中部第 22 经（Sujato 英译）第 2 阅读页 · The Simile of the Cobra · 2/3

They’d see a large deluge, whose near shore was dubious and perilous, while the far shore was a sanctuary free of peril.They’d see a large deluge, whose near shore was dubious and perilous, while the far shore was a sanctuary free of peril.But there was no ferryboat or bridge for crossing over.But there was no ferryboat or bridge for crossing over.They’d think,They’d think,

‘Why don’t I gather grass, sticks, branches, and leaves and make a raft? Riding on the raft, and paddling with my hands and feet, I can safely reach the far shore.’‘Why don’t I gather grass, sticks, branches, and leaves and make a raft? Riding on the raft, and paddling with my hands and feet, I can safely reach the far shore.’And so they’d do exactly that.And so they’d do exactly that.And when they’d crossed over to the far shore, they’d think,And when they’d crossed over to the far shore, they’d think,

‘This raft has been very helpful to me.‘This raft has been very helpful to me.Riding on the raft, and paddling with my hands and feet, I have safely crossed over to the far shore.Riding on the raft, and paddling with my hands and feet, I have safely crossed over to the far shore.Why don’t I hoist it on my head or pick it up on my shoulder and go wherever I want?’Why don’t I hoist it on my head or pick it up on my shoulder and go wherever I want?’

What do you think, mendicants?What do you think, mendicants?Would that person be doing what should be done with that raft?”Would that person be doing what should be done with that raft?”“No, sir.”“No, sir.”

“And what, mendicants, should that person do with the raft?“And what, mendicants, should that person do with the raft?When they’d crossed over they should think,When they’d crossed over they should think,‘This raft has been very helpful to me. …‘This raft has been very helpful to me. …

Why don’t I beach it on dry land or set it adrift on the water and go wherever I want?’Why don’t I beach it on dry land or set it adrift on the water and go wherever I want?’That’s what that person should do with the raft.That’s what that person should do with the raft.In the same way, I have taught a simile of the teaching as a raft: for crossing over, not for holding on.In the same way, I have taught a simile of the teaching as a raft: for crossing over, not for holding on.

By understanding the simile of the raft, you will even give up the teachings, let alone what is not the teachings.By understanding the simile of the raft, you will even give up the teachings, let alone what is not the teachings.Mendicants, there are these six grounds for views.Mendicants, there are these six grounds for views.What six?What six?

Take an unlearned ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons.Take an unlearned ordinary person who has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons.They regard form as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’They regard form as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’They also regard feeling …They also regard feeling …

perception …perception …choices …choices …whatever is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’whatever is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’

And as for this ground for views:And as for this ground for views:‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’They regard this also as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’They regard this also as: ‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self.’

But a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons.But a learned noble disciple has seen the noble ones, and is skilled and trained in the teaching of the noble ones. They’ve seen true persons, and are skilled and trained in the teaching of the true persons.They regard form like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’They regard form like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’They also regard feeling …They also regard feeling …

perception …perception …choices …choices …whatever is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’whatever is seen, heard, thought, known, attained, sought, and explored by the mind like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

And the same for this ground for views:And the same for this ground for views:‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’They also regard like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’They also regard like this: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’

Seeing in this way they’re not anxious about what doesn’t exist.”Seeing in this way they’re not anxious about what doesn’t exist.”When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha,When he said this, one of the mendicants said to the Buddha,“Sir, can there be anxiety about what doesn’t exist externally?”“Sir, can there be anxiety about what doesn’t exist externally?”

“There can, mendicant,” said the Buddha.“There can, mendicant,” said the Buddha.“It’s when someone thinks,“It’s when someone thinks,‘Oh, it once was mine but is mine no more.‘Oh, it once was mine but is mine no more.

Oh, it could be mine but I do not get it.’Oh, it could be mine but I do not get it.’They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.That’s how there is anxiety about what doesn’t exist externally.”That’s how there is anxiety about what doesn’t exist externally.”

“But can there be no anxiety about what doesn’t exist externally?”“But can there be no anxiety about what doesn’t exist externally?”“There can, mendicant,” said the Buddha.“There can, mendicant,” said the Buddha.“It’s when someone doesn’t think,“It’s when someone doesn’t think,

‘Oh, it once was mine but is mine no more.‘Oh, it once was mine but is mine no more.Oh, it could be mine but I do not get it.’Oh, it could be mine but I do not get it.’They don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.They don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

That’s how there is no anxiety about what doesn’t exist externally.”That’s how there is no anxiety about what doesn’t exist externally.”“But can there be anxiety about what doesn’t exist internally?”“But can there be anxiety about what doesn’t exist internally?”“There can, mendicant,” said the Buddha.“There can, mendicant,” said the Buddha.

“It’s when someone has such a view:“It’s when someone has such a view:‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’They hear the Realized One or their disciple teaching Dhamma for the uprooting of all grounds, fixations, obsessions, insistences, and underlying tendencies regarding views; for the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.They hear the Realized One or their disciple teaching Dhamma for the uprooting of all grounds, fixations, obsessions, insistences, and underlying tendencies regarding views; for the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.

They think,They think,‘Whoa, I’m going to be annihilated and destroyed! I won’t even exist any more!’‘Whoa, I’m going to be annihilated and destroyed! I won’t even exist any more!’They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.They sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

That’s how there is anxiety about what doesn’t exist internally.”That’s how there is anxiety about what doesn’t exist internally.”“But can there be no anxiety about what doesn’t exist internally?”“But can there be no anxiety about what doesn’t exist internally?”“There can,” said the Buddha.“There can,” said the Buddha.

“It’s when someone doesn’t have such a view:“It’s when someone doesn’t have such a view:‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.’They hear the Realized One or their disciple teaching Dhamma for the uprooting of all grounds, fixations, obsessions, insistences, and underlying tendencies regarding views; for the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.They hear the Realized One or their disciple teaching Dhamma for the uprooting of all grounds, fixations, obsessions, insistences, and underlying tendencies regarding views; for the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, fading away, cessation, extinguishment.

They don’t think,They don’t think,‘Whoa, I’m going to be annihilated and destroyed! I won’t even exist any more!’‘Whoa, I’m going to be annihilated and destroyed! I won’t even exist any more!’They don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.They don’t sorrow and wail and lament, beating their breast and falling into confusion.

That’s how there is no anxiety about what doesn’t exist internally.That’s how there is no anxiety about what doesn’t exist internally.Mendicants, it would make sense to be possessive about something that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.Mendicants, it would make sense to be possessive about something that’s permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever.But do you see any such possession?”But do you see any such possession?”

“No, sir.”“No, sir.”“Good, mendicants!“Good, mendicants!I also can’t see any such possession.I also can’t see any such possession.

It would make sense to grasp at a theory of self that didn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.It would make sense to grasp at a theory of self that didn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.But do you see any such theory of self?”But do you see any such theory of self?”“No, sir.”“No, sir.”

“Good, mendicants!“Good, mendicants!I also can’t see any such theory of self.I also can’t see any such theory of self.It would make sense to rely on a view that didn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.It would make sense to rely on a view that didn’t give rise to sorrow, lamentation, pain, sadness, and distress.

But do you see any such view to rely on?”But do you see any such view to rely on?”“No, sir.”“No, sir.”“Good, mendicants!“Good, mendicants!

I also can’t see any such view to rely on.I also can’t see any such view to rely on.Mendicants, were a self to exist, would there be the thought, ‘Belonging to my self’?”Mendicants, were a self to exist, would there be the thought, ‘Belonging to my self’?”“Yes, sir.”“Yes, sir.”

“Were what belongs to a self to exist, would there be the thought, ‘My self’?”“Were what belongs to a self to exist, would there be the thought, ‘My self’?”“Yes, sir.”“Yes, sir.”“But since a self and what belongs to a self are not found as a genuine fact, is not the following a totally foolish teaching:“But since a self and what belongs to a self are not found as a genuine fact, is not the following a totally foolish teaching:

‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever’?”‘The cosmos and the self are one and the same. After death I will be that, permanent, everlasting, eternal, imperishable, and will last forever and ever’?”“How could it not, sir? It’s a totally foolish teaching.”“How could it not, sir? It’s a totally foolish teaching.”“What do you think, mendicants?“What do you think, mendicants?

Is form permanent or impermanent?”Is form permanent or impermanent?”“Impermanent, sir.”“Impermanent, sir.”“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”

“Suffering, sir.”“Suffering, sir.”“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”

“No, sir.”“No, sir.”“What do you think, mendicants?“What do you think, mendicants?Is feeling …Is feeling …

perception …perception …choices …choices …consciousness permanent or impermanent?”consciousness permanent or impermanent?”

“Impermanent, sir.”“Impermanent, sir.”“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“But if it’s impermanent, is it suffering or happiness?”“Suffering, sir.”“Suffering, sir.”

“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:“But if it’s impermanent, suffering, and perishable, is it fit to be regarded thus:‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”‘This is mine, I am this, this is my self’?”“No, sir.”“No, sir.”

“So, mendicants, you should truly see any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’“So, mendicants, you should truly see any kind of form at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all form—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’You should truly see any kind of feeling …You should truly see any kind of feeling …perception …perception …

choices …choices …consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’consciousness at all—past, future, or present; internal or external; solid or subtle; inferior or superior; far or near: all consciousness—with right understanding: ‘This is not mine, I am not this, this is not my self.’Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.Seeing this, a learned noble disciple grows disillusioned with form, feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness.