Sutta 3: Sona Kotivimsha's Perseverance

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

[0612a17] Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha (佛 [fu]) was in Campā (占波國 [zhan bo guo]), by the Thunder Sound Pond (雷聲池 [lei sheng chi]).

At that time, the Venerable Sona Koṭīviṃśa (尊者二十億耳 [zun zhe er shi yi er]) was in a secluded place, cultivating the fundamental Dharma, not abandoning the twelve ascetic practices (頭陀十二法行 [tou tuo shi er fa xing]). He walked continuously day and night, never leaving the teachings of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment (三十七道品 [san shi qi dao pin]). Whether sitting or walking, he constantly cultivated the True Dharma (正法 [zheng fa]), exerting himself diligently during the early, middle, and late parts of the night, not resting for a moment. Yet, he was unable to achieve liberation of mind from the defilement of desire (欲漏法心得解脫 [yu lou fa xin de jie tuo]). At that time, where the Venerable Sona Koṭīviṃśa (尊者二十億耳 [zun zhe er shi yi er]) walked, his feet became broken and bled, filling the path like a slaughterhouse, where crows and magpies ate the blood. Yet, he was still unable to achieve liberation of mind from the defilement of desire (欲漏心得解脫 [yu lou xin de jie tuo]). At that time, the Venerable Sona Koṭīviṃśa (尊者二十億耳 [zun zhe er shi yi er]) thought, "Among the Śākya (釋迦文佛 [shi jia wen fu]) Buddha's disciples who practice asceticism and diligence, I am the foremost. Yet, today, my mind is not liberated from defilements; moreover, my family business is rich in wealth and treasures. It would be better to abandon the monastic robes, return to being a layman, and widely distribute my wealth. But now, being a śramaṇa (沙門 [sha men]) is extremely difficult!"

[0612a17] wén rú shì:

yī shí, fú zài zhàn bō guó léi shēng chí cè.

shì shí, zūn zhě èr shí yì ěr zài yī jìng chù, zì xiū fǎ běn, bù shě tóu tuó shí èr fǎ xíng, zhòu yè jīng xíng, bù lí sān shí qī dào pǐn zhī jiào, ruò zuò,, ruò xíng, cháng xiū zhèng fǎ, chū yè,, zhōng yè,, jìng yè, héng zì kè lì, bù shě sī xū, rán fù bù néng yú yù lòu fǎ xīn dé jiě tuō. shì shí, zūn zhě èr shí yì ěr suǒ jīng xíng chù, jiǎo huài xuè liú, yíng mǎn lù cè, yóu rú tú niú zhī chù, wū què shí xuè, rán fù bù néng yú yù lòu xīn dé jiě tuō. shì shí, zūn zhě èr shí yì ěr biàn zuò shì niàn: “shì jiā wén fú kǔ xíng jīng jìn dì zi zhōng, wǒ wèi dì yī, rán wǒ jīn rì lòu xīn bù dé jiě tuō； yòu wǒ jiā yè, duō cái ráo bǎo, yí kě shě fú, hái zuò bái yī, chí cái wù guǎng huì shī. rán jīn zuò shā mén, shén nán bù yì! ”

[0612a17] wen ru shi:

yi shi, fu zai zhan bo guo lei sheng chi ce.

shi shi, zun zhe er shi yi er zai yi jing chu, zi xiu fa ben, bu she tou tuo shi er fa xing, zhou ye jing xing, bu li san shi qi dao pin zhi jiao, ruo zuo,, ruo xing, chang xiu zheng fa, chu ye,, zhong ye,, jing ye, heng zi ke li, bu she si xu, ran fu bu neng yu yu lou fa xin de jie tuo. shi shi, zun zhe er shi yi er suo jing xing chu, jiao huai xue liu, ying man lu ce, you ru tu niu zhi chu, wu que shi xue, ran fu bu neng yu yu lou xin de jie tuo. shi shi, zun zhe er shi yi er bian zuo shi nian: "shi jia wen fu ku xing jing jin di zi zhong, wo wei di yi, ran wo jin ri lou xin bu de jie tuo; you wo jia ye, duo cai rao bao, yi ke she fu, hai zuo bai yi, chi cai wu guang hui shi. ran jin zuo sha men, shen nan bu yi! "

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

[0612a29] At that time, the World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]), knowing from afar the thoughts of Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er]), ascended into the empty sky and went to his walking place. He spread out his sitting mat and sat down. At that time, the Venerable Sona Koṭīviṃśa (尊者二十億耳 [zun zhe er shi yi er]) went before the Buddha (佛 [fu]), bowed his head at his feet, and sat to one side.

[0612a29] ěr shí, shì zūn yáo zhī èr shí yì ěr xīn zhī suǒ niàn, biàn téng yóu xū kōng, zhì bǐ jīng xíng chù, fū zuò jù ér zuò. shì shí, zūn zhě èr shí yì ěr qián zhì fú suǒ, tóu miàn lǐ zú, zài yī miàn zuò.

