Excerpts

[35] The Parable Of The Treasure Trunk’s Mirror From The Sūtra Of A Hundred Parables《百喻经》之宝箧镜喻

昔有一人,贫穷困乏,多负人债无以可偿,即便逃避至空旷处。

In the past, there was a person, poor, with difficulties and lacking, owing many people debts. Without that which can be used for repayment, he immediately escaped and arrived at an empty and wide place.

值箧,满中珍宝,有一明镜着珍宝上以盖覆之。

Encountering a trunk, full with precious treasures within, there was a bright mirror attached to the precious treasures above, with it as a lid covering them.

贫人见已,心大欢喜,即便发之,见镜中人便生惊怖,叉手语言:「我谓空箧都无所有,不知有君在此箧中,莫见瞋也。」

The poor person, seeing this already, with his mind having great joy, immediately gave rise to it. Seeing the person within the mirror, he then gave rise to surprise and fear, cupped his hands and said, ‘I thought this is an empty trunk, not having anything at all, not knowing you are within this trunk, please do not look angry.’

凡夫之人亦复如是,为无量烦恼之所穷困,而为生死魔王债主之所缠着,欲避生死入佛法中,修行善法作诸功德。

Of ordinary beings’ people, they are likewise thus, by immeasurable afflictions as those poor and with difficulties, and by the cycle of birth and death, its demon king and their creditors, as those bound and attached, desiring to avoid the cycle of birth and death, enter the Buddha’s Dharma teachings within, to cultivate practices of good Dharma teachings, and create all meritorious virtues.

如值宝箧,为身见镜之所惑乱,妄见有我,即便封着,谓是真实,于是堕落失诸功德,禅定道品无漏诸善三乘道果一切都失。如彼愚人弃于宝箧,着我见者亦复如是。

Like encountering of the treasure trunk, by self’s view’s mirror as those confused, falsely seeing there is a self, immediately attached, thinking it is true, thereupon falling and losing all meritorious virtues, meditative concentrations, path factors without outflows, all good Dharma teachings and the Three Vehicles’ paths’ fruits [i.e. of Arhathood (阿罗汉果), Pratyekabuddhahood (辟支佛果) and Bodhisattvahood (菩萨果)], with them all lost. Like that foolish person’s abandoning of the treasure trunk, those attached to self’s view are likewise thus.

[Note: Strong attachment to the illusion of having a permanent and substantial self is the key obstacle that prevents us from attaining the immeasurable Dharma treasures (法宝) that the Buddha freely offers, that will solve our spiritual and physical problems. It is thus our fundamental existential delusion, that we ironically cling to, in this life and from life to life.]

全百喻
All Hundred Parables:

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Please Be Mindful Of Your Speech, Namo Amituofo!

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