《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
（一）愚人食盐喻
(1) Parable [Of The] Foolish Person Eating Salt
昔有愚人至于他家，主人与食嫌淡无味，主人闻已更为益盐。
[In the] past, [there] was [a] foolish person [who] reached [the] house of another [person, where the] host gave [him] food, [that he] disliked [as being] bland [and] tasteless. [The] host, [having] heard [of this] already, poured in even more salt.
既得盐美，便自念言：「所以美者缘有盐故，少有尚尔况复多也？」
Since [having] attained [the] salt’s deliciousness, [he] then personally thought [and] said, ‘[As] that with deliciousness [is] conditioned [by] having salt thus, [with] little still having thus, moreover [if with] much?’
愚人无智便空食盐，食已口爽返为其患。
[The] foolish person, without wisdom, then plainly ate salt, [with it] eaten already, [with his] tongue losing [the] ability [to] distinguish flavours, instead, because [of] this, [became] sick.
譬彼外道闻节饮食可以得道，即便断食或经七日或十五日，徒自困饿无益于道。
For example, those [from] external paths, [who] hear [that] regulating drink [and] food can attain [the] path, immediately then fast [from] eating, perhaps passing seven days or fifteen days, in vain [becoming] drowsy [and] hungry, without benefits for [the] path.
如彼愚人，以盐美故而空食之，致令口爽，此亦复尔。
Like that foolish person, with salt delicious thus, then plainly eating it, leading [and] causing [his] tongue [to] lose [the] ability [to] distinguish flavours, this [is] likewise thus.
[Note: Practices such as having only one near noon meal a day are good, such as on Eight Precepts’ (八戒) purification days (斋日), or even every day. This is beneficial exactly because it is a moderate way of eating, without eating too much or too little. This helps to lessen greed and distractions, while helping to focus energy on Dharma learning and practice.
If there is eating too much or too little, it will no longer be beneficial. Eating too much will lead to bloatedness and sleepiness. Eating too little will lead to weakness and drowsiness. Anything that is underdone or overdone is no longer on the Middle Path (中道). Thus, without underdoing and overdoing anything, there should be proper moderation of everything, done and not done, in thought, word and deed.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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引言
Introduction
https://purelanders.com/2023/07/24/introduction-of-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
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愚人集牛乳喻
[2] The Parable Of The Foolish Person Collecting Cow Milk
https://purelanders.com/2023/07/25/2-the-parable-of-the-foolish-person-collecting-cow-milk-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
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All Hundred Parables:
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