《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
（三六）破五通仙眼喻
(36) Parable [Of] Destroying Eyes [Of The] Sage [With] Five Supernormal [Powers]
昔有一人，入山学道得五通仙，天眼彻视，能见地中一切伏藏种种珍宝。
[In the] past, [there] was a person, [who] entered [a] mountain [to] learn [the] path [and] attained [to be a] sage [with] five supernormal [powers. With the] heavenly eye [having] pervasive sight, [he was] able [to] see [the] earth within, all [its] buried treasures, all kinds [of] precious treasures.
[Note 1: The Six Supernormal Powers (六神通/六通) are (1) Heavenly eye’s supernormal power (天眼通), (2) Heavenly ear’s supernormal power (天耳通), (3) Knowledge of others’ thoughts’ supernormal power (他心通), (4) Supernormal flight’s power (神足通), (5) Knowledge of past lives’ supernormal power (宿命通) and (6) Outflows’ ending’s supernormal power (漏尽通).
The Five Supernormal Powers (五神通/五通) are (1) Heavenly eye’s supernormal power (天眼通), (2) Heavenly ear’s supernormal power (天耳通), (3) Knowledge of others’ thoughts’ supernormal power (他心通), (4) Supernormal flight’s power (神足通), (5) Knowledge of past lives’ supernormal power (宿命通).
Without the sixth supernormal power, which is (6) Outflows’ ending’s supernormal power (漏尽通), those with the Five Supernormal Powers only are not yet liberated. It is possible for some from external paths (外道) to attain some of the Five Supernormal Powers, but impossible for them to attain the sixth supernormal power if they do not learn, practise and realise the Buddha’s Dharma teachings, unless they are Those By Conditions Awakened (缘觉), who have realised that aligned to the Dharma by themselves.]
国王闻之，心大欢喜便语臣言：「云何得使此人常在我国不余处去？使我藏中得多珍宝。」
[The] country’s King, hearing this, [with his] mind [having] great joy, then spoke [to his] officials, saying, ‘How [can I] get this person [to] constantly [be] in my country, [to] not go [to] other places? [To] make my treasury within [able to] get many precious treasures.’
有一愚臣辄便往至，挑仙人双眼持来白王：「臣以挑眼，更不得去，常住是国。」
[There] was a foolish official, [who] immediately went to tear out [the] sage’s two eyes. Holding [them, he] came [and] said [to the] King, ‘[Your] official [is] with [these] torn out eyes, [which] again cannot go [elsewhere, and will] constantly abide [in] this country.’
王语臣言：「所以贪得仙人住者，能见地中一切伏藏，汝今毁眼，何所复任？」
[The] King spoke [to the] official, saying, ‘Because [of] that desire, [to] get [the] sage [to] abide, [to be] able [to] see [the] earth within, all [its] buried treasures, you [are] now [with his] destroyed eyes. How [can] those again resume [their] duty?’
世间之人亦复如是，见他头陀苦行山林旷野冢间树下，修四意止及不净观，便强将来于其家中，种种供养，毁他善法，使道果不成，丧其道眼，已失其利空无所获，如彼愚臣唐毁他目也。
People of [the] world [are] likewise thus, seeing other ascetics [with] ascetic practices [in] mountains, forests, wilderness, burial mounds [and] trees below, cultivating [the] Four Mind Cessations [i.e. Four Mindfulness Foundations (四念处)] and Impurity’s Contemplation, then forcibly fetching [them to] their homes within, [to make] all kinds [of] offerings, destroying others’ good Dharma [practices], causing [their] paths’ fruits [to] not [be] accomplished, [and to] lose their paths’ eyes. Already losing their benefits, empty without that obtained, [they are] like that foolish official in vain destroying another’s eyes.
[Note 2: The Four Mindfulness Foundations (四念处) are (1) Contemplation of body as impure (观身不净), (2) Contemplation of feelings to be suffering (观受是苦), (3) Contemplation of the mind to be impermanent (观心无常) and (4) Contemplation of dharmas to be non-self (观法无我).]
[Note 3: There should not be attempts to ‘steal’ other spiritual practitioners’ efforts and attainments for selfish benefits. Not only can they not be taken for oneself, doing so will sabotage and distract others from their otherwise pure(r) practices, while personally creating evil karmas (恶业), thus distancing oneself and others from the actual spiritual goals sought. This creates a lose-lose situation.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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