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(52) THE MUSICIAN


Once a musician played in the presence of the king who had promised him a thousand coins. Later, he asked the king for the money. The king refused to give it to him and said, "The music you played doesn't make me merry for a long time. Therefore, the money that I intent to give you is also to please you just for a while."
So is the wordy retribution.
While there is little pleasure in human lives and in Heaven, there is also little substance in them. Owing to impermanence and destruction, the pleasure does not last for long just like the music giving only a transient rejoicing.

52伎兒作樂喻
譬如伎兒，王前作樂，王許千錢。後從王索，王不與之，王語之言：「汝向作樂空樂我耳，我與汝錢亦樂汝耳。」
世間果報亦復如是，人中天上雖受少樂亦無有實，無常敗滅不得久住，如彼空樂。

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