Killing the Guide

1. A group of traders decided to sail across the sea to look for business opportunities.
2. We needed a guide for the voyage.
3. So they employed one, with whom they started the trip.
4. On the way they passed by a temple in the wilderness.
5. Sir, we need to sacrifice a human being to the god to ensure a safe journey.
6. as we are all relatives to one another, how can we slay anyone to make sacrifice to the god? Only the guide is suitable for this purpose.
7. So they slaughtered the guide and offered him as a sacrifice.
8. –
9. After the ceremony, they resumed their journey, but soon they lost their way.
10. not long after, all of them died of hunger and exhaustion.

Explanation:

In the same way, those who wish to go to the sea of Dhamma to acquire the jewels of Truth must regard the practice of good deeds as their guide. The nature of good deed is usually illustrated by reference to a list of the ten courses of wholesome actions (kusala dhamma) which consist of three bodily courses of action (refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from sexual misconduct), four vocal courses of action (refraining from lying, refraining from divisive speech, refraining from hurtful speech, refraining from frivolous speech), and three mental course of action (refraining from covetousness, refraining from ill-will, refraining from wrong view). If they act against righteousness, they will find no way our of the wild path of transgression (samsara). They will suffer for a long time in the evil states of existence (gati), just like those sea-going merchants who killed their guide, lost their way and eventually died of exhaustion in the wilderness.