百喻經 46 偷犁牛喻 Stealing a Yak
46 Stealing a Yak
46偷犁牛喻
Once upon a time, the people of a certain village together stole a yak and ate it. The owner of the yak traced their tracks and came to that village. He called out to the villagers saying, 「Do you live in this village?」
The villagers said, 「We know of no village.」
The owner further asked, 「There is a pond in your village. Did you eat the yak together on the side of the pond?」
The villagers replies, 「We know of no pond.」
The owner again asked, 「Is there a tree near the pond?」
「No, we know of no tree, 「answered the villagers.
「Were you on the east side of the village when you stole my yak?」
「We know of no eastern direction.」
「Wasn』t it at noon that you stole my yak?」
「Although it is possible that there is no village and no tree,」 said the owner, 「How could it be possible that there is no direction and no time in all the world? This proves you have been lying and that I can』t believe you at all. Did you steal my yak and eat it?」
The villagers finally admitted; 「We ate your yak.」
Those who break the precepts are this way, too. They cover up their offenses and refuse to admit them. Upon death they enter the hells. Under the scrutiny of the good spirits and gods, these people are unable to conceal their offenses, just like the villagers who could not but admit that they stole the yak for food.
譯文
譬如有一個村子的人聯手偷了一頭髦牛，一起吃了。丟牛的人循著足跡，找至村中，叫住這個村的人打聽情況，問道：「牛在這村不?」偷牛者答道：「我們其實沒有村子。」失主又問：「你們村中有池，在那池邊一起吃了這牛不?」村里人答道：「沒有池。」失主又問：「池邊有樹不?」村里人答道：「沒有樹。」失主又問：「你們偷牛之時，在村子東邊不?」村里人答道：「沒有東邊。」失主又問：「當你們偷牛的時候，不是正午嗎?」村里人答道：「沒有正午。」失主問道：「縱然可以沒有村，沒有樹，天下哪可沒有東邊，沒有時間?可見你們說謊了，完全不可相信。你們偷牛吃了不?」村里人答道：「確實吃了。」
破戒的人也是這樣，把罪過掩蓋藏匿起來，不肯發露，死後就墮入了地獄。諸天的善神以天眼來觀察，就掩蓋藏匿不了了，就如那些偷牛吃的人，無法欺騙抵賴了。
原典
譬如一村，共偷犁牛①而共食之。其失牛者逐跡至村，喚此村人間其由狀而語之言：「在爾此村不?」偷者封曰：「我實無村。」又問：「爾村中有池，在此池邊共食牛不?」答言：「無池。」又問：「池傍有樹不?」封言：「無樹。」又問：「偷牛之時，在爾村東不?」封曰：「無東。」又問：「當爾偷牛非日中時耶?」對曰：「無中。」又問：「縱可無村及以無樹，何有天下無東、無時？知爾妄語，都不可信。爾偷牛食不?」對曰：「實食。」
破戒之人亦復如是，覆藏罪過，不肯發露，死入地獄。諸天善神以天眼觀，不得覆藏，如彼食牛，不得欺拒。
注釋
①犁牛：犁，音毛。獸如牛而尾長，名叫犁牛。
解說
為了抵賴，直至否定時間和空間的存在，否定基本事理，常是說謊者的手法，因而也是檢測說謊與否的標尺。