諸經要集 9.68

9.68

又法句喻經云。佛在舍衛國。時城中有婆羅門。年向八十。財富無數。為人難化。不識道德不計無常。更作好舍。前庌後堂涼臺溫室。東西兩廂。廡數十梁。唯後堂前距陽未訖。時婆羅門。恒自經營指授眾事。佛以道眼見此老公。命不終日當就後世。不能自知。而方忪忪繕治。精神無福甚可憐愍。佛將阿難往到其門。慰問老公得無勞倦。今作此舍何所為安。公言前庌待客。後堂自處。東西二廂當安兒息。財物僕使。夏止涼臺。冬入溫室。佛語老公。久聞宿德思遲談講。佛有要偈。存亡有益。欲以相贈不審可不。願小廢事共坐論說不耶。老公答言。今正大遽不容坐語。後日更來。當共善敘。所云要偈便可說之。於是世尊即說偈言。

Furthermore, the Dharmapada-avadāna-sūtra states: When the Buddha was in the country of Śrāvastī, there was at that time a brāhmaṇa in the city approaching eighty years of age. His wealth was boundless, yet he was difficult to convert as a person, knowing nothing of morality and taking no account of impermanence. He was building yet another fine house, with a front hall and back chambers, a cool terrace and a heated room, east and west wings, and corridors of dozens of beams. Only the sun-facing eaves in front of the back chambers were not yet finished. At that time, the brāhmaṇa constantly directed and supervised the various tasks himself. With his divine eye, the Buddha saw that this old gentleman's life would not last out the day and that he was destined for the next world. Unable to know this himself, he was just then busily engaged in building and repairing; his spirit possessed no merit, which was deeply pitiable. Leading Ānanda, the Buddha went to his gate and asked after the old gentleman: 'Are you not weary? What is the purpose of building this house?' The old gentleman said, 'The front hall is for entertaining guests; the back chambers are for my own dwelling. The east and west wings are to accommodate my sons and daughters, my wealth, and my servants. In summer I will stay on the cool terrace, and in winter I will enter the heated room.' The Buddha said to the old gentleman, 'Having long heard of your venerable virtue, I have yearned to converse with you. The Buddha has an essential verse that brings benefit both in life and in death. I wish to present it to you; I wonder if that is acceptable? Would you be willing to put aside your tasks for a short while and sit down to converse together?' The old gentleman answered, 'Right now I am in great haste and have no time to sit and talk. Come again on another day, and we shall have a good conversation. As for the essential verse you mentioned, you may speak it now.' Thereupon, the Bhagavat spoke the verse: