尼揵問疑品第十四
Chapter 14: Nigrantha's Questions and Doubts
佛從維耶離，與千二百五十比丘僧及千優婆塞俱，詣那難陀國、波和離國。是時國內奉事六師，迷於邪行。城中有豪長者，字阿夷拔提弗，奉事尼揵，精勤第一。聞佛來顧，往詣尼揵所，禮拜如常。尼揵問曰：「卿聞瞿曇來至此不？」對曰：「已聞。」尼揵語曰：「汝往難沙門瞿曇一事，當令如噎。」拔提弗言：「何謂一事乃令不對乎？」曰：「汝難瞿曇：『吾聞沙門，呪願一切，普得飽滿；猥將大眾，來適飢國，費損人食，此大無益。』」
The Buddha traveled from Vaishali, accompanied by a community of twelve hundred and fifty monks and a thousand lay followers, and arrived in the countries of Nalanda and Pataliputra. At that time, the people of these lands served the six heretical teachers and were lost in misguided ways. In the city, there was a wealthy elder named Ajita, who was a devoted follower of the Niganthas and was known for his exceptional diligence. Upon hearing that the Buddha had come, he went to the Niganthas as usual to pay his respects. The Nigantha asked him, "Have you heard that Gautama has arrived here?" He replied, "I have heard." The Nigantha said, "Go and challenge Gautama the ascetic with one question, and it will leave him speechless." Ajita asked, "What question could possibly leave him unable to respond?" The Nigantha said, "Challenge Gautama like this: 'I have heard that ascetics make vows for the well-being of all, wishing that everyone may be satisfied. Yet you bring a large assembly to this land of scarcity, consuming people's food and causing great waste. This brings no benefit at all.'"
拔提弗受命而退，即詣佛所，瞻覩神德威相赫然，弟子法儀恂恂洋洋，敬心踊躍拱袖進前，直揖却坐，而白佛言：「欲請一事，願蒙授解。」佛言：「恣所欲聞。」拔提弗言：「伏聞瞿曇，饒益一切，令得安隱。而將大眾，顧臨飢國，減損民食，費而無益。」佛告阿夷拔提弗言：「吾從九十一劫以來，未聞勸人為福損而無益也！吾聞尊貴富樂本起布施，未有唐捐費而不報也！人行仁義，現世稱傳，後得生天，勸善代喜，福祐隨身。」又告長者：「財有八危，損而無益。何謂為八？一者為官所沒、二者盜賊劫奪、三者火起不覺、四者水所沒溺、五者怨家債主橫見奪取、六者田農不修、七者賈作不知便利、八者惡子博掩用度無道。如是八事，至危難保，八禍當至，非力所制。是故，如來以此因緣，勸人布施，安置福田，深堅難動，水火盜賊，不復得害，壽終生天，衣食自然。」佛告長者：「真言至要，化世愚惑，若不信者，自毀人本，墜墮三塗。若能覺識，改聞易行，遷神無為，所向分明。」
Bhadrika accepted the command and withdrew. He then went to where the Buddha was. Gazing upon the Buddha's majestic spiritual virtue and awe-inspiring presence, and seeing the dignified and harmonious conduct of the disciples, his reverence swelled within him. With sleeves respectfully gathered, he advanced, bowed directly, withdrew to sit, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "I wish to ask about one matter, hoping you will grant me understanding."
The Buddha said: "Ask freely what you wish to hear."
Bhadrika said: "I have heard, Gautama, that you bring benefit to all beings, enabling them to attain peace and security. Yet you lead a great assembly and come to this land of famine, reducing the people's food. This is wasteful and brings no benefit."
The Buddha addressed the Elder Bhadrika, saying: "In the ninety-one kalpas since I have been, I have never heard that encouraging people to perform meritorious deeds results in waste without benefit! I have heard that honor, wealth, and happiness fundamentally arise from generosity; none of it is ever spent in vain without reward! One who practices benevolence and righteousness is praised in the present life, and after death is reborn in the heavens. Encouraging goodness and rejoicing in others' virtue brings blessings and protection that follow one."
The Buddha further told the elder: "Wealth faces eight perils, which cause loss without benefit. What are these eight? First, confiscation by the authorities. Second, seizure by thieves and robbers. Third, destruction by unnoticed fire. Fourth, loss by flooding waters. Fifth, forcible taking by enemies or creditors. Sixth, failure to cultivate farmland. Seventh, engaging in trade without knowing what is advantageous. Eighth, a wicked child who gambles and squanders resources without principle. These eight matters are extremely perilous and difficult to safeguard against. When these eight disasters arrive, they cannot be controlled by one's own power. Therefore, the Tathagata, for this reason, encourages people to practice generosity, to establish their merit in a field of blessings—a field that is deep, firm, and difficult to shake. Flood, fire, thieves, and robbers can no longer harm it. At life's end, one is reborn in the heavens, where clothing and food arise naturally."
The Buddha told the elder: "These true words are the ultimate essential teaching, to transform the world's foolish confusion. Those who do not believe them destroy their own human foundation and will fall into the three wretched paths. If one can awaken to this understanding, change what one hears and alters one's conduct, shifting one's spirit toward the unconditioned, then one's direction will be clear."
阿夷拔提弗聞佛說法，情喜內定，退坐自陳：「愚癡積惑，未識正真，所質非法，實非鄙意。尼揵所遣，奉使不遜，願佛垂恩，原恕罪咎。」佛言：「汝能自覺，此福無量。」長者歡喜復白佛言：「情闇難悟，欲問所疑。」佛言：「隨意所問，今當為汝事事分別。」長者問曰：「伏聞如來慈等普救，不審法教偏駮不等，有得道者、有不得者？抱疑日久，願尊開蒙。」佛言：「善哉問也！諦聽諦受。譬如農夫，宿有二業：一田業高燥肥沃、二田業下濕瘠薄。於春和時，等力興功，下種應節，耘除草穢。至秋獲實，斗斛懸殊。」佛告長者：「人功不偏，所收不等者，地厚薄故也。人聞吾法，信受奉行，如意所得。喻如沃田，所收無數。今比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷者是也！隨意入深，神通無礙，人聞道言，背而不信。喻如下田沒溺不生，今六師尼揵等是也！」
When Ajivaka heard the Buddha’s teaching, his heart was filled with joy and settled in inner peace. He withdrew to his seat and spoke from the depths of his being: “I have long been foolish and confused, not recognizing the true path. The questions I raised were misguided—they did not truly come from my own heart. I was sent by the Nirgrantha teacher, and I spoke with disrespect. I beg the Buddha, in his compassion, to forgive my faults.”
The Buddha said, “That you can realize this yourself brings immeasurable merit.” Delighted, the elder spoke again: “My mind is dim and slow to awaken—I wish to ask about my doubts.” The Buddha replied, “Ask freely. I will explain everything clearly for you.”
The elder asked, “I have heard that the Tathāgata’s compassion saves all equally. Yet it seems the Dharma is not taught uniformly—some attain the Way, while others do not. This doubt has stayed with me for a long time. I beg the Honored One to enlighten me.”
The Buddha said, “Excellent question! Listen closely and receive this well. It is like a farmer who has two fields: one is high, dry, and fertile; the other is low, damp, and poor. In the gentle days of spring, he puts equal effort into both—sowing seeds in season and weeding out the unwanted plants. Yet when autumn comes, the harvest from each field differs greatly.”
The Buddha told the elder, “The farmer’s effort was not partial—the difference in yield came from the richness or poorness of the soil. When people hear my Dharma, believe it, accept it, and practice it, they gain according to their readiness—like the fertile field that yields abundantly. Such are the bhikkhus, bhikkhunīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās of today! They enter deeply as they wish, with unobstructed spiritual powers. But when people hear the teaching and turn away without faith, they are like the poor field—flooded and yielding nothing. Such are the six teachers and the Nirgranthas of today!”
世尊又曰：「譬如有人，持器取水，一器完牢，二者穿壞。若用受水，完者恒滿，穿者漏盡。人聞道教，精進修勤，奉戒不違，嚴勅身口，喻如完器，所受無限。人聞道法，不受不信，加行謗毀，忘失人本，還入惡道，喻如穿器，無所盛貯。」佛告長者：「宿命善行，乃得見佛，雖復尊豪然不信道者，譬如狂華，落不成實。」
The World-Honored One further said: "It is like a person who fetches water with two vessels—one is sound and sturdy, the other is cracked and broken. When used to hold water, the sound vessel remains always full, while the cracked one leaks until empty. When people hear the teachings of the Way, if they practice diligently, uphold the precepts without violation, and strictly guard their body and speech, they are like the sound vessel—what they receive is boundless. But when people hear the Dharma, if they do not accept or believe it, and instead slander and disparage it, forgetting their fundamental human nature and falling back into evil paths, they are like the cracked vessel—unable to hold anything."
The Buddha told the elder: "Only through wholesome actions from past lives can one encounter the Buddha. Yet even those of noble status who do not believe in the Way are like barren flowers that wither without bearing fruit."
拔提弗心喜稱善：「真言感神，所說至誠。」便發無上正真道意，受戒而退。國內一切皆發道意，六師邪術一皆毀廢，天人龍鬼宣明法聲。
Bhadrapala was overjoyed and praised, saying: "These true words move the spirits, and what you have spoken is utterly sincere." He then gave rise to the unsurpassed, true, and perfect intention for enlightenment, received the precepts, and withdrew. Everyone in the kingdom gave rise to the intention for enlightenment, and the six teachers' false arts were all destroyed and abandoned. Gods, humans, dragons, and spirits proclaimed and made clear the sound of the Dharma.