SA-2 127（一二七）

Thus have I heard:

Thus have I heard:

The Buddha further told the village headman, "If one accumulates wealth and treasures, in accordance with the Dharma, and harms others, because of being in accordance with the Dharma, one does not create harm. Cultivating one's own body, rightly experiencing pleasure, is also called rightly making offerings to one's parents, and giving to one's wife, children, servants, friends, relatives, and assistants. It is called rightly giving peace and happiness, and rightly serving. Sometimes making offerings to śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and establishing fields of merit, cultivating the higher path, planting the cause for pleasure, seeking the reward of pleasure, and making the cause and condition for rebirth in heaven. This is called the third kind of experiencing pleasure. I now speak the same for all those who experience pleasure. Even if one experiences pleasure, I say it is lowly. Even if one experiences pleasure, I say it is middling. Even if one experiences pleasure, I say it is superior. What is lowly? Accumulating wealth unlawfully, and also not accumulating wealth unlawfully, enjoying oneself for one's own body, and making it the cause for right pleasure. This is also not making offerings, and is not called giving to one's wife, children, servants, friends, relatives, and assistants. It is also not timely making offerings to śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and fields of merit. Not cultivating the higher path, not making the cause for pleasure, not obtaining the reward of pleasure, and not making the cause and condition for rebirth in heaven. This is called lowly. What is middling? Even if one experiences pleasure, sometimes in accordance with the Dharma, sometimes not in accordance with the Dharma, sometimes harming, enjoying oneself for one's own body, and also bringing peace and happiness to one's parents, wife, children, servants, relatives, and so forth, up to not making the cause and condition for rebirth in heaven. This is called middling. What is superior? Namely, accumulating wealth in accordance with the Dharma, not harming others, the body rightly experiencing pleasure, rightly making offerings to one's parents and giving to one's wife, children, servants, friends, and so forth, up to being able to make the cause and condition for rebirth in heaven. This is called superior.

What are the three kinds of suffering that are useless? Namely, suffering that is not the Dharma of the sages, and is meaningless. If one suffers physically, the mind is already corrupted. First, violating the precepts, the body and mind are hot inside and outside, and one constantly thinks of this matter without ever leaving it. In this present world, one does not leave the heat and cannot attain the Dharma beyond the ordinary. This is called the first useless suffering of the body. If there is someone who, although not violating the precepts, the mind is also not corrupted, but still praises the two karmas of body and mind, both inside and outside, and cultivates this matter, in this present world, one does not leave afflictions and cannot attain the Dharma beyond the ordinary. This is called the second useless suffering of the body. Furthermore, if there is someone who, although not violating the precepts, the mind is not corrupted, but still praises the two karmas of body and mind, both inside and outside, and cultivates this matter, in this present world, one does not leave the heat and has some progress in the Dharma beyond the ordinary, or attains some wisdom, or sees the Dharma, or some dhyāna concentration. This is called the third useless suffering of the body.

Village headman! I also do not say that all useless suffering practices are of one kind. There is one suffering practice called inferior, there is also a suffering practice called middling, and there is also a suffering practice called superior. What is called inferior? When one first violates the precepts, the mind is already corrupted, and the body and mind are hot inside and outside. One constantly thinks of this matter without ever leaving it. In this present world, one does not leave afflictions and cannot attain the Dharma beyond the ordinary. This is called inferior. What is called middling? If there is someone who, although not violating the precepts, the mind is also not corrupted, but still praises the two karmas of body and mind, both inside and outside, and cultivates this matter, in this present world, one does not leave afflictions and cannot attain the Dharma beyond the ordinary. This is called middling. What is called superior? If there is someone who, although not violating the precepts, the mind is not corrupted, but still praises the two karmas of body and mind, both inside and outside, and cultivates this matter, in this present world, one cannot permanently eliminate all afflictions, but has some progress in the Dharma beyond the ordinary, or attains some wisdom, or sees the Dharma, or touches the bliss of dhyāna. This is called superior.

"Village headman! Abandoning these two extremes, one should follow the path, namely the three kinds of sensual pleasures and the three kinds of useless suffering of the body, and follow the middle way. What is meant by abandoning the three kinds of sensual pleasures and the three kinds of useless suffering of the body and following the middle way? Village headman! Sensual desires not only afflict oneself, but also afflict others, afflicting both self and others. In the present world, one accumulates all evils, and in the future world, one also accumulates all evils. For this reason, one's mind is troubled and sorrowful, and one suffers from all kinds of afflictions. Even if one exhausts the bonds of desire, one does not afflict oneself, nor does one afflict others, nor does one have the suffering of self and others. In the present world, one does not accumulate all suffering, and in the future world, one also does not accumulate all suffering. For this reason, one attains present happiness, is free from all afflictions, does not choose the time, and approaches nirvāṇa. In the present world, one can attain the fruit of the path. The wise know for themselves clearly and without obstruction, and do not follow the teachings of others. This is called the middle way in the beginning. Village headman! There is also a middle way that is free from afflictions, does not choose the time, and approaches nirvāṇa. The wise know for themselves and do not follow the teachings of others. Namely, right view, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right concentration, right effort, right intention, and right mindfulness. This is called the second middle way." When this teaching was spoken, the village headman Wang Dingfa was far removed from defilements and attained the purity of the Dharma eye.

At that time, the village headman Wang Dingfa knew the Dharma, saw the Dharma, attained the Dharma, crossed the shore of doubt, was free from doubt and hesitation, did not follow the teachings of others, did not accept different views, and attained self-mastery in the Buddha's teachings. He then rose from his seat, adjusted his robes, joined his palms towards the Buddha, and said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! I have now attained liberation. I take refuge in the Buddha, and also take refuge in the Dharma and the Sangha. I uphold the precepts of an upāsaka. From now until the end of my life, I take refuge in the Three Jewels."

At that time, the village headman Wang Dingfa, having heard the Buddha's teaching, was overjoyed. He bowed his head to the Buddha's feet and departed.