百喻经之一: 愚人食盐喻
§1 愚人食盐喻
(1) the stupid man takes salt
昔有愚人,至于他家,主人与食,嫌淡无味。主人闻已,更为益盐。既得盐美,便自念言:“所以美者,缘有盐故。少有尚尔,况复多也?” 愚人无智,便空食盐。食已口爽,返为其患。
once upon a time there was a stupid man who went to another man's home. the host gave him something to eat. after he complained that the food was insipid, the host added a little salt to it. the stupid guest tried again, found it better, and thought that it was tasteful, because of the salt. to his thinking, the food would be so much better, if he took a great deal of salt. then this stupid and ignorant man ate it on an empty stomach. afterwards, he had his palate out of order and fell ill.
譬彼外道,闻节饮食可以得道,即便断食。或经七日,或十五日,徒自困饿,无益于道。如彼愚人,以盐美故,而空食之,至令口爽,此亦复尔。
the heretics, having learned that abstaining from food and drink might lead to the path of enlightenment, immediately fasted for seven or fifteen days. they merely got fatigued and famished, accomplishing nothing in terms of enlightenment. those heretics are just like that stupid man, who, on account of the pleasant flavor that the salt enhanced, ate salt on an empty stomach only to lose all tastes (and get sick afterwards).
注释:
①这是《百喻经》的第一个故事。实际上这是一个聪明人,只是在探索未知的过程中显得蠢笨。经文的本旨是在于外道修持中过分强调“断食”而带来的弊端,而在现实社会中,这种超过适度的教训实在太多,太多了。
②益:添加。
③既:已经。
④所以:译为“……的原因”。
⑤尚尔:尚且这样。
⑥口爽:味口败坏。爽,伤害。
白话:
从前的时候,有一个愚人,到别人家去作客。主人端出食物来,他嫌淡而无味。主人听罢,便另外为他添了点盐进去。愚人尝到了盐的美味,心内便想:味道所以这么美,是有盐的缘故。少少一撮,尚且如此,满满一把,岂不更妙?这愚人不懂其中的道理,便单单吃那盐。吃罢,口颤舌抖,反而得了苦楚。
这就譬如那些外道,听说节制饮食可以得道,即便断绝了饮食。或是断七日,或是断十五日,空落落地使自己遭一番困饿,却对修道毫无益处,活像那个愚人,因为盐可调出美味来,就单是吃它,致使口颤舌抖,外道的断食也是这样。
源流:
与此譬喻相类似的,有《大智度论》卷十八所载的田舍人食盐:「譬如田舍人初不识盐,见人以盐著种种肉菜中而食,问言:『何以故尔?』语言:『此盐能令诸物味美故。』此人便念:此盐能令诸物美,自味必多。便空抄盐满口食之,咸苦伤口,而问言:『汝何以言盐能作美?』人言:『痴人! 此当筹量多少,和之令美,云何纯食盐?』」(《大正藏》第二十五册第一九四页)
《大智度论》卷五十九:「譬如愚人不识饮食种具,闻酱是众味主,便纯饮酱,失味致患。」(同上第四八o页)
《大智度论》卷六十四:「譬如食虽香美,过噉则病。」(同上第五o九页)
解说:
此则譬喻可与本集<见他人涂舍喻>、<尝庵婆罗果喻>并读,都是喻示过犹不及、并且招致伤败的道理。
供您思考:
今人追踪愚人足迹的实在不少。
不解佛法的圆融,不知佛法的对治,唤夥鸱ǖ墓阋澹苑鸱ㄖ械囊痪浒胗镆晕沟拙烤梗鹚嫡馐悄醪ㄑ肓宋业姆ɡ铮倘缋芍胁恢秸叩呐浞剑恢靡┑募亮浚醇嵝乓晃锻练侥苤伟俨。浣峁鍪谴魃狭恕坝挂缴比恕钡母呙弊佣悦靡獾挠奕硕选?/p>
圣法法师说:世间万事做得适中,即成功立业。物用之得适即物物皆良,人用之得适即人尽其才。时、地、人,都恰到好处,即事事皆通。否则事事都障碍。世间事事物物皆须靠我们的智慧去运用。然则佛教是智慧的宗教。从闻思修去证得,而且生生世世受用无尽。
能海上师说:“般若无相显于事,凡事恰到好处,即是般若。”
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