百喻经之三四: 送美水喻

§34 送美水喻

(34) to send pure spring water

昔有一聚落，去王城五由旬。村中有好美水，王敕村人，常使日日送其美水。村人疲苦，悉欲移避，远此村去。

once upon a time, there was a village, which was located five yojanas away from the city and supplied pure spring water. the king ordered the water to be sent to him in the palace every day by the villagers. becoming utterly weary of the irksome task, they all wanted to move away to some remote place.

时彼村主，语诸人言：“汝等莫去，我当为汝白王，改五由旬作三由旬，使汝得近，往来不疲。”

to them, the village chief said,"don't go away. i'll talk with the king for you to alter the distance between here and the palace from five yojanas into three yojanas. it would be closer for coming and going without much weariness."

即往白王，王为改之，作三由旬。众人闻已，便大欢喜。有人语言：“此故是本五由旬，更无有异。”虽闻此语，信王语故，终不肯去。

the chief hastened to report to the king who changed the mileage. people were delighted at knowing this. some of them said that there was no difference whatsoever. most still stayed on, because of their newly reassured confidence in the king.

世间之人，亦复如是。修行正法，度于五道，向涅槃城，心生厌倦，便欲舍离，顿驾生死，不能复进。

so are the people in various walks of life. those who devote themselves to the right religion for crossing the five paths toward the nirvana city, intend to abandon their faith when they are weary and exhausted. traveling by the transmigration boat, they are unable to make their way toward the shore.

如来法王有大方便，于一乘法分别说三。小乘之人闻之欢喜，以为易行，修善进德，求度生死。后闻人说，无有三乘，故是一道。以信佛语，终不肯舍。如彼村人，亦复如是。

however, buddha, the king of the law, has many expedient means from the one vehicle to the three vehicles. those who follow the hinayana sect are glad to hear those words and find it easier to practice. therefore, they spare no effort to do good deeds and improve themselves spiritually so as to make their way of transmigration toward the other shores. afterwards, they realize that there is no three vehicles but ones. because of the confidence in buddha's words, they do not want to abandon their faith by then. this is just like the story of the villagers ending pure spring water.

注释：

　　①由旬：印度古代计程单位，是梵文yojana的音译，此词的原初含义是套一次牛所行的路程，只是一个大致的界定而已，约三十里左右。

白话：

从前有个村落，距王城五由旬路程。村中有好美水。国王命令村里人日日给他送美水去。村里人疲苦不堪，全都想移居到别处去，远离这个村落。这时村长对众人说：「请大家不要离开，我会替你们去跟国王讲，把五由旬的路程改称三由旬，使距离短些，你们往来就不疲苦了。」村长即去对国王讲了。国王同意改为三由旬。众人听了，就很是欢喜。有人说道：「这依旧是原先的五由旬，一点也没有变。」村民们虽是听了这话，然而相信国王的言语的缘故，终究不肯搬走。
　　
世上的人也是这样，修行著大乘正法，度过地狱、饿鬼、畜生、人、天这五道，向泯灭了生死因果的涅槃城走去，却产生了厌倦的心情，就想避开这条漫长的路途，祈望顿时凌越出生死的轮回，不想再进一步地修行正法了。如来法王就用权便的方法，把纯粹一乘的正法分开来说成声闻、缘觉、菩萨三乘。具有小乘根性的人听了，很是欢喜，以为容易实行，便继续修行善德，以求渡过生死苦海。后来又听人说没有三乘，原本就是同一条道路，就是菩萨乘这一乘。因为信奉佛说法的缘故，终究不肯舍去成见的执著。像那些村民一样，信奉国王的言语。

这故事比喻∶世人修行正法，以求渡脱生死轮转的苦，但因长期修学，感到劳倦，往往中途要想退心，不欲再求进步了，幸亏如来法有大方便门，把一乘的佛法方便说成三乘，使得小根小智的人们听了，以为很容易修成，就会鼓起勇气来修善进德，以求了脱生死，等到他们证到自己解脱的小乘果位以后，佛再告诉他们，佛法原来只有一乘，所谓『惟此一事实，余二则非真，』到了这时，他们因笃信佛语，就能回小向大，信受不疑，安然进修大乘菩萨道了。

源流：

　　《庄子·齐物论》：狙公赋（分配）茅，曰：「朝三而暮四。」众狙皆怒。曰：「然则朝四而暮三。」众狙皆悦。名实未亏而喜怒为用，亦因是也。

　　《列子·黄帝》：宋有狙公者，爱狙，养之成群，能解狙之意，狙亦得公之心。损其家口，充狙之欲。俄耳匮焉，将限其食，恐众狙之不驯于己也，先诳之曰：「与若茅，朝三而暮四，足乎?」众狙皆起而怒。俄而曰：「与若茅，朝四而暮三，足乎?」众狙皆伏而喜。物之以能鄙相笼，皆犹此也。圣人以智笼群愚，亦犹狙公以智笼众狙也。名实不亏，使其喜怒哉。