有一次，佛陀在拘睒彌城東南的瞿師羅園，告訴比丘們說：
「比丘們！一般人，因六根認識六境而生起種種痛苦，一受到痛苦，就生氣謾罵，正如有人得了病，全身皮膚都潰爛了，卻又走進充滿荊棘的樹叢中，處處受到枯枝尖葉的刺痛，邊走邊罵一樣。因為，一般人的心，就像那病了的爛皮膚。

比丘們！不論走入村落或是森林，當認識境界時，應當提醒自己，這是會傷人的荊棘，而且，更應當知道怎樣是不守護、不律儀，怎樣是守護、律儀。

怎樣是不守護、不律儀呢？一般人六根認識六境時，對合意的就生起貪著；對不合意的就生起瞋恚，並且放任貪與瞋不斷地接續發展，不知其禍患，即使知道了，也莫可奈何，停不下來。這樣的不守護、不律儀，任六根各自追求其所合意與喜好的，就像鬆脫了拴綁在一根柱子上的狗、鳥、猴、蛇、鱷魚、狐狼等六隻野獸，牠們即刻各自往其喜愛的棲息地奔去一樣。

怎樣是守護、律儀呢？有修有證的聖弟子，當六根認識六境時，對合意的不起欲貪，對不合意的不起瞋恚，清清楚楚其禍患而能捨離，自然不會有貪與瞋的後續發展。這樣的守護、律儀，就是在六根認識境界時，隨時覺察，隨時保持正念正智，就像被獵人緊緊綁在一根柱子上的那六隻野獸，不能任意脫離一樣。

比丘們！六隻野獸，就是指我們的六根，而那根拴緊六隻野獸的柱子，就是指身念處。比丘們！應當修習身念處，修習、多修習，穩固它、圓滿它，讓身念處成為我們修學的基石，渡我們到解脫彼岸的舟乘。」

On one occasion, the Buddha was dwelling in Ghosira Park, located in Southeast of Kauambi and told the bhikkhus:

“Bhikkhus! Ordinary people, because of the six faculties discern the six realms, resulting arising of various types of suffering. As soon as sensing the suffering, they got annoyed and began to spew out a stream of venomous words, just like someone got infected, resulting skin festering in the entire body, and enter into bushes full of thistles and thorns, swearing while walking through as being pierced by the sharp leaves and twigs; because the mind of ordinary people is just like the infected rotten skin.

Bhikkhus! Regardless entering into a village or forest, when discerning the realms, should remind oneself that these are thorns that could hurt people, also, one should know what is unguarded, unrestrained, and what is guarded, restrained.

What is unguarded, unrestrained? The six faculties of the ordinary people discern the six realms, will attach to those agreeable; get angry with those disagreeable; also not interfere with the continue development of attachment and anger, unaware of the danger, even if he is aware of the danger, but has no way out and unable to stop. Such unguarded, unrestrained and noninterference attitude toward the six faculties in pursuit of what is agreeable and pleasing, just like releasing the six animals of dog, bird, monkey, snake, alligator and fox, they would run for their respective desirable habitats.

What is guarded, restrained? The disciplined disciples of the sages, when the six faculties discern the six realms, will not attach to those agreeable and not get angry with those disagreeable, clearly understanding the danger and able to discard, naturally will not have continued development of attachment and anger. Such guarded, restrained is when the six faculties discern the six realms, constantly aware, constantly keeping the right thought and right wisdom, just like the six animals being tied in the pole, unable to escape at will.

Bhikkhus! The six animals indicate our six faculties, and the pole that tightly tie the six animals means contemplating our body as defiled. Bhikkhus! One should practice contemplating one’s body as defiled, practice, often practice, stabilize it, prefect it, let “contemplating one’s body as defiled” as the foundation of one’s practice, as the raft that deliver us to the other shore of liberation.

一、本則故事取材自《雜阿含第一一七○經》、《雜阿含第一一七一經》、《相應部第三五相應第二○六經》。

二、狐狼，原譯本作「野干」，菩提比丘英譯本作「狐狼」。「野干」，在經典中經常看得到，但到底這是指什麼動物呢？《佛光大辭典》解釋為「狐之一種」（第四八一七頁），或直接說是「野狐」（第四九五二頁），這樣的說法，與菩提比丘英譯本相近。但《大般若經》有「觀所棄屍，死經一日，或經二日，乃至七日，為諸雕鷲烏鵲鴟梟，虎豹狐狼野干狗等種種禽獸，或啄或攫，骨肉狼籍。」經文中將「狐狼」與「野干」並列，似乎又是指兩種動物。依本則故事的原譯經文，「野干」的棲息地是墳場墓地，所以，可以比較確定的是，這是一種專吃屍體腐肉的動物。

三、再一次，我們看到佛陀相同於「修根」內涵的教導，而稱之為「守護」、「律儀」。我們常常關切「佛法生活化」，而這類教導，就在告訴我們，如何將佛法應用在平常的眼見、耳聽等生活上，所以可以是「佛法生活化」的最佳依據了。

四、「身念處」是「四念處」之一，任何依於身體變化或觀想的覺察修學，都可以稱為「身念處」，這是修學其他三個（受、心、法）念處的基礎。故事中佛陀的教說，只談到「身念處」，個人以為，這應當理解為是以「身念處」為代表的「四念處」，而不是說只要修「身念處」就好了，因為，能成就解脫的關鍵──「無我」的覺察與體證，那是屬於「心念處」與「法念處」範疇的。

1. This story was derived from Samyuktagama 1170th Sutra, Samyuktagama 1171st Sutra and Samyuktta-nikaya 35th, Nikaya 206th Sutra

2. Fox wolf, is “Srgala” in Sanskrit, translated in English as “fox wolf” by Bhikkhu Bodhi. “Srgala” often appeared in the sutras, but exactly what kind of animal is it? The Fo Guang Dictionary explains that it is “one specie of fox” (p. 4817) or directly states as “wild fox” (p. 4952) such saying is similar to Bhikkhu Bodhi’s English translation. However, text in the Mahaprajnaparamita-sutra read, “observing the discarded corps, some were discarded the day before, some were discarded form two to seven days, having been pecked or grabbed by vultures, crows, owes, tiger, leopard, fox wolf and srgala, resulting bones and fleshes scattered all over.” Since the “fox wolf” and “srgala” were juxtaposed in the text, it seems to indicate that they were two different animals. According to the original text in the sutra, the habitats of “srgala” were graveyard and cemetery, hence, it could be relatively certain that this is a specific type of animal, which feeds on corps and degenerated fleshes.

3. Again, we have seen the Buddha’s teachings identical to the connotation of “development of the faculties” which called “guard” and “restrain”. We often concern about “application of the Dharma in daily life”, such teachings advise us how to apply the Dharma in the ordinary life of seeing and hearing, and they could be the best bases for “application of the Dharma in daily life.”

4. “Contemplating one’s body as defiled” is one of “the four bases of mindfulness”. Any practices of awareness or contemplation based upon changes in the body can be called “contemplating one’s body as defiled”; this is the foundation for practicing the remaining mindfulness (feeling, mind and phenomenon). The Buddha’s teachings mentioned in this story covered only “contemplating one’s body as defiled”. I believe that it should be comprehended as utilizing “contemplating one’s body as defiled” as representative of “the four mindfulness” rather than practice “contemplating one’s body as defiled” alone is sufficient. Because verifying and gaining awareness of the key to liberation—“selflessness” belong to the category of “contemplating one’s mind as constantly change” and “contemplating the phenomenon as devoid of inherent existence”.