General Sūtra Section
མདོ་སྡེ།
The principal collection of 266 sūtras, varied in length, subject, interlocutors and origins.
在這部簡短的經文中,佛陀教導阿難:凡諸怖畏、困厄、過患之生起,皆由愚者起,非由賢者。世尊進而開示賢者與愚者之區別——概而言之,有界善巧、處善巧、緣起善巧、處非處善巧者,即為賢者。爾後,世尊逐一略說其中含義。巴利文佛典中亦有收錄此經。
While the Buddha is dwelling in the Bamboo Grove monastery near Rājagṛha, together with a thousand monks and a host of bodhisattvas, King Prasenajit arises from his seat, bows at the Buddha’s feet, and asks him how to uphold the Dharma in his kingdom during times of conflict. In reply the Buddha instructs the king about the gaṇḍī, a wooden ritual instrument, and tells him how the sound of this instrument, used for Dharma practice in a temple or monastery, quells conflict and strife for all who hear it. He describes how to make, consecrate, and sound the gaṇḍī. He explains that the gaṇḍī symbolizes the Perfection of Insight and describes in detail the many benefits it confers.
在這部簡短的經典中,佛陀為僧侶說明在每年十二個月份中敲擊犍槌的正確時間。這些時間皆是根據日晷來設定的。
Just prior to his passing away, the Buddha Śākyamuni reminds his disciples of the importance of living with a qualified spiritual teacher. Ānanda, the Blessed One’s attendant, attempts to confirm his teacher’s statement, saying that a virtuous spiritual friend is indeed half of one’s spiritual life. Correcting his disciple’s understanding, the Buddha explains that a qualified guide is the whole of, rather than half of, the holy life, and that by relying upon a spiritual friend beings will be released from birth and attain liberation from all types of suffering.
本經記敘了佛陀與持戒第一的弟子優波離之間的問答。優波離請佛開示比丘之體性、種類與律儀,以及「比丘」一詞的含義。為利益在場的比丘和一般的比丘眾,世尊宣說比丘之體性為節制,其律儀為持戒,其種類分為持戒真實比丘和無戒無實比丘。世尊進而宣說持戒之利益,敦促比丘眾行護律儀,並警示了身披袈裟卻無視戒律的過患。
佛在舍衛城祇樹給孤獨園為僧眾開示「戒」之利益和護戒的重要。佛陀教導言,獲得人身、值遇佛法已是難事,更遑論是又能出家受戒並持守淨戒。人生必有一死,相較於失去一次生命,破戒之果更為嚴重,將於億萬來世中受報。世尊繼而以偈頌讚揚戒律,稱其為修持佛法、達至涅槃之必要基礎。經文最後,世尊以講述追逐短暫世間享樂之愚癡為此經文之總結。
一時,佛在王舍城竹林精舍結夏安居。爾時,佛告聲聞弟子眾:如來於一切眾生中最勝,遠離執著之法於一切法中最勝,僧伽於一切團體中最勝。對佛法僧具信心者,來世將生於人天受最勝身。
此經中,佛陀為眾比丘宣說諸惡趣乃至諸天界之眾生壽命。世尊通過較量色界天神以及八熱地獄眾生之壽命而講解惡趣眾生相對漫長的壽命。
Questions Regarding Death and Transmigration contains explanations of Buddhist views on the nature of life and death, and a number of philosophical arguments against non-Buddhist conceptions, notably some based broadly on the Vedas. The sūtra is set in the town of Kapilavastu at the time of the funeral of a young man of the Śākya clan. King Śuddhodana wonders about the validity of the ritual offerings being made for the deceased by the family and asks the Buddha seven questions about current beliefs on death and the afterlife.
In this brief sūtra, the Buddha reminds his followers of one of the principal characteristics of saṃsāric existence: the reality of impermanence. The four things cherished most in this world, the Buddha says—namely, good health, youth, prosperity, and life—are all impermanent. He closes his teaching with a verse, asking how beings, afflicted as they are by impermanence, can take delight in anything desirable, and indirectly urging his disciples to practice the path of liberation.
在本經中,世尊簡要開示了有為法的無常本性。一切眾生,無論其具何等種姓,不論是生為天人,甚或是已證得阿羅漢、辟支佛乃至如來果位,但凡有生,終將隕滅。經文末尾,世尊復以偈文勸誡大眾:諸行無常,寂滅為樂。
世尊在涅槃前留下了此《十一想說示經》,告諸比丘於命終時應作十一想:不貪此世想,慈諸有情想,棄諸懷恨想,懺諸破戒想,受諸正戒想,於諸大罪作清凈想,於諸小善根作大善想,不畏他世想,諸有為無常想,諸法無我想,涅槃寂滅想。
Invited to visit the city of Vaiśālī, which has been ravaged by a terrible epidemic, the Buddha instructs Ānanda to stand at the city’s gate and recite a proclamation, a long mantra, and some verses that powerfully evoke spiritual well-being. Ānanda does so, and the epidemic comes to an end.
善夜之中,天子旃檀來到王舍城一位比丘面前,問其是否知曉佛陀所教導之《善夜經》。比丘答言從未聽聞此經,天子告之世尊即在附近,今可詣彼請問。隨後,世尊應比丘之請,傳授恆時住於善觀之要訣:過去諸法不應追念,未來諸法亦不希求,現在諸法勿生染著,如是行者名真解脫。爾時世尊為欲利益一切眾生,更說數種陀羅尼咒句,並開示此經辟除災厄、救脫苦難之種種利益。
本經講述婆了羅門長老善見的故事。他於聽聞佛陀説法之後皈信佛教,進而在「闇林」建立了佛教僧團。經文記敘了善見的出生、出家爲僧及以神力在闇苑建立僧團的殊勝因緣。隨後,世尊講述了善見前世的行誼與發願,以是善妙因緣而於今生獲得如是之果報。
經中,佛陀於舍衛城以諸譬喻為比丘眾解釋孝順父母之重要性。世尊告大眾,孝順父母者為賢者,此生將不受毀謗,來世亦可投胎於善趣。
此經中,佛陀為眾弟子解釋從五蘊乃至八十種好的二十七法。經文最後,世尊勸告諸比丘應當於寂靜處禪修並且遠離怠慢的過失。
本經中,釋迦牟尼佛為諸比丘解說,若有施主造佛影像,可獲何等功德利益。世尊宣說此善行所具之五種利益。
In response to a question from Śāriputra, the Buddha extols the benefits that result from the practice of circumambulating shrines, that is, walking around them while keeping them on the right-hand side. Such benefits include being reborn in beautiful and healthy bodies with intelligent minds and virtuous qualities, in fortunate and privileged circumstances, and in various heavenly realms. Ultimately, the Buddha says, such practice may even result in the achievement of different types of awakening.
在《波斯匿王偈》中,佛陀宣说为圆寂成就者們建塔造像的功德,以及美化、维护和供奉塔像所获得的利益。
The Verses of Nāga King Drum contains the Buddha’s narration of a tale from one of his past lives as the nāga king Drum. While traveling with his younger brother Tambour, they come under verbal attack by another nāga named Drumbeat. Tambour’s anger at their mistreatment and desire for retaliation prompts Drum to counsel Tambour on the virtues of patience and nonviolence in the face of aggression and abusiveness. Through a series of didactic aphorisms, he advises his brother to meet disrespect and persecution with serenity, patience, compassion, and insight, in order to accomplish what is best for oneself and others. The Buddha now recounts King Drum’s wise counsel as a helpful instruction for his own followers.
此經為佛陀在舍衛國時,就五種布施的方法與其果報所作的簡短開示。
一時,釋迦牟尼佛住於迦毗羅衛附近的尼拘律樹園。一日,世尊與侍者阿難一同來到難陀的家中。世尊向難陀開示了出家為僧的意義及諸多利益,然而難陀卻對於出家猶豫不決。於是世尊又用譬喻的方式解說了獲得善妙人身、值遇佛陀並有機會出家為僧是何等幸運之事。難陀聞佛所言,深受震撼,遂決定舍俗出家。
A radiant divine being appears before the Buddha shortly before dawn and asks a series of questions, in the form of riddles, about how best to live a good life. The Buddha’s responses constitute a concise and direct teaching on some of the core orientations and values of Buddhism, touching on the three poisons, the virtues of body, speech, and mind, and providing wisdom for daily life.
While staying in Śrāvastī, the Buddha is approached by an unnamed “divine being,” who inquires as to what behavior merits rebirth in the higher realms. In response, the Buddha explains, in a series of concise and powerful verses, that abandoning each of the ten nonvirtues—killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, telling lies, slander, harsh words, idle talk, covetousness, ill will, and wrong views—and embracing their opposites, the ten virtues, will lead to rebirth in the higher realms.
這部簡短的經文描述了佛教觀點中的月蝕。一時,佛住瞻波城,阿修羅王羅睺羅手障於月,導致月蝕。月天請求皈依佛陀,爾後佛令羅睺羅速放彼月。另一阿修羅王跋羅見此而詢問其故,羅睺羅解釋道:「我聞佛說偈,若不放月者,頭當破七分。」 爾時跋羅說偈贊嘆諸佛出現於世。本經收錄於《甘珠爾》大藏經、漢傳《阿含經》、巴利文《尼柯耶》,亦是守護經之一。
一时,佛在迦毗罗卫国的尼拘陀园,遇见长髮且瘦骨嶙峋的婆罗门婆私吒。世尊问为何形貌如此,婆私吒答言正在进行一个月的断食。世尊又问,是否持守圣者之八关斋戒,自此二人就何为八关斋戒、守戒有何等功德等展开了一场对话。在简述八关斋戒之后,佛告婆私吒,若能持守戒律哪怕只一次,其功德亦远胜于供养之功德。经文末尾,婆私吒皈依了佛、法、僧,并誓言持守八关斋戒,同时修持布施。
佛陀在王舍城靈鷲山時,向難提迦居士與另五百名居士開示違犯五戒的惡果。這部經典在傳統佛教論述中經常被提及和引用,尤其是關於醉酒的後果。
In this short sūtra, the Buddha first instructs the monks to carry the ringing staff and then provides a brief introduction to its significance. In response to Venerable Mahākāśyapa’s queries, the Buddha gives a more detailed explanation of the attributes of the staff and the benefits that can be derived from holding it. In the course of his exposition, he also elucidates the rich symbolism of its parts, such as the four prongs and the twelve rings. Finally, the Buddha explains that while the ringing staff is carried by all buddhas of the past, present, and future, the number of prongs on the staff might vary.
The Rite for the Protocols Associated with Carrying the Ringing Staff is a short text that deals with the practical matters relating to the use of the mendicant’s staff known in Sanskrit as a khakkhara, or “rattling staff.” It begins with a simple ritual during which a Buddhist monk ceremoniously takes up the ringing staff in front of his monastic teacher. The text then provides a list of twenty-five rules governing the proper use of the staff. The rules stipulate how a Buddhist monk should or should not handle it in his daily life, especially when he goes on alms rounds and when he travels.
The Sūtra of the Wheel of Dharma contains the Buddha’s teaching to his five former spiritual companions on the four truths that he had discovered as part of his awakening: (1) suffering, (2) the origin of suffering, (3) the cessation of suffering, and (4) the path leading to the cessation of suffering. According to all the Buddhist traditions, this is the first teaching the Buddha gave to explain his awakened insight to others.
本經中,世尊為婆羅門童子首迦宣說業報差別法門。這個生動的開示包含從豐富的佛教敘事傳統中汲取的許多事例,詳細地分析了業行如何導致未來的果報。對於佛教徒而言,這部教言回答了許多關於善惡因果業報的問題,審視具體的人生際遇及其背後的業因,並強調發心(意圖)在業因果的運作中所起的關鍵作用。
In Transformation of Karma the Buddha is staying in Prince Jeta’s Grove in Śrāvastī, where he is visited by the brahmin youth Śuka, who asks the Blessed One to explain the reason why living beings appear so diversely. The Buddha answers Śuka’s question with a discourse on various categories of actions as well as rebirth and the actions leading to it. The discourse presents fifty-one categories of actions, followed by explanations of the negative consequences of transgressing the five precepts observed by all Buddhists, the advantages gained through caitya worship, and the meritorious results of specific acts of generosity.
The sūtra The Hundred Deeds, whose title could also be translated as The Hundred Karmas, is a collection of stories known as avadāna—a narrative genre widely represented in the Sanskrit Buddhist literature and its derivatives—comprising more than 120 individual texts. It includes narratives of Buddha Śākyamuni’s notable deeds and foundational teachings, the stories of other well-known Buddhist figures, and a variety of other tales featuring people from all walks of ancient Indian life and beings from all six realms of existence. The texts sometimes include stretches of verse. In the majority of the stories the Buddha’s purpose in recounting the past lives of one or more individuals is to make definitive statements about the karmic ripening of actions across multiple lifetimes, and the sūtra is perhaps the best known of the many works in the Kangyur on this theme.
佛陀在靈鷲山為四眾說法,爾時有一婆羅門梵誌長爪來詣佛所,問佛所宣說的業因果無謬之理,繼以十問,欲知佛先作何業,而今獲得金剛身乃至頂上肉髻等種種相。佛陀一一作答,告知每一種相的業因,大致歸納為八關齋戒,並自述於前生如何持戒。梵誌長爪投杖於地,向佛頂禮,誓願皈依三寶並受持八關齋戒。
在三十三天,有位天人即將命終。他預見自己將會轉生為豬,於是呼求佛陀施以救護。佛陀敦促他皈依三寶,天人因此得以投生至毗舍離城中一個富裕的家庭,取名「有知者」。有知者身為童子時,再次遇見佛陀,並奉請佛陀及隨行僧眾享用午餐。佛對阿難授記言,以此供養之功德,童子有知者終將於未來成佛,佛號「最勝知王」。
在本經中,世尊講述了忉利天一位天子的前世因緣。天子預見自己命終之後將墮王舍城而受豬身,在極大的痛苦中,他因帝釋天的勸導而在臨終前的最後時刻歸命三寶,由此而生至兜率天。正如經文結尾的偈頌所言,這個簡短的本生故事顯示了歸依三寶的救度之力。
在本經中,釋迦牟尼佛與多位菩薩就了悟空性與菩薩行,尤其是與忍辱波羅蜜之間的關係,作了一系列的開示。文中闡述了空性見(一切內外諸色,亦即五蘊所成之一切現象,其自性皆空)的諸多含義。此外,經中對種種外道苦行亦有詳細描述,並強調菩薩投生於五濁剎土以利益其土衆生的重要性,以及在這個剎土修行是成就菩薩道的最高目標。
此經中,佛陀僧眾中有幾位長老於舍衛城衹樹園中探討:究竟是色相莊嚴、精進、工藝善巧,還是具大智慧最具利益?諸比丘因看法有所歧異,決定赴佛所祈請世尊為其解惑。世尊回應比丘:福德是諸功德之因,故修福德於眾生最有利。為闡明其中道理,佛陀為比丘敘述其過去世曾為福力太子時之經歷。福力太子有四位兄長,各以其最勝品德為名:色力、精進具足、工巧具足以及智慧具足。在一場五兄弟之間的競賽中,福力以其福德獲勝,並因福報而被封為世間之王。佛陀繼而敘說更久遠以前的一世,當時名為得勝,而得勝亦因過往所累積之福德而最終發起菩提心。
此經中,釋迦牟尼佛敘述其過去世曾為一方之王「吉祥軍」時以慷慨佈施與堅定信心著稱的故事。一次,一位賢者命令其弟子去要求吉祥軍給出他美麗的妻子,吉祥軍因悲心之故便將妻子獻給此人。眾天神之首帝釋天認為吉祥軍是連自己的性命都可施捨的,然而眾天神卻對此心存懷疑。為了證明吉祥軍已圓滿佈施波羅蜜,帝釋天偽裝成一位下半身被老虎吞噬掉的婆羅門長者,然後請求吉祥軍將下半身送給自己。為了利他吉祥軍同意了並請木匠將其下半身斬斷,獻給這位婆羅門老人,讓他奇蹟似的重新獲得了完整的人身。吉祥軍說自己為此無有悔恨遺憾,由於此話語之功德力,他的身體也得以回復原樣。帝釋天在這場考驗過程中確保他的性命並仔細地觀察吉祥軍,因而確認他真的是一位有純淨利他發心並已圓滿佈施功德的菩薩。藉由此譬喻,佛陀為弟子們展示了菩薩寧願犧牲奉獻也不可被勸阻的覺醒之決心。
本經主要講述了業之因果。阿難問佛:世間眾生,尤其生為人者,為何境遇差別如此懸殊?佛言,此皆由於前世之善惡業行,而感得今生所受千差萬別。為開顯此義,佛陀以豐富而生動的例子來說明今生之果與前世之因,並著重宣說了以僧伽或三寶為對境的業因果。經文末尾,佛陀講述本經之利益及其不同名稱,大眾皆獲不可思議之利益。
難陀問佛:世間眾生為何境遇差別如此懸殊?世尊答言,眾生所受千差萬別,此皆由於往昔種種善不善業成熟所致。經中,世尊首先細述不善業之果報,於是難陀又問,檀越施主等人為何力行善業?世尊即舉諸多事例詳細說明業因果的規律,最後演說善業及其帶來的利益。
經中釋迦牟尼佛與菩薩、聲聞、天神、隨從等眾以神通力從王舍城飛往中亞地區的于闐。那時的于闐仍是被大湖所覆蓋的土地,尚未建立王國。佛陀授記此處於未來將被稱作「善國」並會建立一座殊勝佛塔。世尊繼而宣說此國之殊勝功德、預言將會於此處發生之事,並且教導弟子們如何在未來為眾生守護于闐國。最後,佛陀指示長者舍利弗與多聞天王排乾湖水,讓此處成為可居住之地。