English
English version: Now, while there is (the Buddha), tomorrow there will be none (the Buddha's Nirvana). You, according to my words, should ask the Tathagata these four questions: ‘After the Buddha's Nirvana, how should we live with and teach the six groups of monks (referring to monks with misconduct) who behave improperly and ruin other families, and the wicked Channa (the Buddha's attendant, with a stubborn character)? When the Tathagata was alive, we took the Buddha as our teacher; after the World Honored One's passing, who should we take as our teacher? If we relied on the Buddha while he was alive, now that the Tathagata has passed away, on whom should we rely? After the Tathagata's passing, when compiling the Dharma treasury, what words should be placed at the beginning of all the scriptures?’ At that time, Ananda (one of the Buddha's ten great disciples) seemed to wake up from a dream, hearing Anuruddha (one of the Buddha's disciples) comforting his heart, urging him to ask these four questions. He gradually became clear-headed, overcome with grief, and recounted the above questions in detail, reporting them to the Buddha. The Buddha told Ananda, ‘Why are you so worried and sorrowful? The teachings of all Buddhas have been completed, what needed to be done has been done, and the Dharma should return to this place. Good, good! Ananda! The four questions you have asked are the final questions, and they will greatly benefit all the world. You should listen carefully and contemplate them well.’ ‘Yes, World Honored One! We are eager to listen.’ The Buddha told Ananda, ‘As you have asked, after the Buddha's Nirvana, how should we live with and teach the six groups of monks and the wicked Channa, who behave improperly and ruin other families? Ananda! The nature of the monk Channa is base. After my Nirvana, his mind will gradually be tamed, becoming gentle, and he will abandon his original wickedness. Ananda! My brother Nanda (the Buddha's cousin) has extremely strong desires and a base nature. The Tathagata used skillful means to teach him, making him happy, understanding his nature, and using prajna wisdom to explain the twelve links of dependent origination. These are: ignorance conditions volitional formations, volitional formations condition consciousness, and so on, up to old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, all of which are the jungle of ignorance and craving. All suffering of existence fills the three realms and flows through the six paths. The root of great suffering is caused by ignorance. Using prajna wisdom, he was shown the purity of nature. By carefully observing the root, one can cut off the ignorance that causes all faults. When the root is extinguished, ignorance is extinguished. When ignorance is extinguished, volitional formations are extinguished, and so on, up to old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are all extinguished. When one attains this contemplation, one's mind is collected and stabilized, and one enters samadhi. With the power of samadhi, one enters the first dhyana, and gradually enters higher dhyanas in succession.’ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
第入第四禅，继心正念。如是修习，然后自当得证上果，离三界苦。阿难！尔时难陀比丘深生信心，依我教法，勤心修习，不久即得阿罗汉果。阿难！我涅槃后，汝当依我教法正观，教示六群车匿比丘，深心依此清净正法，不久自当得证上果。 “阿难！当知皆因无明，增长三界生死大树、飘没爱河，众苦长夜黑闇，崖下绕生死柱。六识为枝、妄念为本，无明波浪心识策使，游戏六尘种苦恼芽，无能制者，自在如王。是故我言，无明郎主，念念伤害，众生不觉，轮转生死。阿难！一切众生为此无明起诸爱结，我见覆蔽，八万四千烦恼郎主役使其身，身心破裂，不得自在。阿难！无明若灭，三界都尽，以是因缘，名出世人。阿难！若能谛观十二因缘，究竟无我，深入本净，即能远离三界大火。阿难！如来是真语者，说诚实言，最后付嘱，汝当修行。 “阿难！如汝所问，佛去世后，以何为师者？阿难！尸波罗蜜戒是汝大师，依之修行，能得出世甚深定慧。 “阿难！如汝所问，佛涅槃后，依何住者？阿难！依四念处严心而住：观身性相同于虚空，名身念处；观受不在内外、不住中间，名受念处；观心但有名字，名字性离，名心念处；观法不得善法、不得不善法，名法念处。阿难！一切行者，应当依此 现代汉语译本 进入第四禅，继续保持正念。像这样修习，然后自然会证得上果，脱离三界之苦。阿难！那时，难陀（Nanda）比丘深信不疑，依照我的教法，勤奋修习，不久就证得了阿罗汉果。阿难！我涅槃后，你应当依照我的教法正确观察，教导六群车匿（Channa）比丘，让他们真心依此清净正法，不久自然会证得上果。 阿难！你要知道，一切都是因为无明，才增长了三界生死的大树，漂没在爱河之中，众苦在漫长的黑夜里，像悬崖下围绕着生死之柱。六识是枝干，妄念是根本，无明的波浪驱使着心识，在六尘中游戏，种下苦恼的种子，没有人能够制止它，它像国王一样自在。因此我说，无明就像一个恶棍，念念伤害众生，众生却不自觉，在生死中轮转。阿难！一切众生都因为这无明而产生各种爱结，被我见所蒙蔽，八万四千烦恼像恶棍一样役使着他们的身体，使身心破裂，不得自在。阿难！如果无明灭尽，三界也就都灭尽了，因此，这样的人被称为出世之人。阿难！如果能够如实观察十二因缘，彻底认识到无我，深入到本来的清净，就能远离三界的大火。阿难！如来是说真话的人，说诚实的话，最后嘱托你们，你们应当修行。 阿难！正如你所问，佛去世后，以什么为师呢？阿难！尸波罗蜜戒（Śīla-pāramitā, 持戒波罗蜜）是你们的大师，依靠它修行，能够获得出世的甚深定慧。 阿难！正如你所问，佛涅槃后，依靠什么安住呢？阿难！依靠四念处来严谨自己的心而安住：观察身体的性质如同虚空，这称为身念处；观察感受不在内外，也不在中间，这称为受念处；观察心只是一个名字，名字的性质是虚幻的，这称为心念处；观察法不得善法，也不得不善法，这称为法念处。阿难！一切修行的人，都应当依靠这些。
English
English version Entering the fourth dhyana, continue with right mindfulness. Practicing in this way, one will naturally attain the supreme fruit and be liberated from the suffering of the three realms. Ananda! At that time, the bhikkhu Nanda (Nanda) developed deep faith, diligently practiced according to my teachings, and soon attained the fruit of Arhat. Ananda! After my Nirvana, you should observe correctly according to my teachings, and instruct the six-group Channa (Channa) bhikkhus, so that they sincerely rely on this pure Dharma, and they will naturally attain the supreme fruit soon. Ananda! You should know that it is all because of ignorance that the great tree of birth and death in the three realms grows, drifting in the river of desire, with suffering in the long dark night, like a pillar of birth and death surrounding the cliff. The six consciousnesses are the branches, and delusive thoughts are the root. The waves of ignorance drive the mind, playing in the six dusts, planting the seeds of suffering, and no one can stop it. It is as free as a king. Therefore, I say that ignorance is like a villain, harming sentient beings in every moment, but sentient beings are unaware, and they revolve in birth and death. Ananda! All sentient beings develop various bonds of love because of this ignorance, are blinded by self-view, and the eighty-four thousand afflictions, like villains, enslave their bodies, causing their bodies and minds to be broken and unable to be free. Ananda! If ignorance is extinguished, the three realms will also be extinguished. Therefore, such a person is called a world-transcending person. Ananda! If one can truly observe the twelve links of dependent origination, thoroughly realize no-self, and deeply enter the original purity, one can be far away from the great fire of the three realms. Ananda! The Tathagata is a speaker of truth, speaking honest words, and finally entrusts you, you should practice. Ananda! As you asked, after the Buddha's passing, who should be the teacher? Ananda! Śīla-pāramitā (Perfection of Morality) is your teacher. Relying on it to practice, you can obtain the profound samadhi and wisdom that transcends the world. Ananda! As you asked, after the Buddha's Nirvana, what should one rely on to abide? Ananda! Rely on the four foundations of mindfulness to discipline your mind and abide: observe the nature of the body as being like space, this is called the mindfulness of the body; observe that feelings are neither inside nor outside, nor in between, this is called the mindfulness of feelings; observe that the mind is just a name, and the nature of the name is illusory, this is called the mindfulness of the mind; observe that dharmas are neither good nor not good, this is called the mindfulness of dharmas. Ananda! All practitioners should rely on these. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 四念处住。
Chinese
“阿难！如汝所问，如来灭后，结集法藏，一切经初，安何等语者？阿难！如来灭后，结集法藏，一切经初，当安‘如是我闻：一时佛住某方、某处，与诸四众，而说是经。’” 尔时，阿难复白佛言：“若佛在世，若涅槃后，有信心檀越以金、银、七宝、一切乐具，奉施如来，云何举置？” 佛告阿难：“若佛现在，所施佛物，僧众应知；若佛灭后，一切信心所施佛物，应用造佛形像，及造佛衣、七宝幡盖、买诸香油、宝花以供养佛。除供养佛，余不得用，用者即犯盗佛物罪。” 阿难复白佛言：“若佛现在，若复有人以金、银、七宝、房舍、殿堂、妻子、奴婢、衣服、饮食、一切乐具，深心恭敬，礼拜供养如来；佛涅槃后，若复有人，以金、银、七宝、妻妾、奴婢、衣服、饮食、一切乐具，供养如来形像，深心恭敬，礼拜供养。世尊！如是二人深心供养，所得福德何者为多？” 佛告阿难：“如是二人，皆以深心供养，所得福德其福无异。何以故？虽佛灭后，法身常存，是以深心供养，其福正等。” 阿难复白佛言：“若佛现在，若复有人，还以深心，如上供养、恭敬如来；佛涅槃后，若复有人，还以深心，如上供养、恭敬全身舍利。世尊！如是二人，所得福 现代汉语译本 安住于四念处。 ‘阿难！正如你所问，如来灭度后，结集法藏时，一切经典开头应该安立什么语句呢？阿难！如来灭度后，结集法藏时，一切经典开头应当安立“如是我闻：一时，佛住在某方、某处，与四众弟子在一起，宣说了这部经典。”’ 当时，阿难又对佛说：‘如果佛在世，或者涅槃后，有信心的施主用金、银、七宝、一切乐器等供奉如来，应该如何处置呢？’ 佛告诉阿难：‘如果佛在世，所供奉的佛物，僧众应当知晓；如果佛灭度后，一切有信心的人所供奉的佛物，应当用来建造佛像，以及制作佛的衣服、七宝幡盖、购买各种香油、宝花来供养佛。除了供养佛之外，其余的都不能使用，使用者就犯了盗用佛物的罪。’ 阿难又对佛说：‘如果佛在世，如果有人用金、银、七宝、房舍、殿堂、妻子、奴婢、衣服、饮食、一切乐器，以深切的恭敬心，礼拜供养如来；佛涅槃后，如果有人用金、银、七宝、妻妾、奴婢、衣服、饮食、一切乐器，供养如来的形像，以深切的恭敬心，礼拜供养。世尊！像这样两个人以深切的恭敬心供养，所得的福德哪个更多呢？’ 佛告诉阿难：‘像这样两个人，都以深切的恭敬心供养，所得的福德没有差别。为什么呢？虽然佛灭度后，法身仍然常存，因此以深切的恭敬心供养，他们的福德是相等的。’ 阿难又对佛说：‘如果佛在世，如果有人还以深切的恭敬心，像上面那样供养、恭敬如来；佛涅槃后，如果有人还以深切的恭敬心，像上面那样供养、恭敬全身舍利。世尊！像这样两个人，所得的福德哪个更多呢？’
English
English version Abiding in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. 'Ananda! As you have asked, after the Tathagata's (如来) (the one who has thus gone) passing away, when compiling the Dharma Treasury (法藏), what words should be placed at the beginning of all sutras? Ananda! After the Tathagata's passing away, when compiling the Dharma Treasury, at the beginning of all sutras, one should place, ‘Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in such and such a place, with the fourfold assembly (四众), and spoke this sutra.’' At that time, Ananda again said to the Buddha, 'If the Buddha is alive, or after Nirvana (涅槃) (passing away), if a faithful donor offers gold, silver, the seven treasures (七宝), and all kinds of enjoyable things to the Tathagata, how should they be handled?' The Buddha told Ananda, 'If the Buddha is alive, the offerings made to the Buddha should be known by the Sangha (僧众) (monastic community); if the Buddha has passed away, all offerings made by faithful people to the Buddha should be used to create Buddha images, as well as to make Buddha's robes, seven-jeweled banners and canopies, and to buy various fragrant oils and precious flowers to offer to the Buddha. Apart from offering to the Buddha, nothing else should be used, and those who use them commit the crime of stealing Buddha's property.' Ananda again said to the Buddha, 'If the Buddha is alive, if someone offers gold, silver, the seven treasures, houses, palaces, wives, servants, clothes, food, and all kinds of enjoyable things, with deep reverence, worshiping and making offerings to the Tathagata; after the Buddha's Nirvana, if someone offers gold, silver, the seven treasures, wives, servants, clothes, food, and all kinds of enjoyable things, making offerings to the Tathagata's image, with deep reverence, worshiping and making offerings. World Honored One (世尊)! Of these two people who make offerings with deep reverence, whose merit is greater?' The Buddha told Ananda, 'These two people both make offerings with deep reverence, and the merit they obtain is no different. Why is that? Although the Buddha has passed away, the Dharma body (法身) (the body of truth) still exists, therefore, making offerings with deep reverence, their merit is equal.' Ananda again said to the Buddha, 'If the Buddha is alive, if someone still with deep reverence, makes offerings and respects the Tathagata as mentioned above; after the Buddha's Nirvana, if someone still with deep reverence, makes offerings and respects the whole-body relics (全身舍利). World Honored One! Of these two people, whose merit is greater?' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 德何者为多？”