Akshobhya’s Magic City: Lotus Chapter 7, Metaphor of Expedient Means and Shunyata
The Lotus Sutra, chapter 7, which contains the Parable of the Magic City is a story of Akshobhya Buddha, and his “Mirror-Like” Wisdom. His name in the Sutra was “The Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory.”
The Great Penetrating Wisdom is the “Mirror-Like Wisdom” of the Vajra Buddha Akshobya Buddha.
In The Parable of the Magic City in theย Lotus Sutra chapter 7, Shakyamuni Buddha tells the story of Akshobhya Buddha.
In this exalted chapter, the Buddha is teaching the true nature of things and the error of dualistic thinking. He also explains “Expedient means” used by the Buddha to teach Dharma.
This is, in fact, a wonderful parable illustrating the Mirror-Like wisdom of Akshobhya Buddha. In the Parable, Akshobhya Buddha is the “leader” of the people trying to reach the city. He uses expedient means, creating an illusion of a “safe city” to keep the travellers motivated and safe as they battle the obstacles of Samsara.
Editors Note: The initial commentary is from the great teacher Venerable Master Hua. The full sutra in both English (translated by the translation committee of City of 10,000 Buddhas under the direction of Master Hua) and Chinese.
This is an ongoing series, publishing the beautiful English translations of the Lotus Sutra as guided by Venerable Master Hsuang Hua.
Previous Chapter translations
- Chapter 1 of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
- Chapter 2 of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
- Chapter 3 โThe Burning Houseโ parable of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
- Chapter 4 โParable of the Vagabond Sonโ of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
- Chapter 5 โParable of the Medicinal Plantsโ of the Lotus Sutra is here>>
- “Prophecy” Chapter 6 of the Lotus Sutra
Commentary of Master Hua
This is the seventh of the twenty-eight chapters of The Dharma Flower Sutra. What is meant by โTransformedโ? It means to create something out of nothing, and to turn something back into nothing. Most people do not understand this doctrine. It is inconceivable and cannot be understood with the mind or expressed in words. โCityโ is a large town. People build cities to protect themselves from invaders, scoundrels, and unreasonable people.
Where does the transformation come from? It comes from the Buddhaโs spiritual penetrations. That is how, out of nothing, something can appear. Originally, the City did not exist, but now it appears. Once it appears, it is given the name โ Transformed Cityโ.
The first thing we should understand about the Transformed City is that there is no such thing! It is an unreal city, created through transformation. It is an unreal city, an expedient city, an expedient Dharma, as it were. It is all entirely unreal: the city, the people, and the Dharma are all unreal.
โWhat is the use of it all, if it is all unreal?โ you ask.
If you do not understand what is unreal, you will be unable to find the true. The Transformed City is a place where the Treasure Trove is kept. The Transformed City is the Provisional while the Treasure Trove is the Real. Basically, the Transformed City does not exist at all. If it were real, it would not be called a โTransformed Cityโ; it would just be called a city. The analogy contains those of the Two Vehicles: the Hearer Vehicle and the Conditioned Enlightened Vehicle. Are there really Two Vehicles? No. There are not Two Vehicles. Then why do you talk about Two Vehicles? Because they do not exist! If they did exist, we would not have to speak about them!
The Two Vehicles are an expedient Dharma. So the Transformed City is an analogy for the Nirvana of the Two Vehicles. Nirvana means โnot produced and not destroyedโ. Without production, there is no extinction; without extinction, there is no production. The Nirvana of the Two Vehicles is that taught by the Provisional Wisdom; it is an expedient. The Buddha used his expedient and provisional wisdom to set forth the Dharma of the Two Vehicles. Why did he do this? When you go to school, why do you start out in elementary school? Why donโt you just start out going to the University? You could have your Ph.D. by the time you are ten. Wouldnโt that be great? Skip elementary school and high school. Unfortunately, you cannot do this. You have to start with elementary school. The Bodhisattva Vehicle is like high school. The Buddha Vehicle is like the university.
So, when l was in Hong Kong, I did not teach elementary school. I taught only at the university level. In grade school you have to keep the kids interested by telling them stories, and so forth, for them to make any progress. You can teach some doctrine in High School, but it is not until they reach college that they can really learn something.
The Buddhadharma works in the same way. Originally, there were not Two Vehicles. The Buddha set them up; just like, originally, we did not need elementary school, except that kids are too young to understand what they need to know and so an elementary school is set up to take care of them. When people are older, they attend high school and enter college at the age of eighteen or twenty. Once they enter higher education, the university has various degrees available: the Bachelorโs, the Masterโs and the Ph.D. There are a lot of distinctions there. And so, those of the Two Vehicles are like the elementary school. If you want to become a Buddha, you must start out in โelementary schoolโ, then go to โhigh schoolโ, and then to the โuniversityโ. โHigh schoolโ is like the Bodhisattva Path, and the โuniversityโ is like Buddhahood. You will understand this analogy, because you have all been to school.
โOh?โ you think, โthe Two Vehicles are just elementary schoolโ. Do not get too attached to the idea. It is only an analogy, you know. In Buddhism, the most important thing is to become a Buddha. But most people, if you told them right off that they should cultivate and become a Buddha, would be scared stiff. โWhat is that? Why should I become a Buddha? Arghh!!โ Since they do not understand, you set up an โelementary schoolโ. Obviously, you cannot give a small child a Ph.D., because he would not even have the sense to know what it was, and he would not value it at all. So, the Transformed City represents the Nirvana of the Two Vehicles, a provisionally spoken expedient term. Basically, there is no such thing, but because of the power of the provisionally spoken expedient, something appears out of nothing.
Someone hears this and starts to retreat, thinking, โOh, so the Buddha lies. There is nothing there, and he says there is something there!โ
There was nothing there, and then something was transformed. This is not a lie. This is called Two Vehicles rather than the Great Vehicle or the Vehicle of the Buddhas. It is a provisional expedient. He uses the substance of the teaching to teach and transform living beings. Living beings are taught to guard against delusive thoughts. They are taught to cut off the delusions of desire and views. This is called the Nirvana which leans toward emptiness. It leans one way; it is not the Middle way.
There are four ways of explaining the Sutras: 1) according to causes and conditions, 2) according to the essentials of the teaching.
Here I shall use the first two to explain to concept of the Transformed City.
Causes and Conditions
1) According to causes and conditions: The doctrine of one-sided emptiness causes living beings to โrest, to be led, and to enter.โ To โrestโ refers to the teaching of the Three Storehouses; it is the Small Vehicle concept of Nirvana as consisting of understanding and the cessation of affliction.
โTo be ledโ refers to the two types of milk products which represent the Vaipulya (curdled milk) and Prajna (butter) Teachings. During these two teachings, one is being led.
โEnterโ means to โenter the Buddhaโs knowledge and vision.โ We speak of opening, demonstrating, awakening to, and entering the Buddhaโs wisdom. To โrestโ refers to the opening of the Buddhaโs wisdom. โTo be ledโ refers to the demonstrating and awakening to the Buddhaโs wisdom.
โEnterโ means to enter the Buddhaโs wisdom, to open the provisional and reveal the real, to speak of the Buddha Vehicle and no other vehicles.
Still, with โrest, to be led, and to enterโ one has not yet arrived at the Ultimate Treasure Trove. That is why this extinction is called a โ Transformed Cityโ. It is a provisionally set up expedient device. The Treasure Trove is the Real Teaching. The Nirvana of the Two Vehicles is merely a Transformed City. It is a provisional expedient device set up by the Buddha.
This is an explanation according to causes and conditions. Now, to explain it,
Nirvana – Peace and Rest?
2) According to the essentials of the teaching: Those of the Three Storehouse Teaching, thought of Nirvana as peace and rest. They thought, โGoing to Nirvana is the greatest! Ahhh!!! There is no trouble there at all. No affliction. No gossip.โ So those of the Three Storehouse Teaching really liked the idea of Nirvana. They wished to cross over into extinction. They viewed the Three Realms and wanted to be Solitarily Enlightened Ones. This is like a certain type of person who feels that everyone else is wrong, and he alone is right. He wants to go off and live somewhere all by himself thinking that would be the most wonderful. He feels it is just too much trouble to be around people.
Bodhisattvas of the Separate Teaching are not like that. They think, โYou are not very good? I will draw closer to you. I will not leave you. I specialize in crossing over those who do not believe in Buddhism. If you do not believe in Buddhism, I will influence you somehow to bring forth the Bodhi mind.โ This is the state of a Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattvas and those of the Two Vehicles are direct opposites. Bodhisattvas are like fathers who are out looking for their children, traveling across a very dangerous road. Suddenly they come to a very dangerous city. One foot is inside the dangerous city, and the other is outside. They are well aware that it is a very dangerous city. V-e-r-y dangerous! But when they think of their children they forget the danger. They go right into the dangerous city after them. This is the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas making vows to come into the world to save living beings. The Bodhisattva, keeping a few of his old habitsโnot cutting them all off yet–goes into birth and death and does not certify to the doctrine of true emptiness.
The Separate Teaching is the Prajna Period. The Storehouse Teaching is the Agama Period. The Pervasive Teaching is the Vaipulya Period. The Perfect Teaching is the Lotus Flower-Nirvana Period. The Separate Teaching calls the City โThe so-called City, which is Like an Illusionโ. It is an unreal city used to guard against dangers. The city is used as an expedient to cut off the delusions of views and thought. Although the delusions of views and thought have been cut off, they do not claim this is the highest state. Therefore, they call it the โso-called Cityโ.
They do not claim it is the ultimate state. Those of the Two Vehicles go ahead and claim that their Nirvana is the highest state when actually it is not at all ultimate. Bodhisattvas purify the Buddhalands, roam and play among human beings, teaching and transforming living beings. They realize it is not the ultimate Dharma. Those of the Perfect Teaching, the Lotus Flower-Nirvana Period, know that originally there are no thieves. Since there are no thieves, they do not want a city, so they call the city they have a โ Transformed Cityโ, an unreal city. This chapter takes its title from the doctrine of the Perfect Teaching. Thus, it is called โThe Analogy of the Transformed Cityโ.
Those of the Three Storehouse and the Pervasive Teachings think that their Nirvana is ultimate. They do not think of it as a Transformed City. Those are the Two Vehicles for you. Those of the Separate Teaching would not say it is ultimate and they would not admit that it is just a transformation. That is the state of the Bodhisattva. Those of the Perfect Teaching, the state of the Buddha, say it is not ultimate; it is a transformed city.
One may also analyze it from the point of view of the Four Siddhantas, or Four Methods by which the Buddha bestowed the teaching, the first being: 1) Mundane, or ordinary methods of giving: originally, the Transformed City was not there. But, suddenly it appeared, and the people who saw it were happy. 2) Individual treatment: when certain individuals gained understanding and rest through the analogy. 3) Diagnosing and treating moral diseases: the City guards against thieves and invaders. 4) Primary truth: in the end, when they gain real extinction.
The Four Siddhantas explained according to the Buddhaโs response body: 1) The Buddha used the provisional expedient Dharma to set up the City. This is the transforming of the mundane, or ordinary. 2) Living beings brought forth goodness in small measure and this is transforming through individual treatment. 3) Getting rid of the delusions of views and thought is transformation through diagnoses and treatment of moral diseases. 4) In the end, they attain the Great Vehicle and the Great Fruit. This is transformation according to the primary truth.
The Buddha scolded those of the Small Vehicle who held to their one-sided emptiness. He told those of the Small Vehicle that they were withered sprouts and sterile seeds, utterly useless. What is to be done? Then he praised the Great Vehicle. He said it was the most wonderful Buddhadharma. It is the unsurpassed, profound, subtle, wonderful Dharma. He praised the Perfect Teaching as the most wonderful, and he spoke The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. The doctrine set forth in this Sutra is all perfectly fused without obstruction. It is all inconceivable.
Someone might wonder why, if this Sutra is the Real Teaching, this chapter is not called โFormer Causes and Conditionsโ, instead of โ Transformation City,โ which is Provisional?
That is a good question. The first part of this chapter does discuss former causes and conditions from many eons back. Later in the chapter, the analogy of the Transformed City is raised. Bringing up the Transformed City is actually a revelation of the Real Teaching. Those of the Two Vehicles insisted on staying in samadhi all day and refused to move. They stayed in their Nirvana, thinking it very peaceful. They thought they had done what they had to do, finished their great work, and that they would undergo no further becoming. They got stuck in Nirvana and did not make progress in their cultivation. They were attached to Nirvana. Their provisional Dharma was revealed, and they were told it was not right to stay there. They should go forward. That was the purpose of the Transformed City.
At all times, in all places, once you have heard the Buddhadharma, you should not form an attachment to it. Get rid of your attachments.
ๅฆๆณ่ฒๅ็ป
ๅๅๅปๅ็ฌฌไธ
The Analogy of the Transformed City โ Chapter 7
ไฝๅ่ฏธๆฏไธ:โไนๅพ่ฟๅปๆ ้ๆ ่พนไธๅฏๆ่ฎฎ้ฟๅงๅชๅซ๏ผๅฐๆถๆไฝ๏ผ ๅๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅใๅบไพใๆญฃ้็ฅใๆ่ก่ถณใๅ้ไธ้ด่งฃใๆ ไธๅฃซใ ่ฐๅพกไธๅคซใๅคฉไบบๅธใไฝใไธๅฐ๏ผๅ
ถๅฝๅๅฅฝๅ๏ผๅซๅๅคง็ธใ
The Buddha told the Bhikshus, โlong ago, past limitless, boundless, inconceivable, asamkheyaeons, there was a Buddha called Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, Thus Come One, One Worthy of Offerings, One of Proper and Universal Knowledge, One Whose Understanding and Conduct are Complete, A Well-gone One, One Who Understands the World, Unsurpassed Lord, Taming and Regulating Hero, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World Honored One. His country was named โ Good City,โ and his eon was named โGreat Markโ.
่ฏธๆฏไธ๏ผๅฝผไฝ็ญๅบฆๅทฒๆฅ๏ผ็ๅคงไน ่ฟ๏ผ
O Bhikshus, it has been a great, long time since that Buddha passed into extinction.
่ญฌๅฆไธๅๅคงๅไธ็ๆๆๅฐ็ง๏ผๅไฝฟๆไบบใ็ฃจไปฅไธบๅขจใ่ฟไบไธๆนๅๅฝ ๅใไนไธไธ็น๏ผๅคงๅฆๅพฎๅฐ๏ผๅ่ฟๅๅฝๅใๅคไธไธ็น๏ผๅฆๆฏๅฑ่ฝฌๅฐฝๅฐ ็งๅขจ๏ผไบๆฑ็ญๆไบไฝ๏ผๆฏ่ฏธๅฝๅ๏ผ่ฅ็ฎๅธ๏ผ่ฅ็ฎๅธๅผๅญ๏ผ่ฝๅพ่พน้ ใ็ฅๅ ถๆฐๅฆ?
Suppose someone were to grind all the earth in the three thousand great thousand worlds into ink powder and then suppose he passed through a thousand lands to the east and then dropped a particle the size of a mote of dust, and then passing through another thousand lands deposited another mote, and continued to do this until all the ink made of earth was exhausted. What do you think?
Could a mathematician or his disciple ever reach the limit of the lands and know their number?
โโไธไนใไธๅฐใโโ
โNo, World Honored One.โ
่ฏธๆฏไธ๏ผๆฏไบบๆ็ปๅฝๅ๏ผ่ฅ็นไธ็น๏ผๅฐฝๆนไธบๅฐ๏ผไธๅฐไธๅซ๏ผๅฝผไฝ็ญ ๅบฆๅทฒๆฅ๏ผๅค่ฟๆฏๆฐๆ ้ๆ ่พน็พๅไธไบฟ้ฟๅงๅชๅซ๏ผ
โO Bhikshus, if the lands this person had passed through, whether or not he set down a particle in them, were all grounded into dust, and if each dust mote was equal to an eon, then the time since that Buddha passed into extinction would exceed their number by limitless, boundless, hundreds of thousands of tens of thousands of millions of asamkheya eons.
ๆไปฅๅฆๆฅ็ฅ่งๅๆ
๏ผ่งๅฝผไน
่ฟใ็น่ฅไปๆฅใโ
Using the power of the Thus Come Oneโs knowledge and vision, I behold that time in the distant past as if it were today.
ๅฐๆถไธๅฐๆฌฒ้ๅฎฃๆญคไน๏ผ่่ฏดๅ่จ:
At that time, the World Honored One, wishing to restate his meaning, spoke verses, saying,
ๆๅฟต่ฟๅปไธใ ๆ ้ๆ ่พนๅซ๏ผ ๆไฝไธค่ถณๅฐ๏ผ ๅๅคง้ๆบ่ใ โI recall that in a past age,
Limitless, boundless eons ago,
There was a Buddha, doubly honored,
By the name of Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory.
ๅฆไบบไปฅๅ็ฃจ๏ผ ไธๅๅคงๅๅ๏ผ ๅฐฝๆญค่ฏธๅฐ็ง๏ผ ็ๆไปฅไธบๅขจ๏ผ
Suppose a person ground
All of the earth that there was
In three thousand great thousand lands Entirely into ink powder;
่ฟไบๅๅฝๅ๏ผ ไนไธไธๅฐ็น๏ผ ๅฆๆฏๅฑ่ฝฌ็น๏ผ ๅฐฝๆญค่ฏธๅฐๅขจใ
And then suppose he passed through a thousand lands, And then let fall one particle of it,
Continuing to drop particles in this way
Until all the ink particles were gone.
ๅฆๆฏ่ฏธๅฝๅ๏ผ ็นไธไธ็น็ญใ ๅคๅฐฝๆนไธบๅฐ๏ผ ไธๅฐไธบไธๅซใ
Suppose all of the countries he passed through, Whether he dropped particles in them or not, Again were completely grounded into dust motes, And each dust mote was an eon;
ๆญค่ฏธๅพฎๅฐๆฐ๏ผ ๅ ถๅซๅค่ฟๆฏ๏ผ ๅฝผไฝ็ญๅบฆๆฅ๏ผ ๅฆๆฏๆ ้ๅซใ
These grains of dust would in number
Be exceeded by the number of eons
Since that Buddha has passed into extinction; It has been limitless eons such as this.
ๅฆๆฅๆ ็ขๆบ๏ผ ็ฅๅฝผไฝ็ญๅบฆ๏ผ ๅๅฃฐ้ป่ฉ่จ๏ผ ๅฆ่งไป็ญๅบฆใ
The Thus Come One, with unobstructed wisdom, Knows of that Buddhaโs extinction,
And of his Hearers and Bodhisattvas,
As if seeing his extinction now.
่ฏธๆฏไธๅฝ็ฅ๏ผ ไฝๆบๅๅพฎๅฆ๏ผ ๆ ๆผๆ ๆ็ข๏ผ ้่พพๆ ้ๅซใ
Bhikshus, you should know
The Buddhaโs wisdom is pure, subtle, and wondrous; Without outflows and without obstructions
It penetrates limitless eons.โ
ไฝๅ่ฏธๆฏไธ:โๅคง้ๆบ่ไฝใๅฏฟไบ็พๅๅไธไบฟ้ฃ็ฑไปๅซใ
The Buddha told the Bhikshus, โ The Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory had a life span of five hundred forty myriads of millions of nayutas of eons.โ
ๅ
ถไฝๆฌๅ้ๅบ๏ผ็ ด้ญๅๅทฒ๏ผๅๅพ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆ๏ผ่่ฏธไฝๆณไธ ็ฐๅจๅ๏ผ
When this Buddha was seated on the Bodhimanda, having destroyed the troops of Mara, although he was on the point of attaining anuttarasamyaksambodhi, still the Buddhadharma did not appear before him.
ๅฆๆฏไธๅฐๅซไน่ณๅๅฐๅซ๏ผ็ป่ท่ถบๅ๏ผ่บซๅฟไธๅจ๏ผ่่ฏธไฝๆณ็นไธๅจๅ ใโ
So it was for one minor eon and then onwards to ten minor eons that he sat in the lotus posture, body and mind unmoving, and yet the Buddhadharma still did not appear before him.
โๅฐๆถๅฟๅฉ่ฏธๅคฉใๅ ไธบๅฝผไฝใไบ่ฉๆๆ ไธใๆทๅธๅญๅบง๏ผ้ซไธ็ฑๆฌ๏ผ Thereupon, the gods of the Triyastrimsha Heaven, spread out for the Buddha, under a Bodhi tree, a lion throne one yojana in height;
ไฝไบๆญคๅบงใๅฝๅพ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆใ
on that throne the Buddha was to attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi. -4-
้ๅๆญคๅบง๏ผๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใ้จไผๅคฉๅใ้ข็พ็ฑๆฌ๏ผ
Just as he sat down upon that throne, the Kings of the Brahma Heavens rained down heavenly flowers over a distance of one hundred yojanas.
้ฆ้ฃๆถๆฅ๏ผๅนๅป่ๅ๏ผๆด้จๆฐ่ ๏ผ
A fragrant wind from time to time swept away the withered flowers as fresh ones rained down.
ๅฆๆฏไธ็ปใๆปกๅๅฐๅซไพๅ ปไบไฝ๏ผไน่ณ็ญๅบฆใๅธธ้จๆญคๅใ
This continued without interruption for a full ten minor eons as an offering to the Buddha, the rain of these flowers continuing right up until his extinction.
ๅ็่ฏธๅคฉใไธบไพๅ
ปไฝ๏ผๅธธๅปๅคฉ้ผ๏ผๅ
ถไฝ่ฏธๅคฉใไฝๅคฉไผไน๏ผๆปกๅๅฐๅซ ๏ผ่ณไบ็ญๅบฆใไบฆๅคๅฆๆฏใโ
In the same way the gods of the four heavenly Kings constantly played heavenly drums as an offering to that Buddha and the other gods made heavenly instrumental music for a full ten minor eons, right up until his extinction.
โ่ฏธๆฏไธ๏ผๅคง้ๆบ่ไฝ่ฟๅๅฐๅซ๏ผ่ฏธไฝไนๆณใไน็ฐๅจๅ๏ผๆ้ฟ่จๅค ็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆใ
Bhikshus, the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory passed through ten minor eons before the Buddhadharma finally manifested before him and he attained anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
ๅ ถไฝๆชๅบๅฎถๆถ๏ผๆๅๅ ญๅญ๏ผๅ ถ็ฌฌไธ่ ใๅๆฐๆบ็งฏใ
Before that Buddha left home he had sixteen sons, the first of whom was named Accumulation of Knowledge.
่ฏธๅญๅๆ็ง็ง็ๅผ็ฉๅฅฝไนๅ ท๏ผ
Each of them had a variety of precious, unusual fine toys. -5-
้ป็ถๅพๆ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆ๏ผ็่ๆ็๏ผๅพ่ฏฃไฝๆใ ่ฏธๆฏๆถๆณฃ่้้ไนใ
When they heard that their father had realized anuttarasamyaksambodhi they all cast aside these things they valued and went before the Buddha, escorted by their weeping mothers.
ๅ
ถ็ฅ่ฝฌ่ฝฎๅฃ็ใไธไธ็พๅคง่ฃใๅไฝ็พๅไธไบฟไบบๆฐ๏ผ็ๅ
ฑๅด็ปใ้่ณ ้ๅบใๅธๆฌฒไบฒ่ฟๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅ๏ผไพๅ
ปใๆญๆฌ๏ผๅฐ้ใ่ตๅนใ
Their grandfather, a Wheel-Turning Sage King, together with a hundred great ministers and with hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of citizens all surrounded them and accompanied them to the Bodhimanda, all wishing to draw near to the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, to make offerings to him, to honor, revere and praise him.
ๅฐๅทฒใๅคด้ข็คผ่ถณ๏ผ็ปไฝๆฏๅทฒ๏ผไธๅฟๅๆใ็ปไปฐไธๅฐ๏ผไปฅๅ้ขๆฐ:
When they arrived, they bowed with their head at his feet, and having circumambulated him, they singlemindedly joined their palms, respectfully gazed upward at the World Honored One, and uttered these verses:
ๅคงๅจๅพทไธๅฐ๏ผ ไธบๅบฆไผ็ๆ
๏ผ ไบๆ ้ไบฟๅซ๏ผ ๅฐไนๅพๆไฝ๏ผ ่ฏธๆฟๅทฒๅ
ท่ถณ๏ผ ๅๅๅๆ ไธใ
โWorld Honored One of great and awesome virtue,
For the sake of crossing over living beings
After limitless millions of eons, You accomplished Buddhahood, And perfected all your vows; Unsurpassed is our good fortune.
ไธๅฐ็็จๆ๏ผ ไธๅๅๅฐๅซ๏ผ ่บซไฝๅๆ่ถณใ ้็ถๅฎไธๅจใ
Very rare you are, World Honored One,
In one sitting, passing through ten minor eons, With body, hands, and feet,
Still, secure, and unmoving.
ๅ ถๅฟๅธธๆๆ๏ผ ๆชๆพๆๆฃไนฑ๏ผ ็ฉถ็ซๆฐธๅฏ็ญ๏ผ ๅฎไฝๆ ๆผๆณใ
Your mind, ever tranquil,
Never knows distraction.
Ultimate, your eternal extinction,
As you dwell firmly in the non-outflow Dharma.
ไป่ ่งไธๅฐ ๅฎ้ๆไฝ้๏ผ ๆ็ญๅพๅๅฉ๏ผ ็งฐๅบๅคงๆฌขๅใ
Now we see the World Honored One Serenely realize the Buddha Path;
We all gain good benefit
And proclaim our delight and great joy.
ไผ็ๅธธ่ฆๆผใ ็ฒ็ๆ ๅฏผๅธ๏ผ ไธ่ฏ่ฆๅฐฝ้๏ผ ไธ็ฅๆฑ่งฃ่ฑใ
Living beings, ever tormented by suffering, Blind, and without a guide,
Fail to recognize the Path which ends that pain, And do not know to seek their liberation.
้ฟๅคๅขๆถ่ถฃ๏ผ ๅๆ่ฏธๅคฉไผ๏ผ ไปๅฅๅ ฅไบๅฅ๏ผ ๆฐธไธ้ปไฝๅใ
During the long night the evil destinies increase, While the hosts of gods are reduced in number; From darkness they proceed into darkness, Never hearing the Buddhaโs name.
ไปไฝๅพๆไธใ ๅฎ้ๆ ๆผ้๏ผ ๆ็ญๅๅคฉไบบ๏ผ ไธบๅพๆๅคงๅฉ๏ผ ๆฏๆ
ๅธ็จฝ้ฆใ ๅฝๅฝๆ ไธๅฐใ
Now, the Buddhaโs gained the utmost
Peace, rest, the non-outflow way;
And we, and all the gods,
To attain the greatest benefit
Therefore bow our heads
And return our lives to the Unsurpassed Honored One.โ
ๅฐๆถๅๅ
ญ็ๅญใๅ่ตไฝๅทฒ๏ผๅ่ฏทไธๅฐ่ฝฌไบๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผๅธไฝๆฏ่จ:โไธๅฐ ่ฏดๆณ๏ผๅคๆๅฎ้ใๆๆใ้ฅถ็ใ่ฏธๅคฉไบบๆฐใโ้่ฏดๅ่จ:
When the sixteen sons had finished praising the Buddha, they then entreated him to turn the Dharma-wheel, saying, โWorld Honored One, speak the Dharma and bring us peace, show us pity, and benefit both gods and humans.โ Then they spoke more verses saying:
ไธ้ๆ ็ญไผฆ๏ผ ็พ็ฆ่ชๅบไธฅ๏ผ ๅพๆ ไธๆบๆ
งใ ๆฟไธบไธ้ด่ฏด๏ผ ๅบฆ่ฑไบๆ็ญใ ๅ่ฏธไผ็็ฑป๏ผ
โO Hero of the world, incomparable
Adorned with a hundred blessings,
And having attained unsurpassed wisdom, Pray speak for the sake of this world
To cross over and liberate us and
All classes of living beings as well.
ไธบๅๅซๆพ็คบ๏ผ ไปคๅพๆฏๆบๆ งใ ่ฅๆ็ญๅพไฝ๏ผ ไผ็ไบฆๅค็ถใ
And lead us to attain that wisdom, Demonstrate it: speak it in detail For, if we can attain Buddhahood, Other living beings can do the same.
ไธๅฐ็ฅไผ็ ๆทฑๅฟไนๆๅฟต๏ผ ไบฆ็ฅๆ่ก้๏ผ ๅ็ฅๆบๆ งๅ๏ผ
The World Honored One knows the profound thoughts Within the minds of living beings;
He knows the ways on which they walk
And the strength of their wisdom,
ๆฌฒไนๅไฟฎ็ฆ๏ผ ๅฎฟๅฝๆ่กไธใ ไธๅฐๆ็ฅๅทฒ๏ผ ๅฝ่ฝฌๆ ไธ่ฝฎใ
The pleasures and the blessings they have cultivated, And all the deeds done in former lives.
The World Honored One, knowing all of this,
Should turn the unsurpassed wheel !โ
ไฝๅ่ฏธๆฏไธ:โๅคง้ๆบ่ไฝใๅพ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆๆถ๏ผๅๆนๅไบ ็พไธไบฟ่ฏธไฝไธ็ใๅ
ญ็ง้ๅจ๏ผ
The Buddha, Shakyamuni, told the Bhikshus, โWhen the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory attained anuttarasamyaksambodhi, in each of the ten directions, five hundred myriads of millions of Buddha worlds quaked in six ways.
ๅ
ถๅฝไธญ้ดๅนฝๅฅไนๅค๏ผๆฅๆๅจๅ
ๆไธ่ฝ็
ง๏ผ่็ๅคงๆใๅ
ถไธญไผ็๏ผๅ ๅพ็ธ่ง๏ผ
The dark recesses between those lands, that the awesome light of the sun and moon could not illumine then, were brightly lit, and the living beings therein were able to see one another.
ๅธไฝๆฏ่จ:โๆญคไธญไบไฝๅฟฝ็ไผ็๏ผๅๅ
ถๅฝ็ใ่ฏธๅคฉๅฎซๆฎฟใไน่ณๆขตๅฎซ ใๅ
ญ็ง้ๅจ๏ผ
They all said, โwhere have all these living beings come from?โ Further, in those lands, all the heavenly palaces, up to the Brahma palaces, quaked in six ways.
ๅคงๅ
ๆฎ็
ง๏ผ้ๆปกไธ็๏ผ่่ฏธๅคฉๅ
ใโโ
A great light shone everywhere, illumining the entire universe and surpassing the light of the heavens.โ
ๅฐๆถไธๆนไบ็พไธไบฟ่ฏธๅฝๅไธญใๆขตๅคฉๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผๅ ๆ็ งๆ๏ผๅไบๅธธๆใ
At that time, in five hundred myriads of millions of lands to the east, the Brahma Heaven palaces shone with a light twice that of their usual brightness.
่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅไฝๆฏๅฟต:โไป่
ๅฎซๆฎฟๅ
ๆ๏ผๆๆๆชๆใไปฅไฝๅ ็ผใ่ ็ฐๆญค็ธ?โ
Each of the Brahma Heaven Kings had this thought, โnow the palaces are brighter than ever before. What is the reason for this manifestation?โ
ๆฏๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅณๅ็ธ่ฏฃ๏ผๅ
ฑ่ฎฎๆญคไบใๆถๅฝผไผไธญใๆไธๅคงๆขตๅคฉ็๏ผ ๅๆไธๅ๏ผไธบ่ฏธๆขตไผ่่ฏดๅ่จ:
Then, the Brahma Heaven Kings visited one another and discussed this matter. In the assembly there was one great Brahma Heaven King by the name of Rescuing All, who on behalf of the Brahma hosts spoke verses, saying,
ๆ็ญ่ฏธๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผ ๅ ๆๆๆชๆ๏ผ ๆญคๆฏไฝๅ ็ผ๏ผ ๅฎๅๅ ฑๆฑไนใ
โAll of our palaces
Are bright as never before; What is the reason for this? Let us seek it together.
ไธบๅคงๅพทๅคฉ็๏ผ ไธบไฝๅบไธ้ด๏ผ ่ๆญคๅคงๅ ๆใ ้็ งไบๅๆนใ
Is it because a great and virtuous god has been born? Or because a Buddha has appeared in the world, That this great light
Shines throughout the ten directions?โ
ๅฐๆถไบ็พไธไบฟๅฝๅ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็๏ผไธๅฎซๆฎฟไฟฑ๏ผๅไปฅ่กฃ็ฅด๏ผ็่ฏธๅคฉๅ๏ผๅ ฑ
่ฏฃ่ฅฟๆนใๆจๅฏปๆฏ็ธใ
At that time, the Brahma Heaven Kings from five hundred myriads of millions of lands, together with their palaces, each with sacks filled with heavenly flowers, went to the west to seek out this manifestation.
่งๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅใๅคไบ้ๅบ่ฉๆๆ ไธ๏ผๅๅธๅญๅบง๏ผ่ฏธๅคฉใ้พ็ใไนพ ้ผๅฉใ็ดง้ฃ็ฝใๆฉไพฏ็ฝไผฝใไบบ้ไบบใ็ญ๏ผๆญๆฌๅด็ป๏ผๅ่งๅๅ
ญ็ๅญ ใ่ฏทไฝ่ฝฌๆณ่ฝฎใ
They saw the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory seated on the lion throne beneath the Bodhi tree in the Bodhimanda, revered and circumambulated by gods, dragon kings, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and beings both human and non-human. They saw as well the sixteen sons of the king requesting the Buddha to turn the Dharma- wheel.
ๅณๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ๅคด้ข็คผไฝ๏ผ็ป็พๅๅ๏ผๅณไปฅๅคฉๅ่ๆฃไฝไธใ
Then, the Brahma Heaven Kings bowed with their heads at the Buddhaโs feet, circumambulated him a hundred thousand times, and scattered heavenly flowers upon him.
ๅ ถๆๆฃๅใๅฆ้กปๅผฅๅฑฑ๏ผๅนถไปฅไพๅ ปไฝ่ฉๆๆ ๏ผๅ ถ่ฉๆๆ ใ้ซๅ็ฑๆฌ๏ผ
The flowers were piled as high as Mount Sumeru, and they offered them as well to the Buddhaโs Bodhi tree, which was ten yojanas in height.
ๅไพๅ
ปๅทฒ๏ผๅไปฅๅฎซๆฎฟๅฅไธๅฝผไฝ๏ผ่ไฝๆฏ่จ:โๆ่งๅๆ๏ผ้ฅถ็ๆ็ญ ๏ผๆ็ฎๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผๆฟๅ็บณๅใโ
Having made offerings of flowers, each presented his palace to the Buddha, saying, โpray show us pity, and benefit us by accepting and occupying these palaces that we offer you!โ
ๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅณไบไฝๅ๏ผไธๅฟๅๅฃฐใไปฅๅ้ขๆฐ:
Then the Brahma Heaven Kings, in front of the Buddha, with a single mind and the same voice, spoke verses in praise, saying:
ไธๅฐ็็จๆ๏ผ ้พๅฏๅพๅผ้๏ผ ๅ ทๆ ้ๅๅพท๏ผ ่ฝๆๆคไธๅใ
โWorld Honored One, you are very rare,
And difficult to encounter;
Complete with limitless meritorious virtues, You are able to rescue and protect all creatures.
ๅคฉไบบไนๅคงๅธ๏ผ ๅๆไบไธ้ด๏ผ ๅๆน่ฏธไผ็๏ผ ๆฎ็่้ฅถ็ใ
Great teacher of gods and humans, You who pity all the world
All beings in the ten directions Receive your beneficence.
ๆ็ญๆไปๆฅใ ไบ็พไธไบฟๅฝ๏ผ ่ๆทฑ็ฆ ๅฎไน๏ผ ไธบไพๅ ปไฝๆ ใ
We have come from
Five hundred myriads of millions of lands, Setting aside the bliss of deep dhyana samadhi, For the sake of making offerings to the Buddha.
ๆ็ญๅ ไธ็ฆ๏ผ ๅฎซๆฎฟ็ไธฅ้ฅฐ๏ผ ไปไปฅๅฅไธๅฐ๏ผ ๅฏๆฟๅ็บณๅใ
Blessings weโve gained in former lives
Well ornament our palaces,
Now we offer them to the World Honored One, Only praying you will show mercy and accept them.โ
ๅฐๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅ่ตไฝๅทฒ๏ผๅไฝๆฏ่จ:
At that time, the Brahma Heaven Kings, having praised the Buddha, said
โๆๆฟไธๅฐ่ฝฌไบๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผๅบฆ่ฑไผ็๏ผๅผๆถ
็้ใโ
โWe only pray that the World Honored One will turn the Dharma- wheel, crossing over living beings, opening up the way to Nirvana.โ
ๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใไธๅฟๅๅฃฐใ่่ฏดๅ่จ:
Then; all the Brahma Heaven Kings, with one mind and the same voice, proclaimed these verses:
ไธ้ไธค่ถณๅฐ๏ผ ๆๆฟๆผ่ฏดๆณ๏ผ ไปฅๅคงๆ ๆฒๅใ ๅบฆ่ฆๆผไผ็ใ
โHero of the world, doubly perfect honored one,
We only pray that
You will expound and proclaim the Dharma,
And through the power of your great compassion and pity Cross over suffering and tormented living beings.โ
ๅฐๆถๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅ๏ผ้ป็ถ่ฎธไนใ
Thereupon, the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, assented by his silence.
ๅ่ฏธๆฏไธ๏ผไธๅๆนไบ็พไธไบฟๅฝๅใ่ฏธๅคงๆขต็๏ผๅ่ช่งๅฎซๆฎฟๅ
ๆ็
งๆ ๏ผๆๆๆชๆใๆฌขๅ่ธ่ท๏ผ็็จๆๅฟ๏ผ
Furthermore, O Bhikshus, to the southeast the great Brahma Kings in five hundred myriads of millions of lands, seeing their palaces in dazzling brilliance as never before, jumped for joy, thinking it rare indeed.
ๅณๅ็ธ่ฏฃ๏ผๅ ฑ่ฎฎๆญคไบใ
They visited one another and discussed this matter.
ๆถๅฝผไผไธญใๆไธๅคงๆขตๅคฉ็๏ผๅๆฐๅคงๆฒ๏ผไธบ่ฏธๆขตไผ่่ฏดๅ่จ:
Then, in the assembly, a Brahma Heaven King by the name of Great Compassion, on behalf of the Brahma hosts spoke these verses:
ๆฏไบไฝๅ ็ผใ ่็ฐๅฆๆญค็ธ๏ผ ๆ็ญ่ฏธๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผ ๅ
ๆๆๆชๆใ ไธบๅคงๅพทๅคฉ็๏ผ ไธบไฝๅบไธ้ด๏ผ
โWhat is the reason for this event?
Why has this sign appeared?
All of our palaces
Are aglow as never before.
Has a greatly virtuous god been born? Or has a Buddha appeared in the world?
ๆชๆพ่งๆญค็ธ๏ผ ๅฝๅ
ฑไธๅฟๆฑใ ่ฟๅไธไบฟๅ๏ผ ๅฏปๅ
ๅ
ฑๆจไน๏ผ ๅคๆฏไฝๅบไธ๏ผ ๅบฆ่ฑ่ฆไผ็ใ
We have never seen such signs before.
With one mind we should investigate it,
Passing through a thousand myriads of millions of lands, Searching for the light, investigating it together.
It must be that a Buddha has appeared
To take across the suffering living beings.โ
ๅฐๆถไบ็พไธไบฟ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใไธๅฎซๆฎฟไฟฑ๏ผๅไปฅ่กฃ็ฅด็่ฏธๅคฉๅ๏ผๅ ฑ่ฏฃ่ฅฟๅ
ๆนใๆจๅฏปๆฏ็ธใ
At that time, five hundred myriads of millions of Brahma Heaven Kings, together with their palaces, each with sacks filled with heavenly flowers, went to the northwest to seek out this manifestation.
่งๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅใๅคไบ้ๅบ่ฉๆๆ ไธ๏ผๅๅธๅญๅบง๏ผ่ฏธๅคฉใ้พ็ใไนพ ้ผๅฉใ็ดง้ฃ็ฝใๆฉไพฏ็ฝไผฝใไบบ้ไบบใ็ญ๏ผๆญๆฌๅด็ป๏ผๅ่งๅๅ
ญ็ๅญ ใ่ฏทไฝ่ฝฌๆณ่ฝฎใ
They saw the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory seated on the lion throne beneath the Bodhi tree in the Bodhimanda, revered and circumambulated by gods, dragon kings, gandharvas, kinnaras,mahoragas, and beings both human and non-human. They saw, as well, the sixteen sons of the king requesting the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel.
ๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ๅคด้ข็คผไฝ๏ผ็ป็พๅๅ๏ผๅณไปฅๅคฉๅ่ๆฃไฝไธใ
Then the Brahma Heaven Kings bowed with their heads at the Buddhaโs feet, circumambulated him a hundred thousand times, then scattered heavenly flowers upon him.
ๆๆฃไนๅใๅฆ้กปๅผฅๅฑฑ๏ผๅนถไปฅไพๅ ปไฝ่ฉๆๆ ใ
The flowers were piled as high as Mount Sumeru, and they offered them as well to the Buddhaโs Bodhi tree.
ๅไพๅ ปๅทฒ๏ผๅไปฅๅฎซๆฎฟๅฅไธๅฝผไฝ๏ผ่ไฝๆฏ่จ:
Having made offerings of flowers, each presented his palace to the Buddha saying,
โๆ่งๅๆ๏ผ้ฅถ็ๆ็ญ๏ผๆ็ฎๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผๆฟๅ็บณๅใโ
โShow us pity and benefit us by accepting and occupying these palaces
that we offer you!โ
ๅฐๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅณไบไฝๅ๏ผไธๅฟๅๅฃฐใไปฅๅ้ขๆฐ:
Then the Brahma Heaven Kings, before the Buddha, with a single mind and the same voice, spoke verses in praise, saying,
ๅฃไธปๅคฉไธญ็๏ผ ่ฟฆ้ต้ขไผฝๅฃฐ๏ผ ๅๆไผ็่ ๏ผ ๆ็ญไปๆฌ็คผใ
โSagely Lord, king among gods, With the kalavinka sound,
To you who pity living beings, We now reverently bow.
ไธๅฐ็็จๆ๏ผ ไน ่ฟไนไธ็ฐ๏ผ ไธ็พๅ ซๅๅซใ ็ฉบ่ฟๆ ๆไฝ๏ผ
The World Honored One is most rare, Appearing but once in long ages.
One hundred and eighty eons have passed Empty, without a Buddha.
ไธๆถ้ๅ ๆปก๏ผ ่ฏธๅคฉไผๅๅฐ๏ผ ไปไฝๅบไบไธ๏ผ ไธบไผ็ไฝ็ผ๏ผ
The three evil paths are full.
The hosts of gods decrease.
Now the Buddha has appeared in the world, To act as eyes for living beings,
ไธ้ดๆๅฝ่ถ๏ผ ๆๆคไบไธๅ๏ผ ไธบไผ็ไน็ถ๏ผ ๅๆ้ฅถ็่
ใ ๆ็ญๅฎฟ็ฆๅบ๏ผ ไปๅพๅผไธๅฐใ
As a refuge for the world,
Rescuing and protecting all creatures,
A father for all beings,
Pitying and benefiting them.
Now, through blessings gained in former lives,
We are enabled to meet the World Honored One.โ
่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ –
Brahma Heaven Gods
ๅฐๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅ่ตไฝๅทฒ๏ผๅไฝๆฏ่จ:โๆๆฟไธๅฐๅๆไธๅ๏ผ่ฝฌไบ ๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผๅบฆ่ฑไผ็ใโ
At that time, the Brahma Heaven Gods, having praised the Buddha, said, โWe only pray that the World Honored One will take pity on all beings and turn the Dharma-wheel to liberate living beings.โ
ๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใไธๅฟๅๅฃฐใ่่ฏดๅ่จ:
Then, the Brahma Heaven Kings, with one mind and a single voice, spoke verses saying,
ๅคงๅฃ่ฝฌๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผ ๆพ็คบ่ฏธๆณ็ธ๏ผ ๅบฆ่ฆๆผไผ็๏ผ ไปคๅพๅคงๆฌขๅใ
โGreat Sage, turn the Dharma-wheel, To reveal the marks of all Dharmas, To cross over tormented living beings, So they may gain great joy.
ไผ็้ปๆญคๆณ๏ผ ๅพ้่ฅ็ๅคฉ๏ผ ่ฏธๆถ้ๅๅฐ๏ผ ๅฟๅ่ ๅข็ใ
When living beings hear the Dharma,
They may gain the way, or be reborn in the heavens; The evil paths will decrease
And those of patience and goodness will increase.โ
ๅฐๆถๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅ้ป็ถ่ฎธไนใ
At that time, the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory assented by his silence.
ๅใ่ฏธๆฏไธ๏ผๅๆนไบ็พไธไบฟๅฝๅใ่ฏธๅคงๆขต็๏ผๅ่ช่งๅฎซๆฎฟๅ ๆ็ งๆ ๏ผๆๆๆชๆใๆฌขๅ่ธ่ท๏ผ็็จๆๅฟ๏ผๅณๅ็ธ่ฏฃ๏ผๅ ฑ่ฎฎๆญคไบ: Furthermore, O Bhikkshus, to the south, the great Brahma Kings in five hundred myriads of millions of Buddhalands, seeing their palaces in dazzling brilliance as never seen before, jumped for joy, thinking it rare indeed. Thereupon, they visited one another and discussed this matter, wondering,
โไปฅไฝๅ ็ผ๏ผๆ็ญๅฎซๆฎฟๆๆญคๅ
ๆ?โ
โWhy do our palaces glow with the light?โ
ๆถๅฝผไผไธญใๆไธๅคงๆขตๅคฉ็๏ผๅๆฐๅฆๆณ๏ผไธบ่ฏธๆขตไผใ่่ฏดๅ่จ:
Then, in the assembly a Brahma Heaven King called Wonderful Dharma, on behalf of the Brahma hosts, spoke these verses,
ๆ็ญ่ฏธๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผ ๅ ๆ็ๅจๆ๏ผ ๆญค้ๆ ๅ ็ผ๏ผ ๆฏ็ธๅฎๆฑไนใ
โAll of our palaces
Shine with awesome brilliance; This cannot be for no reason; We should seek out this sign.
่ฟไบ็พๅๅซ๏ผ ๆชๆพ่งๆฏ็ธ๏ผ ไธบๅคงๅพทๅคฉ็๏ผ ไธบไฝๅบไธ้ดใ
In a hundred thousand eons,
Such a sign has never been seen.
Has a great and virtuous god been born? Or has a Buddha appeared in the world?โ
ๅฐๆถไบ็พไธไบฟ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใไธๅฎซๆฎฟไฟฑ๏ผๅไปฅ่กฃ็ฅด็่ฏธๅคฉๅ๏ผๅ ฑ่ฏฃๅๆน
ใๆจๅฏปๆฏ็ธใ่งๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅใๅคไบ้ๅบ่ฉๆๆ ไธ๏ผๅๅธๅญๅบง๏ผ่ฏธ ๅคฉใ้พ็ใไนพ้ผๅฉใ็ดง้ฃ็ฝใๆฉไพฏ็ฝไผฝใไบบ้ไบบใ็ญ๏ผๆญๆฌๅด็ป๏ผ ๅ่งๅๅ
ญ็ๅญ่ฏทไฝ่ฝฌๆณ่ฝฎใ
At that time, five hundred myriads of millions of Brahma Heaven Kings, together with their palaces, each with sacks filled with heavenly flowers, went to the north to seek out this manifestation. They saw the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory seated on the lion throne beneath the Bodhi tree in the Bodhimanda, revered and circumambulated by gods, dragon kings, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and beings both human and non-human. They saw, as well, the sixteen sons of the king requesting the Buddha to turn the Dharma- wheel.
ๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅคด้ข็คผไฝ๏ผ็ป็พๅๅ๏ผๅณไปฅๅคฉๅ่ๆฃไฝไธใ
Then the Brahma Heaven Kings bowed with their heads at the Buddhaโs feet, circumambulated him a hundred thousand times and scattered heavenly flowers upon him.
ๆๆฃไนๅใๅฆ้กปๅผฅๅฑฑ๏ผๅนถไปฅไพๅ
ปไฝ่ฉๆๆ ใๅไพๅ
ปๅทฒ๏ผๅไปฅๅฎซๆฎฟใ ๅฅไธๅฝผไฝ๏ผ่ไฝๆฏ่จ:
The flowers were piled as high as Mount Sumeru, and they offered them, as well to the Buddhaโs Bodhi tree. Having made offerings of flowers, each presented his palace to the Buddha, saying,
โๆ่งๅๆใ้ฅถ็ๆ็ญ๏ผๆ็ฎๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผๆฟๅ็บณๅใโ
โShow us pity and benefit us by accepting and occupying these palaces that we offer you.โ
ๅฐๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็๏ผๅณไบไฝๅใไธๅฟๅๅฃฐใไปฅๅ้ขๆฐ:
Then the Brahma Heaven Kings, before the Buddha, with a single mind – 19 –
and the same voice, spoke verses in praise, saying,
ไธๅฐ็้พ่ง๏ผ ็ ด่ฏธ็ฆๆผ่ ๏ผ ่ฟ็พไธๅๅซ ๏ผ ไปไนๅพไธ่งใ
โThe World Honored One is very hard to meet; He who breaks through all afflictions.
Passing through a hundred and thirty aeons, Only now do we get to see him.
่ฏธ้ฅฅๆธดไผ็๏ผ ไปฅๆณ้จๅ ๆปก๏ผ ๆๆๆชๆพ็นใ ๆ ้ๆบๆ ง่ ๏ผ
May living beings, starving and thirsty, Be filled with the rain of Dharma.
He, whom we have never seen before, One of unlimited wisdom,
ๅฆไผๆ้ตๅ๏ผ ไปๆฅไนๅผ้ใ ๆ็ญ่ฏธๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผ ่ๅ
ๆ
ไธฅ้ฅฐ๏ผ ไธๅฐๅคงๆ
ๆ๏ผ ๆๆฟๅ็บณๅใ
Rare as the Udumbara blossom
Today, at last we have met.
All of our palaces
Receiving your light, are adorned.
In your great compassion, World Honored One Pray accept and live with them.โ
ๅฐๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅ่ตไฝๅทฒ๏ผๅไฝๆฏ่จ:โๆๆฟไธๅฐ่ฝฌไบๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผไปคไธ ๅไธ้ดใ่ฏธๅคฉใ้ญใๆขตใๆฒ้จใๅฉ็ฝ้จ๏ผ็่ทๅฎ้ใ่ๅพๅบฆ่ฑใโ At that time, the Brahma Heaven Kings, having praised the Buddha, said, โWe only pray that the World Honored One will turn the Dharma- wheel, causing the entire world with its gods, maras, Brahmans, shramanas, all to become peaceful and calm and to attain liberation.โ
ๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็๏ผไธๅฟๅๅฃฐใไปฅๅ้ขๆฐ:
Then, the Brahma Heaven Kings, with a single mind and the same voice, spoke verses in praise, saying,
ๆๆฟๅคฉไบบๅฐใ ่ฝฌๆ ไธๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผ ๅปไบๅคงๆณ้ผ๏ผ ่ๅนๅคงๆณ่บ๏ผ
โHonored One among gods and humans, Pray turn the unsurpassed wheel of Dharma. Beat upon the Dharma drum,
And blow the great Dharma conch,
ๆฎ้จๅคงๆณ้จ๏ผ ๅบฆๆ ้ไผ็ใ ๆ็ญๅธๅฝ่ฏท๏ผ ๅฝๆผๆทฑ่ฟ้ณใ
Let fall everywhere the great Dharma rain, To cross over limitless living beings.
We all beseech you to expound and proclaim The profound, far reaching sound.โ
ๅฐๆถๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅ้ป็ถ่ฎธไนใ่ฅฟๅๆนใไน่ณไธๆน๏ผไบฆๅคๅฆๆฏใ
Thereupon, the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory assented by his silence.
And so it was in all directions from the southwest to the lower direction.
ๅฐๆถไธๆนไบ็พไธไบฟๅฝๅใ่ฏธๅคงๆขต็๏ผ็ๆ่ช็นๆๆญขๅฎซๆฎฟใๅ
ๆๅจๆ ๏ผๆๆๆชๆใๆฌขๅ่ธ่ท๏ผ็็จๆๅฟ๏ผ
Then, five hundred myriads of millions of great Brahma Kings in the upper directions, seeing the palaces they rested in shining with awesome brilliance, as never before, jumped for joy, thinking it rare indeed.
ๅณๅ็ธ่ฏฃ๏ผๅ ฑ่ฎฎๆญคไบ:
They visited one another and discussed this matter, wondering, โไปฅไฝๅ ็ผ๏ผๆ็ญๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผๆๆฏๅ
ๆ?โ
โWhy do our palaces shine with this bright light?โ ๆถๅฝผไผไธญใๆไธๅคงๆขตๅคฉ็๏ผๅๆฐๅฐธๅผ๏ผไธบ่ฏธๆขตไผ่่ฏดๅ่จ: Then, in the assembly, a Brahma Heaven King by the name of Shikhin,
on behalf of the Brahma hosts, spoke verses, saying,
ไปไปฅไฝๅ ็ผ๏ผ ๆ็ญ่ฏธๅฎซๆฎฟใ ๅจๅพทๅ ๆๆ๏ผ ไธฅ้ฅฐๆชๆพๆใ
โNow, for what reason
Do our palaces shine
With such an awesome light Adorned as never before?
ๅฆๆฏไนๅฆ็ธ๏ผ ๆๆๆช้ป่ง๏ผ ไธบๅคงๅพทๅคฉ็๏ผ ไธบไฝๅบไธ้ดใ
Wondrous marks, such as these
We have never seen before
Has a great and virtuous god been born? Has a Buddha appeared in the world?โ
ๅฐๆถไบ็พไธไบฟ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใไธๅฎซๆฎฟไฟฑ๏ผๅไปฅ่กฃ็ฅด็่ฏธๅคฉๅ๏ผๅ ฑ่ฏฃไธๆน
ใๆจๅฏปๆฏ็ธใ่งๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅใๅคไบ้ๅบ่ฉๆๆ ไธ๏ผๅๅธๅญๅบง๏ผ่ฏธ ๅคฉใ้พ็ใไนพ้ผๅฉใ็ดง้ฃ็ฝใๆฉไพฏ็ฝไผฝใไบบ้ไบบใ็ญ๏ผๆญๆฌๅด็ป๏ผ ๅ่งๅๅ
ญ็ๅญ่ฏทไฝ่ฝฌๆณ่ฝฎใ
At that time, five hundred myriads of millions of Brahma Heaven Kings, together with their palaces, each with sacks filled with heavenly flowers, went to the lower direction to seek out this sign. They saw the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory seated on the lion throne beneath the Bodhi tree in the Bodhimanda, revered and circumambulated by gods, dragon kings, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and beings both human and non-human. They saw, as well, the sixteen sons of the king requesting the Buddha to turn the Dharma- wheel.
ๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ๅคด้ข็คผไฝ๏ผ็ป็พๅๅ๏ผๅณไปฅๅคฉๅ่ๆฃไฝไธใๆๆฃไนๅใ ๅฆ้กปๅผฅๅฑฑ๏ผๅนถไปฅไพๅ ปไฝ่ฉๆๆ ใๅไพๅ ปๅทฒ๏ผๅไปฅๅฎซๆฎฟใๅฅไธๅฝผไฝ๏ผ ่ไฝๆฏ่จ:โๆ่งๅๆใ้ฅถ็ๆ็ญ๏ผๆ็ฎๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผๆฟๅ็บณๅใโๆถ่ฏธๆขต ๅคฉ็๏ผๅณไบไฝๅใไธๅฟๅๅฃฐใไปฅๅ้ขๆฐ:
Then, the Brahma Heaven Kings bowed with their heads at the Buddhaโs feet, circumambulated him a hundred thousand times, and scattered heavenly flowers upon the Buddha. The flowers that they scattered were as high as Mount Sumeru, and they offered them as well to the Buddhaโs Bodhi tree. Having made offerings of flowers, they each presented their palace as an offering to the Buddha, saying, โWe only pray that you will show us pity and benefit us by accepting and occupying these palaces.โ Then the Brahma Heaven Kings, before the Buddha, with one mind and a single voice, spoke these verses:
ๅๅ่ง่ฏธไฝ๏ผ ๆไธไนๅฃๅฐ๏ผ ่ฝไบไธ็็ฑ๏ผ ๅๅบ่ฏธไผ็ใ
โIt is good indeed to see the Buddhas, Honored Sages who save the world
And who, from the prison of the triple realm Can effect escape for living beings,
ๆฎๆบๅคฉไบบๅฐ๏ผ ๅๆ็พค่็ฑป๏ผ ่ฝๅผ็้ฒ้จ๏ผ ๅนฟๅบฆไบไธๅใ
All-wise, revered by gods and humans, Pitying the flocks of beings
Opening the door of sweet dew, Vastly saving all beings.
ไบๆๆ ้ๅซ๏ผ ็ฉบ่ฟๆ ๆไฝ๏ผ ไธๅฐๆชๅบๆถ๏ผ ๅๆนๅธธๆๅฅ๏ผ
Limitless eons of yore
Have passed emptily, without a Buddha. Before the World Honored One emerged, The ten directions were ever in darkness,
ไธๆถ้ๅข้ฟ๏ผ ้ฟไฟฎ็ฝไบฆ็๏ผ ่ฏธๅคฉไผ่ฝฌๅ๏ผ ๆญปๅคๅ ๆถ้ใ
The three evil paths increased,
And the asuras flourished,
While the hosts of gods diminished, Most falling into evil paths at death.
ไธไปไฝ้ปๆณ๏ผ ๅธธ่กไธๅไบ๏ผ ่ฒๅๅๆบๆ
ง๏ผ ๆฏ็ญ็ๅๅฐ๏ผ ็ฝชไธๅ ็ผๆ
๏ผ ๅคฑไนๅไนๆณ๏ผ
They did not hear the Dharma from the Buddha,
But ever followed unwholesome paths.
Their bodily strength and wisdom, Both decreased.
Because of offense karma
They lost joy and thoughts of joy.
ไฝไบ้ช่งๆณ๏ผ ไธ่ฏๅไปชๅ๏ผ ไธ่ไฝๆๅ๏ผ ๅธธๅ ไบๆถ้ใ
They dwelt in Dharmas of deviant views, Not knowing the rules of goodness.
Failing to receive the Buddhaโs transforming, They constantly fell into evil paths.
ไฝไธบไธ้ด็ผ๏ผ ไน ่ฟๆถไนๅบ๏ผ ๅๆ่ฏธไผ็๏ผ ๆ ็ฐไบไธ้ดใ
The Buddha acts as eyes for all the world, And but once in a long while does appear. Out of pity for living beings,
He manifests in the world,
่ถ
ๅบๆๆญฃ่ง๏ผๆ็ญ็ๆฌฃๅบ๏ผ ๅไฝไธๅไผ๏ผๅๅนๆชๆพๆใ ๆ็ญ่ฏธๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผ่ๅ
ๆ
ไธฅ้ฅฐ๏ผ
Transcends it and realizes right enlightenment.
We rejoice exceedingly;
We and all the other beings,
Are happy as never before,
And all of our palaces
Receive the light and are adorned.
ไปไปฅๅฅไธๅฐ๏ผ ๆๅๅ็บณๅใ ๆฟไปฅๆญคๅๅพท๏ผ ๆฎๅไบไธๅ๏ผ ๆ็ญไธไผ็ใ ็ๅ
ฑๆไฝ้ใ
We now offer them to the World Honored One.
May he pity us and accept them.
We vow that this merit and virtue
May extend to all living beings,
So that we and all beings
May together realize the Buddha Way.โ
ๅฐๆถไบ็พไธไบฟ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅ่ตไฝๅทฒ๏ผๅ็ฝไฝ่จ:โๆๆฟไธๅฐ่ฝฌไบๆณ ่ฝฎ๏ผๅคๆๅฎ้๏ผๅคๆๅบฆ่ฑใโๆถ่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็่่ฏดๅ่จ:
At that time, the five hundred myriads of millions of Brahma Heaven Gods, having praised the Buddha in verse, addressed the Buddha, saying, โWe only pray that the World Honored One will turn the Dharma-wheel to bring tranquility and liberation to many beings.โ Then, the Brahma Heaven King spoke these verses of praise:
ไธๅฐ่ฝฌๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผ ๅป็้ฒๆณ้ผ๏ผ ๅบฆ่ฆๆผไผ็๏ผ ๅผ็คบๆถ ็้ใ
โWorld Honored One, turn the Dharma-wheel Sound the sweet dew Dharma-drum,
To cross over tormented living beings, Showing them Nirvanaโs path.
ๆๆฟๅๆ่ฏท๏ผ ไปฅๅคงๅพฎๅฆ้ณ๏ผ ๅๆ่ๆทๆผใ ๆ ้ๅซ้ๆณใ
Pray, accept our request,
And, with the great and subtle sound,
Pity us, and set forth,
Dharma gathered through countless eons.โ
ๅฐๆถๅคง้ๆบ่ๅฆๆฅใๅๅๆน่ฏธๆขตๅคฉ็ใๅๅๅ
ญ็ๅญ่ฏท๏ผๅณๆถไธ่ฝฌๅ ไบ่กๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผ่ฅๆฒ้จใๅฉ็ฝ้จ๏ผ่ฅๅคฉใ้ญใๆขตใๅไฝไธ้ดๆไธ่ฝ่ฝฌ๏ผ ่ฐๆฏ่ฆ๏ผๆฏ่ฆ้๏ผๆฏ่ฆ็ญ๏ผๆฏ่ฆ็ญ้ใ
At that time, the Thus Come One Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory, having received the request of the Brahma Heaven Kings of the ten directions, as well as the sixteen princes, thereupon, three times turned the Dharma-wheel of twelve parts which cannot be turned by Shramanas, Brahmans, gods, maras, Brahmas, or other beings of the world. He said, โThis is suffering. This is the origination of suffering. This is the extinction of suffering. This is the way to the extinction of suffering.โ
ๅไบๅ ็ผๆณ –
Dharma of the twelve causes and conditions
ๅๅนฟ่ฏดๅไบๅ ็ผๆณ๏ผ
And he extensively set forth the Dharma of the twelve causes and conditions:
ๆ ๆ็ผ่ก๏ผ่ก็ผ่ฏ๏ผ่ฏ็ผๅ่ฒ๏ผๅ่ฒ็ผๅ
ญๅ
ฅ๏ผๅ
ญๅ
ฅ็ผ่งฆ๏ผ่งฆ็ผๅ๏ผ ๅ็ผ็ฑ๏ผ็ฑ็ผๅ๏ผๅ็ผๆ๏ผๆ็ผ็๏ผ็็ผ่ๆญปๅฟงๆฒ่ฆๆผใ ignorance conditions dispositions.
Dispositions condition consciousness.
Consciousness conditions name and form. Name and form condition the six sense organs. The six sense organs condition contact. Contact conditions feeling.
Feeling conditions craving.
Craving conditions grasping.
Grasping conditions becoming.
Becoming conditions birth.
Birth conditions old age and death, worry, grief, suffering and distress.
ๆ ๆ็ญใๅ่ก็ญ๏ผ่ก็ญใๅ่ฏ็ญ๏ผ่ฏ็ญใๅๅ่ฒ็ญ๏ผๅ่ฒ็ญใๅๅ ญ ๅ ฅ็ญ๏ผๅ ญๅ ฅ็ญใๅ่งฆ็ญ๏ผ่งฆ็ญใๅๅ็ญ๏ผๅ็ญใๅ็ฑ็ญ๏ผ็ฑ็ญใๅ ๅ็ญ๏ผๅ็ญใๅๆ็ญ๏ผๆ็ญใๅ็็ญ๏ผ็็ญใๅ่ๆญปๅฟงๆฒ่ฆๆผ็ญใ When ignorance is extinguished, dispositions are extinguished.
When dispositions are extinguished, then consciousness is extinguished.
When consciousness is extinguished, then name and form are extinguished.
When name and form are extinguished, then the six sense organs are extinguished.
When the six sense organs are extinguished, then contact is extinguished.
When contact is extinguished, then feeling is extinguished. When feeling is extinguished, then craving is extinguished. When craving is extinguished, then grasping is extinguished. When grasping is extinguished, then becoming is extinguished. When becoming is extinguished, then birth is extinguished. When birth is extinguished, then old age and death, worry, grief, suffering and distress are extinguished.
ไฝไบๅคฉไบบๅคงไผไนไธญใ่ฏดๆฏๆณๆถ๏ผๅ
ญ็พไธไบฟ้ฃ็ฑไปไบบ๏ผไปฅไธๅไธๅๆณ ๆ
๏ผ่ไบ่ฏธๆผใๅฟๅพ่งฃ่ฑ๏ผ็ๅพๆทฑๅฆ็ฆ
ๅฎ๏ผไธๆใๅ
ญ้๏ผๅ
ทๅ
ซ่งฃ่ฑ ใ
When the Buddha spoke this Dharma, amidst the great assembly of gods and humans, six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of human beings, because they did not grasp at any dharma, had their minds liberated from all outflows. All attained profound and subtle Dhyana concentration, the Three Clarities, the Six Penetrations, and perfected the Eight Liberations.
็ฌฌไบ็ฌฌไธ็ฌฌๅ่ฏดๆณๆถ๏ผๅไธไบฟๆๆฒณๆฒ้ฃ็ฑไป็ญไผ็๏ผไบฆไปฅไธๅไธๅ ๆณๆ
๏ผ่ไบ่ฏธๆผใๅฟๅพ่งฃ่ฑใ
The second, third, and fourth times he set forth this Dharma, thousands of millions of nayutas of living beings, their numbers like the Gangesโ sands, also because they did not grasp at any dharma, had their minds liberated from outflows.
ไปๆฏๅทฒๅ๏ผ่ฏธๅฃฐ้ปไผใๆ ้ๆ ่พนไธๅฏ็งฐๆฐใ
From that time onwards, the assembly of Hearers was unlimited, boundless, and unreckonable.
ๅฐๆถๅๅ
ญ็ๅญใ็ไปฅ็ซฅๅญๅบๅฎถใ่ไธบๆฒๅผฅ๏ผ่ฏธๆ น้ๅฉ๏ผๆบๆ
งๆไบ๏ผ ๅทฒๆพไพๅ
ป็พๅไธไบฟ่ฏธไฝ๏ผๅไฟฎๆขต่ก๏ผๆฑ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆใ
At that time the sixteen princes all left home as virgin youths and became Shramaneras. They all possessed sharp faculties and clear wisdom. They had already made offerings to hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas, purely cultivating Brahman conduct, seeking anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
ไฟฑ็ฝไฝ่จ:โไธๅฐ๏ผๆฏ่ฏธๆ ้ๅไธไบฟๅคงๅพทๅฃฐ้ป๏ผ็ๅทฒๆๅฐฑ๏ผไธๅฐ๏ผ ไบฆๅฝไธบๆ็ญ่ฏด้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆๆณ๏ผ
They all spoke to the Buddha, saying, โWorld Honored One, all these limitless thousands of myriads of millions of greatly virtuous Hearers already have reached accomplishment. World Honored One, you should, for our sake, also, speak the Dharma of anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
ๆ็ญ้ปๅทฒ๏ผ็ๅ
ฑไฟฎๅญฆใไธๅฐ๏ผๆ็ญๅฟๆฟๅฆๆฅ็ฅ่ง๏ผๆทฑๅฟๆๅฟต๏ผไฝ่ช ่ฏ็ฅใโ
Having heard it, we will all cultivate and study it. World Honored One, we all aspire to the Thus Come Oneโs knowledge and vision. As to the thoughts deep within our minds, the Buddha himself knows.โ
ๅฐๆถ่ฝฌ่ฝฎๅฃ็ๆๅฐไผไธญใๅ
ซไธไบฟไบบ๏ผ่งๅๅ
ญ็ๅญๅบๅฎถ๏ผไบฆๆฑๅบๅฎถใ ็ๅณๅฌ่ฎธใ
Then, the multitudes, led by the Wheel-turning Sage King, eighty thousand million of them, upon seeing the sixteen princes leave home, also sought to leave home, and the king permitted them to do so.
ๅฆๆณ่ฒๅ – Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower
ๅฐๆถๅฝผไฝๅๆฒๅผฅ่ฏท๏ผ่ฟไบไธๅซๅทฒ๏ผไนไบๅไผไนไธญใ่ฏดๆฏๅคงไน็ป๏ผๅ ๅฆๆณ่ฒๅใๆ่ฉ่จๆณใไฝๆๆคๅฟตใ
At that time, the Buddha, having received the request of the sixteen Shramaneras, after twenty thousand eons, then at last, amidst the fourfold assembly, spoke the Great Vehicle Sutra by the name of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower, a dharma for instructing Bodhisattvas of whom the Buddha is protective and mindful.
่ฏดๆฏ็ปๅทฒ๏ผๅๅ
ญๆฒๅผฅไธบ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆๆ
๏ผ็ๅ
ฑๅๆ๏ผ่ฎฝ่ฏต้ ๅฉใ
After he spoke the Sutra, the sixteen Shramaneras, for the sake of anuttarasamyaksambodhi, all received, upheld and recited it and keenly penetrated its meaning.
่ฏดๆฏ็ปๆถ๏ผๅๅ
ญ่ฉ่จๆฒๅผฅ็ๆไฟกๅ๏ผๅฃฐ้ปไผไธญใไบฆๆไฟก่งฃ๏ผๅ
ถไฝไผ ็ใๅไธไบฟ็ง๏ผ็็็ๆใ
When the sutra was spoken, the sixteen Bodhisattva-Shramaneras all received it with faith. Among the host of Hearers, too, there were those who had faith in it and understood it. The remaining thousands of myriads of millions of living beings, however, all gave rise to doubts.
ไฝ่ฏดๆฏ็ป๏ผไบๅ ซๅๅซใๆชๆพไผๅบ๏ผ
The Buddha spoke this sutra for eighty thousand eons without cessation.
่ฏดๆญค็ปๅทฒ๏ผๅณๅ ฅ้ๅฎค๏ผไฝไบ็ฆ ๅฎใๅ ซไธๅๅๅซใ
When he had finished speaking the Sutra, he entered a quiet room where he remained in dhyana samadhi for eighty-four thousand eons.
ๆฏๆถๅๅ ญ่ฉ่จๆฒๅผฅใ็ฅไฝๅ ฅๅฎคใๅฏ็ถ็ฆ ๅฎ๏ผๅๅๆณๅบง๏ผ
Then the sixteen Bodhisattva-Shramaneras, knowing that the Buddha had entered his room and was silently absorbed in dhyana samadhi, each ascended the Dharma seat.
ไบฆไบๅ
ซไธๅๅๅซใไธบๅ้จไผใๅนฟ่ฏดๅๅซๅฆๆณๅ็ป๏ผไธไธ็ๅบฆๅ
ญ็พไธ ไบฟ้ฃ็ฑไปๆๆฒณๆฒ็ญไผ็๏ผ็คบๆใๅฉๅ๏ผไปคๅ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆๅฟ ใ
For a period of eighty-four thousand eons, for the sake of the fourfold assembly, they spoke the Wonderful Dharma Flower Sutra extensively and in detail. Each one of them crossed over six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of Gangesโ sands of living beings, instructing them with the teaching, benefiting them, making them rejoice and causing them to bring forth the thought of anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
ๅคง้ๆบ่ไฝ่ฟๅ
ซไธๅๅๅซๅทฒ๏ผไปไธๆง่ตท๏ผๅพ่ฏฃๆณๅบงใๅฎ่ฏฆ่ๅ๏ผๆฎ ๅๅคงไผ:
After eighty-four thousand eons had passed, the Buddha, Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory arose from samadhi, approached the Dharma throne and serenely sat down upon it.
He addressed the great assembly, saying,
ๅๅ ญ่ฉ่จๆฒๅผฅ –
Sixteen Bodhisattva-Shramaneras
โๆฏๅๅ
ญ่ฉ่จๆฒๅผฅใ็ไธบ็จๆ๏ผ่ฏธๆ น้ๅฉ๏ผๆบๆ
งๆไบ๏ผๅทฒๆพไพๅ
ปๆ ้ๅไธไบฟๆฐ่ฏธไฝใ
โthese sixteen Bodhisattva-Shramaneras are very rare. All their faculties are keen and their wisdom is clear. They have in the past already made offerings to limitless thousands of myriads of millions of Buddhas.
ไบ่ฏธไฝๆ๏ผๅธธไฟฎๆขต่ก๏ผๅๆไฝๆบ๏ผๅผ็คบไผ็ใไปคๅ ฅๅ ถไธญใ
In the presence of those Buddhas, they constantly cultivated Brahman conduct, accepting and upholding the Buddhaโs wisdom, instructing living beings and causing them to enter into it.โ
ๆฑ็ญ็ๅฝๆฐๆฐไบฒ่ฟ่ไพๅ ปไนใๆไปฅ่ ไฝใ
โYou should all make a point of drawing near to and making offerings to them. Why?
่ฅๅฃฐ้ปใ่พๆฏไฝใๅ่ฏธ่ฉ่จ๏ผ่ฝไฟกๆฏๅๅ
ญ่ฉ่จๆ่ฏด็ปๆณใๅๆไธๆฏ ่
๏ผๆฏไบบ็ๅฝๅพ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆใๅฆๆฅไนๆ
งใโ
Those Hearers, Pratyekabuddhas, or Bodhisattvas who can have faith in the Dharma of the Sutra spoken by these sixteen Bodhisattvas, accept and uphold it without defaming it, will all attain anuttarasamyaksambodhi, that is, the wisdom of the Thus Come One.โ
ไฝๅ่ฏธๆฏไธ:โๆฏๅๅ
ญ่ฉ่จใๅธธไน่ฏดๆฏๅฆๆณ่ฒๅ็ป๏ผ
The Buddha told the bhikshus, โThese sixteen Bodhisattvas always delight in speaking the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra.
ไธไธ่ฉ่จ๏ผๆๅๅ
ญ็พไธไบฟ้ฃ็ฑไปๆๆฒณๆฒ็ญไผ็๏ผไธไธๆ็ใไธ่ฉ่จ ไฟฑ๏ผไปๅ
ถ้ปๆณ๏ผๆ็ไฟก่งฃ๏ผ
Each Bodhisattvas has transformed six hundred myriads of millions of nayutas of Gangesโ sands of living beings who, life after life were born together with the Bodhisattvas and heard the Dharma from them, fully believing and understanding it.
ไปฅๆญคๅ ็ผ๏ผๅพๅผๅ็พไธไบฟ่ฏธไฝไธๅฐ๏ผไบไปไธๅฐฝใโ
For this reason, they have met up with forty thousand millions of Buddhas, World Honored Ones and to this moment have not stopped doing so.โ
โ่ฏธๆฏไธ๏ผๆไป่ฏญๆฑ๏ผๅฝผไฝๅผๅญๅๅ
ญๆฒๅผฅ๏ผไป็ๅพ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ ่ฉๆ๏ผไบๅๆนๅฝๅใ็ฐๅจ่ฏดๆณ๏ผๆๆ ้็พๅไธไบฟ่ฉ่จใๅฃฐ้ปใไปฅไธบ ็ทๅฑใ
โBhikshus, I will tell you, those disciples of the Buddha, the sixteen Shramaneras, have all now attained anuttarasamyaksambodhi, and in the lands of the ten directions, are presently speaking the Dharma. They have as their retinues limitless hundreds of thousands of millions of Bodhisattvas and Hearers.
ๅ
ถไบๆฒๅผฅ๏ผไธๆนไฝไฝ๏ผไธๅ้ฟ้ฆ๏ผๅจๆฌขๅๅฝ๏ผไบๅ้กปๅผฅ้กถใ
Two have become Buddhas in the East. One is named Akshobhya, in the
Land of Happiness. The other is named Sumeru Peak.
– 32 –
ไธๅๆนไบไฝ๏ผไธๅๅธๅญ้ณ๏ผไบๅๅธๅญ็ธใ็ฎ
Two have become Buddhas in the Southeast. One is named Lion Sound. The other is named Lion Sign.
ๅๆนไบไฝ๏ผไธๅ่็ฉบไฝ๏ผไบๅๅธธ็ญใ
Two have become Buddhas in the South. One is named Space Dweller. The other is named Eternal Extinction.
่ฅฟๅๆนไบไฝ๏ผไธๅๅธ็ธ๏ผไบๅๆขต็ธใ
Two have become Buddhas in the Southwest. One is named Royal Sign. The other is named Brahma Sign.
่ฅฟๆนไบไฝ๏ผไธๅ้ฟๅผฅ้๏ผไบๅๅบฆไธๅไธ้ด่ฆๆผใ
Two have become Buddhas in the West. One is named Amitayus. The other is named Savior of all Worlds from Suffering and Anguish.
่ฅฟๅๆนไบไฝ๏ผไธๅๅคๆฉ็ฝ่ทๆ ดๆช้ฆ็ฅ้๏ผไบๅ้กปๅผฅ็ธใ Two have become Buddhas in the Northwest. One is named
Tamalapatrachandana Fragrance and Spiritual Penetrations. The other is named Sumeru Sign.
ๅๆนไบไฝ๏ผไธๅไบ่ชๅจ๏ผไบๅไบ่ชๅจ็ใ
Two have become Buddhas in the North. One is named Cloud Self- Mastery. The other is named King of Cloud Self-Mastery.
ไธๅๆนไฝใๅๅไธๅไธ้ดๆ็๏ผ็ฌฌๅๅ
ญใๆ้่ฟฆ็ๅฐผไฝ๏ผไบๅจๅฉๅฝ ๅใๆ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆใโ
In the Northeast there is a Buddha by the name of Destroyer of All Worldly Fear.
The other Buddha, the sixteenth, is myself, Shakyamuni Buddha, here in the Saha World, where I have realized anuttarasamyaksambodhi.โ
โ่ฏธๆฏไธ๏ผๆ็ญไธบๆฒๅผฅๆถ๏ผๅๅๆๅๆ ้็พๅไธไบฟๆๆฒณๆฒ็ญไผ็๏ผ ไปๆ้ปๆณ๏ผไธบ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆใ
โBhikshus, we, as Shramaneras each taught and transformed limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of Gangesโ sands of living beings, who, hearing the Dharma from us, were set towards anuttarasamyaksambodhi.โ
ๆญค่ฏธไผ็๏ผไบไปๆไฝๅฃฐ้ปๅฐ่
๏ผๆๅธธๆๅ้ฟ่จๅค็ฝไธ่ไธ่ฉๆ๏ผๆฏ ่ฏธไบบ็ญ๏ผๅบไปฅๆฏๆณใๆธๅ
ฅไฝ้ใ
โOf these living beings, there are those who dwell at the level of Hearers. I constantly instruct and transform them in anuttarasamyaksambodhi. All these people will, by means of this Dharma, gradually enter the Buddha Path.
ๆไปฅ่ ไฝใๅฆๆฅๆบๆ ง๏ผ้พไฟก้พ่งฃใ
Why? The Thus Come Oneโs wisdom is hard to believe and hard to understand.
ๅฐๆถๆๅๆ ้ๆๆฒณๆฒ็ญไผ็่
๏ผๆฑ็ญ่ฏธๆฏไธใๅๆ็ญๅบฆๅใๆชๆฅไธ ไธญๅฃฐ้ปๅผๅญๆฏไนใ
You were Bhikshus while I transformed living beings as limitless as Ganges sands who shall become disciples as Hearers after my extinction in the future.
ๆ็ญๅบฆๅ๏ผๅคๆๅผๅญใไธ้ปๆฏ็ป๏ผไธ็ฅไธ่ง่ฉ่จๆ่ก๏ผ่ชไบๆๅพๅ ๅพทใ็็ญๅบฆๆณ๏ผๅฝๅ
ฅๆถ
็ใ
After my extinction, furthermore, there will be disciples who will not hear this Sutra, who will not know or be aware of the Bodhisattva conduct, but who will, through the attainment of their own merit and virtue give rise to the thought of extinction and who will enter Nirvana.
ๆไบไฝๅฝไฝไฝ๏ผๆดๆๅผๅ๏ผๆฏไบบ่ฝ็็ญๅบฆไนๆณใๅ
ฅไบๆถ
็๏ผ่ไบๅฝผ ๅใๆฑไฝๆบๆ
ง๏ผๅพ้ปๆฏ็ป๏ผๆไปฅไฝไน่ๅพ็ญๅบฆ๏ผๆดๆ ไฝไน๏ผ้ค่ฏธๅฆ ๆฅๆนไพฟ่ฏดๆณใโ
I shall be a Buddha in another land, with another name. Although these people will have produced the thought of extinction and enter into Nirvana, they will, in those lands, seek the Buddhaโs wisdom and get to hear this Sutra and that it is only by means of the Buddha Vehicle that extinction can be attained. There are no other vehicles, except for those expedient devices taught by other Thus Come Ones.โ
โ่ฏธๆฏไธ๏ผ่ฅๅฆๆฅ่ช็ฅๆถ
็ๆถๅฐ๏ผไผๅๆธ
ๅ๏ผไฟก่งฃๅๅบ๏ผไบ่พพ็ฉบๆณ ๏ผๆทฑๅ
ฅ็ฆ
ๅฎ๏ผไพฟ้่ฏธ่ฉ่จๅๅฃฐ้ปไผ๏ผไธบ่ฏดๆฏ็ปใไธ้ดๆ ๆไบไน่ๅพ ็ญๅบฆ๏ผๆไธไฝไนๅพ็ญๅบฆ่ณใ
โBhikshus, when the Thus Come One knows of himself, that the time of his Nirvana has come, that the assembly is pure, that their faith and understanding are solid and firm, that they fully comprehend the Dharma of emptiness and have deeply entered into dhyana samadhi, he will gather together the host of Bodhisattvas and Hearers and speak this Sutra for them, saying, โthere are not two vehicles by which extinction is attained. There is only the one Buddha Vehicle by which extinction can be attained.โ
ๆฏไธๅฝ็ฅ๏ผๅฆๆฅๆนไพฟใๆทฑๅ
ฅไผ็ไนๆง๏ผๅฆๅ
ถๅฟไนๅฐๆณ๏ผๆทฑ่ไบๆฌฒ๏ผ ไธบๆฏ็ญๆ
ใ่ฏดไบๆถ
็๏ผๆฏไบบ่ฅ้ป๏ผๅไพฟไฟกๅใโ
Bhikshus, you should know, the expedients of the Thus Come One deeply enter the natures of living beings. Knowing that they aspire to and are content with lesser Dharmas and are deeply attached to the five desires, he speaks to them of Nirvana. When they hear him, then they immediately believe and accept it.
โ่ญฌๅฆไบ็พ็ฑๆฌ้ฉ้พๆถ้๏ผๆท็ปๆ ไบบใๆ็ไนๅค๏ผ
It is as if, for example, there is a road, five hundred yojanas long, steep, dangerous and bad, an uninhabited and terrifying place.
่ฅๆๅคไผ๏ผๆฌฒ่ฟๆญค้ใ่ณ็ๅฎๅคใ
A large group of people wish to travel this road to reach a cache of precious jewels.
ๆไธๅฏผๅธ๏ผ่ชๆ งๆ่พพ๏ผๅ็ฅ้ฉ้้ๅกไน็ธ๏ผๅฐๅฏผไผไบบ๏ผๆฌฒ่ฟๆญค้พใ
Among them, there is a guide, intelligent, wise and clear-headed, who knows the road well, both its passable and impassable features, and who wishes to lead the group through this hardship.
ๆๅฐไบบไผใไธญ่ทฏๆ้๏ผ็ฝๅฏผๅธ่จ:โๆ็ญ็ฒๆใ่ๅคๆ็๏ผไธ่ฝๅค ่ฟ๏ผๅ่ทฏ็น่ฟ๏ผไปๆฌฒ้่ฟใโ
Midway, the group he is leading grows weary and wishes to turn back. They say to the guide, โwe are exhausted and afraid. We cannot go forward. Itโs too far. We want to turn back now.โ
ๅฏผๅธๅค่ฏธๆนไพฟใ่ไฝๆฏๅฟต๏ผๆญค็ญๅฏๆ๏ผไบไฝ่ๅคง็ๅฎ่ๆฌฒ้่ฟใ
Their leader, who has many expedients, had this thought; โHow pitiful they are. How can they renounce the great and precious treasure and wish to turn back?โ
ไฝๆฏๅฟตๅทฒ๏ผไปฅๆนไพฟๅ๏ผไบ้ฉ้ไธญ๏ผ่ฟไธ็พ็ฑๆฌใๅไฝไธๅใๅไผไบบ ่จ:
Having had this thought, through the power of his expedient devices, he transforms a city in the center of the dangerous road, three hundred yojanas in extent, and says to them,
โๆฑ็ญๅฟๆ๏ผ่ซๅพ้่ฟใไปๆญคๅคงๅ๏ผๅฏไบไธญๆญข๏ผ้ๆๆไฝ๏ผ่ฅๅ
ฅๆฏ ๅ๏ผๅฟซๅพๅฎ้ใ่ฅ่ฝๅ่ณๅฎๆ๏ผไบฆๅฏๅพๅปใโ
โDo not be afraid. Do not turn back; Stay here now in this great city I have created just for you. If you go into this city, you will be happy and at peace. If you then wish to proceed to the jewel cache, you may do so.โ
ๆฏๆถ็ฒๆไนไผใๅฟๅคงๆฌขๅ๏ผๅนๆชๆพๆ:
Then the exhausted group rejoiced greatly, having gained what they had never had.
โๆ็ญไป่
ใๅ
ๆฏๆถ้๏ผๅฟซๅพๅฎ้ใโ
โWe have now escaped this bad road and gained happiness and peace.โ
ไบๆฏไผไบบๅๅ ฅๅๅ๏ผ็ๅทฒๅบฆๆณ๏ผ็ๅฎ้ๆณใ
Then the group went forward and entered the transformed city; thinking that they had already been saved, they felt happy and at peace.
ๅฐๆถๅฏผๅธ๏ผ็ฅๆญคไบบไผๆขๅพๆญขๆฏ๏ผๆ ๅค็ฒๅฆใๅณ็ญๅๅ๏ผ่ฏญไผไบบ่จ:
At that time, the guide, knowing that they were rested and no longer weary, made the city disappear, saying to them,
โๆฑ็ญๅปๆฅ๏ผๅฎๅคๅจ่ฟใๅ่
ๅคงๅ๏ผๆๆๅไฝใไธบๆญขๆฏ่ณใโโ
โAll of you, come, let us go. The jewel cache is near. The great city was merely something I created from transformation to give you a rest.โ
โ่ฏธๆฏไธ๏ผๅฆๆฅไบฆๅคๅฆๆฏ๏ผไปไธบๆฑ็ญไฝๅคงๅฏผๅธ๏ผ
Bhikshus, the Thus Come One is also like this. He now acts as a great guide for all of you.
็ฅ่ฏธ็ๆญป็ฆๆผๆถ้ใ้ฉ้พ้ฟ่ฟ๏ผๅบๅปๅบๅบฆใ
He knows that living beings should leave and cross over the evil road of the torments of birth and death which is so steep, difficult and long. He shall respond to and save them.
่ฅไผ็ไฝ้ปไธไฝไน่ ๏ผๅไธๆฌฒ่งไฝ๏ผไธๆฌฒไบฒ่ฟ๏ผไพฟไฝๆฏๅฟต:
If living beings only hear of the one Buddha Vehicle, they will not wish to see the Buddha or to draw near to him. Instead, they will think,
โไฝ้้ฟ่ฟ๏ผไน
ๅๅค่ฆใไนๅฏๅพๆใโ
โThe Buddha path is long and far; it can only be accomplished after much labor and suffering.โ
ไฝ็ฅๆฏๅฟใๆฏๅผฑไธๅฃ๏ผไปฅๆนไพฟๅ๏ผ่ไบไธญ้ไธบๆญขๆฏๆ ๏ผ่ฏดไบๆถ ็ใ
The Buddha knows their minds to be weak and lowly. When they reach the โMidway-Nirvanaโ, he uses the power of expedients to rest at the Midway and to speak of the two Nirvanas.
่ฅไผ็ไฝไบไบๅฐ๏ผๅฆๆฅๅฐๆถๅณไพฟไธบ่ฏด:
If living beings dwell on these two levels, the Thus Come One then tells them,
โๆฑ็ญๆไฝๆชๅ๏ผๆฑๆไฝๅฐใ่ฟไบไฝๆ
ง๏ผๅฝ่งๅฏ็ญน้ๆๅพๆถ
็ใ้ ็ๅฎไนใไฝๆฏๅฆๆฅๆนไพฟไนๅ๏ผไบไธไฝไนใๅๅซ่ฏดไธใโ
โYou have not yet finished your job. The level you are dwelling at is near the Buddhasโ wisdom. You should observe and ponder this: the Nirvana you have attained is not the real one. The Thus Come One has but used the power of his expedients and, within the one Buddha Vehicle, discriminated and spoken of three.โ
ๅฆๅฝผๅฏผๅธใไธบๆญขๆฏๆ
๏ผๅไฝๅคงๅใๆข็ฅๆฏๅทฒ๏ผ่ๅไน่จ:โๅฎๅคๅจ ่ฟ๏ผๆญคๅ้ๅฎ๏ผๆๅไฝ่ณใโโ
He is like that guide, who, in order to give the travelers a rest, conjured up a great city. Then, when they had rested, he told them, โthe place of the jewels is near. This city is not real, but merely something I have conjured up.โ
ๅฐๆถไธๅฐๆฌฒ้ๅฎฃๆญคไน๏ผ่่ฏดๅ่จ:
At that time the World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses saying,
ๅคง้ๆบ่ไฝ๏ผ ๅๅซๅ้ๅบ๏ผ ไฝๆณไธ็ฐๅ๏ผ ไธๅพๆไฝ้ใ
โThe Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory Sat in the Bodhimanda for ten eons,
Without the manifestation of the Buddhadharma, And he did not realize the Buddha Way.
่ฏธๅคฉ็ฅ้พ็ใ ้ฟไฟฎ็ฝไผ็ญ๏ผ ๅธธ้จไบๅคฉๅ๏ผ ไปฅไพๅ ปๅฝผไฝ๏ผ
Heavenly spirits and dragon kings,
And the host of asuras,
Constantly rained down heavenly flowers, As an offering to that Buddha.
่ฏธๅคฉๅปๅคฉ้ผ๏ผ ๅนถไฝไผไผไน๏ผ ้ฆ้ฃๅน่ๅ๏ผ ๆด้จๆฐๅฅฝ่ ใ
The Gods beat upon their heavenly drums
And made all kinds of music;
Fragrant breezes blew away the withered flowers And fine, new ones rained down.
่ฟๅๅฐๅซๅทฒ๏ผ ไนๅพๆไฝ้๏ผ ่ฏธๅคฉๅไธไบบ๏ผ ๅฟ็ๆ่ธ่ทใ
When ten eons had passed,
He then realized the Buddha Way.
All the gods and humans,
Danced for the joy within their minds.
ๅฝผไฝๅๅ ญๅญ๏ผ ็ไธๅ ถ็ทๅฑใ ๅไธไบฟๅด็ป๏ผ ไฟฑ่ก่ณไฝๆ๏ผ
The sixteen sons of that Buddha
As well as their retinues,
Thousands of millions surrounding them, All went before that Buddha.
ๅคด้ข็คผไฝ่ถณ๏ผ ่่ฏท่ฝฌๆณ่ฝฎใ ๅฃๅธๅญๆณ้จ๏ผ ๅ ๆๅไธๅ๏ผ
They bowed with their heads at his feet And asked him to turn the Dharma-wheel, โMay the sagely lionโs Dharma rain
Fill us and everyone!โ
ไธๅฐ็้พๅผ๏ผ ไน ่ฟๆถไธ็ฐ๏ผ ไธบ่งๆ็พค็๏ผ ้ๅจไบไธๅใ
A World Honored One is very hard to encounter, Appearing but once in a long time.
In order to awaken all creatures,
He shakes all things.
ไธๆน่ฏธไธ็ใ ไบ็พไธไบฟๅฝ๏ผ ๆขตๅฎซๆฎฟๅ ๆ๏ผ ๆๆๆชๆพๆใ
In five hundred myriads of millions of lands, In worlds in the eastern direction,
Brahma palaces shone with a light
Such as they never had before.
่ฏธๆขต่งๆญค็ธ๏ผ ๅฏปๆฅ่ณไฝๆ๏ผ ๆฃ่ฑไปฅไพๅ
ป๏ผ ๅนถๅฅไธๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผ ่ฏทไฝ่ฝฌๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผ ไปฅๅ่่ตๅนใ
The Brahmas, seeing these signs,
Followed them to the Buddha.
They scattered flowers as an offering,
And offered up their palaces,
Asking the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel, With verses in his praise.
ไฝ็ฅๆถๆช่ณ๏ผ ๅ่ฏท้ป็ถๅใ ไธๆนๅๅ็ปดใ ไธไธไบฆๅคๅฐ๏ผ
The Buddha knew the time had not yet come
And received their request seated in silence.
From the other three directions, and four points in between, And, likewise, from above, and below,
ๆฃๅๅฅๅฎซๆฎฟ๏ผ ่ฏทไฝ่ฝฌๆณ่ฝฎ๏ผ ไธๅฐ็้พๅผ๏ผ ๆฟไปฅๅคงๆ
ๆฒใ ๅนฟๅผ็้ฒ้จ๏ผ ่ฝฌๆ ไธๆณ่ฝฎใ
They scattered flowers and offered their palaces,
Asking the Buddha to turn the Dharma-wheel:
โThe World Honored One is very hard to meet;
We pray that through his great compassion and pity He will open wide the sweet dew door
And turn the supreme Dharma-wheel.โ
ๆ ้ๆ
งไธๅฐ๏ผ ๅๅฝผไผไบบ่ฏท๏ผ ไธบๅฎฃ็ง็งๆณ๏ผ ๅ่ฐๅไบ็ผ๏ผ ๆ ๆ่ณ่ๆญปใ ็ไป็็ผๆใ
The World Honored One, having limitless wisdom,
Received the multitudeโs request
And proclaimed various Dharmas for their sakes. The Four Truths, the Twelve Conditions,
From ignorance up to old age and death โ
All arise because of birth.
ๅฆๆฏไผ่ฟๆฃ๏ผ ๆฑ็ญๅบๅฝ็ฅใ ๅฎฃ็
ๆฏๆณๆถ๏ผ ๅ
ญ็พไธไบฟๅใ ๅพๅฐฝ่ฏธ่ฆ้
๏ผ ็ๆ้ฟ็ฝๆฑใ
In this way the host of calamities comes to be;
You should all know this.
When he expounded on this Dharma
Six hundred myriads of millions of billions Exhausted the limits of all suffering
And all became Arhats.
็ฌฌไบ่ฏดๆณๆถ๏ผ ๅไธๆๆฒไผ๏ผ ไบ่ฏธๆณไธๅ๏ผ ไบฆๅพ้ฟ็ฝๆฑใ
When he spoke the Dharma the second time,
Hosts like the sands of a thousand myriads of Ganges rivers Their minds grasping no dharmas,
Also attained Arhatship.
ไปๆฏๅๅพ้๏ผ ๅ ถๆฐๆ ๆ้๏ผ ไธไบฟๅซ็ฎๆฐใ ไธ่ฝๅพๅ ถ่พนใ
After that, those who gained the Way,
Were incalculable in number;
Were one to count through myriads of millions of eons One could not reach their limit.
ๆถๅๅ ญ็ๅญใ ๅบๅฎถไฝๆฒๅผฅ๏ผ ็ๅ ฑ่ฏทๅฝผไฝใ ๆผ่ฏดๅคงไนๆณใ
At that time, the sixteen princes,
Left home and became Shramaneras.
Together they requested that the Buddha
Extensively proclaim the Dharma of the Great Vehicle:
ๆ็ญๅ่ฅไป๏ผ ็ๅฝๆไฝ้๏ผ ๆฟๅพๅฆไธๅฐใ ๆ ง็ผ็ฌฌไธๅใ
โMay we and our followers
All perfect the Buddha Way.
We wish to become like the World Honored One, With the Wisdom Eye and foremost purity.โ
ไฝ็ฅ็ซฅๅญๅฟ๏ผ ๅฎฟไธไนๆ่ก๏ผ ไปฅๆ ้ๅ ็ผใ ็ง็ง่ฏธ่ญฌๅป๏ผ ่ฏดๅ
ญๆณข็ฝ่ใ ๅ่ฏธ็ฅ้ไบใ
The Buddha, knowing the intentions of the youths,
Their practices in former lives,
Used limitless causes and conditions
And various analogies,
To reach them the Six Paramitas,
As well as matters of spiritual penetrations.
ๅๅซ็ๅฎๆณใ ่ฉ่จๆ่ก้๏ผ ่ฏดๆฏๆณๅ็ป๏ผ ๅฆๆๆฒณๆฒๅใ
He discriminated the real Dharma,
And the pathway walked by the Bodhisattvas. He spoke the Dharma Flower Sutra
Its verses in numbers like Ganges’ sands.
ๅฝผไฝ่ฏด็ปๅทฒ๏ผ ้ๅฎคๅ ฅ็ฆ ๅฎ๏ผ ไธๅฟไธๅคๅใ ๅ ซไธๅๅๅซใ
After the Buddha had spoken the Sutra
In a quiet room he entered dhyana Samadhi Singlemindedly sitting in one place,
For eighty-four thousand eons.
ๆฏ่ฏธๆฒๅผฅ็ญ๏ผ ็ฅไฝ็ฆ ๆชๅบ๏ผ ไธบๆ ้ไบฟไผใ ่ฏดไฝๆ ไธๆ ง๏ผ
All the Shramaneras,
Knowing the Buddha had not yet left dhyana, For the sake of the limitless millions assembled, Spoke of the Buddhaโs unsurpassed wisdom.
ๅๅๅๆณๅบง๏ผ ่ฏดๆฏๅคงไน็ป๏ผ ไบไฝๅฎดๅฏๅ๏ผ ๅฎฃๆฌๅฉๆณๅใ
Each seated on his Dharma throne,
Spoke this Great Vehicle Sutra.
After the Buddha had become peacefully still, They propagated and taught the Dharma.
ไธไธๆฒๅผฅ็ญใ ๆๅบฆ่ฏธไผ็๏ผ ๆๅ ญ็พไธไบฟ๏ผ ๆๆฒณๆฒ็ญไผใ
Each one of the Shramaneras
Took across living beings
To the number of grains of sand
In six hundred myriads of Ganges rivers.
ๅฝผไฝ็ญๅบฆๅ๏ผ ๆฏ่ฏธ้ปๆณ่ ๏ผ ๅจๅจ่ฏธไฝๅใ ๅธธไธๅธไฟฑ็ใ
After that Buddha had crossed over into extinction, All those who heard the Dharma,
In whatever Buddhalands they might be,
Were reborn there together with their teachers.
ๆฏๅๅ ญๆฒๅผฅ๏ผ ๅ ท่ถณ่กไฝ้๏ผ ไป็ฐๅจๅๆน๏ผ ๅๅพๆๆญฃ่งใ
The sixteen Shramaneras
Perfectly practiced the Buddha Path. Presently in the ten directions
Each has realized proper enlightenment.
ๅฐๆถ้ปๆณ่ ๏ผ ๅๅจ่ฏธไฝๆ๏ผ ๅ ถๆไฝๅฃฐ้ป๏ผ ๆธๆไปฅไฝ้ใ
Those who heard the Dharma then, Are each in the presence of a Buddha; Those who are Hearers,
Are gradually taught the Buddha Path.
ๆๅจๅๅ ญๆฐ๏ผ ๆพไบฆไธบๆฑ่ฏด๏ผ ๆฏๆ ไปฅๆนไพฟใ ๅผๆฑ่ถไฝๆ งใ
I was one of the sixteen;
In the past, I taught all of you.
I therefore use expedients
To draw you into the Buddhaโs wisdom.
ไปฅๆฏๆฌๅ ็ผ๏ผ ไป่ฏดๆณๅ็ป๏ผ ไปคๆฑๅ ฅไฝ้๏ผ ๆ ๅฟๆๆๆงใ
Through these former causal conditions,
I presently speak The Dharma Flower Sutra, Leading you to enter the Buddha Path.
Take care not to become frightened.
่ญฌๅฆ้ฉๆถ้๏ผ ่ฟฅ็ปๅคๆฏๅ ฝ๏ผ ๅๅคๆ ๆฐด่๏ผ ไบบๆๆ็ๅคใ
Suppose there is a steep and bad road, Remote and teeming with venomous beasts, Lacking, as well, water or grass
–A place feared by all.
ๆ ๆฐๅไธไผใ ๆฌฒ่ฟๆญค้ฉ้๏ผ ๅ ถ่ทฏ็ๆท่ฟ๏ผ ็ปไบ็พ็ฑๆฌใ
Countless thousands of myriads Wish to traverse this dangerous road With its pathways so distant, Extending five hundred yojanas.
ๆถๆไธๅฏผๅธ๏ผ ๅผบ่ฏๆๆบๆ ง๏ผ ๆไบๅฟๅณๅฎ๏ผ ๅจ้ฉๆตไผ้พใ
There is among them a guide,
Intelligent and wise,
Clear and resolute in mind,
Who can rescue them from their difficulty.
ไผไบบ็็ฒๅฆใ ่็ฝๅฏผๅธ่จ๏ผ ๆ็ญไป้กฟไน๏ผ ไบๆญคๆฌฒ้่ฟใ
The group grows weary And says to the guide,
โWe are all exhausted, now And want to turn back.โ
ๅฏผๅธไฝๆฏๅฟต๏ผ ๆญค่พ็ๅฏๆ๏ผ ๅฆไฝๆฌฒ้่ฟ๏ผ ่ๅคฑๅคง็ๅฎใ
The guide thinks to himself,
โHow very pitiful they are.
How can they wish to turn back
And lose the great and precious treasure?โ
ๅฏปๆถๆๆนไพฟ๏ผ ๅฝ่ฎพ็ฅ้ๅ๏ผ ๅไฝๅคงๅ้ญ๏ผ ๅบไธฅ่ฏธ่ๅฎ ๏ผ
Instantly he thinks of a device:
Using the power of spiritual penetrations He conjures up a great city
Adorned with houses,
ๅจๅๆๅญๆใ ๆธ ๆตๅๆตดๆฑ ๏ผ ้้จ้ซๆฅผ้๏ผ ็ทๅฅณ็ๅ ๆปกใ
Surrounded by gardens and groves, Brooks and bathing ponds,
Layered gates and tiered pavilions, Filled with men and women.
ๅณไฝๆฏๅๅทฒ๏ผ ๆ ฐไผ่จๅฟๆง๏ผ ๆฑ็ญๅ ฅๆญคๅ๏ผ ๅๅฏ้ๆไนใ
After creating this,
He pities them saying, โDo not be afraid. But go into this city
And enjoy yourselves as you wish.โ
่ฏธไบบๆขๅ ฅๅ๏ผ ๅฟ็ๅคงๆฌขๅ๏ผ ็็ๅฎ้ๆณ๏ผ ่ช่ฐๅทฒๅพๅบฆใ
When they had entered the city, They rejoiced greatly at heart Thinking they were safe and sound, And that they had been saved.
ๅฏผๅธ็ฅๆฏๅทฒ๏ผ ้ไผ่ๅ่จ๏ผ ๆฑ็ญๅฝๅ่ฟ๏ผ ๆญคๆฏๅๅ่ณใ
The guide, knowing they were rested, Assembled them together and said,
โYou should all go forward,
For this is nothing but a transformed city.
ๆ่งๆฑ็ฒๆ๏ผ ไธญ่ทฏๆฌฒ้่ฟ๏ผ ๆ
ไปฅๆนไพฟๅใ ๆๅไฝๆญคๅ๏ผ ๆฑไปๅค็ฒพ่ฟ๏ผ ๅฝๅ
ฑ่ณๅฎๆใ
Seeing that you were exhausted
And wanted to turn back midway,
I used the power of expedients,
To transform provisionally this city. You should now be vigorous
And proceed to the jewel cache.โ
ๆไบฆๅคๅฆๆฏ๏ผ ไธบไธๅๅฏผๅธใ
I, too, am like this,
I am the guide of all;
่ง่ฏธๆฑ้่
ใ ไธญ่ทฏ่ๆๅบ๏ผ ไธ่ฝๅบฆ็ๆญปใ ็ฆๆผ่ฏธ้ฉ้ใ ๆ
ไปฅๆนไพฟๅ๏ผ ไธบๆฏ่ฏดๆถ
็๏ผ ่จๆฑ็ญ่ฆ็ญ๏ผ
Seeing those who seek the way,
Exhausted in mid-course
Unable to cross the dangerous paths,
Of birth, death and affliction,
Therefore, I use the power of expedients, To speak of Nirvana and give them a rest, Saying, โYour sufferings are ended.
ๆไฝ็ๅทฒๅใ ๆข็ฅๅฐๆถ
็๏ผ ็ๅพ้ฟ็ฝๆฑ๏ผ ๅฐไน้ๅคงไผ๏ผ ไธบ่ฏด็ๅฎๆณใ
You have done what you had to do.
Then, knowing they have reached Nirvana, And had all become Arhats,
I gather them together,
To teach them the genuine Dharma.
่ฏธไฝๆนไพฟๅ๏ผ ๅๅซ่ฏดไธไน๏ผ ๅฏๆไธไฝไน๏ผ ๆฏๅคๆ
่ฏดไบใ ไปไธบๆฑ่ฏดๅฎ๏ผ ๆฑๆๅพ้็ญ๏ผ
The Buddhas use the power of expedients,
To discriminate and speak of three vehicles
But there is only the one Buddha Vehicle.
The other two were spoken as a resting place. What I am telling you now is the truth;
What you have gained is not extinction.
ไธบไฝไธๅๆบ๏ผ ๅฝๅๅคง็ฒพ่ฟใ ๆฑ่ฏไธๅๆบ๏ผ ๅๅ็ญไฝๆณ๏ผ ๅ
ทไธๅไบ็ธ๏ผ ไนๆฏ็ๅฎ็ญใ
For the sake of the Buddhaโs All Wisdom,
You should exert yourselves with great vigor.
When you have certified to All Wisdom,
And have the Ten Powers and other Buddhadharma And have perfected the thirty-two marks,
Then that is genuine extinction.
่ฏธไฝไนๅฏผๅธ๏ผ ไธบๆฏ่ฏดๆถ
็๏ผ ๆข็ฅๆฏๆฏๅทฒ๏ผ ๅผๅ
ฅไบไฝๆ
งใ
The Buddhas, the guiding masters,
Speak of Nirvana to give living beings rest, But once they know that they are rested, They lead them into the Buddhasโ wisdom.โ
Verse In Summary
Moistening all the three dispositions
The disciples receive the (Buddhaโs) kindness;
But the transformed city is falsely created and is not real.
One takes another look at the causes behind (the Buddha Great Penetrating Wisdom Victory)
So the sixteen grandsons,
In the eight directions, certify to a golden body.
Homage to the Dharma Flower Assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Homage to the Dharma Flower Assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Homage to the Dharma Flower Assembly of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
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Lee Kane
Author | Buddha Weekly
Lee Kane is the editor of Buddha Weekly, since 2007. His main focuses as a writer are mindfulness techniques, meditation, Dharma and Sutra commentaries, Buddhist practices, international perspectives and traditions, Vajrayana, Mahayana, Zen. He also covers various events.
Lee also contributes as a writer to various other online magazines and blogs.
