這世上聰明才智之輩比比皆是,但為何有人雖努力工作卻所得微薄?有人卻收入豐厚?舍利弗尊者代替世人向世尊請教,世尊在本經中作出解答。

    這篇經文只存在於巴利聖典中,在漢傳的《阿含經》中找不到相應的經文,可是本篇卻是一篇極其珍貴重要的經文。

選譯自巴利聖典《增支部》第4集第79篇

譚尼沙羅尊者英譯

喬正一中譯於西元2005/10/23八關齋戒日

重新修訂於西元2018/11/22農曆十月十五日布薩八關齋戒日

    我是這樣聽說的:

    有一次,世尊暫時住在古印度舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園林內。當時尊者舍利弗來到佛前,頂禮佛足後,便坐在一旁。

    舍利弗問世尊:「世尊,請問是什麼原因?什麼緣故?同樣都是商人,有人經商失敗;有人獲得報酬不如預期;有人成功,所得報酬恰如其分;有人不但是成功,所得報酬甚至遠超出預期?」

    世尊回答:「舍利弗,這世間有一種人前往沙門、婆羅門等修行人處,對修行人表示:『請告訴我你們需要什麼?我想布施植福。』;但事後卻不履行布施的承諾,因此緣故,此人死後不論出生在何處,不論他如何努力工作賺錢,都將注定失敗,一事無成。

    舍利弗,這世間有第二種人前往沙門、婆羅門等修行人處,對修行人表示:『請告訴我你們需要什麼?我想布施植福。』;事後雖履行布施承諾,但所布施之物卻少於當初之承諾,因此緣故,此人死後不論出生在何處,不論他如何努力工作賺錢,所得都將不如預期。

    舍利弗,這世間有第三種人前往沙門、婆羅門等修行人處,對修行人表示:『請告訴我你們需要什麼?我想布施植福。』事後亦恰如其分地履行布施承諾,因此緣故,此人死後不論出生在何處,他因工作所賺得之報酬,都將恰如其分。

    舍利弗,這世間有第四種人前往沙門、婆羅門等修行人處,對修行人表示:『請告訴我你們需要什麼?我想布施植福。』事後不但履行布施承諾,甚至還超出其承諾範圍,因此緣故,此人死後不論出生在何處,他因工作所賺得之報酬,都將遠超出其預期。

    舍利弗,就是以上的因,以上的緣,以上的業,使得有人事業或經商失敗;有人獲得報酬不如預期;有人事業或經商成功,所得報酬恰如其分;有人不但事業或經商成功,其所得報酬甚至遠超出預期。」

英譯版:

On a certain occasion The Blessed One was dwelling at Sâvatthi, in Jetavana monastery in Anâthapindika's Park.Then Ven. Sariputta went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down to him, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One, "What is the reason, lord, what is the cause why a certain trade, when engaged in by some people, turns out a failure? What is the reason, what is the cause why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out not as intended? What is the reason, what is the cause why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out as intended? What is the reason, what is the cause why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out better than intended?"

"There is the case, Sariputta, where a certain person, having gone to a priest or contemplative, makes him an offer: 'Tell me, sir, what you need in terms of the [four] requisites.' But he doesn't give what he offered. If he passes away from there and comes here, then whatever trade he engages in, it turns out a failure.

"Then there is the case where a certain person, having gone to a priest or contemplative, makes him an offer: 'Tell me, sir, what you need in terms of the [four] requisites.' But he gives him something other than what he intended by the offer. If he passes away from there and comes here, then whatever trade he engages in, it turns out not as intended.

"Then there is the case where a certain person, having gone to a priest or contemplative, makes him an offer: 'Tell me, sir, what you need in terms of the [four] requisites.' He gives him what he intended by the offer. If he passes away from there and comes here, then whatever trade he engages in, it turns out as intended.

"Then there is the case where a certain person, having gone to a priest or contemplative, makes him an offer: 'Tell me, sir, what you need in terms of the [four] requisites.' He gives him more than what he intended by the offer. If he passes away from there and comes here, then whatever trade he engages in, it turns out better than intended.

"This is the reason, Sariputta, this is the cause why a certain trade, when engaged in by some people, turns out a failure; why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out not as intended; why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out as intended; why the same sort of trade, when engaged in by other people, turns out better than intended."

巴利聖典《增支部》第4集第79

AN.4.79/ 9. Vaṇijjasuttaṃ 
   79. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṃ abhivādetvā ekamantaṃ nisīdi. Ekamantaṃ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṃ etadavoca– “ko nu kho, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā chedagāminī hoti? Ko pana, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā na yathādhippāyā hoti? Ko nu kho, bhante hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā yathādhippāyā hoti? Ko pana, bhante, hetu ko paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā parādhippāyā hotī”ti? 
   “Idha, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṃ vā brāhmaṇaṃ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti– ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṃ na deti. So ce tato cuto itthattaṃ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṃ payojeti, sāssa hoti chedagāminī. 
   “Idha pana, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṃ vā brāhmaṇaṃ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti– ‘vadatu bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṃ na yathādhippāyaṃ deti. So ce tato cuto itthattaṃ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṃ payojeti, sāssa na hoti yathādhippāyā. 
   “Idha pana, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṃ vā brāhmaṇaṃ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti– ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṃ yathādhippāyaṃ deti. So ce tato cuto itthattaṃ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṃ payojeti, sāssa hoti yathādhippāyā 
   “Idha, sāriputta, ekacco samaṇaṃ vā brāhmaṇaṃ vā upasaṅkamitvā pavāreti– ‘vadatu, bhante, paccayenā’ti. So yena pavāreti taṃ parādhippāyaṃ deti. So ce tato cuto itthattaṃ āgacchati, so yaññadeva vaṇijjaṃ payojeti, sāssa hoti parādhippāyā. 
   “Ayaṃ kho, sāriputta, hetu ayaṃ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā chedagāminī hoti. Ayaṃ pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṃ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā na yathādhippāyā hoti. Ayaṃ kho pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṃ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā yathādhippāyā hoti. Ayaṃ pana, sāriputta, hetu ayaṃ paccayo, yena midhekaccassa tādisāva vaṇijjā payuttā parādhippāyā hotī”ti. Navamaṃ.