(89) THE GOLD WEASEL

Once upon a time, there was a man who found a gold weasel while traveling. He put it inside of his shirt as he leaped for joy. Traveling on, he reached a river where he took off his clothes for crossing.
Subsequently, the gold weasel changed into a poisonous snake. Nevertheless, the man did not throw it out and kept it in the shirt. Deeply grateful, the snake changed back into pure gold.
A stupid man nearby who saw it with his own eyes, took it for granted that it should always turned out that way. He then put a poisonous snake inside of his shirt. He got bitten and died soon after.
This is also held to be true with the stupid of the world. On seeing those who have done good works and in turn have obtained benefit, people start to attach themselves to Buddhism. They are not motivated by faith but greed. They will finally fall into evil paths after death, like that man died of snakebites.

89得金鼠狼喻
昔有一人，在路而行，道中得一金鼠狼，心生喜踊，持置怀中，涉道而进。至水欲渡，脱衣置地，寻时金鼠变为毒蛇。此人深思，宁为毒蛇螫杀，要当怀去。心至冥感，还化为金。傍边愚人见其毒蛇变成真宝，谓为恒尔，复取毒蛇内着怀里，即为毒蛇之所蜇螫，丧身殒命。
世间愚人亦复如是，见善获利，内无真心，但为利养来附于法，命终之后，堕于恶处，如捉毒蛇，被螫而死。

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