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在黑牛與白牛之間

有一次，尊者舍利弗與尊者摩訶拘絺羅，同住在摩揭陀國首都王舍城東北邊的耆闍崛山中。

一天傍晚，尊者摩訶拘絺羅在禪修告一段落後，去見尊者舍利弗。兩人見面問訊寒暄後，尊者摩訶拘絺羅問道：

「舍利弗學友！是眼睛綁著所看到的東西呢？還是眼睛被所看到的東西綁著了呢？又，其他類似的耳朵與聲音、鼻子與氣味、舌頭與味道、身體與觸碰、意念與所念，到底是哪個綁著哪個呢？」

「拘絺羅學友！我說既不是眼睛綁著所看到的東西，也不是眼睛被所看到的東西綁著了；耳朵與聲音、鼻子與氣味、舌頭與味道、身體與觸碰、意念與所念也一樣，都不是哪個綁著了哪個，而是由這兩者所引生的欲貪，將他們給綁著了。

拘絺羅學友！這就像將兩頭牛，一頭黑色，一頭白色，並排綁在一起拉車，如果有人問，是黑牛綁著白牛呢？還是白牛綁著黑牛呢？這樣問恰當嗎？」

「喔！這樣問不恰當，舍利弗學友！因為不是黑牛綁著白牛，也不是白牛綁著黑牛，而是兩頭牛之間的牛軛與繩索，將他們給綁住了。」

「正是這樣，拘絺羅學友！不是眼睛綁著所看到的東西，也不是眼睛被所看到的東西綁著了；耳朵與聲音、鼻子與氣味、舌頭與味道、身體與觸碰、意念與所念之間，都不是哪個綁著了哪個，而是這些因緣所生起的欲貪，將他們給綁著了。

拘絺羅學友！如果是眼睛會綁著所看到的東西，或是眼睛會被所看到的東西綁著；耳朵與聲音、鼻子與氣味、舌頭與味道、身體與觸碰、意念與所念會是哪個去綁著哪個，那麼，我們就無從修行起，而世尊就也不能教導大家修行以離苦了。

拘絺羅學友！世尊看見合意的，或不合意的，都不會起欲貪，但一般人就不一樣了，看見合意的或不合意的，就生起想要或不想要的欲貪。所以，世尊說：應當斷除欲貪！當欲貪斷除了，那麼，心就得解脫了。眼睛看是這樣，耳朵聽、鼻子聞、舌頭嚐、身體觸、意念識等感官作用也都一樣：應當斷除欲貪！當欲貪斷除了，心就得解脫了。」  
Between The Black Ox and The White Ox

On one occasion, the Venerable Sariputta and the Venerable Mahthila lived together in Mt. Gijjakt located in the northeast of Rajagaha, capital of Magadha.

One evening, after the conclusion of a meditation session, the Venerable Mahthila went to see the Venerable Sariputta. After exchanged greetings by joining palms, the Venerable Mahthila asked:

“Study friend Sariputta! Does the eye affix the stuff being seen? Or the things being seen affix the eye? Also, other similar situation like ear and sound; nose and smell; tongue and taste, body and touch, think and that which one thinks, which one is affixed which after all?”

“Study friend Mahthila! I say it is not the eye affixes what is being seen, nor what is being seen affixes the eye; similarly, ear and sound; nose and smell; tongue and taste, body and touch, think and that which one thinks are the same; it is not which one affixes which, they are affixed by the desire aroused by these two instead. Study friend Mahthila! Just like tied side by side two oxen, one black, one white to pull the cart, if someone asks, whether it is the black ox tied with the white ox? Or the white ox tied with the black ox? Is such question appropriate?”

“Oh! Such question is inappropriate, Study friend Sariputta! Because it is not the black ox tied with the white ox, nor the white ox tied with the black ox, it is the yoke and the ropes between the oxen that ties them up.”

“So it is, Study friend Mahthila! It is not the eye affixes what is being seen, nor what is being seen affixes the eye; similarly, ear and sound; nose and smell; tongue and taste, body and touch, think and that which one thinks, which one is affixed are the same, is not which one affixes which, they are affixed by the desire aroused by the causes and conditions instead.

Study friend Mahthila! If the eye could affix what is being seen, what is being seen could affix the eye; similarly, ear and sound; nose and smell; tongue and taste, body and touch, think and that which one thinks were one affixed with another, then we would have no way of practicing, and the World Respected One would be unable to teach everyone to practice in order to severe from suffering.

Study friend Mahthila! The World Respected One sees something desirable, or undesirable, desire will not be aroused; but the ordinary people are different, when seeing something desirable, or undesirable, the desire of taking it or leaving it alone will be aroused; hence, The World Respected One said: One should annihilate desire! Once desire is annihilated, then the mind is liberated, the eye sees, the ear hears, the nose smells, the tongue tastes, the body touches, the thought and consciousness are the same: Once desire annihilated, then the mind is liberated.”
  

按語：

一、本則故事取材自《雜阿含第二五○經》、《相應部第三五相應第一九一經》。

二、黑牛與白牛的譬喻，說明佛法修學的原理與關鍵，也說明了欲貪的調伏與斷除的重要。   。

Notes:

1. This story was derived from Samyutagama 250th Sutra and Samyuktta-nikaya 35th Nikaya 191st Sutra.

2. The metaphor of the black ox and the white ox, explained the principle and key to Dharma practicing, also explained the importance of the soothing and annihilating the desire.