Dhammapada verse #32
樂不放逸比丘，或者懼見放逸，彼已鄰近涅槃，必定不易墮落。
The bhikkhu liking heedfulness,
seeing fear in heedlessness,
never will he fall away,
near is he to Nibbana.
☆☆☆
【第32偈的故事】
尼珈瑪西提舍出生在舍衛城附近的一個小村莊，並且在當地長大。出家之後，他過著非常簡單的日子。化緣時，他就到原來親友居住的村子，並隨緣接受人家的布施。他避免參加大的儀式、慶典，甚至給孤獨長者與憍薩羅國波斯匿王舉辦的大型布施，他也沒有參加。
其他比丘漸漸議論紛紛。他們指責他只接近親人，而不喜參加大型布施等等。這些比丘並且向佛陀報告這件事，佛陀就召喚他來，讓他自己解釋。他說雖然他常回故鄉，但只是去化緣，而且只要有足夠的食物，不管食物可口與否，他就離開。聽完他的解釋後，佛陀當著其他比丘面前稱讚他。佛陀也告誡比丘們，需求少，知足的過日子符合所有聖者和佛陀的教誨。同時，所有的比丘應效法尼珈瑪西提舍。佛陀進一步敘述鸚鵡王的故事：
從前，鸚鵡王和很多的子民住在恆河岸邊的無花果樹林裡。後來，無花果全被吃光了，所有的鸚鵡也就離開林子。只有鸚鵡王留下來，但不管剩下來的東西是嫩芽、葉子或樹皮，他都很滿足。帝釋知道這件事後，想測試鸚鵡王的德行，就運用神通力量使無花果樹枯萎。然後，和皇后一起變化成鵝，來到無花果林，問鸚鵡王何以不離開年邁、枯萎，無法再長出大量果實的無花果樹呢？
鸚鵡王回答道：「我沒有離開，是出於感激的心。只要有足夠的食物維持生命，我就不會背棄這樹林。」
帝釋大受感動，就恢復並且透露自己的身份。同時，從恆河中取水，灑在無花果上，使它們恢復生機。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to the monk Nigàma Vàsi Tissa.
A youth of high station, born and reared in a certain markettown not far from Sàvatthi, retired from the world and became a monk in the religion of the Buddha. On making his full profession, he became known as Tissa of the Market-town, or Nigàma Tissa. He acquired the reputation of being frugal, content, pure, resolute. He always made his rounds for alms in the village where his relatives resided. Although, in the neighbouring city of Sàvatthi, Anàthapiõóika and other disciples were bestowing abundant offerings and Pasēnadi Kōsala was bestowing gifts beyond compare, he never went to Sàvatthi.
One day the monks began to talk about him and said to the teacher, “This monk Nigàma Tissa, busy and active, lives in intimate association with his kinsfolk. Although Anàthapiõóika and other disciples are bestowing abundant offerings and Pasēnadi Kōsala is bestowing gifts beyond compare, he never comes to Sàvatthi.” The Buddha had Nigàma Tissa summoned and asked him, “Monk, is the report true that you are doing thus and so?” “Venerable,” replied Tissa, “It is not true that I live in intimate association with my relatives. I receive from these folk only so much food as I can eat. But after receiving so much food, whether coarse or fine, as is necessary to support me, I do not return to the monastery, thinking, ‘Why seek food?’ I do not live in intimate association with my relatives, venerable.” The Buddha, knowing the disposition of the monk, applauded him, saying, ‘Well done, well done, monk!” and then addressed him as follows, “It is not at all strange, monk, that after obtaining such a teacher as I, you should be frugal. For frugality is my disposition and my habit.” And in response to a request of the monks he related the following.
Once upon a time several thousand parrots lived in a certain grove of fig-trees in the Himàlayan country on the bank of the Ganges. One of them, the king-parrot, when the fruits of the tree in which he lived had withered away, ate whatever he found remaining, whether shoot or leaf or bark, drank water from the Ganges, and being very happy and contented, remained where he was. In fact he was so very happy and contented that the abode of Sakka began to quake.
