法苑珠林 45.41

45.41

Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: There was a man who, at all times, whenever he saw an unusual matter, would examine and inquire into it thoroughly. Later, while traveling on a road through a wilderness, he encountered a rākṣasa who seized him. Seeing that he had been seized, the man knew he was certain to die without doubt. However, seeing that the rākṣasa's chest was white and its back was black, he wondered and asked the reason. The rākṣasa replied, 'Throughout my whole life I have not liked seeing the sun; therefore I always walk with my back to the sun. Hence my front is white and my back is black.' The man grasped the meaning: he quickly yanked his hand free and ran toward the sun. The rākṣasa turned his face toward the sun and could not see the man. The man thus escaped. Thereupon he spoke a verse: