Dhammapada verse # 102 ~ 103
彼誦百句偈，若無義理者，不如一法句，聞已得寂靜。
Though a thousand verses chant
composed of meaningless lines,
better the single Dhamma-line
one hears, then comes to calm.
彼於戰場上，雖勝百萬人；未若克己者，戰士之最上！
Though thousand times a thousand
in battle one may conquer,
yet should one conquer just oneself
one is the greatest conqueror.
☆☆☆
【第102 - 103偈的故事】
拘達娜是舍衛城裡一位富翁的女兒，一直過著平靜、深居簡出的日子。但是有一天，她看見一位將要被處決的小偷時，剎那間就愛上他了。從此以後她拒絕吃飯，除非能嫁給他，否則她也不願活下去。
拘達娜的父母只好向國王的官員行賄，換取小偷的生命，然後將她嫁給他。雖然她非常愛他，但他卻只愛她的財富。有一天，他說服她把所有的首飾裝戴在身上，然後告訴她，他想供養山靈，答謝它們在他生命危險的時候拯救他。說完後，他就帶她往山頂上走去。但是他們抵達山頂時，他卻說要殺了她，以便佔有她的首飾。她懇求他只拿走首飾，而饒她一命，但他悍然拒絕。這時候，她明白若不除去他，自己非死不可，所以必需謹慎、機智應付。她於是告訴他，既然他們只能再相處幾分鐘，她想最後一次向他頂禮，說著，她就繞著他緩緩的走，並趁機從他的背後把他推下山去。
住在山頂的天神目睹整個事件的過程後，鼓掌讚許她的作為，並且說：「不只男性有智慧，女性也能具足智慧，並且在今生今世就展現智慧！」
經過這件事情後，她不想再回家了，就把所有的首飾掛在樹上，然後一個人到處流浪，也不知道究竟該到那裡去。後來，她碰巧來到女遊行外道居住的地方，就成為她們其中的一員。她們教她所有的詭辯技巧。由於聰穎，她在很短的時間內就完全掌握其中的訣竅。這時候，這些女遊行外道就告訴她四處去雲遊，她們也告訴她，如果有人能夠回答她的所有詰問，就拜此人為師。從此以後，她就到國內所有地方去雲遊，公開向所有的人挑戰。很多著名的人士接受她的挑戰，但沒有人駁倒她。
最後，她來到舍衛城。進城之前，她一如往常，把一隻樹枝插在一土堆上，公開挑戰所有人。舍利弗尊者接受她的挑戰，她詢問舍利弗非常多的問題，而舍利弗也一一加以解答。問完之後，輪到舍利弗發問，他只問她一句話：「“一”是什麼？」(註1) 她卻張口結舌，無法回答，就央請舍利弗解釋它的涵意。舍利弗建議她先出家為比丘尼，她也信守諾言地服從舍利弗的建議，正信出家為比丘尼，並且精進奉行舍利弗的教導，而在幾天之內就證得阿羅漢果。
後來，有些比丘針對此事請教佛陀：「拘達娜比丘尼真的可能在只聽聞少許的法義就證得阿羅漢果嗎？」
佛陀說：「比丘們！不要以多少來判斷法義，一句法義比一百句毫無意義的言語更發人深省。」
註１：眾生只需要一件東西來維持生命：食物 。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke these verses with reference to Nun Kunóalakēsã.
A rich merchant of Ràjagaha had an only daughter who was about sixteen years of age, and she was exceedingly beautiful and fair to see. Her mother and father lodged her on the topmost floor of a seven-storied palace in an apartment of royal splendor, and gave her only a single slave-woman to wait upon her. Now one day a young man of station was caught in the act of robbery. They bound his hands behind his back and led him to the place of execution, scourging him with lashes at every cross-road. The merchant’s daughter heard the shouts of the crowd, said to herself, “What is that?” looked down from the top of the palace, and saw him. Straightaway she fell in love with him. So great, in fact, was her longing for him that she took to her bed and refused to eat. Her mother asked her, “What does this mean, my dear daughter?” If I can have that young man who was caught in the act of committing robbery and who was led through the streets, life will be worth living; if not, life is not worth living; I shall die here and now.” The mother, unable to pacify her daughter, told the father; but the father likewise was unable to pacify his daughter. “What is to be done?” thought he. He sent a thousand pieces of money to the king’s officer who had captured the robber and who was accompanying him to the place of execution, saying, “Take this money and send the robber to me.” “Very well!” said the king’s officer. He took the money, released the robber, had another man put to death, and sent word to the king, “The robber has been executed, your majesty.”
The merchant gave his daughter in marriage to the robber. She resolved to win favour of her husband; and from that time on, adorned with all her adornments, she prepared her husband’s meals with her own hand. After a few days the robber thought to himself, “When can I kill this woman, take her jewels and sell them, and so be able to take my meals in a certain tavern? This is the way!” He took to his bed and refused to eat. She came to him and asked, “Are you in pain?” “Not at all, wife.” “Then perhaps my mother and father are angry with you?” “They are not angry with me, wife.” “What is the matter, then?” “Wife, that day when I was bound and led through the streets, I saved my life by vowing and offering to the deity that lives on Robbers’ Cliff; likewise it was through his supernatural power that I gained you for my wife. I was wondering how I could fulfill my vow of an offering to the deity.” “Husband, do not worry; I will see to the offering; tell me what is needed.” “Rich rice porridge, flavoured with honey; and the five kinds of flowers, including the làjà flower.” “Very well, husband, I will make ready the offering.” Having prepared the whole offering, she said to her husband, “Come, husband, let us go”. “Very well, wife; let your kinsmen remain behind; put on your costly garments and adorn yourself with your precious jewels, and we will go gaily, laughing and enjoying ourselves.” She did as she was told. But when they reached their destination, he said to her, I have no use for the offering; I deceived you in bringing you here with an offering.” “Then why did you bring me here, husband?” “To kill you, seize your jewels, and escape.” Terrified with the fear of death, she said to him, “Husband, both my jewels and my person belong to you; why do you speak thus?” Over and over again she pleaded with him, “Do not do this;” but his only reply was, I will kill you.” “After all, what will you gain by killing me? Take these jewels and spare my life.” She thought to herself, “Oh, what a wicked deed is this! However, wisdom was not made to be cooked and eaten, but rather to make men look before they leap. I shall find a way of dealing with him.” And she said to him, “Husband, when they caught you in the act of committing robbery and led you through the streets, I told my mother and father, and they spent a thousand pieces of money in ransoming you, and they gave you a place in their house, and from that time on I have been your benefactress; today do me the favour of letting me pay obeisance to you.” “Very well, wife,” said he, granted her the favour of paying obeisance to him, and then took his stand near the edge of the cliff. She walked around him three times, keeping him on her right hand, and paid obeisance to him in the four places. Then she said to him, “Husband, this is the last time I shall see you. Henceforth you will see me no more, neither shall I see you any more.” And she embraced him both before and behind. Then, remaining behind him, as he stood off his guard near the edge of the cliff, she put one hand to his shoulder and the other to the small of his back, and flung him over the cliff. Thus was the robber hurled into the abyss of the mountain, and dashed to pieces when he reached the bottom. Having thrown the robber over the cliff, she came to a certain hermitage of nuns. She reverently bowed and said, “Sister, receive me into your order as a nun.” So they received her as a nun.
When she had mastered the thousand articles of faith, they said to her, “You have acquired proficiency; now go throughout the length and breadth of Jambudãpa and look for some one able to match question and answer with you.” So, placing a branch of rose-apple in her hands, they dismissed her with these words, “Go forth, sister; if any one who is a layman is able to match question and answer with you, become his slave; if any monk, enter his Sangha as a nun.” No one was able to match question and answer with her; in fact, such a reputation did she acquire that whenever men heard the announcement, “Here comes the ‘Nun of the Rose-Apple,’” they would run away.
Before entering a town or village for alms, she would scrape a pile of sand together before the village gate and there plant her rose-apple branch. Then she would issue her challenge, “Let him that is able to match question and answer with me trample this rose-apple branch under his feet.” So saying, she would enter the village. No one dared to pass beyond that spot. When one branch withered, she would procure a fresh one. Traveling about in this way, she arrived at Sàvatthi, planted the branch before the city gate, issued her challenge in the usual way, and went in to seek alms. A number of young boys gathered about the branch and waited to see what would happen. Then the Venerable Sàriputta said, “Go ahead, boys, trample that branch under your feet.”
When the nun returned, she asked, “Venerable, did you tell them to trample my branch under their feet?” “Yes, sister.” “Well then, match question and answer with me.” “Very well, I will do so.”
The nun said to the Venerable, “Venerable, I wish to ask you a question.” “Ask it, sister.” So she asked him the thousand articles of faith. Every question the nun asked, the Venerable answered correctly. Then he said to her, “I will ask you just one; will you answer me?” “Ask your question, Venerable.” Then the Venerable asked her, “What is one?” She said to herself, “This is a question I should be able to answer,” but not knowing the answer, she inquired of the Venerable, “What is it, Venerable?” “This is the Buddha’s question, sister.” “Tell me also the answer, Venerable.” “If you will enter our Sangha, I will tell you the answer.” “Very well, admit me to the Sangha.” The Venerable sent word to the nuns and had her admitted. After being admitted to the Sangha, she made it her full profession, took the name Kunóalakēsã, and after a few days became an arahat endowed with the supernatural faculties.
