法苑珠林 50.31

50.31

As the *Sūtra of a Hundred Parables* says: Formerly, there was a woman who was profligate and lascivious without limit. As her lustful desires flared, she hated her husband and constantly pondered methods and schemes, wishing to harm him. Devising all manner of plans, she found no opportunity. It happened that her husband was dispatched on an embassy to a neighboring country. The wife secretly devised a scheme, preparing poisoned medicine balls to harm her husband. She deceitfully told her husband, 'Now that you are going on a distant mission, I fear you will lack provisions. I have now prepared five hundred joy-balls as provisions to send you off with. When you cross the border into another realm and are hungry and exhausted, only then should you take them to eat.' The husband followed her words. Having arrived in the other realm, before he had time to eat them, he stopped to spend the night in a forest in the dark of night. Fearing ferocious beasts, he climbed a tree to avoid them, forgetting and leaving the joy-balls under the tree. That very night, five hundred bandits who had stolen five hundred horses and precious goods from the king of that country came to halt under the tree. Due to their flight, they were all hungry and thirsty. Seeing the joy-balls under the tree, the bandits took them and each ate one ball. The poisonous effect of the medicine was potent, and the five hundred bandits all died at once. When dawn arrived, the man in the tree saw these bandits lying dead under the tree. He deceitfully used a sword and arrows to strike and shoot the corpses, gathered their saddles, horses, and precious treasures, and drove them toward that country. At that time, the king of that country was leading a large crowd pursuing their tracks, and met him halfway. The king asked, 'Who are you, and where did you get the horses?' The man replied, 'I am a man of such-and-such country. On the road I encountered these bandits and fought with them, hacking and shooting them. The five hundred bandits are all dead together under a tree in one place. For this reason, I took the horses and precious treasures to come take refuge in Your Majesty's country. If you do not believe me, go inspect the place where the bandits were wounded and slain.' The king immediately sent trusted attendants to go inspect it, and it was indeed as he had said. The king was then overjoyed and exclaimed that it was unprecedented. Having returned to the country, he generously granted him noble ranks and rewards, enfeoffing him with a village. The king's old ministers all became jealous and spoke to the king, saying, 'He is a man from afar and cannot yet be trusted and submitted to. Why should he suddenly receive such excessive favor, so that his noble ranks and rewards surpass the old ministers?' The man from afar heard this and said, 'Who is valiant and able to test himself against me? I request to match skills with him on the open plain.' The old ministers were astonished, and none dared to face him. Later, in a great wilderness of that country, there was a ferocious lion that blocked the road and killed people, cutting off the king's highway. The old ministers deliberated together: 'That man from afar considers himself valiant and unmatched. If he can now kill that lion and remove the menace for the country, it will be truly extraordinary.' Having formed this plan, they reported it to the king. Hearing this, the king bestowed weapons upon him and dispatched him at once. At that time, having received the order, the man from afar steeled his resolve and went to where the lion was. Seeing him, the lion bristled, roared, and leapt forward. Terrified, the man from afar immediately climbed a tree. The lion opened its mouth and raised its head toward the tree. In his panic, the man dropped the sword he was holding right into the lion's mouth, and the lion died instantly. At that time, the man from afar danced with joy and came to report to the king. The king doubled his favor, and all the people of that country spontaneously submitted with respect and praise.