31 Mason Wanted

31雇倩瓦师喻

Once upon a time, a Brahman master indented to give a big party. He told his disciple, "I need earthenware for the party. Go to the market and fetch for me a mason." On his way to the mason's home, the disciple came across a man whose donkey was loaded with earthenware for sale in the market. Yet all pottery was broken by the animal in the twinkling of an eye. On his return home, the man was crying and getting quite distraught. On seeing this, the disciple asked: "Why are you so sad and disappointed?"

The man replied, "I have been making earthenware with all my expedient means after toiling and moiling for many years. I was on my way to the market intending to sell them. But this dumb animal has broken all I had in no time. That's why I'm so distraught."

The disciple was glad to see and hear all this and said, "It's a good donkey. I should like to buy it."

The mason was delighted to sell it. When the disciple rode it back, the master asked, "Why didn't you come back with a mason? What's the idea of bringing a donkey here?"

The disciple replied, "This donkey is better than a mason, for it can break things in a split second what a mason has made over a long time." The master said, "You are stupid and ignorant indeed. Although the donkey can break things in a second, it can't even make one pottery in a hundred years."

So are the people at large. Those who sometimes receive offerings from their benefactors for a hundred years, give nothing in return. On the contrary, they always do more harm than good.

This is held to be true with someone who shows ingratitude.

译文

过去有位婆罗门师，想举办一场隆重的法会，对弟子说：「我需要一批瓦器，以供法会使用。你去替我雇请一位瓦师来，这可到市集上去寻觅。」那弟子即前往瓦师家去。这时有一人赶着驴负着瓦器到市场上去卖掉，那头驴才一会儿的功夫就把瓦器都打破了。此人回到家中，心里懊恼，就啼哭起来。婆罗门弟子见了，便问：「为何这般悲叹懊恼?」此人答道：「我用了种种善巧的方法，经过许多年的勤苦，方做成了瓦器。拉到市场上想卖，这头破驴子顷刻之间都把瓦器打砸了，所以我懊恼。」弟子听了，心中欣喜，想道：「这头驴真是好东西，历经久时做成的东西，顷刻之间就能把它破掉。如今我应把这头驴买下来。」瓦师很高兴，立即就把驴卖给他。弟子乘着回家来，师父问道：「你为什么不把瓦师带来，这驴子能派上什么用场?」弟子答道：「这头驴子胜过瓦师呢!瓦师历经久时做成的瓦器，它转眼就能打破。」这时师父呵责道：「你这愚痴之人，没有智慧。这驴的确是能一下子打破的，然而即使给它一百年辰光，也不能作出一个瓦器来。」

世间的人也是这样，虽则千百年来，一直受到人家的供养，却毫无报偿，专做损害他人的事情，从来没有行过一点善。背恩的人也正是这样。

原典

昔有婆罗门师，欲作大会①，语弟子言：「我须瓦器以供会用。汝可为我雇倩②瓦师，诣市觅之。」时彼弟子往瓦师家。时有一人，驴负瓦器，至市欲卖。须臾之间，驴尽破之。还来家中，啼哭懊恼。弟子见已，而问之言：「何以悲叹懊恼如是?」其人答言：「我为方便③，勤苦积年，始得成器。诣市欲卖，此弊恶驴，须臾之顷，尽破我器，是故懊恼。」尔时弟子见闻是已，欢喜而言：「此驴乃是佳物，久时所作，须臾能破。我今当买此驴。」瓦师欢喜，即便卖与。乘来归家，师问之言：「汝何以不得瓦师将来，用是驴为?」弟子答言：「此驴胜于瓦师。瓦师久时所作瓦器，少时能破。」时师语言：「汝大愚痴，无有智慧。此驴今者适可能破，假使百年，不能成一。」

世间之人亦复如是，虽千百年受人供养，都无报偿，常为损害，终不为益。背恩之人亦复如是。

注释

①大会：盛大的法会。

②倩：请。

③方便：善巧。

解说

破而不能成、不能立，则只有负面的意义。