58 Two Sons Share Their Inheritance
58 二子分财喻
At one time, in the country of Malaya, there lived a Kshatriya. He fell gravely ill and knew his final hour was at hand. He ordered his two sons, “After my death, divide my wealth and possessions fairly between the two of you.”
After his death, the two sons complied with their father’s instructions and divided his wealth. But the elder brother complained that the younger brother had an unfair share of the inheritance.
A foolish old man said to him, “I will teach you how to divide evenly your father’s wealth. Break each item into two parts. For instance, cut the garments into two parts. You can also break everything else—plates, bottles, bowls, dishes, money, and so forth—into two parts, and divide them equally between the two of you.”
Others laughed at this method. This is like externalists who answer all questions with the one-sided approach of theories that split things into categories There are four ways to answer questions:
1)Giving an absolute answer. For instance, “All beings are subject to death.”
2)Answering by splitting things into categories. For instance, if asked whether those who die will be born again, the answer is split into categories, such as: “those who have ended love and desire will not be reborn; those who have love and desire will be reborn.”
3)Answering by turning the question around. For instance, if someone asks, “Are human beings the most supreme?” You should turn the question around and ask, “Are you referring to the three evil paths or the realm of the gods? If you are referring to the three evil paths, then I would say that human beings are supreme. If you are referring to the realm of the gods, then I would say that human beings are not up to them.”
4) Not answering the question. For instance, if someone asks one of the fourteen types of tricky questions, *such as whether the world has a limit of not, or whether human beings have a beginning and end or not.
Externalists are deluded but are convinced they are wise. They break down the four ways of answering questions by only using the approach of splitting things up into categories. This is just like the stupid man who advised the two brothers to divide their fortune by breaking everything into two.
* The fourteen tricky questions of the externalists to which the Buddha gave no answer.
译文
从前摩罗国有一位刹帝利，得了重病，知道必定要死了，便吩咐两个儿子：「我死之后，好好地分财物。」两位儿子依循父亲的遗教，在父亲死后，把财物分作两份。哥哥说弟弟分得不公平。这时有一位蠢老头说：「我教你们分物，必定能分得平等。他就把眼前的所有物品都破作两份。如何破呢?就是衣裳在中间剪开，盘瓶也从中间敲开，所有瓮壜也砸开，钱也凿开。」他们按照蠢老头的分法，就把所有财物都弄破了，分作两份。如此分物，人人嗤笑。
这就好比各类外道偏于修习分别论。论门其实有四种：有决定答论门，譬如一切人都必当死的，这就是决定答论门。死了必定会轮回再生，这应分别开来说，爱着断尽了的人，出离了轮回，不会再受生，依然有爱着的人，必定有下一生，这叫做分别答论门。倘若有问人是最优胜的么?就应反问道你是相对于三恶道还是相对于诸天来说的?若是相对于三恶道来说，人确实是最优胜的：若是相对于诸天来说，人必定是不如的，诸如此类的命题，叫做反问答论门。若是外道的十四个问难，譬如问世界及众生有边际无边际、有终始无终始之类的问题，常人是无法了解的，所以佛弃置而不答，以不答为答，就叫置答论门。各类外道愚痴，却自以为有智慧，把这四种论破毁了，形成为一种分别论，就比如愚人分钱物，把钱都凿破为两段。
原典
昔摩罗国①有一刹利②，得病极重，必知定死，诫勅二子：「我死之后，善分财物。」二子随教，于其死后，分作二分。兄言弟分不平。尔时有一愚老人言：「教汝分物；使得平等。现所有物破作二分。云何破之?所谓衣裳中割作二分，盘瓶亦复中破作二分，所有瓮瓨③亦破作二分，钱亦破作二分。」如是，一切所有财物尽皆破之，而作二分。如是分物，人所嗤笑。
如诸外道偏修分别论。论门有四种：有决定答论门，譬如人一切有皆死，此是决定答论门。死者必有生，是应分别答，爱尽者无生，有爱必有生，是名分别答论门。有问人为最胜不?应反问言汝问汝问三恶道，为问诸天?若问三恶道，人实为最胜；若问于诸天，人必为不如，如是等义，名反问答论门。若问十四难④，若间世界及众生有边无边，有终始无终始如是等义，名置答论门。诸外道愚痴，自以为智慧，破于四种论，作一分别论，喻如愚人分钱物，破钱为两段。
注释
①摩罗国：梵文Malaya-dasa这个国家的中央有摩罗耶山，在南天竺境域，所以国家以此为名。摩罗耶Malaya，是除垢的意思，因为这座山出产白旃檀香，进去后人变得香洁，所以叫除垢。提数dasa，是中央的意思。
②刹利：即刹帝利，意指王族及大臣，是印度四大种姓之一。婆罗门所编的《梨俱吠陀》卷十<原人歌>已叙四姓的来源：婆罗门(祭司)是布卢沙(人)的嘴；两臂成为刹帝利(王者)；他的两腿就是吠舍(平民)；从两足生出首陀罗(劳动者)。而佛经中叙述四姓的时候，总将释迦牟尼佛所自出身的刹帝利放在首位。
③瓨：短头长身的壜。
④十四难：乃对于外道以颠倒之见来问难之十四种事，而佛则舍置不答。十四种事指：㈠世间是恒常?㈡世间是无常?㈢世间亦是恒常亦是无常?㈣世间非恒常非无常?㈤世间有边?㈥世间无边?㈦世间亦有边亦无边?㈧世间非有边非无边?㈨如来死后还存在?㈩如来死后不存在?(十一)如来死后亦存在亦不存在?(十二)如来死后亦非存在亦非不存在?(十三)命(我)和身体是同一物?(十四)命(我)和身体是不同一物?
