昔有故屋，人谓此室常有恶鬼，皆悉怖畏不敢寝息。
In the past, there was an old house, with people saying this house often has an evil ghost within, with all terrified, not daring to lie down and rest in it.
时有一人自谓大胆，而作是言：「我欲入此室中寄卧一宿。」
Then, there was a person, calling himself to have great courage, then making this statement, ‘I desire to enter this house within to stay and sleep for one night.’
即入宿止，后有一人自谓胆勇胜于前人，复闻傍人言此室中恒有恶鬼，即欲入中排门将前。
Then, he entered to stay and rest. Later, there was a person who called himself to have courage and valour superior to the previous person. Again hearing bystanders saying this house constantly has an evil ghost within, then desiring to enter within, he pushed at the door, and was about to go forward.
时先入者谓其是鬼，即复推门遮不听前；在后来者复谓有鬼，二人鬪诤遂至天明。
Then, that person who first entered thought he is a ghost, then again pushed at the door, hiding and not allowing him to come forward. That later coming person again thought there is a ghost, with the two persons fighting and contending until daybreak.
既相覩已，方知非鬼。
Thereupon seeing one another already, then knowing there is no ghost.
一切世人亦复如是，因缘暂会无有宰主，一一推析谁是我者？
All the world’s people are likewise thus, with causes and conditions temporarily meeting, without having masters. With one by one inferring and analysing, who is it that is the self?
[Note 1: It is with the gathering of the five aggregates (五蕴) and the three poisons (三毒) that the illusion of ‘self’ (我) arises.
[Note 2: The five aggregates (五阴/蕴) are (i) form (色), (ii) feeling (受), (iii) perception (想), (iv) mental formation (行) and (v) consciousness (识).]
[Note 3: The three poisons (三毒) are greed (贪), anger (嗔) and delusion (痴).]
然诸众生横计是非强生诤讼，如彼二人等无差别。
Certainly, all sentient beings chaotically haggling over what is right and wrong, forcibly giving rise to contention and lawsuits, are like those two persons, equally without differences.
[Note 4: The illusion of ‘self’ is like a ‘ghostly being’ assumed to be there, but not really there. Arising from this delusional (痴) attachment, beings fight with one another with greed (贪) and anger (嗔).]
全百喻
All Hundred Parables:
https://purelanders.com/baiyu
