§30 牧羊人喻

(30) the sheep - farmer

昔有一人，巧于牧羊，其羊滋多，乃有千萬。極大慳貪，不肯外用。

once upon a time, there was a shepherd who was skillful in raising as many as thousands of sheep. however, he was so stingy that he would not spend a penny.

時有一人，善于巧詐，便作方便，往共親友，而語之言：“我今共汝極成親愛，便為一體，更無有異。我知彼家有一好女，當為汝求，可用為婦。”

at the time, a swindler found means to make friends with him and said, "since you and i have become intimate friends united as one man, there should be no gap of any kind between us now. i know a pretty girl from a certain family. i should like you to ask her to be your wife."

牧羊之人，聞之歡喜，便大與羊及諸財物。

the sheep-farmer was glad to hear those words. he gave him a flock of sheep and other precious things.

其人復言：“汝婦今日已生一子。”

the swindler then said, "now your wife has brought a child into the world."

牧羊之人，未見于婦，聞其已生，心大歡喜，重與彼物。

the sheep-farmer was very delighted to learn about this, in spite of the fact that he had not met her yet. again he gave him more things.

其人后復而與之言：“汝兒已生，今死矣！”

then one day the swindler said, "your child is dead shortly after birth."

牧羊之人聞此人語，便大啼泣，噓欷不已。

on hearing those words, the sheep-farmer cried bitterly and sighed ceaselessly.

世間之人，亦復如是。既修多聞，為其名利，秘惜其法，不肯為人教化演說，為此漏身之所誑惑，妄欺世樂，如己妻息，為其所欺，喪失善法，后失身命，并及財物，便大悲泣，生其憂苦。如彼牧羊之人，亦復如是。

so are the people at large. there are people who, acquiring much knowledge, put their creed into practice only for fame and gain. they keep secret its teachings, unwilling to preach or to teach the others. indulging in mundane pleasures, they are cheated by the transience of their bodies like the poor man cheated by the illusion of getting a wife and a child. consequently, they lose first their good faith, then their lives and finally their precious possessions. they can then only shed bitter tears by getting depressed and melancholy just like the sheep-farmer.

注釋：

　　①息：子女。

源流：

　　燕人生于燕而長于楚，及老而還本國。過晉國，同行者誑之，指城曰：「此燕國之城。」其人愀然變容。指社曰：「此若里之社。」乃喟然而嘆。指舍曰：「此若先人之廬。」乃涓然而泣。指垅曰：

「此若先人之冢。」其人哭不自禁。同行啞然大笑，曰：「昔給若，此晉國耳。」其人大慚。及至燕，真見燕國之城社，真見先人之廬冢，悲心更微。（《列子·周穆王》）

白話：

從前有一個人，善于牧羊，羊越來越多，乃至于成千上萬，卻很是慳貪，不肯讓外人沾點兒光。這時有一個人精于詭計，就找機會，去與他交朋友，對他說：「如今我與你最為要好了，已經成了一體，再沒分異之處了。我知道某家有一個好姑娘，我會替你去說媒，可讓她來做你的妻子。」牧羊人聽了，很歡喜，便給了他許多羊和財物。這人又對他說：「你妻子今日生了一個兒子。」牧羊人還沒見到妻子，聽見已生了兒子，心中大歡喜，又給了他財物。這人后來又對他說：「你兒子生了之后，于今日死了。」牧羊人聽了這話，便大哭起來，噓欷不已。
　　
世上的人也是如此，既修習經文了，出于名利的考慮，保守住記憶和理解的方法，不肯為眾人教化演說，受了這有漏身體的迷惑，妄求世間的歡樂，譬如自己的妻子兒女之類，受了這些歡樂的欺誑，從而喪失了善法。后來就喪失了身體的生命以及財物，便悲泣起來，產生了憂苦。如那個牧羊人，也是這樣。

這故事比喻∶佛教里有種多聞的人，經不起名利食色的誘惑，便貪著于世間的欲樂，為它所誑惑，而拋棄了修習善法功德的財寶。結果，不但喪失了善法，而且也喪失了生命及財物，弄得大憂苦，大悲泣，正是自尋煩惱。

供您思考：

圣法法師在《百喻故事廣釋》中說：人類不論富貴貧賤，上至一國的領袖，富有四海。下至販夫走卒，貧無立碓之地，都要缺少些什么，都不能事事稱心如意。一切眾生都有與生俱來的貪心，而且這貪心貪而無厭，越多越好。古人一首詩說：‘梁武為帝欲作仙，石崇倘望海作田，西施照鏡嫌貌丑，彭祖焚香祝壽年。’所以人就難有事事稱心如意的時候了。

貪心也有善貪惡貪，正貪邪貪，或者適當的貪，也無礙于我們的道德與生活。可是人類一見到自己所需要的東西，就情不自禁地去追求，求之不到即用種種不法手段去得，所以一切惡業都由此而引起的。反過來說勤儉是人類一種美德，若是吝嗇不肯幫忙別人，自己也舍不得吃穿，就變成守財奴了。還有，財富雖能使人于幸福快樂，可是也能使人墮落與痛苦。有了財富許多人都會打他的主意，有人欲賺他的錢，有人欲騙他、偷他，有人欲揩他的油，有人更欲占為己有。所以為要保護它，麻煩就多了。