（四）中阿含七法品水喻經第四(初一日誦)
Sutra 4: Water Parable (from the Seven Dharma Section, Medium-Length Discourses)
我聞如是：
Thus have I heard:
一時，佛遊舍衛國，在勝林給孤獨園。爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「我當為汝說七水人。諦聽，諦聽！善思念之。」時，諸比丘受教而聽。
Once, the Buddha was traveling through the kingdom of Shravasti, staying at the Jeta Grove in Anathapindika’s Garden. At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the monks: "I will teach you about seven types of people in the water. Listen carefully and reflect deeply on this." The monks listened respectfully and received his instruction.
佛言：「云何為七？或有一人常臥水中；或復有人出水還沒；或復有人出水而住；或復有人出水而住，住已而觀；或復有人出水而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡；或復有人出水而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸；或復有人出水而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已，謂住岸人。如是，我當復為汝說七水喻人。諦聽，諦聽！善思念之。」時，諸比丘受教而聽。
The Buddha said, "What are these seven? There is the one who stays submerged in the water. There is the one who comes up but goes under again. There is the one who comes up and stays. There is the one who, coming up and staying, looks around. There is the one who, coming up and staying, looks around, and then crosses. There is the one who, coming up and staying, looks around, crosses, and reaches the other shore. Finally, there is the one who, coming up and staying, looks around, crosses, reaches the other shore, and once there, is called a person who dwells on the shore. In this way, I will explain to you further the seven similes of people in the water. Listen closely, listen closely! Reflect on it well." At that time, the monks heeded this instruction and listened.
佛言：「云何為七？或有人常臥；或復有人出已還沒；或復有人出已而住；或復有人出已而住，住已而觀；或復有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡；或復有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸；或復有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已，謂住岸梵志。此七水喻人，我略說也。如上所說，如上施設。汝知何義？何所分別？有何因緣？」
The Buddha said: "What are the seven? Some people lie down floating in the water. Some climb out of the water but then go back under. Some climb out and stay on the surface. Some climb out, stay on the surface, and then look around. Some climb out, stay on the surface, look around, and then swim across. Some climb out, stay on the surface, look around, swim across, and reach the far shore. And some climb out, stay on the surface, look around, swim across, reach the far shore, and once on the far shore, are called 'shore-dwelling sages.'
This is the brief teaching of the seven water-parable people. As I have spoken and set forth, what meaning do you see in this? How do you understand it? What is the reason behind it?"
時，諸比丘白世尊曰：「世尊為法本，世尊為法主，法由世尊，唯願說之，我等聞已，得廣知義。」
Then the monks said to the World-Honored One: "World-Honored One, you are the source of the Dharma. You are the master of the Dharma. The Dharma comes from you. We only wish that you would teach it, so that after hearing it, we may understand its meaning widely."
佛便告曰：「汝等諦聽！善思念之。我當為汝分別其義。」時，諸比丘受教而聽。
The Buddha then said to them, "Listen carefully. Reflect on what you hear. I will explain the meaning to you." The monks listened respectfully, ready to receive his teachings.
佛言：「云何有人常臥？謂或有人為不善法之所覆蓋，染汙所染，受惡法報，造生死本，是謂有人常臥。猶人沒溺，臥于水中，我說彼人亦復如是，是謂初水喻人，世間諦如有也。
The Buddha said: "Why do I speak of someone as being 'always asleep'? It means that such a person is covered by unwholesome influences, stained by defilements, receiving karmic consequences for harmful actions, and creating the very basis for further rebirth and suffering. This is what I mean by someone being 'always asleep.' Such a person is like someone submerged in water or lying down in it. I say this person is just like that. This is the first 'water metaphor' for a type of person, and it is a true account of how things are in the world."
「云何有人出已還沒？謂人既出，得信善法，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，修習善法，彼於後時失信不固，失持戒、布施、多聞、智慧而不堅固，是謂有人出已還沒。猶人溺水，既出還沒，我說彼人亦復如是，是謂第二水喻人，世間諦如有也。
Why is someone described as having gotten out only to sink back in? This refers to a person who has developed faith in wholesome teachings, upheld ethical discipline, practiced generosity, pursued learning, cultivated wisdom, and engaged in virtuous deeds. However, later on, their faith wavers and becomes unstable. They lose their commitment to discipline, generosity, learning, and wisdom, and these qualities no longer remain firm in them. Such a person is called one who has gotten out only to sink back in. It is like someone drowning in water who surfaces for air but then goes under again. This person is the same, I say. This is the second water simile, truly found in the world.
「云何有人出已而住？謂人既出，得信善法，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，修習善法，彼於後時信固不失，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，堅固不失，是謂有人出已而住，猶人溺水，出已而住，我說彼人亦復如是，是謂第三水喻人，世間諦如有也。
"How is it that a person has emerged and then stays? It means that after emerging, a person gains faith in good teachings, and practices moral discipline, generosity, learning, and wisdom, cultivating wholesome qualities. Later on, their faith remains firm and is not lost; their moral discipline, generosity, learning, and wisdom remain firm and are not lost. This is how a person has emerged and then stays. Just like someone who was drowning, has emerged, and then stays — I say that person is likewise such. This is the third type of person compared to water, and such people truly exist in the world."
「云何有人出已而住，住已而觀？謂人既出，得信善法，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，修習善法，彼於後時信固不失，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，堅固不失，住善法中，知苦如真，知苦習、知苦滅、知苦滅道如真。彼如是知、如是見，三結便盡，謂身見、戒取、疑，三結已盡，得須陀洹，不墮惡法，定趣正覺，極受七有，天上、人間七往來已，便得苦際，是謂有人出已而住，住已而觀。猶人溺水，出已而住，住已而觀，我說彼人亦復如是，是謂第四水喻人，世間諦如有也。
"How is it that a person, having emerged, stays, and having stayed, looks around? Suppose a person, having emerged, gains faith in wholesome teachings—moral discipline, generosity, learning, and wisdom—and cultivates wholesome practices. Later, that faith becomes firm and does not decline; moral discipline, generosity, learning, and wisdom become solid and do not decline. They abide in wholesome teachings and truly understand suffering as it is, truly understand the origin of suffering, truly understand the cessation of suffering, and truly understand the path leading to the cessation of suffering.
Knowing thus and seeing thus, the three fetters are exhausted—namely, identity-view, attachment to precepts, and doubt. With the three fetters exhausted, they attain stream-entry, never falling into unwholesome states, and are firmly headed toward right awakening. They will undergo at most seven more existences, wandering seven times among gods and humans, and then reach the end of suffering. This is what is meant by a person who, having emerged, stays, and having stayed, looks around.
Just as a person drowning in water, having emerged, stays, and having stayed, looks around—I say that person is likewise. This is what is meant by the fourth person in the water simile, which truly exists in the world."
「云何有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡？謂人既出，得信善法，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，修習善法。彼於後時信固不失，持戒，布施、多聞、智慧，堅固不失，住善法中，知苦如真，知苦習、知苦滅、知苦滅道如真，如是知、如是見，三結便盡，謂身見、戒取、疑，三結已盡，婬、怒、癡薄，得一往來天上、人間，一往來已，便得苦際，是謂有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡。猶人溺水，出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，我說彼人亦復如是，是謂第五水喻人，世間諦如有也。
"How is it that a person emerges and then stays, stays and then observes, observes and then crosses over? It means that a person, having emerged, gains faith in good teachings, upholds moral discipline, practices generosity, listens widely, and cultivates wisdom, training in wholesome practices. Later, their faith becomes firm and is not lost; their moral discipline, generosity, wide learning, and wisdom become solid and are not lost. Established in wholesome teachings, they truly understand suffering, truly understand the origin of suffering, truly understand the cessation of suffering, and truly understand the path to the cessation of suffering. Knowing thus and seeing thus, the three fetters are exhausted — namely, identity view, attachment to precepts, and doubt. With the three fetters exhausted, lust, hatred, and delusion are weakened. They attain one more return to the heavens and the human realm; having returned once more, they reach the end of suffering. This is how a person emerges and then stays, stays and then observes, observes and then crosses over. Just as a person drowning in water emerges and then stays, stays and then observes, observes and then crosses over — I say that person is likewise. This is the fifth person compared to water, and this is truly so in the world."
「云何有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸？謂人既出，得信善法，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，修習善法，彼於後時信固不失，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，堅固不失，住善法中，知苦如真，知苦習、知苦滅、知苦滅道如真，如是知、如是見，五下分結盡，謂貪欲、瞋恚、身見、戒取、疑，五下分結盡已，生於彼間，便般涅槃，得不退法，不還此世，是謂有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸。猶人溺水，出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，我說彼人亦復如是，是謂第六水喻人，世間諦如有也。
「云何有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已謂住岸梵志？謂人既出，得信善法，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，修習善法，彼於後時信固不失，持戒、布施、多聞、智慧，堅固不失，住善法中，知苦如真，知苦習、知苦滅、知苦滅道如真，如是知、如是見，欲漏心解脫，有漏、無明漏心解脫，解脫已，便知解脫，生已盡，梵行已立，所作已辦，不更受有，知如真，是謂有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已，謂住岸梵志。猶人溺水，出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已，謂住岸人。我說彼人亦復如是，是謂第七水喻人，世間諦如有也。我向所言，當為汝說七水人者，因此故說。」
佛說如是。彼諸比丘聞佛所說，歡喜奉行。
水喻經第四竟(千三百八十八字)