百喻经之三一: 雇请瓦师喻
§31 雇请瓦师喻
(31) mason wanted
昔有婆罗门师，欲作大会，语弟子言：“我须瓦器，以供会用。汝可为我雇请瓦师。诣市觅之。”
once upon a time, a brahman master indented to give a big party. he told his disciple, "i need earthenware for the party. go to the market and fetch for me a mason."
时彼弟子往瓦师家，时有一人驴负瓦器至市欲卖，须臾之间，驴尽破之。还来家中，啼哭懊恼。弟子见已，而问之言：“何以悲叹懊恼如是？”
on his way to the mason's home, the disciple came across a man whose donkey was loaded with earthenware for sale in the market. yet all pottery was broken by the animal in the twinkling of an eye. on his return home, the man was crying and getting quite distraught. on seeing this, the disciple asked: "why are you so sad and disappointed?"
其人答言：“我为方便，勤苦积年，始得成器。诣市欲卖。此弊恶驴，须臾之顷，尽破我器。是故懊恼。”
the man replied, "i have been making earthenware with all my expedient means after toiling and moiling for many years. i was on my way to the market intending to sell them. but this dumb animal has broken all i had in no time. that's why i'm so distraught."
尔时弟子见闻是已，欢喜念言：“此驴乃是佳物！久时所作，须臾能破。我今当买此驴。”
the disciple was glad to see and hear all this and said, "it's a good donkey. i should like to buy it."
瓦师欢喜，即便卖与。乘来归家，师问之言：“汝何以不得瓦师将来？用是驴为？”
the mason was delighted to sell it. when the disciple rode it back, the master asked, "why didn't you come back with a mason? what's the idea of bringing a donkey here?"
弟子答言：“此驴胜于瓦师。瓦师久时所作瓦器，少时能破。”
the disciple replied, "this donkey is better than a mason, for it can break things in a split second what a mason has made over a long time."
时师语言：“汝大愚痴，无有智慧。此驴今者适可能破，假使百年，不能成一。”
the master said, "you are stupid and ignorant indeed. although the donkey can break things in a second, it can't even make one pottery in a hundred years."
世间之人，亦复如是。虽千百年，受人供养，都无报偿，常为损害，终不为益。背恩之人，亦复如是。
so are the people at large. those who sometimes receive offerings from their benefactors for a hundred years, give nothing in return. on the contrary, they always do more harm than good. this is held to be true with someone who shows ingratitude.
注释：
①大会：盛大的法会。
②倩：请。
③方便：善巧。
白话:
过去有位婆罗门师，想举办一场隆重的法会，对弟子说：「我需要一批瓦器，以供法会使用。你去替我雇请一位瓦师来，这可到市集上去寻觅。」那弟子即前往瓦师家去。这时有一人赶著驴、负著瓦器到市场上去卖掉，那头驴才一会儿的功夫就把瓦器都打破了。此人回到家中，心里懊恼，就啼哭起来。婆罗门弟子见了，便问：「为何这般悲叹懊恼?」此人答道：「我用了种种善巧的方法，经过许多年的勤苦，方做成了瓦器。拉到市场上想卖，这头破驴子顷刻之间都把瓦器打砸了，所以我懊恼。」弟子听了，心中欣喜，想道：「这头驴真是好东西，历经久时做成的东西，顷刻之间就能把它破掉。如今我应把这头驴买下来。」瓦师很高兴，立即就把驴卖给他。弟子乘著回家来，师父问道：「你为什么不把瓦师带来，这驴子能派上什么用场?」弟子答道：「这头驴子胜过瓦师呢! 瓦师历经久时做成的瓦器，它转眼就能打破。」这时师父呵责道：「你这愚痴之人，没有智慧。这驴的确是能一下子打破的，然而即使给它一百年辰光，也不能作出一个瓦器来。」
世间的人也是这样，虽则千百年来，一直受到人家的供养，却毫无报偿，专做损害他人的事情，从来没有行过一点善。背恩的人也正是这样。
这故事比喻∶世上有很多人，受人供养很久，不但没有报偿，且常做损害的事，这种背恩忘义的人，和他亲近，和他在一起，是有损无益的！
解说：
破而不能成、不能立，则只有负面的意义。
供您思考：
圣法法师在《百喻故事广释》中说：一座高楼大厦，不但要花许多的物资，也经工人经年累月辛辛苦苦地建筑，才能够完成。一旦被地震震毁了，岂不枉费很多的辛苦和财物？但谁能阻止地震呢？只能在建筑上讲究坚固安全。
一个大富翁，也是辛辛苦苦地干了几十年，省食俭用，一点一滴地累积下来，最后才成了财富。一旦三寸气不来，一切财富、名利岂不是成了幻泡影？谁又能阻止人的死亡呢？唯有修行积德才是生生世世用不完的财产。
人的一生自少读书、求智识、学技艺，又要辛辛苦苦地创业立业、积财产，才有事业的基础。一旦失败破产，则断送了一生的辛劳。人是何等地悲伤，只有怪命运不济或怪老天不帮忙？怎么不怪前生或今生恶业太重？或怪自己没有智慧，做错了事情呢？
本文地址：http://www.dioenglish.com/writing/story/1530.html
