法苑珠林 65.12

65.12

Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra says: In a past life, the people suffered greatly from diseases of jaundice, pallor, and emaciation. The bodhisattva at that time took the body of a red fish, and offered his own flesh to the sick people to cure their illnesses. Furthermore, in the past the bodhisattva became a flying bird living in the forest. He saw a man who had entered deep water, a place where humans do not walk, ensnared by a water deity and unable to untie himself. If someone could go to Mount Gandhamādana and obtain a medicinal herb to place upon the snare, the rope would immediately rot and break, and the man could escape. In past lifetimes, the bodhisattva had countless such jātaka tales, bringing great benefit; these are called jātaka sūtras.