法苑珠林 53.73

53.73

百喻經云。昔有長者入海取沈水香。積有年載方得一車。詣市賣之。以其貴故卒無買者。多日不售心生疲厭。見人賣炭時得速售。便燒作炭。不得半車價直。世間愚人亦復如是。無量方便勤求佛果。以其難得便生退心。不如發心求聲聞果。速斷生死作阿羅漢。

The Sūtra of One Hundred Parables says: Formerly, there was an elder who entered the sea to gather agallochum incense. After accumulating it for years, he finally obtained a cartload. He went to the market to sell it, but because it was expensive, suddenly no one bought it. After many days without selling, his mind grew weary and discouraged. Seeing that those selling charcoal sold quickly, he burned it into charcoal, and could not even obtain the price of half a cart. The foolish people of the world are also like this: with immeasurable skillful means they diligently seek the fruit of Buddhahood, but because it is hard to attain, they give rise to a mind of regression, [thinking] it is better to resolve to seek the fruit of a śrāvaka, swiftly cutting off birth-and-death to become an arhat.