法苑珠林 52.28

52.28

復語其奴。大家已死何不啼哭。奴復說譬喻言。我之大家因緣和合。我如犢子隨逐大牛。人殺大牛。犢子在邊不能救護大牛之命。愁憂啼哭無所補益。梵志聞已心感自責不識東西。我聞此國孝順奉事恭敬三寶。故從遠來欲得學問。既來到此了無所益。更問行人。佛在何許。欲往問之。行人答言。近在祇桓精舍。梵志即到佛所稽首作禮却坐一面。合掌低頭默無所說。佛知其意。謂梵志曰。何以低頭愁憂不樂。梵志曰。所願不果違我本心。是故不樂。佛語梵志。有何所失愁憂不樂。梵志對曰。我從羅閱祇國來欲得學問。既來到此見五無返復。佛問梵志。何等五無返復。梵志曰。我見父子二人耕田下種。兒死在地。父亦不愁居家大小都無愁悲。是為大逆。佛言不然。不如卿語。此之五人最為返復。知身非常身非己有。往古聖人不免斯患。何為凡夫大啼小哭無益死者。世俗之人無所識知。生死流轉無有休息。梵志心開意解。我聞佛說。如病得愈。盲者得視。如暗得明。於是梵志即得道迹。一切死亡不足啼哭。滅死防生非愁憂法。死者身歸於土。生者種持產業。欲為亡者。請佛及僧燒香供養。讀誦經書日日作禮。復能布施三寶。最是為要。梵志稽首為佛作禮。歡喜奉行。

[The brahmacārin] spoke again to his slave: “Your master is already dead; why do you not weep?” The slave likewise spoke a parable, saying: “My master and I were joined by conditions. I am like a calf following behind a large ox; when someone slaughters the large ox, the calf standing by its side cannot preserve or save the life of the large ox. Sorrow, grief, weeping, and wailing bring no benefit whatsoever.” Having heard this, the brahmacārin felt stirred within and reproached himself, completely bewildered: “I heard that this country practices filial piety, performs service, and reveres the Three Jewels, and therefore I came from afar wishing to pursue learning. Having arrived here, it is wholly unprofitable!” He further asked a traveler, “Where is the Buddha? I wish to go and question him.” The traveler replied, saying, “He is nearby at the Jetavana vihāra.” The brahmacārin went at once to the Buddha's presence, bowed his head in homage, and sat to one side. Pressing his palms together and lowering his head, he remained silent without saying anything. The Buddha knew his thoughts and said to the brahmacārin, “Why do you bow your head, sorrowful and unhappy?” The brahmacārin said, “My wishes have not been fulfilled, running contrary to my original intention; therefore I am unhappy.” The Buddha asked the brahmacārin, “What have you lost that makes you sorrowful and unhappy?” The brahmacārin answered, saying, “I came from the country of Rājagṛha wishing to pursue learning. Having arrived here, I saw five persons without reciprocation.” The Buddha asked the brahmacārin, “What are the five without reciprocation?” The brahmacārin said, “I saw a father and son, two people, plowing the field and sowing seed. The son died on the ground, yet the father felt no sorrow, and young and old in the entire household showed no grief or lamentation at all. This is great unnaturalness.” The Buddha said, “It is not so; it is not as you say. These five persons are the most truly reciprocating. They know the body is impermanent and not one’s own possession. Even the ancient sages could not escape this affliction. Why should ordinary people wail loudly and weep softly to no benefit for the dead? Worldly people lack true understanding and cycle through birth and death without rest.” The brahmacārin’s mind opened and his thoughts were unlocked. [He said,] “Hearing the Buddha's teaching is like recovering from illness, like the blind gaining sight, like finding light in the dark.” Thereupon the brahmacārin attained the stage of the Path. All deaths do not warrant weeping; to extinguish death and guard life is not a matter of sorrow or grief. The body of the deceased returns to the earth; the living cultivate and maintain their livelihoods. If one wishes to benefit the departed, one should invite the Buddha and the Saṃgha, burn incense and make offerings, recite the sūtras, and make prostrations day after day; furthermore, being able to give alms to the Three Jewels is the most essential.” The brahmacārin bowed his head in homage to the Buddha and joyfully put it into practice.