佛言 辭親出家 識心達本 解無為法 名曰沙門 常行二百五十戒 進止清淨 為四真道行 成阿羅漢 阿羅漢者 能飛行變化 曠劫壽命 住動天地 次為阿那含 阿那含者 壽終靈神上十九天 證阿羅漢 次為斯陀含 斯陀含者 一上一還 即得阿羅漢 次為須陀洹 須陀洹者 七死七生 便得阿羅漢 愛欲斷者 如四肢斷 不復用之
fó yán cí qīn chū jiā shí xīn dá běn jiě wú wéi fǎ míng yuē shā mén cháng xíng èr bǎi wǔ shí jiè jìn zhǐ qīng jìng wèi sì zhēn dào xíng chéng ā luó hàn ā luó hàn zhě néng fēi xíng biàn huà kuàng jié shòu mìng zhù dòng tiān dì cì wèi ā nà hán ā nà hán zhě shòu zhōng líng shén shàng shí jiǔ tiān zhèng ā luó hàn cì wèi sī tuó hán sī tuó hán zhě yī shàng yī huán jí dé ā luó hàn cì wèi xū tuó huán xū tuó huán zhě qī sǐ qī shēng biàn dé ā luó hàn ài yù duàn zhě rú sì zhī duàn bù fù yòng zhī
Key Message
Renouncing the world, knowing the fundamental nature of mind, and awakening to the unconditioned Dharma is the beginning of practice. True liberation requires the complete severance of desire and attachment.
▸The first section of the Sutra of Forty-Two Sections teaches renunciation and the four stages of awakening.
The first section of the Sutra of Forty-Two Sections teaches renunciation and the four stages of awakening. The Buddha declares that one who leaves home, recognizes the nature of mind, penetrates to its source, and understands the unconditioned Dharma is called a śramaṇa. Upholding the 250 precepts constantly and acting with purity is the foundation of practice. The four stages of attainment are described: the highest, the Arhat (阿羅漢), can fly and transform freely, possesses life spanning vast kalpas, and shakes heaven and earth. Below this are the Anāgāmin (阿那含, non-returner), the Sakṛdāgāmin (斯陀含, once-returner), and the Śrotāpanna (須陀洹, stream-entrant), each progressively reducing the number of rebirths until final Arhatship is attained. The closing verse emphasizes that severing desire and attachment is like losing a limb — once truly cut, it is never used again.