Udanavarga 1.70-71

1.70

法句譬喻經戒慎品第五

Udānavarga: Chapter 5 on Guarding the Precepts

About forty or fifty li to the south of Benares there was formerly a mountain in which five Shamans dwelt, practising religious discipline. Every morning they used to leave their abode and go a-begging for their food, and then return to the mountain, sometimes, however, not till late in the evening, after which they gave themselves up to strict meditation. And yet, though years had passed by, they had not attained to Reason (Bōdhi). Buddha, pitying their condition, transformed himself into a religious man, and going to their abode, asked them, saying. Have you attained the object of your religious exercises or not? And then the ascetics explained that, although they had strictly adhered to the rules of their profession, and daily practised self-denial and meditation, yet they had failed to arrive at the end, i.e., true peace and rest. On this, the stranger desired them to remain in their abode on the morrow, and let him bring them their food, and so rest themselves awhile; and so for several successive days he supplied their wants, whilst they were on their part filled with satisfaction, and enabled to rise above the mere formal attention to duty; and then the stranger added these lines, and said:

1.71

昔波羅奈國有山，去城四五十里，有五沙門處山學道。晨旦出山人間乞食，食訖還山晚暮乃到，往還疲極不堪坐禪思惟正定，歷年如是不能得道。佛愍念之勞而無獲，化作一道人往到其所，問諸道人：「隱居修道得無勞惓？」諸沙門言：「吾等在此去城既遠，四大之身當須飲食，日日供給往還疲勞，經年歷歲勤苦竟已，晝日往返暮輒疲頓，不暇復得修道，為當正爾畢命而已。」道人語曰：「夫為道者，以戒為本攝心為行，賤形貴真捐棄軀命，食以支形守意正定，內學止觀滅意得道，養身順情安得免苦？願諸道人明日莫行，吾當供養，使諸道人休息一日。」時五沙門意大歡喜怪未曾有，安心定意不復憂行。明日日中，此化道人送食而來，食訖安和心意惔怕，於是化人為說偈言：

Formerly, in the country of Vārāṇasī there was a mountain forty to fifty li from the city. Five śramaṇas resided on the mountain practicing the Way. In the early morning they would leave the mountain to beg for food among the people; having finished eating, they would return to the mountain, arriving only at dusk. Exhausted from traveling back and forth, they were unable to sit in meditation and contemplate right samādhi. Year after year went by like this, and they were unable to attain the Way. Pitying them for toiling without gain, the Buddha conjured up a practitioner of the Way to go to their place and ask the practitioners: "In your secluded dwelling cultivating the Way, are you not fatigued?" The śramaṇas said, "Our staying here is far from the city; our bodies of the four elements require food and drink. Providing for them daily, we are exhausted from traveling back and forth. Year after year has passed in toil, traveling back and forth by day and always fatigued by evening, with no leisure left to cultivate the Way. We shall simply end our lives like this." The practitioner of the Way said, "For those who practice the Way, morality is the foundation and restraint of the mind is the practice. Despising the physical form and valuing the truth, one casts aside body and life; food is merely to support the body, while one guards the mind in right samādhi. Internally studying calming and insight, through extinguishing desires one attains the Way. If one nourishes the body and yields to desires, how can one escape suffering? I ask that you, practitioners, do not go out tomorrow; I will provide offerings so that you may rest for a day." The five śramaṇas were overjoyed, marveling at this unprecedented event, and set their minds at ease, no longer worrying about traveling. At noon the next day, this conjured practitioner came bringing food. Having finished eating, their minds were tranquil and calm. Thereupon the conjured person spoke this verse for them: