生 天 三 法

諦語不瞋恚，分施與乞者，以如上三事，能生於諸天。

選譯自南傳巴利英譯法句經

喬正一譯於西元2006/6/3八關齋戒日

    以下是佛陀駐錫在古印度給孤獨園林精舍時，目犍連尊者對世尊提出的問題。

    有一次，目犍連尊者以神足通遊訪天界時，發現許多天神在豪宅宮殿裡過著極舒適又愜意的生活。他問那些天神是憑藉什麼樣的善業能享此福報？然而每一位天神的回答都不盡相同，大致如下：

    其中一位天神說他能生天，並非由於他大力佈施或聽聞正法的緣故，只憑生前不說妄語這一分善業，使他得以生天。

    一位天女則說她能生天，是因為她對過去的主人不怨恨，雖然她的主人曾對她百般刻薄，經常打罵，她還是選擇寬恕，不懷惡意。

    有些天神則說他們能生天是因為生前曾做過些許的佈施或供養僧伽等善行。

    尊者從天界返回人間後，請問佛陀是否只憑不說妄語、不記仇與寬恕、以及些許的佈施，譬如蔬菜、水果等，就能獲得如此巨大的利益？

    佛陀回答：「目犍連，你為何要明知故問呢？你不是已親眼看見、也親耳聽聞那些天神對你所說的話嗎？你不該有所懷疑，一個人只憑些許的善行的確能使他（她）生天。」

    佛陀隨後說出以下的偈語為總結：「諦語不瞋恚，分施與乞者，以如上三事，能生於諸天。」上開偈語大意是：誠實、不瞋、及佈施貧困或供養僧伽，這三種善德能令人生天。

Verse 224

XVII (4) The Story of the Question Raised by Thera Maha Moggallana

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (224) of this book, with reference to the question raised by Thera Maha Moggallana.

Once, Thera Maha Moggallana visited the deva world and found many devas living in luxurious mansions. He asked them for what good deed they were reborn in the deva world and they gave him different answers. One of them was reborn in the deva world not because he gave away much wealth in charity or because he had listened to the dhamma, but just because he always spoke the truth. The second one was a female deva who was reborn in the deva world because she did not get angry with her master and had no ill will towards him even though he often beat her and abused her. For keeping her temper and abandoning hatred she was reborn in the deva world. Then, there were others who were reborn in the deva world because they had offered little things like a stick of sugar cane, a fruit, or some vegetables to a bhikkhu or to someone else.

On his return from the deva world, Thera Maha Moggallana asked the Buddha whether it was possible to gain such great benefits by just speaking the truth, or by restraining one's actions, or by giving small amounts of such trifling things like fruits and vegetables. To him the Buddha answered, "My son, why do you ask? Have you not seen for yourself and heard what the devas said? You should not have any doubt. Little deeds of merit surely lead one to the world of the devas."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows;

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