J20 Nalapana Jataka--The Hollow Reeds 芦饮本生《空心芦苇》

The Hollow Reeds

Jātaka 20: Naḷapāna Jātaka

Thirsty monkeys came to a pool haunted by a yakkha. Their leader miraculously blows the knots out of reeds and with these the monkeys safely slake their thirst.

Illustrated by Sucittā & Sunīta

Typeset by Ger Lian

Based on Tale 13 in Jataka Tales of the Buddha: An Anthology, 

retold by Ken and Visākhā Kawasaki, 3 volumes,

Buddhist Cultural Centre, Dehiwala, Sri Lanka, 2012.

Read this Jataka Picture Book

空心芦苇

本生经20: 芦饮本生

一群口渴的猴子来到一个有水怪居住的莲花池。他们的首领神奇地往芦苇一吹，芦苇里的结竟然被吹空了，猴子们都安全地使用空心芦苇到池里去喝水解渴。

绘图/ 妙心与美真

排版/ 陈月莲

中译/ 孙慧玲

审稿/ 陈语与卓佳萱

重述/ Tale 13 in Jataka Tales of the Buddha: An Anthology, 

retold by Ken and Visākhā Kawasaki, 3 volumes,

Buddhist Cultural Centre, Dehiwala, Sri Lanka, 2012.

阅读此 本生经绘本

 

It was while journeying on an alms-pilgrimage through Kosala that the Buddha told this story, about the hollow reeds.
一时，佛陀在通往拘萨罗国(Kosala)托钵的路途中，开示有关空心的芦苇。

When he came to the village of Nalakapāna, he stayed near Nalakapāna Lake.
当佛陀来到芦饮村(Nalakapāna)时，他就住在芦饮村的莲花池附近。

One day, after bathing in the pool, the bhikkhus asked the sāmaneras to fetch them some reeds for needle-cases.
一天，当比丘们在莲花池洗完澡后，他们要求沙弥去帮他们摘一些芦苇来制作针筒。

After getting them, however, the bhikkhus discovered that the reeds, rather than having joints like common reeds, were completely hollow.
当比丘们取来芦苇后，发现他们所收集到的芦苇跟平常的芦苇不同。这些芦苇的里面都是空的。

Surprised, they went to the Buddha and said,
他们感到很惊讶。于是，马上去找佛陀说：

“Venerable Sir, we wanted to make needle-cases out of these reeds, but from top to bottom they are quite hollow. How can that be?”
“尊者，我们想用这些芦苇来制作针筒，但是这些芦苇从根到顶都是空心的。这是什么原因呢？”

“Bhikkhus, this was my doing in days gone by.” said the Buddha.
佛陀回道：“诸比丘，这是我过去所做的决意。”

Then he told this story of the past.
然后，佛陀讲述过去之事。

Long, long ago, on this spot, there was a lake, surrounded by a thick forest.
在很久很久以前，这个地方有一个湖，湖的周围被浓密的森林环绕着。

In those days, the Bodhisatta was born as the king of the monkeys. As large as the fawn of a red deer, he was the wise leader of a troop of eighty thousand monkeys that lived in that forest.
在那个时候，菩萨投生为猴王。当时的猴王长得像赤鹿幼崽一样大，他是一只具备智慧的首领，和他的八万只猴子住在森林里。

He carefully counselled his followers: “My friends, in this forest, there are trees that are poisonous and lakes that are haunted by yakkhas. Remember always to ask me first before eating any fruit you have not eaten before, or drinking any water from a source you have not drunk from before.”
他细心地告诫他的跟随者：“我的朋友们，这座森林里有的树木有毒，再者有的湖里住着水怪。大家一定要记住，在吃任何你未曾吃过的果实、或饮没喝过的水之前，务必先询问我。”

“Certainly!” the monkeys agreed.
“没问题！” 所有的猴子们都答应道。

One day, while roaming the forest, the monkey troop came to an area they had never before visited.
一天，当这群猴子在森林里漫游时，他们来到了一处从未到过的地方。

Thirsty after their day's wanderings, they searched for water and found this beautiful lake.
游荡了一天后，他们感到口渴。他们在寻找水源时，发现了一个漂亮的湖泊。

Remembering their master's warning, the monkeys refrained from drinking. They sat and waited for the Bodhisatta.
他们记得猴王的警告，不喝湖里的水。他们坐着等待菩萨的到来。

When he joined them, he asked,
当菩萨来到时，他问：

“Well, my friends, why don't you drink?”
“嗨，我的朋友，为什么你们不喝水呢？”

“We waited for you to come.”
“我们正在等您来呢。”

“Well done!” said the Bodhisatta.
“做得好！” 菩萨称赞道。

Then he walked a full circuit around the lake. He noticed that all the footprints led down into the water, but none came back.
接着，菩萨绕着湖边走了一圈。他发现湖旁所有的脚印都是往水里去的，但却没有看到回来的脚印。

“My friends, you were right not to drink from this lake.
“我的朋友们，你们没有喝这水是对的！。

It is undoubtedly haunted by a yakkha.” he announced.
“毫无疑问，这里住了一个水怪。” 他说道。

Suddenly, the yakkha, in a hideous guise, rose up out of the lake and appeared before them. He had a blue belly, a white face, and bright-red hands and feet.
突然间，一个长得非常丑陋的水怪从湖泊中升起来，出现在他们的面前。他长着蓝色的肚子，一张苍白的脸，还有鲜红的手和脚。

“Why are you sitting here? he asked the monkeys.
水怪问道：“你们为什么坐着？

Go down to the lake, and drink.”
到湖里来喝水啊。”

The Bodhisatta asked him, “Aren't you the yakkha of this lake?”
菩萨问他：“你不就是这个湖里的水怪吗？”

“Yes, I am. How did you know I was here?”
“是的！你怎么知道我在这儿？”

“I saw the footprints leading down to the water but none returning.
“我看见这些脚印都是往湖里去，但却没有一个是从湖里回来。

“Do you prey on all those who go down to the water?”
“你会捕捉那些下水的动物吗？”

“Yes, I do. From small birds to the largest animals, I catch everything which has come into my water. I will eat all of you, too!”
“是的。从小鸟到大动物，我捕捉所有进入我水域的东西，我还要把你们都吃了！”

“Oh, no, Yakkha,” said the Bodhisatta, “we are not going to let you eat us.”
菩萨说道：“不，水怪。我们是不会让你吃我们的。”

“You must be parched. Just drink the water,” taunted the monster.
“你应该是口渴了。就喝一口水吧！”水怪继续诱惑道。

“All right, Yakkha, we will drink some water, but we are not going to fall into your power.”
“好吧，水怪。我们会喝点水，但我们是不会掉入你设的陷阱的。”

“How can you drink water without entering the lake?”
“不走到湖里你们怎样喝水呢？”

“Yakkha!” the monkey king cried. “We need not enter your lake at all. All eighty thousand of us can drink through these reeds as easily as through a hollow lotus stalk. We will drink, and you will not be able to harm us.”
“水怪！”猴王喝道“我们根本不用走到你的湖里。我们八万只猴可轻易地各用像空心莲一样的芦苇，喝到湖里的水，而你是没办法伤害到我们的。”

The Bodhisatta requested that a reed be brought to him. Then, recollecting the Ten Perfections he was developing, he recited them in a solemn asseveration of truth and blew into the reed.
菩萨吩咐拿一根芦苇给他。接着，随念已培育过十波罗蜜，做真实语的誓言后，向芦苇吹了一口气。

Instantly, the joints disappeared, and the whole length of the reed became hollow.
立刻，芦苇的结节消失了，整支芦苇变成了空心。

