百喻经之六十: 见水底金影喻

　　(60) SEEING THE SHADOW OF GOLD AT THE BOTTOM OF A POND

　　昔有痴人，往大池所，见水底影，有真金像，谓呼“有金”，即入水中挠泥求觅，疲极不得。还出复坐。

　　Once upon a time, there was a man who went to a large pond where he thought he had seen the shadow of pure gold at the bottom of water. He gave a cry of joy and jumped into the water to feel about the mud and search for it. A few moments later, he began to feel very tired. He could not find any gold and he then got out of the pond.

　　须臾水清，又现金色，复更入里，挠泥更求，亦复不得。其父觅子，得来见子，而问子言：“汝何所作，疲困如是?”

　　But as soon as he was out of the water that became clear in no time, the golden shadow turned up again. Then he dived once again to do more searching. Still he found nothing. At this point, his father came looking for him. Seeing the state he was in, his father asked, "What have you been doing to get so tired?"

　　子白父言：“水底有真金，我时投水，欲挠泥取，疲极不得。”

　　The son replied, "There is pure gold under water. I searched for it, but could find nothing."

　　父看水底真金之影，而知此金悉在树上，所以知之，影现水底。其父言曰：“必飞鸟衔金，著于树上。”即随父语，上树求得。

　　The father could also see the shadow of pure gold in the water. But he soon realized that it was in the trees. So he knew what was in the water was mere reflection. Then he told his son that it was held by the bird's beak and brought it in the trees. Following his father's instructions, the son immediately got the gold from the trees.

　　凡夫愚痴人，无智亦如是。于无我阴中，横生有我想。如彼见金影，勤苦而求觅，徒劳无所得。

　　So are the ignorant in the world. They hold on to tile thought of ego in the shadow of non-ego, just like the stupid man looking desperately for the gold without success.

　　白话：

　　从前有个痴人到大池边去，见水底有真金的影像，惊呼：「有金子。」就跳入水中翻泥觅求。弄得疲惫极了，却未寻得金子，便出来，坐下。须臾之间，水清了，又现出金子的色泽来，他就再跳进去翻泥觅求，还是不得。父亲来找儿子了，见他这番模样，便问：「你在做什么，这般疲困?」儿子道：「水底有真金，我时时跳下去，想翻泥觅取，疲累极了，却不得。」父亲看了水底真金的影子，就知道金在树上。所以能够知道，是因为影子显现于水底。父亲说道：「必定是飞鸟衔来放在树上的。」儿子就按父亲的话，上树觅到了金子。

　　世上的愚痴人，也像这样不具有智慧。

　　在无我的五阴身中，横空产生有我的念头来。

　　就如那位见了金影的人，勤勤苦苦地求觅，

　　却徒劳而一无所得。