法苑珠林 51.29

51.29

又佛本行經云。佛告諸比丘。我念往昔久遠之時。波羅柰國有一烏王。其烏名曰蘇弗多羅（隋言善子）而依住彼波羅柰城。與八萬烏和合共住。善子烏王有妻。名曰蘇弗窒利（隋言善女）時彼烏妻共彼烏王行欲懷妊。時彼烏妻忽作是念。願我得淨香潔飲食現今人王之所食者。而彼烏妻思是飲食。不能得故宛轉迷悶。身體憔瘁。羸瘦顫掉。不自安故。問其妻言。汝今何乃宛轉於地身體憔瘁。羸瘦顫掉不能自安。彼時烏妻報烏王言。善哉聖子。我今有娠乃作是念。願得清淨香潔餚饍如王食者。時善子烏告其妻言。異哉賢者。如我今日何處得是香美飲食。王宮深邃不可得到。我若入者於彼手邊必失身命。彼妻又復報烏王言。聖子今者。若不能得如是飲食。我死無疑。并其胎子亦必無活。善子烏王復告妻言。異哉賢者。汝今死日必當欲至。乃思如是難得之物。善子烏王作是語已。憂愁悵怏思惟而住。復作是念。如我意者。如是香潔清淨飲食如王食者。實難得也。爾時烏王群眾之內乃有一烏。見善子烏心懷愁憂不樂而住。見是事已詣烏王所白烏王言。異哉賢者。何故憂愁思惟而住。善子烏王。於時廣說前事因緣。彼烏復白善子王言。善哉聖子。莫復愁憂。我能為王覓是難得香美餚饍王所食者。是時烏王復告彼烏作如是言。善哉善友。汝若力能為我辦得如此事者。我當報汝所作功德。爾時彼烏。從烏王所居住之處。飛騰虛空至梵德王宮。去厨不遠坐一樹上。觀梵德王食厨之內。其王食辦有一婦女備具餚饍。食時將至。專以銀器盛彼飲食欲奉與王。爾時彼烏從樹飛下。在彼婦女頭上而立啄鵮其鼻。時彼婦女患其鼻痛。即翻此食在於地上。

Furthermore, the Abhiniṣkramaṇa-sūtra says: The Buddha told the bhikṣus: I recall that long ago in the past, in the kingdom of Vārāṇasī, there was a king of crows named Suputra (translated into the language of Sui as Good Son), who resided near that city of Vārāṇasī, living in harmony with eighty thousand crows. Suputra, the king of crows, had a wife named Suputrī (translated into the language of Sui as Good Daughter). At that time, that crow-wife engaged in mating with that king of crows and became pregnant. Then that crow-wife suddenly had this thought: 'May I obtain pure, fragrant, and clean food and drink such as is currently eaten by the human king.' But because that crow-wife craved this food and could not obtain it, she tossed and turned, dazed and distraught, her body emaciated, withered, trembling, and unable to find ease. [The king of crows] asked his wife, saying: 'Why are you tossing and turning on the ground now, your body emaciated, withered, trembling, and unable to find ease?' At that time, the crow-wife replied to the king of crows, saying: 'Noble son, now that I am pregnant, I had this thought: "May I obtain pure, fragrant, and clean dishes such as those eaten by the king."' Then Suputra the crow said to his wife: 'How strange, worthy lady! In my position today, where could I obtain such fragrant and delicious food and drink? The royal palace is deep and inaccessible; if I were to enter, I would surely lose my life at their hands.' That wife again replied to the king of crows, saying: 'Noble son, right now, if I cannot obtain such food and drink, I will die without doubt, and the unborn young will also surely not live.' Suputra, the king of crows, spoke again to his wife, saying: 'How strange, worthy lady! The day of your death must surely be at hand, that you should crave such a difficult-to-obtain thing!' Having spoken these words, Suputra, the king of crows, stood brooding in sorrow and despair. He thought again: 'In my view, such fragrant, clean, and pure food and drink as that eaten by the king is indeed difficult to obtain.' At that time, among the crow king's flock there was a crow who saw Suputra the crow standing sorrowful, dejected, and unhappy. Having seen this, he went to the king of crows and said to him: 'How strange, worthy lord! For what reason do you stand brooding in sorrow?' Suputra, the king of crows, then related in detail the preceding circumstances. That crow again said to King Suputra: 'Noble son, do not grieve any longer. I can seek out for the king this difficult-to-obtain, fragrant, and delicious food eaten by the king.' At that time, the king of crows spoke to that crow again, saying: 'Excellent, good friend! If by your strength you can accomplish such a deed for me, I shall reward the service you have done.' At that time, that crow flew up into the air from the dwelling place of the king of crows and went to the palace of King Brahmadatta. Perching on a tree not far from the kitchen, he watched inside the kitchen of King Brahmadatta. When the king's meal was prepared, there was a woman arranging the dishes. The mealtime approaching, she placed that food and drink specifically in silver vessels, intending to present it to the king. At that time, that crow flew down from the tree, alighted upon that woman's head, and pecked at her nose. That woman, suffering from the pain in her nose, immediately spilled this food onto the ground.