百喻经之三一：雇请瓦师喻

　　英文：

　　Once upon a time, a brahman master indented to give a big party. he told his disciple, "i need earthenware for the party. go to the market and fetch for me a mason."

　　On his way to the mason's home, the disciple came across a man whose donkey was loaded with earthenware for sale in the market. yet all pottery was broken by the animal in the twinkling of an eye. on his return home, the man was crying and getting quite distraught. on seeing this, the disciple asked: "why are you so sad and disappointed?"

　　The man replied, "i have been making earthenware with all my expedient means after toiling and moiling for many years. i was on my way to the market intending to sell them. but this dumb animal has broken all i had in no time. that's why i'm so distraught."

　　The disciple was glad to see and hear all this and said, "it's a good donkey. i should like to buy it."

　　The mason was delighted to sell it. when the disciple rode it back, the master asked, "why didn't you come back with a mason? what's the idea of bringing a donkey here?"

　　The disciple replied, "this donkey is better than a mason, for it can break things in a split second what a mason has made over a long time."

　　The master said, "you are stupid and ignorant indeed. although the donkey can break things in a second, it can't even make one pottery in a hundred years."

　　So are the people at large. those who sometimes receive offerings from their benefactors for a hundred years, give nothing in return. on the contrary, they always do more harm than good. this is held to be true with someone who shows ingratitude.

　　古文：

　　昔有婆罗门师，欲作大会，语弟子言：鈥溛倚胪咂鳎�以供会用。汝可为我雇请瓦师。诣市觅之。鈥�

　　时彼弟子往瓦师家，时有一人驴负瓦器至市欲卖，须臾之间，驴尽破之。还来家中，啼哭懊恼。弟子见已，而问之言：鈥満我员�叹懊恼如是？鈥�

　　其人答言：鈥溛椅�方便，勤苦积年，始得成器。诣市欲卖。此弊恶驴，须臾之顷，尽破我器。是故懊恼。鈥�

　　尔时弟子见闻是已，欢喜念言：鈥湸寺磕耸羌盐铮【檬彼�作，须臾能破。我今当买此驴。鈥�

　　瓦师欢喜，即便卖与。乘来归家，师问之言：鈥溔旰我圆坏猛呤�将来？用是驴为？鈥�

　　弟子答言：鈥湸寺渴び谕呤ΑＭ呤�久时所作瓦器，少时能破。鈥�

　　时师语言：鈥溔甏笥蕹眨�无有智慧。此驴今者适可能破，假使百年，不能成一。鈥�

　　世间之人，亦复如是。虽千百年，受人供养，都无报偿，常为损害，终不为益。背恩之人，亦复如是。

　　译文：

　　过去有位婆罗门师，想举办一场隆重的法会，对弟子说：鈥溛倚枰�一批瓦器，以供法会使用。你去替我雇请一位瓦师来，这可到市集上去寻觅。鈥澞堑茏蛹辞巴�瓦师家去。这时有一人赶著驴、负著瓦器到市场上去卖掉，那头驴才一会儿的功夫就把瓦器都打破了。此人回到家中，心里懊恼，就啼哭起来。婆罗门弟子见了，便问：鈥溛�何这般悲叹懊恼？鈥澊巳舜鸬溃衡�溛矣昧酥种稚魄傻姆椒ǎ�经过许多年的勤苦，方做成了瓦器。拉到市场上想卖，这头破驴子顷刻之间都把瓦器打砸了，所以我懊恼。鈥澋茏犹�了，心中欣喜，想道：鈥溦馔仿空媸呛枚�西，历经久时做成的东西，顷刻之间就能把它破掉。如今我应把这头驴买下来。鈥澩呤�很高兴，立即就把驴卖给他。弟子乘著回家来，师父问道：鈥溎阄�什么不把瓦师带来，这驴子能派上什么用场？鈥澋茏哟鸬溃衡�溦馔仿孔邮す�瓦师呢！ 瓦师历经久时做成的瓦器，它转眼就能打破。鈥澱馐笔Ω负窃鸬溃衡�溎阏庥蕹罩�人，没有智慧。这驴的确是能一下子打破的，然而即使给它一百年辰光，也不能作出一个瓦器来。鈥�

　　世间的人也是这样，虽则千百年来，一直受到人家的供养，却毫无报偿，专做损害他人的事情，从来没有行过一点善。背恩的人也正是这样。