法苑珠林 46.25

46.25

如雜阿含經云。爾時世尊告諸比丘。譬如鐵丸投著火中與火同色盛著劫貝綿中。云何比丘當速燃不。比丘白佛。如是世尊。佛告比丘。愚癡之人依聚落住。晨朝著衣持鉢入村乞食。不善護身。不守根門。心不繫念。若見年少女人不正思惟。取其色相起貪欲心。欲燒其心。欲燒其身。身心燒已捨戒退減。是愚癡人長夜當得非義饒益。是故比丘當如是學。善護其身守諸根門繫念入村。爾時世尊告諸比丘。過去世時有一貓貍飢渴羸瘦。於孔穴中伺求鼠子。若鼠子出當取食之。有時鼠子出穴游戲。時彼貓貍疾取吞之。鼠子身小生入腹中。入腹中已食其內藏。食內藏時貓貍迷悶東西狂走。空宅塚間不知何止。遂至於死。如是比丘。有愚癡人依聚落住。晨朝著衣持鉢入村乞食。不善護身。不守根門。心不繫念。見諸女人起不正思惟。而取色相發貪欲心已。欲火熾然燒其身心已。馳走狂逸不樂精舍捨戒退減。此愚癡人長夜常得不饒益苦。是故比丘。當如是學。善護其身守諸根門繫心正念入村乞食。

As the Saṃyuktāgama states: At that time, the World-Honoured One addressed the bhikṣus: "Suppose an iron ball were thrown into fire, becoming the same color as the fire, and was then placed inside karpāsa cotton. What do you think, bhikṣus, would it burn quickly or not?" The bhikṣus addressed the Buddha: "Indeed, World-Honoured One." The Buddha told the bhikṣus: "A foolish person lives dependent on a settlement. In the morning, putting on his robes and taking his bowl, he enters the village to beg for food. He does not guard his body well, does not protect the sense faculties, and does not fix his mindfulness. If he sees a young woman, he engages in improper reflection, grasps at her appearance, and gives rise to lustful desire. Desire burns his mind; desire burns his body. When body and mind are burned, he abandons the precepts and regresses. This foolish person will long obtain disadvantage and lack of benefit. Therefore, bhikṣus, you should train thus: guard the body well, protect the sense faculties, and enter the village with mindfulness fixed." At that time, the World-Honoured One told the bhikṣus: "In past times, there was a cat, hungry, thirsty, and emaciated, that watched a hole seeking a young mouse: 'When the young mouse comes out, I will seize and eat it.' At some time, the young mouse came out of the hole to play. At that time, the cat quickly seized and swallowed it. The young mouse, being small, entered the belly alive. Having entered the belly, it ate the internal organs. While it ate the internal organs, the cat became frantic and bewildered, running wildly east and west through empty houses and cemeteries, not knowing where to stop, and finally died. In the same way, bhikṣus, there is a foolish person who lives dependent on a settlement. In the morning, putting on his robes and taking his bowl, he enters the village to beg for food. He does not guard his body well, does not protect the sense faculties, and does not fix his mindfulness. Seeing women, he gives rise to improper reflection, grasps at their appearance, and arouses lustful desire. When the fire of desire blazes and burns his body and mind, he runs wild and unrestrained, takes no delight in the vihāra, abandons the precepts, and regresses. This foolish person will long obtain harm and suffering. Therefore, bhikṣus, you should train thus: guard the body well, protect the sense faculties, and enter the village to beg for food with the mind fixed in right mindfulness."