法苑珠林 92.62

92.62

汝見一樹者。是地獄人。迦葉佛時。是出家人。為僧當薪。以眾僧薪將己房中。私自然火。或與白衣知識。故入地獄。作大肉樹火燒受苦。至今不息。

The solitary tree you saw is a denizen of hell. In the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, he was a monastic in charge of firewood for the sangha. He brought firewood belonging to the sangha into his own cell to light fires for his own private use, or gave it to lay acquaintances. Therefore, he entered hell, where he became a great flesh tree burned by fire, suffering pain without respite even to this day.