Ekottaragama (Sanskrit fragments) 3.5

3.5.1

（五）

(5)

3.5.2

聞如是：

Thus have I heard:

Thus I have heard: One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī.

3.5.3

一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。

At one time the Buddha was staying in Śrāvastī, at the Jetavana monastery in Anāthapiṇḍada's park.

3.5.4

爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「當修行一法，當廣布一法；修行一法已，便有名譽，成大果報，諸善普至，得甘露味，至無為處，便成神通，除諸亂想，逮沙門果，自致涅槃。云何為一法？所謂念施。」

At that time the Bhagavat addressed the bhikṣus: "You should practice one dharma, and you should widely propagate one dharma. Having practiced this one dharma, you will attain renown, achieve great fruits and rewards, all good things will arrive everywhere, you will obtain the taste of the deathless, reach the unconditioned state, realize supernatural powers, eliminate all distracted thoughts, attain the fruits of asceticism, and personally reach nirvāṇa. What is this one dharma? It is what is called recollection of generosity."

It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “One should cultivate one thing and disseminate one thing. After cultivating this one thing, they’ll become well known and achieve a great reward and all good and complete attainments. They’ll attain the sweet-tasting dew and arrive at the unconditioned state. They then will achieve spiritual knowledge, dispel their confused ideas, win the fruits of the ascetic, and bring about nirvāṇa themselves. What’s this one thing? It’s called recollecting generosity.”

3.5.5

佛告諸比丘：「云何修行念施，便有名譽，成大果報，諸善普至，得甘露味，至無為處，便成神通，除諸亂想，獲沙門果，自致涅槃？」

The Buddha addressed the bhikṣus: "How does practicing recollection of generosity lead to renown, the achievement of great fruits and rewards, the universal arrival of all good things, obtaining the taste of the deathless, reaching the unconditioned state, realizing supernatural powers, eliminating all distracted thoughts, obtaining the fruits of asceticism, and personally reaching nirvāṇa?"

The Buddha addressed the monks, “How does someone who cultivates the recollection of generosity become well known, achieve a great reward and all good and complete attainments, attain the sweet-tasting dew, and arrive at the unconditioned state? How do they achieve spiritual knowledge, dispel their confused ideas, win the fruits of the ascetic, and bring about nirvāṇa themselves?”

3.5.6

爾時，諸比丘白世尊曰：「諸法之本，如來所說。唯願世尊為諸比丘說此妙義，諸比丘從如來聞已，便當受持。」

At that time the bhikṣus said to the Bhagavat: "The root of all dharmas is spoken by the Tathāgata. We only pray that the Bhagavat will explain this subtle meaning for the bhikṣus. Having heard it from the Tathāgata, the bhikṣus will accept and uphold it."

The monks then said to the Bhagavān, “What the Tathāgata says is the source of the teachings. Please, Bhagavān, explain the wonderful meaning of this for the monks. After we hear it from the Tathāgata, the monks will accept and retain it.”

3.5.7

爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「諦聽！諦聽！善思念之，吾當為汝廣分別說。」

At that time the Bhagavat addressed the bhikṣus: "Listen attentively! Listen attentively, and reflect on it well! I shall distinguish and analyze it in detail for you."

The Bhagavān then told the monks, “Listen closely! Listen closely, and consider it well. I will discern this for you in detail.”

3.5.8

諸比丘對曰：「如是。世尊！」諸比丘前受教已。

The bhikṣus replied: "Yes, Bhagavat!" The bhikṣus then stepped forward to receive the teaching.

They replied, “Yes, Bhagavān.”

Once the monks had accepted the teaching, the Bhagavān told them, “Suppose a monk sits cross-legged with correct posture and thought and fixes his attention on what’s in front of him. With no other idea, he focuses on recollecting generosity.

3.5.9

世尊告曰：「若有比丘正身正意，結跏趺坐，繫念在前，無有他想，專精念施。我今所施，施中之上，永無悔心，無返報想，快得善利。若人罵我，我終不報；設人害我，手捲相加，刀杖相向，瓦石相擲，當起慈心，不興瞋恚。我所施者，施意不絕。是謂，比丘！名曰大施，便成大果報，諸善普至，得甘露味，至無為處，便成神通，除諸亂想，獲沙門果，自致涅槃。是故，諸比丘！常當思惟，不離施念，便當獲此諸善功德。如是，諸比丘！當作是學。」

The Bhagavat said: "If a bhikṣu straightens his body and corrects his intention, sits cross-legged, fixes his mindfulness before him, has no other thoughts, and single-mindedly recollects giving: 'What I now give is the supreme among gifts; I will never have regrets in my mind, nor expect recompense in return, and I will readily obtain wholesome benefits. If someone reviles me, I will never retaliate. Even if someone harms me, assailing me with fists, directing knives and clubs toward me, or hurling tiles and stones at me, I will arouse a mind of loving-kindness and not give rise to anger. Regarding what I give, my intention to give is unbroken.' This, bhikṣus, is called the great gift; it yields a great fruit and reward, all goods universally arrive, one attains the taste of the deathless, reaches the unconditioned state, accomplishes supernatural powers, eliminates all distracted thoughts, obtains the fruit of the śramaṇa, and personally attains nirvāṇa. Therefore, bhikṣus, you should constantly contemplate and never abandon the recollection of giving, and you will certainly obtain all these wholesome virtues. Thus, bhikṣus, you should train."

“‘Now, my gift is the highest of gifts. I’ll always get its good benefits gladly without regret or ideas of compensation. If someone criticizes me, I’ll never respond in kind. Suppose someone were to hurt me by punching me, hitting me with a stick, or throwing rocks or bricks at me. I will think kindly of them and not become angry. My gift will be a generous attitude that doesn’t stop.’

“This is how someone who cultivates the recollection of generosity will become well known, achieve a great reward and all good and complete attainments, attain the sweet-tasting dew, and arrive at the unconditioned state. They’ll achieve spiritual knowledge, dispel their confused ideas, win the fruit of the ascetic, and bring about nirvāṇa themselves.

“Therefore, monks, one should constantly recollect generosity and not part from it. Then, they’ll win these good virtues. Thus, monks, you should train yourselves.”

3.5.10

爾時，諸比丘聞佛所說，歡喜奉行。

At that time, the bhikṣus, hearing what the Buddha said, rejoiced and put it into practice.

When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved.