Udanavarga 3.45

3.45

昔佛在舍衛精舍。時有四新學比丘，相將至㮈樹下坐禪行道，㮈華榮茂色好且香，因相謂曰：「世間萬物何者可愛以快人情？」一人言：「仲春之月日木榮華，遊戲原野，此最為樂。」一人言：「宗親吉會，觴酌交錯音樂歌舞，此最為樂。」一人言：「多積財寶所欲即得，車馬服飾與眾有異，出入光顯行者矚目，此最為樂。」一人言：「妻妾端正綵服鮮明，香熏芬馥恣意縱情，此最為樂。」佛知四人應可化度，而走意六欲不惟無常，即呼四人而問之曰：「屬坐樹下共論何事？」四人以實具白所樂。佛告四人：「汝等所論，盡是憂畏危亡之道，非是永安最樂之法也。萬物春榮秋冬衰落，宗親歡娛皆當別離，財寶車馬五家之分，妻妾美色愛憎之主也。凡夫處世興招怨禍，危身滅族憂畏無量，三塗八難苦痛萬端，靡不由之矣。是以比丘捨世求道，志存無為不貪榮利，自致泥洹乃為最樂。」

In days of old, when Buddha was residing in the Jetavana Vihāra, at Śrāvastī, there were four newly-admitted mendicants who went together and sat under a plum-tree, intending to engage themselves in religious contemplation (dhyāna). At this time the tree was in full bloom, and struck by the beautiful colours and the fragrant perfume of the blossoms, the conversation of the mendicants took the following turn—viz., as to what in all the world was most worthy of love as a source of pleasure. Then one of them said, “I think the greatest happiness in the world is during some moonlight night in spring, when all the trees are in bloom, to wander forth in the country, and take one's pleasure without constraint,” Another said, “I think the highest pleasure is in joining in some family social gathering, and enjoying the feast and the wine, the music and the dancing.” Another said, “I think the highest happiness is to possess such funds of wealth as to enable one to procure whatever the heart desires, whether it be chariots or horses, clothing or ornaments, such as would make one, on going into the world, the admiration and envy of all beholders.” The fourth said, “And I think the highest happiness to be to possess a wife as beautiful as possible, and to see her clad in all the choicest robes, anointed with the rarest unguents, and always ready for the indulgence of love.” Now Buddha, perceiving that these men were capable of conversion, but had not yet arrived at a knowledge of the impermanency of the six objects of desire, immediately, with a sigh, addressed the four men, and asked them, “What is the subject of your discourse, as you sit here together beneath this tree?” On this they told him truthfully what each one's idea of happiness was. And then Buddha rejoined, “Let there be an end of such discourse, for all these things (which you desire) are the causes of (way of) sorrow, misfortune, fear, and calamity. This is not the way of eternal peace, the system of the highest joy. The flowers of spring shall fade in autumn, and fall in utter decay before the winter cold. All those friends in whose society you place such reliance for happiness, ere long shall be scattered and separated far and wide. That wealth you prize, and that beauty of wife, and those pleasures, alas! are the causes of every misfortune—hatred in families, wreck of body, future misery! Wherefore, Bhikshus! be sure that the highest bliss is to leave the world, to search after supreme wisdom, to covet a condition of entire indifference, to desire nought for one's self, to aim at Nirvāna.” And then the World-honoured uttered these stanzas :—