百喻经之四七: 贫人能作鸳鸯鸣喻

(47) THE POOR MAN CROWS LIKE A DUCK

昔外国法，节庆之日，一切妇女尽持优钵罗花以为鬘饰。

It happened once that a foreign country was celebrating its Religious Day for festivities. All women wore blue lotus flowers as ornament in their hair.

有一贫人，其妇语言：“尔若能得优钵罗花来用与我，为尔作妻;若不能得，我舍尔去。”

To her husband, a woman said, "If you can get blue lotus flowers for me, I shall remain as your wife. Otherwise. I'll walk out on you."

其夫先来常善作鸳鸯之鸣，即入王池，作鸳鸯鸣，偷优钵罗花。时守池者而作是问：“池中者谁?”

Her husband was capable of crowing like a duck. He then entered the king's pond to steal blue lotus flowers. He crowed when he was caught by the palace guard. The guard asked: "Who are you?"

而此贫人失口，答言：“我是鸳鸯。”

With a slip of the tongue, the poor man replied: "I'm a duck."

守者捉得，将诣王所，而扵中道复更和声作鸳鸯鸣。守池者言：“尔先不作，今作何益!”

He was arrested and was taken to the king. On the way, he crowed again. Thereupon, the guard said, "You didn't crow properly before, what's the use of doing so now?"

世间愚人，亦复如是。终身残害，作众恶业，不习心行，使令调善。临命终时，方言：“今我欲得修善。”

So are the stupid in the world. One who in his lifetime does all kinds of evil deeds to the others, is reluctant to repent and subdue his mind. Only at the time of his demise, he says, "From now on, I shall start to do good deeds."

狱卒将去付阎罗王，虽欲修善，亦无所及已。如彼愚人欲到王所作鸳鸯鸣。

The guard will nevertheless send him to the King of Hell. It is too late for him to want to do good deeds, just as the stupid man who could crow like duck.

注释：

①「法节」，《丽藏》作「节法」，误，今据宋、元、明三藏改。

②僵鉢罗华：梵文Utpala就是青莲华，叶子狭长，近下处稍圆，向上渐渐尖起来，很像佛眼。

跱：梵文Soma译音的简称，将花朵贯串起来，作为装饰，佩戴在头上或身上。

④习：调节。

⑤心行：心，念念迁流不已，或念善，或念恶，所以叫做心行。

⑥阎罗王：梵文Yama-raja：主管生死罪福之业，役使鬼卒追摄罪人，捶拷治罚，决断善恶。

白话：

从前外国的习俗，在节庆之日里，所有妇女都佩戴优钵罗华作为装饰。

有一个穷人，妻子对他说：「你若是能得来优钵罗华与我佩戴，我就做你的妻子;若是不能得到，我便离开你了。」她丈夫先前很能摹仿鸳鸯的叫声，便跨进国王的池沼，一边作鸳鸯的鸣声，一边偷优钵罗华。这时守池人问道：「池中的是谁?」这穷人失口答道：「我是鸳鸯。」守池人将他捉牢了，带到国王处去，走到半道上，穷人又抑扬有致地作起鸳鸯的鸣声来。守池人说：「你先前不叫，现在叫有什么用?」

世上的愚人也是这样，终身杀生害命，作种种恶业，不调节心行，以使它朝善的方向发展，待到命终时，方说：「如今我想修行善业。」狱卒依然把他带去，付与阎罗王处治。虽是想修行善业，也已经晚了。就好像那个愚人，快到国王那儿了，才作起鸳鸯叫来。

这故事比喻：事情要在该做的时候做，晚了就来不及了。