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聖者的恬靜淡泊性格
佛陀晚年，已經有為數不少的僧眾，跟隨著佛陀修學。
有一次，大約有僧眾二千五百人跟隨著佛陀，住在摩揭陀國首府王舍城，名醫耆婆的菴婆羅園中。
一個月圓夜晚，摩揭陀國阿闍世王與宮女眷屬、將相群臣們，正在宮中聚會。阿闍世王一時興起，點名皇后、太子與群臣，要他們說說看，在這樣美好的月圓夜裡，應當做什麼好。
皇后提議，來欣賞宮女們跳舞歡唱。
太子優陀耶提議，應與將士們共謀如何討伐不順服的鄰國。
接著有六位大臣，分別起來介紹當時有名的沙門六師，以及他們的思想，建議國王去聽他們說法。
對這些提議，阿闍世王都沒反應。
最後，名醫耆婆告訴國王，佛陀與二千五百位僧眾，正住在他的菴婆羅園裡，建議國王前往拜見。
阿闍世王一聽到見佛陀，心動了，接受了耆婆的建言。
國王的大隊人馬，浩浩蕩蕩地接近了耆婆的菴婆羅園。突然，阿闍世王驚恐萬分地停下來，環顧四周，質問耆婆道：
「我忠誠的耆婆啊！莫非你要謀害我？莫非你敢欺騙我？我忠誠的耆婆啊！莫非這是你引我入敵營的圈套？否則，哪有一個二千五百人的僧眾住處，沒有任何聲響，連個打噴嚏、咳嗽的聲音都沒有，怎麼可能！」
「大王！我不敢欺騙您，也沒有通敵設計陷害您，那是這些修行沙門的常態。他們常樂閑靜，所以沒有聲響，請國王放心前進，前面就到了。」
國王來到了菴婆羅園外，下車步行入園內，洗腳，進入講堂，默默地環顧寂靜的四周，滿心歡喜，自言自語地說：
「這麼多沙門寂然靜默，止觀具足！但願我太子優陀耶也能修到這樣的成就。」
於是，阿闍世王向前禮敬了佛陀，然後提出他對沙門六師每一派思想，關業報說法的疑惑。原來，阿闍世王對自己弒父奪取王位的行為，始終忐忑不安，不知道以後會有什麼業報。
經過佛陀詳細的解說，阿闍世王清楚了，終於對他的惡行，再三地在佛前懺悔，也得到佛陀的安慰。此時，阿闍世王對佛陀完全信服了，放下一國之尊的身段，頂禮佛陀，然後安靜地坐在一旁，聽聞佛陀的教導。
佛陀說法告一段落後，阿闍世王於佛前自說，即日起歸依佛、歸依法、歸依僧，終生遵守五戒，成為一位在家佛弟子。
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有一次，佛陀在憍薩羅國境內遊化。
這一天，佛陀一行人來到一個叫伊奢能伽羅的婆羅門村落，當晚就在村外的樹園中過夜。
隔天，村裡許多人知道了佛陀的住處，紛紛慕名前來。
他們各自準備了許多食物，來到佛陀所住的樹園外，爭先恐後地搶著第一個供養佛陀和隨行的僧團。因為互不相讓而大聲爭執，使得樹園附近一片吵雜。
聽到了這樣的吵雜聲，佛陀問侍者那提迦尊者： 「為什麼外面有那麼多人高聲喧嚷？好像漁夫爭相捕魚時的吆喝。」
「世尊！外面來了許多村裏的王族與婆羅門長者，他們正吵著由誰先供養世尊。」尊者那提迦回答。
「我不求名聞利養，不必給我名聞利養。那提迦！我已隨時充滿著出離、遠離、寂靜、正覺之樂，不必求就毫無困難地自然流露，我怎麼還會需要名聞利養之樂呢？你們還沒辦法做到這樣，天界眾神也沒辦法做到，才會好於名聞利養之樂的追求！」
「世尊！且接受他們的供養吧，世尊！現在正是時候。世尊！您所到之處，不論在繁華的都市，還是在偏遠的鄉下地方，都有人們為您而來。世尊！這就像天空的烏雲，隨著密集而下雨，雨水隨即流向低處一樣。為什麼呢？因為世尊有清淨戒德、無上智慧的緣故。」
佛陀再次表示了不需要名聞利養，不需要這麼多人供養飲食，並且對那提迦尊者說：
「那提迦！我看到此處有兩位比丘，因為有太多美食供養了，吃得腹滿氣喘，連走路都困難。那提迦！我還看到許多比丘有了美食供養後，四處遊走，著於聚會之樂。像這類的長老比丘，是不能自然湧現出離、遠離、寂靜、正覺之樂的。
那提迦！污穢不淨的大小便，是從美好飲食來的；憂、悲、惱、苦、愁，是從對於飲食等種種的貪愛而來的；勤於大小便等不淨觀的修習，就會對飲食等所認為美妙的種種，生起厭離想；善於觀察愛染五蘊的生滅、六根認識境界的集滅，就可以生起厭離想；樂於修習遠離獨處，就可以厭離群聚之樂。因此，那提迦！應當學習於愛染五蘊，觀察其生滅無常；於六根認識境界時，觀察其因緣的聚散變化；應當樂於遠離，遠離人群勤於精進修學，應當這樣學！」
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The Serene, Insipid Character of a Sage
In the Buddha’s later year, there was great number of Sanghas following the
Buddha for study.
On one occasion, about 2,500 sanghas followed the
Buddha staying at Rajagaha, capital of Magadha in a renowned physician Jivaka’s
Mango grove.
In an evening of full moon, King Ajatasattu of Magadha was
with members of his family, their maids, ministers and generals for a meeting at
the palace. At a burst of good mood, King Ajatasattu asked the queen, the
prince, the ministers and generals to suggest suitable activities for such
auspicious moonlight night.
The queen suggested enjoying the maids
dancing and singing.
Prince Udayabhadda suggested having a strategic
session with the generals to formulate a war plan to conquer the rivalry states
in the neighborhood.
Afterward, six ministers took turn to introduce the
well-known, renowned six founders of other religious sects and their philosophy,
recommending the King to pay them a visit and listen to their sermons.
At these words, King Ajatasattu was silent.
Finally, the renowned
physician Jivaka told the King that the Buddha and his 2,500 followers were
staying at Jivaka’s Mango grove and recommended the King to pay him a
visit.
Upon hearing name of the Buddha, King Ajatasattu’s interest
aroused and accepted Jivaka’s suggestion.
When the vast and mighty
entourage of the King came near the mango grove, suddenly King Ajatasattu felt
great fear and terror; the King stopped, surveyed the surroundings and
asked:
“My faithful Jivaka! You are not deceiving me? You are not
tricking me? You are not delivering me up to en enemy? How is it that from this
great number of 2,500 monks not a sneeze, a cough or a shout is to be
heard?
“Have no fear, Your Majesty! I would not deceive you or trick you
or deliver you up to an enemy. It was the ascetic’s normal practice. They often
prefer quiet and leisure hence very quiet. Approach with ease Your Majesty, they
are right there.”
So the King arrived at the Mango Grove, alighted and
continued on foot into the mango grove, washed his feet and entered the round
pavilion, he quietly surveyed the tranquil surrounding and talked to
himself:
“So many ascetics in silence, full of calm abiding! If only
Price Udayabhadda were possessed of such calm as this order of
monks!”
Then King Ajatasattu, having bowed down to the Buddha and put
forward the philosophy of each of the founders of the six sects and queried
about formulation of Karmic Results. It turned out that King Ajatasattu was
still conscience about murdering his father for his own enthronement and unease
about the Karmic Results afterwards.
After the Buddha’s detailed
explanation, King Ajatasattu understood clearly, finally replanted of his evil
deeds repeatedly in front of the Buddha, and received comfort from the Buddha.
At that time, King Ajatasaattu conceived total faith in the Buddha, put down his
status as a king and paid homage to the Buddha, then sit quietly on the side and
listened to the Buddha’s discourse.
At the end of the discourse, King
Ajatasattu spoke spontaneously in front of the Buddha that he would from the
very day take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma and take refuge in
the Sangha; uphold the five precepts for the rest of his life and became a
householder Buddhist.
*** *** ***
Once upon a time, the Buddha
was traveling and teaching in the state of Kosala.
In this particular
day, the Buddha and his entourage arrived at the Brahman village Ishenankala and
stayed overnight in a forest outside of the village.
The next day,
villagers learned of location of the Buddha’s dwelling, came one after another
out of admiration.
They prepared respectively numerous foods arrived
outside of the forest where the Buddha was dwelling and competed with each other
to be the first to make offering to the Buddha and the following Sangha. They
would not yield to each other and argued loudly, making the forest and the
neighborhood very noisy.
Upon hearing the noise, the Buddha asked his
attendance Venerable Nadeka:
“Why there were so many people shouting
aloud? Just like the fishermen shouting for catching fishes.”
“The World
Honored One, there were numerous noble persons and Brahman Elders, they were
arguing who should be the first to make offering to The World Honored One.”
“I look for no fame nor wealth, it is unnecessary to offer me fame and
wealth. Nadeka, I have already felt fully the joy of Abstention, Separation,
Peaceful and Enlightenment, they manifested naturally and easily without
searching, why should I need the joy of fame and wealth? You and the deities in
the heavenly realm have yet to reach this state, hence craving for pursuing the
joy of fame and wealth.”
“The World Honored One! Please accept their
offerings, The World Honored One! Now is the time. The World Honored One!
Regardless where you are, either in a populated municipality or remote
countryside, people will come for you. The World Honored One! This is like the
dark clouds in the sky, it rains as the dark clouds are gathering, and the water
from the rain falls toward the lower ground. Why was that? Because The World
Honored One possesses pure virtue of precepts and supreme wisdom.”
The
Buddha again indicated that it would be unnecessary to have fame and wealth, it
would be unnecessary for so many people to make food offering and told Venerable
Nadeka:
“Nadeka, I have seen two bhikkus here, their stomach were full,
hard to breathe and having difficulty walking because eating lavish food
offering. Nadeka! I also have seen numerous bhikkus, after having lavish food
offering, wandering around, attached to the joy of gathering. Such bhikkus
Elders will not have the spontaneous joy of Abstention, Separation, Peaceful and
Enlightenment.
Nadeka! The filthy excrement
and urine are drawn from good foods; worrying, sadness, vexation,
suffering and sorrow are resulting from the craving of food, drink and
others; practice diligently on Defilement Contemplation of excrement,
urine and the like would create the sentiment of annihilation toward the
foods and drinks and others that considered to be wonderful stuffs; to
become good at observing the arising and cessation of the attachment to
the Five Skandhas, the gathering and disperse of the six realms resulting
from perception of the six sense organs would create the sentiment of
annihilation; having the joy of practicing solitary could eradicate the
joy of gathering. Therefore, Nedeka! Should observe the impermanent of
arising and ceasing when in attachment to the Five Skandhas, observe the
cause and condition through the changes in gathering and disperse when the
six sense organs perceiving the six realms; should enjoy annihilation,
stay away from the crowd and practice diligently, should practice like
this!
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按語：
一、本則故事前段取材自《長阿含第二七沙門果經》、《長部第二沙門果經》、《增壹阿含第四三品第七經》，後段取材自《雜阿含第一二五○經》、《增支部第五集第三十經》、《增支部第六集第四二經》、《增支部第八集第八六經》。
二、樂於寂靜，是佛法修學的一大特色，雖然這與禪定的修習關係密切，但也不只限於禪定修習的，平常對自己心念覺察與反省的鍛鍊，安靜的環境也較吵雜的環境有利。尤其在進行一些深入的思惟與理解，或細微處的覺察時，甚至連一般人覺得柔順平和的音樂，都還嫌吵雜多餘呢！
三、時下一般人追求歡樂，總要營造一個熱鬧的環境，提供許多感官上的刺激才算，就連有些教內的活動，也不能免俗於排場與聲勢的熱鬧。本則故事告訴我們，佛陀與聖者們不是這樣的，反而是安於寂靜無聲的恬靜，由「出離、遠離、寂靜、正覺」而自然湧現沒有染著之樂。
四、故事之末，佛陀教導尊者那提迦，當勤於在自己五蘊、六觸──六根認識境界時，觀察生滅、集散的無常，以生起厭離來對治貪愛染著，再次感受到在佛法的修學中，依於五蘊、六處而修的特點了。
五、遠離，是鼓勵遠離人群的喧鬧，或群聚取樂，以勤於道業的精進修學，這與離群索居，獨學而無善友不同，否則，也不用有二千五百人共住於菴婆羅園的僧團了。至於二千五百人，會不會只是個象徵性數目，不容易考證，不過，表示人數眾多，則應當是可以確定的。
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Notes:
1. The first part of this story was derived from Dirghagama 27th Samannaphala
Sutra, Digha Nikaya 2nd Samannaphala Sutra, Chapter 43, Ekottarikagama 7th
Sutra. The second part of the story was derived from Samyuktagama 1250 Sutra,
Volume V, Anguttara-nikaya 30th Sutra, Volume VI, Anguttara-nikaya 42th Sutra,
Volume VIII, Anguttara-nikaya 86th Sutra.
2. Enjoy serenity is one of the
major characteristics of Dharma practice, although it is closely associated with
meditative concentration practice, but it is not limited to meditative
concentration practice alone, for the usual practice of mindful awareness and
self-examination, the quiet environment is better than that of a noise one.
Particularly when engaging in deep pondering, comprehension, or subtle
awareness, even the normally regarded as peace and soft music would be
considered to be noisy and uncalled for.
3. Nowadays the ordinary people
in pursue of joy, often construct a lively environment, providing amply sensual
stimuli, even certain Buddhist activities often go in for ostentation and
extravagance. This story tells us that the Buddha and the sages are different,
they would prefer settling in the serenity of silence; and developed the
spontaneous joy without defilement through Abstention, Separation, Peaceful and
Enlightenment.
4. At the end of story, the Buddha instructed Venerable
Nadeka should attentively observe the impermanency of arising, ceasing,
gathering and disperse from his Five Skandhas, Six Touch – Six Roots, i.e., six
sense organs get in touch with the realm of perception, to develop annihilation
for countering attachment to craving, to experience again the characteristics of
relying upon the Five Skandhas and the Six Realms in studying the
Dharma.
5. Annihilation is to encourage people to avoid the noisy crowd
and gathering for fun to facilitate practice diligently in pursuit of the path,
it is different from studying alone without a beneficial friend, otherwise, it
won’t be necessary to have a sangha of 2,500 living together in the mango grove.
With regard to the number 2,500, it would be difficult to verify whether it was
mere a symbolic number, nonetheless, it would seem certain that the number of
people was enormous.
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