Dhammapada verse #53
如從諸花聚，得造眾花鬘，如是生為人，當作諸善事。
As from a mass of flowers
many a garland may be made,
so by one born mortal
should many good deeds be done.
☆☆☆
【第53偈的故事】
毘舍佉的父親陀難闍那是跋提的富翁，她的母親是須摩那德咪。她的祖父泯兔則是憍薩羅國最有錢的五個人之一。她非常年輕的時候，佛陀曾經來過跋提。當時，她的祖父帶她和她的同伴去聽佛陀說法，聽完之後，他們全都證得初果。
長大後，她嫁給舍衛城另一位富翁彌迦羅的兒子富樓那凡達那。結婚當天，她父親告訴她做一個盡責的妻子要遵守十條規章：
１．不可以把家中的火拿到屋外。
２．也不可以把屋外的火拿入家裡。
３．借東西給那些願意借東西給別人的人。
４．不借東西給那些不願意借東西給別人的人。
５．不管對方是否也有雅量借東西給別人，都可以借東西給對方。
６．愉快的坐。
７．愉快的吃。
８．愉快的睡。
９．照顧火。
10．尊敬家神。
這些條文的意義如下：
１．火代表謗誹，為人妻子不可以向他人訴說丈夫和公婆的壞話。他們的缺點和家庭爭論也不可向外人道。
２．為人妻子也不可以聽東家長西家短。
３．借東西給有借有還的人。
４．不可借東西給有借不還的人。
５．對窮困潦倒的親朋，即使不還，也要借給他們需要的東西。
６．為人妻子見到公婆時，當起身敬意，不應坐著不理。（對其他長者亦然）。
７．公婆丈夫照料妥當後，妻子方可進食，也應該確保僕人受到妥當的照顧。
８．這不是說為人妻子可以盡情睡眠，相反地，為人妻子入睡前，應確定所有門窗都已關好，僕人也已善盡職責，同時，公婆丈夫已經入睡後才安心休息。
９．公婆和丈夫應視之如火般的謹慎照顧。
10．禮敬公婆和丈夫一如家神。
有一天，她的公公彌迦羅正在進餐時，有一位比丘到他家門口化緣，彌迦羅完全不予理睬，她看見這情形，就對比丘說：「請尊者原諒！我公公只吃陳腐的食物。」這時候，她公公聽見她這麼說，非常生氣，就要她離開這個家。她不願意離開，反而請當初結婚時，她父親派遣陪她過來夫家，方便她日後在面對任何問題時可以諮詢的八位長者前來仲裁。長者們來到後，她的公公告訴他們：「我用金碗吃飯時，她卻說我在吃陳腐的食物，由於這種犯上的行為，我要趕走她！」她解釋說：「當我發現公公完全不理睬站在門口化緣的比丘時，我在心裡想：『既然我公公這一生從來沒有做任何的功德，他不過是享受過去世的福報（陳腐的食物）罷了。』所以我才說：『我公公只吃陳腐的食物。』這樣的說法難道錯了嗎？」
最後，這八位長者認為她沒有犯錯。她於是說，身為一位對佛法有絕對信心的人，她無法留在對比丘不表歡迎的家庭中。她又說，如果不能邀請比丘到家裡來供養，並做其它布施，那麼她就要離開這個家庭。她公公因此答應她所有的要求。
第二天，佛陀和眾多比丘就被邀請前來接受供養。正要供養的時候，她請她公公一起來供養，但為他所拒絕。供養之後，她再次請公公來聽佛陀的開示，她公公也覺得不應該再拒絕，但他修苦行的師父卻不讓他去。結果她公公只好在布幔後面聽佛陀說法。聽完之後，她公公的善業成熟，就證得初果。他因此非常感激佛陀和她，並宣稱她就像他的母親一般，也因此，人們稱呼她為鹿母（因為彌迦羅的意思是鹿）。
後來，她生育了幾位兒女。當年結婚的時候，她父親曾送她一件鑲有珠寶、價值連城的外套。有一天，她到祇樹給孤獨園時，覺得這件外套太沉重，就脫下來，用圍巾包好，交給僕人保管。但這僕人卻粗心大意地把它遺落在給孤獨園。她要僕人回去找，但告誡他：「回去好好找找看！如果阿難尊者已經找到了並且收起來，就不可以要回來，我要把這外套捐獻出去。」阿難尊者當時負責保管所有信徒遺留下來的東西。但阿難尊者不接受她的好意，她便決定義賣這件外套，把所得的款項捐獻出來。但沒有人能出得起適當的價錢，所以她就自己買下來，並用這筆款項興建東園鹿子母講堂。
講堂捐獻儀式完成之後，當夜她召集家庭所有的成員，並告訴他們，她所有的心願都已完成了，接著她就繞著講堂走，同時唱頌偈語。這時，一些聽到聲音的比丘以為她在唱歌，就向佛陀報告。「她是不是精神錯亂了？」他們問佛陀。
佛陀解釋道：「今天，她已經完成累世以來的願望，也由於這種成就感，她才會這樣心滿意足，而用唱誦偈語來表達內心的喜悅，她絕沒有精神錯亂的現象。累世以來，她就是個大布施者和積極提倡佛法的人。」
佛陀接著說，蓮華上佛時，她有個朋友是主要的女信徒和贊助者，她在羨慕之餘，也發願希望能具有同樣的德性，所以在一連七天供養該佛和眾多比丘後，她發了最誠摯的願望，希望在未來世能成為未來佛的主要女弟子和贊助者。
蓮華上佛就運用神通，觀照未來，得知她在未來世會實現她的願望，所以就授記她的願望會實現，後來的迦葉佛也為她授記。
佛陀最後結論道：「毘舍佉在前世強烈渴望做善事，並且確實完成很多善業。就像花藝專家利用一大片的花來製作很多的花圈。」
While residing at the Pubbàràma Monastery in Sàvatthi, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Visàkhà, the famous donor of the Pubbàràma Monastery.
Visàkhà was the daughter of a rich man of Bhaddiya, named Dhananjaya, and his wife Sumanàdēvi, and the granddaughter of Meõdaka, one of the five extremely wealthy men of King Bimbisàra’s dominions. When Visàkhà was seven years old, the Buddha came to Bhaddiya. On that occasion, the rich man Meõdaka took Visàkhà and her five hundred companions with him to pay homage to the Buddha. After hearing the discourse given by the Buddha, Visàkhà, her grandfather and all her five hundred companions attained sōtàpatti fruition. When Visàkhà came of age, she married Puõõavaóóhana, son of Migàra, a fairly rich man from Sàvatthi. One day, while Migàra was having his meal, a monk stopped for alms at his house; but Migàra completely ignored the monk. Visàkhà, seeing this, said to the monk, ”I am sorry, your reverence, my father-in-law only eats left-overs.” On hearing this, Migàra flew into a rage and told her to leave his house. But Visàkhà said she was not going away, and that she would send for the eight elderly rich men who were sent by her father to accompany her and to advise her. It was for them to decide whether she was guilty or not. When the elders came, Migàra told them the story. The elders decided that Visàkhà was not guilty. Visàkhà then said that she was one who had absolute and unshakable faith in the Teaching of the Buddha and so could not stay where the monks were not welcome; and also, that if she was not given permission to invite the monks to the house to offer alms-food and make other offerings, she would leave the house. So permission was granted her to invite the Buddha and his monks to the house.
The next day, the Buddha and his disciples were invited to the house of Visàkhà. When alms-food was about to be offered, she sent word to her father-in-law to join her in offering food; but he did not come. When the meal was over, again, she sent a message, this time requesting her father-in-law to join her in hearing the discourse that would soon be given by the Buddha. Her father-in-law felt that he should not refuse for a second time. But his ascetic teachers, the Niganñhas, would not let him go, however, they conceded that he could listen from behind a curtain. After hearing the Buddha’s discourse Migàra attained sōtàpatti fruition. He felt very thankful to the Buddha and also to his daughter-in-law. Being so thankful, he declared that henceforth Visàkhà would be like a mother to him, and Visàkhà came to be known as Migàramàtà. Visàkhà gave birth to ten sons and ten daughters, and ten sons and ten daughters each were born to everyone of her children and grand-children. Visàkhà possessed an immensely valuable gem-encrusted ornament given by her father as a wedding present. One day, Visàkhà went to the Jētavana Monastery with her entourage. On arrival at the Monastery, she found her bejewelled ornament too heavy. So, she took it off, wrapped it up in her shawl, and gave it to the maid to hold. The maid absent-mindedly left it at the Monastery. It was the custom for the Venerable ânanda to look after the things left by any one of the lay disciples.
Visàkhà sent the maid back to the Monastery saying, “Go and look for the bejewelled ornament, but if the Venerable ânanda had already found it and kept it in a place do not bring it back; I donate the bejewelled ornament to the Venerable ânanda.” But the Venerable ânanda did not accept her donation. So Visàkhà decided to sell it and donate the sale proceeds. But there was no one who could afford to buy that ornament.So Visàkhà bought it back for nine billion and one lakh. With this money, she built a monastery on the eastern side of the city; this monastery came to be known as Pubbàràma.
After the libation ceremony she called all her family to her and on that night she told them that all her wishes had been fulfilled and that she had nothing more to desire. Then reciting five verses of exultation she went round and round the monastery. Some bhikkhus hearing her, thought she was singing and reported to the Buddha that Visakha was not like before, and that she was going round and round the monastery, singing. "Could it be that she had gone off her head?" they asked the Buddha. To this question, the Buddha replied, "Today, Visakha had all her wishes of the past and present existences fulfilled and on account of that sense of achievement, she was feeling elated and contented; Visakha was just reciting some verses of exultation; she certainly had not gone off her head. Visakha, throughout her previous existences, had always been a generous donor and an ardent promoter of the Doctrine of successive Buddhas. She was most strongly inclined to do good deeds and had done much good in her previous existences, just as an expert florist makes many garlands from a collection of flowers."
長大後，她嫁給舍衛城另一位富翁彌迦羅的兒子富樓那凡達那。結婚當天，她父親告訴她做一個盡責的妻子要遵守十條規章：
１．不可以把家中的火拿到屋外。
２．也不可以把屋外的火拿入家裡。
３．借東西給那些願意借東西給別人的人。
４．不借東西給那些不願意借東西給別人的人。
５．不管對方是否也有雅量借東西給別人，都可以借東西給對方。
６．愉快的坐。
７．愉快的吃。
８．愉快的睡。
９．照顧火。
10．尊敬家神。
這些條文的意義如下：
１．火代表謗誹，為人妻子不可以向他人訴說丈夫和公婆的壞話。他們的缺點和家庭爭論也不可向外人道。
２．為人妻子也不可以聽東家長西家短。
３．借東西給有借有還的人。
４．不可借東西給有借不還的人。
５．對窮困潦倒的親朋，即使不還，也要借給他們需要的東西。
６．為人妻子見到公婆時，當起身敬意，不應坐著不理。（對其他長者亦然）。
７．公婆丈夫照料妥當後，妻子方可進食，也應該確保僕人受到妥當的照顧。
８．這不是說為人妻子可以盡情睡眠，相反地，為人妻子入睡前，應確定所有門窗都已關好，僕人也已善盡職責，同時，公婆丈夫已經入睡後才安心休息。
９．公婆和丈夫應視之如火般的謹慎照顧。
10．禮敬公婆和丈夫一如家神。
有一天，她的公公彌迦羅正在進餐時，有一位比丘到他家門口化緣，彌迦羅完全不予理睬，她看見這情形，就對比丘說：「請尊者原諒！我公公只吃陳腐的食物。」這時候，她公公聽見她這麼說，非常生氣，就要她離開這個家。她不願意離開，反而請當初結婚時，她父親派遣陪她過來夫家，方便她日後在面對任何問題時可以諮詢的八位長者前來仲裁。長者們來到後，她的公公告訴他們：「我用金碗吃飯時，她卻說我在吃陳腐的食物，由於這種犯上的行為，我要趕走她！」她解釋說：「當我發現公公完全不理睬站在門口化緣的比丘時，我在心裡想：『既然我公公這一生從來沒有做任何的功德，他不過是享受過去世的福報（陳腐的食物）罷了。』所以我才說：『我公公只吃陳腐的食物。』這樣的說法難道錯了嗎？」
最後，這八位長者認為她沒有犯錯。她於是說，身為一位對佛法有絕對信心的人，她無法留在對比丘不表歡迎的家庭中。她又說，如果不能邀請比丘到家裡來供養，並做其它布施，那麼她就要離開這個家庭。她公公因此答應她所有的要求。
第二天，佛陀和眾多比丘就被邀請前來接受供養。正要供養的時候，她請她公公一起來供養，但為他所拒絕。供養之後，她再次請公公來聽佛陀的開示，她公公也覺得不應該再拒絕，但他修苦行的師父卻不讓他去。結果她公公只好在布幔後面聽佛陀說法。聽完之後，她公公的善業成熟，就證得初果。他因此非常感激佛陀和她，並宣稱她就像他的母親一般，也因此，人們稱呼她為鹿母（因為彌迦羅的意思是鹿）。
後來，她生育了幾位兒女。當年結婚的時候，她父親曾送她一件鑲有珠寶、價值連城的外套。有一天，她到祇樹給孤獨園時，覺得這件外套太沉重，就脫下來，用圍巾包好，交給僕人保管。但這僕人卻粗心大意地把它遺落在給孤獨園。她要僕人回去找，但告誡他：「回去好好找找看！如果阿難尊者已經找到了並且收起來，就不可以要回來，我要把這外套捐獻出去。」阿難尊者當時負責保管所有信徒遺留下來的東西。但阿難尊者不接受她的好意，她便決定義賣這件外套，把所得的款項捐獻出來。但沒有人能出得起適當的價錢，所以她就自己買下來，並用這筆款項興建東園鹿子母講堂。
講堂捐獻儀式完成之後，當夜她召集家庭所有的成員，並告訴他們，她所有的心願都已完成了，接著她就繞著講堂走，同時唱頌偈語。這時，一些聽到聲音的比丘以為她在唱歌，就向佛陀報告。「她是不是精神錯亂了？」他們問佛陀。
佛陀解釋道：「今天，她已經完成累世以來的願望，也由於這種成就感，她才會這樣心滿意足，而用唱誦偈語來表達內心的喜悅，她絕沒有精神錯亂的現象。累世以來，她就是個大布施者和積極提倡佛法的人。」
佛陀接著說，蓮華上佛時，她有個朋友是主要的女信徒和贊助者，她在羨慕之餘，也發願希望能具有同樣的德性，所以在一連七天供養該佛和眾多比丘後，她發了最誠摯的願望，希望在未來世能成為未來佛的主要女弟子和贊助者。
蓮華上佛就運用神通，觀照未來，得知她在未來世會實現她的願望，所以就授記她的願望會實現，後來的迦葉佛也為她授記。
佛陀最後結論道：「毘舍佉在前世強烈渴望做善事，並且確實完成很多善業。就像花藝專家利用一大片的花來製作很多的花圈。」
While residing at the Pubbàràma Monastery in Sàvatthi, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Visàkhà, the famous donor of the Pubbàràma Monastery.
Visàkhà was the daughter of a rich man of Bhaddiya, named Dhananjaya, and his wife Sumanàdēvi, and the granddaughter of Meõdaka, one of the five extremely wealthy men of King Bimbisàra’s dominions. When Visàkhà was seven years old, the Buddha came to Bhaddiya. On that occasion, the rich man Meõdaka took Visàkhà and her five hundred companions with him to pay homage to the Buddha. After hearing the discourse given by the Buddha, Visàkhà, her grandfather and all her five hundred companions attained sōtàpatti fruition. When Visàkhà came of age, she married Puõõavaóóhana, son of Migàra, a fairly rich man from Sàvatthi. One day, while Migàra was having his meal, a monk stopped for alms at his house; but Migàra completely ignored the monk. Visàkhà, seeing this, said to the monk, ”I am sorry, your reverence, my father-in-law only eats left-overs.” On hearing this, Migàra flew into a rage and told her to leave his house. But Visàkhà said she was not going away, and that she would send for the eight elderly rich men who were sent by her father to accompany her and to advise her. It was for them to decide whether she was guilty or not. When the elders came, Migàra told them the story. The elders decided that Visàkhà was not guilty. Visàkhà then said that she was one who had absolute and unshakable faith in the Teaching of the Buddha and so could not stay where the monks were not welcome; and also, that if she was not given permission to invite the monks to the house to offer alms-food and make other offerings, she would leave the house. So permission was granted her to invite the Buddha and his monks to the house.
The next day, the Buddha and his disciples were invited to the house of Visàkhà. When alms-food was about to be offered, she sent word to her father-in-law to join her in offering food; but he did not come. When the meal was over, again, she sent a message, this time requesting her father-in-law to join her in hearing the discourse that would soon be given by the Buddha. Her father-in-law felt that he should not refuse for a second time. But his ascetic teachers, the Niganñhas, would not let him go, however, they conceded that he could listen from behind a curtain. After hearing the Buddha’s discourse Migàra attained sōtàpatti fruition. He felt very thankful to the Buddha and also to his daughter-in-law. Being so thankful, he declared that henceforth Visàkhà would be like a mother to him, and Visàkhà came to be known as Migàramàtà. Visàkhà gave birth to ten sons and ten daughters, and ten sons and ten daughters each were born to everyone of her children and grand-children. Visàkhà possessed an immensely valuable gem-encrusted ornament given by her father as a wedding present. One day, Visàkhà went to the Jētavana Monastery with her entourage. On arrival at the Monastery, she found her bejewelled ornament too heavy. So, she took it off, wrapped it up in her shawl, and gave it to the maid to hold. The maid absent-mindedly left it at the Monastery. It was the custom for the Venerable ânanda to look after the things left by any one of the lay disciples.
Visàkhà sent the maid back to the Monastery saying, “Go and look for the bejewelled ornament, but if the Venerable ânanda had already found it and kept it in a place do not bring it back; I donate the bejewelled ornament to the Venerable ânanda.” But the Venerable ânanda did not accept her donation. So Visàkhà decided to sell it and donate the sale proceeds. But there was no one who could afford to buy that ornament.So Visàkhà bought it back for nine billion and one lakh. With this money, she built a monastery on the eastern side of the city; this monastery came to be known as Pubbàràma.
After the libation ceremony she called all her family to her and on that night she told them that all her wishes had been fulfilled and that she had nothing more to desire. Then reciting five verses of exultation she went round and round the monastery. Some bhikkhus hearing her, thought she was singing and reported to the Buddha that Visakha was not like before, and that she was going round and round the monastery, singing. "Could it be that she had gone off her head?" they asked the Buddha. To this question, the Buddha replied, "Today, Visakha had all her wishes of the past and present existences fulfilled and on account of that sense of achievement, she was feeling elated and contented; Visakha was just reciting some verses of exultation; she certainly had not gone off her head. Visakha, throughout her previous existences, had always been a generous donor and an ardent promoter of the Doctrine of successive Buddhas. She was most strongly inclined to do good deeds and had done much good in her previous existences, just as an expert florist makes many garlands from a collection of flowers."
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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
