Dhammapada verse #109
好樂敬禮者，常尊於長老，四法得增長：壽美樂與力。
For one of respectful nature
who ever the elders honours,
long life and beauty, joy and strength,
these qualities increase.
☆☆☆
【第109偈的故事】
從前，有兩位隱士共同居住在一起，並且一起修習苦行多年。後來，其中一位還俗，並且結了婚。當他的兒子出生後，他們夫妻兩人便帶著兒子去拜訪仍在苦行的隱士。這隱士看見他們時，對他們說：「願你們長命百歲！」但卻對男孩不說任何好話。他們十分困惑，問隱士為何對孩子保持沉默。隱士告訴他們這孩子只能再活七天，雖然他無法拯救孩子，但佛陀可能有辦法。
他們就帶著孩子去找佛陀。當兩人向佛陀頂禮問訊時，佛陀也只說：「願你們長命百歲！」而無言以對他們的孩子。佛陀知道男孩來日無多，為了防止孩子夭壽，佛陀吩咐他們在家門前搭起帳蓬，然後把孩子放在蓬內的床上。佛陀也派遣幾位比丘前去唸誦「護經」(註)七天。第七天，佛陀親自來到帳蓬，天神們也來了。這時候，一隻惡魔也在門口等待機會要奪走男孩的生命，但眾多天神繼續來臨，惡魔只好後退，讓出位子給天神們，結果，它只能站在離男孩很遠的地方。那天晚上，比丘們徹夜唸誦護經，男孩也因此獲救。第二天，男孩被人家從床上抱起來向佛陀致敬意，佛陀對男孩說：「願你長壽！」有人問佛陀，這孩子能活多久，佛陀說一百二十歲。因此人們就稱呼這孩子為亞育瓦達那（意思是長壽的孩子）。
男孩長大後，和他的朋友和信徒在國境內到處參訪。有一天，他們抵達祇樹給孤獨園時，園裏的比丘們認出他來，比丘就問佛陀說：「有沒有辦法使眾生長壽？」
佛陀說：「尊敬崇仰老者和智慧與德行兼備的人，可以讓人得到長壽、美貌、幸福和力量。」
註：「護經」是宗教偈語或經，如《慈經》或《寶經》，常常被唱誦以求保護，防止受傷害。
While residing in a village monastery near Dãghalanghika, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to âyuvaóóhanakumàra.
Once, there were two hermits who lived together practicing religious austerities for forty-eight years. Later, one of the two left the hermit life and got married. After a son was born, the family visited the old hermit and paid obeisance to him. To the parents the hermit said, “May you live long.” but he said nothing to the child. The parents were puzzled and asked the hermit the reason for his silence. The hermit told them that the child would live only seven more days and that he did not know how to prevent his death, but the Buddha might know how to do it.
So the parents took the child to the Buddha; when they paid obeisance to the Buddha, he also said, “May you live long” to the parents only and not to the child. The Buddha also predicted the impending death of the child. To prevent his death, the parents were told to build a pavilion at the entrance to the house, and put the child on a couch in the pavilion. Then some monks were sent there to recite the parittàs (protective chants) for seven days. On the seventh day the Buddha himself came to that pavilion; the dēvas from all over the universe also came. At that time the evil spirit Avaruddhaka was at the entrance, waiting for a chance to take the child away. But as more powerful dēvas arrived the evil spirit had to step back and make room for them so that he had to stay at a place two leagues away from the child. That whole night, recitation of parittàs continued, thus protecting the child. The next day, the child was taken up from the couch and made to pay obeisance to the Buddha. This time, the Buddha said “May you live long” to the child. When asked how long the child would live, the Buddha replied that he would live up to one hundred and twenty years. So the child was named âyuvaóóhana.
When the child grew up, he went about the country with a company of five hundred fellow devotees. One day, they came to the Jētavana Monastery, and the monks, recognizing him, asked the Buddha, “For beings is there any means of gaining longevity?” To this question the Buddha answered, “By respecting and honouring the elders and those who are wise and virtuous, one would gain not only longevity, but also beauty, happiness and strength.”
他們就帶著孩子去找佛陀。當兩人向佛陀頂禮問訊時，佛陀也只說：「願你們長命百歲！」而無言以對他們的孩子。佛陀知道男孩來日無多，為了防止孩子夭壽，佛陀吩咐他們在家門前搭起帳蓬，然後把孩子放在蓬內的床上。佛陀也派遣幾位比丘前去唸誦「護經」(註)七天。第七天，佛陀親自來到帳蓬，天神們也來了。這時候，一隻惡魔也在門口等待機會要奪走男孩的生命，但眾多天神繼續來臨，惡魔只好後退，讓出位子給天神們，結果，它只能站在離男孩很遠的地方。那天晚上，比丘們徹夜唸誦護經，男孩也因此獲救。第二天，男孩被人家從床上抱起來向佛陀致敬意，佛陀對男孩說：「願你長壽！」有人問佛陀，這孩子能活多久，佛陀說一百二十歲。因此人們就稱呼這孩子為亞育瓦達那（意思是長壽的孩子）。
男孩長大後，和他的朋友和信徒在國境內到處參訪。有一天，他們抵達祇樹給孤獨園時，園裏的比丘們認出他來，比丘就問佛陀說：「有沒有辦法使眾生長壽？」
佛陀說：「尊敬崇仰老者和智慧與德行兼備的人，可以讓人得到長壽、美貌、幸福和力量。」
註：「護經」是宗教偈語或經，如《慈經》或《寶經》，常常被唱誦以求保護，防止受傷害。
While residing in a village monastery near Dãghalanghika, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to âyuvaóóhanakumàra.
Once, there were two hermits who lived together practicing religious austerities for forty-eight years. Later, one of the two left the hermit life and got married. After a son was born, the family visited the old hermit and paid obeisance to him. To the parents the hermit said, “May you live long.” but he said nothing to the child. The parents were puzzled and asked the hermit the reason for his silence. The hermit told them that the child would live only seven more days and that he did not know how to prevent his death, but the Buddha might know how to do it.
So the parents took the child to the Buddha; when they paid obeisance to the Buddha, he also said, “May you live long” to the parents only and not to the child. The Buddha also predicted the impending death of the child. To prevent his death, the parents were told to build a pavilion at the entrance to the house, and put the child on a couch in the pavilion. Then some monks were sent there to recite the parittàs (protective chants) for seven days. On the seventh day the Buddha himself came to that pavilion; the dēvas from all over the universe also came. At that time the evil spirit Avaruddhaka was at the entrance, waiting for a chance to take the child away. But as more powerful dēvas arrived the evil spirit had to step back and make room for them so that he had to stay at a place two leagues away from the child. That whole night, recitation of parittàs continued, thus protecting the child. The next day, the child was taken up from the couch and made to pay obeisance to the Buddha. This time, the Buddha said “May you live long” to the child. When asked how long the child would live, the Buddha replied that he would live up to one hundred and twenty years. So the child was named âyuvaóóhana.
When the child grew up, he went about the country with a company of five hundred fellow devotees. One day, they came to the Jētavana Monastery, and the monks, recognizing him, asked the Buddha, “For beings is there any means of gaining longevity?” To this question the Buddha answered, “By respecting and honouring the elders and those who are wise and virtuous, one would gain not only longevity, but also beauty, happiness and strength.”
☆☆☆
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
