The Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma

抄劫竊盜，如是等罪，橫羅其殃。

plunder or steal, such offenses as these bring misfortune upon him unjustly.

如斯罪人，永不見佛，眾聖之王，

Such an offender never sees the Buddha, king of all the sages,

說法教化。如斯罪人，常生難處，

preaching the Dharma and teaching. Such an offender is always born in difficult places,

狂聾心亂，永不聞法。於無數劫、

mad, deaf and confused in mind, and never hears the Dharma. For countless kalpas,

如恆河沙，生輒聾瘂，諸根不具。

as many as the sands of the Ganges, at birth he is deaf and mute, his faculties incomplete.

常處地獄，如遊園觀，在餘惡道，

He always dwells in hell as if roaming a garden, and in the other evil paths

如己舍宅，駝驢豬狗，是其行處。

as if in his own house; camels, donkeys, pigs and dogs are where he goes.

謗斯經故，獲罪如是。若得為人，

Because he slandered this sutra, he receives such punishment. If he gets to be human,

聾盲瘖瘂、貧窮諸衰，以自莊嚴。

deafness, blindness, muteness, poverty and all kinds of decline serve as his adornment.

水腫乾痟、疥癩癰疽、如是等病，

Dropsy, wasting, mange, abscesses and boils, such illnesses as these

以為衣服。身常臭處，垢穢不淨，

are his clothing. His body is always in a foul place, filthy and unclean,

深著我見，增益瞋恚，婬欲熾盛，

deeply attached to the view of self, increasing anger and hatred, with lust blazing,

不擇禽獸。謗斯經故，獲罪如是。』

not even choosing among birds and beasts. Because he slandered this sutra, he receives such punishment.'

告舍利弗：『謗斯經者，若說其罪，

He told Shariputra: 'For one who slanders this sutra, if I were to tell of his offenses,

窮劫不盡。以是因緣，我故語汝：

to the end of a kalpa they would not be exhausted. For this reason I tell you:

「無智人中，莫說此經。」若有利根，

"Do not preach this sutra among the unwise." If there are those of sharp faculties,

智慧明瞭，多聞強識，求佛道者，

clear in wisdom, of wide learning and strong memory, seeking the Buddha's way,

如是之人，乃可為說。若人曾見，

to such people it may be preached. If a person has seen

億百千佛，殖諸善本，深心堅固，

hundreds of thousands of billions of Buddhas, planted good roots, and is deep and firm of heart,

如是之人，乃可為說。若人精進，

to such a person it may be preached. If a person is diligent,

常修慈心，不惜身命，乃可為說。

always cultivates a compassionate mind, and does not spare body or life, to him it may be preached.

若人恭敬，無有異心，離諸凡愚，

If a person is reverent, without a divided mind, and keeps apart from the common and foolish,

獨處山澤，如是之人，乃可為說。

dwelling alone in mountains and marshes, to such a person it may be preached.

又舍利弗！若見有人，捨惡知識，

Again, Shariputra! If you see a person who abandons evil friends

親近善友，如是之人，乃可為說。

and draws close to good friends, to such a person it may be preached.

若見佛子，持戒清潔，如淨明珠，

If you see a child of the Buddha who keeps the precepts pure, like a clear bright pearl,

求大乘經，如是之人，乃可為說。

and seeks the Mahayana sutras, to such a person it may be preached.

若人無瞋，質直柔軟，常愍一切，

If a person is without anger, honest and gentle, always compassionate to all,

恭敬諸佛，如是之人，乃可為說。

and reverent to the Buddhas, to such a person it may be preached.

復有佛子，於大眾中，以清淨心，

Again, there are children of the Buddha who, in the great assembly, with a pure mind,

種種因緣、譬喻言辭，說法無礙，

with all kinds of causes, conditions, parables and words, preach the Dharma without obstruction;

如是之人，乃可為說。若有比丘，

to such a person it may be preached. If there is a monk

為一切智，四方求法，合掌頂受，

who, for the sake of omniscience, seeks the Dharma in all directions, receives it with palms joined and head bowed,

但樂受持，大乘經典，乃至不受，

and only delights in receiving and upholding the Mahayana scriptures, and does not accept even

餘經一偈，如是之人，乃可為說。

a single verse of other sutras, to such a person it may be preached.

如人至心，求佛舍利，如是求經，

Like a person who seeks the Buddha's relics with utmost sincerity, one who seeks the sutra in this way,

得已頂受，其人不復，志求餘經，

and having obtained it receives it on his head, who no longer

亦未曾念，外道典籍，如是之人，

seeks other sutras, and never thinks of the books of outer paths, to such a person

乃可為說。』告舍利弗：『我說是相，

it may be preached.' He told Shariputra: 'If I were to speak of the marks of those who

求佛道者，窮劫不盡。』如是等人，

seek the Buddha's way, to the end of a kalpa I could not exhaust them.' To such people

則能信解，汝當為說，妙法華經。」

who can believe and understand, you should preach the Lotus Sutra of the Wondrous Dharma."

爾時慧命須菩提、摩訶迦旃延、摩訶迦葉、摩訶目犍連，從佛所聞未曾有法，世尊授舍利弗阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記，發希有心，歡喜踴躍，即從座起，整衣服偏袒右肩，右膝著地，一心合掌，曲躬恭敬，瞻仰尊顏而白佛言：「我等居僧之首，年竝朽邁，自謂已得涅槃，無所堪任，不復進求阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。世尊往昔說法既久，我時在座，身體疲懈，但念空、無相、無作，於菩薩法——遊戲神通、淨佛國土、成就眾生——心不喜樂。所以者何？世尊令我等出於三界，得涅槃證。又今我等年已朽邁，於佛教化菩薩阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，不生一念好樂之心。我等今於佛前，聞授聲聞阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記，心甚歡喜，得未曾有。不謂於今，忽然得聞希有之法，深自慶幸，獲大善利，無量珍寶、不求自得。

At that time the venerable Subhuti, Mahakatyayana, Mahakashyapa and Mahamaudgalyayana, having heard from the Buddha a Dharma they had never heard, and the World-Honored One having bestowed on Shariputra the prediction of unsurpassed, perfect and complete enlightenment, gave rise to a rare mind, and were joyful and leaping with delight; at once they rose from their seats, straightened their robes, bared their right shoulders, put their right knees on the ground, with one mind joined their palms, bowed reverently, gazed up at the World-Honored One's face, and said to the Buddha: "We are at the head of the monastic community, and all of us are old and decrepit; we told ourselves that we had already attained nirvana, that there was nothing more we could do, and we no longer sought unsurpassed, perfect and complete enlightenment. When the World-Honored One had long been preaching the Dharma, we were present in the assembly, our bodies tired and slack, thinking only of emptiness, signlessness and non-action; as for the Bodhisattva Dharma, to play with spiritual powers, purify Buddha lands and bring beings to maturity, our minds took no delight. Why? Because the World-Honored One had us go beyond the three realms and attain realization of nirvana. And now we are old and decrepit, and regarding the Buddha's teaching and transforming of Bodhisattvas toward unsurpassed, perfect and complete enlightenment, we did not give rise to a single thought of delight. Now, before the Buddha, we have heard predictions of unsurpassed, perfect and complete enlightenment for the Shravakas, and our minds are overjoyed and have gained what we never had before. We never imagined that now we would suddenly hear such a rare Dharma, and we deeply congratulate ourselves on obtaining great and good benefit, limitless treasures obtained without seeking.