[0612a29] er shi, shi zun yao zhi er shi yi er xin zhi suo nian, bian teng you xu kong, zhi bi jing xing chu, fu zuo ju er zuo. shi shi, zun zhe er shi yi er qian zhi fu suo, tou mian li zu, zai yi mian zuo.

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

[0612b03] At that time, the World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) asked Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er]), "Why did you just think, 'Among the Śākya Muni Buddha's (釋迦文尼佛 [shi jia wen ni fu]) disciples who practice diligence and asceticism, I am the foremost. Yet, today, my mind is not liberated from defilements; moreover, my family business is rich in wealth and treasures. It would be better to abandon the monastic robes, return to being a layman, and widely distribute my wealth. But now, being a śramaṇa (沙門 [sha men]) is extremely difficult'?"

[0612b03] ěr shí, shì zūn wèn èr shí yì ěr yuē: “rǔ xiàng hé gù zuò shì niàn: ‘shì jiā wén ní fú jīng jìn kǔ xíng dì zi zhōng, wǒ wèi dì yī, rán wǒ jīn rì lòu xīn bù dé jiě tuō； yòu wǒ jiā yè, ráo cái duō bǎo, yí kě shě fú, hái zuò bái yī, chí cái wù guǎng shī. rán jīn zuò shā mén, shén nán bù yì.’ ”

[0612b03] er shi, shi zun wen er shi yi er yue: "ru xiang he gu zuo shi nian: 'shi jia wen ni fu jing jin ku xing di zi zhong, wo wei di yi, ran wo jin ri lou xin bu de jie tuo; you wo jia ye, rao cai duo bao, yi ke she fu, hai zuo bai yi, chi cai wu guang shi. ran jin zuo sha men, shen nan bu yi.' "

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

[0612b07] Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er]) replied, "So it is, World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun])!"

[0612b07] èr shí yì ěr duì yuē: “rú shì. shì zūn! ”

[0612b07] er shi yi er dui yue: "ru shi. shi zun! "

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

[0612b08] The World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) said, "I will now ask you, and you reply to me as you wish. How is it, Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er])! When you were at home, were you skilled at playing the zither (琴 [qin])?"

[0612b08] shì zūn gào yuē: “wǒ jīn hái wèn rǔ, suí rǔ bào wǒ. yún hé, èr shí yì ěr! rǔ běn zài jiā shí, shàn dàn qín hū?”

[0612b08] shi zun gao yue: "wo jin hai wen ru, sui ru bao wo. yun he, er shi yi er! ru ben zai jia shi, shan dan qin hu?"

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

[0612b10] Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er]) replied, "So it is, World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun])! When I was at home, I was skilled at playing the zither (琴 [qin])."

[0612b10] èr shí yì ěr duì yuē: “rú shì. shì zūn! wǒ běn zài jiā shí, shàn néng dàn qín.”

[0612b10] er shi yi er dui yue: "ru shi. shi zun! wo ben zai jia shi, shan neng dan qin."

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

[0612b11] The World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) said, "How is it, Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er])! If the strings are extremely taut, the sound is not harmonious. Is the sound of the zither (琴音 [qin yin]) pleasing to hear then?"

[0612b11] shì zūn gào yuē: “yún hé, èr shí yì ěr! ruò dàn xián jí jí, xiàng bù qí děng, ěr shí qín yīn kě tīng cǎi bù?”

[0612b11] shi zun gao yue: "yun he, er shi yi er! ruo dan xian ji ji, xiang bu qi deng, er shi qin yin ke ting cai bu?"

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

[0612b12] Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er]) replied, "No, World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun])!"

[0612b12] èr shí yì ěr duì yuē: “bù yě. shì zūn! ”

[0612b12] er shi yi er dui yue: "bu ye. shi zun! "

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

[0612b13] The World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) said, "How is it, Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er])! If the zither (琴絃 [qin xian]) strings are loose, is the sound of the zither (琴音 [qin yin]) pleasing to hear then?"

[0612b13] shì zūn gào yuē: “yún hé, èr shí yì ěr! ruò qín xián fù huǎn, ěr shí qín yīn kě tīng cǎi bù?”

[0612b13] shi zun gao yue: "yun he, er shi yi er! ruo qin xian fu huan, er shi qin yin ke ting cai bu?"

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

[0612b14] Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er]) replied, "No, World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun])!"

[0612b14] èr shí yì ěr duì yuē: “bù yě, shì zūn! ”

[0612b14] er shi yi er dui yue: "bu ye, shi zun! "

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

[0612b15] The World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) said, "How is it, Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er])! If the zither (琴絃 [qin xian]) strings are neither taut nor loose, is the sound of the zither (琴音 [qin yin]) pleasing to hear then?"

[0612b15] shì zūn gào yuē: “yún hé, èr shí yì ěr! ruò qín xián bù jí bù huǎn, ěr shí qín yīn kě tīng cǎi bù?”

[0612b15] shi zun gao yue: "yun he, er shi yi er! ruo qin xian bu ji bu huan, er shi qin yin ke ting cai bu?"

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

[0612b17] Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳 [er shi yi er]) replied, "So it is, World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun])! If the zither (琴絃 [qin xian]) strings are neither loose nor taut, then the sound of the zither (琴音 [qin yin]) is pleasing to hear."

[0612b17] èr shí yì ěr duì yuē: “rú shì. shì zūn! ruò qín xián bù huǎn bù jí, ěr shí qín yīn biàn kě tīng cǎi.”

[0612b17] er shi yi er dui yue: "ru shi. shi zun! ruo qin xian bu huan bu ji, er shi qin yin bian ke ting cai."

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

[0612b18] The World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) said, "This is also the case. Extreme diligence is like frivolity; laxity falls into wrong views; one who can maintain the middle path performs the superior practice. Thus, before long, one will become an untainted person (無漏人 [wu lou ren])."

[0612b18] shì zūn gào yuē: “cǐ yì rú shì. jí jīng jìn zhě, yóu rú diào xì； ruò xiè dài zhě, cǐ duò xié jiàn； ruò néng zài zhōng zhě, cǐ zé shàng xíng. rú shì bù jiǔ, dāng chéng wú lòu rén.”

[0612b18] shi zun gao yue: "ci yi ru shi. ji jing jin zhe, you ru diao xi; ruo xie dai zhe, ci duo xie jian; ruo neng zai zhong zhe, ci ze shang xing. ru shi bu jiu, dang cheng wu lou ren."

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

[0612b21] At that time, the World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]), having expounded the subtle Dharma to bhikkhu Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳比丘 [er shi yi er bi qiu]), returned to the Thunder Sound Pond (雷音池 [lei yin chi]).

[0612b21] ěr shí, shì zūn yǔ èr shí yì ěr bǐ qiū shuō wēi miào fǎ yǐ, hái léi yīn chí cè.

[0612b21] er shi, shi zun yu er shi yi er bi qiu shuo wei miao fa yi, hai lei yin chi ce.

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

[0612b22] At that time, the Venerable Sona Koṭīviṃśa (尊者二十億耳 [zun zhe er shi yi er]) meditated on the World Honored One's (世尊 [shi zun]) instructions, not giving up for a moment, and practiced the Dharma in a quiet place. This is why a noble family son leaves home to cultivate the path, shaves his beard and hair, and cultivates the unsurpassed pure conduct (無上梵行 [wu shang fan xing]): the cycle of birth and death (生死 [sheng si]) has ended, pure conduct has been established, what needed to be done has been done, and there will be no further existence, knowing this truly. The Venerable Sona Koṭīviṃśa (尊者二十億耳 [zun zhe er shi yi er]) then attained Arhatship (阿羅漢 [a luo han]).

[0612b22] ěr shí, zūn zhě èr shí yì ěr sī wéi shì zūn jiào chì, bù shě xū yú, zài xián jìng chù xiū xíng qí fǎ. suǒ yǐ zú xìng zi chū jiā xué dào, tì chú xū fà, xiū wú shàng fàn xíng: shēng sǐ yǐ jǐn, fàn xíng yǐ lì, suǒ zuò yǐ bàn, gèng bù fù shòu yǒu, rú shí zhī zhī. zūn zhě èr shí yì ěr biàn chéng ā luó hàn.

[0612b22] er shi, zun zhe er shi yi er si wei shi zun jiao chi, bu she xu yu, zai xian jing chu xiu xing qi fa. suo yi zu xing zi chu jia xue dao, ti chu xu fa, xiu wu shang fan xing: sheng si yi jin, fan xing yi li, suo zuo yi ban, geng bu fu shou you, ru shi zhi zhi. zun zhe er shi yi er bian cheng a luo han.

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

[0612b27] At that time, the World Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) said to the bhikkhus (諸比丘 [zhu bi qiu]), "Among my śrāvaka (聲聞 [sheng wen]) disciples, the foremost in diligent asceticism is bhikkhu Sona Koṭīviṃśa (二十億耳比丘 [er shi yi er bi qiu])."

[0612b27] ěr shí, shì zūn gào zhū bǐ qiū: “wǒ shēng wén zhōng dì yī dì zi jīng qín kǔ xíng, suǒ wèi èr shí yì ěr bǐ qiū shì.”

[0612b27] er shi, shi zun gao zhu bi qiu: "wo sheng wen zhong di yi di zi jing qin ku xing, suo wei er shi yi er bi qiu shi."

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

[0612b28] At that time, the bhikkhus (諸比丘 [zhu bi qiu]), having heard the Buddha's (佛 [fu]) words, rejoiced and put them into practice.

[0612b28] ěr shí, zhū bǐ qiū wén fú suǒ shuō, huān xǐ fèng xíng.

[0612b28] er shi, zhu bi qiu wen fu suo shuo, huan xi feng xing.