中部第 130 经（Sujato 英译）第 1 阅读页 · Messengers of the Gods · 1/2

Middle Discourses 130Middle Discourses 130Messengers of the GodsMessengers of the Gods

So I have heard.So I have heard.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.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, suppose there were two houses with doors. A person with clear eyes standing in between them would see humans entering and leaving a house and wandering to and fro.“Mendicants, suppose there were two houses with doors. A person with clear eyes standing in between them would see humans entering and leaving a house and wandering to and fro.In the same way, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm, or among humans. These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in the ghost realm, the animal realm, or in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.’In the same way, with clairvoyance that is purified and superhuman, I see sentient beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, beautiful and ugly, in a good place or a bad place. I understand how sentient beings pass on according to their deeds: ‘These dear beings did good things by way of body, speech, and mind. They never denounced the noble ones; they had right view; and they chose to act out of that right view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm, or among humans. These dear beings did bad things by way of body, speech, and mind. They denounced the noble ones; they had wrong view; and they chose to act out of that wrong view. When their body broke up, after death, they were reborn in the ghost realm, the animal realm, or in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.’

The wardens of hell take them by the arms and present them to King Yama, saying,The wardens of hell take them by the arms and present them to King Yama, saying,‘Your Majesty, this person did not pay due respect to their mother and father, ascetics and brahmins, or honor the elders in the family.‘Your Majesty, this person did not pay due respect to their mother and father, ascetics and brahmins, or honor the elders in the family.May Your Majesty punish them!’May Your Majesty punish them!’

King Yama pursues, presses, and grills them about the first messenger of the gods:King Yama pursues, presses, and grills them about the first messenger of the gods:‘My man, did you not see the first messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’‘My man, did you not see the first messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’He says,He says,

‘I saw nothing, sir.’‘I saw nothing, sir.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, did you not see among human beings a little baby collapsed in their own urine and feces?’‘My man, did you not see among human beings a little baby collapsed in their own urine and feces?’

He says,He says,‘I saw that, sir.’‘I saw that, sir.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,

‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—“I, too, am liable to be born. I’m not exempt from rebirth. I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’“I, too, am liable to be born. I’m not exempt from rebirth. I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’He says,He says,

‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.

Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’Then King Yama grills them about the second messenger of the gods:Then King Yama grills them about the second messenger of the gods:

‘My man, did you not see the second messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’‘My man, did you not see the second messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’He says,He says,‘I saw nothing, sir.’‘I saw nothing, sir.’

King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, did you not see among human beings an elderly woman or a man—eighty, ninety, or a hundred years old—bent double, crooked, leaning on a staff, trembling as they walk, ailing, past their prime, with teeth broken, hair grey and scanty or bald, skin wrinkled, and limbs blotchy?’‘My man, did you not see among human beings an elderly woman or a man—eighty, ninety, or a hundred years old—bent double, crooked, leaning on a staff, trembling as they walk, ailing, past their prime, with teeth broken, hair grey and scanty or bald, skin wrinkled, and limbs blotchy?’He says,He says,

‘I saw that, sir.’‘I saw that, sir.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—

“I, too, am liable to grow old. I’m not exempt from old age. I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’“I, too, am liable to grow old. I’m not exempt from old age. I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’He says,He says,‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’

King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.

That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’Then King Yama grills them about the third messenger of the gods:Then King Yama grills them about the third messenger of the gods:‘My man, did you not see the third messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’‘My man, did you not see the third messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’

He says,He says,‘I saw nothing, sir.’‘I saw nothing, sir.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,

‘My man, did you not see among human beings a woman or a man, sick, suffering, gravely ill, collapsed in their own urine and feces, being picked up by some and put down by others?’‘My man, did you not see among human beings a woman or a man, sick, suffering, gravely ill, collapsed in their own urine and feces, being picked up by some and put down by others?’He says,He says,‘I saw that, sir.’‘I saw that, sir.’

King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—“I, too, am liable to become sick. I’m not exempt from sickness. I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’“I, too, am liable to become sick. I’m not exempt from sickness. I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’

He says,He says,‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,

‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’

Then King Yama grills them about the fourth messenger of the gods:Then King Yama grills them about the fourth messenger of the gods:‘My man, did you not see the fourth messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’‘My man, did you not see the fourth messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’He says,He says,

‘I saw nothing, sir.’‘I saw nothing, sir.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, did you not see among human beings when the rulers arrested a bandit, a criminal, and subjected them to various punishments—‘My man, did you not see among human beings when the rulers arrested a bandit, a criminal, and subjected them to various punishments—

whipping, caning, and clubbing; cutting off hands or feet, or both; cutting off ears or nose, or both; the ‘porridge pot’, the ‘shell-shave’, the ‘Rāhu’s mouth’, the ‘garland of fire’, the ‘burning hand’, the ‘bulrush twist’, the ‘bark dress’, the ‘antelope’, the ‘meat hook’, the ‘coins’, the ‘caustic pickle’, the ‘twisting bar’, the ‘straw mat’; being splashed with hot oil, being fed to the hounds, being impaled alive, and being beheaded?’whipping, caning, and clubbing; cutting off hands or feet, or both; cutting off ears or nose, or both; the ‘porridge pot’, the ‘shell-shave’, the ‘Rāhu’s mouth’, the ‘garland of fire’, the ‘burning hand’, the ‘bulrush twist’, the ‘bark dress’, the ‘antelope’, the ‘meat hook’, the ‘coins’, the ‘caustic pickle’, the ‘twisting bar’, the ‘straw mat’; being splashed with hot oil, being fed to the hounds, being impaled alive, and being beheaded?’

He says,He says,‘I saw that, sir.’‘I saw that, sir.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,

‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—“It seems that one who does bad deeds receives such punishment in this very life. What must happen to them in the next? I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’“It seems that one who does bad deeds receives such punishment in this very life. What must happen to them in the next? I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’He says,He says,

‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.

Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’Then King Yama grills them about the fifth messenger of the gods:Then King Yama grills them about the fifth messenger of the gods:

‘My man, did you not see the fifth messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’‘My man, did you not see the fifth messenger of the gods that appeared among human beings?’He says,He says,‘I saw nothing, sir.’‘I saw nothing, sir.’

King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, did you not see among human beings a woman or a man, dead for one, two, or three days, bloated, livid, and festering?’‘My man, did you not see among human beings a woman or a man, dead for one, two, or three days, bloated, livid, and festering?’He says,He says,

‘I saw that, sir.’‘I saw that, sir.’King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—‘My man, did it not occur to you—being sensible and mature—

“I, too, am liable to die. I’m not exempt from death. I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’“I, too, am liable to die. I’m not exempt from death. I’d better do good by way of body, speech, and mind”?’He says,He says,‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’‘I couldn’t, sir. I was negligent.’

King Yama says to them,King Yama says to them,‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.‘My man, because you were negligent, you didn’t do good by way of body, speech, and mind.Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.Well, they’ll definitely punish you to fit your negligence.

That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’That bad deed wasn’t done by your mother, father, brother, or sister. It wasn’t done by friends and colleagues, by relatives and kin, by ascetics and brahmins, or by the deities. That bad deed was done by you alone, and you alone will experience the result.’After grilling them about the fifth messenger of the gods, King Yama falls silent.After grilling them about the fifth messenger of the gods, King Yama falls silent.The wardens of hell punish them with the five-fold crucifixion.The wardens of hell punish them with the five-fold crucifixion.

They drive red-hot stakes through the hands and feet, and another in the middle of the chest.They drive red-hot stakes through the hands and feet, and another in the middle of the chest.And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.The wardens of hell throw them down and hack them with axes. …The wardens of hell throw them down and hack them with axes. …

They hang them upside-down and hack them with hatchets. …They hang them upside-down and hack them with hatchets. …They harness them to a chariot, and drive them back and forth across burning ground, blazing and glowing. …They harness them to a chariot, and drive them back and forth across burning ground, blazing and glowing. …They make them climb up and down a big mountain of burning coals, blazing and glowing. …They make them climb up and down a big mountain of burning coals, blazing and glowing. …

The wardens of hell turn them upside down and throw them in a red-hot copper pot, burning, blazing, and glowing.The wardens of hell turn them upside down and throw them in a red-hot copper pot, burning, blazing, and glowing.There they’re seared in boiling scum, and they’re swept up and down and round and round.There they’re seared in boiling scum, and they’re swept up and down and round and round.And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.And there they suffer painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings—but they don’t die until that bad deed is eliminated.

The wardens of hell toss them into the Great Hell.The wardens of hell toss them into the Great Hell.Now, about that Great Hell:Now, about that Great Hell:‘Four are its corners, four its doors,‘Four are its corners, four its doors,

neatly divided section by section.neatly divided section by section.Surrounded by an iron wall,Surrounded by an iron wall,of iron is its roof.of iron is its roof.

The ground is even made of iron,The ground is even made of iron,it burns with fierce fire.it burns with fierce fire.The heat forever radiatesThe heat forever radiates

a hundred leagues around.’a hundred leagues around.’