百喻經 15 醫與王女藥令卒長大喻 The Physician Prescribes A Drug For The Princess

15 The Physician Prescribes A Drug For The Princess

15醫與王女藥令卒長大喻

Once there was a king who had a newborn daughter. He called in a physician and said, 「Can you prescribe some drug for the baby so she can grow up immediately?」

The physician said, 「Yes, I can administer a fine drug which will make her grow up instantly, but I don』t have the formula right now. I will have to go search for it. However, during the period of search, Your Majesty must not lay eyes on your daughter. After I give her the drug, then I will bring her before Your Majesty.」

Then the physician went to a faraway place to look for the drug. After twelve years had passed he found the drug. He administered it to the princess and brought her before the King. The King took a look at his daughter and was overjoyed. He thought to himself, 「What a fine physician! He gave my daughter a drug and caused her to grow up immediately!」 Then the King ordered his attendants to reward the physician with treasures and gems.

People laughed at the king for his lack of wisdom. It never occurred to him to add up the number of months and years that had passed since his daughter』s date of birth. On seeing her grown up, he attributed her maturity to be power of the drug.

People of the world are like this king. They come to a Good Knowing Advisor and say, 「I wish to seek the Way. I wish to meet someone who can teach me to gain transcendent wisdom in meditation.」 The teacher uses skill-in-means to instruct his followers to sit in meditation and contemplate the twelve causes and conditions, and to accumulate myriad myriad virtues, until they eventually realize the fruit of Arhatship. At that point, the people are doubly pleased. They exclaim, 「How fast this has been! This great teacher has quickly led us to the certification to the most wonderful Dharma!」

譯文

從前有位國王，生了一個女兒，便喚來醫生，道：「替我弄藥給她，立刻使她長大。」醫生答道：「我給她一種好藥，能使她即刻長大。可是如今倉促之間無法覓得，須去求索才行。在得了藥之前，請陛下莫要見您女兒，等給了她藥之後，才讓陛下見她。」于是便即刻前往遠方采藥去了。過了十二年，采得了藥回來了，給公主服了藥，把她帶到國王面前。國王見了，心里想道：確實是良醫，給我女兒服了藥，能令她猝然長大。便命令左右賞賜珍寶給他。當時眾人都笑國王無知，不曉得算算出生以來的年月，見她長大了，以為是藥力的作用。

世上人也是如此，到能引入菩提之途的人那兒啟求道：「我想求道，望您傳授一下，使我立刻得道。」能引入菩提之途的導師出于權巧方便的原由，教他坐禪，專注地觀察一切有生命之物流轉于過去現在未來三世的十二種條件。這人的種種德行漸漸積聚了起來，終于修得了阿羅漢果，便異常地歡喜，心情踴躍，道：「真快啊!大師能使我迅速證得阿羅漢果這最妙法。」

原典

昔有國王，產生一女，喚醫語言：「為我與藥，立使長大。」醫師答言：「我與良藥，能使即大。但今卒無，方須求索。比①得藥頃，王要莫看。待與藥已，然後示王。」于是即便遠方取藥。經十二年，得藥來還，與女令服，將示于王。王見歡喜，即自念言：實是良醫，與我女藥，即令卒長。便勅左右，賜以珍寶。時諸人等笑王無智，不曉籌量生來年月，見其長大，謂是藥方。

世人亦爾，詣善知識②，而啟之言：「我欲求道，願見教授，使我立得。」善知識師以方便故，教令坐禪，觀十二緣起③，漸積眾德，獲阿羅漢位④，踴躍歡喜，而作是言：「快戰!大師速能令我證最妙法。」

注釋

①比：及、到。

②善知識：指正直而有德行，能引人入菩提正道之人。

③十二緣起：有生命之物在過去、現在、未來三世生存變化的十二個條件，就是：無明、行、識、名色、六入、觸、受、愛、取、有、生、老死。

④「位」，《麗藏》作「倍」，形似有訛，今據宋藏改。