Sutra in Forty-Two Sections

　　佛說四十二章經

　　後漢摩騰、竺法蘭共譯

　　Translated from Chinese into English by the Buddhist Text Translation Society,

　　Dharma Realm Buddhist University, City Of Ten Thousand Buddhas

　　世尊成道已，作是思惟：離欲寂靜，是最爲勝。住大禅定，降諸魔道。于鹿野苑中，轉四谛*輪，度憍陳如等五人而證道果。複有比丘所說諸疑，求佛進止。世尊教敕，一一開悟。合掌敬諾，而順尊敕。

　　Section 1

　　Leaving Home and Becoming an Arhat

　　The Buddha said, "People who take leave of their families and go forth from the householder life, who know their mind and penetrate to its origin, and who understand the unconditioned Dharma are called Shramanas. They constantly observe the 250 precepts, and they value purity in all that they do. By practicing the four true paths, they can become Arhats."

　　佛言：辭親出家，識心達本，解無爲法，名曰沙門。常行二百五十戒，進止清淨，爲四真道行，成阿羅漢。阿羅漢者，能飛行變化，曠劫壽命，住動天地。次爲阿那含。阿那含者，壽終靈神上十九天。證阿羅漢。次爲斯陀含。斯陀含者，一上一還，即得阿羅漢。次爲須陀洹。須陀洹者，七死七生，便證阿羅漢。愛欲斷者，如四肢斷，不複用之。

　　Section 2

　　Eliminating Desire and Ending Seeking

　　The Buddha said, "Those who have left the home-life and become Shramanas cut off desire, renounce love, and recognize the source of their minds. They penetrate the Buddha profound principles and awaken to the unconditioned Dharma. Internally they have no thing to attain, and externally they seek nothing. They are not mentally bound to the Way, nor are they tied to karma. They are free of thought and action; they neither cultivate nor attain certification; they do not pass through the various stages, and yet they are highly revered. This is the meaning of the Way. "

　　佛言：出家沙門者，斷欲去愛，識自心源，達佛深理，悟無爲法。內無所得，外無所求。心不系道，亦不結業。無念無作，非修非證。不曆諸位，而自崇最。名之爲道。

　　Section 3

　　Severing Love and Renouncing Greed

　　The Buddha said, "Shaving their hair and beards, they become Shramanas who accept the Dharmas of the Way. They renounce worldly wealth and riches. In receiving alms, they accept only what enough. They take only one meal a day at noon, pass the night beneath trees, and are careful not to seek more than that. Craving and desire are what cause people to be stupid and dull."

　　佛言：剃除須發而爲沙門，受道法者，去世資財，乞求取足。日中一食，樹下一宿，慎勿再矣！使人愚蔽者，愛與欲也。

　　Section 4

　　Clarifying Good and Evil

　　The Buddha said, "Living beings may perform Ten Good Deeds or Ten Evil Deeds. What are the ten

　　 Three are done with the body, four are done with the mouth, and three are done with the mind. The three done with the body are killing, stealing, and lust. The four done with the mouth are duplicity, harsh speech, lies, and frivolous speech. The three done with the mind are jealousy, hatred, and stupidity. Thus

　　These ten are not in accord with the Way of Sages and are called the Ten Evil Deeds. To put a stop to these evils is to perform the Ten Good Deeds. "

　　. 佛言：衆生以十事爲善，亦以十事爲惡。何等爲十？身叁、口四、意叁。身叁者，殺盜淫。口四者，兩舌、惡口、妄言、绮語。意叁者，嫉恚癡。如是十事，不順聖道，名十惡行。是惡若止，名十善行耳。

　　Section 5

　　Reducing the Severity of Offenses

　　The Buddha said, "If a person has many offenses and does not repent of them, but cuts off all thought of repentance, the offenses will engulf him, just as water returning to the sea will gradually become deeper and wider. If a person has offenses and, realizing they are wrong, reforms and does good, the offenses will dissolve by themselves, just as a sick person who begins to perspire will gradually be cured. "

　　佛言：人有衆過，而不自悔、頓息其心，罪來赴身；如水歸海，漸成深廣。若人有過，自解知非，改惡行善，罪自消滅；如病得汗，漸有痊損耳。

　　Section 6

　　Tolerating Evil-doers and Avoiding Hatred

　　The Buddha said, "When an evil person hears about your goodness and intentionally comes to cause trouble, you should restrain yourself and not become angry or blame him. Then the one who has come to do evil will do evil to himself. "

　　佛言：惡人聞善，故來擾亂者，汝自禁息，當無嗔責，彼來惡者而自惡之。

　　Section 7

　　Evil Returns to the Doer

　　The Buddha said, "There was a person who, upon hearing that I observe the Way and practice great humane kindness, intentionally came to berate me. I was silent and did not reply. When he finished abus…

《Sutra in Forty-Two Sections (佛說四十二章經)》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…