昔有一人贫穷困乏，与他客作，得粗褐衣而被着之。
In the past, there was a person poor with difficulties of that lacking, for another as a servant working, who got coarse hemp clothes and wore them.
有人见之而语之言：「汝种姓端正贵人之子，云何着此粗弊衣褐？我今教汝，当使汝得上妙衣服，当随我语终不欺汝。」
There was a person, seeing this, then speaking to him, saying, ‘As you are the son of an upright and noble caste’s person, why are you wearing these coarse hemp clothes? As I will now teach you, and will cause you to get the most wonderful clothes, you should follow my words. After all, I will not cheat you.‘
贫人欢喜敬从其言，其人即便在前然火，语贫人言：「今可脱此粗褐衣着于火中，于此烧处，当使汝得上妙钦服。」
The poor person with joyful respect followed those words, as that person immediately before a burning fire, said to the poor person, saying, ‘Now, you can take off these coarse hemp clothes and burn them within the fire. From this burning place, I will cause you to get the most wonderful and admirable clothes.‘
贫人即便脱着火中，既烧之后，于此火处求觅钦服都无所得。
The poor person immediately took them off and burnt them within the fire. Already burning them after, from this fire’s place seeking admirable clothes, all without those gotten.
世间之人亦复如是，从过去身修诸善法得此人身，应当保护进德修业，乃为外道邪恶妖女之所欺诳：「汝今当信我语修诸苦行，投岩赴火舍是身已，当生梵天长受快乐。」
People of the world are likewise thus, from past bodies’ cultivation of many good Dharma teachings attaining these human bodies, they should protect them and progress virtuously by cultivating their karmas. Then by external paths’ evil and beautiful women, by those cheated and deceived, ‘You now should believe my words to cultivate all ascetic practices. After throwing yourself off cliffs, and rushing into fires to relinquish this body already, you will be born in Brahma’s heaven to long receive happiness and bliss.’
便用其语即舍身命，身死之后堕于地狱备受诸苦，既失人身空无所获，如彼贫人亦复如是。
Then using their words, immediately relinquishing their bodies and lives, with their bodies’ deaths after, falling into the hells to fully receive all kinds of suffering, both losing their human bodies, also empty without that obtained, like that poor person, they are likewise thus.
[Note: With whatever little or many blessings we have now, having worked our way to attain them, we should treasure them, and only use them to further cultivate good (善业) and pure karmas (净业), so as to advance towards Buddhahood (佛果).
If without this clear direction, we might be tempted and deceived to practise pointless extreme asceticism and other wrong practices that do not lead to the ‘heavenly’ promised, much less Buddhahood. Practices that lead to suicide can lead to a hellish rebirth instead due to taking of a human life. Such are useless sacrifices.]
全百喻
All Hundred Parables:
https://purelanders.com/baiyu
