百喻經之三一: 雇請瓦師喻
§31 雇請瓦師喻
(31) mason wanted
昔有婆羅門師，欲作大會，語弟子言：“我須瓦器，以供會用。汝可為我雇請瓦師。詣市覓之。”
once upon a time, a brahman master indented to give a big party. he told his disciple, "i need earthenware for the party. go to the market and fetch for me a mason."
時彼弟子往瓦師家，時有一人驢負瓦器至市欲賣，須臾之間，驢盡破之。還來家中，啼哭懊惱。弟子見已，而問之言：“何以悲嘆懊惱如是？”
on his way to the mason's home, the disciple came across a man whose donkey was loaded with earthenware for sale in the market. yet all pottery was broken by the animal in the twinkling of an eye. on his return home, the man was crying and getting quite distraught. on seeing this, the disciple asked: "why are you so sad and disappointed?"
其人答言：“我為方便，勤苦積年，始得成器。詣市欲賣。此弊惡驢，須臾之頃，盡破我器。是故懊惱。”
the man replied, "i have been making earthenware with all my expedient means after toiling and moiling for many years. i was on my way to the market intending to sell them. but this dumb animal has broken all i had in no time. that's why i'm so distraught."
爾時弟子見聞是已，歡喜念言：“此驢乃是佳物！久時所作，須臾能破。我今當買此驢。”
the disciple was glad to see and hear all this and said, "it's a good donkey. i should like to buy it."
瓦師歡喜，即便賣與。乘來歸家，師問之言：“汝何以不得瓦師將來？用是驢為？”
the mason was delighted to sell it. when the disciple rode it back, the master asked, "why didn't you come back with a mason? what's the idea of bringing a donkey here?"
弟子答言：“此驢勝于瓦師。瓦師久時所作瓦器，少時能破。”
the disciple replied, "this donkey is better than a mason, for it can break things in a split second what a mason has made over a long time."
時師語言：“汝大愚癡，無有智慧。此驢今者適可能破，假使百年，不能成一。”
the master said, "you are stupid and ignorant indeed. although the donkey can break things in a second, it can't even make one pottery in a hundred years."
世間之人，亦復如是。雖千百年，受人供養，都無報償，常為損害，終不為益。背恩之人，亦復如是。
so are the people at large. those who sometimes receive offerings from their benefactors for a hundred years, give nothing in return. on the contrary, they always do more harm than good. this is held to be true with someone who shows ingratitude.
注釋：
①大會：盛大的法會。
②倩：請。
③方便：善巧。
白話:
過去有位婆羅門師，想舉辦一場隆重的法會，對弟子說：「我需要一批瓦器，以供法會使用。你去替我雇請一位瓦師來，這可到市集上去尋覓。」那弟子即前往瓦師家去。這時有一人趕著驢、負著瓦器到市場上去賣掉，那頭驢才一會兒的功夫就把瓦器都打破了。此人回到家中，心里懊惱，就啼哭起來。婆羅門弟子見了，便問：「為何這般悲嘆懊惱?」此人答道：「我用了種種善巧的方法，經過許多年的勤苦，方做成了瓦器。拉到市場上想賣，這頭破驢子頃刻之間都把瓦器打砸了，所以我懊惱。」弟子聽了，心中欣喜，想道：「這頭驢真是好東西，歷經久時做成的東西，頃刻之間就能把它破掉。如今我應把這頭驢買下來。」瓦師很高興，立即就把驢賣給他。弟子乘著回家來，師父問道：「你為什么不把瓦師帶來，這驢子能派上什么用場?」弟子答道：「這頭驢子勝過瓦師呢! 瓦師歷經久時做成的瓦器，它轉眼就能打破。」這時師父呵責道：「你這愚癡之人，沒有智慧。這驢的確是能一下子打破的，然而即使給它一百年辰光，也不能作出一個瓦器來。」
世間的人也是這樣，雖則千百年來，一直受到人家的供養，卻毫無報償，專做損害他人的事情，從來沒有行過一點善。背恩的人也正是這樣。
這故事比喻∶世上有很多人，受人供養很久，不但沒有報償，且常做損害的事，這種背恩忘義的人，和他親近，和他在一起，是有損無益的！
解說：
破而不能成、不能立，則只有負面的意義。
供您思考：
圣法法師在《百喻故事廣釋》中說：一座高樓大廈，不但要花許多的物資，也經工人經年累月辛辛苦苦地建筑，才能夠完成。一旦被地震震毀了，豈不枉費很多的辛苦和財物？但誰能阻止地震呢？只能在建筑上講究堅固安全。
一個大富翁，也是辛辛苦苦地干了幾十年，省食儉用，一點一滴地累積下來，最后才成了財富。一旦三寸氣不來，一切財富、名利豈不是成了幻泡影？誰又能阻止人的死亡呢？唯有修行積德才是生生世世用不完的財產。
人的一生自少讀書、求智識、學技藝，又要辛辛苦苦地創業立業、積財產，才有事業的基礎。一旦失敗破產，則斷送了一生的辛勞。人是何等地悲傷，只有怪命運不濟或怪老天不幫忙？怎么不怪前生或今生惡業太重？或怪自己沒有智慧，做錯了事情呢？
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