[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122) › 23.41 # 法苑珠林 23.41 法苑珠林 23.41 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [23.41](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.23.41) 佛說偈已告諸比丘。往昔久遠無數世時。有五通比丘。名精進力。在山中樹下閑寂求道。時有四禽獸。依附左右常得安隱。一者鴿。二者烏。三者毒蛇。四者鹿。是四禽獸者。晝行求食暮則還宿。四禽獸一夜自相問言。世間之苦何者為重。烏言。飢渴最苦。飢渴之時身羸目冥神識不寧。投身羅網不顧鋒刃。我等喪身莫不由之。以此言之飢渴為苦。鴿言。婬欲最苦。色欲熾盛無所顧念。危身滅命莫不由之。毒蛇言。瞋恚最苦。毒意一起不避親疎。亦能殺人復亦自殺。鹿言。驚怖最苦。我在林野心常𪫟惕。畏懼獵師及諸犲狼。髣髴有聲奔投溝壑。母子相捐肝膽掉悸。以此言之驚怖為苦。比丘聞之即答之曰。汝等所論是其末耳。不究苦本。天下之苦無過有身。身為苦器憂畏無量。吾以是故。捨俗學道滅意斷想。不貪四大欲斷苦源。志存泥洹是故知身為大苦本。故書云。大患莫若於身也。 > Having spoken this verse, the Buddha told the bhikṣus: Long ago, immeasurable ages in the past, there was a bhikṣu with five supernormal knowledges named Vīryabala ('Energy-Strength'). He was seeking the Way in solitary tranquility beneath a tree in the mountains. At that time, four beasts took refuge nearby and were constantly at peace. The first was a dove, the second a crow, the third a venomous snake, and the fourth a deer. These four beasts roamed for food by day and returned to roost at night. One night the four beasts asked among themselves: 'Among the sufferings of the world, which is the heaviest?' The crow said: 'Hunger and thirst are the most painful. At the time of hunger and thirst, the body is emaciated, the eyes are dim, and the consciousness is restless; one casts oneself into nets, heedless of sharp blades. For us to lose our lives never fails to stem from this. Therefore, hunger and thirst are suffering.' The dove said: 'Lust is the most painful. When sexual desire blazes furiously, there is no consideration of anything else; endangering the body and destroying life never fails to stem from this.' The venomous snake said: 'Anger is the most painful. Once venomous thoughts arise, they spare neither near nor distant; one can kill others and also kill oneself.' The deer said: 'Terror is the most painful. When I am in the forest and wilds, my heart is always terrified; I dread hunters, jackals, and wolves. If there is faintly a sound, I flee and plunge into ravines; mother and child abandon each other, heart and gall trembling. Therefore, terror is suffering.' Hearing them, the bhikṣu replied to them, saying: 'What you discuss is merely the branches; you do not investigate the root of suffering. Among the sufferings under heaven, none surpasses possessing a body. The body is a vessel of suffering, bearing boundless grief and fear. For this reason, I renounced the world to learn the Way, extinguishing mental activity and severing thoughts, without greed for the four great elements, wishing to cut off the source of suffering and setting my resolve on nirvāṇa. Hence I know that the body is the great root of suffering.' Therefore the secular book says: 'There is no greater calamity than possessing a body.' > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 23.40](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.23.40) - [Next: 23.42](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.23.42) - [Up: 23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.23) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122~en-mt.23.41) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.23.41](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.23.41) · Pramāṇa