百喻经之二九: 贫人烧粗褐衣喻
§29 贫人烧粗褐衣喻
(29) the poor man burns his coarse woollen clothing
昔有一人，贫穷困乏。与他客作，得粗褐衣，而被著之。有人见之，而语之言：“汝种姓端正，贵人之子，云何著此粗弊衣褐？我今教汝，当使汝得上妙衣服。当随我语，终不欺汝。”
once upon a time, there was a poor and weary man who wore a coarse woolen garment, which he had made for his customer. he was seen by a stranger who said to him, "coming from an honorable family clan, you are the son of a man of high position. why do you wear such coarse woolen clothing? now let me teach you how to get some fine clothes. you should follow my instructions. i won't cheat you."
贫人欢喜，敬从其言。其人即便在前然火，语贫人言：“今可脱汝粗褐衣著于火中，于此烧处，当使汝得上妙钦服。”
the poor man follows his instructions happily. the stranger immediately lit a fire before him and said in these words, "now you may take off your coarse woolen garment and put it into the fire. you'll get some beautiful clothes out of the flame instead."
贫人即便脱著火中。既烧之后 ，于此火处求觅钦服，都无所得。
the poor man did as he was told. after his old clothes were burnt, nothing was left but ashes.
世间之人，亦复如是。从过去身修诸善法，得此人身，应当保护，进德修业。乃为外道邪恶妖女之所欺诳：“汝今当信我语，修诸苦行，投岩赴火，舍是身已，当生梵天，长受快乐。”便用其语，即舍身命。身死之后，堕于地狱，备受诸苦。既失人身，空无所获，如彼贫人，亦复如是。
so are the people at large. our being born as human beings must be attributed to the practice of a good religion from former lives. we should take good care of our beings and improve our virtue and do good deeds. we are sometimes cheated by the heretics, vicious men and seductive women, who said, "you should believe us that you will be reborn, after this life, in the brahman heaven and enjoy longevity and happiness, if you practice ascetics by jumping into the fire or rocks now." this is just like the story of the poor man burning his clothing.
注释：
①乃：却。
白话：
从前有一个人，贫穷困乏，给人家做活，得了一件粗布衣，就穿上了。有人见了，对他说：「你是上等种姓，贵人的后代，如何穿著这般破旧的粗布衣? 我现在教你一下，可以使你得到一件上乘的漂亮衣裳。应听我的话，终究是不骗你的。」贫人听了，很是欢喜，愿意遵循他的话。那人就在面前燃起火来，对贫人说：「如今可把你的粗布衣脱下，放在火中，在这焚烧之处，会使你得到一件上乘的漂亮衣服。」贫人即便脱下，扔入火中。烧完之后，在这燃火之处觅求好衣服，一无所得。
世上的人，也是这样，过去生修行种种善法，由此才得了这人身，应当保护它，进一步修行自己的德业，却受了外道及邪恶的妖女的欺诳：「你如今应当信从我的话，修习种种苦行，投入到岩崖下去，跳进火坑里去，将这身体舍弃了，便可生到梵天上去，长远地得到快乐。」世上的人就依从了他们的话，遂即舍弃了肉体的生命。身体死去之后，就堕入到地狱里，备受了种种痛苦。既失了人身，又空无所获，像那个贫人，也是这样。
这故事比喻∶依照佛法来说，人身是很难得的，我们既得到人身，应该好好进德修业，依照正法来如理修学。但是那些外道却妄造种种欺骗人的鬼话，说甚麽舍身赴岩投火，可生天上呀......等等，这些无稽之谈，万不可相信。如果上了圈套，那就不但害了现在，更要贻误将来，正如那个贫人受骗一样。
解说：
关于投岩赴火可生梵天的学说，《杂宝藏经》卷十以譬喻形式作了嘲讽性驳斥，现今译如下：
往昔有一个婆罗门，妻子年轻壮实，姿容艳美，欲情深重，常有著淫荡的意念。因有婆婆在，不得遂意，便在心中想了一个奸诈的计策，欲除去婆婆。
自此之后，她很是孝养婆婆，朝夕供给没有一丝一毫的短乏。丈夫很欢喜，道：「你真是个孝妇。我母亲日渐老了，全靠著你了。」妻子答道：「如今我这般只是人世间的供养罢了，资养实在不多：倘若得了天的供养，我们孝顺的意愿便达到了。颇有生天的妙法么?」丈夫说道：「依婆罗门的学说，投岩赴火，五热炙身，便可以生天。」妻子忙道：「倘若有这等妙法，婆婆即可生天，受自然的供养，就不必这般孜孜地受人世的供养了。」丈夫信了她的话，便在田野中作了大火坑，积了许多柴薪，就在火坑边上设宴会，扶将老母而来，招集亲党和众婆罗门，鼓乐弦歌，竟日尽欢。待宾客散了，夫妇将老母带至火坑边，推了下去，不顾而走。
本文地址：http://www.dioenglish.com/writing/story/1532.html
