32. Lust (tanhāvaggo)

T 0600c22昔佛在羅閱祇國耆闍崛山精舍之中，為天T 0600c23人龍鬼轉大法輪。時有一人捨家妻子來至T 0600c24佛所，為佛作禮求為沙門，佛即受之令作沙T 0600c25門，命令樹下坐思惟道德。比丘受教便入深T 0601a01山，去精舍百餘里，獨坐樹間思道三年，心不T 0601a02堅固意欲退還，自念捨家求道勤苦，不如早T 0601a03歸見我妻子。作此念已便起出山。佛以聖達T 0601a04見此比丘，應當得道愚故還歸。佛以神足化T 0601a05作沙門，便往逆之道路相見。化人即問：「所從T 0601a06來也？此地平坦可共坐語。」於是二人便坐息T 0601a07語，即答化人：「吾捨家妻子求作沙門，處此深T 0601a08山不能得道，與妻子別不如本願，唐喪我命T 0601a09勞而無獲，今欲悔還見我妻子，快相娛樂T 0601a10後更作計。」須臾之間有老獼猴，久已遠離T 0601a11樹木之間，在無樹之處於中生活。化沙門問T 0601a12此比丘：「是獼猴何故獨在平地？無有樹木云T 0601a13何樂此？」比丘答化人言：「我久見此獼猴，以二T 0601a14事故來住此耳。何等為二？一以妻子眷屬T 0601a15群多，不得飲食快樂恣口。二常晝夜上下樹T 0601a16木，脚底穿壞不得寧息。以此二事故捨樹木T 0601a17來住是間。」二人語頃，復見獼猴走還上樹。化T 0601a18沙門語比丘言：「汝見獼猴還趣樹木不也？」答T 0601a19曰：「見之，此虫愚癡得離樹木，群從憒閙不厭T 0601a20勞煩而還入中。」化人復言：「卿亦如是，與此T 0601a21獼猴復何異矣？卿本以二事故來入此山中。T 0601a22何等為二？一以妻婦舍宅為牢獄故，二T 0601a23以兒子眷屬為桎梏故。卿以是故來索求T 0601a24道斷生死苦，方欲歸家，還著桎梏入牢獄中，T 0601a25恩愛戀慕徑趣地獄。」化沙門即現相好丈六T 0601a26金色光明，普照感動一山，飛鳥走獸尋光T 0601a27而來，皆識宿命心內悔過。

於是世尊即說偈T 0601a28言：T 0601a29

SC Verse 216Verse 32.1「如樹根深固，　　雖截猶復生，T 0601b01
愛意不盡除，　　輒當還受苦。T 0601b02

SC Verse 217Verse 32.2獼猴如離樹，　　得脫復趣樹，T 0601b03
眾人亦如是，　　出獄復入獄。T 0601b04

SC Verse 218Verse 32.3貪意為常流，T 0601b05　　習與憍慢并，
思想猗婬欲，T 0601b06　　自覆無所見。

SC Verse 219Verse 32.4一切意流衍，T 0601b07　　愛結如葛藤，
唯慧分別見，T 0601b08　　能斷意根源。

SC Verse 220Verse 32.5夫從愛潤澤，T 0601b09　　思想為滋蔓，
愛欲深無底，T 0601b10　　老死是用增。」T 0601b11

比丘見佛光相炳著，又聞偈言悚然戰慄，T 0601b12五體投地懺悔謝過，內自改責即便却息T 0601b13數隨止觀，在於佛前逮得應真。諸天來聽聞T 0601b14皆歡喜，散華供養稱善無量。

T 0601b15◎法句譬喻經卷第三

SC Verse 221Verse 32.6「或多自歸，　　山川樹神，
厝立圖像，T 0601c04　　禱祠求福。

SC Verse 222Verse 32.7自歸如是，　　非吉非上，T 0601c05
彼不能來，　　度汝眾苦。

SC Verse 223Verse 32.8如有自歸，T 0601c06　　佛法僧眾，
道德四諦，　　必見正慧。T 0601c07

SC Verse 224Verse 32.9生死極苦，　　從諦得度，
度世八難，T 0601c08　　斯除眾苦。

SC Verse 225Verse 32.10自歸三尊，　　最吉最上，T 0601c09
唯獨有是，　　度一切苦。」T 0601c10

佛說渴訖火聲尋滅，七人獲安心喜無量。T 0601c11梵志國人莫不驚悚，仰瞻世尊光相赫奕T 0601c12分身散體，東沒西現存亡自由，身出水火T 0601c13五色晃昱，眾人見之五體歸命。於是七人T 0601c14從薪下出，悲喜交集而說偈言：T 0601c15

SC Verse 226Verse 32.11「見聖人快，　　得依附快，
得離愚人，T 0601c16　　為善獨快。

SC Verse 227Verse 32.12守正見快，　　互說法快，T 0601c17
與世無諍，　　戒具常快。

SC Verse 228Verse 32.13使賢居快，T 0601c18　　如親親會，
近仁智者，　　多聞高遠。」T 0601c19

於是七人說此偈已，及諸梵志願為弟子。T 0601c20佛即受之，皆為沙門，得羅漢道。國王臣民T 0601c21咸各修道，天尋大雨國豐民寧，道化興隆T 0601c22莫不樂聞。

喻愛欲品第三十二之二

T 0601c29◎昔佛在舍衛國為天人說法，時城中有婆羅T 0602a01門長者，財富無數，為人慳貪不好布施，食常T 0602a02閉門不喜人客，若其食時輒勅門士堅閉門T 0602a03戶，勿令有人妄入門裏，乞丐求索、沙門梵志T 0602a04不能得與其相見。爾時長者欻思美食，便勅T 0602a05其妻令作飯食，教殺肥雞薑椒和調炙之T 0602a06令熟。飲食飣餖即時已辦，勅外閉門，夫婦T 0602a07二人坐，一小兒著聚中央便共飲食。父母取T 0602a08雞肉著兒口中，如是數過初不肯廢。佛知此T 0602a09長者宿福應度，化作沙門，伺其坐食現出坐T 0602a10前，呪願且言：「多少布施可得大富。」長者舉T 0602a11頭見化沙門，即罵之曰：「汝為道士而無羞恥，T 0602a12室家坐食何為搪揬？」沙門答曰：「卿自愚癡不T 0602a13知慚羞，今我乞士何為慚羞？」長者問曰：「吾T 0602a14及室家自相娛樂，何故慚羞？」沙門答曰：「卿T 0602a15殺父妻母供養怨家，不知慚羞，反謂乞士T 0602a16何不慚羞？」

於是沙門即說偈言：T 0602a17

SC Verse 229Verse 32.14「所生枝不絕，　　但用食貪欲，T 0602a18
養怨益丘塚，　　愚人常汲汲。T 0602a19

SC Verse 230Verse 32.15雖獄有鈎鍱，　　慧人不謂牢，T 0602a20
愚見妻子飾，　　染著愛甚牢。T 0602a21

SC Verse 231Verse 32.16慧說愛為獄，　　深固難得出，T 0602a22
是故當斷棄，　　不親欲為安。」T 0602a23

長者聞偈驚而問之：「道人何故而說此語也？」T 0602a24道人答曰：「案上雞者是卿先世時父，以慳T 0602a25貪故常生雞中為卿所食。此小兒者，往昔T 0602a26作羅剎，卿作賈客大人乘船入海，每輒T 0602a27流墮羅剎國中，為羅剎所食。如是五百世壽T 0602a28盡，來生為卿作子，以卿餘罪未畢，故來欲相T 0602a29害耳。今是妻者，是卿先世時母，以恩愛深固，T 0602b01故今還與卿作婦。今卿愚癡不識宿命，殺父T 0602b02養怨、以母為妻，五道生死輪轉無際，周旋五T 0602b03道誰能知者？唯有道士見此覩彼，愚者不知，T 0602b04豈不慙羞？」於是長者懎然毛竪如畏怖狀，T 0602b05佛現威神令識宿命，長者見佛即識宿命，尋T 0602b06則懺悔謝佛，便受五戒，佛為說法，即得須陀T 0602b07洹道。

T 0602b08昔佛在舍衛國，祇洹說法。時有年少比丘入T 0602b09城分衛，見一年少女人端正無比，心存色欲T 0602b10迷結不解，遂便成病食飲不下，顏色憔悴委T 0602b11臥不起。同學道人往問訊之：「何所患苦？」年少T 0602b12比丘具說其意，欲壞道心，從彼愛欲願不如T 0602b13意，愁結為病。同學諫喻不入其耳，便強扶持T 0602b14將至佛所，具以事狀啟白世尊。佛告年少比T 0602b15丘：「汝願易得耳不足愁結也，吾當為汝方便T 0602b16解之。且起食飲。」比丘聞之坦然意喜，氣結便T 0602b17通。於是世尊將此比丘并與大眾，入舍衛城T 0602b18到好女舍，好女已死停屍三日，室家悲號T 0602b19不忍埋藏，身體臭脹不淨流出。佛告比丘：「汝T 0602b20所貪惑好女人者今已如此，萬物無常變在T 0602b21呼吸，愚者觀外不見其惡，纏綿罪網以為快T 0602b22樂。」

於是世尊即說偈言：T 0602b23

SC Verse 232Verse 32.17「見色心迷惑，　　不惟觀無常，T 0602b24
愚以為美善，　　安知其非真。T 0602b25

SC Verse 233Verse 32.18以婬樂自裹，　　譬如蠶作繭，T 0602b26
智者能斷棄，　　不眄除眾苦。T 0602b27

SC Verse 234Verse 32.19心念放逸者，　　見婬以為淨，T 0602b28
恩愛意盛增，　　從是造牢獄。T 0602b29

SC Verse 235Verse 32.20覺意滅婬者，　　常念欲不淨，T 0602c01
從是出邪獄，　　能斷老死患。」T 0602c02

於是年少比丘見此女人，死已三日面色T 0602c03膖爛其臭難近，又聞世尊清誨之偈，悵然意T 0602c04悟自知迷謬，為佛作禮叩頭悔過。佛授自歸T 0602c05將還祇洹，沒命精進得羅漢道。所將大眾無T 0602c06央數人，見色欲之穢信無常之證，貪愛望止T 0602c07亦得道迹。

T 0602c08昔佛在舍衛精舍為天人龍鬼說法。時世有T 0602c09大長者，財富無數，有一息男年十二三。父T 0602c10母命終，其兒年小未知生活理家之事，泮散T 0602c11財物數年便盡，久後行乞由不自供。其父有T 0602c12親友長者大富無數，一日見之問其委曲，長T 0602c13者愍念將歸經紀，以女配之，給與奴婢車馬，T 0602c14資財無數，更作屋宅成立門戶。為人懶惰，無T 0602c15有計校不能生活，坐散財盡日更飢困。長者T 0602c16以其女故更與資財，故復如前遂至貧乏。長T 0602c17者數餉，用之無道，念叵成就，欲奪其婦更嫁T 0602c18與人，宗家共議。女竊聞之還語其夫：「我家群T 0602c19強勢能奪卿，以卿不能生活故，卿當云何欲T 0602c20作何計也？」其夫聞婦言慚愧自念：「是吾薄T 0602c21福生失覆蓋，不習家計生活之法，今當失婦T 0602c22乞匃如故。恩愛已行貪欲情著，今當生別T 0602c23情豈可勝？」思惟反覆便興惡念，將婦入房，今T 0602c24欲與汝共死一處，即便剌婦還自刺害，夫婦T 0603a01俱死。奴婢驚走往告長者，長者大小驚來看T 0603a02視，見其已然，棺殮遣送如國常法。長者大T 0603a03小憂愁念女不去，須臾聞佛在世教化說法，T 0603a04見者歡喜忘憂除患，將家大小往到佛所，為T 0603a05佛作禮却坐一面。佛問長者：「為所從來？何以T 0603a06不樂憂愁之色？」長者白言：「居門不德，前嫁一T 0603a07女，值遇愚夫不能生活，欲奪其婦便殺婦及T 0603a08身，共死如此。遣送適還過覲世尊。」佛告長T 0603a09者：「貪欲瞋恚世之常病，愚癡無智患害之T 0603a10門，三界五道由此墮淵，展轉生死無央數劫，T 0603a11受苦萬端由尚不悔，豈況愚人能得識此？貪T 0603a12欲之毒滅身滅族，害及眾生何況夫婦？」

於是T 0603a13世尊即說偈言：T 0603a14

SC Verse 236Verse 32.21「愚以貪自縛，　　不求度彼岸，T 0603a15
貪為財愛故，　　害人亦自害。T 0603a16

SC Verse 237Verse 32.22愛欲意為田，　　婬怒癡為種，T 0603a17
故施度世者，　　得福無有量。T 0603a18

SC Verse 238Verse 32.23伴少而貨多，　　商人怵惕懼，T 0603a19
嗜欲賊害命，　　故慧不貪欲。」T 0603a20

爾時長者聞佛說偈，欣然歡喜忘憂除患，即T 0603a21於座上一切大小及諸聽者，破二十億惡，得T 0603a22須陀洹道。

T 0603a23昔佛在舍衛精舍中，為天龍鬼神、帝王臣民T 0603a24說法。時有遊蕩子二人共為親友，常相追隨T 0603a25一體無異，二人共議欲作沙門，即便相將T 0603a26來至佛所，為佛作禮長跪叉手，白佛言：「願T 0603a27欲作沙門，唯見聽許。」佛便受之，即作沙門。佛T 0603a28令二人共止一房。二人共止，但念世間恩愛T 0603a29榮樂，更共咨嗟情欲形體，說其姿媚專著不T 0603b01捨念不止息，不計無常污露不淨，以此欝怫T 0603b02病生於內。佛以慧眼知其想亂，走意於欲放T 0603b03心不住，以是不度。佛令一人行，便自化作T 0603b04一人入房，問之言：「吾等所思意志不離，可共T 0603b05往觀，視其形體知為何如？但空想念，疲勞無T 0603b06益。」二人相隨至婬女村，佛於村內化作一婬T 0603b07女人，共入其舍而告之曰：「吾等道人受佛禁T 0603b08戒不犯身事，意欲觀女人形容，當顧直如T 0603b09法。」於是化女即解瓔珞香薰衣裳，倮形而立T 0603b10臭處難近，二人觀之具見污露，化沙門即謂T 0603b11一人言：「女人之好，但有脂粉芬薰眾華沐浴T 0603b12塗香，著眾雜色衣裳以覆污露，強薰以香欲T 0603b13以人觀，譬如革囊盛屎有何可貪？」

於是化比T 0603b14丘即說偈言：T 0603b15

SC Verse 239Verse 32.24「欲我知汝本，　　意以思想生，T 0603b16
我不思想汝，　　則汝而不有。T 0603b17

SC Verse 240Verse 32.25心可則為欲，　　何必獨五欲？T 0603b18
速可絕五欲，　　是乃為勇力。T 0603b19

SC Verse 241Verse 32.26無欲無所畏，　　恬惔無憂患，T 0603b20
欲除使結解，　　是為長出淵。」T 0603b21

佛說偈已現其光相，比丘見之慚愧悔過，五T 0603b22體投地為佛作禮，重為說法，欣然得解便得T 0603b23羅漢。一人行還，見伴顏姿欣悅於常，即問其T 0603b24伴獨何如斯？即如事說佛之大慈愍度如此，T 0603b25蒙世尊恩得免眾苦。於是比丘重為說偈言：T 0603b26

SC Verse 242Verse 32.27「晝夜念嗜欲，　　意走不念休，T 0603b27
見女欲污露，　　想滅則無憂。」T 0603b28

其伴比丘聞此偈已便自思惟，斷欲滅想，即T 0603b29得法眼。

Beal 1In days of old when Buddha was residing in the Gridhrakūta mountain, near Rājagriha, preaching the inestimable doctrine for the sake of angels and men, there was a certain man who, having made up his mind to leave his family and become a recluse, came to the place where Buddha was, and desired permission to enter the community (church). On this Buddha required him (after he had permitted him to become a disciple) to go sit beneath a tree in the solitude, and give himself up to meditation. On this the Shaman departed into the mountain wild, more than a hundred lis from the Vihāra, and there gave himself up to a solitary life. After three years of self-denial, his heart being still unsubdued, he desired to give up his profession and to return to his home again, saying thus to himself, “This life of asceticism is troublesome and painful, and not to be compared with the happiness derived from domestic society. I will, therefore, return to my wife and family and enjoy myself.” On this he made as though he would leave the mountain and return home. Then Buddha, by his omniscience, seeing the condition of this disciple, and knowing that he had a capacity for salvation, transformed himself into the form of a Shaman, and went to meet him on the way. On encountering one another, the transformed Shaman addressed the other and asked whence he came and whether he was going. On this they agreed mutually to rest awhile and sit down together on a convenient spot (level ground). Seated thus, the disappointed Shaman explained to the other his condition, and confessed that he was going back home from a feeling of failure in his religious exercises. Now it happened while he was speaking, that an old monkey leaving the tree in which he lived, came down into the open and disported himself; then the assumed Shaman asked the other, why was this; to which the last replied: “I have often observed this same monkey come down and behave himself thus, and the reasons for his so doing are two,—1st, he is rejoiced to be free from the care of providing for his wife and his belongings; and 2dly, he is worn and hurt by constantly climbing the tree in which his family live, and so is glad to escape the labour of so doing: for these two reasons he leaves the tree and enjoys himself in the open ground. But meanwhile, as the two were conversing, the monkey retreated from the open space, and re-climbed the tree, on which the strange Shaman addressed the other, and asked if he perceived this, and how he explained it. On which the latter said that it was in consequence of fear and uncertainty that the monkey had gone back to his home; on which the other rejoined: “Such is the case with yourself; it was the anxieties caused by your wife and family that first induced you to find release in these mountain wilds, but now owing to doubt and uncertainty, you are going back to the world, and by so doing you expose yourself to all the evil consequences of renewed birth and consequent death. Whereupon he added these verses:

“As a tree, as long as its root is firm and safe, although cut down, still survives and produces fruit; so, unless the remnants of lust are destroyed and uprooted, (a man) must return again and again to receive sorrow. The monkey, away from the tree, first of all enjoys release, and then returns again (to its bondage), such is the case with men, they escape from hell and then return to it. Longing thoughts are like the ever-flowing waters of a river; giving way to the free enjoyment of indolence and luxury, the mind like a savage dog seeks for continual indulgence, and the man himself becomes clouded and unable to see the truth. Every thought flowing in the same channel, then lusts bind a man as with strong rattan bonds. The wise man alone is able rightly to distinguish the truth, he is able to cut off the very root and source of his (lustful) thoughts. A man by self-indulgence becomes sleek and shining, his thoughts increase like the sprouting tendril, the depth of lust cannot be fathomed; from this proceeds the ever-increasing succession of old age and continual death.”

The Bhikshu beholding the glorious appearance of Buddha, and hearing the words of the verses he had uttered, prostrated himself on the earth in lowest reverence before him, and repenting of his sloth, he assiduously practised the rules of Samatha and Vipassinā, arrived at the condition of a Rahat. And all the Devas who had heard the words, with joyful thoughts scattered flowers before the person of Buddha, as a religious offering, and with countless “Sādhus" departed.

Beal 2In days of old when Buddha was residing at Śrāvastī, and there preaching his doctrine for the good of Devas and men, there was residing in the city a certain rich Brahman of a very covetous and niggard disposition, who, from a desire to save alms, used to order his servant to shut his door and fasten his windows whenever he took his meals, so that no beggar should molest him with his importunities. And so no religious person (Shaman) could ever gain admittance, or stand in the presence of this Brahman. One day having desired his wife to kill a fowl and make a highly savoury dish of the same, they both sat down together to eat it, the doors and the windows having first been closed—and between them their little child, into whose mouth they both occasionally put scraps of the savoury dish. Now Buddha, knowing that there was a capacity for conversion in this man's case, transformed himself into the appearance of a Shaman, and waiting till the master of the house had finished his meal he placed himself before his chair, or seat, and recited the usual formula. “He who gives little or much (or he who gives a little of his abundance) in charity, lays up for himself a great reward.” The Brahman, raising his head and seeing the Shaman (as it seemed), began to abuse him and said, “You call yourself a religious mendicant, do you? and yet have no better manners than this, to force yourself into my presence when at my meals with my family?” To which he replied, “It is you, my lord, who ought to be ashamed—I need not feel shame for begging as a mendicant.” The Brahman then replied—"And what shame should I feel for eating thus with my wife in comfort?” “You, my lord, who have killed your father, and married your mother, and thus involved yourself in family disgrace, and feel no shame, nevertheless upbraid me and would put me to shame for begging a little food,” and then he recited the following verses :—

“As the sprouting creeper which is not cut off (at the root), such is the case of the man who, with covetous desire, partakes of food; ever cherishing evil thoughts and multiplying family discords (tombs), such is the constant employment of the ignorant man. Hell, indeed, has its gyves and fetters, but the wise man regards not these as captivity; the foolish man who is immersed in cares about wife and child and their personal adornment, he it is who is in real captivity. The wise man regards lust as the imprisonment of hell, as the hard bound fetter from which it is difficult to escape, and therefore he desires to separate this and cut it off for ever, that being free from any such cares (or, desires), he may find rest and peace.”

The Brahman on hearing these words inquired as to their meaning, on which the Shaman explained, that in former years the bird (cock) which he had just eaten was his father, that the little hoy his son had been a Raksha, and had eaten the father, and that his wife had been in former days his mother—and thus it was he was involved in the utmost disgrace. On hearing these words the Brahman, filled with fear, besought Buddha, who had now assumed his glorious appearance, to instruct him in the rules of his society, and finally obtained release and entered the first path.

Beal 3In days of old when Buddha was residing at the Jetavana Vihāra near Śrāvastī, there was a young Bhikshu, who, in going through the streets of the city on a begging excursion, cast eyes on a girl of exceeding beauty, and was filled with passion for her. Being unable to conquer his desire, he fell sick, and was unable to eat or sleep, and pined away daily. On this a fellow disciple went to him, and asked him how it was he suffered thus, on which the first revealed the whole matter to the other, and in the end they both went to the place where Buddha was, and explained the thing to him. On this Buddha promised to find a remedy for the Bhikshu's malady, and forthwith desired him to accompany him with his followers to the city. On going to the house where the maiden had dwelt, they found she had now been dead three days, and the house was filled with mourners, who wailed and wept incessantly. Then pointing to the offensive corpse, Buddha asked the Bhikshu, if it was that which had inflamed him with passion? And he then explained how all things that exist are equally perishable and inconstant, and that only through ignorance of this do men set their hearts upon them, and afterwards he added these verses :—

“At the sight of beauty the heart is at once ensnared, because it considers not the impermanency of all such appearances. The fool regarding the outward form as an excellency, how can he know the falseness of the thing, for like a silkworm enveloped in its own net (cocoon), so is he entangled in his own love of sensual pleasure. But the wise man, able to separate himself and cast off all this, is no longer entangled, but casts away all sorrows. The careless and idle man considers that such indulgence of sense is not contrary to purity, and so going on still indulging such thoughts, he is bound as a captive in hell; but the wise man, destroying all thoughts about such things, and ever remembering the impurity of such indulgence, by this means comes out of captivity, and so is able to escape from the grief of repeated old age and death.”

The youthful Bhikshu, seeing the dreadful sight before him, and having heard the verses just recited, turned with repentance and prostrated himself before Buddha, after which, persevering in the way of purity, he soon became a Rahat.

Beal 4In days of old when Buddha was residing at the Jetavana Vihāra, near Śrāvastī, preaching his law for the sake of Devas and men (Nāgas and demons), there was at this time a certain rich householder who had but one son, a youth of about twelve or thirteen years of age. This boy's father and mother having died, and he not being acquainted with the rules of economising his expenses, began to lavish his money on himself and others, till he soon came to beggary and want. Now the lad's father had a certain relative who also was very rich; this man one day seeing the sad condition of the youth, had compassion on him, and took him to his own house, and finally provided him with an establishment of his own, with a wife, slaves, horses, and chariots. But notwithstanding his former experience, the young man again gave way to extravagance, and was again reduced to poverty, and notwithstanding the repeated help of his kinsman and patron he was ever thus. At length his relative, tired out, sent for the wife of the man, and told her that she had better seek another home, and find some one who could protect and provide for her in a respectable way. On hearing this she returned to her master and said, “My lord, you seem unable to provide for our wants, let me ask you what you intend to do, for it behoves me to seek another home, if there is no provision here for me.” On hearing this the man was filled with shame and disappointment, and thought thus with himself—"I am indeed a miserable and unhappy man, not knowing how to manage my affairs; and now I am going to lose my wife, and to be left to beg again.” Thinking thus, and excited by recollection of past pleasures and passion, he resolved wickedly to put an end to his wife, and afterwards to kill himself. Taking the woman, therefore, into the inner apartments, he at once told her his intention to die with her there, and then he stabbed her, and afterwards killed himself. The servants, finding how the case stood, hastily went to the man's rich relation and told him all the circumstances; on this he came with all the people round about, and seeing the sad sight he was filled with grief, and finally buried them according to the fixed rules of the country. Afterwards hearing of Buddha, and the comfort which he was able to give by the preaching of his word, he came with all his attendants to the place where the Master was, and told him of all the things that had befallen him. On this Buddha began the following discourse:—"Lust and passion (angry passion) are the constant miseries of the world. These are the causes of all the unhappiness which befalls the foolish man. These are the means by which the constant repetition of birth in the different conditions of existence (the five ways) is continued throughout the three worlds. If the sufferings of ages cannot bring men to repentance and amendment, how much less can we expect the fool now to become wise, and shake off the poison of this lust and covetous longing, which destroys his body and ruins his family (clan), nay, which destroys and ruins the whole world—and if this be so, how can we wonder at what has befallen this man and his wife. Then the master added these lines:

“The fool self-bound by his covetousness, seeks not to escape to that shore. Coveting wealth and lustful indulgence, he destroys others and he is self-destroyed. The lustful mind is the field, uxoriousness, anger, delusion, are the fruits. Therefore he who bestows charity on the non-worldly man, obtains by so doing boundless happiness (merit). Companions few and goods many, the merchant, timorous and anxious, given to covetous thoughts, the robber takes his life (or, 'these, like a robber, take his life'). The wise man, therefore, puts away all covetous desire.”

The householder hearing these words was filled with joy; he forgot his grief, and rising from his seat, he and his associates at once obtained the fruition of the first path.

Beal 5In days of old when Buddha was residing in the Jetavana Vihāra, near Śrāvastī, preaching his word for the sake of Devas and men, etc., there happened to be two wandering fellows who were sworn friends, and as it were one in heart, who being in the neighbourhood thought they would become Shamans. They came accordingly to the place where the master was, and after doing homage they explained their wish. Having admitted them to his community, he sent them to one place to give themselves up to meditation. Notwithstanding all their efforts, however, they were unable to forget the pleasures of their former life, and were enslaved by longing for sensual indulgence. Buddha by his divine sight understanding their condition, and desiring to save them, caused a Shaman to go to their place of abode, and addressing them said, “What think you if we three go to the neighbouring harlot-quarter, and without further ado, have a look at the form of one of the beauties about whom you think so much?” Accordingly they all went to the harlots' quarter, and meeting with one (who was indeed only Buddha himself so transformed), they asked her to let them behold her charms, without actually committing any overt-act of transgression. Accordingly the woman began to take off her wreaths and her jewels, and gradually stripping off her clothes, lo! such a ghastly sight of deformity met their eyes, and such a fetid odour assailed their sense, that they could not come nigh the place where she was. Then the Shaman turned and addressed the two: “What the world calls beauty is but the combination of flowers and ornaments, unguents and dress; remove these, and what is there but unsightliness and disgusting appearance? Is it with such a form as this, the skin wrinkled like leather, the body exuding foul smells, that you are so madly enamoured, and then he added these verses:

“O lust! I have discovered thy source and origin. Born of the busy recollections that haunt the mind. Now will I no more think of thee or these; then thou shalt not longer exist for me. Of the mind alone is lustful desire; from oneself arise the five longings of sense. Haste, then, to bind these five desires, and prove thyself a hero indeed! Where there is no lust there is no anxious fear; at rest, and quiet, there are no more harrowing cares for such an one—desire expelled, its trammels for ever cast away. This is indeed to find true deliverance (lit., “for long to come out of the gulf (of misery))" [probably the same as “Ogha-tinna,” vide M.M. 370].

Then Buddha, having assumed his glorious appearance, the two Shamans were filled with shame, and with deep repentance fell down at his feet and did obeisance. And after listening further to his instruction they became Rahats. Now as they were returning to their place of abode, the one seeing the happy, contented face of the other, asked his companion the reason of it, on which he repeated over and over the following lines :—

“Day and night was I a slave of lustful desires, incessantly did my mind dwell on these thoughts; but now I have seen the woman I longed for so much ill all her naked deformity, my thoughts have perished, I have no more sorrow.”

On hearing these words, his companion was able to shake off the trammels of lust, and immediately received Divine illumination (eyes of the Law).