§22 入海取沉水喻
(22) get lignaloes from under the sea
昔有长者子，入海取沉水，积有年载，方得一车。持来归家，诣市卖之。以其贵故，卒无买者。经历多日，不能得售，心生疲厌，以为苦恼。
once upon a time there was a merchant who was getting lignaloes from under the sea. he did not gather enough of them to fill up a cart to bring back home until several years later. he then transported them into the market. however, there were no buyers, due to their high price. unable to sell them after several days, he got bored and tired.
见人卖炭，时得速售，便生念言：“不如烧之作炭，可得速售。”
while he saw some other dealers selling out quickly their charcoal, he said to himself that it is better to burn the lignaloes into charcoal in order to get them sold quickly.
即烧为炭，诣市卖之，不得半车炭之价值。
after he burnt them, he went to the market again, but the value of the burnt lignaloes was less than half of that of the charcoal.
世间愚人，亦复如是。无量方便，勤行精进，仰求佛果。以其难得，便生退心。不如发心，求声闻果，速断生死，作阿罗汉。
