24 Planting Cooked Sesame Seeds

24种熬胡麻子喻

Once there was a fool who ate raw sesame. He found that it was not as tasty as cooked sesame. Then he came to the following conclusion, “I should plant cooked sesame seeds. Then I will reap a tasty harvest.” Thereupon he cooked the sesame and planted them in the ground. Of course, the sesame never sprouted.

People of the world act in the same way. Because they are discouraged by the idea that Bodhisattvas have to throughout many aeons engage in ascetic discipline that is hard to practice, they arrive at this notion, “I should become an Arhat and swiftly put an end to birth and death. To practice this path is quite easy.” But, afterwards, when they try to pursue the Bodhisattvas’ fruition, they never attain it, just as cooked sesame seeds could never grow. Stupid people commonly act this way.

译文

从前有个愚人，生吃胡麻子，觉得味道不美，炒了吃，味美，便想：不如炒了再种，而后就能得味美的胡麻子了。于是就炒了来种，永远失掉了生长出来的因。

世人也是这样，由于菩萨过去时长期修行，专就困难之处做苦行之事，世人以为这不顺当怡乐，便想道：不如成为阿罗汉，速速断离生死之道，永入涅槃，这功效很容易达到。而后来再想求佛果，毕竟是不可能了。就如那焦了的种子，不再有生长的因了。世间的愚人，也是这样断灭了精进的因。

原典

昔有愚人，生食胡麻子，以为不美，熬①而食之为美，便生念言：不如熬而种之，后得美者。便熬而种之，永无生理。

世人亦尔，以菩萨旷劫修行，因难行苦行，以为不乐，便作念言：不如作阿罗汉，速断生死，其功甚易。后欲求佛果，终不可得。如彼焦种，无复生理。世间愚人，亦复如是。

注释

①熬：炒。

源流

《菩提资粮论》卷四：如被烧种子，虽置地中，水浇日暖，终不能生。(《中华大藏经》第二十九册第四六八页)

《法苑珠林》卷二十三：事等破瓶，义同焦种，亦如多罗(绵)，既断，宁可重生。析石已离，终无还合。(《大正藏》第五十三册第四十五页)