Sutta 44: The story of the Orphan

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

[0100b11] In the past, there was a person who was orphaned from a young age and lived alone. He cultivated vast fields and had many plowing oxen. He harvested five grains, and had milk, butter, ghee, and countless fruits and vegetables. He supplied those who came from far and near, and always gave to the poor and distressed. His renown spread throughout the ten directions. At that time, he explained many parables to enlighten their minds, saying that one must have companions and cannot succeed alone. So, all the people came and lived together, residing near him. The number of households gradually increased, and they established a city. He took a wife and had children. When his children grew up and multiplied, the father grew old and instructed his children: "You should practice, guarding your body, speech, and mind, bestowing kindness and virtue." Each of his children disobeyed and did not follow his teachings. They said: "Father is old now, why doesn't he remain quiet? Who will accept his pointless teachings?" The father was distressed by his children and thought to himself: "Originally, I was alone, and I extensively gave to those near and far, including the unreached. Now, I have children who disturb my body and mind, and do not follow my teachings. It is better to have no children."

[0100b11] xī yǒu yī rén, yòu shǎo gū kǔ, dú yī shēn jū. zhǒng zuò guǎng tián, yì yǒu lí niú, dé shōu wǔ gǔ, rǔ lào tí hú, zhòng guǒ cài rú bù kě xiàn liàng, gōng gěi yuǎn jìn zhū shí zhī zhě, wǎng lái měi yǔ qióng kùn, míng dé liú bù pǔ tōng shí fāng. shí shuō zhòng yù jiě wù qí yì, dāng dé bàn dǎng dú bù kě xié, zhòng rén xián lái jiē gòng jū zhǐ, zài qí rén biān jū jiā suì duō, gèng lì chéng yì. qǔ fù shēng zi, zi dà zhòng duō, fù zhuǎn nián dà, jiào gào zhū zi: “dāng kě shī xíng, hù shēn kǒu yì, bù ēn shī dé.” zi gè wéi cuò, bù cóng qí jiào yán. “fù jīn yǐ lǎo, hé bù jì rán? wàng yǒu suǒ jiào, shuí dāng shòu zhī?” fù dé zi nǎo, xīn zì niàn yán: “wú běn yī shēn, suǒ fēng guǎng shī yuǎn jìn, xià jí bù dǎi, jīn dé zhū zi, luàn wǒ shēn xīn, bù cóng qí jiào, bù rú wú zi.”

[0100b11] xi you yi ren, you shao gu ku, du yi shen ju. zhong zuo guang tian, yi you li niu, de shou wu gu, ru lao ti hu, zhong guo cai ru bu ke xian liang, gong gei yuan jin zhu shi zhi zhe, wang lai mei yu qiong kun, ming de liu bu pu tong shi fang. shi shuo zhong yu jie wu qi yi, dang de ban dang du bu ke xie, zhong ren xian lai jie gong ju zhi, zai qi ren bian ju jia sui duo, geng li cheng yi. qu fu sheng zi, zi da zhong duo, fu zhuan nian da, jiao gao zhu zi: "dang ke shi xing, hu shen kou yi, bu en shi de." zi ge wei cuo, bu cong qi jiao yan. "fu jin yi lao, he bu ji ran? wang you suo jiao, shui dang shou zhi?" fu de zi nao, xin zi nian yan: "wu ben yi shen, suo feng guang shi yuan jin, xia ji bu dai, jin de zhu zi, luan wo shen xin, bu cong qi jiao, bu ru wu zi."

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

[0100b22] The Buddha said: "When people originally establish their spirit (立神 [li shen]), their body is pure and clear, and they are able to benefit. By upholding righteous conduct, they strongly contemplate, but do not understand fundamental emptiness, seeing themselves as having a body. This gives rise to the confusion of the five aggregates (五陰 [wu yin]) and six sense objects (六衰 [liu shuai]), and they are instead deluded by them, not reaching the perfectly true. Later, they understand that all in the three realms (三界 [san jie]) are empty, all five aggregates (五陰 [wu yin]) are eliminated, the three poisons (三毒 [san du]) are extinguished, and they reach the unsurpassed perfectly true Dao (無上正真之道 [wu shang zheng zhen zhi dao])."

[0100b22] fú yán: “rén běn lì shén, yī shēn qīng míng, néng yǒu suǒ yì. fèng yú zhèng xíng, qiáng yǒu suǒ guān, bù jiě běn wú, zì jiàn yǒu shēn, yīn shēng wǔ yīn liù shuāi zhī huò, fǎn wèi suǒ mí, bù zhì zhèng zhēn； hòu jiě sān jiè yī qiè jiē kōng, wǔ yīn xī chú, sān dú zì miè, nǎi zhì wú shàng zhèng zhēn zhī dào.”

[0100b22] fu yan: "ren ben li shen, yi shen qing ming, neng you suo yi. feng yu zheng xing, qiang you suo guan, bu jie ben wu, zi jian you shen, yin sheng wu yin liu shuai zhi huo, fan wei suo mi, bu zhi zheng zhen; hou jie san jie yi qie jie kong, wu yin xi chu, san du zi mie, nai zhi wu shang zheng zhen zhi dao."

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

[0100b27] When the Buddha had spoken thus, all were joyful.

Sutra of the Births, Volume 4

[0100b27] fú shuō rú shì, mò bù huān xǐ.

shēng jīng juǎn dì sì

[0100b27] fu shuo ru shi, mo bu huan xi.

sheng jing juan di si