法苑珠林 28.13

28.13

As the *Avadāna-sūtra* states: Formerly, there was a wealthy household that harvested a thousand bushels of grain and buried them in the ground. When the warmth of spring arrived, they opened the cellar to take out seed-grain, but saw no grain; instead, there was a grub as large as an ox-cart basket, lacking hands, feet, head, or eyes, like a lump of inert flesh. Young and old in the household all marveled at it. Bringing it out to level ground, they asked, 'What kind of thing are you?' It had nothing to say at all. Then, piercing one spot with an iron awl, it spoke, saying, 'If you wish to know who I am, carry me and place me beside the highway, and there will naturally be someone who names me.' Thereupon, they lifted it and placed it beside the road. For three days, no one could name it. Next, there came several hundred yellow-horse carriages, whose clothing and attendants were all yellow. Stopping their carriages, they called out, 'Grain Thief, why are you here?' It answered, 'I ate people's grain, so they carried me and placed me here.' After speaking for a very long time, they bid farewell and departed. The master asked the Grain Thief, 'Who were they just now?' It answered, 'They are the essence of gold and jewels. Residing three hundred-odd paces west of here beneath a large tree, there are jars of a hundred piculs full of gold.' The master immediately led several tens of men to dig, and they promptly obtained the jars of gold. The whole household rejoiced, loaded them on carts, and brought them home. Kowtowing to the Grain Thief, they said, 'Obtaining gold today is the great spirit's grace. Would the spirit be willing to stay and return with us, so that we may offer further offerings?' The Grain Thief said, 'Previously, when I ate your grain and did not state my name, it was because I wished to cause you to receive this reward of gold. Now I must travel onward to distribute blessings throughout the world; I may not remain any longer.' Having finished speaking, it suddenly vanished.