法苑珠林 54.37

54.37

又佛告諸比丘言。我念往昔。於大海中有一大虬。其虬有婦身正懷姙。忽然思欲獼猴心食。以是因緣其身羸瘦。痿黃踠轉顫慄不安。時彼特虬見婦身體如是羸瘦無有顏色。見已問言。賢善仁者。汝何所患。欲思何食。我不聞汝從我索食。何故如是。時其牸虬默然不報。其夫復問。汝今何故不向我道。婦報夫言。汝若能與。我隨心願我當說之。若不能者我何暇說。夫復答言。汝但說看。若可得理我當方便會覓令得。婦即語言。我今意思獼猴心食。汝能得不。夫即報言。汝所須者此事甚難。所以者何。我居大海猴在山樹。何由可得。婦言。奈何若不得。是物此胎必墮。我身不久恐取命終。是時其夫復語婦言。賢善仁者。汝且容忍。我今求去。若成此事深不可言。則我與汝。並皆慶快。爾時彼虬即從海出至於岸上。去岸不遠有一大樹名優曇婆羅（隋言求願）時彼樹上有一大獼猴。在於樹頭取果子食。是時彼虬既見獼猴在樹上坐食於樹子。見已漸漸到於樹下。到已即便共相慰喻。以美語言。問訊獼猴。善哉善哉。婆私師吒。在此樹上作於何事。不甚辛勤受苦惱耶。求食易得無疲倦不。獼猴報言。如是仁者。我今不大受於苦惱。虬復重更語獼猴言。汝在此處何所食噉。獼猴報言。我在優曇婆羅樹上食噉其子。是時虬復語獼猴言。我今見汝甚大歡喜。遍滿身體不能自勝。我欲將汝作於善友共相愛敬。汝取我語何須住此。又復此樹子少無多。云何乃能此處願樂。汝可下來隨逐於我。我當將汝度海。彼岸別有大林。種種諸樹華果豐饒。獼猴問言。我云何得至彼處。海水深廣甚難越度。云何堪度。是時彼虬報獼猴言。我背負汝將度彼岸。汝今但當從樹下來騎我背上。爾時獼猴心無定故。陿劣愚癡心生歡喜。從樹而下。上虬背上欲隨虬去。其虬內心生如是念。善哉善哉。我願已成。即欲相將至自居處。及獼猴俱沒於水。猴問虬言。善友何故忽沒於水。虬即報言。我婦懷妊。彼如是思欲汝心食。以是因緣我將汝來。爾時獼猴作如是念。嗚呼我今甚不吉利。自取磨滅。作何方便而得免此急速厄難不失身命。復如是念。我須誑虬。作是念已而語虬言。仁者善友。我心留在優曇婆羅樹上寄著。不持將行。仁於當時云何不依實語我。知今須汝心。我於當時即將相隨。善友還迴放我取心。得已還來。爾時彼虬聞獼猴語已。二俱還出。獼猴見虬欲出水岸。是時獼猴努力奮迅。捷疾跳躑。出大筋力從虬背上跳下。上彼優曇大樹之上。其虬在下少時停待。見猴淹遲不下。而語之言。親密善友汝速下來。共汝相隨至於我家。獼猴默然不肯下樹。虬見獼猴經久不下。而說偈言。

