47 The Poor Man Who Feigned the Crow of a Mandarin Duck

47贫人能作鸳鸯呜喻

Once upon a time, in a certain foreign country, the people were celebrating one of their special holidays. All the women wore blue lotus flowers on their hair as ornaments. A woman said to her husband, a poor man, “If you can find me a blue lotus, I will remain your wife. Otherwise, I will leave you.”

The husband was skilled at crowing like a mandarin duck. He then went to the king’s pond and started to crow like a mandarin duck, intending to steal a blue lotus. He was caught by the warden of the pond, who asked him, “Who are you?”

With a slip of the tongue, the poor man answered, “I’m a duck.” Thereupon he was arrested and brought before the king. On his way the poor man again crowed like a duck. The warden said to him, “You didn’t crow properly before. What’s the use of crowing now?”

Stupid people of the world are like this, too. Throughout their lives they cruelly harm others with many evil deeds, refusing to regulate their minds to do good. Only at the end of their lives do they claim, “I wish to cultivate good acts.” But the guardians of the hells will take them before King Yama. Even if they wish to cultivate good they are too late, just like that foolish man who crowed like a duck when he was on his way to see the king.

译文

从前外国的习俗，在节庆之日裹，所有妇女都佩戴优鉢罗华作为装饰。

有一个穷人，妻子对他说：「你若是能得来优鉢罗华与我佩戴，就做你的妻子；若是不能得到，我便离开你了。」她丈夫先前很能摹仿鸳鸯的叫声，便跨进国王的池沼，一边作鸳鸯的鸣声，一边偷优鉢罗华。这时守池人问道：「池中的是谁?」这穷人失口答道：「我是鸳鸯。」守池人将他捉牢了，带到国王处去，走到半道上，穷人又抑扬有致地作起鸳鸯的鸣声来。守池人说：「你先前不叫，现在叫有什么用?」

世上的愚人也是这样，终身杀生害命，作种种恶业，不调节心行，以使它朝善的方向发展，待到命终时，方说：「如今我想修行善业。」狱卒依然把他带去，付与阎罗王处治。虽是想修行善业，也已经晚了。就好像那个愚人，快到国王那儿了，才作起鸳鸯叫来。

原典

昔外国法，节①庆之日，一切妇女尽持优鉢罗华②，以为鬘③饰。

有一贫人，其妇语言：「尔若能得优钵罗华来用与我，为尔作妻；若不能得，我舍尔去。」其夫先来常善能作鸳鸯之鸣，即入王池，作鸳鸯鸣，偷优鉢罗华。时守池者而作是问：「池中者谁?」而此贫人失口答言：「我是鸳鸯。」守者捉得，将诣王所，而于中道复更和声作鸳鸯鸣。守池者言：「尔先不作，今作何益?」

世间愚入亦复如是，终身残害，作众恶业，不习④心行⑤，使令调善，临命终时，方言：「今我欲得修善。」狱卒将去，付阎罗王⑥。虽欲修善，亦无所及已。如彼愚人，欲到王所，作鸳鸯鸣。

注释

①「法节」，《丽藏》作「节法」，误，今据宋、元、明三藏改。

②僵鉢罗华：梵文Utpala就是青莲华，叶子狭长，近下处稍圆，向上渐渐尖起来，很像佛眼。

③鬘：梵文Soma译音的简称，将花朵贯串起来，作为装饰，佩戴在头上或身上。

④习：调节。

⑤心行：心，念念迁流不已，或念善，或念恶，所以叫做心行。

⑥阎罗王：梵文Yama-raja：主管生死罪福之业，役使鬼卒追摄罪人，捶拷治罚，决断善恶。