The Related Discourses
1. The Aggregates
| （六一） 分別 | 58 (61). Discernment |
|---|---|
| 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： 「有五受陰。 何等為五？ 謂色受陰⋯受⋯想⋯行⋯識受陰。 | 2. It was then that the Bhagavān told the monks, “There are five acquired aggregates. What are the five? They are the acquired aggregate of form … feeling … conception … volition … and the acquired aggregate of awareness. |
| 「云何色受陰？ 所有色，彼一切四大，及四大所造色。 是名為色受陰。 | 3. “What is the acquired aggregate of form? Whatever forms there, they are all the four basic elements or forms made of the four basic elements. This is called the acquired aggregate of form. |
| 「復次，彼色是無常、苦、變易之法。 若彼色受陰永斷無餘，究竟捨離，滅盡，離欲，寂、沒。 餘色受陰更不相續、不起、不出。 是名為妙。 是名寂靜。 是名捨離一切有餘愛盡、無欲、滅盡、涅槃。 | 4. “Furthermore, that form is impermanent, painful, and subject to change. If one stops that acquired aggregate of form forever without remainder, finally abandons it, completely destroys it, and becomes free of desire for it, it’ll become tranquil and disappear. No remaining acquired aggregate of form will continue, arise, or be produced. This is called sublime. This is called peace. This is called abandoning all remaining cravings completely, having no desire, being completely ceased, and nirvāṇa. |
| 「云何受受陰？ 謂六受身。 何等為六？ 謂眼觸生受⋯耳⋯鼻⋯舌⋯身⋯意觸生受。 是名受受陰。 | 5. “What is the acquired aggregate of feeling? That is the group of six feelings. What are the six? They are feelings that arise from visual contact … auditory … olfactory … gustatory … somatic … feelings that arise from mental contact. This is called the acquired aggregate of feeling. |
| 「復次，彼受受陰無常、苦、變易之法⋯乃至⋯滅盡、涅槃。 | 6. “Furthermore, that acquired aggregate of feeling is impermanent, painful, and subject to change … up to … being completely ceased, and nirvāṇa. |
| 「云何想受陰？ 謂六想身。 何等為六？ 謂眼觸生想⋯乃至⋯意觸生想。 是名想受陰。 | 7. “What is the acquired aggregate of conception? That is the group of six conceptions. What are the six? They are conceptions that arise from visual contact … up to … conceptions that arise from mental contact. This is called the acquired aggregate of conception. |
| 「復次，彼想受陰無常、苦、變易之法⋯乃至⋯滅盡、涅槃。 | 8. “Furthermore, that acquired aggregate of conception is impermanent, painful, and subject to change … up to … being completely ceased, and nirvāṇa. |
| 「云何行受陰？ 謂六思身。 何等為六？ 謂眼觸生思⋯乃至⋯意觸生思。 是名行受陰。 | 9. “What is the acquired aggregate of volition? That is the group of six intentions. What are the six? They are intentions that arise from visual contact … up to … intentions that arise from mental contact. This is called the acquired aggregate of volition. |
| 「復次，彼行受陰無常、苦、變易之法⋯乃至⋯滅盡、涅槃。 | 10. “Furthermore, that acquired aggregate of volition is impermanent, painful, and subject to change … up to … being completely ceased, and nirvāṇa. |
| 「云何識受陰？ 謂六識身。 何等為六？ 謂眼識身⋯乃至⋯意識身。 是名識受陰。 | 11. “What is the acquired aggregate of awareness? That is the body of six types of awareness. What are the six? They are the group of visual awareness … up to … group of mental awareness. This is called the acquired aggregate of awareness. |
| 「復次，彼識受陰是無常、苦、變易之法⋯乃至⋯滅盡、涅槃。 | 12. “Furthermore, that acquired aggregate of awareness is impermanent, painful, and subject to change … up to … being completely ceased, and nirvāṇa. |
| 「比丘，若於此法以智慧思惟、觀察、分別、忍，是名隨信行。 超昇離生，越凡夫地。 未得須陀洹果，中間不死，必得須陀洹果。 | 13. “Monks, if these principles are contemplated, investigated, discerned, and accepted with wisdom, this is called the practice that follows belief. Leaping higher, one becomes free of birth and goes beyond the ground of ordinary men. If they’ve yet to attain the fruit of stream entry and don’t die in the meantime, they will surely attain that fruit of stream entry. |
| 「比丘，若於此法增上智慧思惟、觀察、忍，是名隨法行。 超昇，離生，越凡夫地。 未得須陀洹果，中間不死，必得須陀洹果。 | 14. “Monks, if these principles are contemplated, investigated, and accepted with higher wisdom, this is called the practice that follows Dharma. Leaping higher, one becomes free of birth and goes beyond the ground of ordinary men. If they’ve yet to attain the fruit of stream entry and don’t die in the meantime, they will surely attain that fruit of stream entry. |
| 「比丘，於此法如實正慧等見，三結盡斷知。 謂身見、戒取、疑。 比丘，是名須陀洹果。 不墮惡道，必定正趣三菩提。 七有天人往生，然後究竟苦邊。 | 15. “Monks, when these principles are fully seen with true and correct wisdom, one will know that the three bonds are completely cut. They are personality view, holding to precepts, and doubt. Monks, this is called the fruit of stream entry. One won’t fall to bad destinies, and they’re certain to be correctly headed toward complete awakening. They will have seven more births as gods or humans and afterward reach the final end of suffering. |
| 「比丘，若於此法如實正慧等見，不起心漏，名阿羅漢。 諸漏已盡，所作已作。 捨離重擔，逮得己利。 盡諸有結，正智心得解脫。」 | 16. “Monks, if these principles are fully seen with true and correct wisdom, and someone’s mind doesn’t produce contaminants, they are called an arhat. Their contaminants have been ended, and their task has been accomplished. They have set down the heavy burden and won their own reward. They’ve ended the bonds to existence, and their minds have been liberated with proper knowledge.” |
| 佛說此經已，諸比丘聞佛所說，歡喜奉行。 | 17. After the Buddha spoke this sūtra, the monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved. |
Notes
- This is sūtra no. 61 in the Taisho edition and no. 58 in Yinshun (T99.2.15c14-16a18).
This sūtra does not appear to have a direct parallel in Pali, though none of the content is particularly different. The definitions of the five aggregates are the same as those found in SN 22.56, for instance, and the conclusion is vaguely equivalent, pointing to the ultimate liberation gained by understanding them.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this sūtra is the description of the arhat: “Their contaminants have been ended, and their task has been accomplished. They have set down the heavy burden and won their own reward. They’ve ended the bonds to existence, and their minds have been liberated with proper knowledge.” This is a simpler version of what we find in the introductions of early Mahāyāna sūtras like the Perfection of Wisdom in 25,000 Lines or the Lotus Sutra. [back]
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 28 March 2024
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