經律異相 44.38

44.38

昔有一人。貧窮無用。治生入海採寶還國。遇善知識言。我素貧窮今得此物。足以自諧。若母不可。我意當捨母居去。若婦不可。我意我當更索。知識答曰。近此間大智慧人滿城中。可往就買智慧。不過千兩金。自當語卿智慧之法。其人如其言。入事佛聚落。具以問人。答曰。夫所疑事。前行七步却行七步。如是至三智慧自生。其人夜歸家。見母伴婦眠。謂是他男。拔刀欲殺。意中不掩。然大燈火遙照思惟。朝買智慧。如是前却三反。母便覺悟。此人歎言。真為智慧。何但堪千兩金。即復與三千兩金（出十卷譬喻經第四卷）。

Formerly, there was a man who was destitute and useless. To make a living, he went to sea to gather jewels and returned to his home country. He met a good spiritual friend and said: 'I have always been poor, but now having obtained these goods, they are enough to support me. If my mother does not suit my mind, I shall abandon my mother and move away; if my wife does not suit my mind, I shall seek another.' The spiritual friend answered: 'Nearby, the city is full of people of great wisdom. You may go and buy wisdom from them; for no more than a thousand ounces of gold, they will surely explain to you the method of wisdom.' The man followed his words, entered a settlement where the Buddha was served, and asked people about it in detail. One replied: 'Whenever you face a doubtful matter, take seven steps forward and seven steps back; do this three times, and wisdom will naturally arise.' The man returned home at night and saw his mother sleeping alongside his wife. Supposing it was another man, he drew his sword intending to kill him. Unable to contain himself, he lit a great lamp and observed from afar, pondering what he had bought that morning as wisdom. As he paced forward and backward three times, his mother woke up. The man exclaimed: 'This is truly wisdom! How could it be worth merely a thousand ounces of gold?' He immediately gave another three thousand ounces of gold [to the teacher]. (Extracted from the Ten Fascicles Parable Sūtra, fascicle 4).