7 Claiming Another as One’s Elder Brother

7认人为兄喻

Long ago there was a man, both handsome and wise. He was also wealthy and of good repute. Seeing this, another man claimed that man to be his elder brother. He did this, of course, because he wanted access to his money. Then, when the wealthy man went into debt, the man denied that he was his elder brother. A bystander said, “You are a stupid man. Why did you call him your elder brother when you needed the money and then deny this when he went into debt?”

The stupid man replied, “When I want some of his money, I say he is my elder brother, but he is not really my brother. So when he is in debt, I admit he is not my brother.”

Hearing this, there were none who did not laugh.

This is like those of externalist ways who hearing the Buddha’s good words, greedily usurp them, and take them as their own. When people try to teach those externalists to cultivate; however, they want no part of it. Instead they protest, “Those teachings were spoken out of a desire for profit. There is really nothing to those teachings. What need is there to cultivate?” They are like the stupid man who called another his elder brother in order to get his money and then denied it later when the man went into debt.

译文

从前有一个人，容颜端正，具有种种智慧，又多钱财，世人没有不称赞叹美的。这时有一个愚人，见他这般情景，便说他是我哥哥。为什么这样称呼呢?因他有钱财，需要的话，即可以用，所以叫他为哥哥：而见到他还债，则说不是我哥哥。傍人说道：「你这愚人，为何需钱财的时候，称他为哥哥，待到他负债之际，又说不是哥哥呢?」愚人答道：「我因为想得到他的钱财，方认他为哥哥，其实不是我的哥哥。若是他负债了，就称不是我的哥哥。」人们听了这话，无不哈哈大笑。

这犹如那些外道，听到佛陀说法的善巧，就盗窃得来，用在自己的学说中，便当作是自身本来就有的。等到傍人要他实际修行这些学说了，便不肯修行，说道：「为了获得供养的缘故，取用了佛陀的语句来教化引导众生，实际都是虚幌子，怎么谈得上修行呢?」就好比方才那个愚人，为了得到钱财，说是我哥哥：待到他负债时，又说不是我哥哥。这些外道也是如此。

原典

昔有一人，形容端正，智慧具足，复多钱财，举世人间，无不称叹。时有愚人，见其如此，便言我兄。所以尔者，彼有钱财，须者则用之，是故为兄；见其还债，言非我兄。傍人语言：「汝是愚人，云何须财，名他为兄，及其债时，复言非兄?」愚人答言：「我以欲得彼之钱财，认之为兄，实非是兄。若其债时，则称非兄。」人闻此语，无不笑之。

犹彼外道，闻佛善语，盗窃而用，以为已有。乃至傍人教使修行，不肯修行，而作是言：「为利养故，取彼佛语化导众生，而无实事，云何修行?」犹向①愚人，为得财故，言是我兄；及其债时，复言非兄。此亦如是。

注释

①向：方才。

解说

义净在他翻译的《根本说一切有部百一羯磨》卷九中作了一条夹注，说印度到处都有提婆达多派的教徒，所具有的轨仪，也多与佛法相同，至于五道轮回，生天解脱之类的教理，所修习的三藏，也与佛法大致相同。(参见《大正藏》第二十四册第四百九十五页)