雜阿含經 809: 809. Impurity

Saṃyukta Āgama (selected sūtras) 809

Language: English

809. Impurity

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Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was in a town of the Vṛjis, near the Valgumudā River, in the Śāla Tree Forest.

At that time, the Bhagavān spoke to the bhikṣus about impurity contemplation, praising impurity contemplation, and saying, “Bhikṣus who cultivate impurity contemplation, cultivating it much, obtain great fruit and great benefits.”

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Then, the bhikṣus cultivated impurity contemplation, feeling disgusted by the suffering of the body. Some took a blade and killed themselves, or took poisonous medicines, or hanged themselves, or jumped off a crag to kill themselves, or requested the assistance of another bhikṣu to kill themselves.

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There was a bhikṣu who was distinguished in his disgust for suffering and discharges of impurity, and approached the place of Deer Forest, son of brahmāṇas, and spoke to Deer Forest, son of brahmāṇas, saying, “Venerable, if you will kill me, my robe and bowl are yours.” Then Deer Forest, a son of brahmāṇas, killed that bhikṣu, and brought his knife to the shore of the Valgumudā River.

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As he washed the knife, there was a celestial māra that abided in mid-air and praised Deer Forest, son of the brahmāṇas, saying, “Excellent, excellent, Venerable! You have obtained immeasurable merits by causing the śramaṇas, those sons of the Śākya, to uphold the precepts and have virtue, crossing over what has not been crossed over, not yet liberated to be liberated, to cause those who have not attained rest to attain rest, to cause those who have not attained Nirvāṇa to attain Nirvāṇa. All the benefits of these things, the robes and bowls, entirely belong to you.”

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Then Deer Forest, son of brahmāṇas, heard these praises, increased in his evil and perverse views, thinking, “I now have great riches, and great deeds of merit, causing the śramaṇas, those sons of the Śākya, to uphold the precepts and virtue, crossing over what has not been crossed over, not yet liberated to be liberated, to cause those who have not attained rest to attain rest, to cause those who have not attained Nirvāṇa to attain Nirvāṇa. Their robes and bowls, in all cases, belong to me.”

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Then, taking a sharp knife in his hand, he went to the usual halls, walking areas, individual rooms, and dhyāna rooms. Seeing the bhikṣus, he said to them, “What śramaṇas, who uphold the precepts with virtue, who have not crossed over, I will cause to be crossed over; who have not be released, I will cause to be released; who have not found rest, I will cause to find rest; who have not attained Nirvāṇa, I will cause to attain Nirvāṇa?”

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Then there were bhikṣus who were disgusted by the suffering of the body, who emerged from their residences, and spoke to Deer Forest, son of brahmāṇas, saying, “I have not crossed over, you should cross me over; I have not been released, you should release me; I have not obtained rest, you should cause me to obtain rest; I have not attained Nirvāṇa, you should cause me to attain Nirvāṇa.”

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Then Deer Forest, son of brahmāṇas, then took his sharp knife and killed that bhikṣu, one by one, even up to killing sixty people.

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At that time, at the fifteenth of the month, when it was time to recite the precepts, the Bhagavān was seated before the assembly, and said to Venerable Ānanda, “For what reason have the bhikṣus become so few, having diminished, having been eliminated?”

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Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying, “The Bhagavān spoke to the bhikṣus about impurity contemplation, praising impurity contemplation. After the bhikṣus had cultivated impurity contemplation, felt disgusted by the suffering of the body...” As previously stated in detail. “Sixty people died. Bhagavān, and for that reason, the bhikṣus were caused to become few, to diminish, to be eliminated.

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“We request the Bhagavān to further speak on other dharmas, causing the bhikṣus to hear it, diligently cultivate wisdom, take joy in the correct Dharma, and joyfully abiding in the correct Dharma.”

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The Buddha said to Ānanda, “For this reason, I will now explain how, in sequence, to abide in the subtle abiding, in accordance with awakening, Then arisen and unarisen evil and impure dharmas to come to a rest, like a great rain from the heavens, arisen and unarisen dust is caused to subside.

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Thusly, bhikṣus, cultivate the subtle abiding, so arisen and unarisen evil and impure dharmas are caused to subside. Ānanda, how can the subtle abiding be cultivated much, in accordance with awakening, so that arisen and unarisen evil and impure dharmas are caused to subside? That is to say, by abiding in mindfulness of breathing.”