..续本文上一页appen to him. The same is true of evil. Evil acts create bad personalities and unfortunate lives. Everything you have thought, said, and done makes up the kind of person you are now, and also contains the seeds of your future. This is the law of cause and effect, the law of karma."

　　原来如此！」狄发拉叫着说：「可是我并不是很坏的人啊！为什么我今天会碰到这样的事！」

　　"That may be," Devala cried, "but I am not such a bad person, and look what happened to me today!"

　　「事实并非如此！朋友！」那拉达法师说：「今天如果换成是他挡了你的路，而且你身旁有一位专门欺负弱小的车夫，难道你不会对这珠宝商做出同样的举动吗？」

　　"Isn”t it true, though, friend," Narada asked, "that you might have done the same thing to the jeweler today, if he”d been the one who was blocking the road, and you”d been the one with a bully for a coachman

　　"

　　狄发拉听了法师的话后默不作声。他想起在那拉达法师未帮助他之前，心中的确只有报复的念头；正如法师所说的，他恨不得能将珠宝商的马车推倒，让这个有钱人跌在泥泞中挣扎，自己再得意地驾车离去。「没错！法师！」他说：「我的确有这样的念头。」

　　Devala was silenced by the Bhikshu”s words. He realized that, until Narada had come forward to help him, there had been nothing in his mind but thoughts of revenge. Angrily he had been wishing just what Narada had said: that he could have been the one to overturn the jeweler”s cart and then drive on proudly while the rich man struggled in the mud. "Yes, Dharma Master," he said. "It is true."

　　两人都不再说什么，直到轮轴又发出正常的声音，轮子也装回了马车。农夫还一直思惟着比丘的话，虽然他没受过教育，但是他是那种对事情会慢慢去追根究底的人。忽然，他说：「这事真可怕！现在珠宝商伤害了我，将来我也会对他做同样的伤害；然后他再来报复我，我又去报复他。真是没完没了！」

　　The two men said nothing for a while, until the linchpin was sound again and the wheel remounted on the cart. The farmer was pondering the Bhikshu”s words. Although Devala lacked schooling, he was a thoughtful man who always tried to figure things out and see the reasons behind events. Suddenly he said, "But this is a terrible thing! Now that the jeweler has harmed me, I will do some harm to him. Then he will repay me in kind, and then I”ll come back to get him, and it will never end!"

　　「不，并不一定像你说的那样！」那拉达法师说：「人可以行善，也可以作恶。如果你能用帮助，而不是伤害的方式，去对待这位骄傲的珠宝商，那么这个因果循环就会破除了！」

　　"No, it doesn”t have to be that way," Narada said. "People have the power to do good as well as evil. Find a way to pay that proud jeweler back with help instead of with harm. Then the cycle will be broken."

　　狄发拉一边重新安好他的货车，一边疑惑地点点头。他相信比丘所说的，却没办法想象自己是否有机会把法师的建议付诸实践。这怎么可能呢？他只是一个穷农夫，怎么有办法去帮助一位富商？他请那拉达法师坐在身边，就拉起缰绳赶马上路。

　　Devala nodded doubtfully as he climbed back on his cart. He believed what the Bhikshu had told him, but he didn”t see how he would ever have an opportunity to carry out his advice. How could he, a poor farmer, find a way to help out a rich businessman

　　 He invited Narada to sit next to him, and took up the reins.

　　但是他的马没跑多远，就突然避到路边停了下来。「有一条蛇在路中间！」农夫嚷着。但是那拉达法师趋前一瞧，发现那不是一条蛇，而是一个钱袋。他下了车，拾起那钱袋，袋子里装的是沉甸甸的金子。

　　His horse had not drawn them far, however, when it suddenly shied aside and came to a halt. "A snake on the road!" the farmer cried. But Narada, looking more closely, saw that it was no snake, but a purse. He stepped down from the cart and picked the purse up. It was heavy with gold.

　　「我认得这个，它是珠宝商潘杜的袋子。」他说：「他在马车上时，把钱袋放在腿上；可能是在打开车门看你时，掉下来的。我不是说过，他的命运和你息息相关吗？」

　　"I recognize this; it belongs to Pandu, the jeweler," he said. "He had it in his lap in the carriage. It must have dropped out when he opened the door to look at you. Didn”t I tell him that his destiny was tied to yours

　　"

　　他把钱袋交给狄发拉：「你可以藉此机会去化解你和这位珠宝商之间，由愤怒与报复所交缠的恶缘了！当我们抵达波罗奈后，你去他住的旅店，把钱还给他；这时他会为自己的无礼而向你道歉。不过你要对他说，你不但不介意，还祝他成功。我告诉你吧！其实你们俩是息息相关的，所以你现在怎么做，就会决定以后你们是一起堕落，或是一起超越了！」

　　He handed the purse to Devala. "Here is your chance to cut the bonds of anger and revenge that tie you to the jeweler. When we reach Varanasi, go to the inn where he is staying and give him his money back. He will apologize for his rudeness to you, but tell him that you hold no grudge and that you wish him success. For, let me tell you, you two are much alike, and you will fall or prosper togeth…

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