百喻經 42 估客駝死喻 The Trader and the Dead Camel

42 The Trader and the Dead Camel

One time there was a trader who went traveling on business. In the middle of his journey, his camel died. The camel was laden with many jewels, fine carpets and other goods. The trader then flayed the dead camel and left it with his two apprentices, saying, 「Watch over this camel hide. Do not let it get wet or ruined.」

Later when it began to rain, the two foolish men covered the camel hide with a carpet of superior quality. As a result the carpet was completely ruined. The carpet was much more valuable than the hide, but because of their stupidity, the men covered the camel hide with the carpet.

People of the world act that way, too. The fine carpet is analogous to abstaining from killing. The camel hide is analogous to wealth and treasures. To let the carpet get wet when it is raining is analogous to destroying wholesome deeds through indulgence. To abstain from killing is the most superior, wonderful cause leading to the Buddha』s Dharma body, and yet people do not practice it. Instead they build stupas and temples with their wealth to make offerings to the Sangha. They renounce the roots and grasp the branches, forsaking the basics. As a result they drift along the five paths of rebirth, unable to get out. Therefore, cultivators should intently and sincerely uphold the precept against killing.

42估客駝死喻

譯文

譬如商人四處流動做買賣，恰好在路途之中，駱駝突然死了。上面所載的大多是珍寶、細軟、上好的木棉布以及其他種種雜物。駱駝既然已經死了，就把皮剝了下來。商人要繼續前行，就讓兩個徒弟留守著，吩咐道：「好生看管駝皮，不要讓它受潮爛掉了。」過後天落雨了，兩人愚癡如榆木腦袋，盡是用上好的木棉布覆蓋在皮上，布都爛壞了。皮和布的價值，顯然是很懸殊的。因為愚痴，才拿木棉布去蓋駱駝皮。

世上的人也是這樣。不殺生，可以譬喻于白棉布：駝皮就譬喻財貨：天落雨打濕爛掉了，譬喻那由于放逸而敗壞了善行。不殺生的戒律，就是修得佛的法性身的絕妙的行因，然而卻不能修持，只是用財貨去造塔建廟，供養眾僧，舍本逐末，由于放棄了基本的修持，就漂流在人、天等五道中輪迴生死，不能使自身出離生死，所以修行者應當精心持不殺戒。

原典

譬如估客游行商賈，會于路中而駝卒死。駝上所載多有珍寶細軟①上(die)②種種雜物。駝既死已，即剝其皮。商主舍行，坐③二弟子而語之言：「好看駝皮，莫使濕爛。」其後天雨，二人頑嚚④，盡以好(die)覆此皮上，(die)儘爛壞。皮(die)之價，理自懸殊。以愚癡故，以(die)覆皮。

世間之人亦復如是。其不殺者，喻于白(die)：其駝皮者，即喻財貨；天雨濕爛，喻于放逸敗壞善行。不殺戒者，即佛法身⑤最上妙因⑥，然不能修，但以財貨造諸塔廟供養眾僧，舍根取末，不求其本，漂浪五道，莫能自出，是故行者應當精心持不殺戎。

注釋

①細軟：珠寶、綢帛等輕便而易于攜帶的貴重物品。

②(die)：音牒，古印度人抽捻木棉花，紡為縷，織作布，就叫做(die)。

③坐：留駐、守定，此處作使動詞用。

④嚚：癡、愚。

⑤法身：法性身。佛的法身，滿十方虛空，無量無邊，無量光明，無量音聲。常現出種種身相，種種名號，種種生死，種種方便，救度眾生。

⑥妙因：絕妙的行因，是菩薩的大行。釋典常言：妙因斯滿，極果頓圓。