有一次，佛陀到憍薩羅國遊化，來到一個叫竹門村的婆羅門聚落，住在村子北邊郊外的身恕林中。

竹門村裡的婆羅門居士們，風聞來了一位叫瞿曇的釋迦族沙門，被尊稱為是應受供養者、圓滿的覺悟者、真理與正行的實踐者、完善幸福的終結生死者、徹底了知世間者、受調教人的無上領導者、天界人間的老師、覺他的自覺者、世間最尊貴者，而且，聽說他是天上、人間一切眾生中，能不經由老師教導而自知自證，又能教導別人悟入者，他的教導，從開始到結尾都是完善的，所教導的意涵與用詞也都是完善的，又展露出他圓滿純淨的聖潔生活，所以，大家紛紛地群集，來到佛陀的住處，有的上前禮敬佛陀，有的更加和善地問候寒暄，有的進一步地自我介紹，有的只是默默地坐在一旁。

待大家都坐定後，其中一位婆羅門，代表大眾問佛陀說：

「瞿曇大師！我們都期望過著兒孫滿堂，臉上有上好的檀香擦，頭上有花綴戴，身上有香料塗，有充裕金銀財寶收入的幸福在家生活，而且，期望死後能往生到更好的世界去，瞿曇大師！請教導我們達成這些願望的方法。」

「居士們！我就來教導大家一個推己及人的自通之法，請大家注意聽了！

什麼是推己及人的自通之法？學習聖道的弟子們，應當這樣的思惟：我想要活著，我不想死，期待著幸福，而排斥著缺憾的痛苦，所以，我不喜歡被殺。我自己不喜歡被殺，同理，其他眾生也不喜歡被殺，這樣，我怎能去殺害眾生呢？作了這樣的思惟與抉擇後，便要求自己離於殺生，也能勸人離於殺生，讚歎離於殺生。如此，其肢體行為就能在自己離殺、勸人離殺、讚歎離殺這三方面獲得了清淨。

同樣的道理，我不喜歡被偷、被搶，不喜歡別人與自己的妻子通姦，不喜歡被詐欺，不喜歡親友被挑撥而與自己疏遠，不喜歡別人以粗話罵我，不喜歡別人對我說話輕薄，所以，便要求自己，也勸別人不偷不搶，不與人通姦，不詐欺，不挑撥離間，不罵粗話，言語不輕薄，也讚歎這些行為。如此一來，肢體與語言行為，就能在這三方面獲得清淨。

這七種約束自己肢體與語言的行為，就是通往聖道的戒行。

能夠這樣，再加上成就對佛、法、僧堅定不壞的淨信，即是聖弟子的四不壞淨成就。四不壞淨成就的人，自己就能有把握地說，我證得了須陀洹，不會再往生地獄、畜生、餓鬼等一切惡處了，必定會趣向解脫，頂多在人間天界輪迴七次，便能走到苦的盡頭而證得解脫。」

在座的婆羅門長者們聽了，都覺得十分歡喜。

On one occasion, the Buddha was in the state of Kosala for travel and teaching. He arrived at the Brahmin village named Bamboo Gate and was dwelling in a forest located in suburb north of the village.

The Brahmin householders of Bamboo Gate heard of the Sakan ascetic Gotama who was addressed respectfully as arhat, perfectly enlightened, the practitioner of truth and right action, complete happiness and consummated life and death, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of gods and humans, the enlightened one, the world respected one. Also, it was said that having realized his own direct knowledge this world, this generation with its ascetics and Brahmins, its devas and humans, he makes it known to others. He teaches a Dharma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; he reveals a holy life that is perfectly complete and pure, hence, everyone gathered one after another, to come to the Buddha’s residence, some paid homage to the Buddha, some kindly exchanged greetings and cordial talk, some went further to introduce themselves, some remained silent and sat down to one side.

After everyone settled down, one of the Brahmins asked the Buddha for everybody:

“Great Master Gotama! We have such wishes, desires, and hopes as these: May we dwell in a home crowded with children! May we enjoy Kasian sandalwood! May we wear garlands, scents, and Unguents! May we receive gold and silver! With the breakup of the body, after death, may we be reborn in a good destination, in a heavenly world! As we have such wishes, desires, and hopes, let
Great Master Gotama teaches us the Dharma in such a way to accomplish these wishes.”

“ Householders! I will teach a Dharma exposition applicable to oneself, please listen and attend closely!

What is the Dharma exposition applicable to oneself? Here, householders, a noble disciple reflects thus: “ I am one who wishes to live, who does not wish to die; I desire happiness and am averse to suffering. Since I am one who wishes to live and am averse to suffering. If someone were to take my life, that would not be pleasing or agreeable to me. Now if I were to take the life of another—of one who wishes to live, who does not wish to die, who desires happiness and is averse to suffering—that would not be pleasing and agreeable to the other either. As such, how can I kill the sentient beings? After such contemplation and determination, will request oneself to abstain from killing, and advise others to abstain from killing. As such, the behavior will be able to acquire purity in the aspects of abstaining from killing, advise others to abstain from killing and praise to abstain from killing.

By the same token, I don’t like my belongs being stolen, myself being robbed; I don’t like my spouse to commit adultery, don’t like being swindled, I don’t like my relatives being incited to keep distance from me, I don’t like being verbally abused, I don’t like others to speak to me frivolously, hence, request oneself and advise others not to commit theft and robbery, abstain from committing adultery, abstain from swindling, abstain from inciting one against another, abstain from committing verbal abuse, abstain from speaking frivolously, and praise such behaviors, as such, the behaviors of body and language could acquire purity in these three aspects.

These seven behaviors of restraining one’s body and language are the precept actions destine to the sage path, these are the achievements of the four desirable states of the holy disciples. Once achieved the four desirable states, one could declare with certainty that “I have verified the fruition of stream-enterer, no longer bound to the nether worlds of hell, animal and hunger ghost, fixed in destiny toward liberation. At most, transmigrate seven times in the human realm and heaven realm, then come to the end of suffering and verify liberation.

When this was said, the present Brahmin elders were delighted.

一、本則故事取材自《雜阿含第一○四四經》、《相應部第五五相應第七經》。

二、「以己度他情」，這是戒律的基本原理。近代心理學家所提出的「同理心」，其原理與此相當，只是在應用範圍上有廣、狹之異。

三、故事中，佛陀提出不殺、不盜、不淫、不妄語、不兩舌、不麤語、不綺語等七項，這是有關約束自己肢體與語言行為方面的，若加上有關意念方面的不貪、不瞋、不癡（無邪見），則合稱為十善。十善中，涵蓋了支配肢體與語言行為的意念，這是更為根本的，可以說，已經觸及了佛法修學的核心。故事中佛陀之所以沒提及這部分的理由，可能因為聽眾是一般的外道婆羅門在家居士，他們還不具備深入核心的因緣吧，不過，重要的是，佛陀教導了他們通往聖道的戒行原理──推己及人的自通之法。

四、故事末後，說到了「四不壞淨」，而且說成就此「四不壞淨」者，可以成就初果，但《雜阿含第八四五經》經說：除了成就「四不壞淨」外，還要能「如實知見賢聖正道」，也就是要有通達聖道的「慧」，才能得須陀洹（《相應部第五五相應第四三經》亦同），相較之下，在「戒、定、慧」的完整性上，這是比較合理的。「四不壞淨」與「親近善男子、聽聞正法、內正思惟、法次法向」同被成為「四預流支」，即：進入聖者之流──須陀洹果的修學項目。前者是重於信與戒的，後者是重於智證的，分別契機於「信行人」與「法行人」。（參考印順法師《初期大乘佛教之起源與開展》第三○八至三○九頁）

五、故事中「竹門村裡的婆羅門居士們，風聞……有的只是默默地坐在一旁。」一段，《雜阿含第一○四四經》無。其中，佛陀被尊稱為是「應受供養者、圓滿的覺悟者、真理與正行的實踐者、完善幸福的終結生死者、徹底了知世間者、受調教人的無上領導者、天界人間的老師、覺他的自覺者、世間最尊貴者」，即是佛陀的九個稱號，也是佛陀的九個特德，於此，漢譯《阿含經》則通例再加「如來」一號，而成為「十號」。關於這點的差異，據菩提比丘告知：巴利語本《尼科耶》的通例是，當佛陀自己說出這些稱號時，則包含了「如來」一項而成「十號」，當佛陀以外的其他人說出時，則不包含「如來」一項而只有「九號」。

1. This story was derived from Samyuktagama 1044th Sutra and Samyuktta-nikaya 55th, Nikaya 7th Sutra.

2. “Having related it to oneself, it is to be applied to others” is the basic principle of the precepts. With the exception of range of application, it is compatible with “Same Principle Heart” put forced by modern psychologist.

3. In the story, the Buddha proposed seven items of not killing; not stealing; not committing adultery, not lying; not speaking harshly; not speaking divisively; and not speaking idle, these were intended for restraining the behaviors of body and language; if counting the thought oriented not greed, not angry; and not ignorance (not having wrong views) these are called the ten wholesome deeds. They covered the thoughts that controlling behaviors of body and language, it is more essential and can be said that it has touched upon the core of Dharma teaching. In the story, the Buddha did not mention practice of the ten wholesome deeds, it is possible that the audiences were the ordinary Brahmin householders and they have yet to possess the causes and conditions to study deeply into the core of the Dharma. Nonetheless, more importantly, the Buddha taught them principle of precepts practicing, which leads to the holy path— the Dharma exposition applicable to oneself, i.e., putting oneself in the place of others.

4. Toward the end, the story mentioned “Four desirable states”: Perfect confidence in the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha and to possess the virtues coved by noble ones; it also indicated that one who accomplished the “Four desirable states” can achieve the First Fruition. However, according to texts in Samyuktagama 845th Sutra, in addition to achieving “Four desirable states” one must be able to “Truly understand the right path of the sages”, in other words, one must possess the “wisdom” leading to the holy path to achieve the Fruition of Stream Enterer (Samyuktta-nikaya 55th, Nikaya 43th Sutra). By comparison, “The precepts, concentration and wisdom” appear to be more comprehensive hence more reasonable. “Four desirable states” and “Be close to a good and virtuous friend, listen to the right dharma, internally generate right thought and maintain dharma sequence and dharma direction” are being called “four factors of stream-enterer”, i.e., entering the stream of sage—the curriculum for the Fruition of stream-enterer. The former emphasizes faith and precept, the latter emphasizes wisdom verification, and they are hedged upon “faith practitioner” and “dharma practitioner” respectively. (Ref: The Venerable Yin Shun, “The Origination and Development of Early Mahayana Buddhism” pp, 308-309)

5. In the story, the paragraph “The Brahmin householders of Bamboo Gate heard of … …some remained silent and sat down to one side.” was not found in Samyuktagama 1044th Sutra. Among them, the Buddha was addressed respectfully as arhat, perfectly enlightened, the practitioner of truth and right action, complete happiness and consummated life and death, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the enlightened one, the world respected one” are the nine epithets of the Buddha, they are the nine virtues of the Buddha. In this juncture, the Chinese translation of “Agama Sutra” usually adding the epithet “Tathagata” and become “Ten epithets”. According to Bhikkhu Bodhi, the common practice in the Pali language “Nikaya” was that when the Buddha himself uttered such epithets “Tathagata” had been included and became “Ten epithets” whereas when others uttering, the epithet “Tathagata” was not included, thus became “Nine Epithets”.