Sutras

[65] The Parable Of The Five Hundred Joy Pills From The Sūtra Of A Hundred Parables《百喻经》之五百欢喜丸喻

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

(六五)五百欢喜丸喻
[65] Parable [Of The] Five Hundred Joy Pills


昔有一妇荒淫无度,欲情既盛嫉恶其夫,每思方策规欲残害,种种设计不得其便。

[In the] past, [there] was a wife licentious without limit. [With] lust thereupon abundant, [she] detested her husband. Often thinking [of] strategies, desiring [to] kill [and] harm [him, with] all kinds [of] plans, not getting her chance [to use them].

会值其夫,聘使邻国,妇密为计造毒药丸,欲用害夫,诈语夫言:「尔今远使,虑有乏短,今我造作五百欢喜丸,用为资粮以送于尔,尔若出国至他境界,饥困之时乃可取食。」

[With the] opportunity encountered, [when] her husband [was] hired [to be an] emissary [in a] neighbouring country, [the] wife secretly made [a] plan [to] make poisonous pills, desiring [to] use [them to] harm [the] husband. [With] false words, [to the] husband [she] said, ‘[As] you [are] now [going to be a] far[-travelling] emissary, worrying [that you might] have [that] lacking [and] short, now, I [have] made five hundred joy pills, [to be] used as provisions, with [them] given to you. You, if leaving [the] country [and] arriving [at] another region, when hungry [and] fatigued, can thus take [them as] food.’

夫用其言,至他界已未及食之,于夜暗中止宿林间,畏惧恶兽上树避之,其欢喜丸忘置树下。

[The] husband listened [to] her words. [Having] arrived [at] another region already, [he] had not yet eaten them. Within [the] night’s darkness, [he] stayed [for the] night [in a] forest. Fearing ferocious beasts, [he] climbed [a] tree [to] avoid them, [with] those joy pills forgotten, set aside [at the] tree below.

即以其夜值五百偷贼,盗彼国王五百疋马并及宝物来止树下,由其逃突尽皆饥渴,于其树下见欢喜丸,诸贼取已各食一丸,药毒气盛五百群贼一时俱死。

Then with that night, [he] encountered five hundred thieves, [who] stole that country’s King’s five hundred horses, and also [his] treasured objects. Coming [to] stop [at the] tree below, due [to] their escaping, suddenly [with] all completely hungry [and] thirsty, at that tree below, [they] saw [the] joy pills. All [the] thieves, [having] taken [them] already, each ate one pill. [With the] poison’s venomous power [being] abundant, [the] five hundred [in the] group [of] thieves at once died together.

时树上人至天明已,见此群贼死在树下,诈以刀箭斫射死尸,收其鞍马并及财宝驱向彼国。

Then, [the] person [on the] tree above, [having] reached daybreak already, seeing this group [of] thieves dead at [the] tree below, pretended [to], with [their] swords [and] arrows, cut [and] shot [their] corpses. Gathering their saddled horses, and also [with their] wealth [and] treasures, [he] drove [them] towards that country.

时彼国王多将人众案迹来逐,会于中路值于彼王,彼王问言:「尔是何人?何处得马?」

Then, that country’s King, leading many people, followed [the] footprints [and] came chasing, meeting in [the] middle [of the] road. Encountering with that King, that King asked, saying, ‘You are which person? [From] what place [did you] get [these] horses?’

其人答言:「我是某国人,而于道路值此群贼共相斫射,五百群贼今皆一处死在树下,由是之故我得此马及以珍宝来投王国,若不见信可遣往看,贼之疮痍杀害处所。」

That person replied, saying, ‘I am [a] certain country’s person, then on [the] road encountering this group [of] thieves, together, [we] cut [and] shot [at] one another. [The] five hundred [in the] group [of] thieves [are] now all [in] one place, dead at [a] tree below. Because of this thus, I got these horses, and with [these] precious treasures, came [to] give [them to the] King’s country. If not seeing [and] believing [this, you] can dispatch [an emissary to] go [and] see [the] place of [these] thieves, [where they were] killed.’

王时即遣亲信往看,果如其言。

[The] King then sent [a] close [and] trusted [minister to] go [and] see if [it is] like that said.

