經律異相 48.6

48.6

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).