Sutta 5: Four kinds of eloquence

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

[0656c26] Thus have I heard:

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

[0656c26] wén rú shì:

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

[0656c26] 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.]

[0656c27] At that time, the World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]) told the bhikkhus (比丘 [bi qiu]), "There are four kinds of eloquence (四辯 [si bian]). What are the four? They are: eloquence of meaning (義辯 [yi bian]), eloquence of Dharma (法辯 [fa bian]), eloquence of language (辭辯 [ci bian]), and eloquence of impromptu speech (應辯 [ying bian]).

[0656c27] ěr shí, shì zūn gào zhū bǐ qiū: “yǒu sì biàn. yún hé wèi sì? suǒ wèi yì biàn,, fǎ biàn,, cí biàn,, yīng biàn.

[0656c27] er shi, shi zun gao zhu bi qiu: "you si bian. yun he wei si? suo wei yi bian,, fa bian,, ci bian,, ying bian.

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

[0656c28] "What is called eloquence of meaning (義辯 [yi bian])? Eloquence of meaning (義辯 [yi bian]) means being able to discern the meaning (分別其義 [fen bie qi yi]) of whatever is said by others (彼彼之所說 [bi bi zhi suo shuo]), whether by devas (天 [tian]), nagas (龍 [long]), or ghosts and spirits (鬼神 [gui shen]). This is called eloquence of meaning (義辯也 [yi bian ye]).

[0656c28] “bǐ yún hé míng wèi yì biàn? suǒ wèi yì biàn zhě, bǐ bǐ zhī suǒ shuō, ruò tiān,, lóng,, guǐ shén zhī suǒ shuō, jiē néng fēn bié qí yì, shì wèi míng wèi yì biàn yě.

[0656c28] "bi yun he ming wei yi bian? suo wei yi bian zhe, bi bi zhi suo shuo, ruo tian,, long,, gui shen zhi suo shuo, jie neng fen bie qi yi, shi wei ming wei yi bian ye.

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

[0657a01] "What is called eloquence of Dharma (法辯 [fa bian])? The twelve divisions of the scriptures (十二部經 [shi er bu jing]) spoken by the Tathagata (如來所說 [ru lai suo shuo]), namely: sūtra (契經 [qi jing]), geya (祇夜 [qi ye]), vyākaraṇa (本末 [ben mo]), gāthā (偈 [ji]), nidāna (因緣 [yin yuan]), avadāna (授決 [shou jue]), itivṛttaka (已說 [yi shuo]), jātaka (造頌 [zao song]), vaipulya (生經 [sheng jing]), adbhutadharma (方等 [fang deng]), upadeśa (合集 [he ji]), nirdeśa (未曾有 [wei ceng you]), and also all conditioned dharmas (有為法 [you wei fa]) and unconditioned dharmas (無為法 [wu wei fa]), defiled dharmas (有漏法 [you lou fa]) and undefiled dharmas (無漏法 [wu lou fa]), the unchangeable reality of all dharmas (諸法之實不可沮壞 [zhu fa zhi shi bu ke ju huai]), and what can be wholly upheld (所可總持者 [suo ke zong chi zhe]). This is called eloquence of Dharma (法辯 [fa bian]).

[0657a01] “bǐ yún hé míng wèi fǎ biàn? shí èr bù jīng rú lái suǒ shuō, suǒ wèi qì jīng,, qí yè,, běn mò,, jì,, yīn yuán,, shòu jué,, yǐ shuō,, zào sòng,, shēng jīng,, fāng děng,, hé jí,, wèi céng yǒu, jí zhū yǒu wèi fǎ,, wú wèi fǎ, yǒu lòu fǎ,, wú lòu fǎ, zhū fǎ zhī shí bù kě jǔ huài, suǒ kě zǒng chí zhě, shì wèi míng wèi fǎ biàn.

[0657a01] "bi yun he ming wei fa bian? shi er bu jing ru lai suo shuo, suo wei qi jing,, qi ye,, ben mo,, ji,, yin yuan,, shou jue,, yi shuo,, zao song,, sheng jing,, fang deng,, he ji,, wei ceng you, ji zhu you wei fa,, wu wei fa, you lou fa,, wu lou fa, zhu fa zhi shi bu ke ju huai, suo ke zong chi zhe, shi wei ming wei fa bian.

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

[0657a06] "What is called eloquence of language (辭辯 [ci bian])? When addressing the assembly (前眾生 [qian zhong sheng]), whether in long or short speech (長短之語 [zhang duan zhi yu]), male speech (男語 [nan yu]), female speech (女語 [nu yu]), the Buddha's (佛語 [fu yu]) speech, the speech of brahmins (梵志 [fan zhi]), devas (天 [tian]), nagas (龍 [long]), ghosts and spirits (鬼神 [gui shen]), asuras (阿須倫 [a xu lun]), garuḍas (迦留羅 [jia liu luo]), kinnaras (甄陀羅 [zhen tuo luo]), whatever they say, to preach the Dharma (說法 [shuo fa]) according to their fundamental nature (隨彼根原 [sui bi gen yuan]). This is called eloquence of language (辭辯 [ci bian]).

[0657a06] “bǐ yún hé míng wèi cí biàn? ruò qián zhòng shēng, zhǎng duǎn zhī yǔ, nán yǔ, nǚ yǔ, fú yǔ, fàn zhì,, tiān,, lóng,, guǐ shén zhī yǔ, ā xū lún,, jiā liú luó,, zhēn tuó luó bǐ zhī suǒ shuō, suí bǐ gēn yuán yǔ qí shuō fǎ, shì wèi míng wèi cí biàn.

[0657a06] "bi yun he ming wei ci bian? ruo qian zhong sheng, zhang duan zhi yu, nan yu, nu yu, fu yu, fan zhi,, tian,, long,, gui shen zhi yu, a xu lun,, jia liu luo,, zhen tuo luo bi zhi suo shuo, sui bi gen yuan yu qi shuo fa, shi wei ming wei ci bian.

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

[0657a09] "What is called eloquence of impromptu speech (應辯 [ying bian])? When preaching the Dharma (說法 [shuo fa]), there is no timidity (無有怯弱 [wu you qie ruo]), no fear (無有畏懼 [wu you wei ju]), and one can bring joy and harmony to the fourfold assembly (和悅四部之眾 [he yue si bu zhi zhong]). This is called eloquence of impromptu speech (應辯 [ying bian]).

[0657a09] “bǐ yún hé míng wèi yīng biàn? dāng shuō fǎ shí, wú yǒu qiè ruò, wú yǒu wèi jù, néng hé yuè sì bù zhī zhòng, shì wèi míng wèi yīng biàn.

[0657a09] "bi yun he ming wei ying bian? dang shuo fa shi, wu you qie ruo, wu you wei ju, neng he yue si bu zhi zhong, shi wei ming wei ying bian.

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

[0657a11] "I will now instruct you to be like Mahākoṭhila (摩訶拘絺羅 [mo he ju chi luo]). Why is that? Koṭhila (拘絺羅 [ju chi luo]) possesses these four kinds of eloquence (四辯 [si bian]) and can extensively explain (廣分別說 [guang fen bie shuo]) them to the fourfold assembly (四部之眾 [si bu zhi zhong]). As I observe all assemblies today, among those who have attained the four kinds of eloquence (四辯才 [si bian cai]), none surpasses Koṭhila (拘絺羅 [ju chi luo]). These four kinds of eloquence (四辯 [si bian]) are what the Tathagata (如來 [ru lai]) possesses. Therefore, you should seek means to attain the four kinds of eloquence (成四辯才 [cheng si bian cai]). Thus, all bhikkhus (諸比丘 [zhu bi qiu])! You should train yourselves in this way."

[0657a11] “wǒ jīn dāng jiào chì rǔ, dāng rú mó hē jū chī luó. suǒ yǐ rán zhě, jū chī luó yǒu cǐ sì biàn, néng yǔ sì bù zhī zhòng guǎng fēn bié shuō. rú wǒ jīn rì guān zhū zhòng zhōng, dé sì biàn cái, wú yǒu chū jū chī luó. ruò cǐ sì biàn, rú lái zhī suǒ yǒu, shì gù, dāng qiú fāng biàn, chéng sì biàn cái. rú shì, zhū bǐ qiū! dāng zuò shì xué.”

[0657a11] "wo jin dang jiao chi ru, dang ru mo he ju chi luo. suo yi ran zhe, ju chi luo you ci si bian, neng yu si bu zhi zhong guang fen bie shuo. ru wo jin ri guan zhu zhong zhong, de si bian cai, wu you chu ju chi luo. ruo ci si bian, ru lai zhi suo you, shi gu, dang qiu fang bian, cheng si bian cai. ru shi, zhu bi qiu! dang zuo shi xue."

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

[0657a16] At that time, the bhikkhus (諸比丘 [zhu bi qiu]), hearing what the Buddha (佛 [fu]) had said, rejoiced and put it into practice.

[0657a16] ěr shí, zhū bǐ qiū wén fú suǒ shuō, huān xǐ fèng xíng.

[0657a16] er shi, zhu bi qiu wen fu suo shuo, huan xi feng xing.