Once upon a time, there was a woman who led a promiscuous life. She hated her husband when she was burning with lascivious desires. However, there was no opportunity for her to carry out any of her schemes to kill him. It so happened that her husband was sent on an official mission to a neighbouring state, the woman secretly prepared some poisonous pills. To the husband she said with a faked tenderness, "Now that you have been sent far away on this official mission, I have prepared for you five hundred pills both as food supplies and as something to cheer you up. You will take them when you are hungry, when you reach the border."
The husband did not take them when he crossed the frontier. It was dark then and he decided to rest in the forest. Afraid of wild animals, he climbed up a tree to spend the night. He left his pills under the tree.
On that same night, a group of five hundred thieves stopped at the same spot with five hundred horses and precious things stolen from their king. They were all hungry and thirsty from their narrow escape. Finding those pills under the tree, the thieves took them and, on account of the strong poisonous effect, died one after another in no time.
At daybreak, the man hiding in the tree saw the dead thieves. Then he deceitfully made as if he slew and shot the corpses with swords and arrows. Afterward, he got all the horses as well as the stolen goods together and rode towards the foreign country.
Meanwhile, the king was on his way with his guards trying to apprehend the thieves. They came across the man and asked, "Who are you? Where did you get these horses?"
The man replied, "I have come on a special mission. On the way, I encountered this band of thieves. I fought them and killed them all. Their corpses are under a tree over there. That's how I got these horses and precious things. If your Majesty doesn't believe it, you can inspect the casualties on the spot where we fought."
Immediately, the king sent his guards to inspect the spot. They found out what he had said was true. The king was overwhelmed with admiration for his unusual bravery. Later, when the man was sent back to his own country, the king bestowed him both a knighthood and treasures as well as a piece of land.
The king's old officials said with jealousy, "Why does your Majesty bestow him such rewards to a but stranger? Besides, the grant of his title of honours goes above the old officials."
Hearing those words the stranger said, "Who is intrepid enough to challenge me? Let's have a duel."
The old officials were startled and none would venture to accept the challenge. At the time, there was a ferocious lion in the wilderness of the country, which often disturbed the royal passages. The lion killed many travellers. The old officials conferred on the matter.
"The way this stranger brags so much about his fighting spirit, it will be wonderful if he is made to kill the lion for the sake of the country."
They then asked the king to give him a sword and spear, and sent him off to kill the lion. The lion attacked him with a roar as soon as it saw him. In great fear, the man climbed up the tree. The lion lifted its head towards him and roared. The man got so frightened that he dropped his sword right into the lion's mouth. The king of the forest died instantaneously.
The stranger, delirious with happiness over his new conquest, came to report the news to the king who, in turn, multiplied his rewards. Furthermore, he got respect and praises from the whole court as well as the country.
In view of this story:
• The pills are referred to as an unclean almsgiving;
• The king's guards are referred to as good friends;
• The arrival at a foreign country is referred to as all Devas;
• Killing the band of thieves is referred to as obtaining the Sotapanna's degree resolving to cut the Five Desires together with other worries;
• Meeting the king is referred to as coming across the Sage and Saint;
• Other officials jealousy is referred to as the heretics who utter slander against the wise by saying there is no way that the wise are capable to cut off the Five Desires and other worries;
• The stranger's bragging is referred to as the heretics who can not resist him;
• Killing the lion is referred to as destroying all evil demons and thus obtaining the title of honors for the unattached way of Nirvana;
• The man's fear is referred to as the weak bringing the strong into Subjection.
People should earnestly do almsgiving out of kindness or compassion. They would gain so much more in reward considering how the man in this story gained out of an ill almsgiving, which later on turned into a good one, thanks to the good friends he met.
昔有一婦荒婬無度，欲情既盛嫉惡其夫，每思方策規欲殘害，種種設計不得其便。會值其夫，聘使隣國，婦密為計造毒藥丸，欲用害夫，詐語夫言：「爾今遠使，慮有乏短，今我造作五百歡喜丸，用為資糧以送於爾，爾若出國至他境界，飢困之時乃可取食。」夫用其言，至他界已未及食之，於夜闇中止宿林間，畏懼惡獸上樹避之，其歡喜丸忘置樹下。即以其夜值五百偷賊，盜彼國王五百疋馬并及寶物來止樹下，由其逃突盡皆飢渴，於其樹下見歡喜丸，諸賊取已各食一丸，藥毒氣盛五百群賊一時俱死。時樹上人至天明已，見此群賊死在樹下，詐以刀箭斫射死屍，收其鞍馬并及財寶驅向彼國。時彼國王多將人眾案迹來逐，會於中路值於彼王，彼王問言：「爾是何人？何處得馬？」其人答言：「我是某國人，而於道路值此群賊共相斫射，五百群賊今皆一處死在樹下，由是之故我得此馬及以珍寶來投王國，若不見信可遣往看，賊之瘡痍殺害處所。」王時即遣親信往看，果如其言。王時欣然歎未曾有，既還國已厚加爵賞，大賜珍寶封以聚落。彼王舊臣咸生嫉妬而白王言：「彼是遠人未可服信，如何卒爾寵遇過厚，至於爵賞踰越舊臣？」遠人聞已而作是言：「誰有勇健能共我試？請於平原挍其技能。」舊人愕然無敢敵者。後時彼國大曠野中有惡師子，截道殺人斷絕王路，時彼舊臣詳共議之：「彼遠人者自謂勇健無能敵者，今復若能殺彼師子為國除害，真為奇特。」作是議已便白於王，王聞是已給賜刀杖尋即遣之。爾時遠人既受勅已，堅彊其意向師子所，師子見之奮激鳴吼騰躍而前，遠人驚怖即便上樹，師子張口仰頭向樹，其人怖急失所捉刀，值師子口，師子尋死。爾時遠人歡喜踊躍，來白於王，王倍寵遇，時彼國人率爾敬服咸皆讚歎。
其婦人歡喜丸者喻不淨施，王遣使者喻善知識，至他國者喻於諸天，殺群賊者喻得須陀洹強斷五欲并諸煩惱，遇彼國王者喻遭值賢聖。國舊人等生嫉妬者，喻諸外道見有智者能斷煩惱及以五欲，便生誹謗言無此事。遠人激厲而言舊臣無能與我共為敵者，喻於外道無敢抗衝。殺師子者喻破魔。既斷煩惱又伏惡魔，便得無着道果封賞。每常怖怯者喻能以弱而制於彊。其於初時雖無淨心，然彼其施遇善知識便獲勝報，不淨之施猶尚如此，況復善心歡喜布施？是故應當於福田所勤心修施。
The husband did not take them when he crossed the frontier. It was dark then and he decided to rest in the forest. Afraid of wild animals, he climbed up a tree to spend the night. He left his pills under the tree.
