Dhammapada verse #130

一切懼刀杖，一切皆愛生，以自度（他情），莫殺教他殺。

All tremble at force,
dear is life to all.
Likening others to oneself
kill not nor cause to kill.

☆☆☆

【第130偈的故事】

祇樹給孤獨園的比丘互毆事件(註)發生後，佛陀就制定不可互相毆打的戒律，所有的比丘都奉行該戒律。儘管如此，這兩群比丘後來又為了同一座塔再度爭吵。

　　但這一次，一群比丘威脅恐嚇另一群比丘，以致於受恐嚇的比丘們因為害怕，而大叫。佛陀知道威脅恐嚇的事情後，更進一步制定比丘不可互相威脅恐嚇的戒律。

（註）請參考第129偈的故事。

While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to a group of six monks. This is linked to the previous verse.

After having exchanged blows over the incident at the Jētavana Monastery, the same two groups of monks quarrelled again over the same building. As the rule relating to physically hurting others had already been laid down by the Buddha, this particular rule was strictly observed by both groups.

However, this time one of the two groups made threatening gestures to the other group, to the extent that the latter cried out in fright. The Buddha, after hearing about this threatening attitude of the monks, introduced the disciplinary rule preventing the making of threatening gestures to each other.

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English source: "Treasury of Truth: Illustrated Dhammapada" by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero
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

Dhammapada verse #129

一切懼刀杖，一切皆畏死，以自度（他情），莫殺教他殺。
All tremble at force,
of death are all afraid.
Likening others to oneself
kill not nor cause to kill.

☆☆☆

【第129偈的故事】

有一次，一群比丘在祇樹給孤獨園中清洗一座塔，企圖佔有該座塔，但半途卻被另一群剛到的比丘打斷清洗的工作。

　　「我們比你們年長且資深，你們最好尊敬、禮讓我們；我們要佔有這座塔，沒有人可以阻擋我們！」後來的比丘們告訴正在清洗塔的比丘們。

　　但正在清洗塔的比丘們卻抗拒後來比丘們不友善的干擾，不屈服於他們的要求，所以就被他們鞭打，直到疼痛不堪，大聲喊叫。

　　當佛陀知道這件騷動的事件，並且明白彼此之間的爭吵後，訓誡他們，並制定比丘不准傷害其他比丘的戒律。

While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to a group of six monks.

Once, a group of monks was cleaning up a building in the Jētavana Monastery with the intention of occupying it, when they were interrupted in their task by another group of monks who had arrived at the scene. The monks who had come later told the first group of monks who were cleaning the building, “We are elderly and more senior to you, so you had better accord us every respect and give way to us; we are going to occupy this place and nothing will stop us from doing so.”

However, the first group of monks resisted the unwelcome intrusion by the senior monks and did not give in to their demands, whereupon they were beaten up by the senior monks till they could not bear the beatings and cried out in pain.

News of the commotion had reached the Buddha who, on learning about the quarrel between the two groups of monks, admonished them and introduced the disciplinary rule whereby monks should refrain from hurting one another.

☆☆☆

English source: "Treasury of Truth: Illustrated Dhammapada" by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero
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

Dhammapada verse #128

非於虛空及海中，亦非入深山洞窟，欲求不為死魔制，世間實無可覓處。

Neither in sky nor surrounding by sea,
nor by dwelling in a mountain cave,
nowhere is found that place in earth
where one’s by death not overcome.

☆☆☆

【第128偈的故事】

善覺王是提婆達兜的父親，也是佛陀的丈人。他基於兩個原因對佛陀十分反感，第一、佛陀拋棄他的女兒耶輸陀羅，捨棄世間，第二、他的兒子提婆達兜認為佛陀是他的對頭。

　　有一天，他知道佛陀要來化緣，就喝醉酒，擋住佛陀前來的路。當佛陀和比丘前來時，他拒絕讓路，反而派人告訴佛陀：「我無法讓路給佛陀，因為佛陀比我年輕太多了。」這時候佛陀和比丘發現路被擋住了，就轉回頭。他卻又派人秘密跟隨佛陀，看佛陀怎麼說，然後回報給他。

　　佛陀轉身的時候告訴阿難：「善覺王因為拒絕讓路給佛陀，已經造下惡業，不久就要受到業報。

　　當善覺王知道佛陀的預測時，誓言採取特別的預防措施，以證明佛陀的話是錯誤的。他要求他的侍衛加強保護，執勤時要更機警。

　　佛陀知道善覺王的措施時說：「比丘們！不管善覺王是否住在尖頂高塔，高高的天上、海洋或山洞，他都無法逃避所作惡業的業報。」

　　七天後進餐的時候，善覺王鍾愛的一匹馬不知何故受到驚嚇而大聲嘶鳴，並且憤怒地踢腿。王聽見馬驚惶的聲音時，忘了要格外小心的事，而想要親自去照顧愛馬，就往門外走去，但卻跌落樓梯而摔死了，並往生惡趣。

　　不管多麼努力，愚蠢的善覺王仍然逃避不了所作惡業的業報。

While residing at the Nigrōdhàràma Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to King Suppabuddha.

King Suppabuddha was the father of Dēvadatta and father-inlaw of Prince Siddhattha who later became Gōtama Buddha. King Suppabuddha was very antagonistic to the Buddha for two reasons. First, because as Prince Siddhattha he had left his wife Yasōdharà, the daughter of King Suppabuddha, to renounce the world; and secondly, because his son Dēvadatta, who was admitted into the Order by Gōtama Buddha, had come to regard the Buddha as his arch enemy. One day, knowing that the Buddha would be coming for alms-food, he got himself drunk and blocked the way. When the Buddha and the monks came, Suppabuddha refused to make way, and sent a message saying, I cannot give way to Samana Gōtama, who is so much younger than me.” Finding the road blocked, the Buddha and the monks turned back. Suppabuddha then sent someone to follow the Buddha secretly and find out what the Buddha said, and to report to him.

As the Buddha turned back, he said to ânanda, “ânanda, because King Suppabuddha refused to give way to me, on the seventh day from now he will be swallowed up by the earth, at the foot of the steps leading to the pinnacled hall of his palace.” The king’s spy heard these words and reported to the king. And the king said that he would not go near those steps and would prove the words of the Buddha to be wrong. Further, he instructed his men to remove those steps, so that he would not be able to use them; he also kept some men on duty, with instructions to hold him back should he go in the direction of the stairs.

When the Buddha was told about the king’s instructions to his men, he said, “Monks! Whether King Suppabuddha lives in a pinnacled tower, or up in the sky, or in an ocean or in a cave, my word cannot go wrong; King Suppabuddha will be swallowed up by the earth at the very place I have told you.”

On the seventh day, about the time of the alms meal the royal horse got frightened for some unknown reason and started neighing loudly and kicking about furiously. Hearing frightening noises from his horse, the king felt that he must handle his pet horse and forgetting all precautions, he started towards the door. The door opened of its own accord, the steps which had been pulled down earlier were also there, his men forgot to stop him from going down. So the king went down the stairs and as soon as he stepped on the earth, it opened and swallowed him up and dragged him right down to Avãci Hell. Thus, no matter how hard he tried, the foolish king was unable to escape the effects of his evil kamma.

☆☆☆

English source: "Treasury of Truth: Illustrated Dhammapada" by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero
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

Dhammapada verse #127

非於虛空及海中，亦非入深山洞窟，欲求逃遁惡業者，世間實無可覓處。

Neither in sky nor surrounding by sea,
nor by dwelling in a mountain cave,
nowhere is found that place in earth
where one’s from evil kamma free.

☆☆☆

【第127偈的故事】

一群比丘出發前往佛陀的住處。他們在路上的村子暫時休息。一些村民就煮了食物要供養。這時候，一間房子著火了，火焰直衝上天，一隻正好飛過的烏鴉，不幸被火燒到，跌下來死掉了。這群比丘看著死去的烏鴉，心想只有佛陀有智慧解釋這烏鴉做了什麼惡業，才會如此死去，所以吃完供養的食物後，他們就繼續上路。

　　另有一群比丘，欲搭船前往佛陀的住處。當他們的船正在大海的中央時，無法再前進，船上的人就抽籤，想找出誰是不吉祥的人，結果連抽三次，都指出船長的妻子是不幸的人，這時候，船長抱歉的說：「大夥兒不需因為一位不幸的女人而喪生。在她脖子上綁上沙袋，丟到海裏去吧！我就不會再看見她了。」船長的妻子就被人照著船長的話丟進海裡，船也可以再前進了。靠岸後，比丘們下了船，繼續他們的行程。他們也急於想請教佛陀，船長不幸的妻子究竟做了什麼惡業，而會被丟到海中。

　　同時，還有第三批的比丘也要去面見佛陀。一天晚上，他們走到一處精舍附近，便請求能在那附近借宿一宵，於是他們被引導到一處山洞。但半夜時，突然掉下來一大塊石頭，擋住了洞口。第二天，精舍的比丘發現大石擋住山洞口時，就到村子裡去找人來幫忙，但還是無法移動大石，這群比丘只好一直被困在洞裡。直到第七天，大石奇蹟似的自洞口移開，這群比丘這才出來，繼續他們的行程。他們也想去請問佛陀，是什麼樣的因緣令他們被關在洞中。這三團比丘後來在路上碰面了，他們互相交換所見和親身經驗的事，然後一起前進。

　　佛陀告訴第一群比丘：「比丘們！從前有一位農夫，他有一隻非常懶惰且倔強的公牛。農夫無法要這牛做事，它不是躺著反芻，就是睡覺。農夫發了幾次脾氣，最後，憤怒地用草繩綁住牛的脖子，放火燒死它。因為這惡業，農夫受到很多的苦痛，而且在過去的幾生中，他都被燒死，以償還剩餘的業報。」

　　至於第二批比丘的問題，佛陀如此回答：「從前有一位婦女，有一隻狗，不管她到那裏去，也不管她在做什麼，這狗總是跟著她，結果有些年輕的男孩就取笑她。她非常生氣，感當十分羞辱，想要殺死這狗。她便用裝滿沙子的罐子綁在狗的脖子，然後丟到河裡，狗就溺死了。由於這惡業，她受到很多的苦痛，而且在過去的幾世裏，都被人投入河中溺死，償還剩餘的惡報業（註）。」

　　佛陀也回答第三批比丘的問題：「比丘們！有一次，七個牧牛人看見一隻蜥蝪走進地面的裂縫中，他們出於玩樂的心理，把所有裂縫的出口全部封住，然後走開，忘記那隻蜥蝪仍在其中。七天後，他們才想起來，趕忙回去，打開出口讓蜥蜴出來。由於這惡業，你們七人才會一起被關七天，而且沒有任何食物吃。」

　　這時候，一位比丘說道：人若做惡業，絕對無法逃避惡報。不管他 （她）是在空中，地上或水上。」

　　「是啊！比丘！你說的不錯，甚至在空中或任何地方，沒有地方可以躲避惡業的！」佛陀如是說。

備註：
　　這隻狗的某一前世是這位婦人的丈夫，在生死輪迴的洪流中，每個人都曾經是別人的六親眷屬。由於強烈熾熱的愛戀，這隻狗無法遠離這婦人，所以佛陀勸誡世人，愛戀繫縛世人最緊。

A group of monks were on their way to pay homage to the Buddha and they stopped at a village on the way. Some people were cooking alms-food for those monks, when one of the houses caught fire and a ring of fire flew up into the air. At that moment, a crow came flying, got caught in the ring of fire and dropped dead in the central part of the village. The monks, seeing the dead crow, observed that only the Buddha would be able to explain for what evil deed this crow had to die in this manner. After taking alms-food, they went to the Buddha, to ask about the crow. Another group of monks were on their way to pay homage to the Buddha. When they were in the middle of the ocean, the boat could not be moved. So, lots were drawn to find out who the unlucky one was. Three times the lot fell on the wife of the skipper. Then the skipper said sorrowfully, “Many people should not die on account of this unlucky woman; tie a pot of sand to her neck and throw her into the water.” The woman was thrown into the sea and the ship started to move. On arrival at their destination, the monks disembarked and continued on their way to the Buddha. They also intended to ask the Buddha due to what evil kamma the unfortunate woman was thrown overboard.

A group of seven monks also went to pay homage to the Buddha. On the way, they enquired at a monastery and they were directed to a cave, and there they spent the night; but in the middle of the night, a large boulder slipped off from above and closed the entrance. In the morning, the monks from the nearby monastery coming to the cave, saw that and they went to bring people from seven villages. With the help of these people they tried to move the boulder, but the seven monks were trapped in the cave without food or water for seven days. On the seventh day, the boulder moved miraculously by itself, and the monks came out and continued their way to the Buddha. They also intended to ask the Buddha due to what previous evil deed they were thus shut up for seven days in a cave.

The three groups of travelling monks went to the Buddha. Each group related to the Buddha what they had seen on their way and the Buddha answered their questions. The Buddha’s answer to the first group: “Monks, once there was a farmer who had a very lazy and stubborn ox. The farmer, in anger, tied a straw rope round the neck of the ox and set fire to it, and the ox died. On account of this evil deed, the farmer had suffered for a long time in Hell (Niraya) He had been burnt to death in the last seven existences.” The past actions brought on the present suffering. The Buddha’s answer to the second group: “Monks, once there was a woman who had a dog. Whatever she did and wherever she went the dog always followed her. As a result, some young boys would poke fun at her. She was very angry and felt so ashamed that she planned to kill the dog. She filled a pot with sand, tied it round the neck of the dog and threw it into the water; and the dog was drowned. On account of this evil deed, that woman had suffered for a long time and, in serving the remaining part of the effect, she had been thrown into the water to be drowned.” The Buddha’s answer to the third group: “Monks, once, seven cowherds saw an iguana going into a mound and, for fun, they closed all the outlets of the mound. After completely forgetting the iguana that was trapped in the mound. Only after seven days did they remember what they had done and hurried to the scene of their mischief to let the iguana out. On account of this evil deed, you seven have been imprisoned together for seven days without any food.” The Buddha replied, “Even in the sky or anywhere else, there is no place which is beyond the reach of the consequences
of evil.”

☆☆☆

English source: "Treasury of Truth: Illustrated Dhammapada" by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero
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

Dhammapada verse #126

有人生於（母）胎中，作惡者則（墮）地獄，正直之人昇天界，漏盡者證入涅槃。

Some find birth within a womb,
evil-doer quicken in hell,
good-farers to the heavens go,
the Unpolluted wholly cool.

☆☆☆

【第126偈的故事】

從前，舍衛城裡有位首飾工匠，他每天都供養一位已經證得阿羅漢果的比丘。有一天，這首飾工匠正在處理一塊肉時，憍薩羅國波斯匿王派遣一位使者送來一顆紅寶石，請他加以切割、修飾後再送還國王。首飾工匠就用沾染鮮血的手拿取紅寶石，把它放在桌子上，然後到屋子裡洗手。這時候，工匠的寵物鳥以為染有血跡的紅寶石是塊肉，就當著比丘的面，用嘴把紅寶石挑起來，並且吞下肚子。工匠洗手出來後，發現紅寶石不見了，就問妻子和孩子們說：「紅寶石那裏去了？」他們都說沒有拿紅寶石。最後，工匠詢問比丘，比丘也說沒拿紅寶石，但工匠卻不滿意比丘的回答。他認為既然其他外人，只有比丘在場，所以只有比丘才有可能拿走紅寶石。他告訴妻子，他要鞭打比丘，比丘才會認罪。

但他妻子回答說：「過去十二年來，這比丘一直是我們的宗教老師，而且我們也從來沒看見他做任何壞事，不要譭謗他。寧可接受國王的懲罰，也不可譭謗修行的人。」

但工匠卻聽不進去她的勸告。他找出一條繩子，把比丘綁緊，然後，用棍子毒打，比丘因此頭破血流。這時，寵物小鳥看見血，以為又是肉，想要再吃，就飛到比丘身邊。但這時候工匠怒不可遏，使盡全力一踢，剛好踢中小鳥，當場死亡。比丘看見小鳥倒地，就說：「請看看小鳥是否已死？」工匠魯莽地說：「你也會像小鳥一樣死掉。」比丘確定小鳥死了，就輕聲說道：「弟子，是這小鳥吞下紅寶石的！」

工匠聽見比丘這麼說，就把小鳥的腹部切開，果真在小鳥的胃裡發現紅寶石，這時候他才明白自己犯下大錯，因而顫慄害怕。他懇求比丘原諒，請他以後繼續來他家化緣。比丘回答他說：「這不是你的錯，也不是我的錯。這是我們累世以來所結的業緣，這只是我們輪迴的債而已，我對你沒有絲毫恨意。事實上，這是因為我進入居士家的後果，從今以後，我再也不進任何人的家，我只會站在門口。」

不久之後，比丘因為傷重而不治，但已證得涅槃。這小鳥卻往生成工匠的兒子。工匠死後，墮入地獄。而工匠妻子由於當時善心對待比丘，死後往生到某一天界。

（註）眾生若墮入四惡趣，受報之後，仍可能因為過去的善業往生善趣。

While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Venerable Tissa.

Once, there was a gem polisher and his wife in Sàvatthi; there was also a Venerable (senior monk), who was an arahat. Every day, the couple offered alms-food to the Venerable. One day, while the gem polisher was handling meat, a messenger of King Pasēnadi of Kōsala arrived with a ruby, which was to be cut and polished and sent back to the king. The gem polisher took the ruby with his hand which was covered with blood, put it on a table and went into the house to wash his hands. The pet crane of the family, seeing the blood stained ruby and mistaking it for a piece of meat, picked it up and swallowed it in the presence of the Venerable. When the gem polisher returned, he found that the ruby was missing. He asked his wife and his son and they answered that they had not taken it. Then, he asked the Venerable who said that he did not take it. The gem polisher was not satisfied. As there was no one else in the house, the gem polisher concluded that it must be the Venerable who had taken the precious ruby: so he told his wife that he must torture the Venerable to get admission of theft.

But his wife replied, “This Venerable had been our guide and teacher for the last twelve years, and we have never seen him doing anything evil; please do not accuse the Venerable. It would be better to take the king’s punishment than to accuse a noble one.” But her husband paid no heed to her words; he took a rope and tied up the Venerable and beat him many times with a stick. As a result of this, the Venerable bled profusely from the head, ears and nose, and dropped on the floor. The crane, seeing blood and wishing to take it, came close to the Venerable. The gem polisher, who was by then in a great rage, kicked the crane with all his might and the bird died instantaneously. Then, the Venerable said, “Please see whether the crane is dead or not,” and the gem polisher replied, “You too shall die like this crane.” When the Venerable was sure the crane had died, he said, softly, “My disciple, the crane swallowed the ruby.”

Hearing this, the gem polisher cut up the crane and found the ruby in the stomach. Then, the gem polisher realized his mistake and trembled with fear. He pleaded with the Venerable to pardon him and also to continue to come to his door for alms. The Venerable replied, “My disciple, it is not your fault, nor is it mine. This has happened on account of what has been done in our previous existences; it is just our debt in saüsàra; I feel no ill will towards you. As a matter of fact, this has happened because I have entered a house. From today, I would not enter any house; I would only stand at the door.” Soon after saying this, the Venerable expired as a result of his injuries.

Later, the monks asked the Buddha where the various characters in the above episode were reborn, and the Buddha answered, “The crane was reborn as the son of the gem polisher; the gem polisher was reborn in Niraya (Hell); the wife of the gem polisher was reborn in one of the dēva worlds; and the Venerable, who was already an arahat when he was living, attained Parinibbàna.”

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English source: "Treasury of Truth: Illustrated Dhammapada" by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero
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

Dhammapada verse #124

假若無有瘡傷手，可以其手持毒藥。毒不能患無傷手。不作惡者便無惡。

If in the hand’s no wound
poison one may bear.
A woundless one is poisoned not,
non-doers have no evil.

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【第124偈的故事】

王舍城中有一年輕的富家女確實了解佛法，證得初果。有一天，一位名字叫做拘古塔米他的獵人到城裏來販賣獸肉。這年輕女孩一眼瞥見他時，就深深愛上他而跟隨他，後來並且與他結婚，一起住在一個小村落裡。時光荏苒，他們總共生育了七個孩子，也都長大成人，各自結婚了。一天清晨，佛陀觀察世間，發現這對夫婦一家人就要領悟佛法了，就前往這獵人設置在林子裡的陷阱去，並且在陷阱附近留下自己的腳跡，然後坐在離陷阱不遠的灌木陰影下。不久之後，獵人來查看陷阱，發現沒有動物落入陷阱，但卻在陷阱不遠處發現有人的腳跡。他斷定有人比他更早到這裡來，並且放掉陷阱中的動物，所以當他發現正坐在灌木下的佛陀時，他認定佛陀就是放走動物的人。他一時怒火中燒而取出弓箭，準備向佛陀射去，正在拉弓時，卻全身僵住，無法動彈，像一座雕像。他的孩子們這時正好趕來，他們也認為坐在灌木下的佛陀是父親的敵人，便取出弓箭，準備射佛陀，但也像他們父親一樣，全都動彈不得。

獵人的太太和所有的兒媳婦在家中等不到丈夫們回來，也都趕來了，當她看見獵人和所有的孩子都拿箭向著佛陀時，大聲地叫：「不可殺死我父親！」

獵人聽見太太的叫聲時，心中想著：「前面樹下的人一定是我丈人。」他們的孩子們也想著：「這人必定是我的外祖父。」有了這個想法之後，關愛之心油然生起。這時候獵人太太又說話了：「放下你們的弓和箭，向我的父親頂禮問訊吧！」佛陀知道這時候獵人和他的孩子們內心全部都沒有殺意了，就讓他們能夠動身子。他們放下弓箭後，一齊向佛陀頂禮問訊，並且在聽聞佛陀說法後全部明白佛法，證得初果。

佛陀回精舍後向其他比丘敘說獵人全家的事。比丘就問：「世尊！已經了解佛法的獵人太太幫助丈夫和孩子們準備外出打獵的弓箭和羅網，仍然不算犯殺生之罪嗎？」

佛陀說：「證初果的人不殺生，他們不願意眾生為人所殺。獵人的妻子只是遵從獵人的命令而準備弓和箭，她心中從沒有幫助丈夫去殺生的念頭。手掌若沒有傷口，不會受毒藥感染；同理，她沒有作惡的意圖，所以她沒有犯任何的惡業。」

While residing at the Vēluvana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to the hunter Kukkuñamitta and his family.

At Ràjagaha there was once a rich man’s daughter who had attained sōtàpatti fruition as a young girl. One day, Kukkuñamitta, a hunter, came into town in a cart to sell venison. Seeing Kukkuñamitta the hunter, the rich young lady fell in love with him immediately; she followed him, married him and lived with him in a small village. As a result of that marriage, seven sons were born to them and in course of time, all the sons got married. One day, the Buddha surveyed the world early in the morning with his supernormal power and found that the hunter, his seven sons and their wives were due for attainment of sōtàpatti fruition. So, the Buddha went to the place where the hunter had set his trap in the forest. He put his footprint close to the trap and seated himself under the shade of a bush, not far from the trap.

When the hunter came, he saw no animal in the trap; he saw the footprint and surmised that someone must have come before him and let out the animal. So, when he saw the Buddha under the shade of the bush, he took him for the man who had freed the animal from his trap and flew into a rage. He took out his bow and arrow to shoot at the Buddha, but as he drew his bow, he became immobilized and remained fixed in that position like a statue. His sons followed and found their father; they also saw the Buddha at some distance and thought he must be the enemy of their father. All of them took out their bows and arrows to shoot at the Buddha, but they also became immobilized and remained fixed in their respective postures.

When the hunter and his sons failed to return, the hunter’s wife followed them into the forest, with her seven daughters-in-law. Seeing her husband and all her sons with their arrows aimed at the Buddha, she raised both her hands and shouted, “Do not kill my father.”

When her husband heard her words, he thought, “This must be my father-in-law”, and her sons thought, “This must be our grandfather” and thoughts of loving-kindness came into them. Then the lady said to them, “Put away your bows and arrows and pay obeisance to my father.” The Buddha realized that, by this time, the minds of the hunter and his sons had softened and so he willed that they should be able to move and to put away their bows and arrows. After putting away their bows and arrows, they paid obeisance to the Buddha and the Buddha expounded the Dhamma to them. In the end, the hunter, his seven sons and seven daughters-in-law, all fifteen of them, attained sōtàpatti fruition. Then the Buddha returned to the monastery and told Venerable ânanda and other monks about the hunter Kukkuñamitta and his family attaining sōtàpatti fruition in the early part of the morning. The monks then asked the Buddha, “Venerable, is the wife of the hunter, who is a sōtàpanna, also not guilty of taking life, if she has been getting things like nets, bows and arrows for her husband when he goes out hunting?” To this question the Buddha answered, “Monks, the sōtàpannas do not kill, they do not wish others to get killed. The wife of the hunter was only obeying her husband in getting things for him. Just as the hand that has no wound is not affected by poison, so also, because she has no intention to do evil she is not doing any evil.”

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English source: "Treasury of Truth: Illustrated Dhammapada" by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero
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

Dhammapada verse #125

若犯無邪者，清淨無染者，罪惡向愚人，如逆風揚塵。

Who offends the inoffensive,
the innocent and blameless one,
upon that fool does evil fall
as fine dust flung against the wind.

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【第125偈的故事】

可拉是個獵人，一天早上，他和一群獵狗去打獵。路上，他遇見一位比丘正在化緣。他認為這是不祥的預兆，心裡就嘀咕著：「看見這令人討厭的人，我今天一定不會有什麼收穫！」那一天，他真的什麼也沒獵到。回家的路上，他又遇見那位比丘正好從城市裡化緣回來。他一時憤怒難消，就放狗追咬比丘，還好這比丘跑得快，趕緊爬上樹，獵狗才咬不著他，獵人走到樹下，用弓箭頭去刺比丘的腳底，比丘異常疼痛，無法再護持袈裟，袈裟就從身上滑落，正好罩在樹下獵人的身上。

這群獵狗看見黃色的袈裟，以為比丘跌了下來，便飛快撲上去，狂肆亂咬，比丘在樹上看見這情況時，趕緊折了一截乾樹枝，向獵狗擲去，這群獵狗才發現它們攻擊的竟然是它們的主人，而不是比丘，因此四處逃竄。獵狗跑掉後，比丘就從樹上下來，卻發現獵人已經被獵狗咬死了。他心中一陣難過，不知道是否要為獵人的死負責，因為他的袈裟罩住獵人的身體才造成獵狗的攻擊。

比丘就去面見佛陀澄清心中的疑惑。佛陀安慰他：

「你不須為獵人的死負責，你也沒有違反道德戒律。事實上，獵人恣意傷害一位他不該傷害的人，才會得到如此悲慘的果報。」

While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to Kōka the huntsman.

One morning, as Kōka was going out to hunt with his pack of hounds, he met a monk entering the city for alms-food. He took that as a bad omen and grumbled to himself, “Since I have seen this wretched one, I don’t think I would get anything today,” and he went on his way. As expected by him, he did not get anything. On his way home also, he saw the same monk returning to the monastery, and the hunter became very angry. So he set his hounds on the monk. Swiftly, the monk climbed up a tree to a level just out of reach of the hounds. Then the hunter went to the foot of the tree and pricked the heels of the monk with the tip of his arrow. The monk was in great pain and was not able to hold his robes on; so the robes slipped off his body on to the hunter who was at the foot of the tree.

The dogs seeing the yellow robe thought that the monk had fallen off the tree and pounced on the body, biting and pulling at it furiously. The monk, from his shelter in the tree, broke a dry branch and threw it at the dogs. Then the dogs discovered that they had been attacking their own master instead of the monk, and ran away into the forest. The monk came down from the tree and found that the hunter had died and felt sorry for him. He also wondered whether he could be held responsible for the death, since the hunter had died for having been covered up by his yellow robes.

So, he went to the Buddha to clear up his doubts. The Buddha said, “My son, rest assured and have no doubt; you are not responsible for the death of the hunter; your morality (sãla) is also not soiled on account of that death. Indeed, that huntsman did a great wrong to one to whom he should do no wrong, and so had come to this grievous end.”

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English source: "Treasury of Truth: Illustrated Dhammapada" by Ven. Weragoda Sarada Maha Thero
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