Sakka, observing how happy and contented the parrot was, visited him and turned the whole forest into a green and flourishing place. The Buddha pointed out that even in the past birth he was contented and happy and that such a monk will never slip back from the vicinity of Nibbàna.
其他比丘漸漸議論紛紛。他們指責他只接近親人，而不喜參加大型布施等等。這些比丘並且向佛陀報告這件事，佛陀就召喚他來，讓他自己解釋。他說雖然他常回故鄉，但只是去化緣，而且只要有足夠的食物，不管食物可口與否，他就離開。聽完他的解釋後，佛陀當著其他比丘面前稱讚他。佛陀也告誡比丘們，需求少，知足的過日子符合所有聖者和佛陀的教誨。同時，所有的比丘應效法尼珈瑪西提舍。佛陀進一步敘述鸚鵡王的故事：
從前，鸚鵡王和很多的子民住在恆河岸邊的無花果樹林裡。後來，無花果全被吃光了，所有的鸚鵡也就離開林子。只有鸚鵡王留下來，但不管剩下來的東西是嫩芽、葉子或樹皮，他都很滿足。帝釋知道這件事後，想測試鸚鵡王的德行，就運用神通力量使無花果樹枯萎。然後，和皇后一起變化成鵝，來到無花果林，問鸚鵡王何以不離開年邁、枯萎，無法再長出大量果實的無花果樹呢？
鸚鵡王回答道：「我沒有離開，是出於感激的心。只要有足夠的食物維持生命，我就不會背棄這樹林。」
帝釋大受感動，就恢復並且透露自己的身份。同時，從恆河中取水，灑在無花果上，使它們恢復生機。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to the monk Nigàma Vàsi Tissa.
A youth of high station, born and reared in a certain markettown not far from Sàvatthi, retired from the world and became a monk in the religion of the Buddha. On making his full profession, he became known as Tissa of the Market-town, or Nigàma Tissa. He acquired the reputation of being frugal, content, pure, resolute. He always made his rounds for alms in the village where his relatives resided. Although, in the neighbouring city of Sàvatthi, Anàthapiõóika and other disciples were bestowing abundant offerings and Pasēnadi Kōsala was bestowing gifts beyond compare, he never went to Sàvatthi.
One day the monks began to talk about him and said to the teacher, “This monk Nigàma Tissa, busy and active, lives in intimate association with his kinsfolk. Although Anàthapiõóika and other disciples are bestowing abundant offerings and Pasēnadi Kōsala is bestowing gifts beyond compare, he never comes to Sàvatthi.” The Buddha had Nigàma Tissa summoned and asked him, “Monk, is the report true that you are doing thus and so?” “Venerable,” replied Tissa, “It is not true that I live in intimate association with my relatives. I receive from these folk only so much food as I can eat. But after receiving so much food, whether coarse or fine, as is necessary to support me, I do not return to the monastery, thinking, ‘Why seek food?’ I do not live in intimate association with my relatives, venerable.” The Buddha, knowing the disposition of the monk, applauded him, saying, ‘Well done, well done, monk!” and then addressed him as follows, “It is not at all strange, monk, that after obtaining such a teacher as I, you should be frugal. For frugality is my disposition and my habit.” And in response to a request of the monks he related the following.
Once upon a time several thousand parrots lived in a certain grove of fig-trees in the Himàlayan country on the bank of the Ganges. One of them, the king-parrot, when the fruits of the tree in which he lived had withered away, ate whatever he found remaining, whether shoot or leaf or bark, drank water from the Ganges, and being very happy and contented, remained where he was. In fact he was so very happy and contented that the abode of Sakka began to quake.
Sakka, observing how happy and contented the parrot was, visited him and turned the whole forest into a green and flourishing place. The Buddha pointed out that even in the past birth he was contented and happy and that such a monk will never slip back from the vicinity of Nibbàna.
☆☆☆
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
