The Numerical Discourses
Chapter 16: The Fire Extinguished
| （六） 有二 | 6. Two Things |
|---|---|
| 聞如是： 一時，佛在舍衛國、祇樹、給孤獨園。 | 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī. |
| 爾時，世尊告諸比丘： 「我當與汝等說微妙法，初善、中善、至竟亦善，有義、有味得修具足梵行之法，所謂二法也。 諦聽！諦聽，善思念之。 吾當與汝具足說之。」 | 2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “I will teach all of you two things about the subtle Dharma that’s good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, and that has the content and expression that fully cultivates the way of the religious life. Listen closely! Listen closely, and consider it well. I will give you a full explanation of this.” |
| 諸比丘對曰： 「如是，世尊！」 是時，諸比丘從佛受教。 | The monks replied, “Yes, Bhagavān.” The monks then accepted the Buddha’s teaching. |
| 世尊告曰： 「彼云何為二法？ 所謂邪見、正見，邪治、正治，邪語、正語，邪業、正業，邪命、正命，邪方便、正方便，邪念、正念，邪三昧、正三昧。 是謂比丘名為二法。 我今已與汝說此二法，如來所應為者，今已周訖。 善念、觀、誦，勿有懈惓。 今不行者，後悔無及。」 | 3. The Bhagavān said, “What are the two things? They are wrong view and right view, wrong control and right control, wrong speech and right speech, wrong action and right action, wrong livelihood and right livelihood, wrong method and right method, wrong mindfulness and right mindfulness, and wrong samādhi and right samādhi.2 These, monks, are called the two things. Now, I’ve given you an explanation of these two things as a Tāthagata should, and now I am finished. Remember, contemplate, and recite it well,3 and don’t be lazy about it. If this isn’t done now, there’ll be no comparison for your regret later.” |
| 爾時，諸比丘聞佛所說歡喜，奉行。 | 4. When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved. |
Notes
For the source text, cf. T125.2.580b2-14. I’m not aware of any direct parallels for this sūtra. [back]
right control … right method. C. 正治⋯正方便, P. sammā saṅkappa … sammā vāyāma. These two items, which are typically translated as “right intention” or “thought” and “right effort,” seem to have been difficult words to translate to Chinese. This is evidenced by the inconsistency between translations compared to the other six items in the eightfold path. It might also indicate that the words in the Indic texts varied, but I have not seen direct evidence of this. [back]
remember, contemplate, and recite it well. C. 善念、觀、誦. The next sūtra, EĀ 16.7, has the same conclusion, but there the phrase reads “remember and recite (from memory) well” (善念、諷誦). The passage here may well be corrupt and should be amended, but I have left it as-is for the time being. [back]
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 15 November 2024
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