佛說貧窮老公經
The Sutra of the Elder in Poverty Spoken by the Buddha
宋沙門慧簡譯
Translated by the Song Dynasty Monk Huijian
聞如是：
This is what I have heard:
一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，與千二百五十沙門俱，菩薩萬人。爾時，天龍鬼神、無央數大眾共會，恭敬圍繞，聞佛說法無不歡喜。
Once, the Buddha was in the Jetavana Grove of Anathapindika, in the kingdom of Shravasti, together with twelve hundred and fifty monks and ten thousand bodhisattvas. At that time, a vast assembly of devas, nagas, spirits, and countless beings gathered around him, respectfully listening as the Buddha taught the Dharma, and all rejoiced.
時有一貧窮老公，年二百歲，眉生秀毛，耳出於頭，齒如齊貝，手過於膝，貌而視之，似如有相；而貧窮辛苦，衣不蓋形，五體裸露，腹恒飢虛，行步纔動示有氣息。聞佛在世心獨歡喜，晝夜發願，由來十年今始得果，扶杖而來求欲見佛，釋梵侍門勅不通之。
At that time, there was a poor old man, two hundred years old. His eyebrows grew elegant strands, his ears stood out from his head, his teeth were even like shells, and his hands hung past his knees. To look at him, he seemed to bear auspicious signs—yet he was poor and suffering. His clothes could not cover his body; his limbs were exposed. His belly was always empty and hungry. When he walked, each step seemed to take all his breath.
Hearing that the Buddha was in the world, his heart alone rejoiced. Day and night he made vows; for ten years he had aspired, and only now did he bear fruit. Leaning on his staff, he came seeking to see the Buddha. But Śakra and Brahmā, attending at the gate, ordered that he not be admitted.
老公因大喚曰：「我生世不幸，貧窮辛苦，飢餓寒凍，求死不得，活無所賴。我聞世尊仁慈普逮，萬物蒙賴，莫不受恩，心獨歡喜，晝夜發願，由來十年，今始得果，是以遠來，乞一特見，求離眾苦。而卿斷我，既違我願，又乖聖意，豈宜爾乎？」
佛已知之，顧語阿難：「汝寧見耆年長壽有相老公，而羅罪未畢者乎？」
阿難長跪叉手白佛言：「安有福耆壽而有羅罪，羅罪之人豈得有相？生所未見，今在何許？」
佛言：「近在門外。釋梵斷之，可呼使前。」
於是老公匍匐肘進，見佛悲喜涕淚交流，為佛作禮，長跪叉手白佛言：「我生世不幸，貧窮辛苦，飢餓寒凍，求死不得，活無所賴。我聞世尊仁慈普逮，萬物蒙賴莫不受恩，心獨歡喜，晝夜發心，願一奉顏。由來十年，今始得果，向在門外，久不得前。計欲還去，氣力不堪，進退無路。但恐命絕，穢污聖門，重增其罪。不悟天尊，已哀矜之，得蒙前進，如此而死，無復恨矣！唯欲速終畢罪，後世願得垂恩，賜其上慧。」
Then the elderly man crawled forward on his elbows, using his arms to inch his way. Upon seeing the Buddha, he wept with a mixture of joy and sorrow. He paid respects to the Buddha, then knelt upright, pressed his palms together, and said to the Buddha: "I have been unlucky in this life—poor, suffering, hungry, cold, and miserable. I cannot die, yet I have nothing to rely on to live. I heard that the World-Honored One’s kindness reaches all beings, and that every creature depends on your grace and receives your blessings. My heart was filled with joy, and day and night I made a vow: I wished to see you just once. It has been ten years since then, and only now has that wish come true. Just now I was outside the gate for a long time, unable to get in. I thought about turning back, but I lacked the strength to leave. I was stuck, with no way forward or back. I feared that if I died here, I would defile this sacred gate and add to my sins. I never could have imagined that the Honored One would take pity on me, allowing me to come forward and see you. Even if I die now, I have no regrets. I only hope to end my karmic debts quickly, and in a future life, may I receive your compassion and be granted the supreme wisdom."
佛言：「人之受生生死因緣，以多因緣致有罪根，今我為汝說其本源。卿前世時，生豪強大國明慧王家，時為太子憍貴非凡，上為父母所珍，下為臣民所奉，用此恣意輕𣣋於人。高目大視，矜抗邈然——財產巨億皆是民物，百姓貧窮皆坐課𣫍——唯知聚積，不知布施。
「時有貧寒沙門，名曰靜志，從遠國來故往詣卿，所求不多，唯乏法衣耳。而卿了不當接，遇之甚惡，既不乞衣，又不與食，空坐著前，去復不聽。晝夜七日七夕水漿斷絕，小有氣息，命在轉燭，而卿見此方大歡喜，聚眾看之以為至樂。邊有侍臣，而諫卿曰：『太子莫爾！沙門慈恭、道德內存，凍之不寒，餓之不飢，所以來乞，欲為福耳！既不施與，安使窮逼？幸發遣之，莫招其罪。』
「太子答曰：『此是何人？詐稱道德。試小困之，纔不令死。正爾放去，無所憂也。』即便遣去，驅逐出國。
「未出國界十餘里中，遭逢餓賊，欲殺噉之。沙門因言曰：『我是貧凍沙門，羸瘦骨立，肉既腥臊，不中噉也。空當見殺，而無所任。』
「餓賊曰：『我飢困累日，但食土耳。卿雖小瘦，故是肉也，終不相放，但當就死。』如此前却紛紜良久。
「太子得知，便往救曰：『我已不能乞其衣食，寧當復使餓賊殺之耶？』賊見太子，皆各叩頭首過謝罪，放沙門去。
「時沙門者，今彌勒菩薩是也；憍貴太子者，今卿是也。卿今受此貧窮之罪者，坐前慳貪也；所以得長壽者，活救沙門之命也。罪福報應，如影隨形，如響應聲。」
老公白佛：「去事已爾，願畢於今。願得以垂殘之命，得作沙門，後生世世常侍佛邊。」
佛言：「善哉！善哉！」應時，老公鬚髮墮地，法衣自然著身體，氣力強健，耳目聰明，即得上慧入三昧門。
爾時，世尊以偈頌曰：
「汝昔為太子， 不識仁義方，
憍貴自放恣， 恃為大國王，
自謂無罪福， 以此可保常。
豈悟生死對， 於今受其殃？
從罪復蒙祐， 得覩天中天，
能脫既往罪， 垂命入法門。
永離慳貪心， 長受智慧根，
世世侍佛邊， 保壽萬劫存。」
於是，老公比丘聞經歡喜，為佛作禮。
爾時，世尊顧語阿難：「若有誦斯經者，當見賢劫千佛。行斯經者，令後世宣傳，當從彌勒佛受決。如來廣長舌，所語無有異。」
一切大眾聞佛說已，歡喜受持，為佛作禮。
佛說貧窮老公經