36 To Blind An Immortal

36破五通仙眼喻

Once upon a time, there was a man who went to the mountains to learn Buddhist Priesthood. He succeeded in becoming an Immortal possessing five supernatural powers. His divine vision could perceive all hidden sundry treasures. Upon hearing it, the king said to one of his ministers excitedly:

"In order to add more valuable things to my treasury, could you make this man live permanently in our country?"

The stupid minister went to his man soon afterwards and took his eyes. He then went back to the king and said, "I have gouged out his eyes so he couldn't go away but stay in this country forever."

The king exclaimed, "What is important for his staying in this country is that he could perceive all hidden treasures. Now that you have gouged out his eyes, he is useless to me."

So are the people at large. Upon seeing a monk making strenuous efforts to meditate on the Fourfold stage of Mindfulness and the impurities or the human body on mountain groves, among tombs, in the wilderness or under a tree, a layman invited him home to practice by making various offerings. But in so doing, he destroys the monk's good works done before and his chance of attaining Nirvana. Therefore, he makes him lose the benefit of the eyes of Enlightenment without obtaining anything.

This is just like the fatuous minister blinding the man with no avail.

译文

从前有一个人入山学道，成为得到五种神通的仙人，天眼彻视，能看见地下一切隐伏着的宝藏。国王听闻了这事，很高兴，就对臣下说：「如何才能使这人常留在我国，不到别处去，使我的库藏中的珍宝源源不断地增加?」有一位愚臣即刻前往仙人那儿去，把他的双眼挑了，拿来对国王说：「臣已经挑了他的眼睛，就再也离不开了，常住在这国家了。」国王对大臣说：「所以渴望仙人留住在这儿，只是因为他能见地中一切隐伏着的宝藏。如今你毁了他的眼睛，还有什么用?」

世人也是这样，见头陀在山林旷野、塚间树下苦行，修习四意止和不净观，便强行拉他到家里来，好生供养起来。结果是毁了他的善法，使道果不能成就，丧失掉他的道眼，已失掉了他的苦行所得，供养他应得的好处也就都一无所获了。就像那个愚臣，平白地毁掉仙人的眼睛。

原典

昔有一人，入山学道，得五通①仙，天眼彻视，能见地中一切伏藏种种珍宝。国王闻之，心大欢喜，便语臣言：「云何得使此人常在我国，不余处去，使我藏中得多珍宝?」有一愚臣，辄便往至，挑仙人双眼，持来白王：「臣以②挑眼，更不得去，常住是国。」王语臣言：「所以贪得仙人住者，能见地中一切伏藏。汝今毁眼，何所复任?」

世间之人亦复如是，见他头陀苦行，山林旷野，塚间树下，修四意止③及不净观④，便强将来，种种供养。毁他善法，使道果不成，丧其道眼，已失其利，空无所获。如彼愚臣，唐毁他目也。

注释

①五通：一般所谓五通，指修四根本静虑所得五种超自然之能力。又作五神通，即天眼通、天耳通、神足通、他心通、宿命通。

②以：已。

③四意止：又称四念住、四念处。即以自相、共相，观身不净、观受是苦、观心无常、观法无我，以次第对治净、乐、常、我等四颠倒之观法。

④不净观：又作不净想。为五停心观之一。即观想自他肉体之污秽，以对治贪欲，烦恼之观法。人的尸体随时间而变化为丑陋之形状等等不净之观尸法，主要对治贪欲之心。