佛陀在七十九歲那一年的夏天雨季，在王舍城避雨安居。三個月安居期結束後，又出發往北方遊化，一路上經過那難陀村、羅閱祇城，進入離車族人居住的毘舍離城。當出毘舍離城，來到了竹林村時，已經是隔年夏天的雨季安居期了。 這一年，竹林村地區正逢飢饉，糧食匱乏，不容易乞食，所以佛陀要求大家分散到各地去安居：有的回毘舍離，有的到跋耆國，以減輕竹林村信眾的負擔，只有阿難與佛陀留在竹林村安居，這是佛陀一生中最後的夏雨安居處。

雨季過後，佛陀往西北方遊化，來到了末羅國的首都波婆城，接受了鐵匠兒子純陀的最後菇茸供養，引起嚴重的腹瀉，勉強地走向拘尸城。途中，因為背痛的宿疾又發作，要求尊者阿難在路邊的樹下，為他鋪座休息。

這時，從反方向來了一位外道阿羅羅迦摩羅的弟子，名叫福貴。

遠遠走來，福貴就看見佛陀安詳、平靜地坐在路邊的樹下，不由得被這殊勝的景象吸引了，於是就停下來禮敬佛陀，對佛陀說：

「出家修行人能像您這樣安詳、平靜地安住，實在是不可思議。您的樣子，讓我想起從前我的老師，他也曾經在這條路邊的樹下，白天靜默而坐。當時，有一五百輛車的商隊經過，之後來了一個人，問我的老師有沒有看見，或者聽到五百輛車的大商隊經過，我的老師都說沒有。那人懷疑我的老師是不是在睡覺，還是沒知覺，我的老師告訴那人，他既沒在睡覺，意識也很清楚。檢查身上的衣服，還沾有一層車隊經過時所揚起的飛塵呢！那人覺得很稀奇，真不可思議，於是就對我的老師生起了甚深的信仰。」

 佛陀聽了，回應福貴說： 「你覺得是意識清醒而不聞五百輛車隊經過的聲音難呢？還是意識清醒而不聞大雨天雷電霹靂的聲音難？我曾經到過阿越村，住在那裡的一間草屋穀倉裡，那天下著大雨，雷電交加，穀倉旁有兩位農夫兄弟，以及四頭牛，都遭雷擊死了，大家都跑來關心。這時，我從穀倉出來，才知道這件事。我告訴他們，我一直在草屋穀倉裡，沒有看到，也沒有聽到雷聲，我沒有在睡覺，意識也很清醒。大家聽了，覺得實在不可思議。」

福貴聽了，大感讚歎，對佛陀說： 「啊！世尊，您實在是最殊勝的，我先前對阿羅羅迦摩羅仙人的信仰，就像被大風吹散，被急流沖刷般的消失了。」

於是，福貴從座位起來，拿出兩件昂貴的金色絹布衣供養佛陀。佛陀要他將其中一件供養尊者阿難。於是福貴就拿其中一件為世尊披上，另一件則為尊者阿難披上。 之後，佛陀還為福貴說法。說法的內容，是先讓他生起歡喜心，接著說布施、持戒等人天善行，進而再說欲貪是大禍患，是不清淨的，應當捨離，待福貴接受了這些道理，有了修學佛法的基礎後，佛陀接著教導他屬於佛法核心部分的四聖諦。

福貴在佛陀教導他四聖諦後，即刻在座位上遠塵離垢，開了法眼，因而見法、得法，決定趣向解脫而不退轉，不墮惡道，成就無所畏而證得初果。於是，尊者福貴對佛陀說：

「從今以後，我歸依佛、歸依法、歸依僧伽，終身奉行不殺、不盜、不邪淫、不飲酒戒，但願世尊接納我為在家佛弟子。」

In a summer rainy season the Buddha was 79, he settled down in Rajagrha to spend the rains. After the three months rainy season was over, he set foot again toward the north for traveling and preaching. He was passing through Nanada Village, Luoyeze and entering Vailali where the Licchavi Tribe was living. It was the following year’s summer rainy season by the time he departed Vailali and arrived in Vauvana Village. In this particular year, the Vauvana area was experiencing famine; it was hard to beg for foods because foods were expensive, in order to reduce the burdens of local devotees, the Buddha dispersed his followers to settle down in difference locations: Some of them returned to Vailali, some returned to Vajji, only Venerable Ananda and the Buddha remained in Vauvana Village. It was the Buddha’s final residing place for the summer rainy season in his life.

Afterward, the Buddha continued traveling and preaching toward the northwest. One day, he arrived in Pave, capital of Magadha, where he stayed at the mango-grove of Cunda the smith. Cunda offered the Buddha the most delicious local mushroom, but unexpectedly induced severer diarrhea. The Buddha managed to walk toward Kusinagara. On the way, because of recurrence of his back pain, requested Venerable Ananda to setup cushions under the tree by the roadside for rest.

At this time arrived disciple of Ascetics Alara Kalama whose name was Punyaku.

Walking from a distance, Punyaku saw the Buddha quietly and peacefully sitting under the tree, he could not help but attracted by this phenomenon of Supreme Excellency, hence stopped to salute the Buddha and said:

“A monastic practitioner resting quietly and peacefully like you is indeed incredible. Your appearance reminded me of my former teacher, who also sat under the tree, sat quietly during the day. During that time, there was a merchant convoy consisted of five hundred vehicles passing by, afterward came a person, asked my teacher whether he saw or heard of a huge merchant convoy of five hundred vehicles, my teacher said that he neither saw nor heard of it. That person was wondering whether my teacher was sleeping or lost his consciousness, my teacher told him that he did not fall sleep and maintained his consciousness all the time. Inspecting the clothes he was wearing, there was a layer of dust resulting from passage of the convoy! The person considered it was very strange, it was indeed incredible, hence developed considerable degree of faith.”

The Buddha listened and responded to Punyaku:

“Do you consider it more difficult maintaining consciousness and hear noting about passage of a merchant convoy consists of five hundred vehicles? Or it is more difficult maintaining consciousness and hears nothing of the thundering during a raining day? I had been to Ayuet Village, staying in a granary of hatched cottage, it was pouring, lightning accompanied with peals of thunder, two farmer brothers and four cattle stood by the cottage were killed by lightning, everybody ran over to show solicitude for. At that time, I emerged from the granary, and learned of what had happened. I told them that I was in the granary all the time, but did not see nor hear of the thunders, I did not fall asleep, my consciousness was very clear. After listening, everyone considered it was indeed incredible.”

Upon hearing, Punyaku was grasped in admiration, and told the Buddha:

“Oh! The World Respected, you are indeed the most Supreme Excellency, my faith to Alara Kalama established earlier, dissipated like being blown away by gusty wind and swept away by rapid current.”

Therefore, Punyaku raised from his seat, offered to the Buddha two pieces of golden color silk clothes. The Buddha asked him to offer one to Venerable Ananda. Hence Punyaku took one draping over the Buddha and one draping over Venerable Ananda.

Afterward, the Buddha gave discourse to Punyaku. Content of the discourse was to induce his fondness, then introduce the virtuous deeds of human and god on offering and upheld the precepts, he continued teaching Punyaku that graving is great disaster, is impure that should be annihilated. After Punyaku accepted these courses, gaining foundations for studying the Dharma, the Buddha then taught him The Four Noble True, which is the core of Buddha Dharma.

After receiving instructions on The Four Noble True, Punyaku immediately departed from defilement, opened the Dharma Eyes, hence witnessed the Dharma, gained the Dharma, and decided to destine for Liberation without regression, not falling into the Evil Path, achieved No Object to Fear and verified the First Fruit. Hence Punyaku told the Buddha:

“From now on, I take refuge in Buddha, take refuge in Dharma, take refuge in Sangha, upholding in my lifetime not to kill, not to steal, not to commit sexual misconduct, and not to drink, wish the World Honored One accept me as a householder disciple.”.”

一、本則故事取材自《長阿含第二遊行經》、《長部第一六大般涅槃經》。

二、依《雜阿含第四七四經》、《相應部第三六相應第一一經》說，入初禪的定境時，言語寂滅，而到入第四禪定時，連呼吸都停止了。呼吸停止，並不是死亡，而是因禪定的專注，使得人體的新陳代謝減緩到不必由鼻孔呼吸，只要一出定，呼吸與六根的功能，就能又恢復正常。

三、依經說，入初禪後，說話的功能就暫時停止了，所以，反過來說，還可以說話的人，就沒有入定。說話的功能，應與前五根（眼、耳、鼻、舌、身）的作用同級，前五根的功能停止了，更微細的第六意根，還可以在作用。依《中阿含第二一０經》說：「初禪有五支：覺、觀、喜、樂、一心」，亦即在初禪的定境中，還有範圍不等的專注覺察力，也有因專注而生起喜、樂踴動的心理活動，所以內在的意識還是清楚的。本則故事所說聽不到車聲隆隆，雷電霹靂，但不是在睡覺，意識也清楚，更不是耳聾，那應當是在進入禪定（至少是初禪）的狀況。

四、阿羅羅迦摩羅，佛光本在註解中依巴利文作「阿羅邏迦摩羅」。另依《中阿含第二０四經》、《中部第二六經》說，佛陀在剛出家時，曾依「阿羅羅伽（迦）摩羅」學得「無所有處」的深禪定，但仍不覺解脫，應與本則故事中的「阿羅羅迦摩羅」同一人。從這則故事，也可以瞭解到：禪定的能力，是共外道的，不是佛教特有的，也不是佛法的核心，佛陀依著福貴對禪定力的讚歎，引導他趣向真實解脫的修學。

五、尊者福貴以昂貴的金色絹布供養佛陀，佛陀接受了，可見得心不染著的解脫者，對價值昂貴的東西，也不會迴避。

六、本則故事中，佛陀為尊者福貴說法的次第，即《中阿含第二八經》、《中阿含第三八經》等經所說的，先說「端正法」，再說「正法要」，這是佛陀對許多在家人說法的典型模式。如果以《大智度論》的「四悉檀」（《大正藏第二五冊第五九頁中欄》）來解讀，生歡喜心即是「世間悉檀」，布施即是「生善悉檀」，持戒相當於「對治悉檀」，而最後顯了佛法真義的「四聖諦」，即是「第一義悉檀」。我們看到佛陀的教導，是「四悉檀」的貫徹運用，亦即一定會導入到佛法的真實義才結束，這與今天一些只好於讓人生起歡喜心，或只停留在生起善心的傳教內容與方式不同。

七、「歸依佛、歸依法、歸依僧」即是「三歸依」。依早期經典的用辭，作「歸依」而不是「皈依」，是表示對佛法修學的堅定向心力，與人生目標的趣向。

1. This story was derived from Dirghagama 2nd Sutra, Samyuktagama 16th Mahaparinibbana Surta.

2. According to Samyuktagama 141th Sutra, Samyukta-nikaya 36th Samyukta 11th Sutra,
The ability of speaking would be temporary disrupted upon entry of First State Meditative Concentration; Breathing would bring to a halt upon entry of Forth State Meditative Concentration. Cessation of breathing does not mean death, due to the attention of meditative concentration, resulted the metabolic rate of the body reduced to such degree that it would be unnecessary to breath through the nostril. The abilities of speaking and breathing would return to normal when the individual exits the state of meditative concentration.

3. Although the ability of speaking ceased functioning, but the delicate consciousness is still performing. According to Madhyamagama 210th Culavedalla Sutra: “There are five factors in the First State Meditative Concentration: Awareness, Observation, Bliss, Joy, Wholeheartedness.” which means in the First State Meditative Concentration, there are functions of awareness and observation along with the psychological activities of bliss and joy. Therefore the state of consciousness is quite clear. Judging from the account in the story of heard nothing of the rumbling of vehicles, thunders of lightening, but was not sleeping, consciousness was clear, much less deafness, the individual should have entered at least the state of First State Meditative Concentration.

4. Alara Kalama, texts in the Foguang edition of the sutra in Pali script as Alala Kalama. In addition, according to Madhyamagama 204th, Sutra and Samyukta-nikaya 26th Ariyapariyesana Sutra, soon after becoming monastic, The Buddha studied under Alara Kalama and obtained the deep concentration of “Concentration on Nothingness”, but had yet to reach Liberation, his teacher Alala Kalama should be identical with the Alara Kalama in this story. The ability of meditative concentration is having common with the Non-Buddhist, it is not unique in Buddhism, it is not the core of Buddha Dharma, but the Buddha took the lead of Punyaku’s admiration to meditative concentration and guided his study destine for Liberation.

5. Venerable Punyaku offered to the Buddha expensive golden color silk clothes, which the Buddha accepted, this demonstrated those liberated from defilement would not avoid expensive items.

6. The sequence that the Buddha adopted for teaching the Dharma for Punyaku is first arousing his admiration and interest, and then touching upon the virtuous deeds of offering, the disaster aspects of craving and greed, and lastly teaching the Four Noble True. This is identical with the sequence noted in Madhyamagama 28th Sutra, Madhyamagama 38th Sutra which first teaching the Upright Dharma then teaching the essence of True Dharma, this is the modal which The Buddha adopted when teaching Dharma to the householders, the Agama Sutra described this is “Thus all Dharma”, which can be interpreted as the Dharma’s ancient tradition. Such tradition could be found later in Nagarjuna’s The Four Siddhntas (Worldly Siddhnta, Siddhnta for each individual, Special Application Siddhnta, and Siddhnta of Supreme True), Jueyin, a treatise master remarked in “Four Nikayas” (Propitious Satisfactory, Fulfilling wishes, Disrupting Hesitation, and Illustration of True Meaning); “The Four Follows” in Moheziguan (Following Joy, Following Suitability, Following Rectification and Following Meaning.). Among them, arousing motivation for the joy of studying, could be regarded as The World Siddhnta, (or Propitious Satisfactory). The offering and upholding the precepts in the Upright Dharma could be regarded as Siddhnta for Each Individual (or Fulfilling Wishes), scolding craving and greed as defilement disastrous could be regarded as Special Application Siddhnta (or Disrupting Hesitation). Teaching the Four Noble True-- the essence of True Dharma--could be regarded as Siddhnta of Supreme True (or Illustration of True Meaning). We could see that the Buddha’s instruction is a complete application of the Four Siddhntas, which means that it would not stop until entering into the true meaning of Dharma. This is different from the instructions employed nowadays, which only concentrates on developing people’s likeness or stopped at instructing development of a virtuous mind.

7. “Take refuge in Buddha, take refuge in Dharma and take refuge in Sangha” is to take refuge in the Three Jewels. According to the texts in early Sutras, it was “Take Refuge In” not “Leaning Toward”. Take refuge is spontaneous, indicating one’s goal in life, steadfast in studying Buddha Dharma, it does not require other’s consent, however, becoming a disciple of The Buddha is different, just like obtaining permission from the teacher, should request permission from the Buddha”