54 The Snake Whose Head and Tail Had an Argument

54蛇头尾共争在前喻

Once there was a snake whose tail told its head, “I should be in front.” The head told the tail, “I’ve always led the way. Why do you want to make the sudden change?” When the head led the way, the tail twisted its way around a tree and refused to budge. And when the tail was allowed to lead, the snake fell into a fiery pit and was burned to death.

The same situation applies to teachers and students. The disciples insist that they should lead, since their teachers are too old. But these youths do not observe the precepts and commit many infractions of the rules. As a result they mutually drag each other to the hells.

译文

譬如有一条蛇，尾对头说：「我应在前面。」头答尾道：「我一直在前面，为何突然要变换位置呢?」头依然在前面，想行去，尾缠住了树，无法去了。就依尾在前面，不久堕落火坑中，烧烂而死。

师徒之间也是这样，说师父年老了，却总是在前面主持着，也应让我辈年少的作引导的首领。这些年轻人不熟习戒律，时时有所违犯，于是师徒彼此都牵连着，堕入于地狱中。

原典

譬如有蛇，尾与头言：「我应在前。」头语尾言：「我恒在前，何以卒尔?」头果在前，其尾缠树，不能得去。放尾在前，即堕火坑，烧烂而死。

师徒弟子亦复如是，言师耆老每恒在前，我诸年少应为导首。如是年少不闲①戒律，多有所犯，因即相牵入于地狱。

注释

①闲：同娴，熟。

源流

《杂譬喻经》(比丘道略集、鸠摩罗什译)第二十五则：昔有一蛇，头尾自相与诤。头语尾曰：「我应为大!」尾语头曰：「我亦应大!」头曰：「我有耳能听，有目能视，有口能食，行时最在前，是故可为大。汝无此术，不应为大。」尾曰：「我令汝去，故得去耳，若我以身遶木三匝三日而不已?」头遂不得去求食，饥饿垂死。头语尾言：「汝可放之，听汝为大。」尾闻其言，即时放之。复语尾言：「汝既为大，听汝在前行。」尾在前行，未经数步，堕火坑而死。

此喻僧中或有聪明大德上座能断法律，下有小者不肯顺从，上座力不能制，便语之言：「欲尔随意。」事不成济，俱堕非法，喻若彼蛇坠火坑也。

同前第二十六则：昔有捕鸟师，张罗网于泽上，以鸟所食物着其中。众鸟命侣，竞来食之。鸟师引其网，众鸟尽堕网中。时有一鸟，大而多力，身举此网与众鸟俱飞而去。鸟师视影，随而逐之。有人谓鸟师曰：「鸟飞虚空，而汝步逐，何其愚哉!」鸟师答曰：「不如是告。彼鸟日暮，要求(扌＋西)宿，进趣不同，如是当堕。」其人故逐不止。日以转暮，仰观众鸟，飜飞争竞，或欲趣东，或欲趣西，或望长林，或欲赴渊。如是不已，须臾便堕，鸟师遂得次而杀之。(《大正藏》第四册第五二八页)