Du long, Dú lóng: 4 definitions

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

毒龍 [du long]—Poisonous Dragon — [Jātaka (本生 [ben sheng])] The Poisonous Dragon upheld the precepts (持戒 [chi jie]) and sacrificed its body (失身 [shi shen]).

The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa (智度論 [zhi du lun]) Chapter 14 states: "A Bodhisattva (菩薩 [pu sa]) in a previous life (本身 [ben shen]) was once a powerful Poisonous Dragon. If sentient beings (众生 [zhong sheng]) with weak physical strength (身力弱者 [shen li ruo zhe]) looked at it with their eyes (眼视 [yan shi]), they would die. If those with strong physical strength (身力強者 [shen li qiang zhe]) were exposed to its exhaled breath (气往 [qi wang]), they would die. This dragon received the one-day precepts (一日戒 [yi ri jie]), renounced lay life (出家 [chu jia]) to seek tranquility (求静 [qiu jing]), and entered among the trees in the forest (林树间 [lin shu jian]). It meditated (思惟 [si wei]) for a long time, became tired and slack (疲懈 [pi xie]), and fell asleep.

It was the dragon's nature (龍法 [long fa]) that when it slept, its form was like a snake (形狀如蛇 [xing zhuang ru she]), with patterns (文章 [wen zhang]) on its body and various colors (杂色 [za se]) like the seven treasures (七寶 [qi bao]). A hunter (獵者 [lie zhe]) saw it and exclaimed with surprise and delight: 'Is it not fitting to offer this rare (希有 [xi you]) and hard-to-obtain skin (難得之皮 [nan de zhi pi]) to the King (國王 [guo wang]) as garments and adornments (服飾 [fu shi])?' He then pressed its head with a staff (杖 [zhang]) and stripped its skin (剝其皮 [bo qi pi]) with a knife (刀 [dao]).

The dragon thought to itself: 'My power is as I desire (力如意 [li ru yi]); overturning this country is as easy as flipping a palm (反掌 [fan zhang]). This person is an insignificant being (小物 [xiao wu]); how could he trouble me (困我 [kun wo])? But now, because I am upholding the precepts, I disregard this body (不計此身 [bu ji ci shen]). I should follow the Buddha's words (佛語 [fu yu]).' So, it endured by itself (自忍 [zi ren]). It did not look with its eyes (眼目不视 [yan mu bu shi]) and held its breath (閉氣不息 [bi qi bu xi]). Out of compassion (憐愍 [lian min]) for this person, and for the sake of upholding the precepts, it wholeheartedly (一心 [yi xin]) suffered the stripping, generating no regret (不生悔意 [bu sheng hui yi]). Once its skin was lost, its red flesh (赤肉 [chi rou]) lay on the ground.

At that time, the sun was very hot (日大熱 [ri da re]), and it writhed on the ground (宛轉土中 [wan zhuan tu zhong]), wanting to go towards a large body of water (趣大水 [qu da shui]). It saw many small insects (小蟲 [xiao chong]) coming to eat its body. For the sake of upholding the precepts, it did not dare to move again (不復敢動 [bu fu gan dong]), and thought to itself: 'Now I offer this body of mine to these insects for the sake of the Buddha's path (佛道 [fu dao]). Today I give my flesh (肉施 [rou shi]) to nourish their bodies; when I become a Buddha (成佛 [cheng fu]) later, I shall give the Dharma (法施 [fa shi]) to benefit their minds (益其心 [yi qi xin]).' Having made this vow (誓 [shi]), its body dried up (身乾 [shen gan]) and its life ended (命終 [ming zhong]), and it was immediately reborn in the second Trayastrimsa Heaven (第二忉利天上 [di er dao li tian shang]).

At that time, the Poisonous Dragon was Shakyamuni Buddha (釋迦文佛 [shi jia wen fu]). The hunter was Devadatta (提婆達多 [ti po da duo]) and the Six Heretical Teachers (六師 [liu shi]). The small insects were the eighty thousand devas (八萬諸天 [ba wan zhu tian]) who attained the path (得道者 [de dao zhe]) when Shakyamuni Buddha first turned the Dharma wheel (初轉法輪 [chu zhuan fa lun])."

The Mohe Zhiguan (止觀 [zhi guan]) Chapter 7 states: "The Poisonous Dragon sacrificed its skin (輸皮 [shu pi]) and saved the ants (全蟻 [quan yi])."