Dhammapada verse #70
愚者月復月，雖僅取（少）食──以孤沙草端；（彼所得功德），不及思法者，十六分之一。
Month after month with blady-grass tip
the fool may take his food;
he’s not worth the slightest bit
of one who Dhamma knows.
☆☆☆
【第70偈的故事】
爾時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，為眾弟子演說此偈，及有關氈布迦尊者的故事：
氈布迦是舍衛城一個富翁的兒子，由於過去所造的惡業，今生俱有獨特的怪癖；當他還是個孩子的時候，他就不睡床上，而必需躺在地上才能安睡，還有，他吃自己的排泄物─糞便。年歲漸長，他的雙親將他送到吉呢─一群赤身裸體的外道苦行者處學道，不久，這些苦行者發現他吃糞的劣癖，立 刻將他逐出。夜裡，氈布迦跑到糞坑去吃人們拉下的糞屎，白天，他只能「金雞獨立」的用一隻腳站著，他說因為雙腳站立會使地面不勝負荷而令地上無法支撐，他還必須隨時張著嘴巴呼吸空氣，以求自活，他說他不需要食物，只要空氣就夠了，事實上他吃不下任何東西─除了糞便。「我從未坐著，也不曾到 床上睡過覺」，他還為此向人自誇自耀，人們以為他修行高超，因此氈布迦 在舍衛城漸漸出了名。很多不知情的人們，都相信他很有道行，常常會有人拿一些珍貴的食物去供養他，氈布迦都拒絕了，他說：「我不吃任何食物，只吸空氣就夠了」 ，人們更感動了，極力勸請他多少吃一些，以免餓壞了身體，氈布迦才故作 姿態地勉強留下一些草葉食物，說道：「現在你們可以走了，你們供養這一 點點就功德無量了」，如此，氈布迦不吃（除了糞屎）、不穿、不睡床舖地 過了五十五年。
有一天，世尊以天眼觀知氈布迦不久應當得度證得阿羅漢果，這一天傍晚，世尊來到氈布迦修行處所，要求借宿一宿，氈布迦指著不遠處山洞內的石塊上，那是他自己修行打坐的地點。佛陀就到石塊上打坐休息。那一天夜裡─初夜、中 夜、後夜，分別都有四大天王、帝釋天王、大梵天王，輪流來向佛陀頂禮膜拜，在這三次禮拜中，森林裡發出無量無邊的光芒，氈布迦一一看得仔細， 隔天清晨，氈布迦走向佛陀詢問夜裏森林發光的事，佛陀告訴他，那是四大 天王、帝釋天王、大梵天王分別來禮拜，氈布迦深受感動，他向佛陀說道： 「您一定是一位至高無上的聖者，所以天界諸神都來向您膜拜，像我，既使嚴謹質樸地苦修了五十五年，除了吸食空氣，不吃不穿任何世上之物，而且僅憑單腳立地，唯恐帶給地面太大的負擔，至今卻從來沒有一位天神來向我禮拜」。
「喔！氈布迦，你欺騙了很多人，卻瞞不過我，我知道這五十五年來，你一直是吃糞自活，而且一直是睡在地上的」。
然後，佛陀告訴氈布迦，在迦葉佛的時候，有一位虔誠的在家居士蓋了一間寺廟供養一位比丘，並供養他的一切吃穿，有一天一位已證阿羅漢果的比丘來到寺院門前，居士看了這位阿羅漢比丘威儀堂堂，恭敬之心油然而生，將這位阿羅漢比丘請入供養，最後又供養一塊布給阿羅漢比丘染做袈裟，原先的這位比丘一看居士對後來的比丘恭敬有加，心中非常嫉妒，後來居士 邀請兩比丘隔天一起到家供養，原先這位比丘心中更加嫉妒了，等居士離去後，先到的比丘就對這位阿羅漢比丘破口大罵：「你何德何行堪受居士供養 的食物，吃糞就夠了，你何德何行堪受供養的袈裟，最好是脫光衣服，你何德何行睡人家供養的床被，睡地皮就夠了……」阿羅漢比丘心下了然，隔天 一大早就不告而別了，原先的比丘一覺醒來，不知阿羅漢比丘已經離去，假意去敲他的房門，聲音卻微弱的唯恐他聽見了醒過來，許久不見阿羅漢比丘 出來，原先的比丘就竊竊私喜的到居士家裡，告訴居士說另一位比丘貪睡未 起，居士心知阿羅漢比丘是位有修持的人，依然為他準備了一份供養的禮物 ，請原先這位比丘帶回轉給阿羅漢比丘，原先這位比丘心中燃燒的妒火更加 猛烈了，就在回家的路上，將居士供養阿羅漢比丘的所有禮物一一丟棄，這位比丘就是氈布迦。
由於過去生中的惡業，所以氈布迦今生遭受吃糞、睡地上以及不穿衣服的因緣果報。氈布迦聽了世尊開示自己過去世的本末因緣之後，內心非常恐懼，並深自懺悔自己過去所造的惡業，也懺悔過去五十五年來欺騙了很多人 ，他雙膝跪在佛陀足下，悔愧交加，佛陀慈祥的摸摸他的頭頂，取了一件衣服為他披上，繼續為他開示法要，最後，氈布迦即於佛前證得阿羅漢道，從此跟隨佛陀的教團，繼續精進。
很快的，氈布迦的徒弟們得知了這個消息，很多人都感到非常驚訝，紛紛趕來佛陀住處拜會佛陀和他們的老師，氈布迦尊者向他的弟子們解釋，他 現在僅僅是佛陀座下的一名弟子，在佛陀的教團裡跟隨佛陀修行，沒有資格 再當他們的老師了。
世尊對前來的氈布迦弟子們說，雖然他們的老師氈布迦，從前過著嚴肅不苟、不吃、不穿的苦修生活，但那些功德不及他現在已經證果的功 德的十六分之一。於是世尊即說偈言：
「愚者月復月，雖僅取少食─以孤沙草端，
彼所得功德，不及思法者，十六分之一」。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Jambuka.
Jambuka was the son of a rich man in Sàvatthi. Due to his past evil deeds he was born with very peculiar habits. As a child, he wanted to sleep on the floor with no proper bed, and take his own excrement for food instead of rice. When he grew older, his parents sent him to the àjivakas, the naked ascetics. When those ascetics found out about his peculiar food habits they drove him away. In the nights he ate human excrement and in the day time stood still on one leg and kept his mouth open. He used to say that he kept his mouth open because he only lived on air and that he stood on one leg because it would otherwise be too heavy for the earth to bear him. “I never sit down, I never go to sleep,” he boasted and on account of this, he was known as Jambuka, a jackal.
Many people believed him and some would come to him with offerings of choice food. Then Jambuka would refuse and say, “I do not take any food except air.” When pressed, he would take just a little of the food with the tip of a blade of grass and say, “Now go, this little food will give you enough merit.” In this way, Jambuka lived for fifty-five years, naked and taking only excreta.
One day, the Buddha saw in his vision that Jambuka was due to attain arahatship within a short time. So, in the evening, the Buddha went to where Jambuka was staying and asked for some place to spend the night. Jambuka pointed out to him a mountain-cave not far from the stone slab on which he himself was staying. During the first, second and third watches of the night, the Càtummahàràjikà dēvàs, Sakka and Mahàbrahma came to pay homage to the Buddha in turn. On all the three occasions, the forest was lit up and Jambuka saw the light three times. In the morning, he walked over to the Buddha and enquired about the lights.
When told about the dēvàs, Sakka and Mahàbrahma coming to pay homage to the Buddha, Jambuka was very much impressed, and said to the Buddha, “You must, indeed, be a wonderful person for the dēvàs, Sakka and Mahàbrahma to come and pay homage to you. As for me, even though I have practiced austerely for fifty-five years, living only on air and standing only on one leg, none of the dēvàs, nor Sakka, nor Mahàbrahma has ever came to me.” To him, the Buddha replied “O Jambuka! You have been deceiving other people, but you cannot deceive me. I know that for fifty-five years you have been eating excrement and sleeping on the ground.”
Hearing that, Jambuka was horrified and terror-stricken, and repented for having done evil and for having deceived other people. He went down on his knees and the Buddha gave him a piece of cloth to put on. The Buddha then proceeded to deliver a discourse; at the end of which Jambuka attained arahatship and joined the Buddhist Sangha.
Soon after this, Jambuka’s pupils from Anga and Magadha arrived and they were surprised to see their teacher with the Buddha. Venerable Jambuka then explained to his pupils that he had joined the Buddhist Order and that he was now only a disciple of the Buddha. To them, the Buddha said that although their teacher had lived austerely by taking food very sparingly, it was not worth even one-sixteenth part of his present practice and achievement.
氈布迦是舍衛城一個富翁的兒子，由於過去所造的惡業，今生俱有獨特的怪癖；當他還是個孩子的時候，他就不睡床上，而必需躺在地上才能安睡，還有，他吃自己的排泄物─糞便。年歲漸長，他的雙親將他送到吉呢─一群赤身裸體的外道苦行者處學道，不久，這些苦行者發現他吃糞的劣癖，立 刻將他逐出。夜裡，氈布迦跑到糞坑去吃人們拉下的糞屎，白天，他只能「金雞獨立」的用一隻腳站著，他說因為雙腳站立會使地面不勝負荷而令地上無法支撐，他還必須隨時張著嘴巴呼吸空氣，以求自活，他說他不需要食物，只要空氣就夠了，事實上他吃不下任何東西─除了糞便。「我從未坐著，也不曾到 床上睡過覺」，他還為此向人自誇自耀，人們以為他修行高超，因此氈布迦 在舍衛城漸漸出了名。很多不知情的人們，都相信他很有道行，常常會有人拿一些珍貴的食物去供養他，氈布迦都拒絕了，他說：「我不吃任何食物，只吸空氣就夠了」 ，人們更感動了，極力勸請他多少吃一些，以免餓壞了身體，氈布迦才故作 姿態地勉強留下一些草葉食物，說道：「現在你們可以走了，你們供養這一 點點就功德無量了」，如此，氈布迦不吃（除了糞屎）、不穿、不睡床舖地 過了五十五年。
有一天，世尊以天眼觀知氈布迦不久應當得度證得阿羅漢果，這一天傍晚，世尊來到氈布迦修行處所，要求借宿一宿，氈布迦指著不遠處山洞內的石塊上，那是他自己修行打坐的地點。佛陀就到石塊上打坐休息。那一天夜裡─初夜、中 夜、後夜，分別都有四大天王、帝釋天王、大梵天王，輪流來向佛陀頂禮膜拜，在這三次禮拜中，森林裡發出無量無邊的光芒，氈布迦一一看得仔細， 隔天清晨，氈布迦走向佛陀詢問夜裏森林發光的事，佛陀告訴他，那是四大 天王、帝釋天王、大梵天王分別來禮拜，氈布迦深受感動，他向佛陀說道： 「您一定是一位至高無上的聖者，所以天界諸神都來向您膜拜，像我，既使嚴謹質樸地苦修了五十五年，除了吸食空氣，不吃不穿任何世上之物，而且僅憑單腳立地，唯恐帶給地面太大的負擔，至今卻從來沒有一位天神來向我禮拜」。
「喔！氈布迦，你欺騙了很多人，卻瞞不過我，我知道這五十五年來，你一直是吃糞自活，而且一直是睡在地上的」。
然後，佛陀告訴氈布迦，在迦葉佛的時候，有一位虔誠的在家居士蓋了一間寺廟供養一位比丘，並供養他的一切吃穿，有一天一位已證阿羅漢果的比丘來到寺院門前，居士看了這位阿羅漢比丘威儀堂堂，恭敬之心油然而生，將這位阿羅漢比丘請入供養，最後又供養一塊布給阿羅漢比丘染做袈裟，原先的這位比丘一看居士對後來的比丘恭敬有加，心中非常嫉妒，後來居士 邀請兩比丘隔天一起到家供養，原先這位比丘心中更加嫉妒了，等居士離去後，先到的比丘就對這位阿羅漢比丘破口大罵：「你何德何行堪受居士供養 的食物，吃糞就夠了，你何德何行堪受供養的袈裟，最好是脫光衣服，你何德何行睡人家供養的床被，睡地皮就夠了……」阿羅漢比丘心下了然，隔天 一大早就不告而別了，原先的比丘一覺醒來，不知阿羅漢比丘已經離去，假意去敲他的房門，聲音卻微弱的唯恐他聽見了醒過來，許久不見阿羅漢比丘 出來，原先的比丘就竊竊私喜的到居士家裡，告訴居士說另一位比丘貪睡未 起，居士心知阿羅漢比丘是位有修持的人，依然為他準備了一份供養的禮物 ，請原先這位比丘帶回轉給阿羅漢比丘，原先這位比丘心中燃燒的妒火更加 猛烈了，就在回家的路上，將居士供養阿羅漢比丘的所有禮物一一丟棄，這位比丘就是氈布迦。
由於過去生中的惡業，所以氈布迦今生遭受吃糞、睡地上以及不穿衣服的因緣果報。氈布迦聽了世尊開示自己過去世的本末因緣之後，內心非常恐懼，並深自懺悔自己過去所造的惡業，也懺悔過去五十五年來欺騙了很多人 ，他雙膝跪在佛陀足下，悔愧交加，佛陀慈祥的摸摸他的頭頂，取了一件衣服為他披上，繼續為他開示法要，最後，氈布迦即於佛前證得阿羅漢道，從此跟隨佛陀的教團，繼續精進。
很快的，氈布迦的徒弟們得知了這個消息，很多人都感到非常驚訝，紛紛趕來佛陀住處拜會佛陀和他們的老師，氈布迦尊者向他的弟子們解釋，他 現在僅僅是佛陀座下的一名弟子，在佛陀的教團裡跟隨佛陀修行，沒有資格 再當他們的老師了。
世尊對前來的氈布迦弟子們說，雖然他們的老師氈布迦，從前過著嚴肅不苟、不吃、不穿的苦修生活，但那些功德不及他現在已經證果的功 德的十六分之一。於是世尊即說偈言：
「愚者月復月，雖僅取少食─以孤沙草端，
彼所得功德，不及思法者，十六分之一」。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Jambuka.
Jambuka was the son of a rich man in Sàvatthi. Due to his past evil deeds he was born with very peculiar habits. As a child, he wanted to sleep on the floor with no proper bed, and take his own excrement for food instead of rice. When he grew older, his parents sent him to the àjivakas, the naked ascetics. When those ascetics found out about his peculiar food habits they drove him away. In the nights he ate human excrement and in the day time stood still on one leg and kept his mouth open. He used to say that he kept his mouth open because he only lived on air and that he stood on one leg because it would otherwise be too heavy for the earth to bear him. “I never sit down, I never go to sleep,” he boasted and on account of this, he was known as Jambuka, a jackal.
Many people believed him and some would come to him with offerings of choice food. Then Jambuka would refuse and say, “I do not take any food except air.” When pressed, he would take just a little of the food with the tip of a blade of grass and say, “Now go, this little food will give you enough merit.” In this way, Jambuka lived for fifty-five years, naked and taking only excreta.
One day, the Buddha saw in his vision that Jambuka was due to attain arahatship within a short time. So, in the evening, the Buddha went to where Jambuka was staying and asked for some place to spend the night. Jambuka pointed out to him a mountain-cave not far from the stone slab on which he himself was staying. During the first, second and third watches of the night, the Càtummahàràjikà dēvàs, Sakka and Mahàbrahma came to pay homage to the Buddha in turn. On all the three occasions, the forest was lit up and Jambuka saw the light three times. In the morning, he walked over to the Buddha and enquired about the lights.
When told about the dēvàs, Sakka and Mahàbrahma coming to pay homage to the Buddha, Jambuka was very much impressed, and said to the Buddha, “You must, indeed, be a wonderful person for the dēvàs, Sakka and Mahàbrahma to come and pay homage to you. As for me, even though I have practiced austerely for fifty-five years, living only on air and standing only on one leg, none of the dēvàs, nor Sakka, nor Mahàbrahma has ever came to me.” To him, the Buddha replied “O Jambuka! You have been deceiving other people, but you cannot deceive me. I know that for fifty-five years you have been eating excrement and sleeping on the ground.”
Hearing that, Jambuka was horrified and terror-stricken, and repented for having done evil and for having deceived other people. He went down on his knees and the Buddha gave him a piece of cloth to put on. The Buddha then proceeded to deliver a discourse; at the end of which Jambuka attained arahatship and joined the Buddhist Sangha.
Soon after this, Jambuka’s pupils from Anga and Magadha arrived and they were surprised to see their teacher with the Buddha. Venerable Jambuka then explained to his pupils that he had joined the Buddhist Order and that he was now only a disciple of the Buddha. To them, the Buddha said that although their teacher had lived austerely by taking food very sparingly, it was not worth even one-sixteenth part of his present practice and achievement.
☆☆☆
中文法句出處：《南傳法句經》 了參法師譯
中文故事出處：《法句經的故事》 護法法師譯
