English
Bodhisattva's Original Cause Sutra, Dragon Chapter Eighth The Bodhisattva Mahasattva, can uphold the precepts even in anger, how much more so when born as a human, how could he not persevere. In the past, the Bodhisattva fell into the form of a dragon due to the cause of anger, and endured a body with three poisons: the so-called poison of breath, poison of sight, and poison of touch. His body was of mixed colors, like a collection of seven treasures, his own light shone, not needing the light of the sun and moon, his appearance was tall, and his breath was like a bellows; his eyes were bright, like two suns rising, and he was often surrounded by countless dragons. He transformed his body into the form of a human, and enjoyed himself with many dragon maidens. He lived in the secluded place of Mount Vithada, where there were many trees, and the flowers and fruits were lush and very lovely. There were many ponds with eight kinds of delicious flavors, and he often played and enjoyed himself there, for countless hundreds of thousands of years. At that time, the Garuda, for the sake of food, flew in the air, contracting his body, wanting to seize 。当其来时，诸山碎坏，泉池枯涸。尔时，诸龙及诸龙女，见闻是事，心大恐怖，所服璎珞、华香、服饰，寻悉解落裂在其地。诸龙夫人恐怖堕泪，而作是言：“今此大怨，已来逼身，其㭰金刚多所破坏，当如之何？”龙便答曰：“卿依我后。”时，诸妇女寻即相与，来依附龙，龙复念言：“今此妇女各生恐怖，我若不能作拥护者，何用如是殊大之身？我今此身为诸龙王，若不能护何用王为？行正法者悉舍身命以拥护他，是金翅鸟之王有大威德。其力难堪除我一身余无能御，我今要当舍其身命以救诸龙。” 尔时，龙王语金翅鸟：“汝金翅鸟，小复留神听我所说。汝于我所常生怨害，然我于汝都无恶心，我以宿业受是大身禀得三毒，虽有是力未曾于他而生恶心。我今自忖审其气力，足能与汝共相抗御，亦能远炎大火投干草木，五谷临熟遇天恶雹，或变大身遮蔽日月，或变小身入藕丝孔，亦坏大地作于江海，亦震山岳能令动摇，亦能避走远去令汝不见我。今所以不委去者，多有诸龙来依附我，所以不与汝战诤者，由我于汝不生恶故。” 金翅鸟言：“我与汝怨，何故于我不生恶心？” 龙王答言：“我虽兽身善解业报，审知少恶报逐不置，犹如形影不相舍离。我今与汝所以俱生如是恶家，悉由先世集恶业故，我今常于汝所生慈愍心，汝应深思如来所说： “‘非以怨心， 能息怨憎， 唯以忍辱， 然后乃灭。’ “譬如大火投之干薪，其炎转更倍常增多，以瞋报瞋，亦复如是 现代汉语译本：当它来临时，群山崩塌，泉水干涸。那时，众龙和龙女们，看到听到这些事，心中非常恐惧，身上佩戴的璎珞、花香、服饰，都纷纷脱落散落在地上。龙的夫人们恐惧地流着眼泪，说道：‘现在这个大仇敌，已经逼近我们了，那只金翅鸟破坏力极大，我们该怎么办？’龙便回答说：‘你们依附在我身后。’当时，那些妇女们立刻互相依偎，来依附龙，龙又想到：‘现在这些妇女们都非常恐惧，我如果不能保护她们，要这如此巨大的身躯有什么用？我如今身为龙王，如果不能保护他们，要这王位有什么用？修行正法的人都应该舍弃身命来保护他人，这金翅鸟之王有强大的威德。它的力量难以抵挡，除了我自身，没有人能制服它，我今天一定要舍弃自己的生命来拯救众龙。’ 那时，龙王对金翅鸟说：‘你这金翅鸟，稍微留神听我说。你对我总是怀有怨恨，然而我对你却没有丝毫恶意，我因为宿世的业报才得到这巨大的身躯，禀赋了贪嗔痴三毒，虽然有这样的力量，却从未对他人产生恶意。我现在自己衡量自己的力量，足以与你对抗，也能将大火投向干柴，五谷成熟时遇到恶劣的冰雹，或者变化巨大的身躯遮蔽日月，或者变化微小的身躯进入藕丝孔，也能破坏大地形成江海，也能震动山岳使其摇晃，也能避开远走让你看不见我。现在之所以不离开，是因为有很多龙来依附我，之所以不与你争斗，是因为我对你没有恶意。’ 金翅鸟说：‘我与你有仇怨，为什么你对我没有恶意？’ 龙王回答说：‘我虽然是兽身，却深知业报的道理，明白即使是微小的恶行，也会紧随不舍，就像形影不离一样。我今天与你之所以会生在这样的仇家，都是因为前世积累了恶业的缘故，我常常对你生起慈悲怜悯之心，你应该深思如来所说：‘不是用怨恨，能够平息怨恨，唯有以忍辱，然后才能灭除。’ ‘譬如大火投向干柴，火焰反而更加倍地增长，以嗔恨报复嗔恨，也是如此。’ English version: When it came, the mountains crumbled, and the springs dried up. At that time, the dragons and dragon maidens, seeing and hearing these things, were greatly terrified. The necklaces, fragrant flowers, and garments they wore all fell off and scattered on the ground. The dragon's wives, terrified and weeping, said, 'Now this great enemy has come upon us. That Garuda is extremely destructive, what should we do?' The dragon then replied, 'You rely on me.' At that time, the women immediately clung to each other and came to rely on the dragon. The dragon then thought, 'Now these