Furthermore, the Buddha told the monks: "I recall that in the past, in the great ocean there was a great water-dragon. The water-dragon had a wife who was pregnant. Suddenly she craved to eat the heart of a monkey. Because of this, her body became emaciated, withered, yellowed, tossing and turning, trembling with unease. Then the male water-dragon saw that his wife's body was so emaciated and devoid of colour. Seeing this, he asked her: 'Virtuous and good one, what is your ailment? What food do you crave? I have not heard you ask food from me. Why is it like this?' Then the female water-dragon was silent and did not reply. Her husband asked again: 'Why do you not speak to me now?' The wife replied to her husband: 'If you are able to grant my wish according to my mind, I will speak of it. If you cannot, why should I bother to speak?' The husband replied again: 'Just tell me. If it is within reason to obtain, I shall find an expedient means to seek it and procure it.' The wife then said: 'I now desire in my mind to eat the heart of a monkey. Can you get it or not?' The husband then replied: 'What you require is an extremely difficult matter. Why is that? I dwell in the great ocean, while monkeys are in the mountain trees. By what means can it be obtained?' The wife said: 'What can be done? If I do not obtain this thing, this fetus will surely miscarry, and before long I fear I shall lose my life.' Thereupon her husband said again to the wife: 'Virtuous and good one, be patient for a while. I am now going to seek it. If this matter succeeds, it will be inexpressibly wonderful; both I and you will be utterly joyful.' At that time the water-dragon emerged from the ocean and came onto the shore. Not far from the shore there was a great tree named udumbara (in the language of Sui, 'seeking wishes'). At that time in the tree there was a large monkey, at the crown of the tree picking fruits to eat. Then the water-dragon, having seen the monkey sitting in the tree eating the tree's fruit, gradually approached beneath the tree. Having arrived, he immediately offered comfort, inquiring after the monkey with pleasant words: 'Excellent, excellent, Vāsiṣṭha! What are you doing in this tree? Are you not labouring hard and suffering distress? Is seeking food easy to come by without exhaustion?' The monkey replied: 'Just so, benevolent one. I am not suffering much distress now.' The water-dragon spoke again to the monkey: 'What do you eat here?' The monkey replied: 'I eat the fruit on this udumbara tree.' Then the water-dragon said again to the monkey: 'Seeing you now brings me great joy, filling my whole body beyond control. I wish to take you as a good friend to cherish and respect mutually. Take my advice: why must you remain here? Moreover, this tree has few fruits and not many; how can you find pleasure and delight here? You may come down and follow me. I will carry you across the ocean. On the other shore there is another great forest, rich and abundant in various trees with flowers and fruits.' The monkey asked: 'How could I reach that place? The ocean waters are deep and wide, extremely difficult to cross. How could I bear to cross?' Thereupon the water-dragon replied to the monkey: 'I will carry you on my back and bring you to the other shore. You need only come down from the tree now and ride on my back.' At that time, because the monkey's mind was unstable, petty, inferior, and foolish, his mind gave rise to joy. He descended from the tree, mounted the water-dragon's back, and wished to go with the water-dragon. The water-dragon thought thus in his mind: 'Excellent, excellent! My wish is accomplished.' He then intended to take him to his own dwelling place, and submerged into the water together with the monkey. The monkey asked the water-dragon: 'Good friend, why have you suddenly submerged into the water?' The water-dragon replied: 'My wife is pregnant. She craves to eat your heart. For this reason I have brought you along.' At that time the monkey thought thus: 'Alas! Now I am extremely unlucky, bringing about my own destruction. By what expedient means can I escape this imminent disaster and not lose my life?' He thought again: 'I must deceive the water-dragon.' Having thought this, he said to the water-dragon: 'Benevolent one, good friend! My heart was left behind, placed upon the udumbara tree; I did not bring it along. Why did you not tell me truthfully at the time? Had I known you needed my heart now, I would have brought it along with me right then. Good friend, turn back and release me to fetch my heart. Once I have obtained it, I shall return.' At that time the water-dragon, having heard the monkey's words, returned to the surface together with him. The monkey saw that the water-dragon was about to emerge onto the water's bank. Thereupon the monkey exerted his strength vigorously, leaped swiftly, exerted great muscular strength, leaped down from the water-dragon's back, and climbed up onto the great udumbara tree. The water-dragon waited below for a short time. Seeing that the monkey delayed and did not come down, he said to him: 'Close and good friend, come down quickly! Go together with me to my home.' The monkey remained silent and refused to descend from the tree. Seeing that the monkey did not come down after a long time, the water-dragon spoke a verse: