法苑珠林 53.61

53.61

問是羯磨好不。答言。善。跋難陀擔衣欲去。彼比丘言。大德上座我等衣物未分。跋難陀言。與汝分。知法人應與一好衣。彼言當與。跋難陀是聚中取大價衣著一處。餘分作二分。與已擔去。諸比丘聞已白佛。佛廣呵責已告諸比丘。是跋難陀非但今世奪。前世亦奪。乃過去世一河曲中有二獺。河中得大鯉魚不能分。二獺守之。有野干來飲水。見獺語言。外甥是中作何等。獺答言。阿舅是河曲中得此鯉魚不能分。汝能分不。野干言。能。是中說偈分作三分。即問獺言。汝誰喜入淺。答言。是某獺。誰喜入深。答言。是某獺。野干言。汝聽我說偈。

He asked, 'Is this legal transaction good or not?' They replied, 'Excellent.' Upananda carried off the robes to depart. Those monks said, 'Venerable senior, our clothing has not yet been divided!' Upananda said, 'I have divided it for you. One who knows the Dharma should be given one good robe.' They said, 'It shall be given.' From that heap Upananda took the high-priced robe and set it in one place, divided the remainder into two shares, gave them to them, and, hoisting his load, went off. When the monks heard of this, they addressed the Buddha. The Buddha, having reproached him at length, told the monks: 'This Upananda has not only robbed in the present life; he also robbed in a former life. In a past life, at a bend in a river, there were two otters. In the river they caught a large carp but could not divide it, so the two otters stood guard over it. A jackal came to drink water. Seeing the otters, he spoke to them: "Nephews, what are you doing here?" The otters replied, "Uncle, in this river bend we caught this carp but cannot divide it. Can you divide it?" The jackal said, "I can." Thereupon he spoke a verse and divided it into three shares. He then asked the otters, "Which of you prefers to enter the shallows?" One answered, "Such-and-such an otter." "Who prefers to enter the deep?" The other answered, "Such-and-such an otter." The jackal said, "Listen to my verse: