A Discourse on the Mālukyaputta Sutta

摩罗迦子经讲记

Introduction

引言

The Mālukyaputta Sutta gives us the fundamental knowledge about the principles of insight meditation (vipassanā). It is found in the Samyuttanikāya of the Sutta Pitaka, and the twenty verses it contains can also be found in the Vīsatinipāta of the Theragāthā. It was given by the Buddha to Bhikkhu Mālukyaputta, at his request. He was the son of a female devotee by the name of Mālukyā, or Mālunkyā according to the Sri Lankan edition of the texts. His request to the Buddha was as follows:

摩罗迦子(Mālukyaputta)经带给我们关于内观(vipassanā) 禅修原则的基础知识。该经位于经藏的相应部，同时该经含有的那二十条经句在小部长老偈(Theragāthā)的第二十偈集(Vīsatinipāta)中也能找到。它是佛陀应比库摩罗迦子的请求而开示的。摩罗迦子是女居士摩罗迦(Mālukyā)的儿子，或者依据斯里兰卡版本的经文，他母亲名字是Mālunkyā。他如此请求佛陀：

“Sādhu me bhante bhagavā samkhittena dhammam desetu, yamaham bhagavato dhammam sutvā eko vūpakattho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyyan”ti.

“Venerable sir, it would be good if you would teach me the Dhamma in brief. Having heard the essence of Dhamma, I will practise it in solitude, abiding vigilant, strenuous, and with single purpose.”

“世尊，请简要地给我教导法。听了法的要点后，我将独处地、持久警醒地、精勤地、专念地修习。那就好了！”

In effect, Mālukyaputta was asking the Buddha to prescribe a subject of meditation, which he wanted to practise in the right way at a quiet place. Solitude is essential for meditation, as it is an aid to concentration, which may be disturbed if one lives with others. However, if one cannot get it, one should mind one’s own business while others mind theirs. In such circumstances one should not speak, nor even look at others to see what they are doing, focusing one’s mind fully on the Dhamma.

实际上，摩罗迦子是向佛陀请求开示禅修的问题，他想依据开示在一个安静的地方用正确的方式来修习。独处是禅修的基础，因为它对定有帮助。如果和其他人住在一起，可能会受到干扰。然而，如果无法达成这点，他就应该只留意自己的事情，同时其他人留意各自的事。在这样一个环境里，不应该说话，甚至不要去看别人在干什么，应该把自己的心完全地专注于禅修业处。