Dhammapada verse #108
若人於世間，施捨或供養，求福一週年，如是諸功德，不及四分一，禮敬正直者。
Whatever one who merit seeks
should for a year make sacrifice,
all comes not to a quarter part
of honouring the Noble.
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【第108偈的故事】
有一次，舍利弗問一位婆羅門的朋友，有沒有做過任何的功德，他朋友回答說，他長久以來都提供大量的祭祀犧牲，希望來生能往生梵天。
舍利弗告訴朋友說，他的老師們一直教導他虛幻的希望，他的老師們根本不知道往生梵天的方法。舍利弗就引導他去見佛陀，請佛陀教他往生梵天的方法。
佛陀說：「婆羅門，即使僅是頃刻間頂禮聖者，也比整年度所供奉的大大小小祭祀犧牲，要來得好。」
While residing at the Vēluvana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to a friend of Venerable Sàriputta.
The Venerable approached him and asked him, “Bràhmin, do you ever do a single good deed?” “Yes, Venerable.”
“What do you do?” “I offer sacrificial slaughter.’ (At that time, we are told, it was the custom to offer sacrificial slaughter at an expenditure of immense sums of money.)
The Venerable, after questioning his companion in that manner, conducted him to the Buddha, informed him of the incident, and said to him, “Venerable, tell this man the way to the World of Brahma.”
The Buddha asked him, “Bràhmin, are you correctly reported?” “Yes,” replied the bràhmin.
“Bràhmin, though you should offer sacrificial slaughter for a year, yet would your act not be worth the fourth part of the act of him who, with believing heart, gives alms on the people, or of those who, with good intention, render homage to my disciples.”
舍利弗告訴朋友說，他的老師們一直教導他虛幻的希望，他的老師們根本不知道往生梵天的方法。舍利弗就引導他去見佛陀，請佛陀教他往生梵天的方法。
佛陀說：「婆羅門，即使僅是頃刻間頂禮聖者，也比整年度所供奉的大大小小祭祀犧牲，要來得好。」
While residing at the Vēluvana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to a friend of Venerable Sàriputta.
The Venerable approached him and asked him, “Bràhmin, do you ever do a single good deed?” “Yes, Venerable.”
“What do you do?” “I offer sacrificial slaughter.’ (At that time, we are told, it was the custom to offer sacrificial slaughter at an expenditure of immense sums of money.)
The Venerable, after questioning his companion in that manner, conducted him to the Buddha, informed him of the incident, and said to him, “Venerable, tell this man the way to the World of Brahma.”
The Buddha asked him, “Bràhmin, are you correctly reported?” “Yes,” replied the bràhmin.
“Bràhmin, though you should offer sacrificial slaughter for a year, yet would your act not be worth the fourth part of the act of him who, with believing heart, gives alms on the people, or of those who, with good intention, render homage to my disciples.”
☆☆☆
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
