四十二章經 1.37

1.37

of severing the sex organ except to cause imminent death?’ I teach that peo-

ple who hold perverted worldly views are just like that foolish man.”

[30]

A prostitute had an appointment with a man but he did not show up. She felt

regret and said,

Lust! I know your origin!

You spring from my own thoughts.

If I do not allow such thoughts to arise,

Thus you will not arise.

Passing by, the Buddha heard this verse and told the śramaṇas, “Remember! This verse was spoken by Kāśyapa Buddha and it is still circulating in the world.”

[31] The Buddha said, “Human suffering arises from desire, and fear arises from suffering. Without desire there will be no suffering, and without suffering there will be no fear.”

[32] The Buddha said, “Following the Way is like fighting alone against [an army of] ten thousand. While putting on armor and preparing to fight, one may become frightened and run away. Halfway to the battlefield, one may turn and flee. One may fight and be slain. One may gain victory and return to his country with honor. If a person maintains firm resolve and advances vigorously, not misled by vulgar and foolish words but instead destroying desire and negativity completely, the Way will certainly be attained.”

[33] One night, a śramaṇa was reciting a sutra. He sounded very mournful, for he thought regretfully of retrogressing [to lay life]. The Buddha called to the śramaṇa and asked him, “When you were a householder, what did you do?”

“I used to play the lute,” he replied.

The Buddha said, “What happened when the strings were too slack?”

“They would not make a sound,” was the reply.

“What happened if the strings were too taut?” asked the Buddha.

“The sounds were sharp,” he answered.

“And how was it when the strings were neither too taut nor too slack?”

“The sounds were fine.”

The Buddha said to the śramaṇa, “It is the same with training in the Way. When the mind is properly adjusted, the Way is attained.”

[34] The Buddha said, “Following the Way is like smelting iron. If iron is melted gradually to eliminate all impurities, it can be made into implements of fine quality. One who trains in the Way should also progress gradually to expel the defilements of the mind, while maintaining proper effort. If you force yourself abruptly on the Way, the body grows weary. When the body grows weary, your thoughts become disturbed. When thoughts become disturbed, your practice deteriorates. And when practice deteriorates, you accumulate non-virtue.”

[35] The Buddha said, “Beings experience suffering whether or not they follow the Way. From birth to old age, old age to sickness, sickness to death, suffering is endless. With turbulent thoughts, beings accumulate non-virtues and, consequently, birth and death continue ceaselessly with their unutterable suffering.”

[36] The Buddha said, “It is difficult for one to leave the three unfortunate transmigrations (i.e., rebirth in the three lower realms of hell, hungry ghosts, and animals) and to be born as a human being.

“Even if born as a human being, it is difficult for one to be born a man rather than a woman.

“Even if born as a man it is difficult to be born with all six sense organs intact.

“Even if born with the six sense organs intact, it is difficult to be born in a central country [where the Buddhist teachings flourish].

“Even if born in a central country, it is difficult to encounter and practice the Buddhist teachings.

“Even if one encounters and practices the Buddhist teachings, it is difficult to encounter a sagacious king.

[“Even if one encounters a sagacious king,] it is difficult to be born in the household of a bodhisattva.

“Even if born into the household of a bodhisattva, it is difficult to have faith in the Three Jewels and to live at the time of a buddha.”

[37]