Dhammapada verse #29
放逸中無逸，如眾睡獨醒。智者如駿馳，駑駘所不及。
Among the heedless, heedful,
among the sleepy, wide awake.
As the swift horse outruns a hack
so one of good wisdom wins.
☆☆☆
【第29偈的故事】
兩位比丘從佛陀那裡得到觀想的題目後，到森林裡的一處精舍去禪修。其中一位比丘心不在焉，只知在火旁邊取暖，整個初夜只知向年輕的沙彌談話而浪費時光。另一位虔誠的比丘則善盡比丘的職責：初夜時經行，中夜時休息，後夜則再度禪修。由於他的精進和正念現前，所以很短的時間內就證得阿羅漢果。
結夏安居結束後，這兩位比丘回去向佛陀頂禮問訊。佛陀問他們如何安居？懶惰又心不在焉的比丘說另一位比丘只是躺著休息、睡覺而浪費時間。佛陀就問道：「那麼你自己呢？」他回答說自己在初夜的時候，靠在火旁邊取暖，然後就整夜沒睡。但佛陀太清楚他們兩人安居的情形，所以就對懶惰的比丘說：「你明明懶惰、心不在焉，卻說自己精進努力、正念現前，而你的同修精進努力、正念現前，你卻說人家懶惰、心不在焉。你就像羸弱、步履緩慢的馬，而你的同修則是強壯、腳程敏捷的馬。」
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to two monks, who were friends.
It appears that these two monks obtained a Meditation topic from the Buddha and retired to a forest hermitage. Early in the morning one of them brought firewood, prepared the charcoaldish, and during the first watch sat and chatted with the probationers and novices. The other, a heedful monk, engaged in meditation, thus admonished his friend, “Brother, do not act thus. For a monk that is heedless stand ready four states of suffering, as if they were his own house. The favour of the Buddhas may not be won by double-dealing.” When the lazy monk paid no attention to his admonition, the zealous monk said, “This monk cannot endure to be spoken to.” Having failed to spur his comrade to greater effort, the zealous monk, abiding in heedfulness, resumed his meditations.
The slothful Venerable, having warmed himself during the first watch, entered the monastery just as his friend, having finished his walk, entered his cell. Said the slothful monk to the zealous monk, “Slothful one, you entered the forest for the purpose of lying down and sleeping. Seeing that you obtained a Meditation topic from the buddhas, ought you not rather to rise and devote yourself to the practice of meditation?” So saying, he entered his own place of residence, lay down, and went to sleep. But his friend, after walking up and down during the first watch and resting during the second watch, rose in the last watch and devoted himself to the practice of meditation. Living thus the life of heedfulness, in no long time he attained Arahatship, together with the Supernatural Faculties. The other monk, however, spent his time in utter heedlessness.
When the two monks had completed residence, they went to the Buddha, paid obeisance to him, and sat down respectfully on one side. The Buddha exchanged friendly greetings with them and queried, “I trust that you have lived the life of heedfulness and that you have devoted yourselves earnestly to the practice of meditation. I trust that you have reached the goal of the Religious Life.” The heedless monk replied, “Venerable, how can this monk be said to be heedful? From the time he left you he has done nothing but lie and sleep.” “But you, monk?” “I Venerable, early in the morning brought firewood and prepared the charcoal-dish, and during the first watch I sat and warmed myself, but I did not spend my time sleeping.” Then said the Buddha to the slothful monk, “You who have spent your time in heedlessness say, ‘I am heedful.’ You mistake heedlessness for heedfulness. Compared with my son, you are like a weak and slow horse; but he, compared with you, is like a fleet-footed horse.”
結夏安居結束後，這兩位比丘回去向佛陀頂禮問訊。佛陀問他們如何安居？懶惰又心不在焉的比丘說另一位比丘只是躺著休息、睡覺而浪費時間。佛陀就問道：「那麼你自己呢？」他回答說自己在初夜的時候，靠在火旁邊取暖，然後就整夜沒睡。但佛陀太清楚他們兩人安居的情形，所以就對懶惰的比丘說：「你明明懶惰、心不在焉，卻說自己精進努力、正念現前，而你的同修精進努力、正念現前，你卻說人家懶惰、心不在焉。你就像羸弱、步履緩慢的馬，而你的同修則是強壯、腳程敏捷的馬。」
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to two monks, who were friends.
It appears that these two monks obtained a Meditation topic from the Buddha and retired to a forest hermitage. Early in the morning one of them brought firewood, prepared the charcoaldish, and during the first watch sat and chatted with the probationers and novices. The other, a heedful monk, engaged in meditation, thus admonished his friend, “Brother, do not act thus. For a monk that is heedless stand ready four states of suffering, as if they were his own house. The favour of the Buddhas may not be won by double-dealing.” When the lazy monk paid no attention to his admonition, the zealous monk said, “This monk cannot endure to be spoken to.” Having failed to spur his comrade to greater effort, the zealous monk, abiding in heedfulness, resumed his meditations.
The slothful Venerable, having warmed himself during the first watch, entered the monastery just as his friend, having finished his walk, entered his cell. Said the slothful monk to the zealous monk, “Slothful one, you entered the forest for the purpose of lying down and sleeping. Seeing that you obtained a Meditation topic from the buddhas, ought you not rather to rise and devote yourself to the practice of meditation?” So saying, he entered his own place of residence, lay down, and went to sleep. But his friend, after walking up and down during the first watch and resting during the second watch, rose in the last watch and devoted himself to the practice of meditation. Living thus the life of heedfulness, in no long time he attained Arahatship, together with the Supernatural Faculties. The other monk, however, spent his time in utter heedlessness.
When the two monks had completed residence, they went to the Buddha, paid obeisance to him, and sat down respectfully on one side. The Buddha exchanged friendly greetings with them and queried, “I trust that you have lived the life of heedfulness and that you have devoted yourselves earnestly to the practice of meditation. I trust that you have reached the goal of the Religious Life.” The heedless monk replied, “Venerable, how can this monk be said to be heedful? From the time he left you he has done nothing but lie and sleep.” “But you, monk?” “I Venerable, early in the morning brought firewood and prepared the charcoal-dish, and during the first watch I sat and warmed myself, but I did not spend my time sleeping.” Then said the Buddha to the slothful monk, “You who have spent your time in heedlessness say, ‘I am heedful.’ You mistake heedlessness for heedfulness. Compared with my son, you are like a weak and slow horse; but he, compared with you, is like a fleet-footed horse.”
☆☆☆
中文法句出處：《南傳法句經》 了參法師譯
中文故事出處：《法句經故事集》 達摩難陀長老著 周金言譯
