佛說四輩經
Sutra on the Four Kinds of Practitioners Spoken by the Buddha
西晉月氏國三藏竺法護譯
Translated by the Tripitaka Master Zhu Fahu of the Yuezhi Kingdom during the Western Jin Dynasty
聞如是：
Thus have I heard:
一時佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。爾時諸四輩弟子、天帝、龍、鬼神、質諒神，皆詣祇樹，稽首佛足，却就常位坐。
At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove, in the Garden of the Benefactor of the Orphans and the Solitary, in the kingdom of Shravasti. At that time, the fourfold assembly of disciples, along with the Heavenly King Shakra, nagas, spirits, and celestial beings of truth, all came to the Jeta Grove, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, and sat down in their usual places.
佛告諸弟子：「吾今所出經法，所可教誡，皆自各守其意念。末世毒然之時，四輩弟子，若出家、若居家修道，皆狂醉眾色，不復承用佛經法，專愚自用，便使吾道薄淡，令世人謗訕吾道，信是弟子慠慢所致！」鶖鷺子整衣服，叉手，一心聽佛說《四輩經》如是。
The Buddha told his disciples, “The teachings and guidelines I have now given are for each of you to guard your own thoughts and intentions. In the toxic final age, the four groups of disciples—whether monks or lay practitioners—will be crazed and intoxicated by worldly pleasures, no longer following the Buddha’s teachings. They will rely on their own foolishness and stubbornness, causing my path to grow weak and diluted. This will lead people to mock and slander my teachings—brought about by the arrogance of these disciples!” Śāriputra then adjusted his robes, pressed his palms together, and listened with full attention as the Buddha spoke the *Sūtra of the Four Groups*.
佛言：「若末世男子能出家，除剃頭髮為道者，第一去離愛欲，志存大乘，常當慈悲喜護為主，去想行，普念一切蜎飛蠕動之類，視之如身無異，不得妄起恚怒。深入明度，常以明度權便，誘致曚冥，使入無極，以戒德除心穢病，不得為世間之業。能行此者，便可出家，名曰道士。不可依恃吾法，自以出家為信，不專念道。或能有下賤之人，倚道自活，無益一切，而但出意說。為人師主，輕薄戲調，不自撿察，使尊法薄淡，世人不信，非吾出家弟子之法也！」
The Buddha said: "If a person in the final age can leave home to become a monastic, having shaved off their hair to follow the Path, the first thing is to let go of desire and attachment, and to set their mind on the Great Vehicle. Always make compassion, loving-kindness, joy, and protection your foundation. Set aside wandering thoughts and mental projections, and universally regard all living beings—every winged creature, every wriggling worm—as no different from your own body. Do not casually give rise to anger or resentment. Go deep into wisdom, and always use that wisdom and skillful means to guide those lost in darkness, bringing them into the boundless. Use virtuous conduct to purge the mind's defilements, and do not engage in worldly occupations. One who can practice like this may leave home and be called a true seeker of the Way.
Do not rely on my Dharma merely to claim that leaving home is a mark of faith while neglecting to focus on the Path. Some people of low character may lean on the Dharma to make a living, benefiting no one, and only speaking from their own opinions. Acting as teachers and masters, they joke and fool around, never examining themselves, and in so doing they cheapen and dilute the noble teaching so that people in the world lose faith in it. Such behavior is not the way of my renounced disciples!"
佛言：「若有女人出家，除髮為道，以去愛欲，當專精靜處，不得與出家男子同廟止。若行師受，當有等類，不得獨往稟受。常當晚出早還，不得妄出廟宿止。但得教授女人，不得教授男子。所著衣服，不得刻繒帛綵色苾芬。不得輕言戲語，不得貪財寶物，戒行清淨，名曰出家道人。若輕言戲調，未語預笑，心志不寂，意行穢濁，惡口罵詈，輕言不節，不能靜處，憍慢自大，不自撿勅者，雖復出家，故是賤人，非出家弟子也！」
The Buddha said: "If a woman leaves home to become a monastic, shaving her hair to pursue the path, she must set aside desires and attachments. She should dwell quietly and single-mindedly, and must not reside in the same temple as male monastics. If she studies under a teacher, she should go with peers, never alone. She should go out late and return early, and must not stay overnight outside the temple without reason. She may teach women, but not men. Her robes should not be adorned with ornate embroidered fabrics or fragrant scents. She must not speak frivolously or jest, nor crave wealth or treasures. One who upholds pure conduct in body and mind is truly called someone who has left home to pursue the path.
But if someone speaks lightly, jokes at others' expense, laughs before speaking, has a restless mind, impure thoughts, harsh words, and abusive speech, lacks restraint in conversation, cannot abide in stillness, is arrogant and self-important, and makes no effort to discipline herself—such a person, even if she has left home, is still a person of low character, not a true disciple of the Buddha!"
佛言：「若有男子心志繫道，不能出家者，在於愛欲之中，當受持五戒、月六齋。第一孝順父母，治家養子；朝暮燒香、然燈，稽首三尊，悔過十方，恭敬四輩；不得慢輕自大，去離慳貪；常以至誠，不得欺殆世人；不得與世間人妻婦坐起同席、住行相隨、同室異床。除去四事，以四等心普視一切，老者，若父、若母；少者，若弟、若子。恒以明度法藥洗除眾病，不得妄瞋恚、罵詈。常以無極方便誘解世人，使入大乘；不得為新學者說深經、奧妙之義，當為除想識無罣礙者；不得綺飾衣服，不得與世間妻女戲調言語、往來報答。以致因緣，如是者為清淨道人。若行不清淨，貪利財色；或於世俗綺飾衣服，互相翹舉，但結非惡，眄睞所欲；輕言戲調，未語預笑；託己同法，口說妙言；外似清虛，內懷貪惑；心存財帛，以自供給，活於妻子；慢佛，尊經不復修學，反習外道之術——世藥解奏、符呪厭說、療治眾病因緣、外道解奏之術，或於財帛勾束上下，賊意欲得，因解奏之術，不持吾法，當來者却皆由斯輩，是故非吾法學弟子也！」
The Buddha said: "If a man's mind is set on the Path but he cannot renounce the household life, while still living amidst desires, he should uphold the Five Precepts and observe the six monthly fasting days. First, he should be filial to his parents, manage the household, and raise children. Morning and evening, he should burn incense, light lamps, bow to the Three Treasures, repent before the ten directions, and respect the four assemblies. He must not be arrogant or contemptuous, nor cling to greed and stinginess. He should always act with sincerity and never deceive the world. He should not sit or lie with other men's wives, nor walk or dwell alongside them, nor share a room—though they may have separate beds. He should abandon these four wrongdoings and regard all beings with the four boundless minds: treat the elderly as fathers or mothers, and the young as younger brothers or sons. Always use the medicine of wisdom to wash away all afflictions, and never give rise to anger or abusive speech. Constantly employ skillful means to guide and enlighten worldly people, leading them into the Great Vehicle. To those newly learning, do not speak of profound scriptures or esoteric meanings; rather, help them eliminate conceptual thinking and attachments without obstruction. Do not adorn yourself in flashy clothing, nor engage in flirtatious banter or correspondence with worldly women. By avoiding such causes and conditions, one becomes a pure practitioner of the Path.
If one's conduct is impure—craving profit, wealth, and sensual pleasures; adorning oneself in worldly finery; vying for status; forming unwholesome bonds; casting longing glances at desired objects; speaking lightly and jesting, laughing before speaking; claiming fellowship in the Dharma while uttering fine words; outwardly appearing serene and detached yet inwardly harboring greed and delusion; fixating on riches to support oneself and one's wife and children; slighting the Buddha and honoring scriptures without cultivating them, instead practicing heretical arts—worldly remedies, memorials to gods, spells, curses, and incantations—treating illnesses through such means; or using these arts to manipulate superiors and subordinates, scheming for wealth with thieving intent; such people do not uphold my Dharma. Those who turn away in the future will do so because of such persons. Therefore, they are not disciples of my teaching!"
佛言：「若有女人不能出家，在於愛欲之中心樂道者，當持五戒、月六齋。孝順父母、姑嫜、叔妹、夫婿；不得撾罵兒子、婢使；不得輕行，來宿止他家；不得與世間男子語言，調弄譺笑；不得妄瞋恚、罵詈、惡口；不得證說他人惡，不得陷人兒子、妻妾、奴婢過惡；恒當專精念道為上首；不得與世間凡人說法顏貌；不得與人男子相斥，不得教他人男子；不得說世間吉凶、善惡、災變之相；不得憍慢自大；晝夜三時燒香，稽首三尊，悔過十方，稟受經行，言數自勸；不得希望供養、貪利、財帛；不得嫉妬夫主，當自賤女人身，願為男子轉身受福，可得上天宮觀自然。是清信女人學道之法。若不孝順，憍慢姑嫜，嫉妬夫主，撾罵奴婢，造惡自是，怨恨、恚怒、毒意向人，行者如是，是為非法學女人弟子也！」
The Buddha said: "If a woman is unable to renounce the household life, yet her heart delights in the Path while still dwelling amidst love and desire, she should uphold the five precepts and observe the six monthly fasting days. She should be filial to her parents, and respectful to her in-laws, younger siblings, and husband. She must not strike or scold her children or servants. She must not go out lightly or stay overnight in others' homes. She must not engage in frivolous talk or flirtatious banter with worldly men. She must not give way to groundless anger, abusive speech, or harsh words. She must not slander others or expose the faults of others' sons, wives, concubines, or servants. She should always devote herself single-mindedly to mindfulness of the Path as the foremost priority. She should not present herself attractively when speaking with worldly people. She must not trade insults with men nor instruct other men. She should not prognosticate about worldly fortune or misfortune, good or evil, or portents of calamity. She must not be arrogant or self-important. Morning, noon, and night—three times daily—she should burn incense, bow in reverence to the Three Jewels, repent before the ten directions, receive and recite the scriptures, and constantly encourage herself. She should not hope for offerings, crave profit, or grasp after wealth. She must not be jealous of her husband. Rather, she should regard her own female body as humble, and aspire to be reborn as a man in the future, so as to receive blessings and be able to ascend to celestial palaces naturally. This is the way a pure-hearted woman who follows the Path should practice.
If she is unfilial, arrogant toward her in-laws, jealous of her husband, strikes and scolds her servants, commits wrongdoings and insists she is right, bears resentment, rage, or harbors malicious intent toward others—one who conducts herself this way is not a true female disciple of the Dharma!"
佛告諸弟子：「清慎汝心，守護身口，恒以四等濟眾生已，道寶之慧恩施一切，如佛教誡，必得度世！」
The Buddha told his disciples, "Guard your minds with clarity and care, protect your words and actions. Always use the four boundless virtues to aid all beings, and share the treasure of the Path and the light of wisdom with everyone. Follow these teachings, and you will surely reach liberation!"
弟子諸來會者，聞佛說經，歡喜奉行，作禮而去。
The disciples who had gathered to hear the Buddha preach the sutra were overjoyed and resolved to practice it. They paid their respects and departed.
佛說四輩經
Sutra on the Four Kinds of Practitioners Spoken by the Buddha