法苑珠林 49.20

49.20

如睒子經云。過去世時。迦夷國中有一長者。無有兒子。夫妻喪目。心願入山求無上道。修清淨志信樂空閑。時有菩薩名一切妙見。心作念言。此人發意微妙。眼無所見。若入山者必遇枉害。菩薩壽終願生長者家。名之為睒。至孝仁慈奉行十善。晝夜精進奉事父母。如人事天。年過十歲。睒子長跪白父母言。本發大意欲入深山求志空寂無上正真。豈以子故而絕本願。父母取語便即入山。睒以家中財物皆施貧者。便至山中以草為屋。施作床褥。不寒不熱。常得其宜。入山一年。眾菓豐美食之皆甘。泉水涌出清而且涼。池華五色鳥獸音樂。慈心相向無復害意。睒至孝慈蹈地恐痛。天神山神常作人形晝夜慰勞。睒著鹿皮衣提瓶取水。麋鹿眾鳥亦復往飲。不相畏難。時有迦夷國王。入山射獵。王見水邊群鹿引弓射之。箭誤中睒胸。睒被毒箭舉聲大呼言。誰持一箭射殺三道人。王聞人聲即便下馬往到睒前。睒謂王言。象坐牙死。犀坐角亡。翠為毛終。麋鹿為皮肉。我今無事正坐何等死耶。王問睒言。卿是何等人。被鹿皮衣與禽獸無異。睒言。我是王國人。與盲父母俱來學道二十餘年。未曾為虎狼毒蟲所見枉害。今我為王所射殺。登爾之時山中暴風切起吹折樹木。百鳥悲鳴。師子熊羆走獸之輩。皆大號呼。日無精光流泉為竭。眾華萎死雷電動地。時盲父母驚起相謂曰。睒行取水經久不還。將無為毒蟲所害。禽獸號呼不如常時。風起樹折必有災異。王時怖懼大自悔責。我作無狀。本欲射鹿箭誤相中射殺道人。其罪甚重。坐貪小肉而受重殃。我今一國珍寶之物。宮殿妓女丘墎城邑以救子命。時王便以手挽拔睒胸箭。深不得出。飛鳥走獸四面雲集號呼動山。王益慞怖。三百六十節。節節皆動。睒語言。非王之過。自我宿罪所致。我不惜身命。但憐盲父母。年既衰老兩目復盲。一旦無我亦當終歿。無瞻視者以是懊惱。非為毒痛。王復重言。我寧入泥犁百劫受罪。使睒得活。若子命終我不還國。便住山中供養卿父母。如卿在時。勿以為念。諸天龍神皆當證知。不負此誓。睒聞王誓。心喜悅豫。雖死不恨。以我父母仰累大王。供養道人現世罪滅得福無量。王言。卿語我父母處。及卿未死使我知之。睒即指示。從此步徑。去此不遠自當見一草屋。我父母在中。王徐徐行。勿令我父母怖懼。以善權方便解寤其意為我上謝。無常今至。當就後世。不惜我命但念父母。年老兩目復盲。一旦無我無所依仰以是懊惱。用自酷毒死自常。分宿罪所致無得脫者。今自懺悔。願罪滅福生。世世相值不相遠離。願父母終保年壽。勿有憂患。天龍鬼神。常隨護助災害消滅。王領此言便將數人。徑詣父母所。王去之後睒便奄絕。鳥獸號呼繞睒屍上口舐胸血。盲父母聞聲以益憎怖。王行既疾觸動草木。肅有人聲。父母驚言。此是何人非我子行。王言。我是迦夷國王。聞道人在山學道故來供養。父母言。大王善來。勞屈威尊遠臨草野。王體安不。宮殿夫人太子官屬國民皆安善不。風雨和調五穀豐足隣國不相侵害不。王答道人言。蒙道人恩皆自平安。王問訊盲父母言。來在山中勞心勤苦。樹木之間飛鳥走獸無侵害不。山中寒暑隨時安不。盲父母言。蒙王厚恩常自安隱。我有孝子名睒。常與我取菓蓏泉水常自豐饒。山中風雨和調無有乏短。我有草席可坐菓蓏可食。睒行取水旦欲來還。王聞傷心淚出。且言。我罪惡無狀入山射獵。見水邊群鹿引弓射之。箭誤中睒故來相語。父母聞之舉身自撲。如大山崩。地乃為動。王便自前扶牽。父母號哭仰天自說。我子孝慈蹈地恐痛。有何等罪而射殺之。向者風起樹木百鳥一時悲鳴。疑我子死。其母啼呼。父言。且止。人生必死不可得却。今且問王射睒何許。今為死活。王說睒言。父母感絕。我一旦無子俱亦當死。

As the Shanzi jing states: In a past age, in the country of Jiayi, there was an elder who had no son. Both husband and wife had lost their sight. In their hearts they wished to enter the mountains to seek the unsurpassed Way, cultivate pure resolve, and take faithful delight in secluded solitude. At that time there was a bodhisattva named Sarvasundaradarśana (All-Wondrous Vision), who had this thought: 'These people have brought forth an aspiration that is subtle and wonderful, yet their eyes see nothing. If they enter the mountains, they will certainly meet with untimely harm.' When the bodhisattva's lifespan ended, he vowed to be born in the elder's household, and was named Shan. He was supremely filial, benevolent, and compassionate, practicing the ten virtues. Day and night he vigorously served his parents, as mortals serve Heaven. When he passed ten years of age, Shanzi knelt upright and addressed his parents, saying: 'Originally you brought forth a great resolve, wishing to enter the deep mountains to seek the aspiration for empty serenity and unsurpassed, true enlightenment. How could you cut short your original vow on account of your son?' His parents took him at his word and thereupon entered the mountains. Shan gave away all the family's possessions to the poor, and then went into the mountains. Using grass, they made a hut, and arranged beds and mats, neither cold nor hot, always finding what was suitable. After entering the mountains for a year, fruits were abundant and delicious, all tasting sweet; spring waters welled up, pure and cool; pond blossoms had five colours, and birds and beasts made music, facing one another with compassionate hearts and having no further intent to harm. Shan was so supremely filial and compassionate that when he trod upon the earth he feared causing it pain. Heavenly spirits and mountain spirits constantly assumed human form to console and encourage him day and night. Shan wore deer-skin clothing and carried a pitcher to fetch water. The elks, deer, and many birds also went there to drink, without fearing him. At that time, the king of Jiayi entered the mountains to hunt. Seeing a herd of deer beside the water, the king drew his bow and shot