法句經 第十、刀杖品(刑罰品) 多譯本對讀(段層次) Dhammapada (Dhp.) 10. Daṇḍavaggo

〔註10-02〕 以下四頌連貫。

PS: 另參：原始佛典選譯(顧法嚴)(慧炬)　p.121_127

〔明法尊者註10-03〕 在竹林精舍，17位(為一群的)比丘正在清掃住處，準備住下，剛來的較年長的六位比丘也想住下，但被17位比丘拒絕，因此被六比丘打到大哭。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～一、 為了塔而爭吵的比丘 (偈 129)。

〔明法尊者註10-04〕 在竹林精舍，17位(為一群的)比丘正在清掃住處，準備住下，剛來較年長的六位比丘也想住下，雙方有衝突，六位比丘舉手作示威狀，佛陀制定比丘不可以舉手作示威狀。129-130偈的因緣記錄在《律藏》Vin.Pāci.IV,146~7. Bhikkhu Pāci.74.(=Bhikkhunī P 152)；Bhikkhu Pāci.75.(=Bhikkhunī P 153)

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～二、 比丘爭吵 (偈 130)。

〔明法尊者註10-05〕 有一次，佛陀到舍衛城托缽途中，遇見幾位年輕人用棍子打鼠蛇(gharasappajātika；Ptyas)。佛陀問︰「你們在做什麼？」他們說︰「我們在打蛇。」佛陀問︰「為什麼？」他們說︰「大德！我們怕被蛇咬。」「你們自己想要幸福，但是這種打殺的行為，無論投生到何處，你們都不會得到幸福；如果自己熱望幸福，就不應該打殺別人。」佛陀接著說出此偈。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～三、 鞭打蛇的年輕人 (偈 131~132)。

〔明法尊者註10-06〕 君達達那長老(Koṇḍadhānatthera)出家以來，身旁總是跟著一個女子幻像，但他自己卻看不見。佛陀跟他：「過去世時，你是個天神，當時，你卻喬裝成為女子，故意作弄兩位要好的比丘，跟隨其中的一位，造成他們的誤會。犯下這惡業，今生才會有女子的幻像的果報。」

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～四、 君達那比丘與女子幻像 (偈 133~134)。

〔明法尊者註10-07〕 佛陀對毘舍佉及參加布薩的女人說：「毘舍佉！有情一旦出生，等於手中有杖者、牧牛者(等，身份)，接近生、老，接近老、病，接近病、死，(最後)死亡的召喚，如斧斬，斬命；雖然這樣人們仍然留戀輪迴，渴望輪迴。」

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～五、 祈福的女性 (偈 135)。

〔明法尊者註10-08〕 大目犍連尊者與勒叉那尊者下山時，大目犍連尊者見到一隻人面蛇身的 餓鬼，大目犍連尊者微笑。這餓鬼在迦葉佛時為殘酷的小偷，他多次放火燒毀迦葉佛的精舍。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～六、 惡有惡報 (偈 136) 。

〔明法尊者註10-09〕 137-140偈為大目犍連尊者為人所害的故事。他已被打殺，未般涅槃前還運用神通出現在佛陀的面前，向佛陀告別。他被殺是因為他過去世曾曾受妻子的慫恿而有殺瞎眼父母之舉，因有未遂之業，此生還在償舊業。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～七、 大目犍連尊者死得不是時候 (偈 137~140)。

另，偈頌 137~140 可參:原始佛典選譯(顧法嚴)(慧炬) p.121_127

〔明法尊者註10-11〕 從前在舍衛城中有一位富翁巴富斑迪卡(Bahubhaṇḍika)，他的太太去世後，他決定出家，出家前他先蓋精舍，出家後儲存食物，請僕人煮飯，養尊處優。當佛陀告誡他，他卻發脾氣，就把袈裟脫掉。佛陀又告誡他這樣做就失去慚愧心，他明白自己錯了，並且請求原諒。

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～八、 富有的比丘 (偈 141)。

〔明法尊者註10-12〕 婆羅門、沙門、比丘 都是指阿羅漢。本偈說山達迪大臣(Santatimahāmatta)聽完佛陀說法後，就證得阿羅漢果。但不久就入滅了。當時他還穿著在家人的衣服。諸比丘問佛陀：「他究竟是比丘呢？還是婆羅門？」「他既可稱之為比丘，也可以稱為婆羅門。」

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～九、 證涅槃的優婆塞 (偈 142)。

〔明法尊者註10-14〕 阿難尊者見到卑盧帝沙(Pilotikatissa)舊衣服乞討食物，就問他是否願意出 家。他馬上答應了，他就把舊衣服放在一棵樹下，就去出家。出家後，他對比丘的生活不滿，想還俗。每次生起這種念頭的時候，他就到那棵樹下去，並且譴責自己：「不知羞恥！你還想還俗，穿舊衣，拿這盤子去過乞討生活啊！」這樣自責之後，他的不滿就消失了。其他比丘問他為什麼經常到那棵樹下？他告訴他們：「我去親近我的老師(ācariya)。」後來，他觀察舊衣服，清楚五蘊的真相，而證得阿羅漢果，之後，他就不再去那棵樹下了。其他比丘問他：「你現在怎麼不再去找你的老師了呢？」他回答說：「我以前去找老師，是因為有需要，但現在已經不需要了！」眾比丘就去問佛陀，佛陀告訴他們：「卑盧帝沙已經證得阿羅漢果了。」本則故事跟379-380偈的犁家長老(Naṅgalakulatthera)的故事-- 二十五～十、 執著於老舊的衣服 雷同。

(cf. S.1.18./i.7) (《雜阿含578經》、《別譯雜阿含163經》)

PS: 請參《法句經故事集》，十～十、 年輕比丘和破舊的衣服 (偈 143~144)。

(Ven. Nārada 10-26) Vijjācaraṇa. Eight kinds of Knowledge and fifteen kinds of Conduct.

The eight kinds of Knowledge are: (1) Psychic Powers (iddhividha), (2) Divine Ear (dibba-sota), (3) Penetration of the minds of others (ceto-pariya-ñāṇa), (4) Divine Eye (dibba-cakkhu), (5) Remembrance of former births (pubbe-nivāsanussati), (6) Extinction of corruptions (āsavakkhaya), (7) Insight (vipassanā) and (8) Creation of mental images (manomayiddhi).

The fifteen kinds of Conduct are:- Moral restraint, sense-restraint, moderation in eating, wakefulness, faith, moral shame, moral dread, great learning, energy, mindfulness, wisdom and the four Jhānas.

(Ven. Thanissaro V.143) Some translators have proposed that the verb apabodheti, here translated as "awakens" should be changed to appam bodheti, "to think little of." This, however, goes against the sense of the verse and of a recurrent image in the Canon, that the better-bred the horse, the more sensitive it is even to the idea of the whip, to say nothing of the whip itself. See, for example, A 4.113.

The question raised in this verse is answered in SN 1.18:

Those restrained by conscience
 are rare —
those who go through life
 always mindful.
Having reached the end
 of suffering & stress,
they go through what is uneven
    evenly;
 go through what is out-of-tune
    in tune.

(DLMBS Commentary V129) One group of monks was cleaning a certain building in the Jetavana monastery. They intended to stay there. When they were in the middle of cleaning, another group of monks arrived there and wanted them to give the building over to them. They felt that as they were more senior monks, they should have the right to choose.

But the first group did not agree to that and insisted on keeping the building to themselves. The monks from the second group beat them up till the monks cried in pain.

When the Buddha heard about this, he admonished the second group of monks harshly for inflicting pain on their fellow monks. He told them this verse, saying that violence is not a solution. He moreover laid down a new rule for the monks to abstain from hurting others.

(DLMBS Commentary V130) In the last verse (see DhP 129) we saw monks beating each other because of a building. But the question of the building arose again. The second group of monks still intended to take it for themselves and again, the first group did not agree to that.

As a new rule was established, the monks from the second group did not physically attack the first group, but they made threatening gestures to them. The monks from the first group were frightened and cried out.

The Buddha again admonished the second group of monks, telling them this verse. And he also set another rule, that monks should not make threatening gestures to each other.

(DLMBS Commentary V131) The Buddha once saw a group of young men from Sāvatthi beating a snake with sticks. He asked why were they doing such thing. The youths answered that they were afraid of being bitten by the snake therefore they beat it. The Buddha told them this verse, saying that if we do not wish to be harm by some being the first step is not to harm it ourselves.

The young men attained the first stage of Awakenment after hearing this discourse.

(DLMBS Commentary V132) The story for this verse is identical with that to the previous one (DhP 131).

To abstain from violence is one of the basic principles of the Buddha's teaching. Especially in the case of the young men hurting the snake it can be seen that to hurt somebody first to stop him from hurting me is not a good idea.

We should practice the universal loving kindness, known as mettā and try to radiate it to all the directions. When faced with danger, we should radiate this mettā towards the being that intends or might intend to hurt us.

(DLMBS Commentary V133) There was a monk named Kundadhāna. From the day he became a monk, others saw a female form always following him everywhere. But he himself did not see anything.

Once he went out on to gather alms food and people offered him two portions of food, saying that one was for him and the other for his friend. Then they reported to the king that one of the monks seems to have a girlfriend. The king Pasenadi started to investigate the matter.

When the king was in the room with the monk, the female form was not present. The monk himself also professed his innocence. When the king sent him out of the room, the female form suddenly appeared close to him. The king realized that the woman was not real and the monk was really innocent. So he invited him for almsfood.

The other monks were not happy and started to scold Kundadhāna, saying that in fact he had a girlfriend somewhere and that he had no morals. Kundadhāna got angry and retorted with his own accusations.

The Buddha then admonished him and told him this verse. He further explained, that in his previous life Kundadhāna was a deity who wanted to create discord between two monks who very good friends. He would assume the form of a woman and follow closely one of them, thus hoping to stop their friendship. For that deed a female form was now following him.

(DLMBS Commentary V134) The story for this verse is identical with the one for the preceding verse (see DhP 133).

The vibrations in this verse point mainly to passion and hatred. If we do not have these feelings, then we are silent, just like a broken gong. It will not resonate when we try to hit it. In the same way, when we are devoid of passions and are "hit" by the objects that are usually causing them, we will not "resonate". That means, we are completely without passion, hatred and ignorance - and we have reached the goal, attained Nirvana and stopped all the suffering.

(DLMBS Commentary V135) A large group of women came to the Pubbārāma monastery to observe the precepts for one day. Visākhā, the woman who built that monastery, asked them for what purpose did they come to observe the precepts. Different women gave her different answers.

Old women did so in order to have a good rebirth, middle aged women wanted to have peaceful and prosperous lives with their families, young women came in order to give birth to a son and unmarried girls wanted to find a good husband.

Visākhā took them to see the Buddha. He told her this verse, saying that although we are all constantly driven by birth, old age and death, there are still so few people who realize this and strive for Awakenment and release from this never-ending cycle. Most people still pursue only earthly goals and do not care about overcoming them.

(DLMBS Commentary V136) Venerable Moggallāna once went on an alms-round with Venerable Lakkhaṇa. On the way from a certain hill he smiled as if he saw something strange. When they were back at the monastery, Lakkhaṇa asked him about this incident.

Moggallāna said that he saw a ghost in the form of a snake, being burned by flames. The Buddha told them that he also saw that particular ghost and revealed to them his story.

A long time ago there was a thief who repeatedly burned a house of a certain man. Not satisfied with that he also set fire to a monastery, donated by that man. As a result of these deeds, he was reborn as that ghost-snake, burned by flames.

At the end the Buddha added this verse, saying that even though a fool does not realize evilness of his actions, the consequences will certainly reach him.

(DLMBS Commentary V137) Some ascetics were planning to kill Venerable Moggallāna because they thought that the Buddha and his teaching would be hurt by this action. So they hired a group of killers who surrounded the cave where Moggallāna was staying. But he used his supernatural powers and escaped. The killers did not give up but were pursuing him around the clock. After three months Moggallāna realized that he had to get caught as a consequence of one bad deed he committed in one of his previous life. Although he was an Arahant and did not create any new karma, he was still reaping fruit of his actions before he reached the Awakenment.

So he let himself to be caught and the killers beat him up. When they thought he was dead, they left him in a forest and went away. But Moggallāna was still alive, used his supernatural powers to revive himself for a short time and went to pay his respects to the Buddha. He told the Buddha what happened and the Buddha asked him to teach the Dharma to all the monks for one last time. Moggallāna did so and died soon after that.

The king ordered an investigation, caught the killers and executed them. The monks asked the Buddha how was it possible that Moggallāna was killed like that. The Buddha told them a story from Moggallāna previous life.

Once he was a son of blind parents. At the beginning he was a very good son, treating them well. But after he got married, his wife hated his parents and induced him to kill them. Moggallāna took his parents to the forest and beat them to death, while pretending that some robbers were actually killing them. For this deed he had to die himself in his very last existence at the end of killers, beaten up to death.

(DLMBS Commentary V141) In Sāvatthi there lived a rich man named Bahu Bhāṇḍika. When his wife died, he decided to become a monk. But first he built himself a monastery, brought many servants and provisions of food with him. So even as a monk he lived in comfort and had plenty of delicious food every day.

When the Buddha heard about this, he admonished the monk, saying that his teaching is about simple life and asked why did he bring so much property with him. The monks became angry and took off his robe, asking the Buddha if this was the way he wanted him to live from now on.

The Buddha again admonished him, "How come you have lost your sense of shame and fear of evil? Even in your former existence as a hungry ghost you had this sense, where did it go?" The monk realized his mistake and apologized for getting angry and taking off his clothes.

The Buddha then spoke this verse, saying that austerities and ascetic practices do not make a monk. Only when we discard ignorance can we be really free.

At the end of this discourse, many monks present attained the first stage of Awakenment.

(DLMBS Commentary V142) The king Pasenadi of Kosala once sent his minister Santati to deal with some rebellion in the border area. Santati suppressed it quickly and efficiently and the king was very pleased. He gave Santati many gifts, amongst others also a dancing girl to entertain him. The minister spent several days drinking and enjoying the young dancer.

On the last day, he went to the river to take a bath. On the way he met the Buddha and some monks. Even though he was drunk, he still bowed in respect. The Buddha remarked to Venerable Ānanda that Santati will reach the Awakenment the very same day and soon after that he will die.

In the evening, the dancer again entertained Santati and his guests. While dancing, she died due to exhaustion. The minister was shocked and distressed. Immediately he went to the Buddha and begged for some words of solace. The Buddha told him to get rid of his cravings, not to let these feelings to enslave him. By getting rid of all the cravings, all the roots of evil will be destroyed and he will reach the Nirvana.

After hearing this, Santati attained Awakenment. Realizing, that he was about to die, he thanked the Buddha for his help and told him that he was about to reach the final emancipation. Soon after that he passed away.

Some monks were confused that Santati attained the Arahantship, although he was wearing beautiful dress and ornaments. They asked if he was a monk or a Brahmin. The Buddha replied with this verse, saying that clothes and ornaments are not important. What counts is whether one has or has not freed oneself from ignorance and cravings.

(DLMBS Commentary V143) Venerable Ānanda once met a young beggar who was going around dressed in old rags and holding a begging plate. After meeting Ānanda, the man decided to become a monk. His name was Pilotika.

When he became a monk, he put his old clothes and the plate under a certain tree. Sometimes he felt not satisfied with his life as a monk and he went back to the tree and contemplated going back to the layman's life. But when he realized how miserable were his days before he became a monk, he felt shame and returned to the monastery.

This happened many times. Other monks asked him where was he going all the time. He told them he went to see his teacher. Pilotika considered his old clothes and the plate to be his teacher, because they taught him futility of the lay life many times. He started to practice earnestly and took his old clothes as a meditation subject. Soon he was able to reach Awakenment and therefore he stopped going to the tree.

Other monks asked him again, why does not he go to see his teacher any more. Pilotika replied that he does not have need for a teacher any more, hinting that he was an Arahant. The monks went to see the Buddha and asked him if it was true, if Pilotika has really reached the goal. The Buddha replied in affirmative, saying that indeed Pilotika now has no need to see his "teacher" because he has nothing to learn from the old clothes anymore. He has realized the truth and became an Arahant. The Buddha further added this verse and the following one (DhP 144).

(DLMBS Commentary V144) The story for this verse is identical with the story for the previous one (DhP 143).

There is no reason to whip a good horse - it knows what to do and how to do it. In the same way there is no need to blame a good person, he is not acting in a way that has to be blamed.

The good horse needs only to be touched by the whip and then it knows what to do. So it is with a good person. He is "touched" by the suffering and immediately starts to make effort to escape it forever.

(DLMBS Commentary V145) Venerable Sāriputta once had a very young novice. His name was Sukha. One day, he went with Sāriputta on his alms-round. He observed irrigators irrigating the fields, arrow-makers making their arrows and carpenters working with wood. He asked Venerable Sāriputta if those things, which have no mind, could be guided to wherever one wishes. Sāriputta replied that it is so. The young novice then thought, "If those things, which have no mind, could be guided to wherever one wishes, then why could not I master myself?"

He then asked permission from Sāriputta, returned to the monastery and diligently practiced. He was about to attain Arahantship, when Sāriputta returned and was going towards the novice's hut. The Buddha saw this and he also saw that the novice was just about to attain the goal, so he met Sāriputta outside and prevented him from going to the novice's hut by asking him various questions. The novice indeed attained Arahantship very soon and the Buddha explained that the reason, why he kept Sāriputta outside, was to enable the young novice to attain his goal without being interrupted.