The Related Discourses
1. The Aggregates
| （四四） 繫著及覺 | 156 (44). The Bound and Awakened (2) |
|---|---|
| 如是我聞： 一時，佛住舍衛國、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： 「若生則繫著。 不生則不繫著。 諦聽，善思！ 當為汝說。 | 2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “Whoever is born is bound. To not be born is to not be bound. Listen closely, and consider it well! I will explain this for you. |
| 「云何若生則繫著？ 愚癡、無聞凡夫於色集、色滅、色味、色患、色離不如實知故，於色愛喜、讚歎、取著，於色是我、我所而取。 取已，彼色若變、若異，心隨變異。 心隨變異故，則攝受心住。 攝受心住故，則生恐怖、障礙、顧念，以生繫著故。 受、想、行、識亦復如是。 是名生繫著。 | 3. “How is it that whoever is born is bound? Because he does not truly know form’s formation, cessation, enjoyment, trouble, and escape, a foolish and unlearned ordinary man takes delight in form, praises, grasps, and attaches to it, and grasps it as a self or what belongs to self. If that form changes or becomes different after he grasps it, his mind changes and becomes different along with it. He then accepts this mental abode because his mind changes and becomes different along with it. Then, fear, obstructions, and expectations arise because he accepts that mental abode, which is because he was born and bound. Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are likewise. This is called being born and bound. |
| 「云何不生不繫著？ 多聞聖弟子色集、色滅、色味、色患、色離如實知。 如實知故，不愛喜、讚歎、取著。 不繫我、我所而取。 以不取故，彼色若變、若異，心不隨變異。 心不隨變異故，心不繫著攝受心住。 不攝受心住故，心不恐怖、障礙、顧念，以不生不著故。 受、想、行、識亦復如是。 是名不生不繫著。」 | 4. “How is one not born and not bound? A well-versed noble disciple truly knows form’s formation, cessation, enjoyment, trouble, and escape. Truly knowing it, he doesn’t take delight in form or praise, grasp, or become attached to it. Nor is he bound by self or what belongs to self and grasp them. If that form changes or becomes different, his mind doesn’t change or become different along with it because he doesn’t grasp it. His mind doesn’t become bound or accept a mental abode because his mind doesn’t change and become different along with it. His mind isn’t fearful, obstructed, or expectant because he doesn’t accept that mental abode, which is because he isn’t born and bound. Feeling, conception, volition, and awareness are likewise. This is called not being born and not being bound.” |
| 佛說此經已，諸比丘聞佛所說歡喜，奉行。 | 5. After he spoke this sūtra, the monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved. |
Notes
This is sūtra no. 44 in the Taisho edition and no. 156 in Yinshun (T99.2.11a13-29). Like the previous sūtra, it has a clear similarity with SN 22.7-8, but fear is tangential to the subject of the lecture. Rather, the Buddha teaches how birth leads to being bound. SN 22.7 is a closer match to this and the previous sūtra than SN 22.8. All four appear to be variants of some older original. The theme of being born in bondage is found in SN 22.117, but these two sūtras bear little resemblance to each other beyond this. [back]
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 3 January 2025
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