百喻經(jīng)之四六: 偷犛牛喻

(46) TO STEAL THE YAK

譬如一村，共偷犛牛，而共食之。其失牛者，逐跡至村，喚此村人，問(wèn)其由狀，而語(yǔ)之言：“在爾此村不?”

Once there was a village whose people jointly participated in stealing a yak for food. The man who lost the yak followed their trail to the village. He called out to the villagers, "Do you all live in this village?"

偷者對(duì)曰：“我實(shí)無(wú)村。”

The villagers replied, "We live in no village."

又問(wèn)：“爾村中有池，在此池邊共食牛不?”

Again the man asked, "There is a pond in your village. Have you eaten the yak together on the side of the pond?"

答言：“無(wú)池。”

Replied the people: "We know of no pond."

又問(wèn)：“池傍有樹不?”

Again he asked, "Is there any tree near the pond?"

對(duì)言：“無(wú)樹。”

They answered, "We know of no tree."

又問(wèn)：“偷牛之時(shí)，在爾村東不?”

Again he asked, "Were you on the east side of your village when you stole my yak?"

對(duì)曰：“無(wú)東。”

They answered, "We know of no east direction."

又問(wèn)：“當(dāng)爾偷牛，非日中時(shí)耶?”

Again he asked, "Wasn't it at noon when you stole my yak?"

對(duì)曰：“無(wú)中。”

They answered, "We know of no noon time."

又問(wèn)：“縱可無(wú)村，及以無(wú)樹，何有天下無(wú)東，無(wú)時(shí)。知爾妄語(yǔ)，都不可信。爾偷牛食不?”

Again he asked, "Although it is possibly true of your first three answers, how can you say there is no direction and no time in all the world. Now I know you are lying. So I don't believe you at all. Sure enough, you have stolen my yak. Haven't you?"

對(duì)曰：“實(shí)食。”

Thereupon, the stealer could not but admit it.

破戒之人，亦復(fù)如是。覆藏罪過(guò)，不肯發(fā)露，死于地獄。諸天善神以天眼觀，不得覆藏，如彼食牛，不得欺拒。

So are those who break commandments. People who hide their sins are reluctant to disclose them. They will, however, go to hell after their death. Since Devas and good gods possess supernatural eyes, people should not even try to deceive them just like the villagers should not refuse to admit stealing a yak for food.

注釋：

①犛牛：犛，音毛。獸如牛而尾長(zhǎng)，名叫犛牛。

白話：

譬如有一個(gè)村子的人聯(lián)手偷了一頭犛牛，一起吃了。丟牛的人循著足跡，找至村中，叫住這個(gè)村的人打聽情況，問(wèn)道：「牛在這村不?」偷牛者答道：「我們其實(shí)沒(méi)有村子?！故е饔謫?wèn)：「你們村中有池，在那池邊一起吃了這牛不?」村里人答道：「沒(méi)有池?！故е饔謫?wèn)：「池邊有樹不?」村里人答道：「沒(méi)有樹?！故е饔謫?wèn)：「你們偷牛之時(shí)，在村子?xùn)|邊不?」村里人答道：「沒(méi)有東邊。」失主又問(wèn)：「當(dāng)你們偷牛的時(shí)候，不是正午嗎?」村里人答道：「沒(méi)有正午?！故е鲉?wèn)道：「縱然可以沒(méi)有村，沒(méi)有樹，天下哪可沒(méi)有東邊，沒(méi)有時(shí)間? 可見你們說(shuō)謊了，完全不可相信。你們偷牛吃了不?」村里人答道：「確實(shí)吃了?！?/p>

破戒的人也是這樣，把罪過(guò)掩蓋藏匿起來(lái)，不肯發(fā)露，死后就墮入了地獄。諸天的善神以天眼來(lái)觀察，就掩蓋藏匿不了了，就如那些偷牛吃的人，無(wú)法欺騙抵賴了。

這故事比喻∶修持佛法而破戒的人，每每把罪惡隱藏起來(lái)，不肯如法發(fā)露懺悔，改過(guò)遷善，卻常常想假造理由，自圓其說(shuō);但結(jié)果終掩蓋不了所作的罪惡，受了種種的苦惱。只有勇于承認(rèn)自己的過(guò)失，懇切地發(fā)露懺悔，才能走上佛法的大道。