Once upon a time, there was a boy who was playing on dry land and caught a big turtle. He intended to kill it, but he did not know how to do so. Therefore, he asked someone and he was told, "You just throw it into the water and he'll be killed at once."
The boy believed the words and cast it into the water. Once in water, the turtle swam away.
This is also held to be true with the common people.
Hoping to protect their six sense organs and consecrating themselves to meritorious works, people do not know how to do so. Accordingly, they begin to ask others how to bring about deliverance. To them, the heretics, Maras, the evil ones and the wicked friends say in their words, "You just have to be fond of the six sense organs and indulge in the Five Desires. As I'm telling you, you'll get deliverance."
Such stupid men follow these words without deep thinking and fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration on the dissolution of the body after death.
This is just like that boy throwing the turtle into the water.
98小儿得大龟喻
昔有一小儿,陆地游戏,得一大龟,意欲杀之,不知方便,而问人言:「云何得杀?」有人语言:「汝但掷置水中,即时可杀。」尔时小儿信其语故,即掷水中。龟得水已,即便走去。
凡夫之人亦复如是,欲守护六根,修诸功德,不解方便,而问人言:「作何因缘而得解脱?」邪见外道,天魔波旬及恶知识而语之言:「汝但极意六尘、恣情五欲,如我语者,必得解脱。」如是愚人,不谛思惟,便用其语,身坏命终堕三恶道,如彼小儿掷龟水中。
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