宣公上人講於一九八六年十月二十八日 Lectured by the Venerable Master Hua on October 28, 1986
賓頭盧頗羅多，譯為「不動利根」，如如不動，利根堅固。尊者曾為優婆填王之大臣，機緣成熟，看破放下，出家修道，證宿命通。某日，王至佛所，尊者不起於座，王不悅。王再至佛所，尊者前迎七步而止，對王曰：「折王七年之福。」當時有樹提長者，以栴檀木缽置於剎頂上，對眾宣曰：「若用神通取下，則與之。」尊者於山中樹下補衲衣，以天眼遙見，即往取之。被佛斥曰：「不可在白衣前顯神通。汝自今後，不得隨我，不得入滅。與人增福，受請應供。」為福田第一。常現白頭長眉相。
Pindola-Bharadvaja is translated as “unperturbed keen faculties.” He is still and imperturbable, with a stable, keen disposition. This Venerable One once served as the minister of the King of Udayana. When conditions ripened, disillusioned with worldly concerns, he renounced home life to cultivate the Way, and further attained the spiritual penetration of knowing one’s past lives. One day, the king went to the Buddha’s place. Venerable Pindola-Bharadvaja did not rise from his seat, and thus the king was disgruntled. When the king went to the Buddha’s place again, Venerable Pindola-Bharadvaja moved forward seven steps to greet him and stopped, telling him, “That cost Your Majesty seven years of blessings.” At that time, Venerable Jyotika placed a sandalwood alms-bowl on the roof of the temple and proclaimed to the assembly, “If any of you can use his spiritual penetration to take down the alms-bowl, then it will be given to you.” Venerable Pindola-Bharadvaja was patching his robe under a tree on the mountain. As he saw the scene from afar with his heavenly eye, he immediately went to get the alms-bowl. The Buddha reprimanded him, “You must not reveal your spiritual penetrations in front of laypeople. From now on, you are not allowed to follow me or enter into stillness; you must accept invitations to offerings in order to increase people’s blessings.” Thus Venerable Pindola-Bharadvaja is the foremost field of blessings. He always manifests an appearance with white hair and long eyebrows.
贊曰 A verse in praise says:
童顏鶴髮 眉毛拖地
不甘寂寞 常作遊戲
被佛呵斥 入滅無期
永住世間 莫現神異
He has a childlike appearance, but with white hair.
and eyebrows extending to the ground.
Not resigning himself to loneliness,
He frequently roams about playfully.
Reprimanded by the Buddha,
He will not enter stillness within the foreseeable future.
Instead he will stay in the world forever,
Without performing miracles.
又說偈曰 Another verse says:
捨棄富貴淡榮華 不管世間亂如麻
勤修福慧精進力 甘受勞苦早歸家
不迎國王為護主 謙讓數步損德芽
救度眾生化五濁 虛空法界泯邇遐
Renouncing riches and honor, indifferent to glory and high rank,
He cares nothing for the world as chaotic as a tangled yarn.
Diligently he cultivates blessings, wisdom, urging on with vigor,
He endures toil and suffering in order to return home soon.
Not greeting the king, he intends to protect his king;
Yielding with a few steps to greet, he diminishes the king’s roots of virtue.
He rescues living beings, edifying those in the world of five turbidities,
Transcending notions of far and near, his state pervades all of space and the Dharma Realm.
【 淺釋 】Commentary:
賓頭盧頗羅多這位尊者，他就是受法的供養的；你誰要是願意請他吃齋，他是很高興的，樂得那個頭髮也笑起來了、眼睛也笑起來了、眉毛也笑起來──他因為眉毛拖地，所以他一笑，眉毛就眨上起來了。他眉毛拖地怎麼看不見呢？他眉毛一眨起來，他又就看見了你怎樣供養他。我們現在講一講這位阿羅漢。
The Venerable Pindola-Bharadvaja is one who receives offering—the offering of Dharma. If anyone of you would like to treat him to a vegetarian meal he will be very happy. He will be so happy that even his hair, his eyes, and his eyebrows will smile. His eyebrows are so long that they extend to the ground. When he smiles, his eyebrows are raised. How can he see when his eyebrows extend to the ground? When they are raised, he can see again and know how you make offerings to him. Now we will talk about this Arhat.
這位阿羅漢以前是很願意顯神通的、很願意和人開玩笑，人家辦不到的事情，他就用神通要去辦、要去顯一顯他的能力。所以被佛就呵斥說：「你不能韜光晦跡！你盡標異現奇！你盡光芒外露！」這麼鬧他：「不准你入滅！不准你再跟著我！」受佛這個呵斥，他大概也就聽佛的吩咐，所以就不入滅了。現在你們誰有誠心，請他來應供，他都會來的。所以有的道場裡頭就預備一個好房間，收拾得很乾淨的──不是很漂亮的，就很乾淨的，很整潔的；那麼床也給他預備上，被、什麼的都預備上，請他來應供、請他來住；他都會來的，這是因為受佛的遺囑。你們各位不知道這位尊者的這種妙用，無論是誰請他──甚至一天有幾萬個人請，他就到幾萬個地方去應供。
This Arhat liked to reveal his spiritual penetrations in the past; he liked to play practical jokes on people. Accordingly, in order to show off his abilities, he used his spiritual penetrations to do things that other people could not do. For this reason, the Buddha reprimanded him, saying, “You can’t even hide your light under a bushel! You always do things that are strange and unconventional to flaunt your ability!” “You are not allowed to enter Stillness (Nirvana). You are not allowed to follow me!” The Buddha reproached him in this way. He probably listened to the Buddha’s instruction and thus did not enter Stillness. Now if any of you sincerely invite him over to receive offering he will invariably come. Therefore in some monasteries, a nice room is prepared especially for him. The room is tidy and clean; it is not necessarily elegant, but it is very neat. A bed is also set up for him. Not only that, but quilts and everything else are prepared for him to come and stay, and receive offerings. He will invariably come because he was so instructed by the Buddha. You all probably don’t know about the wondrous abilities of this Venerable One. No matter who invites him—even if tens of thousands of people invite him all on the same day—he will go to tens of thousands of places to receive offerings.
他名字叫賓頭盧，姓頗羅多，這名字就譯做「不動利根」。他什麼也不動──不為一切的財、色、名、食、睡所搖動；利根，就是聰明，他根性很利的、很聰明的。所以說「如如不動，利根堅固」。他是樂觀主義，他常常很快樂的；所以你看他那麼長鬍子、那麼長頭髮、那麼長眉毛，他是很高興的，總是像年輕人那樣子。
His name is Pindola, and his last name Bharadvaja. His name means “unperturbed” and “keen disposition.” He is unperturbed by anything—wealth, sex, fame, food, and sleep. Furthermore, his disposition is very keen. To have a keen disposition means he is sharp-witted and highly intelligent. Therefore he is “still and unperturbed, with a stable, keen disposition”. He is an optimist and always very happy. You see, his beard is long, his hair is long, and his eyebrows are long. He is very happy and always looks youthful.
那麼他在沒出家以前，他做這個優婆填（後稱「于闐」或「和闐」，今屬新疆省）王的大臣──或者管財政，或者管衛生，或者管外交、內政；總而言之，我們不管它。那麼以後，他就看破放下，出家修道了；出家修道，就得了宿命通。他不單單宿命通，有天眼通、天耳通、他心通、宿命通、神足通，可是沒有完全得到漏盡通；這得到漏盡通，就證得無學位了。這個優婆填王也是個信佛的，常到佛那個地方去供養佛；他一看賓頭盧頗羅墮在那兒坐著，也不睬不理，他心裡就生了一種瞋恨心，就很不高興的。他心裡想：你以前是我一個大臣，若見到我，就要三呼「萬歲」，那麼叩頭頂禮的；現在你出了家，我來，你連理我都不理，你太沒有禮貌了！好！等我再來，如果你還是這樣子對我沒有禮貌，我也不管是你三七二十一，我殺了你再說！
Before he renounced the life of a householder, he was the minister of the King of Udayana [An ancient kingdom situated in present day Xinjiang Province]. As a minister, he may have managed finances, public health, and the country’s foreign or domestic affairs. Anyhow we are not concerned about this. Afterwards, he was disillusioned with worldly affairs and so he renounced the life of a householder to cultivate the Way. After he renounced the home life to cultivate the Way, he attained the spiritual penetration of knowing one’s past lives. He also attained the spiritual penetrations of the heavenly eye, of the heavenly ear, of reading others’ minds, and of spiritual traveling. However, he had not attained that of freedom from outflow. If he had, then he would have attained the stage of Beyond Study. The King of Udayana had faith in the Buddha and frequently went to make offerings to the Buddha. Once, while he was making offerings to the Buddha, he saw that Pindola-Bharadvaja sitting there totally ignoring him. This made the king very angry. Upset, the king thought to himself, “In the past you were my minister; when you saw me you had to give me three hoorays wishing me a long life, kowtow and bow in obeisance. Now that you have renounced the home life, you simply ignore me when I come. You are indeed too rude! If you still treat me so rudely the next time I come, I’ll definitely kill you no matter what!”
