vbs625
武帝見說。心中喜悅。自思念之。若捨這些。就得為帝。我今更作大福不難。厥後武帝。又敕聖旨。遍行天下。五里一庵。十里一寺。建立不絕。日久歲深。武帝惹得大病。仍去問師。寡人今發大善。遍造庵宇。今且大興善因。如何反加大病耶。誌公答曰。汝說興善因。我言作惡業。
【白話】梁武帝聽完這番話，心中歡喜不已，暗自思量：”不過是布施一頂斗笠就能當上皇帝。如今我要廣修福報豈不更容易？”
Emperor Wu was joyful in his heart when he heard the explanation. He thought, “Just making an offering of a bamboo hat caused me to become an emperor. Now [as an emperor] it will not be difficult for me to create greater blessings.”
此後，梁武帝便下詔在全國大興土木：每五里建一座庵堂，每十里造一所寺院，佛寺建築連綿不絕。然而年深日久後，武帝卻突然染上重病。他困惑地去請教志公和尚：”寡人如今廣行善事，修建這麼多寺院，本該積累無量功德，為何反而重病纏身？”
He later issued a royal edict to build nunneries and monasteries every few miles. However, as time passed, Emperor Wu fell greatly ill. Again, he consulted Master Zhi Gong and asked, “I have resolved to do great good by building many monasteries and nunneries all over my kingdom. How come the causes of great goodness I have created have brought me severe illness instead?”
誌公和尚一針見血地答道：”你以為是在種善因，我卻看見你在造惡業！”
Master Zhi Gong answered, “You say you have planted good causes, but I would say you have committed evil karma.”
帝曰。我師何故說話顛倒了。以前說我捨笠蓋佛。今得帝位。是故我今發大善心。敕旨建庵。興崇佛事。更是大福。云何說我造惡也。師曰。我王前世。捨笠蓋佛。乃是無意之中。傾心布施。故得大福。你今敕行天下。廣造庵宇。自己又不捨財施利。惟使天下百姓之力。但為主上造庵。以此人人受苦。個個艱辛。磨殺世人。不知幾何。所以天下軍民。盡皆怨嘆。雖是真命天子。難當萬民遭怨。故曰汝是造業人也。
【白話】梁武帝不解地問：”師父為何說話前後矛盾？先前說我因布施斗笠遮佛，今生得享帝位。如今我發大善心，下旨廣建佛寺，弘揚佛法，這豈不是更大的功德？怎反說我造惡呢？”
Emperor Wu said, “Why does my teacher talk in such an inverted way? You once told me that I offered a bamboo hat to shelter a Buddha statue [in a past life], causing me to become an emperor in this life. Therefore, I have made a great resolve to do good deeds and have issued a royal edict to build monasteries and advocate Buddhism. This should bring even greater blessings. Why do you say that I have created evil karma?”
志公和尚解釋道：”陛下前世以斗笠遮佛，那是發自本心的無私布施，所以獲此大福。可如今您下旨大興土木，自己卻不舍分文，全憑榨取民力。強征百姓為您修建寺院，致使民不聊生、怨聲載道。縱使是真命天子，也難抵萬民積怨啊！所以說，您這是在造孽啊！”
The Master said, “My lord offered your bamboo hat to cover a Buddha statue in a past life. You did it spontaneously, making an offering with your whole heart. Therefore, it brought you great blessings. Now, you have ordered the people in the nation to build monasteries all over, but you haven’t contributed any funds or help. You have only used the people’s resources and had them build monasteries for you. Therefore, every one of them has suffered and toiled. Who knows how many people have been tormented and died from it? Consequently, the military and civilians throughout the nation have all resented it. Although you are the true Son of Heaven mandated by Heaven, it’s still hard to withstand thousands of people’s resentment. That’s why I say, ‘You are a person who has created bad karma.’”