..续本文上一页itatham idan”ti vitadoso
so bhikkhu jahati oraparam
urago jinnam iva tacam puranam.
He who neither goes too far nor lags behind,
hate-free he knows: "This is all unreal,"
— such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,
just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.
13. Yo naccasari na paccasari
sabbam vitatham idan”ti vitamoho
so bhikkhu jahati oraparam
urago jinnam iva tacam puranam.
He who neither goes too far nor lags behind,
delusion-free he knows: "This is all unreal,"
— such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,
just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.
14. Yass”anusaya na santi keci
mula akusala samuhatase
so bhikkhu jahati oraparam
urago jinnam iva tacam puranam.
He who has no dormant tendencies whatever,
whose unwholesome roots have been expunged,
— such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,
just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.
15. Yassa darathaja na santi keci
oram agamanaya paccayase
so bhikkhu jahati oraparam
urago jinnam iva tacam puranam.
States born of anxiety he harbors none
which may condition his return to earth,
— such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,
just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.
16. Yassa vanathaja na santi keci
vinibandhaya bhavaya hetukappa
so bhikkhu jahati oraparam
urago jinnam iva tacam puranam.
States born of attachment he harbors none
which cause his bondage to existence,
— such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,
just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.
17. Yo nivarane pahaya pañca
anigho tinnakathamkatho visallo
so bhikkhu jahati oraparam
urago jinnam iva tacam puranam.
He who has the five hindrances discarded,
doubt-free and serene, and free of inner barbs,
— such a monk gives up the here and the beyond,
just as a serpent sheds its worn-out skin.
I: Reflections on the Refrain
The Refrain:
— such a monk gives up the here and the beyond, just as a
serpent sheds its worn-out skin.
The Simile of the Serpent
The ancient masters of the Theravada Buddhist tradition explain the simile of the serpent”s worn-out skin, occurring in the last line of each of the poem”s verses, as follows:
The shedding of the serpent”s old skin is done in four ways:
(1) in following the law of its own species,
(2) through disgust,
(3) with the help of a support, and
(4) with effort.
(1) "Its own species" is that of those long-bodied animals, the snakes. Snakes do not transgress these five characteristics of their species: in regard to their birth, their death, their surrendering to (a long and deep) sleep, their mating with their own kind only, and the shedding of the old, worn- out skin. Hence, in shedding the skin, a snake follows the law of its own kind.
(2) But in doing so, it sheds the old skin out of disgust. When only half of the body has been freed of the old skin and the other half is still attached, the snake will feel disgust.
(3) In such disgust, the snake will support its body on a piece of wood, a root or a stone, and
(4) making an effort, using all its strength, it will wind its tail around the supporting object, exhale forcefully and expand its hood, and shed the old skin fully. Then it will go freely wherever it likes. It is similar with a monk. The "law of his own species" is virtue (sila). Standing firm in his own law of virtue, and seeing the misery involved, he becomes disgusted with the "old worn-out skin" of the "here and the beyond," comprising (such pairs of opposites) as his own and others” personalized existence, etc., which are productive of suffering. Thus he becomes disgusted and, seeking the support of a noble friend, (a wise teacher and meditation master), he summons his utmost strength by way of the path factor, right effort. Dividing day and night into six periods, during daytime, while walking up and down or sitting, he purifi…
《The Worn-out Skin Reflections on the Uraga Sutta》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…