45 The Slave Guarding the Door

45奴守门喻

Once a man was about to go on a long trip. He instructed his slave, “Watch the door carefully, and keep an eye on the donkey and the rope.”

After the houseowner left, the neighbor started to play music, which attracted the slave. He attached the rope to the door and put it on the donkey’s back, and went over to the neighbor’s to listen to the music. After the slave left, the house was robbed by thieves.

On his return the master asked the slave, “Where is my wealth?” The slave answered, “You entrusted me with the door, donkey, and rope. I know nothing about the rest.”

The master further questioned him, “The whole purpose of your watching the door was to watch over my property. Now that the property is stolen, of what use is the door?”

Foolish people undergoing birth and death, acting as slaves to love, are the same way. The Thus Come One teaches them to always guard the gates of their sense faculties, not to become distracted by the six defiling objects, and to watch over the donkey of ignorance and the rope of love. And yet the Bhikshus do not follow the Buddha’s instructions. Greedy for benefit and offerings, they feign the appearance of purity as they sit in meditation, and yet their minds are racing greedily after the five desires. They are confused by sights, sounds, smells, and tastes. Ignorance covers over their minds and they are fettered by the rope of love. As a result, the wealth of proper mindfulness, thoughts of enlightenment and the shares of the Path are all lost.

译文

譬如有人将要出门远行，吩咐仆人道：「你好好守着门，并看管住驴子和绳索。」主人走后，邻村的人家这时正在奏乐，这仆人很想去听，心中动摇，不能自安，随即便用绳索系了门，放在驴上，赶着，到那奏乐的地方，去听音乐。仆人离去之后，屋中的财物都被贼偷去了。主人回来，问仆人道：「财宝那儿去了?」仆人答道：「主人先前嘱咐看守门、驴及绳子，除了这些以外，我就不知道了。」主人说：「留你守门，正是为了财物。财物丢失了，还要门作什么用?』

流转于生死的愚人，贪恋着爱欲的仆人，也是如此。如来教诫道：要常常护住引出种种烦恼、进入种种妄尘的六根这扇门，不要让色、声、香、味、触、法这六尘之贼进来，守住烦恼这头驴，不要让它随意驰走，看好爱欲这条绳索。然而有些比丘不奉行佛的教诲，贪求利养：装得清白，在幽静处坐禅；其实心意流驰，贪恋五欲，被色声香味迷惑住了。烦恼占据了整个的心，爱索缠缚住了整个的身，使得正念、觉意、道品之类的财宝都散失掉了。

原典

譬如有人将欲远行，勅其奴言：「尔好守门，并看驴索。」其主行后，时邻里家有作乐者，此奴欲听，不能自安，寻以索系门置于驴上，负至戏处，听其作乐。奴去之后，舍中财物贼尽持去。大家①行还，问其奴言：「财物所在?」奴便答言：「大家先付门、驴及索，自是以外，非奴所知。」大家复言：「留尔守门，正为财物。财物既失，用于门为?」

生死愚人，为爱奴仆，亦复如此。如来教诫，常护根门，莫苦六尘，守无明驴，看于爱索。而诸比丘不奉佛教，贪求利养；诈现清白，静处而坐；心意流驰，贪着五欲，为色声香味之所惑乱。无明覆心，爱索缠缚，正念②、觉意③、道品④财宝悉皆散失。

注释

①大家：王人。

②正念：能专心忆念佛法，叫做正念，心若是流驰散逸了，就应当摄它回来，使其止于正念上。

③觉意：又作菩提心、无上道心，即求无上菩提之心。

④道品：是达到涅槃境界的道法的品类，有三十七科。