中部第 146 经（Sujato 英译）第 2 阅读页 · Advice from Nandaka · 2/2

‘There’s a large tree standing with heartwood. The roots, trunk, and branches and leaves are all impermanent and perishable. But the shadow is permanent, lasting, eternal, and imperishable.’‘There’s a large tree standing with heartwood. The roots, trunk, and branches and leaves are all impermanent and perishable. But the shadow is permanent, lasting, eternal, and imperishable.’Would they be speaking rightly?”Would they be speaking rightly?”“No, sir.“No, sir.

Why is that?Why is that?Because that large tree’s roots, trunk, and branches and leaves are all impermanent and perishable,Because that large tree’s roots, trunk, and branches and leaves are all impermanent and perishable,let alone the shadow.”let alone the shadow.”

“In the same way, suppose someone was to say:“In the same way, suppose someone was to say:‘These six exterior sense fields are impermanent.‘These six exterior sense fields are impermanent.But the feeling—whether pleasant, painful, or neutral—that I experience due to these six exterior sense fields is permanent, lasting, eternal, and imperishable.’But the feeling—whether pleasant, painful, or neutral—that I experience due to these six exterior sense fields is permanent, lasting, eternal, and imperishable.’

Would they be speaking rightly?”Would they be speaking rightly?”“No, sir.“No, sir.Why is that?Why is that?

Because each kind of feeling arises dependent on the corresponding condition.Because each kind of feeling arises dependent on the corresponding condition.When the corresponding condition ceases, the appropriate feeling ceases.”When the corresponding condition ceases, the appropriate feeling ceases.”“Good, good, sisters!“Good, good, sisters!

That’s how it is for a noble disciple who truly sees with right wisdom.That’s how it is for a noble disciple who truly sees with right wisdom.Suppose a deft butcher or their apprentice, having killed a cow, were to carve it with a sharp meat cleaver, without damaging the flesh inside or the hide outside.Suppose a deft butcher or their apprentice, having killed a cow, were to carve it with a sharp meat cleaver, without damaging the flesh inside or the hide outside.They’d cut, carve, sever, and slice through each of the connecting tendons, sinews, and ligaments with a sharp meat cleaver,They’d cut, carve, sever, and slice through each of the connecting tendons, sinews, and ligaments with a sharp meat cleaver,

and then peel off the outer hide. Then they’d wrap that cow up in that very same hide and say:and then peel off the outer hide. Then they’d wrap that cow up in that very same hide and say:‘This cow is joined to its hide just like before.’‘This cow is joined to its hide just like before.’Would they be speaking rightly?”Would they be speaking rightly?”

“No, sir.“No, sir.Why is that?Why is that?Because even if they wrap that cow up in that very same hide and say:Because even if they wrap that cow up in that very same hide and say:

‘This cow is joined to its hide just like before,’‘This cow is joined to its hide just like before,’still that cow is not joined to that hide.”still that cow is not joined to that hide.”“I’ve made up this simile to make a point.“I’ve made up this simile to make a point.

And this is the point.And this is the point.‘The inner flesh’ is a term for the six interior sense fields.‘The inner flesh’ is a term for the six interior sense fields.‘The outer hide’ is a term for the six exterior sense fields.‘The outer hide’ is a term for the six exterior sense fields.

‘The connecting tendons, sinews, and ligaments’ is a term for greed and relishing.‘The connecting tendons, sinews, and ligaments’ is a term for greed and relishing.‘A sharp meat cleaver’ is a term for noble wisdom.‘A sharp meat cleaver’ is a term for noble wisdom.And it is that noble wisdom which cuts, carves, severs, and slices the connecting corruption, fetter, and bond.And it is that noble wisdom which cuts, carves, severs, and slices the connecting corruption, fetter, and bond.

Sisters, by developing and cultivating these seven awakening factors, a mendicant realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.Sisters, by developing and cultivating these seven awakening factors, a mendicant realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.What seven?What seven?It’s when a mendicant develops the awakening factors of mindfulness,It’s when a mendicant develops the awakening factors of mindfulness,

investigation of principles,investigation of principles,energy,energy,rapture,rapture,

tranquility,tranquility,immersion,immersion,and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.and equanimity, which rely on seclusion, fading away, and cessation, and ripen as letting go.

It is by developing and cultivating these seven awakening factors that a mendicant realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.”It is by developing and cultivating these seven awakening factors that a mendicant realizes the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom. And they live having realized it with their own insight in this very life due to the ending of defilements.”Then after giving this advice to the nuns, Nandaka sent them off, saying,Then after giving this advice to the nuns, Nandaka sent them off, saying,“Go, sisters, it is time.”“Go, sisters, it is time.”

And then those nuns approved and agreed with what Nandaka had said. They rose from their seats, bowed, and respectfully circled him, keeping him on their right. Then they went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to them,And then those nuns approved and agreed with what Nandaka had said. They rose from their seats, bowed, and respectfully circled him, keeping him on their right. Then they went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. The Buddha said to them,“Go, nuns, it is time.”“Go, nuns, it is time.”Then those nuns bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right, before leaving.Then those nuns bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on their right, before leaving.

Soon after those nuns had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:Soon after those nuns had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:“Suppose, mendicants, it was the sabbath of the fourteenth day. You wouldn’t get lots of people“Suppose, mendicants, it was the sabbath of the fourteenth day. You wouldn’t get lots of peoplewondering whether the moon is full or not, since it is obviously not full.wondering whether the moon is full or not, since it is obviously not full.

In the same way, those nuns were uplifted by Nandaka’s Dhamma teaching, but they still haven’t got all they wished for.”In the same way, those nuns were uplifted by Nandaka’s Dhamma teaching, but they still haven’t got all they wished for.”Then the Buddha said to Nandaka,Then the Buddha said to Nandaka,“Well then, Nandaka, tomorrow you should give those nuns the same advice again.”“Well then, Nandaka, tomorrow you should give those nuns the same advice again.”

“Yes, sir,” Nandaka replied.“Yes, sir,” Nandaka replied.And the next day he went to those nuns, and all unfolded just like the previous day.And the next day he went to those nuns, and all unfolded just like the previous day.Soon after those nuns had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:Soon after those nuns had left, the Buddha addressed the mendicants:

“Suppose, mendicants, it was the sabbath of the fifteenth day. You wouldn’t get lots of people“Suppose, mendicants, it was the sabbath of the fifteenth day. You wouldn’t get lots of peoplewondering whether the moon is full or not, since it is obviously full.wondering whether the moon is full or not, since it is obviously full.In the same way, those nuns were uplifted by Nandaka’s Dhamma teaching, and they got all they wished for.In the same way, those nuns were uplifted by Nandaka’s Dhamma teaching, and they got all they wished for.

Even the last of these five hundred nuns is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”Even the last of these five hundred nuns is a stream-enterer, not liable to be reborn in the underworld, assured, destined for awakening.”That is what the Buddha said.That is what the Buddha said.Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.Satisfied, the mendicants approved what the Buddha said.