§15 醫與王女藥令卒長大喻

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

昔有國王，產生一女，喚醫語言：“為我與藥，立使長大。”

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?"

醫師答言：“我與良藥，能使即大。但今卒無方，須求索。比得藥頃，王要莫看。待與藥已，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."

于是即便遠方取藥。經十二年，得藥來還，與女令服，將示于王。王見歡喜，即自念言：“實是良醫，與我女藥，能令卒長。”便敕左右，賜以珍寶。

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.

時諸人等，笑王無智，不曉籌量生來年月，見其長大，謂是藥力。

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.

世人亦爾。詣善知識，而啟之言：“我欲求道，愿見教授，使我立得善知識。”

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."

師以方便故，教令坐禪，觀十二緣起，漸積眾德，獲阿羅漢，倍踴躍歡喜，而作是言：“快哉大師！速能令我證最妙法。”

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."

注釋：

①今卒無方：今卒，現在倉猝之中；無方，指沒有藥方。

②比得藥頃：比，到、等；頃，時。等得到藥時。

③敕：皇帝的詔令。

④籌量：籌劃計算。

⑤詣善知識：詣，到；善知識，指正直而有德行，能引人入菩提正道之人，此處指修行有道的高僧。《法華經》中有：“益我菩薩之道，名善知識。”

⑥坐禪：佛教術語。是僧人的一種靜慮思維的方法。

⑦十二緣起：即十二因緣（無明、行、識、名色、六入、觸、受、愛、取、有、生、老死）。是佛教對人生的觀察、解釋。分別為：老死，這是觀察人生求得解脫的出發點；還有生、有、取、愛、受、觸、六入（眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意）、名色（即身心的結合）、識、行、無明（指對佛教緣起、無常、無我的不理解）。這就是十二因緣的基本內容。（參見高楊、荊三隆《佛教起源論》）

⑧阿羅漢：破一切煩惱的得道高僧，即最高的悟道者。

白話：

從前有個國王生了一個女兒后，把宮中的醫師召來對他說：“給我一種藥，能使女兒吃了立即長大。”醫師回答說：“我可以給這種藥，使公主立即長大，但眼下還沒有這種藥方，必須去尋找。在我找藥期間，國王您不要看，等公主服藥后，再請您見公主。”于是他就到遠方去找藥了。十二年后，他采藥回來。把藥給公主吃了后，帶她去見國王。國王見了很高興，自言自語說：“確實是良醫，給我女兒的藥，能讓她立即長大。”便詔令左右的侍從，給醫師賞賜珍珠寶物。當時的人們都嘲笑國王的無知，不懂得起碼的籌劃計算，不管女兒的年齡，看見她長大了，便認為是藥的作用。

世俗的人也是這樣，到修行有道的高僧面前說：“我想得到明師的指點，使我很快得到對人生的透徹領悟。”明師從基礎入門開始，教他坐禪，拋除一切塵念的靜慮，領會佛教對人生社會的觀察和解釋，積累認識各種行為的規范，達到屏棄一切人生煩惱的修悟境界。這人聽后歡呼雀躍，說道：“真快樂啊！大法師，你這么快就讓我能達到佛學的最高境界。”

辨析：