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| Contents Preface 1-10 11-20 21-30 31-40 41-50 51-60 |
| 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-100 < Previous Next > |
Hundred Parables Sutra 百喻經
11 - 20
(一一)婆羅門殺子喻
Parable 11. The Brāhman Kills His Own Son
昔有婆羅門，自謂多知，於諸星術種種技藝無不明達。恃己如此，欲顯其德，
遂至他國，抱兒而哭。有人問婆羅門言：「汝何故哭？」
婆羅門言：「今此小兒，七日當死，愍其夭傷，以是哭耳。」
時人語言：「人命難知，計算喜錯。設七日頭，或能不死，何為豫哭？」
婆羅門言：「日月可闇，星宿可落，我之所記，終無違失。」
為名利故，至七日頭，自殺其子，以證己說。時諸世人，却後七日，聞其兒死，咸皆歎言：「真是智者，所言不錯。」
心生信服，悉來致敬。猶如佛之四輩弟子，為利養故，自稱得道，有愚人法，
殺善男子，詐現慈德。故使將來，受苦無窮。如婆羅門為驗己言，殺子惑世。Once there was a brāhman who thought himself very knowledgeable, understanding all the skills. Presumptuous and wishing to display his abilities, he went abroad, carrying his son and crying. Someone asked the brāhman, “Why are you crying?”
He replied, “This baby is going to die within seven days. I’m crying because he shall die so young.”The people said, “It’s difficult to know a person’s fate. Perhaps you calculated wrongly. He may not die at the end of seven days. Why weep in advance?”
The brāhman said, “The sun and moon may grow dark and the stars may fall, but my calculations are never wrong.”
For the sake of fame and gain, and to prove the truth of his saying, he killed his own son when the seven days were up.
When people heard the news of his son’s death after seven days, all praised him saying he was indeed wise and not mistaken. Thus they trusted him and admired him.
This is like Śākyamuni Buddha’s fourfold assembly of disciples who, for the sake of material offerings, pretended to have attained the Path. But some people will undergo limitless sufferings in the future, just like the brāhman who deluded people by killing his own son in order to prove the accuracy of his prediction.
(一二)煮黑石蜜漿喻
Parable 12. Boiled Molasses
昔有愚人，煮黑石蜜。有一富人，來至其家。時此愚人，便作是念：我今當取，黑石蜜漿，與此富人。即著少水，用置火中。即於火上，以扇扇之，望得使冷。
傍人語言：「下不止火，扇之不已，云何得冷？」
爾時人眾，悉皆嗤笑。其猶外道，不滅煩惱，熾chì然之火，少作苦行，臥蕀刺上，
五熱炙身，而望清涼，寂靜之道。終無是處。徒為智者，之所怪笑。受苦現在，
殃流來劫。Once upon a time, a stupid man was boiling molasses. When a rich man came to his house, he wanted to give some molasses to the rich man. He poured a bit of water into the pot of molasses and put it over a fire. Then he used a fan to fan the molasses, trying to cool it. A bystander asked him, “If you don’t put out the fire below, how could the molasses cool down even if you keep on fanning it?”
People began to laugh at this man.
This is just like non-Buddhists who do not bother to extinguish the fire of afflictions. They delve into ascetic practices such as lying down on thorns and brambles, or scorching the five parts of their bodies, in hope of attaining the path of clear coolness and quiescence. They will never get anywhere. They are laughed at by the wise, who think them to be strange. In their present lives, they undergo suffering. In the future, they will have to undergo the pain of revolving in the wheel.
(一三)說人喜瞋喻
Parable 13. Speaking About a Person’s Tendency to Get Angry
過去有人，共多人眾，坐於屋中。歎一外人，德行極好，唯有二過：一者喜瞋，二者作事倉卒。爾時此人，過在門外，聞作是語，便生瞋恚。即入其屋，擒彼道己愚惡之人，以手打撲。
傍人問言：「何故打也？」
其人答言：「我曾何時，喜瞋、倉卒？而此人者，道我順喜瞋恚，作事倉卒，
是故打之。」傍人語言：「汝今喜瞋、倉卒之相，即時現驗，云何諱之？」
人說過惡，而起怨責，深為眾人，怪其愚惑。譬如世間飲酒之夫，躭荒沈酒，作諸放
逸，見人呵責，返生尤疾，苦引證作，用自明白。若此愚人，諱聞己過，見他道說，
返欲打撲之。In the past, a group of people sat in a house discussing and praising the conduct of a certain person. However, this person had two faults: he liked to get angry, and he acted impulsively.
Right at that moment, the man being discussed happened to be passing by the house where the group of people inside were discussing his qualities. He knew immediately they were talking about him. In a rage, he rushed into the house, grabbed a man who was talking about him, and proceeded to rain down blows on him.
Another person asked this person, “For what reason are you beating him?”
The person replied, “When do I ever lose my temper and act impulsively? This man claims that I often get angry and act impulsively! That’s why I’m hitting him!”
The bystander pointed out, “Your behavior right now reveals your tendency to get angry and to act impulsively. How could you hide it away and act as you are?”
Those who become resentful when their faults are brought out reveal their own foolishness. This is just like an alcoholic who sinks into dissipation from his wild indulgences. When others reprimand him, he grows antagonistic, trying his best to justify himself. Such a person is like the stupid man who dislikes it when others bring up his faults, only reacting with violence.
(一四)殺商主祀天喻
Parable 14. Slaying Their Guide and Offering Him Up as a Sacrifice
昔有賈gǔ客，欲入大海。入大海之法要須導師，然後可去。即共求覓，得一導師。既得之已，相將發引，至曠野中。有一天祠cí ，當須人祀sì，然後得過。
於是眾賈，共思量言：「我等伴黨，盡是親親，如何可殺？唯此導師，中用祀天。」
即殺導師，以用祭祀。祀天已竟，迷失道路，不知所趣，窮困死盡。一切世人，亦復如是：欲入法海，取其珍寶，當修善法行，以為導師。毀破善行，生死曠路永無出期；經歷三塗，受苦長遠，如彼商賈，將入大海，殺其導者，迷失津濟，終致困死。
Once upon a time, there was a group of merchants who wanted to go out to sea. To this end, they needed a guide, so they set out on a quest for one. After they found one, they started out on their journey. During their travels, they came upon a temple of the gods in the wilderness, where the sacrifice of a person's life was required in order for them to pass through. The group of merchants talked it over among themselves, “We are all relatives—how could we possibly kill any one of us? Only this guide of ours is fit to be the sacrifice to the gods.”
So they killed the guide and offered him up as a sacrifice. After making the sacrifice, they lost their way. Not knowing their own whereabouts, the entire group endured great anguish. They eventually perished.
People of the world are like this group of merchants. If they wish to enter the ocean of Dharma to obtain the treasures within, they should cultivate the Dharma of goodness as their guide. If they destroy such wholesome practices, they will lose their guide and will never be able to find their way out of the ‘wilderness’ of birth and death. They will undergo prolonged and extensive suffering in the three lower paths. Such people are like the merchants, who wish to go out to sea. Once they killed their guide, they lost their way, and eventually became impoverished and died.
(一五)醫與王女藥令卒長大喻
Parable 15. The Physician Prescribes A Drug For The Princess
昔有國王，產生一女。喚醫語言：「為我與藥，立使長大。」
醫師答言：「我與良藥，能使即大。但今卒無，方須求索。比得藥頃，王要莫看。待與藥已，然後示王。」
於是即便，遠方取藥，經十二年，得藥來還。與女令服，將示於王。
王見歡喜，即自念言：實是良醫，與我女藥，能令卒長。
便勅左右，賜以珍寶。時諸人等，笑王無智，不曉籌量，生來年月。見其長大，
謂是藥力。世人亦爾，詣善知識，而啟之言：「我欲求道，願見教授。使我立得善知識。」
師以方便，故教令坐禪、觀十二緣起。漸積眾德，獲阿羅漢位。
踊躍歡喜，而作是言：「快哉！大師。速能令我，證最妙法。」
Once upon a time, there was a King who had a newborn daughter. He called in a physician and said, “Can you prescribe a drug for the baby so she can grow up immediately?”
The physician said, “Yes, I can administer a fine drug which will make her grow up instantly, but I don’t have the formula right now. I will have to go search for it. However, during my search, Your Majesty must not lay eyes on your daughter. After I give her the drug, I will bring her before Your Majesty.”
Then the physician went to a faraway place to look for the drug. After twelve years had passed, he found the drug. He administered it to the princess and brought her before the King. The King took a look at his daughter and was overjoyed. He thought to himself, “What a fine physician! He gave my daughter a drug and caused her to grow up immediately!”
Then the King ordered his attendants to reward the physician with treasures and gems.
People laughed at the King for his lack of wisdom. It never occurred to him to add up the number of months and years that had passed since his daughter’s date of birth. On seeing her grown up, he attributed her maturity to the power of the drug.
People of the world are like this King. They come to a Good Knowing Advisor and say, “I wish to seek the Way. I wish to meet someone who can teach me to gain transcendent wisdom in meditation.”
The teacher uses skill-in-means to instruct his followers to sit in meditation and contemplate the twelve causes and conditions, and to accumulate myriad virtues, until they eventually realize the fruit of Arhatship. At that point, the people are doubly pleased. They exclaim, “How fast this has been! This great teacher has quickly led us to the certification of the most wonderful Dharma!”
(一六)灌甘蔗喻
Parable 16. Watering with Sugar
昔有二人共種甘蔗，而作誓言：「種好者賞。其不好者，當重罰之。」
時二人中，一者念言：「甘蔗極甜，若壓取汁，還灌甘蔗樹，甘美必甚，得勝於彼。」
即壓甘蔗，取汁用溉，冀jì望滋味。返敗種子，所有甘蔗，一切都失。
世人亦爾：欲求善福，恃己豪貴，專形挾（龍藏）勢，迫脅下民，陵奪財物，
以（龍藏）用作福，本期善果，不知將來反獲其患殃。如壓甘蔗，彼此都失。Once upon a time, there were two people who cooperated in planting sugarcane crops. They made a pact with each other: “The one who comes up with the better crop will be rewarded, while the one who doesn’t do as good a job will be severely punished.”
At that time, one of the two thought to himself, “Sugar cane is extremely sweet. If I crush the sugar cane, obtain its juice, and irrigate the plants with sugarcane juice, then the sweetness of this crop will certainly excel that of my partner.”
Thereupon, he crushed his sugar cane and used their juice to irrigate his own plants, hoping that they would become even more succulent and sweet-tasting. But, instead he damaged the seeds and lost his entire crop.
People of the world are like this farmer. Wishing to pursue wholesome blessings, they rely on their own wealth and influence to oppress the people and usurp and confiscate others’ wealth and possessions. They conduct themselves in this way in their pursuit of blessings, hoping for riches and wholesome rewards. They fail to realize that they will suffer terrible retribution. They are like the man who squeezed sugar cane juice on his sugar cane plants and ended up losing both the juice and the plants.
(一七)債半錢喻
Parable 17. The Half-Cent Debt
往有商人，貸他半錢，久不得償。即便往債，前有大河。雇他兩錢，然後得渡。到彼往債，竟不得見。來還渡河，復雇兩錢。為半錢債，而失四錢。兼有道路，疲勞乏困。所債甚少，所失極多。果被眾人之所怪笑。世人亦爾：要少名利，致毀大行。苟容己身，不顧禮義。現受惡名，後得苦報。
Long ago a certain merchant loaned out a half cent and didn’t get it back for a long time. Finally, he decided to visit his debtor to demand a repayment of the loan. On his way, he came upon a great river and had to pay two cents’ ferry fare to get across. When he reached his debtor’s house, he found that he wasn’t there. On his return home, this man had to cross the river again, and he paid another two cents for the ferry fare.
And so, for a “half-cent” debt, he ended up losing four cents, not to speak of the exhaustion he felt from his journey. The debt was small; the loss was significant.
People of the world are also like this. For the sake of a little fame or gain, they think nothing of ruining their great conduct. They care only for the survival of their own persons and disregard what is righteous and proper. In this present life they earn a bad name; in the future they will reap a bitter retribution.
(一八)就樓磨刀喻
Parable 18. Sharpening the Knife Upstairs
昔有一人，貧窮困苦，為王作事。日月經久，身體羸瘦。王見憐愍，賜一死駝。貧人得已，即便剝皮；嫌刀鈍故，求石欲磨，乃於樓上得一磨石，磨刀令利，來下而剝。如是數數往來磨刀，後轉勞苦，憚不能數上，懸駝上樓，就石磨刀，深為眾人之所嗤笑。
猶如愚人，毀破禁戒；多取錢財，以用修福，望得生天，如懸駱駝，上樓磨刀，用功甚多，所得甚少。
Once there was a poor man who worked for the king. After months had passed, his body became thin and emaciated. Out of pity for him, the king gave him a dead camel. The poor man immediately started to flay the camel. Finding his knife too blunt, he went about looking for a whetstone to sharpen it with. He found one upstairs. After sharpening his knife, he returned downstairs to skin the camel. This he did repeatedly, running up and down the stairs to sharpen his knife. The process became so tiresome that he couldn’t go up and down the stairs any more. He ended up dragging the entire carcass of the camel up the stairs, so that he could sharpen his knife next to it. Everybody laughed at him.
This person’s behavior is like that of deluded people who break the precepts: they expend plenty of money to cultivate blessings in hope of being reborn in the heavens. These people are like the man, who dragged the entire camel upstairs to more conveniently sharpen his knife. The effort was tedious, but the results were minimal.
(一九)乘船失釪喻
Parable 19. Taking a Boat and Losing a Silver Bowl
昔有人乘船渡海，失一銀釪墮於水中，即便思念：「我今畫水作記，捨之而去，後當取之。」
行經二月，到師子諸國，見一河水，便入其中，覓本失釪。
諸人問言：「欲何所作？」
答言：「我先失釪，今欲覓取。」
問言：「於何處失？」
答言：「初入海失。」
又復問言：「失經幾時？」
言：「失來二月。」
問言：「失來二月，云何此覓？」
答言：「我失釪時，畫水作記。本所畫水，與此無異，是故覓之。」
又復問言：「水雖不別，汝昔失時，乃在於彼；今在此覓，何由可得？」
爾時眾人，無不大笑。亦如外道不修正行，相似善中，橫計苦困，以求解脫。猶如愚人失釪於彼，而於此覓。
Once upon a time, a man took a boat across the ocean. During the trip, his silver bowl fell into the water. The man thought, “I shall now make a mark on the water and leave it as it is. Later on I will come back and retrieve the bowl.”
After traveling for two months, he arrived in Ceylon (Sri Lanka). He then continued on to other countries. Whenever he saw a river, he dove into it and started to look for his missing bowl. People asked him, “What are you doing?”
He replied, “I lost my bowl some time ago. Now I am looking for it.”
They asked him, ”Where did you lose it?”
He answered, “I lost it when I first set out to sea.”
They asked him further, “How long ago did you lose it?”
He said, “About two months ago.”
They said, “If you lost it two months ago, why are you looking for the bowl here?”
He said, “At the moment when I lost my bowl, I made a mark on the water. The water which I marked is no different from the water here.”
These people continued questioning him saying, “Although the water here is no different from the water which you marked; nonetheless, you lost your bowl somewhere else. How could you expect to find it here?”
Then the crowd all broke out in laughter.
This man is like those non-buddhists who do not cultivate proper practices. They undergo extreme toil and deprivation due to their mistaken postulation that their ‘good practices’ will bring them liberation. They are just like the foolish man who lost his silver bowl somewhere and tried to retrieve it at another place.
(二○)人說王縱暴喻
Parable 20. The King Was Said to Have Been Recklessly Cruel
昔有一人說王過罪，而作是言：「王甚暴虐，治政無理。」
王聞是語，即大瞋恚，竟不究悉誰作此語；信傍佞人，捉一賢臣，仰使剝脊，
取百兩肉。有人證明，此無是語。王心便悔，索千兩肉，用為補脊。夜中呻喚，
甚大苦惱。王聞其聲，問言：「何以苦惱，取汝百兩。十倍與汝。意不足耶？何故苦惱？」
傍人答言：「大王，如截子頭，雖得千頭，不免子死。雖十倍得肉，不免苦痛。」
愚人亦爾，不畏後世，貪渴現樂，苦切眾生，調發百姓，多得財物，望得滅罪，而得福報。譬如彼王，割人之脊；取人之肉，以餘肉補，望使不痛，無有是處。
In the past, when a certain person was talking about the king’s faults, he remarked, “The king is despotic and unreasonable!”
When those words got back to the king’s ears, he was beside himself with rage. Without finding out exactly who had said it, he believed in the words of a deceitful attendant and put a worthy minister under arrest. He issued an order to have the minister’s back flayed and a hundred ounces of his flesh hacked from his body.
Shortly thereafter, someone testified to the minister’s innocence. Then the king, feeling remorseful, sent the minister a thousand ounces of flesh to make up for what was cut off from his body. But the minister was wracked with pain and cried out in the night.
The king heard his moans and asked him, “What’s wrong with you? I took a hundred ounces of your flesh, but gave you back ten times the amount. Aren’t you satisfied? Why are you still groaning?”
A bystander observed, “Your Majesty, if you were to cut off the head of your own son, even if you were to make up for the loss with a thousand heads, still, your son could not escape the way of death. Although this minister has been given back ten times the flesh he has lost, still, he cannot be spared from pain.”
A stupid person is the same way. Having no fear of retributions in the future lives, he greedily craves pleasures of the present. He torments the people around him and extorts much wealth from the citizens, hoping in this way to eradicate his own offenses and reap blessings and rewards.
This is like the king who flayed the minister’s back, cut off his flesh, and then tried to make it up to him by giving him back some flesh. It is impossible to allay the pain in this way.