Lotus Sutra of the Wondrous Dharma, Volume Two

萬億諸佛，隨佛所行，漸具大道。

billions of Buddhas, follow what the Buddhas practiced, and gradually fulfill the great Way.

最後身得，三十二相，端正姝妙，

In his last body he will have the thirty-two marks, upright and exquisite,

猶如寶山。其佛國土，嚴淨第一，

like a mountain of jewels. His Buddha land will be supremely adorned and pure,

眾生見者，無不愛樂，佛於其中，

and none of the beings who see it will fail to love it; the Buddha in it

度無量眾。其佛法中，多諸菩薩，

will save limitless multitudes. In that Buddha's Dharma there will be many Bodhisattvas,

皆悉利根，轉不退輪，彼國常以，

all of sharp faculties, turning the wheel of non-retrogression; that land will always be

菩薩莊嚴。諸聲聞眾，不可稱數，

adorned by Bodhisattvas. The assembly of Shravakas, beyond counting,

皆得三明，具六神通，住八解脫，

will all attain the three knowledges, possess the six spiritual powers, abide in the eight liberations,

有大威德。其佛說法，現於無量，

and have great awesome virtue. That Buddha's preaching of the Dharma will manifest limitless

神通變化，不可思議。諸天人民，

spiritual transformations, inconceivable. Gods and humans,

數如恆沙，皆共合掌，聽受佛語。

as many as the sands of the Ganges, will all join palms and listen to the Buddha's words.

其佛當壽，十二小劫，正法住世，

That Buddha's lifespan will be twelve small kalpas, the True Dharma will remain in the world

二十小劫，像法亦住，二十小劫。」

for twenty small kalpas, and the Semblance Dharma will also remain for twenty small kalpas."

爾時世尊復告諸比丘眾：「我今語汝，是大迦旃延，於當來世，以諸供具，供養奉事八千億佛，恭敬尊重。諸佛滅後，各起塔廟，高千由旬，縱廣正等五百由旬，皆以金、銀、琉璃、車𤦲，馬瑙、真珠、玫瑰七寶合成，眾華、瓔珞、塗香、末香、燒香、繒蓋、幢幡，供養塔廟。過是已後，當復供養二萬億佛，亦復如是。供養是諸佛已，具菩薩道，當得作佛。號曰閻浮那提金光如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊。其土平正，頗梨為地，寶樹莊嚴，黃金為繩以界道側，妙華覆地，周遍清淨，見者歡喜。無四惡道——地獄、餓鬼、畜生、阿修羅道，多有天、人、諸聲聞眾及諸菩薩，無量萬億莊嚴其國。佛壽十二小劫，正法住世二十小劫，像法亦住二十小劫。」

At that time the World-Honored One again told the assembly of monks: "I now tell you, this great Katyayana, in a future age, with all kinds of offerings, will make offerings to and serve eight thousand billion Buddhas, with reverence and honor. After those Buddhas pass into extinction, he will build stupas for each, a thousand yojanas high (a yojana being about forty li), five hundred yojanas in length and width, all made of the seven treasures: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell, agate, pearl and rose-crystal, and with many flowers, necklaces, perfumed paste, powdered incense, burning incense, silk canopies, banners and pennants, will make offerings to the stupas. After this he will again make offerings to twenty billion Buddhas, and it will be the same. Having made offerings to these Buddhas, he will fulfill the Bodhisattva way and become a Buddha. He will be named Jambunada Golden Light Tathagata, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One. His land will be level and even, with crystal as ground, adorned with jeweled trees, with ropes of yellow gold marking the sides of the roads, and wonderful flowers covering the ground, everywhere clean and pure, delighting all who see it. There will be no four evil paths: the paths of hell, hungry ghosts, animals and asuras; there will be many gods, humans, Shravakas and Bodhisattvas, countless tens of thousands of billions, adorning his country. The Buddha's lifespan will be twelve small kalpas, the True Dharma will remain in the world for twenty small kalpas, and the Semblance Dharma will also remain for twenty small kalpas."

爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：

At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:

「諸比丘眾、皆一心聽，如我所說，

"Assembly of monks, all listen with one mind: what I say

真實無異。是迦栴延，當以種種，

is true and does not differ. This Katyayana will, with all kinds of

妙好供具，供養諸佛。諸佛滅後，

fine and excellent offerings, make offerings to the Buddhas. After the Buddhas' extinction,

起七寶塔，亦以華香，供養舍利。

he will build stupas of the seven treasures, and with flowers and incense make offerings to the relics.

其最後身，得佛智慧，成等正覺。

In his last body, he will attain the Buddha's wisdom and complete perfect enlightenment.

國土清淨，度脫無量，萬億眾生，

His land will be pure, and he will save and deliver limitless

皆為十方，之所供養。佛之光明，

billions of beings, who will all be given offerings by the ten directions. The Buddha's light

無能勝者。其佛號曰，閻浮金光。

will be unsurpassed. That Buddha will be named Jambunada Golden Light.

菩薩聲聞，斷一切有，無量無數，

Bodhisattvas and Shravakas, who have cut off all existence, limitless and countless,

莊嚴其國。」

will adorn his country."

爾時世尊復告大眾：「我今語汝，是大目犍連，當以種種供具供養八千諸佛，恭敬尊重。諸佛滅後，各起塔廟，高千由旬，縱廣正等五百由旬，皆以金、銀、琉璃、車𤦲、馬瑙、真珠、玫瑰、七寶合成，眾華、瓔珞、塗香、末香、燒香、繒蓋、幢幡，以用供養。過是已後，當復供養二百萬億諸佛，亦復如是。當得成佛，號曰多摩羅跋栴檀香如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊。劫名喜滿，國名意樂。其土平正，頗梨為地，寶樹莊嚴，散真珠華，周遍清淨，見者歡喜。多諸天、人、菩薩、聲聞，其數無量。佛壽二十四小劫，正法住世四十小劫，像法亦住四十小劫。」

At that time the World-Honored One again told the assembly: "I now tell you, this great Maudgalyayana will, with all kinds of offerings, make offerings to eight thousand Buddhas, with reverence and honor. After those Buddhas pass into extinction, he will build stupas for each, a thousand yojanas high, five hundred yojanas in length and width, all made of the seven treasures: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell, agate, pearl and rose-crystal, and with many flowers, necklaces, perfumed paste, powdered incense, burning incense, silk canopies, banners and pennants, will use them for offerings. After this he will again make offerings to two million billion Buddhas, and it will be the same. He will become a Buddha, named Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance Tathagata, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One. The kalpa will be named Full of Joy, and the country named Delight of the Mind. His land will be level and even, with crystal as ground, adorned with jeweled trees, with pearl flowers scattered, everywhere clean and pure, delighting all who see it. There will be many gods, humans, Bodhisattvas and Shravakas, their number limitless. The Buddha's lifespan will be twenty-four small kalpas, the True Dharma will remain in the world for forty small kalpas, and the Semblance Dharma will also remain for forty small kalpas."

爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：

At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:

「我此弟子、大目犍連，捨是身已，

"This disciple of mine, great Maudgalyayana, after giving up this body,

得見八千，二百萬億，諸佛世尊。

will be able to see eight thousand, two million billion

為佛道故，供養恭敬，於諸佛所，

Buddhas, World-Honored Ones. For the sake of the Buddha's way he will make offerings and revere them, and in the places of the Buddhas

常修梵行，於無量劫，奉持佛法。

constantly practice noble conduct, and for limitless kalpas uphold the Buddha's Dharma.

諸佛滅後，起七寶塔，長表金剎，

After the Buddhas' extinction, he will build stupas of the seven treasures, with long golden poles,

華香伎樂，而以供養，諸佛塔廟。

and with flowers, incense and music make offerings to the Buddhas' stupas and temples.

漸漸具足，菩薩道已，於意樂國，

Gradually fulfilling the Bodhisattva way, in the country of Delight of the Mind

而得作佛。號多摩羅，栴檀之香。

he will become a Buddha. He will be named Tamalapatra, with the fragrance of sandalwood.

