百喻经之五九: 观作瓶喻

　　(59) WATCHING URN MAKING

　　譬如二人至陶师所，观其蹋轮而作瓦瓶，看无餍足。一人舍去，往至大会，极得美膳，又获珍宝。一人观瓶，而作是言：“待我看讫。”

　　Once two men went to a potter's field where they watched a tread-wheel making earns. They were delighted at seeing the work without satiety. One then left for the great assembly where he was well received with excellent food and got precious teachings as well. The other stayed on at the plant and said, "I'll get a good look at how urns are made."

　　如是渐冉，乃至日没，观瓶不已，失于衣食。

　　Thus he stayed till the sun set without realizing how hungry he really was or how chilly it had gotten.

　　愚人亦尔，修理家务，不觉非常。

　　So are the stupid who engage themselves in their housework without being aware that all things are subject to change.

　　今日营此事，明日造彼业。

　　People are inclined to be very fickle nowadays.

　　诸佛大龙出，雷音遍世间。

　　Apparition of Buddhas and Great Dragons thunders all over the world.

　　法雨无障碍，缘事故不闻。

　　The rain of Buddhist teachings fertilizes all beings, except for those who stick to trifles.

　　不知死卒至，失此诸佛会。

　　Being unconscious of death that could come any time, people miss the opportunity to attend to Buddhist assemblies.

　　不得法珍宝，常处恶道穷。

　　They are unable to be inspired by the precious teachings as a treasure and always remain in misery.

　　背弃於正法。彼观缘事瓶，终常无竟已。是故失法利，永无解脱时。

　　Those who are abandoning the right doctrine and looking endlessly at the trifles of urn making lose the benefit of learning and will never get deliverance.

　　注释：

　　①渐冉：渐渐过去。

　　白话：

　　譬如两个人到陶匠师傅那儿，看他脚蹋转轮作瓦瓶，看得着了迷。其中一人离去，前往参加盛大的宴会，得到了极美的饍肴，又获取了珍宝。另一人边看做瓶边想：「待我看完再去。」时间就这样渐渐地过去了，竟至太阳也下山了，依旧观瓶不已，结果误了吃饭。愚人也是这样，做着家务琐事，不觉得非常之事发生了。

　　今日经营这桩事，明日造作那般业。

　　诸佛出世如大龙，法音之雷遍世间，

　　法雨普降无障碍，琐事缠身故不闻。

　　不知死亡猝然至，失却此诸佛大会，

　　不曾得佛法珍宝，常处恶道穷途中，

　　背离弃置了正法。那位看瓶不已者，

　　终究没有完结时，所以误失法会利，

　　解脱机会永没了。