From:
中阿含經 4 Medium Discourses 4
水喻經 The Water Parable
我聞如是： Thus I have heard:
一時，佛遊舍衞國，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,
「我當爲汝説七水人。 “I will explain seven people in water for you.
諦聽，諦聽。 Listen closely, listen closely!
善思念之。 Consider it well.”
「時，諸比丘受教而聽。 The monks then accepted the teaching and listened.
佛言： The Buddha said,
「云何爲七。 “What are the seven?
或有一人常臥水中。 Sometimes a person remains prostrate in the water.
或復有人出水，還沒。 Sometimes a person emerges from the water but goes back under.
或復有人出水而住。 Sometimes a person emerges from the water and stands up.
或復有人出水而住，住已而觀。 Sometimes a person emerges from the water, stands up, and looks around after standing up.
或復有人出水而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡。 Sometimes a person emerges from the water, stands up, looks around after standing up, and wades across after looking around.
或復有人出水而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸。 Sometimes a person emerges from the water, stands up, looks around after standing up, wades across after looking around, and reaches the other shore after wading across.
或復有人出水而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已謂住岸人。 Sometimes a person emerges from the water, stands up, looks around after standing up, wades across after looking around, reaches the other shore after wading across, and is called a person who stands on the shore after reaching the other shore.
「如是，我當復爲汝説七水喩人。 “Thus, I will again explain the metaphors of these seven people in water.
諦聽，諦聽。 Listen closely, listen closely!
善思念之。」 Consider it well.”
時，諸比丘受教而聽。 The monks then accepted the teaching and listened.
佛言： The Buddha said,
「云何爲七。 “What are the seven?
或有人常臥。 Sometimes a person remains prostrate.
或復有人出已，還沒。 Another person goes back under after emerging.
或復有人出已而住。 Another person stands up after emerging.
或復有人出已而住，住已而觀。 Another person stands up after emerging, and they look around after standing up.
或復有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡。 Another person stands up after emerging, they look around after standing up, and they wade across after looking around.
或復有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸。 Another person stands up after emerging, they look around after standing up, they wade across after looking around, and they reach the other side after wading across.
或復有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已謂住岸梵志。 Another person stands up after emerging, they look around after standing up, they wade across after looking around, they reach the other side after wading across, and they’re called a priest standing the on shore after reaching the other shore.
「此七水喩人，我略説也。 “These are the metaphors of these seven people in water, which I’ve explained briefly.
如上所説，如上施設，汝知何義。 Do you know what they mean as they’ve been described and as they’ve been defined?
何所分別。 How are they to be discerned?
有何因縁。」 What causes and conditions do they have?”
時，諸比丘白世尊曰： The monks then said to the Bhagavān,
「世尊爲法本。 “The Bhagavān is the source of the Dharma!
世尊爲法主。 The Bhagavān is the Dharma lord!
法由世尊。 The Dharma comes from the Bhagavān!
唯願説之。 Please let him teach it.
我等聞已，得廣知義。」 After listening, we’ll get a detailed knowledge of its meaning.”
佛便告曰： The Buddha then addressed them,
「汝等諦聽，善思念之。 “All of you, listen closely, and consider it well.
我當爲汝分別其義。」 I will discern their meaning for you.”
時，諸比丘受教而聽。 The monks then accepted the teaching and listened.
佛言： The Buddha said,
「云何有人常臥。 “How does a person remain prostrate?
謂或有人爲不善法之所覆蓋。 It means a person is covered up by unskillful things.
染汙所染，受惡法報，造生死本。 They are stained by defilements, which bring the results of bad states and create the basis of birth-and-death.
「是謂有人常臥。 “This is called the person who remains prostrate.
猶人沒溺，臥于水中。 He’s like a person who’s submerged and remains prostrate in water.
我説彼人亦復如是。 I say this person is likewise.
是謂初水喩人。 This is called the first metaphor of the person in water.
世間諦如有也。 The world in truth does have such people.
「云何有人出已，還沒。 “How does a person go back under after emerging?
謂人既出，得信善法。 It means a person has emerged and attained faith in the good Dharma.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，修習善法。 Observing precepts, generous, well-versed, and wise, they cultivate the good Dharma.
彼於後時失信，不固。 At some point later, they lose their faith; it wasn’t resolute.
失持戒，布施，多聞，智慧而不堅固。 They lose their observance of precepts, generosity, learning, and wisdom; they weren’t resolute.
「是謂有人出已，還沒。 “This is called the person who goes back under after emerging.
猶人溺水，既出，還沒。 They’re like a person who’s submerged in water and goes back under after emerging.
我説彼人亦復如是。 I say this person is likewise.
是謂第二水喩人。 This is called the second metaphor of the person in water.
世間諦如有也。 The world in truth does have such people.
「云何有人出已而住。 “How does a person stand up after emerging?
謂人既出，得信善法。 It means a person emerges and then attains faith in the good Dharma.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，修習善法。 Observing precepts, generous, well-versed, and wise, they cultivate the good Dharma.
彼於後時信固，不失。 At some point later, their faith remains resolute; it isn’t lost.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，堅固，不失。 Their observance of precepts, generosity, learning, and wisdom are resolute; they aren’t lost.
「是謂有人出已而住。 “This is called the person who stands up after emerging.
猶人溺水，出已而住。 They’re like the person who’s submerged in water and stands up after emerging.
我説彼人亦復如是。 I say this person is likewise.
是謂第三水喩人。 This is called the third metaphor of the person in water.
世間諦如有也。 The world in truth does have such people.
「云何有人出已而住，住已而觀。 “How does a person stand up after emerging and look around after standing?
謂人既出，得信善法。 It means a person emerges and then attains faith in the good Dharma.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，修習善法。 Observing precepts, generous, well-versed, and wise, they cultivate the good Dharma.
彼於後時信固，不失。 At some point later, their faith remains resolute; it isn’t lost.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，堅固，不失。 Their observance of precepts, generosity, learning, and wisdom are resolute; they aren’t lost.
「住善法中，知苦如眞。 “Abiding in the good Dharma, they truly know suffering.
知苦習，知苦滅，知苦滅道如眞。 They truly know suffering’s formation, know suffering’s cessation, and know the path to the cessation of suffering.
彼如是知，如是見，三結便盡：謂身見，戒取，疑。 Knowing and seeing thus, they readily end the three bonds, which are belief in the individual, adherence to precepts, and doubt.
三結已盡，得須陀洹，不墮惡法。 Once these three bonds have ended, they become a stream entrant and don’t fall into bad states.
定趣正覺，極受七有。 They’re certainly destined for right awakening and will experience at most seven existences.
天上人間七往來已，便得苦際。 After seven rebirths up in the heavens or here among humans, they will reach the end of suffering.
「是謂有人出已而住，住已而觀。 “This is called the person who stands up after emerging and looks around after standing.
猶人溺水，出已而住，住已而觀。 They’re like a person submerged in water who stands up after emerging and looks around after standing up.
我説彼人亦復如是。 I say that person is likewise.
是謂第四水喩人。 This is called the fourth metaphor of the person in water.
世間諦如有也。 The world in truth does have such people.
「云何有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡。 “How does a person stand up after emerging, look around after standing, and wade across after looking around?
謂人既出，得信善法。 It means a person emerges and attains faith in the good Dharma.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，修習善法。 Observing precepts, generous, well-versed, and wise, they cultivate the good Dharma.
彼於後時信固，不失。 At some point later, their faith remains resolute; it isn’t lost.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，堅固，不失。 Their observance of precepts, generosity, learning, and wisdom are resolute; they aren’t lost.
「住善法中，知苦如眞。 “Abiding in the good Dharma, they truly know suffering.
知苦習，知苦滅，知苦滅道如眞。 They truly know suffering’s formation, know suffering’s cessation, and know the path to the cessation of suffering.
如是知，如是見，三結便盡：謂身見，戒取，疑。 Knowing and seeing thus, they readily end the three bonds, which are belief in the individual, adherence to precepts, and doubt.
三結已盡：婬，怒，癡薄。 Once these three bonds are ended, their lust, hate, and delusion are weakened.
得一往來天上人間。 They may be reborn once up in the heavens or here among humans.
一往來已，便得苦際。 After one rebirth, they’ll reach the end of suffering.
「是謂有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡。 “This is called the person who stands up after emerging, looks around after standing, and wades across after looking around.
猶人溺水出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡。 They’re like a person submerged in water who stands up after emerging, looks around after standing, and wades across after looking around.
我説彼人亦復如是。 I say this person is likewise.
是謂第五水喩人。 This is called the fifth metaphor of the person in water.
世間諦如有也。 The world in truth does have such people.
「云何有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸。 “How does a person stand up after emerging, look around after standing, wade across after looking around, and reach the other shore after wading across?
謂人既出，得信善法。 It means a person emerges and then attains faith in the good Dharma.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，修習善法。 Observing precepts, generous, well-versed, and wise, they cultivate the good Dharma.
彼於後時信固，不失。 At some point later, their faith remains resolute; it isn’t lost.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，堅固，不失。 Their observance of precepts, generosity, learning, and wisdom are resolute; they aren’t lost.
「住善法中，知苦如眞。 “Abiding in the good Dharma, they truly know suffering.
知苦習，知苦滅，知苦滅道如眞。 They truly know suffering’s cultivation, know suffering’s cessation, and know the path to the cessation of suffering.
如是知，如是見，五下分結盡：謂貪欲，瞋恚，身見，戒取，疑。 Knowing and thus seeing thus, they readily end the five lower bonds, which are desire, anger, belief in the individual, adherence to precepts, and doubt.
五下分結盡已，生於彼間，便般涅槃。 Once these five lower bonds have ended, they’re born elsewhere and then attain parinirvāṇa.
得不退法，不還此世。 They become irreversible and don’t return to this world.
「是謂有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸。 “This is called the person who stands up after emerging, looks around after standing, wades across after looking around, and reaches the other shore after wading across.
猶人溺水出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸。 They are like a person submerged in water who stands up after emerging, looks around after standing, wades across after looking around, and reaches the other shore after wading across.
我説彼人亦復如是。 I say this person is likewise.
是謂第六水喩人。 This is the sixth metaphor of the person in water.
世間諦如有也。 The world in truth does have such people.
「云何有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已謂住岸梵志。 “How does a person stand up after emerging, look around after standing, wade across after looking around, reach the other shore after wading across, and is called a priest standing on the shore after reaching the other shore?
謂人既出，得信善法。 It means a person emerges and attains faith in the good Dharma.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，修習善法。 Observing precepts, generous, well-versed, and wise, they cultivate the good Dharma.
彼於後時信固，不失。 At some point later, their faith remains resolute; it isn’t lost.
持戒，布施，多聞，智慧，堅固，不失。 Their observance of precepts, generosity, learning, and wisdom are resolute; they aren’t lost.
「住善法中，知苦如眞。 “Abiding in the good Dharma, they truly know suffering.
知苦習，知苦滅，知苦滅道如眞。 They truly know suffering’s cultivation, know suffering’s cessation, and know the path to the cessation of suffering.
如是知，如是見，欲漏心解脱，有漏，無明漏心解脱。 Knowing and seeing thus, their mind is liberated from the contaminants of desire, and it’s liberated from the contaminants of existence and ignorance.
解脱已，便知解脱： After being liberated, they then know that they are liberated:
『生已盡，梵行已立，所作已辦，不更受有知如眞。』 ‘Birth has been ended, the religious practice has been established, and the task has been accomplished, and I truly know that I’m no longer subject to existence.’
「是謂有人出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已謂住岸梵志。 “This is called the person who stands up after emerging, looks around after standing, wades across after looking around, reaches the other shore after wading across, and is called a priest standing on the shore after reaching the other shore.
猶人溺水出已而住，住已而觀，觀已而渡，渡已至彼岸，至彼岸已謂住岸人。 They’re like a person submerged in water who stands up after emerging, looks around after standing, wades across after looking around, reaches the other shore after wading across, and is called someone who stands on the shore after reaching the other shore.
我説彼人亦復如是。 I say this person is likewise.
是謂第七水喩人。 This is called the seventh metaphor of the person in water.
世間諦如有也。 The world in truth does have such people.
「我向所言，『當爲汝説七水人者，』因此故説。」 “I had said, ‘I will explain the seven people in water for you,’ and so I have explained it.”
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.