---
title: 百喻經 21 婦女欲更求子喻 The Woman Who Wished For A Second Child
description: "21 The Woman Who Wished For A Second Child"
---

21 The Woman Who Wished For A Second Child

21婦女欲更求子喻

In the past, there was a woman who had a son. She wanted another child, and asked other women, 「Who could bring me another child?」

An old woman told her, 「I can help you get another child; but you must make a sacrifice to heaven.」

The woman asked the old woman, 「What kind of sacrifice should I offer?」

The old woman told her, 「Kill your son and make a sacrifice of his blood to heaven. Then you will certainly be blessed with many more children.」

The woman followed the old woman』s advice and was about to kill her own son when an intelligent bystander laughed and chastised her, saying, 「How could you be so stupid and ignorant?」 You』re not sure whether you will get another child; yet you intend to kill the one you already have.」

Stupid people act in the same way. Desiring the bliss of a future, they leap into a fiery pit, exposing themselves to all sorts of harm, thinking that this is the way to attain rebirth in the heavens.

譯文

過去有個女人，已有了一個兒子，還想要一個，就問其他女人：「誰能使我再有一個兒子?」 一位老太婆對這女人道：「我能使你實現求子的願望，需要祭祀天神。」她問道：「需用何物來祭祀呢?」老太婆說道：「殺了你的兒子，拿他的血來祭祀天神，必定能有很多兒子。」這女人當時就聽從了她的話，要殺自己的兒子。傍邊一位聰明人嗤笑罵詈道：「你愚痴無知到了這般地步!還沒有生出來的兒子，都還不知究竟能不能得?卻想殺掉眼前的兒子。」

愚人也是這樣，為了那還沒有產生的快樂，自願投身到火坑中去，做種種損害身體的苦行，為了能夠生到天上去。

原典

往昔世時，有婦女人，始有一子，更欲求子。問余婦女：「誰有能使我重有子?」有一老母語此婦言：「我能使爾求子可得，當須祀天。」問老母言：「祀須何物?」老母語言：「殺汝之子，取血祀天，必得多子。」時此婦女，便隨彼語，欲殺其子。傍有智人，嗤笑罵詈：「愚痴無智，乃至如此!未生子者，竟可得不?而殺現子。」

愚人亦爾，為未生樂，自投火坑，種種害身，為得生天。

解說

此則可與第二十九則並讀。