Dhammapada verse #100
雖誦一千言，若無義理者，不如一義語，聞已得寂靜。
Through a thousand speeches be
composed of meaningless lines,
better the single meaningful line
one hears, then comes to calm.
☆☆☆
【第100偈的故事】
坦巴達提卡擔任政府行刑者的任務屆滿五十五年後正式退休。在擔任行刑者之前，他曾經是一名小偷。退休後有一天，他到河中去沐浴，並且攜帶特別的食物回家。回家後，正要享受這份美味時，卻看見剛出禪定的舍利弗站在門口，這時候他心裏想著：「我這一生，都在行刑處決小偷，現在我應該供養這位比丘。」所以就邀請舍利弗進入屋內，並尊敬地供養食物。
供養後，舍利弗向他說佛法。但坦巴達提卡卻無法集中心思聽講，因為他的心思受到過去擔任行刑人時種種往事的干擾。舍利弗明白他的困擾，為了導正他的心念，就機敏地問他是否出於憤怒、仇恨而行刑？或只是執行公務而已。坦巴達提卡回答說，他只是接受國王的命令，自己沒有任何殺人的惡意或願望。「既然如此，你有何罪過可言！」舍利弗說。
舍利弗的說法讓坦巴達提卡內心較為寧靜，就請舍利弗繼續說法。這時，他專心聞法，更具耐心與理解力。聞法後，他恭送舍利弗走了一段路，然後獨自回家，但卻意外喪生。
當天傍晚，佛陀抵達比丘的聚會時，比丘們告訴佛陀有關坦巴達提卡的惡訊，並請問他往生何處。佛陀說，雖然坦巴達提卡今生造惡業，但後來領悟佛法，所以往生兜率天。比丘們卻懷疑，一個造做惡業的人，怎麼可能只聽聞一次佛法後，就獲得如此殊勝的法益。佛陀向他們解釋說，時間長短不是問題，如果能夠正確理解的話，即使一句法語也可以帶來莫大的法益。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Tambadàñhika, the executioner of thieves.
Tambadàñhika served the king as an executioner of thieves for fifty-five years. In old age he could no longer cut off a man’s head with a single blow. On the day he was retired from office, he gave orders that sweet milk-porridge should be cooked for him. And taking with him old clothes and jasmine flowers and perfumes, he went to the river and bathed. Having so done, he put on the old clothes, decked himself with garlands, anointed his limbs, and went home and sat down. They set before him sweet milk-porridge made with fresh ghee and water for rinsing the hands. At that moment Venerable Sàriputta showed himself at the door of the former executioner’s house. When the man saw the Venerable, he paid obeisance to him. And escorting him into his house, he provided him with a seat, poured the sweet milk-porridge into his bowl, spread fresh ghee thereon, and standing beside him, began to fan him.
After the meal, the monk taught him the Dhamma, but Tambadàñhika could not pay attention, because he was so agitated as he recollected his past life as an executioner. When the monk knew this, he decided to ask Tambadàñhika tactfully whether he killed the thieves because he wished to kill them or because he was ordered to do so. Tambadàñhika answered that he was ordered to kill them by the king and that he had no wish to kill. Then the monk asked, “If that is so, would you be guilty or not?” Tambadàñhika then concluded that, as he was not responsible for the evil deeds, he was not guilty. He, therefore, calmed down, and requested the monk to continue his exposition.
As he listened to the Dhamma with proper attention, he came very close to attaining sōtàpatti magga and reached as far as anulōma ¤àõa (adaption-to-truth-knowledge). After the discourse, Tambadàñhika accompanied Venerable Sàriputta for some distance and then returned home. On his way home a cow (actually a demon in the guise of a cow) gored him to death.
When the Buddha came to the congregation of the monks in the evening, they informed him about the death of Tambadàñhika. When asked where Tambadàñhika was reborn, the Buddha told them that although Tambadàñhika had committed evil deeds throughout his life, because he comprehended the Dhamma after hearing it from Venerable Sàriputta and had already attained anulōma ¤àõa before he died, he was reborn in the Tusita dēva world. The monks wondered how such an evildoer could have such great benefit after listening to the Dhamma just once. To them the Buddha said that the length of a discourse is of no consequence, for one single word of sense can produce much benefit.
供養後，舍利弗向他說佛法。但坦巴達提卡卻無法集中心思聽講，因為他的心思受到過去擔任行刑人時種種往事的干擾。舍利弗明白他的困擾，為了導正他的心念，就機敏地問他是否出於憤怒、仇恨而行刑？或只是執行公務而已。坦巴達提卡回答說，他只是接受國王的命令，自己沒有任何殺人的惡意或願望。「既然如此，你有何罪過可言！」舍利弗說。
舍利弗的說法讓坦巴達提卡內心較為寧靜，就請舍利弗繼續說法。這時，他專心聞法，更具耐心與理解力。聞法後，他恭送舍利弗走了一段路，然後獨自回家，但卻意外喪生。
當天傍晚，佛陀抵達比丘的聚會時，比丘們告訴佛陀有關坦巴達提卡的惡訊，並請問他往生何處。佛陀說，雖然坦巴達提卡今生造惡業，但後來領悟佛法，所以往生兜率天。比丘們卻懷疑，一個造做惡業的人，怎麼可能只聽聞一次佛法後，就獲得如此殊勝的法益。佛陀向他們解釋說，時間長短不是問題，如果能夠正確理解的話，即使一句法語也可以帶來莫大的法益。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Tambadàñhika, the executioner of thieves.
Tambadàñhika served the king as an executioner of thieves for fifty-five years. In old age he could no longer cut off a man’s head with a single blow. On the day he was retired from office, he gave orders that sweet milk-porridge should be cooked for him. And taking with him old clothes and jasmine flowers and perfumes, he went to the river and bathed. Having so done, he put on the old clothes, decked himself with garlands, anointed his limbs, and went home and sat down. They set before him sweet milk-porridge made with fresh ghee and water for rinsing the hands. At that moment Venerable Sàriputta showed himself at the door of the former executioner’s house. When the man saw the Venerable, he paid obeisance to him. And escorting him into his house, he provided him with a seat, poured the sweet milk-porridge into his bowl, spread fresh ghee thereon, and standing beside him, began to fan him.
After the meal, the monk taught him the Dhamma, but Tambadàñhika could not pay attention, because he was so agitated as he recollected his past life as an executioner. When the monk knew this, he decided to ask Tambadàñhika tactfully whether he killed the thieves because he wished to kill them or because he was ordered to do so. Tambadàñhika answered that he was ordered to kill them by the king and that he had no wish to kill. Then the monk asked, “If that is so, would you be guilty or not?” Tambadàñhika then concluded that, as he was not responsible for the evil deeds, he was not guilty. He, therefore, calmed down, and requested the monk to continue his exposition.
As he listened to the Dhamma with proper attention, he came very close to attaining sōtàpatti magga and reached as far as anulōma ¤àõa (adaption-to-truth-knowledge). After the discourse, Tambadàñhika accompanied Venerable Sàriputta for some distance and then returned home. On his way home a cow (actually a demon in the guise of a cow) gored him to death.
When the Buddha came to the congregation of the monks in the evening, they informed him about the death of Tambadàñhika. When asked where Tambadàñhika was reborn, the Buddha told them that although Tambadàñhika had committed evil deeds throughout his life, because he comprehended the Dhamma after hearing it from Venerable Sàriputta and had already attained anulōma ¤àõa before he died, he was reborn in the Tusita dēva world. The monks wondered how such an evildoer could have such great benefit after listening to the Dhamma just once. To them the Buddha said that the length of a discourse is of no consequence, for one single word of sense can produce much benefit.
☆☆☆
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