「世尊！我等今者樂說譬喻以明斯義。譬若有人，年既幼稚，捨父逃逝，久住他國，或十、二十，至五十歲，年既長大，加復窮困，馳騁四方以求衣食。漸漸遊行，遇向本國。其父先來，求子不得，中止一城。其家大富，財寶無量——金、銀、琉璃、珊瑚、虎珀、頗梨珠等，其諸倉庫，悉皆盈溢；多有僮僕、臣佐、吏民；象馬車乘，牛羊無數——出入息利，乃遍他國，商估賈客亦甚眾多。時貧窮子遊諸聚落，經歷國邑，遂到其父所止之城。父每念子，與子離別五十餘年，而未曾向人說如此事，但自思惟，心懷悔恨，自念老朽，多有財物，金銀珍寶，倉庫盈溢；無有子息，一旦終沒，財物散失，無所委付。是以慇懃每憶其子，復作是念：『我若得子，委付財物，坦然快樂，無復憂慮。』

(Subhuti and the others continued:) "World-Honored One! We now delight in telling a parable to make this meaning clear. Suppose there was a person who, being young and immature, abandoned his father and ran away, and lived long in another country, for ten, twenty, up to fifty years; as he grew older and was also poor and in distress, he roamed in all directions seeking clothing and food. Gradually, wandering, he happened to head toward his home country. His father had earlier searched for his son without finding him, and had stopped in one city. His household was very rich, with limitless wealth and treasures: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, coral, amber, crystal beads and the like, all his storehouses overflowing; he had many servants, ministers, officials and people; elephants, horses, carriages, oxen and sheep without number; his income and interest from lending spread through other countries, and there were very many traveling traders and merchants. At that time the poor son wandered through villages, passed through countries and towns, and at last arrived at the city where his father lived. The father had always thought of his son, having been parted from him for more than fifty years, yet had never spoken of this to anyone, only reflecting by himself, his heart full of regret, thinking: 'I am old and decrepit and have much wealth, gold, silver and treasure, my storehouses overflowing; but I have no child, and one day when I die, my wealth will be scattered and lost, with no one to entrust it to.' So he constantly and earnestly remembered his son, and thought: 'If I could get my son and entrust my wealth to him, I would be at ease and happy, and no longer worry.'

「世尊！爾時窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍，住立門側。遙見其父、踞師子床，寶機承足，諸婆羅門、剎利、居士皆恭敬圍繞，以真珠瓔珞，價直千萬，莊嚴其身；吏民、僮僕，手執白拂，侍立左右。覆以寶帳，垂諸華幡，香水灑地，散眾名華，羅列寶物，出內取與，有如是等種種嚴飾，威德特尊。窮子見父有大力勢，即懷恐怖，悔來至此。竊作是念：『此或是王，或是王等，非我傭力得物之處。不如往至貧裡，肆力有地，衣食易得。若久住此，或見逼迫，強使我作。』作是念已，疾走而去。

(Subhuti and the others continued:) "World-Honored One! At that time the poor son, working for hire as he moved from place to place, came to his father's house and stood at the side of the gate. From afar he saw his father seated on a lion couch with a jeweled footstool beneath his feet, with Brahmins, Kshatriyas and householders all respectfully surrounding him, his body adorned with pearl necklaces worth ten million, with officials, people and servants holding white whisks and standing attendance at his left and right. A jeweled canopy covered him, flowered banners hung down, perfumed water sprinkled the ground, famous flowers were scattered, treasures were laid out, and goods were taken in and given out, with such varied decorations, his majesty and virtue especially exalted. The poor son, seeing that his father had great power and influence, was at once seized with fear and regretted having come there. He thought secretly: 'This is perhaps a king, or one equal to a king; this is not a place where I can earn goods by my labor. It would be better to go to a poor village, where there is room to exert my strength and clothing and food are easy to get. If I stay long here, I may be pressed and forced to work.' Having thought this, he hurried away.

「時富長者於師子座，見子便識，心大歡喜，即作是念：『我財物庫藏，今有所付。我常思念此子，無由見之，而忽自來，甚適我願。我雖年朽，猶故貪惜。』即遣傍人，急追將還。爾時使者，疾走往捉。窮子驚愕，稱怨大喚：『我不相犯，何為見捉？』使者執之愈急，強牽將還。於時窮子，自念無罪，而被囚執，此必定死；轉更惶怖，悶絕躄地。父遙見之，而語使言：『不須此人，勿強將來。以冷水灑面，令得醒悟，莫復與語。』所以者何？父知其子志意下劣，自知豪貴為子所難，審知是子而以方便，不語他人云是我子。使者語之：『我今放汝，隨意所趣。』窮子歡喜，得未曾有，從地而起，往至貧裡、以求衣食。

(Subhuti and the others continued:) "The rich elder, on his lion seat, saw his son and recognized him at once; his heart was greatly delighted, and he thought: 'I now have someone to entrust my treasures and storehouses to. I have always thought of this son, with no way to see him, and now he has suddenly come of himself, which greatly fulfills my wish. Though I am old and decrepit, I still hold on to my wealth greedily.' He at once sent men at his side to hurry after him and bring him back. Then the messengers ran quickly and seized him. The poor son was startled and cried out in complaint: 'I have not offended you; why am I seized?' The messengers held him all the more firmly and forcibly dragged him back. Then the poor son, thinking himself innocent yet imprisoned, was sure that he would die; he became still more terrified and fainted, collapsing on the ground. The father saw it from afar and said to the messengers: 'I do not need this person; do not bring him by force. Sprinkle cold water on his face to bring him to, and do not speak to him again.' Why? The father knew that his son's will was low and inferior, and knew that his own wealth and rank would be hard for his son to face; knowing for certain that he was his son, he used expedient means and did not tell others that this was his son. The messengers said to him: 'I now release you; go wherever you please.' The poor son was delighted, gaining what he never had before, rose from the ground, and went to a poor village to seek clothing and food.

「爾時長者將欲誘引其子而設方便，密遣二人，形色憔悴無威德者：『汝可詣彼，徐語窮子：「此有作處，倍與汝直。」窮子若許，將來使作。若言：「欲何所作？」便可語之：「僱汝除糞。我等二人亦共汝作。」』時二使人即求窮子，既已得之，具陳上事。

(Subhuti and the others continued:) "Then the elder, wishing to draw his son in, devised an expedient and secretly sent two men whose appearance was haggard and without dignity: 'Go to him and gently say to the poor son: "There is work here, and you will be paid double." If the poor son agrees, bring him to work. If he asks: "What work is to be done?" you may tell him: "We are hiring you to clear away dung. We two will also work with you."' Then the two messengers sought out the poor son, and having found him, told him all of the above.

「爾時窮子先取其價，尋與除糞。其父見子，愍而怪之。又以他日，於窓牖中遙見子身，羸瘦憔悴，糞土塵坌，汙穢不淨。即脫瓔珞、細軟上服、嚴飾之具，更著麁弊垢膩之衣，塵土坌身，右手執持除糞之器，狀有所畏。語諸作人：『汝等勤作，勿得懈息。』以方便故，得近其子。後復告言：『咄，男子！汝常此作，勿復餘去，當加汝價。諸有所須瓫器米麵鹽醋之屬，莫自疑難，亦有老弊使人須者相給，好自安意。我如汝父，勿復憂慮。所以者何？我年老大，而汝少壯，汝常作時，無有欺怠瞋恨怨言，都不見汝有此諸惡，如餘作人。自今已後，如所生子。』即時長者、更與作字，名之為兒。爾時窮子雖欣此遇，猶故自謂客作賤人。由是之故，於二十年中常令除糞。過是已後，心相體信，入出無難，然其所止猶在本處。

(Subhuti and the others continued:) "Then the poor son first took his pay and then began to clear away dung with them. His father saw his son, pitied him and was moved. Another day, from a window, he saw from afar his son's body, gaunt and haggard, covered with dung and dust, filthy and unclean. He at once took off his pearl necklaces, his fine soft outer garments and his adorning things, put on coarse, worn, grimy clothes, covered his body with dust, took a dung-clearing tool in his right hand, and looked as if he were afraid of something. He said to the workers: 'You must work diligently and not slack off.' By this expedient he was able to approach his son. Later he said to him: 'Hey, young man! You should always work here and not go elsewhere again; I will raise your pay. Whatever you need, basins, utensils, rice, flour, salt, vinegar and the like, do not hesitate or feel awkward; there are also old worn-out servants whose things can be given to you if you need them; set your mind at ease. I am like your father; do not worry again. Why? I am old and you are young and strong, and when you work, you never cheat, slack off or show anger and resentful words; I have not seen you with these bad habits as with the other workers. From now on, you are like a son born to me.' At once the elder gave him a name and called him his son. Then the poor son, though pleased with this treatment, still thought of himself as a hired lowly person. For this reason, for twenty years he was constantly made to clear away dung. After this, their hearts came to trust each other, and he went in and out without difficulty, yet the place where he stayed was still in the old place.

「世尊，爾時長者有疾，自知將死不久。語窮子言：『我今多有金銀珍寶，倉庫盈溢，其中多少、所應取與，汝悉知之。我心如是，當體此意。所以者何？今我與汝，便為不異，宜加用心，無令漏失。』爾時窮子，即受教勅，領知眾物，金銀珍寶及諸庫藏，而無悕取一飡之意。然其所止故在本處，下劣之心亦未能捨。復經少時，父知子意漸已通泰，成就大志，自鄙先心。臨欲終時，而命其子並會親族、國王、大臣、剎利、居士，皆悉已集，即自宣言：『諸君當知！此是我子，我之所生。於某城中、捨吾逃走，伶俜辛苦五十餘年，其本字某。我名某甲，昔在本城懷憂推覓，忽於此間遇會得之。此實我子，我實其父。今我所有一切財物，皆是子有，先所出內，是子所知。』

(Subhuti and the others continued:) "World-Honored One, at that time the elder fell ill and knew that he would die before long. He said to the poor son: 'I now have much gold, silver and treasure, my storehouses overflowing; how much there is, what should be taken and given out, you know it all. My intention is like this; you should understand this intent. Why? Now you and I are no different; you should take more care and not let anything be lost.' Then the poor son received the instruction, took charge of all the things, the gold, silver, treasures and storehouses, yet had no intention of taking even a single meal's worth. Yet the place where he stayed was still in the old place, and his low and inferior mind had still not been abandoned. After a short time, the father knew that his son's mind had gradually become open and at ease, that he had achieved great aims and despised his earlier mind. When he was about to die, he commanded his son to gather the relatives, the king, ministers, Kshatriyas and householders, and when all had assembled, he declared himself: 'Know this, all of you! This is my son, whom I begot. In a certain city, he abandoned me and ran away, wandering alone in hardship for more than fifty years, and his original name was such and such. My name is so and so; formerly in my home city I searched for him with worry and grief, and suddenly in this place I met and found him. This is truly my son, and I am truly his father. Now all the wealth that I have is my son's, and what was previously paid out and taken in, my son knows.'

「世尊！是時窮子聞父此言，即大歡喜，得未曾有，而作是念：『我本無心有所希求，今此寶藏自然而至。』

(Subhuti and the others continued:) "World-Honored One! Then the poor son, hearing his father's words, was greatly delighted, gaining what he never had before, and thought: 'I originally had no intention of seeking anything, and now this treasure store has come to me of itself.'

「世尊！大富長者則是如來，我等皆似佛子，如來常說我等為子。世尊！我等以三苦故，於生死中受諸熱惱，迷惑無知，樂著小法。今日世尊令我等思惟，蠲除諸法戲論之糞，我等於中勤加精進，得至涅槃一日之價。既得此已，心大歡喜，自以為足，而便自謂：『於佛法中勤精進故，所得弘多。』然世尊先知我等，心著弊欲，樂於小法，便見縱捨，不為分別：『汝等當有如來知見寶藏之分。』世尊以方便力，說如來智慧。我等從佛，得涅槃一日之價，以為大得；於此大乘，無有志求。我等又因如來智慧，為諸菩薩開示演說，而自於此無有志願。所以者何？佛知我等心樂小法，以方便力、隨我等說；而我等不知真是佛子。今我等方知世尊，於佛智慧無所悋惜。所以者何？我等昔來真是佛子，而但樂小法，若我等有樂大之心，佛則為我說大乘法。於此經中唯說一乘，而昔於菩薩前，毀呰聲聞樂小法者，然佛實以大乘教化。是故我等，說本無心有所悕求。今法王大寶自然而至，如佛子所應得者皆已得之。」爾時摩訶迦葉欲重宣此義，而說偈言：

(Subhuti and the others continued:) "World-Honored One! The very rich elder is the Tathagata, and we are all like children of the Buddha, and the Tathagata has always said that we are his children. World-Honored One! Because of the three kinds of suffering, in birth and death we suffered burning distress, deluded and ignorant, delighting in the small Dharma. Today the World-Honored One has made us reflect on and clear away the dung of idle theories about all dharmas, and in this we diligently exerted ourselves and obtained a single day's wage of nirvana. Having obtained this, we were greatly delighted and thought ourselves satisfied, and said to ourselves: 'Because we have been diligent in the Buddha's Dharma, what we have gained is vast.' But the World-Honored One earlier knew that our minds were attached to base desires and delighted in the small Dharma, and so he let us be and did not make distinctions for us: 'You also have a share in the treasure of the Tathagata's knowledge and vision.' By the power of expedient means the World-Honored One spoke of the Tathagata's wisdom. We, following the Buddha, obtained a single day's wage of nirvana and thought it a great gain; for this Mahayana we had no aspiration to seek it. We also, because of the Tathagata's wisdom, explained and expounded it for the Bodhisattvas, yet for ourselves we had no aspiration for it. Why? The Buddha knew that our minds delighted in the small Dharma, and by the power of expedient means he spoke according to us; but we did not know that we were truly children of the Buddha. Now we have only just learned that the World-Honored One is not at all stingy with the Buddha's wisdom. Why? We have truly been children of the Buddha from of old, but only delighted in the small Dharma; if we had had a mind delighting in the great, the Buddha would have taught us the Mahayana Dharma. In this sutra he only speaks of the One Vehicle, whereas formerly before the Bodhisattvas he criticized Shravakas who delight in the small Dharma, yet the Buddha in truth teaches and transforms through the Mahayana. So we say that we originally had no intention of seeking anything. Now the great treasure of the Dharma King has come to us of itself, and all that children of the Buddha should obtain we have already obtained." Then Mahakashyapa, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:

「我等今日，聞佛音教，歡喜踴躍，

"Today we, hearing the Buddha's voice and teaching, are joyful and leaping,

得未曾有。佛說聲聞，當得作佛，

having gained what we never had before. The Buddha says Shravakas will be able to become Buddhas,

無上寶聚，不求自得。譬如童子，

an unsurpassed mass of treasure, gained without seeking. It is like a child,

幼稚無識，捨父逃逝，遠到他土，

young and ignorant, who left his father and ran away, going far to another land,

周流諸國，五十餘年。其父憂念，

wandering through various countries for more than fifty years. His father, anxious and thinking of him,

四方推求，求之既疲，頓止一城，

searched in all directions, and wearied by searching, stopped in one city,

造立舍宅，五欲自娛。其家鉅富，

built a house, and enjoyed himself with the five desires. His household was enormously rich,

多諸金銀、車𤦲馬腦、真珠琉璃；

with much gold and silver, seashell, agate, pearls and lapis lazuli;

象馬牛羊、輦輿車乘；田業僮僕、

elephants, horses, oxen and sheep, hand-carts, sedans and carriages; fields, servants,