§91 贫人欲与富者等财物喻

(91) THE POOR WANT TO HAVE AS MUCH AS THE RICH

    昔有一贫人，有少财物。见大富者，意欲共等。不能等故，虽有少财，欲弃水中。傍人语言：“此物虽尠，可得延君性命数日，何故舍弃掷著水中？”

Once upon a time, there was a poor man who had but few possessions. After meeting some rich men, he wanted to be like one of them. Unable to do so, he was about to throw the little he had into the water. Some bystander said, "What you possess may be little, but you can live on it for a while. Why do you want to throw it into the water?"

    世间愚人，亦复如是。虽复出家。少得利养，心有希望，常怀不足，不能得与高德者，等获其利养。见他宿旧有德之人，素有多闻，多众供养，意欲等之。不能等故，心怀忧苦，便欲罢道。

This is similar to what is done by the stupid of the world. People who happen to be ordained men get offerings, which come way below their expectations. What they have cannot equal that received by the high and virtuous ones. They see that those old and virtuous ordained men are supported by the mass of famous people. They want to be on an equal footing with them. Unable to get equality, they feel sorrowful and painful to such a degree as to break their faith.

       如彼愚人，欲等富贵者，自弃己财。

This is just like the stupid man who, wanting to be equal with the rich, casts out the precious possessions of his own.

注释：

尠：xiǎn，同“鲜”，少之义

白话：

　　从前有个穷人，稍微有点财物，见了大富翁，便想与他们的财产一样多。由于做不到这点的缘故，虽是有那么一点财产，也想丢弃到水中去。傍人说道：「这些财物虽少，也可养活你数日，为何无端端要舍弃扔到水中去呢?」

　　世上的愚人也是这样，虽然出了家，得了一点利养，可是心中常存着奢望，对不能与年高德重的人获得同样的利养，觉得不满足；见那些宿旧有德的人学问修养很好，得到众多的供养，便想与他们等同。因为做不到，心中就怀着忧苦，打算不再修持佛法了，就像那个愚人无法与富翁相比，便想丢弃自己的财物。