法苑珠林 86.12

86.12

說是偈已。尋即思惟。我今作何方便。令其開寤。如佛言曰。若教人時。先當令其觀於四諦。今當為說作業根本。作是念已而語之言。汝於今者極善稱量。時賣肉者作是念言。汝比丘既不買肉。何故語我極善稱量。作是念已。即說偈言。

Having spoken this verse, he immediately reflected: “What expedient means should I now use to awaken him? As the Buddha said: ‘When instructing people, one should first have them contemplate the four noble truths.’ Now I should explain to him the root of creating karma.” Having thought this, he said to him: “You are exceedingly good at weighing and measuring now.” At that time the meat-seller thought: “Since you, monk, do not buy meat, why do you tell me that I am exceedingly good at weighing and measuring?” Having thought this, he spoke a verse: