英文：
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.
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.
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.
So are the stupid in the world. to attain buddhahood, it requires them to practice diligently and zealously through various methods. however, they draw back from encountering difficulties. they would resolve reaching sravaka stage by destroying quickly the karma of reincarnation in their hope of becoming arahant.
古文：
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。
见人卖炭，时得速售，便生念言：“不如烧之作炭，可得速售。”
即烧为炭，诣市卖之，不得半车炭之价值。
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。
译文：
很久以前，有一位年长者的儿子，到海中打捞沉香这种木料。过了一年，才打捞了一车，并把它运回家。他把沉香木拿到市场上去卖，由于价格昂贵，一直没有人买。过了许多天，他都没能卖出去，感到很疲劳厌烦，十分苦恼。他看到卖木炭的，都很快地将木炭卖了出去，便想：“不如把沉香烧成木炭，这样就可以很快卖出去了。”于是就把沉香木烧成木炭，运到市场卖掉，只卖了不到半车木炭的价钱。
世间上的愚人也是这样，本来按照佛教里的各种修行方法，努力精勤地修行，希望得到佛的果位，因为难以达到，便退失菩提心，想不如去修声闻乘法了生死，证阿罗汉果（从而失去了很大的功德利益，乃至背了很大过失）。