《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
（五）渴见水喻
(5) Parable [Of The] Thirsty Seeing Water
过去有人，痴无智慧，极渴须水，见热时炎谓为是水，即便逐走至辛头河，既至河所对视不饮。
[In the] past, [there] was [a] person, ignorant without wisdom. Extremely thirsty needing water, seeing ‘flames’ when hot [i.e. mirage], regarding [them] as water, [he] immediately raced [to] reach [the] Sindhu River. Already [having] reached that river, eye to eye seeing [it, he did] not drink [from it].
傍人语言：「汝患渴逐水，今至水所何故不饮？」
[A] bystander spoke [these] words, ‘You, suffering [from] thirst chasing water, now [having] reached that water, for what reason [are you] not drinking [it]?’
愚人答言：「若可饮尽，我当饮之，此水极多俱不可尽，是故不饮。」
[The] foolish person replied, saying, ‘If [I] can drink [it] completely, I will drink it. [As] this water [is] extremely much together, [and] cannot [be drunk] completely, therefore [am I] not drinking [it].’
尔时众人闻其此语，皆大嗤笑。
At that time, all people [who] heard these words [of] his, all greatly sneered [at him].
譬如外道僻取其理，以己不能具持佛戒，遂便不受，致使将来无得道分、流转生死，若彼愚人见水不饮为时所笑，亦复如是。
For example, [those of] external paths, [who go] out of the way [to] obtain these principles, with themselves not able [to] completely uphold [the] Buddha’s precepts, immediately [do] not receive [them], causing [their] future [to be] without attainment [of the] path’s part, flowing [and] transforming [i.e. reborn] [in the cycle of] birth [and] death, [are] like that foolish person seeing water [but] not drinking [it, by] those then laughed [at, they are] likewise thus.
[Note: As we all have to start somewhere, we should not be intimidated by the vast and great scope of the Dharma, such that we refuse to learn or practise any aspect of it at all. As life is short and unpredictable, with the Dharma being able to resolve many of life’s problems, there should not be trying to or waiting to fully understand all principles of the Dharma before putting some of the Dharma into practice.
To the extent that the Dharma is well practised, it is the extent that the Dharma will benefit. Also, it is through having adequate practice that more and eventually all principles will be realised. This is so as all Dharma principles are interconnected to one another, and are meant to be actualised to be fully understood.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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妇诈称死喻
[4] The Parable Of The Wife Who Cheated And Pretended To Be Dead
https://purelanders.com/2023/07/25/4-the-parable-of-the-wife-who-cheated-and-pretended-to-be-dead-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
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Next Parable:
子死欲停置家中喻
[6] The Parable Of Having A Son Dead, Desiring To Leave And Put Him At Home
https://purelanders.com/2023/07/26/6-the-parable-of-having-a-son-dead-desiring-to-leave-and-put-him-at-home-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
全百喻
All Hundred Parables:
https://purelanders.com/baiyu
