《南傳法句經》第 44-45 偈

故事為鄙人摘譯自 K. Sri Dhammananda 長老主編的英文版 The Dhammapada，添枝減葉若干。

　　《法句經》第 44-45 偈的故事透露修行者較為放鬆的一面，即使在佛陀的親身督導下，比丘們也難免有戲論的時候。但聲聞弟子畢竟是有修行的，一點即明，很快就證悟聖果。話說一群比丘伴隨佛陀到一個村落後，返回祇園精舍。傍晚時分，這群比丘聚在一起閒談當天的行程，尤其是沿途的地形。大夥你一言、我一語，所經之地到底是平原或丘巒、土壤是黏土或沙地、紅土或黑土等等。討論正熱烈的時候，佛陀前來探視了。知道他們談論的話題時，佛陀告誡眾人：「比丘們！你們所談的地貌等等，是身外的環境；你們最好觀察自己的色身，努力去了解這個色身的究竟。」

　　佛陀接著說，透過了解自身，比丘能夠了解世間、諸天與惡道，也能夠了悟奧妙的法句，而這奧妙的法句就如同花藝大師精心揀選設計的花環。

　　這群比丘聆聽佛陀的教誨後，正念思惟，終於滌盡內心所有的雜染，證得聖果。

［巴利原文與英譯取自 Nārada 長老編譯的 The Dhammapada］

044 The Noble Disciple Will Conquer This Self

Ko imaṃ paṭhaviṃ vicessati

Yamalokañ ca imaṃ sadevakaṃ

Ko dhammapadaṃ sudesitaṃ

Kusalo puppham iva pacessati

Who will comprehend this earth (self), and this realm of Yama, and this world together with the devas? Who will investigate the well-taught Path of Virtue, even as an expert (garland-maker) will pick flowers?

045 The Noble Disciple Will Conquer This Self

Sekho paṭhaviṃ vicessati

Yamalokañ ca imaṃ sadevakaṃ

Sekho dhammapadaṃ sudesitaṃ

Kusalo puppham iva pacessati

A disciple in training (sekha) will comprehend this earth (self), and this realm of Yama together with the realm of the devas. A disciple in training will investigate the well-taught Path of Virtue, even as an expert (garland-maker) will pick flowers.

［注］

Paṭhavī: 地，外在的大地，也意指組成色身的四大之一。

Yamaloka: 此處泛指地獄、畜生道、餓鬼道、與阿修羅道。

Imaṃ sadevakaṃ: 這個世界（人道）與天界。

Dhammapada: 字面意思是「法句」，此處引申為三十七菩提分，即：四念處、四正勤、四神足、五根、五力、七覺支、八正道。

Sekha: 學地比丘，已入聖流證初果，但仍在繼續學習，尚未證得阿羅漢果的比丘。若證得阿羅漢果，則稱為 asekha。

［中譯取自法增比丘的《南傳法句經新譯》］

誰知己與世、天界與惡道？

誰悟善說法，如花匠選花？

修學知己世、天界與惡道；

修學悟善法，如花匠選花。

NOTES

註釋主要依據: A Dictionary of the Pali Language, by R. C. Childers;

Pali-English Dictionary, by T. W. Rhys Davids and W. Stede

Ko: (pron. m. nom.) who?

Ayaṃ: (pron. m/f. nom.) this, it, he, etc.   (n) idaṃ, imaṃ   [acc.] (m/f) imaṃ   (n) idaṃ, imaṃ

Paṭhavī (= pathavī, puthuvī, puthavī): (f) the earth

Vicinati (vicināti): [vi+cināti] to investigate, examine, discriminate; to seek, look for, choose, collect, gather  fut. vicinissati, vicessati   ger. viceyya, vicinitvā: discriminating; with discrimination

Yama: (m) the ruler of the kingdom of the dead

Yamaloka: (m) the realm of Yama, world or world of the petas

Sadevaka: (adj) together with the devas or deva-world; a frequent epithet of the world of men, sometimes used in the sense of “the world of men and devas”

Dhamma: (m/n) nature, condition, quality, property, characteristic; function, practice, duty; object, thing, idea, phenomenon; doctrine; law; virtue, piety; justice; the law or Truth of Buddha; the Buddhist scriptures; religion

Pada: (n) step, stride; footprint, trace, track; a foot; way, path; place, abode; a word, verse (or a quarter of a verse), stanza, line, sentence, etc.

Sudesita: (adj) well-taught

Kusala: (adj) skilled, clever, lucky, good, happy, virtuous, meritorious   (m) a skilled person, an expert

Puppha: (n) flower

Iva, viya, va: (part.) like, as

Pacinati: to pick, pluck, gather, take up, collect, accumulate; to pick out (mentally), discern, distinguish, realize, know   fut. pacessati

Sekha: (m) one who is under training

This term is applied to the first seven Ariyapuggalas, the eighth, or Arhat, being asekha. It implies that they have still a remainder of human passion to eradicate, still duties to perform, still a probation to be passed through.