百喻經

⁽⁶⁶⁾ READING THE SAILING METHODS

Once upon a time, there was a young man from a respectable family who went to the sea with some merchants to look for pearls. He had read all about sailing such as to know how to steer the boat, how to take the right direction and how to hold in good position when they had to face whirlpools, countercurrents, or rocks during the, journey.

To everybody aboard, he said, "I know all about sailing."

Everyone believed him. It was not long before the captain of the boat fell ill and died soon after. He then took charge of the boat. When they came to whirlpools and rapid currents, he recited what he had read without knowing how to put those instructions into practice. The boat that was strolling and going round could not advance to the pearls place. Then they all drowned.

So are the common people. They have little knowledge of quiet sitting, of counting the breathings and of contemplating on the uncleanness of human body for the practice of meditation. Although they can read the scriptures, they do not grasp the meaning. In fact, they know really nothing about all the methods of meditation. They preach the wrong ways, pretending to be well acquainted with the right ways. Bewildered and diffident, the followers turn the characteristics of things upside down, getting nothing in return over the whole year or a number of years. They are just like those who drowned at sea by the stupid man in this story.

⁽⁶⁷⁾ A BET OVER A CAKE

Once upon a time, there were a man and his wife who shared three cakes. On the third, they made a bet, "whoever talks first loses his share of the cake." After this, they stopped talking.

In no time, a thief forced his way into the house to rob valuable things. The couple saw that everything fell into the thief's hand without uttering a sound, due to the bet they had made previously Seeing that they said nothing, the thief started to attack the wife in the presence of her husband who still would not utter a word. Then she shouted to her husband, "How stupid you are! You wouldn't shout only because of a cake."

Clapping his hand in joy, the husband said, "Oh! My girl. I'll get the cake. I won't give you any of it."

Upon hearing the story, everyone nearby laughed at them.

So are the common people.

For a little fame and gain, people deceptively appear to be quiet and silent. When they are disturbed with their false worries and all other evil thoughts, they are not afraid of losing their good teachings and falling into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration. They do not try to seek to leave this world. When they have their five desires fulfilled, they do not think of the ensuing suffering. Therefore, they are in no way different from that stupid husband.

⁽⁶⁸⁾ BEARING A GRUDGE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER

Once upon a time, there was an unhappy man who bore grudges against another man. He was asked: "Why are you so unhappy?"

He replied: "Somebody speaks ill of me. I don't know how to do it. That's why I'm so upset."

He was told, "Only with the Vetala incantation can you hurt him. However, there will be a drawback. That is to say, instead of your hurting him, you will suffer from your boom rang."

Upon hearing these words, he cheered up and said, "Please show me the way. Even though I'll hurt myself, I still would like to hurt him."

So are the people at large.

Out of revenge, people seek the Vatala incantation to hurt others without realizing that to feel anger and hatred is to get hurt themselves and fall into the Three Evil Paths of hells, beasts and hungry ghosts. They are in no way different from the stupid man in this story.

⁽⁶⁹⁾ THE MAN EATS QUICKLY

Once upon a time, there was a man who went from North India to the South where he lived for a long time, got married and settled down. One day the wife prepared some food. The husband ate it in one mouthful while it was piping hot. She asked in shock, "There is no one here trying to take the food away from you. What made you eat so fast?"

The husband said, "That's a great secret that I have been keeping from you."

Upon hearing these words, the wife insisted on knowing the secret, thinking there might have some special reason for it. After a pause, the husband replied, "My ancestors made it a rule to eat quickly, I'm doing it nothing more than an act of observing the tradition. This is the reason of my eating in a hurry.

The same also holds true with the common people. People who are doing evil things have no sense of shame, because they do not know what is right or how to distinguish truth from falsehood. They say they observe the tradition. They accept and follow it to death, just like that stupid man making it a rule to eat quickly.

⁽⁷⁰⁾ TO TASTE APPLES

Once upon a time, there was an elderly man who sent a servant to buy him some apples. He gave him orders as follows, "You'll buy some good and sweet apples for me."

The servant then went on an errand with money. The owner of the apple orchard said to him, "All my apples are good and sweet: There is not a single bad one. You'll know it when you taste one."

The servant said, "I'll buy some after I taste every single one of them. How do I know about the rest. If I only taste one?"

After tasting them one by one, he bought the apples. The master did not like the sight of all these half-eaten apples and he threw them all out.

This is also held to be true with the people at large.

Seeing that all those who keep almsgiving commandment, can acquire great wealth and happiness, physically at ease and mentally stable. People still remark in disbelief, "We'll believe it if we can get them for ourselves."

To see for yourself in noble and base, rich and poor of this World, you would attribute those people to retribution of the previous lives. But they hardly know to deduce the Law of Cause and Effect, which they are reluctant to draw a general rule from particular instances. It is to be regretted for their disbelief. For once death approaches them, they have to leave their worldly possessions just like the elderly man throwing out all the half-eaten apples.

⁽⁷¹⁾ THE MAN WHO TURNED BLIND

Once upon a time, there was a man who had two wives. Whenever he was with one of them, the other became very angry. Faced with such a dilemma, he decided one night to lie flat on his back between the two. It happened that the rain was so heavy that their house began to leak. Water and mud fell into his eyes, but because of the decision he had previously made, he dared not get up and leave. In the end, he became completely blind.

The same is true of ordinary people in the world.

By associating with bad companions and committing unlawful deeds, people create karma and fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration. Not only will they remain forever in the cycle of existence, but they will also lose the eye of wisdom, just like the foolish man who became blind.

⁽⁷²⁾ AN OPERATION ON THE MOUTH

Once upon a time, there was a man who went to his wife's family home, where he saw people husking rice. He stole some rice and hid it in his mouth. When his wife came to speak with him, he could not answer because his mouth was full. He was unwilling to spit it out, lest he embarrass himself before her. So he stood there speechless. This aroused her curiosity all the more.

Looking at him and examining him with her hands, she found that his mouth was swollen. Thereupon she said to her father, "On his way here, my husband's mouth suddenly became swollen, and he is unable to speak."

Her father immediately summoned a physician, who said, "Your illness is very serious. It can be cured only by an operation."

An operation was then performed on his mouth, exposing his act of theft.

The same is true of people in general.

By committing evil deeds, breaking the pure precepts, and concealing their offenses, people descend into the Three Evil Paths of hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts. This is just like the foolish man who, because of a trivial sense of shame, was unwilling to spit out the rice and underwent an operation on his mouth that exposed his offense.

⁽⁷³⁾ THE HORSE WAS DEAD

Once upon a time, there was a man who rode a black horse into battle. Overcome by fear, he was incapable of fighting. He smeared his face and eyes with blood and dirt, then lay down among the corpses, pretending to be dead. The horse he had ridden was taken away. After the battle was over, he returned home carrying the severed tail of a white horse that had belonged to another soldier. When he arrived home, he was asked, "Where is your old horse?"

The man replied, "My horse is dead. I have brought its tail back with me."

The people said, "But your old horse was black. How did its tail become white?"

The man was left speechless, and everyone laughed at him.

The same is true of people in general. Although they pretend to be virtuous, devout, and compassionate, and restrain themselves from eating meat and drinking wine, they indulge in killing and harming other sentient beings, thereby giving rise to suffering and cruelty. Furthermore, they boast that they perform good deeds, yet there is no evil they will not commit. They are just like the foolish man and his horse.

⁽⁷⁴⁾ BECOMING AN ORDINARY MONK

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom whose law required all Brahmans in the country to keep their bodies clean; those who failed to do so would be subjected to all kinds of hard labor.

There was a Brahman who always carried an empty pot, pretending that he was a clean man. Whenever someone poured water into his pot, he spilled it out and said, "I do not wish to wash myself. Let the king do it himself. I have been lying in order to avoid hard labor under the king's law."

The same is true of ordinary monks.

A monk who has shaved his head and donned dyed garments may break the precepts while outwardly pretending to observe them. In this way, he seeks gains and offerings while avoiding labor. Outwardly he appears to be a monk, but in reality he is a fraud, just like the Brahman who carried an empty pot merely to keep up appearances.

⁽⁷⁵⁾ THE CAMEL AND THE JAR ARE BOTH LOST

Once upon a time, there was a man who had a jar used for storing grain. A camel put its head into the jar to eat the grain, but could not pull its head out again. The man became angry and worried. An old man approached him and said, "Do not be upset. I will tell you how to get it out. If you listen to me, it will be free in no time. You should cut off its head, and then it will be out."

The man followed his advice. He killed the camel and also broke the jar. Such a fool was ridiculed by everyone.

The same is true of foolish people in general. Those who aspire to enlightened minds through the Three Vehicles must observe the precepts and refrain from evil deeds. Yet they indulge in the Five Desires, which bring about their ruin. They end up not only breaking the precepts but also abandoning the Three Vehicles. Moreover, they follow their own inclinations and yield to their whims. There is no evil they will not commit. Thus they abandon both the Three Vehicles and the pure precepts, just like the foolish man who lost both the camel and the jar.

⁽⁷⁶⁾ THE FARMER LONGED FOR THE PRINCESS

Once upon a time, there was a farmer who went to the city and saw a very graceful princess. He found her to be an exceptionally rare beauty. Thereafter, day and night, he could think of nothing but the princess. Because he could find no way to speak with her, he grew pale and became gravely ill with lovesickness. His parents and relatives asked him what had happened. He replied, "Yesterday I saw the graceful princess, whom I would like to meet. But I have been unable to think of a way to do so. That is why I have fallen ill. I shall soon die!"

His parents and relatives said, "We will find a way. Do not be so distressed."

Two days later, they told him, "We found a way. Unfortunately, she did not like the idea at all."

Upon hearing these words, the farmer became very happy. With a broad smile, he told the others that she would come to him if he sent for her.

The same is true of foolish people in the world.

A foolish man does not understand the seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. He sows seeds in the ground during winter, hoping they will grow. He gains nothing and merely wastes his strength in vain. All the buds, stalks, branches, and leaves are lost.

Having acquired only a little merit, foolish people of the world become satisfied, believing that they have attained enlightenment. They are like the farmer who longed for the princess.

⁽⁷⁷⁾ TO MILK A DONKEY

Once upon a time, there was a group of men from a remote frontier who had never seen a donkey before and therefore could not recognize one. They had heard that donkey’s milk was delicious. When they happened upon a male donkey, they tried to milk it, each contending with the others to seize it.

One grasped its head; another, its ears; a third, its tail; a fourth, its legs; and a fifth, its penis. Each wanted to be the first to drink its milk. The man holding the donkey’s penis cried out that milk could be obtained from there and began trying to extract it. In the end, the entire group became exhausted and discouraged, for they could not obtain what they sought. Despite all their effort, they gained nothing and were ridiculed by everyone.

The same is true of ordinary heretics.

Heretics who learn their religious doctrines from inadequate sources may become deluded and give rise to all manner of heterodox views, such as going naked, fasting, leaping from precipices, or passing through fire. Because of these heterodox views, they fall into the evil destinies, just like those foolish men who vainly sought milk from a male donkey.

⁽⁷⁸⁾ THE SON’S JOURNEY

Once upon a time, there was a man who said to his son one night, “Tomorrow I shall go with you to another village on an errand.”

At dawn, the son hurried there by himself without informing his father. When he arrived, he was so weary that he accomplished nothing. Moreover, he could find no food and became extremely hungry and thirsty. After he returned home, his father rebuked him, saying, “You are truly foolish. Why did you not wait for me? You went back and forth to no purpose and merely suffered in vain.”

He was ridiculed by everyone.

The same is true of ordinary people.

Those who have the opportunity to become monks, shave off their beards and hair, and put on the three robes of a monk, yet fail to seek instruction from a true teacher in order to attain nirvana, will ultimately lose not only their training in meditation but also the merits arising from the stages of monastic practice. In the end, they will altogether lose the supreme fruits of the monastic path. Although outwardly wearing the robes of monks, they gain virtually nothing. They are just like that foolish man who made his journey in vain and gained only fatigue and weariness.

⁽⁷⁹⁾ CARRYING CHAIRS FOR THE KING

Once upon a time, there was a king who wished to visit a garden called “Free from Care” for recreation. He ordered one of his ministers, “Drag a couch to that garden so that I may sit and rest upon it.”

The minister considered dragging a couch to be beneath the dignity of a minister. He therefore refused and replied, “I would rather carry it on my back with a pole than drag it.”

The king then placed thirty-six chairs upon his back and ordered him to carry them to the garden. Such a foolish man was ridiculed by everyone.

The same is true of ordinary people.

When people see a strand of hair fallen from a woman’s head lying upon the ground, they are unwilling to pick it up, claiming that they are observing the precepts. Yet once agitated by ignorance and desire, they do not hesitate to take up all thirty-six impure things at once—such as hair of the head, bodily hair, nails, teeth, excrement, urine, and so forth. Without any sense of shame, they even retain them throughout their lives. They are just like that foolish man carrying chairs upon his back.

⁽⁸⁰⁾ TAKING AN ENEMA

Once upon a time, there was a man who suffered pain in his anus. A physician told him that it could be cured by administering an enema. The physician immediately went to fetch the necessary instruments. Before the physician returned, however, the patient swallowed the enema medicine. His abdomen became swollen beyond description. When the physician returned, he wondered what had happened and asked the patient the cause. The patient replied, “I have just swallowed the enema medicine. That is why I am dying.”

On hearing this, the physician rebuked him, saying, “You are the most foolish man I have ever encountered. Your actions defy all reason.”

He then gave him another medicine. The patient vomited and was cured. Such a foolish man was ridiculed by everyone.

The same is true of ordinary people.

Meditative contemplation comprises many methods. Those who practice contemplation of the impurity of the human body should not at the same time practice counting the breaths, while those who practice counting the breaths should not practice contemplation of the six constituents of the human body. Reversing these methods and failing to follow their fundamental principles may endanger life itself. Those who blindly practice meditative contemplation without consulting a good teacher are just like that foolish man who took the wrong medicine for his illness.

⁽⁸¹⁾ BITTEN BY A BEAR

Once upon a time, a man and his son were traveling together. The son entered a forest and was attacked by a bear, which left scratches all over his body. Finding himself in danger, he fled back to his father. Seeing his son’s wounds, the father was astonished and asked, “How did you receive these injuries?”

The son replied, “A long-haired monster bit me.”

The father took up his bow and arrows and entered the forest, where he saw a long-haired supernatural being. Just as he was about to shoot him, a bystander said, “Why do you wish to shoot this being when he is innocent? You should punish the one who is guilty.”

The same is true of foolish people in the world.

When people are offended by an immoral monk wearing religious robes, they are liable to inflict the greatest harm upon all good and virtuous monks. They are just like the father who wished to take revenge upon the supernatural being because his son had been bitten by a bear.

⁽⁸²⁾ CULTIVATING THE LAND

Once upon a time, there was a farmer who went to another farmer’s field to inspect his wheat. He asked the owner, “How do you make your wheat grow so well?”

The owner replied, “First, you must level the field. Then you spread liquid manure over it. That is why the wheat has grown so well.”

The farmer then followed the other man’s instructions. He poured liquid manure over the field and mixed it with the soil, then scattered seed upon the ground. As he trod upon the field with his feet, however, he feared that the soil would become too compacted to bear crops.

He said to himself, “I should sow the seed while sitting upon a bed carried by other men. That will work.”

He then ordered four men, each holding one leg of the bed, to scatter the seeds over the field, thereby making the burden on the ground even heavier. At first, he had feared that his own two feet would be too heavy for the field; yet he added the eight feet of four other men to carry out the task. Others laughed at him.

The same is true of ordinary people.

Those who wish to cultivate the field of moral precepts and await a fine harvest of sprouts should seek guidance from a teacher and practice the Buddha’s teachings. Yet instead, they violate the precepts and commit evil deeds. Consequently, the sprouts of morality do not grow. They are like the farmer who, fearing the weight of his own two feet, added the eight feet of four other men.

⁽⁸³⁾ A FEMALE MONKEY

Once upon a time, a female monkey was beaten by a grown man. Having no other recourse, she later vented her anger on a small boy.

The same is true of foolish ordinary people.

A person offended by someone will sometimes take out his anger on a third person. Human affairs are always changing from one moment to the next. Things that arose in the past have already passed away, while those that arise afterward are different things. Thus, one who wrongfully gives way to anger only sinks ever more deeply into hatred.

This is like the monkey who, after being beaten by a grown man, vented her anger on a small boy.

⁽⁸⁴⁾ DOGS BEATEN DURING A LUNAR ECLIPSE

Once upon a time, there was a king of the Asuras who covered the moon with his hands because he thought it was too bright. Foolish people, however, blamed innocent dogs and unjustly beat them.

The same is true of people in general. They are afflicted by desire, anger, and ignorance, yet they seek to destroy these afflictions by lying upon thorns and subjecting their bodies to the burning torments of the five austerities. They are like the dogs beaten during a lunar eclipse.

⁽⁸⁵⁾ THE WOMAN WITH SORE EYES

Once upon a time, there was a woman who suffered severely from sore eyes. Another woman said to her, “Wherever there are eyes, there will sometimes be pain. Although my eyes do not hurt now, I want to gouge them out so that they will not hurt later.”

A bystander said, “Although it is true that, while you have eyes, they may sometimes ache and trouble you, if you have no eyes, you will certainly suffer for the rest of your life.”

The same is true of foolish ordinary people. People hear that wealth and fame are sources of decline. Fearing retribution in future lives, they nevertheless fail to practice almsgiving in their present lives. The more wealth they possess, the more troubles they may later suffer. It is said that if you practice almsgiving, you may be happy or you may not; but if you do not practice it, you will certainly be utterly unhappy.

This is like the woman who, unable to bear the thought of suffering from sore eyes, wished to gouge them out and thereby suffer forever.

⁽⁸⁶⁾ THE FATHER AND HIS SON’S EARRINGS

Once upon a time, a man and his son went together on a business journey. Along the way, they encountered robbers who intended to steal their valuables. The son wore a pair of earrings made of pure gold. When the father saw the robbers approaching, he tried to pull off the earrings and hide them. Unable to remove them quickly, he cut off his son’s head. After the robbers had gone, he tried to put his son’s head back where it had been, but he could not restore it.

People everywhere laughed at such stupidity.

For the sake of fame and gain, people engage frivolously in disputes over such questions as:

⁽¹⁾ Whether or not there is a present life and a future life.

⁽²⁾ Whether or not there is an intermediate existence between death and rebirth.

⁽³⁾ Whether or not the mind possesses various qualities.

Such foolish arguments are not the true teachings of the Buddha. Some assert that such statements are found in the Buddhist doctrine, while others refute them, saying that according to the Dharma of Buddhism no such teachings exist.

Foolish people who expound doctrines merely to gain a little fame and profit lose the benefit arising from monastic practice. Furthermore, when their bodies decay and they approach death, they will fall into the Three Evil Paths of transmigration.

This is like the foolish man who cut off his son’s head for the sake of a pair of gold earrings.

⁽⁸⁷⁾ THE ROBBER’S JOY

Once upon a time, a band of robbers divided their spoils according to rank. Among the goods was a Benares kambala whose color was rather poor. It was considered an inferior item and was given to one of the lowest-ranking robbers. The robber became angry and protested vehemently to the others.

Later, he took it to the city to sell. A venerable elder paid him a high price for it, and he ultimately received more money than any other robber in the band. He then leaped for joy.

The same is true of almsgiving. Those who practice almsgiving are usually unaware of the karmic reward they will receive. Even if their giving is very slight, after death they ascend to heaven and enjoy immeasurable happiness. Though they give little, they receive much, and they will then regret not having given more.

This is like the robber who rejoiced after receiving an excellent price for his kambala.

⁽⁸⁸⁾ THE FEMALE MONKEY AND A HANDFUL OF BEANS

Once upon a time, a female monkey held a handful of beans. When she dropped one bean onto the ground, she let all the beans fall from her hands while searching for the first one. Before long, chickens and ducks had eaten them all.

The same is true of ordinary monks. Those who violate one precept are often unwilling to confess it. Later, they violate other precepts until, in the end, they have broken them all.

This is like the female monkey who lost all her beans while searching for a single bean.

⁽⁸⁹⁾ THE GOLDEN WEASEL

Once upon a time, a man found a golden weasel while traveling. Leaping for joy, he placed it inside his shirt. Continuing on his way, he reached a river and removed his clothes in order to cross it.

The golden weasel then changed into a poisonous snake. Nevertheless, the man did not cast it away but kept it inside his shirt. Deeply grateful, the snake changed back into pure gold.

A foolish man nearby who had witnessed this with his own eyes assumed that it would always happen in the same way. He therefore placed a poisonous snake inside his own shirt. The snake bit him, and he soon died.

The same is true of foolish people in the world. Seeing that those who perform good deeds receive benefits in return, they begin to take refuge in Buddhism. Yet they are motivated not by faith, but by greed. After death, they will ultimately fall into the evil paths, just as that man died from a snakebite.

⁽⁹⁰⁾ PICKING UP MONEY

Once upon a time, there was a poor man who found a sack of money in the street. Overwhelmed with joy, he began to count it. Suddenly, the money's rightful owner appeared, and the poor man had to return the entire sack. He regretted not having fled far away sooner and suffered greatly over his loss.

The same is true of those who encounter Buddhism.

Although people have the opportunity to encounter the blessings of the Three Jewels, if they do not earnestly perform good deeds in time, after death they will fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration. They are just like that foolish man who had to return the money he had found. As the stanza says:

Those who conduct this business today

Will plan another for tomorrow.

Thinking only of pleasure and never contemplating sorrow,

They remain unaware of death's impermanence.

Busily occupied with worldly affairs,

Ordinary people continually delay seeking liberation,

Like that man counting the money.

⁽⁹¹⁾ THE POOR MAN WANTS TO HAVE AS MUCH AS THE RICH

Once upon a time, there was a poor man who possessed very little. After meeting some wealthy men, he wanted to become like them. Unable to do so, he was about to throw his few possessions into the water. A bystander said, "What you possess may be little, but it can sustain you for a while. Why do you wish to throw it into the water?"

This is like what foolish people in the world do.

Those who happen to become ordained receive offerings that fall far short of their expectations. What they receive cannot equal that which is given to eminent and virtuous monks. They see that senior and virtuous monastics are supported by many distinguished people and wish to stand on an equal footing with them. Unable to attain such equality, they become so sorrowful and distressed that they abandon their faith.

They are just like that foolish man who, wishing to equal the rich, cast away his own precious possessions.

⁽⁹²⁾ THE CHILD RECEIVES SWEET PILLS

Once upon a time, a wet nurse was walking along the road with a child in her arms. She became so weary that she fell asleep on the way. A man then appeared and gave the child some sweet pills. Being gluttonous, the child was enticed by their pleasant taste and knew nothing of the man's intentions. The man immediately stripped the child of his necklace, ornaments, and garments.

The same is true of monks.

Intent upon worldly interests and bustling places, those who greedily seek a little profit and support are drawn into temptation, while a thief steals away their spiritual merit and the treasure of their precepts. They are just like that greedy child whose belongings were taken by a thief because he was enticed by delicious pills.

⁽⁹³⁾ THE OLD WOMAN CATCHES A BEAR

Once upon a time, an old woman was resting beneath a tree when a bear came to attack her. She ran around the tree trying to escape, while the bear clasped the tree with one paw and tried to seize her with the other. Hard pressed, the woman quickly embraced the tree and firmly grasped both of the bear's paws, so that it could not move. Then a stranger came to the spot. The old woman called out, "Let us catch and kill this bear together. We will share its meat."

The stranger believed the old woman's words and began helping her capture the bear. After he had seized it, the old woman let go and ran away. He was left in the lurch and was injured by the bear's claws.

The same is true of ordinary people.

Some people propagate heretical teachings whose doctrines are far removed from goodness and whose words are tangled, complicated, and full of errors. Their successors wish to perpetuate and interpret them, yet they are unable to grasp their meaning. Consequently, they become entangled in trouble, just like that foolish man who caught a bear for another person and was injured instead.

⁽⁹⁴⁾ THE MANI AND THE SEWER

Once upon a time, there was a man who was having an affair with a married woman. While they were together, her husband returned. Discovering their affair, he waited outside the door, intending to kill the man when he emerged. The woman said to her lover, "My husband knows what is happening. There is no way out except through the mani."

She meant that the man should escape through the sewer, but he misunderstood her as telling him to search for mani pearls. He searched everywhere, but in vain. He said to himself, "I will not leave here unless I find the mani pearls."

He was then killed by her husband.

The same is true of ordinary people.

