百喻经之十一：婆罗门杀子喻

　　英文：

　　Once upon a time, there was a brahman who prided himself on his erudite knowledge of astrology and various arts. he was such a conceited man that he claimed to be learned in everything. to show his ability, he went abroad carrying his son in his arms and cried. the brahman was asked, "why are you crying?"

　　He replied, "this baby is going to die within seven days. i'm grieved at his inevitable death. that's why i can't help crying."

　　The contemporaries said, "it's difficult to know a man's life. it's easy to make a miscalculation. he may not die seven days. why should you weep in advance?"

　　The brahman said, "the sun and the moon may set and the stars may fall, but i have never had a miscalculation on my record."

　　To prove his self-claimed knowledge, he killed his son on the seventh day, for the sake of fame and gain.

　　The contemporaries heard the news of his son's death at the foretold time. they marvelled that he was indeed an erudite man who could prove true of what he had said. they all came to pay him homage, and were heartily convinced that he deserved respect （as a prophet）。

　　This is also true with those of sakyamuni's four degrees of disciples who claim to have attained the path of enlightenment for the sake of the material offerings from others. they would try to fool people by killing an innocent man in order to deceitfully show the virtue of compassion. such disciples would be certainly doomed to limitless suffering in time to come, just like the brahman who wanted to prove the accuracy of his prophecy by killing his son and thus deceived people.

　　古文：

　　昔有婆罗门，自谓多知，于诸星术种种技艺无不明达。恃己如此，欲显其德，遂至他国，抱儿而哭！有人问婆罗门言：鈥溔旰喂士蓿库��

　　婆罗门言：鈥溄翊诵《�，七日当死，愍其夭殇，以是哭耳！鈥�

　　时人语言：鈥溔嗣�难知，计算喜错。设七日头或能不死，何为预哭？鈥�

　　婆罗门言：鈥溔赵驴砂担�星宿可落，我之所记，终无违失。鈥�

　　为名利故，至七日头，自杀其子，以证己说。

　　时诸世人，却后七日，闻其儿死，咸皆叹言：鈥溦媸侵钦撸�所言不错！鈥澬纳�信服，悉来致敬。

　　犹如佛之四辈弟子，为利养故，自称得道，有愚人法，杀善男子，诈现慈德，故使将来，受苦无穷。如婆罗门为验己言，杀子惑世。

　　译文：

　　从前在古印度有一位婆罗门种姓的人，自称知识渊博，能掌握星象占卜吉凶的方法预知未来。他自称技艺高明，于是就来到别的国家，抱着自己的儿子，在人们面前哭喊不止。有人问他说：鈥溎阄�什么哭泣？鈥澱飧銎怕廾胖中盏娜怂担衡�溦飧鲂『ⅲ�过七天后就要死了，我怜悯他的夭折，所以痛哭啊！鈥澞桥员叩娜怂担� 鈥溔说纳�命难以预料，预测很容易出差错。也许过了七天未必死亡，何必预先就悲痛呢？鈥澠怕廾胖中盏娜怂担衡�溙�阳月亮也有黑暗的时候，天上的星宿也可能会陨落，而我所预测的，从来没有失算过。鈥澪�了维护自己的名誉和利益，过了第七天，他亲手杀死了自己的孩子，以此来证明自己的推测。过了七天，人们听说他的儿子死了，都感叹地说：鈥溦媸且桓鲋腔鄣娜耍�所预言的果真不错。鈥澣嗣谴有睦锒运�信服，向他致敬。

　　这就好比信奉佛教的比丘比丘尼和不出家的善男、信女，为了得到利益和供奉，自称已经悟道，用世俗的思想诱导，去伤害一心事佛的修行者，用伪装出的慈善品德骗人，从而使自己在轮回中受尽苦难。就像那个婆罗门种姓的人，为显示自己的预言灵验，亲手杀死儿子来愚弄大家。