於是乎過了一天，他又去到佛那個地方。這個賓頭盧頗羅多尊者，不願意他這個國王犯殺戒；所以他就很勉強地站起身来，往前迎接他七步，就停止了。然後就對這個優婆填王說：「唉！大王啊！我現在站起來迎接你七步遠，可是你折了七年做國王的福報啊！你將來是有災難的。」那麼這樣子，優婆填王以後就少做了七年王，所以這個這種因果是很厲害的。
The next day, the king went to the Buddha’s place again. Venerable Pindola-Bharadvaja did not want the king to violate the precept against killing, so he reluctantly rose from his seat and moved forward seven steps to greet him. He stopped after seven steps and told the King of Udayana, “Your Majesty, now I’ve come forward seven steps to greet you. But that was at the expense of seven years of your blessing as a king! In the future I’m afraid you will encounter a disaster.” In this way, the reign of the King of Udayana was shortened by seven years. The Law of Cause and Effect is very formidable.
所以我們在家人，不要出家人來給你倒茶、添飯，來招呼怎麼樣子的；到廟上，要自己照顧自己，不要叫出家人來服侍自己。那麼往往現在有一些廟上，出家人討在家人的歡喜；甚至於打躬作揖的，那麼特別的招待、特別的親熱。那種樣子為什麼呢？就是為的攀緣，和有錢的人拉關係。這樣子是不對的，因為你修道的出家人，就沒有證果，也是比在家人地位是高的，所以在家人不可以叫出家人來服侍自己。所以我就是在東北、在香港，又到了美國，我對在家人從來也不斟茶、也不倒水，什麼也沒有；我是乾乾淨淨的，連個水果碟子也沒有。普通的，照中國的叢林，護法來了，也擺出水果碟子，裡邊或者龍眼、桂圓、花生，又什麼長生果、短命果的這一套──沒有短命果，是吧？那麼擺出來。我是不懂得這一套的，所以我到什麼地方，人家都說我最冷淡了，不會招呼人。我不敢招呼人！我招呼人，我怕損了人家七年福報！那怎麼辦呢？他七年不能做國王了！我固然是沒有證果的人，但是你怎麼知道這裡頭沒有這個因呢？Therefore, you lay people should not let the monastics serve you tea or rice, or do anything to greet you. In the temples, you should take care of yourselves and not let the monastics wait on you. In some temples, monastics seek to please the laypeople. Some of them even make half bows to the laypeople and treat them with great hospitality. Why do they do that? They are obsequious in order to develop relationships with the rich. This is not right. Even if you as a monastic have not attained sagehood, your status is still higher than that of laypeople. Therefore laypeople must not ask the monastics to serve them. In Northeast China, Hong Kong, and America, I have never poured tea or served water to laypeople. I never do anything for them. I’m very simple. I don’t even offer plates of fruit. In the ordinary monasteries in China, when Dharma protectors come, plates of fruit—longan, dried longan, peanuts or other nuts—are set on the table. I don’t comply with such conventions. Therefore no matter where I go, people say that I’m too aloof and that I don’t know how to serve or “attend to people properly.” I dare not serve people! I’m afraid if I did I would decrease their blessings by seven years and if they were the king, their reign would be decreased by seven years. I no doubt am someone who has not attained sagehood. But how can you be sure that there won’t be any consequences in doing this?
有一次，有一位長者，這個長者就專門很調皮的。怎麼調皮呢？他用栴檀木做一個缽。做個缽，你願意給誰就給誰；或者你抽個籤也可以，說：「你們大家抽籤，我就這麼一個缽，誰抽到就給誰！」他不是，他把它放到那個廟的塔上邊去。上邊大概很不容易拿下來的，不知道用起重機或者用直升機，可以拿到的；他那時候不知用了什麼方法？不知用個什麼小鳥帶上去的？總而言之，這人不容易到的地方，他放到那地方，說：「你們哪一位說你們有神通，你們若能用神通把這個缽取下來，我這個？就供養你！」當時這些個有神通的阿羅漢一想：不可！不可！因為我一用神通要去拿下來，這就表示自己貪圖這個缽，有貪心了；若不拿嘛？他好像也是來故意這麼試驗，想要看我們大家有沒有神通。你說這怎麼辦？
Once there was an elder who was particularly mischievous. How so? He used some sandalwood to make an almsbowl. If you want to give away an almsbowl, you can simply give it to anyone you wish; or you could let everyone draw lots. You can say, “Let’s draw lots for my almsbowl.” But he didn’t do that. Instead he placed the alms-bowl at the top of a pagoda in the temple. It was probably not easy to get it from the top. Maybe one could get it using a hoist or a helicopter. But I don’t know how he managed to get it up there; I don’t know what kind of bird he sent to place the almsbowl there. He put it in an inaccessible place. He said, “If any of you have spiritual penetrations and manage to get the almsbowl using your spiritual penetrations, I will give it to you.” At that time, some Arhats with spiritual penetrations thought, “No way! In no case will I do this! If we use our spiritual penetrations to take it down, it will show that we covet the almsbowl and are greedy. However, if none of us take it down, this elder seems to be testing us to see if we have spiritual penetrations. What shall we do?”
這個時候，這些證果阿羅漢也都不知怎麼好，也無所適從啦！那麼這個賓頭盧頗羅墮在很遠的地方，他在樹下補衣服呢！他也聽見這個消息；他就想開開玩笑，就到那地方，用個神通踴身虛空，把那個缽給拿下來了。拿下不要緊，就被佛大鬧了一頓，說：「你在人家面前顯神通，這是不應該有的。你既然犯了這個過錯，我不准你再跟著我了，我不要你做常隨眾了！也不准你入滅了──就不准你往生，不准你入涅槃！你要常常住在世界，誰請你，你就一定要去的，你要做世間應供的福田，給世人種福。」所以這一位賓頭盧頗羅墮，他也就：「那也很好玩的，我可以的！我像個小孩子，我和世間小孩子來玩一玩！」所以現在誰要請他，他就到那兒去應供。可是我告訴你，他不叫你認識；你要是注意，他又…，總而言之，叫你不認識。這是賓頭盧頗羅墮他大概的意思。以前他們講的，都比我講的更詳細；我這個是按著我的看法和見解，和你們大家講一講。
At that time, these Arhats who had attained sagehood did not know what course to take. Pindola-Bharadvaja was patching his robe under a tree at a faraway place. While he was patching his robe, he heard about what was happening. He then wanted to play a joke on them, so he went to the place using his spiritual penetrations, soared high into the space and took the almsbowl down. As a result, he was reprimanded by the Buddha, “You always show off your spiritual penetrations in front of everyone, and this is impermissible. Since you’ve made this mistake, I won’t allow you to follow me anymore. I won’t allow you to be part of the Sangha order that constantly follow me, and I won’t allow you to enter Stillness, i.e., enter Nirvana. You must stay in the world forever, and you must accept every invitation to an offering no matter who invites you. You must receive offerings in the world and serve as the field of blessings. You must let people in the world plant the seeds of blessings.” Pindola-Bharadvaja thought, “That sounds good! It’s fun and I can do it. I can be like a kid and play with the kids in the world.” Therefore, today, if anyone invites him he will go to receive offering. But let me tell you, he will not let you recognize him. If you pay attention to him, he will do certain things so that you will not be able to recognize him. This is how Pindola-Bharadvaja is. In the past, some people talked about him in great detail. Therefore, I am simply saying a little bit according to my own perspective and understanding of him.
「童顏鶴髮」：他那個相貌像個小童子似的，所以我說他是小孩子嘛！鶴髮，他那個頭髮是白的，鬍子也長長的。
He has a childlike appearance, but with white hair. His appearance is like that of a youth. Therefore, I said he is a kid. His hair is white, and his beard is very long.
「眉毛拖地」：眉毛甚至於拖地──也不一定拖到地下，這個就是說它長的意思。你們不要來執著說：「啊！那這個不是賓頭盧啊！你說他眉毛拖地，這個眉毛沒有那麼長！」所以他的化身來，或者他沒有眉毛都不一定的。
And eyebrows extending to the ground. His eyebrows do not necessarily reach the ground; the verse simply means they are very long. You don’t want to be attached to this and say, “Ah! This must not be Pindola-Bharadvaja. You said his eyebrows extend to the ground. The eyebrows of this guy are not that long.” In fact, when his transformation body comes, he might not even have eyebrows, not to mention having eyebrows that extend to the ground.
你看這句！「不甘寂寞」：他是很好玩、很好調皮的。我們這兒誰蹦蹦跳跳的，差不多，就不甘寂寞的，總是像小孩子那麼跑來跑去的。你看！就這樣不甘寂寞的。
Take a look at this next verse! Not resigning himself to loneliness. He is very playful and mischievous. Anyone at our place who likes to scamper about is one who doesn’t resign himself to loneliness, one who is always running around like a kid. You see, he isn’t content and does not like to be lonely.
「常作遊戲」：他常常的到各處去那麼顯示神通了。他顯神通，不是單單拿缽這一回，相信是很多次了；若一次，佛也不會惱的。你們各位，這可想而知的，他總是人家做不到的事情他就要幹一幹，你看！
He frequently roams about playfully. He always goes around showing off his spiritual penetrations. Taking down the alms-bowl was not the only occasion in which he showed off his spiritual powers. I believe he did it many times. If he only did it once, the Buddha would not be upset with him. You can imagine that he always wanted to do things that other people were unable to do.
「被佛呵斥」：所以被佛呵斥他。「入滅無期」：他想入涅槃，也沒有一個時候。
「永住世間，莫現神異」：佛要他常常在世間上，這就是佛的慈悲。佛看如果他弟子都入滅了，就沒有人和我們開玩笑了；所以就留一個這個老頑童的徒弟，來和大家有的時候見見面，但是不准他和所有的人顯神通。所以你不要說：「我見見頗羅墮，我叫他使個神通給我看看！」那現在你看不見，你若生在佛的時候，就看得見。
Reprimanded by the Buddha, he will not enter Stillness within the foreseeable future. Even if he wants to enter Nirvana, it will not happen within the foreseeable future. This is roughly the meaning. Instead he will stay in the world forever without performing miracles. The Buddha wanted him to constantly dwell in the world out of compassion. The Buddha saw that if all his disciples entered stillness, no one would be here to joke around with us. Therefore the Buddha left his disciple, the old mischief maker, in the world to meet us on occasions. But he is not allowed to reveal his spiritual penetrations to anyone. Therefore, you cannot say, “Ah, let me go see Pindola, and ask him to show me some tricks using his spiritual penetrations.” You won’t be able to see them now. You could only see them during the Buddha’s time, but not now.
又有個贊是這麼說的 Another verse says：
「捨棄富貴淡榮華」：他把富貴都捨棄不要了，把榮華也看淡了！「不管世間亂如麻」：這個世界上怎麼樣子，都不管了。他以前是個治國的大臣，現在不管世間了；你怎樣就怎樣，誰做皇帝都好──反正我不要做！
Renouncing riches and honor, indifferent to glory and high rank. He gave up all riches and honor, and became indifferent to fame and high rank.
He cares nothing for the world as chaotic as a tangled yarn. He paid no attention to mundane matters anymore; in the past he was the minister who governed the country. Then, he no longer cared about worldly matters. It didn’t matter to him what happened or who became the emperor. Anyhow he didn’t want to be the one.
「勤修福慧精進力」：他很精勤的修福修慧，他用力量去精進。「甘受勞苦早歸家」：他自己心甘情願要修種種的苦行。你看他是好玩，但是他可不享福；他也不要一個 automobile (汽車)、也不要一個飛機、也不要一個火輪船、也不要一個王宮，什麼都不要了！他把一切都放下了，所以就甘心受勞苦，願意早早的回自己的本有家鄉；本有的家鄉，就是佛所住的地方。我們每一個人本有的家鄉，就是佛所住的 house。Therefore, diligently he cultivates blessings, wisdom, urging on with vigor. He cultivated blessings and wisdom very vigorously.He used all his strength to diligently cultivate the Way, enduring all toil and suffering in order to return home soon. He willingly did / performed all kinds of ascetic practices. In cultivation of the Way, he seemed to be playful. However, he actually did not enjoy any blessings. He did not want an automobile, an airplane, or a steamboat; nor did he want a royal palace—he simply did not want anything. He had given up everything. Therefore, he endures toil and suffering in order to return home soon. He was very willing to endure hardship and suffering to return to his homeland where the Buddha dwells. The homeland of each and every one of us is the house where the Buddha dwells.
「不迎國王為護主」：他不起身去歡迎這國王，因為要保護他自己的這個國王，不要叫他折福。「謙讓數步損德芽」：他謙讓，因為國王要殺他；他就不得已，就和他客氣客氣，站起身來迎接他七步，想不到這折了國王七年的王福。那麼他早怎麼不同國王說呢？因為早說國王也不相信，國王一定說他是貢高我慢，來藉辭不歡迎他；所以他試驗：那麼做出來，你就折福了！所以至七步而止。七步而止，他告訴國王，他七年沒有國王的福報了。那麼這樣子，這是通權達變的一種方法。我們人所有的福報，都是由德行積攢而來的，所以他把那個德行的芽傷了。
Not greeting the king, he intends to protect his king. He did not rise from his seat and go forward to greet and welcome the king, simply because he wanted to protect his king from losing his blessings. Yielding with a few steps to greet, he diminishes the king’s roots of virtue. He humbly complied because the king wanted to kill him. He had no choice but to be very polite to him. He stood up and went forward seven steps to greet the king, but who would have thought that this was done at the expense of the king’s seven years of blessings? Then why didn’t he tell the king earlier? It was because even if he did, the king would not have believed him. If he had told him earlier, the king would have thought that he was just being arrogant and was trying to find an excuse not to greet and welcome him. Therefore, he made this a test and thought, “If I really do it, this will diminish your blessings.” He stopped after seven steps and told the king that he had just lost seven years of his blessings as a king. This was an expedient teaching. Our blessings are accumulated from our virtuous conduct. In this way the king’s sprouts of virtuous conduct were damaged. This was indeed a loss.
「救度眾生化五濁」：這位尊者，他救度這個世間所有一切眾生；所以在這個五濁惡世的娑婆世界，他來教化眾生。「虛空法界泯邇遐」：他這種的境界，是沒有遠、沒有近的，也沒有親、沒有疏的。我們是眾生，都是在他化度之內；所以也沒有遠近親疏、也沒有人我是非，也沒有一個這個世界、其他的世界，或者這個種族、其他的種族，都沒有這些個分別。
He rescues living beings, edifying those in the world of five turbidities. This Venerable One rescues and crosses over all living beings in the world. In this world of the five turbidities of the Saha World, he teaches and transforms all living beings.
Transcending notions of far and near, his state pervades all of space and the Dharma Realm. There is no boundary to this kind of state of mind. It is neither far nor near, neither close nor distant. Since we are living beings, we are within the boundary of those whom he transforms and crosses over. There are no distinctions of being far or near, close or distant. There is no self or others, no right or wrong. There is no notion of this world or that world, this race or other races. Such distinctions don’t exist. ♦