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(20) THE KING WAS SAID TO HAVE GIVEN REIN TO CRUELTY

(20) THE KING WAS SAID TO HAVE GIVEN REIN TO CRUELTY
Once upon a time a man pronouncing his king's crimes, said, "Very cruel is the king. He is incapable of governing."
On hearing this, the king lost his temper without making sure who it was that had said it. He took his deceitful attendant's advice by holding an eminent minister under arrest. He ordered to have his backbone flayed and have his body cut to one hundred ounces of flesh for punishment.
Soon afterwards, a man testified the minister's innocence to the king. To his regret, the king ordered one thousand ounces of flesh is given to the minister to make up for what was cut off from his body.
Later, when the minister gave a groan with pain at night, the king asked, "What's wrong with you? I have given you back ten times more than I had taken from you. Are you not satisfied with it? Why are you still moaning?"
A bystander replied, "Oh! My great king! If anyone cut your Majesty's head and gave back one thousand other heads, could you Majesty keep out of the way of death? How could getting ten times of the flesh the minister relieve himself the pain?"
So is the stupid man who is greedy for the present pleasure but not afraid of the consequences for the hereafter. He makes people around him miserable and puts them into requisition trying to make a fortune. On the other hand, he hopes to redeem his sins and obtain blessedness.
This stupid man is just like the king who first flayed and punished someone and then tried to give him back the flesh. It is impossible that the pain can be eased.

20人说王纵暴喻
昔有一人，说王过罪，而作是言：「王甚暴虐，治政无理。」王闻是语，即大瞋恚，竟不究悉谁作此语，信傍佞人，捉一贤臣，仰使剥脊，剥百两肉。有人证明此无是语，王心便悔，索千两肉，用为补脊。夜中呻唤，甚大苦恼。王闻其声，问言：「何以苦恼?取汝百两，十倍与汝，意不足耶?何以苦恼?」傍人答言：「大王，如截子头，虽得千头，不免子死。虽十倍得肉，不免苦痛。」
愚人亦尔，不畏后世，贪得现乐，苦切众生，调发百姓，多得财物，望得灭罪，而得福报。譬如彼王，剥人之脊，取人之肉，以余肉补，望使不痛，无有是处。

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