百喻经之十五: 医与王女药令卒长大喻

§15 医与王女药令卒长大喻

(15) the physician gives medicine to the princess to made her grow up fast

昔有国王，产生一女，唤医语言：“为我与药，立使长大。”

once upon a time there was a king who brought a daughter into the world. he sent for the doctor and asked him, "could you prescribe some drugs for my daughter in order to make her grow up faster?"

医师答言：“我与良药，能使即大。但今卒无方，须求索。比得药顷，王要莫看。待与药已，然后示王。”

the physician replied, "i have a good prescription for her. however, i don't have the medicine on hand. i should look for it. your majesty must not see her at the time of my searching for the medicine. i'll present her to your majesty after she has taken it."

于是即便远方取药。经十二年，得药来还，与女令服，将示于王。王见欢喜，即自念言：“实是良医，与我女药，能令卒长。”便敕左右，赐以珍宝。

then the physician went to a remote region in search of the medicine. he found it and came back twelve years later. having taken the medicine, the daughter was led to the king who was happy to see her. then he said to himself, "he's a good physician. my daughter has indeed grown after taking his medicine." the king then ordered his attendants to reward the doctor lavishly with gems.

时诸人等，笑王无智，不晓筹量生来年月，见其长大，谓是药力。

all the courtiers derided the king for his ignorance to such an extent that he did not know to think of the year in which his daughter was born. the king believed that her growing was due to the effect of the medicine.

世人亦尔。诣善知识，而启之言：“我欲求道，愿见教授，使我立得善知识。”

so are the people in general. they will visit a wise man and say, "we should like to attain the path of enlightenment. please instruct us that we may immediately receive the transcendent wisdom."

师以方便故，教令坐禅，观十二缘起，渐积众德，获阿罗汉，倍踊跃欢喜，而作是言：“快哉大师！速能令我证最妙法。”

by means of expediency, the master will guide them to practice meditation and contemplate the twelve links connected with the causation of rebirth. after gradually accumulating all kinds of merits, they reach the arahant's degree. then they will jump with joy and exclaim, "how fast it is! our great master, you have made us obtain so quickly the quintessential truth."

注释：

①今卒无方：今卒，现在仓猝之中；无方，指没有药方。

②比得药顷：比，到、等；顷，时。等得到药时。

③敕：皇帝的诏令。

④筹量：筹划计算。

⑤诣善知识：诣，到；善知识，指正直而有德行，能引人入菩提正道之人，此处指修行有道的高僧。《法华经》中有：“益我菩萨之道，名善知识。”

⑥坐禅：佛教术语。是僧人的一种静虑思维的方法。

⑦十二缘起：即十二因缘（无明、行、识、名色、六入、触、受、爱、取、有、生、老死）。是佛教对人生的观察、解释。分别为：老死，这是观察人生求得解脱的出发点；还有生、有、取、爱、受、触、六入（眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意）、名色（即身心的结合）、识、行、无明（指对佛教缘起、无常、无我的不理解）。这就是十二因缘的基本内容。（参见高杨、荆三隆《佛教起源论》）

⑧阿罗汉：破一切烦恼的得道高僧，即最高的悟道者。

白话：

从前有个国王生了一个女儿后，把宫中的医师召来对他说：“给我一种药，能使女儿吃了立即长大。”医师回答说：“我可以给这种药，使公主立即长大，但眼下还没有这种药方，必须去寻找。在我找药期间，国王您不要看，等公主服药后，再请您见公主。”于是他就到远方去找药了。十二年后，他采药回来。把药给公主吃了后，带她去见国王。国王见了很高兴，自言自语说：“确实是良医，给我女儿的药，能让她立即长大。”便诏令左右的侍从，给医师赏赐珍珠宝物。当时的人们都嘲笑国王的无知，不懂得起码的筹划计算，不管女儿的年龄，看见她长大了，便认为是药的作用。

世俗的人也是这样，到修行有道的高僧面前说：“我想得到明师的指点，使我很快得到对人生的透彻领悟。”明师从基础入门开始，教他坐禅，抛除一切尘念的静虑，领会佛教对人生社会的观察和解释，积累认识各种行为的规范，达到屏弃一切人生烦恼的修悟境界。这人听后欢呼雀跃，说道：“真快乐啊！大法师，你这么快就让我能达到佛学的最高境界。”

辨析：