諸經要集 16.29

16.29

Moreover, the Fo benxing jing says: At that time, the Buddha addressed the bhikṣus, saying: I recall that in the past there was a river named Pāriyātra (which in the language of the Sui means 'Beyond the Joint'). At that time, on the bank of that river, there was a man who was a garland-maker. That man had a garden beside the river. Within that river, there was then a turtle that emerged from the water and entered the flower garden searching for food as it walked. Passing everywhere, it trampled and damaged the flowers. At that time, the owner of the garden, seeing that the turtle damaged the flowers, immediately seized it and placed it in a basket, intending to kill and eat it. That turtle thought: "How can I escape this peril? What expedient means can I use to deceive this garden owner?" It immediately spoke a verse to the garden owner: