Visuddhimagga VIII-12

Evaṃ gacchato cassa gimhābhitattānaṃ kunnadīnaṃ khayo viya,

如是向死而行者,犹如小川被烈日蒸发而枯涸,

Ñ(VIII,12): And whilst he goes on thus death is as near to him as drying up is to rivulets in the summer heat,



pāto āporasānugatabandhanānaṃ dumapphalānaṃ patanaṃ viya,

如树上的果实,随夜间的水来湿蒂而早晨脱落,

Ñ: as falling is to the fruits of trees when the sap reaches their attachments in the morning,



muggarābhitāḷitānaṃ mattikabhājanānaṃ bhedo viya,

如锤打土器而毁坏,

Ñ: as breaking is to clay pots tapped by a mallet,



sūriyarasmisamphuṭṭhānaṃ ussāvabindūnaṃ viddhaṃsanaṃ viya ca maraṇameva āsannaṃ hoti.

如日照露珠而消散,近于死亦然。

Ñ: as vanishing is to dew-drops touched by the sun's rays.



Tenāha –

故说道:

Ñ: Hence it is said:



‘‘Accayanti ahorattā, jīvitamuparujjhati;

Āyu khīyati maccānaṃ, kunnadīnaṃva odakaṃ. (saṃ. ni. 1.146);

昼夜的过去,

生命的消灭,

人寿的减少,

如小川的流水。

Ñ: 'The nights and days go slipping by

As life keeps dwindling steadily

Till mortals' span, like water pools

In failing rills, is all used up' (S.i,109).



‘‘Phalānamiva pakkānaṃ, pāto papatato bhayaṃ;

Evaṃ jātāna maccānaṃ, niccaṃ maraṇato bhayaṃ.

如成熟的果实,

怕早晨的脱落,

生的人,

常有死的惧怕。

Ñ: 'As there is fear, when fruits are ripe,

That in the morning they will fall,

So mortals are in constant fear,

When they are born, that they will die.



‘‘Yathāpi kumbhakārassa, kataṃ mattikabhājanaṃ;

Khuddakañca mahantañca, yaṃ pakkaṃ yañca āmakaṃ;

Sabbaṃ bhedanapariyantaṃ, evaṃ maccāna jīvitaṃ’. (su. ni. 581-582);

人们的生命,

如陶师所造的土器,

不论大小烧未烧,

最后终至于毁灭。

Ñ: And as the fate of pots of clay

Once fashioned by the potter's hand,

Or small or big or baked or raw,

Condemns them to be broken up,

So mortals' life leads but to death' (Sn. 576-77).



‘‘Ussāvova tiṇaggamhi, sūriyuggamanaṃ pati;

Evamāyu manussānaṃ, mā maṃ amma nivārayā’’ti. (jā. 1.11.79);

犹如草尖的朝露,

太阳上升而消灭,

人们的寿命亦然。

母亲勿阻我(出家)!

Ñ: 'The dew-drop on the blade of grass

Vanishes when the sun comes up;

Such is a human span of life;

So, mother, do not hinder me' (Jā. Iv,122).



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Acknowledgment: Thanks to Buddhist Publication Society (BPS) and Venerable Nyanatusita for allowing me to use the English translation of the Visuddhimagga (The Path Of Purification) by Bhadantācariya Buddhaghosa, translated from the Pāḷi by Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli, as part of a combined Chinese English translation.

Sādhu ! Sādhu ! Sādhu !