ＴＷＯ ＲＩＶＥＲＳ ＡＮＤ ＴＨＥ ＷＨＩＴＥ ＰＡＴＨ
by Shan-tao
translated from Chinese by Zuio Hisao
Inagaki
今更爲行者説一譬喩守護信心、以防外邪異見之難。何者是也。
I wish to say to all aspirants for birth: I will now present a
parable for practicers in order to protect their Faith and to guard
it against attacks by those who have non-Buddhist, wrong and
delusory views. What is the parable?
譬如有人欲向西行百千里、忽然中路見有二河。一是火河、在南、二是水河、在北。二河各闊百歩、各深無底、南北無邊。正水火中間、有一白道、可闊四五寸許。此道從東岸至西岸、亦長百歩。其水波浪交過濕道、其火焔亦來焼道、水火相交常無休息。
Suppose a man is traveling a hundred thousand li towards the west.
On the way, he suddenly comes upon two rivers: one is a river of
fire that extends southward, and the other is a river of water that
extends northward. The two rivers are each a hundred paces wide and
unfathomably deep, extending endlessly to the north and south.
Where they meet, there is a white path, four or five inches wide.
This path is a hundred paces long from the east bank to the west.
The waves of the water splash and the flames of the fire burn the
path. The waves and flames alternate without ceasing.
此人既至空曠迥處、更無人物。多有群賊惡獣、見此人單獨、競來欲殺此人。怖死直走向西、忽然見此大河、即自念言。此河南北不見邊畔、中間見一白道、極是狭小。二岸相去雖近、何由可行。今日定死不疑。正欲到迴群賊惡獣漸々來逼。正欲南北避走、惡獣毒虫競來向我。正欲向西尋道而去、復恐墮此水火二河。
This traveler has already journeyed far into the open plain where
there is no one to be found. Suddenly, there appear many bandits
and vicious beasts. Seeing him alone, they approach competing with
each other to kill him. Afraid of death, he at once runs to the
west. When he suddenly sees this great river, he says to himself,
"This river extends endlessly to the south and to the north. I see
a white path in the middle, but it is extremely narrow. Although
the two banks are close to each other, how can I get across?
Undoubtedly, I shall die this day. When I turn round to return, I
see bandits and vicious beasts coming closer and closer. If I try
to run toward the south or north, I see vicious beasts and
poisonous insects vie with each other to attack me. If I seek the
path to the west, I will certainly fall into one of the two rivers
of water and fire.
當時惶怖不復可言。即自思念。我今迴亦死、住亦死、去亦死。一種不勉死者、我寧尋此道向前而去。既有此道、必應可度。
His horror at this moment is beyond expression. So he thinks to
himself, "If I turn back now, I shall die; if I stay, I shall die;
if I go forward, I shall die, too. Since I cannot escape death in
any way, I would rather follow this path. Because there is a path,
it must be possible to cross the rivers."
作此念時、東岸忽聞人勧聲。仁者但決定尋此道行、必無死難、若住即死。又西岸上有人喚言。汝一心正念直來、我能護汝、衆不畏墮於水火難。此人既聞此遣彼喚、即自正當身心、決定尋道直進、不生疑怯退心。
When this thought occurs to him, he suddenly hears a voice from the
eastern bank urging him, "Take this path with firm resolution.
There is no danger of death. If you stay there, you will die."
Again, he hears another voice from the western bank calling to him,
"Come at once single-heartedly with right mindfulness. I will
protect you. Do not fear that you may fall into the calamities of
water or fire." Since the traveler hears this voice urging him from
the bank and the calling from the other, he resolutely, body and
soul, takes the path and proceeds at once without doubt or
apprehension.
或行一分二分、東岸群賊等喚言。仁者迴來、此道嶮惡不得過、必死不疑、我等衆無惡心相向。此人雖聞喚聲亦不迴顧一心直進念道而行、須臾即到西岸永離諸難、善友相見慶樂無已。
As he takes a step or two, he hears the voices of the bandits on
the eastern bank, "Come back! That path is treacherous. You cannot
cross it. Undoubtedly, you are sure to die. We have no evil
intentions in pursuing you." Though hearing the calling voices,
this person does not even look back. As he proceeds straight on
this path with singleness of heart, he, in no time, reaches the
western bank and is now free from all danger. There he meets his
good friend, and his joy knows no end.
