时间：04/03/2027 04/04/2027
地点：星海禅修中心
主讲：净诚
佛法修行
太子之力
悉达多太子十岁时，在释迦族当中有五百位与他年龄相仿的童子，比太子小的提婆达多、难陀、孙陀罗难陀等，个个相好庄严，身怀技艺，尤其力气超乎常人。当时，提婆达多等五百位童子听说悉达多太子精通各种技艺，名声响遍十方，便互相说道：“太子虽然聪明智慧，善解经书上的道理，但是要比力气，可能就比不上我们，我们去找他较量较量！”
太子的父亲净饭王听到这个消息，特别聘请国内最优秀的射箭老师来教太子射箭，而提婆达多等五百童子也在一旁观看。王宫的后花园中，架起了铁鼓作为箭靶，老师准备了一把小弓给太子，太子笑着问：“这把小弓是要做什么用的呢？”老师回答：“要让太子您射铁鼓用的。”太子说：“这把小弓的力量太弱了，给我七把弓吧！”于是太子以七把弓射一只箭，竟射穿了七面铁鼓。
射箭老师见了这等景象，赶紧去禀告净饭王：“太子自知他射箭的能力，以一只箭就射穿了七面铁鼓，在这世界上已无人能比，为什么还要请我为师呢？”听到这番话，净饭王非常欢喜，心想：“太子智力超群，精通书论算数，众所皆知，但是射艺之术还不为人知。”于是决定七日后，在城外举办一场射箭大赛，只要具武艺者，皆可前来向太子挑战。
当天，提婆达多与其六万释迦族亲眷率先出城，没想到突然出现一只大象挡在城门口，让众人不敢前进。面对堵塞拥挤的情况，提婆达多觉得奇怪，便上前了解情形，人们表示：“城门口有一只巨象阻挡了去路。”提婆达多一听，只身来到城门，以一拳之力就将大象击倒在地。于是众人跨越了大象，依序走出城外。接着，难陀也带着眷属来到城门前，发现前行的速度实在太慢，询问后才知道是提婆达多将大象搏倒在地，阻碍了前进的速度。于是，难陀以脚趾将大象举起，掷于路旁，使众人出入无碍。
最后，悉达多太子在其十万亲眷的陪同下，也来到城门口，却发现众人议论纷纷。一问之下，才知道是提婆达多以手搏象、难陀以脚举象，大众觉得不可思议，纷纷围观。太子了解原因之后，走到大象旁，轻轻地将象举起，掷至城外，再以手接住，令其安稳落地。令人惊奇的是，大象一会儿就苏醒过来，且面无苦色，完好如初，此番情景前所未见。
终于，全员聚集于城外的射箭场，会场布置得非常庄严，排列着以金、银、铜、铁、玉、石所制成的鼓各七枚。当时提婆达多一马当先，射穿了三面金鼓，难陀也同样射穿了三面金鼓，大家看了都非常赞叹。接着，众人非常期待太子的表现，三请之下，太子表示：“他们用的这把弓力量太弱了，可以给我更强的弓吗？”其中有位大臣提议：“太子的祖王有一把上好良弓，现在正收藏于王宫的库房内。”于是太子命人将弓取来，并在众目睽睽下，举弓一射，飞箭贯穿所有的鼓，飞入池中，泉水飞溅，后又穿越大铁围山。
接着，提婆达多与难陀进行摔角比赛，经过了数回合的较劲，还是不分上下。太子见状，上前轻易地将两位弟弟举起，并以慈力搏倒于地，不令其受伤。在场的百姓们见到太子如此神力，皆高声赞叹：“净饭王的太子不但智慧胜一切人，其力勇健亦无人能比！”众人佩服，亦生恭敬。
Date: 04/03/2027 04/04/2027
Location: Star Ocean Meditation Center
Teacher: Jason
Dharma Talk
The Strength of the Crown Prince
When Prince Siddhārtha was ten years old, there were five hundred youths of similar age among the Śākya clan. Younger than the prince were Devadatta, Nanda, Sundarananda, and others. All were handsome, skilled, and especially strong beyond ordinary people. Hearing that Prince Siddhārtha was proficient in all arts and renowned in all directions, they said among themselves, “Although the prince is intelligent and understands the scriptures well, in terms of strength he may not surpass us. Let us challenge him!”
The prince’s father, King Śuddhodana, upon hearing this, invited the best archery teacher in the country to instruct the prince. The five hundred youths, including Devadatta, watched from the side. In the royal garden, iron drums were set up as targets. The teacher prepared a small bow for the prince. The prince smiled and asked, “What is this small bow for?” The teacher replied, “For Your Highness to shoot the iron drums.” The prince said, “This bow is too weak; give me seven bows.” Using seven bows to shoot a single arrow, he pierced through seven iron drums.
Seeing this, the teacher hurried to report to the king, saying, “The prince knows his own ability; with one arrow he pierced seven iron drums. No one in the world can surpass him. Why then should I be his teacher?” Hearing this, the king rejoiced and thought, “The prince’s intelligence is already known, but his skill in archery is not yet widely recognized.” Thus he decided that after seven days, an archery contest would be held outside the city, inviting all who possessed martial skill to challenge the prince.
On that day, Devadatta and sixty thousand Śākya relatives set out first, but a great elephant suddenly blocked the city gate, preventing passage. Devadatta stepped forward and, with a single punch, knocked the elephant to the ground. The crowd stepped over it and exited the city. Later, Nanda arrived, learned of the obstruction, and lifted the elephant with his toe, casting it aside so that people could pass freely.
Finally, Prince Siddhārtha arrived with one hundred thousand relatives. Learning what had occurred, he approached the elephant, gently lifted it, cast it outside the city, and caught it again, placing it safely on the ground. Remarkably, the elephant soon revived, unharmed and without distress, a sight never before seen.
At last, all gathered at the archery field outside the city, where seven drums each of gold, silver, bronze, iron, jade, and stone were arranged. Devadatta shot first, piercing three golden drums; Nanda did the same, earning great praise. When it was the prince’s turn, he said, “This bow is too weak; give me a stronger one.” A minister suggested a powerful ancestral bow kept in the royal treasury. The prince took it and, before all, shot an arrow that pierced all the drums, entered a pond causing water to surge, and even passed through the great iron encircling mountains.
Afterward, Devadatta and Nanda wrestled, yet neither prevailed. The prince stepped forward, easily lifted both, and gently subdued them without causing harm. Seeing this, the people praised loudly, “The son of King Śuddhodana surpasses all in wisdom and none can match his strength!” All present were filled with admiration and reverence.
