Udanavarga 3.45-46

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 the past, the Buddha was staying in the vihāra in Śrāvastī. At that time, there were four newly trained bhikṣus who went together under an apple tree to sit in meditation and practice the Way. The blossoms of the apple tree were lush, their color lovely and fragrant. Thereupon they said to one another, "Among all the things in the world, which is delightful enough to gladden a person's heart?"
One said, "In mid-spring, the sun is warm and trees are in blossom; wandering and playing in the open fields is the greatest joy."
One said, "When kinsmen meet on auspicious occasions, with cups and goblets passed around, music, song, and dance, this is the greatest joy."
One said, "To amass much wealth and treasure, obtaining whatever one desires, with carriages, horses, and clothing superior to the crowd, glowing brightly when going out and coming in, gazed upon by passersby, this is the greatest joy."
One said, "To have a wife and concubines upright and beautiful, in bright silk garments, smelling sweet with perfume, indulging one's every desire, this is the greatest joy."
The Buddha knew that the four men were ready to be converted and delivered, yet their thoughts ran toward the six desires without reflecting on impermanence. He immediately summoned the four men and asked them, "Just now while sitting under the tree, what were you discussing together?"
The four men reported truthfully all that they found delightful. The Buddha told the four men, "What you have been discussing are all ways of worry, fear, danger, and ruin; they are not teachings of permanent peace and supreme joy. All things flourish in spring and wither in autumn and winter; the happy gatherings of kinsmen must all end in separation; wealth, horses, and carriages are shared with the five houses; and the beauty of wives and concubines is the master of love and hate. When ordinary beings dwell in the world, they arouse and invite resentment and disaster, imperil the body, destroy their clans, and suffer boundless worry and fear. The myriad kinds of bitter suffering in the three bad paths and the eight difficulties all arise from these. Therefore, the bhikṣu abandons the world to seek the Way, with his mind set on the unconditioned, not coveting glory or gain; to attain nirvāṇa oneself is the supreme joy."

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 :—

3.46

於是世尊即說偈言：

Thereupon the Bhagavat spoke verses, saying: