Sutta 8: The Two Powers: Patience and Contemplation

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0580b26] Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha (佛 [fu]) was in the Jetavana (祇樹 [qi shu]) Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park (給孤獨園 [gei gu du yuan]), in the country of Śrāvastī (舍衛國 [she wei guo]).

[0580b26] wén rú shì:

yī shí, fú zài shě wèi guó qí shù gěi gū dú yuán.

[0580b26] wen ru shi:

yi shi, fu zai she wei guo qi shu gei gu du yuan.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0580b27] At that time, the World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) told the bhikkhus (比丘 [bi qiu]), "There are these two powers (二力 [er li]). What are the two powers (二力 [er li])? They are the power of patience (忍力 [ren li]) and the power of contemplation (思惟力 [si wei li]). If I had not had these two powers (二力 [er li]), I would never have attained unsurpassed perfect complete enlightenment (無上正真等正覺 [wu shang zheng zhen deng zheng jue]). Furthermore, without these two powers (二力 [er li]), I would never have been able to endure six years of ascetic practice at Uruvelā (優留毘處 [you liu pi chu]), nor would I have been able to subdue Māra's (魔怨 [mo yuan]) host and attain the unsurpassed true path (無上正真之道 [wu shang zheng zhen zhi dao]), sitting on the bodhi-mandala (道場 [dao chang]). Because I possessed the power of patience (忍力 [ren li]) and the power of contemplation (思惟力 [si wei li]), I was able to subdue Māra's (魔眾 [mo zhong]) host, attain the unsurpassed true path (無上正真之道 [wu shang zheng zhen zhi dao]), and sit on the bodhi-mandala (道場 [dao chang]). Therefore, bhikkhus (諸比丘 [zhu bi qiu])! You should seek a way to cultivate these two powers (二力 [er li]): the power of patience (忍力 [ren li]) and the power of contemplation (思惟力 [si wei li]). Then you will attain the path of a Sotāpanna (須陀洹道 [xu tuo huan dao]), a Sakadāgāmin (斯陀含道 [si tuo han dao]), an Anāgāmin (阿那含道 [a na han dao]), and an Arhat (阿羅漢道 [a luo han dao]), and attain Pari-Nirvāṇa (般涅槃 [ban nie pan]) in the Nirvāṇa (涅槃界 [nie pan jie]) without remainder. Thus, bhikkhus (諸比丘 [zhu bi qiu])! You should train yourselves in this way."

[0580b27] ěr shí, shì zūn gào zhū bǐ qiū: “yǒu cǐ èr lì. yún hé wèi èr lì? suǒ wèi rěn lì,, sī wéi lì, shè wú wú cǐ èr lì zhě, zhōng bù chéng wú shàng zhèng zhēn děng zhèng jué. yòu wú cǐ èr lì zhě, zhōng bù yú yōu liú pí chù liù nián kǔ xíng, yì fù bù néng jiàng fú mó yuàn, chéng wú shàng zhèng zhēn zhī dào, zuò yú dào chǎng. yǐ wǒ yǒu rěn lì,, sī wéi lì gù, biàn néng jiàng fú mó zhòng, chéng wú shàng zhèng zhēn zhī dào, zuò yú dào chǎng. shì gù, zhū bǐ qiū! dāng qiú fāng biàn, xiū cǐ èr lì, rěn lì,, sī wéi lì, biàn chéng xū tuó huán dào,, sī tuó hán dào,, ā nà hán dào,, ā luó hàn dào, yú wú yú niè pán jiè ér bān niè pán. rú shì. zhū bǐ qiū! dāng zuò shì xué.”

[0580b27] er shi, shi zun gao zhu bi qiu: "you ci er li. yun he wei er li? suo wei ren li,, si wei li, she wu wu ci er li zhe, zhong bu cheng wu shang zheng zhen deng zheng jue. you wu ci er li zhe, zhong bu yu you liu pi chu liu nian ku xing, yi fu bu neng jiang fu mo yuan, cheng wu shang zheng zhen zhi dao, zuo yu dao chang. yi wo you ren li,, si wei li gu, bian neng jiang fu mo zhong, cheng wu shang zheng zhen zhi dao, zuo yu dao chang. shi gu, zhu bi qiu! dang qiu fang bian, xiu ci er li, ren li,, si wei li, bian cheng xu tuo huan dao,, si tuo han dao,, a na han dao,, a luo han dao, yu wu yu nie pan jie er ban nie pan. ru shi. zhu bi qiu! dang zuo shi xue."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0580c07] At that time, the bhikkhus (諸比丘 [zhu bi qiu]), having heard what the Buddha (佛 [fu]) said, rejoiced and put it into practice.

[0580c07] ěr shí, zhū bǐ qiū wén fú suǒ shuō, huān xǐ fèng xíng.

[0580c07] er shi, zhu bi qiu wen fu suo shuo, huan xi feng xing.