法苑珠林 47.59

47.59

如雜寶藏經云。佛言。過去久遠有二國王。一是迦尸國王。二是比提醯國王。比提醯王有大香象以香象力摧伏迦尸王軍。迦尸王作是念言。我今云何當得香象摧伏比提醯王軍。時有人言。我見山中有一白香象。王聞此已即便募言。誰能得香象者。我當重賞。有人募言。多集軍眾往取彼象。象思惟言。若我遠去。父母盲老。不如調順往至王所。爾時眾人便自將香象向王邊。王大歡喜為作好屋。具被㲩𣰆敷著其下。與諸妓女彈琴鼓瑟以娛樂之。與象飲食不肯食之。時守象人來白王言。象不肯食。王自向象所。上古畜生皆能人語。王問象言。汝何故不食。象答王言。我有父母。年老眼盲無與水草。父母不食我云何食。象白王言。我欲去者。王諸軍眾無能遮我。但以父母盲老順王來耳。王今見聽我去供養父母終其年壽。自當還來。王聞此語極大歡喜。我等便為人頭之象。此象乃是象頭之人。先迦尸國人。惡賤父母無供養心。因此象故。王即宣令一切國內。若不孝養父母者。當與大罪。尋即放象還父母所。供養父母隨壽長短。父母喪亡還來王所。王得白象甚大歡喜。即時莊嚴欲伐彼國。象語王言。莫興鬪諍。凡鬪諍法多所傷害。王言。彼欺凌我。象言。聽我使往。令彼怨敵不敢欺侮。王言。汝若去者或能不還。答言。無能遮我使不還者。象即於是往彼國中。比提醯王聞象來至。極大歡喜。自出往迎。既見象已而語之言。即住我國。象白王言。不得即住。我立身已來不違言誓。先許彼王當還其國。汝二國王應除怨惡。自安其國豈不快乎。即說偈言。

As the Saṃyuktaratnapiṭaka-sūtra says: The Buddha said: Long ago in the past, there were two kings: one was the king of Kāśi, and the other was the king of Videha. The king of Videha had a great fragrant elephant; through the fragrant elephant's might, he overcame the army of the king of Kāśi. The king of Kāśi thought to himself: 'How can I now obtain a fragrant elephant to overcome the army of the king of Videha?' At that time, someone said: 'I saw a white fragrant elephant in the mountains.' Having heard this, the king immediately issued an offer: 'Whoever can capture the fragrant elephant, I shall reward handsomely.' Someone responded to the offer, saying that by gathering a large host of soldiers, they could go and take that elephant. The elephant reflected: 'If I flee far away, my parents are blind and old; it is better to be tame and compliant and go to the king's place.' At that time, the multitude led the fragrant elephant before the king. The king rejoiced greatly, built a fine hall for it, completely spread rugs beneath it, and had courtesans play lutes and zithers to entertain it. When given food and drink, the elephant was unwilling to eat. Then the elephant keeper came and reported to the king: 'The elephant refuses to eat.' The king went in person to where the elephant was. (In high antiquity, beasts were all able to speak human language.) The king asked the elephant: 'Why do you not eat?' The elephant replied to the king: 'I have parents who are elderly and blind, with no one to provide them water and grass. If my parents do not eat, how could I eat?' The elephant said to the king: 'If I wished to leave, none among Your Majesty's army could block me; it was only because my parents are blind and old that I complied with Your Majesty and came here. If Your Majesty now permits me to go and support my parents until the end of their lives, I will naturally return.' Hearing these words, the king rejoiced greatly [and thought]: 'We are elephants with human heads, while this elephant is a human with an elephant's head.' Previously, the people of Kāśi despised and mistreated their parents, having no thought of supporting them. Because of this elephant, the king immediately proclaimed a decree throughout the entire kingdom: 'Whoever fails to filially support their parents shall be subject to severe punishment.' He then immediately released the elephant to return to its parents' place to support them for the remainder of their lifespan. When its parents died, it returned to the king's place. Having regained the white elephant, the king rejoiced greatly and immediately marshalled his forces, wishing to attack that country. The elephant said to the king: 'Do not stir up conflict. The way of conflict brings much harm.' The king said: 'They bullied and insulted me.' The elephant said: 'Allow me to be sent there, and I will ensure that those enemies dare not bully or insult you.' The king said: 'If you go, you might not return.' It replied: 'No one is able to block me and keep me from returning.' The elephant thereupon went to that country. When the king of Videha heard that the elephant had arrived, he was exceedingly joyful and came out in person to welcome it. Having seen the elephant, he said to it: 'Settle in my country at once.' The elephant said to the king: 'I cannot settle here. Ever since I took my stand, I have never broken an oath. I previously promised that king that I would return to his country. You two kings should abandon your enmity and malevolence; would it not be delightful to keep your own countries at peace?' It then spoke a verse: