法苑珠林 65.45

65.45

Furthermore, the Saṃyuktaratnapiṭaka-sūtra says: In the past, there was an arhat, a man of the Path, who kept a novice. Knowing that this novice would surely die when seven days had passed, he granted him leave to return home, instructing him to come back when the seven days were over. The novice took leave of his master and went home. On his way, he saw many ants drifting along with the water, on the verge of death. Arousing a compassionate mind, he took off his kāṣāya himself, held earth in it to dam the water, and picked up the ants, placing them in a high and dry place. Consequently, they all survived. When the seven days were over, he returned to the master's place. The master was greatly astonished. Immediately entering samādhi, he observed with the divine eye and knew that [the novice] had no other merit to obtain this; solely through the cause and condition of rescuing the ants, he did not die after seven days and gained a long prolongation of life. (Also, repairing an old stūpa brings prolongation of life; repairing walls or plastering holes in a saṃghārāma also brings prolongation of life.)