Mahāyāna — Northern Canon · Linh Sơn Vietnamese Mahāyāna Canon

善生子經

Chinese title:善生子經

📖4,409 words · ~18 min read

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Interpreted by Inti AI (English)

🪷 AI interpretation

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Blessed One (the World-Honored One) was wandering and teaching on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa (Vulture Peak), near the city of Rājagṛha (Rājagaha). At that time the householder Siṅgāla (Thiện Sanh), gravely and critically ill, said to his son:

– After I have passed away, you must pay homage toward the six directions.

The householder Siṅgāla passed away the very next day. The son then reverently attended to the burial and, when the funeral offerings were completed, rose early, bathed, put on fresh garments, stood upon the riverbank, paid homage to the six directions, and said:

– "I reverence the beings of the Eastern direction, and may those beings also pay homage and reverence to me." Going around to the directions of the South, the West, the North, the Upper and the Lower, he spoke in the same way toward every direction.

At that time, in the early morning, the Buddha put on his robe, took up his bowl, and was just about to enter the city when he saw the son of the householder Siṅgāla standing upon the riverbank, paying homage to the six directions and speaking thus. The Blessed One then approached and asked:

– O son of the householder, from whom did you hear this, that you should rise early, bathe, put on fresh garments, stand upon the bank to pay homage to the six directions, and utter aloud these words of reverent homage? Having bowed to the directions, you bathe again — which teacher of the Dharma do you so reverence, O son of Siṅgāla?

The son of Siṅgāla replied:

– When my father was about to die, he taught me thus beforehand, and so I am acting accordingly; I am not following any teacher.

The Blessed One said:

– O son of the householder! The words of your father do not refer to these six directions. Moreover, one who is early ensnared by sensual desire in the six directions, as one who has evil conduct and the defilements of the four faces that cannot be repented of — such a one, when this body dies, his spirit will be born into an evil realm such as the hells. Ordinary people, on account of these four things, are afflicted with toil and suffering, and this must be clearly understood.

What are the four?

_ First, delighting in killing living beings;

_ Second, delighting in stealing;

_ Third, the wrong conduct of sexual misconduct;

_ Fourth, delighting in telling lies.

The Buddha spoke a verse on this meaning:

Killing living beings together with stealing,Deceiving and telling falsehoods,Pursuing the wife of another —The wise do not praise these.

Furthermore, O son of the householder! There are four things that lead to evil destinies. What are the four?

_ First, greed and desire;

_ Second, anger;

_ Third, delusion;

_ Fourth, fear.

The verse on this meaning:

Where there is desire, hatred, delusion, fear,One does not receive the true Dharma;Therefore one's evil reputationIs like the waning moon that is not full.Where there is no desire, hatred, delusion, fear,And one moreover receives the true Dharma,Therefore one's fame is fragrant,Like the full and complete moon.

Furthermore, O son of the householder! There are six calamities that squander wealth and lead onto the evil path, which must be understood. What are the six?

_ First, delighting in liquor and heedlessness;

_ Second, entering the chambers of others at improper times;

_ Third, being addicted to gambling;

_ Fourth, being addicted to entertainments and music;

_ Fifth, keeping evil companions;

_ Sixth, neglect and laziness.

The verse on this meaning:

Drinking liquor and entering others' chambers,Delighting in gambling and singing,Evil companions together with laziness —The Noble Ones do not praise these.

Liquor in general has six dangerous perils that must be understood. What are the six?

_ It wastes one's money and wealth._ It leads to sickness._ It gives rise to disputes._ It produces much hatred and anger._ It loses one's good reputation._ It damages the intellect and mind.

When one has these evils, they will bring about the abandonment of one's enterprise: wealth not yet obtained will not come, what has already come will be used up, and the capital one had from before will likewise be entirely depleted.

Sexual misconduct has six perils that must be understood. What are the six?

_ One cannot protect one's own body._ One cannot protect one's wife and children._ One cannot protect one's family and relatives._ Evil arises out of suspicion._ Enemies gain their opportunity._ Sufferings surround one.

Amusing oneself with gambling has six perils that must be understood. What are the six?

_ Winning gives rise to resentment._ Losing gives rise to anger._ One's friends become worried._ One's enemies rejoice._ One enters prison and grief._ Everyone becomes suspicious of one.

Indulging in entertainments and music has six perils that must be understood. What are the six?

_ The mind delights in dancing,_ The mind delights in singing,_ The mind delights in stringed instruments,_ The mind delights in melodies,_ The mind delights in drums,_ The mind delights in such matters.

Evil companions have six perils that must be understood. What are the six?

_ One grows accustomed to matters of drunkenness and stupefaction;
_ One grows accustomed to causing confusion and disorder,
_ One grows accustomed to following the path of heedlessness,
_ One grows accustomed to going to liquor-houses,
_ One becomes familiar with mean and petty persons,
_ One grows accustomed to coarse and vulgar speech.

Laziness has six perils that must be understood. What are the six?

_ When full, one refuses to work,_ When hungry, one refuses to work,_ When cold, one refuses to work,_ When hot, one refuses to work,_ In the morning, one refuses to work,_ In the evening, one refuses to work.

Delighting in beauty, music, song and dance,Sleeping by day and roaming about by night,With evil companions also doing evil —Such a one suffers great harm.

Gambling and liquor bring disorder,Pursuing and seizing the property of others,Keeping far from the worthy and close to fools —The harm is like the waning moon.

The body, proud and self-aggrandizing,Destroys the path of the renunciant;Wrong views together with stinginess —This is one of false arrogance.

Liquor in general wastes one's money and wealth,
With little benefit, drinking only increases thirst;
The sickness of liquor adds to debts,
The body is endangered and disordered swiftly.

Whether for liquor's sake one makes friends,Or for liquor's sake one breaks the law,If one wishes to gain benefit and what is good,With liquor one must take care to abstain.

Whether by day one seems to keep the precepts,By night one returns to theft and wrong conduct —This too is on account of the liquor-house;With such a one do not keep close company.

Not acting in accord with heat and cold,Like grass that does not value itself,Yet being diligent in cultivating one's enterprise —Such a way of benefit becomes harm.

If one can endure heat and cold,Like grass that does not value itself,And is diligent in cultivating one's enterprise —Already at peace, one further gains benefit.

When things decline, wealth gradually wanes;
When things ascend, there has never been loss.
Resolving to follow those who are honored and noble,
Through the good, one therefore attains the good.

Great good is thereby brought into being;Sincerely one practices good conduct;Kin and relatives all hold one dear,Serving the precepts, one extinguishes evil.

Therefore one must practice;Having done so, one does it again;Together with kin and relatives one ascends,Like a king's throne lofty and great.

Furthermore, O son of the householder! There are four kinds who resemble friends but are not friends, and this must be understood. What are the four?

_ One who takes only strange things;_ One who speaks flattering words;_ One who acts only to make himself look good;_ One who points out only false and wrong words for himself.

The verse on this meaning:

A friend who aims to take strange things,Speaking pleasingly to soothe the ear,At every meeting full of flattery,With false words ever more perilous.

This is not a friend;The wise do not form close ties;Once one knows, one must keep far away,Like emerging from an evil road.

The friend who takes only strange things must be known by four things. What are the four?

_ He covetously takes that thing;_ He gives little but seeks much in return;_ Out of fear he follows you;_ For the sake of profit he follows you.

The verse on this meaning:

One who keeps taking strange things,Giving little but hoping for much,Following out of fear or for profit —This is, in truth, a greedy person.

This is not a friend;The wise do not form close ties;Once one knows, one should keep far away,Like emerging from an evil road.

The friend who speaks flattering words must be known by four things. What are the four?

_ He speaks of others' private affairs;_ He hides his own private affairs;_ To one's face he falsely praises what is good;_ Behind one's back he denounces.

The verse on this meaning:

He delights in speaking of others' private affairs,While hiding his own private affairs;To one's face he falsely praises what is good,But behind one's back he speaks ill.

That one is not a friend;The wise do not form close ties;Once one knows, one must avoid him,Like emerging from an evil road.

The friend who acts only to make himself look good must be known by four things. What are the four?

_ He speaks of others' past misdeeds;_ He secretly seeks out faults to come;_ He gives without sincerity of heart;_ He hopes that others will fall into danger.

The verse on this meaning:

Doing what cannot rightly be done,
For his own disadvantage he speaks flatteringly,
He gives but without sincerity of heart,
Hoping others fall into danger to depend on him.

That one is not a friend;The wise do not form close ties;Once one knows, one must avoid him,Like emerging from an evil road.

The friend of false teaching must be known by four things. What are the four?

_ He urges others to kill living beings;_ He urges others to steal;_ He urges others to commit sexual misconduct;_ He urges others to deceive and lie.

The verse on this meaning:

Killing living beings together with stealing,Deceiving and telling falsehoods,Pursuing the wife of another,He urges others to do likewise.

That one is not a friend;The wise do not form close ties;Once one knows, one must avoid him,Like emerging from an evil road.

Furthermore, O son of the householder! There are four kinds of friends who, out of a benevolent and clear-sighted heart, wish to benefit others, and this must be understood. What are the four?

_ First, one who shares suffering and shares joy;
_ Second, one through whom both parties gain benefit;
_ Third, one who acts for the flourishing of one's livelihood;
_ Fourth, one who acts out of a benevolent and compassionate heart.

The verse on this meaning:

In safety and danger they are with one another,Aiming at the goal of what is wholesome and beneficial,Devoted to the cause of their friend,With compassion guiding onto the right path.

Friends such as theseThe wise study and learn from;One should follow such a one —Beneficial, not evil.

The friend who shares suffering and shares joy should be known by four things. What are the four?

_ He gives his own precious things;_ He gives wealth and benefit even concerning his wife and children;_ He gives the things of his own household;_ He speaks truthfully and bears with patience.

The verse on this meaning:

He gives his own wealth and benefit,
Whatever wealth and benefit he has he also gives,
He gives the wealth and benefit of his own household,
He speaks truthfully and bears with patience.

Friends of this kindThe wise practice keeping close to;One should follow such a one —Beneficial, not evil.

The friend with whom benefit is shared must be known by four things. What are the four?

_ He does not speak of the private lives of others;
_ He does not hide his own private affairs;
_ At every meeting he speaks of what is wholesome;
_ He denounces double-faced speech.

The verse on this meaning:

He does not speak of others' private affairs,He does not hide his own private affairs,At every meeting he speaks of what is wholesome,He denounces double-faced speech.

Friends of this kindThe wise practice keeping close to;One should follow such a one —Beneficial, not evil.

The friend who supports one's livelihood must be known by four things. What are the four?

_ He acts for one's benefit;_ He acts with his own strength;_ When one is heedless he restrains and remonstrates;_ He nurtures one with what is wholesome.

The verse on this meaning:

He acts for the sake of wealth and benefit,
He uses his strength to bring about safety and ease,
He cuts off heedlessness,
He nurtures the wholesome intentions of his friend.

Friends of this kindThe wise practice keeping close to;One should follow such a one —Beneficial, not evil.

The benevolent and compassionate friend must be known by four things. What are the four?

_ He teaches and exhorts one to stand firm so as to perfect faith;
_ He teaches and exhorts one to stand firm so as to perfect the precepts;
_ He teaches and exhorts one to stand firm so as to perfect learning;
_ He teaches and exhorts one to stand firm so as to perfect giving.

The verse on this meaning:

The paths of faith, precepts, learning, and givingHe constantly brings to encourage and transform others.Friends of this kindThe wise practice keeping close to;One should follow such a one —Beneficial, not evil.

Furthermore, O son of the householder! As for the Eastern direction, it is like a child serving his parents. Therefore the child must take up five things to truly reverence, truly support, and truly comfort his parents. What are the five?

_ To remember to repay them by tending to household affairs;
_ To take up and shoulder burdens in their place;
_ To know how to comfort and remonstrate;
_ To wish only to provide for and nurture his parents;
_ To rejoice only at the sight of his parents.

The parents in turn take up five things to love their children. What are the five?

_ To establish them in a livelihood;_ To work together for wealth and benefit;_ To arrange marriages, taking wives and giving in marriage;_ To have them study the scriptures and the principles of the Way;_ To entrust their property to their children.

These are the two parts of delight in the Eastern direction, ordained by the Dharma established by the Noble Ones of old: a child must be filial, parents must be loving and kind; and the gentleman who hopes for benefit finds that the wholesome Dharma does not decline.

As for the Southern direction, it is like a disciple serving his teacher. Therefore the disciple must take up five things to truly reverence, truly support, and truly comfort his teacher. What are the five?

_ He must listen wholeheartedly to the instructions given;_ He must love learning;_ He must diligently attend upon his teacher;_ He must not act wrongly;_ He must make offerings to his teacher.

The teacher in turn takes up five things to love and educate his disciple. What are the five?

_ He teaches the disciple to learn what he himself has learned;
_ He transmits to the disciple the skilled craft;
_ He causes the disciple to study diligently;
_ He guides the disciple along the wholesome path;
_ He points out to the disciple the worthy and familiar friends he should know.

These are the two parts of delight in the Southern direction, ordained by the Dharma established by the Noble Ones of old: a disciple must be humble and respectful, a teacher must teach with a benevolent heart; and the gentleman who hopes for benefit finds that the wholesome Dharma does not decline.

As for the Western direction, it is like a husband toward his wife. Therefore the husband must take up five things to truly reverence, truly nurture, and truly comfort his wife. What are the five?

_ To love and respect her wholeheartedly;_ Not to be angry at his wife's wishes;_ Not to commit adultery with another;_ To provide clothing and food at the proper times;_ To give precious ornaments at the proper seasons.

The wife in turn has fourteen ways of serving her husband. What are the fourteen?

_ To do work skillfully._ To skillfully bring all matters to completion,_ To guard the property the husband has entrusted to her,_ At cockcrow she must rise,_ In the evening she goes to sleep,_ In doing work she must learn and inquire,_ She must close the doors and wait upon her husband,_ She must inquire after his health when the husband returns from afar._ To speak gentle and harmonious words,_ Language pleasing to the ear,_ The beds and seats must be set straight,_ The food and drink must be pure and clean,_ To remember to give in charity;_ To provide for and nurture her husband.

These are the two parts of delight in the Western direction, ordained by the Dharma established by the Noble Ones of old as fitting for husband and wife; and the gentleman who hopes for benefit finds that the wholesome Dharma does not decline.

As for the Northern direction, it is like a friend toward his companions. Therefore one must take up five things to truly reverence, truly nurture, and truly comfort one's companions. What are the five?

_ To reverence them with an upright mind,_ Not to be angry at a friend's wishes,_ To be sincere in affection,_ Always to distribute fine and sweet things,_ Not to forget deep kindnesses.

The companions in turn must take up five things in return toward one's friend. What are the five?

_ When there is something to be feared, they offer one refuge and reliance with themselves.
_ When there is arrogance, they reprove it.
_ When there is a private matter, they keep it concealed.
_ They provide for and nurture, adding to one's benefit.
_ They speak truthfully and bear with patience.

These are the two parts of delight in the Northern direction, ordained by the Dharma established by the Noble Ones of old in the social dealings of companions; and the gentleman who hopes for benefit finds that the wholesome Dharma does not decline.

As for the Lower direction, it is the master toward his servants. Therefore the master must take up five things to truly reverence, truly nurture, and truly comfort his servants. What are the five?

_ To assign tasks according to their strength._ To give food and clothing at the proper times._ Always to share fine and sweet flavors._ Always to exhort them equally._ When they are sick, to give them rest.

The servants who work in turn must take up ten things toward the master. What are the ten?

1. To do work skillfully
2. To bring work to completion
3. When entrusted with something, to consider it carefully
4. To stay up late and rise early to do the work
5. In doing work, to learn and inquire
6. When doing work, to exert all one's effort
7. When the master's house is poor, not to despise it
8. When the master meets with want and poverty, not to abandon him.
9. When leaving the house, to say: "My master is intelligent and wise."
10. [text missing]

These are the two parts of delight in the Lower direction, ordained by the Dharma established by the Noble Ones of old, which the master should observe; and the gentleman who hopes for benefit finds that the wholesome Dharma does not decline.

As for the Upper direction, it is like one in a household giving in charity to renunciants (śramaṇas) and brahmins. Therefore the householder has five things to truly reverence, truly support, and truly comfort the śramaṇas and brahmins. What are the five?

_ To open the door and await them.
_ To go out to welcome and receive them,
_ To inquire after them and arrange tables, chairs, and seats,
_ To safeguard and preserve the scriptures and the Dharma,
_ To give in charity pure and clean food; with these to make offerings to the śramaṇas and brahmins.

The śramaṇas and brahmins in turn take up five things in return toward the household that gives. What are the five?

_ They teach and exhort so that one becomes a person of right faith,
_ They teach and exhort so that one becomes a person of moral conduct,
_ They teach and exhort so that one becomes a person of broad understanding,
_ They teach and exhort so that one becomes a person of giving,
_ They teach and exhort so that one becomes a person of wisdom.

These are the two parts of delight in the Upper direction, ordained by the Dharma established by the Noble Ones of old, which the householder and the brahmins and śramaṇas should practice; and the gentleman who hopes for benefit finds that the wholesome Dharma does not decline.

The verse on this meaning:

The Eastern direction is one's parents,The teacher who instructs is in the Southern direction,The Western direction is wife and children,Companions are in the Northern direction.

Servants are in the Lower direction,Śramaṇas and brahmins above;Thus should one bow in homage,This the householder ought to do.

The rich who have money and wealth,Let them think for the benefit of others;Together with those of shared wealth and benefit,The giver is reborn in the heavens.

Gaining benefit shared with others,Everywhere one attains peace and joy;The meaning that embraces the whole worldIs near to the root of bliss.

Whoever bestows kindness upon others,Like a mother giving to her own child,The wholesome that aids all under heaven —That merit is truly as vast as the sands.

Above, one is honored in the assembly,Attaining benefit, peace, and joy;One who has perfected faith and the preceptsThereby attains a fragrant reputation.

When the mind is constantly free of laziness,Casting off the conduct of stinginess,Gathering in those who are one's friends,One must give food and drink in charity.

As the affairs of the world pass on forever,So one's fame resounds far and wide;Whoever cultivates himself with care —That one is called a Worthy.

In a house that stores precious goods,One must practice benevolence and righteousness;First one must attend to study and learning,Afterward attend to one's livelihood.

If one obtains wealth,Let it be divided into four parts:One part used for clothing and food,Two are for gaining benefit.

One part set aside as a reserveTo guard against times of distress and danger;Farming, trade, and raising oxen,Raising goats — these are the four.

The fifth is to repair one's house,
The sixth is to attend to marriages.

Storing up goods in this way,Day by day one's benefit increases;Wealth gathers by day and nightLike waters flowing back to the sea;Property comes little by littleLike a bee gathering nectar from flowers.

Rich in money yet poor in giving,Withholding from near and far alike,Greedy, stingy, and of evil deeds,Having wealth yet giving none to friends —In this matter one must learn:Give not, yet hinder not others.

Behold one who applies this practice:Good friends are like a blazing fire;Within this circle of kin,Both alike are fine and good;Together with kin they enjoy peace,Like the heavenly palace of Śakra.

At that time, the son of Siṅgāla, having heard the Blessed One speak thus, bowed his head to the feet of the Buddha, rose, circumambulated him three times, and with joy took refuge of his own accord, receiving the precepts from the Buddha.

THE SUTRA SPOKEN BY THE BUDDHA TO THE SON OF SIṄGĀLA

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Translation source: Linh Sơn Pháp Bảo Đại Tạng KinhLicense: Linh Sơn Pháp Bảo Đại Tạng Kinh (Việt dịch) · nguồn: rongmotamhon.net (Liên Phật Hội)

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