法苑珠林 76.9

76.9

Furthermore, the Scripture on Guarding Speech says: In the past, the Tathāgata Kāśyapa appeared in the world and expounded the Dharma teachings. When his transforming guidance was complete, he entered parinirvāṇa in the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder. At a later time, there was a Tripiṭaka bhikṣu named Yellow Head. The monastic saṃgha commanded him: 'We will not have you engage in any miscellaneous menial duties; only expound the wondrous Dharmas to the junior students.' At that time, the Tripiṭaka bhikṣu harboured contempt within his heart, yet could not evade the saṃgha's order, and so expounded and revealed the scriptural meanings to the junior students. Calling one to receive the teachings, he said: 'Come forward quickly, Elephant Head!' Calling the second one, he said: 'Horse Head!' He further called out: 'Camel Head, Donkey Head, Pig Head, Sheep Head, Lion Head, Tiger Head!' In this manner, he called them by names of various beasts beyond reckoning. Although he imparted the scriptural meanings, he could not escape his sin. When his body broke up and his life ended, he entered the hells, passing through tens of millions of kalpas undergoing immeasurable suffering. When his residual sin was not yet exhausted, emerging from hell he was born in the great ocean, taking an aquatic form with one body and a hundred heads, his bodily form being extremely immense, so that creatures of other kinds all fled upon seeing him.