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，問其由狀，而語之言：“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?"

偷者對曰：“我實無村。”

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

又問：“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：“無池。”

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

又問：“池傍有樹不?”

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

對言：“無樹。”

They answered, "We know of no tree."

又問：“偷牛之時，在爾村東不?”

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

對曰：“無東。”

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

又問：“當爾偷牛，非日中時耶?”

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

對曰：“無中。”

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

又問：“縱可無村，及以無樹，何有天下無東，無時。知爾妄語，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?"

對曰：“實食。”

Thereupon, the stealer could not but admit it.

破戒之人，亦復如是。覆藏罪過，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，名叫犛牛。

白話：

譬如有一個村子的人聯(lián)手偷了一頭犛牛，一起吃了。丟牛的人循著足跡，找至村中，叫住這個村的人打聽情況，問道：「牛在這村不?」偷牛者答道：「我們其實沒有村子?！故е饔謫枺骸改銈兇逯杏谐兀谀浅剡呉黄鸪粤诉@牛不?」村里人答道：「沒有池?！故е饔謫枺骸赋剡呌袠洳?」村里人答道：「沒有樹?！故е饔謫枺骸改銈兺蹬Ｖ畷r，在村子東邊不?」村里人答道：「沒有東邊?！故е饔謫枺骸府斈銈兺蹬５臅r候，不是正午嗎?」村里人答道：「沒有正午?！故е鲉柕溃骸缚v然可以沒有村，沒有樹，天下哪可沒有東邊，沒有時間? 可見你們說謊了，完全不可相信。你們偷牛吃了不?」村里人答道：「確實吃了?！?/p>

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

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