[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [諸經要集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123) › 8.64 # 諸經要集 8.64 諸經要集 8.64 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [8.64](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123.8.64) 又賢愚經云。佛過去久遠世時。時世飢儉。如來因地慈救眾生。作大魚身長五百由旬。國人須其肉者。無問人畜皆來取噉。取已還生。經於十二年施其肉血。又受生經云。昔者菩薩。曾為鼈王。生長大海化諸同類。子民群眾。皆修仁德。王自奉行慈悲救護。愍於眾生如母愛子。其海深長邊際難限。而悉周至靡不更歷。於時鼈王。出於海外在邊臥息。積有日月其背堅燥。猶如陸地。賈人遠來因止其上。破薪然火炊煮飯食。繫其牛馬。車乘載石皆著其上。鼈王欲起入水。畏墮不仁。適欲強忍痛不可勝。便設權計。入淺水處除滅火毒。不危眾賈。賈眾恐怖。謂湖卒涱悲哀呼嗟。歸命諸天唯見救濟。鼈王心益愍之。因報賈人曰。慎莫恐怖吾被火焚。故捨入水欲令痛息。今當相安。終不相危。眾賈聞之。知有活望。俱時發聲言。南無佛。鼈興大慈還負眾賈。移在岸邊。眾人得脫靡不歡喜。遙稱鼈王而歎其德。尊為橋梁多所過度。行為大舟超越三界。設得佛道。當復救脫生死之厄。鼈王報曰。善哉善哉。當如汝言。各自別去。佛言時鼈王者。我身是也。五百賈人者。今五百弟子舍利弗等是也。 > Furthermore, the Xianyu jing states: Long ago in the past, at a time of famine, the Tathāgata on the causal ground, compassionately saving sentient beings, transformed into a giant fish five hundred yojanas in body length. Whenever people of the realm needed its meat, whether humans or domestic animals, they all came and took it to eat; once taken, it grew back again, bestowing its flesh and blood for twelve years. Furthermore, the Shousheng jing states: Formerly, the Bodhisattva was once a turtle king, born and raised in the great ocean, transforming those of his kind. His offspring and flock of subjects all cultivated humaneness and virtue. The king himself practiced maitrī-karuṇā and deliverance, pitying sentient beings as a mother loves her child. That ocean was deep and vast, its boundaries hard to measure, yet he traversed it all without exception. At that time the turtle king came out beyond the sea and lay resting on the shore; months and days having passed, his back became hard and dry, just like dry land. Merchants coming from afar stopped upon it, chopped firewood, kindled fire, cooked rice and food, tied their oxen and horses, and placed their wagons laden with stones all upon him. The turtle king wished to rise and enter the water, but feared falling into inhumaneness; intending to endure it with effort, the pain was unbearable. He then devised an expedient plan: entering shallow water to extinguish the poisonous fire without endangering the merchants. The merchants were terrified, thinking the lake had suddenly swelled, weeping and wailing, taking refuge in the gods, begging only for rescue. The turtle king pitied them even more, and thus informed the merchants, saying: 'Do not be afraid. I was burned by fire, so I plunged into the water wishing to soothe the pain. Now I will keep you safe; I will never harm you.' The merchants, hearing this, knew there was hope of surviving, and together cried out in unison: 'Namo Buddhāya!' The turtle aroused great compassion, carried the merchants again, and moved them to the shore. All the people were delivered, none not rejoicing, praising the turtle king from afar and admiring his virtue: 'Revered as a bridge carrying many across; acting as a great vessel crossing beyond the three realms. If you attain the Buddha path, you must again deliver us from the distress of birth and death.' The turtle king replied: 'Excellent, excellent! It shall be as you say.' Each went their separate ways. The Buddha said: 'The turtle king of that time was myself; the five hundred merchants were the five hundred disciples of today, Śāriputra and the others.' > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 8.63](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123.8.63) - [Next: 8.65](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123.8.65) - [Up: 8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123.8) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123~en-mt.8.64) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.65.53) — 道世, Classical Chinese - [經律異相](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2121.11.55) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123.8.64](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123.8.64) · Pramāṇa