The Medium Discourses
Chapter 3: Related to Śāriputra
| （二五） 舍梨子相應品 水喻經 第五 (初一日誦) | 25. The Water Parable (2) |
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| 我聞如是： 一時，佛遊舍衛國，在勝林、給孤獨園。 | 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha traveled to the country of Śrāvastī and stayed at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove. |
| 爾時，尊者舍梨子告諸比丘： 「諸賢，我今為汝說五除惱法。 諦聽！諦聽，善思念之。」 彼諸比丘受教而聽。 | 2. It was then that Venerable Śāriputra addressed the monks, “Venerables, now I will teach you the five ways to eliminate irritation.2 Listen closely! Listen closely, and consider it well.” Those monks accepted the teaching and listened. |
| 尊者舍梨子言： 「云何為五？ 諸賢，或有一人身不淨行，口淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，應當除之。 復次，諸賢，或有一人口不淨行，身淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，應當除之。 復次，諸賢，或有一人身不淨行，口不淨行，心少有淨。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，應當除之。 復次，諸賢，或有一人身不淨行⋯口⋯意不淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，應當除之。 復次，諸賢，或有一人身淨行⋯口⋯意淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，應當除之。 | 3. Venerable Śāriputra said, “What are the five? Venerables, there might be someone whose physical conduct is impure, but their verbal conduct is pure. If a wise person is angered by seeing this, they should eliminate that anger. Furthermore, Venerables, there might be someone whose verbal conduct is impure, but their physical conduct is pure. If a wise person is angered by seeing this, they should eliminate that anger. Furthermore, Venerables, there might be someone whose physical and verbal conduct is impure, but their mind has some purity.3 If a wise person is angered by seeing this, they should eliminate that anger. Furthermore, Venerables, there might be someone whose physical, verbal, and mental conduct is impure. If a wise person is angered by seeing this, they should eliminate that anger. Furthermore, Venerables, there might be someone whose physical, verbal, and mental conduct is pure. If a wise person is angered by seeing this, they should eliminate that anger. |
| 「諸賢，或有一人身不淨行，口淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，當云何除？ 諸賢，猶如阿練若比丘持糞掃衣。 見糞聚中所棄弊衣，或大便污，或小便、涕、唾及餘不淨之所染污。 見已，左手執之，右手舒張。 若非大便、小便、涕唾及餘不淨之所污處，又不穿者，便裂取之。 | 4. “Venerables, there might be someone whose physical conduct is impure, but their verbal conduct is pure. If a wise person is angered by seeing this, how should they eliminate that anger? Venerables, it’s like a forest monk4 who takes discarded clothes from rubbish. He sees some discarded clothes in a pile of rubbish that are stained by excrement, urine, phlegm, or some other impurity. Having seen it, he holds it in his left hand and spreads it out with his right hand. He then tears off and takes what’s not stained by excrement, urine, phlegm, or some other impurity and doesn’t have holes. |
| 「如是，諸賢，或有一人身不淨行，口淨行。 莫念彼身不淨行也。 但當念彼口之淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，應如是除。 | 5. “In this way, Venerables, there might be someone whose physical conduct is impure, but their verbal conduct is pure. Don’t think about their impure physical conduct. Just think about their pure verbal conduct. If a wise person is angered by what they see, they should eliminate that anger in this way. |
| 「諸賢，或有一人口不淨行，身淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，當云何除？ 諸賢，猶村外不遠，有深水池，藳草所覆。 若有人來，熱極、煩悶、飢渴、頓乏，風熱所逼。 彼至池已，脫衣置岸，便入池中。 兩手披藳，恣意快浴，除熱、煩悶、飢渴、頓乏。 | 6. “Venerables, there might be someone whose verbal conduct is impure, but their physical conduct is pure. If a wise person is angered by seeing this, how should they eliminate that anger? Venerables, it’s like a deep water near a village that’s hidden by moss and grass.5 Suppose someone comes along who is hot, distressed, hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and oppressed by wind and heat. Once they reach the water, they leave their clothes on the shore and wade into the pool. Parting the moss and grass with both hands, they bathe there as much as they like, which eliminates their fever, distress, hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. |
| 「如是，諸賢，或有一人口不淨行，身有淨行。 莫念彼口不淨行。 但當念彼身之淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，應如是除。 | 7. “In this way, Venerables, there might be someone whose verbal conduct is impure, but their physical conduct is pure. Don’t think about their impure verbal conduct. Just think about their pure physical conduct. If a wise person is angered by what they see, they should eliminate that anger in this way. |
| 「諸賢，或有一人身不淨行，口不淨行，心少有淨。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，當云何除？ 諸賢，猶四衢道，有牛跡水。 若有人來，熱、極煩悶、飢渴、頓乏、風熱所逼。 彼作是念： 『此四衢道牛跡少水，我若以手、以葉取者，則擾渾濁，不得除我熱極煩悶、飢渴頓乏。 我寧可跪，手膝拍地，以口飲水。』 彼即長跪，手膝拍地，以口飲水。 彼即得除熱極、煩悶、飢渴、頓乏。 | 8. “Venerables, there might be someone whose physical and verbal conduct is impure, but their mind has some purity. If a wise person is angered by seeing this, how should they eliminate that anger? Venerables, it’s like a puddle in a cow’s footprint in an four-way intersection. Suppose someone comes along who is hot, distressed, hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and oppressed by wind and heat. They think, ‘This little puddle of water in this intersection would be stirred up and become muddy if I scoop it up with my hands or a leaf, and then it won’t eliminate my fever, distress, hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. I’d better kneel down on my hands and knees and drink from it with my mouth.’ They then kneel down on their hands and knees and drink from it with their mouth. Then, they can eliminate their fever, distress, hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. |
| 「如是，諸賢，或有一人身不淨行，口不淨行，心少有淨。 莫得念彼身不淨行，口不淨行。 但當念彼心少有淨。 諸賢，若慧者見，設生恚惱，應如是除。 | 9. “In this way, Venerables, there might be someone whose physical and verbal conduct is impure, but their mind has some purity. Don’t think about their impure physical and verbal conduct. Just think about their mind having some purity. Venerables, if a wise person is angered by what they see, they should eliminate that anger in this way. |
| 「諸賢，或有一人身不淨行⋯口⋯意不淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，當云何除？ 諸賢，猶如有人遠涉長路，中道得病。 極困委頓，獨無伴侶，後村轉遠，而前村未至。 若有人來住一面。 見此行人遠涉長路，中道得病，極困委頓，獨無伴侶，後村轉遠，而前村未至。 彼若得侍人，從逈野中，將至村邑，與妙湯藥，餔養美食，好瞻視者。 如是，此人病必得差。 謂彼人於此病人，極有哀愍慈念之心。 | 10. “Venerables, there might be someone whose physical, verbal, and mental conduct is impure. If a wise person is angered by seeing this, how should they eliminate that anger? Venerables, it’s like someone who falls ill on the road while traveling a long distance. They’re in distress and exhausted, alone without companions, the last town is far away, and they’ve yet to reach the next one. Suppose someone comes along and stands next to them. They’d see that this traveler is in distress and exhausted, alone without companions, the last town is far away, and they’ve yet to reach the next one. If they can help that traveler, they would lead them from that wilderness to a town, give them excellent medicine, feed them a sumptuous meal, and look after them well. In this way, that person could surely recover from their illness. That is, this other person has thoughts of utmost compassion and caring for that ill person. |
| 「如是，諸賢，或有一人身不淨行⋯口⋯意不淨行。 若慧者見，便作是念： 『此賢身不淨行⋯口⋯意不淨行。 莫令此賢因身不淨行⋯口⋯意不淨行，身壞命終，趣至惡處，生地獄中。 若此賢得善知識者，捨身不淨行，修身淨行，捨口⋯意不淨行，修口⋯意淨行。 如是，此賢因身淨行⋯口⋯意淨行，身壞命終，必至善處，乃生天上。』 謂彼賢為此賢極有哀愍、慈念之心。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，應如是除。 | 11. “In this way, Venerables, there might be someone whose physical, verbal, and mental conduct is impure. If a wise person sees this, they should think, ‘This Venerable’s physical, verbal, and mental conduct are impure. Don’t let this Venerable end up in a bad destiny or be born in Hell when their body breaks up and their life ends because their physical, verbal, and mental conduct is impure. If this Venerable could meet a good friend, they would abandon their impure physical conduct and cultivate pure physical conduct … abandon their impure verbal … mental conduct and cultivate pure verbal … mental conduct. In this way, this Venerable would surely end up in a good destination or even be born up in Heaven when their body breaks and their life ends because their physical, verbal, and mental conduct would be pure.’ This is the utmost thought of compassion and caring this Venerable has for that other Venerable. If a wise person is angered by what they see, they should eliminate that anger in this way. |
| 「諸賢，或有一人身淨行⋯口⋯意淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，當云何除？ 諸賢，猶村外不遠，有好池水，既清且美。 其淵、平、滿，翠草被岸，華樹四周。 若有人來，熱、極煩悶、飢、渴、頓乏、風熱所逼。 彼至池已，脫衣置岸，便入池中。 恣意快浴，除熱、煩悶、飢、渴、頓乏。 | 12. “Venerables, there might be someone whose physical, verbal, and mental conduct is pure. If a wise person is angered by seeing this, how should they eliminate that anger? Venerables, it’s like a beautiful pond not far from a village that’s even more lovely when it’s clear. It’s deep, calm, and full, and it has green grass covering its banks and four rings of flowers and trees around it. Suppose someone comes along who’s hot, distressed, hungry, thirsty, exhausted, and oppressed by wind and heat. Once they reach the water, they leave their clothes on the shore and wade into the pool. They bathe as much as they like there, which eliminates their fever, distress, hunger, thirst, and exhaustion. |
| 「如是，諸賢，或有一人身淨行⋯口⋯意淨行。 常當念彼身之淨行⋯口⋯意淨行。 若慧者見，設生恚惱，應如是除。 諸賢，我向所說五除惱法者，因此故說。」 | 13. “In this way, Venerables, there might be someone whose physical, verbal, and mental conduct is pure. You should always be mindful of their pure physical, verbal, and mental conduct. If a wise person is angered by what they see, they should eliminate that anger in this way. Venerables, I said I would discuss five ways to eliminate irritation, and so I have done that.”6 |
| 尊者舍梨子所說如是。 諸比丘聞已，歡喜，奉行。 | 14. This is what Venerable Śāriputra said. The monks who heard it rejoiced and approved. |
Notes
- For the source text, cf. T26.1.454a3-c17. The only known parallel is AN 5.162. While there are a few minor variations in wording, especially in the five similes used to illustrate the five methods, these two texts are identical in their meaning and structure.
The Taisho editors made a note about SĀ 496 having a possible relationship with this sūtra. It recommends how two monks involved in a dispute should examine themselves and others to discipline themselves. There doesn’t appear to be a direct textual relationship with this sūtra, but they do both address the issue of monks getting upset with each other’s behavior. [back] - five ways to eliminate irritation. C. 五除惱法, P. pañcā aghatapaṭivinayā. The C. 惱 here is a general term for irritation, vexation, anxiety, and similar unpleasant feelings that cause distress. P. aghata lit. means “to be angered” and generally refers to irritation or annoyance. Throughout the sūtra below, 惱 is translated as 恚惱, which I’ve rendered to English as “to be angered” as when a pet peeve or irritating situation causes a flare of emotion. [back]
- their mind has some purity. C. 心少有淨, P. labhati ca kālena kālaṁ cetaso vivaraṁ cetaso pasādaṁ. In AN 5.162, the parallel expression is somewhat more verbose, meaning something like “who gets an openness and clarity of heart from time to time.” The C. has “purity” (淨) here where we’d expect the original to be S. prasāda (P. pasāda). This word has many meanings in S. for a good heart ranging from kindness to clarity. It also sometimes means “faithfulness” specifically. This particular part stands out in an otherwise mechanical passage, apparently meaning that a person’s mental conduct is sometimes pure.
The Pali expression is repeated in the last three items of this list, while here in MĀ 25 the next two items use the more standard “mental conduct” alongside physical and verbal conduct. The result is that it seems more out of place, but it’s equally unusual in AN 5.162 even if it was applied more consistently than here. [back] - forest monk. C. 阿練若比丘 (EMC. •a-len-niă-bii-k‘iəu = araña bhikhu). 阿練若 is a translit. of Pr. araña (G. araṃña, P. arañña, S. araṇya), which lit. means “forest, wilderness.” Applied to a monk, it usu. means a renunciate who lives away from towns and cities in remote forests or other types of uninhabited areas. This qualifier doesn’t occur in AN 5.162. [back]
- hidden by moss and grass. C. 藳草所覆, P. sevālapaṇakapariyonaddhā. The P. expression lit. means “overgrown by (pariyonaddhā) aquatic plants and moss (sevālapaṇaka).” Interestingly, a variant reading replaces 藳 (“straw”) with 苔 (“moss”). I’ve adopted this other reading given that it agrees with the Pali. [back]
- I said I would discuss five ways to eliminate irritation, and so I have done that.. C. 我向所說五除惱法者，因此故說. This brief conclusion to Śāriputra’s discourse is one of the few places that MĀ 25 and AN 5.162 disagree. In AN, Sāriputta concludes instead with: “Relying on a person who is impressive all around, the mind becomes confident” (samantapāsādikaṁ, āvuso, puggalaṁ āgamma cittaṁ pasīdati). [back]
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 20 August 2024
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