(一二) 第二分三聚經第八

Sutra 12 Doctrines in Groups of Three

如是我聞：

Thus have I heard.

一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。

At one time, the Buddha sojourned at the monastery built by Anāthapiṇḍika in the Jetavana Forest accompanied by one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikṣus.

爾時，世尊告諸比丘：

「我與汝等說微妙法，義味清淨，梵行具足，謂三聚法。

At that time, the World-honored One said to the bhikṣus: I shall exhort on the subject of the subtle [supreme] Dharma.

Whatever I explain to you is endowed with meaning and pure and genuine essence, and it is well balanced in respect to the practice of austerity.

This is called the "teaching comprised of three groups of doctrine."

汝等諦聽！

思惟念之！

當為汝說。」

You should listen attentively and contemplate and remember what I explain to you.

時，諸比丘受教而聽。

The following is the teaching.

The bhikṣus were then attentive and ready to listen.

佛告比丘：

「三法聚者，一法趣惡趣。

一法趣善趣。

一法趣涅槃。

The Buddha said to the bhikṣus: The threefold doctrinal collection is comprised of three groups of doctrinal items.

The first group of doctrinal items define the path that leads to an evil life course, the second group of doctrinal items define the path that leads to a good life course, and the third group of doctrinal items define the path that leads to nirvana.

云何一法趣于惡趣？

What is a singular item that leads to an evil life course?

謂無仁慈，懷毒害心，是謂一法將向惡趣。

It is merciless malice toward others, which directs a person toward an evil life course.

云何一法趣于善趣？

What is a singular item that leads to a good life course?

謂不以惡心加於眾生，是為一法將向善趣。

It is merciful compassion toward other sentient beings, which directs a person toward a good life course.

云何一法趣于涅槃？

What is a singular item that directs a person to the goal of nirvana?

謂能精勤，修身念處，是為一法將向涅槃。

It is the practice of mental awareness of one's inner and outer physical senses with strenuous effort.

This directs a person toward nirvana.

「復有二法趣向惡趣，復有二法趣向善趣，復有二法趣向涅槃。

Again, there is a double doctrinal item that leads to an evil life course, a second double doctrinal item that leads to a good life course, and a third double doctrinal item that leads to nirvana.

云何二法趣向惡趣？

What are the two doctrinal items that lead to an evil life course?

一謂毀戒，二謂破見。

One is the transgression of precepts and associating with the wicked, and another is breaking away from right views.

云何二法趣向善趣？

What are the two doctrinal items that lead to a good life course?

一謂戒具，二謂見具。

One is adherence to the precepts and the other is adherence to right views.

云何二法趣向涅槃？

What are the two doctrinal items that lead to nirvana?

一謂為止，二謂為觀。

One is the practice of calming the mind and the other is the practice of analytical introspection.

「復有三法趣向惡趣，三法向善趣，三法向涅槃。

Again, a triple doctrine leads to an evil life course, a second triple doctrine leads to a good life course, and a third triple doctrine leads to nirvana.

云何三法向惡趣？

What are the three doctrinal items that lead to an evil life course?

謂三不善根：貪不善根、恚不善根、癡不善根。

They are the three kinds of morally unfavorable roots: greed, hatred, and delusion.

云何三法向善趣？

What are the three doctrinal items that lead to a good life course?

謂三善根：無貪善根、無恚善根、無癡善根。

They are the three kinds of morally good roots: the absence of greed, hatred, and delusion.

云何三法趣向涅槃？

What are the three doctrinal items that lead to nirvana?

謂三三昧：空三昧、無相三昧、無作三昧。

They are the practice of the threefold concentration: concentration on the emptiness of the self and things attributed to it; concentration on signlessness or the nondifferentiation of things; and concentration on a non-purposeful or goal-free state of existence.

「又有四法趣向惡趣，四法向善趣，四法向涅槃。

Again, a fourfold doctrine leads to an evil life course, a second fourfold doctrine leads to a good life course, and a third fourfold doctrine leads to nirvana.

云何四法向惡趣？

What are the four doctrinal items that lead to an evil life course?

謂愛語、恚語、怖語、癡語。

They are first, uttering words of amorous passion; second, uttering hateful words; third, uttering frightening words; and fourth, uttering delusory words.

云何四法向善趣？

What are the four doctrinal items that lead to a good life course?

謂不愛語、不恚語、不怖語、不癡語。

They are: first, words uttered in the absence of amorous passion; second, words uttered in the absence of hatred; third, words uttered in the absence of fearfulness, and fourth, words uttered in the absence of delusion.

云何四法向涅槃？

What are the fourfold doctrinal items that lead to nirvana?

謂四念處：身念處、受念處、意念處、法念處。

They are the four applications of mental awareness in the following: first, the inner and outer physical senses; second, sensation or feeling; third, the mind or intellect; and fourth, the psychophysical elements (aggregates).

「復有五法向惡趣，五法向善趣，五法向涅槃。

Again, a fivefold doctrine leads to an evil life course, a second fivefold doctrine leads to a good life course, and a third fivefold doctrine leads to nirvana.

云何五法向惡趣？

What are the five doctrinal items that lead to an evil life course?

謂破五戒：殺、盜、婬逸、妄語、飲酒。

They consist of violation of the five precepts, i.e., taking life, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, speaking falsehoods, and states of indolence arising from [the use of] intoxicants.

云何五法向善趣？

What are the five doctrinal items that lead to a good life course?

謂持五戒：不殺、不盜、不婬、不欺、不飲酒。

They consist of strict adherence to the five precepts: abstinence from taking life, from taking what is not given, from sexual misconduct, from speaking falsehoods, and from states of indolence arising from [the use of] intoxicants.

云何五法趣向涅槃？

What are the five doctrinal items that lead to nirvana?

謂五根：信根、精進根、念根、定根、慧根。

They are the five kinds of spiritual faculties: faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and insight.

「又有六法向惡趣，六法向善趣，六法向涅槃。

Again, a sixfold doctrine leads to an evil life course, a second sixfold doctrine leads to a good life course, and a third sixfold doctrine leads to nirvana.

云何六法向惡趣？

What are the six doctrinal items that lead to an evil life course?

謂六不敬：不敬佛、不敬法、不敬僧、不敬戒、不敬定、不敬父母。

They are six kinds of disrespect: toward the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; toward the precepts; toward concentration; and toward one's parents.

云何六法向善趣？

What are those six doctrinal items that lead to a good life course?

謂六敬法：敬佛、敬法、敬僧、敬戒、敬定、敬父母。

They are six kinds of respect: toward the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; toward the precepts; toward concentration; and toward one's parents.

云何六法向涅槃？

What are those six doctrinal items that lead to nirvana?

謂六思念：念佛、念法、念僧、念戒、念施、念天。

They are the six objects of mindfulness or recollection: being mindful of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; being mindful of the precepts; being mindful of charity; and being mindful of divinity.

「又有七法向惡趣，七法向善趣，七法向涅槃。

Again, a sevenfold doctrine leads to an evil life course, a second sevenfold doctrine leads to a good life course, and a third sevenfold doctrine leads to nirvana.

云何七法向惡趣？

What are the seven doctrinal items that lead to an evil life course?

謂殺生、不與取、婬逸、妄語、兩舌、惡口、綺語。

They are seven evil actions: taking life; taking what is not given; sexual misconduct; false speech; duplicitous speech; harsh speech; and frivolous sycophancy.

云何七法向善趣？

What are those seven doctrinal items that lead to a good life course?

謂不殺生、不盜、不婬、不欺、不兩舌、不惡口、不綺語。

They are seven good actions: abstinence from taking life, abstinence from taking what is not given, abstinence from sexual misconduct, abstinence from false speech, abstinence from duplicitous speech, abstinence from harsh speech; and abstinence from frivolous sycophancy.

云何七法向涅槃？

What are the seven doctrinal items that lead to nirvana?

謂七覺意：念覺意、擇法覺意、精進覺意、猗覺意、定覺意、喜覺意、捨覺意。

They are seven auxiliary disciplines of enlightenment.

First, a bhikṣu practices the discipline of mindfulness on the basis of nondesire and quiescence, distancing [himself from worldly matters].

In like manner, second, he practices the discipline of discernment of the psychophysical elements; third, he practices the discipline of effort; fourth, he practices the discipline of delight; fifth, he practices the discipline of freedom from bodily and mental disturbance; sixth, he practices the discipline of the practice of concentration; and seventh, he practices the discipline of the mind of equanimity on the basis of nondesire and quiescence, distancing [himself from worldly matters].

「又有八法向惡趣，八法向善趣，八法向涅槃。

Again, an eightfold doctrine leads to an evil life course, a second eightfold doctrine leads to a good life course, and a third eightfold doctrine leads to nirvana.

云何八法向惡趣？

What are the eight doctrinal items that lead to an evil life course?

謂八邪行：邪見、邪志、邪語、邪業、邪命、邪方便、邪念、邪定。

They are eight kinds of wrong conduct (i.e., counter to the eightfold noble path): wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong concentration.

云何八法向善趣？

What are the eight doctrinal items that lead to a good life course?

謂世正見：正志、正語、正業、正命、正方便、正念、正定。

They are the eight criteria of the secular world: gain and loss; infamy and fame; praise and blame; and suffering and happiness.

云何八法向涅槃？

What are those eight doctrinal items that lead to nirvana?

謂八賢聖道：正見、正志、正語、正業、正命、正方便、正念、正定。

They are the eightfold noble path: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.

「又有九法向惡趣，九法向善趣，九法向涅槃。

Again, a ninefold doctrine leads to an evil life course, a second ninefold doctrine leads to a good life course, and a third ninefold doctrine leads to nirvana.

云何九法向惡趣？

What are the nine doctrinal items that lead to an evil life course?

謂九惱：有人已侵惱我，今侵惱我，當侵惱我；

They are the nine kinds of hatred.

First a person hates someone, thinking "He abused me in the past."

Second, he hates someone, thinking "He is abusing me now."

Third, he hates someone, thinking "He will surely abuse me in the future."

我所愛者，已侵惱，今侵惱，當侵惱；

Fourth, a person hates someone, thinking "He abused someone I love."

Fifth, he hates someone, thinking "He is abusing someone I love now."

Seventh, he hates someone, thinking "He will surely abuse someone I love in the future."

我所憎者，已愛敬，今愛敬，當愛敬。

Seventh, a person hates someone, thinking "He associated with someone I hate."

Eighth, he hates someone, thinking "He is now associating with someone I hate."

Ninth, a person hates someone, thinking "He will associate with someone I hate [in the future]."

云何九法向善趣？

What are the nine doctrinal items that lead to a good life course?

謂九無惱：彼已侵我，我惱何益？

They are the nine kinds of subduing hatred.

First, a person subdues his hatred for someone, thinking "This person abused me in the past, but what benefit is there in my holding a grudge against him?

已不生惱，今不生惱，當不生惱；

I have already subdued my hatred."

Second, he thinks "I am now subduing my hatred."

Third, he thinks "I will subdue my hatred in the future."

我所愛者，彼已侵惱，我惱何益？

Fourth, a person subdues his hatred for someone, thinking "This person abused someone I love, but what benefit is there in my holding a grudge against him?

已不生惱，今不生惱，當不生惱；

I have already subdued my hatred."

Fifth, he thinks "I am now subduing my hatred."

Sixth, he thinks "I will surely subdue my hatred in the future."

我所憎者，彼已愛敬，我惱何益？

Seventh, a person subdues his hatred for someone, thinking "Though this person befriended someone I hate, what benefit is there in my holding a grudge against him?

已不生惱，當不生惱，今不生惱。

I have already subdued my hatred."

Eighth, he thinks "I am now subduing my hatred."

Ninth, he thinks "I will subdue my hatred in the future."

云何九法向涅槃？

What are the nine doctrinal items that lead to nirvana?

謂九善法，一喜，二愛，三悅，四樂，五定，六實知，七除捨，八無欲，九解脫。

They are the nine roots of proper mental attention: delight, devotion, joy, happiness, concentration, absolute knowledge, the eradication [of defilement] and the maintenance of equanimity, absence of desire, and liberation.

「又有十法向惡趣，十法向善趣，十法向涅槃。

Again, a tenfold doctrine leads to an evil life course, a second tenfold doctrine leads to a good life course, and a third tenfold doctrine leads to nirvana.

云何十法向惡趣？

What are the ten doctrinal items that lead to an evil life course?

謂十不善：身殺、盜、婬，口兩舌、惡罵、妄言、綺語，意貪取、嫉妬、邪見。

They are the ten kinds of wrongful deeds: taking life, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, speaking falsehoods, duplicitous speech, harsh speech, flattery, covetousnes, malicious intent, and wrong views.

云何十法向善趣？

What are the ten doctrinal items that lead to a good life course?

謂十善行：身不殺、盜、婬，口不兩舌、惡罵、妄言、綺語，意不貪取、嫉妬、邪見。

They are the ten kinds of good deeds: not taking life, not taking what is not given, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not speaking falsehoods, not enaging in duplicitous speech, not engaging in harsh speech, not engaging in flattery, not being covetous, not having malicious intent, and not holding wrong views.

云何十法向涅槃？

What are the ten doctrinal items that lead to nirvana?

謂十直道：正見、正志、正語、正業、正命、正方便、正念、正定、正解脫、正智。

They are the ten direct paths: right view, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration, right liberation, and right wisdom.

諸比丘！

如是十法，得至涅槃，是名三聚微妙正法，我為如來、為眾弟子所應作者，無不周備，憂念汝等，故演經道；

O bhikṣus, you should be able to reach nirvana through the practice of these ten doctrinal disciplines.

These are called the sublime right doctrines in groups of three.

From the time I realized the status of a tathāgata I have continued to accomplish and complete that which should be done for the benefit of my disciples.

Concerned with your destinies, I have continued to teach you the [doctrinal] scriptures and the [practical] path.

汝等亦宜自憂其身，當處閑居、樹下思惟，勿為懈怠，今不勉力，後悔無益。」

You should be concerned about your destinies.

You should always stay in a secluded place, such as under a tree, and never slacken in the practice of contemplation.

If you do not work hard toward your religious goals now, what use is there in having regrets later on?

諸比丘聞佛所說，歡喜奉行。

Having listened to the Buddha's exhortation, the bhikṣus were delighted and carried out what was taught by the Buddha.