中部第 82 经（Sujato 英译）第 3 阅读页 · With Raṭṭhapāla · 3/4

This is called decay of relatives.This is called decay of relatives.But worthy Raṭṭhapāla has many friends and colleagues, relatives and kin right here in Thullakoṭṭhika.But worthy Raṭṭhapāla has many friends and colleagues, relatives and kin right here in Thullakoṭṭhika.You have no decay of relatives.You have no decay of relatives.

So what did you know or see or hear that made you go forth?So what did you know or see or hear that made you go forth?There are these four kinds of decay. Because of these, some people shave off their hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.There are these four kinds of decay. Because of these, some people shave off their hair and beard, dress in ocher robes, and go forth from the lay life to homelessness.Worthy Raṭṭhapāla has none of these.Worthy Raṭṭhapāla has none of these.

So what did you know or see or hear that made you go forth?”So what did you know or see or hear that made you go forth?”“Great king, the Blessed One who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha has taught these four summaries of the teaching for recitation. It was after knowing and seeing and hearing these that I went forth from the lay life to homelessness.“Great king, the Blessed One who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha has taught these four summaries of the teaching for recitation. It was after knowing and seeing and hearing these that I went forth from the lay life to homelessness.What four?What four?

‘The world is unstable and swept away.’‘The world is unstable and swept away.’This is the first summary.This is the first summary.‘The world has no shelter and no savior.’‘The world has no shelter and no savior.’

This is the second summary.This is the second summary.‘The world has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.’‘The world has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.’This is the third summary.This is the third summary.

‘The world is wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.’‘The world is wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.’This is the fourth summary.This is the fourth summary.The Blessed One who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha taught these four summaries of the teaching. It was after knowing and seeing and hearing these that I went forth from the lay life to homelessness.”The Blessed One who knows and sees, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha taught these four summaries of the teaching. It was after knowing and seeing and hearing these that I went forth from the lay life to homelessness.”

“‘The world is unstable and swept away.’“‘The world is unstable and swept away.’So the worthy Raṭṭhapāla said.So the worthy Raṭṭhapāla said.How should I see the meaning of this statement?”How should I see the meaning of this statement?”

“What do you think, Great King?“What do you think, Great King?When you were twenty or twenty-five years of age, were you well-versed at riding elephants, horses, and chariots, and at archery and swordsmanship? Were you strong in thigh and arm, capable, and battle-hardened?”When you were twenty or twenty-five years of age, were you well-versed at riding elephants, horses, and chariots, and at archery and swordsmanship? Were you strong in thigh and arm, capable, and battle-hardened?”“I was, worthy Raṭṭhapāla.“I was, worthy Raṭṭhapāla.

Sometimes it seems as if I had superpowers then. I don’t see anyone who could have equaled me in strength.”Sometimes it seems as if I had superpowers then. I don’t see anyone who could have equaled me in strength.”“What do you think, Great King?“What do you think, Great King?These days are you just as strong in thigh and arm, capable, and battle-hardened?”These days are you just as strong in thigh and arm, capable, and battle-hardened?”

“No, worthy Raṭṭhapāla.“No, worthy Raṭṭhapāla.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.Sometimes I intend to step in one place, but my foot goes somewhere else.”Sometimes I intend to step in one place, but my foot goes somewhere else.”

“This is what the Buddha was referring to when he said:“This is what the Buddha was referring to when he said:‘The world is unstable and swept away.’”‘The world is unstable and swept away.’”“It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing,“It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing,

how well said this was by the Buddha.how well said this was by the Buddha.For the world is indeed unstable and swept away.For the world is indeed unstable and swept away.In this royal court you can find divisions of elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry. They will serve to defend us from any threats. Yet you said:In this royal court you can find divisions of elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry. They will serve to defend us from any threats. Yet you said:

‘The world has no shelter and no savior.’‘The world has no shelter and no savior.’How should I see the meaning of this statement?”How should I see the meaning of this statement?”“What do you think, Great King?“What do you think, Great King?

Do you have any chronic ailments?”Do you have any chronic ailments?”“Yes, I do.“Yes, I do.Sometimes my friends and colleagues, relatives and kin surround me, thinking:Sometimes my friends and colleagues, relatives and kin surround me, thinking:

‘Now the king will die! Now the king will die!’”‘Now the king will die! Now the king will die!’”“What do you think, Great King?“What do you think, Great King?Can you get your friends and colleagues, relatives and kin to help:Can you get your friends and colleagues, relatives and kin to help:

‘Please, my dear friends and colleagues, relatives and kin, all of you here share my pain so that I may feel less pain.’‘Please, my dear friends and colleagues, relatives and kin, all of you here share my pain so that I may feel less pain.’Or must you alone feel that pain?”Or must you alone feel that pain?”“I can’t get my friends to share my pain.“I can’t get my friends to share my pain.

Rather, I alone must feel it.”Rather, I alone must feel it.”“This is what the Buddha was referring to when he said:“This is what the Buddha was referring to when he said:‘The world has no shelter and no savior.’”‘The world has no shelter and no savior.’”

“It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing,“It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing,how well said this was by the Buddha.how well said this was by the Buddha.For the world indeed has no shelter and no savior.For the world indeed has no shelter and no savior.

In this royal court you can find abundant gold, both coined and uncoined, stored above and below ground. Yet you said:In this royal court you can find abundant gold, both coined and uncoined, stored above and below ground. Yet you said:‘The world has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.’‘The world has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.’How should I see the meaning of this statement?”How should I see the meaning of this statement?”

“What do you think, Great King?“What do you think, Great King?These days you amuse yourself, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. But is there any way to ensure that in the next lifeThese days you amuse yourself, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation. But is there any way to ensure that in the next lifeyou will continue to amuse yourself in the same way, supplied and provided with the same five kinds of sensual stimulation? Or will others make use of this property, while you pass on according to your deeds?”you will continue to amuse yourself in the same way, supplied and provided with the same five kinds of sensual stimulation? Or will others make use of this property, while you pass on according to your deeds?”

“There’s no way to ensure that I will continue to amuse myself in the same way.“There’s no way to ensure that I will continue to amuse myself in the same way.Rather, others will take over this property, while I pass on according to my deeds.”Rather, others will take over this property, while I pass on according to my deeds.”“This is what the Buddha was referring to when he said:“This is what the Buddha was referring to when he said:

‘The world has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.’”‘The world has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.’”“It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing,“It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing,how well said this was by the Buddha.how well said this was by the Buddha.

For the world indeed has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.For the world indeed has no owner—you must leave it all behind and pass on.You also said this: ‘The world is wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.’You also said this: ‘The world is wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.’How should I see the meaning of this statement?”How should I see the meaning of this statement?”

“What do you think, Great King?“What do you think, Great King?Do you reign over the prosperous land of Kuru?”Do you reign over the prosperous land of Kuru?”“Indeed I do.”“Indeed I do.”

“What do you think, Great King?“What do you think, Great King?Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the east.Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the east.He’d approach you and say:He’d approach you and say:

‘Please, Great King, you should know this. I come from the east.‘Please, Great King, you should know this. I come from the east.There I saw a large country that is successful and prosperous, populous and full of people.There I saw a large country that is successful and prosperous, populous and full of people.They have many divisions of elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry.They have many divisions of elephants, cavalry, chariots, and infantry.

And there’s plenty of money and grain,And there’s plenty of money and grain,plenty of gold, coined and uncoined, worked and unworked,plenty of gold, coined and uncoined, worked and unworked,and plenty of women for the taking.and plenty of women for the taking.

With your current forces you can conquer it.With your current forces you can conquer it.Conquer it, Great King!’ What would you do?”Conquer it, Great King!’ What would you do?”“I would conquer it and reign over it.”“I would conquer it and reign over it.”

“What do you think, Great King?“What do you think, Great King?Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the west,Suppose a trustworthy and dependable man were to come from the west,north,north,

south,south,or from over the ocean.or from over the ocean.He’d approach you and say the same thing.He’d approach you and say the same thing.

What would you do?”What would you do?”“I would conquer it and reign over it.”“I would conquer it and reign over it.”“This is what the Buddha was referring to when he said:“This is what the Buddha was referring to when he said:

‘The world is wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.’‘The world is wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.’And it was after knowing and seeing and hearing this that I went forth from the lay life to homelessness.”And it was after knowing and seeing and hearing this that I went forth from the lay life to homelessness.”“It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing,“It’s incredible, worthy Raṭṭhapāla, it’s amazing,

how well said this was by the Buddha.how well said this was by the Buddha.For the world is indeed wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.”For the world is indeed wanting, insatiable, the slave of craving.”That is what Venerable Raṭṭhapāla said.That is what Venerable Raṭṭhapāla said.

Then he went on to say:Then he went on to say:“I see rich humans in the world who,“I see rich humans in the world who,because of delusion, give not the wealth they’ve earned.because of delusion, give not the wealth they’ve earned.

Greedily, they hoard their riches,Greedily, they hoard their riches,yearning for ever more sensual pleasures.yearning for ever more sensual pleasures.A king who conquered the earth by force,A king who conquered the earth by force,

ruling the land from sea to sea,ruling the land from sea to sea,unsatisfied with the near shore of the ocean,unsatisfied with the near shore of the ocean,would still yearn for the further shore.would still yearn for the further shore.

Not just the king, but others too,Not just the king, but others too,reach death not rid of craving.reach death not rid of craving.They leave the body still wanting,They leave the body still wanting,

for in this world sensual pleasures never satisfy.for in this world sensual pleasures never satisfy.Relatives lament, their hair disheveled,Relatives lament, their hair disheveled,saying ‘Ah! Alas! They’re not immortal!’saying ‘Ah! Alas! They’re not immortal!’

They take out the body wrapped in a shroud,They take out the body wrapped in a shroud,heap up a pyre, and burn it there.heap up a pyre, and burn it there.It’s poked with stakes while being burnt,It’s poked with stakes while being burnt,

in just a single cloth, all wealth gone.in just a single cloth, all wealth gone.Relatives, friends, and companionsRelatives, friends, and companionscan’t help you when you’re dying.can’t help you when you’re dying.