百喻經 31 雇倩瓦師喻 Mason Wanted

31 Mason Wanted

31雇倩瓦師喻

Once upon a time, a Brahman master indented to give a big party. He told his disciple, “I need earthenware for the party. Go to the market and fetch for me a mason.” On his way to the mason’s home, the disciple came across a man whose donkey was loaded with earthenware for sale in the market. Yet all pottery was broken by the animal in the twinkling of an eye. On his return home, the man was crying and getting quite distraught. On seeing this, the disciple asked: “Why are you so sad and disappointed?”

The man replied, “I have been making earthenware with all my expedient means after toiling and moiling for many years. I was on my way to the market intending to sell them. But this dumb animal has broken all I had in no time. That’s why I’m so distraught.”

The disciple was glad to see and hear all this and said, “It’s a good donkey. I should like to buy it.”

The mason was delighted to sell it. When the disciple rode it back, the master asked, “Why didn’t you come back with a mason? What’s the idea of bringing a donkey here?”

The disciple replied, “This donkey is better than a mason, for it can break things in a split second what a mason has made over a long time.” The master said, “You are stupid and ignorant indeed. Although the donkey can break things in a second, it can’t even make one pottery in a hundred years.”

So are the people at large. Those who sometimes receive offerings from their benefactors for a hundred years, give nothing in return. On the contrary, they always do more harm than good.

This is held to be true with someone who shows ingratitude.

譯文

過去有位婆羅門師，想舉辦一場隆重的法會，對弟子說：「我需要一批瓦器，以供法會使用。你去替我雇請一位瓦師來，這可到市集上去尋覓。」那弟子即前往瓦師家去。這時有一人趕著驢負著瓦器到市場上去賣掉，那頭驢才一會兒的功夫就把瓦器都打破了。此人回到家中，心里懊惱，就啼哭起來。婆羅門弟子見了，便問：「為何這般悲嘆懊惱?」此人答道：「我用了種種善巧的方法，經過許多年的勤苦，方做成了瓦器。拉到市場上想賣，這頭破驢子頃刻之間都把瓦器打砸了，所以我懊惱。」弟子聽了，心中欣喜，想道：「這頭驢真是好東西，歷經久時做成的東西，頃刻之間就能把它破掉。如今我應把這頭驢買下來。」瓦師很高興，立即就把驢賣給他。弟子乘著回家來，師父問道：「你為什麼不把瓦師帶來，這驢子能派上什麼用場?」弟子答道：「這頭驢子勝過瓦師呢!瓦師歷經久時做成的瓦器，它轉眼就能打破。」這時師父呵責道：「你這愚癡之人，沒有智慧。這驢的確是能一下子打破的，然而即使給它一百年辰光，也不能作出一個瓦器來。」

世間的人也是這樣，雖則千百年來，一直受到人家的供養，卻毫無報償，專做損害他人的事情，從來沒有行過一點善。背恩的人也正是這樣。

原典

昔有婆羅門師，欲作大會①，語弟子言：「我須瓦器以供會用。汝可為我雇倩②瓦師，詣市覓之。」時彼弟子往瓦師家。時有一人，驢負瓦器，至市欲賣。須臾之間，驢盡破之。還來家中，啼哭懊惱。弟子見已，而問之言：「何以悲嘆懊惱如是?」其人答言：「我為方便③，勤苦積年，始得成器。詣市欲賣，此弊惡驢，須臾之頃，盡破我器，是故懊惱。」爾時弟子見聞是已，歡喜而言：「此驢乃是佳物，久時所作，須臾能破。我今當買此驢。」瓦師歡喜，即便賣與。乘來歸家，師問之言：「汝何以不得瓦師將來，用是驢為?」弟子答言：「此驢勝于瓦師。瓦師久時所作瓦器，少時能破。」時師語言：「汝大愚癡，無有智慧。此驢今者適可能破，假使百年，不能成一。」

世間之人亦復如是，雖千百年受人供養，都無報償，常為損害，終不為益。背恩之人亦復如是。

注釋

①大會：盛大的法會。

②倩：請。

③方便：善巧。

解說

破而不能成、不能立，則只有負面的意義。