§55 愿为王剃须喻

(55) TO BE A KING'S BARBER

    昔者有王，有一亲信，于军阵中，殁命救王，使得安全。王大欢喜，与其所愿。即便问言：“汝何所求，恣汝所欲。”

Once upon a time, a king's personal attendant risked his life to save the king at the battlefield. The king was so grateful that he gave his lifesaver whatever he wanted. The king asked, "What do you want? Your wishes shall be granted."

    臣便答言：“王剃须时，愿听我剃。”

The man replied, "Allow me to shave you when you need a shave."

    王言：“此事若适汝意，听汝所愿。”

The king said, "If that is what you wish to do, I'll grant it to you."

    如此愚人，世人所笑。半国之治，大臣辅相，悉皆可得，乃求贱业。愚人亦尔。

Such a stupid man is laughed at by the people at large. It would be so much better for the barber to ask for half a country or to become prime minister or minister of State rather than to practice the mean profession. Only a stupid man would do so.

    诸佛于无量劫难行苦行，自至成佛，若得遇佛，及值遗法，人身难得。

To attain Buddhadhood, all Buddhas cultivate themselves with hardship during a long and painful period of time. What people do not realize is that Buddha Sakyamuni's bequeathed teachings are scarce to be heard and our human bodies are hard to be acquired as well.

      譬如盲龟值浮木孔，此二难值，今已遭遇，然其意劣，奉持少戒，便以为足，不求涅槃胜妙法也。无心进求，自行邪事，便以为足。

It is like a blind turtle's trouble in finding a log hole floating at the surface of the water. Fortunately enough, once these two difficulties are overcome, people are self-complacent with their shallow mind and few commandments are observed without any ambition of ever attaining Nirvana, the perfect Enlightenment. They find themselves contented with no further improvement and instead end up doing evil deeds.

注释：

　　①盲龟值浮木孔：《杂阿含经》卷十六：告诸比丘，如大海中有一盲龟，寿无量劫，百年一遇出头，复有浮木，正有一孔，漂流海浪，随风东西。盲龟百年一出，得遇此孔。至海东，浮木或至海西，围绕亦尔。虽复差违，或复相得。凡夫漂流五趣之海，还复人身，甚难于此。

（《大正藏》第五十三册第二五七页，现存《杂阿含经》卷十六无此段）

白话：

从前有位国王，有一个亲信在两军对阵交战中冒著生命危险救了他，使他毫毛未损。国王很是欢喜，要满足他的愿望，就问他：「你有什么要求，随你提出来，都满足你。」这位亲信就答道：「大王要剃须时，希望让我剃。」国王说：「这事若是能满足你的意愿，好的。」如此愚人，世人都嗤笑。统治半个天下，做大臣宰相，都是可以得到的，却求这种贱业。

愚人也是这样。诸佛过去时长期专就困难之处做苦行之事，自己达到了成佛的境地。若是能碰上佛出世、听闻佛的遗教以及获得人身，都是至难的事，就如盲龟百年浮出一次海面，恰好钻入了浮木的孔中一般。佛法难闻今已闻，人身难得今也得，然而愚人的意愿下劣，稍稍奉持一点儿戒律，就以为足够了，并不求涅槃这一胜妙之法。无心提出进一步的要求，自愿做些卑贱的事情，就以为很满足了。