法苑珠林 78.34

78.34

又百緣經云。佛在王舍城迦蘭陀竹林。時彼城中有一長者。名曰賢面。財寶無量不可稱計。多諸諂曲。慳貪嫉妬。終無施心。乃至飛鳥驅不近舍。有諸沙門及婆羅門。貧窮乞丐從其乞者。惡口罵之。其後命終受毒蛇身。還守本財。有近之者。瞋目猛盛。怒眼視之。能令使死。頻婆娑羅王聞已心懷驚怪。今此毒蛇見人則害。唯佛能調。作是念已即將群臣往詣佛所。頂禮佛足却坐一面。具白前事。唯願世尊。降伏此蛇莫使害人。佛唱許可。於其後日著衣持鉢往詣蛇所。蛇見佛來瞋恚熾盛欲螫如來。佛以慈力於五指端。放五色光明照彼蛇身。即得清涼熱毒消除。心懷喜悅舉頭四顧。是何福人。能放此光。照我身體。使得清涼快不可言。爾時世尊見蛇調伏。而告本緣。蛇聞佛語深自剋責。蓋障雲除自憶宿命。作長者時所作惡業。今得是報。方於佛前深生信敬。佛告之言。汝於前身不順我語。受此蛇形。今宜調順受我教勅。蛇答佛言。隨佛見授不敢違勅。佛告蛇言。汝若調順入我鉢中。佛語已竟尋入鉢中。將詣林中。王及群臣聞佛世尊調化毒蛇盛鉢中來。合國人民皆往共看。蛇見眾人深生慚愧。厭此蛇身即便命終。生忉利天即自念言。我造何福得來生天。即自觀察見在世間受毒蛇身。由見佛故生信敬心。厭惡蛇身得來生此受天快樂。今當還報佛世尊恩。齎持香華光明照曜。來詣佛所前禮佛足。供養訖已却座一面。聽佛說法心開意解得須陀洹果。即於佛前說偈讚佛。

Furthermore, the Sūtra of the Hundred Avadānas states: The Buddha was at the Kalanda Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha. At that time, there was an elder in that city named Xianmian (Bhadramukha). His treasures and wealth were limitless and beyond measure. He was full of flattery and deceit, greedy, stingy, and envious, and never had any intention to give; he even drove away flying birds so that they would not come near his house. Whenever śramaṇas, brāhmans, or poor beggars came asking from him, he would revile them with harsh words. After his life ended, he was reborn as a venomous serpent, returning to guard his original wealth. If anyone came near it, it would flare its eyes in raging anger, and glaring at them, it could cause them to die. King Bimbisāra, having heard of this, felt astonishment and wonder in his heart, thinking: 'Now this venomous serpent kills whenever it sees people. Only the Buddha is able to tame it.' Having thought this, he immediately led his ministers to the Buddha's abode, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and sat back to one side. He related the whole matter in detail: 'We pray only that the World-Honoured One will subdue this serpent so that it no longer harms people.' The Buddha gave his assent. On the following day, he donned his robes, took his bowl, and went to the serpent's lair. Seeing the Buddha coming, the serpent's rage blazed fiercely and it wished to sting the Tathāgata. By his power of benevolence, the Buddha emitted five-coloured light from the tips of his five fingers, illuminating the serpent's body. The serpent immediately obtained cool relief, its burning poison was dispelled, and its heart was filled with joy. Raising its head and looking around in all four directions, [it thought]: 'What person of merit can emit such light, shining upon my body and causing me to obtain cool comfort that is ineffably delightful?' At that time, seeing that the serpent was tamed, the World-Honoured One related its past causes. Hearing the Buddha's words, the serpent blamed itself deeply; the clouds of hindrances and coverings were removed, and it spontaneously remembered its past lives, [realising]: 'Because of the evil karma I created when I was an elder, I have now received this retribution.' Only then did it produce deep faith and reverence before the Buddha. The Buddha told it: 'In your former life you did not follow my words and thus received this serpent's form. Now you should be compliant and accept my instructions.' The serpent replied to the Buddha: 'Whatever the Buddha instructs, I dare not disobey your command.' The Buddha told the serpent: 'If you are compliant, enter my bowl.' When the Buddha finished speaking, it immediately entered the bowl. He carried it towards the grove. When the king and his ministers heard that the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, had tamed and transformed the venomous serpent and was bringing it in his bowl, all the people of the entire kingdom went together to watch. Seeing the crowd of people, the serpent felt deep shame and remorse; disgusted with this serpent body, it thereupon ended its life. Reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, it immediately thought to itself: 'What merit did I create to obtain rebirth here in heaven?' It then examined itself and saw that it had received a venomous serpent's body in the world, and that because it saw the Buddha, it gave rise to a mind of faith and reverence, grew disgusted with the serpent's body, and was able to be reborn here to enjoy heavenly bliss. 'I should now return to repay the kindness of the Buddha, the World-Honoured One.' Carrying incense and flowers, radiant with light, it went to the Buddha's abode, bowed before the Buddha's feet, and having made its offerings, sat back to one side. Hearing the Buddha preach the Dharma, its heart opened and its mind was liberated, attaining the fruit of a srotāpanna. It then spoke a verse before the Buddha in praise of the Buddha: