42 The Trader and the Dead Camel

One time there was a trader who went traveling on business. In the middle of his journey, his camel died. The camel was laden with many jewels, fine carpets and other goods. The trader then flayed the dead camel and left it with his two apprentices, saying, “Watch over this camel hide. Do not let it get wet or ruined.”

Later when it began to rain, the two foolish men covered the camel hide with a carpet of superior quality. As a result the carpet was completely ruined. The carpet was much more valuable than the hide, but because of their stupidity, the men covered the camel hide with the carpet.

People of the world act that way, too. The fine carpet is analogous to abstaining from killing. The camel hide is analogous to wealth and treasures. To let the carpet get wet when it is raining is analogous to destroying wholesome deeds through indulgence. To abstain from killing is the most superior, wonderful cause leading to the Buddha’s Dharma body, and yet people do not practice it. Instead they build stupas and temples with their wealth to make offerings to the Sangha. They renounce the roots and grasp the branches, forsaking the basics. As a result they drift along the five paths of rebirth, unable to get out. Therefore, cultivators should intently and sincerely uphold the precept against killing.

42估客驼死喻

译文

譬如商人四处流动做买卖，恰好在路途之中，骆驼突然死了。上面所载的大多是珍宝、细软、上好的木棉布以及其他种种杂物。骆驼既然已经死了，就把皮剥了下来。商人要继续前行，就让两个徒弟留守着，吩咐道：「好生看管驼皮，不要让它受潮烂掉了。」过后天落雨了，两人愚痴如榆木脑袋，尽是用上好的木棉布覆盖在皮上，布都烂坏了。皮和布的价值，显然是很悬殊的。因为愚痴，才拿木棉布去盖骆驼皮。

世上的人也是这样。不杀生，可以譬喻于白棉布：驼皮就譬喻财货：天落雨打湿烂掉了，譬喻那由于放逸而败坏了善行。不杀生的戒律，就是修得佛的法性身的绝妙的行因，然而却不能修持，只是用财货去造塔建庙，供养众僧，舍本逐末，由于放弃了基本的修持，就漂流在人、天等五道中轮回生死，不能使自身出离生死，所以修行者应当精心持不杀戒。

原典

譬如估客游行商贾，会于路中而驼卒死。驼上所载多有珍宝细软①上(die)②种种杂物。驼既死已，即剥其皮。商主舍行，坐③二弟子而语之言：「好看驼皮，莫使湿烂。」其后天雨，二人顽嚚④，尽以好(die)覆此皮上，(die)尽烂坏。皮(die)之价，理自悬殊。以愚痴故，以(die)覆皮。

世间之人亦复如是。其不杀者，喻于白(die)：其驼皮者，即喻财货；天雨湿烂，喻于放逸败坏善行。不杀戒者，即佛法身⑤最上妙因⑥，然不能修，但以财货造诸塔庙供养众僧，舍根取末，不求其本，漂浪五道，莫能自出，是故行者应当精心持不杀戎。

注释

①细软：珠宝、绸帛等轻便而易于携带的贵重物品。

②(die)：音牒，古印度人抽捻木棉花，纺为缕，织作布，就叫做(die)。

③坐：留驻、守定，此处作使动词用。

④嚚：痴、愚。

⑤法身：法性身。佛的法身，满十方虚空，无量无边，无量光明，无量音声。常现出种种身相，种种名号，种种生死，种种方便，救度众生。

⑥妙因：绝妙的行因，是菩萨的大行。释典常言：妙因斯满，极果顿圆。