法苑珠林 53.53

53.53

The *Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya* states: The Buddha told the bhikṣus: In a past age, there was a city named Vārāṇasī in the country of Kāśi. In an open and quiet place, five hundred monkeys roamed in the forest and came beneath a nyagrodha tree. Under the tree there was a well, in which the reflection of the moon appeared. Then the leader of the monkeys saw this reflection of the moon and said to his companions: "Today the moon has died and fallen into the well! We must take it out together, lest the world be left in long night and darkness." They discussed together, saying: "How can we take it out?" Then the leader of the monkeys said: "I know the way to take it out. I will hold the tree branch, and you will hold my tail, linking together one by one, and only then can we take it out." Then the monkeys acted according to the leader's words, grasping one another in sequence. When they were still a little way from reaching the water, the monkeys linked together were heavy, the tree branch was weak and snapped, and all the monkeys fell into the water of the well. At that time, the tree spirit spoke a verse: