..续本文上一页这是他教导你的！他也教过我，只是我并没有听从他的教导。好心人！请收下吧！」他自钱袋中拿出一些金子给狄发拉：「告诉我！你可知道那拉达尊者住在波罗奈的什么地方吗？」

　　"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！我刚刚和他在西门边的寺庙分手。」狄发拉回答：「事实上，他告诉我，你可能会想见他，所以要我转告你，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."

　　潘杜又再次鞠个躬，这回他可是真的弯下腰来了。「我这回真的欠你一份人情。现在我们好像是找到了同一位老师，所以我也相信他告诉我的另一些话了。他说过你和我前生是亲戚，而且我们之间的命运息息相关。」

　　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."

　　善有善报　佳运前来

　　Good fortune came to the farmer

　　as a reward for his good deed.

　　胖先生在一旁已听得很不耐烦了：「是啊！是啊！这番高超的理论是很了不起！」他叫着：「不过，我们还是谈生意吧！」他转向狄发拉：「先让我自我介绍一下！我是银行家摩利卡，是潘杜在这儿的一位朋友。我和国王的总管签了一份合同，负责供应最好的米给国王吃。但是三天前，在此地的竞争对手想破坏我和国王之间的良好交易，就把波罗奈的米全买光了。如果明天我没法子送货去，我就完了！不过幸好现在你在这里！你的米是上等货吗？那个笨摩诃都塔有没有把米摔坏了？米有多少？有没有被人订走了？快说啊！」

　　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!"

　　面对着焦急万分的银行家，狄发拉微笑着说：「我载了一万五千磅的上等米，只有一袋因为摔在泥地上，而有点潮湿了。目前还没有人订购这些米；我正准备明天早上载去市场卖哩！」

　　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！你说要去市场卖吗？」摩利卡兴奋地搓着手，叫道：「我用你在市场能卖得的三倍价钱买下！你愿意吗？」「好！我愿意！」狄发拉说。

　　"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.

　　「你当然愿意的！」银行家说，一面就叫他的仆人立即把狄发拉马车上的货卸下来。他慷慨地以金子来付账，他一面数钱给狄发拉，一面对潘杜说：「人在需要帮助时，往往料想不到助力会从哪里来。所以人永远不要失去希望，因为人生实在是奥妙不可思议的，对不对？」他对狄发拉说： 「噢！这是你全部的帐款了！仁慈的先生！可不要把它们全赌光了哇！」说完，他笑着走回座用晚餐。

　　"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.

　　但是狄发拉根本就无意去赌博。他已决定到那拉达法师所住的寺庙，将他所赚的半数钱供养三宝；剩余的带回家，按着需要，节省地花用。从那天起，狄发拉就愈来愈发达；也由于他的诚实与智慧，村里的人都拥护他，视他为领袖。

　　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.

　　众生与我　密密相关

　　We are closely related to all other living beings.

　　…

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