譬如有人,磨一大石勤加功力,经历日月作小戏牛,用功既重所期甚轻。
For example, there is a person polishing a big rock with diligence, additional labour and strength, going through days and months making a small toy cow, with use of efforts thereupon heavy, and that hoped for extremely light.
世间之人亦复如是,磨大石者喻于学问精勤劳苦,作小牛者喻于名闻互相是非。
People of the world are likewise thus. That polishing of the big rock is analogous to, for learning, with concentrated diligence toiling with suffering, and that making of the small cow is analogous to, for fame, with each other disputing on rights and wrongs.
夫为学者研思精微博通多识,宜应履行远求胜果,方求名誉憍慢贡高,增长过患。
They are those for that of learning, studying and contemplating the subtle and extensive to be proficient with much knowledge, who should travel far to seek the supreme fruit, then seeking fame and honour, with arrogance and pride, increasing in faults and suffering instead.
[Note: If much time and efforts are going to be expended, they should be spent for attaining that which is spiritually substantial. There should be ‘eyes on the (true) prize’, not being distracted to settle for less, or something else superficial, that is opposite of the goal in mind.]
全百喻
All Hundred Parables:
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