at them. The arrow mistakenly struck Shan in the chest. Hit by the poisoned arrow, Shan cried out in a loud voice, saying: 'Who has shot and killed three men of the Way with a single arrow?' Hearing a human voice, the king immediately dismounted his horse and went before Shan. Shan said to the king: 'Elephants die on account of their tusks, rhinoceroses perish on account of their horns, kingfishers meet their end for their feathers, and elks and deer for their hide and meat. Now I am innocent; on account of what do I die?' The king asked Shan, saying: 'What kind of person are you? Wearing deer-skin clothing, you are no different from birds and beasts.' Shan said: 'I am a person of your kingdom. Together with my blind parents, I have come to study the Way for over twenty years, and have never been seen and wrongfully harmed by tigers, wolves, or poisonous insects. Yet now I have been shot and killed by the king.' At that very moment, a violent gale suddenly arose in the mountains, blowing down and snapping trees. The hundreds of birds cried out mournfully, and beasts such as lions and bears all wailed loudly. The sun lost its bright radiance, the flowing springs dried up, the many blossoms withered and died, and thunder and lightning shook the earth. Then his blind parents were startled, arose, and said to one another: 'Shan went to fetch water and has not returned for a long time. Could he have been harmed by poisonous insects? The birds and beasts are wailing unlike ordinary times; the wind has risen and snapped the trees—there must be a calamity or anomaly.' At that time, the king was terrified and greatly reproached himself: 'I have acted abominably! Originally wishing to shoot deer, the arrow mistakenly struck you and killed a man of the Way. The sin is extremely grave. Out of greed for a little meat, I incur a heavy disaster. I now [offer] all the rare treasures of my kingdom, the palaces, courtesans, suburbs, and walled cities to save your life!' The king then pulled at the arrow in Shan's chest with his hands, but it was deep and could not be drawn out. Flying birds and running beasts gathered like clouds from the four directions, wailing so as to shake the mountain. The king became even more terrified; of his three hundred and sixty joints, every single joint trembled. Shan spoke to him, saying: 'It is not the king's fault; it was brought about by my own past sins. I do not begrudge my bodily life, but only pity my blind parents. Now that their years are declining and old, and their two eyes are also blind, once they are without me, they too must perish. There will be no one to look after them, and it is on account of this that I am distressed, not because of the pain of the poison.' The king again spoke solemnly: 'I would rather enter Niraya for a hundred kalpas to suffer punishment if it would allow Shan to live! If your life ends, I will not return to the kingdom, but will remain in the mountains to provide for your parents just as when you were alive. Do not worry about this. Let all the devas, dragons, and spirits bear witness that I will not violate this oath.' Shan, hearing the king's oath, felt joy and gladness in his heart, and though dying, had no regrets: 'I entrust my parents to the great king. Providing for people of the Way will extinguish sins in this present life and bring immeasurable merit.' The king said: 'Tell me where your parents are, so that while you have not yet died, I may know it.' Shan then gave directions: 'From here along the footpath, not far away, you will naturally see a grass hut; my parents are inside. King, walk slowly; do not cause my parents to be terrified. Use