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  1. Buddha Teaches the Path of Practice Sutra (佛說小道地經)
  1. Minor Path Sutra (小道地經)
  2. Buddha Teaches the Path of Practice Sutra (佛說小道地經)

Minor Path Sutra (小道地經)

About 小道地經

Later Han · Source text translated by 支曜

1,565 · about 5 min

The *Xiǎodào Dì Jīng* (Path of the Minor Way Sutra) was translated during the Later Han dynasty by the translator Zhi Yao. It belongs to the early Chinese Buddhist classics of the Dhyāna and Abhidharma tradition. This sutra takes mindfulness of breathing as its core, systematically explaining the specific methods for practitioners to regulate the body, breath, and mind. It covers fundamental teachings such as the Five Aggregates and the Four Noble Truths, emphasizing the attainment of purity of body and mind through the practice of meditation. As an important part of An Shigao's meditation system, it promoted the practice and development of early Chinese meditation contemplation and laid a theoretical foundation for later śamatha-vipaśyanā (calm abiding and insight) practices. It is a key text for studying meditation thought in Chinese Buddhism at the end of the Han dynasty.


小道地經

The Lesser Stages Sutra

後漢天竺三藏支曜譯

Translated by Zhi Yao, Tripitaka Master from India during the Later Han Dynasty

道人求息,所以不得息者,有四因緣。何等為四?一者、怙其善,不曉護戒自欲身;二者、以不護戒便黠意不生,以黠意不生便不知身,以不知身意便惑;三者、不解經,以不解經便不了了,以不了了意便疑;四者、不數校計命福日盡,心自可。用是四因緣故不得息。
道人求息,欲得息者,要當知坐行二事:一者、喘;二者、息。亦在二因緣:一者、為生;二者、為死。何等為喘?何等為息?所起意生為喘,意止為息。何等為生?何等為死?意滅為生,意起為死。要當先知是因緣,當那得分別知因緣所從起盡。
事在四對。何等為四?一者、不知食、多食、不學、不制,貪味過足;二者、意隨色,不諦校計多求自欲,為種苦本;三者、警意蓋起,多睡眠失本念耶,向夢中種栽;四者、疑惑便惡日增,便兩舌墮非,妄瞋恚,身口不相應。為是故,不墮禪棄,當那得近禪?
常數思惟喘息生滅起盡,當持何等意思惟分別?亦在四因緣:一者、近善知識;二者、識受語不妄;三者、貪誦經,晨夜習意;四者、守戒莫離法。息易得。
身有四病:或時地多,身不得安;或時水多,身不得安;或時火多,身不得安;或時風多,身不得安。此四得安,乃得身止。
意有四病:一者、癡多,意不得止;二者、瞋恚多,意不得止;三者、婬多,意不得止;四者、疑多,意不得止。四事不安,意不得止。
息亦有四病:或時多求,息不得止;或時念多,息不得止;或時歡喜多,息不得止;或時喘多,息不得止。道人行道,離是因緣,便得定意。
若身臃腫疥瘡肥盛,欲坐身不得安;或時食多,便火起,身不得安;或時飲多,便水起,身重目澁,身不得安;或時食多已復食,貪味過足,不學不制,便風起不得安,亦謂少食。
若癡多,不宜數入眾人群聚,當先誦經,不宜多聞好自守。若瞋恚多,不宜居家若少所有。若婬多,不宜觀伎樂及諸好色。若疑多,不宜數聞好言善語,常自守思惟責對。若求多,常當念不常,坐起著意。若念多,常當行證我所念皆為苦本。若歡喜多,計不得久,苦在後,當病制。若喘欷多,常當和心,不宜數出麁語,坐作罪。道人行道不識是因緣,終不近道;當能制此,黠意稍增,道易得。
道人求向道,要當知過去念事以過去,莫復念。何以故?復知為種故。譬如種穀,種稻便念當收稻,種豆便念當收豆。何以故?為生故。念亦如是,以種念便生,一切聚在十方,待殃福當受要,不得脫苦。墮殺便種殺,栽盜為種盜,栽婬為種婬,栽兩舌為種兩舌,栽惡口為種惡口,栽妄言為種妄言,栽綺語為種綺語,栽嫉為種嫉,栽瞋恚為種瞋恚,栽疑為種疑栽為。是故數數為念復增念,難得離苦。
當持何離是眾苦?要當禪棄,為不復種是十惡故,雖有餘種會當盡。何以故?譬如種穀,雖多得收,不復種種,但稍稍飯。雖久,飯不止,會有盡時。禪棄亦爾。何以故?不復種故。以墮禪棄,罪稍稍滅。何以故?稍稍禪棄為福,福以生,萬惡皆竟。但種道栽念,道以生便有黠,以有黠便能活人,亦能自活。
道人求向佛道,今世欲曉了知行意者,要在三念:有過去念、未來念、現在念;有福念、有罪念。或時,若讀經行禪,忽念久事曾為人所辱,若侵人墮好色,便因念生意,為作頭足,復增罪不能自制,從是因緣得罪為苦本,是為過去罪念。或時,從禪中若讀經,忽生善念,念素所行苦樂,思惟知不常,是為過去福念。
或時安靜,忽亂念生,念作非常,便失本念。貪婬多求,便作不死念,是為未來罪念。或時,若得安靜,便善念念栽,當從是因緣增黠,是為未來福念。
端在家居自守持戒,便邪念生,當作是念,多畜六畜更增憂失戒,是為現在罪念。以自家居自守持戒,復增善念常欲離,是為現在福念。
求向佛道,當先曉是罪福,乃可增黠。若求羅漢,一切斷,是為求向佛道。但欲增福多黠求羅漢,但欲墮禪滅惡,其黠在後。求佛增福要當多聞;黠要當諷經。欲知其要在護戒,護戒便能解經,便能福人亦能自福。
道人求向佛道,今世欲解菩薩行意者,要當復知是三戒:第一、當知持戒亦守戒;第二、當知不犯戒亦能戒;第三、當知戒曉戒能戒亦護戒。第一當知持戒者,若人有妻子,居家常齋不失,是為持戒;一身無妻子,自守不邪向,是為守戒。第二當知不犯戒者,若人眼視耳聽,能不墮聲色亦餘一切,是為不犯戒。為道寒苦,復為人所辱,能不失本念,是為耐戒,亦應忍辱。第三當知戒者,知某人持某戒,是為知戒。曉戒者,知某人樂道,為父母宗親知識所非嫉,不數數於眾人中曉說戒。能戒者,當知人能應何業,隨力所任授與,能使不失,若增若減應病與藥,是為能戒。護戒者,一切當護,附順當得其意,離惡知識當有護意,欲說十方人非人。若在伎樂、若在婬色,能教多少說善言,能不亂意,復令有福,是為護戒。求向佛道菩薩行業者,要當知是,乃能脫人亦能自脫,復能業人亦能自業。
佛說小道地經

CBETA Code: T0608

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