8 -TheThousands (Dh.100-115)
100. Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word, hearing which one attains peace. 101. Better than a thousand useless verses is one useful verse, hearing which one attains peace. 102. Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one attains peace. 103. Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand people in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself. 104-105. Self-conquest is far better than the conquest of others.
〈八、千品〉
100虽诵一千言,若无义理者,不如一义语,闻已得寂静。2
101虽诵千句偈,若无义理者,不如一句偈,闻已得寂静。
〈102~ 103〉 102彼诵百句偈,若无义理者,不如一法句,闻已得寂静。 103彼于战场上,虽胜百万人;未若克己者,战士之最上!3
〈104~ 105〉
1 Brahma: a high divinity in ancient Indian religion.(梵天︰在古印度的高级 的天神。 )
2国家的刽子手坦巴达卡 (Tambadathikacoraghataka)杀过 499人,做满五十 五年后退休,退休后,有一个机会供养舍利弗尊者,听法后,回家路上 意外丧生,死后往生兜率天。闻法一次而正确的理解,就可能产生很大 的利益。
3《增壹阿含 31.11经》(T2.673.2):「虽诵千言,不义何益,不如一义, 闻可得道。」《增壹阿含 31.11经》(T2.673.2):「千千为敌,一夫胜之, 未若自胜,已忍者上。」
104能克制自己,过于胜他人。若有克己者,常行自节制。 105天神 .干闼婆 1,魔王并梵天,皆遭于败北,不能胜彼人。 2
106. Though month after month for a hundred years one should offer sacrifices by the thousands, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds that honour is indeed better than a centuryofsacrifice. 107. Though for a hundred years one should tend the sacrificial fire in the forest, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds that worship is indeed better than a centuryof sacrifice. 108. Whatever gifts and oblations one seeking merit might offer in this world for a whole year, all that is not worthone fourthof the merit gained by revering the Upright Ones, which is truly excellent. 109. To one ever eager to revere and serve the elders, these four blessings accrue:long life and beauty, happiness and power. 1干闼婆:gandhabha(梵 gandharva),天界的一种乐神,他以香气资养身体。
2一位婆罗门跟佛陀说:「尊者!我认为你只知有法益的修行,对无益的 事一无所知。」佛陀说︰「我也了解无益且有害的事。」佛陀就列举六 种会消耗财产的行为: (1)日出之后睡觉。 (2)懒惰成性。 (3)残暴。(4)耽 溺饮酒。 (5)在惹人怀疑的时间内逛街。 (6)淫他人之妻。佛陀接着问这婆 罗门如何维生,婆罗门回答说以赌博维生。佛陀说:「在赌博中获胜, 无法与克服烦恼的成就相比。」
110. Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled. 111. Better it is to live one day wise and meditative than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled. oblation︰n.奉献物。 accrue︰v.孳生,增加。sluggish︰a.懒散的。 dissipated︰a.放荡的。
106月月投千金──供牺牲百年,不如须臾间, 供养修己者,彼如是供养,胜祭祀百年。1
107若人一百年──事火于林中,不如须臾间,供养修己者, 彼如是供养,胜祭祀百年。2
108若人于世间,施舍或供养3,求福一周年,如是诸功德, 不及四分一,礼敬正直者。
1舍利弗尊者一位叔叔每月都供养裸行者,期望往生梵天,但是方法错误, 舍利弗尊者带他去见佛陀。佛陀就开导他,教正确生梵天的方法。 2舍利弗尊者一位侄子每月都火祭一只羊,期望往生梵天,但是方法错误,
舍利弗尊者带他去见佛陀。佛陀就开导他,教正确生梵天的方法。
3施舍:yittham。Spk:S.24.5.:Y YYYYi iiiiY ttttY tttth hhhha aaaam mmmmvuccati mahayago.(上供品︰被称爲 「大牲醴」)。DhA(v.108):Y YYYYi iiiiY ttttY tttth hhhhan ananananti yebhuyyena mavgalakiriyadivasesu dinnadanam.(上供品:一般而言,在庆典等场合,以丰盛的施物祭祀。)。 供养:hutam。供给过客的布施。DhA(v.108):H HHHHu uuuut ttttan ananananti abhisavkharitvakatam pahunadanabceva, kammabca phalabca saddahitvakatadanabca.(献供品:已 周全安排好赠与款待宾客的食物后,信业及果后,并且作了施与。)
109好乐敬礼者,常尊于长老,四法得增长:寿.美.乐与力。
110若人寿百岁──破戒.无三昧2,不如生一日 ──持戒 .修禅定。3
111若人寿百岁──无慧 .无三昧,不如生一日 ──具慧 .修禅定。
112. Better it is to live one day strenuous and resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish and dissipated. 113. Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall ofthings. 114. Better it is to live one day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years without ever seeing theDeathless. 115. Better it is to live one day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without ever seeing theSupreme Truth. 1 Abhivadanasilissa niccam vuddhapacayino cattaro dhamma vaddhanti:ayu, vanno, sukham, balam.南传比丘受人礼拜时,常念诵的法句。法句中寿 . 美.乐.力,指长寿、庄严、安乐、力量。
2破戒.无三昧:dussiloasamahito,无道德,无禅定。 3本则故事说僧揭笈沙马内拉 (Samkiccasamanera)修慈心不为刀伤。
112若人寿百岁──怠惰.不精进,不如生一日 ──励力行精进。
113若人寿百岁──不见生灭法,不如生一日 ──得见生灭法1。2
114若人寿百岁──不见不死道3,不如生一日 ──得见不死道。4
1生灭法:udayabbayam,在修观禅时,见到色法(物质—地.水.火.风的现 象)或名法(受、想、行、识)的生灭、无常。「一日」(Ekaham= eka一 + aha 天)在此作「一时」解释。
2波罗遮那(Patacara)死了丈夫、两个儿子、父母、和唯一的哥哥。佛陀安 抚她,为她说〈无始相应〉(说轮回无尽)。本则偈颂故事同 288-289偈。 不死道: DhA: am amamamamat atatatata aaaam mmmmp ppppad adadadadan ananananti maranavirahitakotthasam, amatamahanibbanantiattho.(不死道:死亡空空如也,不死的大涅槃之义。) 4吉离舍瞿昙弥(Kisagotami)因子夭折,抱着儿子的尸体到处求医,有人请 她去见佛陀,佛陀说,要她先去向某户从未死亲人的人家,要到一些芥 子,她到处去问,问不到,才慢慢醒过来。她回来见佛,佛陀开示︰「妳
115若人寿百岁──不见最上法,不如生一日 ──得见最上法1。
1 最上法:指九出世间法,即:四道、四果及涅槃。