..續本文上一頁這是他教導你的！他也教過我，只是我並沒有聽從他的教導。好心人！請收下吧！」他自錢袋中拿出一些金子給狄發拉：「告訴我！你可知道那拉達尊者住在波羅奈的什麼地方嗎？」

　　"Narada!" said Pandu. "So he has instructed you! He instructed me, too, but I”m afraid I didn”t listen too well... Take this, good man," he gave Devala some gold from his purse, "and tell me, do you know where the Venerable Dharma Master is staying in Varanasi

　　"

　　「知道啊！我剛剛和他在西門邊的寺廟分手。」狄發拉回答：「事實上，他告訴我，你可能會想見他，所以要我轉告你，明天下午可以去找他。」

　　"Yes, I have just left him at the monastery next to the West Gate," Devala answered. "In fact, he told me you might want to see him. He asked me to say that you may call on him tomorrow afternoon."

　　潘杜又再次鞠個躬，這回他可是真的彎下腰來了。「我這回真的欠你一份人情。現在我們好像是找到了同一位老師，所以我也相信他告訴我的另一些話了。他說過你和我前生是親戚，而且我們之間的命運息息相關。」

　　Pandu bowed again, this time deeply and reverently. "Now I am truly indebted to you," he said. "And I also believe something else he told me. He said you and I were relatives in former lives and that our fates are tied together. It seems we have even found the same teacher."

　　善有善報　佳運前來

　　Good fortune came to the farmer

　　as a reward for his good deed.

　　胖先生在一旁已聽得很不耐煩了：「是啊！是啊！這番高超的理論是很了不起！」他叫著：「不過，我們還是談生意吧！」他轉向狄發拉：「先讓我自我介紹一下！我是銀行家摩利卡，是潘杜在這兒的一位朋友。我和國王的總管簽了一份合同，負責供應最好的米給國王吃。但是叁天前，在此地的競爭對手想破壞我和國王之間的良好交易，就把波羅奈的米全買光了。如果明天我沒法子送貨去，我就完了！不過幸好現在你在這裏！你的米是上等貨嗎？那個笨摩诃都塔有沒有把米摔壞了？米有多少？有沒有被人訂走了？快說啊！」

　　The fat man had been listening impatiently. "Yes, yes, this high-minded talk is all very well," he finally cried. "But let”s get down to business!" He turned to Devala. "Let me introduce myself. I am Mallika, the banker, a friend of the good Pandu here. I have a contract with the king”s steward to deliver the best rice for the king”s table, but three days ago my business rival, wishing to destroy my flourishing trade with the king, bought up all the rice in Varanasi. If I don”t deliver tomorrow, I”m ruined. But now, my friend, you are here, and that”s the point! Is your rice of fine grade

　　 Was it damaged by that idiot Mahaduta

　　 How much is there of it

　　 Is it contracted

　　 Speak up!"

　　面對著焦急萬分的銀行家，狄發拉微笑著說：「我載了一萬五千磅的上等米，只有一袋因爲摔在泥地上，而有點潮濕了。目前還沒有人訂購這些米；我正准備明天早上載去市場賣哩！」

　　Smiling at the banker”s eagerness, Devala answered, "I have brought fifteen hundred pounds of first grade rice. Only one bag got a little wet in the mud. None of it is spoken for, and I was planning to take it to the market in the morning."

　　「太好了！太好了！你說要去市場賣嗎？」摩利卡興奮地搓著手，叫道：「我用你在市場能賣得的叁倍價錢買下！你願意嗎？」「好！我願意！」狄發拉說。

　　"Splendid! Splendid! To the market, you say

　　" Mallika cried, rubbing his hands. "I expect you”ll take three times the price that you could get at the market, will you

　　" "I will," Devala agreed.

　　「你當然願意的！」銀行家說，一面就叫他的仆人立即把狄發拉馬車上的貨卸下來。他慷慨地以金子來付賬，他一面數錢給狄發拉，一面對潘杜說：「人在需要幫助時，往往料想不到助力會從哪裏來。所以人永遠不要失去希望，因爲人生實在是奧妙不可思議的，對不對？」他對狄發拉說： 「噢！這是你全部的帳款了！仁慈的先生！可不要把它們全賭光了哇！」說完，他笑著走回座用晚餐。

　　"Of course you will," the banker beamed. Calling for his servants, he had Devala”s cart unloaded immediately. He made his generous payment to the farmer in gold, saying to Pandu, as he counted the coins into Devala”s hands, "A man never knows where help will come from when he needs it. Never lose hope, for life is indeed a wonderful mystery, isn”t it

　　 There you are, my good sir!" he said to Devala. "Don”t gamble it all away!" Chuckling to himself, Mallika then returned to his dinner.

　　但是狄發拉根本就無意去賭博。他已決定到那拉達法師所住的寺廟，將他所賺的半數錢供養叁寶；剩余的帶回家，按著需要，節省地花用。從那天起，狄發拉就愈來愈發達；也由于他的誠實與智慧，村裏的人都擁護他，視他爲領袖。

　　Devala had no intention of gambling his money away. He had already resolved to go to the monastery where the Venerable Narada lived and offer half of his profit to the Triple Jewel. The rest he took home and spent carefully as he needed it. From that day on he always prospered. Because of his honesty and wisdom, the people of his village naturally came to consider him their leader.

　　衆生與我　密密相關

　　We are closely related to all other living beings.

　　…

《懸命的蜘蛛絲 Spider Thread》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…