百喻經 2 愚人集牛乳喻 The Stupid Man Tries To Store Up Milk

2 The Stupid Man Tries To Store Up Milk

2愚人集牛乳喻

Once there was a stupid man who was going to have some guests and decided to store up some milk for them. He thought, 「If I milk the cow every day beforehand, there will be too much milk and not enough space to store it. It will probably spoil. It would be better to leave it in the cow. I』ll milk the cow right before the guests arrive.」

Then he separated the cow from its calf and tied them up. A month later, when he actually had the gathering, he tried to milk the cow, but found that the milk had run dry. Some guests scoffed at him and others laughed.

This is like stupid people who want to give alms all at once and say that they will wait until they possess great wealth. Usually, before they can accumulate enough money, it is seized by the government, lost in a fire or flood, or taken by robbers. Or else they many even die before they get around to giving. They are just like that stupid man who tired to store up milk.

譯文

往昔有一個愚人，將要宴請賓客，便想積集牛乳，準備設宴時供用，因而想道：我如今若是預先天天擠取牛乳，牛乳漸漸多起來，終究無處安放，或許還會變酸敗壞呢，不如就讓它盛在牛腹里，待臨到宴會時，便可一下子全部擠出來。想罷，就捉牢母牛和小牛，各各系在不同的地方。過了一個月之後，他方才設置宴會，將賓客迎入，安頓好，方牽過牛來，想擠取牛乳，而母牛的乳房癟塌塌的，一點奶也沒有了。這時賓客們或是瞪著他，或是嗤笑他。

其他的愚人也是這樣，想要修行布施，只是說待我大有財物之時，然後才一下子布施掉。還沒來得及積聚起來，或是被貪官、水災、火災、盜賊侵奪掉了，或是猝然命終了，趕不及布施，那些愚人也如集牛乳的愚人一樣。

原典

昔有愚人，將會賓客，欲集牛乳，以擬供設，而作是念：我今若預于日日中(上殻+下牛)取①牛乳，牛孔漸多，卒無安處，或復酢敗。不如即就牛腹盛之，待臨會時，當頓(上殻+下牛)取。作是念已，便捉牸牛②母子，各系異處。卻後一月，爾乃設會，迎置賓客，方牽牛來，欲(上殻+下牛)取乳，而此牛孔即乾無有。時為賓客或瞋或笑。

愚人亦爾，欲修布施，方③言待我大有之時，然後頓施，未及聚頃，或為縣官、水火、盜賊之所侵奪，或卒④命終，不及時施，彼亦如是。

注釋

①(上殻+下牛)取：擠取，(上殻+下牛)音勾。

②悖牛：母牛。

③方：僅、只。

④卒：同猝。

源流

《眾經撰雜譬喻經》卷上載：昔有一婆羅門，居家貧窮，正(止、只、僅)有一悖牛，(上殻+下牛)乳日得一斗，以自供活。聞說十五日飯諸眾僧沙門得大福德，便止不復(上殻+下牛)牛，停至一月並取，望得三斛，持用供養諸沙門。至滿月，便大請諸沙門至舍皆坐。時婆羅門即入(上殻+下牛)牛乳，正(止)得一斗。雖久不(上殻+下牛)乳而不多。諸人呵罵言：汝痴人!云何日日不(上殻+下牛)乃至一月也，而望得多?

今世人亦如是，有財物時，不能隨多少布施，停積久後，須多乃作。無常水火及以身命，須臾難保。若當不遇，一朝蕩盡，虛無所獲。(比丘道略集、鳩摩羅什譯，《大正藏》第四冊第五三二頁)

解說

生命飄忽，身外之物，更是聚散不定，因而布施之舉，當時時實行，多少無論，毋須等待什麼時機。