菩薩出家 The Bodhisattas Renunciation

The Bodhisatta’s Renunciation

7．菩薩出家

It was night. The prince found no rest on his soft pillow; he arose and went out into the garden. “Alas!” he cried, “all the world is full of darkness and ignorance; there is no one who knows how to cure the ills of existence.” And he groaned with pain. [1]

深夜，太子在他的軟枕上無法入眠。他起身出屋走到花園中。他喊道：「唉！整個世間都充滿了黑暗和愚昧，無人知道如何治療生存的病症。」于是他因痛苦而呻吟。 1

Siddhattha sat down beneath the great jambu-tree and gave himself to thought, pondering on life and death and the evils of decay. Concentrating his mind he became free from confusion. All low desires vanished from his heart and perfect tranquillity came over him. [2]

悉達多坐在大閻浮樹下陷入冥想，開始沉思生命、死亡以及衰老之罪。他集中思想，擺脫了困惑。所有微弱的欲念從他的心中消失，代之以完全的寧靜。 2

In this state of ecstacy he saw with his mental eye all the misery and sorrow of the world; he saw the pains of pleasure and the inevitable certainty of death that hovers over every being; yet men are not awakened to the truth. And a deep compassion seized his heart. [3]

在這種出神狀態中，他用自己的心靈之眼看到了世間所有的苦難和悲哀；他看到了快樂的痛苦和每一個生命都必須不可避免地面臨死亡。然而世人不明白這一真理。現在，他心中充滿了深深的同情。 3

While the prince was pondering on the problem of evil, he beheld with his mind’s eye under the jambu-tree a lofty figure endowed with majesty, calm and dignified. “Whence comest thou, and who mayest thou be?” asked the prince. [4]

正當太子沉思罪惡的問題時，他以心靈之眼看到了在閻浮樹下有一個高貴的身影，這身影看起來莊重、平靜、威嚴。太子問道：「你從哪里來？你是哪位？」 4

In reply the vision said: “I am a samana. Troubled at the thought of old age, disease, and death I have left my home to seek the path of salvation. All things hasten to decay; only the truth abideth forever. Everything changes, and there is no permanency; yet the words of the Buddhas are immutable. I long for the happiness that does not decay; the treasure that will never perish; the life that knows of no beginning and no end. Therefore, I have destroyed all worldly thought. I have retired into an unfrequented dell to live in solitude; and, begging for food, I devote myself to the one thing needful.” [5]

影子回答：「我是一個出家人。因困惑于老、病、死的問題，我離開自己的家以尋求解脫之道。所有的事物都匆匆走向腐朽，只有真理才可永存。任何事物都在變化，沒有永恆，然而諸佛的話語是不變的。我渴望不會衰退的幸福，不會消亡的財富，渴望了解無始無終的生命。因此，我毀壞了世間所有的思想。我隱退到人跡罕見的幽谷，獨自生活，乞討食物，我將全身心都投入到必須做的一件事中。」 5

Siddhattha asked: “Can peace be gained in this world of unrest? I am struck with the emptiness of pleasure and have become disgusted with lust. All oppresses me, and existence itself seems intolerable.” [6]

悉達多問：「這喧囂的塵世能有和平嗎？我對快樂感到空虛，對欲望感到惡心。所有這些使我煩惱，生存本身似乎無法忍受。」 6

The samana replied: “Where heat is, there is also a possibility of cold; creatures subject to pain possess the faculty of pleasure; the origin of evil indicates that good can be developed. For these things are correlatives. Thus where there is much suffering, there will be much bliss, if thou but open thine eyes to behold it. Just as a man who has fallen into a heap of filth ought to seek the great pond of water covered with lotuses, which is near by: even so seek thou for the great deathless lake of Nirvana to wash off the defilement of wrong. If the lake is not sought, it is not the fault of the lake. Even so when there is a blessed road leading the man held fast by wrong to the salvation of Nirvana, if the road is not walked upon, it is not the fault of the road, but of the person. And when a man who is oppressed with sickness, there being a physician who can heal him, does not avail himself of the physician’s help, that is not the fault of the physician. Even so when a man oppressed by the malady of wrong-doing does not seek the spiritual guide of enlightenment, that is no fault of the evil-destroying guide.” [7]

這位出家人回答道：「哪里有熱，哪里就可能有冷；承受痛苦的生物擁有快樂的能力；惡的來源表明善也可以生成。因為這些事情都是相互關聯的。因此，假如你睜開眼睛觀察，你就會看到，哪里有更多的苦難，哪里就有更多的幸福。正如掉入一堆污穢之物的人應該尋求附近飄有蓮花的大水池一樣，即便如此，你尋求涅槃這不死的偉大之湖去洗滌謬見之污穢。如果沒有找到湖，過錯不在湖。即便如此，當有一條福路能引導堅持謬見的人走向涅槃的拯救時，如果人沒有走上路，過錯不在路，而在人。當一個人身患重病時，有一個醫生可以治愈他，他沒有尋求醫生的幫助，過錯不在醫生。即便如此，當一個人行為不端卻不尋求精神教化的導師時，過錯不在驅除罪惡的導師。」 7

The prince listened to the noble words of his visitor and said: “Thou bringest good tidings, for now I know that my purpose will be accomplished. My father advises me to enjoy life and to undertake worldly duties, such as will bring honour to me and to our house. He tells me that I am too young still, that my pulse beats too full to lead a religious life.” [8]

太子聆聽這位訪者的哲理之言後，說道：「你帶來了好消息，因為現在我知道了我將要實現我的目標。我父親希望我享受生命並承擔塵世的責任，如此可以給我和我們家庭帶來榮譽。他告訴我我還太年輕，我的感情太充沛以至不能過宗教生活。」 8

The venerable figure shook his head and replied: “Thou shouldest know that for seeking a religious life no time can be inopportune.” [9]

這莊嚴的身影搖搖頭，回答道：「你應該明白，追求過一種宗教的生活在任何時間都是適合的。」 9

A thrill of joy passed through Siddhattha’s heart. “Now is the time to seek religion,” he said; “now is the time to sever all ties that would prevent me from attaining perfect enlightenment; now is the time to wonder into homelessness and, leading a mendicant’s life, to find the path of deliverance.” [10]

悉達多的心因喜悅而發抖，他說：「現在是尋求宗教的時候了，現在是斬斷阻礙我達到完美涅槃境界的所有束縛的時候了，現在是離開家庭、過隱士生活並尋找解脫之道的時候了。」 10

The celestial messenger heard the resolution of Siddhattha with approval. [11]

這位天國的使者聽了悉達多的決定後，很贊同他。 11

“Now, indeed,” he added, “is the time to seek religion. Go, Siddhattha, and accomplish thy purpose. For thou art Bodhisatta, the Buddha-elect; thou art destined to enlighten the world. [12]

他又說：「現在，確實是尋求宗教的時候了。悉達多，去吧，去實現你的目標。因為你是菩薩，是被選中的佛陀，你注定要教化這世界。 12

“Thou art the Tathagata, the great master, for thou wilt fulfil all righteousness and be Dharmaraja, the king of truth. Thou art Bhagavat, the Blessed One, for thou art called upon to become the saviour and redeemer of the world. [13]

「你是如來，偉大的導師，因為你將完成所有正義之舉，成為法王，真理之王。你是世尊，被賜福的，因為你被召為世界的拯救者和贖罪者。 13

“Fulfil thou the perfection of truth. Though the thunderbolt descend upon thy head, yield thou never to the allurements that bequile men from the path of truth. As the sun at all seasons pursues his own course, nor ever goes on another, even so if thou forsake not the straight path of righteousness, thou shalt become a Buddha. [14]

「去完成真理的圓滿。儘管霹靂降臨在你頭上，你也永不向欺騙人們遠離真理之路的誘惑物屈服。正如太陽四季都依循他自己而不是其他的路線運行一樣，確是如此，如果你不放棄正義的正道，你就會成為一位佛陀。 14

“Persevere in thy quest and thou shalt find what thou seekest. Pursue they aim unswervingly and thou shalt gain the prize. Struggle earnestly and thou shalt conquer. The benediction of all deities, of all saints, of all that seek light is upon thee, and heavenly wisdom guides thy steps. Thou shalt be the Buddha, our Master, and our Lord; Thou shalt enlighten the world and save mankind from perdition.” [15]

「堅持你的尋求，你將找到你所要追尋的。不要改變你追尋的目標，你將得到報償。充滿激情地去努力，你便會有收穫。你會得到所有神祇、聖人以及尋求光明之人的祝福，神聖的智慧將帶領你前進。你將成為佛陀，我們的導師，我們的主；你將教化這世界，將把人類從毀滅中拯救出來。」 15

Having thus spoken, the vision vanished, and Siddhatta’s heart was filled with peace. He said to himself: [16]

影子說完這些話後便消失了。悉達多心中充滿寧靜。他對自己說： 16

“I have awakened to the truth and I am resolved to accomplish my purpose. I will sever all ties that bind me to the world, and I will go out from my home to seek the way of salvation. [17]

「我已經意識到了真理，我決定實現我的目標。我將斬斷把我和塵世捆在一起的束縛，我將離開家庭尋求拯救之道。 17

“The Buddhas are beings whose words cannot fail: there is no departure from truth in their speech. [18]

「諸佛的話語不會落空：他們的言詞句句都是真理。 18

“For as the fall of a stone thrown into the air, as the death of a mortal, as the sunrise at dawn, as the lion’s roar when he leaves his lair, as the delivery of a woman with child, as all these things are sure and certain - even so the word of the Buddhas is sure and cannot fail. [19]

「因為正如拋在空中的石頭要落地，凡人要死亡，黎明太陽要升起，獅子離開巢穴要咆哮，女人要分娩，正如所有這些事情確鑿無誤，確是如此，諸佛的話語真實無疑，不會落空。 19

“Verily I shall become a Buddha.” [20]

「這是真的，我將成為一個佛陀。」 20

The prince returned to the bedroom of his wife to take a last farewell glance at those whom he dearly loved above all the treasures of the earth. He longed to take the infant once more into his arms and kiss him with a parting kiss. But the child lay in the arms of his mother and the prince could not lift him without awakening both. [21]

太子回到他妻子的臥室，他要向妻兒做最?的告別，他們是世界上珍寶中他最摯愛的。他渴望再一次將嬰兒抱在懷里，給他一個離別的親吻。但是孩子躺在媽媽的臂彎里，太子要抱起他必定要驚醒母子倆。 21

There Siddhattha stood gazing at his beautiful wife and his beloved son, and his heart grieved. The pain of parting overcame him powerfully. Although his mind was determined, so that nothing, be it good or evil, could shake his resolution, the tears flowed freely from his eyes, and it was beyond his power to check their stream. But the prince tore himself away with a manly heart, suppressing his feelings but not extinguishing his memory. [22]

悉達多凝視著他美麗的妻子和可愛的兒子，他心中悲苦難過。離別的痛苦強烈地沖擊著他。儘管他心中已經有了決定，沒有任何事情(不管是好的還是壞的)能動搖他的決心，他還是無力阻止眼淚在臉上恣意奔流。但是太子還是抑制住他的感情，將對以往的記憶藏在心底，勇敢堅毅地忍痛離去。 22

The Bodhisatta mounted his noble steed Kanthaka, and when he left the palace, Mara stood in the gate and stopped him: “Depart not, O my Lord,” exclaimed Mara. “In seven days from now the wheel of empire will appear, and will make thee sovereign over the four continents and the two thousand adjacent islands. Therefore, stay, my Lord.” [23]

菩薩跨上他那匹名貴的戰馬犍陟，當他離開王宮時，魔王波旬站在門口阻攔他，他喊道：「我的主，不要離開，從現在起七日之內，帝國的權柄將會出現，你將統治四大洲和鄰近的兩千個島嶼。所以，留下來吧，我的主。」 23

The Bodhisatta replied: “Well do I know that the wheel of empire will appear to me; but it is not sovereignty that I desire. I will become a Buddha and make all the world shout for joy.” [24]

菩薩回答道：「我很清楚帝國的權柄要歸于我，但那不是我想要的權力。我將成為一位佛陀，讓整個世界因快樂而歡呼。」 24

Thus Siddhattha, the prince, renounced power and worldly pleasures, gave up his kingdom, severed all ties, and went into homelessness. He rode out into the silent night, accompanied only by his faithful charioteer Channa. [25]

這樣，太子悉達多，放棄了塵世的權力和歡樂，放棄了他的王國，斬斷了所有的束縛，成了無家之人。他向黑暗中駛去，陪同他的只有他信賴的車夫車匿。 25

Darkness lay upon the earth, but the stars shone brightly in the heavens. [26]

黑暗降臨大地，但星星在天空中閃亮。 26