百喻經之二九: 貧人燒粗褐衣喻
§29 貧人燒粗褐衣喻
(29) the poor man burns his coarse woollen clothing
昔有一人，貧窮困乏。與他客作，得粗褐衣，而被著之。有人見之，而語之言：“汝種姓端正，貴人之子，云何著此粗弊衣褐？我今教汝，當使汝得上妙衣服。當隨我語，終不欺汝。”
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."
貧人歡喜，敬從其言。其人即便在前然火，語貧人言：“今可脫汝粗褐衣著于火中，于此燒處，當使汝得上妙欽服。”
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."
貧人即便脫著火中。既燒之后 ，于此火處求覓欽服，都無所得。
the poor man did as he was told. after his old clothes were burnt, nothing was left but ashes.
世間之人，亦復如是。從過去身修諸善法，得此人身，應當保護，進德修業。乃為外道邪惡妖女之所欺誑：“汝今當信我語，修諸苦行，投巖赴火，舍是身已，當生梵天，長受快樂。”便用其語，即舍身命。身死之后，墮于地獄，備受諸苦。既失人身，空無所獲，如彼貧人，亦復如是。
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.
注釋：
①乃：卻。
白話：
從前有一個人，貧窮困乏，給人家做活，得了一件粗布衣，就穿上了。有人見了，對他說：「你是上等種姓，貴人的后代，如何穿著這般破舊的粗布衣? 我現在教你一下，可以使你得到一件上乘的漂亮衣裳。應聽我的話，終究是不騙你的。」貧人聽了，很是歡喜，愿意遵循他的話。那人就在面前燃起火來，對貧人說：「如今可把你的粗布衣脫下，放在火中，在這焚燒之處，會使你得到一件上乘的漂亮衣服。」貧人即便脫下，扔入火中。燒完之后，在這燃火之處覓求好衣服，一無所得。
世上的人，也是這樣，過去生修行種種善法，由此才得了這人身，應當保護它，進一步修行自己的德業，卻受了外道及邪惡的妖女的欺誑：「你如今應當信從我的話，修習種種苦行，投入到巖崖下去，跳進火坑里去，將這身體舍棄了，便可生到梵天上去，長遠地得到快樂。」世上的人就依從了他們的話，遂即舍棄了肉體的生命。身體死去之后，就墮入到地獄里，備受了種種痛苦。既失了人身，又空無所獲，像那個貧人，也是這樣。
這故事比喻∶依照佛法來說，人身是很難得的，我們既得到人身，應該好好進德修業，依照正法來如理修學。但是那些外道卻妄造種種欺騙人的鬼話，說甚麼舍身赴巖投火，可生天上呀......等等，這些無稽之談，萬不可相信。如果上了圈套，那就不但害了現在，更要貽誤將來，正如那個貧人受騙一樣。
解說：
關于投巖赴火可生梵天的學說，《雜寶藏經》卷十以譬喻形式作了嘲諷性駁斥，現今譯如下：
往昔有一個婆羅門，妻子年輕壯實，姿容艷美，欲情深重，常有著淫蕩的意念。因有婆婆在，不得遂意，便在心中想了一個奸詐的計策，欲除去婆婆。
自此之后，她很是孝養婆婆，朝夕供給沒有一絲一毫的短乏。丈夫很歡喜，道：「你真是個孝婦。我母親日漸老了，全靠著你了。」妻子答道：「如今我這般只是人世間的供養罷了，資養實在不多：倘若得了天的供養，我們孝順的意愿便達到了。頗有生天的妙法么?」丈夫說道：「依婆羅門的學說，投巖赴火，五熱炙身，便可以生天。」妻子忙道：「倘若有這等妙法，婆婆即可生天，受自然的供養，就不必這般孜孜地受人世的供養了。」丈夫信了她的話，便在田野中作了大火坑，積了許多柴薪，就在火坑邊上設宴會，扶將老母而來，招集親黨和眾婆羅門，鼓樂弦歌，竟日盡歡。待賓客散了，夫婦將老母帶至火坑邊，推了下去，不顧而走。
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