經律異相 44.16

44.16

昔北天竺。有一巧師。作一木女。端正無雙衣帶嚴飾世女無異。亦來亦去能行酒看客。唯不能語耳。時南天竺有一畫師。亦善能畫。巧師聞之。作好飲食即請畫師。便使木女行酒擎食。從旦至夜。畫師不知謂是真女。欲心極盛念之不忘。時日已暮。木師入宿。留畫師住。以此木女立侍其側。便語客言。故留此女可共宿也。主人已入。木女立在燈邊。客即呼之。而女不來。客便前牽之。乃知是木。便自慚愧。主人誑我。我當報之。於是畫師復作方便。即於壁上畫作己像。所著被服與身不異。以繩繫頸狀似絞死畫作繩像著其口喙。作已閉戶自入床下。天明主人出見戶未開。即向中觀。唯見壁上絞死客像。主人大怖便謂實死。即破戶入以刀斷繩。於是畫師從床下出。木師大羞。畫師即言。汝能誑我。我能誑汝。客主情畢不相負也。二人信知狂惑。各捨親愛出家修道（出雜譬喻經第四卷）。

In the past in North India, there was a craftsman who made a wooden woman, peerless in beauty, dressed in garments and adornments no different from ordinary women. She could come and go, serve wine, and look after guests; only she could not speak. At that time in South India there was a painter who was also exceptionally skilled in painting. Hearing of him, the craftsman prepared fine food and drink and invited the painter, having the wooden woman serve wine and carry food from morning until night. The painter did not realise [she was wooden], thinking she was a real woman; lust arose vehemently, and he could not forget her. When evening fell, the wood craftsman went in to sleep and had the painter stay, leaving this wooden woman standing at his side to attend him. He said to his guest: 'I have left this woman behind on purpose so you may spend the night together.' After the host went inside, the wooden woman stood by the lamp. The guest called to her, but the woman did not come; the guest came forward and pulled her, only then realising she was made of wood. Feeling ashamed, he thought: 'The host tricked me; I must repay him.' Thereupon the painter devised an expedient: right upon the wall he painted an image of himself, wearing clothing no different from his own body, with a rope tied around his neck resembling someone who had hung himself, painting the rope passing by his mouth. Having finished, he shut the door and hid himself under the bed. At dawn, the host came out, saw that the door had not opened, and looked inside, only seeing the image of the hanged guest upon the wall. The host was greatly terrified, truly believing he was dead; he broke the door down, entered, and cut the rope with a knife. At that moment the painter came out from under the bed. The wood craftsman was deeply embarrassed, and the painter said: 'You were able to trick me, and I was able to trick you. Guest and host are even; neither owes the other.' Realising the folly and illusion of the world, both abandoned their loved ones and left home to cultivate the Path (from fascicle 4 of the *Za piyu jing*).