§49 小儿争分别毛喻
(49) boys' argument on the subject of hair
譬如昔日，有二小儿，入河遨戏，于此水底得一把毛。一小儿言：“此是仙须。”一小儿言：“此是熊毛。”尔时河边有一仙人，此二小儿诤之不已，诣彼仙所，决其所疑。而彼仙人寻即取米及胡麻子，口中含嚼，吐著掌中，语小儿言：“我掌中者，似孔雀屎。”
there were once two boys who dived in a river where they found at its bottom a bundle of feathers. one said that it was the beard of some spirit, whereas the other said it was the bear's hair. they argued without a right answer. a supernatural being nearby was then approached by the two and was asked to settle the argument. he put rice and sesame seeds into his mouth and chewed for a while, then he spat them into his hand and said, "what i have got here seems to me a peacock's excrement."
而此仙人不答他问，人皆知之。
it is known his answer was beyond the question, which was put to him.
世间愚人，亦复如是。说法之时，戏论诸法，不答正理，如彼仙人不答所问，为一切人之所嗤笑。浮漫虚说，亦复如是。
