野狐喻
[The] Wild Fox Analogy
野狐黑夜入厨房，饱食睡去，天明不能逃窜，乃佯死而待人弃去。未几，果有欲弃之者。
[A] wild fox [in a] dark night entered [a] kitchen, ate fully [and] went [to] sleep. [At] daybreak not able [to] run away, [he] thus pretended [to be] dead and waited [for] people [to] throw [him] away. Before long, [there] really were those desiring [to] throw him away.
一人曰：「狐尾甚佳，待我割之而后弃。」狐闻而惧，忍痛而听其割。
A person said, ‘[As the] fox tail [is] extremely beautiful, wait [for] me [to] cut it, [and] then after throw [him] away.’ [The] fox, hearing [this] and terrified, endured [the] pain and allowed it [to be] cut.
俄有童子来，欲取其两耳。狐闻益惧，然思两耳犹无关于性命，仍复忍之。
Soon, [there] was [a] boy [who] came, desiring [to] obtain his two ears. [The] fox, hearing [this], increased [in] fear. Thus considering [that his] two ears [are] still unrelated [to his] life, still again endured this.
俄复有人曰：「皮可补裘。」狐大骇曰：「若取我皮，必至断头剖腹，其可忍乎？」
Soon again, [there] was [a] person [who] said, ‘[The] skin can [become] fur garments.’ [The] fox [was] greatly frightened [and] said, ‘If obtaining my skin, [as this will] definitely arrive [at] severing [of my] head [and] cutting open [of my] abdomen, [how is] that endurable?’
于是奋然跳起，向外狂奔，而此狐竟走脱矣。
Thereupon, rousing [himself and] leaping up, towards [the] outside crazily rushing, then [was] this fox [able to] directly run [and] escape.
人在三界牢狱，无异厨房。业已托胎为人，已难逃于一死，只有念佛往生，乃可死里逃过。
Humans in [the] three realms’ prison, [are] without difference [from being in the] kitchen. [Having] already [been] conceived [in the] wombs [to] be humans, [it is] already difficult [to] escape from one death. Only having mindfulness [of Āmítuó]fó [to be] reborn [in his Pure Land], thus can [there be] escape [from] death within.
错过强壮之时，狐尾已经割去。若到桑榆迟暮，已将断头剖腹矣。
Missing that [period] of time [when] strong, [the] fox tail already [will be] cut off. If reaching mulberry [and] elm [trees’] late dusk [i.e. past our prime years], [there] already will [be] severing [of our] heads [and] cutting open [of our] abdomens.
苟非立弘誓愿，奋不顾身，其能跳出迷途，蒙佛接引乎？
If not establishing great vows, striving without regard [for our] bodies, [how are we] likely [to be] able [to] leap out [of] confused paths, [to] receive [the] Buddha’s reception [and] guidance?
玉峰怀西居士周梦颜安士氏汇辑
[By] Yùfēng’s Layperson Huáixī, Zhōu Mèngyán And Ānshì’s Clan Collected [And] Compiled
《安士全书》：西归直指：卷三：启信杂说
Ānshì’s Complete Book: Western [Pure Land’s] Return’s Direct Pointers: Scroll Three: Miscellaneous Essays [For] Awakening Faith
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