其佛壽命，二十四劫，常為天人，

That Buddha's lifespan will be twenty-four kalpas, and he will always expound the Buddha's way

演說佛道。聲聞無量，如恆河沙，

to gods and humans. His Shravakas will be limitless, like the sands of the Ganges,

三明六通，有大威德。菩薩無數，

with the three knowledges and six spiritual powers and great awesome virtue. His Bodhisattvas will be countless,

志固精進，於佛智慧，皆不退轉。

firm in will and diligent, and none will retreat from the Buddha's wisdom.

佛滅度後，正法當住，四十小劫，

After the Buddha's extinction, the True Dharma will remain for forty small kalpas,

像法亦爾。我諸弟子，威德具足，

and the Semblance Dharma likewise. My disciples, complete in awesome virtue,

其數五百，皆當授記。於未來世、

numbering five hundred, will all be given predictions. In a future age,

鹹得成佛。我及汝等，宿世因緣，

all will become Buddhas. The causes and conditions of me and you from past lives,

吾今當說，汝等善聽。」

I will now tell; listen well, all of you."

佛告諸比丘：「乃往過去無量無邊不可思議阿僧祇劫，爾時有佛，名大通智勝如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊。其國名好成，劫名大相。諸比丘！彼佛滅度已來，甚大久遠，譬如三千大千世界所有地種，假使有人磨以為墨，過於東方千國土乃下一點，大如微塵，又過千國土復下一點，如是展轉盡地種墨。於汝等意云何？是諸國土，若算師，若算師弟子，能得邊際，知其數不？」

The Buddha told the monks: "Long ago in the past, countless, limitless, inconceivable asamkhyeya kalpas ago, there was a Buddha named Mahabhijna Jnanabhibhu Tathagata, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One. His country was named Well Accomplished, and the kalpa was named Great Sign. Monks! It has been very long since that Buddha passed into extinction. Suppose someone ground all the earth in the three thousand great thousand worlds into ink, and passing a thousand lands to the east dropped one speck, as large as a fine dust mote, then passed another thousand lands and dropped another, and in this way continued until the ink made from the earth was exhausted. What do you think? Could a mathematician, or a mathematician's disciple, reach the limit of these lands and know their number?"

「不也，世尊！」

"No, World-Honored One!"

「諸比丘！是人所經國土，若點不點，盡末為塵，一塵一劫；彼佛滅度已來，復過是數無量無邊百千萬億阿僧祇劫。我以如來知見力故，觀彼久遠，猶若今日。」

"Monks! The lands that person passed through, whether dotted or not, if all were ground into dust, and each dust mote were one kalpa, then since that Buddha passed into extinction, there have been limitless and boundless hundreds of thousands of billions of asamkhyeya kalpas beyond that number. By the power of the Tathagata's knowledge and vision, I observe that distant time as if it were today."

爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：

At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:

「我念過去世，無量無邊劫，

"I recall past ages, limitless and boundless kalpas ago,

有佛兩足尊，名大通智勝。

there was a Buddha, honored of two-legged beings, named Mahabhijna Jnanabhibhu.

如人以力磨，三千大千土，

As if a person with strength ground the three thousand great thousand lands,

盡此諸地種，皆悉以為墨。

all the earth to its last, and made it all into ink.

過於千國土，乃下一塵點，

Passing a thousand lands, he drops one speck of dust,

如是展轉點，盡此諸塵墨。

and so on in turn, dotting until all this dust-ink is exhausted.

如是諸國土，點與不點等，

All these lands, dotted and undotted alike,

復盡末為塵，一塵為一劫。

are again ground to dust, one dust mote being one kalpa.

此諸微塵數，其劫復過是，

The number of these dust motes, the kalpas exceed it again:

彼佛滅度來，如是無量劫。

since that Buddha passed into extinction, such limitless kalpas have passed.

如來無礙智，知彼佛滅度，

The Tathagata's unobstructed wisdom knows that Buddha's extinction,