The Translation
[F.258.b]
1.1Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
1.1恭敬禮敬一切佛陀和菩薩。
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, [F.259.a] when a divine being approached the Blessed One, paid homage by bowing its head to the feet of the Blessed One, and sat down to one side. Thereupon the divine being asked the Blessed One:
我是這樣聽聞的。當時，世尊住在舍衛城祇樹給孤獨園中。有一位天神來到世尊面前，頂禮世尊的雙足，然後坐在一旁。那位天神於是問世尊說：
“With what discipline, what conduct,
「以什麼戒，什麼行為，
What qualities, what actions,
什麼樣的品質，什麼樣的行為，
What manner of living, and what wisdom
什麼樣的生活方式，和什麼樣的智慧
Do beings go to the higher realms?”
眾生以什麼戒、什麼行為、什麼品質、什麼業行、什麼生活方式和什麼智慧才能往生上界？
Touched by compassion for the divine being,
被慈悲心所感動的師尊，
The Teacher told him:
師尊告訴他：
“O divine being, listen to me!
「啊，天神啊，你聽我說！
These beings go to the higher realms:
這些眾生前往上界：
“Those who turn back from killing,
「那些遠離殺生的人，
Who uphold the law and delight in restraint,
奉守法律並喜樂於克制的眾生——
Who do not harm any beings—
不傷害任何眾生的人——
Those beings go to the higher realms.
這些眾生前往上界。
“Those who abandon taking what is not given
那些放棄偷盜的人
And always delight in giving,
並且常常喜樂於布施，
Who abandon stealing and do not steal—
那些放棄偷盜、不再偷盜的人——
Those beings go to the higher realms.
那些眾生往生到上界。
“Those who do not approach the spouses of others,
「那些不接近他人伴侶的人，
Who abandon sexual misconduct,
舍棄邪淫的人，
Who are satisfied with their spouses—
對自己的配偶感到滿足的人——
Those beings go to the higher realms.
那些眾生會往生到上界。
“Those who do not tell lies,
那些不說謊言的人，
Either to steal in the interest of others,
無論是為了他人的利益而竊盜，
Or for their own sake, or out of fear—
或者是為了自己，或者是出於恐懼—
Those beings go to the higher realms.
那些眾生前往上界。
“Those who give up slander,
那些放棄惡口的眾生，
Which constantly separates friends,
經常使分別朋友，
And delight in appreciation—
並歡喜讚賞——
Those beings go to the higher realms.
那些眾生前往上界。
“Those who abandon hurtful harsh words,
那些放棄傷害人的粗惡語的眾生，
Spoken with contempt,
用輕蔑的語氣說出來，
And who speak with gentle words—
以溫和的言語說話的人——
Those beings go to the higher realms.
那些眾生往生到上界。
“Those who abandon
"那些捨棄
Meaningless and idle talk,
無意義的綺語，
And when appropriate, expound the Dharma—
在適當的時候，宣說法——
Those beings go to the higher realms.
那些眾生會往生到上界。
“Either in villages or in remote places,
「無論是在村莊或是在偏遠的地方，
Those who do not have any desire
那些沒有任何欲望的人
To claim another’s possessions as their own—
將他人的財物聲稱為自己的——
Those beings go to the higher realms.
那些眾生前往上界。
“Those who, with a loving mind,
「那些懷著慈愛心的人，」
Do not hurt, and without ill will
不傷害，沒有瞋恚
Do not harm any being—
不要傷害任何眾生——
Those beings go to the higher realms.
這些眾生會往生到上界。
“Those who have confidence and faith
「那些具有信心和信仰的人
In both karma and the ripening of karma,
在業和業果成熟兩方面，
And truly hold the correct view—
並真正堅持正見——
Those beings go to the higher realms. [F.259.b]
這些眾生會往生到上界。
“These virtuous qualities
"這些善良的品質
Are the tenfold path of the good Dharma.
是十善法道。
Those beings who truly uphold them
那些真實守持它們的眾生
Will go to the higher realms.
將會上升到上界。
“I do not see many brāhmaṇas who have attained nirvāṇa,
「我不見有多少婆羅門已經證得涅槃，
Who have overcome all enemies and fears,
克服了一切敵人和恐懼的人，
Who have crossed over,
已經超越的人，
Free from attachment to the world.”
遠離對世間的執著。
1.16After the Blessed One had spoken thus, the divine being rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
1.16世尊說完這些話後，那位天神欣喜踴躍，稱讚世尊所說的法。
1.17Thus concludes “The Shorter Devatā Sūtra.”
1.17（結尾）