苦修之地宇奴唯拉村 Uruvela, the Place of Mortification

Uruvela, the Place of Mortification

10．苦修之地宇奴唯拉村

The Bodhisatta went in search of a better system and came to a settlement of five bhikkhus in the jungle of Uruvela; and when the Blessed One saw the life of those five men, virtuously keeping in check their senses, subduing their passions, and practising austere self-discipline, he admired their earnestness and joined their company. [1]

菩薩繼續尋找一個更好的思想體系，他來到位于宇奴唯拉叢林中五個比丘的修行地，他看到這五個人抑止欲望、克制感情，實行嚴格的自律，過著正直善良的生活。他佩服他們的誠摯認真，便加入了這個團體。 1

With holy zeal and a strong heart, the Sakyamuni gave himself up to meditative thought and rigorous mortification of the body. Whereas the five bhikkhus were severe, the Sakyamuni was severer still, and they revered him, their junior, as their master. [2]

帶著虔誠的熱情和一顆堅定的心，釋迦牟尼將自己投入到沉思冥想和身體的嚴格苦修中。儘管五位比丘修行嚴厲，釋迦牟尼卻更嚴厲。他們尊重他，將這位年少者視為他們的導師。 2

So the Bodhisatta continued for six years patiently torturing himself and suppressing the wants of nature. He trained his body and exercised his mind in the modes of the most regorous ascetic life. At last, he ate each day one hemp-grain only, seeking to cross the ocean of birth and death and to arrive at the shore of deliverance. [3]

這樣菩薩在接下來的六年中堅韌地折磨自己身體，壓制本性的需求。他在最嚴酷的苦行禁欲方式中鍛鍊身體和思想。最後，他每天只吃一粒麻籽，以此尋求跨越生死之海、到達解脫的彼岸。 3

And when the Bodhisatta was ahungered, lo! Mara, the Evil One, approached him and said: “Thou art emanciated from fasts, and death is near. What good is thy exertion? Deign to live, and thou wilt be able to do good works.” But the Sakyamuni made reply: “O thou friend of the indolent, thou wicked one; for what purpose hast thou come? Let the flesh waste away, if but the mind becomes more tranquil and attention more steadfast. What is life in this world? Death in battle is better to me than that I should live defeated.” [4]

正當菩薩飢腸轆轆之時，看吧！魔王波旬靠近他，說道：「你因禁食而瘦弱，死亡就要來了。你的努力有何益處？屈尊去生活吧，你將有能力做好工作。」但釋迦牟尼回答說：「哦。你這懶惰之友，你這惡魔，你為何來此？只要心靈更寧靜，心念更堅定，就讓肉體日漸衰亡吧！在這塵世上，生命是什麼？對我而言，與其戰敗投降獲生，不如戰死在疆場。」 4

And Mara withdrew, saying: “For seven years I have followed the Blessed One step by step, but I have found no fault in the Tathagata.” [5]

魔王退後，說道：「七年間，我步步緊跟在這至福者(指佛陀)身後，但我在如來身上沒有發現任何瑕疵。」 5

The Bodhisatta was shrunken and attenuated, and his body was like a withered branch; but the fame of his holiness spread in the surrounding countries and people came from great distances to see him and receive his blessing. [6]

菩薩身瘦體弱，形銷骨立，恰如枯木，但他聖潔的美名傳遍了周圍國家，人們紛紛從很遠的地方來敬拜他，接受他的祝福。 6

However, the Holy One was not satisfied. Seeking true wisdom he did not find it, and he came to the conclusion that mortification would not extinguish desire nor afford enlightenment in ecstatic contemplation. [7]

然而，這至聖者(指佛陀)對此並不滿足。他繼續尋找他還沒有發現的真正智慧，然後他認識到苦修並不能熄滅欲望之火、並不能帶來忘我沉思中的涅槃境界。 7

Seated beneath a jambu-tree, he considered the state of his mind and the fruits of his mortification. His body had become weaker, nor had his fasts advanced him in his search for salvation, and therefore when he saw that is was not the right path, he proposed to abandon it. [8]

他坐在一棵閻浮樹下，思考著自己的心境和他苦修的成果。他的身體日漸消瘦，禁食並沒有使他在尋找解脫之道上更進一步，因而當他看到苦修並不是正確之路，他打算放棄苦修。 8

He went to bathe in the Neranyjaro river, but when he strove to leave the water he could not rise on account of his weakness. Then espying the branch of a tree and taking hold of it, he raised himself and left the stream. But while returning to his abode, he staggered and fell to the ground, and the five bhikkhus thought he was dead. [9]

他到尼連禪河中洗浴，但當他想費力離開水面時，因為虛弱他無法站起來。接著他看到一個樹枝，他抓住樹枝立了起來，這才出了河水。返回住地時，他步履蹣跚，跌倒在地，五位比丘以為他死了。 9

There was a chief herdsman living near the grove whose eldest daughter was called Nanda; and Nanda happened to pass by the spot where the Blessed One had swooned, and bowing down before him she offered him rice-milk and he accepted the gift. When he had partaken of the rice-milk all his limbs were refreshed, his mind became clear agin, and he was strong to receive the highest enlightenment. [10]

樹林附近住著一位牧羊人，他的大女兒名叫難陀，難陀恰好經過至聖者昏睡之地，便俯下身給了他一些乳糜，至聖者接受了這一禮物。享用了這些乳糜之後，他恢復了體力，思維又一次清晰起來。現在他強壯了，可以接受最高的覺悟了。 10

After this occurrence, the Bodhisatta again took some food. His disciples, having witnessed the scene of Nanda and observing the change in his mode of living, were filled with suspicion. They were convinced that Siddhattha’s religious zeal was flagging and that he whom they had hitherto revered as their Master had become oblivious of his high purpose. [11]

這事之後，菩薩再一次進食。他的追隨者目睹了難陀一幕，並注意到了他生活方式的變化，對他有了懷疑。他們確信，悉達多的宗教熱情逐漸衰退了，他們迄今所崇敬的、將其作為他們導師的悉達多，已經忘記了他的最高目的。 11

When the Bodhisatta saw the bhikkhus turning away from him, he felt sorry for their lack of confidence, and was aware of the loneliness in which he lived. [12]

菩薩看到比丘們離開他之後，他遺憾他們缺乏信心，並感到他所住居之地甚為孤寂。 12

Suppressing his grief he wandered on alone, and his disciples said: “Siddhattha leaves us to seek a more pleasant abode.” [13]

他抑制住悲傷，獨自在外徘徊，接著他的追隨者又說：「悉達多離開我們去尋找更舒適的住所了。」 13