法句經 第五、愚品 (愚人品) 多譯本對讀(段層次) Dhammapada (Dhp.) 5. Bālavaggo

〔明法尊者註05-02〕 本偈為波斯匿王向世尊說的偈頌。波斯匿王因迷戀一位有夫之婦，想出設計殺其夫，而橫刀奪愛之計，當晚因聽到奇怪的聲音而難以入眠。波斯匿王請問世尊，世尊說，這是四位在世時犯邪淫的人，正在地獄受苦的聲音。波斯匿王有所醒寤，不再迷戀他妻。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～一、 波斯匿王迷戀他人妻子 (偈 060) 。

〔明法尊者註05-05〕 大迦葉長老住在王舍城時，有兩位年輕沙彌跟他修習。其中一位恭敬、服從又盡責。另一位則否。告誡他時，他反而生氣。某日，大迦葉尊者外出時，這位頑強、愚蠢的沙彌留在精舍，打破所有的鍋子，並且放火燒精舍。佛陀告誡大迦葉長老寧可獨居，也不要跟愚人共處。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～二、 頑強不馴的年輕沙彌 (偈 061) 。

〔明法尊者註05-04〕 阿難達(Ānandaseṭṭhi)是舍衛城中富有但吝嗇的人。他甚至在屋裡埋五甕金幣，但直到他去世，也沒有告訴兒子。死後往生到離舍衛城不遠的乞丐村，長大當乞丐，他曾到前世的家乞討，孫子輩看到他很醜，就叫僕人把他趕走。佛陀就叫阿難尊者去請他前世的兒子前來一談。佛陀告訴他，這乞丐是他前世的父親，但他不相信，佛陀就叫乞丐去挖出那五甕金幣，他才相信。

本句白話：「『我的孩子，我的財產』，愚人常(為此)焦慮(vihaññati)。其實「我」無有我，哪裡有子，哪裡有財產？」

PS: 請參 062 典故－－ 吝嗇富翁的命運 ；或《法句經故事集》，五～三、 吝嗇富翁的命運 (偈 062) 。

〔明法尊者註05-05〕 兩位小偷與一群信徒，到給孤獨園聽聞佛陀說法。其中一位馬上就了悟佛法。另一位卻不用心，到處偷錢。不偷錢的小偷，後來來向佛陀報告。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～四、 如何分辨愚癡的人 (偈 063) 。

〔明法尊者註05-07〕 優陀夷長老(Udāyitthera)與世尊共住，喜歡坐在講台上，某日一群客比丘以為他會說法，請教他，但是他不知回答(五)蘊、(六)界、(六)處的問題。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～五、 不能領悟佛法的癡人 (偈 064) 。

〔明法尊者註05-08〕 有一天，波婆城來的一夥約三十位比丘(tiṁsamatte Pāveyyake)曾在劫貝樹林聽過佛陀說法。他們出家後修十三頭陀行，後來當聽聞佛陀講解《無始相應經》(Anamataggadhammadesanaṁ)時，全都證得阿羅漢果。當其他比丘問這些比丘怎麼這麼快就證得阿羅漢果，佛陀說出此偈。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～六、 智者領悟佛法 (偈 065) 。

〔明法尊者註05-10〕 有一天，在路上佛陀看著裝滿錢的袋子(贓物)向阿難說：「阿難！看！那是毒蛇。」「大德！我看到劇毒(的蛇)。」附近的農夫聽到就去看看，結果發現一袋錢，把它藏起來。後來農夫被抓，判死刑。受刑前農夫一直唸著：「阿難！看！那是毒蛇。大德！我看到劇毒(的蛇)。」行刑的人十分困惑，就把農夫押回，國王請佛陀作證之後，才免死。佛陀說：「智者不做會令人後悔的事。」(cf.大正No.201.《大莊嚴論經》(34)T4.289.3；大正No.208.《眾經撰雜譬喻》(6)T4.533.2-3；大正No.1435.《十誦律》卷第十五,T23.107-8)

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～八、 佛陀拯救無知的農人 (偈 067) 。

〔明法尊者註05-11〕 一花匠每天都要供應頻婆沙羅王茉莉花，某日他當街見到佛陀，不計後果地把花獻給佛陀，後來頻婆沙羅王知道了，贊美他的虔誠與勇氣。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～九、 信仰堅定的插花匠 (偈 068) 。

〔明法尊者註05-12〕 本偈為世尊在蓮華色比丘尼被強暴之後說的偈頌。蓮華色比丘尼為舍衛城富家女，她出家後，有一天她點火，觀火遍，就證得阿羅漢。她獨居於森林，有一天被強暴，但不受樂，因而不犯戒。世尊向波斯匿王說比丘尼住森林有危險。於是波斯匿王在城內為比丘尼蓋精舍。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～十、 強暴比丘尼的年輕男子 (偈 069) 。

〔明法尊者註05-13〕 孤沙草：Kusa，香茅草或吉祥草，台語「茅草菰hm5chau2koo1」。以孤沙草的尖端取少少食。

PS: 請參 070 典故－－ 氈布迦尊者的故事 ；或《法句經故事集》，五～十一、 欺騙他人的苦行者 (偈 070) 。

〔明法尊者註05-14〕 本偈說大目犍連見到人面蛇身的故事。那餓鬼曾是殺死壞人的果報。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～十二、 人面蛇身的餓鬼 (偈 071) 。

〔明法尊者註05-15〕 頭首 ：muddham(頭)，指智慧。DhA：Muddhanti paññāyetaṁ nāmaṁ.(頭：此名為「慧」。)

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～十三、 謹言慎行 (偈 072) 。

〔明法尊者註05-16〕 質多(Citto)居士有一次遇見摩訶男長老(Mahānāmatthera)，供養他，聽他說法，聽完之後，他就證得須陀洹果。後來，他在他的芒果園裡興建了一座精舍，給比丘住宿，而殊達瑪長老(Sudhammatthera)則是常住比丘。有一天，舍利弗尊者與大目犍連尊者到精舍來。質多居士在聽完舍利弗的說法後，即證得三果。質多居士就邀請他們兩人於隔天到家中供養，也邀請殊達瑪質多，但是由於他嫉妒而拒絕。佛陀知道後，說出此偈。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～十四、 信徒與固執的比丘 (偈 073~074) 。

〔明法尊者註05-18〕 林住者帝沙長老(Vanavāsikatissatthera)七歲當沙彌，三個月就證得阿羅漢果。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，五～十五、 贏得眾人敬仰的沙彌 (偈 075) 。

出離有三層意義：

(Ven. Nārada 05-06) Saṅkhatadhammānaṃ, "who have well weighed the Law", Max Muller and Burlingame. "Who well have taken things into account", Mrs. Rhys Davids. "Who have studied the Dhamma noble", Woodward. The commentarial explanation is: "The Ariyas who have realized the four Noble Truths".

The prolonged, so-called meritorious fasting of alien ascetics who have not destroyed the passions, is not worth the sixteenth part of a solitary day's fasting of an Ariya who has realized the four noble Truths.

(DLMBS Commentary V060) King Pasenadi of Kosala once saw a beautiful woman in the city. He instantly fell in love with her. He found out that she was already married and so he gave her husband a job in the palace. Then the king sent the young man on an impossible mission. He told him to collect some lotus flowers and red earth from the underground world and to return to the city the same day. He thought of course that the man will never complete the task and so will never dare to come back. Thus the king could take the wife to himself.

The young man set out on his mission. On the way he shared his food with some traveler. Then he threw the rest of the food to the river and called the guardian spirits, telling them that he shares with them his merit obtained from sharing the food with others. The guardian spirit of the river then brought him the flowers and earth from the underworld.

The young man returned to the city only to find the gates closed. The king had the city gates closed early in fear that the man will complete the task in time. So he put the flowers and earth on the ground, declared loudly that his mission is complete and went for the night to the monastery of Jetavana.

The king was obsessed with his desire for the young woman, so he could not sleep that night. He heard some strange sounds. In the morning he went to see the Buddha about them. The Buddha told him that the sounds he heard came from the men who desired others' wives and now suffer in hell.

The king realized foolishness of his actions and reflected that now he knows how long is the night for the sleepless. Also the young man realized how long is the journey for one who is tired.

The Buddha told them by this verse that longest is the Samsara for those who are foolish and do not know the Dharma.

(DLMBS Commentary V061) Venerable Mahākassapa was once staying near Rājagaha. At that time he had two novices with him. One of them was very good, diligent, respectful and obedient whereas the other one was lazy, disrespectful and naughty.

When Kassapa admonished the bad novice, he became angry. One day he went to the village to get some food and lied that Kassapa was sick. So the people gave him very good food for Venerable Kassapa. But the novice ate all himself and came back to Kassapa empty-handed. He was admonished once again, but instead of repenting he became even angrier.

The next day when Kassapa left for his alms-round, the young novice broke all things and set fire to the monastery.

