Wonderful Metaphors in the Pure Land School
淨土宗妙喻
Two Rivers and A White Path
Overview of the parable:
Imagine a man traveling West for a hundred thousand ‘li’. On his journey, he comes across two rivers blocking his way forward. One is a river of blazing fire stretching south. The other is a torrential river stretching north. Each of the rivers is unfathomably deep. They stretch without end to the north and south.
Sandwiched between the fire and water, however, is a white path which is no more than four or five inches wide. Extending from the east to the west bank, it is about a hundred steps long. With surging waves splashing on one side and burning flames scorching on the other, the narrow trail is under ceaseless attack.
The man is unarmed in the middle of a deserted land. Very soon a group of wicked bandits and ferocious beasts see him all alone. They quickly begin to run toward their prey. Scared to death, the man flees straight towards the west until he sees the rivers of water and fire blocking the way ahead.
He says to himself, “I can see no end to either of these rivers. There is only a white path between them, which is no wider than four or five inches. It looks extremely dangerous to walk upon. Although the shores are not far apart, the water and fire, the hunters behind, and the vipers and beasts all around, how can I cross the river alive! Today must be my last day!”
He wants to turn back ; but, the bandits are closing in with horrible menacing screams. There is no way back. On his left, tigers with wide open jaws await him while, on his right, tongue-flicking serpents are ready to smother him. He knows he should head west on the white path; but, the thought of falling into either river scares him.
At that moment, his panic and fear are beyond words. He weighs the situation and thinks, my situation is truly desperate. I will die whether I turn back, stay, or cross over to the other bank. With the white path as my only choice, I have nothing to lose by giving it a chance. The fact that it exists must mean it is for people to walk on. I’m sure I can cross.
二河白道喻
比喻大意:
譬如有一個人,想往西走,路途遙遠,百里千里。突然在半路上就見有兩條河,隔在半路,將道路攔腰切斷,往南是一條火河,往北是一條水河。兩條河都是百步之寬,深沒有底。火河,向南看沒有邊;水河,向北看也沒有邊。水河和火河的正中間,有一條白色的道路,大概四五寸寬。這條白道從東岸跨到西岸,也是一百步。狹小的白道在水火二河中間,水河掀起波浪,澆濕這條小白道;火河吐出火舌,燒這條白道。輪番進攻,片刻都不休息。
這個人獨自來到這片空曠的原野,赤手空拳,很多盜賊、惡獸看見他孤身一人,爭相趕來殺他。他很害怕,徑直往西邊跑,跑著跑著,就看見這水火二河攔住了道路。他心裡就想:“這兩條河看不到邊,二河中間,只有一條四五寸寬的白道,太狹小了。兩岸相隔不遠,可是前有水火,後有追兵,左右都是毒蛇猛獸。怎麼過得去啊!今日定死無疑了!”他就想往回走。後面喊聲陣陣,漸漸殺來了,後退是不可能了。想往南邊走,老虎嘴都張開了;想往北邊走,毒蛇把舌頭都吐出來了。正想向西順著白道過河,但是又怕掉到這水火二河中。
當時他的惶恐、恐怖無法用語言來形容。就自思自念:“形勢非常危急,我要是回去,死路一條;我停在這裡不動,也是坐以待斃。到對岸可能也是死,反正都是死路一條,沒辦法了,既然有這條白道,總是給人走的,肯定可以過去!”
當他這樣思量的時候,突然就聽到東岸有人勸他:“仁者!你就打定主意、下定決心順著這條道前行,肯定不會掉到水火當中死掉!如果你在這裡不動,那就死定了!”
Namo Amituofo!