women are all very frightened. If I cannot protect them, what use is this huge body? I am now a dragon king. If I cannot protect them, what use is this kingship? Those who practice the righteous Dharma should give up their lives to protect others. This king of the Garuda has great power and virtue. Its strength is difficult to withstand. Except for myself, no one can subdue it. Today, I must give up my life to save the dragons.' At that time, the dragon king said to the Garuda, 'You Garuda, please listen to what I have to say. You always harbor resentment towards me, but I have no ill will towards you. Because of past karma, I received this huge body and was endowed with the three poisons of greed, anger, and ignorance. Although I have such power, I have never harbored ill will towards others. I now assess my own strength and find that I am capable of resisting you. I can also throw a great fire onto dry wood, or when the five grains are ripe, encounter severe hail, or transform into a huge body to cover the sun and moon, or transform into a tiny body to enter the lotus root hole. I can also destroy the earth to form rivers and seas, or shake the mountains to make them tremble, or avoid and flee far away so that you cannot see me. The reason I do not leave now is that many dragons have come to rely on me. The reason I do not fight with you is that I have no ill will towards you.' The Garuda said, 'I have a grudge against you, why do you have no ill will towards me?' The dragon king replied, 'Although I am an animal, I deeply understand the principle of karmic retribution. I know that even a small evil deed will follow relentlessly, like a shadow that never leaves. The reason why I and you are born into such an antagonistic relationship is all because of the accumulation of evil karma in past lives. I often have compassion and pity for you. You should deeply contemplate what the Tathagata said: 'Not with resentment, can resentment be quelled, only with forbearance, can it then be extinguished.' 'It is like throwing a fire onto dry firewood, the flames will only increase even more. To repay anger with anger is the same.' 时，金翅鸟闻是语已，怨心即息，复向龙王说如是言：“我今于汝常生怨心，然汝于我乃生慈心。” 龙王答言：“我先与汝俱受佛语，我常忆持抱在心怀，而汝忘失了不忆念。” 金翅鸟言：“唯愿仁者为我和上，善为我说无上之法，我从今始惠施一切诸龙无畏。”说是语已，即舍龙宫，还本住处。 尔时，龙王遣金翅鸟还本处已，慰喻诸龙及诸妇女：“汝见金翅生怖畏不？其余众生睹见汝时，亦复如是生大怖畏。如汝诸龙爱惜身命，一切众生，亦复如是。当观自身以喻彼身，是故应生大慈之心，以我修集慈心因缘故，令怨憎还其本处，流转生死所可恃怙无过慈心。夫慈心者，除重烦恼之妙药也，慈是无量生死饥饿之妙食也。我等往昔以失慈心故，今来堕此畜生之中，若以修慈为门户者，一切烦恼不能得入，生天人中及正解脱，慈为良乘更无过者。”诸龙妇女闻是语已，远离恚毒修集慈心。 尔时，龙王自见同辈，悉修慈心欢喜自庆：“善哉！我今所作已办，我虽业因生畜生中，而得修行大士之业。” 尔时，龙王复向诸龙，而作是言：“已为汝等作善事竟，为已示汝正真之道，复为汝等然正法炬、闭诸恶道、开人天路，汝已除弃无量恶毒以上甘露，补置其处欲请一事。汝等当知于十二月前十五日，阎浮提人以八戒水洗浴其身，心作清净为人天道而作资粮，远离憍慢、贡高、贪欲、瞋恚、愚痴，我亦如是，欲效彼人受八戒斋法 当时，金翅鸟听到这话后，怨恨之心立刻消散，又对龙王说：‘我一直对你怀有怨恨，但你却对我生起了慈悲之心。’ 龙王回答说：‘我先前和你一起听受佛的教诲，我常常铭记在心，而你却忘记了，没有忆念。’ 金翅鸟说：‘希望您能为我和解，好好地为我讲说无上的佛法，我从今以后要施予一切龙族无畏。’说完这话，就离开了龙宫，回到自己原来的住处。 这时，龙王遣送金翅鸟回到原处后，安慰众龙和妇女们说：‘你们见到金翅鸟会感到害怕吗？其他众生见到你们时，也会像这样感到非常害怕。就像你们龙族爱惜自己的生命一样，一切众生也是如此。应当以自身来比喻其他众生，所以应该生起大慈悲之心。因为我修习慈悲心的缘故，才使得怨恨之人回到原来的地方。在生死轮回中，可以依靠的没有比慈悲心更好的了。慈悲心是消除严重烦恼的妙药，慈悲是无量生死饥饿的妙食。我们过去因为失去了慈悲心，所以今生才堕落到畜生道中。