141. （一四一）喻经

I have heard thus:

At one time, the Buddha was traveling in the country of Śrāvastī, staying at the Jeta Grove Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "If there are immeasurable wholesome dharmas to be attained, they all take non-distraction as their basis, non-distraction as their practice, are born from non-distraction, and are led by non-distraction; non-distraction is the foremost among all wholesome dharmas. It is like farming, which all depends on the land, relies on the land, and is established on the land to be able to farm. In the same way, if there are immeasurable wholesome dharmas to be attained, they all take non-distraction as their basis, non-distraction as their practice, are born from non-distraction, and are led by non-distraction; non-distraction is the foremost among all wholesome dharmas. It is like seeds, villages, and ghost villages, where hundreds of grains, medicines, and trees can grow and be nourished, all depending on the land, relying on the land, and being established on the land to be able to grow and be nourished.

In the same way, if there are immeasurable wholesome dharmas to be attained, they all take non-distraction as their basis, non-distraction as their practice, are born from non-distraction, and are led by non-distraction; non-distraction is the foremost among all wholesome dharmas. It is like the fragrance of various roots, with agarwood being the foremost. It is like the fragrance of various trees, with red sandalwood being the foremost. It is like the water flowers, with blue lotus flowers being the foremost. It is like the land flowers, with sumana flowers being the foremost. It is like the footprints of various animals, with all of them being able to fit within the footprint of an elephant, and the elephant's footprint being the foremost, because it is the largest. In the same way, if there are immeasurable wholesome dharmas to be attained, they all take non-distraction as their basis, non-distraction as their practice, are born from non-distraction, and are led by non-distraction; non-distraction is the foremost among all wholesome dharmas. It is like the various animals, with the lion king being the foremost. It is like when two armies are arrayed and fighting, with only the oath being the foremost. It is like the rafters of a tower, with all of them relying on the rafters and beams, and the rafters and beams being able to hold them all; the rafters and beams are the foremost, because they hold everything.

"In the same way, if there are immeasurable wholesome dharmas to be attained, they all take non-distraction as their basis, non-distraction as their practice, are born from non-distraction, and are led by non-distraction; non-distraction is the foremost among all wholesome dharmas. It is like the various mountains, with Mount Sumeru being the foremost. It is like the various springs, with the great ocean being the foremost. It is like the various great bodies, with the asura king being the foremost. It is like the various attendants, with the demon king being the foremost. It is like the various desires, with King Top-Born being the foremost. It is like the various minor kings, with the wheel-turning king being the foremost. It is like the various stars in the sky, with the moon palace being the foremost. It is like the various colored garments, with white silk being the foremost. It is like the various lights, with the light of wisdom being the foremost. It is like the various assemblies, with the Tathāgata's disciples being the foremost. It is like the various dharmas, with the cessation of craving, desirelessness, and the cessation of cessation, nirvāṇa, being the foremost. It is like the various beings, without feet, with two feet, with four feet, with many feet, with form, without form, with perception, without perception, up to neither with perception nor without perception, with the Tathāgata being the foremost among them, the greatest, the highest, the most excellent, the most honored, and the most wonderful. It is like how from cows there is milk, from milk there is curds, from curds there is fresh butter, from fresh butter there is clarified butter, and from clarified butter there is butter essence, with butter essence being the foremost, the greatest, the highest, the most excellent, the most honored, and the most wonderful. In the same way, if there are various beings, without feet, with two feet, with four feet, with many feet, with form, without form, with perception, without perception, up to neither with perception nor without perception, the Tathāgata is the foremost among them, the greatest, the highest, the most excellent, the most honored, and the most wonderful."

Then the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

If one seeks wealth, it will increase greatly. Praising non-distraction
speaking about what is and is not. Those who are
non-distracted will surely attain both meanings, attaining them in this
life and also in the next life. The heroic ones
observe all meanings, the wise ones will surely be liberated.

The Buddha spoke thus. Those bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and upheld them.

The twenty-fifth sūtra on parables is completed.