經律異相 44.38

44.38

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).