22 Getting Sink-In-Water Incense From The Sea

22入海取沈水喻

Once, an elder’s son went to search for sink-in-water incense from under the sea. After searching for many years, he finally managed to bring home a cartload of it. When he went to market to sell his wares, he could not find any buyer because of the high price that he asked for the incense. After several days he grew tired and was afflicted. He saw that the charcoal merchants were able to sell their wares very quickly and thought to himself, “Why don’t I burn the incense into charcoal and then I’ll be able to dispose of it quickly!”

Thereupon he burned the incense until it became charcoal and went to sell his wares at the market. But the price he got for the burned incense did not even come up to that of half a cartload of charcoal!

So are the stupid people of the world. With countless expedients they diligently cultivate, aspiring towards Buddhahood. But upon encountering difficulty, they retreat. They think, “I might as well seek the fruition of Sound Hearers, quickly cast off birth and death, and become an Arhat.”

译文

过去有位长者的儿子，入大海去采取沈水香，历经多年，方采得一车，载回家来，拿到市场上去卖。因为昂贵的缘故，一时之间，无人来买。多日过去了，售不出去，内心很是疲厌，苦恼不堪。见人家卖炭，转眼即成交了，便生出一个念头：不如把它烧了作炭，便可以快快地卖掉了。遂即将其烧成炭，推至市上卖了，却不值半车炭的价钱。

世上的愚人也是这样，借助于广大无量的权便的方法，孜孜不倦，专意进取，仰望着求得佛果。因为难以求得，便产生了退转的念头，以为不如发心去求听闻佛的声教即可悟道的最下根的声闻果，可以速速出离生死轮回的苦海，成为永入涅槃的阿罗汉。

原典

昔有长者子，入海取沈水①，积有年载，方得一车，持来归家，诣市卖之。以其贵故，卒无买者。经历多日，不能得售，心生疲厌，以为苦恼。见人卖炭，时得速售，便生念言：不如烧之作炭，可得速售。即烧为炭，诣市卖之，不得半车炭之价值。

世间愚人亦复如是，无量方便，勤行精进，仰求佛果。以其难得，便生退心，不如发心求声闻果，速断生死，作阿罗汉。

注释

①沈水：即沈香。欲采取沈香的话，当先将树斫断，放着地上，待时日久了，外层开始朽烂，木中的心节，坚硬且黑，置于水中，则沈了下去，所以叫做沈水，也叫水沈。

解说

力不足者，中道而废。此则可与第六十二则(病人食雉肉喻)并读。

23贼偷锦绣用裹氀褐喻

译文

过去有个贼，入富家屋中，偷得锦绣，就拿来裹破旧的粗毛布衣之类的财物，为智人所笑。

世间的愚人也是如此，既有信心进入佛法之中，去修行善法以及种种功德，因为贪图私利的缘故，破坏了断离烦恼的清净的戒行以及种种功德，为世所笑，就如以锦绣裹破衣一般。

原典

昔有贼人，入富家舍，偷得锦绣，即持用裹故弊氀褐种种财物，为智人所笑。

世间愚人亦复如是，既有信心入佛法中，修行善法及诸功德，以贪利故，破于清净戒及诸功德，为世所笑，亦复如是。