《南傳法句經》第7-8偈
故事為鄙人摘譯自 K. Sri Dhammananda 長老主編的英文版 The Dhammapada,添枝減葉若干。
《法句經》第7偈與第8偈同個故事,主角是兩兄弟,名喚大黑(Mahākāla)和小黑(Cūlakāla)。話說兄弟倆原本是做買賣的,某日,四處兜售貨物時,趕巧聽聞佛陀說法。大黑聽後,頓時生起信心,立即削髮做了比丘。兄不離弟、弟不離兄,小黑也跟著披上袈裟,但他卻不是因信而出家。
大黑格外認真精進,在墳地修不淨觀,觀想肉身的腐敗與無常。終於證得觀智,修成阿羅漢。然則,小黑這會兒在幹嘛?欸,他對精神提升了無興趣,腦中千迴百轉,所想的盡是感官欲樂。
之後,佛陀與弟子們,包括大小黑兄弟,暫居申恕林(Siṃsapā)。居停期間,小黑的前妻們(英文用的是複數,不是我造謠)邀請佛陀與弟子至其家中接受供養。小黑逮著機會,獨自先回去準備安排座席等等事宜。大小老婆七嘴八舌,成功地說服丈夫還俗,重拾在家生活。
隔天,大黑的老婆們如法炮製,邀請佛陀和諸弟子到家供養,希望趁機勸回丈夫。用齋後,她們請求佛陀讓大黑留下做隨喜開示(anumodanā)。於是佛陀便帶著弟子先行離去。
走到村子大門時,比丘們憂心忡忡,惟恐大黑也跟弟弟一樣退了道心,離開僧團。對此,佛陀老神在在,答說這兩兄弟乃雲壤之別。小黑耽溺於感官欲樂,心志軟弱;而大黑卻絲毫不受欲樂所誘,精勤不搖,對佛法僧三寶深具信心。佛陀結論道,弱者屈服於誘惑,強者則不如是。
[巴利原文與英譯取自 Nārada 長老編譯的 The Dhammapada]
007 The Weak Succumb to Temptation but Not the Strong
Subhānupassiṃ viharantaṃ
Indriyesu asaṃvutaṃ
Bhojanamhi amattaññuṃ
Kusītaṃ hīnaviriyaṃ
Taṃ ve pasahati māro
Vāto rukkhaṃ’va dubbalaṃ
Whoever lives contemplating pleasant things, with senses unrestrained, in food immoderate, indolent, inactive, him verily Māra overthrows, as the wind (overthrows) a weak tree.
008 The Weak Succumb to Temptation but Not the Strong
Asubhānupassiṃ viharantaṃ
Indriyesu susaṃvutaṃ
Bhojanamhi ca mattaññuṃ
Saddhaṃ āraddhaviriyaṃ
Taṃ ve nappasahati māro
Vāto selaṃ’va pabbataṃ
Whoever lives contemplating “the Impurities,” with senses restrained, in food moderate, full of faith, full of sustained energy, him Māra overthrows not, as the wind (does not overthrow) a rocky mountain.
[中譯取自法增比丘的《南傳法句經新譯》]
若人逐欲樂(不淨以為淨),不攝護根門,
飲食不節量,懈怠不精進,
必為魔*所制,如風倒弱樹。
*Māra,陰魔、業行魔、死魔、煩惱魔、天魔,這裡指煩惱。
若觀身不淨(三十二身分觀,墓墟觀),攝護諸根門,
飲食知節量,正信(對三寶的信心)勤精進,
魔不能摧毀,如風難搖石。
NOTES
註釋主要依據: A Dictionary of the Pali Language, by R. C. Childers;
Pali-English Dictionary, by T. W. Rhys Davids and W. Stede
Subha: (adj) radiant, lustrous; beautiful; good; auspicious, happy
Anupassī: (adj) looking at, contemplating, observing
Subhānupassī: (adj) contemplating what is pleasant, or objects of desire
Viharati: to dwell, sojourn, live ppr. viharanta
Indriya: (n) an organ of sense; a power, faculty; function, organ; a moral quality; sense, perception, acquisition; sex
Saṃvuṇāti, -ṇoti: to cover pp. saṃvuta: restrained, controlled
Asaṃvuta: (adj) unrestrained, intemperate
Bhojana: (n) food
Amattaññū: (adj) immoderate, intemperate
Kusīta: (adj) slothful, inert, indolent
Hīnaviriya: (adj) feeble
Taṃ: (pron) him
Ve: (particle) indeed, truly, verily
Pasahati: to use force, overcome, subdue, oppress
Māra: (m) Death, the Tempter; the Evil principle; killing
Vāta: (m) wind
Rukkha: (m) a tree
Iva, viya, va: (part.) like, as
Dubbala: (adj) weak
Asubha: (adj) bad, ugly, disagreeable, nasty, disgusting, offensive
Anupassī: (adj) looking at, contemplating, observing
Asubhānupassī: (adj) contemplating what is unpleasant, or the impurities
Viharati: to dwell, sojourn, live ppr. viharanta
Indriya: (n) an organ of sense; a power, faculty; function, organ; a moral quality; sense, perception, acquisition; sex
Saṃvuṇāti, -ṇoti: to cover pp. saṃvuta: restrained, controlled
Susaṃvuta: (adj) well restrained
Bhojana: (n) food
Mattaññū: (adj) moderate, temperate
Saddha: (adj) faithful, believing
Ārabhati: to begin; undertake; attempt; exert oneself; obtain by exertion pp. āraddha: having begun; striving, exerting oneself
Āraddhaviriya: (adj) making an effort, strenuous
Taṃ: (pron) him
Ve: (particle) indeed, truly, verily
Na: (negative particle) not
Pasahati: to use force, overcome, subdue, oppress
Māra: (m) Death, the Tempter; the Evil principle; killing
Vāta: (m) wind
Sela: (adj) rocky (m) a rock, hill, mountain
Iva, viya, va: (part.) like, as
Pabbata: (m) a mountain
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