《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
（九八）小儿得大龟喻
[98] Parable [Of The] Small Child Getting [A] Big Turtle
昔有一小儿，陆地游戏得一大龟，意欲杀之不知方便，而问人言：「云何得杀？」
[In the] past, [there] was a small child, [on the] land [playing a] game getting a big turtle. [With the] intention desiring [to] kill it, not knowing [the] ‘skilful means’, [he] then asked people, saying, ‘How [can I] get [it] killed?’
有人语言：「汝但掷置水中即时可杀。」
[There] was [a] person [who] said, ‘[If] you only toss [to] place [it] within water, [you] can immediately kill [it].’
尔时小儿信其语故即掷水中，龟得水已即便走去。
At that time, [the] small child, believing those words thus, immediately tossed [it] within water. [The] tortoise, getting [to] water already, immediately went away.
凡夫之人亦复如是，欲守护六根修诸功德不解方便，而问人言：「作何因缘而得解脱？」
Of ordinary beings’ people, [they are] likewise thus, desiring [to] guard [and] protect [their] six roots, cultivating many meritorious virtues, not understanding [their] skilful means, then asking people, saying, ‘Creating what causes [and] conditions then attains liberation?’
[Note 1: The six roots (六根) are the sense faculties, as the (i) eye root (眼根), (ii) ear root (耳根), (iii) nose root (鼻根), (iv) tongue root (舌根), (v) body root (身根) and (vi) mind root (意根).
To guard and protect the six roots is to get them to focus on the Right Dharma (正法) for learning and practice, to prevent them from becoming distracted. (The six limbs of the turtle, with its four legs, head and tail is analogous to the six roots.)]
邪见外道天魔波旬，及恶知识而语之言：「汝但极意六尘恣情五欲，如我语者必得解脱。」
[Those with] evil views, external paths, [the] heavenly demon Pāpīyaṃs, and evil-knowing friends then speak [to] them, saying, ‘[If] you only, [with the] utmost [of your] intention, [in the] six dusts indulge [in the] five desires, those according [with] my words [will] definitely attain liberation.’
[Note 2: The heavenly demon Pāpīyaṃs (天魔波旬) is also known as Māra (魔怨/魔罗), who 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.]
[Note 3: The six dusts (六尘) are the sense objects, as the (i) sight dust (色尘), (ii) sound dust (声尘), (iii) smell dust (香尘), (iv) taste dust (味尘), (v) touch dust (触尘) and (vi) dharma (i.e. thought) dust (法尘).]
[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).]
如是愚人不谛思惟，便用其语身坏命终堕三恶道，如彼小儿掷龟水中。
Thus, foolish persons [who do] not carefully contemplate, then using those words, [with their] bodies destroyed [at] life’s end, falling [into the] three evil paths, [they are] like that small child tossing [the] turtle within water.
[Note 5: The three evil paths (三恶道) are the (i) hell-beings’ path (地狱道), (ii) hungry ghosts’ path (饿鬼道) and (iii) animals’ path (畜生道).]
[Note 6: If worldly indulgence in the mundane five desires within the six dusts leads to spiritual liberation from the cycle of birth and death, we should have long attained it by now, as it is what most are already doing.
Clearly, it is such indulgence that increases and perpetuates attachment to fleeting pleasures within the six dusts, thus not leading to liberation from them, to attain truly lasting bliss.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
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