雜阿含經 105
English (machine translation) 105
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105.1
(105)
105.2
Thus have I heard:
105.3
At one time the Buddha was dwelling at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove in Rājagṛha.
105.4
At that time, there was a non-Buddhist renunciant named Śreṇika who came to where the Buddha was, paid respects, inquired after his health, and sat to one side. He said to the Buddha, “Bhagavat, the day before yesterday, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, carakas, and renunciants gathered in the hall called 'The Wondrous'. It was spoken of thus: Pūraṇa Kāśyapa is the leader of a great assembly, surrounded by five hundred disciples. Among them are those who are extremely intelligent and those of dull faculties; yet when they die, he does not predict the places of their rebirth at all. Further, Maskarin Gośālīputra is the leader of a great assembly, surrounded by five hundred disciples. Among his disciples are those who are intelligent and those of dull faculties; yet when they die, he does not predict the places of their rebirth at all. So too Sañjayin Vairaṭīputra, Ajita Keśakambala, Kakuda Kātyāyana, Nirgrantha Jñātiputra, and the others, each surrounded by five hundred disciples, are also like the former ones. The śramaṇa Gautama was also mentioned in that discussion: 'The śramaṇa Gautama is the leader of a great assembly, and when any of his disciples die, he immediately predicts: "So-and-so is born in that place; so-and-so is born in this place."' Doubt previously arose in me: 'How does the śramaṇa Gautama possess such a teaching?'”
105.5
The Buddha said to Śreṇika, “Do not give rise to doubt. Because there is perplexity, doubt arises. Śreṇika, you should know that there are three kinds of teachers. What are the three? There is one teacher who sees that in the present life there is truly a self, and speaks according to what he knows, yet is unable to know what happens after death. This is called the first teacher appearing in the world. Furthermore, Śreṇika, there is one teacher who sees that in the present life there is truly a self, and after death also sees that there is a self, and speaks according to what he knows. Furthermore, Śreṇika, there is one teacher who does not see that in the present life there is truly a self, nor does he see that after death there is truly a self.
105.6
“Śreṇika, that first teacher who sees that in the present life there is truly a self and speaks according to what he knows is called [one holding] the view of annihilationism. That second teacher who sees that in this life and the next life there is truly a self and speaks according to what he knows holds the view of eternalism. That third teacher who does not see that in the present life there is truly a self, and after death also does not see a self—this is what the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha proclaims: the cessation of craving in the present life, virāga, nirodha, nirvāṇa.”
105.7
Śreṇika said to the Buddha, “Bhagavat, hearing what the Bhagavat has said, my doubt has only increased further.”
105.8
The Buddha told Śreṇika, “It is only right that your doubt should increase. Why is that? This is a profound state, difficult to see and difficult to understand; it requires profound illumination, subtle and consummate, realized by the wise, which ordinary sentient beings are not yet able to discern. Why is that? Because sentient beings for a long night have had different views, different acceptances, different pursuits, and different desires.”
105.9
Śreṇika said to the Buddha, “Bhagavat, in the Bhagavat my mind has gained pure faith. I only wish that the Bhagavat would teach the Dharma to me, so that right on this seat my Dharma-eye may be purified.”
105.10
The Buddha told Śreṇika, “Now I shall speak to you according to what you wish.”
105.11
The Buddha asked Śreṇika, “Is rūpa permanent, or is it anitya?”
105.12
He replied, “Anitya.”
105.13
The Bhagavat asked again, “Śreṇika, if it is anitya, is it duḥkha?”
105.14
He replied, “It is duḥkha.”
105.15
The Bhagavat asked Śreṇika again, “If it is anitya, duḥkha, and of a nature to change, would a learned āryaśrāvaka see in it a self, or [the self] as different from rūpa, or [either] existing within the other?”
105.16
He replied, “No, Bhagavat.”
105.17
“Vedanā, saṃjñā, saṃskāra, and vijñāna are also like this.” He asked again, “What do you think, Śreṇika? Is rūpa the Tathāgata?”
105.18
He replied, “No, Bhagavat.”
105.19
“Are vedanā, saṃjñā, saṃskāra, and vijñāna the Tathāgata?”
105.20
He replied, “No, Bhagavat.”
105.21
He asked again, “Śreṇika, is there a Tathāgata apart from rūpa? Is there a Tathāgata apart from vedanā, saṃjñā, saṃskāra, and vijñāna?”
105.22
He replied, “No, Bhagavat.”
105.23
He asked again, “Śreṇika, is the Tathāgata within rūpa? Is the Tathāgata within vedanā, saṃjñā, saṃskāra, and vijñāna?”
105.24
He replied, “No, Bhagavat.”
105.25
He asked again, “Śreṇika, is rūpa within the Tathāgata? Are vedanā, saṃjñā, saṃskāra, and vijñāna within the Tathāgata?”
105.26
He replied, “No, Bhagavat.”
105.27
He asked again, “Śreṇika, is there a Tathāgata who is not rūpa, and not vedanā, saṃjñā, saṃskāra, or vijñāna?”
105.28
He replied, “No, Bhagavat.”
105.29
The Buddha told Śreṇika, “When my disciples hear what I teach, if they do not completely understand the meaning and conceit arises, they do not have direct realization; because they do not have direct realization, conceit is not severed; because conceit is not severed, having discarded these aggregates, they are reborn in continuity with aggregates. Therefore, Śreṇika, I predict that when these disciples' bodies break up and their lives end, they will be reborn in such-and-such places. Why is that? Because they have remaining conceit.
105.30
“Śreṇika, those of my disciples who, regarding what I teach, are able to understand the meaning, attain direct realization regarding conceits; because they attain direct realization, conceits are severed; because conceits are severed, when their bodies break up and their lives end, there is no further continuity. Śreṇika, of such disciples I do not say that having discarded these aggregates, they are reborn in such-and-such places. Why is that? Because there are no causes or conditions that could be predicted. If you would have me make a prediction, I would predict: 'They have severed all cravings, are forever free from the bhavasaṃyojanas, are liberated with right mind, and have reached the end of duḥkha.' From the past until now, I have always spoken of the root of conceit, the accumulation of conceit, the birth of conceit, and the arising of conceit. If one observes conceit with direct realization, all duḥkha does not arise.”
105.31
When the Buddha taught this Dharma, the renunciant Śreṇika was separated from dust and freed from defilement, attaining the purification of the Dharma-eye.
105.32
At that time, the renunciant Śreṇika saw the Dharma, attained the Dharma, severed all doubts, was not dependent on another for knowing, was not dependent on another for crossing over, and attained fearlessness of mind in the true Dharma. Rising from his seat, he pressed his palms together and said to the Buddha, “Bhagavat, may I go forth and practice brahmacarya in the true Dharma?”
105.33
The Buddha told Śreṇika, “You may go forth in the true Dharma, receive the full ordination, and attain the status of a bhikṣu.”
105.34
At that time, having gone forth, Śreṇika dwelt alone in seclusion, practicing without negligence, dwelling in such contemplation: ‘The purpose for which a son of good family shaves off his hair and beard, with right faith leaves home to go forth and learn the path, and practices brahmacarya, is to see the Dharma and know for oneself the realization: “Birth for me is exhausted, brahmacarya is established, what was to be done has been done, and I know for myself that there will be nāparaṃ bhavam.”’ He attained the state of an Arhat.
105.35
Having heard what the Buddha said, he rejoiced and practiced accordingly.
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- 雜阿含經 — Classical Chinese