A PowerPoint Presentation of a Jataka Story (Part 1) that can impart good Dhamma teachings on virtue, moral values and strength of character. The texts are in English and Chinese. For the Video with audio narration in Hokkien, please go to the Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pndBvmNq1jo

1. 1
大
德
王
第
一
部
大
希
拉
瓦
本
生
经
#51

2. 2
In the Buddha’s time, there was a monk who had become
discouraged and was thinking of giving up. When the
Buddha asked him if it was true, the monk said,
“Yes sir, it is true.”
The Buddha then said, “Monk, you are ordained and
have the opportunity to free yourself from the rounds of
rebirth, yet you are giving up?
佛陀时代，有一位比丘，灰心丧气，想要放弃。 当佛陀问
他这是不是真的时，比丘说：“是的，先生，这是真的。”
佛陀接着说道：“比丘，你出家了，有机会脱离生死轮回，
但你却放弃了？

3. 3
Even in the past, when the wise had lost their kingdoms, they still
did not give up. Their resolution and effort ended up winning
back their thrones.”
And so, the Buddha told a story of the past.
Once upon a time, a long time ago, when Brahmadatta was
reigning in Benares, the Bodhisattva was born as a prince named
Silava, which means Prince Goodness.
即使在过去，当智者失去了他们的王国时，他们仍然没有放
弃。 他们的决心和努力最终赢回了他们的王位。”于是，佛陀
讲述了一个过去的故事。从前，很久以前，梵天王在贝拿勒斯
统治时，菩萨诞生为王子，名叫席拉瓦，意思是善良王子。

4. 4
Once he became king, he was known as King Mahasilava. He was very virtuous
and was exemplary in his Dhamma practice of charity, morality and mental
cultivation.
One day, King Mahasilava found that one of his ministers was corrupt.
After examining the evidence, the king found the minister’s guilt to be obvious.
He had the corrupt minister arrested and said, “You acted inappropriately.
You had a position of power and instead of serving the people’s interests, you
served only your own. You are not worthy to live in my country.”
当他成为国王后，他被称为马哈西拉瓦国王。 他非常有德行，在布施、道
德和精神修行方面堪称典范。有一天，马哈西拉瓦国王发现他的一位大臣
腐败。国王审查了证据后，发现大臣的罪行是显而易见的。他逮捕了腐败
的部长并说：“你的行为不当。你拥有权力，但你不为人民的利益服务，
而只为你自己的利益服务。 你不配在我的国家生活。”

5. 5
“Take your belongings, wife, and family and leave my
country. Do not return.”
The banished minister left the Benares kingdom and
offered himself in service to the king of Kosala.
The corrupt minister told the king of Kosala, “Your majesty,
the kingdom of Benares is ripe for you to invade. The king
is weak and feeble. Even a small contingent of soldiers
could conquer the entire country.”
“带上你的财物、妻子和家人离开我的国家。 不要回来。”被放逐的大臣离
开了卡西国，投奔科萨罗国王。腐败的大臣告诉科萨拉国王：“陛下，贝拿
勒斯王国的时机已经成熟，您可以入侵了。 国王软弱无力。
即使是一小队士兵也可以征服整个国家。”

6. 6
The king of Kosala was wary of this minister. He had heard that the
kingdom of Benares was large and powerful; how could a small force
conquer it?
He grew suspicious and said, “You are a traitor! You must have been
sent to try to fool me!”
The minister replied, “No sire! I speak the truth. But if you doubt my
words, all you have to do is send a small group of men disguised as
bandits to go massacre a village over the border.
科萨拉国王对这位大臣很警惕。 他听说贝拿勒斯王国幅员辽阔、势力强大。
一个小力量怎么可能征服它呢？ 他起了疑心，说道：“你是叛徒！ 肯定是
派你来愚弄我的！” “不，先生！ 我说实话。 但如果你怀疑我的话，你只
要派一小群人伪装成土匪，去边境那边屠杀一个村庄就可以了。

7. 7
I promise you that after they are caught, the king will let them go
scot-free and even give them gifts! Such is the fool he is! You
can test this for yourself!”
So, the king of Kosala sent a group of soldiers dressed as
bandits to massacre a small border village in the kingdom of
Kasi in Benares.
The bandits were captured and brought before the king of
Benares.
我向你们保证，抓到他们之后，国王一定会放过他们，甚至还会赐给他们礼
物！ 他就是这样的傻瓜！ 这个你可以自己测试一下！” 于是，科萨拉国王
派遣了一群装扮成土匪的士兵，屠杀了贝拿勒斯卡斯王国的一个边境小村庄。
强盗被抓获并带到贝拿勒斯国王面前。

8. 8
The king of Benares was clearly affected by these senseless killings.
The king said, “My children, why have you murdered innocent
villagers?”
“My lord, we had no choice. We are not able to make a living. In order
to survive, so we resorted to this method,” one of the bandits said.
Given his bottomless compassion, King Mahasilava felt sympathy for
the bandits.
贝拿勒斯国王显然受到了这些毫无意义的杀戮的影响。
国王说：“我的孩子们，你们为什么要杀害无辜的村民
呢？”“陛下，我们别无选择。 我们无法谋生。 为了生存，
我们就采用了这个办法。”
玛哈西拉瓦国王怀着无尽的慈悲，对这些强盗表示同情。

9. 9
He knew that no punishment could bring back the dead
villagers.
If these men had done so out of necessity, then the king felt
responsible for not caring for his subjects properly.
He then said, “Then why did you not come to me for help? See
that you never do this again.”
He had gifts and supplies given to the bandits.
他知道任何惩罚都无法让死去的村民复活。 如果这些人这样做
是出于必要，那么国王就会觉得自己有责任没有妥善照顾他的
臣民。他接着说道：“那你为什么不来找我帮忙呢？ 保证你以
后再也不会这样做了。”他给强盗提供了礼物和物资。

10. 10
The soldiers masquerading as bandits returned and
reported their findings to the king of Kosala. Still not
satisfied, the king of Kosala sent out another raiding party,
but this time to the heart of the kingdom. And they too
were sent home with supplies by the king of Benares.
Then for a third time, a party was sent to the very streets
of Benares, and they too were sent home with supplies.
伪装成土匪的士兵返回并向科萨拉国王报告了他们的发现。 科萨拉国王仍
不满足，又派出了另一支突袭队伍，但这一次是到了王国的中心。 贝拿勒
斯国王也将他们带回了补给品。然后，第三次，一支队伍被派往贝拿勒斯的
街道，他们也被带回了补给品。

11. 11
The king of Kosala was now satisfied that the king of Benares was a
weak ruler. He then set out to Benares with a large army of troops
and elephants.
Benares had an elite group of one thousand brave and skilled
warriors serving the king. These men would gladly fight for their
kingdom and king. When they found out the king of Kosala was
marching towards Benares with a large force, they begged King
Mahasilava for permission to engage the enemy.
科萨拉国王现在对贝拿勒斯国王是个软弱的统治者感到满意。 然后他带着
大军和大象出发前往贝拿勒斯。 贝拿勒斯拥有一支由一千名勇敢且技术精
湛的战士组成的精英队伍，为国王服务。 这些人很乐意为他们的王国和国
王而战。 当他们发现Kosala国王带着大军向贝拿勒斯进军时，他们请求
Mahasilava国王允许与敌人交战。

12. 12
King Mahasilava was not scared of death, nor of loss. Actually, he
valued the lives of his subjects and his soldiers.
So instead of ordering them to fight, he said, “Let no one suffer
because of me.
Let those who wish for my kingdom, seize it, if they will.”
The king of Kosala crossed the border unthreatened and then entered
the capital unopposed.
马哈西拉瓦国王并不害怕死亡，也不害怕失去。 事实上，他珍视臣民和士
兵的生命。因此，他没有命令他们战斗，而是说：“不要让任何人因为我而
受苦。如果那些希望得到我的王国的人愿意的话，就可以去夺取它。”科萨
拉国王毫无威胁地越过边境，然后毫无抵抗地进入首都。

13. 13
Once again, the brave soldiers of Benares begged to engage
and drive back the enemy, but they were not allowed to do so.
“None shall attack or fight against the invaders!” the king of
Benares ordered.
The king of Kosala entered the palace and found no one
standing in his way. When he got to the throne room, he saw
King Mahasilava sitting on his throne surrounded by his one
thousand elite warriors.
勇敢的贝拿勒斯士兵再次请求与敌人交战并击退敌人，但他们没有得到允
许。 “任何人都不得攻击或对抗侵略者！” 贝拿勒斯国王下令。 拘萨罗国
王走进王宫，发现没有人阻挡他。 当他到达王座时，他看到马哈西拉瓦国
王坐在王座上，周围是他的一千名精锐战士。

14. 14
The king of Kosala demanded, “Fight me or relinquish
your throne!”
“We will not fight you,” the king of Benares said.
The king of Kosala then ordered his army to capture and
bind King Mahasilava and all of his ministers.
The elite warriors were so disciplined that not a single
warrior disobeyed and fought back.
拘萨拉国王要求：“要么与我战斗，要么放弃你的王位！”
“我们不会与你战斗，”贝拿勒斯国王说道。 科萨罗国王随后
命令他的军队抓获并捆绑马哈西拉瓦国王和他的所有大臣。 精
锐武者纪律严明，没有一个武者不服从、反抗。

15. 15
End of Part 1 of the Mahasilava Jataka
《Mahasilava Jataka》第 1 部分结束
To be continued
待续
With Metta,
Bro. Oh Teik Bin