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中阿含經 1 Medium Discourses 1
善法經 The Good Teaching
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 stayed at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove.
爾時，世尊告諸比丘： It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks,
「若有比丘成就七法者，便於賢聖得歡喜樂，正趣漏盡。 “If a monk accomplishes seven things, then he’ll attain the happiness of the noble ones, and he’ll be rightly headed for the end of the contaminants.
云何爲七。 What are the seven?
謂比丘知法，知義，知時，知節，知己，知衆，知人勝如。 A monk knows the teaching, knows the meaning, knows the time, knows moderation, knows himself, knows the assembly, and knows the superiority of people.
「云何比丘爲知法耶。 “How does a monk know the teaching?
謂比丘知正經，歌詠，記説，偈咃，因縁，撰録，本起，此説，生處，廣解，未曾有法，及説義。 A monk knows the right sūtras, songs, assurances, verses, circumstances, records, legends, lectures, birth places, extensive discourses, unprecedented things, and explanations of meaning.
是謂比丘爲知法也。 This is called a monk who knows the teaching.
「若有比丘不知法者，謂不知正經，歌詠，記説，偈咃，因縁，撰録，本起，此説，生處，廣解，未曾有法，及説義。 “Suppose a monk doesn’t know the teaching, which is to say that he doesn’t know the right sūtras, songs, assurances, verses, circumstances, records, legends, lectures, birth places, extensive discourses, unprecedented things, and explanations of meaning.
如是比丘爲不知法。 Such a monk doesn’t know the teaching.
「若有比丘善知法者，謂知正經，歌詠，記説，偈咃，因縁，撰録，本起，此説，生處，廣解，未曾有法，及説義。 “Suppose a monk well knows the teaching, which is to say that he knows the right sūtras, songs, assurances, verses, circumstances, records, legends, lectures, birth places, extensive discourses, unprecedented things, and explanations of meaning.
是謂比丘善知法也。 This is called a monk who well knows the teaching.
「云何比丘爲知義耶。 “How does a monk know the meaning?
謂比丘知彼彼説義是彼義是此義。 A monk knows that the meaning of this or that expression is this meaning or that meaning.
是謂比丘爲知義也。 This is called a monk who knows the meaning.
「若有比丘不知義者，謂不知彼彼説義是彼義是此義。 “Suppose a monk doesn’t know the meaning, which is to say that he doesn’t know that the meaning of this or that expression is this meaning or that meaning.
如是比丘爲不知義。 Such a monk doesn’t know the meaning.
「若有比丘善知義者，謂知彼彼説義是彼義是此義。 “Suppose a monk well knows the meaning, which is to say that he knows that the meaning of this or that expression is this meaning or that meaning.
是謂比丘善知義也。 This is called a monk who well knows the meaning.
「云何比丘爲知時耶。 “How does a monk know the time?
謂比丘知：『是時修下相，是時修高相，是時修捨相。』 A monk knows the time to cultivate low appearances, the time to cultivate high appearances, and the time to cultivate indifferent appearances.
是謂比丘爲知時也。 This is called a monk who knows the time.
「若有比丘不知時者。謂不知：『是時修下相，是時修高相，是時修捨相。』 “Suppose a monk doesn’t know the time, which is to say that he doesn’t know the time to cultivate low appearances, the time to cultivate high appearances, and the time to cultivate indifferent appearances.
如是比丘爲不知時。 Such a monk doesn’t know the time.
「若有比丘善知時者。謂知：『是時修下相，是時修高相，是時修捨相。』 “Suppose a monk well knows the time, which is to say that he knows the time to cultivate low appearances, the time to cultivate high appearances, and the time to cultivate indifferent appearances.
是謂比丘善知時也。 This is called a monk who well knows the time.
「云何比丘爲知節耶。 “How does a monk know moderation?
謂比丘知節若飮，若食，若去，若住，若坐，若臥，若語，若默，若大小便，捐除睡眠，修行正智。 It means a monk knows moderation whether he is drinking, eating, departing, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, being silent, relieving himself, rousing himself when drowsy, or cultivating right knowledge.
是謂比丘爲知節也。 This is called a monk who knows moderation.
「若有比丘不知節者，謂不知若飮，若食，若去，若住，若坐，若臥，若語，若默，若大小便，捐除睡眠，修行正智。 “Suppose a monk doesn’t know moderation, which is to say that he doesn’t know it whether he is drinking, eating, departing, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, being silent, relieving himself, rousing himself when drowsy, or cultivating right knowledge.
如是比丘爲不知節。 Such a monk doesn’t know moderation.
「若有比丘善知節者，謂知若飮，若食，若去，若住，若坐，若臥，若語，若默，若大小便，捐除睡眠，修行正智。 “Suppose a monk who well knows moderation, which is to say that he well knows it whether he is drinking, eating, departing, standing, sitting, lying down, speaking, being silent, relieving himself, rousing himself when drowsy, or cultivating right knowledge.
是謂比丘善知節也。 This is called a monk who well knows moderation.
「云何比丘爲知己耶。 “How does a monk know himself?
謂比丘自知： It means a monk knows,
『我有爾所信，戒，聞，施，慧，辯，阿含，及所得。』 ‘Such are my belief, discipline, learning, generosity, wisdom, eloquence, scriptures, and attainments.’
是謂比丘爲知己也。 This is called a monk who knows himself.
「若有比丘不知己者，謂不自知： “Suppose a monk doesn’t know himself, which is to say that he doesn’t know,
『我有爾所信，戒，聞，施，慧，辯，阿含，及所得。』 ‘Such are my belief, discipline, learning, generosity, wisdom, eloquence, scriptures, and attainments.’
如是比丘爲不知己。 Such a monk doesn’t know himself.
「若有比丘善知己者，謂自知： “Suppose a monk well knows himself, which is to say that he knows,
『我有爾所信，戒，聞，施，慧，辯，阿含，及所得。』 ‘Such are my belief, discipline, learning, generosity, wisdom, eloquence, scriptures, and attainments.’
是謂比丘善知己也。 This is called a monk who well knows himself.
「云何比丘爲知衆耶。 “How does a monk know the assembly?
謂比丘知： A monk knows:
『此刹利衆，此梵志衆，此居士衆，此沙門衆。 ‘This is an assembly of warriors … this is an assembly of priests … this is an assembly of householders … this is an assembly of ascetics.
我於彼衆應如是去，如是住，如是坐，如是語，如是默。』 In that assembly, I should thus depart, thus stand, thus sit, thus speak, and thus be silent.’
是謂比丘爲知衆也。 This is called a monk who knows the assembly.
「若有比丘不知衆者，謂不知： “Suppose a monk doesn’t know the assembly, which is to say that he doesn’t know:
『此刹利衆，此梵志衆，此居士衆，此沙門衆。 ‘This is an assembly of warriors … this is an assembly of priests … this is an assembly of householders … this is an assembly of ascetics.
我於彼衆應如是去，如是住，如是坐，如是語，如是默。』 In that assembly, I should thus depart, thus stand, thus sit, thus speak, and thus be silent.’
如是比丘爲不知衆。 Such a monk doesn’t know the assembly.
「若有比丘善知衆者，謂知： “Suppose a monk well knows the assembly, which is to say that he well knows:
『此刹利衆，此梵志衆，此居士衆，此沙門衆。 ‘This is an assembly of warriors … this is an assembly of priests … this is an assembly of householders … this is an assembly of ascetics.
我於彼衆應如是去，如是住，如是坐，如是語，如是默。』 In that assembly, I should thus depart, thus stand, thus sit, thus speak, and thus be silent.’
是謂比丘善知衆也。 This is called a monk who well knows the assembly.
「云何比丘知人勝如。 “How does a monk know the superiority of people?
謂比丘知有二種人：有信，有不信。 A monk knows there are two kinds of people: believers and non-believers.
若信者勝。不信者爲不如也。 If someone is a believer, they’re superior; a non-believer is not.
「謂信人復有二種：有數往見比丘，有不數往見比丘。 “Also, there are two kinds of believers: those who frequently go to see the monks and those who don’t frequently go to see the monks.
若數往見比丘者勝。不數往見比丘者爲不如也。 If someone frequently goes to see the monks, they’re superior; someone who doesn’t frequently go to see the monks is not.
「謂數往見比丘人復有二種：有禮敬比丘，有不禮敬比丘。 “Also, there are two kinds of people who frequently go to see the monks: those who revere the monks and those who don’t revere the monks.
若禮敬比丘者勝。不禮敬比丘者爲不如也。 If someone reveres the monks, they’re superior; someone who doesn’t revere the monks is not.
「謂禮敬比丘人復有二種：有問經，有不問經。 “Also, there are two kinds of people who revere the monks: those who have questions about the sūtras and those who don’t have questions about the sūtras.
若問經者勝。不問經者爲不如也。 If someone asks about the sūtras, they’re superior; someone who doesn’t ask about the sūtras is not.
「謂問經人復有二種：有一心聽經，有不一心聽經。 “Also, there are two kinds of people who ask about the sūtras: those who whole-heartedly listen to the sūtras and those who don’t whole-heartedly listen to the sūtras.