拘達娜的父母只好向國王的官員行賄，換取小偷的生命，然後將她嫁給他。雖然她非常愛他，但他卻只愛她的財富。有一天，他說服她把所有的首飾裝戴在身上，然後告訴她，他想供養山靈，答謝它們在他生命危險的時候拯救他。說完後，他就帶她往山頂上走去。但是他們抵達山頂時，他卻說要殺了她，以便佔有她的首飾。她懇求他只拿走首飾，而饒她一命，但他悍然拒絕。這時候，她明白若不除去他，自己非死不可，所以必需謹慎、機智應付。她於是告訴他，既然他們只能再相處幾分鐘，她想最後一次向他頂禮，說著，她就繞著他緩緩的走，並趁機從他的背後把他推下山去。
住在山頂的天神目睹整個事件的過程後，鼓掌讚許她的作為，並且說：「不只男性有智慧，女性也能具足智慧，並且在今生今世就展現智慧！」
經過這件事情後，她不想再回家了，就把所有的首飾掛在樹上，然後一個人到處流浪，也不知道究竟該到那裡去。後來，她碰巧來到女遊行外道居住的地方，就成為她們其中的一員。她們教她所有的詭辯技巧。由於聰穎，她在很短的時間內就完全掌握其中的訣竅。這時候，這些女遊行外道就告訴她四處去雲遊，她們也告訴她，如果有人能夠回答她的所有詰問，就拜此人為師。從此以後，她就到國內所有地方去雲遊，公開向所有的人挑戰。很多著名的人士接受她的挑戰，但沒有人駁倒她。
最後，她來到舍衛城。進城之前，她一如往常，把一隻樹枝插在一土堆上，公開挑戰所有人。舍利弗尊者接受她的挑戰，她詢問舍利弗非常多的問題，而舍利弗也一一加以解答。問完之後，輪到舍利弗發問，他只問她一句話：「“一”是什麼？」(註1) 她卻張口結舌，無法回答，就央請舍利弗解釋它的涵意。舍利弗建議她先出家為比丘尼，她也信守諾言地服從舍利弗的建議，正信出家為比丘尼，並且精進奉行舍利弗的教導，而在幾天之內就證得阿羅漢果。
後來，有些比丘針對此事請教佛陀：「拘達娜比丘尼真的可能在只聽聞少許的法義就證得阿羅漢果嗎？」
佛陀說：「比丘們！不要以多少來判斷法義，一句法義比一百句毫無意義的言語更發人深省。」
註１：眾生只需要一件東西來維持生命：食物 。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke these verses with reference to Nun Kunóalakēsã.
A rich merchant of Ràjagaha had an only daughter who was about sixteen years of age, and she was exceedingly beautiful and fair to see. Her mother and father lodged her on the topmost floor of a seven-storied palace in an apartment of royal splendor, and gave her only a single slave-woman to wait upon her. Now one day a young man of station was caught in the act of robbery. They bound his hands behind his back and led him to the place of execution, scourging him with lashes at every cross-road. The merchant’s daughter heard the shouts of the crowd, said to herself, “What is that?” looked down from the top of the palace, and saw him. Straightaway she fell in love with him. So great, in fact, was her longing for him that she took to her bed and refused to eat. Her mother asked her, “What does this mean, my dear daughter?” If I can have that young man who was caught in the act of committing robbery and who was led through the streets, life will be worth living; if not, life is not worth living; I shall die here and now.” The mother, unable to pacify her daughter, told the father; but the father likewise was unable to pacify his daughter. “What is to be done?” thought he. He sent a thousand pieces of money to the king’s officer who had captured the robber and who was accompanying him to the place of execution, saying, “Take this money and send the robber to me.” “Very well!” said the king’s officer. He took the money, released the robber, had another man put to death, and sent word to the king, “The robber has been executed, your majesty.”
The merchant gave his daughter in marriage to the robber. She resolved to win favour of her husband; and from that time on, adorned with all her adornments, she prepared her husband’s meals with her own hand. After a few days the robber thought to himself, “When can I kill this woman, take her jewels and sell them, and so be able to take my meals in a certain tavern? This is the way!” He took to his bed and refused to eat. She came to him and asked, “Are you in pain?” “Not at all, wife.” “Then perhaps my mother and father are angry with you?” “They are not angry with me, wife.” “What is the matter, then?” “Wife, that day when I was bound and led through the streets, I saved my life by vowing and offering to the deity that lives on Robbers’ Cliff; likewise it was through his supernatural power that I gained you for my wife. I was wondering how I could fulfill my vow of an offering to the deity.” “Husband, do not worry; I will see to the offering; tell me what is needed.” “Rich rice porridge, flavoured with honey; and the five kinds of flowers, including the làjà flower.” “Very well, husband, I will make ready the offering.” Having prepared the whole offering, she said to her husband, “Come, husband, let us go”. “Very well, wife; let your kinsmen remain behind; put on your costly garments and adorn yourself with your precious jewels, and we will go gaily, laughing and enjoying ourselves.” She did as she was told. But when they reached their destination, he said to her, I have no use for the offering; I deceived you in bringing you here with an offering.” “Then why did you bring me here, husband?” “To kill you, seize your jewels, and escape.” Terrified with the fear of death, she said to him, “Husband, both my jewels and my person belong to you; why do you speak thus?” Over and over again she pleaded with him, “Do not do this;” but his only reply was, I will kill you.” “After all, what will you gain by killing me? Take these jewels and spare my life.” She thought to herself, “Oh, what a wicked deed is this! However, wisdom was not made to be cooked and eaten, but rather to make men look before they leap. I shall find a way of dealing with him.” And she said to him, “Husband, when they caught you in the act of committing robbery and led you through the streets, I told my mother and father, and they spent a thousand pieces of money in ransoming you, and they gave you a place in their house, and from that time on I have been your benefactress; today do me the favour of letting me pay obeisance to you.” “Very well, wife,” said he, granted her the favour of paying obeisance to him, and then took his stand near the edge of the cliff. She walked around him three times, keeping him on her right hand, and paid obeisance to him in the four places. Then she said to him, “Husband, this is the last time I shall see you. Henceforth you will see me no more, neither shall I see you any more.” And she embraced him both before and behind. Then, remaining behind him, as he stood off his guard near the edge of the cliff, she put one hand to his shoulder and the other to the small of his back, and flung him over the cliff. Thus was the robber hurled into the abyss of the mountain, and dashed to pieces when he reached the bottom. Having thrown the robber over the cliff, she came to a certain hermitage of nuns. She reverently bowed and said, “Sister, receive me into your order as a nun.” So they received her as a nun.
When she had mastered the thousand articles of faith, they said to her, “You have acquired proficiency; now go throughout the length and breadth of Jambudãpa and look for some one able to match question and answer with you.” So, placing a branch of rose-apple in her hands, they dismissed her with these words, “Go forth, sister; if any one who is a layman is able to match question and answer with you, become his slave; if any monk, enter his Sangha as a nun.” No one was able to match question and answer with her; in fact, such a reputation did she acquire that whenever men heard the announcement, “Here comes the ‘Nun of the Rose-Apple,’” they would run away.
Before entering a town or village for alms, she would scrape a pile of sand together before the village gate and there plant her rose-apple branch. Then she would issue her challenge, “Let him that is able to match question and answer with me trample this rose-apple branch under his feet.” So saying, she would enter the village. No one dared to pass beyond that spot. When one branch withered, she would procure a fresh one. Traveling about in this way, she arrived at Sàvatthi, planted the branch before the city gate, issued her challenge in the usual way, and went in to seek alms. A number of young boys gathered about the branch and waited to see what would happen. Then the Venerable Sàriputta said, “Go ahead, boys, trample that branch under your feet.”
When the nun returned, she asked, “Venerable, did you tell them to trample my branch under their feet?” “Yes, sister.” “Well then, match question and answer with me.” “Very well, I will do so.”
The nun said to the Venerable, “Venerable, I wish to ask you a question.” “Ask it, sister.” So she asked him the thousand articles of faith. Every question the nun asked, the Venerable answered correctly. Then he said to her, “I will ask you just one; will you answer me?” “Ask your question, Venerable.” Then the Venerable asked her, “What is one?” She said to herself, “This is a question I should be able to answer,” but not knowing the answer, she inquired of the Venerable, “What is it, Venerable?” “This is the Buddha’s question, sister.” “Tell me also the answer, Venerable.” “If you will enter our Sangha, I will tell you the answer.” “Very well, admit me to the Sangha.” The Venerable sent word to the nuns and had her admitted. After being admitted to the Sangha, she made it her full profession, took the name Kunóalakēsã, and after a few days became an arahat endowed with the supernatural faculties.
☆☆☆
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
