King Śuddhodana Requests the Buddha to Expound the Characteristics of the Five Precepts

Original text:闻如是。一时佛在迦维罗卫国。尔时净饭王来诣佛所。头面礼足。合掌恭敬。而白佛言。欲所请求。以自济度。唯愿世尊哀酬我志。佛言。可得之愿。随王所求。

Explanation: Thus have I (Ānanda) heard. At one time, the Buddha was in the kingdom of Kapilavastu. At that time, King Śuddhodana came to the place where the Buddha was, bowed with his head to the ground at the Buddha's feet, and with palms joined in reverence said to the Buddha: I wish to make a request for the sake of my own salvation and deliverance. I only hope the World-Honored One will compassionately grant my wish. The Buddha said: Whatever wish can be fulfilled, I shall grant according to what the King seeks.

Original text:王白佛言。世尊已为比丘比丘尼。沙弥沙弥尼。制戒轻重。唯愿如来亦为我等优婆塞。分别五戒可悔不可悔者。令识戒相。使无疑惑。佛言。善哉善哉。憍昙。我本心念。久欲与优婆塞分别五戒。若有善男子受持不犯者。以是因缘当成佛道。若有犯而不悔。常在三涂故。

Explanation: King Śuddhodana said to the Buddha: World-Honored One, You have already established the light and heavy precepts for the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, śrāmaṇeras, and śrāmaṇerīs. I only hope the Tathāgata will also, for us lay householders (upāsakas), distinguish which of the five precepts, when violated, can be repented of and which cannot be repented of, so that we may recognize the characteristics of the precepts and be free of doubt and confusion. The Buddha said: Excellent, excellent! Gautama, in my mind I have long wished to distinguish and explain the five precepts for the upāsakas. If there are good men who receive and uphold them without violating them, by this cause and condition they will in the future attain the way to buddhahood. But if there are those who violate them and do not repent, they will constantly remain in the three evil destinies.

Original text:尔时佛为净饭王种种说已。王闻法竟。前礼佛足。绕佛而去。佛以是因缘告诸比丘。我今欲为诸优婆塞说犯戒轻重。可悔不可悔者。诸比丘佥曰。唯然。愿乐欲闻。

Explanation: The Buddha then expounded various teachings for King Śuddhodana. After the King had heard the essential Dharma, he approached, bowed at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated the Buddha, and departed. The Buddha, because of this cause and condition, told the bhikṣus: I now wish to expound to the upāsakas the light and heavy degrees of precept violations, and the distinction between those that can be repented of and those that cannot. The bhikṣus all said together: Indeed, so it is. We gladly wish to hear it.