(9) THE FATHER'S VIRTUES ARE PRAISED

Once upon a time there was a man who praised his father's virtues before everybody.
"My father is compassionate. He neither kills nor steals. He speaks earnestly and gives alms," said the man.

At the time, it so happened that a stupid man heard those words and declared, "My father is more virtuous than yours."

The others asked, "In what way he is more virtuous! Please tell us about him."

The man answered, "Undefiled as my father was, he gave up completely his sexual desires when he was young".

The others said, "If your father had done so, how could he have brought you into the world?"

This aroused the sardonical laugh from all those around him.

There are those ignorant people in the world who want to extol the merits of others without knowing how to be realistic and get ridiculed instead. These people are just like that stupid man who wanted to praise his father but turned out to speak fatuously.

9叹父德行喻

昔时有人于众人中叹己父德，而作是言：「我父慈仁，不害不盗，直作实语，兼行布施。」时有愚人，闻其此语，便作是言：「我父德行复过汝父。」诸人问言：「有何德行，请道其事。」愚人答曰：「我父小来断绝淫欲，初无染污。」众人语言：「若断淫欲，云何生汝?」深为时人之所怪笑。
犹如世间无智之流，欲赞人德，不识其实，反致毁呰，如彼愚者，意存叹父，言成过失，此亦如是。

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