此文译自 斯里兰卡佛教出版社与美国智慧出版社于1997年共同出版的
《佛陀的伟大圣弟子/ Great Disciples of the Buddha》之第三章
〈大迦叶:僧团之父/ Mahakassapa:Father of The Sangha〉
by Nyanaponika Thera & Dr. Hellmuth Hecker
陈慈兰 译 2003-3-30
有很多因素,促成大迦叶尊者在刚失去依怙的僧团中超群显赫。他不但拥有佛陀之三十二种「大丈夫特相 / marks of a great man」的其中七种,而且被世尊夸赞他的修行成就和体证。他是唯一与佛陀交换僧袍的弟子,这是一项特殊荣誉;他具有最高程度的「十项乐法质量 / ten qualities that inspire confidence」;而且他是持戒和致力于头陀行禅者的模范。 所以,他担当这由他紧急建议所召唤的「第一次僧团大结集 / the First Council of the Sangha」之领导者,并不令人意外。
世尊回答:「迦叶,假如任何人不如实知,不如实见,却对一个像你这么秉赋真诚的弟子说,“我如实知,我如实见,” 那么他的头将会裂开。但是,大迦叶,如实知道的,我说 “我知道”; 如实见到的,我说 “我见到”
Kassapa, if anyone who does not know and see were to say to a disciple endowed with such sincerity as yourself, “I know, I see,” his head would split. But Kassapa, knowing, I say “I know”;seeing, I say “I see.”」
于是,佛陀给大迦叶尊者如下三个教诫,作为第一次正式的「法」的传授。
迦叶,你应该如是训练自己:「在僧团长老、沙弥和中阶比丘面前,我要生起敏锐之犯错的羞惭心和怖畏心(有惭有愧)。
You should train yourself thus, Kassapa: 'A keen sense of shame and fear of wrong-doing (hiri-ottappa) shall be present in me towards seniors, novices, and those of middle status in the Order.」
「我所听到的任何法义,都是有益于导向正善的,应该专注听闻、抉择它、实践它、全心融入其间。
Whatever teaching I hear that is conducive to something wholesome, I shall listen to with an attentive ear, examining it, reflecting on it, absorbing it with all my heart.」
「与身观念处连结的高兴觉受,我不应忽视!」大迦叶,你应该如是训练自己。
Mindfulness of the body linked with gladness shall not be neglected by me!」Thus should you train yourself.
第二个场合,大迦叶也一样不愿去教诫比丘,原因是,他们不服从告诫、缺乏善益的热诚、缺乏敏锐犯错的羞惭心和怖畏心(有惭有愧),而且智慧迟滞、空洞。大迦叶比喻这些出家人的倾堕状况,有如阴缺的月亮:日渐褪失其清丽(信心/热诚),日渐退失其圆度(羞惭心),日渐退失其光辉(犯错的怖畏心/有愧心),日渐退失其高度(精进心),日渐退失其宽度(智慧)。
They are like the waning moon that daily loses in beauty (confidence), in roundness (shame), in splendor (fear of wrong-doing), in height (energy), and in width (wisdom). (SN.16:7)
第一次会合是与一位名叫Laja的年青女天人。她回忆说,她之所以得到目前的天人享乐,是因为她前一生在人间时是个贫妇,但她曾经以一颗诚信之心供养烧焦的饭给大迦叶长老,供养时她表露这样的愿望:「愿我分享你体证到的真理!」在回家的路上,她正回想着这供养时,不幸地被毒蛇咬伤致死立刻投生到33天的大光明中
(in the heaven of the Thirty-three in the midst of great splendor)。
《中部》〈大牛角经 / the Mahagosinga Sutta〉里记载,一群比丘,包括大迦叶和几位杰出弟子,共同参予舍利弗邀请的聚会。当时这些尊者都与佛陀安居在牛角森林里,其间有一个清朗月明的晚上,他们前去舍利弗住处共论法义。舍利弗开场白:「这牛角森林多么美丽怡人!今晚正是清朗月明,娑罗树花正盛开着,天香馥郁飘散四周。」接着他就问在座每一位各有特色的尊者---阿难、离婆多、阿那律、大迦叶和大目犍连---什么样的出家人能够增添牛角森林的光彩。大迦叶,和其它在座的尊者,都依着他们的特质回答这个问题,大迦叶这样回答:
在巴利文献里,没有记载大迦叶入灭的时间和地点,但是在北传佛教的梵文年事史,〈尊者们的戒律/ the Masters of the Law〉文献里,提供了一个大长老入灭的有趣故事。根据它的记载,结集正法和圣戒后(据说约二、三十年后)大迦叶觉得他巳圆满完成任务了,于是决定入涅盘(据说此时他巳超过百岁了);他将正法付嘱阿难继承,并向佛陀的各圣地作最后一次礼拜,然后回王舍城;他曾有意的要去告知阿阇世王他即将入灭,但阿阇世王正在睡觉,他不想吵醒他就离去了。他独自攀上鸡足山的顶峰(the summit of Mount Kukkatapada),在一个峰谷中盘腿禅坐,并立下誓愿---他的身体将完整保存到弥勒佛出世 (据说,约要六十七亿年以后),他要把乔达摩佛陀的僧袍---第一次见面时赐予他的这一件破烂僧袍,亲手转交给弥勒佛。之后,大迦叶就入了涅盘,或称,入灭受想尽定(the meditative attainment of cessation / nirodhasamapatti);此时大地震动,天神洒落香花在他身上,同时山脉自动合拢盖住了他的身体。
下面所提供的诗选,可能是C. A. F. Rhys Davids 和 K. R. Norman所读到的将之英译的作品。开头的禅偈,是大迦叶尊者告诫出家人,对出家生活之四资俱(衣、食、住、医药)的要求要修习少欲知足:
我从山上茅蓬下来,
Having come down from my mountain lodging.
进城去托钵乞食。
I entered the city to collect my alms.
我谦恭地走向一个人,
Courteously I came up to a man,
一个正在用餐的痲疯病人。
A leper who was eating a meal.
他以鳞片状染病的手
With his hand all leprous and diseased
拈起一撮食物供养我。
He offered me a morsel of food.
当他将这撮食物放进钵中时
As he placed the morsel in my bowl
一段破烂的指头脱落在钵中。
A finger broke off and toppled in.
我在一处墙脚边坐下
I sat down at the base of a wall
吃着他布施的这撮食物。
And ate the morsel he had given me.
我食用时和食用后
While I was eating and after I had finished
全无厌恶的感受。
I did not feel the least disgust.
残渣碎物为食,
Using left-over scraps as food,
腐臭尿液为药,(牛尿为药)
putrid urine as medicine (Cow’s urine for medicine),
林间树下为居,
The foot of a tree for lodging,
拾缀碎布为衣;
A robe made from cast-off rage;
巳经克服欲望的人
One who has gained mastery over these
是真正随遇而安者。
Is truly a man everywhere at home.
(Thag. 1054~57)
有人问大迦叶尊者,为什么他巳到了老迈之年,还要住在岩石山上每天爬上爬下的?
他如是回答:
当人们倦累于攀爬
While some grow weary as they climb
这险峻陡峭的岩石山时,
The steep slope of the rocky mountain,
迦叶以神通力浮行而上--- Kassapa ascends, buoyed by psychic power---
以正念明觉,为佛陀的法的继承人。
The Buddha’s heir, aware and mindful.
每天托钵乞食归来,
Having returned from his daily alms round,
攀上岩石山,
Having climbed up the rocky mountain,
迦叶安住在离欲的止观里,
Kassapa meditates free from clinging,
惧怕和怖畏全然舍离。
With fear and trembling well abandoned.
每天托钵乞食归来,
Having returned from his daily alms round,
攀上岩石山,
Having climbed up the rocky mountain,
迦叶安住在清净的止观里,
Kassapa meditates free from clinging,
止熄了那些灼伤人的情欲。
Quenched among those who burn with passion.
每天托钵乞食归来,
Having returned from his daily alms round,
攀上岩石山,
Having climbed up the rocky mountain,
迦叶安住在清净的止观里,
Kassapa meditates free from clinging,
他所作巳作,烦恼巳断。
His task done, his cankers gone.
(Thag. 1058~61)
遍地覆盖着kareri花彩,
Spread over with kareri garlands,
这地方令我心懭神怡,
These regions are delightful to my heart,
山间回向着象群的鸣声,这么可爱,
Resounding with elephants, so lovely,
岩石山脉带给我喜帨。
Those rocky mountains give me delight.
壮丽的深蓝色云层,
The splendid hue of dark-blue clouds,
山间溪水潺流,清凉、澄澈,
Where streams are flowing, cool and clear,
布满了indagopaka昆虫,
Covered with indagopaka insects,
岩石山脉带给我喜帨。
Those rocky mountains give me delight.
像巍峨绝顶的层层深蓝云峰,
Like towering peaks of dark-blue clouds,
像高壮山形顶盖的幢幢楼宇,
Like lofty houses with gabled roofs,
山间回向着象群的鸣声,这么可爱,
Resounding with elephants, so lovely,
岩石山脉带给我喜帨。
Those rocky mountains give me delight.
岩石的美丽表层经过雨水冲刷,
Their lovely surfaces lashed by rain,
山脉是先觉者依止之处。
The mountains are resorted to by seers.
山间共鸣着孔雀啼声,
Echoing with the cries of peacocks,
岩石山脉带给我喜帨。
Those rocky mountains give me delight.
立愿修行,这环境够我满意了,
This is enough for me, desiring to meditate,
足以让我坚毅精进和保持念觉;
Enough for me, resolute and mindful;
这环境足以让我,一个比丘,
This is enough for me, a bhikkhu,
坚毅精进,迈向(阿罗汉)目标。
Resolute, desirous of the goal.
渴望安逸,这环境够我满意了,
This is enough for me, desiring comfort,
对一个有坚毅心的比丘。
A bhikkhu with a resolute mind.
渴望上进,这环境够我满意了,
This is enough for me, desiring exertion,
对一颗不动摇的坚毅心。
A stable one of resolute mind.
像盛开的蓝色亚麻花,
They are like the blue blossoms of flax,
像覆盖蓝云的秋空,
Like the autumn sky covered with blue clouds,
许多鸟类群居其间,
With flocks of many kinds of birds,
岩石山脉带给我喜悦。
Those rocky mountains give me delight.
没有在家群众游览山丘,
No crowds of lay folk visit these hills,
只有鹿群栖息,
But they are inhabited by herds of deer,
和许多鸟类群居其间,
With flocks of many kinds of birds,
岩石山脉带给我喜悦
Those rocky mountains give me delight.
宽广的山峡谷水流清澈,
Wide gorges are there where clear water flows,
猴群与鹿群流连忘返,
Haunted by monkeys and by deer,
地上铺盖湿润的青苔地毯,
Covered by wet carpets of moss,
岩石山脉带给我喜悦。
Those rocky mountains give me delight.
五重音乐大合奏
The music of a five-piece ensemble
未能给我太多喜悦
Can never give me so much delight
因为当时我以一境性心
As I derive when with one-pointed mind
如实内观实相法。
I gain proper insight into the Dhamma.
(Thag. 1062~71)
下面的禅偈,是大迦叶尊者所发出的 “狮吼” 之声:
佛陀教化门徒中,
As far as the range of this Buddha-field extends,
除了伟大的世尊他自己,
Excepting the great sage himself,
我是头陀行第一者,
I am the foremost in ascetic virtues,
无有他人与我等同。
One my equal cannot be found.
我对导师巳尽职,
The Teacher has been served by me,
完成佛陀的教法。
The Buddha’s Teaching has been done.
重任巳御,
The heavy burden has been dropped,
生死之根巳断
The conduit to becoming has been uprooted.
无量解脱的乔达摩
Gotama the immeasurable does not cling
不贪着于衣、住、食。
To robe, to lodging, or to food.
他纯净得像一朵白莲,
He is untainted like a spotless lotus,
巳经出离,超越三界。
Bent on renunciation, beyond the three worlds.
明觉念住是他的颈柱;
The foundations of mindfulness are his neck;
这伟大圣者的信心掌握在他双手;
The Great Sage has faith for his hands;
此外,完美、崇高的智慧展现在他额眉;
Above, his brow is perfect wisdom; nobly wise,
他无欲宁静地漫行于任何时中。
He ever wanders with all desire quenched.
(Thag 1087~1090)
有一天她记述了下面的禅偈,赞美大迦叶,同时宣称她自己的成就:
佛陀的儿子和直承嫡子,
A son of the Buddha and his rightful heir,
大迦叶止观深湛
Great Kassapa who is well concentrated
得知过去世
Knows his abodes in previous lives
得见天堂、地岳。
And sees the heavens and planes of woe.
他也是 生死巳断,
He too has attained the destruction of birth,
成就最高出世间智的圣者;
A sage consummate in direct knowledge;
秉赋三种明智,
Endowed with these three modes of knowledge,
这位(真正的)梵志是三明俱足者。
The brahmin is a triple-knowledge bearer.
巴达迦毕兰尼 亦然
Just so is Bhadda Kapilani
是生死巳尽、三明俱足的比丘尼。
A triple-knowledge nun who has left Death behind,
巳征服天魔和其魔徒,
Having conquered Mara and his mount,
仅拥有最后的一生色身。
She lives bearing her final body.
因彻见世间轮迥的险难,
Having seen the grave danger in the world,
我俩出家修行。
We both went forth into homelessness.
如今我们是苦难的摧毁者;
Now we are destroyers of the cankers;
以念觉和宁静,我们证得涅盘。
Tamed and cool, we have won Nibbana.
巳成就阿罗汉的比丘尼,巴达,全心致力在年青比丘尼的教育上,以及指导她们僧团的戒规。在比丘尼戒细则(Bhikkhuni Vibhanga / Analysis of Nuns’ Discipline)里,记录了她的学生所涉及的实例,这些实例给比丘尼们作为实际的僧团戒律规范。此外也有二个实例,当时巴达必须容忍另一比丘尼Thullananda对她的嫉妒,这比丘尼也对大迦叶心怀敌意。Thullananda 在法义上的造诣很好,而且是个能言善道的说法师,但明显的,她的聪明才智胜过她的宽容心,她自我意识强烈,以致无法改变劣性,这劣性已经在很多戒本上被证明了。那时巴达也是个很受欢迎的说法师,甚至一些Thullananda的学生都喜欢她,Thullananda心生嫉妒,设法要困扰巴达,一次她带着学生在巴达的茅舍前面走上走下的大声背诵,佛陀因此责备她。另外一次,是巴达要求Thullananda在稍后抵舍卫城时为她安排临时的茅舍,但是,Thullananda又在一个嫉妒心的激发下,不让巴达住进茅舍。然而,巴达巳经是个阿罗汉了,巳不再被这些事务所干扰了,她以舍心和悲心来对待她们。