《南傳法句經》第 49 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 49 偈的故事相當有趣，目犍連登場，運用神通感化一對慳吝的富豪夫妻。話說離王舍城不遠的色格勒（Sakkara）村莊，住著一位非常吝嗇的富翁，名叫勾希亞（Kosiya）。一天， 富翁與妻子打算做一些煎餅，為了避免與別人分享，悄悄地在房子的最頂層烘烤。

　　那天清晨，佛陀透過天眼觀見這對夫婦，知道他們雖然小氣，但即將證得初果。於是就派遣首席弟子目犍連尊者（Moggallāna）到勾希亞的家，交代他在中飯之前把夫妻兩人帶至精舍。目犍連施展神通，一眨眼就到達勾希亞的房子，站在窗子外面。富翁瞥見尊者，立刻要求他離開，但目犍連根本不予理會。勾希亞無可奈何，只好吩咐老婆：「弄個特別小塊的煎餅給他，打發他走！」富翁妻子就拿了一小塊麵糰，放在烤盤上。怪的是，麵糰卻膨脹起來，充滿整個烤盤。勾希亞認為肯定是老婆放了太多的麵糰，乾脆親自捏了一小撮的麵糰放在烤盤裡，但麵糰也照樣膨脹起來。他倆不甘心，一試再試，但不論用多麼少量的麵糰，就是沒法烤出很小的煎餅。最後，勾希亞沒轍了，只得叫太太從食籃裡隨意拿出一塊給那位賴著不走的比丘。他妻子要取出煎餅時，所有的煎餅卻全粘在一起，無法分開。至此，勾希亞對煎餅完全沒胃口了，就把整籃的煎餅送給目犍連。尊者這時便向他們開示布施的佛法，並告訴他們，佛陀和其他比丘正在舍衛城的祇樹給孤獨園等候。富翁夫婦便帶著滿籃煎餅隨目犍連去見佛陀，抵達祇園後，以煎餅供養佛陀和眾比丘。食訖，佛陀宣講布施的精義，勾希亞和妻子當下了悟佛法。

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

049 Saintly Monks Cause No Inconvenience to Any

Yathā’pi bhamaro pupphaṃ

Vaṇṇagandhaṃ aheṭhayaṃ

Paleti rasam ādāya

Evaṃ gāme muni care

As a bee without harming the flower, its color or scent, flies away, collecting only the honey, even so should the sage wander in the village.

［中譯取自法增比丘的《南傳法句經新譯》］

聖者入村邑，猶蜂入花間；

唯將花蜜取，不損花色香。

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

Yathā: (adv) as, like, how, when

Api, pi: (indecl.) also, and also, even so, just so; but, however, now (continuing a story); although, even if; perhaps, it is time that, probably

Bhamara: (m) a bee

Puppha: (n) flower

Vaṇṇa: (m) color; appearance, form; beauty; praise; sort, tribe; a syllable, a vowel, a letter

Gandha: (m) smell, scent, odor, fragrance, perfume

Aheṭhaya: (ppr of a-heṭheti) not harming

Heṭheti: to injure, harm, harass

Paleti (= palāyati): to run away, flee, escape, retreat   pp. palāta, palāyita

Rasa: (m) taste, flavor, sap, juice, sweetness, essence, fluid

Ādāya: (ger. of ādāti / ādadāti) having taken (away)

Evaṃ: (adv) thus

Gāma: (m) a village

Muni: (m) a sage, a holy ascetic, a saint

Carati: to walk, walk about, wander, behave, act, live   opt. care, careyya