Once upon a time there was a poor and weary man who was always in debt. Insolvent, he hid himself in the wilderness where he found a valuable case full of precious things. A crystal mirror covered them. The poor man was most delighted to see them. He did not hesitate to take them. But he was frightened when he discovered a man's image in the mirror. Twisting his hands, he said, "I thought it was nothing more than an empty case. I wasn't aware of your being in the case. Don't get angry with me!"
He then gave up the whole case. So are the people from all walks of life.
Those who are weary of countless annoyances in life and persecuted by the creditors of the Transmigration Devil, want to avoid them and free from them through their belief in Buddhism. They begin to practice their faith and do good deeds just as the valuable case to the poor man. Troubled by the man's image- in the mirror, they wrongly cling to the ego taken as the real. They fall decadent and lose all their merits acquired previously from meditation, monastic grade and good deeds.
Furthermore, they fail in their attainment of the Nirvana from the Three Vehicles, just like the stupid man sticking to the prejudice of the ego and abandoning their precious findings in the case.
昔有一人，贫穷困乏，多负人债，无以可偿，即便逃避。至空旷处，值得一箧，满中珍宝。有一明镜，着珍宝上，以盖覆之。贫人见已，心大欢喜，即便发之，见镜中人，便生惊怖，叉手语言：「我谓空箧，都无所有，不知有君在此箧中，莫见瞋也。」
凡夫之人亦复如是，为无量烦恼之所穷困，而为生死魔王债主之所缠着，欲避生死，入佛法中，修行善法，作诸功德，如值宝箧，为身见镜之所惑乱，妄见有我，即便封着，谓是真实。于是堕落，失诸功德，禅定道品，无漏诸善，三乘道果，一切都失。如彼愚人，弃于宝箧，着我见者，亦复如是。
He then gave up the whole case. So are the people from all walks of life.
Those who are weary of countless annoyances in life and persecuted by the creditors of the Transmigration Devil, want to avoid them and free from them through their belief in Buddhism. They begin to practice their faith and do good deeds just as the valuable case to the poor man. Troubled by the man's image- in the mirror, they wrongly cling to the ego taken as the real. They fall decadent and lose all their merits acquired previously from meditation, monastic grade and good deeds.
Furthermore, they fail in their attainment of the Nirvana from the Three Vehicles, just like the stupid man sticking to the prejudice of the ego and abandoning their precious findings in the case.
35宝箧镜喻
凡夫之人亦复如是，为无量烦恼之所穷困，而为生死魔王债主之所缠着，欲避生死，入佛法中，修行善法，作诸功德，如值宝箧，为身见镜之所惑乱，妄见有我，即便封着，谓是真实。于是堕落，失诸功德，禅定道品，无漏诸善，三乘道果，一切都失。如彼愚人，弃于宝箧，着我见者，亦复如是。
Comments