諸經要集 18.5

18.5

夫擁其流者。未若杜其源。揚其湯者。未若撲其火。何者。源出於水。源未杜而水不窮。火沸於湯。火未撲而湯詎息。故有杜源之客。不擁流而自乾。撲火之賓。不揚湯而自止。類斯而談。可得詳矣。如厭其果者。未若挹其因。怖其苦者。豈若懲其惡。因資於果。因未絕而果不窮。惡生於苦。惡未懲而苦詎息。故使絕因之士。不厭果而自亡。懲惡之賢。不怖苦而自離。凡百君子。書其誡歟。

Now, damming the stream is not as good as stopping up the source; scooping up boiling broth is not as good as extinguishing the fire. Why is this? The source issues into water; if the source is not stopped up, the water will never end. Fire makes the broth boil; if the fire is not extinguished, how can the broth subside? Therefore, a traveler who stops up the source sees it dry up on its own without damming the stream; a guest who extinguishes the fire sees it cease on its own without scooping up the broth. Speaking by analogy with this, the matter can be fully understood. If one detests the fruit, it is not as good as withdrawing the cause; if one dreads the suffering, how could it compare to chastising the evil? The cause fosters the fruit; if the cause is not severed, the fruit will never end. Evil generates suffering; if evil is not chastised, how can the suffering subside? Therefore, a person who severs the cause sees it perish on its own without detesting the fruit; a worthy one who chastises evil separates from it on its own without dreading the suffering. May all gentlemen write down this admonition!