MĀ 11
Madhyamāgama 中阿含经
Chapter 2 业相应品
11. The Parable of Salt （一一）盐喻经
Parallel to: AN 3.100
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I have heard thus: | 我闻如是： |
At one time the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma near Śrāvastī. | 一时，佛游舍卫国，在胜林给孤独园。 |
At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "One receives the retribution for the karma one creates. Thus, if one does not practice the holy life, one cannot end suffering. If one says this, it is said that one receives the retribution for the karma one creates. Thus, if one practices the holy life, one can end suffering. Why is this? If a person creates unwholesome karma, they will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell. What kind of person creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell? It means that a person does not cultivate the body, does not cultivate precepts, does not cultivate the mind, and does not cultivate wisdom. Their lifespan is very short. This is called a person who creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell. It is like a person who puts one ounce of salt into a small amount of water, making it undrinkable. What do you think? Can that one ounce of salt make a small amount of water undrinkable?" | 尔时，世尊告诸比丘：「随人所作业则受其报。如是，不行梵行不得尽苦，若作是说，随人所作业则受其报。如是，修行梵行便得尽苦。所以者何？若使有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报？谓有一人不修身、不修戒、不修心、不修慧，寿命甚短，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。犹如有人以一两盐投少水中，欲令水咸不可得饮。于意云何？此一两盐，能令少水咸] cf.［碛砂】叵饮耶？」 |
He replied, "Yes, World-Honored One. Why is this? Because there is more salt and less water, it can make it salty and undrinkable." | 答曰：「如是。世尊！所以者何？盐多水少，是故能令咸不可饮。」 |
"Thus, a person who creates unwholesome karma will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell. What kind of person creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell? It means that a person does not cultivate the body, does not cultivate precepts, does not cultivate the mind, and does not cultivate wisdom. Their lifespan is very short. This is called a person who creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell." | 「如是，有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报？谓有一人不修身、不修戒、不修心、不修慧、寿命甚短，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。」 |
"Furthermore, a person who creates unwholesome karma will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life. What kind of person creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life? It means that a person cultivates the body, cultivates precepts, cultivates the mind, and cultivates wisdom. Their lifespan is extremely long. This is called a person who creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life. It is like a person throwing one tael of salt into the water of the Ganges River, wanting to make the water salty and undrinkable. What do you think? Can this one tael of salt make the water of the Ganges salty and undrinkable?" | 「复次，有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报？谓有一人修身、修戒、修心、修慧，寿命极长，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。犹如有人以一两盐投恒水中，欲令水咸不可得饮。于意云何？此一两盐，能令恒水咸叵饮耶？」 |
"No, World-Honored One. Why is that? The water of the Ganges is very vast, while the one tael of salt is small. Therefore, it cannot make it salty and undrinkable." | 答曰：「不也。世尊！所以者何？恒水甚多，一两盐少，是故不能令咸叵饮。」 |
In the same way, a person who creates unwholesome karma will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life. What kind of person creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life? It means that a person cultivates the body, cultivates precepts, cultivates the mind, and cultivates wisdom. Their lifespan is extremely long. This is called a person who creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life. | 「如是，有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报？谓有一人修身、修戒、修心、修慧、寿命极长，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。 |
Furthermore, a person who creates unwholesome karma will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell. What kind of person creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell? It means that a person does not cultivate the body, does not cultivate precepts, does not cultivate the mind, and does not cultivate wisdom. Their lifespan is very short. This is called a person who creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell. | 「复次，有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报？谓有一人不修身、不修戒、不修心、不修慧，寿命甚短，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。犹如有人夺取他羊。云何有人夺取他羊？谓夺羊者，或王、王臣，极有威势，彼羊主者，贫贱无力，彼以无力故便种种承望，叉手求索而作是说：『尊者！可见还羊，若见与直。』是谓有人夺取他羊。如是，有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报？谓有一人不修身、不修戒、不修心、不修慧，寿命甚短，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。 |
Furthermore, a person who creates unwholesome karma will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life. What kind of person creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life? It means that a person cultivates the body, cultivates precepts, cultivates the mind, and cultivates wisdom. Their lifespan is extremely long. This is called a person who creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life. | 「复次，有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报？谓有一人修身、修戒、修心、修慧，寿命极长，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。犹如有人虽窃他羊，主还夺取。云何有人虽窃他羊，主还夺取？谓窃羊者贫贱无势，彼羊主者或王、王臣，极有威力，以有力故收缚窃者，还夺取羊。是谓有人虽窃他羊，主还夺取。如是，有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报？谓有一人修身、修戒、修心、修慧，寿命极长，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。 |
Furthermore, a person who creates unwholesome karma will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell. What kind of person creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell? It means that a person does not cultivate the body, does not cultivate precepts, does not cultivate the mind, and does not cultivate wisdom. Their lifespan is very short. This is called a person who creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of hell. | 「复次，有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报？谓有一人不修身、不修戒、不修心、不修慧，寿命甚短，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。犹如有人负他五钱，为主所缚，乃至一钱亦为主所缚。云何有人负他五钱，为主所缚，乃至一钱亦为主所缚？谓负债人贫无力势，彼贫无力故，负他五钱，为主所缚，乃至一钱亦为主所缚。是谓有人负他五钱，为主所缚，乃至一钱亦为主所缚。如是有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报？谓有一人不修身、不修戒、不修心、不修慧，寿命甚短，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果地狱之报。 |
Furthermore, a person who creates unwholesome karma will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life. What kind of person creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life? It means that a person cultivates the body, cultivates precepts, cultivates the mind, and cultivates wisdom. Their lifespan is extremely long. This is called a person who creates unwholesome karma and will definitely receive the painful retribution of the present life. | 「复次，有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报？谓有一人修身、修戒、修心、修慧，寿命极长，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。犹如有人虽负百钱，不为主所缚，乃至千万亦不为主所缚。云何有人虽负百钱，不为主所缚，乃至千万亦不为主所缚？谓负债人产业无量，极有势力，彼以是故，虽负百钱，不为主所缚，乃至千万亦不为主所缚。是谓有人虽负百钱，不为主所缚，乃至千万亦不为主所缚。如是，有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报。云何有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报？谓有一人修身、修戒、修心、修慧，寿命极长，是谓有人作不善业，必受苦果现法之报，彼于现法设受善恶业报而轻微也。」 |
The Buddha spoke thus. The bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and received them with respect. | 佛说如是。彼诸比丘闻佛所说，欢喜奉行。 |
Translated from Chinese using Gemma-2-Mitra (Buddhist-NLP).
This is the classical Chinese root text of Madhyamāgama, a parallel to the Pali sutta(s) listed above. Source: CBETA (Taishō edition).