The Translation

[F.257.a]

1.1Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

1.1敬禮一切佛陀和菩薩。

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī, [F.257.b] in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. One night, shortly before the waking hour, a beautiful divine being came before the Blessed One, paid homage by bowing its head to the feet of the Blessed One, and sat down to one side. By the power of that divine being, the whole of Jetavana was suffused with a great light.

我這樣聽聞過：一次，薄伽梵住在舍衛城祇樹給孤獨園。一天夜間，接近天明時分，一位容貌莊嚴的天神來到薄伽梵的面前，頭面禮敬薄伽梵的雙足，然後坐在一旁。由於這位天神的威力，整個祇樹給孤獨園都被一道強大的光明所照亮。

At that time, the divine being made an inquiry with the following verses:

此時，該天神用以下偈頌進行提問：

“What is the sharpest weapon?

「什麼是最銳利的武器？

What is the deadliest poison?

什麼是最致命的毒藥？

What is the fiercest fire?

最猛烈的火焰是什麼？

What is the blackest darkness?”

什麼是最黑暗的黑暗？

1.3The Blessed One replied:

1.3薄伽梵回答說：

“A harsh word is the sharpest weapon,

「惡言是最銳利的武器，

Attachment the deadliest poison.

執著是最致命的毒藥。

Hatred is the fiercest fire,

瞋恨是最猛烈的火焰，

And ignorance the blackest darkness.”

無明是最深沉的黑暗。

1.5The divine being asked:

1.5天神問道：

“What does a person possess,

「一個人擁有什麼，

And what is left behind here?

什麼會留在這裡？

In this life, what is indestructible armor,

在這一生中，什麼是無法摧毀的盔甲，

And what is the sharpest weapon?”

什麼是最銳利的武器？」

1.7The Blessed One replied:

1.7薄伽梵回答道：

“What you give away is what you possess,

「你佈施出去的才是你真正擁有的，

And what you keep at home is what you leave behind.

你所保留在家中的，就是你所留下的。

Patience is the indestructible armor,

忍辱是堅不可摧的鎧甲，

And in this life, wisdom is the sharpest weapon.”

在這一生中，慧是最銳利的武器。

1.9The divine being asked:

1.9天神問道：

“Who is it that is called ‘thief,’

「誰是被稱為『賊』的人，

And what is the wealth of the holy?

那聖者的財富是什麼呢？

In this world of gods and humans,

在這個諸天與人類的世界中，

Who are called ‘the deceived’?”

誰被稱為「被欺騙的人」？

1.11The Blessed One replied:

1.11薄伽梵回答道：

“Conceptual thought is the skillful thief,

分別念是巧妙的賊，

And ethical discipline is the wealth of the holy.

戒是聖者的財富。

Those who fail in ethical discipline

那些戒行不堅的人

Are the deceived of this world.”

是被這世間所迷惑的人。

1.13The divine being asked:

1.13天神問道：

“What is it that is called ‘happiness,’

「什麼是所謂的『幸福』，

And who are the mighty and holy?

那些強大而聖潔的是誰呢？

Who are forever adorned,

誰永遠被裝飾著，

And please tell, who are the scorned?”

請告訴我，誰是受到蔑視的人？

1.15The Blessed One replied:

1.15薄伽梵回答說：

“Those who desire little will know happiness,

「那些欲望少的人將會獲得幸福，

And those who are content are the mighty and holy.

那些知足的人是強大而聖潔的。

Those with discipline are forever adorned,

有戒律的人永遠被莊嚴。

And those of weak discipline are the scorned.”

而那些戒律鬆散的人是被人鄙視的。

1.17The divine being asked: [F.258.a]

1.17天神問道：

“Who is the affectionate relative,

「誰是親愛的親人，

And who is the enemy with hateful intent?

誰是懷著仇恨意圖的敵人？

What is unbearable suffering,

什麼是難以忍受的痛苦，

And what, the supreme happiness?”

什麼是最高的幸福？」

1.19The Blessed One replied:

1.19薄伽梵回答道：

“Merit is the affectionate relative,

「福德是親切的親人，」

And negative deeds are the enemy with hateful intent.

而惡業是懷著仇恨意圖的敵人。

The sufferings of hell are unbearable,

地獄的痛苦是難以忍受的，

And the absence of aggregates, the supreme happiness.”

以及無蘊，最高的幸福。

1.21The divine being asked:

1.21天神問道：

“What is attractive but not beneficial,

「什麼是有吸引力但無益的，」

And what is beneficial but not attractive?

什麼是有益但不吸引人的？

What is a harmful disease,

什麼是有害的疾病，

And who, the supreme physician?”

誰才是最高的醫生？」

1.23The Blessed One replied:

1.23薄伽梵回答說：

“Lust is attractive but not beneficial,

「貪慾有吸引力但無益處，」

And liberation is beneficial but not attractive.

解脫是有益的，但並不吸引人。

Attachment is a harmful disease,

執著是一種有害的疾病，

And the Buddha is the supreme physician.”

佛陀是最高的醫者。

1.25The divine being asked:

1.25這位天神問道：

“By what is this world obscured,

「這個世界被什麼所遮蔽，

And by what is it dominated?

它被什麼所支配？

By what are friends separated,

朋友們為何會分離？

And what prevents progress to higher realms?”

什麼阻礙著趣向善趣的進展？」

1.27The Blessed One replied:

1.27薄伽梵回答道：

“This world is obscured by lack of understanding,

「這個世界被無知所遮蔽，

And is dominated by delusion.

被癡所主宰。

Friends are separated by greed,

朋友因貪而分離，

And attachment prevents progress to higher realms.”

執著阻礙了往生善趣的進步。

1.29The divine being asked:

1.29天神問道：

“What increases friends?

「什麼增長朋友？什麼因為貪而使朋友分離，執著阻礙進入善趣。」天神問道：「什麼能平息敵人？

And what pacifies enemies?

以及什麼能平息敵人？

How will higher realms be attained,

怎樣才能獲得善趣呢？

And how will liberation occur?”

解脫將如何得到？」薄伽梵作答：

1.31The Blessed One replied:

1.31薄伽梵回答道：

“Through generosity, friends are increased,

「透過布施，朋友增加，」

And through love, enemies are pacified.

通過慈，敵人得以平息。

Through ethical discipline, higher realms are attained,

通過戒，善趣得以成就，

And with understanding, liberation will occur.”

以及藉由智慧，解脫將會實現。」

1.33The divine being asked:

1.33天神問道：

“When kings and thieves

「當國王和盜賊

Exert great effort,

努力精進，

What is it that cannot be plundered

什麼是不能被掠奪的

From any man or woman?”

從任何男人或女人身上？」

1.35The Blessed One replied:

1.35薄伽梵回答說：

“Even if kings and thieves

「即使國王和盜賊

Exert great effort, [F.258.b]

努力精進，

Merit cannot be plundered

福德無法被掠奪

From any man or woman.”

從任何男人或女人身上。」

1.37The divine being asked:

1.37天神問道：

“What fetters this world,

「什麼束縛這個世界，

And what releases this world?

什麼能解脫這個世界？

What, when abandoned,

什麼被放棄時，

Leads to the attainment of that called nirvāṇa?”

導向達成稱為涅槃的境界？」

1.39The Blessed One replied:

1.39薄伽梵回答道：

“Desire fetters this world,

「欲望束縛這個世界，

And the absence of desire releases it.

而欲望的缺失則將其解放。

If craving is completely abandoned,

如果渴愛被完全捨棄，

That which is called nirvāṇa is attained.”

那被稱為涅槃的境界就會被證得。

1.41The divine being asked:

1.41神聖的生命體問道：

“What is not destroyed even by a strong wind,

「什麼東西即使被強風吹也不會被摧毀，

Nor burned by fire?

也不被火燒毀？

Even if the entire ground is inundated,

即使整個大地被淹沒，

What is not spoiled by water?”

什麼東西不會被水損壞？

1.43The Blessed One replied:

1.43薄伽梵回答說：

“Merit is not destroyed, even by strong wind,

「福德不會被強風摧毀，

Nor burned by fire.

不為火所燒。

Even if the entire ground is inundated,

即使大地完全被水淹沒，

Merit is not spoiled by water.”

福德不會被水所毀壞。

1.45The divine being asked:

1.45天神提問：

“Who, greatly deceived,

「誰被極大地欺騙了，

Goes from this world to the next?

從這個世界走向下一個世界？

You indeed are the one

你確實就是那個人

To dispel this doubt of mine.”

來消除我的這個疑惑。

1.47The Blessed One replied:

1.47薄伽梵回答說：

“Whoever possesses wealth,

「誰擁有財富，

But does not accumulate merit,

但卻不積累福德，

They, being greatly deceived,

他們被極其欺騙，

Go from this world to the next.”

從這個世界進入下一個世界。

1.49The divine being said:

1.49天神說：

“Aha! I have finally seen

「啊！我終於看到了

A powerful brahmin who has transcended the world,

一位超越世俗的強大婆羅門，

Who is free from all fears,

誰已經擺脫了所有的恐懼，

Who has passed completely beyond sorrow.”

誰已完全超越了痛苦。

1.51After the Blessed One had spoken thus, the divine being rejoiced. It paid homage by bowing its head at the feet of the Blessed One, rejoiced, and disappeared.

1.51薄伽梵說完這些話後，那位天神歡喜雀躍。它頭頂禮拜薄伽梵的雙足，歡喜踴躍，然後消失了。

1.52This completes “The Devatā Sūtra.”

1.52（結尾）