When the Buddha heard about this he spoke this verse, remarking that it would be better for Kassapa to live alone than to associate himself with such a fool.

(DLMBS Commentary V062) In the city of Sāvatthi there once lived a rich but very stingy man. He was extremely wealthy but he did not give anything away in charity. Before he died, he buried five pots of gold in the garden, but he did not tell his son about it.

He was born again in a village of beggars close to Sāvatthi. Since the time his mother became pregnant with him, the income of beggars decreased dramatically. They decided, that the boy must be unlucky, so they drove his mother and him from the village. So they begged on themselves.

Whenever she went begging by herself, she would get as much as before, but when she took the boy with her, she got nothing. So when the boy grew up, his mother sent him out alone to beg.

He wandered about in Sāvatthi and he entered his old house. His former son were frightened by him and ordered him to be thrown out of the house.

The Buddha happened to see this incident and he told him that the young beggar was nobody else but his own dead father. The son did not believe it, so the Buddha ordered the boy to reveal where he buried the gold. Only then did his son accept the truth and he became a disciple of the Buddha.

(DLMBS Commentary V063) A group of Buddha's followers once went to the monastery to hear the Dharma. Two thieves joined them. One of them was busy stealing from the devotees, so he did not pay any attention to what the Buddha was saying. The other one listened and soon he understood the Dharma and stopped stealing.

When they returned home, the first thief laughed at the second one: "You are so stupid, you did not bring back anything! I am very wise, because I stole a lot of things." The other thief then went to the Buddha and told him what happened.

The Buddha explained by this verse that the fool who knows that he is a fool is wise at least to that extent, whereas the fool who thinks that he is wise can be truly called a fool.

(DLMBS Commentary V064) There was a monk named Udāyi, who was very ignorant. He used to sit on the platform from which the best teachers delivered the discourses. Once a group of traveling monks took him for a learned monk and gave him some questions on the Dharma. But Udāyi could not answer, because he actually did not know anything about the Dharma. The monks were surprised that somebody can stay close to the Buddha for such a long time and still know so very little.

The Buddha explained by this verse that although a fool associates with somebody wise even for whole his life, he still does not realize the Dharma, just as a spoon can never taste the soup, although it is used it for eating the very soup.

(DLMBS Commentary V065) In the city of Pāveyyaka there lived a group of young friends. Once they went to a forest and took a courtesan with them. While they were resting, the courtesan ran away with their money. While they searched for her in the forest, they met the Buddha. They stopped looking for the woman and listened to the Buddha's teachings. Immediately they all became monks and followed the Buddha to the monastery. They all practiced very diligently and soon (when the Buddha was delivering one of the discourses), they all became Arahants.

Some other monks were surprised, how is it possible to attain the arahantship so quickly. The Buddha explained by this verse, that an intelligent person could quickly realize the Dharma although he is associated with a wise person only for a very short time - just as the tongue tastes the soup.

(DLMBS Commentary V066) There was a man named Suppabuddha. In one of his previous existences he killed a courtesan and she vowed a revenge on him. In yet another existence he spat on a holy man.

As a result of these actions he was born as a leper. Once he listened to the Buddha's discourse. He very quickly realized the Dharma and followed the Buddha to the monastery.

Sakka, the king of gods, wanted to test him and so he appeared in front of him and told him: "You are only a poor man. If you renounce the Buddha, I will give you all the wealth of the world." But Suppabuddha replied, that he was actually an extremely rich man - having the faith in the Buddha and his teaching.

Then Sakka related the story to the Buddha, who said that a hundred Sakkas could not turn Suppabuddha of the right path. Suppabuddha then went to see the Buddha and on the way back from the monastery an evil spirit - the woman whom he killed in a previous existence - killed him.

The monks asked the Buddha where was Suppabuddha reborn and the Buddha told them, that he had been reborn in Tāvatimsa heaven. By doing bad deeds over the period of several lives he accumulated a lot of defilements. These caused him so much pain and suffering, but his realizing the Dharma has cleared them away.

(DLMBS Commentary V067) Some thieves were once dividing the stolen goods amongst themselves in the field. But accidentally, they left one bag of money behind.

Then a farmer from a nearby village started to plough that very field. The Buddha accompanied by Venerable Ānanda went by and the Buddha said: "Ānanda, look at that poisonous snake!" To which Ānanda replied: "Yes, Venerable Sir, it indeed is a very poisonous snake." The farmer was very curious so he went to investigate. He found the bag with money and took it with him.

Then the people who were robbed came to that place, followed the footprints of the farmer and found their money. They took the farmer to the king who ordered him executed. But on the way to the cemetery the poor man was constantly repeating the Buddha and Ānanda's words. The executioners were surprised, so they took him back to see the king. The king then brought the farmer to the presence of the Buddha. After hearing what happened that morning, the king set the farmer free and remarked that if the farmer were not able to call the Buddha as his witness, he would have been killed.

To that the Buddha replied with this verse, saying that a wise man should not do anything he could regret later.

(DLMBS Commentary V068) In the city of Rājagaha there lived a florist named Sumana. His duty was to bring the king Bimbisāra fresh jasmine flowers every morning. One day he was on his way to the palace with the flowers, when he saw the Buddha and many monks on their alms round. He felt a strong desire to offer the flowers to the Buddha. He decided that even if the king were to fire him or even kill him, he would offer the flowers to the Buddha. He did so and was filled with delightful satisfaction.

When Bimbisāra heard about it, he was extremely happy with what Sumana have done. He praised him for his devotion and gave him a big reward.

Venerable Ānanda asked the Buddha what consequences would Sumana bear for this action. The Buddha replied that Sumana would not be reborn any more in any of the lower worlds and that he will attain arahantship in the near future.

(DLMBS Commentary V069) In the city of Sāvatthi lived a beautiful girl named Uppalavaṇṇā. The news of her beauty traveled very far and she had many suitors from near and afar. Amongst them was her cousin Nanda who fell in love with her hopelessly. But she decided not to marry any of them and became a nun instead. One day after lightening a lamp she kept her mind fixed on the flame as her object of meditation and she attained arahantship.

Later she moved to the forest and lived in solitude. Once Nanda came to her hut when she was not there and hid under the couch. He was determined to take her by force if she did not agree to marry him. Uppalavaṇṇā returned and he jumped up. She tried to warn him, told him that he would have to bear consequences for his actions, but he did not listen and raped her. For this he indeed had to suffer a long period of time.

When the Buddha heard about this, he told King Pasenadi of Kosala about the dangers that nuns living by themselves in the forest had to face. The king built a monastery within the city and from that time on the nuns lived only in the city.

(DLMBS Commentary V070) In the city of Sāvatthi there lived a young man of a rich family. His name was Jambuka. He had very strange habits. He would sleep only on the floor and eat his own excrements. When he grew up, his parents sent him to the ascetics. But even those ascetics felt his habits were too disgusting so they sent him away. After that he lived alone in the forest. During the day he would stay on one leg (as he said, he was to heavy for the earth to bear him) and with his mouth open (he boasted that he lived only on air). He also used to say that he never sits down and never sleeps. But at night he slept on the floor and ate his own excrements.

Many people started to count themselves as his followers; they would bring him food and gifts. But he did not take anything, only sometimes he would take a little bit of food and eat it with the tip of the kusa grass, which was quite common practice for ascetics. Thus he lived many years.

Once the Buddha came to where he was staying and asked for a place to spend the night. Jambuka let him sleep in the nearby cave. At night, many gods and supernatural beings came to pay homage to the Buddha. Jambuka saw this and asked the Buddha what happened.

When the Buddha told him that these beings were gods, Jambuka was impressed. He told the Buddha that he must be a very holy person, because although he himself spent years standing on one leg and eating only air, no god ever came to pay homage to him. The Buddha told him that he could not be fooled. He said that he knew very well that Jambuka slept on the ground every night and ate his excrements.

The Buddha also explained, that during one of his previous existences Jambuka had prevented a certain monk to go obtain alms food and how he threw away the food that was sent with him for that very monk. As a result of these actions he was born with these strange habits.

Jambuka realized his mistakes and paid respects to the Buddha. The Buddha delivered a discourse, at the end of which Jambuka attained arahantship and became one of the Buddha's monks.

When Jambuka's followers arrived they were surprised to see their teacher with the Buddha. Jambuka announced that he was now a member of Buddha's Sangha, the Order and a disciple of the Buddha. The Buddha explained that the cruelest austerities practiced for a long period of time are not worth even one-sixteenth of understanding of the true Dharma.

(DLMBS Commentary V071) Once the Venerable Moggallāna with Venerable Lakkhana were on alms round in the city of Rājagaha. Suddenly Venerable Moggallāna smiled but did not say anything. When they returned to the monastery, Lakkhana asked why he smiled. Moggallāna explained, that he saw a peta-ghost in the village. The Buddha then said that he himself saw that very peta on the day he attained awakenment. In one of his previous existences it was a rich landowner. There lived an Individual Buddha (Paccekabuddha) close to one of his fields. People who went to pay their respects to this Buddha had to pass through his field. He feared that this would damage the field and so he set fire to it. So the Buddha had to move to some other place. Because of this evil deed he was reborn as a peta-ghost.

At the end the Buddha spoke this verse, saying that although at the time of the evil action it may seem there are no consequences, they will surely come in the future. Because we cannot see the fire through the ashes it is covered with, does not mean there is no fire at all.

(DLMBS Commentary V072) Venerable Moggallāna once saw a peta-ghost on one of his alms rounds. The Buddha then related the story about this particular ghost. He said, that a long time ago he was a man very skilful in throwing stones. He studied this art for a long time and then he asked his teacher for permission to try his skills. His teacher warned him not to hit cows or people - he would have to pay compensations to the owner of the cow or the relatives of that person.

This foolish man then went out and saw a holy man. Since the holy man had no relatives, he thought that this would be a good practice target. So he threw stones at the holy man and killed him. The public then became very angry and killed the man in turn. Besides, he was reborn many times in very miserable states. In this present existence, he was reborn as a peta-ghost whose head was being hit with hot hammers.

The Buddha then explained by this verse that a fool gains knowledge only for his misfortune, because he does not know how to use it properly and certainly it will cause him some harm.

(DLMBS Commentary V073) A householder named Citta once met Venerable Mahānāma, one of the first Buddha's disciples. When listening to the discourse given by him, Citta realized the Dharma. Therefore, he built a monastery in his mango grove and installed a monk named Sudhamma as the resident monk.

On day, Venerable Moggallāna and Venerable Sāriputta came to the monastery. They gave a discourse and after hearing it, Citta attained the third stage of Awakenment. He then invited Moggallāna and Sāriputta to his house for alms food the next day. After that he also invited Sudhamma, but he refused, saying that he was invited only after the other two were. Citta repeated his invitation, but Sudhamma again turned it down.

But the next day Sudhamma came to the Citta's house nevertheless. He was invited inside, but he refused, saying that he was on his alms round. But when he saw tasty food being prepared for Moggallāna and Sāriputta he got envious and angry. He told Citta that he did not want to live in his monastery any longer.

Sudhamma then reported to the Buddha what happened. The Buddha told him, "You have offended a faithful and generous lay disciple. You must go back and apologize for your mistake!" Sudhamma did so, but Citta felt that he still did not realize his mistake fully and refused his apology. Sudhamma went back to the Buddha, who admonished him with this verse (and the following one, see DhP 74). He said, "You should not be attached to this or that dwelling, to this or that lay disciple - in this way the pride and envy will increase."

Sudhamma went back to the Citta's house and this time Citta accepted the apology. Not long after that, Sudhamma attained Arahantship.

(DLMBS Commentary V074) The story for this verse is identical with the story for the previous one, as they actually form two parts of one rather long verse (see DhP 73).

As with the monk Sudhamma in the story, if we become too attached to our surroundings, if we identify ourselves with it, our desires will grow. If we feel that only we know how to do things and if we expect everybody to follow our leadership in whatever has to be done, our pride will only increase. Needles to say, desire and pride are hindrances on the way to Awakenment.

(DLMBS Commentary V075) In the city of Sāvatthi lived a well-known man. He often offered alms food to the monks and especially to Venerable Sāriputta. He had a son named Tissa. At the age of seven, the young boy Tissa became a novice under Sāriputta. While living at the Jetavana monastery, relatives would visit him often and bring him many presents. Soon he was tired of these visits so he took a subject of meditation from the Buddha and moved away to the forest monastery. While there, he devoted himself to meditation. Whenever villagers offered him alms, he said just, "May you be well and happy!" After three months of meditation he attained arahantship.

Then Venerable Sāriputta, Moggallāna, and other senior monks paid visit to Tissa. Villagers requested Sāriputta to deliver a discourse, but he let speak Tissa instead. Villagers were not pleased, because they never heard anything from Tissa except for the words "May you be well and happy!" They thought he did not really understand Dharma.

But Tissa gave a discourse and spoke for the whole night. Villagers were impressed and felt lucky that they have such a wise monk with them. But still they were a bit angry with him for not speaking earlier.

Then the Buddha came to the village and told the villagers how lucky they were. If it was not for Tissa, would they all, the Buddha and so many senior monks, come to the village? The villagers realized their luck and did not think about the past any more.

〔校註05-001〕 定受眾苦果

說明：參考法雨道場( 明法 法師)出版之修訂版，如此或許語意較清晰。