English
'Twelfth, among the four dignities of the body (walking, standing, sitting, and lying down), sitting is the foremost, as food is easily digested and the breath is harmonized. For those who seek the path, the great matter is not yet accomplished, and the thieves of afflictions are constantly seeking opportunities, so it is not appropriate to lie down comfortably. If walking or standing, the mind is easily agitated and difficult to control, and it is also not good to do for long. Therefore, one should adopt the practice of constant sitting. If one wants to sleep, the side should not touch the mat; this is the practice of the twelve Dhutas (ascetic practices).' The Buddha told the Bhikkhus (monks): 'Your thoughts should be concentrated in one place, do not let them wander, and the merits of Dhyana (meditation) will arise from this. All ordinary beings, due to their inverted views, cling to the concepts of 'I', 'person', 'sentient being', and 'life', pursuing false names and giving rise to various false views. From the very beginning, the five Skandhas (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness) are pure, empty of self and what belongs to self, not arising, not ceasing, not coming forth, not abiding; neither ordinary nor not ordinary, neither saint nor not saint, beyond all names and numbers, the path of language is cut off; even the Buddhas cannot walk or reach it. Now, each of you should quietly contemplate and carefully observe the characteristics of the body.' At that time, the Bhikkhus, hearing what the Buddha said, felt joy in their hearts and immediately observed this body: skin, flesh, pus, rottenness, and filth; tendons, bones, veins, marrow, fat, and brain membrane; tears, snot, saliva, liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidneys; heart, lungs, phlegm, the raw and cooked organs; small intestine, large intestine, urine and feces; hair, nails, teeth, and grime, etc., the thirty-six impure things, the nine orifices are all unclean, from the outside to the inside, from the inside to the outside, seeking the appearance of 'I', but ultimately unable to find it. Diligently and unceasingly, they then saw that form (matter) and mind (spirit) arise and cease moment by moment, like flowing water and the flame of a lamp, arising from nowhere and ceasing nowhere, not abiding in the present. Knowing that these five Skandhas are empty from the very beginning, they extinguished all appearances, realized Suchness Wisdom, and became Arhats (saints who have cut off afflictions and entered Nirvana). The Bodhisattvas, after contemplating the Dharma, attained the Patience of Non-birth (realization of the truth of non-arising and non-ceasing), and fulfilled the Ten Bhumis (ten stages of Bodhisattva practice). The Buddha told the assembly: 'Who can, in the future Dharma-image age (the age of the decline of the Dharma), uphold this Sutra, widely proclaim and disseminate it, so that those who seek the Buddha path may recognize its essential mysteries?' At that time, Sakra, Lord of the Devas (ruler of the Trayastrimsa Heaven), and the Eight Classes of Dragons and Gods (eight types of protective deities in Buddhism), hearing the Buddha's proclamation, descended from the sky, prostrated at the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha: 'World Honored One! If in the Dharma-image age there are people of the Three Vehicles (Sravaka Vehicle, Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, Bodhisattva Vehicle) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
，在空闲处求佛道者，我等为作卫护，不令诸恶鬼神得娆乱之。” 文殊师利法王子白佛言：“世尊！我当承佛威神，于未来世护持此经使不断绝，有修学者为作开导。” 尔时，阿难前白佛言：“世尊！当何名此经？云何奉持？” 佛告阿难：“此经名为‘头陀苦行’，亦名‘离着集诸善本’，汝当奉持。” 尔时，天龙八部、一切大众，闻佛所说，欢喜奉行。 佛说十二头陀经 现代汉语译本：在闲暇时寻求佛道的人，我们（护法）会为他们做护卫，不让各种恶鬼神来扰乱他们。 文殊师利（Manjushri，智慧的象征）法王子对佛说：‘世尊！我应当承蒙佛的威神力，在未来世护持这部经，使它不中断绝灭，对于修行学习的人，为他们做开导。’ 这时，阿难（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一，以记忆力强著称）上前禀告佛说：‘世尊！应当给这部经起什么名字？我们应当如何奉行受持？’ 佛告诉阿难：‘这部经名为《头陀苦行》（Dhuta Practice），也名为《离着集诸善本》（Detachment and Accumulation of Good Roots），你们应当奉行受持。’ 当时，天龙八部（Devas, Nagas and the Eight Classes of beings，佛教的护法神）以及一切大众，听闻佛所说，欢喜地信受奉行。 《佛说十二头陀经》
English
English version: 'Those who seek the path of Buddhahood in their leisure, we (the Dharma protectors) will safeguard them, preventing all evil ghosts and spirits from disturbing them.' Manjushri (Manjushri, the embodiment of wisdom), the Dharma prince, said to the Buddha: 'World Honored One! I shall, by the majestic power of the Buddha, protect and uphold this Sutra in future ages, ensuring it does not become extinct. For those who cultivate and study it, I will provide guidance.' At that time, Ananda (Ananda, one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, known for his excellent memory) stepped forward and said to the Buddha: 'World Honored One! What should this Sutra be named? How should we uphold and practice it?' The Buddha told Ananda: 'This Sutra is named ‘Dhuta Practice (Head Tuo Ku Xing)’, and also named ‘Detachment and Accumulation of Good Roots (Li Zhuo Ji Zhu Shan Ben)’. You should uphold and practice it.' At that time, the Devas, Nagas and the Eight Classes of beings (Tian Long Ba Bu), and all the great assembly, hearing what the Buddha had said, joyfully accepted and practiced it. The Sutra on the Twelve Dhuta Practices Spoken by the Buddha --------------------------------------------------------------------------------