分別功德論 2.25

2.25

念休息者，謂心意想息，五欲不起寂然永定，故云息也。凡息亦有二種：外道梵志歛形求福，亦云息也；沙門四果眾結永消，乃是真息。何以知其然？昔有比丘名曰須羅陀，至舍衛城周行教化。時舍衛城西鴦掘魔可殺人處，其地平博多諸樹木。時有一梵志在樹下坐禪，不食五穀但食果蓏，若無果便噉草菜以續精氣。身著樹葉衣，形體羸瘦，裁自支拄。時須羅陀行過逢見，謂是道士，坐禪試觀其心知為定不？見其心本乃求作此國王。念曰：「此乃是大賊耶？」正欲捨去，恐後墮罪；正欲教化，必不隨我語。「當設方便度此人耳。」即便就一樹下坐禪，相去不遠，乃經七日不動不搖。過七日後起至梵志前，彈指覺曰：「同伴！體中何如也？」梵志良久徐乃舉頭答曰：「貧儉無以相遺，如何？」比丘又曰：「我今當遺君一物。」即化作一雞。「君可殺此雞噉。」梵志驚曰：「我尚不殺蟣虱，況當殺鷄耶？」比丘曰：「汝本心乃欲殺無數人，可殺此雞何足言。」梵志復曰：「我云何殺無數人耶？」比丘曰：「汝本在此坐禪時，乃欲求作此國王。王者治化，日可殺幾人，而言不殺也。此雞即是汝心中識。雞乃可得無為大道，何用國王為？」即便思惟：「此比丘乃知我心中所念。必是聖人耶！當從其教。」重為說法，即得道迹。此梵志身形雖靜，心不休息也。自得殺識雞已，乃可名為休息耳。故後解曰：心意想息也。

"Mindfulness of rest" means that the thoughts and ideations of the mind rest; the five desires do not arise, and one is tranquil and eternally settled. Hence it is called "rest." In general, there are two kinds of rest: when non-Buddhist brahmacārins restrain their bodies to seek merit, that too is called "rest"; but when the host of fetters is eternally extinguished in the four fruits of a śramaṇa, that is true rest. How is this known to be so? In the past, there was a monk named Suradha who went to the city of Śrāvastī, walking about to convert and instruct. At that time, to the west of the city of Śrāvastī was the place where Aṅgulimāla used to kill people; the ground there was level and broad, with many trees. There was a brahmacārin sitting in dhyāna under a tree; he did not eat the five grains, but ate only fruits and melons, and if there were no fruit he would eat grass and wild greens to sustain his vital essence. He wore garments of tree leaves, and his body was emaciated and lean, barely supporting itself. At that time Suradha passed by and saw him, took him to be a person of the Way, and sat in dhyāna to test and observe his mind, to know whether he was settled or not. He saw that at root his mind was seeking to become the king of this country. [The monk] thought: "Is this not a great robber?" If he just left, he feared [the man] would later fall into guilt; if he just tried to instruct him, he surely would not follow his words. "I must devise an expedient means to deliver this person." Thereupon he went under a tree not far away and sat in dhyāna, remaining motionless and unshaken for seven days. After seven days passed, he got up, went before the brahmacārin, snapped his fingers to awaken him, and said: "Companion! How is your health?" After a long time, the brahmacārin slowly raised his head and replied: "I am poor and frugal, having nothing to give you. What of it?" The monk further said: "I shall now give you something." He then magically created a chicken [and said]: "You may kill this chicken and eat it." The brahmacārin said in astonishment: "I do not even kill nits or lice, how could I kill a chicken?" The monk said: "At root your mind wishes to kill countless people; killing this chicken—what is it worth mentioning?" The brahmacārin again said: "How could I kill countless people?" The monk said: "When you were originally sitting in dhyāna here, you were seeking to become the king of this country. When a king governs and rules, how many people might he kill in a day? Yet you claim not to kill. This chicken is the consciousness within your mind. Even a chicken can attain the unconditioned Great Way; what use is a king?" He immediately reflected: "This monk actually knows what was thought in my mind. He must surely be a noble person! I should follow his teaching." [The monk] explained the Dharma to him again, and he immediately attained the track of the Way. Although this brahmacārin's physical body had been quiet, his mind had not rested. Only after he was able to kill the chicken of consciousness could he be called at rest. Therefore it is explained afterwards: "the thoughts and ideations of the mind rest."