奥义书 · Bṛhadāraṇyaka 2,4.2
॥
天城文
सा होवाच मैत्रेयी यत् नु मे इयम् भगोः सर्वा पृथिवी वित्तेन पूर्णा स्यात् कथम् तेन अमृता स्याम् इति न इति होवाच याज्ञवल्क्यः यथा एव उपकरणवताम् जीवितम् तथा एव ते जीवितम् स्यात् अमृतत्वस्य तु न आशा अस्ति वित्तेन इति
转写 (IAST)
sā hovāca maitreyī yat nu me iyam bhagoḥ sarvā pṛthivī vittena pūrṇā syāt katham tena amṛtā syām iti na iti hovāca yājñavalkyaḥ yathā eva upakaraṇavatām jīvitam tathā eva te jīvitam syāt amṛtatvasya tu na āśā asti vittena iti
逐字释义
梵语IAST释义
साsāshe; that one
होवाचhovācahe said; He spoke
मैत्रेयीmaitreyīMaitreyī; the wise Maitreyī
यत्yatthat which; that which
नुnusurely; is it that
मेmemyself; in my house
इयम्iyamthis; this very one
भगोःbhagoḥvenerable one; sir
सर्वाsarvāthe whole; entirely
पृथिवीpṛthivīthe earth; the earthly world
वित्तेनvittenawith wealth (vitta, instr.); by possessions; by wealth
पूर्णाpūrṇāfull (pūrṇā); filled; full
स्यात्syātvery well; becomes
कथम्kathamhow; in what manner
तेनtenato them; by means of him
अमृताamṛtāimmortal (amṛtā); imperishable; immortal
स्याम्syāmshould I become (from √as, optative); there would be; should I become
इतिitithus; how
नnanot; no
इतिitithus; how
होवाचhovācahe said; He spoke
याज्ञवल्क्यःyājñavalkyaḥYājñavalkya; the sage Yājñavalkya
यथाyathāhow; as far as
एवevaindeed; only
उपकरणवताम्upakaraṇavatāmof the well-provided (upakaraṇa-vat, gen. pl. — 'those with means'); of the well-off; of the propertied
जीवितम्jīvitamlife (jīvita); living; life
तथाtathāthus; in this way
एवevaindeed; only
तेtethose; these
जीवितम्jīvitamlife (jīvita); living; life
स्यात्syātvery well; becomes
अमृतत्वस्यamṛtatvasyaof immortality; of the state of immortality
तुtusurely; but
नnanot; no
आशाāśāhope (āśā); trust; hope
अस्तिastiam; exists
वित्तेनvittenawith wealth (vitta, instr.); by possessions; by wealth
इतिitithus; how
译文
Maitreyī said: "My lord, if this whole earth with all its wealth were mine, would I become immortal by it?" — "No," said Yājñavalkya. "Your life would be like the life of the well-provided. But of immortality there is no hope through wealth."
版本
8f35bcb9a5b7 · 发布于 2026年7月27日 00:54:37 UTC
可用语言RUEN用方向键翻颂
Maitreyī's question is of the kind that breaks a life in two: "if the whole earth with all its wealth were mine, would I become immortal by it?" Not "how much is due to me" but "does it buy eternity?" — the sage's wife tests the inheritance by the last measure. And her husband's answer is honest to the end: "your life would be like the life of the well-provided" — more comfortable, no more; amṛtatvasya tu nāśāsti vittena — "of immortality there is no hope through wealth".
A formula among the everlasting ones: wealth prolongs conveniences, not being; at the last frontier the purse is empty however thick it is. The Kaṭha will say the same through Naciketas ("a man is not to be satisfied with wealth", KaU 1.27), the Chāndogya through the fate of lunar merits (kṣīyate). Maitreyī has heard — and is about to make the choice that immortalised her name.