百喻經 45 奴守門喻 The Slave Guarding the Door

45 The Slave Guarding the Door

45奴守門喻

Once a man was about to go on a long trip. He instructed his slave, 「Watch the door carefully, and keep an eye on the donkey and the rope.」

After the houseowner left, the neighbor started to play music, which attracted the slave. He attached the rope to the door and put it on the donkey』s back, and went over to the neighbor』s to listen to the music. After the slave left, the house was robbed by thieves.

On his return the master asked the slave, 「Where is my wealth?」 The slave answered, 「You entrusted me with the door, donkey, and rope. I know nothing about the rest.」

The master further questioned him, 「The whole purpose of your watching the door was to watch over my property. Now that the property is stolen, of what use is the door?」

Foolish people undergoing birth and death, acting as slaves to love, are the same way. The Thus Come One teaches them to always guard the gates of their sense faculties, not to become distracted by the six defiling objects, and to watch over the donkey of ignorance and the rope of love. And yet the Bhikshus do not follow the Buddha』s instructions. Greedy for benefit and offerings, they feign the appearance of purity as they sit in meditation, and yet their minds are racing greedily after the five desires. They are confused by sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. Ignorance covers over their minds and they are fettered by the rope of love. As a result, the wealth of proper mindfulness, thoughts of enlightenment and the shares of the Path are all lost.

譯文

譬如有人將要出門遠行，吩咐僕人道：「你好好守著門，並看管住驢子和繩索。」主人走後，鄰村的人家這時正在奏樂，這僕人很想去聽，心中動搖，不能自安，隨即便用繩索系了門，放在驢上，趕著，到那奏樂的地方，去聽音樂。僕人離去之後，屋中的財物都被賊偷去了。主人回來，問僕人道：「財寶那兒去了?」僕人答道：「主人先前囑咐看守門、驢及繩子，除了這些以外，我就不知道了。」主人說：「留你守門，正是為了財物。財物丟失了，還要門作什麼用?』

流轉于生死的愚人，貪戀著愛欲的僕人，也是如此。如來教誡道：要常常護住引出種種煩惱、進入種種妄塵的六根這扇門，不要讓色、聲、香、味、觸、法這六塵之賊進來，守住煩惱這頭驢，不要讓它隨意馳走，看好愛欲這條繩索。然而有些比丘不奉行佛的教誨，貪求利養：裝得清白，在幽靜處坐禪；其實心意流馳，貪戀五欲，被色聲香味迷惑住了。煩惱占據了整個的心，愛索纏縛住了整個的身，使得正念、覺意、道品之類的財寶都散失掉了。

原典

譬如有人將欲遠行，勅其奴言：「爾好守門，並看驢索。」其主行後，時鄰里家有作樂者，此奴欲聽，不能自安，尋以索系門置于驢上，負至戲處，聽其作樂。奴去之後，舍中財物賊盡持去。大家①行還，問其奴言：「財物所在?」奴便答言：「大家先付門、驢及索，自是以外，非奴所知。」大家復言：「留爾守門，正為財物。財物既失，用于門為?」

生死愚人，為愛奴僕，亦復如此。如來教誡，常護根門，莫苦六塵，守無明驢，看于愛索。而諸比丘不奉佛教，貪求利養；詐現清白，靜處而坐；心意流馳，貪著五欲，為色聲香味之所惑亂。無明覆心，愛索纏縛，正念②、覺意③、道品④財寶悉皆散失。

注釋

①大家：王人。

②正念：能專心憶念佛法，叫做正念，心若是流馳散逸了，就應當攝它回來，使其止于正念上。

③覺意：又作菩提心、無上道心，即求無上菩提之心。

④道品：是達到涅槃境界的道法的品類，有三十七科。