眾經撰雜譬喻 1.4

1.4

智者思惟財物不可久保，譬如失火之家。黠慧之人明識火勢，火未至時急出財物，舍雖燒盡財寶全在，更修屋宅廣開利業。智人植福勤修布施亦復如是，知身危脆財物無常，遇值福田及時布施，亦如彼人火中出物，後世受樂，亦如彼人更修宅業福利自慰。愚惑之人但知惜念，怱怱營救狂惑失智，不量火勢猛風絕燄土石俱燋，須臾之頃蕩然滅盡，屋既不救財物喪失，飢寒凍餓憂苦畢世。慳惜之人亦復如是，不知身命無常須臾叵保，而便聚斂守護愛惜，死來無期忽然殞逝，形如土木財物俱棄，亦如愚人憂苦失計。明慧之人乃能覺悟，知身如幻財不可保，萬物無常惟福可恃，將人出苦可得成道。

The wise reflect that wealth and possessions cannot be preserved for long, just like a house on fire. A clever person clearly recognizes the fury of the fire, and before the fire arrives, he hurriedly brings out his property; though the house is burnt to the ground, his wealth and treasures are completely intact, and he can build another house and broadly expand his profitable enterprises. The wise person planting merit and diligently practicing dāna is also like this: knowing that the body is fragile and wealth is anitya, upon encountering a field of merit he practices dāna in a timely manner. This is just like that person carrying out possessions from the fire: in future lives he will enjoy bliss, just as that person rebuilds his household enterprise and consoles himself with fortune and profit. The foolish and deluded only know to hoard and begrudge; scrambling in panic to save it, their wits deranged and their wisdom lost, they fail to gauge the fury of the fire, where fierce winds and cut-off flames scorch earth and stones alike. In an instant everything is completely wiped out and extinguished. The house is not saved and the wealth is lost; shivering in cold and starved by hunger, he suffers grief and misery to the end of his days. The stingy and begrudging person is also like this: not knowing that body and life are anitya and cannot be preserved for a moment, he simply amasses, guards, and covets them. When death comes without appointment and he suddenly perishes, his form becomes like earth and wood, and his wealth and possessions are all abandoned, just as the foolish person suffers grief and misery having miscalculated. Only clear-sighted and wise people are able to awaken: knowing that the body is like an illusion and wealth cannot be preserved, that all things are anitya and only merit can be relied upon, it will lead one out of suffering and allow one to attain the Way.