法苑珠林 54.15

54.15

如僧祇律云佛告諸比丘。過去世時。有城名波羅柰。國名伽尸。時有弗盧醯大學婆羅門。為國王師常教五百弟子。時婆羅門家生一奴名迦羅呵。常使供給諸童子等。是奴利根聞說法言盡能憶持。此奴一時共諸童子小有嫌恨。便走他國。詐自稱言。我是弗盧醯婆羅門子。字耶若達多。語此國師言。我是波羅柰國王。師弗盧醯子。故來至此。欲從大師學婆羅門法。師答言可爾。是奴聰明。本已曾聞。今復重聞。聞悉能持。其師大喜。即令教授五百門徒。汝代我教。我當往來王家。是師無有男兒。唯有一女。即告之曰。耶若達多當用我語。汝莫還國。我今以女妻汝。答言。從教。共作生活家漸豐樂。耶若達多為人難可。婦為作食常瞋生熟不能適口。婦常念言。脫有行人從波羅柰國來者。當從彼受飲食法然後供養夫主。彼弗盧醯婆羅門。具聞是事。便作是念。我奴迦羅呵逃在。他國。當往捉來。或可得直便詣彼國。時奴與諸門徒詣園游戲。在於中路遙見本主。即便驚悑密語門徒。汝等還去各自誦習。門徒去已便到主前。頭面禮足白其主言。我來此國稱道大家是我之父。便投此國師大學經典。與女為婦。願尊今日勿彰我事。當與奴直奉上大家主。婆羅門善解世事。即答言。汝實我兒。但早發遣。奴即將主歸家。告家中言。我所親來。其婦歡喜為辦種種飲食。奉食訖已伺小空閑。密禮婆羅門足而問之曰。我奉事夫飲食供養常不可意。願尊指授本在家時何所食噉。當如先法為作飲食。客婆羅門便即瞋恚而作是念。如是如是困苦他女。汝但速發遣我。我臨去時。教汝一偈使夫無言。女聞歡喜辭出而退。即語夫言。尊婆羅門故從遠來宜早發遣。夫即念言。如婦所說宜應早遣莫令久住。恐言漏失損我不少。便大與財物教婦作食。自行供之。夫為曹主。求伴不在。婦奉食訖禮足辭別請求先偈。即教偈言。

As the *Mahāsaṃghika-vinaya* says: The Buddha told the bhikṣus: In a past age, there was a city named Vārāṇasī and a kingdom named Kāśi. At that time, there was a great scholar-brāhmaṇa named Philohi, who was the royal preceptor and constantly taught five hundred disciples. At that time, a slave named Kalaha was born in the brāhmaṇa's household, who was constantly made to attend upon the youths. This slave had sharp faculties; hearing the exposition of the Dharma, he was able to remember and retain it completely. On one occasion, this slave had a slight grievance with the youths and fled to another kingdom. He falsely claimed, “I am the son of the brāhmaṇa Philohi, named Yajñadatta.” He said to the royal preceptor of this kingdom, “I am the son of Philohi, preceptor to the king of Vārāṇasī. I have specially come here wishing to study the brāhmaṇa Dharma under the Great Master.” The master replied, “Very well.” This slave was intelligent; having heard it previously, he now heard it again, and was able to retain everything he heard. The master was greatly pleased and immediately ordered him to instruct the five hundred disciples: “Teach in my place; I shall go back and forth to the royal court.” This master had no sons, only one daughter. He said to him, “Yajñadatta, heed my words: do not return to your country. I now give you my daughter as your wife.” He replied, “I follow your instruction.” They made a living together, and their household gradually became prosperous and happy. Yajñadatta was difficult to please; whenever his wife prepared food, he was constantly angry that it was either raw or overcooked and did not suit his palate. The wife constantly thought, “If a traveler should come from the kingdom of Vārāṇasī, I will learn the method of culinary preparation from him, and then serve my husband.” That brāhmaṇa Philohi heard all about this matter and thought, “My slave Kalaha has fled to another kingdom. I should go to seize him, or perhaps I can get his price.” He then went to that kingdom. At that time, the slave went with the disciples to an orchard for recreation. On the road, he saw his former master from afar. He was immediately terrified and secretly said to his disciples, “You all go back and recite your lessons individually.” After the disciples left, he went before his master, touched his head to his feet, and said to the master, “When I came to this kingdom, I declared that the Master was my father. I then took refuge with this kingdom's royal preceptor, studied the classics thoroughly, and he gave his daughter to me as my wife. I pray that the Venerable One will not expose my affair today. I will provide the slave's price to offer to the Master.” The brāhmaṇa well understood worldly affairs and immediately replied, “You are indeed my son. Just send me off quickly.” The slave then led the master home and told his household, “My relative has arrived.” His wife was delighted and prepared various kinds of food and drink for him. After presenting the food, she waited for a brief moment of leisure, secretly bowed at the brāhmaṇa's feet, and asked him, “When I serve food and drink to my husband, it never pleases his mind. I pray that the Venerable One will instruct me: when he was originally at home, what did he eat? I will prepare food and drink according to the former method.” The guest brāhmaṇa then became angry and thought, “In such a manner, in such a manner, he torments another's daughter! You just send me off quickly. When I am about to leave, I will teach you a verse so that your husband will have nothing to say.” Hearing this, the woman was delighted, bowed, and withdrew. She then said to her husband, “The Venerable brāhmaṇa has come specially from afar; you should send him off quickly.” The husband thought, “As my wife says, he should be sent off quickly and not allowed to stay long, lest his words slip and harm me considerably.” He then gave him great wealth and instructed his wife to prepare food, personally serving it to him. Since the husband was the head of his assembly, he went out looking for a companion. After serving the food, the wife bowed at his feet to take leave and requested the aforementioned verse. He then taught her the verse, saying: