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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
61 - 70
(六一)梵天弟子造物因喻
Parable 61. The Brāhma's Disciple Can Create All Things
婆羅門眾皆言：「大梵天王是世間父，能造萬物。」
造萬物主者有弟子，言：「我亦能造萬物。」
實是愚癡，自謂有智，語梵天言：「我欲造萬物。」
梵天王語言:「莫作此意，汝不能造 。」
不用天語便欲造物。梵天見其弟子所造之物，即語之言：「汝作頭太大，作項極小；
作手太大，作臂極小；作脚極小，作踵極大；作如似毘舍闍鬼。」以此義當知，各各自業所造，非梵天能造。諸佛說法不著二邊：亦不著斷、亦不
著常，如似八正道說法。諸外道見是斷見常事已，便生執著，欺誑世間作法形像，
所說實是非法。Brāhmans all say, “The great Brāhma King is the father of all worlds; he can create all things and is the Lord of all beings.”
One of Brāhma King’s disciples claimed, “Just like him, I can create all things too!”
He is quite foolish to have such a claim, feeling that he has wisdom, so he spoke up to the Brāhma King, “I want to create the myriad things.”
The great Brāhma King said, “Don’t talk like that; you are incapable of creating things.”
The disciple refused to listen to this celestial advice, and he started out to create things.
The great Brāhma King, upon seeing the thing that the disciple created, said to him, “The heads you made are too big, while the necks are too small. The hands are too big, while the arms are too small; the feet are too small, while the heels are too large — they resemble piśāca ghosts.”
From this, we know that each being’s karma is created on his own, which is not something that the Brāhma King could create for them.
Buddhas speak the Dharma; they are not attached to views of the two extremes: they are not attached to nihilistic views nor to views of permanence. Rather, they speak the Dharma in accordance with the Eightfold Path. On the other hand, when those adherents of non-Buddhist schools see the deeds based on views of permanence or on nihilistic views, they become attached; they deceived the worldly people by making various images of Dharma, while what they speak is not right Dharmas.
(六二)病人食雉肉喻
Parable 62. The Patient’s Eating a Pheasant’s Meat
昔有一人，病患委篤，良醫占之云：「須恒食一種雉肉可得愈病。」
而此病者市得一雉，食之已盡，更不復食。醫於後時見，便問之：「汝病愈未？」
病者答言：「醫先教我恒食雉肉，是故今者食一雉已盡，更不敢食。」
醫復語言：「若前雉已盡，何不更食？汝今云何正食一雉望得愈病 ？」
一切外道，亦復如是：聞佛菩薩無上良醫說言，當解心識。外道等執於常見，便謂過 去、未來、現在唯是一識，無有遷謝，猶食一雉，是故不能療其愚惑煩惱之病。大智諸佛教諸外道除其常見，一切諸法念念生滅，何有一識常恒不變？如彼世醫教更食雉而得病愈。 佛亦如是，教諸眾生令得解，諸法壞故不常，續故不斷，即得剗除常見之病。
Once upon a time, there was a patient whose illness became gravely serious. A skillful physician diagnosed him and said, “To heal, you ought to keep eating a kind of pheasants.”
Then the patient went to the market to buy one. After eating, he did not take more pheasants. When the physician, later on, saw him, and asked, “Have you recovered?”
The patient said, “The doctor told me to eat pheasants nonstop. Since now I have finished eating one already, and dare not hope for more.”
The physician asked him, “You have finished eating one pheasant; why not more? How could you possibly hope to heal by eating only one pheasant?”
All adherents of non-Buddhist schools are also like this: They hear the teaching of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas, who are comparable to supreme fine physicians, that one ought to understand the mind and the consciousnesses. These adherents are attached to views of permanence; they claim that throughout the past, the present, and the future only one consciousness exists; and this consciousness never changes or fades away. This kind of understanding is like eating only one pheasant; how could this possibly cure the sickness of afflictions of those dull ones who are deluded?
All omniscient Buddhas teach those of non-buddhist schools to abandon their views of permanence: all dharmas (phenomena) are subject to change thought after thought. So, how could there be anything that is constant or unchanging? This is just like the physician telling the patient to eat more pheasants so as to heal.
The Buddha is also like this. He teaches living beings to understand that all dharmas are subject to change and ruin, therefore, nothing is permanent; yet, all phenomena keep perpetuating themselves, therefore, they are not nihilistic. Thereby, the Buddha teaches them to be free from the views of permanence.
(六三)伎兒著戲羅剎服共相驚怖喻
Parable 63. The Trouper Wearing the Rākṣasa Costume
昔乾陀衛國有諸伎兒，因時飢儉，逐食他土，經婆羅新山。而此山中素饒惡鬼、
食人羅剎。時諸伎兒會宿山中，山中風寒，然火而臥。伎人之中有患寒者，著彼戲本羅剎之服，向火而坐。時行伴中從睡寤者，卒見火邊有一羅剎，竟不諦觀，捨之而走，
遂相驚動一切伴侶，悉皆逃奔。時彼伴中著羅剎衣者，亦復尋逐奔馳絕走。諸同行者見其在後，謂欲加害，倍增惶怖。越度山河，投赴溝壑，身體傷破，疲極委頓，乃至天明方知非鬼。
一切凡夫，亦復如是：處於煩惱，飢儉善法，而欲遠求常樂我淨無上法食，便於五陰之中橫計於我；以我見故流馳生死，煩惱所逐不得自在，墜墮三塗惡趣溝壑。至天明者喻生死夜盡智慧明曉，方知五陰無有真我。
Once upon a time, there was a troupe of entertainers from the Gandhāra kingdom; when a famine struck the land, they fumbled through the country in search of food. They passed the Bhala New Mountain, a mountain that was famous for having many evil ghosts and man-eating rākṣasas dwelling there.
The troupe lodged in the mountain. It was cold and windy; so they lit a fire and lay down to rest (sleeping with the fire on). One of the troupers, distressed by the bitter cold, rose to sit facing the fire (for warmth) while wearing the costume of a rākṣasa. When another actor awoke and saw him, instead of taking a close look, that actor was scared into running away; this running scared other troupers into running away too. Seeing his fellows running, this trouper donning the rākṣasa costume also ran away.
Upon seeing the troupers running like this, thinking that they were on the verge of being harmed, those who were on the same journey became increasingly terrified. They hectically ran, crossing the rivers and the mountains, even plunging themselves into ditches and gullies. In the end, they were wounded all over with many injuries; worse was that they were exhausted and miserable. It was not until the daybreak did they realize it was not a ghost.
All ordinary people are also like this: They dwell in afflictions, and are stingy about practicing goodness. Yet, they seek in the long-term supreme Dharma food of Permanence, Bliss, True Self, and Purity (the four qualities of nirvāna); thus, they head-strongly conceive a notion of self within the five skandhas. Due to their view of having a self, they race and go adrift with the flow of birth and death; they are chased by afflictions, and could not find self-mastery and ease. They fall into ditches and gullies of the three paths of misery, those wretched places. It is not until the daybreak do they realize that within the five skandhas there is no self. The daybreak is analogous to the dawning of one’s wisdom, while the night to one’s long dark duration of birth and death.
(六四)人謂故屋中有惡鬼喻
Parable 64. A Haunted House
昔有故屋，人謂此室常有惡鬼，皆悉怖畏不敢寢息。時有一人自謂大膽，而作是言：
「我欲入此室中寄臥一宿。」即入宿止。後有一人，自謂膽勇勝於前人；復聞傍人言此室中恒有惡鬼，即欲入中排
門將前。時先入者謂其是鬼，即復推門遮不聽前，在後來者復謂有鬼，二人鬪諍，
遂至天明；既相覩已，方知非鬼。一切世人，亦復如是：因緣暫會，無有宰主 。 一一推析，誰是我者；然諸眾生橫計是非，強生諍訟，如彼二人等無差別。
Once upon a time, there was an old house and the rumors had it that it was haunted by a vicious ghost. People were so frightened that no one would dare to stay overnight. A man claiming himself fearless said: “I am going to spend the night in this house." So he went into the house.
Afterwards, another man claimed that he was braver than the first man; he too wanted to enter the house after hearing that the house was haunted. He then went to the house and tried to get in; the man inside the house thought that it was a ghost coming, so he pushed himself against the door to block it. Thus two of them kept pushing back and forth until dawn. When daylight broke, they saw each other and realized there was no ghost at all!
Ordinary people are also like these two men. Causes and conditions bring the four elements together temporarily forming this body of ours. This body comes into existence and this has nothing to do with a creator. If one contemplates and analyzes, “Who am I?” …[There is no self, yet living beings hold onto a ‘self,’ that is why] living beings give rise to rights and wrongs, and fervently engage in contention and argument. Worldly people are no different from those two men.
(六五)五百歡喜丸喻
Parable 65. Five Hundred Happiness Pills
昔有一婦荒婬無度，欲情既盛嫉惡wù其夫。每思方策規欲殘害，種種設計不得其便 。
Once upon a time, there was a wife who wantonly indulged in adultery. Sexual desires raging, she hated her husband. She used every thought she had to plot his demise, but whatever scheme she tried, she never succeeded.
會值其夫，聘使隣國。婦密為計造毒藥丸，欲用害夫。詐語夫言：「爾今遠使，慮有
乏短；今我造作五百歡喜丸，用為資糧以送於爾。爾若出國，至他境界，飢困之時乃
可取食。」夫用其言，至他界已未及食之。One day, her husband was about to travel to the neighboring kingdom as an envoy, so she devised a plot of making poisonous pills in secret so as to harm him. She lied to him, saying, “You are about to travel far; I am worried that you will get hungry along the way, so I made five hundred happiness pills as provisions to send you off. When you have left this country and reached the neighboring kingdom, you can eat these pills when you are hungry.”
The husband believed the wife’s words; however, even when he reached the territory of the neighboring kingdom, he had not had the chance to eat them.
於夜闇中止宿林間，畏懼惡獸上樹避之。其歡喜丸忘置樹下。即以其夜值五百偷賊。
盜彼國王五百疋馬，并及寶物來止樹下。由其逃突盡皆飢渴，於其樹下見歡喜丸；
諸賊取已，各食一丸。藥毒氣盛，五百群賊一時俱死。One night, the husband stopped and settled on top of a tree so as to avoid vicious beasts. He forgot the happiness pills, and they were left underneath the tree. It just so happened that five hundred bandits, who just stole five hundred horses and numerous treasures from the king of the neighboring kingdom, stopped by that tree. Because of their sudden escape, the group were very hungry and thirsty. Seeing the happiness pills, each bandit took and ate one, and the potent poison took effect, killing all of the five hundred bandits at once.
時樹上人至天明已，見此群賊死在樹下。詐以刀箭斫射死屍，收其鞍馬并及財寶，
驅向彼國。時彼國王多將人眾，案迹來逐。會於中路值於彼王。彼王問言：「爾是何
人，何處得馬？」其人答言：「我是某國人，而於道路值此群賊，共相斫射。五百群賊，今皆一處，死在樹下。由是之故，我得此馬，及以珍寶，來投王國。若不見信，可遣往看，賊之瘡痍殺害處所。」
王時即遣親信往看，果如其言。王時欣然，歎未曾有；既還國已，厚加爵賞，大賜珍寶封以聚落。
At dawn, when the person (the husband) on top of the tree saw that the bandits had all died underneath, he decorated the scene by stabbing swords and arrows into the dead bodies. Then, he took the horses, saddles, and treasures and headed off towards the other kingdom. At that time, the king leading a large multitude was pursuing the bandits based on the trail they left behind, and they crossed each other. The king asked, “Where and from whom did you get these horses?”
The person replied, “I am a citizen from the neighboring kingdom; I just fought a group of bandits on my way here, and I shot and killed all five hundred bandits. Now they all lie dead under a tree. That is from where I obtained these horses and treasures to bring to the king so as to pledge my allegiance. If you do not believe me, you can send someone to inspect the place where their dead bodies lay scattered all over.”
The king immediately sent his subordinates to inspect the place, and it turned out to be exactly as the person said. The king was delighted, remarking that he had never seen someone like that before (someone so courageous). When the king returned to his kingdom, he ennobled the person and bestowed upon him large amounts of treasures along with a fief.
彼王舊臣咸生嫉妬，而白王言：「彼是遠人，未可服信，如何卒爾寵遇過厚，至於爵賞踰越舊臣？」
遠人聞已而作是言：「誰有勇健能共我試？請於平原校其技能。」
舊人愕然無敢敵者。
The king’s senior officials became jealous and told the king, “He is a foreigner; whether he is righteous or evil, we cannot be sure of yet. How can he so quickly obtain such generous grace from your Majesty? Even his nobility and treasures are better than ours!”
When the husband heard of this, he said, “Whichever person who thinks he is courageous can come to the training grounds to test their combat skills against mine.”
The senior officials all became fearful and no one dared to accept the challenge.
後時，彼國大曠野中有惡師子，截道殺人斷絕王路。時彼舊臣詳共議之：「彼遠人者自謂勇健無能敵者。今復若能殺彼師子，為國除害，真為奇特。」作是議已，便白於王，王聞是已，給賜刀杖，尋即遣之。
Later, amidst the wilderness of the kingdom appeared a vicious lion that often killed travelers, which severed the path to the country. The senior officials gathered together and discussed, “Since the foreigner calls himself the most courageous that no one can match, if he can really slay this lion and remove that harm for the country, he would truly be extraordinary.”
Having come to this conclusion, they told the king about this plan, and the king bestowed upon the foreigner a blade and ordered him to commence the operation.
爾時遠人既受勅已，堅彊其意向師子所。師子見之，奮激鳴吼騰躍而前 。遠人驚怖，即便上樹。師子張口仰頭向樹。其人怖急失所捉刀。值師子口師子尋死。爾時遠人歡喜踴躍，來白於王。王倍寵遇。時彼國人卒爾敬服，咸皆讚歎。
Having received the imperial order, the foreigner could only make firm his resolve and head towards the lion. When the lion saw him, it excitedly roared and pounced towards him. The foreigner, terrified, rushed up a tree. The lion looked up at him with its mouth open. Fumbling in his frenzied dash up the tree, the foreigner accidentally dropped his blade into the lion’s mouth, and just like that, the lion was killed.
The foreigner was filled with joy, and he brought the news back to the king. As a result, he was doubly showered with the royal grace, and he also won the heartfelt respect and admiration of the citizens of the kingdom who all praised him and held him in high esteem.
其婦人歡喜丸者喻不淨施。王遣使者喻善知識。至他國者喻於諸天。殺群賊者，喻得
須陀洹，強斷五欲并諸煩惱。遇彼國王者喻遭值賢聖。國舊人等生嫉妬者，喻諸外道
見有智者能斷煩惱及以五欲，便生誹謗，言無此事。遠人激厲，而言舊臣無能與我共
為敵者，喻於外道無敢抗衝。殺師子者，喻破魔，既斷煩惱又伏惡魔，便得無著道果
封賞。每常怖怯者，喻能以弱而制於彊。The woman’s happiness pills is likened to impure giving. The king who dispatched this man as an envoy is likened to a good spiritual teacher. The neighboring kingdoms are likened to the various Heavens. This man (the husband) who killed the bandits is likened to someone who realized the srota-āpanna fruition by eliminating their afflictions and five desires.
Encountering the king of the neighboring kingdom is analogous to coming into contact with sages and worthy ones. The jealous senior officials are likened to adherents of non-buddhist paths — when they see a wise one who can put an end to afflictions and the five desires, they slander him, saying that there is no such thing.
The foreigner made a firm resolve, saying that the senior officials of the country are no match to him — this is analogous to how non-buddhist adherents do not dare to challenge or fight.
Killing the lion is analogous to smashing the demons — one has both eliminated afflictions and subdued demons. One thus attains the reward of the path of non-attachment. The fear that the foreigner instilled into the hearts of those senior officials is likened to the weak being overcome by the strong.
其於初時雖無淨心，然彼其施遇善知識便獲勝報，不淨之施猶尚如此， 況復善心歡喜布施。是故應當於福田所勤心修施。
Someone may initially practice giving, without a pure heart of giving; but because of such acts of giving, this person encounters a good spiritual mentor, he will be able to attain supreme blessings. This is the case for impure giving, let alone giving with a pure, happy heart of kindness. Therefore, one should diligently cultivate the practice of giving to expand one’s field of blessings.
(六六)口誦乘船法而不解用喻
Parable 66. Reciting the Sailing Method But Failing to Understand How to Use It
昔有大長者子，共諸商人入海採寶。此長者子善誦入海捉船方法，若入海水漩洑、
洄流、磯激之處，當如是捉、如是正、如是住；語眾人言：「入海方法我悉知之。」眾人聞已深信其語。既至海中，未經幾時船師遇病忽然便死。時長者子即便代處，至洄澓駛流之中唱言：「當如是捉、如是正。」
船盤迴、旋轉，不能前進至於寶所。舉船商人沒水而死。凡夫之人，亦復如是：少習禪法，安般數息，及不淨觀，雖誦其文，不解其義；種種方法實無所曉，自言善解，妄授禪法，使前人迷亂失心，倒錯法相。終年累歲，空無所獲，如彼愚人，使他沒海。
In the past a great elder’s son went to sea with some merchants to search for treasures. This son was skilled at the trade-secrets of reciting the sailing methods:
There exist different states and conditions of the sea such as whirlpools, eddies, swirls, and (counter) undercurrents (submerged reefs)…with regard to each state, there is a proper method to steer the boat, take the right direction, and steady the boat. He exclaimed to all of them saying, “I know all these methods well to enter the sea.”
Everyone had deep faith in him. Then, they set out for the sea, but before long the captain fell ill and suddenly died. The elder’s son then immediately took over the captain’s position, and when the boat reached the whirlpools and rapid currents, he recited what he had read without knowing how to put those instructions into practice: “Steer the boat this way, adjust the direction that way…”
The boat kept turning and spinning, unable to advance to the place of treasures, and all the merchants onboard died from drowning in the sea.
Just as (how ignorant) the elder’s son was, so are worldly people. They have little practice of the Chan Dharma, including the ānâpāna method of counting the breathing, or the contemplation on impurity of the body. Although they can read the scriptures, they do not grasp the meanings. In fact, they lack real understanding about the various methods of practice.
Yet, they claim they are good at mastering the texts, pretending to be well versed with the right ways. They casually teach the Chan Dharma to others, bewildering and causing them to lose their resolve; as a result, people become confused about the various terminologies of the Dharma. They practice all year long or a number of years but get nothing in return. They are just like those who drowned at sea due to the stupid son’s ill practice.
(六七)夫婦食餅共為要喻
Parable 67. The Husband and the Wife Sharing and Betting on the Pastry
昔有夫婦，有三番餅。夫婦共分各食一餅，餘一番在，共作要言：「若有語者，要不
與餅 。」既作要已，為一餅故，各不敢語。須臾有賊入家，偷盜取其財物，一切所有盡畢賊手。 夫婦二人以先要故，眼看不語。賊見不語，即其夫前侵略其婦。其夫眼見亦復不語。
婦便喚賊，語其夫言：「云何癡人為一餅故見賊不喚。」其夫拍手笑言：「咄！婢，我定得餅，不復與爾 。」
世人聞之，無不嗤笑。凡夫之人，亦復如是：為小名利故，詐現靜默。為虛假煩惱，種種惡賊之所侵略，喪其善法，墜墮三塗，都不怖畏，求出世道；方於五欲，躭著嬉戲。雖遭大苦，不以為患，如彼愚人，等無有異。
In the past, a husband and his wife had three pastries. Each of them had one piece and there was still one more left. The two of them made a bet, saying, “Whoever talks first will lose the share of the pastry.”
Having made such a bet, they dared not say a single word for the sake of getting the pastry. Soon, a thief sneaked into the house and stole all the valuable items. Due to their bet, even though they saw the whole event, they did not speak. When the thief saw that they did not speak, he became so audacious that he tried to make sexual advances to the wife right in front of the husband’s eyes. The husband saw but still did not speak.
Then, the wife yelled at the thief and scolded her husband, “You idiot. For one pastry, you dare keep silent when you see the thief.”
The husband clapped his palms laughing out, “Oh, my girl, I have surely won the pastry. I won’t share it with you!”
When people heard such a story, they all laughed at the husband. Common people are the same: For a little fame or a small gain, they put on a false front of silent and tranquil appearance (of Chan states) while being distressed by illusory afflictions and victimized by various vicious thieves; thus, in the course, they lose the dharmas of goodness and fall into the three paths of misery; they do not fear nor do they seek transcendence of the world. They indulge in their pursuit of the gratification of the five desires. Although undergoing great suffering, they do not take it as suffering. They are just like the idiotic husband without any differences.
(六八)共相怨害喻
Parable 68. Harming One Another Out of Resentment
昔有一人，共他相嗔，愁憂不樂。有人問言：「汝今何故愁悴如是？」
即答之言：「有人毀我，力不能報，不知何方可得報之，是以愁耳！」
有人語言：「唯有毘陀羅呪可以害彼，但有 一患：未及害彼，返自害己。」
其人聞已，便大歡喜，願：「但教我；雖當自害，要望傷彼。」
世間之人， 亦復如是：為瞋恚故，欲求毘陀羅呪；用惱於彼，竟未害他；先為瞋恚，反自惱害，墮於地獄、畜生、餓鬼，如彼愚人，等無差別。
In the past there was a man who was upset and angry at someone. He was worried, upset, and really unhappy. Someone asked him, “Why so worried? You look emaciated.”
The man answered, “Someone slandered me; I do not have enough power to avenge myself. I don’t know where to go to seek revenge; that’s why I’m worried.”
Another person told him, “Only the vetāla mantra can help you take revenge on that person, but there is one problem: before you can harm that person, you will be harmed first.”
Upon hearing such advice, this person rejoiced greatly and said, “Teach me; teach me the mantra. Even if I have to harm myself, I want to take revenge.”
Wordly people are also like this: out of anger, they seek their own ‘vetāla mantra’ to inflict harm and cause misery to others, but because they are so consumed with anger, they end up harming themselves instead of others. Because of their own afflictions, they then fall into the paths of animals, hungry ghosts, or hells. They are just like that stupid man.
(六九)效其祖先急速食喻
Parable 69. Emulating One’s Ancestor’s Fast Eating
昔有一人，從北天竺至南天竺。住止既久，即聘其女，共為夫婦。時婦為夫造設飲食； 夫得急吞，不避其熱。婦時怪之，語其夫言：「此中無賊，劫奪人者；有何急事，怱怱乃爾，不安徐食？」
夫答婦言：「有好密事，不得語汝！」
婦聞其言，謂有異法，慇懃問之。良久乃答：「我祖父已來，法常速食，我今効之，是故疾耳。」
世間凡夫，亦復如是: 不達正理，不知善惡，作諸邪行，不以為恥，而云：「我祖父已來作如是法！」
至死受行，終不捨離，如彼愚人，習其速食，以為好法。
In the past, there was a person who traveled from northern India to southern India. Having stayed there (southern India) for a long time, he betrothed the girl of the host family; they became husband and wife. Once, the wife prepared food for the husband. Having received the food, the husband quickly swallowed it down, not caring that the food was still hot.
The wife was extremely perplexed and asked her husband, “There are no thieves stealing nor robbers robbing our house, so what urgent business is there that makes you rush so much, instead of slowly enjoying the meal?”
The husband replied, “There is a wonderful esoteric matter (dharma) that I cannot tell you about!”
Upon hearing this, the wife thought that her husband possessed knowledge about an extraordinary dharma, so she affably and eagerly asked her husband to reveal it. After a long time, the husband gave in and said, “Ever since my grandfather’s time, my family has been practicing the tradition of ‘fast’ eating. I am now following the practice. That is why I ate so quickly.”
Worldly beings are also like this: They don’t understand proper principles, nor do they know the differences between good and bad. They commit all sorts of deviant or wrong actions without feeling ashamed of doing them. They claim, “Ever since my grandfather’s time, my family has been upholding this tradition.”Even at death they don’t forsake their wrong practices! They are just like the stupid man who practiced the method of ‘fast’ eating, thinking it is a good dharma.
(七○)嘗菴婆羅果喻
Parable 70. Tasting Āmra Fruit
昔有一長者，遣人持錢至他園中，買菴婆羅果而欲食之，而勅之言：「好甜美者，
汝當買來。」即便持錢往買其果。果主言：「我此樹果，悉皆美好，無一惡者；汝嘗一果，足以
知之。」買果者言：「我今當一一嘗之，然後當取。若但嘗一，何以可知？」
尋即取果，一一皆嘗，持來歸家。長者見已，惡而不食，便一切都棄。世間之人，
亦復如是：聞持戒、施，得大富樂；身常安隱，無有諸患，不肯信之，便作是言：
「布施得福，我自得時，然後可信。」目覩現世貴賤、貧窮，皆是先業所獲果報；不知推一，以求因果，方懷不信，須己自
經；一旦命終，財物喪失，如彼嘗果一切都棄。Once upon a time, there was an elder who sent a servant to a fruit garden to buy some Amra fruits for him to taste. He ordered the servant, “Buy all the sweet and pretty ones.”
The servant then brought some money and set out to buy Āmra fruits. The fruit seller said, “This fruit tree of mine only yields good produce and not a single bad one. Taste one and you will know.”
The servant said, “I have to taste them all one by one; only then will I buy them. If I taste only one, then how can I be sure about the quality of all the others?”
So he tasted each one of the fruits, and only then did he bring them home. When his master saw the spoiled fruit, he was so disgusted that he lost all appetite for them and threw them all out.
Worldly people are also like this: Upon hearing that upholding the precepts and practicing charity will result in many blessings, happiness, peace, and good health without being plagued by troubles, they do not believe it and say, “The practice of giving results in blessings? I will only believe that after I receive the blessings.”
Right before their eyes, they see the working of the Law of Cause and Effect: In this life, some are of the noble class, some of lowly social status; some are rich, and some poor. Yet, they don’t know that by figuring out one result, they can know the results of the rest.
Therefore, they harbor disbelief, insisting that they have to experience it in person before they can believe it (the Law of Cause and Effect). Once they come to the end of their lives, they forfeit their wealth and possessions. It is just like the servant who insisted on tasting every piece of the fruit, causing his master to discard all the fruits.