| Subject: wisdom |
Author:
goodone
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Date Posted: 19:16:45 02/29/04 Sun
THE SUTRA OF THE QUESTIONS OF THE DEVA
(By Imperial Command Translated From Sanskrit Into Chinese By The Great
Tripitakacarya Hsuan-Tsang Of The Tang Dynasty. Translated From Chinese
Into English From TAISHO TRIPITAKA Edition No. 592 By Saddhaloka Bhikkhu
)
Thus have I heard. At one time the Blessed One was at Sravasti staying
in the Jeta Grove in Anathpindika's park. Then there was a deva of a very
marvelous countenance, who when midnight had passed, came to the presence
of the Buddha, bowed down at the Buddha's feet and then stayed at one side.
The majestic radiance of this deva was exceedingly glorious, its dazzling
splendour permeated the Jeta Grove. At that time that deva asked the Buddha
with a marvelous verse saying:
"What is the sharp sword? What is the repulsive poison? What is the
great blazing fire? What is the deepest darkness?"
Then the World Honoured One with a verse too told the deva saying:
"Rude speech is the sharp sword. Greed and lust are the repulsive poison.
Hatred is the great blazing fire. Ignorance is the deepest darkness."
The deva asked again saying:
"Which man is called an obtainer of benefit? Which man is called a
loser of benefit? What is the strong armour? What is the sharp weapon?"
The World Honoured One told him saying:
"The giver is called an obtainer of benefit. The receiver is called a
loser of benefit. Patience is the strong armour. Wisdom is the sharp weapon."
The deva asked again saying:
"What is the robber? What is the wealth of the wise? Who in heaven and
earth can be said to have the power to rob?"
The World Honoured One told him saying:
"Wrong thinking is the robber. Morality is the wealth of the wise. In all
the heaven and earth, the breaking of the precepts has the power to rob."
The deva asked again saying:
"Who is the happiest? Who is very rich and honoured? Who is always dignified?"
The World Honoured One told him saying:
"The one of few desires is the happiest. The one who knows contentment is
very rich and honoured. The one who keeps the precepts is always dignified. The
one who break precepts is always ugly."
The deva asked again saying:
"Who is a good relative? Who is an enemy of evil mind? What is the greatest
suffering? What is the supreme bliss?"
The World Honoured One told him saying:
"Merit is the good relative. Sin is the enemy of the mind. Hell is the greatest
suffering. The Unborn is the supreme bliss."
The deva asked again saying:
"What is craving and is not proper? What is proper and is not craving? What is
the strongest fever? Who is the great skilful physician?"
The World Honoured One told him saying:
"All sensuality is craving and is not proper. Liberation is proper and is not
craving. Greed is the strongest fever. The Buddha is the great skilful physician."
The deva asked again saying:
"Who is able to veil the world? By whom is the world blinded? Who causes one to
desert relatives and friends? Who again obstructs one from being born in heaven?"
The World Honoured One told him saying:
"Non-undertanding veils the world. Dullness is that by which the world is blinded.
Stingness and greed cause one to desert relatives and friends. Bonds of defilements
obstruct one from being born in heaven."
The deva asked again saying:
"What is the thing that is not burnt by fire, which the wind too cannot break
asunder, and not by water can be rotten, and is able to sustain the world? Who can
bravely withstand both the king and the thief and cannot be seized by humans and
non-humans?"
The World Honoured One told him saying:
"Merit is not burnt by fire, by wind too it cannot be broken asunder, and not by
water be rotten, and it is able to sustain the world. Merit can bravely withstand
, both the king and the thief and cannot be taken away by humans and non-humans."
The deva asked again saying:
"I now still have some doubt, I beg the Buddha to remove it! In the present world
and in the world hereafter, who fools himself most?"
The World Honoured One told him saying:
"He who has many riches and is unable to cultivate merit, in the present world
and in the world hereafter, he is the the one who fools himself most."
At that time that deva, after having listened to the Buddha preaching this
discourse, was bouncing with joy, and praised the marvel. He bowed down at the
Buddha's feet and then he suddenly disappeared in front of the Buddha.
(Typing by Seck Zhidu)
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