法苑珠林 76.15

76.15

The *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya* also states: The Buddha told the monks: In an ancient age, a brahman in the kingdom of Takṣaśilā had an ox, which he fed and cared for day and night, scraping, brushing, and wiping it down. At that time, there was also an elder's ox in the kingdom of Takṣaśilā, whose owner proclaimed throughout the city streets and lanes, 'Who has a strong ox to yoke with my strong ox to draw a hundred carts together for a wager of a thousand ounces of gold?' Hearing this proclamation, the brahman's ox thought to himself: 'This brahman feeds and cares for me day and night, scraping, brushing, and wiping me down. I ought to exhaust all my strength now to win those thousand ounces of gold and repay this man's kindness.' The ox then spoke to the brahman: 'You should know that an elder in the kingdom of Takṣaśilā is proclaiming: "Who has an ox to yoke with my ox to draw a hundred carts together for a wager of a thousand ounces of gold?" Master, you may now go to that elder's house and say: "I have an ox that can be yoked with your ox to draw a hundred carts together for a wager of a thousand ounces of gold."' The brahman then went to the elder's house and said, 'I have an ox that can be yoked with your ox to draw a hundred carts together for a wager of a thousand ounces of gold.' The elder replied, 'Now is the right time.' The brahman then led his ox to be yoked with the elder's ox to draw a hundred carts together for a wager of a thousand ounces of gold. Many people gathered to watch. In front of the crowd, the brahman uttered derogatory words: 'Pull, bald-horns!' When the ox heard these derogatory words, it felt ashamed and refused to exert its strength to contest with the other. Thereupon the elder's ox won and the brahman's ox was bested, losing a thousand ounces of gold. The brahman said to the ox, 'I fed and cared for you, wiping and scraping you down day and night, hoping you would exert all your strength to defeat that ox for me. Why have you instead caused me to lose a thousand ounces of gold today?' The ox said to the brahman, 'Before the crowd you disparaged me, saying, "Pull, bald-horns!" making me feel ashamed before everyone; that is why I could not exert my strength to compete in drawing with him. If you can change what you said previously and no longer describe me by my appearance, you may go and tell that elder: "If you can yoke with my ox again to draw a hundred carts together, I will double it to two thousand ounces of gold."' The brahman said to the ox, 'Do not make me lose another two thousand ounces of gold.' The ox replied to the brahman, 'Do not disparage me before the crowd again by saying "Pull, bald-horns!" Before the crowd you must praise me: "Good puller, stately, fine horns!"' The brahman went to the elder's house and said, 'If you can yoke with my ox again to draw a hundred carts together, the wager will be two thousand ounces of gold.' The elder replied, 'Now is the right time.' The brahman's ox and the elder's ox were yoked together to draw a hundred carts for a wager of two thousand ounces of gold, and many people watched together. In front of the crowd, the brahman praised it, saying, 'Good puller, stately, fine horns!' Hearing these words, the ox exerted brave strength to compete in pulling with the other. The brahman's ox won and the elder's ox was bested, so the brahman gained two thousand ounces of gold. At that time, the Buddha said to the monks: Whenever people wish to speak, they should speak good words; they should not speak harsh words. Those who speak good words fare well; those who speak harsh words generate distress for themselves. Therefore, bhikṣus, when even beasts feel ashamed and unable to exert strength upon being disparaged by humans, how much more so for humans—when reviled and insulted by others, how could they not feel shame? Therefore, the *Tattvasiddhi-śāstra* states: If a person speaks harsh words and utters various revilements, they receive retribution according to their speech.