法苑珠林 57.9

57.9

又出曜經云。昔罽賓國中有兄弟二人。其兄出家得阿羅漢。弟在家中治修居業。時兄數來教誨勸弟。布施持戒修善作福。現有名譽死生善處。而弟報曰。兄今出家不慮官私。不念妻子。田業財寶。我有此務。而兄數誨不用兄教。後病命終生在牛中。為人所驅馱鹽入城。兄從城中出遇見之。即為說法。時牛聞已悲哽不樂。牛主見已語道人曰。汝何道說而使我牛愁憂不樂。道人報曰。此牛前身本是我弟。昔日負君一錢鹽債。故墮牛中以償君力。牛主聞已語道人曰。君弟昔日與我親友。是時牛主即語牛曰。吾今放汝不復役使。牛聞感激至心念佛。自投深㵎即便命終。得生天上受極快樂。以是因緣。若人負債不可不償。

Also, the Udānavarga states: In the past, in the country of Kaśmīra, there were two brothers. The elder brother renounced the world and attained arhatship; the younger brother remained at home, managing their household affairs. The elder brother often came to instruct and exhort the younger brother to practise giving, maintain the precepts, cultivate goodness, and perform merits: "You will enjoy renown in the present life, and after death be reborn in a good realm." But the younger brother replied: "Elder brother, now that you have renounced the world, you do not worry about official or private matters; you do not think of wife and children, of fields, properties, or wealth. But I have these affairs!" Though his elder brother often instructed him, he did not heed his elder brother's teachings. Later, he fell ill and died, being reborn among cattle, driven by men to carry loads of salt into the city. The elder brother, coming out of the city, encountered him and preached the Dharma to him. When the ox heard it, it choked with sorrow and was distressed. Seeing this, the ox's owner said to the man of the Way: "What words have you spoken that have made my ox sorrowful and unhappy?" The man of the Way replied: "In its former life, this ox was originally my younger brother. In the past, he owed you a debt of one coin for salt; hence he fell into the state of an ox to repay your labor." When the ox's owner heard this, he said to the man of the Way: "Your younger brother was once a close friend of mine." Thereupon, the ox's owner said to the ox: "I now release you and will no longer make you work." Hearing this, the ox was deeply moved; with wholehearted mindfulness of the Buddha, it cast itself into a deep ravine and immediately died. It obtained rebirth in heaven, enjoying supreme happiness. By this cause and condition, if a person owes a debt, it must be repaid.