(２１)“佛陀的业止息了吗？”

21) “Did the Buddha bring about the cessation of his kamma?”

　　如果有人问这个问题，我们不要因太粗心或太轻率地回答而亵渎了佛陀。事实上，我们根本贬损不了佛陀，但我们的语言却可能贬抑他的价值。

IF ASKED THIS, we must be sure not to degrade the Buddha by answering carelessly or recklessly. In fact we can never really vitiate the Buddha, but our words may belittle his worth.

　　佛陀的业已完全止息——“业尽”，他超越一切业，烦恼也已荡然无余，正是这个事实成就他的德望，令他声名远播。

The Buddha must have brought about the complete cessation of his kamma because he wiped out the mental defilements, which is the meaning of “ending kamma”. He transcended every kind of kamma, and it was this very fact that made him famous, that constituted his glory.

　　圣人瞿昙已成为Sabbakammakkhayam-patto,即是成功止息所有业的人，这个消息传遍全印度，也遍及其他教派和宗教的拥护者，例如婆罗门波婆梨(Bavari)就派遣十六位上首弟子，向佛陀请法[译注一]或考验佛陀，因为圣人瞿昙已止息所有业的消息，令当时的印度人充满仰慕(泰本巴利藏第２５册，５２５页)。佛陀成功止息所有业的德行传到每个角落，人们对这一点非常感兴趣，现在的我们对“佛陀止息了业”也要特别关注。

The sage Gotama had become a sabbakammakkhaya.-patto, that is, one who has succeeded in bringing about the cessation of all his kamma. The news of this event spread through India until it reached the adherents of other sects and religions. For instance, a certain brahmin called Bavari sent sixteen disciples to the Buddha, to ask him questions and obtain knowledge from him. Others came to test him. Because of the news that the sage Gotama had become a sabbakammakkhaya.-patto, had achieved the complete cessation of his kamma, people in India at that period were full of admiration. They were overjoyed at hearing the words “sabbakammakkhaya.- patto”. It was for just this reason that people became so interested in the Buddha.

We too ought to follow the example of the Buddha and set about the task of putting an end to kamma.

　　[译注一]依经集注(Suttanipata Atthakatha)所说，博学的婆罗门波婆梨(Bavari)听到佛陀的名声，派十六位上首弟子到佛陀那儿求法，他们到达后就各各发问，佛陀则一一为他们解答，全部问答内容即经集第五章彼岸道品(Parayana-vagga)。如其中有位阿耆多便问佛陀：“河流到处流，什么能防御河流？什么能遮止河流？”佛陀回答：“世界一切的瀑流，念是它们的防御，我说诸流的防护，当以智慧来遮止。”后来他们都成为佛陀的弟子。