法苑珠林 82.21

82.21

如大莊嚴論說。我昔曾聞。有諸比丘與諸賈客入海採寶。既至海中船舫破壞。爾時有一年少比丘。捉得一枚版。上座比丘不得版故。將沒水中。于時上座恐怖惶懼恐為水漂。語年少言。汝寧不憶佛所制戒。當敬上座。汝所得版應以與我。爾時年少即便思惟。如來世尊實有斯語。諸有利樂應先與上座。復作是念。我若以版用與上座必沒水中。洄澓波浪大海之難。極為深廣。我於今者命將不全。又我年少初始出家未得道果。以此為憂。我今捨身用濟上座。正是其時。作是念已而說偈言。

As the Mahālaṃkāra-śāstra states: 'Formerly I heard that there were bhikṣus who entered the ocean with merchants to gather jewels. Having reached the midst of the ocean, the ship broke apart. At that time there was a young bhikṣu who grasped a plank. Because the elder (sthavira) bhikṣu did not obtain a plank, he was about to sink into the water. At that time, the elder, terrified and fearful of being carried away by the water, said to the youth: "Do you not remember the precepts laid down by the Buddha? You must respect the elder. You should give the plank you obtained to me." Thereupon the youth reflected: "The Tathāgata, the World-Honoured One, indeed had these words: whatever is beneficial and pleasant should first be given to the elder." He further thought: "If I give the plank to the elder, I will surely sink into the water. The calamity of the whirling waves and the great sea is exceedingly deep and vast; my life will now not be preserved. Moreover, I am young and newly left home, not having attained the fruits of the Way, and this causes me sorrow. For me to surrender my body now to rescue the elder—this is precisely the time." Having had this thought, he spoke a verse: