时间：03/22/2025 03/23/2025
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：龙示林
佛法修行
冒失的檀腻觭
从前有个人，名叫檀腻觭。家境清寒，经常食不果腹，衣不蔽寒。
有一年秋天，他从田里收成了一些稻谷，可是因家里穷，养不起牛，无法打谷子。于是，他向邻村的熟人借了一头牛。打完谷子后，正准备把这头牛送回去。
当他把牛送到邻居的门前，看见人家正在忙着，便没有向人家打招呼，将牛系在门旁的树上就走了。
牛的主人虽看见他牵牛过来，但以为他还要用牛，所以既没有细问，也没有将牛牵回自己家去。
结果，牛不见了！
过了几天，牛主人见檀腻觭还没还牛来，就上门索讨。
檀腻觭说：「我早已把牛送还了。」两人便争吵起来。
牛主人见檀腻觭不肯还牛，气极了，拉着他去见国王评理。
两人走了一段路，遇到一个人正在追赶一匹逃逸的马。
马夫看见有人迎面过来，便大声喊：「快帮我拦住它！快帮我拦住它！」
这时，刚好路旁有块石头，檀腻觭便捡起石头扔过去，
这一扔，正巧砸在马腿上，马腿一下子断了。
原来这马是从国王的马群中逃出来的，马夫见到这景状，吓坏了，害怕国王怪罪，便抓住檀腻觭去见国王。
三人一起顺着大路前进，来到一条河前，不知道那里有渡口。
这时，他们看见一个木匠左手提着工具、右手挽着衣服，还剩一把斧头没法处理，便衔在嘴里，摸索着涉河而过。
檀腻觭问：「请问，您那儿水深吗？可以涉水过河吗？」
木匠回答：「行！」
没想到一张口，斧头就掉入水里，
木匠十分生气，揪住檀腻觭，要他一起去见国王，偿还斧头。
四人一起前进。檀腻觭这时又饿、又渴、又累，心情特别烦燥。
突然间，发现前面有一道墙，
心想：「这可是好机会，跳过墙，就可以逃之夭夭了。」
猛地挣脱几个人的手，像兔子一样窜出，一下子翻上墙头，跳了过去。
可是谁也没想到，一个老织布匠带着他的儿子正在墙的那头休息，檀腻觭翻过墙头，正好落在老织布匠身上，两脚正踏在心口部位，老织布匠一口气上不来，头一歪，死了。
织布匠的儿子见父亲被人踏死，那肯罢休，抓住檀腻觭揍了一顿。这时牛主人、马夫、木匠也都赶到，大伙扯着檀腻觭，一同向王宫走去。
走了不多远，看到路旁有棵树，树上有一只鹦鹉。
鹦鹉看见他们过来，就问：「檀腻觭，檀腻觭，你到那里去？」
檀腻觭把自己的倒霉事一五一十地叙述一遍，并且告诉鹦鹉说：「现在他们抓我去见国王。」
鹦鹉说：「听说国王很有智慧，你既然去见他，请你代为打听一件事。不知为什么，我在其它树上时，叫的声音不如在这棵树上时叫得好听。你见了国王，就请你问问他，这到底是为什么？」檀腻觭答应了。
又走了一会，看见路旁有个洞，洞口有条毒蛇。
毒蛇看见他们走来，便问：「檀腻觭啊！您要到那里去？」
檀腻觭把自己的倒霉事又一五一十地说了一遍，且告诉毒蛇：「他们要抓我去见国王。」
毒蛇说：「你到国王那儿去，请帮我打听一件事。我每天早晨刚出门出洞时，身体柔软，那儿也不疼；但到了每天晚上入洞时，身体僵硬，全身疼痛，入洞很困难。请问有智慧的国王，这到底是为什么？」檀腻觭也答应了。
就这样，檀腻觭被牛主人等几个人挟持着来到王宫。
牛主人首先上前向国王禀告说：「这个人借了我的牛，我去索讨时，他却不还我。」
国王问檀腻觭：「你为什么借牛不还？」
檀腻觭回答：「我因为太贫穷，收获的稻谷没法打，便向他借了一头牛。承他好意，把牛借给我。我打完谷就把牛送到他家，他自己也看见了。虽然没有当面交代清楚，但这头牛确实是系在他家门前了，我是空着两只手回家的。也不知道这头牛会给弄丢了。」
国王问牛主人：「他讲的经过对不对？」
牛主人说：「对。」
于是，国王对他们两人说：「你们两人都有错。檀腻觭还牛时，应该交代一声；而牛主人既然已看见，就该把牛收好。现在听我宣判－－檀腻觭还牛时，口不吭声应当割舌头；牛主人见牛不管好，应当挖眼睛。」
牛主人一听慌了：「不！不！大王！那头牛我不要了，请不要割他的舌头，也不要挖我的眼睛。让我们自己和解吧！」
国王说：「你们愿意和解最好了。此案宣告审理结束。」
接着马夫上前告状：「这人太没有道理，把马腿砸断了。」
国王沉下脸来，问檀腻觭：「这是我的马，你为什么好端端地砸断它的腿呢？」
檀腻觭吓得连忙跪下，说：「牛主人抓住我来见大王时，碰巧这位马夫叫我拦住国王的马。马跑得太快了，实在拦不住，于是我捡了块石头扔过去，没想到误把马腿打断了。大王，我实在不是故意的。」
国王问马夫：「他说的是实话吗？」
马夫说：「是。」
国王脸色和缓下来说：「你们两人都有错。」并对马夫说：「谁让你喊他拦马的？该割掉你的舌头！他手掷石头砸断马腿，该砍掉他的手。」
马夫听了也慌了，连忙说：「大王，这匹马就由我赔偿吧。请不要割我的舌头，也不要砍他的手了，让我们和解吧！」国王也答应了。
再接着，木匠告状：「檀腻觭害我把斧头搞丢了。」
国王问檀腻觭：「这又是怎么回事？」
檀腻觭跪下说：「我向他打听那儿能过河，他开口回答，这时口中衔着的斧头就掉到河里了。」
国王一听原来是这么回事，便把木匠叫到面前说：「由于他问你话，才使你丢了斧头，所以我宣判割掉他的舌头。不过，东西应该是用手拿，由于你用嘴衔斧头，斧头才掉到水里。所以应该敲掉你的门牙。」
木匠一听急了：「大王！我宁愿不要斧头了，请饶了我吧！就像牛主人、马夫那样和解吧！」
于是两人也和解了。
最后，织布匠儿子上前告状：「大王，这个人生性凶暴，把我父亲踏死了。」
国王一听，是条人命，忙问檀腻觭：「你是怎么踏死他的父亲？」
檀腻觭回答：「这么多人围逼着我，拉我来见大王。我心中害怕，想要越墙逃跑，可没想到他们父子两人正在墙的那头休息。我一不小心掉在他父亲身上，把他父亲踏死了。这实在不是出于我所愿啊！」
国王这才明白又是误伤，便对织布匠的儿子说：「这件事你们都有错。为什么不找个平坦、安全的地方，而要在这墙后休息呢？好吧！你父亲反正已经死了，就罚檀腻觭做你的父亲。」
织布匠的儿子一听急了：「我可不要这个人做我的父亲。」
国王说：「那么你们也和解了吧！」 织布匠的儿子无奈，只好答应了。
就这样，檀腻觭的一身官司，全让国王解脱了。
他十分高兴，也非常感谢国王。
这时，又有两个妇女前来打官司。
她们两人带来了一个小男孩，都说这个孩子是自己的，在国王面前争吵不休。
国王也搞不清楚这个孩子到底是谁的。
他眉头一皱，计从心生，大声斥责说：「得了！得了！谁能搞得清你们的这些事。这样吧，你们一人抓住孩子的一条胳臂，谁能把孩子拉到自己身边，孩子就算谁的。」
两个妇女听国王这么一说，就扯着孩子的胳臂拉。
冒充的母亲一心想把别人的孩子据为己有，毫不考虑地扯住胳臂拼命地拉。
而真正的母亲心疼孩子，唯恐孩子受伤，抓住胳臂又想拉，又不敢使劲。
国王见到这种情形，赶忙叫他们松手，
指着那拼命地拉扯孩子的妇女说：「你是冒充的，对孩子一点也没有爱怜的感情，你难道不怕把孩子拉伤吗？你如果能老实认罪，我可以饶了你，否则一定严办！」
那妇女慌了，连忙跪下磕头，承认自己的罪行。
另一个妇女则带着自己的儿子高高兴兴地辞别国王走了。
这时，檀腻觭想起路上毒蛇和鹦鹉的嘱托，便上前跪下，说：
「大王，刚刚在路上，有一条毒蛇想请教大王，为什么它每天从洞里出来时身体柔软，动作方便灵活；回洞时却感到僵硬痛苦。」
国王说：「每天早晨从洞里出来时，没什么烦恼，心平气和，所以身体很柔软。在洞外，它遇到其他动物，常常动火，这样身体就变得僵硬，自然就僵直，行动不便了。你可以告诉它，要时常保持柔和的心境，不要动不动就生气，就不会有不舒服的感觉了。」
檀腻觭接着问：「我还遇到一只鹦鹉，它在其他树上时鸣叫声都不好听，只有在这一棵树上叫起来最婉转动人。不知道是为什么？」
国王答：「这是因为那棵树下埋有一坛金子，所以叫声好听。」
国王接着说：「你这个人冒冒失失的，犯下许多过错，但今天都原谅你。按照国法，树下这坛金子应该归国王所有。但我念你家庭贫穷，没办法生活，人还老实，所以这坛金子赏赐给你。你去把它挖出来，回家好好地过日子去吧！」檀腻觭十分感谢国王，返回家去。路上把国王的回答一一告诉毒蛇和鹦鹉。他用挖出的那坛金子，进行贸易，添置田产，从此再也不愁吃穿，过着幸福的日子。
当时的国王就是释迦牟尼佛的前身，檀腻觭即宾头卢埵阇尊者。
Date: 03/22/2025 03/23/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Reckless Dhananīka
Once upon a time, there was a man named Dhananīka. He came from a poor household, often suffering from hunger and lacking proper clothing.
One autumn, he harvested some paddy from his field. However, due to his poverty, he could not afford an ox to thresh the grain. Therefore, he borrowed an ox from a familiar villager in the neighboring village. After finishing the threshing, he was ready to return the ox.
When he brought the ox back to his neighbor’s house, he saw that the owner was busy, so he did not greet him. Instead, he simply tied the ox to a tree beside the door and left.
The owner of the ox saw him bringing the ox back, but assumed that he still needed to use it, so he did not inquire further or take the ox back into his house.
As a result, the ox went missing!
A few days later, when the owner saw that Dhananīka had not returned the ox, he went to demand it back.
Dhananīka said, “I already returned the ox.” The two of them then argued fiercely.
Enraged that Dhananīka refused to return the ox, the owner dragged him to see the king to settle the dispute.
On their way, they saw a man chasing an escaped horse.
The stableman, seeing people approaching, shouted loudly, “Stop it! Help me stop the horse!”
Just then, there was a stone by the roadside. Dhananīka picked it up and threw it, hitting the horse’s leg.
The stone landed right on the horse’s leg, breaking it instantly.
It turned out that this horse had escaped from the king’s stables. The stableman, seeing this situation, was terrified and feared that the king would punish him. So, he grabbed Dhananīka and took him to see the king.
Now, the three of them continued down the road and came to a river but did not know where the ferry crossing was.
At that moment, they saw a carpenter holding his tools in one hand and his clothes in the other, with only a hatchet left, which he held in his mouth while carefully wading through the river.
Dhananīka asked, “Sir, is the water deep? Can we wade across it?”
The carpenter replied, “Yes, you can!”
But as soon as he opened his mouth, the hatchet fell into the water.
The carpenter was furious and grabbed Dhananīka, insisting that he compensate for the lost hatchet.
Now, there were four of them proceeding together. Dhananīka, now hungry, thirsty, and exhausted, was feeling increasingly frustrated.
Suddenly, he noticed a wall ahead and thought, “This is my chance! If I jump over the wall, I can escape!”
With a quick struggle, he broke free from the others, dashed like a rabbit, climbed onto the wall, and leaped over it.
However, on the other side of the wall, there was an old weaver and his son resting beneath it.
As Dhananīka jumped over, he landed directly on the old weaver, his feet pressing against the man’s chest.
The old weaver, unable to breathe, tilted his head and died instantly.
The weaver’s son, seeing his father trampled to death, was furious and beat Dhananīka severely. Just then, the ox owner, stableman, and carpenter all arrived. They all seized Dhananīka and marched him toward the palace to see the king.
As they walked, they saw a tree with a parrot perched on it.
Seeing them pass by, the parrot asked, “Dhananīka, Dhananīka, where are you going?”
Dhananīka recounted his series of misfortunes one by one and told the parrot, “They are taking me to see the king.”
The parrot said, “I have heard that the king is very wise. Since you are going to see him, could you ask him something for me? I have noticed that when I call from other trees, my voice is not as melodious as when I sing from this tree. Could you ask the king why that is?”
Dhananīka agreed.
After walking for a while, they saw a hole in the ground, and at its entrance was a venomous snake.
Seeing them approach, the snake asked, “Dhananīka, where are you going?”
Dhananīka once again recounted his misfortunes and said, “They are taking me to see the king.”
The snake said, “Please ask the wise king something for me. Every morning when I leave my hole, my body is soft and moves easily. But every evening when I return, my body becomes stiff and painful, making it difficult to enter my hole. Could you ask the king why this happens?”
Dhananīka agreed.
Thus, Dhananīka was escorted to the palace by the ox owner, stableman, carpenter, and weaver’s son.
The ox owner first presented his case to the king, saying, “This man borrowed my ox, but when I went to retrieve it, he refused to return it.”
The king asked Dhananīka, “Why did you borrow the ox and not return it?”
Dhananīka explained, “Because of my poverty, I had no way to thresh my harvested rice, so I borrowed an ox from him. After using it, I returned it to his house. He even saw me bringing it back, but since I did not explicitly inform him, the ox was left tied at his door, and I returned home empty-handed. I did not know that the ox would go missing.”
The king asked the ox owner, “Is this true?”
The ox owner admitted, “Yes, that is correct.”
The king then declared, “Both of you are at fault. Dhananīka should have verbally informed the owner, and the ox owner, seeing the ox returned, should have secured it properly. Now, I shall pass judgment—since Dhananīka remained silent while returning the ox, his tongue should be cut out! And since the ox owner saw the ox but did not take care of it, his eyes should be gouged out!”
The ox owner, terrified, pleaded, “No, no, Your Majesty! I will forgo the ox! Please do not cut out his tongue, and do not gouge out my eyes. Let us settle this matter ourselves!”
The king said, “If you both agree to a settlement, that is best. This case is now closed.”
The story continues with similar judgments and settlements regarding the horse’s broken leg, the lost hatchet, and the weaver’s accidental death, all handled by the king’s wisdom and fairness.
Finally, Dhananīka, who was destined to become Venerable Piṇḍola Bhāradvāja, was granted a hidden treasure beneath the tree, which he used to build a prosperous life.
The wise king was none other than the past life of Śākyamuni Buddha.
