《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
（六〇）见水底金影喻
[60] Parable [Of] Seeing [The] Water’s Bottom’s Gold’s Reflection
昔有痴人往大池所，见水底影有真金像，谓呼有金，即入水中挠泥求觅。
[In the] past, [there] was [an] ignorant person [who] went [to a] big pond’s place. Seeing [the] water’s bottom’s reflection having true gold’s image, crying out [that there] is gold, [he] then entered [the] water within, scratched [at the] mud [to] look for [it].
疲极不得，还出复坐。须臾水清又现金色，复更入里挠泥更求觅，亦复不得。
[With] weariness extreme, [he could] not get [it. He] came back, out [of the water, and] again sat. [In a] moment, [with the] water clear, again appearing [with the] gold’s colour, again further entering inside, scratching [at the] mud, further looking for [it], likewise not getting [it].
其如是，父觅子得来见子，而问子言：「汝何所作，疲困如是？」
It [was] thus, [that his] father sought [his] son, getting [to] come, seeing [the] son, then asking [the] son, saying, ‘What [is it] that you did, [to be] fatigued thus?’
子白父言：「水底有真金，我时投水欲挠泥取，疲极不得。」
[The] son [to his] father said, ‘[The] water’s bottom has true gold. When I jumped into [the] water, desiring [to] scratch [at the] mud [to] obtain [it, with] weariness extreme, [could] not get [it].’
父看水底真金之影，而知此金在于树上，所以知之，影现水底。
[The] father, seeing [the] water’s bottom’s reflection of gold, then knew [that] this gold [is] on [the] tree above, therefore knowing it [is a] reflection appearing [at the] water’s bottom.
其父言曰：「必飞鸟衔金著于树上。」
His father said, ‘[There] must [be a] flying bird holding gold [in his] mouth, attached to [the] tree above.’
即随父语，上树求得。
Then following [his] father’s words, [he] climbed [the] tree, sought [and] got [it].
凡夫愚痴人，无智亦如是，
于无我阴中，横生有我想；
如彼见金影，勤苦而求觅，
徒劳无所得。
Ordinary beings [who are] ignorant persons, without wisdom, [are] likewise thus, within non-self’s aggregates, without restraint growing [with] self’s thought. Like that [person] seeing gold’s reflection, [with] utmost suffering then looking for [it], futile without that gotten.
[Note 1: The five aggregates (五阴/蕴) are (i) form (色), (ii) feelings (受), (iii) perception (想), (iv) mental formation (行) and (v) consciousness (识).]
[Note 2: There is no unchanging and substantial ‘self’ (我) within the five aggregates, even if the illusion of ‘self’ does exist. Upon closer investigation of the aggregates, with each seen to be constantly changing and without substance, this so-called ‘self’ will be realised to be illusory.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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