men, they brought out a great fish. Its body had a hundred heads of various kinds: donkey, horse, camel, tiger, wolf, pig, dog, ape, monkey, fox, and the like. The people found it extraordinary and vied to gather and look at it. The Bhagavat immediately went to the fish and asked it: 'Are you Kapila or not?' Asked this three times, it answered 'yes' every time. He asked again: 'Where are those who taught and converted your faction now?' It answered: 'Fallen into the Avīci hell.' Ānanda asked: 'Why do you now address this hundred-headed fish as Kapila?' The Buddha said: 'In the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, there was a brāhmaṇa who bore a boy named Kapila (in the language of Liang, Yellow Head). He was intelligent and extensively learned, foremost in hearing among his kind, inferior only to the śramaṇas. When his father was on the verge of death, he earnestly instructed him: "Be careful never to debate doctrine with the śramaṇas of Kāśyapa. Why? The wisdom of the śramaṇas is profound, and you are certain to be no match for them." After his father died, his mother asked: "You were originally lofty and bright; are there any now who surpass you?" He replied: "The śramaṇas are far superior to me." His mother asked again: "How are they superior?" He answered: "If I have doubts and go ask them, the Buddha can clarify and resolve them. If they ask me, I cannot answer." His mother said to him: "Why do you not study their Dharma?" He answered: "To reverently study their Dharma, one must become a śramaṇa. I am a white-robed layman; how could I study it?" His mother said: "Pretend to be a śramaṇa; once you have studied and mastered it, return home." Obeying his mother's instruction, he became a monk. After a short time, he recited the Tripiṭaka and thoroughly comprehended its meanings. His mother asked him: "Have you surpassed them now?" He answered: "I am superior in learning, but not as good in seated meditation." "How do you know this?" "When I question those people, they can distinguish everything; when they question me, I cannot know. For this reason, I am not yet their equal." His mother told him: "From now on, if you debate with them and happen to be inferior, you may just curse and revile them." Kapila said: "The renunciant śramaṇas have committed no fault or transgression; why should I revile them?" She answered: "Just revile them and you will prevail." Kapila could not bear to disobey his mother. Later, when they debated principles again and he was refuted, he reviled them: "You fools know nothing and are worse than animals!" and compared them to the heads of hundreds of beasts, doing so on numerous occasions. As a retribution for this, he has now received the body of a fish with a hundred heads.' Ānanda asked the Buddha: 'When will it escape this fish body?' The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Even after a thousand Buddhas have passed in this Bhadrakalpa, it will still not escape.' At that time, Ānanda and the multitude, hearing what the Buddha had said, all spoke with one voice: 'One cannot but be cautious in actions of body, speech, and mind!' Then the fishermen, cowherds, and others joined their palms toward the Buddha together, seeking to leave home and cultivate the pure life. The Buddha said: 'Welcome!' and their hair and beards fell off naturally, with Dharma robes on their bodies. He preached the wondrous Dharma for them, and they became arhats. (Extracted from the tenth fascicle of the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish)

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2. Three Fish Drift into a Small Canal with the Surge; Two Strong Ones Return, While One Weak One is Captured

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The southern ocean suddenly surged, its alarming billows flooding in. Three large fish drifted into the canal of a small islet. They said to one another: 'We are trapped here. While the water has not yet receded, we should go against the current and return to the great ocean.' But an islet obstructed them so they could not cross over. The first fish leaped over the islet with all its strength and crossed safely. The next fish crossed over by relying on grass. The third fish had its strength exhausted, and was caught by a hunter. The Buddha saw this and spoke a verse:

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"This day has already passed,
And life is diminished accordingly,
Like fish in little water—
What joy is there in this?" (Extracted from the eighteenth fascicle of the Udānavarga)

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Frogs, Part Five

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1. A Frog Hears the Nectar [of Dharma], Dies, is Born in Heaven, Sees the Buddha, and Attains the Way

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In the Kāra pond there was a frog. Hearing the Buddha preach the Dharma, it came out of the pond and went under the roots of grass. At that time, there was a cowherd who saw the great assembly surrounding and listening to the Buddha preach the Dharma. He went to where the Buddha was, and wanting to hear the Dharma, pierced the ground with his staff, mistakenly striking the frog's head. The frog died instantly and was born in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. Seeing the courtesans and the sounds of music and entertainment, it immediately reflected: 'I was previously an animal. By what cause and condition was I born in this heavenly palace?' It observed with the heavenly eye and saw that previously, by the edge of the pond, it had listened to the Buddha preach the Dharma, and through this merit had obtained this retribution. The frog deity then rode his palace to where the Buddha was and bowed his head at [the Buddha's] feet. The Buddha preached the Dharma for him, and he attained the fruit of srotāpanna. (Extracted from the fourth fascicle of the Samantapāsādikā)

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Grain Thieves, Part Six

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1. A Grain-Thief Deva Recompenses the Owner of the Grain with a Treasury of Gold