skilful means to enlighten their minds, and offer my apologies to them. Impermanence has now arrived, and I must proceed to the next world. I do not begrudge my life, but only think of my parents: old in years, both eyes blind, and once they are without me, having nothing to rely upon—it is on account of this that I am distressed. Although it is deeply cruel, death is one's ordinary lot, brought about by past sins, from which none can escape. Now I repent, wishing that sin may be extinguished and merit produced, and that we may meet life after life without drifting apart. I pray that my parents may preserve their years and lifespan to the end, free from sorrow and distress, and that the devas, dragons, ghosts, and spirits may constantly follow and protect them, causing disasters to be eliminated.' Having received these words, the king took several men and went straight to where the parents were. After the king had departed, Shan suddenly breathed his last. Birds and beasts wailed, circling above Shan's corpse and licking the blood from his chest. The blind parents, hearing the sounds, grew even more anxious and terrified. As the king walked swiftly, brushing against the grass and trees, there was a rustling sound of a person. The parents said in alarm: 'Who is this? It is not our son's gait.' The king said: 'I am the king of Jiayi. Having heard that people of the Way were in the mountains studying the Way, I have come to make offerings.' The parents said: 'Welcome, Great King. You have wearied your majestic honour to come from afar into the wild grasses. Is the king's person well? Are your palaces, consort, crown prince, officials, and subjects all well and sound? Are the wind and rain harmonious, the five grains abundant, and neighbouring states not invading or harming you?' The king answered the people of the Way, saying: 'By the grace of the people of the Way, all are safe and well.' The king inquired of the blind parents, saying: 'Living in the mountains must weary your minds with bitter toil. Among the trees, do the flying birds and running beasts do you no harm? Are you at peace with the seasonal cold and heat in the mountains?' The blind parents said: 'By the king's bountiful grace, we are always at ease. We have a filial son named Shan, who constantly gathers fruits and melons for us, and the spring water is always plentiful. The wind and rain in the mountains are harmonious, and there is no lack or scarcity. We have grass mats to sit on and fruits and melons to eat. Shan has gone to fetch water and should soon return.' Hearing this, the king was heartbroken, and tears fell. He said: 'In my vile wickedness, I entered the mountains to hunt. Seeing a herd of deer beside the water, I drew my bow and shot at them. The arrow mistakenly struck Shan, so I have come to tell you.' When the parents heard this, they threw their bodies to the ground, like a great mountain collapsing, and the earth shook. The king personally stepped forward to support and raise them up. The parents wailed, looked up to Heaven, and said: 'Our son was so filial and compassionate that when he trod upon the earth he feared causing it pain. What crime did he commit that you shot and killed him? A moment ago the wind arose in the trees and the hundreds of birds mourned at once—we suspected that our son had died.' His mother wept and cried out, but the father said: 'Stop for a moment. Having been born, one must die; this cannot be averted. Let us now ask the king where he shot Shan, and whether he is now dead or alive.' The king recounted Shan's words, and the parents were overcome with grief: 'Once we are without our son, we too must die.'