法苑珠林 45.32

45.32

如僧祇律云。佛告諸比丘。過去世時有婆羅門家貧。有婦不生兒。家有那俱羅蟲。便生一子。時婆羅門以無子故養如兒想。那俱羅子於婆羅門亦如父想。於後婦便有身。滿月生子。便作是念。由那俱羅生吉祥子。使我有兒。時婆羅門欲出乞食。便勅婦言。汝若出行當將兒去。慎莫留。後婦與兒食已便至比舍。借碓舂穀。是時小兒有蘇酪香。時有毒蛇乘香來至。張口吐毒欲殺小兒。那俱羅蟲便作是念。我父出行母亦不在。云何毒蛇欲殺我弟。便殺毒蛇段為七分。父母知者必當賞我。以血塗口當門而住。欲令父母見之歡喜。時婆羅門始從外來。見婦舍外便瞋恚言。我教行時當將兒去。何以獨行。父欲入門見那俱羅口中有血。便作是念。我夫婦不在將無殺食我兒。徒養此蟲。即前打殺。既入門內自見己兒𠲿指而戲。復見毒蛇七分在地。時婆羅門深自苦責。是那俱羅善有人情救我子命。我不善觀卒便殺之。可痛可憐。迷悶躄地。空中有天。即說偈言。

As the Mahāsaṃghika-vinaya says: The Buddha told the monks: In a past age, there was a brāhmaṇa whose family was poor. His wife did not give birth to children. There was a mongoose in the house, which then gave birth to a young one. Because he had no child, the brāhmaṇa raised it with the thought of it being his child. The young mongoose also regarded the brāhmaṇa with the thought of him being its father. Later, the wife became pregnant and, when her months were complete, gave birth to a son. She then thought: 'Because of the mongoose, an auspicious son was born, granting me a child.' When the brāhmaṇa was about to go out begging for food, he instructed his wife, saying: 'If you go out, you must take the child along; do not leave him behind.' Later, after feeding the child, the wife went to a neighboring house to borrow a mortar to pound grain. At that time, the small child smelled of ghee and curd. A venomous snake, following the scent, arrived, opening its mouth and spitting venom, intending to kill the child. The mongoose then thought: 'My father has gone out, and my mother is also not here. How can this venomous snake seek to kill my younger brother?' It then killed the venomous snake, cutting it into seven pieces, [thinking,] 'When my parents know, they will surely reward me.' With blood smeared on its mouth, it stood before the door, wishing to make its parents rejoice upon seeing it. At that time, the brāhmaṇa was just returning from outside. Seeing his wife outside the house, he said in anger, 'I instructed you that when going out you must take the child along; why did you go alone?' When the father was about to enter the door, he saw blood on the mongoose's mouth. He immediately thought: 'While my wife and I were away, could it be that it killed and ate my child? In vain did I raise this creature!' He immediately stepped forward and beat it to death. Upon entering the house, he saw his own child sucking his fingers and playing, and also saw the venomous snake in seven pieces on the ground. The brāhmaṇa deeply reproached himself with anguish: 'This mongoose had such human feeling as to save my child's life! Without observing carefully, I killed it abruptly. How grievous! How pitiful!' Overcome with grief, he collapsed to the ground. In mid-air, a deva immediately spoke a verse: