The Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma

『我有種種，珍玩之具，妙寶好車，

'I have all kinds of rare playthings, wondrous jewels and fine carts,

羊車鹿車、大牛之車，今在門外。

Goat carts, deer carts, and great ox carts, now outside the gate.

汝等出來，吾為汝等，造作此車，

Come out, and I shall make these carts for you,

隨意所樂，可以遊戲。』諸子聞說，

To whatever you like, to play with.' The sons, hearing of

如此諸車，即時奔競，馳走而出，

Such carts, immediately race and run out,

到於空地，離諸苦難。長者見子，

Reaching open ground, free of suffering and danger. The elder, seeing his sons

得出火宅，住於四衢。坐師子座，

Escaped from the burning house, stands at the crossroads, sits on the lion seat,

而自慶言：『我今快樂！此諸子等，

And congratulates himself: 'Now I am happy! These sons,

生育甚難，愚小無知，而入險宅。

Hard to bear and raise, foolish and young and without understanding, entered a dangerous house,

多諸毒蟲，魑魅可畏，大火猛炎，

With many poisonous insects, frightening sprites, and a great fire with fierce flames

四面俱起。而此諸子，貪樂嬉戲。

Rising on all four sides. Yet these sons are greedy for play.

我已救之，令得脫難。是故諸人，

I have saved them and let them escape the disaster. So, everyone,

我今快樂。』爾時諸子，知父安坐，

I am now happy.' Then the sons, knowing their father is sitting at ease,

皆詣父所，而白父言：『願賜我等，

All go to their father and say to him: 'Please give us

三種寶車。如前所許：「諸子出來，

The three kinds of jeweled carts, as you promised before: "Sons, come out,

當以三車，隨汝所欲。」今正是時，

And I shall give you three carts, as you wish." Now is the time,

唯垂給與。』長者大富，庫藏眾多，

We only beg you to give them.' The elder is very rich, with many storehouses,

金銀琉璃、車𤦲馬腦，以眾寶物，

Gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell, agate, and many jewels,

造諸大車。莊校嚴飾，周匝欄楯，

With which he makes great carts. Adorned and decorated, with railings all around,

四面懸鈴，金繩交絡。真珠羅網，

Bells hung on four sides, and golden cords interlaced. Nets of pearls

張施其上，金華諸瓔，處處垂下，

Are spread over them, and golden flowers and necklaces hang down everywhere,

眾綵雜飾，周匝圍繞，柔軟繒纊，

Mixed with many colors and surrounding them, with soft silk and cotton

以為茵蓐。上妙細㲲，價直千億，

Made into cushions. Fine, wondrous, delicate cloth worth a thousand billion

鮮白淨潔，以覆其上。有大白牛，

Bright, white, and clean, covers them. There are great white oxen,

肥壯多力，形體姝好，以駕寶車。

Fat, strong, powerful, and beautiful in form, yoked to the jeweled carts.

多諸儐從，而侍衛之。以是妙車，

Many attendants guard them. With these wondrous carts,

等賜諸子。諸子是時，歡喜踴躍，

He gives equally to his sons. The sons at this time are joyful and leap with delight,

乘是寶車，遊於四方，嬉戲快樂，

Riding the jeweled carts, traveling in all directions, playing and enjoying themselves,

自在無礙。告舍利弗：『我亦如是，

Free and unobstructed. I tell you, Shariputra: 'I too am like this,

眾聖中尊，世間之父。一切眾生，

Honored among the holy ones, the father of the world. All beings

皆是吾子，深著世樂，無有慧心。

Are my sons, deeply attached to worldly pleasures, without a mind of wisdom.

三界無安，猶如火宅，眾苦充滿，

The three realms are not safe, like a burning house, filled with many sufferings,

甚可怖畏。常有生老、病死憂患，

Most frightening. There are always the worries of birth, old age, sickness, and death,

如是等火，熾然不息。如來已離，

Such fires blaze without rest. The Tathagata has already left

三界火宅，寂然閑居，安處林野。

The burning house of the three realms, dwelling in quiet leisure, at peace in forest and wilds.

今此三界，皆是我有，其中眾生，

Now these three realms all belong to me, and the beings within them

悉是吾子。而今此處，多諸患難，

Are all my sons. Yet this place now has many dangers,

唯我一人，能為救護。雖復教詔，

And I alone can save and protect them. Though I teach and instruct,

而不信受，於諸欲染，貪著深故。

They do not believe or accept it, because they are deeply attached to desire and defilement.

以是方便，為說三乘，令諸眾生，

By this skillful means, I teach the Three Vehicles, so that beings

知三界苦，開示演說，出世間道。

May know the suffering of the three realms, and I reveal and expound the Way beyond the world.

是諸子等，若心決定，具足三明，

These sons, if their minds are resolved, fully endowed with the three insights

及六神通，有得緣覺、不退菩薩。

And the six spiritual powers, some will become Pratyekabuddhas and non-retreating Bodhisattvas.

汝舍利弗！我為眾生，以此譬喻，

You, Shariputra! For beings I use this parable

說一佛乘。汝等若能，信受是語，

To teach the One Buddha Vehicle. If you can

一切皆當，得成佛道。是乘微妙、

Believe and accept these words, all of you will attain the Buddha Way. This vehicle is subtle and wondrous,

清淨第一，於諸世間，為無有上，

Pure and foremost, unsurpassed in all the world,

佛所悅可。一切眾生，所應稱讚、

Delighted in by the Buddha, to be praised by all beings,

供養禮拜。無量億千，諸力解脫、

And made offerings to and bowed before. Countless billions of thousands of powers and liberations,

禪定智慧，及佛餘法，得如是乘。

Meditation, wisdom, and the other Buddha dharmas are gained in this vehicle.

令諸子等，日夜劫數，常得遊戲，

Let the sons, through days, nights, and kalpas, always play

與諸菩薩，及聲聞眾，乘此寶乘，

With the Bodhisattvas and the assembly of Hearers, riding this jeweled vehicle,

直至道場。以是因緣，十方諦求，

Straight to the place of the Way. For this reason, seek everywhere in the ten directions,

更無餘乘，除佛方便。』告舍利弗：

And there is no other vehicle, except the Buddha's skillful means.' I tell Shariputra:

『汝諸人等，皆是吾子，我則是父。

'All of you are my sons, and I am your father.

汝等累劫，眾苦所燒，我皆濟拔，

You, through kalpas, were burned by many sufferings, and I rescued you all,

令出三界。我雖先說：「汝等滅度。」

Letting you leave the three realms. Though I said earlier: "You have attained extinction,"

但盡生死，而實不滅；今所應作，

It was only that birth and death were ended, and it was not true extinction; what should now be done

唯佛智慧。若有菩薩，於是眾中，

Is only the Buddha's wisdom. If there are Bodhisattvas in this assembly

能一心聽，諸佛實法。諸佛世尊，

Who can listen single-mindedly to the true Dharma of the Buddhas: the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones,