II. 勸修，爭取心成就 Exhortation to Practise and Strive for Spiritual Success

II. Exhortation to Practise and Strive for Spiritual Success

II. 勸修，爭取心成就

Tiṇṇaṃ aññataraṃ yāmaṃ,

Paṭijaggeyya paṇḍito.(Dhammapada, 157)

The wise man should cleanse himself by putting forth effort towards the attainment of spiritual success during at least one of the three periods of life.

有智者應該至少在人生三個階段中的一個，通過努力達到心成就，從而清淨自己。(法句經，157)

In accordance with the above admonition from the Dhammapada, wise and good people who have the ability to see clearly the relation of cause and effect should, right from the first period of life, renounce and relinquish success in the attainment of wealth (bhoga-sampatti) and put forth effort to attain spiritual success (bhava-sampatti). If effort during the first period of life is not possible, effort should be made during the second period of life. If effort during the second period of life is not possible, effort should be made as soon as one enters the third period of life. The essential point is that if one remains obsessed with material prosperity during all the three periods of life, one fails to take full advantage of the opportunity this life offers to win manifold higher benefits, for this life is like a great 「wishing tree」 from which one may pluck many desirable things.

依據以上法句經中的警語，有能力清楚看到因果關系的有智具善者，應當在人生的第一階段就斷絕和放棄所達到的財富成就(bhoga-sampatti，財成就)，去努力取得心成就(bhava-sampatti，有成就)。如果不具備在人生第一階段就努力的可能性，應當在人生第二階段努力。如果不具備在人生第二階段努力的可能性，一旦進入人生的第三階段就應當馬上努力。實質要點是，如果某人在人生所有三個階段都沉迷于財富成就中，他就無法完全利用今生的有利時機，去贏得多方面更高的利益。因為今生就像一棵巨大的「許願樹」，可以在今生達成很多向往的事情。

As life today is highly uncertain and beings are liable to die and disappear quickly and unexpectedly, one should demarcate the age of 50 or 55 as the end of the period for seeking material prosperity. Thereafter, one should renounce and relinquish material prosperity and put forth effort to obtain spiritual success so that one can achieve the advantages offered by one』s encounter with a Buddha-sāsana, so difficult to meet.

今天的生命是高度不確定的，生命可能很快和意外地死亡和消失掉，所以應當把50或55歲作為追求財富成就的最後期限。此後就應該斷絕和放棄財富成就，去努力獲得心成就，這樣他才能利用到今生遭遇佛法的有利條件。因為佛法很難遇到。

There are many ways of striving to obtain spiritual success. There is first the way of King Temi and King Hatthipāla, who renounced the pleasures and enjoyments of throne and palace while still young, during the first period of life, and adopted the lives of ascetics in the forest. There is also the way of the long line of 84,000 kings from King Maghadeva to King Nemi, who ruled their kingdoms and enjoyed the pleasures and luxuries of royalty during the first and second periods of life, but who stepped down in favour of their eldest sons during the third period of life. They then led secluded lives in the royal gardens practising the meditation on the four sublime states (brahmavihāra-bhāvanā) until they attained the jhānas (meditative absorptions), and continued to live in solitude enjoying the pleasures of these attainments until their deaths.

有很多種獲得心成就的方式。第一種方式是郡主Temi和郡主Hatthipāla，他們在人生第一階段，在還年輕時就放棄了王權和王宮的欲樂和享受，住在森林里修道。還有一種方式，從Maghadeva到Nemi多達84,000位郡主采取這種方式，他們在人生第一和第二階段統治他們的王國並享受皇室的欲樂和享受，但是他們在人生第三階段讓位給長子，然後隱居在王室花園中修習四梵住(brahmavihāra-bhāvanā，梵住-修習)，直到達到禪那，並繼續獨居，享受著這些成就的快樂直到死亡。(譯者疑問：King該譯為「國王」、「郡主」、還是「尊者」？譯為前兩者的話，84,000 kings數目是否太多了？譯為「尊者」的話，在家居士是否也能用「尊者」一詞？)

Then there is the way of the universal monarch, King Mahāsudassana, who did not even leave his royal palace to live in the royal gardens, but continued to reside in the great golden palace called 「The Palace of Dhamma,」 ornamented with precious gems built for him by Sakka, the king of the devas in the Tāvatiṃsa heaven. He continued to live alone in that rich palatial residence practising the four sublime states until he attained the jhānas.

還有一種方式，是太古之王—大善見王(注1)采用的，他甚至沒有離開王室宮殿去住到王室花園，而是繼續居住在稱為「佛法宮殿」的宏偉金色宮殿中。這個宮殿是忉利天的帝釈天王使用貴重寶石為他裝飾的。大善見王繼續獨居在那個富麗堂皇的住所中，修習四梵住，直到獲得禪那。(譯注1，世尊的前身，死後生于梵天。)

There is also the way of the king of Takkasilā, who on seeing the instructions for the meditation on in-and-out breathing inscribed on the golden palm leaves sent to him by the king of Rājagaha, continued to reside alone on the uppermost storey of his seven-storied palace practising the meditation on in-and-out breathing until he attained the fourth jhāna.

還有一種是答咖西喇城的郡主的方式。王舍城的郡主贈送寫有安那般那念禪修方法的鍍金棕櫚葉給答咖西喇城的郡主。答咖西喇城的郡主閱讀後，繼續獨居在他七層宮殿的最高層修習安那般那念，直到達到第四禪。

Wise Buddhists of the present day should emulate these distinguished personages of great future destiny, and select and adopt one or other of the practices aimed at spiritual success. Although, during the first period of life, they may pursue and live amidst the pleasures and enjoyments made possible by material prosperity, they should in good time renounce and relinquish their interest and concern with material wealth and all activities related to this goal. They should renounce and relinquish such practices as unchastity and association with friends and companions, which are habits inimical to the development of concentration (samādhi-bhāvanā). Retaining contact only with the person who serves them food, they should engage in the practices which lead to spiritual success.

當代有智佛教徒應當效仿這些有著美好未來的卓著名流，挑選和采用任何一種達成心成就的禪修業處。雖然在人生第一階段可能追求和生活于財富成就的欲樂和享受，但是應當及時斷絕和放棄對財富成就的興趣和關注以及所有相關活動。應當斷絕、放棄不聖潔的行為，不再交往不良朋友和夥伴，因為這些習慣會障礙定力的培育(samādhi-bhāvanā)。只是保持接觸提供食物的人，應當勤奮于導向心成就的禪修。