法苑珠林 67.41

67.41

第十九復有眾生少小孤寒。無有父母兄弟。為他作使。辛苦活命。長大成人。橫羅殃禍。縣官所縛。繫閉牢獄。無人追餉。飢窮困苦。無所告及。何罪所致。佛言。以前世時坐喜捕拾鵰鷲鷹鷂熊羆虎豹枷鎖而畜。孤此眾生父母兄弟。常切憂悲悲鳴噭裂。哀感人心不能供養。常苦飢餓骨立皮連。求死不得。故獲斯罪。

Nineteenth, there are also sentient beings who are orphaned and destitute from youth, having no parents or brothers, serving as servants to others, and making a painful living. When grown into adulthood, they are wrongfully struck by calamity, bound by officials, locked in prison with no one to send provisions, impoverished and starving in distress, with nowhere to make an appeal. What transgression caused this? The Buddha said: In their past lives, they took pleasure in capturing and taking eagles, vultures, hawks, harriers, bears, brown bears, tigers, and leopards, keeping them chained and caged, depriving these creatures of their parents and siblings, who constantly suffered acute grief, shrieking with broken hearts that moved human sentiments; yet [the captors] could not properly care for them, leaving them constantly starving until their bones stood out and skin clung to their frames, seeking death but unable to die. Therefore, they incurred this retribution.