法苑珠林 19.38

19.38

又十誦律云。爾時世尊說本生因緣語諸比丘。過去世時。近雪山下有三禽獸共住。一鵽鳥。二獼猴。三象。是三禽獸初互相輕慢無恭敬行。同作是念。我等何為不相恭敬。若前生者應供養尊重教化我等。爾時鵽鳥獼猴問象言。汝念過去何事。時是處有大蓽茇樹。象言。我小時行此樹在我腹下過。象鵽問獼猴言。汝憶何事。答言。我憶小時。坐地捉此樹頭按令到地。象語獼猴。汝年大我。我當敬汝為我說法。象獼猴問鵽鳥言。汝憶何事。答言。彼有大蓽茇樹。我噉其子。於此大便。乃生斯樹。長大如是。是我所憶。獼猴語鵽。汝年大我。我當供養汝。汝當為我說法。爾時象恭敬獼猴。從聽受法。為餘象說。獼猴恭敬鵽鳥。從聽受法。為餘獼猴說法。鵽鳥為餘鵽鳥說法（依四分律鳥騎猴上猴乘象上處處遊行化說法）此三禽獸先喜殺盜婬妄語。後相誡止。即捨此過命終皆生天上。爾時世人見獸廣行善法不侵人穀。各自相誡云。畜生尚能恭敬。何況我等。爾時世人皆相恭敬奉行五戒。命終之後皆得生天。佛語比丘。爾時鵽者則我身是。獼猴者舍利弗是。象者目連是。佛言。畜生無知。尚相恭敬自利利他。何況汝等。以信出家不相尊敬。爾時世尊即說偈言。

Furthermore, the Daśādhyāya-vinaya states: At that time, the World-Honoured One recounted a story of a past life (jātaka) and spoke to the monks: In a past age, near the Himalayas, three animals lived together: first, a francolin; second, a monkey; and third, an elephant. At first, these three animals treated each other with contempt, having no conduct of reverence. Together they thought: 'Why do we not revere each other? Whichever of us was born first should be provided for, respected, and should instruct us.' Thereupon the francolin and the monkey asked the elephant: 'What do you remember of the past?' At that time, in that place, there was a large pippali tree. The elephant said: 'When I was young and walked, this tree passed under my belly.' The elephant and the francolin asked the monkey: 'What do you remember?' He replied: 'I remember that when I was young, I sat on the ground, grasped the top of this tree, and pressed it down to the earth.' The elephant said to the monkey: 'You are older than me; I should revere you, and you should speak the Dharma for me.' The elephant and the monkey asked the francolin: 'What do you remember?' He replied: 'There was a large pippali tree; I ate its fruit and defecated here, and so this tree grew and became as large as this. This is what I remember.' The monkey said to the francolin: 'You are older than me; I should make offerings to you, and you should speak the Dharma for me.' At that time, the elephant revered the monkey, listened to and received the Dharma from him, and spoke it to the other elephants. The monkey revered the francolin, listened to and received the Dharma from him, and spoke the Dharma to the other monkeys. The francolin spoke the Dharma to the other francolins. (According to the Caturvargika-vinaya, the bird rode on the monkey, the monkey rode on the elephant, and traveling everywhere, they transformed others and spoke the Dharma.) Formerly, these three animals were fond of killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and false speech; later, they admonished and stopped each other, abandoning these faults, and upon the end of their lives, all were born in the heavens. At that time, the people of the world saw the animals widely practicing good dharmas and not trespassing upon people's crops. They each admonished one another, saying: 'Even beasts can show reverence, how much more so should we!' Thereupon, the people of the world all revered one another and observed the five precepts; after the end of their lives, they all attained birth in heaven. The Buddha said to the monks: 'The francolin of that time was myself; the monkey was Śāriputra; the elephant was Maudgalyāyana.' The Buddha said: 'Even ignorant beasts showed mutual reverence to benefit themselves and others; how much more so should you, having gone forth into homelessness out of faith, not revere each other?' Thereupon, the World-Honoured One spoke a verse: