30 The Sheep - Farmer

30牧羊人喻

Once upon a time, there was a shepherd who was skillful in raising as many as thousands of sheep. However, he was so stingy that he would not spend a penny.

At the time, a swindler found means to make friends with him and said,
"Since you and I have become intimate friends united as one man, there should be no gap of any kind between us now. I know a pretty girl from a certain family. I should like you to ask her to be your wife." The sheep-farmer was glad to hear those words. He gave him a flock of sheep and other precious things.

The swindler then said, "Now your wife has brought a child into the world." The sheep-farmer was very delighted to learn about this, in spite of the fact that he had not met her yet. Again he gave him more things. Then one day the swindler said, "Your child is dead shortly after birth." On hearing those words, the sheep-farmer cried bitterly and sighed ceaselessly.

So are the people at large.

There are people who, acquiring much knowledge, put their creed into practice only for fame and gain. They keep secret its teachings, unwilling to preach or to teach the others. Indulging in mundane pleasures, they are cheated by the transience of their bodies like the poor man cheated by the illusion of getting a wife and a child. Consequently, they lose first their good faith, then their lives and finally their precious possessions. They can then only shed bitter tears by getting depressed and melancholy just like the sheep-farmer.

译文

从前有一个人，善于牧羊，羊越来越多，乃至于成千上万，却很是悭贪，不肯让外人沾点儿光。这时有一个人精于诡计，就找机会，去与他交朋友，对他说：「如今我与你最为要好了，已经成了一体，再没分异之处了。我知道某家有一个好姑娘，我会替你去说媒，可让她来做你的妻子。」牧羊人听了欢喜，便给了他许多羊和财物。这人又对他说：「你妻子今日生了一个儿子。」牧羊人还没见到妻子，听见已生了儿子，心中大欢喜，又给了他财物。这人后来又对他说：「你儿子生了之后，于今日死了。」牧羊人听了这话，便大哭起来，嘘欷不已。

世上的人也是如此，既修习经文了，出于名利的考虑，保守住记忆和理解的方法，不肯为众人教化演说，受了这有漏身体的迷惑，妄求世间的欢乐，譬如自己的妻子儿女之类，受了这些欢乐的欺诳，从而丧失了善法。后来就丧失了身体的生命以及财物，便悲泣起来，产生了忧苦。如那个牧羊人，也是这样。

原典

昔有一人，巧于牧羊，其羊滋多，乃有千万。极大悭贪，不肯外用。时有一人，善于巧诈，便作方便，往共亲友，而语之言：「我今共汝极成亲爱，便为一体，更无有异。我知彼家有一好女，当为汝求，可用为妇。」牧羊之人，闻之欢喜，便大与羊及诸财物。其人复言：「汝妇今日已生一子。」牧羊之人，未见于妇，闻其已生，心大欢喜，重与彼物。其人后复而与之言：「汝儿已生，今死矣!」牧羊之人，闻此人语，便大啼泣，嘘欷不已。

世间之人，亦复如是，既修多闻，为其名利，秘惜其法，不肯为人教化演说，为此漏身之所诳惑，妄期世乐，如己妻息①，为其所欺，丧失善法。后失身命并及财物，便大悲泣，生其忧苦。如彼牧羊人，亦复如是。

注释

①息：子女。

源流

燕人生于燕而长于楚，及老而还本国。过晋国，同行者诳之，指城曰：「此燕国之城。」其人愀然变容。指社曰：「此若里之社。」乃喟然而叹。指舍曰：「此若先人之庐。」乃涓然而泣。指垅曰：「此若先人之冢。」其人哭不自禁。同行哑然大笑，曰：「昔给若，此晋国耳。」其人大惭。及至燕，真见燕国之城社，真见先人之庐冢，悲心更微。(《列子·周穆王》)