Dhammapada verse #56
栴檀多伽羅，此等香甚微。持戒者最上，香薰諸天間。
Faint is this fragrance
of lavender and sandalwood,
but fragrance of the virtuous
soars sublime amongst the gods.
☆☆☆
【第56偈的故事】
大迦葉尊者出定(註)後，到王舍城的貧民區去化緣。他化緣的目的是希望提供機會給一位窮人，讓他能夠經由供養出家人而獲得大功德。這時候，帝釋也期望能夠供養大迦葉尊者，就與妻子喬裝成貧苦的老紡織匠，到王舍城來。當大迦葉尊者到達他們家門口時，他就用飯和咖哩裝滿大迦葉尊者的缽。當大迦葉尊者聞到咖哩的香味時，他明白供養的人不是凡人，而是帝釋本人。帝釋因此承認自己的身份，並且告訴大迦葉尊者，說自己也很可憐，因為沒有供養任何人的機會。說完話後，他向大迦葉尊者禮敬，然後夫妻兩人就離開了。
這時候，佛陀在精舍裡看見帝釋夫婦兩人離去，就告訴眾多弟子有關帝釋供養大迦葉比丘的事。弟子們想不出來，帝釋怎麼會知道大迦葉尊者出定，而且知道這正是供養大迦葉的好機會？他們因此向佛陀請教。
「像大迦葉比丘這樣有德行的人，名聲四處遠播，甚至天神也知道。也因此，帝釋親自前來禮敬。」佛陀如是回答。
備註：指「滅盡定」，滌除精神污垢的聖人可以透過意志力量暫時止息意識的流轉，精神活動全部止息，呼吸甚至也停止，這時候，聖人沒有任何的危險。諸佛、辟支佛和阿羅漢在生時證得涅槃究竟法喜的期間即是「滅盡定」。
While residing at the Vēluvana Monastery in Ràjagaha, the Buddha spoke this Verse, with reference to Monk Mahàkassapa.
One day Venerable Kassapa arose from a meditation which had lasted seven days and started out with the intention of making an unbroken round for alms in Ràjagaha. At the same time five hundred pink-footed nymphs who were the wives of Sakka, king of gods, roused themselves and prepared five hundred portions of alms, intending to give those alms to the Venerable. Taking their alms, they halted on the road and said to the Venerable, “Venerable, accept these alms; do us a favour.” The Venerable replied, “Go away, all of you. I intend to favour the poor.”
Sakka himself desired to give alms to the Venerable. So he disguised himself as an old weaver worn out by old age, an old man with broken teeth, grey hair, and a bent and broken body. And transforming Wellborn the celestial nymph into just such an old woman, and creating by supernatural power a weavers’ lane, he sat spinning out thread. The Venerable went towards the city, thinking to himself, I will bestow favour on poor folk.” And seeing this street outside of the city, he looked all about and noticed those two persons. At that moment Sakka was spinning out the thread and Wellborn was feeding a shuttle. When Monk Mahàkassapa came to the door, Sakka took the Venerable’s bowl, saying, “Venerable, consider not whether the food be coarse or fine, but be gracious to us.”
Straightaway that portion of alms, richly flavoured with all manner of sauces and curries, filled the whole city of Ràjagaha with its fragrance. The Venerable thought to himself, ‘This man is weak, but his alms are as powerful as the food of Sakka. Who can he be?” Perceiving that it was Sakka, he said, “You have done a grievous wrong in depriving poor folk of the opportunity to acquire merit. By bestowing alms on me today, any poor man whosoever might obtain the post of commanderin chief or the post of treasurer.” Is there any man poorer than I, Venerable?” “How do you come to be poor, enjoying as you do the splendour in the world of the gods?”
“Venerable, this is the explanation. Before the Buddha appeared in the world I performed works of merit.
When the Buddha appeared in the world, three deities of equal rank were reborn who, by the performance of works of merit, possessed greater glory than I. When these deities say in my presence, ‘Let us make holiday,’ and take female slaves and go down into the street, I take to my heels and enter my house. The glory from their persons overpowers my person, but the glory from my person does not overpower their persons. Who, Venerable, is poorer than I?” “If this be true, henceforth do not attempt to deceive me by giving alms to me.” “Have I acquired merit, or have I not acquired merit, by giving alms to you through deception?” “You have acquired merit, brother.” “If this be true, Venerable, it is my bounden duty to perform works of merit.” So saying, Sakka saluted the Venerable, and accompanied by Sujàtà, circumbulated the Venerable.
這時候，佛陀在精舍裡看見帝釋夫婦兩人離去，就告訴眾多弟子有關帝釋供養大迦葉比丘的事。弟子們想不出來，帝釋怎麼會知道大迦葉尊者出定，而且知道這正是供養大迦葉的好機會？他們因此向佛陀請教。
「像大迦葉比丘這樣有德行的人，名聲四處遠播，甚至天神也知道。也因此，帝釋親自前來禮敬。」佛陀如是回答。
備註：指「滅盡定」，滌除精神污垢的聖人可以透過意志力量暫時止息意識的流轉，精神活動全部止息，呼吸甚至也停止，這時候，聖人沒有任何的危險。諸佛、辟支佛和阿羅漢在生時證得涅槃究竟法喜的期間即是「滅盡定」。
While residing at the Vēluvana Monastery in Ràjagaha, the Buddha spoke this Verse, with reference to Monk Mahàkassapa.
One day Venerable Kassapa arose from a meditation which had lasted seven days and started out with the intention of making an unbroken round for alms in Ràjagaha. At the same time five hundred pink-footed nymphs who were the wives of Sakka, king of gods, roused themselves and prepared five hundred portions of alms, intending to give those alms to the Venerable. Taking their alms, they halted on the road and said to the Venerable, “Venerable, accept these alms; do us a favour.” The Venerable replied, “Go away, all of you. I intend to favour the poor.”
Sakka himself desired to give alms to the Venerable. So he disguised himself as an old weaver worn out by old age, an old man with broken teeth, grey hair, and a bent and broken body. And transforming Wellborn the celestial nymph into just such an old woman, and creating by supernatural power a weavers’ lane, he sat spinning out thread. The Venerable went towards the city, thinking to himself, I will bestow favour on poor folk.” And seeing this street outside of the city, he looked all about and noticed those two persons. At that moment Sakka was spinning out the thread and Wellborn was feeding a shuttle. When Monk Mahàkassapa came to the door, Sakka took the Venerable’s bowl, saying, “Venerable, consider not whether the food be coarse or fine, but be gracious to us.”
Straightaway that portion of alms, richly flavoured with all manner of sauces and curries, filled the whole city of Ràjagaha with its fragrance. The Venerable thought to himself, ‘This man is weak, but his alms are as powerful as the food of Sakka. Who can he be?” Perceiving that it was Sakka, he said, “You have done a grievous wrong in depriving poor folk of the opportunity to acquire merit. By bestowing alms on me today, any poor man whosoever might obtain the post of commanderin chief or the post of treasurer.” Is there any man poorer than I, Venerable?” “How do you come to be poor, enjoying as you do the splendour in the world of the gods?”
“Venerable, this is the explanation. Before the Buddha appeared in the world I performed works of merit.
When the Buddha appeared in the world, three deities of equal rank were reborn who, by the performance of works of merit, possessed greater glory than I. When these deities say in my presence, ‘Let us make holiday,’ and take female slaves and go down into the street, I take to my heels and enter my house. The glory from their persons overpowers my person, but the glory from my person does not overpower their persons. Who, Venerable, is poorer than I?” “If this be true, henceforth do not attempt to deceive me by giving alms to me.” “Have I acquired merit, or have I not acquired merit, by giving alms to you through deception?” “You have acquired merit, brother.” “If this be true, Venerable, it is my bounden duty to perform works of merit.” So saying, Sakka saluted the Venerable, and accompanied by Sujàtà, circumbulated the Venerable.
☆☆☆
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
