2 The Stupid Man Tries To Store Up Milk

2愚人集牛乳喻

Once there was a stupid man who was going to have some guests and decided to store up some milk for them. He thought, “If I milk the cow every day beforehand, there will be too much milk and not enough space to store it. It will probably spoil. It would be better to leave it in the cow. I’ll milk the cow right before the guests arrive.”

Then he separated the cow from its calf and tied them up. A month later, when he actually had the gathering, he tried to milk the cow, but found that the milk had run dry. Some guests scoffed at him and others laughed.

This is like stupid people who want to give alms all at once and say that they will wait until they possess great wealth. Usually, before they can accumulate enough money, it is seized by the government, lost in a fire or flood, or taken by robbers. Or else they many even die before they get around to giving. They are just like that stupid man who tired to store up milk.

译文

往昔有一个愚人，将要宴请宾客，便想积集牛乳，准备设宴时供用，因而想道：我如今若是预先天天挤取牛乳，牛乳渐渐多起来，终究无处安放，或许还会变酸败坏呢，不如就让它盛在牛腹里，待临到宴会时，便可一下子全部挤出来。想罢，就捉牢母牛和小牛，各各系在不同的地方。过了一个月之后，他方才设置宴会，将宾客迎入，安顿好，方牵过牛来，想挤取牛乳，而母牛的乳房瘪塌塌的，一点奶也没有了。这时宾客们或是瞪着他，或是嗤笑他。

其他的愚人也是这样，想要修行布施，只是说待我大有财物之时，然后才一下子布施掉。还没来得及积聚起来，或是被贪官、水灾、火灾、盗贼侵夺掉了，或是猝然命终了，赶不及布施，那些愚人也如集牛乳的愚人一样。

原典

昔有愚人，将会宾客，欲集牛乳，以拟供设，而作是念：我今若预于日日中(上殻+下牛)取①牛乳，牛孔渐多，卒无安处，或复酢败。不如即就牛腹盛之，待临会时，当顿(上殻+下牛)取。作是念已，便捉牸牛②母子，各系异处。却后一月，尔乃设会，迎置宾客，方牵牛来，欲(上殻+下牛)取乳，而此牛孔即乾无有。时为宾客或瞋或笑。

愚人亦尔，欲修布施，方③言待我大有之时，然后顿施，未及聚顷，或为县官、水火、盗贼之所侵夺，或卒④命终，不及时施，彼亦如是。

注释

①(上殻+下牛)取：挤取，(上殻+下牛)音勾。

②悖牛：母牛。

③方：仅、只。

④卒：同猝。

源流

《众经撰杂譬喻经》卷上载：昔有一婆罗门，居家贫穷，正(止、只、仅)有一悖牛，(上殻+下牛)乳日得一斗，以自供活。闻说十五日饭诸众僧沙门得大福德，便止不复(上殻+下牛)牛，停至一月并取，望得三斛，持用供养诸沙门。至满月，便大请诸沙门至舍皆坐。时婆罗门即入(上殻+下牛)牛乳，正(止)得一斗。虽久不(上殻+下牛)乳而不多。诸人呵骂言：汝痴人!云何日日不(上殻+下牛)乃至一月也，而望得多?

今世人亦如是，有财物时，不能随多少布施，停积久后，须多乃作。无常水火及以身命，须臾难保。若当不遇，一朝荡尽，虚无所获。(比丘道略集、鸠摩罗什译，《大正藏》第四册第五三二页)

解说

生命飘忽，身外之物，更是聚散不定，因而布施之举，当时时实行，多少无论，毋须等待什么时机。