經律異相 48.90

48.90

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*.)