On that same night, a group of five hundred thieves stopped at the same spot with five hundred horses and precious things stolen from their king. They were all hungry and thirsty from their narrow escape. Finding those pills under the tree, the thieves took them and, on account of the strong poisonous effect, died one after another in no time.
At daybreak, the man hiding in the tree saw the dead thieves. Then he deceitfully made as if he slew and shot the corpses with swords and arrows. Afterward, he got all the horses as well as the stolen goods together and rode towards the foreign country.
Meanwhile, the king was on his way with his guards trying to apprehend the thieves. They came across the man and asked, "Who are you? Where did you get these horses?"
The man replied, "I have come on a special mission. On the way, I encountered this band of thieves. I fought them and killed them all. Their corpses are under a tree over there. That's how I got these horses and precious things. If your Majesty doesn't believe it, you can inspect the casualties on the spot where we fought."
Immediately, the king sent his guards to inspect the spot. They found out what he had said was true. The king was overwhelmed with admiration for his unusual bravery. Later, when the man was sent back to his own country, the king bestowed him both a knighthood and treasures as well as a piece of land.
The king's old officials said with jealousy, "Why does your Majesty bestow him such rewards to a but stranger? Besides, the grant of his title of honours goes above the old officials."
Hearing those words the stranger said, "Who is intrepid enough to challenge me? Let's have a duel."
The old officials were startled and none would venture to accept the challenge. At the time, there was a ferocious lion in the wilderness of the country, which often disturbed the royal passages. The lion killed many travellers. The old officials conferred on the matter.
"The way this stranger brags so much about his fighting spirit, it will be wonderful if he is made to kill the lion for the sake of the country."
They then asked the king to give him a sword and spear, and sent him off to kill the lion. The lion attacked him with a roar as soon as it saw him. In great fear, the man climbed up the tree. The lion lifted its head towards him and roared. The man got so frightened that he dropped his sword right into the lion's mouth. The king of the forest died instantaneously.
The stranger, delirious with happiness over his new conquest, came to report the news to the king who, in turn, multiplied his rewards. Furthermore, he got respect and praises from the whole court as well as the country.
In view of this story:
• The pills are referred to as an unclean almsgiving;
• The king's guards are referred to as good friends;
• The arrival at a foreign country is referred to as all Devas;
• Killing the band of thieves is referred to as obtaining the Sotapanna's degree resolving to cut the Five Desires together with other worries;
• Meeting the king is referred to as coming across the Sage and Saint;
• Other officials jealousy is referred to as the heretics who utter slander against the wise by saying there is no way that the wise are capable to cut off the Five Desires and other worries;
• The stranger's bragging is referred to as the heretics who can not resist him;
• Killing the lion is referred to as destroying all evil demons and thus obtaining the title of honors for the unattached way of Nirvana;
• The man's fear is referred to as the weak bringing the strong into Subjection.
People should earnestly do almsgiving out of kindness or compassion. They would gain so much more in reward considering how the man in this story gained out of an ill almsgiving, which later on turned into a good one, thanks to the good friends he met.
65五百歡喜丸喻
其婦人歡喜丸者喻不淨施，王遣使者喻善知識，至他國者喻於諸天，殺群賊者喻得須陀洹強斷五欲并諸煩惱，遇彼國王者喻遭值賢聖。國舊人等生嫉妬者，喻諸外道見有智者能斷煩惱及以五欲，便生誹謗言無此事。遠人激厲而言舊臣無能與我共為敵者，喻於外道無敢抗衝。殺師子者喻破魔。既斷煩惱又伏惡魔，便得無着道果封賞。每常怖怯者喻能以弱而制於彊。其於初時雖無淨心，然彼其施遇善知識便獲勝報，不淨之施猶尚如此，況復善心歡喜布施？是故應當於福田所勤心修施。
Comments