Dhammapada verse #112
若人壽百歲──怠惰不精進，不如生一日──勵力行精進。
Though one should live a hundred years
lazy, of little effort,
yet better is life for a single day
strongly making effort.
☆☆☆
【第112偈的故事】
從前有一位比丘對自己無法證得聖果感到十分沮喪，同時覺得還俗既不恰當也是件羞恥的事，所以他認為自行結束生命比較恰當。他就把手放進裝有毒蛇的罐子，但罐中的蛇沒有咬他，這是他以前的善業保護他的緣故。後來，他又拿刀片企圖割喉自殺，但當他把刀片放在喉嚨的時候，他回想起自己今生做為一位比丘，在修行時所證得的清淨時，他的身心充滿喜悅。他接著超脫這份法喜，轉移心念至智慧的培養，不久就證得阿羅漢果。
他回到精舍時，其他比丘問他去那裏了？他回答說他企圖結束自己的生命，他們又問他，既然如此，他現在怎麼又在這裏呢？
「我本想用這把刀子割喉嚨，但我現在已經用智慧的劍斬除所有的煩惱。」他說。
這些比丘就向佛陀報告：「沙帕達沙自稱在企圖自殺時證得阿羅漢果，千鈞一髮的時刻，可以證得阿羅漢果嗎？」
「有可能，對精進修習止觀的修行人是有可能的。剎那間證得阿羅漢果是可能的，甚至當比丘經行時，腳尚未踏下去之前，都有可能證得阿羅漢果！」佛陀說。
(註) 證阿羅漢果純粹是心靈精神的層次，與世俗的時間和空間觀念無關。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Sappadàsa.
Once a monk was not feeling happy with the life of a monk; at the same time he felt that it would be improper and humiliating for him to return to the life of a householder. So he thought it would be better to die. So thinking this, on one occasion, he put his hand into a pot where there was a snake but the snake did not bite him. This was because in a past existence the snake was a slave and the monk was his master. Because of this incident the monk was known as Venerable Sappadàsa. On another occasion, Venerable Sappadàsa took a razor to cut his throat; but as he placed the razor on his throat he reflected on the purity of his morality practice throughout his life as a monk and his whole body was suffused with delightful satisfaction (pãti) and bliss (sukha). Then detaching himself from pãti, he directed his mind to the development of insight knowledge and soon attained arahatship, and he returned to the monastery.
On arrival at the monastery, other monks asked him where he had been and why he took the knife along with him. When he told them about his intention to take his life, they asked him why he did not do so. He answered, I originally intended to cut my throat with this knife, but I have now cut off all moral defilements with the knife of insight knowledge.” The monks did not believe him; so they went to the Buddha and asked, “Venerable Sir, this monk claims that he has attained arahatship as he was putting the knife to his throat to kill himself. Is it possible to attain arahatta magga within such a short time?” To them the Buddha said, “Monks! Yes, it is possible; for one who is zealous and strenuous in the practice of tranquillity and insight development, arahatship can be gained in an instant. As the monk walks in meditation, he can attain arahatship even before his raised foot touches the ground.”
他回到精舍時，其他比丘問他去那裏了？他回答說他企圖結束自己的生命，他們又問他，既然如此，他現在怎麼又在這裏呢？
「我本想用這把刀子割喉嚨，但我現在已經用智慧的劍斬除所有的煩惱。」他說。
這些比丘就向佛陀報告：「沙帕達沙自稱在企圖自殺時證得阿羅漢果，千鈞一髮的時刻，可以證得阿羅漢果嗎？」
「有可能，對精進修習止觀的修行人是有可能的。剎那間證得阿羅漢果是可能的，甚至當比丘經行時，腳尚未踏下去之前，都有可能證得阿羅漢果！」佛陀說。
(註) 證阿羅漢果純粹是心靈精神的層次，與世俗的時間和空間觀念無關。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Sappadàsa.
Once a monk was not feeling happy with the life of a monk; at the same time he felt that it would be improper and humiliating for him to return to the life of a householder. So he thought it would be better to die. So thinking this, on one occasion, he put his hand into a pot where there was a snake but the snake did not bite him. This was because in a past existence the snake was a slave and the monk was his master. Because of this incident the monk was known as Venerable Sappadàsa. On another occasion, Venerable Sappadàsa took a razor to cut his throat; but as he placed the razor on his throat he reflected on the purity of his morality practice throughout his life as a monk and his whole body was suffused with delightful satisfaction (pãti) and bliss (sukha). Then detaching himself from pãti, he directed his mind to the development of insight knowledge and soon attained arahatship, and he returned to the monastery.
On arrival at the monastery, other monks asked him where he had been and why he took the knife along with him. When he told them about his intention to take his life, they asked him why he did not do so. He answered, I originally intended to cut my throat with this knife, but I have now cut off all moral defilements with the knife of insight knowledge.” The monks did not believe him; so they went to the Buddha and asked, “Venerable Sir, this monk claims that he has attained arahatship as he was putting the knife to his throat to kill himself. Is it possible to attain arahatta magga within such a short time?” To them the Buddha said, “Monks! Yes, it is possible; for one who is zealous and strenuous in the practice of tranquillity and insight development, arahatship can be gained in an instant. As the monk walks in meditation, he can attain arahatship even before his raised foot touches the ground.”
☆☆☆
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
