I have heard that on one occasion a certain monk was dwelling among the Kosalans in a forest thicket. |
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Now at that time, after his meal, returning from his almsround, he went down to a lotus pond and sniffed a red lotus. |
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Then the devata inhabiting the forest thicket, feeling sympathy for the monk, desiring his benefit, desiring to bring him to his senses, approached him and addressed him with this verse: |
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You sniff this water-born flower that hasn't been given to you. This, dear sir, is a factor of stealing. You are a thief of a scent. [The monk:] I don't take, don't damage. I sniff at the lotus from far away. So why do you call me a thief of a scent? One who digs up the stalks, damages flowers, one of such ruthless behavior: why don't you say it of him? [The devata:] A person ruthless & grasping, smeared like a nursing diaper: to him I have nothing to say. It's you to whom I should speak. To a person unblemished, constantly searching for purity, a hair-tip's worth of evil seems as large as a cloud. [The monk:] Yes, yakkha, you understand me and show me sympathy. Warn me again, yakkha, whenever again you see something like this. [The devata:] I don't depend on you for my living nor am I your hired hand. You, monk, you yourself should know how to go to the good destination. |
Hoa n�y từ nước sanh, Kh�ng cho, �ng ngửi trộm. Như vậy một loại trộm, Ta gọi �ng trộm hương, N�y th�n hữu của ta. (Vị Tỷ-kheo): Kh�ng lấy đi, kh�ng bẻ, Đứng xa, ta ngửi hoa, Vậy do h�nh tướng g�, Được gọi l� "trộm hương"? Ai đ�o rễ củ sen, Ăn d�ng c�c loại sen. Do c�c h�nh động ấy, Sao kh�ng gọi trộm hương? (Vị Thi�n): Người ty tiện độc �c, Như vải nhớp v� em, Với hạng người như vậy, Lời ta kh�ng li�n hệ. Nhưng ch�nh thật cho �ng, Ch�nh lời ta tương ưng Với người kh�ng cấu uế, Thường hướng cầu thanh tịnh. Với kẻ �c nh�n thấy, Nhỏ như đầu sợi l�ng, Vị ấy xem thật lớn, Như đầu m�y tr�n trời. (Vị Tỷ-kheo): Thật sự n�y Dạ-xoa, �ng biết ta, thương ta, H�y n�i lại với ta, Khi thấy ta như vậy. (Vị Thi�n): Ta kh�ng t�y thuộc �ng, �ng cũng kh�ng l�m bậy, N�y Tỷ-kheo n�n biết, �ng c� thể sanh Thi�n. |
The monk, chastened by the devata, came to his senses. |
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