諸經要集 8.64

8.64

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.'