法苑珠林 55.12

55.12

又佛說乳光佛經云。時佛世尊適小中風當須牛乳。爾時維耶離國有梵志名摩耶利。為五萬弟子作師。復為國王大臣人民所敬。遇豪富貪嫉不信佛法但好異道。於是佛告阿難。持如來名往到梵志摩耶利家。從其求索牛乳湩來。阿難受教。著衣持鉢到其門下。梵志摩耶利。適與五百上足弟子。欲行入宮與王相見。時即出舍值遇阿難。因問言。汝朝來早欲何所求。阿難答曰。佛世尊身小不安隱。使我索乳。梵志默然不報。自思惟念。我若不持牛乳與謂我慳惜。適持乳與。諸餘梵志便復謂我事瞿曇道。進退惟宜。雖爾當指授與惡牛令自𤚲取當使牴殺。折辱其道。便見捐棄。我還為人所敬。若不得乳明我不惜。謀議是已即告阿難。牛朝已放在彼塹中。汝自往𤚲。摩耶勅兒。汝將阿難示此牛處。慎莫為捉。時五百弟子聞師說是。悉大歡喜。

Furthermore, the Fo shuo ruguang fo jing states: At that time, the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, had suffered a slight stroke and required cow's milk. At that time, in the country of Vaiśālī, there was a brahmacārin named Mayūri, who was a teacher to fifty thousand disciples, and was also revered by the king, ministers, and people. He was exceedingly wealthy, greedy, jealous, and did not believe in the Buddha-Dharma, having a fondness only for heterodox paths. Thereupon the Buddha told Ānanda: “Bearing the name of the Tathāgata, go to the house of the brahmacārin Mayūri and request cow's milk from him.” Ānanda received the instruction, donned his robes, took his bowl, and went to his gate. The brahmacārin Mayūri, accompanied by five hundred chief disciples, was just about to proceed to the palace to see the king. As he came out of his house, he encountered Ānanda, and thereupon asked, “Why have you come so early in the morning? What are you seeking?” Ānanda replied, “The Buddha, the World-Honoured One, is slightly unwell in body and has sent me to seek milk.” The brahmacārin remained silent and did not answer, thinking to himself: “If I do not give him cow's milk, they will say I am stingy. If I do give him milk, the other brahmacārins will say that I serve the Gautama's path. Moving forward or stepping back, each poses difficulties. Even so, I should direct him to a vicious cow and let him milk it himself, so that it gores him to death. This will humiliate their path, causing him to be cast aside, and I will once again be revered by the people. If he gets no milk, it will show that I was not stingy.” Having thus plotted, he said to Ānanda, “The cows were already released this morning into that ditch; go milk them yourself.” Mayūri ordered his son: “Lead Ānanda and show him where this cow is, but take care not to catch it for him.” When the five hundred disciples heard their teacher say this, they were all overjoyed.