經律異相 48.27

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).