若一心聽經者勝。不一心聽經者爲不如也。 If someone whole-heartedly listens to the sūtras, they’re superior; someone who doesn’t whole-heartedly listen to the sūtras is not.
「謂一心聽經人復有二種：有聞持法，有聞不持法。 “Also, there are two kinds of people who whole-heartedly listen to the sūtras: those who hear and retain the teaching and those who hear but don’t retain the teaching.
若聞持法者勝。聞不持法者爲不如也。 If someone hears and retains the teaching, they’re superior; someone who hears but doesn’t retain the teaching is not.
「謂聞持法人復有二種：有聞法觀義，有聞法不觀義。 “Also, there are two kinds of people who hear and retain the teaching: those who hear the teaching and contemplate its meaning and those who hear the teaching but don’t contemplate its meaning.
若聞法觀義者勝。聞法不觀義者爲不如也。 If someone hears the teaching and contemplates its meaning, they’re superior; someone who hears the teaching but doesn’t contemplate its meaning is not.
「謂聞法觀義人復有二種：有知法，知義，向法次法，隨順於法，如法行之；有不知法，不知義，不向法次法，不隨順法，不如法行。 “Also, there are two kinds of people who hear the teaching and contemplate its meaning: those who know the teaching, know its meaning, go from one teaching to the next, conform to the teaching, and conduct themselves according to the teaching and those who don’t know the teaching, don’t know its meaning, don’t go from one teaching to the next, don’t conform to the teaching, and don’t conduct themselves according to the teaching.
若知法，知義，向法次法，隨順於法，如法行者勝。 If someone knows the teaching, knows its meaning, goes from one teaching to the next, conforms to the teaching, and conducts themselves according to the teaching, they’re superior.
不知法，不知義，不向法次法，不隨順法，不如法行者爲不如也。 Someone who doesn’t know the teaching, doesn’t know its meaning, doesn’t go from one teaching to the next, doesn’t conform to the teaching, and doesn’t conduct themselves according to the teaching is not.
「謂知法，知義，向法次法，隨順於法，如法行人復有二種：有自饒益，亦饒益他，饒益多人，愍傷世間，爲天爲人求義及饒益，求安隱快樂；有不自饒益，亦不饒益他，不饒益多人，不愍傷世間，不爲天不爲人求義及饒益，求安隱快樂。 “It also means that there are two kinds of people who know the teaching, know its meaning, go from one teaching to the next, conform to the teaching, and conduct themselves according to the teaching: those who benefit themselves, benefit others, benefit many people, pity the world, seek both meaning and benefit for gods and humans, and seek peace and happiness and those who don’t benefit themselves, don’t benefit others, don’t benefit many people, don’t pity the world, don’t seek both meaning and benefit for gods and humans, and don’t seek peace and happiness.
若自饒益，亦饒益他，饒益多人，愍傷世間，爲天爲人求義及饒益，求安隱快樂者，此人於彼人中爲極第一。 If someone benefits themselves, benefits others, benefits many people, pities the world, seeks both meaning and benefit for gods and humans, and seeks peace and happiness, this person is the very best among people.
爲大，爲上，爲最，爲勝，爲尊，爲妙。 They’re great, higher, exceptional, superior, honored, and marvelous.
「譬如因牛有乳，因乳有酪，因酪有生酥，因生酥有熟酥，因熟酥有酥精。 “It’s just as there’s milk because of the cow, cream because of milk, butter because of cream, refined butter because of butter, and ghee because of refined butter.
酥精者於彼中爲極第一。 Ghee is the very best of those things.
爲大，爲上，爲最，爲勝，爲尊，爲妙。 It’s great, higher, exceptional, superior, honored, and marvelous.
如是，若人自饒益，亦饒益他，饒益多人，愍傷世間，爲天爲人求義及饒益，求安隱快樂。 Such is the person who benefits himself, benefits others, benefits many people, pities the world, seeks both meaning and benefit for gods and humans, and seeks peace and happiness.
此二人，如上所説，如上分別，如上施設，此爲第一，爲大，爲上，爲最，爲勝，爲尊，爲妙。 Of these pairs of people as they’ve been described, as they’ve been discerned, and as they’ve been defined, they’re the best, great, higher, exceptional, superior, honored, and marvelous.
是謂比丘知人勝如。」 This is called a monk who knows the superiority of people.”
佛説如是。 Thus did the Buddha speak.
彼諸比丘聞佛所説，歡喜，奉行。 Those monks who heard what the Buddha taught rejoiced and approved.