After hollowing several more in the same way, the Bodhisatta toured the lake. He commanded: --
用同样的方法又吹空了几根后，菩萨围绕着湖走了一圈，命令道：

“Let all reeds growing here become perfectly hollow throughout”.
“让所有长在这儿的芦苇都变空心无节。”

Because of the great virtues of Bodhisattas, their commands are always fulfilled.
因为菩萨的崇高德行，命令立奏功效。

Therefore, every single reed that grew around that lake instantly became hollow and has always remained so.
因此，在这个湖旁生长的每一根芦苇都立刻变成空心无节，并一直持续到现在。

Do you know? There are 4 Era-miracles. “The reeds that grow around this lake will remain perfectly hollow” is one of the Era-miracles! Read the Glossary to know the other 3.
你知道吗？世上有四个“劫的奇迹”。其中一个奇迹就是——凡是长在这个湖旁的芦苇都一直是空心的！其余三个奇迹，请参阅词汇表。

At last, the Bodhisatta seated himself with a reed in his hands.
最后，菩萨手持一根芦苇坐了下来。

The other eighty thousand monkeys, likewise, arranged themselves around the lake, each with a reed.
同样的，其他八万只猴子也各取一根芦苇，围坐湖边。

They all dipped their reeds into the water and drank. They satisfied their thirst, but the yakkha could not touch a single one of them.
他们都把芦苇浸入水里喝水。他们解了渴，而水怪却无法碰到他们。

Frustrated and furious, he returned to his home in defeat. “AARGH!”
感到沮丧和愤怒的水怪只好败兴而归。“啊！！！”

When all had finished, the Bodhisatta led his followers back into the forest.
当所有的猴子喝完水后，菩萨带领他们回到森林里。

Having concluded his story, the Buddha identified the birth:
佛陀联系本生的过去和现在作为佛法开示的结语：

At that time, Devadatta was the yakkha;
当时的水怪是提婆达多；

my disciples were the eighty thousand monkeys;
那八万只猴子是我的弟子；

and I was the king of the monkeys, so fertile in resourcefulness.
而那足智多谋的猴王即是我。

The End
终

Glossary 词汇表

Four Era-miracles: In this Kappa (or Era), there are four miraculous phenomena which will endure throughout the whole Era:

1. The figure of the rabbit can be seen in the moon [Jātaka 316].
2. Fire will not touch the spot of the baby quail's nest [Jātaka 35].
3. No rain will fall on the site of Ghatīkāra's house [Ghatīkāra Sutta, Majjhima Nikāya, 81].

4. The reeds that grow around the Nalakapāna lake will remain perfectly hollow [Jātaka 20].

四个劫的奇迹：在这一个劫之间，有四个奇迹现象持续存在：

一、可以看到兔子的身影在月球里[本生经316]。
二、火不会碰到鹌鹑蛋巢的所在处[本生经35]。
三、雨完全不会降落在陶器师的住所[中部第81经《陶器师经》] 。

四、长在芦饮村湖泊周围的芦苇都是空心无节[本生经20]。

Kappa (Era, Aeon, Eon): A long period of time. Let us say, there was a huge rock of one solid mass which was one yojana long, one yojana wide and one yojana high, and in every hundred years, a man would rub it with a piece of silk. Then, that huge rock would wear off and disappear quicker than an aeon.
劫(Kappa)：很久很久的时间。比方说，有一块长一由旬，宽一由旬，高一由旬的巨大岩石。每隔一百年就有个人用丝绸布把这块岩石轻轻擦拭一下，于是大岩山比较快擦磨直到遍尽、耗尽，而一劫还没结束。

Bodhisatta: is the Buddha-to-be, prophesized by another Buddha.
菩萨(Bodhisatta)：已被过去佛授记的未来佛。

Devadatta: one of the Buddha’s cousins. He became a bhikkhu along with the other Sakyan princes. He was a rival of the Buddha, and tried to kill him several times. He also created a schism in the Sangha. Finally, he was swallowed by the earth and fell into hell. The origin of the implacable enmity which Devadatta felt toward the Bodhisatta and the Buddha is related in Jātaka 3. The Buddha predicted that, in the distant future, Devadatta will become a Pacceka Buddha.
提婆达多(Devadatta)：佛陀的表亲之一。他与其他释迦族王子一起出家为比丘。他是佛陀的对手，并几次试图杀害佛陀。他还导致僧团分裂，最终被大地吞没，堕入地狱。提婆达多对菩萨和佛陀的怨恨起源于本生经第三集。佛陀预言，在遥远的未来，提婆达多将成为辟支佛。

夜叉(Yakka)：the demon; an ogre; a kind of monster.

Ten Perfections (dasa pāramī): The set of 10 virtues for attaining the Path and Fruition knowledges, or the Omniscience knowledge. The 10 Perfections are:

1. dāna: generosity
2. sīla: morality
3. nekkhamma: renunciation
4. paññā: wisdom
5. vīriya: energy
6. khantī: forbearance
7. sacca: truthfulness
8. adhiṭṭhāna: determination
9. mettā: loving-kindness
10. upekkhā: equanimity

十波罗蜜(dasa pāramī)：为了成就圣道圣果或一切知智的十种美德。十波罗蜜是：

1. dāna: 布施
2. sīla: 持戒
3. nekkhamma: 出离
4. paññā: 智慧
5. vīriya: 精进
6. khantī: 忍辱
7. sacca: 真实
8. adhiṭṭhāna: 决意
9. mettā: 慈
10. upekkhā: 舍

Teacher Guide

Please note that this list (of questions) is a guide for teachers, to evaluate the student’s understanding and to promote interaction between students relating to the story.

Before you start to tell this story, perhaps these motivational questions may help prompt students with their thinking:

1. Do you make wishes? Have they been realized?
2. Which type of wishes that came true? In what way?
3. Show a few pictures – children in handicap, in poor health and in hungry conditions, country in war or poor conditions, do you think they too have wishes?
4. Do you know how to make your wish come true? (after their sharing, let us see how our Bodhisatta realize wishes)

After the story telling or reading, some questions to guide the students for reflection:

General

5. Do you have any opinion after listening to this story? (share your feeling or opinion)
6. What have you learned from this story?

Truthfulness (sacca pāramī)

7. What did the group of monkeys wish for? What were their needs at that time?
8. What did the leader (Bodhisatta) do to make their wishes come true?

Leadership

9. What is the difference between your wish and the leader’s (Bodhisatta’s) wish in this story?
10. How were the relationship and attitudes between the leader (Bodhisatta) and his followers?
11. Do you know how to be a good leader? And how to be a good follower?

The Lesson Tips:

Truthfulness (sacca pāramī)

By the power of truth (sacca parami) of his accumulation of the 10 paramis, the leader of the monkeys’ (Bodhisatta’s) wishes come true. In the past, he had practiced and fulfilled the 10 pāramīs and instilled great virtues, superior mind and efforts. This is why he was said to be ‘large in mind’, not because he simply had a ‘big brain’. The leader (Bodhisatta) was able to keep these fine qualities, and produce a miracle.

The Bodhisatta made a Truth saying, with the merits gained from the 10 pāramī, he took a reed, with the intention, blew through it to make the knots inside disappear, a miracle instantly follows. With the same intention, he did it to the other reeds around the lake. Did you know? Reeds are supposed to be solid inside until now, the reeds around the lake remained hollow. Like in the other event [Jātaka 35], with the power of truthfulness (sacca pāramī), the fire did not touch the spot of the baby quail's nest (a place at India) until the earth disappear.

With boundless virtues, Bodhisatta made wishes for the benefit of others, giving them ease and happiness. He is always thoughtful towards others.

Leadership

From this story, it is worth to reflect on the relationship and attitude between leader, followers and the others who will benefit from the acts of the leader and followers. This act brings real and long-term (not only this life) benefits to these 3 parties involved. A good leader has wisdom, loving-kindness and vision, always willing to help and provide guidance when dealing with difficulties and needs, and always prepared to help others. As a good follower, one should observe the rules set by the leader, and understand the reason behind those rules and to co-operate with the leader with open mind.

教师指南

以下系列问题供教师作为指南及参考，也可用于评估学生对此本生经的理解，并促进与学生之间的互动。

在开始讲这个故事前，以下引发动机的问题也许可促使学生们思考：

1. 你们有许愿吗？愿望都实现了吗？
2. 哪些愿望成真了？是以什么样的方式实现的？
3. 显示几张照片：残障儿童，健康状况不良和处在饥饿状况的孩子，处于战争中或恶劣环境中的孩子，你认为他们也有愿望吗？
4. 你知道如何实现你的愿望吗？（学生分享之后，教师可开始讲故事，让大家看看菩萨如何实现愿望。）

在讲故事之后，让学生省思的问题：

一般性的问题

1. 听完这个故事你有什么看法吗？（请分享你的感受或意见）
2. 你从这个故事中学到了什么？

真实波罗蜜（sacca pāramī）

3. 故事中的一群猴子的愿望是什么？当时他们需要的是什么？
4. 菩萨（首领）做了什么来实现他们的愿望？

领导能力

5. 你的愿望与这故事中的菩萨的愿望有什么不同？
6. 菩萨和他的猴子们之间有怎样的关系和态度？
7. 你知道如何成为一个好的领导者？或好的跟随者吗？

课程提示：

真实波罗蜜

凭着积累十波罗蜜，特别是真实波罗蜜（即真实语的力量），菩萨（为猴子们的首领）的愿望得以实现。在过去，菩萨不断修习圆满十波罗蜜，培育戒德、卓越的心和精进力，这就是为什么他被称为“心量广大” 的原因；而不是因为他纯粹拥有一个 “聪明的头脑” 。正是因此，菩萨才能够以这些殊胜的素质创造奇迹。

菩萨拿了一根芦苇，以累积过的十波罗蜜之功德，做真实的誓言后，向芦苇内一吹，奇迹随之而来，使里面的结都消失，心愿立即实现。他向湖周围的其它芦苇做了同样的心愿。你知道吗？芦苇内部应该是实心的，但是直到现在，那个湖周围的芦苇仍然是空心的。就像在另一起事件中一样[本生经35] ，凭借真实语的力量使大火无法接触到鹌鹑巢（在印度的一个地方），直到大地消失为止。

此外，菩萨以无限的戒德为他人的利益许愿，使他们感到安详和快乐。 他总是真心实地的对待别人。

领导能力

这个故事中有三种人：领导者、跟随者，及受惠于领导者和跟随者之举动的其他人。此三者之间的人际关系和态度是值得省思的。这些举动应当能给这三者带来真正和长远的真惠（而且不仅仅是在今世）。好的领导者必须具备智慧，慈爱和远见，总是随时在他人遇到困难和需求时乐于助人和引导他人。作为一个好的跟随者，则应当遵从领导者所制定的规则，了解这些规则背后的原因，并以开放的心态与领导者合作。

Shared Reading

Do you make wishes?

Do you know how to make your wish come true?

With boundless virtues, Bodhisattas made wishes for the benefit of others, giving them ease and happiness.

They are always truthful and thoughtful towards others.

Thus, we can make a beautiful wish, that is:

May all wholesome wishes of all beings be fulfilled!

读后分享

你有许愿吗？

你知道如何实现你的愿望吗？

以无限的美德，诸菩萨为他人的利益而许愿，给予他人安详和快乐。

他们总是真心实地的为他人着想。

我们也可以做一个美丽的愿望，那就是：

愿众生的善心愿，皆能如法，皆能满愿！