The Related Discourses
5. Elements
| （四四七）經行 | 4 (447). Walking Together |
|---|---|
| 如是我聞： 一時，佛住王舍城、迦蘭陀竹園。 | 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha was staying at the Squirrel Bamboo Park of Rājagṛha. |
| 爾時，世尊告諸比丘： 「眾生常與界俱，與界和合。 云何與界俱？ 謂眾生不善心時與不善界俱。 善心時與善界俱。 鄙心時與鄙界俱。 勝心時與勝界俱。」 | 2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “Sentient beings always associate with their elements, and those with those elements come together. How do sentient beings always associate with the elements? When sentient beings act on thoughts that aren’t good, they associate with elements that aren’t good. When their thoughts are good, they associate with good elements. When their thoughts are lowly, they associate with lowly elements. When their thoughts are greater, they associate with greater elements.” |
| 時，尊者憍陳如與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是上座、多聞、大德。 出家已久，具修梵行。 | 3. Then, Venerable Kauṇḍinya was walking with a group of monks nearby.2 They were all seniors who were learned and great in virtue. They had left home long ago and fully cultivated the religious practice. |
| 復有尊者大迦葉與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是少欲知足，頭陀苦行，不畜遺餘。 | 4. Also, Venerable Kāśyapa was walking with a group of monks nearby. They were all satisfied with few desires, practiced asceticism, and didn’t keep any leftovers. |
| 尊者舍利弗與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是大智、辯才。 | 5. Venerable Śāriputra was walking with a group of monks nearby. They were all very knowledgeable and eloquent. |
| 時，尊者大目揵連與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是神通大力。 | 6. Then, Venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana was walking with a group of monks nearby. They all had miraculous abilities that were powerful. |
| 時，阿那律陀與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是天眼明徹。 | 7. Then, Anaruddha was walking with a group of monks nearby.3 They all had clarified the heavenly eye. |
| 時，尊者二十億耳與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是勇猛精進，專勤修行者。 | 8. Then, Venerable Śroṇakoṭīviṃśa was walking with a group of monks nearby.4 They all were courageous, energetic, and diligent practitioners. |
| 時，尊者陀驃與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是能為大眾修供具者。 | 9. Then, Venerable Dravya was walking with a group of monks nearby. They all were able to cultivate alsmgivers for the great assembly. |
| 時，尊者優波離與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是通達律行。 | 10. Then, Venerable Upāli was walking with a group of monks nearby. They had all mastered the disciplinary practice. |
| 時，尊者富樓那與眾多比丘於近處經行。 皆是辯才善說法者。 | 11. Then, Venerable Pūrṇa was walking with a group of monks nearby. They were eloquent and skilled Dharma teachers. |
| 時，尊者迦旃延與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆能分別諸經，善說法相。 | 12. Then, Venerable Kātyāyana and a group of monks were walking close together. They all were capable of discerning the sūtras and skilled in explaining aspects of the Dharma. |
| 時，尊者阿難與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是多聞、總持。 | 13. Then, Venerable Ānanda was walking with a group of monks nearby. They all were learned and had complete recollections. |
| 時，尊者羅睺羅與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是善持律行。 | 14. Then, Venerable Rāhula was walking with a group of monks nearby. They all were skilled in observing the disciplinary practice. |
| 時，提婆達多與眾多比丘於近處經行。 一切皆是習眾惡行。 | 15. Then, Devadatta was walking with a group of monks nearby. They all were training in many bad practices. |
| 「是名比丘常與界俱，與界和合。 是故，諸比丘，當善分別種種諸界。」 | 16. [The Buddha continued:] “This is called monks who always associate with their elements and unite with their elements. Therefore, monks, you should discern the various elements well.” |
| 佛說是經時，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. 447 in the Taisho edition and no. 695 in Yinshun (T99.2.115a24-b23, Y30.161a3-2a1). It’s parallel with SN 14.15, EĀ 49.3, and the second half of T765 No. 110. [back]
What follows is an extended narration pointing out that various disciples and their followers were walking near where the Buddha was speaking. This acts as a kind of intermission before the Buddha’s conclusion is given. The episode was no doubt intended to illustrate the idea of sentient beings associating with each other based on common interests, goals, or abilities. This also serves as a narrative gloss as to the meaning of dhātu as referring to the things that beings have in common.
In SN 14.15, the very similar list of disciples and their followers is used to the same effect, but there the Buddha points each of them out to the monks as part of his lecture. We should also note that there are only eight great disciples mentioned in SN 14.15, whereas here there are thirteen.
The other direct parallel EĀ 49.3 has a very similar format as SN 14.15, but it lists twelve great disciples as examples.
In the Itivṛttaka parallel translated by Xuanzang, the list of disciples is given by the Buddha, which resembles that found here but in a different order and expanded to twenty example disciples.
[back]</p>Anaruddha. C. 阿那律陀 (EMC •a-na-lɪuĕt-da = Pr. anaruddha), G. anuruddha or anaruddha, P. anuruddha, S. aniruddha. This is yet another alternate spelling of this disciple’s name. In Pali, his name is given as anuruddha, and it’s usually aniruddha in Buddhist Sanskrit. This third spelling as anaruddha is attested in Gandhari sources. [back]
Śroṇakoṭīviṃśa. C. 二十億耳. His name has been translated to C. literally as “twenty million ears.” I’ve adopted the Sanskrit attestation of his name. His Pali parallel seems to be Soṇa Koḷivisa, who was a more obscure disciple in the Theravāda tradition. Both were said to have hair growing on the bottoms of their feet. [back]
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 1 February 2026
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