英文：
Once upon a time, there was a man who went to another man's house, which had just been painted, and the floor made even. it was nice and clean. he asked the host, "with what paint did you make the wall so white and beautiful?"
The host replied, "i mixed rice bran with water and day. the beauty is the result."
To himself, the guest said, "it would be better if he had used rice grain instead of bran. the wall would be more smooth and more beautiful."
He then used his own formula on his own house. the walls turned out to be concave and convex with cracks on them. the stupid man thus wasted all his rice grain. it had better have done alms-giving to obtain any merits.
So are the common people. those who have heard the saints preaching that people who do good deeds may go to heaven after death and consequently get deliverance, commit suicide to get there. they merely 1ose their lives in vain without getting anywhere just like that stupid man with his paint.
古文：
昔有一人，往至他舍，见他屋舍墙壁涂治，其地平正，清净甚好。便问之言：“用何和涂，得如是好？”
主人答言：“用稻谷[麥弋]，水浸令熟，和泥涂壁，故得如是。”
愚人即便而作念言：“若纯以稻[麥弋]，不如合稻而用作之，壁可白净，泥治平好。”
便用稻谷和泥，用涂其壁。望得平正，返更高下，壁都坼裂，虚弃稻谷。都无利益，不如惠施，可得功德。
凡夫之人，亦复如是。闻圣人说法，修行诸善，舍此身已，可得生天，及以解脱，便自杀身，望得生天及以解脱。徒自虚丧，空无所获，如彼愚人。
译文：
从前有一个人，到别人家去，见那屋舍的墙壁涂治得平平正正，清净美观，便问道：“用什么和混了涂，竟然这么好？”主人答道：“将碎稻谷壳浸在水中，使它软和了，再和泥涂壁，就成这个样子了。”愚人就想：倘若纯粹用稻壳，不如与稻米和合著一起用，壁可白净，也可涂得平正好看。便用稻谷和著泥来涂壁，祈望著更平正一些，不料反而是高高低低的，墙壁都坼裂开来，白白地耗费了稻谷，一点益处都没有，还不如惠施，倒是件功德事。
世上的人也是这样，听圣人说法，讲修行种种善业，到这命终了，便可以生到天上去，得到解脱，于是就自杀了，祈望能生到天上，得到解脱。徒然地使自己丧失了生命，一无所获，就如那愚人一样。