《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
（五五）愿为王剃须喻
(55) Parable [Of] Wishing [To], For [The] King Shave [His] Beard
昔者有王有一亲信，于军阵中没命救王使得安全，王大欢喜与其所愿，即便问言：「汝何所求？恣汝所欲。」
[In the] past, [there] was [a] King [who] had a close [and] trusted [minister], within [a] battle formation [risking] losing [of his] life [to] save [the] King, causing [him to] attain safety. [The] King [with] great joy, [wanting to] give him that [he] wished, immediately asked, ‘You [have] what that [you] seek? [Without] restraint, you [can have] that desired.’
臣便答言：「王剃须时，愿听我剃。」
[The] minister then replied, saying, ‘When [the] King [is] shaving [his] beard, may [you] allow me [to] shave [it].’
王言：「此事若适汝意，听汝所愿。」
[The] King said, ‘[Of] this matter, if [it] fits your desire, [I will] allow you to do] that [as] wished.’
如此愚人世人所笑，半国之治、大臣辅相悉皆可得，乃求贱业。
Like this, that foolish person [was by the] world’s people laughed [at, as] ruling of half [of the] country, [becoming a] great minister [or] prime minister, all could [be] attained, [but he] only sought [a] lowly occupation.
愚人亦尔，诸佛于无量劫，难行苦行自致成佛，若得遇佛及值遗法，人身难得譬如盲龟值浮木孔，此二难值今已遭遇，然其意劣，奉持少戒，便以为足，不求涅槃胜妙法也，无心进求，自行邪事，便以为足。
[The] foolish person [is] likewise thus. All Buddhas in immeasurable kalpas, [with] difficult practices [and] ascetic practices personally attained accomplishment [of] Buddhahood. If attaining meeting [with a] Buddha, and encountering [his] bequeathed Dharma, [this] human body [is] difficult [to] attain. For example, like [a] blind turtle encountering [a piece of] driftwood’s hole, these two [are] difficult [to] encounter. Now [having] already met, however, their desires [are] inferior, [with] upholding [of a] few precepts, then assuming [this is] enough, not seeking Nirvāṇa’s supremely wonderful Dharma, without [the] intention [to] advance [for] seeking [it], personally doing evil matters, then assuming [this is] enough.
[Note 1: Being with this short and precious human rebirth, and having encountered the Buddha’s even more precious teachings, all humans should swiftly, sincerely and diligently learn and practise them accordingly, as much as possible. There should not be settling for just minimum learning and practice, or doing the slightest of that opposite to them.]
[Note 2: In the Parable Of The Blind Turtle Encountering The Driftwood’s Hole《盲龟值浮木孔喻》in the Connected [Saṃyukta] Āgama Sūtra《杂阿含经》, there is a blind turtle who lives in the great ocean for immeasurable kalpas. On its surface is a piece of driftwood with a hole in it, going wherever the waves and winds push it to. The turtle only surfaces once in a hundred years. The difficulties of his head being able to go through the hole are that of attaining a human rebirth, especially if there was no observation of the Five Precepts (五戒) in the previous life, as they are the criteria for getting a human life.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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[54] The Parable Of The Snake’s Head And Tail Together Disputing Who To Be At The Front
https://purelanders.com/2023/09/13/54-the-parable-of-the-snakes-head-and-tail-together-disputing-who-to-be-at-the-front-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
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[56] The Parable Of Asking For Nothing
https://purelanders.com/2023/09/25/56-the-parable-of-asking-for-nothing-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
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