§96 诈称眼盲喻

(96) PRETENDING TO BE BLIND

    昔有工匠师为王作务，不堪其苦，诈言眼盲，便得脱苦。

Once upon a time, there was a trained craftsman who worked for the king. He could not bear the hardship and deceitfully said he was blind in order to release himself from the hard work.

    有余作师闻之，便欲自毁其目，用避苦役。有人语言：“汝何以自毁，徒受其苦？”如是愚人，为世人所笑。

On hearing it, another craftsman wanted to gouge out his own eyes so as to avoid the tiresome drudgery. Someone then asked him, "Why do you want to gouge out your eyes only to make yourself suffer more in another way?" Such a stupid man was laughed at by the people.

    凡夫之人，亦复如是。为少名誉，及以利养，便故妄言，毁坏净戒，身死命终，堕三恶道。如彼愚人，为少利故，自毁其目。

This is also held to be true with the common people. For the sake of a little fame and gain, people are prone to tell wild stories and destroy their pure commandments. They will fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration after their death, like that stupid man destroying his own eyes for a little benefit.

白话：

　　从前有位工匠师傅，为国王作劳务，不能堪忍其苦，便谎称眼盲，就推掉了这份苦差役。其他的工匠听说了，便想把自己的眼睛弄坏，来避开苦役。有人说：「你们何必自毁呢? 白白地受眼瞎的苦。」这样的愚人，为世人所笑。

　　凡夫之人也是这样，为了一点点名誉及利养，便有意说谎，毁坏了净戒，身死命终后，堕于三恶道中，就像那些愚人，为了一点点益处，便想毁坏自己的眼睛。