Dhammapada verse #57
成就諸戒行，住於不放逸，正智解脫者，魔不知所趣。
Of those with perfect virtue
who dwell in heedfulness,
freed by Final Knowledge
Mara cannot know their path.
☆☆☆
【第57偈的故事】
瞿低迦尊者有次在摩竭陀國仙人崛山邊精進修習清淨和止觀，正當他證得禪定時，卻生病了，而影響他的修行。儘管如此，他仍然努力修行，但每次有所進步時，都被病魔摧毀殆盡。這種情形前前後後發生六次。最後，他決心要證阿羅漢果，即使因此喪生，也在所不惜。下定決心後，他毫不休息的精進修行，最後甚至決定自殺(註)，以苦痛做為觀想的對象。他就用刀割自己的喉嚨。這時他全心觀苦，心無旁騖而在逝世前證得阿羅漢果。雖然苦痛降臨時難以集中意志，但他卻表現出超強的決心和意志。
魔波旬知道瞿低迦入滅後，想知道他究竟往生何處。但遍尋不著，他就化身成年輕人，前去請教佛陀。
佛陀說：「明白瞿低迦往生何處對你沒有任何意義。他已經究竟解脫精神煩惱，證得阿羅漢果，不再輪迴了。魔波旬！你的能力不足以知道阿羅漢入滅後往生何處。」
備註：「自殺」是否恰當不在本故事討論的範圍，因為瞿低迦已經滌除所有的貪愛，而且證得阿羅漢果後，世俗的道德不再具有意義。
While residing at the Vēluvana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this Verse, with reference to Venerable Gōdhika.
While Venerable Gōdhika was in residence at Black Rock on Mount Isigili, heedful, ardent, resolute, having attained ‘release of mind’ through the practice of meditation, he was attacked by a certain disease brought on by diligent application to duty, and fell away from the mental repose of ‘disknowing’. A second time and a third time, and unto six times, did he enter into a state of mental repose and fell away therefrom. As he entered into a state of mental repose for the seventh time, he thought to himself, “Six times I have fallen away from a state of mental repose. Doubtful is the future state of him who falls away from a state of mental repose. Now is the time for me to use the razor.”
Accordingly, he took the razor with which he shaved his hair, and lay down on his bed, intending to end his life. Màra perceived his intention and thought to himself, “This monk intends to use the razor. Those who use the razor in this way are indifferent to life. Such men, having attained penetration, win Arahatship. But if I try to prevent him from carrying out his intention, he will pay no attention to my words. I will therefore induce the Buddha to prevent him.” At that moment the Venerable drew his knife. The Buddha, perceiving Màra, said, “Thus do those who are steadfast, nor do they yearn for life. Gōdhika has uprooted craving and has attained Nibbàna.” Now the Buddha, accompanied by a large number of monks, entered the place where the Venerable had lain down and used his knife.
At that moment Màra, the Evil One, like a pillar of smoke or a mass of darkness, was searching in all directions for the Venerable’s consciousness. Thought he, “Where has his rebirth-consciousness fixed itself?” The Buddha pointed out to the monks the pillar of smoke and the mass of darkness and said to them, “Monks, that is Màra, the Evil One, searching for the consciousness of the goodly youth Gōdhika. Thinks he, ‘Where has the consciousness of the goodly youth Gōdhika fixed itself?’ But, monks, the consciousness of the goodly youth Gōdhika has not fixed itself. For, monks, the goodly youth Gōdhika has passed into Nibbàna. Màra, being unable to find the place where the consciousness of the Venerable had fixed itself, approached the Buddha and asked him, “Where has Gōdhika gone?”
Said the Buddha to Màra, “Gōdhika has uprooted craving and has attained Nibbàna.” Then said the Buddha, “Evil One, what have you to do with the place where the consciousness of the goodly youth Gōdhika has fixed itself? A hundred or a thousand like you could never find it.”
魔波旬知道瞿低迦入滅後，想知道他究竟往生何處。但遍尋不著，他就化身成年輕人，前去請教佛陀。
佛陀說：「明白瞿低迦往生何處對你沒有任何意義。他已經究竟解脫精神煩惱，證得阿羅漢果，不再輪迴了。魔波旬！你的能力不足以知道阿羅漢入滅後往生何處。」
備註：「自殺」是否恰當不在本故事討論的範圍，因為瞿低迦已經滌除所有的貪愛，而且證得阿羅漢果後，世俗的道德不再具有意義。
While residing at the Vēluvana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this Verse, with reference to Venerable Gōdhika.
While Venerable Gōdhika was in residence at Black Rock on Mount Isigili, heedful, ardent, resolute, having attained ‘release of mind’ through the practice of meditation, he was attacked by a certain disease brought on by diligent application to duty, and fell away from the mental repose of ‘disknowing’. A second time and a third time, and unto six times, did he enter into a state of mental repose and fell away therefrom. As he entered into a state of mental repose for the seventh time, he thought to himself, “Six times I have fallen away from a state of mental repose. Doubtful is the future state of him who falls away from a state of mental repose. Now is the time for me to use the razor.”
Accordingly, he took the razor with which he shaved his hair, and lay down on his bed, intending to end his life. Màra perceived his intention and thought to himself, “This monk intends to use the razor. Those who use the razor in this way are indifferent to life. Such men, having attained penetration, win Arahatship. But if I try to prevent him from carrying out his intention, he will pay no attention to my words. I will therefore induce the Buddha to prevent him.” At that moment the Venerable drew his knife. The Buddha, perceiving Màra, said, “Thus do those who are steadfast, nor do they yearn for life. Gōdhika has uprooted craving and has attained Nibbàna.” Now the Buddha, accompanied by a large number of monks, entered the place where the Venerable had lain down and used his knife.
At that moment Màra, the Evil One, like a pillar of smoke or a mass of darkness, was searching in all directions for the Venerable’s consciousness. Thought he, “Where has his rebirth-consciousness fixed itself?” The Buddha pointed out to the monks the pillar of smoke and the mass of darkness and said to them, “Monks, that is Màra, the Evil One, searching for the consciousness of the goodly youth Gōdhika. Thinks he, ‘Where has the consciousness of the goodly youth Gōdhika fixed itself?’ But, monks, the consciousness of the goodly youth Gōdhika has not fixed itself. For, monks, the goodly youth Gōdhika has passed into Nibbàna. Màra, being unable to find the place where the consciousness of the Venerable had fixed itself, approached the Buddha and asked him, “Where has Gōdhika gone?”
Said the Buddha to Màra, “Gōdhika has uprooted craving and has attained Nibbàna.” Then said the Buddha, “Evil One, what have you to do with the place where the consciousness of the goodly youth Gōdhika has fixed itself? A hundred or a thousand like you could never find it.”
☆☆☆
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
