时间：04/12/2025 04/13/2025
地点：星湖禅修中心
主讲：龙示林
佛法修行
质多手尊者的故事
「心若不安定，又不了正法，
信心不坚者，智慧不成就。」
「若得无漏心，亦无诸惑乱，
超越善与恶，觉者无恐怖。」
【心品第 38、 39 偈颂】
此一偈颂，是佛陀在舍卫城祗树给孤独园的时候, 为一个七次出家、六次还俗, 最后证得阿罗汉果的质多手尊者所说的：
舍卫城有个牧牛的年轻人，因为遗失了一头牛，跑到森林里四处寻找，直到中午时分，终于找着了那头牛，将它赶回牛群里。此时这位年轻人方觉口干舌燥，饥肠辘辘，于是他走进森林里的一所寺院，向师父们顶礼之后，一旁坐下，比丘们见他饥饿的样子，就对他说：「桶子里还剩下些饭菜，去吃吧！」
佛陀时代，人们因为佛陀的威德教化，常常布施供养佛陀及出家比丘，因此比丘们经常可以得到米饭、咖哩食物等丰盛的供养，所以这位年轻的牛仔，在桶子里获得一顿饱餐。饭后他向比丘们致谢并问道：「尊者们今天到什么地方应供啊？」「没有，优婆塞！这和平时乞的一样。」
他想：「我日夜辛勤工作，却无法赚得如此美味又丰盛的食物，在家生活有什么好呢？不如出家算了。」
于是他向比丘们表达出家的意愿，希望加入他们的僧团生活，比丘们说：「善哉！优婆塞, 欢迎你成为僧团的一份子。」
他刚出家，倒还勤快，对于僧团分派的执事从未怠慢，又因为人们供养佛陀及比丘们的衣食非常丰厚，不久他就变得又肥又胖。
但是出家不久，他开始感到厌倦，心想：「我为什么要过这种乞讨的生活呢？还是还俗吧！」于是他便离开僧团回家去了。
才在家没几天，因为缺乏食物，身体又瘦了下来，于是不免又想道：「我为什么要受这种挨饿的苦呢？还是出家去吧！」于是又回到僧团。但是过不了几天，他又觉得修行没意思，又还俗回家去了。回到家没几天又觉得不快活，又想到要出家：「我为什么要当个在家人呢？我要出家去！」于是又重返僧团……。如此反反复覆。当他第六次离开僧团还俗回家去后，比丘们都认为他是一个爱幻想，不能掌握自心，一任心念游走不停，随时会改变心意的人，因此就称他为「质多手尊者」。
因为他不断舍戒还俗回家，他的妻子怀孕了。有一天，他从林里工作回来，不禁又想到出家的种种好处，于是走进卧室要取他的袈裟，准备第七次出家。当他走入卧室，他看见妻子躺在床上睡觉，脏衣服掉了满地，妻子嘴巴张得像蛤蟆，嘴里淌着口水，鼻子鼾声大响，还不时发出吱吱的磨牙声… …整个人看起来就像一具肿胀的尸体。他心中猛然一震：「这不就是无常与苦吗？我曾数度出家，但为了她，我始终无法安住在僧团，真是愚痴！」于是他拿起袈裟，将之绑在腰际，毅然决然地夺门而去。
住在隔壁的岳母看见女揟匆匆出门的样子，心中讶异地想着：「他刚从林中回来，马上就绑着袈裟出门，到底发生了什么事？」赶紧跑过来女儿这里，看到女儿丑态毕露的睡相，隐约看出了端倪，他对床上的女儿喊到：「起床啊！妳这贪吃好睡的女人！妳丈夫看了你这般丑陋的睡态，已经厌离而去了！此后再也不会为妳留下来了。」
「妈！您别吵！他能离开多久呢？过几天他就会回来了。」女儿睡意犹浓，呓语般的回答。
质多手尊者走在路上，脑海中不时浮现方才妻子的那一副睡相──昔时的娇柔不知何时变了样？他反复地思索无常和苦，终于得法眼净──证须陀洹果。当他回到僧团，比丘们都说：「我们不能再接受你加入僧团了，你一次次的剃除须发，却始终没有剃除你心中的贪瞋痴等杂染，你的头已经像是专门用来磨刀的磨刀石了，你如何能安住僧团，做一个真正远尘离垢的出家比丘呢？」
「尊者们！请慈悲再接受我一次吧！」他恳求着。 比丘们想到他以前对大众的种种协助，最后答应再给他一次机会。几天之后，他不但证得阿罗汉果，同时具足四无碍解，很多不知情的比丘偶而会开玩笑地对他说：「怎么这么久还不还俗呢？如果你想太太就回家吧！」「尊者们！当心中仍有执着时，我离开；但此刻我已断除一切执着，不会再离开了。」质多手尊者说。
比丘们对质多手尊者的话仍然将信将疑，因而请示佛陀，世尊说道：「比丘们！这是真的，你们不须怀疑。当他心不坚定、不能了解真正的法义时，他总是善变而徘徊在出世与入世的生活中；然而此刻他已超越了一切是非善恶，不再有执着或恐惧了。」世尊因此而又说偈言：「心若不安定，又不了正法，信心不坚者，智慧不成就。」「若得无漏心，亦无诸惑乱，超越善与恶，觉者无恐怖。」
与会大众同沾法益。
Date: 04/12/2025 04/13/2025
Location: Star Lake Meditation Center
Teacher: Shilin Long
Dharma Talk
The Story of Venerable Cūḷapanthaka
”If the mind is not steady and does not understand the true Dharma,
If one’s faith is not firm, wisdom will not be attained.”
”If one attains a mind free of defilements, free from all confusion,
Transcending both good and evil, the awakened one has no fear.”
(Verses 38 and 39 from the Chapter on the Mind)
This verse was spoken by the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery in Śrāvastī for Venerable Cūḷapanthaka, who had ordained seven times and returned to lay life six times before finally attaining Arhatship.
In Śrāvastī, there was a young cowherd who, after losing a cow, ran into the forest searching for it. By noon, he finally found the cow and drove it back to the herd. Feeling extremely thirsty and hungry, he entered a monastery in the forest. After paying respects to the monks, he sat down nearby. Seeing his hunger, the monks said to him, “There is some food left in the bucket, you may eat it.”
During the Buddha’s time, due to his great virtues and teachings, people often offered food and support to the Buddha and the monastic community. As a result, the monks frequently received abundant offerings of rice and curry dishes. Thus, the young cowherd was able to enjoy a full meal from the bucket. After eating, he expressed his gratitude to the monks and asked, “Venerable sirs, where are you going today for alms?”
The monks replied, “Nowhere, layman! It is the same as our usual alms.”
The young man thought, “I work tirelessly day and night, yet I can never earn such delicious and abundant food. What is the point of living a householder’s life? I should become a monk!”
So he expressed his wish to ordain and join the monastic community. The monks said, “Excellent! Layman, you are welcome to be part of the Sangha.”
At first, after ordaining, he was diligent in fulfilling his monastic duties and never neglected the tasks assigned to him. Moreover, due to the abundant offerings from the laypeople, he soon became plump and well-fed.
However, before long, he started to feel bored and thought, “Why should I live such a life of begging? I should return to lay life!” So he left the Sangha and went home.
After only a few days at home, lacking enough food, his body became thin again. He thought, “Why should I suffer hunger like this? I should ordain again!” So he returned to the monastic community.
But soon, he again lost interest in monastic life and returned home. After a few days at home, he once again felt unhappy and thought, “Why should I remain a householder? I should ordain again!” Thus, he repeatedly ordained and disrobed.
After leaving and returning six times, the monks started calling him “Venerable Cūḷapanthaka”, meaning “one who is fickle-minded, unable to control his thoughts, and constantly changing his mind.”
Because he repeatedly broke his vows and returned home, his wife eventually became pregnant.
One day, after returning home from work in the forest, he once again reflected on the benefits of monastic life. He entered his bedroom to take his robe, preparing to ordain for the seventh time.
As he stepped inside, he saw his wife sleeping on the bed. Her dirty clothes were scattered on the floor, her mouth was wide open like a frog, drooling, snoring loudly, and grinding her teeth. She looked just like a swollen corpse.
He was suddenly shocked: “Is this not the reality of impermanence and suffering? I have ordained so many times, but because of her, I have never been able to remain in the Sangha. How foolish I have been!”
So he picked up his robe, tied it around his waist, and decisively rushed out the door.
His mother-in-law, who lived next door, saw him hurrying out and wondered, “He just returned from the forest, yet now he is tying his robe and leaving again. What is going on?” She immediately ran over to her daughter’s room and, seeing her ugly sleeping posture, she vaguely understood what had happened. She shouted at her daughter:
”Wake up, you greedy, lazy woman! Your husband saw your hideous sleeping posture and has become disgusted. He has left for good and will never come back for you!”
Her daughter, still half-asleep, mumbled: “Mother, don’t worry! How long can he stay away? He will come back in a few days.”
As Venerable Cūḷapanthaka walked on the road, his wife’s sleeping image kept appearing in his mind. “How had her once beautiful form changed into such a state?” He kept reflecting on impermanence and suffering, and finally his wisdom awakened—he attained the first stage of enlightenment, Sotāpanna (Stream-entry).
When he returned to the monastic community, the monks said:
”We cannot accept you into the Sangha again. You have shaved your head so many times, yet you have never cut away the defilements of greed, anger, and ignorance in your heart. Your head has become like a whetstone only used for sharpening razors! How can you remain in the Sangha and truly renounce worldly desires?”
”Venerable sirs, please have compassion and accept me one more time!” he pleaded.
The monks, remembering his previous contributions to the community, reluctantly gave him one last chance.
A few days later, not only did he attain Arhatship, but he also fully mastered the Four Analytical Knowledges (Paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa).
Some monks, unaware of his transformation, occasionally joked with him:
”Why haven’t you disrobed yet? If you miss your wife, just go home!”
Venerable Cūḷapanthaka replied:
”When my mind still had attachments, I left. But now, I have cut off all attachments, and I will never leave again.”
The monks still doubted his words, so they asked the Buddha.
The World-Honored One said:
”Monks, it is true. You do not need to doubt. When his mind was unsteady and he did not understand the true Dharma, he was always indecisive, wavering between renunciation and worldly life. But now, he has transcended all dualities of good and evil, and he no longer has attachments or fears.”
Thus, the Buddha spoke the verse again:
”If the mind is not steady and does not understand the true Dharma,
If one’s faith is not firm, wisdom will not be attained.”
”If one attains a mind free of defilements, free from all confusion,
Transcending both good and evil, the awakened one has no fear.”
All those present rejoiced in the profound teachings of the Buddha.
