Udanavarga 4: 法句譬喻經卷第四

4.1

晉世沙門法炬共法立譯

Translated by the śramaṇas Faju and Fali during the Jin dynasty

4.2

喻愛欲品第三十二之二

Chapter 32: Parables on Craving (Part 2)

4.3

昔佛在舍衛國為天人說法，時城中有婆羅門長者，財富無數，為人慳貪不好布施，食常閉門不喜人客，若其食時輒勅門士堅閉門戶，勿令有人妄入門裏，乞丐求索、沙門梵志不能得與其相見。爾時長者欻思美食，便勅其妻令作飯食，教殺肥雞薑椒和調炙之令熟。飲食飣餖即時已辦，勅外閉門，夫婦二人坐，一小兒著聚中央便共飲食。父母取雞肉著兒口中，如是數過初不肯廢。佛知此長者宿福應度，化作沙門，伺其坐食現出坐前，呪願且言：「多少布施可得大富。」長者舉頭見化沙門，即罵之曰：「汝為道士而無羞恥，室家坐食何為搪揬？」沙門答曰：「卿自愚癡不知慚羞，今我乞士何為慚羞？」長者問曰：「吾及室家自相娛樂，何故慚羞？」沙門答曰：「卿殺父妻母供養怨家，不知慚羞，反謂乞士何不慚羞？」

Formerly, when the Buddha was in Śrāvastī preaching the Dharma for gods and humans, there was a brāhmaṇa śreṣṭhin in the city with immeasurable wealth. He was stingy and greedy by nature, disliked giving, always shut his gates when eating, and did not welcome guests. Whenever he took a meal, he would instruct the gatekeeper to lock the doors firmly and not let anyone enter by mistake; beggars and seekers, śramaṇas and brahmacārins, could never meet with him. At that time, the śreṣṭhin suddenly craved fine food, so he ordered his wife to prepare a meal, instructing her to slaughter a fat chicken, season it with ginger and pepper, and roast it thoroughly. When the food and drink were arranged and ready, he ordered the doors outside to be shut. The husband and wife sat down, placed their young child between them, and ate together. The parents took pieces of chicken meat and put them into the child’s mouth, doing so repeatedly without ceasing. The Buddha, knowing that this śreṣṭhin possessed past merit and was ready for deliverance, transformed himself into a śramaṇa. Watching for the time he sat down to eat, the śramaṇa appeared before him, gave a blessing, and said: "Giving even a little brings great wealth." The śreṣṭhin looked up, saw the transformed śramaṇa, and immediately cursed him, saying: "You are a practitioner of the Way, yet you have no shame! Why do you intrude upon a family sitting down to eat?" The śramaṇa replied: "You yourself are foolish and know no shame; why should I, a beggar, feel ashamed?" The śreṣṭhin asked: "My family and I are amusing ourselves together; why should I feel ashamed?" The śramaṇa answered: "You slaughter your father, take your mother as wife, and nurture your enemy, yet you know no shame. On the contrary, you ask why a beggar should not feel ashamed!"

In days of old when Buddha was residing at Śrāvastī, and there preaching his doctrine for the good of Devas and men, there was residing in the city a certain rich Brahman of a very covetous and niggard disposition, who, from a desire to save alms, used to order his servant to shut his door and fasten his windows whenever he took his meals, so that no beggar should molest him with his importunities. And so no religious person (Shaman) could ever gain admittance, or stand in the presence of this Brahman. One day having desired his wife to kill a fowl and make a highly savoury dish of the same, they both sat down together to eat it, the doors and the windows having first been closed—and between them their little child, into whose mouth they both occasionally put scraps of the savoury dish. Now Buddha, knowing that there was a capacity for conversion in this man's case, transformed himself into the appearance of a Shaman, and waiting till the master of the house had finished his meal he placed himself before his chair, or seat, and recited the usual formula. “He who gives little or much (or he who gives a little of his abundance) in charity, lays up for himself a great reward.” The Brahman, raising his head and seeing the Shaman (as it seemed), began to abuse him and said, “You call yourself a religious mendicant, do you? and yet have no better manners than this, to force yourself into my presence when at my meals with my family?” To which he replied, “It is you, my lord, who ought to be ashamed—I need not feel shame for begging as a mendicant.” The Brahman then replied—"And what shame should I feel for eating thus with my wife in comfort?” “You, my lord, who have killed your father, and married your mother, and thus involved yourself in family disgrace, and feel no shame, nevertheless upbraid me and would put me to shame for begging a little food,” and then he recited the following verses :—

4.4

於是沙門即說偈言：

Thereupon the śramaṇa spoke these verses:

4.5

「所生枝不絕，但用食貪欲，
養怨益丘塚，愚人常汲汲。
雖獄有鈎鍱，慧人不謂牢，
愚見妻子飾，染著愛甚牢。
慧說愛為獄，深固難得出，
是故當斷棄，不親欲為安。」

"The branching of rebirth does not end,
Driven solely by food and craving;
Nurturing enemies, heaps of graves increase,
Yet fools are ever feverishly anxious.
Though prisons have hooks and shackles,
The wise do not call them secure;
When fools see the adornments of wife and child,
Their stained attachment and craving are truly secure.
The wise declare craving to be a prison,
Deep, secure, and difficult to escape;
Therefore, one should sever and abandon it;
Not being intimate with desire brings peace."

“As the sprouting creeper which is not cut off (at the root), such is the case of the man who, with covetous desire, partakes of food; ever cherishing evil thoughts and multiplying family discords (tombs), such is the constant employment of the ignorant man. Hell, indeed, has its gyves and fetters, but the wise man regards not these as captivity; the foolish man who is immersed in cares about wife and child and their personal adornment, he it is who is in real captivity. The wise man regards lust as the imprisonment of hell, as the hard bound fetter from which it is difficult to escape, and therefore he desires to separate this and cut it off for ever, that being free from any such cares (or, desires), he may find rest and peace.”

4.6

長者聞偈驚而問之：「道人何故而說此語也？」道人答曰：「案上雞者是卿先世時父，以慳貪故常生雞中為卿所食。此小兒者，往昔作羅剎，卿作賈客大人乘船入海，每輒流墮羅剎國中，為羅剎所食。如是五百世壽盡，來生為卿作子，以卿餘罪未畢，故來欲相害耳。今是妻者，是卿先世時母，以恩愛深固，故今還與卿作婦。今卿愚癡不識宿命，殺父養怨、以母為妻，五道生死輪轉無際，周旋五道誰能知者？唯有道士見此覩彼，愚者不知，豈不慙羞？」於是長者欻然毛竪如畏怖狀，佛現威神令識宿命，長者見佛即識宿命，尋則懺悔謝佛，便受五戒，佛為說法，即得須陀洹道。

Hearing the verses, the śreṣṭhin was alarmed and asked: "Man of the Way, why do you speak such words?" The man of the Way replied: "The chicken on the table was your father in a past life; because of stinginess and greed, he was continually reborn among chickens to be eaten by you. This young child was formerly a rākṣasa; when you were a master merchant sailing into the ocean, you were repeatedly swept away and cast ashore in the land of rākṣasas, where you were devoured by that rākṣasa. When his lifespan of five hundred such lives came to an end, he came to be reborn as your son; because your remaining misdeeds were not yet exhausted, he came intending to harm you. This current wife of yours was your mother in a past life; because affection and attachment were so deep and firm, she has now returned to become your wife. Now, in your foolishness, you do not recognize your past lives; you slaughter your father, nurture your enemy, and take your mother as wife. The wheel of transmigration through the five destinies of birth and death is boundless; who can know its wandering through the five destinies? Only a practitioner of the Way sees this and observes that; the foolish do not know it—should you not feel ashamed?" At this, the śreṣṭhin’s hair stood on end, as if stricken with fear. The Buddha revealed his majestic spiritual power to make him recognize his past lives. Seeing the Buddha, the śreṣṭhin immediately remembered his past lives, repented and apologized to the Buddha, and received the five precepts. The Buddha preached the Dharma for him, and he instantly attained the path of the srotāpanna.

The Brahman on hearing these words inquired as to their meaning, on which the Shaman explained, that in former years the bird (cock) which he had just eaten was his father, that the little hoy his son had been a Raksha, and had eaten the father, and that his wife had been in former days his mother—and thus it was he was involved in the utmost disgrace. On hearing these words the Brahman, filled with fear, besought Buddha, who had now assumed his glorious appearance, to instruct him in the rules of his society, and finally obtained release and entered the first path.

4.7

昔佛在舍衛國，祇洹說法。時有年少比丘入城分衛，見一年少女人端正無比，心存色欲迷結不解，遂便成病食飲不下，顏色憔悴委臥不起。同學道人往問訊之：「何所患苦？」年少比丘具說其意，欲壞道心，從彼愛欲願不如意，愁結為病。同學諫喻不入其耳，便強扶持將至佛所，具以事狀啟白世尊。佛告年少比丘：「汝願易得耳不足愁結也，吾當為汝方便解之。且起食飲。」比丘聞之坦然意喜，氣結便通。於是世尊將此比丘并與大眾，入舍衛城到好女舍，好女已死停屍三日，室家悲號不忍埋藏，身體臭脹不淨流出。佛告比丘：「汝所貪惑好女人者今已如此，萬物無常變在呼吸，愚者觀外不見其惡，纏綿罪網以為快樂。」

Formerly, when the Buddha was preaching the Dharma at Jetavana in Śrāvastī, a young bhikṣu went into the city to collect alms. He saw a young woman of peerless beauty, and his mind harbored sensual desire, tangled in delusion without release. Consequently, he fell ill, unable to take food or drink, his complexion grew haggard, and he lay bedridden, unable to rise. Fellow practitioners went to inquire after him: "What distresses you?" The young bhikṣu related his thoughts in detail, wishing to abandon his resolve for the Way, for his longing had been thwarted by that craving, and sorrowful knotting had become an illness. His companions admonished and persuaded him, but their words did not enter his ears; they then forcibly supported him and brought him to the Buddha’s presence, reporting the circumstances in full to the Bhagavat. The Buddha said to the young bhikṣu: "Your wish is easy to attain; it is not worth despairing over. I shall use expedient means to resolve it for you. Rise for now, and eat and drink." Hearing this, the bhikṣu was greatly relieved and delighted, and the knot in his breath was cleared. Thereupon the Bhagavat took this bhikṣu, together with the great assembly, into the city of Śrāvastī to the house of that beautiful woman. The beautiful woman had already died and her corpse had been kept for three days. Her family wailed with grief, unable to bear burying her, while her body was swollen, putrid, and flowing with impurities. The Buddha said to the bhikṣu: "The beautiful woman for whom you harbored greedy delusion has now become like this. All things are impermanent, changing in the span of a breath. Fools observe the exterior without seeing its foulness, entangling themselves in the net of wrongdoing and mistaking it for happiness."

In days of old when Buddha was residing at the Jetavana Vihāra near Śrāvastī, there was a young Bhikshu, who, in going through the streets of the city on a begging excursion, cast eyes on a girl of exceeding beauty, and was filled with passion for her. Being unable to conquer his desire, he fell sick, and was unable to eat or sleep, and pined away daily. On this a fellow disciple went to him, and asked him how it was he suffered thus, on which the first revealed the whole matter to the other, and in the end they both went to the place where Buddha was, and explained the thing to him. On this Buddha promised to find a remedy for the Bhikshu's malady, and forthwith desired him to accompany him with his followers to the city. On going to the house where the maiden had dwelt, they found she had now been dead three days, and the house was filled with mourners, who wailed and wept incessantly. Then pointing to the offensive corpse, Buddha asked the Bhikshu, if it was that which had inflamed him with passion? And he then explained how all things that exist are equally perishable and inconstant, and that only through ignorance of this do men set their hearts upon them, and afterwards he added these verses :—

4.8

於是世尊即說偈言：

Thereupon the Bhagavat spoke these verses:

4.9

「見色心迷惑，不惟觀無常，
愚以為美善，安知其非真。
以婬樂自裹，譬如蠶作繭，
智者能斷棄，不眄除眾苦。
心念放逸者，見婬以為淨，
恩愛意盛增，從是造牢獄。
覺意滅婬者，常念欲不淨，
從是出邪獄，能斷老死患。」

"Seeing physical forms, the mind is deluded,
Not reflecting or observing impermanence;
The fool takes them to be lovely and good,
How could he know that they are not real?
Wrapping oneself in lustful pleasure,
Just like a silkworm spinning a cocoon,
The wise are able to sever and abandon it,
Looking away to eliminate all suffering.
One whose mind dwells on negligence
Views lust as pure;
Affection and attachment increase vigorously,
And from this a prison is built.
One whose awakening mind extinguishes lust
Constantly reflects on desire as impure;
From this one escapes the false prison,
Able to sever the afflictions of old age and death."

“At the sight of beauty the heart is at once ensnared, because it considers not the impermanency of all such appearances. The fool regarding the outward form as an excellency, how can he know the falseness of the thing, for like a silkworm enveloped in its own net (cocoon), so is he entangled in his own love of sensual pleasure. But the wise man, able to separate himself and cast off all this, is no longer entangled, but casts away all sorrows. The careless and idle man considers that such indulgence of sense is not contrary to purity, and so going on still indulging such thoughts, he is bound as a captive in hell; but the wise man, destroying all thoughts about such things, and ever remembering the impurity of such indulgence, by this means comes out of captivity, and so is able to escape from the grief of repeated old age and death.”

4.10

於是年少比丘見此女人，死已三日面色膖爛其臭難近，又聞世尊清誨之偈，悵然意悟自知迷謬，為佛作禮叩頭悔過。佛授自歸將還祇洹，沒命精進得羅漢道。所將大眾無央數人，見色欲之穢信無常之證，貪愛望止亦得道迹。

Then the young bhikṣu saw this woman, who had been dead for three days, her face bloated and putrid, her stench hard to approach. Moreover, hearing the Bhagavat’s verse of pure instruction, he was dismayed and awakened, knowing his own delusion and error. He paid homage to the Buddha, prostrated, and repented of his fault. The Buddha imparted refuge to him and brought him back to Jetavana, where he exerted himself at the risk of his life and attained the path of the arhat. The countless people of the great assembly he had brought, seeing the filth of sensual desire and having faith in the evidence of impermanence, ceased their craving and longing, and likewise attained the trace of the Way.

The youthful Bhikshu, seeing the dreadful sight before him, and having heard the verses just recited, turned with repentance and prostrated himself before Buddha, after which, persevering in the way of purity, he soon became a Rahat.

4.11

昔佛在舍衛精舍為天人龍鬼說法。時世有大長者，財富無數，有一息男年十二三。父母命終，其兒年小未知生活理家之事，泮散財物數年便盡，久後行乞由不自供。其父有親友長者大富無數，一日見之問其委曲，長者愍念將歸經紀，以女配之，給與奴婢車馬，資財無數，更作屋宅成立門戶。為人懶惰，無有計校不能生活，坐散財盡日更飢困。長者以其女故更與資財，故復如前遂至貧乏。長者數餉，用之無道，念叵成就，欲奪其婦更嫁與人，宗家共議。女竊聞之還語其夫：「我家群強勢能奪卿，以卿不能生活故，卿當云何欲作何計也？」其夫聞婦言慚愧自念：「是吾薄福生失覆蓋，不習家計生活之法，今當失婦乞匃如故。恩愛已行貪欲情著，今當生別情豈可勝？」思惟反覆便興惡念，將婦入房，「今欲與汝共死一處！」即便刺婦還自刺害，夫婦俱死。奴婢驚走往告長者，長者大小驚來看視，見其已然，棺殮遣送如國常法。長者大小憂愁念女不去，須臾聞佛在世教化說法，見者歡喜忘憂除患，將家大小往到佛所，為佛作禮却坐一面。佛問長者：「為所從來？何以不樂憂愁之色？」長者白言：「居門不德，前嫁一女，值遇愚夫不能生活，欲奪其婦。便殺婦及身，共死如此。遣送適還，過覲世尊。」佛告長者：「貪欲瞋恚世之常病，愚癡無智患害之門，三界五道由此墮淵，展轉生死無央數劫，受苦萬端由尚不悔，豈況愚人能得識此？貪欲之毒滅身滅族，害及眾生何況夫婦？」

Formerly, when the Buddha was at the vihāra in Śrāvastī preaching the Dharma for gods, humans, nāgas, and spirits, there was a great śreṣṭhin of immeasurable wealth who had an only son twelve or thirteen years old. When the parents died, the boy was young and knew nothing of livelihood or managing household affairs; he squandered the wealth, which was completely exhausted within a few years, and later he went begging, still unable to sustain himself. His father had a close friend, an immensely wealthy śreṣṭhin, who saw him one day and inquired into his circumstances. Pitying him, the śreṣṭhin took him home to help him manage his affairs, gave him his daughter in marriage, provided him with slaves, carts, horses, and boundless wealth, and built another house to establish his household. However, being lazy by nature, lacking forethought, and unable to make a living, he sat idly and exhausted the wealth, becoming increasingly famished and distressed day by day. For his daughter's sake, the śreṣṭhin gave him wealth once more, yet as before, he fell back into poverty. The śreṣṭhin assisted him several times, but he used it without restraint. Thinking that nothing could be accomplished, the śreṣṭhin wished to take back his daughter and marry her to another man, and the clan discussed this together. The daughter secretly heard of it and returned to tell her husband: "My family is numerous and powerful; they can take me away from you because you cannot make a living. What will you do? What plan do you wish to make?" Hearing his wife's words, the husband felt ashamed and thought to himself: "I am of meager merit; I lost my parents' protection in youth and did not learn the methods of managing a household and earning a living. Now I am to lose my wife and beg as before. Affection has already grown, and my feelings of craving and desire are deeply attached; how could my heart bear being parted from her while alive?" Thinking back and forth, he gave rise to an evil thought, led his wife into the bedroom, and said: "I now wish to die together with you in this one place!" He immediately stabbed his wife and then stabbed himself; both husband and wife died. The slaves fled in panic to report to the śreṣṭhin. The young and old of the śreṣṭhin's household rushed in shock to look, and seeing that it was already so, they prepared the coffins and funeral according to the kingdom's custom. The young and old of the śreṣṭhin's family were consumed with sorrow and could not let go of the thought of their daughter. Soon after, they heard that the Buddha was in the world transforming beings and preaching the Dharma, and that those who saw him rejoiced, forgetting their sorrow and eliminating their afflictions. He took the young and old of his family to the Buddha's presence, paid homage to the Buddha, and sat to one side. The Buddha asked the śreṣṭhin: "Where do you come from? Why do you have a look of joylessness and sorrow?" The śreṣṭhin said: "My household lacked virtue. Earlier, I married off a daughter, but she met with a foolish husband who could not make a living. Wishing to take back my daughter, he then killed his wife and himself, dying together like this. Having just returned from their funeral, I have come to visit the Bhagavat." The Buddha told the śreṣṭhin: "Greed and anger are the common sicknesses of the world, and foolishness without wisdom is the gate to disaster. The three realms and the five destinies fall into the abyss because of them. Revolving in birth and death for countless kalpas, receiving ten thousand kinds of suffering, people still do not repent; how much less could a fool recognize this? The poison of greed and desire destroys oneself and one's clan, bringing harm to all living beings—how much more so to a husband and wife?"

In days of old when Buddha was residing at the Jetavana Vihāra, near Śrāvastī, preaching his law for the sake of Devas and men (Nāgas and demons), there was at this time a certain rich householder who had but one son, a youth of about twelve or thirteen years of age. This boy's father and mother having died, and he not being acquainted with the rules of economising his expenses, began to lavish his money on himself and others, till he soon came to beggary and want. Now the lad's father had a certain relative who also was very rich; this man one day seeing the sad condition of the youth, had compassion on him, and took him to his own house, and finally provided him with an establishment of his own, with a wife, slaves, horses, and chariots. But notwithstanding his former experience, the young man again gave way to extravagance, and was again reduced to poverty, and notwithstanding the repeated help of his kinsman and patron he was ever thus. At length his relative, tired out, sent for the wife of the man, and told her that she had better seek another home, and find some one who could protect and provide for her in a respectable way. On hearing this she returned to her master and said, “My lord, you seem unable to provide for our wants, let me ask you what you intend to do, for it behoves me to seek another home, if there is no provision here for me.” On hearing this the man was filled with shame and disappointment, and thought thus with himself—"I am indeed a miserable and unhappy man, not knowing how to manage my affairs; and now I am going to lose my wife, and to be left to beg again.” Thinking thus, and excited by recollection of past pleasures and passion, he resolved wickedly to put an end to his wife, and afterwards to kill himself. Taking the woman, therefore, into the inner apartments, he at once told her his intention to die with her there, and then he stabbed her, and afterwards killed himself. The servants, finding how the case stood, hastily went to the man's rich relation and told him all the circumstances; on this he came with all the people round about, and seeing the sad sight he was filled with grief, and finally buried them according to the fixed rules of the country. Afterwards hearing of Buddha, and the comfort which he was able to give by the preaching of his word, he came with all his attendants to the place where the Master was, and told him of all the things that had befallen him. On this Buddha began the following discourse:—"Lust and passion (angry passion) are the constant miseries of the world. These are the causes of all the unhappiness which befalls the foolish man. These are the means by which the constant repetition of birth in the different conditions of existence (the five ways) is continued throughout the three worlds. If the sufferings of ages cannot bring men to repentance and amendment, how much less can we expect the fool now to become wise, and shake off the poison of this lust and covetous longing, which destroys his body and ruins his family (clan), nay, which destroys and ruins the whole world—and if this be so, how can we wonder at what has befallen this man and his wife. Then the master added these lines:

4.12

於是世尊即說偈言：

Thereupon the Bhagavat spoke these verses:

4.13

「愚以貪自縛，不求度彼岸，
貪為財愛故，害人亦自害。
愛欲意為田，婬怒癡為種，
故施度世者，得福無有量。
伴少而貨多，商人怵惕懼，
嗜欲賊害命，故慧不貪欲。」

"The fool binds himself with greed,
Not seeking to cross to the other shore;
Through greed for wealth and affection,
He harms others and harms himself as well.
The mind of craving and desire is the field;
Lust, anger, and delusion are the seeds;
Therefore, giving to those who have crossed the world
Yields boundless merit.
With few companions and much merchandise,
The merchant is fearful and alarmed;
Addictive desires are bandits that harm one's life,
Therefore the wise do not crave."

“The fool self-bound by his covetousness, seeks not to escape to that shore. Coveting wealth and lustful indulgence, he destroys others and he is self-destroyed. The lustful mind is the field, uxoriousness, anger, delusion, are the fruits. Therefore he who bestows charity on the non-worldly man, obtains by so doing boundless happiness (merit). Companions few and goods many, the merchant, timorous and anxious, given to covetous thoughts, the robber takes his life (or, 'these, like a robber, take his life'). The wise man, therefore, puts away all covetous desire.”

4.14

爾時長者聞佛說偈，欣然歡喜忘憂除患，即於座上一切大小及諸聽者，破二十億惡，得須陀洹道。

At that time, when the śreṣṭhin heard the Buddha speak these verses, he rejoiced with delight, forgetting his sorrow and eliminating his afflictions. Immediately on their seats, all the young and old, as well as the listeners, destroyed two billion evil deeds and attained the path of the srotāpanna.

The householder hearing these words was filled with joy; he forgot his grief, and rising from his seat, he and his associates at once obtained the fruition of the first path.

4.15

昔佛在舍衛精舍中，為天龍鬼神、帝王臣民說法。時有遊蕩子二人共為親友，常相追隨一體無異，二人共議欲作沙門，即便相將來至佛所，為佛作禮長跪叉手，白佛言：「願欲作沙門，唯見聽許。」佛便受之，即作沙門。佛令二人共止一房。二人共止，但念世間恩愛榮樂，更共咨嗟情欲形體，說其姿媚專著不捨念不止息，不計無常污露不淨，以此欝怫病生於內。佛以慧眼知其想亂，走意於欲放心不住，以是不度。佛令一人行，便自化作一人入房，問之言：「吾等所思意志不離，可共往觀，視其形體知為何如？但空想念，疲勞無益。」二人相隨至婬女村，佛於村內化作一婬女人，共入其舍而告之曰：「吾等道人受佛禁戒不犯身事，意欲觀女人形容，當顧直如法。」於是化女即解瓔珞香薰衣裳，倮形而立臭處難近，二人觀之具見污露，化沙門即謂一人言：「女人之好，但有脂粉芬薰眾華沐浴塗香，著眾雜色衣裳以覆污露，強薰以香欲以人觀，譬如革囊盛屎有何可貪？」

Formerly, when the Buddha was in the vihāra at Śrāvastī, he preached the Dharma for gods, dragons, spirits, kings, and subjects. At that time, there were two profligate youths who were close companions, constantly accompanying each other as if they were of one body, no different. The two conferred together and wished to become śramaṇas. Thereupon, they led each other to where the Buddha was, paid homage to the Buddha, knelt long with hands clasped, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "We wish to become śramaṇas; please grant us permission." The Buddha then accepted them, and they immediately became śramaṇas. The Buddha ordered the two to share a single room. When the two resided together, they only thought of worldly affections and glorious pleasures, repeatedly praising sensual desires and physical forms to one another, speaking of their charms, fixating upon them without letting go, their thoughts never ceasing. Not contemplating impermanence or foul impurities, brooding and distress arose from within them. With his wisdom-eye, the Buddha knew that their thoughts were disordered, their minds running after desires and indulging themselves without stopping, and because of this they were not delivered. The Buddha had one of them go out, and then transformed himself into a person who entered the room and asked the remaining one, saying: "What our thoughts long for does not leave our intentions. We could go together and observe her physical form to see what it is like. Simply longing in vain is wearisome and of no benefit." The two followed one another to a village of courtesans. Within the village, the Buddha transformed himself into a courtesan. They entered her house together, and he told her, saying: "We practitioners of the Way have received the Buddha's prohibitions and precepts and do not transgress in bodily matters; our wish is only to observe a woman's form, and we shall pay you your due in accordance with the customary rate." Thereupon, the transformed woman unfastened her necklaces and her perfumed garments, standing naked; the foul places were repulsive to approach. When the two observed her, they fully saw her impurities. The transformed śramaṇa then said to the one [monk]: "A woman's beauty consists only of rouge, powder, fragrant perfumes, various flowers, bathing, and scented ointments, and wearing various multicolored clothes to cover up impurities. She is forcibly scented with fragrance in order to be seen by men. It is like a leather bag filled with dung—what is there to covet?"

In days of old when Buddha was residing in the Jetavana Vihāra, near Śrāvastī, preaching his word for the sake of Devas and men, etc., there happened to be two wandering fellows who were sworn friends, and as it were one in heart, who being in the neighbourhood thought they would become Shamans. They came accordingly to the place where the master was, and after doing homage they explained their wish. Having admitted them to his community, he sent them to one place to give themselves up to meditation. Notwithstanding all their efforts, however, they were unable to forget the pleasures of their former life, and were enslaved by longing for sensual indulgence. Buddha by his divine sight understanding their condition, and desiring to save them, caused a Shaman to go to their place of abode, and addressing them said, “What think you if we three go to the neighbouring harlot-quarter, and without further ado, have a look at the form of one of the beauties about whom you think so much?” Accordingly they all went to the harlots' quarter, and meeting with one (who was indeed only Buddha himself so transformed), they asked her to let them behold her charms, without actually committing any overt-act of transgression. Accordingly the woman began to take off her wreaths and her jewels, and gradually stripping off her clothes, lo! such a ghastly sight of deformity met their eyes, and such a fetid odour assailed their sense, that they could not come nigh the place where she was. Then the Shaman turned and addressed the two: “What the world calls beauty is but the combination of flowers and ornaments, unguents and dress; remove these, and what is there but unsightliness and disgusting appearance? Is it with such a form as this, the skin wrinkled like leather, the body exuding foul smells, that you are so madly enamoured, and then he added these verses:

4.16

於是化比丘即說偈言：

Thereupon, the transformed bhikṣu uttered these verses:

4.17

「欲我知汝本，意以思想生，
我不思想汝，則汝而不有。
心可則為欲，何必獨五欲？
速可絕五欲，是乃為勇力。
無欲無所畏，恬惔無憂患，
欲除使結解，是為長出淵。」

"Desire, I know your origin:
In the mind you arise from conceptual thought.
If I do not conceptually think of you,
Then you will not exist.

When the mind approves, it becomes desire—
Why must it only be the five desires?
Quickly put an end to the five desires;
This indeed is valorous strength.

Free from desire, there is nothing to fear;
Placid and tranquil, free from grief and trouble.
When desires are eliminated and fetters untied,
This is to emerge forever from the deep abyss."

“O lust! I have discovered thy source and origin. Born of the busy recollections that haunt the mind. Now will I no more think of thee or these; then thou shalt not longer exist for me. Of the mind alone is lustful desire; from oneself arise the five longings of sense. Haste, then, to bind these five desires, and prove thyself a hero indeed! Where there is no lust there is no anxious fear; at rest, and quiet, there are no more harrowing cares for such an one—desire expelled, its trammels for ever cast away. This is indeed to find true deliverance (lit., “for long to come out of the gulf (of misery))" [probably the same as “Ogha-tinna,” vide M.M. 370].

4.18

佛說偈已現其光相，比丘見之慚愧悔過，五體投地為佛作禮，重為說法，欣然得解便得羅漢。一人行還，見伴顏姿欣悅於常，即問其伴獨何如斯？即如事說佛之大慈愍度如此，蒙世尊恩得免眾苦。於是比丘重為說偈言：

After the Buddha had spoken these verses, he manifested his marks of light. When the bhikṣu saw them, he was ashamed and repented his faults, threw his five limbs to the ground, and paid homage to the Buddha. When [the Buddha] preached the Dharma to him once more, he joyfully attained understanding and thereby became an arhat. When the other companion returned, he saw that his companion's facial expression was far more joyful than usual, and immediately asked him: "Why are you alone like this?" He then related the matter as it happened: "The Buddha's great compassion and deliverance were like this; favored by the Bhagavat's grace, I was freed from all suffering." Thereupon, the bhikṣu spoke these verses to him again:

Then Buddha, having assumed his glorious appearance, the two Shamans were filled with shame, and with deep repentance fell down at his feet and did obeisance. And after listening further to his instruction they became Rahats. Now as they were returning to their place of abode, the one seeing the happy, contented face of the other, asked his companion the reason of it, on which he repeated over and over the following lines :—

4.19

「晝夜念嗜欲，意走不念休，
見女欲污露，想滅則無憂。」

"Day and night thinking of sensual desires,
The mind runs away without thought of rest;
Seeing the foul impurities of female desire,
When conceptions are extinguished, there is no sorrow."

“Day and night was I a slave of lustful desires, incessantly did my mind dwell on these thoughts; but now I have seen the woman I longed for so much ill all her naked deformity, my thoughts have perished, I have no more sorrow.”

4.20

其伴比丘聞此偈已便自思惟，斷欲滅想，即得法眼。

Having heard these verses, his companion bhikṣu contemplated them himself, severed desire, extinguished conceptual thoughts, and immediately attained the dharma-eye.

On hearing these words, his companion was able to shake off the trammels of lust, and immediately received Divine illumination (eyes of the Law).

4.21

法句譬喻經利養品第三十三

Udānavarga: Chapter 33, Profit and Gain

4.22

昔佛將諸弟子至俱曇彌國美音精舍，為諸天人神龍說法。時彼國王名曰優填，有大夫人執行仁愛顯譽清潔，王珍其操每私恭敬。聞佛來化嚴駕共出，往至佛所為佛作禮却坐常位。佛為國王及夫人婇女說無常苦空，人所由生合會別離怨憎會苦，由福生天、由惡入淵。國王夫人歡欣信解，各受五戒為清信士女，禮佛辭退還入宮中。時有婆羅門，名曰吉星，生一好女世間少比，至年十六無能訶者，懸金千兩積九十日，募索智者：「有能訶此女為不端正者，以金與之。」無敢應者。女以長大應當嫁處，念：「當與誰？若有端正如我女者，以女與之。聽聞沙門瞿曇釋迦之種，姿容金色世所希有，當以此女往配與之。」即便將至佛所為佛作禮，白佛言：「我女好潔世間無雙，年大應嫁世無匹偶，瞿曇端正可以為雙，故遠將來以配世尊。」佛告吉星：「卿女端正是卿家好，如我之好是諸佛好，我之所好其道不同，卿自譽女端正姝好。譬如畫瓶中盛屎尿有何奇特？好為所在？著眼耳鼻口，身之大賊，面首端正，身之大患，破家滅族殺親害子，皆由女色。吾為沙門，一身獨立猶尚恐危，況受禍災殘賊之貨也？卿自將去，吾不受之。」於是梵志瞋恚便去，到優填王所讚女姿媚具白王言：「此女應相當為王妃，今以年大故送與王。」王見歡喜即納受之，拜為第二左夫人，即以印綬金銀珍寶賜與吉星拜為輔臣。此女得敘，每協嫉妬妖蠱迷王，數譖大夫人如是非一。王返辱曰：「卿等妖媚言返不遜，彼人操行可貴而返譖之。」此女心忌猶欲害之，數譖不已，王頗惑之，前後心謀伺其齋時，因勸白王：「今日之樂宜請右夫人。」王便普召勅令皆會，大夫人持齋獨不應命，反覆三呼執齋不移，王怒隆盛遣人拽出，縛著殿前欲射殺之。夫人不怖一心歸佛，王自射之箭還向王後，射輒還，數箭亦爾。時王大怖，自解而問之曰：「汝有何術乃致如此？」夫人對曰：「唯事如來歸命三尊，朝奉佛齋過中不飡，加行八事飾不近身，必是世尊哀顧若茲。」王曰：「善哉！豈可言不？」即出吉星女還其父母，以大夫人正理宮內。王與大夫人後宮太子，嚴駕群臣往到佛所，作禮却坐叉手聽法。王即白佛，具以如事向佛陳之。佛告大王：「妖蠱女人有八十四態，大態有八，慧人所惡。何謂為八？一者嫉妬，二者妄瞋，三者罵詈，四者呪詛，五者鎮厭，六者慳貪，七者好飾，八者含毒，是為八大態。」

Formerly, the Buddha led his disciples to the Ghositārāma in the country of Kauśāmbī, preaching the Dharma for gods, humans, spirits, and dragons. At that time, the king of that country was named Udayana. He had a chief consort whose conduct was benevolent and kind, and whose spotless reputation was clear and pure; the king treasured her integrity and privately respected her. Hearing that the Buddha had come to transform [beings], they prepared their carriages and set out together, went to the Buddha's place, paid homage to the Buddha, and sat back in their customary seats. The Buddha preached to the king, the consort, and the palace women on impermanence, suffering, and emptiness; on the causes of human existence, association and separation, the suffering of meeting the hated, that from merit one is born in heaven, and from evil one falls into the abyss. The king and consort joyfully placed their faith and understood; each received the five precepts and became laymen and laywomen. Paying homage to the Buddha, they took their leave and returned to the palace. At that time, there was a brāhmaṇa named Jixing (Lucky Star) who had a beautiful daughter with few equals in the world. When she reached sixteen years of age, no one could criticize her. He hung up a thousand ounces of gold for ninety days and sought a wise person, [saying]: "If someone can criticize this girl as being uncomely, I will give him the gold." None dared to respond. As the girl had grown up, she was due to be married. He thought: "To whom should I give her? If there is one as comely as my daughter, I will give my daughter to him. I have heard that the śramaṇa Gautama is of the Śākya lineage, with a golden complexion rarely seen in the world; I should take this daughter to match her with him." He then took her to where the Buddha was, paid homage to the Buddha, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "My daughter is beautiful and pure, without equal in the world; she is grown and due to marry, but in the world there is no match for her. Gautama's comeliness can make a pair; therefore, I brought her from afar to match her with the Bhagavat." The Buddha told Jixing: "Your daughter's comeliness is your family's standard of beauty; what I deem good is the standard of the Buddhas. What I esteem follows a different path. You praise your own daughter as comely and lovely; it is like a painted vessel filled with dung and urine—what is extraordinary about it? Where does beauty reside? Clinging to the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth—these are great thieves of the body. A comely face is a great affliction of the body. Destroying families, exterminating clans, killing parents, and harming children all stem from female form. As a śramaṇa, standing alone by myself, I am still wary of danger; how much more so with taking on the commodity of calamity and destructive thieves? Take her away yourself; I will not accept her." Thereupon, the brahmacārin became angry and left. He went to King Udayana, praised the girl's charms, and fully stated to the king: "This girl's physiognomy is fitting to be the king's consort; now that she has come of age, I present her to the king." Seeing her, the king was delighted, immediately accepted her, and appointed her as the second consort of the left. He then bestowed a seal with ribbons, gold, silver, and precious gems upon Jixing, appointing him as an assisting minister. Having gained advancement, this girl was constantly jealous, beguiling and bewitching the king, and frequently slandered the chief consort on numerous occasions. The king rebuked her, saying: "You bewitching women speak insolently; that person's conduct is worthy of esteem, yet you conversely slander her." Jealous in heart, this girl still wished to harm her and repeatedly slandered her without ceasing. The king became somewhat confused. Plotting continually, she waited for the chief consort's time of observing the poṣadha, and then urged the king, saying: "For today's merriment, you should invite the consort of the right." The king then summoned everyone and ordered them all to assemble. The chief consort, who was observing the poṣadha, alone did not comply with the command. Though summoned three times, she held to the poṣadha without wavering. The king's anger flared up intensely; he sent men to drag her out, tied her in front of the hall, and intended to shoot and kill her. The consort was not afraid, single-mindedly taking refuge in the Buddha. When the king shot at her himself, the arrow turned back toward the king; each subsequent shot turned back, and several arrows did the same. At that time, the king was terrified; untying her himself, he asked her, saying: "What art do you possess to bring about such a thing?" The consort replied: "I serve only the Tathāgata and take refuge in the Three Jewels. In the morning, I uphold the Buddha's poṣadha and do not eat past midday; in addition, I practice the eight matters and do not wear adornments near my body. It must be that the Bhagavat has extended such compassionate protection." The king said: "Excellent! How could one deny it?" He immediately cast out Jixing's daughter, returned her to her parents, and appointed the chief consort to manage the inner palace properly. The king, along with the chief consort, the inner palace, the crown prince, and his ministers, prepared their carriages and went to the Buddha's place, paid homage, sat back, clasped their hands, and listened to the Dharma. The king addressed the Buddha, recounting the matter to the Buddha in full. The Buddha told the great king: "A bewitching woman has eighty-four feminine guiles, and there are eight great guiles that wise people detest. What are the eight? First is jealousy; second is groundless anger; third is reviling; fourth is cursing; fifth is sorcery and bewitchment; sixth is stinginess and greed; seventh is fondness for adornment; and eighth is harboring venom. These are the eight great guiles."

Formerly Buddha with his followers, having gone to the kingdom of Kausāmbī (Ku-tan-mi), he took up his residence in the Vihāra called Mi-yin (lovely sound), and there preached the word for the sake of Devas and men. At this time the king of the country was called Yau-tien (Udāyana), whose queen was of a remarkably pure character. Having heard that Buddha had come to his kingdom, the King and the Queen, with her attendants, went forth to visit him, and having paid him the usual salutations, they sat down. Then Buddha, for their sakes, began to preach and to show the impermanency, sorrow, and vanity of things around us, from which all our miseries come. And then he proved that heaven was the reward of religious merit (virtue), and hell the result of sin (crime). In consequence of this sermon both the King and Queen were induced to accept the five rules of a lay-disciple, and so returned to the palace. Now at this time there was a certain Brahman called Kih-sing (lucky star), who had a daughter incomparable for loveliness, just sixteen years old. On her account the Brahman, for ninety days, exposed a heap of a thousand gold masurans, and challenged any one to find a single fault in her, and whoever could do so should have the gold. No one being able to do so, and desiring to find some one fit for her to marry, he again challenged any one to bring a man equal to his daughter in grace, and to him he would give her as a wife.

Now, having heard that the family of the Shaman Gōtama, known as the Śākyas, were remarkable for their beauty, and that therefore he was fit to possess his daughter, he came to the place where Buddha was, and taking his daughter with him, after the usual salutations, he spake thus:—"My daughter is extremely beautiful, and unequalled for womanly grace; and you also, Gōtama, are remarkable for your beauty. You may, therefore, have my daughter, and make her your companion (wife).” To whom Buddha replied, “Your daughter's beauty, sir, is according to your own estimation; my beauty is according to that of the Buddhas; my beauty and a woman's beauty are wholly different. Your daughter's loveliness, sir, is like that of the picture on the jar (or vessel), in the middle of which there is only filth and excrement. How can that be considered as beauty which belongs only to the eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth, the body? It is this beauty of outside form that causes sorrow, overturns families, destroys kinship, sacrifices relationships, kills children; all these come from this (love of) womanly beauty. But I am a Shaman—I stand by myself—and would rather endure any calamity than comply with your request. Sir, you may go; I decline your offer.” On this the Brahman departed highly irate; and then, coming into the presence of the King, he dilated on his daughter's beauty, and offered her to him. The King, highly pleased at her appearance, accepted her, and made her his second Queen.

Having laden her with presents and jewelry, she soon began to fill his mind with jealous thoughts and dislike for the first Queen, and at last persuaded him to send for her on a certain occasion to indulge her fancy (knowing that she would not come). Consequently the King sent for her, on which the first Queen declined to appear, on the ground that she was engaged in some religious exercise (fast), and so for several occasions. The King, enraged thereat, sent a man with a rope to drag her into his presence; and when she was brought in, he took his bow and purposed to shoot her through the body. But lo! the arrow he discharged returned again towards the King, and did her no harm; and so again and again. On this the King, filled with astonishment (fear), said to her, “By what power of magic have you been able to bring this about?” To which she replied, “I have but taken refuge in the three gems, and the whole day have been engaged in religious observances (fasts), and on this account the Lord (World-honoured) has protected me.” On this the King exclaimed, “Wonderful!” and, dismissing the second Queen, he sent her back to her parents, and re-established the first in undisputed authority. Then, with the Queen's attendants, he went to the place where Buddha was, and after due salutations, he explained to him what had happened, on which Buddha (after a short discourse) repeated these lines :—

4.23

於是世尊即說偈言：

Thereupon, the Bhagavat uttered these verses:

4.24

「天雨七寶欲猶無厭，
樂少苦多覺之為賢，
雖有天欲慧捨不貪，
樂離恩愛為佛弟子。」

"Even if the heavens rained down the seven treasures, desires would still not be sated;
Pleasures are few and sufferings are many—realizing this, one is wise.
Even if there are heavenly desires, the wise renounce them and are not greedy;
Finding joy in parting from affection, one is a disciple of the Buddha."

“If Heaven were to rain down the seven precious substances, yet would not the covetous man be satisfied; his pleasure would be little, his sorrow much. The wise man, possessed of virtue, although he possessed the pleasures of Heaven, would wisely let them go, and covet them not. He who finds his happiness in removing thoughts of lustful enjoyment, this man is the disciple of Buddha.”

4.25

佛告大王：「人行罪福各有本性，所受影報萬倍不同，若行六德持齋福多，諸佛所譽，終生梵天福樂自然。」

The Buddha told the great king: "When people practice sin and merit, each has their fundamental nature, and the retributions they receive as shadows differ ten thousandfold. If one practices the six virtues and observes the poṣadha, the merit is great; praised by all Buddhas, one will eventually be born in the Brahmā heaven with natural blessings and joy."

Then Buddha further explained to the King the inevitable result of a wicked life, that it would redound ten thousand times more miserably on the guilty man, whilst the reward of religion and self-denial would be certainly the enjoyment of heaven. Having so spoken, the King and the Queen's attendants, and the rest, received perfect release, and became partakers in the Paths.

4.26

佛說是時，王及夫人婇女大臣，一切心解，皆得道迹。

When the Buddha spoke this, the king, the consorts, the palace women, and the ministers all gained mental understanding, and all attained the trace of the Way.

4.27

法句譬喻經沙門品第三十四

Udānavarga: Chapter 34, The Śramaṇa

4.28

昔佛在舍衛國精舍之中，為天龍鬼神、國王人民說法。時有一年少比丘，晨旦著衣服拄杖持鉢至大村中分衛。時大道邊有官菜園，外面種黍穄，其田外草中施張發箭，若有蟲獸盜賊來者，觸網箭發中箭則死。有一端正年少女子獨守此園，人欲往者遙喚示道乃得入園，不知道者必為發箭所殺。而此女子獨守悲歌，其聲妖亮，聽者莫不頓車止馬，迴旋蹀躡而欲趣之，盤桓不去皆坐聲響。時此比丘分衛行還，道聞歌聲，側耳聽音五情逸豫，心迷意亂貪著不捨，想是女人必大端正，思想欲見坐起言語，便旋往趣，未到中間意志怳惚，手失錫杖肩失衣鉢殊不自覺。佛以三達見此比丘，小復前行為箭所殺，福應得道，為愚所迷欲蓋所覆，憐愍其愚欲度脫之，自化作白衣往到其邊，以偈呵之曰：

Formerly, when the Buddha was in the vihāra in the country of Śrāvastī, he preached the Dharma for gods, dragons, spirits, kings, and the people. At that time, there was a young bhikṣu who, in the early morning, put on his robes, leaned on his staff, and held his bowl, going into a large village to beg for alms. At that time, beside the main road, there was an official vegetable garden, on the outside of which proso and foxtail millet were planted; outside that field, in the grass, trip-wire arrows were set up: if any beasts, insects, or thieves came, touching the net, the arrows would fire, and those struck by an arrow would die. There was a comely young woman who guarded this garden alone; when people wished to go there, she would call to them from afar to show the path, and only then could they enter the garden; those who did not know the path would surely be killed by the trip-wire arrows. Now this woman, alone on guard, was singing a plaintive song; her voice was bewitching and clear. None of those who heard it failed to stop their carts and halt their horses, turning around and treading softly, wishing to approach her; lingering without departing, all were captivated by the sound. At that time, this bhikṣu, returning from begging for alms, heard the sound of the song along the road. Incline his ear to listen to the tone, his five senses were uninhibited; confused in mind and bewildered in intention, greedy and clinging without letting go, he thought this woman must be exceedingly comely. In his longing he wished to see her, to sit, stand, and converse with her, and so he turned and approached her. Before he arrived, his mind was distracted and dazed; his hand lost his pewter staff and his shoulder lost his robe and bowl without him being aware of it at all. With the three knowledges, the Buddha saw that if this bhikṣu walked forward just a little further, he would be killed by the arrows. Since he had the merit to attain the Way but was confused by folly and covered by the hindrance of desire, [the Buddha] took pity on his foolishness and wished to deliver him. He transformed himself into a white-robed layman, went to his side, and rebuked him with verses, saying:

In days of old, when Buddha was residing in the Jetavana Vihāra, near Śrāvastī, preaching his doctrine for the sake of Devas and men, there was a certain Bhikshu, young in years, who used every morning to assume his robe, and take his mendicant's staff and begging-dish, and go through the streets of the town begging his food. On the way there was a certain nobleman's garden, on the outside part of which were sown certain esculant plants, and the ground guarded by a contrivance for discharging arrows at whatever beast, or thief, came there to trespass or steal. Moreover, as guardian of the ground, there was a girl of tender age left, who used to warn travellers away from the place if they had missed their way, or were likely to trespass on the field without knowing the danger, lest they should be shot. Now it came to pass that on one occasion the Bhikshu, having gone his round through the city, was returning homewards, when, on passing the spot, he heard the plaintive alarm of the girl as she sang out to him to beware; and his passions being roused thereby, he thought to go in and hold some conversation with her, and amuse himself. While assaying to do this he was filled with sudden fear, he let his staff fall, and his robes were disordered, and his alms-dish disarranged; when Buddha, by his divine sight, seeing how the case stood, and that in a moment or two the Bhikshu would be pierced by the arrows, and so perish in his sin, transformed himself into a white-robed layman, and standing by the side of the Bhikshu, repeated these expostulatory stanzas:—

4.29

「沙門何行如意不禁，
步步著粘但隨思走，
袈裟被肩為惡不損，
行惡行者斯墮惡道。
截流自持折心却欲，
人不割欲一意猶走，
為之為之必強自制，
捨家而懈意猶復染。
行懈緩者誘意不除，
非淨梵行焉致大寶？
不調難誡如風枯樹，
自作為身曷不精進。」

"What kind of conduct is this for a śramaṇa, giving free rein to his mind without restraint,
Step by step adhering and clinging, simply running after thoughts?
With the kāṣāya draped over your shoulder, doing evil without lessening it,
Those who perform evil deeds will fall into bad destinies.

Cut off the stream and maintain self-control; break the mind and repel desire.
If a person does not sever desire, the single-minded focus still wanders.
Strive at it, strive at it! You must forcefully restrain yourself.
Having left home, if you are negligent, the mind will again become defiled.

Those whose practice is slack and sluggish do not remove seductive thoughts;
Without pure brahma-conduct, how can one attain the great treasure?
Untamed and hard to admonish, like a dry tree in the wind;
Since you act for your own sake, why not be diligent?"

“Shaman! whither goest thou? unguarded in the workings of thought. Step by step becoming more immersed in the slough, as you follow your evil purpose. Disgrace not your robes by such evil conduct as you purpose! Death stares you in the face as you go forward! Stem the stream (of inclination), pause and reflect, trample down the lustful desire. A man who does not destroy desire is led on by one thought alone (to do this and that, till he destroys and ruins himself). Be up then, and dare to do! Bind thyself fast. The man who has left home (to become a Shaman), and yet gives way to idleness and sloth—whose mind still hankers after impure indulgence—is like the rotten tree against which the wind blows, which can hardly resist its force, but is soon blown down.”