諸經要集 16.40

16.40

Furthermore, the Zabaozang jing says: In the past, crows and owls harboured mutual hatred and resentment. The crows waited for daylight, knowing that the owls had no sight, and stomped to death flocks of owls, tearing them apart and eating their flesh. The owls then, during the night, knowing that the crows were blind in the dark, in turn pecked at the flocks of crows, ripped open their bellies, and also tore them apart and ate them. Fearing the day and fearing the night, there was never an end to it. There was a wise crow who spoke to the other crows: 'Having become enemies, our enmity cannot be resolved. In the end we will exterminate one another, as both sides cannot survive together. We should devise an expedient means to completely eradicate the owls; only then can we obtain joy. If not, in the end we shall be defeated by them.' The other crows answered: 'What method should we employ to destroy this enemy and foe?' The wise crow answered: 'You crows must pluck out my feathers and peck my head bloody; I shall devise a plan that will surely eradicate them.' Thereupon, just as he said, with an emaciated and wretched appearance, he went outside the owls' cave and wailed in sorrow. Having heard his cries, [the owl] asked: 'Why have you come to my place now wounded and harmed?' The crow said to the owl: 'The other crows made an enemy of me so that I could not survive; therefore I have come to take refuge with you to escape their malice.' At that time, the owl took pity on him, and consequently sheltered and provided for him, constantly giving him leftover meat. As days and months went by, his feathers grew back. The crow made a subtle plan: holding dry tree branches along with grasses and wood in his beak, he placed them inside the owl's cave, appearing as though repaying the kindness. The owl said to the crow: 'What is the purpose of this?' The crow immediately replied: 'Inside the cave, it is nothing but cold rock; with these grasses and wood, we can ward off the cold wind.' The owl thought it was indeed so, and was silent without answering. Thereupon the crow asked to guard the entrance of the cave, falsely offering his service to repay the kindness of being nurtured. It happened that there was a sudden heavy snow and the cold wind blew fiercely; the flock of owls gathered hastily inside the cave. Having obtained his opportunity, the crow immediately gave rise to joy. Holding herdsmen's fire in his beak, he set the owl cave ablaze. All the owls were incinerated and destroyed in the cave all at once. At that time, the devas spoke a verse: