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中阿含經 2 Medium Discourses 2
晝度樹經 The Pārijāta Tree
我聞如是： Thus I have heard:
一時，佛遊舍衛國，在勝林給孤獨園。 One time, the Buddha traveled to the country of Śrāvastī and was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove.
The Seasons of the Pārijāta Tree
爾時，世尊告諸比丘： It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks,
「若三十三天晝度樹葉萎黄，是時三十三天悦樂歡喜，晝度樹葉不久當落。 “When the leaves of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree turn yellow, the Trāyastriṃśa gods are delighted and rejoice: ‘It won’t be long before the pārijāta tree’s leaves begin to fall!’
「復次，三十三天晝度樹葉已落，是時三十三天悦樂歡喜，晝度樹葉不久當還生。 “Furthermore, once the leaves of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree have fallen, the Trāyastriṃśa gods are delighted and rejoice: ‘It won’t be long before the pārijāta tree’s leaves grow back!’
「復次，三十三天晝度樹葉已還生，是時三十三天悦樂歡喜，晝度樹不久當生網。 “Furthermore, once the leaves of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree have grown back, the Trāyastriṃśa gods are delighted and rejoice:^‘It won’t be long before the pārijāta tree grows a web of buds!’
「復次，三十三天晝度樹已生網，是時三十三天悦樂歡喜，晝度樹不久當生如鳥喙。 “Furthermore, once the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree has grown a web of buds, the Trāyastriṃśa gods are delighted and rejoice: ‘It won’t be long before the pārijāta tree’s buds will grow like bird beaks!’
「復次，三十三天晝度樹已生如鳥喙，是時三十三天悦樂歡喜，晝度樹不久當開如鉢。 “Furthermore, once the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree has grown buds like bird beaks, the Trāyastriṃśa gods are delighted and rejoice: ‘It won’t be long before the pārijāta tree’s buds open like bowls!’
「復次，三十三天晝度樹已開如鉢，是時三十三天悦樂歡喜，晝度樹不久當盡敷開。 “Furthermore, once the buds of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree have opened like bowls, the Trāyastriṃśa gods are delighted and rejoice: ‘It won’t be long before the pārijāta tree will be in full bloom!’
「若晝度樹已盡敷開，光所照，色所映，香所熏，周百由延。 “Once the pārijāta tree is in full bloom, the light that it shines, the colors that it reflects, and the fragrance that it produces have a range of a hundred yojanas.
是時三十三天於中夏四月以天五欲功徳具足而自娯樂。 During the four months of summer, the Trāyastriṃśa gods entertain themselves with the five heavenly pleasures and the virtues with which they’re endowed.
是謂三十三天於晝度樹下集會娯樂也。 This is called the gathering under the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree.
The Seasons of the Noble Disciple
「如是義。聖弟子亦復爾。 “The meaning of the noble disciple is like this, too.
思念出家，是時聖弟子名爲葉黄。 When he considers leaving home, the disciple is called ‘leaves turning yellow.’
猶三十三天晝度樹葉萎黄也。 He’s like the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree when its leaves turn yellow.
「復次，聖弟子剃除鬚髮，著袈裟衣，至信捨家無家學道。是時聖弟子名爲葉落。 “Furthermore, the noble disciple shaves off his hair and beard, put on the reddish-brown robes, becomes a believer, and leaves home to train on the path in homelessness. He then is called ‘falling leaves.’
猶三十三天晝度樹葉落也。 He’s like the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree when it drops its leaves.
「復次，聖弟子離欲，離惡不善之法。 “Furthermore, the noble disciple is secluded from desires and secluded from bad and unskillful things.
有覺有觀，離生喜樂，得初禪成就遊。 While they notice and examine things, this seclusion produces joy and happiness in them, and they accomplish and dwell in the first meditation.
是時聖弟子名葉還生。 The noble disciple then is called ‘growing back leaves.’
猶三十三天晝度樹葉還生也。 They’re like the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree when it grows back its leaves.
「復次，聖弟子覺觀已息，内靜一心。 “Furthermore, once noticing and examining things has subsided, the noble disciple has inner calm and a unified mind.
無覺無觀，定生喜樂，得第二禪成就遊。 Without noticing or examining things, this samādhi produces joy and happiness, and they accomplish and dwell in the second meditation.
是時聖弟子名爲生網。 The noble disciple then is called ‘growing a web of buds.’
猶三十三天晝度樹生網也。 They’re like the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree when it grows a web of buds.
「復次，聖弟子離於喜欲，捨無求遊。 “Furthermore, parting with desire for that joy, the noble disciple lives in equanimity and pursues nothing.
正念正智而身覺樂，謂聖所説聖所捨，念，樂住，空，得第三禪成就遊。 With right mindfulness and right knowledge, they personally experience happiness, about which the noble ones teach them the noble’s happy abiding place of detachment and mindfulness. They accomplish and dwell in the third meditation.
是時聖弟子名生如鳥喙。 The noble disciple then is called ‘growing buds like bird beaks.’
猶三十三天晝度樹如鳥喙也。 They’re like the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree when it grows buds like bird beaks.
「復次，聖弟子樂滅，苦滅。 “Furthermore, the noble disciple’s pleasure ceases and their pain ceases.
喜憂本已滅，不苦不樂。 Their past joy and sorrow having ceased, they feel neither pain nor pleasure.
捨，念，清淨，得第四禪成就遊。 With the purification of their equanimity and mindfulness, they accomplish and dwell in the fourth meditation.
是時聖弟子名生如鉢。 The noble disciple then is called ‘opening like a bowl.’
猶三十三天晝度樹如鉢也。 They’re like the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree when its buds open like bowls.
「復次，聖弟子諸漏已盡，心解脱慧解脱。 “Furthermore, once the noble disciple’s contaminants have ended, their mind is liberated, and their wisdom is liberated
於現法中，自知，自覺，自作證成就遊： In the present life, they accomplish and dwell in their own knowledge, awakening, and direct experience.
『生已盡，梵行已立，所作已辦，不更受有知如眞。』 They truly know: ‘Birth has been ended, the religious practice has been established, the task has been accomplished, and I will not again be subject to existence.’
是時聖弟子名盡敷開。 The noble disciple then is called ‘in full bloom.’
猶三十三天晝度樹盡敷開也。 They’re like the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree when it’s in full bloom.
Conclusion
「彼爲漏盡阿羅訶比丘。 “He becomes an arhat monk whose contaminants have ended.
三十三天集在善法正殿，咨嗟，稱歎： The Trāyastriṃśa gods assemble in the Sudharmā Meeting Hall, sighing admiringly and praising them,
『某尊弟子於某村邑剃除鬚髮，著袈裟衣，至信，捨家，無家，學道。 ‘Some worthy disciple at some town shaved off their hair and beard, put on the reddish-brown robes, became a believer, and left home to train on the path in homelessness.
諸漏已盡，心解脱，慧解脱。 Once their contaminants were ended, their mind was liberated, and their wisdom was liberated.
於現法中，自知，自覺，自作證成就遊： In the present life, they accomplished and dwelt in their own knowledge, awakening, and direct experience.
「生已盡，梵行已立，所作已辦，不更受有知如眞。」』 They truly know: “Birth has been ended, the religious practice has been established, the task has been accomplished, and I will not again be subject to existence.”’
「是謂漏盡阿羅訶共集會也，如三十三天晝度樹下共集會也。」 “This is called the assembly that coincides with the end of an arhat’s contaminants, which is like the gathering held under the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven’s pārijāta tree.”
佛説如是。 This is what the Buddha said.
彼諸比丘聞佛所説，歡喜，奉行。 Those monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.