The Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma

其不習學者，不能曉了此。

And those who have not practiced and studied cannot understand this.

汝等既已知，諸佛世之師，

Since you now already know the Buddhas, teachers of the world,

隨宜方便事，無復諸疑惑，

And their skillful means as fitting, you should have no more doubts,

心生大歡喜，自知當作佛。」

And with great joy arising in your hearts, know that you yourselves will become Buddhas."

後秦龜茲國三藏法師鳩摩羅什奉詔譯

Translated by imperial command by the Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of Kucha (around present-day Kuqa in Xinjiang), of the Later Qin dynasty.

爾時舍利弗踴躍歡喜，即起合掌，瞻仰尊顏而白佛言：「今從世尊聞此法音，心懷勇躍，得未曾有。所以者何？我昔從佛聞如是法，見諸菩薩授記作佛，而我等不豫斯事，甚自感傷，失於如來無量知見。世尊！我常獨處山林樹下，若坐若行，每作是念：『我等同入法性，云何如來以小乘法而見濟度？是我等咎，非世尊也。所以者何？若我等待說所因成就阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，必以大乘而得度脫。然我等不解方便隨宜所說，初聞佛法，遇便信受、思惟、取證。』世尊！我從昔來，終日竟夜每自剋責，而今從佛聞所未聞未曾有法，斷諸疑悔，身意泰然，快得安隱。今日乃知真是佛子，從佛口生，從法化生，得佛法分。」

At that time Shariputra, leaping with joy, rose at once, put his palms together, gazed up at the Buddha's venerable face, and said to the Buddha: "Now, hearing this Dharma sound from the World-Honored One, my heart leaps with a joy I have never had before. Why? In the past I heard such Dharma from the Buddha and saw the Bodhisattvas receive predictions of becoming Buddhas, but we were not included in this, and I deeply grieved, having lost the Tathagata's immeasurable knowledge and vision. World-Honored One! I have often dwelt alone in the mountain forests, beneath trees, sitting or walking, and each time I had this thought: 'We have all entered the Dharma-nature equally; how is it that the Tathagata delivers us with the Small Vehicle? This is our fault, not the World-Honored One's. Why? If we had waited for the teaching about the cause for accomplishing unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, we would surely have been delivered by the Great Vehicle. But we did not understand that skillful means are taught as is fitting, and when we first heard the Buddha Dharma, we happened to believe and accept it, reflected on it, and took realization.' World-Honored One! Since the past I have, day and night, constantly reproached myself, but now, from the Buddha, I have heard a Dharma I had never heard and never had, my doubts and regrets are cut off, my body and mind are at ease, and I rejoice to have gained peace. Today I know that I am truly a Buddha-child, born from the Buddha's mouth, transformed from the Dharma, and I have gained a share of the Buddha Dharma."

爾時舍利弗欲重宣此義，而說偈言：

Then Shariputra, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:

「我聞是法音，得所未曾有，

"Hearing this Dharma sound, I have gained what I never had,

心懷大歡喜，疑網皆已除。

My heart is filled with great joy, and the net of doubt is entirely removed.

昔來蒙佛教，不失於大乘，

Since the past, receiving the Buddha's teaching, I have not lost the Great Vehicle,

佛音甚希有，能除眾生惱，

The Buddha's voice is most rare, able to remove the vexations of beings,

我已得漏盡，聞亦除憂惱。

I have already exhausted my outflows, and hearing it I have also removed worry and vexation.

我處於山谷，或在林樹下，

I dwelt in mountain valleys, or beneath forest trees,

若坐若經行，常思惟是事，

Sitting or walking, constantly reflecting on this matter,

嗚呼深自責，云何而自欺？

Alas, I reproached myself deeply: how could I have deceived myself?

我等亦佛子，同入無漏法，

We too are Buddha-children, entering together the Dharma free of outflows,

不能於未來，演說無上道。

But we cannot in the future expound the unsurpassed Way.

金色三十二，十力諸解脫，

The golden color, the thirty-two marks, the ten powers, and the liberations,

同共一法中，而不得此事；

Are all within one Dharma, yet we did not obtain these things;

八十種妙好，十八不共法，

The eighty minor marks, the eighteen unshared qualities,

如是等功德，而我皆已失。

Such merits as these I have entirely lost.

我獨經行時，見佛在大眾，

When I walked alone, I saw the Buddha in the great assembly,

名聞滿十方，廣饒益眾生。

His name known throughout the ten directions, widely benefiting beings.

自惟失此利，我為自欺誑。

I thought that I had lost these benefits, that I had deceived myself.

我常於日夜，每思惟是事，

Day and night I constantly reflected on this matter,

欲以問世尊，為失為不失？

Wanting to ask the World-Honored One: have I lost them or not?

我常見世尊，稱讚諸菩薩，

I constantly saw the World-Honored One praising the Bodhisattvas,

以是於日夜，籌量如此事。

And so day and night I weighed such matters.

今聞佛音聲，隨宜而說法，

Now I hear the Buddha's voice, teaching the Dharma as is fitting,

無漏難思議，令眾至道場。

Free of outflows and beyond conceiving, leading beings to the place of the Way.

我本著邪見，為諸梵志師，

I was originally attached to wrong views, a teacher of the Brahmins,

世尊知我心，拔邪說涅槃。

The World-Honored One knew my mind, removed my wrong views and taught nirvana.

我悉除邪見，於空法得證，

I entirely removed wrong views and realized the Dharma of emptiness,

爾時心自謂，得至於滅度；

And at that time I thought to myself that I had reached extinction;

而今乃自覺，非是實滅度。

But now I realize that it was not true extinction.

若得作佛時，具三十二相，

When one becomes a Buddha, with the thirty-two marks complete,

天人夜叉眾，龍神等恭敬，

Honored by gods, humans, yakshas, dragons, and spirits,

是時乃可謂，永盡滅無餘。

Only then can it be called extinction, forever ended with nothing remaining.

佛於大眾中，說我當作佛，

The Buddha, in the great assembly, said that I will become a Buddha,

聞如是法音，疑悔悉已除。

Hearing such a Dharma sound, my doubts and regrets are entirely removed.

初聞佛所說，心中大驚疑，

When I first heard what the Buddha said, my heart was greatly alarmed and doubtful:

將非魔作佛，惱亂我心耶？

Might it not be Mara disguised as the Buddha, to trouble and confuse my mind?

佛以種種緣、譬喻巧言說，

The Buddha, with all kinds of causes, conditions, and skillful parables,

其心安如海，我聞疑網斷。

Taught with a mind calm as the sea, and hearing him my net of doubt was cut.

佛說過去世，無量滅度佛，

The Buddha says that in past ages countless Buddhas who entered extinction,

安住方便中，亦皆說是法。

Abiding securely in skillful means, also taught this Dharma.

現在未來佛，其數無有量，

The Buddhas of the present and future, their number without measure,

亦以諸方便，演說如是法。

Also use skillful means to expound such Dharma.

如今者世尊，從生及出家、

As for the present World-Honored One, from birth and leaving home,

得道轉法輪，亦以方便說。

Attaining the Way and turning the Dharma wheel, he too teaches by skillful means.

世尊說實道，波旬無此事，

The World-Honored One teaches the true Way; Mara Papiyan has no such thing,

以是我定知，非是魔作佛。

So I know for certain that it is not Mara disguised as the Buddha.

我墮疑網故，謂是魔所為，

Because I had fallen into the net of doubt, I thought it was Mara's doing,

聞佛柔軟音，深遠甚微妙，

But hearing the Buddha's gentle voice, deep, far-reaching, and most wondrous,

演暢清淨法。我心大歡喜，

Expounding the pure Dharma, my heart is greatly joyful,

疑悔永已盡，安住實智中。

My doubts and regrets are ended forever, and I abide securely in true wisdom.

我定當作佛，為天人所敬，

I shall surely become a Buddha, revered by gods and humans,

轉無上法輪，教化諸菩薩。」

Turning the unsurpassed Dharma wheel and teaching all the Bodhisattvas."

爾時佛告舍利弗：「吾今於天、人、沙門、婆羅門等大眾中說，我昔曾於二萬億佛所，為無上道故，常教化汝，汝亦長夜隨我受學。我以方便引導汝故，生我法中。舍利弗！我昔教汝志願佛道，汝今悉忘，而便自謂已得滅度。我今還欲令汝憶念本願所行道故，為諸聲聞說是大乘經，名妙法蓮華，教菩薩法，佛所護念。

Then the Buddha said to Shariputra: "Now, in the great assembly of gods, humans, shramanas, Brahmins, and others, I say that in the past, in the presence of twenty billion Buddhas, for the sake of the unsurpassed Way, I constantly taught and transformed you, and you also followed me and received instruction through the long night. Because I led you by skillful means, you were born into my Dharma. Shariputra! In the past I taught you to aspire to the Buddha Way, but you have now forgotten it all, and say to yourself that you have already attained extinction. Now I wish you to recall the original vow and the Way you practiced; therefore, for the Hearers I teach this Great Vehicle sutra called the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma, which instructs Bodhisattvas and is protected and kept in mind by the Buddhas.