法苑珠林 82.8

82.8

As the Mahālaṃkāra-śāstra says: 'If one can wholeheartedly uphold the precepts even unto the end of life, one will attain present retribution.' Formerly I heard that in the city of Nandivardhana there were two lay brothers who both upheld the five precepts. At that time, the younger brother suddenly suffered from flank pain, and his breath was about to cease. The physician then told him: 'Eat freshly killed dog meat and take it together with wine; your ailment will surely be eliminated.' The sick man said: 'As for the dog meat, it may be bought and sought in the market to be eaten. As for the matter of drinking wine, I would rather give up my body and life; I will never violate the precepts to drink wine.' His elder brother, seeing his younger brother in extreme distress and urgency, brought wine and told his younger brother: 'Renounce the precept and take the wine to treat your sickness.' The younger brother said to the elder brother: 'Although my sickness is urgent, I would rather give up my body and life than violate the precepts and drink this wine.' He then spoke a verse: