Dhammapada verse #97
無信知無為，斷繫因永謝，棄捨於貪欲，真實無上士。
With no beliefs, the Unmade known,
with fetters finally severed,
with kammas cut and craving shed,
attained to humanity’s heights.
☆☆☆
【第97偈的故事】
某一村子的三十名比丘前往祇樹給孤獨園向佛陀禮敬。佛陀知道他們證得阿羅漢果的機緣已經成熟，就請舍利弗來，並且在他們面前問舍利弗：「舍利弗！你相信觀身能證得涅槃嗎？」
「世尊！關於觀身而證得涅槃這件事，我並不只因為信仰佛陀 (註) 就相信這種說法，只有未親身證得涅槃的人才會接受別人這種說法。」很多比丘不明白舍利弗話中的涵意，而在內心想著：「舍利弗至今尚未放棄錯誤的見解，直到此刻，他仍未信仰佛陀。」
佛陀就解釋說：「比丘們！舍利弗的意思十分清楚：『他承認觀身可以證得涅槃，但他接受的原因，是由於他個人的親身體證，而不只是因為佛陀或其他人如是說的關係。』事實上，舍利弗信仰佛陀，舍利弗也相信善惡業報。」
（註）佛教中的信仰來自對真理的正確認知和了悟，而不是因為害怕神或者追求情感的滿足，當內心不再動搖時，才是真正的信仰。佛教不認可盲目的信仰和狂熱的宗教信仰。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Sàriputta.
One day thirty forest-dwellers approached the Buddha, paid obeisance to him, and sat down. The Buddha, seeing that they possessed the requisite faculties for attaining arahatship, addressed Venerable Sàriputta as follows, “Sàriputta, do you believe that the quality of faith, when it has been developed and enlarged, is connected with the deathless and terminates in the deathless?” In this manner the Buddha questioned the Venerable with reference to the five moral qualities.
Said the Venerable, “Venerable, I do not go by faith in the Buddha in this matter, that the quality of faith, when it has been developed and enlarged, is connected with the deathless and terminates in the deathless. But of course, Venerable, those who have not known the deathless or seen or perceived or realized or grasped the deathless by the power of reason, such persons must of necessity go by the faith of others in this matter; namely, that the faculty of faith, when it has been developed and enlarged, is connected with the deathless and terminates in the deathless.” Thus did the Venerable answer his question.
When the monks heard this, they began a discussion: “Venerable Sàriputta has never really given up false views. Even today he refused to believe even the supremely Enlightened One.” When the Buddha heard this, he said, “Monks, why do you say this? For I asked Sàriputta the following question, ‘Sàriputta, do you believe that without developing the five moral qualities, without developing tranquillity and spiritual insight, it is possible for a man to realize the paths and the fruits?’ And he answered me as follows, ‘There is no one who can thus realize the paths and the fruits.’ Then I asked him, ‘Do you not believe that there is such a thing as the ripening of the fruit of almsgiving and good works? Do you not believe in the virtues of the Buddhas and the rest?’ But as a matter of fact, Sàriputta walks not by the faith of others, for the reason that he has, in and by himself, attained states of mind to which the Paths and the Fruits lead, by the power of spiritual insight induced by ecstatic meditation. Therefore he is not open to censure.”
「世尊！關於觀身而證得涅槃這件事，我並不只因為信仰佛陀 (註) 就相信這種說法，只有未親身證得涅槃的人才會接受別人這種說法。」很多比丘不明白舍利弗話中的涵意，而在內心想著：「舍利弗至今尚未放棄錯誤的見解，直到此刻，他仍未信仰佛陀。」
佛陀就解釋說：「比丘們！舍利弗的意思十分清楚：『他承認觀身可以證得涅槃，但他接受的原因，是由於他個人的親身體證，而不只是因為佛陀或其他人如是說的關係。』事實上，舍利弗信仰佛陀，舍利弗也相信善惡業報。」
（註）佛教中的信仰來自對真理的正確認知和了悟，而不是因為害怕神或者追求情感的滿足，當內心不再動搖時，才是真正的信仰。佛教不認可盲目的信仰和狂熱的宗教信仰。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Sàriputta.
One day thirty forest-dwellers approached the Buddha, paid obeisance to him, and sat down. The Buddha, seeing that they possessed the requisite faculties for attaining arahatship, addressed Venerable Sàriputta as follows, “Sàriputta, do you believe that the quality of faith, when it has been developed and enlarged, is connected with the deathless and terminates in the deathless?” In this manner the Buddha questioned the Venerable with reference to the five moral qualities.
Said the Venerable, “Venerable, I do not go by faith in the Buddha in this matter, that the quality of faith, when it has been developed and enlarged, is connected with the deathless and terminates in the deathless. But of course, Venerable, those who have not known the deathless or seen or perceived or realized or grasped the deathless by the power of reason, such persons must of necessity go by the faith of others in this matter; namely, that the faculty of faith, when it has been developed and enlarged, is connected with the deathless and terminates in the deathless.” Thus did the Venerable answer his question.
When the monks heard this, they began a discussion: “Venerable Sàriputta has never really given up false views. Even today he refused to believe even the supremely Enlightened One.” When the Buddha heard this, he said, “Monks, why do you say this? For I asked Sàriputta the following question, ‘Sàriputta, do you believe that without developing the five moral qualities, without developing tranquillity and spiritual insight, it is possible for a man to realize the paths and the fruits?’ And he answered me as follows, ‘There is no one who can thus realize the paths and the fruits.’ Then I asked him, ‘Do you not believe that there is such a thing as the ripening of the fruit of almsgiving and good works? Do you not believe in the virtues of the Buddhas and the rest?’ But as a matter of fact, Sàriputta walks not by the faith of others, for the reason that he has, in and by himself, attained states of mind to which the Paths and the Fruits lead, by the power of spiritual insight induced by ecstatic meditation. Therefore he is not open to censure.”
☆☆☆
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
