9 Praising the Father’s Virtuous Conduct

Once there was a man who praised his father’s virtue to the multitudes saying, “My father is humane and kind. He harms no one and he never steals. He speaks directly and truthfully and he also practices giving.”

Hearing this, the stupid man said, “My father is more virtuous than yours.”

The group then asked him, “What is your father’s virtuous conduct? Please tell us about his deeds.”

“When he was young he severed all sexual desire, “the stupid man replied.

The others said, “If your father cut off sexual desire when he was young, how did he beget you?” Then they laughed uproariously.

This is like ordinary ignorant people of the world who wish to praise the virtue of others but who are unrealistic and end up being ridiculous. They are like the stupid man who, although well-intentioned in wishing to praise his father, made an absurd mistake.

9叹父德行喻

译文

过去有一个人，在众人中赞叹自己父亲的德行，说：「我的父亲为人仁慈，不伤害他人，不偷盗，不说谎，而且还施行布施。」这时有个愚人听了这番话，便说：「我父亲的德行，还要超过你的父亲。」众人问道：「有什么德行，请说说他的事迹。」愚人答道：「我父亲从小以来，就断绝了淫欲，一直都没接触女人。」众人说道：「若是断绝了淫欲，却如何生出你来?」大受当时人的嗤笑。

好比世间的无智之徒，想称赞某人的德行，不懂得恰如其分，反而招致诋毁。如那个愚人，存心想赞叹父亲，却言过其实，世间无智之徒也是如此。

原典

昔时有人于众人中叹己父德，而作是言：「我父慈仁，不害不盗，直作实语，兼行布施。」时有愚人，闻其此语，便作是①言：「我父德行复过汝父。」诸人问言：「有何德行，请道其事。」愚人答曰：「我父小来断绝淫欲，初无染污。」众人语言：「若断淫欲，云何生汝?」深为时人之所怪笑。

犹如世间无智之流，欲赞人德，不识其实，反致毁呰②，如彼愚者，意存③叹父，言成过失，此亦如是。

注释

①「是」字后，《丽藏》有「念」字，衍，今据宋、元、明三藏删。

②呰：音此，诋毁。

③「存」，《丽藏》作「好」，形似有讹，今从宋、元、明三藏改。

解说

名实相当，方能完美地达到目的。