佛說阿遬達經
Sutra on the Teaching of Asuda
宋天竺三藏求那跋陀羅譯
Translated by the Indian Tripitaka Master Guṇabhadra of the Song Dynasty
聞如是：
Thus have I heard:
佛在舍衛國，告諸比丘：「皆聽我所言致難，父母生子養育哺乳，長大欲令見日月光，父母以天下萬物示子，欲令知善惡。諸比丘！如是子以一肩負父，復以一肩負母，至壽竟乃止，復以天珍寶、明月珠、玉璧、琉璃、珊瑚，自生禽獸白珠，皆以著身上，尚未足報償父母恩。父母喜殺生，子能諫止父母，令不復殺生；父母有惡心，子常諫止，令常念善無有惡心；父母愚癡少智不知經道，以佛經告之；父母貪狼嫉妬，子從順諫之；父母不知善惡，子稍以順告之。諸比丘！子當如是。為人作子，衣服欲好於父母，食欲甘於父母，語欲高父母上，至死後當入地獄中。為人作子，當孝順事父母，持行如是者，死當生天上。」諸比丘皆稽首，俱聞善教。
The Buddha was in the country of Shravasti. He said to the monks, “Listen carefully to what I say, for it is difficult to fully repay the kindness of parents. Parents give birth to a child, nurse and raise them, and hope that they will grow up to see the sun and moon. They show their children all the things of the world, wanting them to know right from wrong.
“Monks, even if a child carries their father on one shoulder and their mother on the other for their entire lives, and even if they cover themselves with heavenly treasures, moon-bright pearls, jade, crystal, coral, and rare white pearls and precious creatures, they would still not have fully repaid their parents’ kindness.
“If parents like to kill living beings, the child should advise them to stop. If parents have harmful thoughts, the child should constantly guide them toward kindness and away from malice. If parents are ignorant and lack wisdom, not knowing the scriptures and the path, the child should teach them the Buddha’s teachings. If parents are greedy and jealous, the child should gently advise them to change. If parents do not know what is good and bad, the child should gradually guide them toward understanding.
“Monks, a son should act this way. If, as a child, one wants finer clothes than one’s parents, tastier food than one’s parents, and speaks more arrogantly than one’s parents, then after death one will be reborn in hell. But if one serves one’s parents with filial respect and lives accordingly, after death one will be reborn in heaven.”
All the monks bowed their heads, receiving this excellent teaching.
佛言：「有大賢者優婆塞字遬達，為子取婦，婦字玉耶。玉耶大豪富家女，不以姑妐之禮事遬達，亦不敬其夫婿積數年。遬達亦賢者優婆塞，不言不語，到佛所自責：『我為子取婦，國中豪富家子，心大歡喜。今事我數年，憍慢自恣不以婦禮，願佛明日自屈到我家。』佛默然不應，默然不應者旦日欲往。明日佛到遬達家，其婦不出，佛以神化之，心喜，乃出見佛，前為佛作禮。佛言：『汝為人作婦，用何事夫婿？』玉耶言：『當以身事夫。』佛言：『婦人事夫有三惡四善。何等為三惡？一惡者，如與惰人共居不欲作事，罵詈至暮，嗜美好鬪。二惡者，如與怨家共居，不持一心向夫，不願夫善，不願夫成就，當願夫死。三惡者，如與偷盜共居，不惜夫物，但念欺夫，常欲自好，不順子孫，但念婬泆。如是死者，展轉惡道中無有出時，是為三惡。何等為四善？一善者，婦見夫從外來，當如母見子，夫有急緩，常欲身代之。二善者，婦事夫當如弟見兄，上下相承事，夫惡不以為惡，不念婬泆常隨夫語。三善者，婦事夫當如朋友，相見輒相念，夫從他方來，當如見父兄，心中歡喜和顏向之，婦持心當如是。四善者，婦事夫當如婢，夫大罵亦不以為惡，捶擊亦不以為劇，走使亦不以為勞苦，夫雖惡，常念事善，當顧子孫，如是死者常生天上，亦於天上饒侍者，好衣、珍寶常在身上。』佛言：『三惡四善，汝欲持何所事夫？』玉耶言：『婦人事夫不可用三惡，四善者可與共居，從今以去，請如婢事大夫子。』玉耶即膝行承事遬達，以夫婦之禮事其婿。」
The Buddha said, "There was once a virtuous layman named Sudatta who married a wife for his son. Her name was Yuye. Yuye was from a very wealthy and powerful family, and she did not observe the proper conduct of a daughter-in-law towards Sudatta, nor did she respect her husband for several years. Sudatta, also a virtuous layman, said nothing. He went to the Buddha and reproached himself: 'I married a wife for my son from a wealthy and powerful family in the country, and my heart was greatly delighted. Now she has served me for several years, but she is arrogant and willful, not following the ways of a wife. I wish that tomorrow the Buddha would kindly come to my house.' The Buddha remained silent, not giving an answer. His silence indicated that he intended to go the next morning.
The next day, the Buddha went to Sudatta's house. His wife Yuye did not come out. The Buddha used his spiritual powers to transform her, causing her heart to rejoice, and so she came out to see the Buddha. She approached the Buddha and bowed to him.
The Buddha said, 'You are a wife to a man. What do you use to serve your husband?'
Yuye replied, 'I should serve my husband with my body.'
The Buddha said, 'There are three evils and four virtues in a wife's service to her husband. What are the three evils? The first evil is like living with a lazy person, not wanting to do work, scolding from morning until night, and being fond of delicacies and quarrels. The second evil is like living with a personal enemy, not giving your single mind to your husband, not wishing for your husband's goodness, not wishing for your husband's success, but rather wishing for your husband's death. The third evil is like living with a thief, not cherishing your husband's possessions, only thinking to deceive your husband, always wanting your own good, not being obedient to your children and grandchildren, and only thinking of lust and indulgence. Those who die like this will wander endlessly among the evil paths, with no time of escape. These are the three evils.
What are the four virtues? The first virtue is: When a wife sees her husband come home from outside, she should be like a mother seeing her son. If her husband is in crisis or trouble, she always wants to take his place. The second virtue is: A wife serves her husband like a younger sister sees an older brother, with the superior and inferior supporting each other. Even if the husband does wrong, she does not consider it as wrong, does not think of lust and indulgence, and always follows her husband's words. The third virtue is: A wife serves her husband like a friend. When they meet, they immediately think of each other. When her husband returns from a faraway place, she should be like seeing her father or older brother, with joy in her heart and a gentle face towards him. A wife's mind should be like this. The fourth virtue is: A wife serves her husband like a maidservant. Even if her husband loudly scolds her, she does not consider it wrong. Even if he beats her, she does not consider it severe. Even if she is sent on errands, she does not consider it hard work. Even if the husband is unkind, she always thinks to serve him well and takes care of the children and grandchildren. Those who die like this will always be born in heaven. There, they will have many attendants, fine clothes, and precious jewels will always be on their bodies.'
The Buddha said, 'Among the three evils and the four virtues, which one will you use to serve your husband?'
Yuye replied, 'A wife cannot use the three evils in serving her husband. It is the four virtues that can be lived with. From now on, please allow me to be like a maidservant serving my husband.' Yuye then knelt and moved forward on her knees to serve Sudatta, and she treated her husband with the proper conduct of a wife."
佛說阿遬達經
Sutra on the Teaching of Asuda