长部第 24 经（Sujato 英译）第 4 阅读页 · About Pāṭikaputta · 4/5

“Let’s bind Pāṭikaputta with straps and drag him with a pair of oxen!” But either the straps will break or Pāṭikaputta will.“Let’s bind Pāṭikaputta with straps and drag him with a pair of oxen!” But either the straps will break or Pāṭikaputta will.Pāṭikaputta is not capable of meeting me face to face, otherwisePāṭikaputta is not capable of meeting me face to face, otherwisehis head may explode.’his head may explode.’

Then, Bhaggava, I educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired that assembly with a Dhamma talk. I released that assembly from the great bondage, and lifted 84,000 beings from the great swamp. Next I entered upon the fire element, rose into the air to the height of seven palm trees, and created a flame another seven palm trees high, blazing and smoking. Finally I landed at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.Then, Bhaggava, I educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired that assembly with a Dhamma talk. I released that assembly from the great bondage, and lifted 84,000 beings from the great swamp. Next I entered upon the fire element, rose into the air to the height of seven palm trees, and created a flame another seven palm trees high, blazing and smoking. Finally I landed at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.

Then Sunakkhatta came to me, bowed, and sat down to one side. I said to him,Then Sunakkhatta came to me, bowed, and sat down to one side. I said to him,‘What do you think, Sunakkhatta?‘What do you think, Sunakkhatta?Did the declaration I made about Pāṭikaputta turn out to be correct, or not?’Did the declaration I made about Pāṭikaputta turn out to be correct, or not?’

‘It turned out to be correct.’‘It turned out to be correct.’‘What do you think, Sunakkhatta?‘What do you think, Sunakkhatta?If that is so, has a superhuman demonstration of psychic power been performed or not?’If that is so, has a superhuman demonstration of psychic power been performed or not?’

‘Clearly, sir, a superhuman demonstration of psychic power has been performed.’‘Clearly, sir, a superhuman demonstration of psychic power has been performed.’‘Though I perform such a superhuman demonstration of psychic power you say this:‘Though I perform such a superhuman demonstration of psychic power you say this:“But sir, the Buddha never performs any superhuman demonstrations of psychic power for me.”“But sir, the Buddha never performs any superhuman demonstrations of psychic power for me.”

See how far you have strayed!’See how far you have strayed!’Though I spoke to Sunakkhatta like this, he still left this teaching and training, like someone on the highway to hell.Though I spoke to Sunakkhatta like this, he still left this teaching and training, like someone on the highway to hell.

6. On Describing the Origin of the World6. On Describing the Origin of the World

Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world.Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world.I understand this, and what goes beyond it. Yet since I do not misapprehend that understanding, I have realized quenching within myself. Directly knowing this, the Realized One does not come to ruin.I understand this, and what goes beyond it. Yet since I do not misapprehend that understanding, I have realized quenching within myself. Directly knowing this, the Realized One does not come to ruin.There are some ascetics and brahmins who describe the origin of the world in their denomination as created by the God Almighty, by the Divinity.There are some ascetics and brahmins who describe the origin of the world in their denomination as created by the God Almighty, by the Divinity.

I go up to them and say,I go up to them and say,‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’And they answer, ‘Yes’.And they answer, ‘Yes’.

I say to them,I say to them,‘But how do you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about as created by the God Almighty, by the Divinity?’‘But how do you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about as created by the God Almighty, by the Divinity?’But they are stumped by my question, and they even question me in return.But they are stumped by my question, and they even question me in return.

So I answer them,So I answer them,‘There comes a time when, reverends, after a very long period has passed, this cosmos contracts.‘There comes a time when, reverends, after a very long period has passed, this cosmos contracts.As the cosmos contracts, sentient beings are mostly headed for the realm of sublime luminosity.As the cosmos contracts, sentient beings are mostly headed for the realm of sublime luminosity.

There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-radiant, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-radiant, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, this cosmos expands.There comes a time when, after a very long period has passed, this cosmos expands.As it expands an empty mansion of divinity appears.As it expands an empty mansion of divinity appears.

Then a certain sentient being—due to the running out of their lifespan or merit—passes away from that host of radiant deities and is reborn in that empty mansion of divinity.Then a certain sentient being—due to the running out of their lifespan or merit—passes away from that host of radiant deities and is reborn in that empty mansion of divinity.There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.There they are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-luminous, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.But after staying there all alone for a long time, they become dissatisfied and anxious,But after staying there all alone for a long time, they become dissatisfied and anxious,

“Oh, if only other beings would come to this place.”“Oh, if only other beings would come to this place.”Then other sentient beings—due to the running out of their lifespan or merit—pass away from that host of radiant deities and are reborn in that mansion of divinity in company with that being.Then other sentient beings—due to the running out of their lifespan or merit—pass away from that host of radiant deities and are reborn in that mansion of divinity in company with that being.There they too are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-radiant, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.There they too are mind-made, feeding on rapture, self-radiant, wandering in midair, steadily glorious, and they remain like that for a very long time.

Now, the being who was reborn there first thinks,Now, the being who was reborn there first thinks,“I am the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born. And these beings were created by me.“I am the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born. And these beings were created by me.Why is that?Why is that?

Because first I thought,Because first I thought,‘Oh, if only other beings would come to this place.’‘Oh, if only other beings would come to this place.’Such was my heart’s wish, and then these creatures came to this place.”Such was my heart’s wish, and then these creatures came to this place.”

And the beings who were reborn there later also think,And the beings who were reborn there later also think,“This must be the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born.“This must be the Divinity, the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born.And we were created by him.And we were created by him.

Why is that?Why is that?Because we see that he was reborn here first, and we arrived later.”Because we see that he was reborn here first, and we arrived later.”And the being who was reborn first is more long-lived, beautiful, and illustrious than those who arrived later.And the being who was reborn first is more long-lived, beautiful, and illustrious than those who arrived later.

It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place.It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place.Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.

They say:They say:“He who is the Divinity—the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born—by he we were created. He is permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.“He who is the Divinity—the Great Divinity, the Vanquisher, the Unvanquished, the Universal Seer, the Wielder of Power, God Almighty, the Maker, the Creator, the First, the Begetter, the Controller, the Father of those who have been born and those yet to be born—by he we were created. He is permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.

We who were created by that divinity are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.”We who were created by that divinity are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.”Is this how you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about as created by the God Almighty, by the Divinity?’Is this how you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about as created by the God Almighty, by the Divinity?’They say,They say,

‘That is what we have heard, Reverend Gotama, just as you say.’‘That is what we have heard, Reverend Gotama, just as you say.’Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world.Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world.I understand this, and what goes beyond it. Yet since I do not misapprehend that understanding, I have realized quenching within myself. Directly knowing this, the Realized One does not come to ruin.I understand this, and what goes beyond it. Yet since I do not misapprehend that understanding, I have realized quenching within myself. Directly knowing this, the Realized One does not come to ruin.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who describe the origin of the world in their denomination as due to those depraved by play.There are some ascetics and brahmins who describe the origin of the world in their denomination as due to those depraved by play.I go up to them and say,I go up to them and say,‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’

And they answer, ‘Yes’.And they answer, ‘Yes’.I say to them,I say to them,‘But how do you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about due to those depraved by play?’‘But how do you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about due to those depraved by play?’

But they are stumped by my question, and they even question me in return.But they are stumped by my question, and they even question me in return.So I answer them,So I answer them,‘Reverends, there are gods named “depraved by play”. They spend too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. And in doing so, they lose their mindfulness, and they pass away from that host of gods.‘Reverends, there are gods named “depraved by play”. They spend too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. And in doing so, they lose their mindfulness, and they pass away from that host of gods.

It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place.It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place.Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.

They say,They say,“The gods not depraved by play don’t spend too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. So they don’t lose their mindfulness, and don’t pass away from that host of gods.“The gods not depraved by play don’t spend too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. So they don’t lose their mindfulness, and don’t pass away from that host of gods.They are permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.They are permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.

But we who were depraved by play spent too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. In doing so, we lost our mindfulness, and passed away from that host of gods.But we who were depraved by play spent too much time laughing, playing, and making merry. In doing so, we lost our mindfulness, and passed away from that host of gods.We are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.”We are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.”Is this how you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about due to those depraved by play?’Is this how you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about due to those depraved by play?’

They say,They say,‘That is what we have heard, Reverend Gotama, just as you say.’‘That is what we have heard, Reverend Gotama, just as you say.’Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world.Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world.

Directly knowing this, the Realized One does not come to ruin.Directly knowing this, the Realized One does not come to ruin.There are some ascetics and brahmins who describe the origin of the world in their denomination as due to those who are malevolent.There are some ascetics and brahmins who describe the origin of the world in their denomination as due to those who are malevolent.I go up to them and say,I go up to them and say,

‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’And they answer, ‘Yes’.And they answer, ‘Yes’.I say to them,I say to them,

‘But how do you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about due to those who are malevolent?’‘But how do you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about due to those who are malevolent?’But they are stumped by my question, and they even question me in return.But they are stumped by my question, and they even question me in return.So I answer them,So I answer them,

‘Reverends, there are gods named “malevolent”. They spend too much time gazing at each other, so they grow angry with each other, and their bodies and minds get tired. They pass away from that host of gods.‘Reverends, there are gods named “malevolent”. They spend too much time gazing at each other, so they grow angry with each other, and their bodies and minds get tired. They pass away from that host of gods.It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place.It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place.Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.

By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect that past life, but no further.They say,They say,“The gods who are not malevolent don’t spend too much time gazing at each other, so they don’t grow angry with each other, their bodies and minds don’t get tired, and they don’t pass away from that host of gods.“The gods who are not malevolent don’t spend too much time gazing at each other, so they don’t grow angry with each other, their bodies and minds don’t get tired, and they don’t pass away from that host of gods.

They are permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.They are permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, remaining the same for all eternity.But we who were malevolent spent too much time gazing at each other, so our minds grew angry with each other, our bodies and minds got tired, and we passed away from that host of gods.But we who were malevolent spent too much time gazing at each other, so our minds grew angry with each other, our bodies and minds got tired, and we passed away from that host of gods.We are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.”We are impermanent, not lasting, short-lived, liable to pass away, and have come to this place.”

Is this how you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about due to those who are malevolent?’Is this how you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about due to those who are malevolent?’They say,They say,‘That is what we have heard, Reverend Gotama, just as you say.’‘That is what we have heard, Reverend Gotama, just as you say.’

Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world.Bhaggava, I understand the origin of the world.Directly knowing this, the Realized One does not come to ruin.Directly knowing this, the Realized One does not come to ruin.There are some ascetics and brahmins who describe the origin of the world in their denomination as having arisen as an anomaly.There are some ascetics and brahmins who describe the origin of the world in their denomination as having arisen as an anomaly.

I go up to them and say,I go up to them and say,‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’And they answer, ‘Yes’.And they answer, ‘Yes’.

I say to them,I say to them,‘But how do you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about anomalously?’‘But how do you describe in your denomination that the origin of the world came about anomalously?’But they are stumped by my question, and they even question me in return.But they are stumped by my question, and they even question me in return.

So I answer them,So I answer them,‘Reverends, there are gods named “non-percipient beings”.‘Reverends, there are gods named “non-percipient beings”.When perception arises they pass away from that host of gods.When perception arises they pass away from that host of gods.

It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place.It’s possible that one of those beings passes away from that host and is reborn in this place.Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.Having done so, they go forth from the lay life to homelessness.By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect the arising of perception, but no further.By dint of keen, resolute, committed, and diligent effort, and right application of mind, they experience an immersion of the heart of such a kind that they recollect the arising of perception, but no further.

They say,They say,“The self and the cosmos arose anomalously.“The self and the cosmos arose anomalously.Why is that?Why is that?