《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
（六九）效其祖先急速食喻
[69] Parable [Of] Copying That Ancestor’s Hurried Eating
昔有一人从北天竺至南天竺，住止既久，即娉其女共为夫妇。
[In the] past, [there] was a person, from Northern India arriving [at] Southern India. [Having] stayed already [for] long, [he] then married this woman, [to] together be husband [and] wife.
时妇为夫造设饮食，夫得急吞不避其热。
Then, [the] wife for [her] husband made [and] arranged drinks [and] food. [When her] husband got [to them, he] hurriedly swallowed without avoiding that hot.
妇时怪之，语其夫言：「此中无贼劫夺人者，有何急事匆匆乃尔不安徐食？」
[The] wife, then [thinking this was] strange of [him], spoke [to the] husband, saying, ‘[As] this [place] within [is] without those thieves [and] forceful robbing persons, [you] have what urgent matter [to be] hurried like this, [to] not peacefully [and] slowly eat?’
夫答妇言：「有好密事不得语汝。」
[The] husband replied [to the] wife, saying, ‘[I] have [a] ‘good’ secret [i.e. esoteric] practice [that] cannot [be] spoken [to] you.’
妇闻其言谓有异法，殷勤问之，良久乃答：「我祖父已来法常速食，我今效之，是故疾耳。」
[The] wife, hearing these words, said [he] has [an] unusual method. Solicitously asking him for long, [he] thus replied, ‘[From] my paternal grandfather since, [there was this] method [of] constantly quick eating. I [am] now copying him, therefore [eating] swiftly.’
世间凡夫亦复如是，不达正理不知善恶，作诸邪行不以为耻，而云我祖父已来作如是法，至死受行终不舍离，如彼愚人习其速食以为好法。
[The] world’s ordinary beings [are] likewise thus, not understanding thoroughly [the] right principles, not knowing good [and] evil, doing all evil practices, not with [them] as shameful, then saying [that from] our paternal grandfathers since, [we have] practised thus, [these] methods. Until death accepting [these] practices, [to the] end not giving [them] up, [they are] like that foolish person practising that quick eating, with [it] as [a] ‘good’ method.
[Note: There should not be, with blind faith, carrying on and passing down traditions in terms of beliefs and practices without reasonable questioning. If not, there might be an utter waste of limited time and many efforts, doing what is pointless or even harmful, when the time and efforts could be better spent on learning and practising the Right Dharma (正法) with welcomed active enquiry instead.
Just because a tradition has been in one’s family or culture for a long time already does not mean it is definitely sensible and beyond reproach. It might actually be a diehard but groundless superstition that arose from delusion, not founded upon any wisdom at all. Even so-called esoteric practices deemed secret should be questioned well.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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共相怨害喻
[68] The Parable Of Together Resentfully Harming Each Other
https://purelanders.com/2023/10/05/68-the-parable-of-together-resentfully-harming-each-other-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
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[70] The Parable Of Tasting Āmra Fruits
https://purelanders.com/2023/10/06/70-the-parable-of-tasting-amra-fruits-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
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All Hundred Parables:
https://purelanders.com/baiyu
