- 聞如是：
一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。
Thus I have heard:
One time, the Budha was staying at Anaathapindidas Ashrama in Jetavana of Shraavasti.
2. 爾時，王波斯匿即勅臣佐，嚴寶羽之車，欲出舍衛城觀地講堂。
當於爾時，波斯匿王母命過，年極衰老，垂向百歲，王甚尊敬，念未曾離目。
是時，波斯匿王邊有大臣，名不奢蜜，高才蓋世，世人尊重。
時，大臣便作是念：
「此波斯匿王母年向百歲，今日命終；
設當聞者，王甚愁憂，不能飲食而得重病。
我今當設方便，使王不愁憂，亦使不病。」
At that time, King Prasenajit ordered his ministers to prepare his jewelled chariot to inspect a lecture hall outside Shraavasti.
Just then, the king’s mother passed away – she had been extremely aged, nearly one hundred years old, and the king deeply revered her, never taking his eyes off her.
A wise minister named Pushyamitra, renowned throughout the land, thought:
“The king’s mother has died at nearly one hundred. If the king hears this suddenly, he will grieve intensely, refusing food and falling seriously ill. I must skilfully prevent his sorrow and sickness.”
3. 是時，大臣即嚴駕五百白象，亦嚴駕五百疋馬，復嚴五百步兵，復嚴駕五百妓女，復嚴駕五百老母，復嚴駕五百婆羅門，復有五百沙門，復嚴駕五百衣裳，復嚴駕五百珍寶，與亡者作好大棺，彩畫極令使妙，懸繒幡蓋，作倡妓樂，不可稱計，出舍衛城。
The minister then arranged:
500 white elephants, 500 horses, 500 foot soldiers, 500 courtesans, 500 elderly women, 500 brahmanas, 500 shramanas, 500 fine robes, and 500 precious jewels.
For the deceased, he prepared an exquisitely painted grand coffin with colourful banners and canopies, accompanied by innumerable musicians, and had this procession depart Shraavasti.
4. 是時，波斯匿王還來入城。
是時王波斯匿有少事，是時王遙見亡者，問左右曰：
「此是何人，供養乃至於斯？」
As King Prasenajit was returning to the city on minor business, he saw the funeral from afar and asked his attendants:
“Who is this person receiving such magnificent honours?”
5. 時不奢蜜曰：「此舍衛城中有長者母無常，是彼之具。」
Pushyamitra replied:
“This is for an elder’s mother in Shraavasti who has died – these are her funeral arrangements.”
6. 時王復告曰：「此諸象馬車乘復用為？」
The king asked:
“What then is the purpose of these elephants, horses and chariots?”
7. 大臣報曰：「此五百老母者，用奉上閻羅王，持用贖命。」
The minister said:
“These five hundred elderly women are offerings to Yama, meant to ransom back her life.”
8. 時，王便笑而作是說：「此是愚人之法，命也難保，有何可剋？
如有人墮摩竭魚口，欲求出者，實復難得。
此亦如是，墮閻羅王邊，欲求出，實難可得。」
The king laughed and said:
“This is the way of fools!
When life cannot be preserved, what ransom could succeed?
Like one swallowed by a makara fish hoping to escape – impossible!
So too, none return from Yama’s grasp.”
9. 「此五百妓女亦用贖命。」
“These five hundred courtesans also serve as ransom.”
10. 王報曰：「此亦難得。」
The king replied: “Equally impossible.”
11. 時大臣曰：「若此妓女不可得者，當用餘者贖之。」
The minister continued:
“If these courtesans cannot redeem her, then let other offerings suffice.”
12. 王曰：「此亦難得。」
The king said: “Still impossible.”
13. 大臣曰：「若此不可得者，當用五百珍寶贖之。」
The minister proposed: “Then let five hundred precious jewels be the ransom.”
14. 王報曰：「此亦難得。」
The king replied: “Just as futile.”
15. 大臣曰：「此不可得者，用五百衣裳贖之。」
The minister ventured: “If even jewels fail, then five hundred fine garments shall redeem her.”
16. 王曰：「此亦難得。」
The king responded: “This too shall fail.”
17. 臣曰：「若此衣裳不可得者，當用此五百梵志呪術，呪術取之。」
The minister countered: “If silken robes prove vain, then five hundred brahmana spells shall compel her release.”
18. 王曰：「此亦難得。」
The king declared: “No incantation breaches Death’s gate.”
19. 大臣曰：「若此五百梵志不可得者，復當持此沙門高才說法，持用贖之。」
The minister pressed: “Should brahmana magic falter, these five hundred learned shramanas shall preach Dharma to redeem her.”
20. 王曰：「此不可得。」
The king concluded: “Not even Dharma can reverse mortality’s law.”
21. 大臣曰：「若說法不可得者，當集兵眾，共大戰鬪而取之。」
The minister proposed: “If Dharma fails, then let armies wage war to seize her from Death!”
22. 時，波斯匿王大笑而曰：「此是愚人之法，以墮摩竭魚口，終不得出。」
King Prasenajit laughed aloud: “This is the ultimate folly—like one swallowed by a makara fish, never to return!”
23. 時王曰：「汝當知之，頗有生而不死乎？」
The king asked: “Tell me—has any living being escaped death?”
24. 時大臣曰：「此實不可得也。」
The minister admitted: “None, indeed.”
25. 時大王報曰：「實不可得，諸佛亦作是說，夫生有死，命亦難得。」
The king declared: “Truly impossible! Even the Budhas teach: ‘What is born must die—life’s nature is impermanence.'”
26. 是時，不奢蜜跪白王曰：「是故，大王！甚莫愁憂，一切眾生皆歸於死。」
Then Pushyamitra knelt and said: “Therefore, great king, grieve not—all beings must taste death.”
27. 時王問曰：「我何故愁憂？」
The king asked: “Why should I grieve?”
28. 時臣白王：「王當知之，大王母者，今日已死。」
The minister revealed: “Know this—your royal mother has today passed away.”
29. 是時，波斯匿王聞此語已，八九歎息而語大臣曰：「善哉！如汝所言，乃能知善權方便。」
King Prasenajit sighed deeply eight or nine times and said: “Excellent! Your skillful means were truly wise.”
30. 是時，王波斯匿還入城，辦種種香華，供養亡母。
供養亡母已，便還駕乘至世尊所。
到已，頭面禮足，在一面坐。
The king returned to the city, prepared incense and flowers to honour his mother, then went to the Bhagavaan. He bowed at the Tathaagata’s feet and sat to one side.
31. 是時，世尊問曰：「大王！何故塵土坌身？」
The Bhagavaan asked: “Great king, why do you come dust-covered?”
32. 王白世尊：「天母命終，向送至城外。
今來詣世尊所，問其所由。
然天母在時，持戒精進，恒修善法，年向百歲，今日已命終，故來至世尊所耳。
若當我持象贖命可得者，亦當用象贖之；
若當馬贖命可得者，當用馬贖之；
若當車乘贖命可得者，便當用車乘贖之；
若當金銀珍寶贖命可得者，當用金銀珍寶贖之；
若當以奴婢、僕從、城廓、國界，贖命可得者，當以城廓、國界贖命；
若以加尸國界人民贖命可得者，當以加尸人民贖之，莫令我天母命終。」
The king addressed the Bhagavaan:
“My noble mother has passed away. We have just returned from escorting her beyond the city gates. Now I come before the Bhagavaan to seek understanding—for in life, my mother kept the precepts diligently, constantly cultivating virtue. Though she lived nearly a hundred years, today she has died. That is why I come to you.
If elephants could ransom her life, I would offer elephants.
If horses could redeem her, I would give horses.
If chariots could buy her back, I would provide chariots.
If gold, silver, and jewels could restore her, I would pay in treasures.
If servants, attendants, cities, or kingdoms could reclaim her, I would surrender my realm.
If the people of Kashi could bargain for her, I would trade them all—
if only my noble mother need not die.”
33. 世尊告曰：「是故，大王！甚莫愁憂，一切眾生皆歸於死。
一切變易之法，欲令不變易者，終不有此事。
大王當知，人身之法猶如雪揣，要當歸壞；
亦如土坏，同亦歸壞不可久保；
亦如野馬幻化，虛偽不真；
亦如空拳，以誑小兒。
是故，大王！莫懷愁憂，恃怙此身。
大王當知，有此四大恐怖，來至此身，不可障護，亦不可以言語、呪術、藥草、符書，所可除去。
云何為四？一者名為老，壞敗少壯，使無顏色；二者名病盡，壞敗無病；三者名為死盡，壞敗命根；四者有常之物歸於無常。
是謂，大王！有此四法不可障護，非力所能伏也。」
The Bhagavaan said:
“Therefore, great king, do not grieve excessively. All living beings must face death. For all conditioned phenomena that are subject to change, there can never be an unchanging state.
Know this, O king – the human body is like a snowball that must inevitably melt away, A clay vessel destined to crumble to dust, a mirage that deceives the eyes with false appearances, an empty fist that tricks a child into believing it holds something
Therefore, O king, harbour no sorrow nor place reliance on this body. Know that there are four great terrors that come to this body, which cannot be warded off by any means – not by incantations, medicinal herbs, nor magical charms. What are these four?
- Aging – which destroys youth and vigour, robbing one of beauty
- Sickness – which ruins health and wholeness
- Death – which severs the very root of life
- Impermanence – which turns all seemingly permanent things to transience.
These four, O king, cannot be prevented by any power in the universe.”
34. 「大王當知，猶如四方有四大山，從四方來，使壓眾生，非力所却。
是故，大王！非牢固物，不可恃怙。
是故，大王！當以法治化，莫以非法。
王亦不久，當至生死之海。
王亦當知，諸以法治化者，身壞命終，生善處天上；
若復以非法治化者，身壞命終，生地獄中。
是故，大王！當以法治化，莫以非法。如是，大王！當作是學。」
The Bhagavaan continued:
“Know this, O king – like four massive mountains advancing from all directions to crush all beings, impossible to resist, so too these inevitabilities press upon us.
Therefore, O king! No worldly refuge is secure, rule through Dharma, not adharma, Soon you too must cross samsara’s ocean.
Remember, Kings governing by Dharma, at death, reborn in heavenly realms; Kings ruling through adharma, at death, fall into hellish states.
Thus, O king, train yourself: ‘Only through Dharma shall I govern.’”
35. 爾時，波斯匿王白世尊曰：「此法名何等？當云何奉行？」
Then King Prasenajit asked: “What is this teaching called? How should it be practiced?”
36. 世尊告曰：「此法名除愁憂之刺。」
The Bhagavaan replied: “It is called The Removal of Sorrow’s Thorns.”
37. 王白佛言：「實爾，世尊！所以然者，我聞此法已，所有愁憂之刺，今日已除。
然，世尊！國界事猥，欲還所在。」
The king said: “Truly so, Bhagavaan! For having heard this teaching, all thorns of sorrow have left me. Yet affairs of state call me back.”
38. 世尊告曰：「宜知是時。」
波斯匿王即從坐起，頭面禮足，便退而去。
The Bhagavaan said: “Now is the time.”
King Prasenajit rose, bowed at the Budha’s feet, and departed.
39. 爾時，波斯匿王聞佛所說，歡喜奉行。
When King Prasenajit heard what the Budha said, he followed it with joy.