掬水
 
A Palmful of Water

《贤愚经》中记载了一宗公案，一位五戒居士，率领五百商人至海中取宝。海神施展各种神变进行阻挠，商主随机应变，历数地狱、饿鬼之苦，以及世间善者之行迹竭力进行劝诫。

The following story is told in The Sutra of the Wise and the Foolish: A lay practitioner who observed the laity’s five precepts once led 500 merchants on a journey in search of precious gems in the ocean. A sea-god tried to impede them by exercising his magic power. The captain took the chance to teach the sea-god intently by enumerating the sufferings of hell and preta realms as well as the noble deeds of virtuous people in the world.

最后，气焰有所收敛的海神以手掬水并发问，一掬水与海水相比，何者多？商主回答说，一掬水多而不是海水多。海神再次重问，你确定吗？商主说，千真万确！绝非虚妄。海水虽多，末劫七日出时，须弥崩塌，七大海水终将穷尽。而以一掬之水，供养佛或僧众，孝敬父母、布施贫穷与飞禽走兽，此之功德，历经数劫也不会干涸，所以一掬水多于海水。海神听闻后，欢喜异常，取出珍宝，赠送商主，并寄送奇妙宝物供养佛与僧众。

When the sea-god’s arrogance finally simmered down, he filled his palm with water and said: “Lay-disciple, tell me, which is greater, the water in my palm or the water in the sea?” The captain answered: “The water in your palm is greater.” The sea-god asked again, “Are you sure?” The captain replied, “What I say is true and I do not err. Although the ocean water is vast, as the present eon draws closer to the time of destruction, seven suns will arise in the sky, whence Mount Meru itself will burn up and none of the water in the seven oceans will remain. On the other hand, whoever makes an offering of even a palmful of water to the Buddha, to the Honorable Sangha, to one’s father or mother, to the poor, or to the animals will, because of this, have indestructible virtue throughout the eon. It is for this reason that the water in your palm is greater than all the water in the sea.” Hearing this, the sea-god was overjoyed. He took out precious jewels and gave them to the captain, and entrusted many other exquisite treasures as gifts to the Buddha and the Sangha.

平时，每当我们面对浩淼无垠的大海，总是感慨它的宽广辽阔、无边无际，何曾想到海水也有穷尽之时？这宗一掬水多于海水的公案提醒我们，若以智慧和方便摄持，即会产生不可思议的结果。即使一掬水，其功德也远远会超胜于海水。

Normally, when we look at the boundless ocean, we always marvel at its vast and limitless expanse. It has never occurred to us that the sea will also dry up one day. This story about one palmful of water reminds us that actions performed with wisdom and skillful means result in unimaginable outcomes. Even a palmful of water, in terms of the vast merits it creates, surpasses by far the whole ocean.

每天早上，当您从沉睡中苏醒，洗漱完毕，在佛堂前，以清净心，供上一杯净水，其功德远远胜过七大海水，何乐而不为？

Every morning, after waking up and washing up, remember to offer with a pure mind a cup of clean water at the shrine. Through the power of pure offering, this little cup of water surpasses the seven oceans in bringing about merit. Why not do it with great pleasure?

壬午年六月三十日 　
2002年8月8日　

30th of June, Year of RenWu
August 8, 2002