中部第 12 经（Sujato 英译）第 3 阅读页 · The Longer Discourse on the Lion’s Roar · 3/3

‘Scorched and frozen,‘Scorched and frozen,alone in the awe-inspiring forest.alone in the awe-inspiring forest.nude, no fire to sit beside,nude, no fire to sit beside,

the sage still pursues his quest.’the sage still pursues his quest.’I would make my bed in a charnel ground, with the bones of the dead for a pillow.I would make my bed in a charnel ground, with the bones of the dead for a pillow.Then village louts would come up to me. They’d spit and piss on me, throw mud on me, even poke sticks in my ears.Then village louts would come up to me. They’d spit and piss on me, throw mud on me, even poke sticks in my ears.

But I don’t recall ever having a bad thought about them.But I don’t recall ever having a bad thought about them.Such was my abiding in equanimity.Such was my abiding in equanimity.There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:

‘Purity comes from food.’‘Purity comes from food.’They say:They say:‘Let’s live on jujubes.’‘Let’s live on jujubes.’

So they eat jujubes and jujube powder, and drink jujube juice.So they eat jujubes and jujube powder, and drink jujube juice.And they enjoy many jujube concoctions.And they enjoy many jujube concoctions.I recall eating just a single jujube.I recall eating just a single jujube.

You might think thatYou might think thatat that time the jujubes must have been very big.at that time the jujubes must have been very big.But you should not see it like this.But you should not see it like this.

The jujubes then were at most the same size as today.The jujubes then were at most the same size as today.Eating so very little, my body became severely emaciated.Eating so very little, my body became severely emaciated.Due to eating so little, my major and minor limbs became like the joints of an eighty-year-old or a dying man,Due to eating so little, my major and minor limbs became like the joints of an eighty-year-old or a dying man,

my bottom became like a camel’s hoof,my bottom became like a camel’s hoof,my vertebrae stuck out like beads on a string,my vertebrae stuck out like beads on a string,and my ribs were as gaunt as the broken-down rafters on an old barn.and my ribs were as gaunt as the broken-down rafters on an old barn.

Due to eating so little, the gleam of my eyes sank deep in their sockets, like the gleam of water sunk deep down a well.Due to eating so little, the gleam of my eyes sank deep in their sockets, like the gleam of water sunk deep down a well.Due to eating so little, my scalp shriveled and withered like a green bitter-gourd in the wind and sun.Due to eating so little, my scalp shriveled and withered like a green bitter-gourd in the wind and sun.Due to eating so little, the skin of my belly stuck to my backbone, so that when I tried to rub the skin of my belly I grabbed my backbone, and when I tried to rub my backbone I rubbed the skin of my belly.Due to eating so little, the skin of my belly stuck to my backbone, so that when I tried to rub the skin of my belly I grabbed my backbone, and when I tried to rub my backbone I rubbed the skin of my belly.

Due to eating so little, when I tried to urinate or defecate I fell face down right there.Due to eating so little, when I tried to urinate or defecate I fell face down right there.Due to eating so little, when I tried to relieve my body by rubbing my limbs with my hands, the hair, rotted at its roots, fell out.Due to eating so little, when I tried to relieve my body by rubbing my limbs with my hands, the hair, rotted at its roots, fell out.There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:

‘Purity comes from food.’‘Purity comes from food.’They say:They say:‘Let’s live on mung beans.’ …‘Let’s live on mung beans.’ …

‘Let’s live on sesame.’ …‘Let’s live on sesame.’ …‘Let’s live on ordinary rice.’ …‘Let’s live on ordinary rice.’ …Due to eating so little, when I tried to relieve my body by rubbing my limbs with my hands, the hair, rotted at its roots, fell out.Due to eating so little, when I tried to relieve my body by rubbing my limbs with my hands, the hair, rotted at its roots, fell out.

But Sāriputta, I did not achieve any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones by that conduct, that practice, that grueling work.But Sāriputta, I did not achieve any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones by that conduct, that practice, that grueling work.Why is that?Why is that?Because I didn’t achieve that noble wisdom that’s noble and emancipating, and which delivers one who applies it to the complete ending of suffering.Because I didn’t achieve that noble wisdom that’s noble and emancipating, and which delivers one who applies it to the complete ending of suffering.

There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:‘Purity comes from transmigration.’‘Purity comes from transmigration.’But it’s not easy to find a realm that I haven’t previously transmigrated to in all this long time, except the gods of the pure abodes.But it’s not easy to find a realm that I haven’t previously transmigrated to in all this long time, except the gods of the pure abodes.

For if I had transmigrated to the gods of the pure abodes I would not have returned to this realm again.For if I had transmigrated to the gods of the pure abodes I would not have returned to this realm again.There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:‘Purity comes from rebirth.’‘Purity comes from rebirth.’

But it’s not easy to find any rebirth that I haven’t previously been reborn in …But it’s not easy to find any rebirth that I haven’t previously been reborn in …There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:‘Purity comes from abode of rebirth.’‘Purity comes from abode of rebirth.’

But it’s not easy to find an abode where I haven’t previously abided …But it’s not easy to find an abode where I haven’t previously abided …There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:‘Purity comes from sacrifice.’‘Purity comes from sacrifice.’

But it’s not easy to find a sacrifice that I haven’t previously offered in all this long time, when I was an anointed aristocratic king or a well-to-do brahmin.But it’s not easy to find a sacrifice that I haven’t previously offered in all this long time, when I was an anointed aristocratic king or a well-to-do brahmin.There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:‘Purity comes from serving the sacred flame.’‘Purity comes from serving the sacred flame.’

But it’s not easy to find a fire that I haven’t previously served in all this long time, when I was an anointed aristocratic king or a well-to-do brahmin.But it’s not easy to find a fire that I haven’t previously served in all this long time, when I was an anointed aristocratic king or a well-to-do brahmin.There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:‘So long as this gentleman is youthful, young, with pristine black hair, blessed with youth, in the prime of life he will be endowed with perfect lucidity of wisdom.‘So long as this gentleman is youthful, young, with pristine black hair, blessed with youth, in the prime of life he will be endowed with perfect lucidity of wisdom.

But when he’s old, elderly, and senior, advanced in years, and has reached the final stage of life—eighty, ninety, or a hundred years old—he will lose his lucidity of wisdom.’But when he’s old, elderly, and senior, advanced in years, and has reached the final stage of life—eighty, ninety, or a hundred years old—he will lose his lucidity of wisdom.’But you should not see it like this.But you should not see it like this.For now I am old, elderly, and senior, I’m advanced in years, and have reached the final stage of life. I am eighty years old.For now I am old, elderly, and senior, I’m advanced in years, and have reached the final stage of life. I am eighty years old.

Suppose I had four disciples with a lifespan of a hundred years. And they each were perfect in memory, range, retention, and perfect lucidity of wisdom.Suppose I had four disciples with a lifespan of a hundred years. And they each were perfect in memory, range, retention, and perfect lucidity of wisdom.Imagine how easily a well-trained expert archer with a strong bow would shoot a light arrow across the shadow of a palm tree.Imagine how easily a well-trained expert archer with a strong bow would shoot a light arrow across the shadow of a palm tree.That’s how extraordinary they were in memory, range, retention, and perfect lucidity of wisdom.That’s how extraordinary they were in memory, range, retention, and perfect lucidity of wisdom.

They’d bring up questions about the four kinds of mindfulness meditation again and again, and I would answer each question. They’d remember the answers and not ask the same question twice.They’d bring up questions about the four kinds of mindfulness meditation again and again, and I would answer each question. They’d remember the answers and not ask the same question twice.And they’d pause only to eat and drink, go to the toilet, and sleep to dispel weariness. But the Realized One would not run out of Dhamma teachings, words and phrases of the teachings, or spontaneous answers.And they’d pause only to eat and drink, go to the toilet, and sleep to dispel weariness. But the Realized One would not run out of Dhamma teachings, words and phrases of the teachings, or spontaneous answers.

And at the end of a hundred years my four disciples would pass away.And at the end of a hundred years my four disciples would pass away.Even if you have to carry me around on a stretcher, there will never be any deterioration in the Realized One’s lucidity of wisdom.Even if you have to carry me around on a stretcher, there will never be any deterioration in the Realized One’s lucidity of wisdom.And if there’s anyone of whom it may be rightly said thatAnd if there’s anyone of whom it may be rightly said that

a being not liable to delusion has arisen in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans, it’s of me that this should be said.”a being not liable to delusion has arisen in the world for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans, it’s of me that this should be said.”Now at that time Venerable Nāgasamāla was standing behind the Buddha fanning him.Now at that time Venerable Nāgasamāla was standing behind the Buddha fanning him.Then he said to the Buddha:Then he said to the Buddha:

“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!While I was listening to this exposition of the teaching my hair stood up!While I was listening to this exposition of the teaching my hair stood up!What is the name of this exposition of the teaching?”What is the name of this exposition of the teaching?”

“Well then, Nāgasamāla, you may remember this exposition of the teaching as ‘The Hair-raising Discourse’.”“Well then, Nāgasamāla, you may remember this exposition of the teaching as ‘The Hair-raising Discourse’.”That is what the Buddha said.That is what the Buddha said.Satisfied, Venerable Nāgasamāla approved what the Buddha said.Satisfied, Venerable Nāgasamāla approved what the Buddha said.