諸經要集 2.27

2.27

Furthermore, the *Zabaozang jing* says: "At that time, the country of Pañcāla presented five hundred white wild geese to King Prasenajit. The king ordered them sent to the Jetavana vihāra. At mealtime for the community of monks, people offered food. Seeing the gathering of monks, the geese came and stood before them. The Buddha preached the Dharma with a single voice, and each sentient being understood according to their kind. At that time, the flock of geese also understood the Buddha's words, heard the Dharma with joy, called out to one another in harmony, and returned to the pond. Later, their feathers grew longer and they flew off to another place. A hunter covered them all with a net and killed them. One goose made a cry, and all the geese harmonized with it, recalling the sound from when they heard the Dharma. Supported by this wholesome mind, they were born into the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. In the principle of rebirth in heaven, there are three mindful recollections: first, recalling where one originally came from; second, recalling where one is definitely born; third, recalling what karma one previously performed to be born in heaven. They then reflected and saw of their past lives that they had no other wholesomeness, but had only heard the Dharma beside the Buddha and the saṃgha. Having made this reflection, the five hundred devaputras immediately descended to the Tathāgata's side. The Buddha preached the Dharma for them, and they all attained srotāpanna. King Prasenajit happened to go to the Buddha's place. He had always seen the five hundred geese lined up before the Buddha, but on that day he did not see them. He then asked the Buddha: 'Where have the geese here gone?' The Buddha said: 'If you wish to see those geese: the previous geese flew to another place and were killed by a hunter, and when their lives ended, they were born in heaven. Now, these five hundred devaputras, who wear fine heavenly crowns and are exceptionally handsome and upright, are them. Today they listened to the Dharma and all attained srotāpanna.' The king asked the Buddha: 'By what karmic conditions did this flock of geese fall among animals, then when their lives ended be born in heaven, and today attain the Way?' The Buddha said: 'In the past, in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, five hundred women all took the precepts together. Their resolve was not firm, and they violated the precepts they had received. Because of the conditions of violating the precepts, they fell among animals to take the bodies of these geese. Because they had taken the precepts, they were able to encounter the Tathāgata, hear the Dharma, and attain the Way. Through the conditions of hearing the Dharma while in the bodies of geese, they were born in heaven.'"