Chinese
大正藏第 17 册 No. 0797b 佛说贫穷老公经 佛说贫穷老公经 宋沙门释慧简译 闻如是： 一时，佛在舍卫国精舍中坐，与二千比丘俱。 时有一贫穷老公，年二百岁，眉生秀毛，耳出于头，齿如齐贝，手过于膝，貌而视之，似如有相。而贫穷辛苦，衣不盖形，五体裸露，腹恒饥虚，行步时动，小有气息，扶杖而来，求欲见佛。 释梵侍门，敕不通之。老公因大唤曰：“吾虽贫贱，民之厮下，千载有幸，今得值佛，欲问罪福，求离众苦。我闻世尊仁慈普逮，万物蒙赖，莫不受恩，是以远来，乞一示见。而卿断我，既违我愿，有误圣意，岂宜可尔乎？” 佛以知之，顾语阿难：“汝宁见长寿耆年有相老公，而罪未毕者乎？” 阿难叉手白佛言：“安有相福耆寿，而有罹罪？罹罪之人，岂复有相？今在何许？生所未见。” 佛言：“近在门外。释梵断之，可唤使前。” 于是，老公匍匐寸进，为佛作礼，悲喜交流，而白佛言：“我生世不幸，贫穷辛苦饥饿寒冻，求死不得，活无所赖，人命至重，不能自弃。闻佛在世，心独欢喜，昼夜发心，愿一奉颜，由来十年，今始得果。向在门外，久不得前。计欲还去，气力不堪，进退无路，但 现代汉语译本 佛说贫穷老公经 宋朝沙门释慧简译 我听闻是这样的： 一时，佛陀在舍卫国（Śrāvastī）的精舍中安坐，与两千位比丘（bhikṣu）在一起。 当时有一位贫穷的老人，年纪二百岁，眉毛长出秀长的毛，耳朵超出头部，牙齿像排列整齐的贝壳，手长过膝盖，观察他的相貌，似乎具有好的相。但是他贫穷困苦，衣不蔽体，五体裸露，肚子经常饥饿，行走时稍微动一下，就气息奄奄，拄着拐杖而来，想要见佛陀。 帝释（Śakra）和梵天（Brahmā）在门口侍卫，命令不让他通过。老人因此大声呼喊说：‘我虽然贫穷卑贱，是百姓中最下等的人，但千年难得的幸运，今天能够遇到佛陀，想要请问罪业和福报的事情，寻求脱离各种痛苦。我听说世尊仁慈普及，万物都蒙受恩惠，没有谁不受恩，因此从远方而来，乞求能够见一面。而你们阻断我，既违背了我的愿望，又耽误了圣意，怎么可以这样呢？’ 佛陀已经知道此事，回头告诉阿难（Ānanda）说：‘你难道见过长寿年老、具有好相，但是罪业还没有了结的人吗？’ 阿难合掌向佛陀禀告说：‘怎么会有具有好相、福报和长寿，却又遭受罪业的人呢？遭受罪业的人，怎么还会有好相？现在在哪里？我从来没有见过。’ 佛陀说：‘就在门外。帝释和梵天阻拦他，可以叫他前来。’ 于是，老人匍匐着一点点前进，向佛陀行礼，悲伤和喜悦交织在一起，然后对佛陀说：‘我生来不幸，贫穷困苦，饥饿寒冷，求死不能，活着又没有依靠，人命虽然至关重要，却不能自己舍弃。听说佛陀在世，心中非常欢喜，日夜发愿，希望能够拜见您的容颜，从开始到现在已经十年了，今天才得以实现。刚才在门外，很久都不能前进。打算要回去，气力又不够，进退两难，只是……’
English
English version The Buddha Speaks of the Poor Old Man Sutra Translated by Śramaṇa (Buddhist monk) Shishi Huijian of the Song Dynasty Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was sitting in the Jetavana Vihara (精舍) in Śrāvastī (舍卫国), together with two thousand bhikṣus (比丘). At that time, there was a poor old man, two hundred years old, with elegant hairs growing from his eyebrows, ears protruding from his head, teeth like evenly arranged shells, and hands longer than his knees. Looking at his appearance, he seemed to have auspicious marks. However, he was poor and miserable, his clothes could not cover his body, his five limbs were exposed, his stomach was constantly hungry, and when he walked, he was barely breathing. He came leaning on a staff, seeking to see the Buddha. Śakra (帝释) and Brahmā (梵天), serving as gatekeepers, ordered that he not be allowed to pass. The old man then shouted loudly, saying, 'Although I am poor and lowly, the lowest of the common people, I am fortunate to encounter the Buddha today, a chance that comes once in a thousand years. I wish to ask about the matters of sins and blessings, seeking to be free from all suffering. I have heard that the World Honored One is universally kind and compassionate, and all beings receive his grace, none without benefit. Therefore, I have come from afar, begging for a single audience. But you are blocking me, which violates my wish and delays the Holy Intent. How can this be proper?' The Buddha, knowing this, turned to Ānanda (阿难) and said, 'Have you ever seen an old man who is long-lived, aged, and has auspicious marks, but whose sins have not yet been exhausted?' Ānanda, with his palms together, reported to the Buddha, 'How can there be one with auspicious marks, blessings, and longevity, yet still afflicted by sins? How can a person afflicted by sins still have auspicious marks? Where is he now? I have never seen such a thing.' The Buddha said, 'He is just outside the gate. Śakra and Brahmā are blocking him. You may call him forward.' Thereupon, the old man crawled forward inch by inch, prostrated himself before the Buddha, with sorrow and joy intermingled, and said to the Buddha, 'I was born into an unfortunate world, poor and miserable, hungry and cold, unable to seek death, and without reliance in life. Although human life is of utmost importance, I cannot abandon it myself. Hearing that the Buddha is in the world, my heart is filled with joy. Day and night, I made a vow, hoping to behold your face. It has been ten years from the beginning until now that I have been able to fulfill it. Just now, I was outside the gate, unable to advance for a long time. Intending to return, my strength was insufficient, and there was no way to advance or retreat, but...' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
恐命绝，秽污圣门，重增其罪。不悟天尊，已哀矜之，得蒙前进，不夺本愿，如此而死，无复恨矣！惟欲速终毕罪，后世愿得垂恩，施其上慧。” 佛言：“人之受生，生死因缘，以多因缘，致有罪根。今我为汝，说其本源。卿前世时，生豪强大国明慧王家。时为太子，憍贵非凡，上为父母所爱，下为臣民所敬。用此恣意，轻凌于人，高目大视，矜抗邈然，财宝亿万，皆是民物。百姓贫弊，皆坐课敛，惟知聚积财物，不肯布施。 “时有贫寒沙门，名曰静志，从远国来，故往诣卿，所求不多，惟法衣耳。而卿了不当，接遇之甚恶，既不乞衣，又不与食，空坐着前，去复不听。昼夜七日，水浆永绝，亦有气息，命在转烛。而卿见此，方大欢喜，聚人看之，以为快乐。边有侍臣，而谏卿曰：‘太子莫尔！沙门慈恭，道德内合，冻之不寒、饿之不饥，所以来乞，欲为福耳。既不施与，安可穷逼？幸发遣之，勿招其罪。’ “太子答曰：‘此是何人，诈称道德，试小困之。才令不死。正尔放去，无所忧也。’即便遣去驱逐出国。 “未出国界，十余里中，逢遭饥贼，欲杀啖之。沙门言曰：‘我贫冻沙门，羸瘦骨立，肉既腥臊，不中啖也，空当见杀，而无所任。’ “饿贼又曰：‘我饿困累日， 现代汉语译本：恐怕我性命断绝，玷污了圣洁的佛门，反而加重了我的罪孽。如果不是天尊已经哀怜我，让我能够前进，不剥夺我原本的愿望，这样死去，我也就没有什么遗憾了！只希望能够尽快结束罪业，来世希望能够得到佛的恩惠，赐予我上等的智慧。” 佛说：‘人之所以会出生，经历生死的因缘，是因为多种因缘聚合，才会有罪恶的根源。现在我为你讲述它的本源。你前世的时候，出生在豪强大国明慧王（Minghui Wang，国王名）的家中。当时作为太子，骄横尊贵非同一般，上面有父母的宠爱，下面有臣民的敬畏。因此就恣意妄为，轻视欺凌他人，高傲地看人，自以为是，态度冷漠。拥有的财宝数以亿万计，都是百姓的血汗。百姓贫困潦倒，都是因为沉重的赋税，只知道聚敛财富，不肯布施。 ‘当时有个贫寒的沙门（Shamen，和尚），名叫静志（Jingzhi，人名），从遥远的国家来，特意去拜访你，所求不多，只想要一件法衣罢了。但是你完全不理睬，接待的态度非常恶劣，既不给他衣服，又不给他食物，让他空坐在你面前，想走也不允许。昼夜七天，断绝了他的水和食物，还剩一口气，生命就像风中的蜡烛一样。但是你看到这种情况，反而非常高兴，聚集人们来看他，以此为乐。旁边有个侍臣，劝谏你说：‘太子不要这样！沙门慈悲恭敬，道德与内心相合，寒冷不能让他感到寒冷，饥饿不能让他感到饥饿，所以才来乞讨，想要为你带来福报啊。既然不施舍给他，怎么可以这样逼迫他呢？希望你放他走，不要招惹罪过。’ ‘太子回答说：‘这是什么人，假装有道德，我稍微困住他一下，只要不让他死就行了。然后放他走，没有什么可担心的。’随即就派人驱逐他出国。 ‘还没出国界，在十几里的地方，遇到了饥饿的盗贼，想要杀了他吃掉。沙门说：‘我是个贫穷受冻的沙门，瘦弱得只剩下骨头，肉又腥又臭，不能吃啊，白白地被你们杀死，也没有什么用处。’ ‘饿贼又说：‘我们饥饿困顿好几天了，
English
English version: 'I fear my life will end, defiling the sacred Buddhist gate, and increasing my sins. If not for the Honored One's compassion, allowing me to advance without taking away my original vow, I would have no regrets in dying like this! I only wish to quickly end my sins, and in the next life, I hope to receive the Buddha's grace, bestowing upon me superior wisdom.' The Buddha said, 'The reason for a person's birth and the cycle of life and death is due to the accumulation of various causes and conditions, which lead to the roots of sin. Now I will tell you its origin. In your previous life, you were born into the family of King Minghui (Minghui Wang, name of the king) in a powerful and wealthy country. At that time, as the crown prince, you were exceptionally arrogant and noble, loved by your parents above and respected by your subjects below. Therefore, you acted willfully, belittling and bullying others, looking down on people with arrogance, and behaving aloofly. You possessed hundreds of millions in wealth, all of which came from the people's hard work. The people were impoverished because of heavy taxes, and you only knew how to accumulate wealth, refusing to give alms. 'At that time, there was a poor Shamen (Shamen, monk), named Jingzhi (Jingzhi, personal name), who came from a distant country and specifically went to visit you, asking for little, only wanting a Dharma robe. But you completely ignored him, treating him very badly, neither giving him clothes nor food, making him sit in front of you without allowing him to leave. For seven days and nights, you cut off his water and food, leaving him with only a breath, his life like a candle in the wind. But when you saw this, you were very happy, gathering people to watch him, taking pleasure in it. There was a courtier beside you who advised you, saying, 'Crown Prince, do not do this! The Shamen is compassionate and respectful, his virtue is in harmony with his heart, cold cannot make him feel cold, hunger cannot make him feel hungry, so he comes to beg, wanting to bring you blessings. Since you do not give to him, how can you oppress him like this? I hope you let him go, do not invite sin.' 'The Crown Prince replied, 'Who is this person, pretending to have virtue? I will just trap him a little, as long as he doesn't die. Then I will let him go, there is nothing to worry about.' Then he immediately sent people to drive him out of the country. 'Before leaving the border, about ten miles away, he encountered hungry thieves who wanted to kill him and eat him. The Shamen said, 'I am a poor, freezing Shamen, so weak that only bones remain, my flesh is smelly and foul, not fit to eat, you will kill me in vain, and it will be of no use.' 'The hungry thieves said again, 'We have been hungry and exhausted for days,' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
但食土耳，卿虽小瘦，故是肉也。终不相放，但当就死。’如此前却，纷纭良久。 “太子得知，便往救曰：‘我以不能乞其衣食，宁当复令贼杀之耶？’贼见太子，皆叩头首过谢罪，放沙门去。 “时沙门者，今弥勒菩萨是；憍贵太子者，今卿是也。故卿今日受此贫穷之罪，坐悭贪也；所以得长寿者，救活沙门之命也。罪福报应，亦如影响。” 老公白佛：“去事已尔，愿毕于今，乞得以垂残之命，得作沙门，后生世世，常侍佛边。” 佛言：“善哉！” 应时，老公须发堕地，法衣在身，体气强健，耳目聪明，即得上慧，入三昧门。以偈赞佛： “我昔为太子， 不识仁义方， 憍贵自放恣， 恃为大国王， 自谓无罪福， 此以可保常。 岂悟生死对， 于今受其殃？ 从罪复蒙福， 得睹天中天， 能脱既往罪， 垂命入法门， 永离悭贪心， 长受智慧根， 世世侍佛边， 保持万劫存。” 于是老公比丘，说是偈已，礼佛而去。 佛说贫穷老公经 现代汉语译本： ‘即使只能吃泥土，你虽然瘦小，但终究是肉啊。我终究不会放过你，只能让你去死。’就这样争论不休，纷纷扰扰了很久。 太子得知此事，便前去营救说：‘我既然不能乞讨到衣食，难道还能再让贼人杀了他吗？’贼人见到太子，都叩头认错谢罪，放走了沙门（Shamen，指佛教出家人）。 当时的沙门，就是现在的弥勒菩萨（Maitreya Bodhisattva）；憍贵太子，就是现在的您啊。所以您今日遭受这贫穷的罪报，是因为过去的悭吝贪婪；之所以能够长寿，是因为救活了沙门的性命啊。罪与福的报应，就像影子跟随形体一样。 老公（Laogong，老翁）对佛说：‘过去的事情已经如此，希望今天能够了结。乞求能够以我这残余的生命，出家做沙门，后生生世世，常在佛的身边侍奉。’ 佛说：‘善哉！’ 当时，老公的须发应声落地，法衣穿在身上，身体变得强健，耳聪目明，立刻获得了大智慧，进入了三昧（Samadhi，佛教中的一种精神境界）之门。以偈颂赞美佛： ‘我过去身为太子，不认识仁义的道理，骄横放纵，仗恃自己是大国王，自认为没有罪福报应，可以永远保持常态。哪里知道生死是相对的，如今遭受这样的灾殃？从罪业中又蒙受福报，得见天中之天（指佛），能够摆脱过去的罪业，以残余的生命进入佛法之门，永远远离悭吝贪婪之心，长久获得智慧的根源，世世代代侍奉在佛的身边，保持万劫长存。’ 于是老公比丘（Laogong Bhikkhu，老翁比丘），说完这偈颂后，向佛顶礼而去。 《佛说贫穷老公经》
English
English version: 'Even if I only eat dirt, you may be small and thin, but you are still meat. I will never let you go, I can only let you die.' They argued back and forth like this, in great confusion for a long time. The prince, upon learning of this, went to rescue him, saying, 'Since I cannot beg for food and clothing, how can I allow the thieves to kill him?' The thieves, seeing the prince, all kowtowed, admitted their faults, apologized, and released the Shamen (Buddhist monk). The Shamen at that time is now Maitreya Bodhisattva (the future Buddha); the arrogant prince is you now. Therefore, you suffer the consequences of poverty today because of your past stinginess and greed; the reason you have longevity is because you saved the life of the Shamen. The retribution of sin and blessing is like a shadow following its form. The old man (Laogong) said to the Buddha, 'The past is already done, I wish to end it today. I beg to use my remaining life to become a Shamen, and in future lives, always serve by the Buddha's side.' The Buddha said, 'Excellent!' At that moment, the old man's hair and beard fell to the ground, a Dharma robe appeared on his body, his body became strong, his ears and eyes became clear, and he immediately gained great wisdom, entering the gate of Samadhi (a state of meditative consciousness). He praised the Buddha with a verse: 'In the past, as a prince, I did not understand the principles of benevolence and righteousness, arrogant and unrestrained, relying on being a great king, thinking that there was no sin or blessing, and that I could always maintain the status quo. How could I know that life and death are relative, and now I suffer such calamity? From sin, I receive blessings again, and I am able to see the 'Heaven of Heavens' (referring to the Buddha), able to escape past sins, and enter the Dharma gate with my remaining life, forever abandoning stinginess and greed, and receiving the root of wisdom for a long time, serving by the Buddha's side in every life, and preserving for countless kalpas.' Then the old man Bhikkhu (Laogong Bhikkhu), after reciting this verse, bowed to the Buddha and departed. The Sutra of the Poor Old Man Spoken by the Buddha --------------------------------------------------------------------------------