法苑珠林 54.42

54.42

又雜寶藏經云。昔有烏梟共相怨憎。烏待晝日知梟無見。蹹殺群梟散食其肉。梟便於夜知烏眼闇。復啄群烏開罩其腹。亦復散食。畏晝畏夜無有竟已。有一智烏語眾烏言。已為怨憎不可求解。終相誅滅勢不兩全。宜作方便殄覆諸梟。然後我等可得歡樂。若其不爾終為所敗。眾烏答言。當作何方得滅讐賊。智烏答言。爾等眾烏拔我毛羽啄破我頭。我當設計要令殄覆。即如其言。憔瘁形容。向梟穴外而自悲鳴。聞其聲已便言。今爾何故破傷來至我所。烏語梟言。眾烏讐我不得生活。故來相投以避怨惡。時梟憐愍遂便養給。常與殘肉。日月轉久毛羽平復。烏作微計銜乾樹枝并諸草木著梟穴中。似如報恩。梟語烏言。何用是為。烏即答言。孔穴之中純是冷石。用此草木以御風寒。梟以為爾默然不答。而烏於是即求守孔穴而作給使令用報恩。時會暴雪寒風猛盛。眾梟率爾來集孔中。烏得其便尋生歡喜。銜牧人火用燒梟孔。眾梟一時於孔焚滅。爾時諸天說偈言曰。

Furthermore, the Za baozang jing says: In the past, crows and owls hated each other with hostility. The crows waited for daytime, knowing that the owls could not see; they trampled to death flocks of owls and tore apart and ate their flesh. The owls then in the night, knowing that the crows' eyes were blind in the dark, in turn pecked flocks of crows, ripped open their bellies, and also tore apart and ate them. Fearing the day and fearing the night, there was no end to it. There was a wise crow who spoke to the assembly of crows: 'Since we have become enemies, reconciliation cannot be sought. In the end we will slaughter each other, and the situation cannot preserve both. We should devise an expedient means to destroy and overthrow the owls; only then can we obtain joy. If it is not so, we shall in the end be defeated by them.' The flock of crows replied: 'What method should be used to destroy the feud-bearing enemy?' The wise crow replied: 'You crows pluck out my feathers and peck open my head. I shall devise a plan that will surely destroy and overthrow them.' Then it was done according to his words. With an emaciated and wretched appearance, he wailed mournfully outside the owls' cave. Having heard his cry, [the owl] then said: 'Why have you come to my place now, wounded and injured?' The crow said to the owl: 'The flock of crows are my enemies, and I could not survive; therefore I have come to take refuge with you to escape the malice.' Then the owl took pity on him and accordingly nourished and provided for him, constantly giving him leftover meat. As days and months passed, his feathers grew back to normal. The crow formed a subtle plan: he carried dry tree branches and various grasses and wood in his beak and placed them inside the owl's cave, appearing as if to repay the kindness. The owl said to the crow: 'What is the use of doing this?' The crow then replied: 'The inside of the cave is purely cold stone. I use this wood and grass to ward off the wind and cold.' The owl thought it was so and remained silent without replying. Thereupon the crow then sought to guard the cave entrance and serve as an attendant in order to repay the kindness. At that time it happened that there was a violent snowfall and the cold wind blew fiercely. Flocks of owls hurriedly came together inside the hole. The crow found his opportunity and immediately felt joy. Taking herdsmen's fire in his beak, he used it to burn the owls' cave. The flock of owls was burned and exterminated all at once in the cave. At that time the devas spoke a verse, saying: