法苑珠林 52.15

52.15

如法句喻經云。昔佛在舍衛國。為天人說法。時城中有婆羅門長者。財富無數。為人慳貪不好布施。食常閉門不喜人客。若有其食時。輒勅門士堅閉門戶。勿令有人妄入門裏乞丐求索。爾時長者歘思美食。便勅其妻令作飯食教殺肥雞。薑椒和調煮之令熟。飯食飣餖即時已辦。勅外閉門。夫妻二人坐一小兒。著聚中央便共飲食。父母取雞肉著兒口中。如是數數初不有廢。佛知此長者宿福應度。化作沙門。伺其坐食現出坐前。便祝願云。但言多少布施可得大福。長者舉頭見化沙門。即罵之言。汝為道人而無羞恥。室家坐食何為唐突。沙門答曰。卿自愚癡不知羞恥。今我乞士何故慚羞。長者問曰。吾及室家自共娛樂何故慚羞。沙門答曰。卿殺父妻母。供養怨家不知慚恥。反謂乞士何不慚羞。於是世尊。即說偈言。

As the Dharmapada-avadāna-sūtra says: In the past, when the Buddha was in the country of Śrāvastī preaching the Dharma for gods and humans, there was in the city an elder brahmin of boundless wealth. He was stingy and greedy, disliked giving, always shut his gates to eat, and took no pleasure in guests. Whenever he had food, he would command his gatekeeper to shut the doors tight and not let anyone enter by mistake to beg or ask for anything. At that time, the elder suddenly craved delicious food, so he instructed his wife to prepare a meal and bade her slaughter a fat chicken, seasoning and cooking it with ginger and pepper until done. Once the meal was set out, it was ready. He ordered the gates shut from outside. Husband and wife sat together with a small child placed between them in the center, and they ate and drank together. The parents took chicken meat and put it into the child's mouth, doing so repeatedly without pause. Knowing that this elder had past merit and was ripe for deliverance, the Buddha transformed himself into a śramaṇa. Watching for when they sat down to eat, he manifested before the seating area and pronounced a blessing, saying merely: 'Giving even a little brings great merit.' The elder raised his head, saw the transformed śramaṇa, and at once cursed him, saying: 'You are a religious practitioner yet have no shame! We are sitting at home eating—why do you barge in?' The śramaṇa replied: 'You yourself are foolish and know no shame. Why should I, a beggar, feel ashamed?' The elder asked: 'My household and I are enjoying ourselves together; why should we feel ashamed?' The śramaṇa replied: 'You kill your father, wife your mother, and nourish your mortal enemy without feeling shame, yet conversely ask why a beggar should feel ashamed.' Thereupon the World-Honoured One spoke a verse: