法苑珠林 45.7

45.7

如雜寶藏經云。佛言。昔迦尸國王名為惡受。極作非法。苦惱百姓殘賊無道。四遠賈客珍奇勝物。皆稅奪取不酬其直。由是之故國中寶物遂至大貴。諸人稱傳惡名流布。爾時有鸚䳇王在於林中。聞行路人說王之惡。即自思念。我雖是鳥尚知其非。今當詣彼為說善道。彼王若聞我語必作是言。彼鳥之王猶有善言。奈何人王為彼譏責。儻能改修。尋即高飛至王園中。迴翔下降在一樹上。值王夫人入園游觀。于時鸚䳇鼓翼嚶鳴。而語之言。王今暴虐無道之甚。殘害萬民毒及鳥獸。含識嗷嗷人畜憤結。呼嗟之音周聞天下。夫人苛剋與王無異。民之父母豈應如是。夫人聞已瞋恚熾盛。此何小鳥罵我溢口。遣人伺捕。爾時鸚䳇不驚不畏入捕者手。夫人得之即用與王。王語鸚䳇。何以罵我。鸚䳇答言。說王非法乃欲相益。不敢罵王。時王問言。有何非法。答言。有七事非法能危王身。問言。何等為七。答言。一者耽荒女色不敬真正。二者嗜酒醉亂不恤國事。三者貪著棊博不修禮敬。四者游獵殺生都無慈心。五者好出惡言初不善語。六者賦役謫罰倍加常則。七者不以義理劫奪民財。有此七事能危王身。又有三事俱敗王國。王復問言。何謂三事。答言。一者親近邪佞諂惡之人。二者不附賢良不受善言。三者好伐他國不養人民。此三不除傾敗之期。非旦則夕。夫為王者率土歸仰。王當如橋濟度萬民。王當如稱親疎皆平。王當如道不違聖蹤。王者如日普照世間。王者如月與物清涼。王如父母恩育慈矜。王者如天覆蓋一切。王者如地載養萬物。王者如火為諸萬民燒除惡患。王者如水潤澤四方。應如過去轉輪聖王。乃以十善道教化眾生。王聞其言深自慚愧。鸚䳇之言。至誠至欵。我為人王所行無道。請遵其教奉以為師受修正行。爾時國內風教既行惡名消滅。夫人臣佐皆生忠敬。一切人民無不歡喜。爾時鸚䳇者我身是也。爾時迦尸國王惡受者。今輔相是也。爾時夫人者今輔相夫人是也。

As the Saṃyuktaratnapiṭaka-sūtra says: The Buddha said: In the past, the king of the country of Kāśi was named Evil Receipt. He engaged extensively in unlawful deeds, tormenting the common people with cruelty and lack of principle. From travelling merchants coming from the four distances, he confiscated rare and fine goods by taxation without paying their value. For this reason, precious items in the country became extremely expensive; people spread his evil reputation everywhere. At that time, a parrot king lived in the forest. Hearing travellers on the road speaking of the king's evils, he thought to himself: "Though I am a bird, I still know what is wrong. Now I should go to him and speak of the good path. If that king hears my words, he will surely say: 'Even the king of birds possesses good words; how can a human king suffer his rebuke?' Perhaps he may reform and cultivate himself." He immediately flew high into the king's garden, wheeled around, and descended upon a tree. It happened that the king's consort had entered the garden for recreation. At that time, the parrot flapped his wings, chirped, and spoke to her, saying: "The king is currently tyrannical and extremely devoid of the Way, mutilating the myriad people and inflicting cruelty reaching even to birds and beasts. Sentient beings lament, humans and livestock harbour resentment, and the sounds of wailing are heard throughout the world. The consort's harshness is no different from the king's; how could the father and mother of the people be like this?" Having heard this, the consort flared with anger: "What little bird is this that vilifies me with a mouthful of insults?" She sent men to lie in wait and catch him. At that time, the parrot was neither alarmed nor frightened, entering into the hands of the catcher. When the consort got him, she immediately brought him to the king. The king said to the parrot: "Why did you revile me?" The parrot replied: "I spoke of Your Majesty's unlawfulness only wishing to benefit you; I did not dare to revile Your Majesty." The king then asked: "What unlawfulness is there?" He replied: "There are seven unlawful matters that can endanger Your Majesty's person." He asked: "What are the seven?" He replied: "First, indulging in female beauty and failing to respect the true and upright. Second, being fond of wine and drunken chaos, without caring for state affairs. Third, greedily attached to board games and gambling, without cultivating propriety and respect. Fourth, going on hunts and taking life, entirely devoid of compassion. Fifth, delighting in uttering evil words and never speaking good words. Sixth, doubling the usual regulations for taxes, corvée, and punishments. Seventh, plundering the people's wealth without righteousness and reason. Having these seven matters can endanger Your Majesty's person. Furthermore, there are three matters that will jointly ruin Your Majesty's state." The king asked again: "What are the three matters?" He replied: "First, keeping close to perverse, flatterous, and treacherous people. Second, not associating with the worthy and good, and not accepting good words. Third, delighting in attacking other states and not nurturing the people. If these three are not eliminated, the time of collapse will come either morning or evening. Now, one who is king is someone whom the entire land relies upon; the king should be like a bridge, ferrying across the myriad people. The king should be like a scale, treating both the intimate and the distant with equality. The king should be like a path, not deviating from the footsteps of the sages. The king is like the sun, shining universally on the world. The king is like the moon, bestowing coolness upon things. The king is like father and mother, nurturing with grace and caring with compassion. The king is like heaven, covering all things. The king is like earth, bearing and sustaining all beings. The king is like fire, burning away evil afflictions for the myriad people. The king is like water, moistening the four quarters. You should be like the wheel-turning sage kings of the past, who converted sentient beings by means of the ten paths of good deeds." When the king heard his words, he felt deeply ashamed. "The parrot's words are utterly sincere and truthful. Being a king of men, what I have done was devoid of the Way. I request to follow his teachings, venerate him as my teacher, and receive and cultivate correct practice." At that time, good customs and teaching were put into effect throughout the country, evil reputation disappeared, the consort and ministers all gave rise to loyalty and respect, and not one among the people failed to rejoice. The parrot of that time was my own body; King Evil Receipt of Kāśi of that time is now this prime minister; and the consort of that time is now the prime minister's wife.