33 Hacking A Tree Down For Fruit
33斫树取果喻
Once upon a time, there was a king who had a tremendously gigantic and beautiful tree. It always produced excellent fruit with fragrance and sweetness. One day the king told a guest who was visiting his palace,
"Wouldn't you like to pluck some of the fruits?"
The man replied, "I wish to have some, but how Call I get them, the tree is so tall and large."
The king then ordered to have the tree hacked down to get the fruit. In this context, all hard efforts were made in vain. The king still tried to revive the tree, which had withered and died.
So are the people at large.
Buddha, the king of the Law, possesses a "tree of keeping commandments" which bears wonderful fruit. It gives people happiness and makes their wishes come true. To get the fruit, one has to observe all commandments. Those who do not know how to do good deeds by expedient means, do wrong things in breaking commandments instead. This is just like the king who ordered to have the tree hacked down and the unable to make it grow again. Those who break commandments are just like that.
译文
从前有位国王，拥有一棵好树，长得高大，树冠宽广，将要结出香而甜美的好果子来。这时有一个人来到了国王居住的地方。国王对他说：「这棵树上将结美果了，你想吃吗?」这人就答道：「这棵树高大宽广，虽然想吃，怎么才能够摘得到呢?」于是就斫断了树，期望摘到果子。却一无所获，徒然地劳苦了一番。后来想栽回去，树已枯死，毫无生机。
世上的人也是这样。如来法王有一棵持戒树，能结出好果子来。心内涌出了渴求满足的快乐来，想要得到那果子，那么，就应当持受戒律，修行种种功德。世上的人不会运用权便的智慧，反而破了戒，如那个伐了树还想种活的人一样，什么都得不到。破戒的人，也是这样。
原典
昔有国王，有一好树，高广极大，当生胜果，香而甜美。时有一人来至王所。王语之言：「此之树上将生美果，汝能食不?」即答王言：「此树高广，虽欲食之，何由能得?」即便断树，望得其果。既无所获，徒自劳苦。后还欲竖，树已枯死，都无生理。
世间之人亦复如是。如来法王有持戒树，能生胜果。心生愿乐，欲得果食，应当持戒，修诸功德。不解方便，反毁其禁，如彼伐树，复欲还活，都不可得。破戒之人，亦复如是。
解说
持受禁戒，修行功德，都是趣向于一切真理的无上智慧的津梁，虽则不是最终的目标，却是通向最终目标不可或缺的方法，因而必须固守，且日日精进，以求获得胜果。
