法苑珠林 82.25

82.25

The treatise also says: 'Formerly I heard that there was a bhikṣu who went begging for food in sequential order. He arrived at the house of a bead-piercer and stood outside the gate. At that time, that bead artisan was piercing a maṇi jewel for the king. The bhikṣu's robe was red, and shining onto that jewel, its color appeared red. That bead artisan then entered his house to fetch food for the bhikṣu. At that time, a goose saw the red color of the jewel, shaped like meat, and immediately swallowed it. The artisan brought food to give as alms to the bhikṣu, and immediately searched for the jewel, but did not know where it was. This jewel was costly, and the artisan, being poor and anxious, said to the bhikṣu: "Did you take my jewel?" The bhikṣu feared that he would kill the goose to take the jewel. What plan could be devised to escape this calamity? He then spoke a verse: