Monday, November 21, 2011


Dhammapada verse #71

猶如搆牛乳,醍醐非速成。愚人造惡業,不即感惡果,業力隨其後,如死灰覆火。

As milk, is evil kamma done,
so slowly does it sour.
Smouldering does it follow the fool
like fire with ashes covered.

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【第71偈的故事】

大目犍連尊者有一次與勒叉那尊者一起到舍衛城化緣。途中他看見一件奇怪的東西,他只是笑笑而不語 (註) 。回到精舍後,他向勒叉那解釋他之所以笑,是因為看見一隻人面蛇身的餓鬼。佛陀也說,在他究竟證悟,成為佛陀當天,也親眼目睹這隻人面蛇身鬼。佛陀說,很久以前,有位辟支佛,人們若要到他的精舍,必須先通過一處田疇。這田疇的主人卻害怕人們來來往往精舍會破壞田疇,就放火燒燬精舍。辟支佛只好搬到別的地方去。辟支佛的信徒知道這件事情後,非常憤怒,就毆打田疇主人致死。也由於惡業的關係,他往生成了人面蛇身的餓鬼。

佛陀總結的說:「惡業雖然不立刻報應,但作惡的人終將自食惡果,沒有人能逃避惡業的報應!」

(註)諸佛和阿羅漢微笑時,不表示幽默,而是為了啟發與他們同行的人發問。

While residing at the Jētavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse, with reference to a snake-ghost.

One day, in the midst of a thousand ascetics wearing matted hair, the Venerable Lakkhana and the Venerable Moggallàna the great descended from Vulture Peak with the intention of making an alms-pilgrimage in Ràjagaha. The Venerable Moggallàna, seeing a snake-ghost, smiled. Thereupon Venerable Lakkhana asked him the reason for his smile, saying, “Brother, it is not the proper time for you to ask that question. Wait until we are in the presence of the Buddha and then ask me.” When they had completed their rounds for alms in Ràjagaha and had come into the presence of the Buddha and had sat down, Venerable Lakkhana asked Venerable Moggallàna, “Brother Moggallàna, as you were descending from Vulture Peak, you smiled; and when I asked you the reason for your smile, you said, ‘Wait until we are in the presence of the Buddha and then ask me.’ Now tell me the reason.”

Said the monk, “Brother, I smiled because I saw a snake-ghost. This is what he looked like: his head was like the head of a man, and the rest of his body was like that of a snake. He was what is called a snake-ghost. He was twenty-five leagues in length. Flames started from his head and went as far as his tail; flames started from his tail and went as far as his head. Flames of fire starting from his head played on both sides of his body; flames of fire starting from his sides descended on his body. There are two ghosts, they say, whose length is twenty-five leagues, the length of the rest being three-quarters of a league. But the length of this snake-ghost and of this crow-ghost was twenty-five leagues.”

Moggallàna saw a crow-ghost and he asked the ghost about his former deed. The ghost said, “In a former state of existence I took three mouthfuls of food meant for venerables. As a result of that misdeed, when I died, I suffered torment in the Avãci Hell and thereafter, because the result of my evil deed was not yet exhausted, I was reborn on Vulture Peak as a crow-ghost. Now, because of my deed, I endure this suffering.”

The story of the snake-ghost also was related. Now a certain resident of Benares was plowing a field near the wayside, and the people who passed through his field to see the solitary Buddha, trampled his field. The farmer tried to prevent them from doing this. But he was unable to prevent them. Finally, after the solitary Buddha had entered the city for alms, the farmer broke all his vessels for eating and drinking and set fire to his grass and leaf shelter. Then the people cried out, “Seize him!” They killed him. He was born in the Avãci Hell and later, he was reborn on Vulture Peak as a snake-ghost.

At this point, then, the monk said, “I smiled because I saw a snake-ghost.” Straightaway the Buddha arose and witnessed to the truth of Moggallàna’s statement, saying, “Monks, what Moggallàna says is the truth. I myself saw this very ghost on the day I attained enlightenment. But out of compassion for others, I did not say, ‘As for those who will not believe my words, may it be to their disadvantage.’”


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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