《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
(二一)妇女欲更求子喻
(21) Parable [Of The] Woman Desiring Again [To] Seek [A] Child
往昔世时有妇女人,始有一子更欲求子,问余妇女:「谁有能使我重有子?」
When [in a] past period, [there] was [a] women, first having a child, again desiring [to] seek [another] child, asked other women, ‘Who has [the] ability [to] cause me [to] again have [a] child?’
有一老母语此妇言:「我能使尔求子可得,当须祀天。」
[There] was an old woman, [who] said this [to the] woman, saying, ‘I [am] able [to] cause thus, [such that your] sought child can [be] gotten. [You] will have to make [an] offering [to the] heavenly [gods].’
问老母言:「祀须何物?」
[She] asked [the] old woman, saying, ‘[For making the] offering, what object [is needed]?’
老母语言:「杀汝之子取血祀天,必得多子。」
[The] old woman said, ‘[If with] killing of your child, [to] obtain [the] blood [for] offering [to the] heavenly [gods, you will] definitely get many children.’
时此妇女便随彼语欲杀其子。
Then, this woman then followed those words [and] desired [to] kill her child.
傍有智人嗤笑骂詈:「愚痴无智乃至如此。未生子者竟可得不?而杀现子。」
Nearby, [there] was [a] wise person [who] sneered [and] scolded [her, ‘Those] ignorant without wisdom [are] as much as [until] like this. Yet [to] give birth [to] that child, [not knowing if he] in the end can [be] gotten [or] not, yet killing [the] present child.’
愚人亦尔,为未生乐自投火坑,种种害身为得生天。
Foolish persons [are] likewise thus, for future lives’ joys, personally throwing [themselves into] fire pits, [with] all kinds [of] harm [to their] bodies for attaining birth [in the] heavens.
[Note: The foolish squander their already present blessings in search of more future blessings, that they might not even get, especially if their means are self-defeating, even causing needless suffering. They then get more ‘self-cursings’ than blessings.
The worst that can be done to themselves are pointless practices of extreme asceticism, while the worst that can be done to other sentient beings are equally pointless practices of sacrificing them, especially for imaginary ‘divine’ beings.
Instead of leading to any cool ponds in the heavens, the creating of such evil karmas can lead to the actual fire pits in the hells. What should be sacrificed are the three poisons of greed, hatred and delusion.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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[20] The Parable Of A Person Saying A King Is Recklessly Brutal
https://purelanders.com/2023/08/03/20-the-parable-of-a-person-saying-a-king-is-recklessly-brutal-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
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入海取沉水喻
[22] The Parable Of Entering The Ocean To Take Water-Sunken Incense
https://purelanders.com/2023/08/05/22-the-parable-of-entering-the-ocean-to-take-water-sunken-incense-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
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