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苦從哪裡來？

有一次，佛陀在恆河中游北岸的末羅國遊化，來到一個叫做「優樓頻螺」的村落，住在附近的樹林裡。

當地的驢姓村長，聽說佛陀來了，想到佛陀常教導人知苦、滅苦，心中有著幾分的仰慕，也嚮往能親自聽個究竟，就前往拜見請益。 驢姓村長禮見佛陀後，問佛陀說：
「世尊！聽說您能為人解說苦的成因，以及如何滅除，這真是太好了，請世尊慈悲，也能為我解說。」

「村長！我如果以『過去如何如何』、『將來如何如何』來為你說明苦的成因、苦的滅除，那麼，你或許會相信，也或許不信而可能徒增你的疑惑。村長！現在我們都坐在這兒，我就舉眼前周遭會發生的事，來為你說明吧，你要好好聽，仔細思惟了。」
「好的，世尊！」

「村長！你想想看：你會因為你們村裡的哪個人被殺、被捕、被罰款、被譴責而感到憂心、哀嘆、痛苦、不悅、絕望嗎？」

「會的，世尊！」
「然而，村長！是不是你們村裡的任何一個人被殺、被捕、被罰款、被譴責時，你都會感到憂心、哀嘆、痛苦、不悅、絕望呢？」

「不會，世尊！」
「村長！同樣是村中的人，為什麼你對某人會，而對其他人就不會？」
「世尊！會讓我感到憂心、哀嘆、痛苦、不悅、絕望的那些人，是因為那是我所眷愛、關切的人，我對他們有欲愛的緣故，反之，則是跟我無關的人。」
「村長！所以依此而類推於過去與未來，可知眾生的種種痛苦，不論過去發生的，現在存在的，或是將來產生的，一切皆以欲為根本；由欲而生，由欲而集起；以欲為因，以欲為緣。」

「世尊！這真是個殊勝的比喻啊！世尊！真是稀有啊！世尊！您說：『一切苦的生起，皆以欲為根本；由欲而生，由欲而集起；以欲為因，以欲為緣。』真是巧妙的解說啊！

世尊！我有一個兒子，名叫智羅瓦西。有一次，智羅瓦西在外過夜，隔天，我起了個大早，馬上派人去探望他。當我派遣的人還沒回來通報的等待期間，我只能情緒低落地老是念著『希望智羅瓦西沒事』。」
「村長！如果智羅瓦西出了事，那你會不會憂心、哀嘆、痛苦、不悅、絕望？」

「會啊，世尊！」
「所以，村長！從這件事也可以瞭解到『一切苦的生起，皆以欲為根本；由欲而生，由欲而集起；以欲為因，以欲為緣』的道理。

村長！在你還沒認識智羅瓦西的母親前，你會對她有欲愛之情嗎？」

「不會，世尊！」 「是當你認識她之後，才有欲愛之情產生的是吧，村長！」

「是的，世尊！」 「村長！如果智羅瓦西的母親被殺、被捕、被罰款、被譴責，你會感到憂心、哀嘆、痛苦、不悅、絕望嗎？」 「會啊，世尊！」
「村長！這也可以讓你瞭解到『一切苦的生起，皆以欲為根本；由欲而生，由欲而集起；以欲為因，以欲為緣』的道理。

村長！如果心中有四種愛念，當這四種所愛念的無常變化了，那麼，就有四種憂苦生起；如果有三種、兩種、一種愛念，當所愛念的起了無常變化，就會有幾種憂苦生起。

村長！如果都沒有愛念，那麼，就不會有憂悲惱苦了。 沒有愛念的人， 不會有憂悲惱苦； 沒有憂悲惱苦的人， 如出水蓮花般的超脫。」

當世尊這樣解說時，驢姓村長當場遠塵離垢，得法眼清淨，見法、得法；知法、入法，不再疑惑，不再畏懼，合掌對佛陀說：
「世尊！我已經超越了。從現在起，我歸依佛、法、僧眾，願意終身為佛弟子，請為我見證。」
The Origin of Suffering

On one occasion, the Buddha was in Mallans, located in the mid-stream, north shore of the Ganges River for traveling and teaching. He arrived in a village named Uruvelakappa and resided in a nearby forest.

When headman Bhadraka heard of the Buddha, he thought of the Buddha often teaching how to learn about suffering, and eliminate suffering, with admiration and wishing to listen fully in person, hence he went to pay a visit and seek advice from the Buddha.

After paying homage to the Buddha, headman Bhadraka asked:

“The World Respected One! I heard of you can teach the origin of suffering and the passing away of suffering, it is wonderful, would you kindly teach me as well?”

“Headman! If I were to teach you about the origin and passing away of suffering with reference to the past, saying “So it was in the past”, “So it will be in the future”, then you might believe or might not believe with perplexity and uncertainty will arise in you. Headman! Since we are sitting right here, I will use what will happen around us to teach you about the origin and passing away of suffering, listen to that and attend closely.”

“Yes, The World Respect One!”

“Headman! If someone in Uruvelakappa on whose account sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair would arise in you if they were to be executed, imprisoned, fined or censured?”

“Yes, The World Respected One!”

“However, headman! Whether or not anyone in Uruvelakappa on whose account sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair would arise in you if they were to be executed, imprisoned, fined or censured?”

“No, The World Respected One!”

“Headman! They are the people in the village, why someone would arise in you and others would not?”

“The World Respected One! Those on whose account sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair would arise in me –--those are the ones for whom I have desire and attachment. If those to the contrary, are the ones for whom I have neither desire nor attachment.”

“Headman! By means of this principle that is seen, understood, fathomed, apply the method to the past and to the future, thus, whatever suffering arose in the past is the root of suffering. Whatever suffering will arise in the future, all that will arise rooted in desire, with desire as its source; for desire is the root of suffering.”

“The World Respected One! It is really an especial excellent metaphor! The World Respected One! It is rare! The World Respected One! You said: “Whatever suffering arises rooted in desire, with desire as its source; with desire as its causes, with desire as its conditions, for desire is the root of suffering.” it is really a wonderful teaching!”

I have a son named Ciravasi. On one occasion, he stayed overnight outside of the residence. I rose early the next day and sent a man to find out how Ciravasi was. While awaiting the man I sent had yet to return, I was depressed, thinking: “I hope Ciravasi has not met with any affliction.””

“Headman! If something were to happen to Ciravasi, would sorrow, lamentation, plain, displeasure, and despair arise in you?”

“It will! The World Respected One!”

“Therefore, headman! In this way too it can be understood: “Whatever suffering arises rooted in desire, with desire as its source; with desire as its causes, with desire as its conditions, for desire is the root of suffering.”

What do you think, headman? Before you saw Ciravasi’s mother, did you have any desire, attachment or affection for her?”

“No, The World Respected One!”

“Then was it, headman, because of seeing her or hearing about her this desire, attachment, and affection arose in you?”

“Yes, The World Respected One!”

“What do you think, headman, if Ciravasi’s mother were to be executed, imprisoned, fined or censured, would sorrow, lamentation, pain, displeasure, and despair be arose in you?”

“It will! The World Respected One!”

“Therefore, headman! In this way too it can be understood: “Whatever suffering arises rooted in desire, with desire as its source; with desire as its causes, with desire as its conditions, for desire is the root of suffering.”

“Headman! If four kinds of desires arise, and when the impermanent aspect of the desires takes effect, thus, four kings of sufferings arise; if there are three kinds, two kinds and one desire arise, when the impermanent aspect of the desires arises, there will be the corresponding kinds of suffering arise.

Headman! If there is no desire, hence, there will be no sorrow and suffering.

One with no desire,
There will be no sorrow and suffering;
One has no sorrow and suffering,
the unconventional grace of one is like a lotus emerging from water.”

As The World Respected One teaches, headman Uruvelakappa immediately detached from defilement, obtained the pure Dharma eye, seeing the Dharma, obtained the Dharma, knowing the Dharma and entered the Dharma, he was no longer in doubt, no longer in fear and told the Buddha in joining palm:

“The World Respected One! I have transcended. From now on, I will take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, I would like to be a disciple of the Buddha for the rest of my life, please to be my witness.”

按語：

一、本則故事取材自《相應部第四二相應第一一經》、《雜阿含第九一三經》、《別譯雜阿含第一二八經》。

二、親情與愛情，是世間人所讚頌與追求的，但在佛陀解脫者慧眼的透析下，這是不離自我為中心的欲愛，是苦的根源。欲愛，都是不離自我中心的，所以，親子、夫妻間的反目成仇，也時有所聞而不足為奇了，所謂：「母共子諍，子共母諍，父子、兄弟、姊妹、親族展轉共諍」（《中阿含第九九苦陰經》，《中部第一三苦蘊大經》亦同）就是這個樣子。 

Notes:

1. This story was derived from Samyutta-nikaya 42nd Samyutta 11th Sutra; Samyuktagama 913th Sutra and Samyuktagama, other translation 128th Sutra.

2. Affection and love are praised and sought after by people in the secular world, however, under the analytical wisdom eyes of the enlightened Buddha, they are nothing but the egocentric desire which is the root of suffering. Desires cannot be separated from egocentric, hence, the fall out among parents and children, husband and wife are often being heard and not surprised, these are the descriptions of the so called: “Fights between mother and son, the repeatedly fights among father and son, brothers, sisters and relatives.” (Madhyamagam 99th Sutra and Majjhima-nikaya 13th Sutra.).