(96) PRETENDING TO BE BLIND

Once upon a time, there was a trained craftsman who worked for the king. He could not bear the hardship and deceitfully said he was blind in order to release himself from the hard work.
On hearing it, another craftsman wanted to gouge out his own eyes so as to avoid the tiresome drudgery. Someone then asked him, "Why do you want to gouge out your eyes only to make yourself suffer more in another way?"
Such a stupid man was laughed at by the people at large.
This is also held to be true with the common people. For the sake of a little fame and gain, people are prone to tell wild stories and destroy their pure commandments. They will fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration after their death, like that stupid man destroying his own eyes for a little benefit.

96詐稱眼盲喻
昔有工匠師，為王作務不堪其苦，詐言眼盲便得脫苦。有餘作師聞之，便欲自壞其目用避苦役。有人語言：「汝何以自毀？徒受其苦。」如是愚人為世人所笑。凡夫之人亦復如是，為少名譽及以利養，便故妄語毀壞淨戒，身死命終墮三惡道，如彼愚人為少利故自壞其目。

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