法苑珠林 45.13

45.13

又大莊嚴論云。佛言。我昔曾聞。有羌老母入於林中採波羅樹葉賣以自活。路由關邏。邏人稅之。時老母不欲令稅。而語之言。汝能將我至王邊者。稅乃可得。若不爾者終不與汝。於是邏人遂共紛紜。往至王所。王問老母。汝今何故不輸關稅。老母白王。王頗識彼某比丘不。王言。我識是大羅漢。又問。第二比丘王復識不。王言。我識彼亦羅漢。又問。第三比丘王復識不。王答言識。彼亦羅漢。老母抗聲而白王言。是三羅漢皆是我子。此諸子等受王供養。能使大王受無量福。是則名為與王稅物。云何更欲稅奪於我。王聞是已歎未曾有。善哉老母。能生聖子。我實不知彼羅漢是汝子者。應加供養恭敬於汝老母。即說偈言。

Furthermore, the Kalpanāmaṇḍitikā says: The Buddha said, "I once heard that in the past there was a Qiang old mother who went into the forest to gather leaves of the palāśa tree to sell them to support herself. Her path passed through a customs barrier, and the customs guard demanded a toll from her. At that time, the old mother did not wish to pay the toll and said to him, 'If you can bring me before the king, you may obtain the toll; if not, I will never give it to you.' Thereupon the customs guards, disputing and clamoring together, went before the king. The king asked the old mother, 'Why do you now refuse to pay the border toll?' The old mother addressed the king, 'Does the King know such-and-such a bhikṣu?' The king said, 'I know him; he is a great arhat.' She further asked, 'Does the King also know the second bhikṣu?' The king said, 'I know him; he too is an arhat.' She further asked, 'Does the King also know the third bhikṣu?' The king replied, 'I know him; he too is an arhat.' Raising her voice, the old mother addressed the king, 'These three arhats are all my sons. When these sons receive the King's offerings, they enable the Great King to receive immeasurable merit. This is what constitutes giving toll-goods to the King; how could you further wish to levy and seize from me?' When the king heard this, he praised it as unprecedented: 'Splendid, old mother, that you could give birth to holy sons! I truly did not know that those arhats were your sons. I should increase offerings and reverence toward you, old mother.' He then spoke a gāthā: