---
title: 百喻經 22 入海取沈水喻 Getting Sink-In-Water Incense From The Sea
description: "22 Getting Sink-In-Water Incense From The Sea"
---

22 Getting Sink-In-Water Incense From The Sea

22入海取沈水喻

Once, an elder』s son went to search for sink-in-water incense from under the sea. After searching for many years, he finally managed to bring home a cartload of it. When he went to market to sell his wares, he could not find any buyer because of the high price that he asked for the incense. After several days he grew tired and was afflicted. He saw that the charcoal merchants were able to sell their wares very quickly and thought to himself, 「Why don』t I burn the incense into charcoal and then I』ll be able to dispose of it quickly!」

Thereupon he burned the incense until it became charcoal and went to sell his wares at the market. But the price he got for the burned incense did not even come up to that of half a cartload of charcoal!

So are the stupid people of the world. With countless expedients they diligently cultivate, aspiring towards Buddhahood. But upon encountering difficulty, they retreat. They think, 「I might as well seek the fruition of Sound Hearers, quickly cast off birth and death, and become an Arhat.」

譯文

過去有位長者的兒子，入大海去采取沈水香，歷經多年，方采得一車，載回家來，拿到市場上去賣。因為昂貴的緣故，一時之間，無人來買。多日過去了，售不出去，內心很是疲厭，苦惱不堪。見人家賣炭，轉眼即成交了，便生出一個念頭：不如把它燒了作炭，便可以快快地賣掉了。遂即將其燒成炭，推至市上賣了，卻不值半車炭的價錢。

世上的愚人也是這樣，借助于廣大無量的權便的方法，孜孜不倦，專意進取，仰望著求得佛果。因為難以求得，便產生了退轉的念頭，以為不如發心去求聽聞佛的聲教即可悟道的最下根的聲聞果，可以速速出離生死輪迴的苦海，成為永入涅槃的阿羅漢。

原典

昔有長者子，入海取沈水①，積有年載，方得一車，持來歸家，詣市賣之。以其貴故，卒無買者。經歷多日，不能得售，心生疲厭，以為苦惱。見人賣炭，時得速售，便生念言：不如燒之作炭，可得速售。即燒為炭，詣市賣之，不得半車炭之價值。

世間愚人亦復如是，無量方便，勤行精進，仰求佛果。以其難得，便生退心，不如發心求聲聞果，速斷生死，作阿羅漢。

注釋

①沈水：即沈香。欲采取沈香的話，當先將樹斲斷，放著地上，待時日久了，外層開始朽爛，木中的心節，堅硬且黑，置于水中，則沈了下去，所以叫做沈水，也叫水沈。

解說

力不足者，中道而廢。此則可與第六十二則(病人食雉肉喻)並讀。

23賊偷錦繡用裹氀褐喻

譯文

過去有個賊，入富家屋中，偷得錦繡，就拿來裹破舊的粗毛布衣之類的財物，為智人所笑。

世間的愚人也是如此，既有信心進入佛法之中，去修行善法以及種種功德，因為貪圖私利的緣故，破壞了斷離煩惱的清淨的戒行以及種種功德，為世所笑，就如以錦繡裹破衣一般。

原典

昔有賊人，入富家舍，偷得錦繡，即持用裹故弊氀褐種種財物，為智人所笑。

世間愚人亦復如是，既有信心入佛法中，修行善法及諸功德，以貪利故，破于清淨戒及諸功德，為世所笑，亦復如是。