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(6) THE DEAD SON IS ABOUT TO REMAIN IN THE HOUSE

Once upon a time there was a man who brought up seven boys, one of whom died. Finding the son dead, he intended to leave the body in the house and moved out himself. A bystander said to him, "You know the living and the dead go separate ways. Since your son is dead, he should be quickly buried in a far away place with all due solemnity. Now why do you want to leave your house and let your dead son remain here?"

When the man heard this, he decided to bury his son and not let the corpse lie at home. He then thought he would have to kill another son to hang one body on each end of the pole to keep in equilibrium and carry them for burial in a long way off the forest. That seemed the only thing possible for him to do and he did it. His contemporaries laughed aloud at his unprecedented eccentricities.

A monk, who secretly broke one commandment, felt afraid to confess it. He would pretend that he had scrupulously kept all commandments and led a life free from evil and defilement.

Some wise men might then tell him, "A monk should keep the commandments just like brilliant pearls should be protected from being damaged. How can you break what you have accepted? Now you are reluctant to confess them."

The offender would answer, "Now that I have to confess, I might as well do more breakings. Then I'll confess all my sins at once."

Consequently, he broke more commandments by doing many evil things before his confession. This monk is just like that stupid man who kills another son when one dies.

6杀子成担

昔有愚人,养育七子,一子先死。时此愚人见子既死,便欲停置于其家中,自欲弃去。傍人见已,而语之言:「生死道异,当速庄严,致于远处而殡葬之。云何得留,自欲弃去?」尔时愚人闻此语已,即自思念:若不得留,要当葬者,须更杀一子,停担两头,乃可胜致。于是便更杀其一子而担负之,远葬林野。时人见之,深生嗤笑,怪未曾有。

譬如比丘私犯一戒,情惮改悔,默然覆藏,自说清净。或有知者,即语之言:「出家之人,守持禁戒,如护明珠,不使缺落。汝今云何违犯所受,欲不忏悔?」犯戒者言:「苟须忏者,更就犯之,然后当出。」

遂便破戒,多作不善,尔乃顿出。如彼愚人,一子既死,又杀一子。今此比丘,亦复如是。

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