法苑珠林 46.61

46.61

Furthermore, the Old Sūtra of Miscellaneous Parables says: Formerly, there was a bhikṣu who sat in meditation and practiced the path beneath a tree in an open, quiet place. In the tree there was a monkey, who saw the bhikṣu eating and came down to stay beside him. The bhikṣu gave him rice, and whenever the monkey received food, he would go fetch water to provide for washing. This continued for months. Later, one day after eating, [the bhikṣu] suddenly forgot and left nothing. The monkey, being greatly enraged at not receiving food, took the bhikṣu's kāṣāya, climbed the tree, and ripped it to shreds. The bhikṣu was angry at him and struck him with a staff, mistakenly hitting the monkey, which died on the spot. Several other monkeys all came together and carried the dead monkey to the Buddhist monastery. The bhikṣu saṃgha knew there must be a reason, and inquired into the matter. The bhikṣu related it in full. Thereupon the Buddha taught that from this day forward, whenever bhikṣus eat, they must all cut down and leave leftovers to give to creeping creatures, and must not finish everything.