法苑珠林 46.12

46.12

Furthermore, the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, in the “Chapter on Saving Dragons,” states: At that time, among the assembly, there was a blind dragon named Pharakiḷisa (?). Raising his voice in loud lamentation, he spoke these words: “O Great Sage, World-Honoured One! Please save and rescue me! Please save and rescue me! In my body right now I undergo great suffering and torment. Day and night, I am constantly gnawed and eaten by all manner of insects. Dwelling in boiling water, there is not even a moment of temporary joy.” The Buddha said: “Kiḷisa, in your past life within the Buddha-Dharma, you were once a monk who broke the monastic precepts. Inwardly you harboured deceit and fraud, while outwardly displaying virtuous appearances. You greedily accrued vast numbers of followers and disciples, and your reputation spread far and wide so that everyone heard of you. [You said,] ‘My preceptor has attained the fruit of an arhat.’ Because of this, you received many offerings and enjoyed them all to yourself. When you saw people who kept the precepts, you falsely reviled and spoke ill of them. Those people were filled with resentment and thought: ‘In lifetime after lifetime, wherever I may be, may I eat the flesh of your body!’ Through such evil karma, upon dying you were born among dragons. Because of the vows of those beings from your previous life, they devour your body. Due to the causes and conditions of this evil karma, you have received this retribution of blindness. Furthermore, throughout immeasurable kalpas in the past, in the molten red copper hell, you were constantly eaten and devoured by swarms of insects.” Hearing these words, the dragon was grieved and wept, saying: “All of us now, with utmost sincerity, repent together! We pray that we may quickly be liberated from this suffering!” Among that assembly of dragons, two billion six hundred million famished dragons, mindful of their past bodies, all wept like rain. Mindful of their past bodies, [they thought]: ‘Although we were able to go forth into the homeless life within the Buddha-Dharma, we committed extensive evil karma, passing through immeasurable lives in the three evil destinies. Owing to the remaining retribution, we endure extreme suffering among dragons. Just like the blue dragon, we are likewise so.’ At that time, the World-Honoured One said to the dragons: “You may take water and wash the Tathāgata’s feet, so that your calamities and offenses may gradually be eradicated.” Then all the dragons scooped water with their hands, but the water all turned into fire and transformed into large stones, filling their hands and generating ferocious blazing flames. When cast away, they generated again, doing so up to seven times. When the assembly of dragons saw this, they were terrified, filled with anguish, and wept like rain. The Buddha instructed them to make a great vow, whereupon the blazing fires were all extinguished. Then, up to eight times, they cupped water with their hands and washed the Tathāgata’s feet, repenting with utmost sincerity. The Buddha conferred a prophecy upon the dragons: “At the time of Maitreya Buddha, you will obtain human bodies, meet that Buddha, go forth into the homeless life, vigorously uphold the precepts, and attain the fruit of an arhat.” At that time, the dragons attained knowledge of their past lives (pūrvanivāsa) and recalled their past karmas: within the Buddha-Dharma, some had been laypersons through kinship relations, or had come and gone to listen to the Dharma; whatever faithful people gave as offerings of various flowers, fruits, and food, they ate in turn together with the monks. Some said: “I once consumed the flowers, fruits, and food belonging to the Saṃgha of the four quarters.” Some said: “I went to the monastery to give alms to the Saṃgha or to prostrate, and I ate in this manner.” Some said: “In the dispensation of Vipaśyin Tathāgata, I was once a layperson,” up to those who said: “In the dispensation of Śākyamuni Buddha, I was once a layperson. Whether through the connection of greeting relatives and friends, or through coming and going to listen to the Dharma, I visited the monastery. Faithful people, in order to make offerings to the Saṃgha, gave as offerings flowers, fruits, and various foods; after the monks received them, they redirected them as gifts to me, and having received them, I ate them. Due to the causes and conditions of that karma, I passed through immeasurable kalpas in hell, amid ferocious raging fire, being burned or boiled, drinking molten copper, or swallowing iron pellets. Emerging from hell, I fell among the animals; shedding the animal body, I was born among hungry ghosts. Having undergone all manner of hardship and pain in this way, yet with the evil karma not yet exhausted, I was born among these dragons and constantly suffer affliction.” The Buddha told the dragons: “This evil karma is no different from stealing the Buddha's property; compared to the offenses of the five heinous deeds (pañcānantarya), its guilt is equal to half. You should now all receive the three refuges and single-mindedly cultivate good. By virtue of this, during the Bhadrakalpa, you will meet the final Buddha named Ruci. In the era of that Buddha, your offenses will be eradicated.” Having heard these words, all the dragons, with utmost sincerity, received the three refuges for the rest of their lives.