《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
（一〇）三重楼喻
(10) Parable [Of The] Three-Layered Storeyed Building
往昔之世，有富愚人痴无所知，到余富家见三重楼，高广严丽轩敞踈朗，心生渴仰即作是念：「我有财钱不减于彼，云何顷来而不造作如是之楼？」
[In a] period of [the] past, [there] was [a] rich [and] foolish person, ignorant without that known, [who] reached another rich [person’s] home, [and] saw [his] three-layered storeyed building, [which was] tall [and] vast, majestic [and] beautiful, spacious [and] bright. [His] mind gave rise [to] reverence [as he] looked up, then having this thought, ‘[As] I have wealth [and] money not less than that [person], why [did I], all along then, not build such [a] storeyed building?’
即唤木匠而问言曰：「解作彼家端正舍不？」
[He] immediately called [the] carpenter, then asking, saying, ‘Can [you] make that upright abode [or] not?’
木匠答言：「是我所作。」
[The] carpenter replied, saying, ‘[This] is [by] me, that made.’
即便语言：「今可为我造楼如彼。」
[He] immediately spoke, saying, ‘Now, [you] can for me build [a] storeyed building like that.’
是时木匠即便经地垒墼作楼。
[At] this moment, [the] carpenter then measured [the] ground, piled [at the] base [and] laid bricks [to] make [the] storeyed building.
愚人见其垒墼作舍，犹怀疑惑不能了知，而问之言：「欲作何等？」
[The] foolish person, seeing him piling [at the] base [and] laying bricks [to] make [the] abode, yet having doubts [and] confusion in mind, not able [to] understand [this] clearly, then asked him, saying, ‘What kind [of building do you] desire [to] make?’
木匠答言：「作三重屋。」
[The] carpenter replied, saying, ‘[I am] making [a] three-layered house.’
愚人复言：「我不欲下二重之屋，先可为我作最上屋。」
[The] foolish person again said, ‘[As] I [do] not desire [a] house that [has] two lower layers, [you] can first for me make [the] most high [layer of the] house.’
木匠答言：「无有是事，何有不作最下重屋而得造彼第二之屋？不造第二云何得造第三重屋？」
[The] carpenter replied, saying, ‘[It is] without this matter. How [can there] be not making [the] most low layer [of the] house, then getting [to] build that second [layer] of [the] house? Not building [the] second [layer], how [can you] get [to] build [that] third layer [of the] house?’
愚人固言：「我今不用下二重屋，必可为我作最上者。」
[The] foolish person stubbornly said, ‘[As] I now [have] no need [for the] two lower layers [of the] house, [you] must for me make that most high [layer of the] house.’
时人闻已便生怪笑，咸作此言：「何有不造下第一屋而得上者？」
[The] people [at that] time, [having] heard [this] already, then gave rise [to] sneering [at him], all making this statement, ‘How [can there] be not building [the] lowest first [layer of the] house, then attaining that highest [one]?’
譬如世尊四辈弟子，不能精勤修敬三宝，懒惰懈怠欲求道果，而作是言：「我今不用余下三果，唯求得彼阿罗汉果。」
For example, [the] World-Honoured [One’s] four groups [of] disciples [i.e. monks, nuns, laymen and laywomen], [who are] not able [to be with] concentrated diligence cultivating reverence [of the] Triple Gem, idly [and] lazily desiring [to] seek [the] path’s fruit, then make this statement, ‘I now [have] no need [for the] other lower three [Srotāpanna (须陀洹), Sakṛdāgāmi (斯陀含果) and Anāgāmin (阿那含)] fruits, only seeking [to] attain that Arhat fruit.’
亦为时人之所嗤笑，如彼愚者等无有异。
Likewise by [the] people [of] that time sneered [at, they are] like that foolish person equally, without having differences.
[Note: It is with having a solid spiritual foundation by learning the Dharma first, that there can be step by step further practising and realising of it. As another analogy, the three storeys can stand for the Three Wisdoms (三慧) of Hearing’s Wisdom (闻慧), Contemplating’s Wisdom (思慧) and Cultivating’s Wisdom (修慧) too, as sequential steps for ‘inputting’, ‘digesting’ (i.e. internalising) and ‘outputting’ of the Dharma.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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