如果以修习慈悲心为入门，一切烦恼都不能进入，可以往生到天人道中，乃至获得真正的解脱，慈悲是最好的乘具，没有比它更好的了。’众龙和妇女们听了这话后，都远离了嗔恨和毒害，修习慈悲之心。 这时，龙王看到自己的同伴都修习慈悲心，欢喜地庆贺自己说：‘太好了！我今天所做的事情已经完成了，我虽然因为业力而生在畜生道中，却能够修行大士的功业。’ 这时，龙王又对众龙说：‘我已经为你们做了善事，为你们指明了正道，又为你们点燃了正法的火炬，关闭了恶道，开辟了通往人天之路。你们已经舍弃了无量的恶毒，得到了甘露的滋润，现在我想请求你们一件事。你们应当知道，在十二月十五日之前，阎浮提的人们会用八戒水洗浴身体，心中保持清净，为通往人天道积攒资粮，远离骄慢、贡高、贪欲、嗔恚、愚痴。我也想效仿他们，受持八戒斋法。’ At that time, the Garuda, having heard these words, immediately ceased his resentment and said to the Dragon King, 'I have always held resentment towards you, yet you have shown me compassion.' The Dragon King replied, 'I previously received the Buddha's teachings with you, and I always kept them in my heart, but you forgot and did not remember them.' The Garuda said, 'I beseech you, kind one, to reconcile with me and kindly explain the supreme Dharma to me. From this day forward, I will grant fearlessness to all dragons.' Having spoken these words, he left the Dragon Palace and returned to his original abode. Then, after sending the Garuda back to his place, the Dragon King comforted the dragons and their women, saying, 'Do you feel fear when you see the Garuda? Other beings also feel great fear when they see you. Just as you dragons cherish your lives, so do all other beings. You should consider others as you consider yourselves, and therefore, you should cultivate great compassion. Because I have cultivated compassion, those who held resentment have returned to their original places. In the cycle of birth and death, there is no better refuge than compassion. Compassion is the wonderful medicine for removing heavy afflictions, and compassion is the wonderful food for the hunger of endless births and deaths. In the past, because we lost compassion, we fell into the animal realm. If we use the cultivation of compassion as our gateway, all afflictions will not be able to enter, and we can be reborn in the heavens or even attain true liberation. Compassion is the best vehicle, and there is nothing better.' Upon hearing these words, the dragons and their women abandoned their anger and poison and cultivated compassion. At that time, the Dragon King, seeing that his companions were all cultivating compassion, rejoiced and congratulated himself, saying, 'Excellent! What I have done today is accomplished. Although I was born into the animal realm due to my karma, I am able to cultivate the deeds of a great being.' Then, the Dragon King spoke to the dragons again, saying, 'I have already done good deeds for you, shown you the true path, lit the torch of the true Dharma for you, closed the evil paths, and opened the path to humans and gods. You have already abandoned immeasurable poison and received the nourishment of nectar. Now, I wish to ask one thing of you. You should know that before the fifteenth day of the twelfth month, the people of Jambudvipa will bathe their bodies with the water of the eight precepts, keep their minds pure, and accumulate merit for the path to humans and gods, abandoning arrogance, pride, greed, anger, and ignorance. I also wish to emulate them and observe the eight precepts.