百喻经之六：子死欲停置家中喻

　　英文：

　　Once upon a time there was a man who brought up seven boys, one of whom died. finding the son dead, he intended to leave the body in the house and moved out himself. a bystander said to him, "you know the living and the dead go separate ways. since your son is dead, he should be quickly buried in a far away place with all due solemnity. now why do you want to leave your house and let your dead son remain here?"

　　When the man heard this, he decided to bury his son and not let the corpse lie at home. he then thought he would have to kill another son to hang one body on each end of the pole to keep in equilibrium and carry them for burial in a long way off the forest. that seemed the only thing possible for him to do and he did it. his contemporaries laughed aloud at his unprecedented eccentricities.

　　A monk, who secretly broke one commandment, felt afraid to confess it. he would pretend that he had scrupulously kept all commandments and led a life free from evil and defilement.

　　Some wise men might then tell him, "a monk should keep the commandments just like brilliant pearls should be protected from being damaged. how can you break what you have accepted? now you are reluctant to confess them."

　　The offender would answer, "now that i have to confess, i might as well do more breakings. then i'll confess all my sins at once."

　　Consequently, he broke more commandments by doing many evil things before his confession. this monk is just like that stupid man who kills another son when one dies.

　　古文：

　　昔有愚人，养育七子。一子先死。时此愚人，见子既死，便欲停置于其家中，自欲弃去。旁人见已，而语之言：鈥溕�死道异，当速庄严，致于远处而殡葬之。云何得留，自欲弃去？鈥�

　　尔时愚人闻此语已，即自思念：鈥溔舨坏昧簦�要当葬者，须更杀一子，停担两头，乃可

　　胜致。鈥濎妒潜愀�杀其一子而担负之，远葬林野。时人见之，深生嗤笑，怪未曾有。

　　譬如比丘私犯一戒，情惮改悔，默然覆藏，自说清净。或有知者，即语之言：鈥湷黾抑�人，

　　守持禁戒，如护明珠，不使缺落。汝今云何违犯所受，欲不忏悔？鈥澐附湔哐裕衡�湽缎脞阏撸�

　　更就犯之，然后当出。鈥澦毂闫平洌�多作不善，尔乃顿出。如彼愚人，一子既死，又杀一子。

　　今此比丘，亦复如是。

　　译文：

　　从前有个愚蠢的人，养育了七个儿子，有一个儿子死了。这个愚人就想将他的尸体留在家里而自己离去。周围的人就对他说：鈥溕�与死是截然不同的，应该尽快慎重地将尸体送到远处安葬。为什么把尸体留在家里，自己远离呢？鈥澯奕颂�了这些话，心里思量道：鈥溔绻�不能将儿子的尸体留下来，而应当安葬的话，就要再杀死一个儿子，安放在担子的两头，保持平衡，这样才能顺利送到墓地。鈥澯谑牵�他又杀死了一个儿子，用担子的两头各担一具死尸，埋葬在远处林中的野地里。人们见到这种行为，都强烈地讥笑他，从未见过这种愚蠢的人。

　　好比修行的佛教徒，自己犯了戒律中的一条，又怕公开承认错误，悄悄地掩盖起来，自己表白在行为、语言、思想上远离了罪恶。如有知情的人，对他说： 鈥湷黾倚扌械娜耍�应当自觉遵守戒律，就像爱护明珠一样，不让它受到损坏。你现在为什么违犯了受持的戒律，还不悔过！鈥澐噶私渎傻娜怂担衡�溔绻�一定要悔过，那就再去犯戒律，然后一起悔过。鈥澖幼啪陀制平洌�做了许多坏事，从而被赶出了佛门。这正如愚蠢的人，一个儿子死了，又杀了一个儿子。这位被赶出佛门的人，也同样如此。