《百喻经》
[The] Sūtra [Of A] Hundred Parables
卷第一
First Scroll
引言
Introduction
闻如是：一时佛在王舍城，在鹊封竹园，与诸大比丘菩萨摩诃萨及诸八部三万六千人俱。
[I have] heard thus, [that at] one time, [the] Buddha [was] at Rājagṛha City, at Kāraṇḍa Bamboo Grove, with many Great Bhikṣus, Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas and all [the] eight kinds, [with] thirty-six thousand persons together.
[Note 1: The heavenly beings’ and dragons’ eight divisions (天龙八部) or groups (八部) are (i) devas (heavenly being) (天), (ii) nāga (dragons) (龙), (iii) yakṣas (夜叉), (iv) gandharvas (干闼婆), (v) asuras (阿修罗), (vi) garuḍas (迦楼罗), (vii) kiṁnaras (紧那罗) and (viii) mahoragas (摩睺罗伽).]
是时会中有异学梵志五百人俱，从座而起白佛言：「吾闻佛道洪深，无能及者，故来归问，唯愿说之。」
[At] this time, within [the] assembly were [those of] different learnings, Brahmins [of] five hundred persons together. From [their] seats then arising, [to the] Buddha [they] said, ‘We [have] heard [that the] Buddha’s path [is] vast [and] profound, without that able [to] reach [it], thus returning [to] inquire, only wishing [that you will] speak [of] it.’
佛言：「甚善。」
[The] Buddha said, ‘Very good.’
问曰：「天下为有为无？」
[1] Asking, ‘[Those in the] heavens below [i.e. this world] [are] as [those] existing [or] as [those] non-existing?’
答曰：「亦有亦无。」
Replying, ‘[They are] also existing, also non-existing.’
梵志曰：「如今有者，云何言无？如今无者，云何言有？」
[2] [The] Brahmins said, ‘Like those now existing, how [are they] said [to be] non-existing? Like those now non-existing, how [are they] said [to be] existing?’
答曰： 「生者言有，死者言无，故说或有或无。」
Replying, ‘[Of] those living, saying [they are] existing, [and of] those dead, saying [they are] non-existing, thus saying perhaps existing or non-existing.’
问曰：「人从何生？」
[3] Asking, ‘Humans from what arise?’
答曰：「人从谷而生。」
Replying, ‘Humans from grains then arise.’
问曰：「五谷从何而生？」
[4] Asking, ‘[The] five grains from what then arise?’
答曰：「五谷从四大火风而生。」
Replying, ‘[The] five grains from [the] four great [elements like] fire [and] wind [with earth and water] then arise.’
问曰：「四大火风从何而生？」
[5] Asking, ‘[The] four great [elements like] fire [and] wind from what then arise?’
答曰：「四大火风从空而生。」
Replying, ‘[The] four great [elements like] fire [and] wind from emptiness then arise.’
问曰：「空从何生？」
[6] Asking, ‘Emptiness from what arises?’
答曰：「从无所有生。」
Replying, ‘From without that existing arises.’
问曰：「无所有从何而生？」
[7] Asking, ‘Without that existing from what then arises?’
答曰：「从自然生。」
Replying, ‘From nature arises.’
问曰：「自然从何而生？」
[8] Asking, ‘Nature from what then arises?’
答曰：「从泥洹而生。」
Replying, ‘From Nirvāṇa then arises.’
问曰：「泥洹从何而生？」
[9] Asking, ‘Nirvāṇa from what then arises?’
佛言：「汝今问事何以尔深？泥洹者是不生不死法。」
[The] Buddha said, ‘[Of that] you now inquire, why [is it] thus profound? That Nirvāṇa is unborn [and] undying dharma.’
问曰：「佛泥洹未？」
[10] Asking, ‘[Has the] Buddha [entered] Nirvāṇa yet?’
答曰：「我未泥洹。」
Replying, ‘I [have] yet [to enter] Nirvāṇa.’
「若未泥洹，云何得知泥洹常乐？」
[11] ‘If yet [to enter] Nirvāṇa, how [do you] attain knowledge [of] Nirvāṇa’s constant bliss?’
佛言：「我今问汝，天下众生为苦为乐？」
[i] [The] Buddha said, ‘I now ask you, [of the] heavens below, [are] sentient beings as [those] suffering [or] as [those] joyful?’
答曰：「众生甚苦。」
Replying, ‘Sentient beings [have] extreme suffering.’
佛言：「云何名苦？」
[ii] [The] Buddha said, ‘Why [are they] named [to have] suffering?’
答曰：「我见众生死时苦痛难忍，故知死苦。」
Replying, ‘We see sentient beings when dying, suffering [with] pains [that are] difficult [to] bear, thus knowing death’s suffering.’
佛言：「汝今不死亦知死苦，我见十方诸佛不生不死故知泥洹常乐。」
[The] Buddha said, ‘You [are] now not dead, [yet] also knowing death’s suffering. I see [the] ten directions’ all Buddhas unborn [and] undying, thus knowing Nirvāṇa’s constant bliss.’
五百梵志心开意解，求受五戒，悟须陀洹果，复坐如故。
[The] five hundred Brahmins’ minds [were] awakened [with their] thoughts liberated. Seeking [and] receiving [the] Five Precepts, awakening [to the] Srotaāpanna fruit, [they] again sat as before.
[Note 2: The Srotaāpanna fruit (须陀洹果) is attained by Srotaāpannas (须陀洹) (Stream-enterers: 入流), who are able to break the three fetters (三结), thus (i) severing self’s view (断身见) (i.e. thinking that ‘self’ [我] exists in the five aggregates (五蕴), as there is already some insight that they are without self), (ii) clinging to precepts (i.e. rites and rituals) (戒取) (i.e. thinking purity can be attained by performing rituals or abiding by precepts rigidly) and (iii) doubt (疑) (i.e. scepticism that the Buddha’s Dharma teachings can lead to liberation, as there is already some insight that its essence is aligned with reality).]
佛言：「汝等善听！今为汝广说众喻。」
[The] Buddha said, ‘You [and] others [should] well listen. Now, for you, [I will] widely speak [of] many parables.’
[Note 3: Although the Brahmins were searching for a root cause of everything and even themselves, the Buddha, skilfully through a string of causes and effects, redirected their physical search towards the spiritual quest for Nirvāṇa.
There is no root cause of all phenomena of mind and matter as they are interdependent cyclically upon one another, each without a fixed and permanent self-nature. Thus, to be attached to one of the causes or effects listed is to be deluded and have afflictions, to still be trapped in the cycle of birth and death. Realising this, afflictions will be eliminated, thus attaining Nirvāṇa. As nature arises from the unconditioned, which is one with Nirvāṇa, to realise and be one with the unconditioned is to attain Nirvāṇa.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
下个喻
Next Parable:
愚人食盐喻
[1] The Parable Of The Foolish Person Eating Salt
https://purelanders.com/2023/07/24/1-the-parable-of-a-foolish-person-eating-salt-from-the-sutra-of-a-hundred-parables
全百喻
All Hundred Parables:
https://purelanders.com/baiyu
