諸經要集 19.80

19.80

又雜寶藏經云。昔有老公其家巨富。而此老公思得肉食。詭作方便。指田頭樹語諸子言。令我家業所以諧富。由此樹神恩福故爾。今日汝等。宜可群中取羊以用祭祀。時諸子等承父教勅。尋即殺羊禱賽此樹。即於下立天祀舍。其父後時壽盡命終。行業所追。還生己家羊群之中。時值諸子欲祀神樹。便取一羊。遇得其父將欲殺之。羊便[嘌-示+土][嘌-示+土]笑而言曰。而此樹者有何神靈。我於往時為思肉故。妄使汝祀。皆共汝等同食此肉。今償殃罪獨先當之。時有羅漢遇到乞食。見其亡父受於羊身。即借主人道眼。令自觀察。乃知其父。心懷懊惱即壞樹神。悔過修福不復殺生。

Furthermore, the Zabaozang jing states: In the past, there was an old man whose household was exceedingly wealthy. This old man craved meat and deceitfully devised an expedient: pointing to a tree at the edge of the field, he said to his sons, 'The reason our family business has prospered and grown rich is entirely due to the grace and blessing of this tree spirit. Today, you should take a sheep from the flock and use it to make a sacrifice.' Then the sons, obeying their father's command, immediately slaughtered a sheep to fulfill the vow to this tree, and erected a shrine pavilion beneath it. Later, when the father's lifespan was exhausted and his life ended, pursued by his deeds, he was reborn back into the flock of sheep in his own household. At that time, when the sons were about to sacrifice to the spirit tree, they took a sheep, which happened to be their father, and were about to kill it. The sheep then bleated with laughter and said, 'What divine spirit does this tree possess? In the past, because I craved meat, I falsely made you offer sacrifices, and together with you I ate this meat. Now, in repaying this calamity and sin, I alone must be the first to face it!' At that time, an arhat came by begging for food. Seeing the deceased father having received a sheep's body, he lent his spiritual eye to the master of the house, causing him to observe it for himself. Only then did the son know it was his father; filled with anguish, he tore down the shrine of the tree spirit, repented his transgressions, cultivated merit, and killed living beings no more.