T14n0555b_五母子經
大正藏第 14 冊 No. 0555b 五母子經
No. 555
五母子經
吳優婆塞支謙譯
昔者有阿羅漢在山中奉行道禁。有一小兒年始七歲，大好道，棄家去作沙門，隨師在山中，從師學法，精進不懈。年八歲便得四通：一者眼能徹視，二者耳能徹聽，三者能飛行變化，四者自知宿命所從來生。坐自思念，即見先世宿命所更，為五母作子。時即還自笑。
師問言：「若何以笑？我是山間無倡樂、歌舞，用何等故笑？」
沙彌言：「我不敢笑師。自視我一身有五母，皆為我晝夜啼哭，感傷愁毒，常言念子，未曾忽忘。我自念一身愁毒五家，用是故笑耳，不敢笑師。
「我為第一母作子時，比鄰有與我同時生者。我死後，同日生者出入行步，我母見之，便言：『我子在者，亦當出入行步！』如是即愁憂，感痛念我。
「復為第二母作子，生不久復死。我母見人有乳養子者，便感痛念我，愁憂啼哭我。
「復為第三母作子，不久復死。我母臨飯，淚出念我言：『子在者，當與我共飯。為那棄我死去！』便愁憂念我。
「復為第四母作子，不久復死。我同時等輩娉娶者，母即復念我言：『子不死，今亦當復娶婦！』復啼哭愁感我。
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本 《五母子經》
吳國優婆塞支謙譯
過去，有一位阿羅漢（Arhat，已證得涅槃的修行者）在山中奉行戒律。有一個七歲的小孩，非常喜歡佛法，離家出走做了沙彌（Śrāmaṇera，出家求道的男士），跟隨師父在山中，向師父學習佛法，精進不懈。八歲時便獲得了四種神通：第一是天眼通（能看見遠處或隱藏的事物），第二是天耳通（能聽見遠處的聲音），第三是神足通（能飛行和變化），第四是宿命通（能知道自己過去世的經歷）。他坐著自己思考，就看見了過去世的經歷，曾經為五個母親做過兒子。當時他就自己笑了。
師父問他說：『你為什麼笑？這裡是山裡，沒有歌舞娛樂，你因為什麼而笑？』
沙彌說：『我不敢笑師父。我看到自己一身有五個母親，都為我日夜啼哭，感到悲傷痛苦，常常思念我，從未忘記。我想到自己一身讓五家感到悲傷痛苦，因此才笑，不敢笑師父。』
『我為第一個母親做兒子時，鄰居有與我同時出生的人。我死後，同日出生的人出入行走，我的母親看見了，就說：『我的兒子如果還在，也應當能出入行走了！』這樣就感到憂愁，悲痛地思念我。
『我又為第二個母親做兒子，出生不久就死了。我的母親看見別人有奶水餵養孩子，就感到悲痛地思念我，憂愁地為我啼哭。
『我又為第三個母親做兒子，不久就死了。我的母親吃飯時，流著眼淚思念我說：『兒子如果還在，應當和我一起吃飯。為什麼拋棄我死去！』便憂愁地思念我。
『我又為第四個母親做兒子，不久就死了。我同時代的同伴娶妻時，母親又思念我說：『兒子如果沒死，現在也應當娶妻了！』又啼哭著悲傷地思念我。
【English Translation】 English version The Sutra of the Five Mothers and a Son
Translated by Upāsaka Zhi Qian of Wu
In the past, there was an Arhat (one who has attained Nirvana) who observed the precepts in the mountains. There was a young boy, only seven years old, who greatly loved the Dharma. He abandoned his home to become a Śrāmaṇera (a novice monk), following his teacher in the mountains, learning the Dharma from him, diligently and tirelessly. At the age of eight, he attained the four supernatural powers: first, the divine eye (ability to see distant or hidden things); second, the divine ear (ability to hear distant sounds); third, the power of magical locomotion (ability to fly and transform); and fourth, the knowledge of past lives (ability to know his past existences). Sitting and contemplating, he saw his past lives, having been the son of five mothers. At that moment, he laughed to himself.
His teacher asked him, 'Why are you laughing? This is the mountains, there is no music or dancing, what are you laughing about?'
The Śrāmaṇera said, 'I dare not laugh at the teacher. I see that I have five mothers, all of whom weep for me day and night, feeling sorrow and pain, constantly thinking of me, never forgetting me. I think of how one body of mine causes five families to feel sorrow and pain, and that is why I laugh, I dare not laugh at the teacher.'
'When I was the son of the first mother, there was a neighbor who was born at the same time as me. After I died, the one born on the same day would go in and out, walking about. When my mother saw him, she would say, 'If my son were still here, he would also be going in and out, walking about!' Thus, she would feel sorrow and painfully remember me.'
'Again, I was the son of the second mother, and I died not long after birth. When my mother saw others nursing their children, she would feel pain and remember me, sorrowfully weeping for me.'
'Again, I was the son of the third mother, and I died not long after birth. When my mother was about to eat, tears would fall as she remembered me, saying, 'If my son were still here, he would be eating with me. Why did he abandon me and die!' Then she would sorrowfully remember me.'
'Again, I was the son of the fourth mother, and I died not long after birth. When my contemporaries were getting married, my mother would again remember me, saying, 'If my son had not died, he would also be getting married now!' And she would weep sorrowfully, remembering me.'
「復為第五今見在母作子，舍家學道。母日啼哭言：『我亡子不知所在、飢寒、生死，不復相見！』忼愾悲痛念我。
「今五母共會，各言亡子，相對啼哭。我念一人魂神，為五母作子，令五母啼哭念我。我用是故笑耳。
「世間人不知有後世生，但言死耳。人作善自得其福，作惡自得其殃。人在世間喜怒自恣，無所畏惡。后苦痛不可言，入惡道中，悔無所及。
「我厭世間故，去父母求道。我視地獄、畜生、餓鬼、貧窮代其恐怖。我得師恩，受佛經戒，今以度脫。我念是五母不能得脫，反憂我故身。我所愿者，皆已竟。世間人展轉相憂哭無休止時。身但作土耳，魂神空去，隨其施行，不能自斷，拔其根株，便可得脫，但日積惡，是癡所為。我今不復與生死同伍，如人不種，但當泥洹，泥洹快樂。」為師說是語，前作禮已，便飛去。
五母子經
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本： 他又講述了第五個故事：『我今生投胎成為一位母親的兒子，然後捨棄家庭出家修道。我的母親日夜啼哭，說：『我的兒子失蹤了，不知道他在哪裡，是否飢寒交迫，是生是死，我們再也無法相見了！』她悲痛萬分，思念著我。
現在這五個母親聚在一起，各自訴說著失去兒子的痛苦，相對而泣。我想到我一個人的魂神，卻成為五個母親的兒子，讓這五個母親都為我啼哭思念。我因為這個緣故而發笑啊。
世間的人不知道有來世，只知道死亡。人行善自然得到福報，作惡自然遭受災殃。人們在世間隨心所欲，喜怒無常，毫無畏懼。死後所受的苦痛無法言說，一旦墮入惡道之中，後悔也無濟於事。
我厭倦了世間的生活，所以離開父母去尋求真理。我看到地獄、畜生、餓鬼、貧窮的景象，替他們感到恐懼。我得到師父的恩惠，接受了佛經的戒律，現在得以解脫。我想到這五個母親無法得到解脫，反而還為我以前的身體擔憂。我所希望的，都已經實現了。世間的人輾轉互相憂愁哭泣，沒有停止的時候。身體最終不過化為塵土，魂神空空離去，隨著各自的行為受報，不能自己斷絕，只有連根拔起惡的根源，才可以得到解脫，但人們卻日積月累地作惡，這是愚癡的行為。我今後不再與生死輪迴為伍，就像不播種一樣，只會進入涅槃（Nirvana），涅槃是快樂的。』老師說完這些話，向前作揖行禮，然後就飛走了。
《五母子經》
【English Translation】 English version: He further related the fifth story: 'In this life, I was reborn as the son of a mother, and then I renounced my home to study the Way. My mother wept day and night, saying, 'My son is lost, I don't know where he is, whether he is hungry and cold, whether he is alive or dead, and we will never see each other again!' She was filled with grief and longing for me.
Now these five mothers are gathered together, each lamenting the loss of her son, weeping in each other's presence. I think of how my one spirit has become the son of five mothers, causing these five mothers to weep and long for me. It is for this reason that I laugh.
People in the world do not know that there is a future life, they only know death. People who do good naturally receive blessings, and those who do evil naturally suffer misfortune. People in the world indulge in their desires, are capricious in their joy and anger, and have no fear of evil. The suffering after death is indescribable, and once one falls into the evil paths, regret is of no use.
I am weary of the world, so I left my parents to seek the truth. I see the sights of hell, animals, hungry ghosts, and poverty, and I am terrified for them. I received the grace of my teacher and received the precepts of the Buddhist scriptures, and now I am liberated. I think of how these five mothers cannot be liberated, but are still worried about my former body. What I have wished for has all been fulfilled. People in the world worry and weep for each other endlessly. The body will eventually turn to dust, and the spirit will depart empty-handed, receiving retribution according to its actions, unable to cut it off by itself. Only by uprooting the roots of evil can one be liberated, but people accumulate evil day by day, which is the work of foolishness. I will no longer be associated with birth and death, just as one does not sow seeds, but will only enter Nirvana (Nirvana), Nirvana is happiness.' After the teacher finished speaking, he bowed and paid his respects, and then flew away.
The Sutra of the Five Mothers and the Son