大龟王
The Giant Turtle
本生故事
Jataka Tales
The Jataka tales are stories that the Buddha told about the many times he was reborn on Earth, sometimes as a prince or a poor man, sometimes as an animal or a fish, or a tree.These stories celebrate the wonderful joy, compassion, wisdom, and kindness that the Buddha showed in each of these lives to help others.
The Giant Turtle is one of the tales told by the Buddha to his disciples over 2,500 years ago.
前言
Jakata tales 是佛陀述说自己前生的故事，他有时生为太子或穷人，有时就做动物或鱼，乃至一棵树。这些故事称颂着佛陀，在其每一生帮助人时，所表现出来的圆妙喜悦、慈悲、智慧与仁慈。
这篇「大龟王」是二千五百年前，佛陀告诉弟子的故事之一。
The Giant Turtle
Once a long, long time ago, the Buddha came to the earth as a giant turtle.He was a king turtle and ruled over all the animals in the deep blue sea.Every day he swam among the painted fish, the pearly-white oysters and the blue whales helping them with their problems and wishing them well.Everyone was happy and peaceful in his kingdom of the sea.
大龟王
很久很久以前，佛陀化身为一只大龟王，来统领深蓝海中所有的水族。牠每天在五彩缤纷的鱼、珍珠白的蛤蜊，及蓝蓝的海鲸间游来游去，除了帮牠们解决问题外，还希望牠们事事如意；所以一切的水族众生，都在牠的王国里，过着既快乐、又祥和的生活。
One day, he crawled onto the sandy beach to take a nap.Because he was so large, as large as a continent, he napped for a very long time, for thousands of years.
有一天牠爬到沙滩上小睡片刻。可是牠实在太大了，大得好像一片陆地一样，所以这一睡，竟睡了一千年这么长的时间！
In the nights, the rain came dropping tiny raindrops onto the turtle”s back.Drip, drop!Drip drop!The raindrops flowed down between the cracks on the turtle”s great shell, forming sparkling rivers and lakes.
The turtle slept on.
夜晚，小雨滴在大龟王的背上，滴答！滴答！雨滴流进了牠巨大龟壳的缝隙中，形成了亮晶晶的河流和湖泊；可是大龟王还是沉睡着。
In the mornings, the winds came up, blowing tiny grains of sand onto the turtle”s back.Whoo-sha!Whoo-sha! The grains of sand joined together forming mountains and valleys.
The turtle slept on.
早上，风把细沙吹到大龟王的背上，呼咻！呼咻！沙粒堆在一起，形成了山岭和峡谷；可是大龟王还是沉睡着。
In the afternoons, the birds flew over, dropping tiny seeds onto the turtle”s back. Pi-link! Pi-link!The seeds sprouted, and there on the turtle”s back grew flowers and grass and trees.
The turtle slept on.
午间，飞鸟衔落的小种子掉到大龟王的背上，哔剥！哔剥！种子在龟背上发了芽，长出花草树木来；可是大龟王还是沉睡着。
The sun warmed the turtle through the days.
白天，阳光温暖了大龟王；
The moon watched over him through the nights.
夜晚，月亮映照着牠。
As time passed, the seasons embraced the giant turtle with Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, and animals that lived on the turtle”s back experienced the seasons and multiplied.
时间一天一天过去了，春、夏、秋、冬四季轮流拥抱着大龟王，动物们也来住在牠的背上，度过了四季，并且数量一天天地增加。
One day, not knowing the difference between the earth and the giant turtle”s back, a child drifted among the mountains and valleys to pick some wild flowers.
有一天，一位无法分辨土地和龟背的小女孩，在山谷间漫游，采了一些野花。
The next day she returned with her family. "This will be a good place to build a house. We can grow rice and get salt from the sea," said her father.
The turtle slept on.
第二天，她带着家人又来了，她的父亲说：「这是一片可以建造家园的好土地，我们不但可以在这儿种稻，还可以从海里采盐哩！」可是大龟王还是沉睡着。
The next year another family moved to the little mountain, and then another.
过了一年，另一个家庭又搬进小山，接着其他的家庭也陆续搬来了。
Roads were built and merchants came to set up shops.
这时，马路被造起来了，商人也来设立商店。
A prince even built a palace.
The turtle slept on.
有一位王子甚至建立了一座宫殿！可是大龟王还是沉睡着。
People pulled their carts and rode their carriages over the streets cutting deep ruts into the turtle”s shell.Their cities became a heavy burden on his back, and the noises they made drummed in his ears.The fires that they built for their needs burned his skin.
人们在马路上开车骑马，车辙深深地切进了龟壳内；他们的城市重重地压在牠的背上；人们的嘈杂声，如…
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