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Formerly, there was a great family who harvested a thousand bushels of grain and buried it in the ground. When the warmth of spring arrived, they opened it to take seed, but saw no grain at all; instead, there was a single bug as big as an ox-pannier, without hands, feet, head, or eyes, like an obtuse lump of flesh. Old and young in the household all wondered at it. They brought it out onto level ground and asked, "What sort of thing are you?" In the end, it said nothing. They then pierced a spot with an iron awl, whereupon it spoke, saying, "If you wish to know my name, take me and set me beside the thoroughfare; there will surely be someone who can name me." Thereupon they lifted it and placed it by the roadside. Throughout three days, no one was able to name it. Next, there were several hundred yellow-horse carriages; their clothing and attendants were all yellow. Stopping their carriages, they called out, "Grain-Thief, why are you here?" It replied, "Because I ate people's grain, they brought me and put me here." After speaking at great length, they took their leave and departed. The master asked the Grain-Thief, "Who were they just now?" It replied, "They are the essences of gold and jewels. They dwell more than three hundred paces to the west of here, beneath a great tree, where there are jars of a hundred piculs full of gold." The master immediately led several tens of men there to dig, and they obtained the jars of gold. The family rejoiced, loaded them on carriages, and brought them home. Kowtowing to the Grain-Thief, [the master said,] "Obtaining this gold today is the great spirit's kindness. Might your spirit remain and return with us, so that we may arrange further offerings?" The Grain-Thief said, "Previously, when I ate your grain, I did not state my name because I wanted you to obtain this reward of gold. Now I must move on to practice blessings throughout the world; I cannot stay any longer." Having finished speaking, it suddenly vanished. (Extracted from the second fascicle of the *Avadāna-sūtra*.)

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Bugs, the Seventh

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The Past-Life Karmic Conditions of the Great Bug in the Cesspool, 1

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In the southeast corner of the city of Rājagṛha, there was a cesspool. The gutters and ditches within the city were foul and defiled, and excrement and urine all flowed into it, stinking so much that one could not approach it. There was a great bug born within the cesspool; its body was several tens of feet long, without hands or feet, and it wriggled, bobbing up and down, playing in the cesspool. Spectators numbered in the thousands. Ānanda, on his alms round, saw it and went over to look; the bug then bounded about, causing the waves to surge and churn. He reported everything to the Buddha. The Buddha, together with the monks, went to the pool. When the multitude saw the Buddha, each thought to themselves, "Today the Tathāgata will surely explain to the assembly the origin and end of this bug to resolve everyone's doubts; will that not be wonderful?" The Buddha said: "After the parinirvāṇa of Vipaśyin Buddha, there was a stūpa-monastery at that time. Five hundred monks were passing through the monastery. Seeing them, the monastery prior was filled with great joy and invited them to stay for three months of offerings, and the assembly all accepted the invitation. The prior devoted all his mind to providing food, with nothing lacking. Later, five hundred merchants who had gone to sea to gather jewels passed by the stūpa-monastery on their return. Seeing the five hundred monks diligently practicing the Path, they all gave rise to the resolve [for awakening], joyfully consulted together, and said, 'A field of merit is difficult to encounter; we should provide a humble offering.' They then informed the monastery prior. The prior replied, 'My three-month invitation still has five days left before it is fulfilled; only then may [others] provide extensive offerings.' The merchants said, 'We must leave and cannot wait until it is finished.' The five hundred merchants each renounced one pearl, obtaining five hundred maṇi-pearls, and entrusted them to the prior, enjoining him, saying, 'Daily provide for the Saṅgha with our pearls.' The monk assented, and then accepted them all. Later, he gave rise to an unwholesome mind, intending to keep them solely for himself, and ultimately made no offerings. The assembly of monks asked, 'Prior, previously the merchants gave pearls, which should have been used to provide offerings; why dismiss them?' The prior said, 'They were given only to me! If you want to rob me, I can give you dung! If you do not leave at once, I will cut off your hands and feet and cast you into a dung pit!' The assembly pitied his folly, and each departed in silence." (Extracted from the fourth fascicle of the ten-fascicle *Avadāna-sūtra*.)

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Lice, the Eighth

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A Louse Relying on a Meditating Person Agrees on Fixed Times to Drink Blood, 1

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In the remote past, after the parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgata Yingxian, during the Semblance Dharma, there was a meditating monk living alone in a forest who was constantly troubled by nits and lice. He then made an agreement with [a louse]: "When I am meditating, you should remain quiet, keeping your body hidden and dwelling still." The louse complied fully with the rule. At a later time, a flea came to the louse and asked, "Why is your body so plump and flourishing now?" The louse said, "The host on whom I rely constantly cultivates meditation; he taught me the proper times for eating and drinking. Because I act according to the rule, I am fresh and plump." The flea said, "I too wish to train in that practice." The louse said, "As you please." But when the flea smelled the scent of flesh and blood, it immediately bit and ate. The monk was tormented, so he promptly took off his robes and burned them with fire. The meditating monk was Kāśyapa Buddha; the flea was Devadatta; and the louse was myself. (Extracted from the fourth fascicle of the *Sūtra on Requiting Kindness*.)

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Diverse Phenomena from the Sūtras and Vinaya, Fascicle Forty-Eight

Linked texts (1)

經律異相 — Classical Chinese