II. Exhortation to Practise and Strive for Spiritual Success

II. 劝修，争取心成就

Tiṇṇaṃ aññataraṃ yāmaṃ,

Paṭijaggeyya paṇḍito.(Dhammapada, 157)

The wise man should cleanse himself by putting forth effort towards the attainment of spiritual success during at least one of the three periods of life.

有智者应该至少在人生三个阶段中的一个，通过努力达到心成就，从而清净自己。(法句经，157)

In accordance with the above admonition from the Dhammapada, wise and good people who have the ability to see clearly the relation of cause and effect should, right from the first period of life, renounce and relinquish success in the attainment of wealth (bhoga-sampatti) and put forth effort to attain spiritual success (bhava-sampatti). If effort during the first period of life is not possible, effort should be made during the second period of life. If effort during the second period of life is not possible, effort should be made as soon as one enters the third period of life. The essential point is that if one remains obsessed with material prosperity during all the three periods of life, one fails to take full advantage of the opportunity this life offers to win manifold higher benefits, for this life is like a great “wishing tree” from which one may pluck many desirable things.

依据以上法句经中的警语，有能力清楚看到因果关系的有智具善者，应当在人生的第一阶段就断绝和放弃所达到的财富成就(bhoga-sampatti，财成就)，去努力取得心成就(bhava-sampatti，有成就)。如果不具备在人生第一阶段就努力的可能性，应当在人生第二阶段努力。如果不具备在人生第二阶段努力的可能性，一旦进入人生的第三阶段就应当马上努力。实质要点是，如果某人在人生所有三个阶段都沉迷于财富成就中，他就无法完全利用今生的有利时机，去赢得多方面更高的利益。因为今生就像一棵巨大的“许愿树”，可以在今生达成很多向往的事情。

As life today is highly uncertain and beings are liable to die and disappear quickly and unexpectedly, one should demarcate the age of 50 or 55 as the end of the period for seeking material prosperity. Thereafter, one should renounce and relinquish material prosperity and put forth effort to obtain spiritual success so that one can achieve the advantages offered by one’s encounter with a Buddha-sāsana, so difficult to meet.

今天的生命是高度不确定的，生命可能很快和意外地死亡和消失掉，所以应当把50或55岁作为追求财富成就的最后期限。此后就应该断绝和放弃财富成就，去努力获得心成就，这样他才能利用到今生遭遇佛法的有利条件。因为佛法很难遇到。

There are many ways of striving to obtain spiritual success. There is first the way of King Temi and King Hatthipāla, who renounced the pleasures and enjoyments of throne and palace while still young, during the first period of life, and adopted the lives of ascetics in the forest. There is also the way of the long line of 84,000 kings from King Maghadeva to King Nemi, who ruled their kingdoms and enjoyed the pleasures and luxuries of royalty during the first and second periods of life, but who stepped down in favour of their eldest sons during the third period of life. They then led secluded lives in the royal gardens practising the meditation on the four sublime states (brahmavihāra-bhāvanā) until they attained the jhānas (meditative absorptions), and continued to live in solitude enjoying the pleasures of these attainments until their deaths.

有很多种获得心成就的方式。第一种方式是郡主Temi和郡主Hatthipāla，他们在人生第一阶段，在还年轻时就放弃了王权和王宫的欲乐和享受，住在森林里修道。还有一种方式，从Maghadeva到Nemi多达84,000位郡主采取这种方式，他们在人生第一和第二阶段统治他们的王国并享受皇室的欲乐和享受，但是他们在人生第三阶段让位给长子，然后隐居在王室花园中修习四梵住(brahmavihāra-bhāvanā，梵住-修习)，直到达到禅那，并继续独居，享受着这些成就的快乐直到死亡。(译者疑问：King该译为“国王”、“郡主”、还是“尊者”？译为前两者的话，84,000 kings数目是否太多了？译为“尊者”的话，在家居士是否也能用“尊者”一词？)

Then there is the way of the universal monarch, King Mahāsudassana, who did not even leave his royal palace to live in the royal gardens, but continued to reside in the great golden palace called “The Palace of Dhamma,” ornamented with precious gems built for him by Sakka, the king of the devas in the Tāvatiṃsa heaven. He continued to live alone in that rich palatial residence practising the four sublime states until he attained the jhānas.

还有一种方式，是太古之王—大善见王(注1)采用的，他甚至没有离开王室宫殿去住到王室花园，而是继续居住在称为“佛法宫殿”的宏伟金色宫殿中。这个宫殿是忉利天的帝釈天王使用贵重宝石为他装饰的。大善见王继续独居在那个富丽堂皇的住所中，修习四梵住，直到获得禅那。(译注1，世尊的前身，死后生于梵天。)

There is also the way of the king of Takkasilā, who on seeing the instructions for the meditation on in-and-out breathing inscribed on the golden palm leaves sent to him by the king of Rājagaha, continued to reside alone on the uppermost storey of his seven-storied palace practising the meditation on in-and-out breathing until he attained the fourth jhāna.

还有一种是答咖西喇城的郡主的方式。王舍城的郡主赠送写有安那般那念禅修方法的镀金棕榈叶给答咖西喇城的郡主。答咖西喇城的郡主阅读后，继续独居在他七层宫殿的最高层修习安那般那念，直到达到第四禅。

Wise Buddhists of the present day should emulate these distinguished personages of great future destiny, and select and adopt one or other of the practices aimed at spiritual success. Although, during the first period of life, they may pursue and live amidst the pleasures and enjoyments made possible by material prosperity, they should in good time renounce and relinquish their interest and concern with material wealth and all activities related to this goal. They should renounce and relinquish such practices as unchastity and association with friends and companions, which are habits inimical to the development of concentration (samādhi-bhāvanā). Retaining contact only with the person who serves them food, they should engage in the practices which lead to spiritual success.

当代有智佛教徒应当效仿这些有着美好未来的卓著名流，挑选和采用任何一种达成心成就的禅修业处。虽然在人生第一阶段可能追求和生活于财富成就的欲乐和享受，但是应当及时断绝和放弃对财富成就的兴趣和关注以及所有相关活动。应当断绝、放弃不圣洁的行为，不再交往不良朋友和伙伴，因为这些习惯会障碍定力的培育(samādhi-bhāvanā)。只是保持接触提供食物的人，应当勤奋于导向心成就的禅修。