法苑珠林 55.12

55.12

Furthermore, the Fo shuo ruguang fo jing states: At that time, the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, had suffered a slight stroke and required cow's milk. At that time, in the country of Vaiśālī, there was a brahmacārin named Mayūri, who was a teacher to fifty thousand disciples, and was also revered by the king, ministers, and people. He was exceedingly wealthy, greedy, jealous, and did not believe in the Buddha-Dharma, having a fondness only for heterodox paths. Thereupon the Buddha told Ānanda: “Bearing the name of the Tathāgata, go to the house of the brahmacārin Mayūri and request cow's milk from him.” Ānanda received the instruction, donned his robes, took his bowl, and went to his gate. The brahmacārin Mayūri, accompanied by five hundred chief disciples, was just about to proceed to the palace to see the king. As he came out of his house, he encountered Ānanda, and thereupon asked, “Why have you come so early in the morning? What are you seeking?” Ānanda replied, “The Buddha, the World-Honoured One, is slightly unwell in body and has sent me to seek milk.” The brahmacārin remained silent and did not answer, thinking to himself: “If I do not give him cow's milk, they will say I am stingy. If I do give him milk, the other brahmacārins will say that I serve the Gautama's path. Moving forward or stepping back, each poses difficulties. Even so, I should direct him to a vicious cow and let him milk it himself, so that it gores him to death. This will humiliate their path, causing him to be cast aside, and I will once again be revered by the people. If he gets no milk, it will show that I was not stingy.” Having thus plotted, he said to Ānanda, “The cows were already released this morning into that ditch; go milk them yourself.” Mayūri ordered his son: “Lead Ānanda and show him where this cow is, but take care not to catch it for him.” When the five hundred disciples heard their teacher say this, they were all overjoyed.