本經與巴利聖典《相應部》第41經第4篇《結縛經》《Saṃyojanasuttaṃ》的內容完全相同。

    所謂「色不迷人人自迷」,一般凡夫俗子面對美色當前,會陷入意亂情迷的原因是心中的貪欲,而非對象,這也是「四聖諦」中的「集諦」,應當滅除。

    據經典的記載,質多羅長者恭敬三寶,護持正法,並且智慧過人,知見正確,當生已證三果,勘稱是在家居士的表率,是以佛陀稱許他為在家弟子中「智慧第一」。

選譯自《雜阿含經》「質多羅相應」第五百七十二篇

喬正一譯於八關齋戒日

修訂於西元2018/1/29

    我是這樣聽說的:

  有一次佛陀與諸比丘暫時住在古印度的舍衛城附近一處由質多羅長者所建造的菴羅林園精舍內。當時,有許多上座比丘正在討論著六根與六塵之間的問題。他們是這樣子討論著:「各位尊者!當六根接觸六塵時,究竟是六根繫著六境?還是六境繫著六根?針對這一點大家可以各自發表意見。」

  就在這個時候,質多羅長者剛好有事來到精舍,看到諸比丘正在集會討論佛法,便上前頂禮,然後詢問比丘們在討論什麼議題?

  比丘們回答:「長者,我們今天在此集會,正在討論『六根接觸六塵時,究竟是六根繫著六境?還是六境繫著六根?』我們也想聽聽看您的意見!」。

  長者回答:「諸位尊者,我的看法是這樣子的:當六根接觸六塵時,並不是【根】繫縛住【境】,也不是【境】繫縛住【根】,應該是當六根接觸六塵時,產生了【欲貪】,因此為欲貪所繫縛!就好比說,有兩頭牛,一頭是黑,一頭是白,共同用一條皮帶綁著。諸位尊者,你們覺得是黑牛綁住白牛?還是白牛綁住黑牛呢?」

  比丘們回答:「長者,這樣的問題不成立,因為既不是黑牛綁住白牛,也不是白牛綁住黑牛,應該說是那條皮帶綁住了這兩頭牛!」

  長者說道:「這就對了!諸位尊者,六根與六塵之間的關係也是如此,不能說是誰繫縛住誰,應該說是【欲貪】繫縛住兩者!」

  質多羅長者解開了大家的疑惑,非常隨喜這場法會,便向諸比丘們頂禮後離去。

原文/

(五七二)如是我聞。一時。佛住菴羅林中。與眾

多上座比丘俱。爾時。眾多上座比丘集於

食堂。作如是論議。諸尊。於意云何。謂眼繫

色耶。色繫眼耶。如是耳聲.鼻香.舌味.身觸.

意法。為意繫法耶。法繫意耶。時。質多羅長

者行有所營。便過精舍。見諸上座比丘集

於食堂。即便前禮諸上座足。禮足已。問言。

尊者集於食堂。論說何法。諸上座答言。長

者。我等今日集此食堂。作如此論。為眼繫

色耶。色繫眼耶。如是耳聲.鼻香.舌味.身觸.

意法。為意繫法耶。為法繫意耶。長者問

言。諸尊者於此義云何記說。諸上座言。於

長者意云何。長者答諸上座言。如我意。

謂非眼繫色。非色繫眼。乃至非意繫法。

非法繫意。然中間有欲貪者。隨彼繫也。

譬如二牛。一黑一白。駕以軛鞅。有人問言。

為黑牛繫白牛。為白牛繫黑牛。為等問

不。答言。長者。非等問也。所以者何。非黑

牛繫白牛。亦非白牛繫黑牛。然彼軛鞅是

其繫也。如是。尊者。非眼繫色。非色繫眼。乃

至非意繫法。非法繫意。然其中間。欲貪

是其繫也。時。質多羅長者聞諸上座所說。歡

喜隨喜。作禮而去

巴利語經文
SN.41.1/ 1. Saṃyojanasuttaṃ 
   343. Ekaṃ samayaṃ sambahulā therā bhikkhū macchikāsaṇḍe viharanti ambāṭakavane. Tena kho pana samayena sambahulānaṃ therānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ pacchābhattaṃ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṃ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṃ sannipatitānaṃ ayamantarākathā udapādi – “‘saṃyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā nānābyañjanā udāhu ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti? Tatrekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṃ byākataṃ hoti– “‘saṃyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā cā”ti. Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṃ byākataṃ hoti– “‘saṃyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti. 
   Tena kho pana samayena citto gahapati migapathakaṃ anuppatto hoti kenacideva karaṇīyena. Assosi kho citto gahapati sambahulānaṃ kira therānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ pacchābhattaṃ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṃ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṃ sannipatitānaṃ ayamantarākathā udapādi– “‘saṃyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā nānābyañjanā udāhu ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti? Tatrekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṃ byākataṃ – “‘saṃyojanan’ti vā, āvuso ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā cā”ti. Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṃ byākataṃ ‘saṃyojanan’ti vā, āvuso ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānanti. Atha kho citto gahapati yena therā bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā there bhikkhū abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho citto gahapati there bhikkhū etadavoca– “sutaṃ metaṃ, bhante, sambahulānaṃ kira therānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ pacchābhattaṃ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantānaṃ maṇḍalamāḷe sannisinnānaṃ sannipatitānaṃ ayamantarākathā udapādi– ‘saṃyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā nānābyañjanā udāhu ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti? Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṃ byākataṃ– “‘saṃyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā cā”ti. Ekaccehi therehi bhikkhūhi evaṃ byākataṃ “‘saṃyojanan’ti vā, āvuso, ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā ekatthā byañjanameva nānan”ti. “Evaṃ, gahapatī”ti. 
   “‘Saṃyojanan’ti vā, bhante, ‘saṃyojaniyā dhammā’ti vā ime dhammā nānatthā ceva nānābyañjanā ca. Tena hi, bhante, upamaṃ vo karissāmi. Upamāyapidhekacce viññū purisā bhāsitassa atthaṃ ājānanti. Seyyathāpi, bhante, kāḷo ca balībaddo odāto ca balībaddo ekena dāmena vā yottena vā saṃyuttā assu. Yo nu kho evaṃ vadeyya– ‘kāḷo balībaddo odātassa balībaddassa saṃyojanaṃ odāto balībaddo kāḷassa balībaddassa saṃyojanan’ti, sammā nu kho so vadamāno vadeyyā”ti? “No hetaṃ, gahapati! Na kho, gahapati, kāḷo balībaddo odātassa balībaddassa saṃyojanaṃ, napi odāto balībaddo kāḷassa baḷībaddassa saṃyojanaṃ; yena kho te ekena dāmena vā yottena vā saṃyuttā taṃ tattha saṃyojanan”ti. “Evameva kho, bhante, na cakkhu rūpānaṃ saṃyojanaṃ, na rūpā cakkhussa saṃyojanaṃ; yañca tattha tadubhayaṃ paṭicca uppajjati chandarāgo taṃ tattha saṃyojanaṃ. Na sotaṃ saddānaṃ… na ghānaṃ gandhānaṃ… na jivhā rasānaṃ… na kāyo phoṭṭhabbānaṃ saṃyojanaṃ, na phoṭṭhabbā kāyassa saṃyojanaṃ; yañca tattha tadubhayaṃ paṭicca uppajjati chandarāgo taṃ tattha saṃyojanaṃ. Na mano dhammānaṃ saṃyojanaṃ, na dhammā manassa saṃyojanaṃ; yañca tattha tadubhayaṃ paṭicca uppajjati chandarāgo taṃ tattha saṃyojanan”ti. “Lābhā te, gahapati, suladdhaṃ te, gahapati, yassa te gambhīre buddhavacane paññācakkhu kamatī”ti. Paṭhamaṃ.