經律異相 22.22

22.22

昔有一小兒。年始七歲。大好佛道作於沙彌。隨羅漢師在山中學。精進不懈。及年八歲。便得四通。一者眼徹視。二者耳徹聽。三者飛行變化。四者自知宿命所從來。坐自思念。即見先世宿命所更。五母作子。即還自笑。師問何笑。沙彌言。何敢笑師。自視一身而有五母。晝夜啼哭感傷愁毒。常言。念子未曾忽忘。我自念。一身愁毒五家用。是故笑耳。我為第一母作子時。比隣有與我同時生者。我死後同日生者出入行步。我母見之便言。我子在者亦當出入行步如是。即愁憂感痛念我。復為第二母作子。生不久復死。我母見人有乳養子者。便感痛念我。愁憂啼哭。我復為第三母作子。不久復死。我母臨飯淚出念我言。若子在者與我共飯。棄我死去。我復為第四母作子。不久復死。我時等輩娉娶者。母復念我言。若子不死今亦當娶婦。我為第五母作子今故現存。我捨家學道。母日啼哭言。亡我子。不知所在。飢寒生死不復相見。並忼愾悲痛。今五母共會。各言亡子相對。啼哭念我一人。是故笑耳。世間人不知有後世生。但言死耳。人作善得福作惡得殃。人在世間善惡自恐。無所畏惡後受苦痛。入惡道中悔無所及。我厭世間故辭親求道。我視地獄畜生餓鬼貧窮。代其恐怖。我得師恩受佛經戒。今以度脫。我念五母。不能得脫。反復憂我（出五母子人經）。

Formerly there was a young boy, just seven years of age, who greatly loved the Buddha's Way and became a novice. Following an arhat master to study in the mountains, he was diligent without remiss. By the age of eight, he attained four supernormal powers: first, the eye of penetrating sight; second, the ear of penetrating hearing; third, flying and transformation; fourth, knowing for himself his past lives and whence he came. Sitting and contemplating for himself, he saw what he had undergone in past lives: he had been the son of five mothers. Thereupon he laughed to himself. The master asked why he laughed. The novice said, "How could I dare laugh at my master? Looking at myself in this one body, I have had five mothers, who weep day and night, grieved and bitterly distressed, constantly saying, 'I miss my son and have never forgotten him for a moment.' I think to myself: this one body has caused bitter distress to five families; therefore I laughed. When I was the son of the first mother, a neighbor had a child born at the same time as me. After I died, the one born on the same day walked in and out; when my mother saw him, she said, 'If my son were alive, he would also walk in and out like this.' Thereupon she grieved and pined for me in pain. Next, I was the son of the second mother; not long after birth, I died again. When my mother saw someone nursing a child, she would pined for me in pain, grieving and weeping. Next, I was the son of the third mother, and not long after died again. When my mother came to eat, tears flowed as she thought of me, saying, 'If my son were alive, he would be eating with me; he has abandoned me and died.' Next, I was the son of the fourth mother, and not long after died again. When my peers of that time were betrothed and married, my mother again thought of me, saying, 'If my son had not died, he too would be taking a wife today.' I became the son of the fifth mother, who is still alive today. When I left home to study the Way, my mother wept daily, saying, 'I have lost my son, not knowing where he is, whether hungry or cold, alive or dead, never to see him again.' All of them sighed with deep sorrow. Now if the five mothers were to gather together, each speaking of her lost son, they would face one another weeping and thinking of me alone; therefore I laughed. People of the world do not know there is birth in future lives; they only speak of death. When a person does good, they obtain blessings; when they do evil, they obtain calamity. While people are in the world, good and evil are of their own doing; fearing nothing and doing evil, they later suffer bitter pain, and falling into the evil realms, regret will be of no avail. Weary of the world, I therefore took leave of my parents to seek the Way. Looking upon the hells, animals, hungry ghosts, and poverty, I am terrified on their behalf. Having received my master's kindness and accepted the Buddha's scriptures and precepts, I am now delivered. I think of my five mothers: unable to obtain deliverance, on the contrary they sorrow over me." (Taken from the Wumu ziren jing.)