SA 107（一〇七） 长者

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the deep forest of the Deer Park on the mountain of Śiśupāragiri in the country of Vṛji.

At that time, there was an elder named Nakula who was 120 years old, old and feeble, weak and suffering from illness. He wanted to see the World-Honored One and the venerable monks he had respected in the past. He came to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, sat to one side, and said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! I am old and feeble, weak and suffering from illness. I have mustered my strength to come and see the World-Honored One and the venerable monks I have respected in the past. I only hope that the World-Honored One will teach me the Dharma, so that I may be at ease for a long time to come!"

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the elder Nakula, "Excellent! Elder! You are indeed old and feeble, weak and suffering from illness, yet you have mustered your strength to come and see the Tathāgata and the venerable monks you have respected in the past. Elder, you should know that in this body that is subject to suffering and illness, you should always cultivate a body that is not subject to suffering and illness."

At that time, the World-Honored One instructed, taught, illuminated, and delighted the elder Nakula, and then remained silent.

The elder Nakula, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and followed the Buddha's teachings. He paid homage and departed.

At that time, Venerable Śāriputra was sitting under a tree not far from the World-Honored One. The elder Nakula went to where Venerable Śāriputra was, bowed his head at his feet, and sat to one side. Venerable Śāriputra then asked the elder, "Your faculties are harmonious and joyful, your complexion is radiant. Have you heard the profound Dharma from the World-Honored One?"

The elder Nakula said to Śāriputra, "Today the World-Honored One taught the Dharma for me, showing, teaching, illuminating, and delighting me. With the Dharma of immortality, he has infused my body and mind. That is why my faculties are now harmonious and joyful, and my complexion is radiant."

Venerable Śāriputra asked the elder, "What kind of Dharma did the World-Honored One teach for you, showing, teaching, illuminating, and delighting you, with the nectar-like nourishment?"

The elder Nakula said to Śāriputra, "I went to where the World-Honored One was and said to the World-Honored One, 'I am old and weak, suffering from illness. I came here by my own strength to see the World-Honored One and the venerable bhikṣus I respect.' The Buddha told me, 'Excellent! Elder, you are indeed old and weak, suffering from illness, but you can come here by your own strength to see me and the venerable bhikṣus you respect. You should now cultivate the body free from suffering and illness in this body that is suffering and ill.'

"The World-Honored One taught me such a Dharma, showing, teaching, illuminating, and delighting me, with the nectar-like nourishment."

Venerable Śāriputra asked the elder, "Why didn't you ask the World-Honored One again, 'What is a body and mind afflicted by suffering? What is a body afflicted by suffering but a mind not afflicted by suffering?'"

The elder replied, "It is for this meaning that I have come to the Venerable One. I only wish that the Venerable One would briefly explain the essential teachings for me."

Venerable Śāriputra said to the elder, "Excellent! Elder! Listen attentively now! I shall explain it for you. Ignorant and uneducated ordinary people do not truly know the origin, cessation, faults, taste, and detachment from form. Because they do not truly know, they delight in form, saying, 'Form is mine, it belongs to me,' and grasp and accept it. When that form changes or becomes different, the mind and consciousness follow and turn, giving rise to affliction and suffering. Once affliction and suffering arise, there is fear, obstruction, concern, sorrow, and attachment. The same is true for feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. This is called affliction and suffering of body and mind.

"What is affliction and suffering of body but not of mind? The well-versed noble disciple truly knows the origin, cessation, taste, faults, and detachment from form. Having truly known, they do not give rise to delight, seeing form as 'me' or 'mine.' When that form changes or becomes different, the mind does not follow and turn, giving rise to affliction and suffering. When the mind does not follow and turn, affliction and suffering do not arise, and one attains non-fear, non-obstruction, non-concern, and non-attachment. The same is true for feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. This is called affliction and suffering of body but not of mind."

When Venerable Śāriputra explained this teaching, Elder Nakula attained the pure Dharma eye. At that time, Elder Nakula saw the Dharma, attained the Dharma, knew the Dharma, entered the Dharma, transcended all doubts, and was not dependent on others. He attained fearlessness in the true Dharma. He rose from his seat, adjusted his robes, joined his palms respectfully, and said to Venerable Śāriputra, "I have transcended and crossed over. I now take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha as an upāsaka. Please bear witness to me. I now take refuge in the Three Jewels for as long as I live."

At that time, Elder Nakula, having heard what Venerable Śāriputra said, rejoiced and paid homage before departing.