法苑珠林 24.19

24.19

As the Sūtra of One Hundred Parables says: In the past there was a settlement five yojanas away from the royal city. In the village there was delicious water. The king commanded the villagers to constantly have people deliver that delicious water day after day. The villagers grew exhausted and distressed, and all wished to move away to avoid it, leaving this village far behind. Then the village headman said to them, 'Do not leave. I shall petition the king on your behalf to change five yojanas into three yojanas, so that it will be near for you and you will not be exhausted coming and going.' He went immediately to petition the king, and the king changed it to three yojanas for their sake. When the crowd heard this, they were greatly overjoyed. Someone said to them, 'This is still the original five yojanas; there is no difference whatsoever.' Even though they heard these words, because they believed the king's words, they were entirely unwilling to leave. Worldly people are also like this. Practicing the true Dharma, crossing the five destinies, and heading toward the city of nirvāṇa, their minds grow weary and they then wish to abandon it, arrested midway in saṃsāra and unable to advance further. The Tathāgata, the Dharma King, possesses great expedients: within the One Vehicle Dharma, he discriminatively expounds three. Those of the Hīnayāna hear this and are overjoyed, thinking it easy to practice; they cultivate goodness and advance in virtue, seeking deliverance from saṃsāra. Later, hearing people say that there are no three vehicles, that it is still just the One Vehicle, because they believe the Buddha's words, they are entirely unwilling to abandon it. They are just like those villagers.