尸迦羅越六方禮經

When the Buddha was dwelling at the city of Rājagṛha, going forth early in the morning to beg for alms, he gazed afar toward Mount Kukkuṭapāda and saw a young man, the son of a householder, named Sigālaka, who was combing his hair, rinsing his mouth, and washing his face. Having changed into clean garments, he turned toward the east and made four prostrations; he turned toward the south, the west, and the north, and to each direction he likewise made four prostrations; he turned upward toward heaven and made four prostrations, and turned downward toward the earth and made four prostrations.

The Buddha then went to that man's house and asked: "What are you doing?"

Sigālaka replied: "I am here paying homage to the six directions."

The Buddha asked: "Paying homage to the six directions in this manner—according to what teaching do you do so?"

Sigālaka replied: "While my father and mother were still alive, they taught me that every morning I must pay homage to the six directions, though I do not understand for what purpose. Now that my father and mother have passed away, I dare not go against their instruction."

The Buddha said: "Your father taught you to pay homage to the six directions, but it was not to be done by bowing the body in this way. You have misunderstood your father's intention."

Sigālaka then knelt down and entreated: "May the Buddha, out of compassion, explain for me the meaning of paying homage to the six directions."

The Buddha taught: "Very well, listen carefully! Set your mind upon these words, and I shall explain it clearly for you.

"For householders and people of wisdom, if one is able to eradicate the six evil practices, that is what it means to pay homage to the six directions.

"What are the six evil practices? The first is craving for drinking liquor; the second is indulging in gambling; the third is delighting in sleeping early and rising late; the fourth is being fond of inviting and entertaining guests; the fifth is delighting in associating with wicked people; the sixth is taking pleasure in killing, deceiving, and consorting with the wives of others. If one is able to eradicate these six things, that is paying homage to the six directions.

"If you do not eliminate these six things, then what benefit is there in any homage? Moreover, a bad reputation will spread, household affairs will fall into disorder, wealth will be squandered, the body will grow weak and emaciated, wholesome deeds will day by day decline, and neither those far nor those near will any longer hold you in respect.

"Young man! You should know how to choose good people to associate with and learn from, and to keep far away from those who are wicked. Just as I, through countless past kalpas, have constantly drawn near to good and wise friends, and so have now attained the fruit of Buddhahood."

The Buddha further told Sigālaka: "Telling you to pay homage to the eastern direction means that, in serving and supporting one's father and mother, there are five things to remember. The first is to be wholeheartedly filial and respectful, to care for and attend upon them, always making one's father and mother glad. The second is to rise early each day, to put household affairs and the matters of food in order, and to keep always to the family's habits of diligence and thrift. The third is to take upon oneself, in place of one's parents, all heavy and toilsome work. The fourth is always to remember and reflect upon the kindness and virtue of one's father and mother. The fifth is, when one's father and mother are ill, to be wholeheartedly concerned and to seek out physicians to treat them.

"Father and mother toward their child also have five things. The first is to teach the child to forsake evil and do good. The second is to teach the child constantly to draw near to people of understanding. The third is to teach the child to be diligent and to place importance upon study and learning. The fourth is, when the proper age arrives, to see to the matter of taking a wife or being given in marriage. The fifth is to apportion a share of the family's wealth to the child.

"Paying homage to the southern direction means that, for a student serving his teacher, there are five things to remember. The first is to keep a heart of reverence and awe. The second is to follow whatever the teacher instructs and commands. The third is, when there is laundering or repairing to be done, to strive to do it. The fourth is to study diligently without becoming weary. The fifth is, after the teacher has passed away, to keep a heart of reverence and admiration, to remember and recall the teacher, and to praise the teacher's virtues, never under any circumstances discussing the teacher's former faults and errors.

"A teacher toward his disciple also has five things. The first is to teach wholeheartedly without growing weary, causing the student swiftly to attain understanding. The second is to wish that one's own student may surpass the students of others. The third is to wish that the student may not forget the knowledge he has learned. The fourth is, when the student meets with difficulties and does not understand, to explain clearly with all earnestness. The fifth is to wish to teach in such a way that the student attains wisdom surpassing even that of the teacher.

"Paying homage to the western direction means that, for a wife toward her husband, there are five things to remember. The first is, when the husband comes in from outside, to stand up to greet and welcome him. The second is, when the husband is away from home, to attend to the cooking and the cleaning, and to wait with a respectful heart.

The third is not to give rise to lustful desire toward outsiders, and to keep firmly the door of the women's quarters. The fourth is, when the husband speaks harshly, not to answer back as one pleases or show a look of anger; whatever the husband admonishes, to listen and obey respectfully; and whatever one possesses, not to hide it away for one's own private use. The fifth is to wait until the husband has gone to rest first, and only after carefully looking over the household affairs oneself to retire to rest afterward.

"A husband toward his wife also has five things. The first is, whenever going out or coming in, to maintain a heart of mutual respect. The second is to have suitable times for eating and drinking, not letting the wife suffer hardship or vexation. The third is, when the wife wishes to purchase clothing, ornaments, and the like, not to go against her wishes; if the household is wealthy, to provide them in full, and if poor, to provide according to one's means. The fourth is to entrust the wealth of the household to the wife to oversee and safeguard. The fifth is not to carry on illicit affairs with another, causing the wife to give rise to suspicion.

"Paying homage to the northern direction means that, in social dealings and conduct with kinsfolk and friends, both sides must remember five things. The first is, when someone does an evil deed or commits a fault, the others must take turns to advise, admonish, remonstrate, and restrain him. The second is, when someone meets with misfortune or calamity, sickness or disease, the others must show concern, share in helping him, and have his illness treated.

The third is, when someone has said something private within the home, the others must not carry it out to tell to outsiders. The fourth is to keep a heart of respect, to praise one another's good points, to maintain the relationship by coming and going to visit; and even if there are times of friction and conflict, not to give rise to a heart of grief, anger, or resentment. The fifth is that, since in a relationship there are differences of wealth and poverty that are not alike, one should help, support, and rescue one another; and when there is fine food or precious things, one should share them with one another.

"Paying homage to the lower direction means that, for a master toward his servants, there are five things to know. The first is that one must first attend to their needs of hunger and fullness, cold and heat, and only afterward set them to their tasks. The second is, when they fall ill, to see to inviting a physician to treat them.

The third is not to resort wrongly to rod and lash or to beating; one must investigate the matter clearly, and only afterward reprove and punish. What can be pardoned should be pardoned; only what cannot be pardoned must be reproved and punished in order to instruct. The fourth is, when they have a little money of their own, not to seek to seize it.

The fifth is that, in providing and apportioning anything to them, one must be fair and equal alike, with no intention of partiality.

"A servant toward his master also has five things. The first is to take care to rise early, not waiting for the master to call. The second is to know what ought to be done and to take it upon oneself to do it, not troubling the master with commands. The third is to know how to cherish and value the master's property, not treating it lightly so as to discard it or let it be damaged. The fourth is, whenever the master of the house has business going out or coming in, to take care to see him off and welcome him. The fifth is only to praise the master's good points, and not to speak of his faults and failings.

"Paying homage to the upper direction means that, for one who makes offerings to śramaṇas and good and wise friends, there are five things to remember. The first is to turn toward them with a true and sincere mind. The second is to perform the work of service respectfully, not regarding it as toilsome. The third is frequently and repeatedly to inquire about the principles of the Way. The fourth is to listen, to reflect, and then to cultivate and practice accordingly. The fifth is to inquire clearly about the essential teaching of reciting the Buddha's name and of practicing meditation, and to cultivate diligently day and night.

"The śramaṇas and good and wise friends, when they instruct others, must also remember five things. The first is to teach people to cultivate the practices of giving, keeping the precepts, patient endurance, vigor, concentration of mind, and wisdom. The second is to teach people the matters pertaining to dignified deportment and proper etiquette, not letting them be loose or unrestrained.

The third is to teach people to keep their words and deeds always in accord—rather to speak little and do much than to speak much and do little. The fourth is to teach people to pay homage diligently to the Three Jewels and to give rise to a heart of compassion for all classes of living beings. The fifth is to teach people to dedicate their merit, to make the vow to be born in the Pure Land, and, having realized the path of Bodhi, to return again to liberate living beings.

"To act exactly in accordance with the things above is what is called reverently obeying one's father's words to pay homage to the six directions. If one cannot act in this way, then even paying homage is of no benefit."

At that time, Sigālaka straightaway asked to receive and uphold the Five Precepts, and earnestly paid homage to the Buddha.

The Buddha then spoke a verse to summarize, saying:

When the cock crows at dawn, awaken from sleep,

Put on your robe, step down from the bed,

Wash your face, rinse your mouth clean,

With both hands offer up incense and flowers.

Trim the lamp, change the water fresh,

Make offerings to the Buddha, the Dharma, the Saṅgha.

With palms joined, pay homage reverently,

Vow to repay the Four Kinds of Kindness.

The six pāramitās,

Each and every one, cultivate and learn.

Giving eradicates greed and craving,

Keeping precepts breaks no rule,

Patient endurance ends all anger,

Vigor casts off delusion's torpor,

Concentration of mind admits no distraction,

Wisdom cuts away ignorance and folly.

The days and months do not wait for anyone—

Be diligent, never idle or slack.

The suffering of birth, old age, sickness, death—

How can a human life be long!

How much more so at the hour of death,

When kinsfolk are unable to help,

And there is no place to flee and hide,

No medicine that can save you.

The blessings of heaven must also come to an end—

How long can the blessings of humans last?

Father and mother, together with wife and children—

Like guests sharing a roadside inn,

Together they sleep and rest through the night,

But come the morning, each goes a separate way.

Impermanence is likewise so;

Early, take care to turn toward the Buddha's realm.

How much more so within the six paths,

Where transmigration takes no moment's rest.

Now, by good fortune, having gained a human birth,

And further heard the deep and wondrous Dharma,

Cultivate yourself and teach others to cultivate—

Self and others, both reap the benefit.

The pāramitās are the boat

That crosses over the sea of birth and death.

Amitābha of the Land of Ultimate Bliss—

The power of his vows is beyond conceiving.

He leads our steps up the golden stair,

To receive the prediction of the fruit of Buddhahood.

May the fourfold assembly reverently follow this,

And seek birth in the Land of Ultimate Bliss.

The son of the householder Sujāta,

Having heard the Buddha expound the Dharma,

With a heart joyful and uplifted,

Paid homage and faithfully received his words.