法苑珠林 65.24

65.24

又善見律云。目連為阿育王演本生經云。大王往昔有一鷓鴣鳥。為人籠繫。在地愁悑。便大鳴喚。同類雲集為人所殺。鷓鴣問道人云。我有罪不。道人答云。汝鳴聲時有殺心不。鷓鴣鳥言。我鳴命伴來無殺心也。道人即答。若無殺心汝無罪也。而說偈言。

Furthermore, the Samantapāsādikā says: Maudgalyāyana expounded a jātaka sūtra for King Aśoka, saying: “Great King, in the past there was a partridge caged by humans. In sorrow and fear on the ground, it cried out loudly. Its fellows gathered like clouds and were killed by humans. The partridge asked a man of the Way: ‘Am I guilty of an offense or not?’ The man of the Way answered: ‘When you cried out, did you have the intention to kill?’ The partridge said: ‘I called out to summon my companions; I had no intention to kill.’ The man of the Way then answered: ‘If you had no intention to kill, you are without offense.’ And he spoke a verse: