法句譬喻經 18: Punishment (daṇḍavaggo)
Texts from the Buddhist Canon commonly known as Dhammapada, with accompanying narratives 18
- Language
- English
Punishment (daṇḍavaggo)
18.p1
In days gone by there was a country called Kin-tai (Gandhāra?), in which was a very old mendicant afflicted with a very loathsome disease, which caused him to pollute every place he occupied. Being in a certain Vihāra belonging to the place, no one would come near him or help him in his distress. On this Buddha came with his 500 followers, and obtaining all sorts of necessary utensils and warm water, they together visited the place where the old mendicant lay. The smell in the place was so offensive that all the Bhikshus were filled with contempt for the man: but the World-honoured causing Śakra-deva to bring the warm water, then with his own hand (diamond hand) began to wash the body of the mendicant and attend to his maladies. Then the earth shook, and the whole place was filled with a supernatural light, so that the King and his ministers, and all the heavenly host (Devas, Nāgas, etc.) flocked to the place, and paid adoration to Buddha. Having done so, they all addressed the World-honoured, and inquired how one so highly exalted could lower himself to such offices as these, on which Buddha explained the matter thus:
18.p2
“The purpose of Tathāgata in coming into the world is to befriend these poor and helpless and unprotected—to nourish those in bodily affliction, whether they be Shamans or men of any other religion (Tao-sse)—to help the impoverished, the orphan, and the aged—and by so doing, and persuading others so to do, the consequent merit is so great that all his former vows are hereby accomplished, and he attains the great goal of all life, as the five rivers when they are lost in the sea.”
18.p3
The King then asked as to the former condition of this old mendicant, and why he was born to so sad a lot, to whom Buddha replied:
18.p4
“In days gone by there was a king called Evil-conduct (Pāpakamma?), who governed his subjects with tyranny and oppression. He used to send out his officers to afflict the people, and with cruel lashes to extort from them all they could get. There was a certain man of eminence about to be whipped, when he begged for mercy as he was a disciple of Buddha. On this the officer laid the whip lightly on him; but, nevertheless, because of his evil deeds he was afterwards born in hell, and repeatedly as a beast, and at last as a man, but always miserably diseased. Now at that time the King was Devadatta, the executioner was this diseased monk, and the eminent man was myself; but because I was the one who begged for mercy, my lot is now to help this wretched man, as he had mercy on me.”
18.p5
And then he repeated the following lines:—
18.p6
“He who inflicts pain on the gentle and the good, or falsely accuses the innocent, this man will inherit one of these ten calamities—either a direct visitation from Heaven (by fire, wind, or water); or, if born, a deformed and diseased body; or some spontaneous fiery outbreak, or loss of reason, or some false accusation, or some governmental difficulty, or a gradual loss of worldly substance, or alienation of relatives, or destruction of treasure (crops or grain) by fire or lightning; and when dead, a birth in hell. These are the ten.”
18.p7
The diseased monk hearing these words, convinced of sin, turned to Buddha and did him reverence, on which he arrived at the condition of a Rahat; and the King also and his followers, filled with joy, took on them the five precepts, and entered the Paths.
18.p8
In days of old, when Buddha was residing in the Jetavana, at Śrāvastī, and preaching his doctrine for the benefit of men and gods, there were in a country to the eastward, called Uttaravati, a company of 500 Brahmans, who had agreed to go together to the residence of a certain Nirgrantha ascetic on the banks of the Ganges, who, by polluting himself with dirt, etc., aspired to the condition of a Rishi. On their way they were overtaken in the desert with thirst. Seeing a tree, and hoping to find some human habitation near, they hastened on to it, but when arrived there they found no sign of life; on this, they raised their voices in lamentation. Suddenly from the tree they heard the voice of the resident Spirit, who asked them why they lamented so, and on hearing the reason, supplied them to the full with drink and meat. The Brahmans, ready to start onward, asked the Spirit what had been his previous history, that he was thus born; on which he explained that having gone to the assembly of priests in Śrāvastī when Sudatta had bestowed the garden on Buddha, he had remained all night listening to the Law, and having filled his drinking-cup with water as he went, had bestowed it in charity among the priests. On his return next morning, his wife in anger asked him what annoyance he had received that he should stop away all night. On which he replied that he was not annoyed, but he had been to listen to Buddha preaching at the Jetavana. On this his wife began roundly to abuse Buddha, and said, “This Gotama is but a mad preacher, who deceives the people,” and so on. On this I resented not her statements, but rather submitted to them, and so when I came to die I was born as a spirit, but on account of my pusillanimity I was confined to this tree; and then he recited these verses :—
18.p9
“Sacrifices and such services are sources of misery—day and night a continual burthen and anxiety; to escape sorrow, and destroy the elements of the body, a man should attend to the Law (of Buddha), and arrive at deliverance from all worldly Rules of Religion (world Rishis).”
18.p10
The Brahmans having heard these words, resolved themselves to go to Śrāvastī, to the place where Buddha was, and having explained the object of their visit, the World-honoured recited these stanzas :—
18.p11
“Although a man goes naked with tangled hair, or though he clothe himself with a few leaves or garment of bark, though he cover himself with dirt and sleep on the stones, what use this in getting rid of impure thoughts? But he who neither contends or kills, or destroys by fire, who desires not to get the victory, who is moved by goodwill towards all the world. There is no ground in such a case for ill-will or hate.”
18.p12
On hearing these words the Brahmans were converted, and became Shamans.
18.p13
Translated from the Chinese by Samuel Beal, 1878.
18.p14
Texts from the Buddhist canon, commonly known as Dhammapada, with accompanying narratives
18.p15
Published by Trübner & Co, Ludgate Hill, London, 1878.
18.p16
Translated by the Shamans Fā-Kheu and Fā-Lih, of the Western Tsin Dynasty.
18.p17
Original book can be downloaded at https://archive.org/details/textsfrombuddhis00beal.
18.p18
Prepared for SuttaCentral by Yasoj and Ven. Vimala.
Linked texts (1)
- 法句譬喻經 — Classical Chinese