Dhammapada verse #118
若人作善已，應復數數作；當喜於作善；積善則受樂。
If one should some merit make
do it again and again.
One should wish for it anew
for merit grows to joy.
☆☆☆
【第118偈的故事】
有一次，大迦葉尊者停留在畢缽離穴洞中，並且入禪定長達七天之久。當他出定後，希望提供機會給一個人，讓他能夠供養剛出定的修行人，就在這時候，他看見一位年輕的女子正在煮食物，就站在她門口化緣。年輕的女子看見大迦葉尊者時，滿心歡喜，她恭敬的說：「尊者！希望我這謙卑的供養，能夠使我明白究竟真理。」大迦葉尊者接受她的供養後，向她說隨喜：「希望你的願望能夠實現。」
後來，她被毒蛇咬到而喪生。她往生為忉利天的天神，擁有天神的一切榮耀。她知道自己所以能往生忉利天為天神，是因為供養大迦葉尊者的關係，所以十分感激他，便決定繼續做善事，使福報能持續下去。她每天清晨都到精舍去打掃周邊環境，把水壺裝滿水，並且做其它的工作。大迦葉尊者剛開始的時候以為是年輕沙彌的服務，後來，他發現竟然是一名女天神在做這些工作，就勸她不要再來精舍，避免別人說閒話。聽完大迦葉尊者的話後，她非常生氣，哭泣著向尊者懇求：「請你不要毀了我的福報！」
這時候，佛陀聽見她的哭聲，便放光安慰她說，雖然善事非常重要，但身為年輕女子，單身來精舍服務並不值得鼓勵。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this Verse, with reference to the goddess Làjà.
For a while Venerable Kassapa the Great was in residence at Pipphalã Cave, he entered into a state of trance, remaining therein for seven days. Arising from trance on the seventh day, he surveyed with supernatural vision the places where he wanted to go for alms. As he looked abroad, he beheld a certain woman, the keeper of a field of rice-paddy, parching heads of rice which she had gathered. Thereupon he considered within himself, “Is she endowed with faith or is she not endowed with faith?” Straightaway becoming aware that she was endowed with faith, he reflected, “Will she be able to render me assistance?” Straightaway he became aware of the following, “This noble young woman is wise and resourceful; she will render me assistance, and as the result of so doing will receive a rich reward.” So he put on his robes, took bowl in hand, and went and stood near the rice-field. When this noble young woman saw the Venerable, her heart believed, and her body was suffused with the five sorts of joy. “Wait a moment, Venerable,” said she. Taking some of the parched rice, she went quickly to him, poured the rice into the Venerable’s bowl, and then, saluting him with the five rests, she made an earnest wish, saying, “Venerable, may I be a partaker of the Truth you have seen?” “So be it,” replied the Venerable, pronouncing the words of thanksgiving. Then that noble young woman saluted the Venerable and set out to return, reflecting upon the alms she had given to the Venerable.
Now in a certain hole by the road skirting the field of growing rice lurked a poisonous snake. He was not able to bite the Venerable’s leg, for it was covered with his yellow robe. But as that noble young woman reached that spot on her return, reflecting upon the alms she had given to the Venerable, the snake wriggled out of his hole, bit her, and then and there caused her to fall prostrate on the ground. Dying with believing heart, she was reborn in heaven. As a goddess she came down from time to time and attended to the upkeep of the Venerable’s place – cleaning the premises etc. When the Venerable saw what had been done, he concluded, “Some probationer or novice must have rendered me this service.” On the second day the goddess did the same thing again, and the Venerable again came to the same conclusion. But on the third day the Venerable heard the sound of her sweeping, and looking in through the keyhole, saw the radiant image of her body. And straightaway he asked, “Who is it that is sweeping?” “It is I, Venerable, your female disciple the goddess Làjà.” “I have no female disciple by that name.” “Venerable, when I was a young woman tending a ricefield, I gave you parched rice; as I returned on my way, a snake bit me, and I died with believing heart and was reborn in the Heavenly World. Since it was through you that I received this glory, I said to myself, ‘I will perform the major and minor duties for you and so make my salvation sure.’ Therefore came I hither, Venerable.” “Was it you that swept this place for me yesterday and on the preceding days, setting out water for drinking?” “Yes, Venerable.” “Pray depart hence, goddess. Never mind about the duties you have rendered, but henceforth come no more hither.” “Venerable, do not destroy me. Permit me to perform the major and minor services for you and so make my salvation sure.” “Goddess, depart hence, lest in the future, when expounders of the law take the variegated fan and sit down, they have reason to say, ‘Report has it that a goddess comes and performs the major and minor duties for Venerable Kassapa, setting out water for him to drink.” Thereupon the goddess wept and wailed and lamented, standing poised in the air. About this incident the Buddha said, “Indeed, both in this world and the world to come, it is the doing of good works alone that brings happiness.”
後來，她被毒蛇咬到而喪生。她往生為忉利天的天神，擁有天神的一切榮耀。她知道自己所以能往生忉利天為天神，是因為供養大迦葉尊者的關係，所以十分感激他，便決定繼續做善事，使福報能持續下去。她每天清晨都到精舍去打掃周邊環境，把水壺裝滿水，並且做其它的工作。大迦葉尊者剛開始的時候以為是年輕沙彌的服務，後來，他發現竟然是一名女天神在做這些工作，就勸她不要再來精舍，避免別人說閒話。聽完大迦葉尊者的話後，她非常生氣，哭泣著向尊者懇求：「請你不要毀了我的福報！」
這時候，佛陀聽見她的哭聲，便放光安慰她說，雖然善事非常重要，但身為年輕女子，單身來精舍服務並不值得鼓勵。
While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this Verse, with reference to the goddess Làjà.
For a while Venerable Kassapa the Great was in residence at Pipphalã Cave, he entered into a state of trance, remaining therein for seven days. Arising from trance on the seventh day, he surveyed with supernatural vision the places where he wanted to go for alms. As he looked abroad, he beheld a certain woman, the keeper of a field of rice-paddy, parching heads of rice which she had gathered. Thereupon he considered within himself, “Is she endowed with faith or is she not endowed with faith?” Straightaway becoming aware that she was endowed with faith, he reflected, “Will she be able to render me assistance?” Straightaway he became aware of the following, “This noble young woman is wise and resourceful; she will render me assistance, and as the result of so doing will receive a rich reward.” So he put on his robes, took bowl in hand, and went and stood near the rice-field. When this noble young woman saw the Venerable, her heart believed, and her body was suffused with the five sorts of joy. “Wait a moment, Venerable,” said she. Taking some of the parched rice, she went quickly to him, poured the rice into the Venerable’s bowl, and then, saluting him with the five rests, she made an earnest wish, saying, “Venerable, may I be a partaker of the Truth you have seen?” “So be it,” replied the Venerable, pronouncing the words of thanksgiving. Then that noble young woman saluted the Venerable and set out to return, reflecting upon the alms she had given to the Venerable.
Now in a certain hole by the road skirting the field of growing rice lurked a poisonous snake. He was not able to bite the Venerable’s leg, for it was covered with his yellow robe. But as that noble young woman reached that spot on her return, reflecting upon the alms she had given to the Venerable, the snake wriggled out of his hole, bit her, and then and there caused her to fall prostrate on the ground. Dying with believing heart, she was reborn in heaven. As a goddess she came down from time to time and attended to the upkeep of the Venerable’s place – cleaning the premises etc. When the Venerable saw what had been done, he concluded, “Some probationer or novice must have rendered me this service.” On the second day the goddess did the same thing again, and the Venerable again came to the same conclusion. But on the third day the Venerable heard the sound of her sweeping, and looking in through the keyhole, saw the radiant image of her body. And straightaway he asked, “Who is it that is sweeping?” “It is I, Venerable, your female disciple the goddess Làjà.” “I have no female disciple by that name.” “Venerable, when I was a young woman tending a ricefield, I gave you parched rice; as I returned on my way, a snake bit me, and I died with believing heart and was reborn in the Heavenly World. Since it was through you that I received this glory, I said to myself, ‘I will perform the major and minor duties for you and so make my salvation sure.’ Therefore came I hither, Venerable.” “Was it you that swept this place for me yesterday and on the preceding days, setting out water for drinking?” “Yes, Venerable.” “Pray depart hence, goddess. Never mind about the duties you have rendered, but henceforth come no more hither.” “Venerable, do not destroy me. Permit me to perform the major and minor services for you and so make my salvation sure.” “Goddess, depart hence, lest in the future, when expounders of the law take the variegated fan and sit down, they have reason to say, ‘Report has it that a goddess comes and performs the major and minor duties for Venerable Kassapa, setting out water for him to drink.” Thereupon the goddess wept and wailed and lamented, standing poised in the air. About this incident the Buddha said, “Indeed, both in this world and the world to come, it is the doing of good works alone that brings happiness.”
☆☆☆
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
