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蘇摩娜公主
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民國一○○年二月二十三日的一則民視新聞報導如下：物價壓力鍋正式引爆！各大超商販售的統一麵，包括科學麵、阿Q桶麵等20多款全部調漲，最高調漲25%，其他品牌像維力、味味A等物資也要漲價，而更誇張的是，漲價後泡麵一碗就要53元，比便當還貴。連哈根達斯、杜老爺、小美冰淇淋等冰品也要漲1~3成，飲料也貴2成左右。第一波壓力鍋正式引爆，接下來民眾要面對的是更多物價變貴了。 上則新聞使我聯想到發生在第一次世界大戰後的德國，正面臨通貨膨脹，有一位在戰爭中失去丈夫的德國婦人，揹著一生辛苦賺來的八十萬馬克存入瑞市銀行。四年後她收到瑞市銀行的信，告知她的帳戶已關閉，因為她的八十萬馬克全都變成小額存款，只值一張郵票的價值而已。換言之，這名德國婦人一生的積蓄，全因通貨膨脹而成為泡影，這是一則真實的事件，真的是因緣變化不可思議，人算不如天算。 現代人都會為自己的將來打算，會作理財規劃，例如買保險，或投資金融商品，或買基金，或存退休金...。就世間法的角度來說，理財規劃是非常正確的作法，但世間的保險並非真正的保險，唯有布施才是最保險的保險；又報酬與風險的關係是一體兩面，無法切割，所以世間並不存在無風險的投資，一旦遇上無常，如上則第一次世界大戰後通貨膨脹的事件，又如西元2008年全球的金融海嘯，所有積蓄或投資的錢財極可能都瞬間化為泡影。但也唯有布施，才是完全零風險，也是最一本萬利的投資。 在景氣不佳的時代，我們依然可見有人賺大錢，例如同一條街上的豆漿店，有人生意興隆，有人卻門可羅雀，其中的差別便在於布施的有無。 本經的重點是波斯匿王的妹妹蘇摩那公主問佛陀：「假設有信心、戒行與智慧都同樣卓越的兩位弟子，其中一 人作布施，另一位不作布施，他們之間會有怎樣的差異？」佛陀回答：「不管他們未來再轉生於天界或人間，曾作布施的那個人不論在壽命、容貌、安樂、榮譽與力量等各方面都將會遠勝過另一個人。即使在更久的來世，當他們都出家加入僧團時，他們之間還是有差異。這種差異會一直到他們都成為阿羅漢之後才消失，因為這兩個人的阿羅漢道智與阿羅漢果智是毫無差異的。」 選譯自南傳巴利英譯《AN 5.31增支相應部》 美國聖地牙哥慈林寺譚尼沙羅尊者英譯 喬正一譯於中華民國一○○年三月十三日星期日八關齋戒日
我是這樣聽說的：
有一次，蘇摩那公主帶著五百位侍女，來到佛陀的住處。
她們抵達後，見到了世尊，便跪在地上，額頭觸地，一起頂禮佛足，然後起身恭敬的坐在一旁。
公主坐定後，便問世尊：「世尊啊，假設有兩名佛弟子，他們不論是在信心、戒德、與觀照的智慧上都是一樣的程度，但其中一人有布施，另一人則沒有。請問當他們死後投生到天界善處，成為天神，他們倆者之間是否會有差異？」
「有，他們會有差異。」世尊回答。「那個有布施的佛弟子成為天神後，會在五個地方優於另一位沒有布施的佛弟子，分別是：天神的壽命、美貌、歡樂、地位、以及神通權勢…。」
「那如果說他們從天界又降生到人間，兩者之間是否仍有差異？」
「有差異，如果他們投生到人間，那個有布施的佛弟子，一樣會在五個地方勝過另一個沒有布施的佛弟子，分別是：人間的壽命、美貌、享樂、地位、權勢。」
「那如果他們兩位在未來都出家，他們還會有差異嗎？」
「還是會有差異。」世尊回答。「他們出家後會有五個地方不一樣，分別是：有布施的佛弟子會時常得到僧袍的供養，極少有得不到供養的情形；他時常會得到食物的供養；……他時常會得到居處的供養；……他時常可得到醫藥的供養，而極少發生得不到供養的情形。他的聖道同修們會善待他，……用友善的態度與他交談……；對他懷有善意，並贈送令他開心的禮物，而極少有不友善的情形發生，而另一個沒有布施的佛弟子則與之相反。」
「那如果他們兩位都成為阿羅漢，還會有差異嗎？」
世尊說：「沒有了，如果他們兩個都成為漏盡解脫的阿羅漢，就不會再有差異了。」
蘇摩那公主讚嘆道：「善哉啊，世尊，真是太奇妙了。光是這樣的理由就足以使人樂於布施，使人樂於行善積福。因為它使人不論投生為天神、或人類、或比丘時，皆得功德利益。」
Now on that occasion Princess Sumana — with an entourage of 500 ladies-in-waiting riding on 500 carriages — went to where the Buddha was staying. On arrival, having bowed down, she sat to one side. As she was sitting there, she said to the Blessed One, "Suppose there were two disciples of the Blessed One, equal in conviction, virtue, and discernment, but one was a giver of alms and the other was not. At the break-up of the body, after death, they would reappear in a good destination, in the heavenly world. Having become devas, would there be any distinction, any difference between the two?" "Yes, there would," said the Blessed One. "The one who was a giver of alms, on becoming a deva, would surpass the other in five areas: in divine life span, divine beauty, divine pleasure, divine status, and divine power..." "And if they were to fall from there and reappear in this world: Having become human beings, would there be any distinction, any difference between the two?" "Yes, there would," said the Blessed One. "The one who was a giver of alms, on becoming a human being, would surpass the other in five areas: in human life span, human beauty, human pleasure, human status, and human power..." "And if they were to go forth from home into the homeless life of a monk: Having gone forth, would there be any distinction, any difference between the two?" "Yes, there would," said the Blessed One. "The one who was a giver of alms, on going forth, would surpass the other in five areas: He would often be asked to make use of robes; it would be rare that he wouldn't be asked. He would often be asked to take food... to make use of shelter... to make use of medicine; it would be rare that he wouldn't be asked. His companions in the holy life would often treat him with pleasing actions... pleasing words... pleasing thoughts... and present him with pleasing gifts, and rarely with unpleasing..." "And if both were to attain arahantship, would there be any distinction, any difference between their attainments of arahantship?" "In that case, I tell you that there would be no difference between the two as to their release." "It's awesome, lord, and astounding. Just this is reason enough to give alms, to make merit, in that it benefits one as a deva, as a human being, and as a monk."
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