中部第 101 经（Sujato 英译）第 1 阅读页 · At Devadaha · 1/3

Middle Discourses 101Middle Discourses 101At DevadahaAt Devadaha

So I have heard.So I have heard.At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near the Sakyan town named Devadaha.At one time the Buddha was staying in the land of the Sakyans, near the Sakyan town named Devadaha.There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,There the Buddha addressed the mendicants,

“Mendicants!”“Mendicants!”“Venerable sir,” they replied.“Venerable sir,” they replied.The Buddha said this:The Buddha said this:

“Mendicants, there are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:“Mendicants, there are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:‘Everything this individual person experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of past deeds.‘Everything this individual person experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of past deeds.So, due to eliminating past deeds by fervent mortification, and not doing any new deeds, there’s nothing to come up in the future.So, due to eliminating past deeds by fervent mortification, and not doing any new deeds, there’s nothing to come up in the future.

With no future consequence, deeds end. With the ending of deeds, suffering ends. With the ending of suffering, feeling ends. And with the ending of feeling, all suffering will have been worn away.’With no future consequence, deeds end. With the ending of deeds, suffering ends. With the ending of suffering, feeling ends. And with the ending of feeling, all suffering will have been worn away.’Such is the doctrine of the Jain ascetics.Such is the doctrine of the Jain ascetics.I’ve gone up to the Jain ascetics who say this and said,I’ve gone up to the Jain ascetics who say this and said,

‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’‘Is it really true that this is the venerables’ view?’They admitted that it is.They admitted that it is.I said to them,I said to them,

‘But reverends, do you know‘But reverends, do you knowfor sure that you existed in the past, and it is not the case that you did not exist?’for sure that you existed in the past, and it is not the case that you did not exist?’‘No we don’t, reverend.’‘No we don’t, reverend.’

‘But reverends, do you know‘But reverends, do you knowfor sure that you did bad deeds in the past?’for sure that you did bad deeds in the past?’‘No we don’t, reverend.’‘No we don’t, reverend.’

‘But reverends, do you know‘But reverends, do you knowthat you did bad deeds of this type or that?’that you did bad deeds of this type or that?’‘No we don’t, reverend.’‘No we don’t, reverend.’

‘But reverends, do you know‘But reverends, do you knowthat so much suffering has already been worn away? Or that so much suffering still remains to be worn away? Or that when so much suffering is worn away all suffering will have been worn away?’that so much suffering has already been worn away? Or that so much suffering still remains to be worn away? Or that when so much suffering is worn away all suffering will have been worn away?’‘No we don’t, reverend.’‘No we don’t, reverend.’

‘But reverends, do you know‘But reverends, do you knowabout giving up unskillful qualities in this very life and embracing skillful qualities?’about giving up unskillful qualities in this very life and embracing skillful qualities?’‘No we don’t, reverend.’‘No we don’t, reverend.’

‘So it seems that you don’t know any of these things.‘So it seems that you don’t know any of these things.In that case, it’s not appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.In that case, it’s not appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.Now, supposing you did know these things.Now, supposing you did know these things.

In that case, it would be appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.In that case, it would be appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.Suppose a man was struck by an arrow thickly smeared with poison,Suppose a man was struck by an arrow thickly smeared with poison,causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.

Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them.Their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin would get a surgeon to treat them.The surgeon would cut open the wound with a scalpel,The surgeon would cut open the wound with a scalpel,causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.

They’d probe for the arrow,They’d probe for the arrow,causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.They’d extract the arrow,They’d extract the arrow,

causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.They’d apply cauterizing medicine to the wound,They’d apply cauterizing medicine to the wound,causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.

After some time that wound would be healed and the skin regrown. They’d be healthy, happy, autonomous, master of themselves, able to go where they wanted.After some time that wound would be healed and the skin regrown. They’d be healthy, happy, autonomous, master of themselves, able to go where they wanted.They’d think,They’d think,“Earlier I was struck by an arrow thickly smeared with poison,“Earlier I was struck by an arrow thickly smeared with poison,

causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.causing painful feelings, sharp and severe.My friends and colleagues, relatives and kin got a surgeon to treat me.My friends and colleagues, relatives and kin got a surgeon to treat me.At each step, the treatment was painful.At each step, the treatment was painful.

But these days that wound is healed and the skin regrown. I’m healthy, happy, autonomous, my own master, able to go where I want.”But these days that wound is healed and the skin regrown. I’m healthy, happy, autonomous, my own master, able to go where I want.”In the same way, reverends, if you knew about these things,In the same way, reverends, if you knew about these things,it would be appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.it would be appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.

But since you don’t know any of these things,But since you don’t know any of these things,it’s not appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.’it’s not appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.’When I said this, those Jain ascetics said to me,When I said this, those Jain ascetics said to me,

‘Reverend, the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan claims to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to know and see everything without exception, thus:‘Reverend, the Jain ascetic of the Ñātika clan claims to be all-knowing and all-seeing, to know and see everything without exception, thus:“Knowledge and vision are constantly and continually present to me, while walking, standing, sleeping, and waking.”“Knowledge and vision are constantly and continually present to me, while walking, standing, sleeping, and waking.”He says:He says:

“O reverend Jain ascetics, you have done bad deeds in a past life. Wear them away with these severe and grueling austerities.“O reverend Jain ascetics, you have done bad deeds in a past life. Wear them away with these severe and grueling austerities.And when in the present you are restrained in body, speech, and mind, you’re not doing any bad deeds for the future.And when in the present you are restrained in body, speech, and mind, you’re not doing any bad deeds for the future.So, due to eliminating past deeds by fervent mortification, and not doing any new deeds, there’s nothing to come up in the future.So, due to eliminating past deeds by fervent mortification, and not doing any new deeds, there’s nothing to come up in the future.

With no future consequence, deeds end. With the ending of deeds, suffering ends. With the ending of suffering, feeling ends. And with the ending of feeling, all suffering will have been worn away.”With no future consequence, deeds end. With the ending of deeds, suffering ends. With the ending of suffering, feeling ends. And with the ending of feeling, all suffering will have been worn away.”We endorse and accept this, and we are satisfied with it.’We endorse and accept this, and we are satisfied with it.’When they said this, I said to them,When they said this, I said to them,

‘These five things can be seen to turn out in two different ways in this very life.‘These five things can be seen to turn out in two different ways in this very life.What five?What five?Faith, endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, and acceptance of a view after deliberation.Faith, endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, and acceptance of a view after deliberation.

These are the five things that can be seen to turn out in two different ways in this very life.These are the five things that can be seen to turn out in two different ways in this very life.In this case, what faith in your teacher do you have when it comes to the past? What endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, or acceptance of a view after deliberation?’In this case, what faith in your teacher do you have when it comes to the past? What endorsement, oral transmission, reasoned train of thought, or acceptance of a view after deliberation?’When I said this, I did not see any legitimate defense of their doctrine from the Jains.When I said this, I did not see any legitimate defense of their doctrine from the Jains.

Furthermore, I said to those Jain ascetics,Furthermore, I said to those Jain ascetics,‘What do you think, reverends?‘What do you think, reverends?At a time of intense exertion and striving do you suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion?At a time of intense exertion and striving do you suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion?

Whereas at a time without intense exertion and striving do you not suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion?’Whereas at a time without intense exertion and striving do you not suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to exertion?’‘Reverend Gotama, at a time of intense exertion we suffer painful, sharp feelings due to exertion,‘Reverend Gotama, at a time of intense exertion we suffer painful, sharp feelings due to exertion,not without intense exertion.’not without intense exertion.’

‘So it seems that only at a time of intense exertion do you suffer painful, sharp feelings due to exertion,‘So it seems that only at a time of intense exertion do you suffer painful, sharp feelings due to exertion,not without intense exertion.not without intense exertion.In that case, it’s not appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare:In that case, it’s not appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare:

“Everything this individual person experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of past deeds. …”“Everything this individual person experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of past deeds. …”If at a time of intense exertion you did not suffer painful, sharp feelings due to exertion,If at a time of intense exertion you did not suffer painful, sharp feelings due to exertion,and if without intense exertion you did experience such feelings,and if without intense exertion you did experience such feelings,

it would be appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.it would be appropriate for the Jain venerables to declare this.But since this is not the case,But since this is not the case,aren’t you experiencing painful, sharp feelings due only to your own exertion, which out of ignorance, unknowing, and confusion you misconstrue to imply:aren’t you experiencing painful, sharp feelings due only to your own exertion, which out of ignorance, unknowing, and confusion you misconstrue to imply:

“Everything this individual person experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of past deeds. …”?’“Everything this individual person experiences—pleasurable, painful, or neutral—is because of past deeds. …”?’When I said this, I did not see any legitimate defense of their doctrine from the Jains.When I said this, I did not see any legitimate defense of their doctrine from the Jains.Furthermore, I said to those Jain ascetics,Furthermore, I said to those Jain ascetics,

‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced in this life, can exertion make it be experienced in lives to come?’‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced in this life, can exertion make it be experienced in lives to come?’‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’‘But if a deed is to be experienced in lives to come, can exertion make it be experienced in this life?’‘But if a deed is to be experienced in lives to come, can exertion make it be experienced in this life?’

‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced as pleasant, can exertion make it be experienced as painful?’‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced as pleasant, can exertion make it be experienced as painful?’‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’

‘But if a deed is to be experienced as painful, can exertion make it be experienced as pleasant?’‘But if a deed is to be experienced as painful, can exertion make it be experienced as pleasant?’‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced when ripe, can exertion make it be experienced when unripe?’‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced when ripe, can exertion make it be experienced when unripe?’

‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’‘But if a deed is to be experienced when unripe, can exertion make it be experienced when ripe?’‘But if a deed is to be experienced when unripe, can exertion make it be experienced when ripe?’‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’

‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced a lot, can exertion make it be experienced a little?’‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced a lot, can exertion make it be experienced a little?’‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’‘But if a deed is to be experienced a little, can exertion make it be experienced a lot?’‘But if a deed is to be experienced a little, can exertion make it be experienced a lot?’

‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced, can exertion make it not be experienced?’‘What do you think, reverends? If a deed is to be experienced, can exertion make it not be experienced?’‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’

‘But if a deed is not to be experienced, can exertion make it be experienced?’‘But if a deed is not to be experienced, can exertion make it be experienced?’‘No, reverend.’‘No, reverend.’‘So it seems that exertion cannot change the way deeds are experienced in any of these ways.‘So it seems that exertion cannot change the way deeds are experienced in any of these ways.

This being so, your exertion and striving are fruitless.’This being so, your exertion and striving are fruitless.’Such is the doctrine of the Jain ascetics.Such is the doctrine of the Jain ascetics.Saying this, the Jain ascetics deserve rebuttal and criticism on ten legitimate grounds.Saying this, the Jain ascetics deserve rebuttal and criticism on ten legitimate grounds.

If sentient beings experience pleasure and pain because of past deeds,If sentient beings experience pleasure and pain because of past deeds,clearly the Jains have done bad deeds in the past, since they now experience such intense pain.clearly the Jains have done bad deeds in the past, since they now experience such intense pain.If sentient beings experience pleasure and pain because of God Almighty’s creation,If sentient beings experience pleasure and pain because of God Almighty’s creation,

clearly the Jains were created by a bad God, since they now experience such intense pain.clearly the Jains were created by a bad God, since they now experience such intense pain.