[57] The Parable Of Stepping On The Elder’s Mouth From The Sūtra Of A Hundred Parables《百喻经》之蹋长者口喻 Purelanders

《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables

（五七）蹋长者口喻
(57) Parable [Of] Stepping On [The] Elder’s Mouth

昔有大富长者，左右之人欲取其意皆尽恭敬。长者唾时，左右侍人以脚蹋却。

[In the] past, [there] was [a] great wealthy elder, [with] people [on] his left [and] right, desiring [to] obtain his favour, [who are] all completely reverent [to him]. When [the] elder spat, [these] left [and] right attending persons with [their] feet stepped on [and wiped it] away.

有一人愚者，不及得蹋，而作是言：「若唾地者诸人蹋却，欲唾之时，我当先蹋。」

[There] was a foolish person, not as good [in] getting [to] step on [it], then making this statement, ‘If that spat [on the] ground [is by] many people stepped on [and wiped] away, when he [is] about [to] spit, I will first step on [him].’

于是长者正欲咳唾，时此愚人即便举脚蹋长者口，破唇折齿。

Thereupon, [when the] elder [was] just about [to] cough [and] spit, then, this foolish person immediately raised [his] leg [and] stepped on [the] elder’s mouth, splitting [his] lips [and] breaking [his] teeth.

长者语愚人言：「汝何以故蹋我唇口？」

[The] elder spoke [to the] foolish person, saying, ‘You, with what reason stepped on my lips [and] mouth?’

愚人答言：「若长者唾出口落地，左右谄者已得蹋去，我虽欲蹋，每常不及。以是之故，唾欲出口举脚先蹋，望得汝意。」

[The] foolish person replied, saying, ‘If [the] elder spits out [of his] mouth, [with it] falling [to the] ground, those [on the] left [and] right flattering already get [to] step on [and] wipe [it] off. I, although desiring [to] step on [it], often [cannot do this] in time. With this reason, [when your] spit [is] about [to] come out, raising [my] foot [to] first step on [it], hoping to get your favour.’

凡物须时，时未及到，强设功力返得苦恼，以是之故世人当知时与非时。

All matters must [be] timely, [with the] time yet [to be] reached, [to] forcibly establish efforts [and] strength instead gets suffering [and] afflictions. With this reason, [the] world’s people should know [what is] timely and not timely.

[Note: Diligence should be applied appropriately in the right ways, at the right times and right places. Otherwise, even great diligence might not lead to ideal results, leading to great harms instead.]