---
title: 百喻經 10 三重樓喻 The Three-Storied House
description: "10 The Three-Storied House"
---

10 The Three-Storied House

In the old days, there was a rich man who was stupid and ignorant. One day he went to another rich man』s home. The house was a three-stored structure. Being struck with admiration of the imposing, spacious, and well-lit building, he said to himself, 「I am no less rich than he. Why don』t I immediately build a house like this one?」

Thereupon he sent for a carpenter and said, 「Can you construct a house as imposing as that one?」

The carpenter replied, 」I built that one!」

The rich man said, 「Now you may build a house like that for me.」

The carpenter first began to level the ground. Afterwards he began to lay foundation stones and then drive piles for walls. When the carpenter was laying the stones and building the wall supports, the stupid man asked, 「What are you doing now?」

The carpenter replied, 「I』m building a three-storied house.」

The stupid man went on, 「I don』t want the two lower floors. Build me the third floor first.」

The carpenter answered, 「There is no such thing. If I don』t start with the first floor, how can I build the second? If I don』t build the second, how can I build the third?」

The stupid man insisted, 「I don』t need the two lower floors; build only the top floor.」

Hearing those words, people laughed sardonically. They all said, 「How can one not build the lower floors, yet build the top floor?」

This is like some of the Buddha』s disciples who, being unable to practice earnestly or to revere the Triple Jewel, are lazy and lax in seeking the fruits of the Way and say, 「We don』t seek the first three stages below, but seek only the fruit of Arhatship.」 They become objects of ridicule just like that stupid man.

10三重樓喻

譯文

過去有一個富愚人，不通事理。他到別的富人家去，見及一座三層樓，高暢廣大，端嚴華麗，軒閣清敞疏朗，心內很是羨仰，想道：我的錢財並不亞于他，為何從前不造一座這樣的樓屋呢?即便喚來木匠，問道：「你會造那家一般的好看樓屋嗎?」木匠答道：「那就是我造的。」富愚人即便說道：「如今可替我造一幢那樣的樓屋。」

這時，木匠就開始丈量地面，砌壘磚坯，造起樓屋來。愚人見他壘坯砌磚，造作樓舍，心內懷著疑惑，不甚明白，便問道：「你想作什麼?」木匠答道：「作三層樓。」愚人道：「我不想作下面二層，先可為我作最上層。」木匠道：「哪有這等事！哪有不作最下層屋，而能造那第二層的？不造第二層，怎能造第三層。」愚人固執地說：「我如今不要下二層屋，定要替我造最上層。」當時人聽了，都不免笑他，異口同聲地說：「哪有不造下面第一層而能造二層、三層的？」

就譬如佛的四眾弟子，有些不能精勤地修持、恭敬佛法僧三寶，懶惰懈怠，卻想求得道果，說：「我如今不要須陀洹、斯陀含、阿那含這三果，唯求修得阿羅漢最上果。」也被當時的人所嗤笑，與那愚人一模一樣。

原典

往昔之世，有富愚人，痴無所知。到余富家，見三重樓，高廣嚴麗，軒敞疏朗，心生渴仰，即作是念：我有財錢，不滅于彼，云何頃來而不造作如是之樓？即喚木匠而問其曰：「解作彼家端正舍不?」木匠答言：「是我所作。」即便語言：「今可為我造樓如彼。」

是時，木匠即便經①地壘墼②作樓。愚人見其壘墼作舍，猶懷疑惑，不能了知，而問之言：「欲作何等?」木匠答言：「作三重屋。」愚人復言：「我不欲作下二重之屋，先可為我作最上屋。」木匠答言：「無有是事!何有不作最下重屋，而得造彼第二之屋?不造第二，云何得造第三重屋?」愚人固言：「我今不用下二重屋，必可為我作最上者。」時人聞已，便生怪笑，咸作此言：「何有不造下第一屋而得上者?

譬如世尊四輩弟子③，不能精勤修敬三寶，懶惰懈怠，欲求道果，而作是言：「我今不用余下三果，唯求得彼阿羅漢果。」亦為時人之所嗤笑，如彼愚者，等無有異。

注釋

①經：量。

②墼：音幾，磚坯。

③四輩弟子：指構成佛教教團之四種弟子眾，即比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷四眾弟子。或指出家的比丘、比丘尼、沙彌、沙彌尼等四眾弟子。

源流

《菩薩善戒經》載：譬如重樓四級次第，不由初級至二級者，無有是處，不由二級至于三級，不由三級至四級者，亦無是處。(《大正藏》第三十冊第一O一三至一O一四頁)

解說

大抵有基方築室，未聞無址忽成岑。

此則可與第四十四則比看。