王时欣然叹未曾有,既还国已厚加爵赏,大赐珍宝封以聚落。

[The] King then [with] gladness exclaimed [at that] never before [heard]. Thereupon, [having] returned [to his] country already, generously [with] additional rank [and] rewards, [he] greatly bestowed [him with] precious treasures, [and] granted [him] with [a] village.

彼王旧臣咸生嫉妒而白王言:「彼是远人未可服信,如何卒尔宠遇过厚,至于爵赏逾越旧臣?」

That King’s old ministers all gave rise [to] jealousy and [to the] King said, ‘That is [a] person [from] afar, yet [to be] believable. How [can he] suddenly thus, [be with] favours treated overly generously, and even [be with] rank [and] rewards exceeding [those of] old ministers?’

远人闻已而作是言:「谁有勇健能共我试?请于平原挍其技能。」

[The] person [from] afar, [having] heard [this] already, then made this statement, ‘Who has [the] bravery [and] strength, [to be] able [to], together [with] me compete? Please [go] to [the] field [to] compare those skills.’

旧人愕然无敢敌者。

[The] old ministers [were] stunned, without those daring [to] oppose [him].

后时彼国大旷野中有恶师子,截道杀人断绝王路,时彼旧臣详共议之:「彼远人者自谓勇健无能敌者,今复若能杀彼师子为国除害,真为奇特。」

[At a] later time, that country’s great wilderness had [a] ferocious lion within, cutting off [the] path [and] killing people, severing [the] King’s road. Then, those old ministers together detailedly discussed [on] this. ‘That person [from] afar, called himself [to be] brave [and] strong, without those able [to] oppose [him]. Now again, if [he is] able [to] kill that lion, for [the] country eliminating [the] harmful, [he will] truly be outstanding.’

作是议已便白于王,王闻是已给赐刀杖寻即遣之。

[Having] made this suggestion already, [they] then told [it] to [the] King. [The] King, hearing this already, bestowing [him with a] sword [and] staff, then dispatched him.

尔时远人既受敕已,坚强其意向师子所,师子见之奋激鸣吼腾跃而前,远人惊怖即便上树,师子张口仰头向树,其人怖急失所捉刀,值师子口,师子寻死。

At that time, [the] person [from] afar, thereupon receiving [the] order already, strengthened his aspiration [and went] towards [the] lion’s place. [The] lion, seeing him, excitedly sounded [a] roar, leapt and [went] forward. [The] person [from] afar [was] surprised [and] immediately [climbed] up [a] tree. [When the] lion opened [his] mouth [and] raised [his] head towards [the] tree, that person, terrified [and] anxious, lost that clutched sword, [with it] encountering [the] lion’s mouth, [the] lion immediately died.

尔时远人欢喜踊跃,来白于王,王倍宠遇,时彼国人率尔敬服咸皆赞叹。

At that time, [the] person [from] afar, [with] joyful enthusiasm, came [to] tell [it] to [the] King. [The] King [with many] times [more] favours treated [him]. Then, that country’s people at once revered [and] admired [him, with] all highly praising [him].

[1] 其妇人欢喜丸者喻不净施,[2] 王遣使者喻善知识,[3] 至他国者喻于诸天,[4] 杀群贼者喻得须陀洹强断五欲并诸烦恼,[5] 遇彼国王者喻遭值贤圣。

[1] That wife’s joy pills [given is an] analogy [for] impure giving. [2] That King’s dispatched emissary [is an] analogy [for] good-knowing friends. [3] That arriving [at] another country [is] analogous to [reaching] all heavens. [4] That killing [of the] group [of] thieves [is an] analogy [for] attaining Srotaāpanna[hood], subjugating [and] severing [the] five desires and all afflictions. [5] That meeting [of] that country’s King [is an] analogy [for] encountering virtuous [and] noble [ones].

[Note 1: The reaching of all heavens (诸天) represent reaching better places, but the best places are Pure Lands (净土), which have the most excellent good-knowing friends (善知识), virtuous and noble ones (贤圣), as Arhats (阿罗汉), Bodhisattvas (菩萨) and the Buddha (佛陀).]

[Note 2: Srotaāpannahood (须陀洹果) is attained by Sotāpannas (须陀洹) (Stream-enterers: 入流), who are able to break the three fetters (三结), thus (i) severing self’s view (断身见) (i.e. thinking that ‘self’ [我] exists in the five aggregates (五蕴), as there is already some insight that they are without self), (ii) clinging to precepts (i.e. rites and rituals) (戒取), (i.e. thinking purity can be attained by performing rituals or abiding by precepts rigidly) and (iii) doubt (疑) (i.e. scepticism that the Buddha’s Dharma teachings can lead to liberation, as there is already some insight that its essence is aligned with reality).]

[Note 3: 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 4: The five desires (五欲) are for (i) wealth (财), (ii) sex (色) (and other sensual pleasures), (iii) fame (名), (iv) food (食) and (v) sleep (睡).]

[6] 国旧人等生嫉妒者,喻诸外道见有智者能断烦恼及以五欲,便生诽谤言无此事。

[6] Those country’s old ministers [and] others jealous, [are] analogies [for] all external paths, seeing those having wisdom, able [to] sever afflictions, and with [the] five desires [too], then giving rise [to] slander, saying [they are] without these matters.

[7] 远人激厉而言旧臣无能与我共为敌者,喻于外道无敢抗冲。

[7] [The] person [from] afar, [to] provoke [and] rouse, then saying [the] old ministers [are] unable [to be] with me, together as those opposing, [is] analogous to external paths not daring [to] resist [and] attack.

[Note 5: As taught by Śākyamuni Buddha (释迦牟尼佛) in Brahmā Net Sūtra’s Bodhisattva Precepts’ Text《梵网经菩萨戒本》, ‘Like worms within a lion’s body, personally eating the lion’s flesh, this is not by other external worms done. Of such Buddha’s ‘disciples’ [with evil views, words and deeds], they will personally destroy the Buddha’s teachings, that are not by external paths and celestial demons [who deviate from the Buddha’s teachings] able to be destroyed. If there are those who have received the Buddha’s precepts, they should protect the Buddha’s precepts [by upholding them well], like being mindful of their only child, like serving their fathers and mothers, they must not be destroyed and broken.’ (如师子身中虫,自食师子肉,非余外虫。如是佛子自破佛法,非外道天魔能破。若受佛戒者,应护佛戒,如念一子,如事父母,不可毁破。)]

[8] 杀师子者喻破魔。既断烦恼又伏恶魔,便得无着道果封赏。

[8] That killing [of the] lion [is an] analogy [for] destroying Māra. Thereupon, [having] severed afflictions, also subduing [his] evil demons, then attaining non-attachment’s path’s fruit, [with it] granted [and] rewarded.

[Note 6: Māra (魔怨/魔罗) is the Desire Realm’s (欲界) Sixth Heaven’s (第六天) lord, the embodiment of death (死亡) and greedy desires (贪欲) that distract from liberation (解脱) from rebirth (轮回). He is the outer Māra, while the inner Māra (i.e. inner or mental demon/s [心魔]) refers to one’s Three Poisons (三毒) of greed (贪), anger (嗔) and delusion (痴), from which afflictions (烦恼) arise. One who has conquered one’s inner Māra is equivalent to one who has conquered all outer Māras.]

[9] 每常怖怯者喻能以弱而制于强。其于初时虽无净心,然彼其施遇善知识便获胜报,不净之施犹尚如此,况复善心欢喜布施?是故应当于福田所勤心修施。

[9] That frequently fearful [is an] analogy [for those] able [to be] with weakness, then [having] overpowering of [the] strong. Those, when [in the] beginning, although [are] without pure minds, however, [with] those that [they] give [to], meeting good-knowing [friends, they can] then obtain supreme rewards. [With] that impure giving yet still like this, moreover [if with] good minds joyfully giving? Therefore, [there] should [be], in those blessings’ fields, [with the] diligent mind cultivating giving.

[Note 7: The Eight Kinds Of Blessings’ Fields (八种福田) are (i) the Triple Gem (三宝), (ii) those cultivating the path (修道者), (iii) fathers and mothers (父母), (iv) teachers and seniors (师长), (v) sick persons (病人), (vi) those with impairments challenged (残障), (vii) those with urgent difficulties (急难), and (viii) vulnerable groups (弱势团体).]

Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an

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