法苑珠林 23.22

23.22

巨海極廣大　浮木孔復小
百年而一出　得值甚為難
我今池水小　浮木孔極大
數數自出頭　不能值木孔
盲龜遇浮木　相值甚為難
惡道復人身　難值亦如是
我今值人身　應當不放逸
河沙等諸佛　未曾得值遇
今日得諮受　十力世尊言
佛所說妙法　我必當修行
若能善修習　濟拔極為大
非他作已得　是故自精勤
若墮八難處　云何可得離
世間業隨逐　墜墮於惡道
我今當逃避　得出三有獄
若不出此獄　云何得解脫
畜生道若干　歷劫極久長
地獄及餓鬼　黑闇苦惱深
我若不勤修　云何而得離
險難諸惡道　今日得人身
不盡苦邊際　不離三有獄
應當勤方便　必離三有獄
今我求出家　必使得解脫

"The great ocean is exceedingly vast; / The hole in the floating wood is small; / Emerging once every hundred years, / To encounter it is exceedingly difficult. / Now the water in my pond is small; / The hole in the floating board is very large; / Sticking my head out repeatedly, / I still cannot encounter the hole in the wood. / A blind turtle meeting the floating wood— / Their encountering each other is exceedingly difficult; / Returning from bad destinies to a human body, / The difficulty of encountering it is likewise so. / Now that I have attained a human body, / I ought not to be heedless. / Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges / I have never before chanced to meet; / Today I am able to consult and receive / The words of the World-Honoured One of the Ten Powers. / The sublime Dharma taught by the Buddha / I surely must practice. / If one is able to cultivate and practice it well, / The salvation will be exceedingly great. / It cannot be gained through another's deeds; / Therefore I must be diligent myself. / If I fall into the eight places of difficulty, / How could I ever be free? / The karma of the world pursues me, / Causing me to plunge into the bad destinies. / I must now flee and escape, / To get out of the prison of the three realms of existence. / If I do not escape this prison, / How will I attain liberation? / The animal paths are varied and manifold, / Continuing through kalpas exceedingly long; / Hell and hungry ghosts / Are steeped in deep darkness and suffering. / If I do not diligently cultivate, / How will I be able to escape / The perilous, difficult bad destinies? / Today I have attained a human body; / If I do not bring suffering to an end, / I will not escape the prison of the three realms of existence. / I ought to diligently employ skillful means, / And surely escape the prison of the three realms of existence. / Now I seek to renounce the household life, / And must surely attain liberation."