It is taught that, between birth and death, we live amid impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and the unreality of the self. We must reject the two extremes of annihilationism and eternalism and firmly uphold the Middle Way in order to attain liberation. Ordinary people, however, misunderstand the two extremes as referring to whether the universe is finite or infinite and whether human beings possess a self or possess no self. Therefore, they are unable to grasp the meaning of the Middle Way that avoids the extremes. When sudden death strikes, they will be slain by impermanence and fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration.

They are just like that foolish man who was killed while searching for mani pearls.

⁽⁹⁵⁾ A DOVE

Once upon a time, two doves, a male and a female, lived together in a nest. During the autumn, they filled their nest with fruit seeds. Later, the fruit dried and shrank until it filled only half the nest. The male flew into a rage and said to the female, "We worked hard together to gather this fruit. Now you have eaten it by yourself, and only half of it remains."

The female replied, "I did not eat it by myself. The fruit shrank on its own."

Refusing to believe her, the male angrily said, "If you did not eat it by yourself, how could there be so much less of it now?"

Then he pecked the female to death. A few days later, it happened to rain heavily. The fruit got moist and grew to its former size. On seeing it, the male regretfully realized that she really had not eaten and that he had wrongly killed her. He then cried bitterly and called out to her: "Where have you gone?"

This is also held to be true with the common people. Leading a disorderly life, people indulge in wild pleasures. They think nothing of impermanence when breaking major commandments. It will be too late for them to repent afterwards. It only remains for them to give vent to their sadness with sighs like the stupid dove.

⁽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.

⁽⁹⁷⁾ THE WOOLLEN COAT WAS ROBBED BY THE WICKED THIEF

Once upon a time, two friends were walking in the wilderness. On the way, one of them wearing a woolen coat was robbed of it by a thief. The other successfully escaped into a thicket. The loser of the coat had a piece of gold concealed in the collar. To the thief, he said, "This coat is worth one piece of gold. Now I beg you to let me redeem it at that value."

The thief asked, "Where's the gold?"

Opening up the collar, the man showed it to him and said, "Here's the pure gold. If you don't trust my words, you can go and ask a goldsmith who is hiding in the thicket now?"

After seeing the second man, the thief also took his clothing from him. Such a stupid man thus lost his woolen coat, gold and everything. Not only had he lost his own belongings, he also made his friend lose them.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

Pious, having monastic grades and possessing other merits, people are robbed by the thief of temptation. They lose their good teachings and their merit as well. They lose not only the gain of their own, but also make others lose their Karma leading to Buddhahood. They will fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration on the dissolution of the body after death, like the two losing everything they had.

⁽⁹⁸⁾ A BOY CAUGHT A BIG TURTLE

Once upon a time, there was a boy who was playing on dry land and caught a big turtle. He intended to kill it, but he did not know how to do so. Therefore, he asked someone and he was told, "You just throw it into the water and he'll be killed at once."

The boy believed the words and cast it into the water. Once in water, the turtle swam away.

This is also held to be true with the common people.

Hoping to protect their six sense organs and consecrating themselves to meritorious works, people do not know how to do so. Accordingly, they begin to ask others how to bring about deliverance. To them, the heretics, Maras, the evil ones and the wicked friends say in their words, "You just have to be fond of the six sense organs and indulge in the Five Desires. As I'm telling you, you'll get deliverance."

Such stupid men follow these words without deep thinking and fall into the Three Evil Paths of Transmigration on the dissolution of the body after death.

This is just like that boy throwing the turtle into the water.

EPILOGUE

BY THE REVEREND SANGHA SUNA

I have compiled this sutra with joking words that may spoil the Truth.

The question here is whether they are in accord with the Truth.

Still, like the bitter medicine that blends with rock honey can cure the most severe diseases.

So also may this sutra.

As with strong medicine, the humorous joking words are used in the correct doctrine of the Buddha.

The correct doctrine of Buddhism and its deep meditation illuminate the world, like someone taking a purgative to cleanse the body.

The inspiration that I have developed is derived from my deep meditation.

Agada medicine is wrapped in tree leaves. The leaves should be dropped after the medicine is taken or smeared over the wound.

The humorous joking words are like the wrappings while the truth is inside.

The wise men will take the Truth, but discard the humorous joking words.