Lotus Sutra of the Wondrous Dharma, Volume Two
「『世尊轉法輪，擊甘露法鼓，
"'World-Honored One, turn the Dharma wheel, beat the Dharma drum of sweet dew,
度苦惱眾生，開示涅槃道。
liberate suffering and distressed living beings, reveal the path to nirvana.
唯願受我請，以大微妙音，
We only pray that you will accept our request, and with your great, subtle and wondrous voice,
哀愍而敷演，無量劫習法。』
out of compassion expound the Dharma practiced through immeasurable kalpas.'
「爾時大通智勝如來受十方諸梵天王及十六王子請，即時三轉十二行法輪——若沙門、婆羅門，若天、魔、梵及餘世間所不能轉——謂是苦，是苦集，是苦滅，是苦滅道；及廣說十二因緣法——無明緣行，行緣識，識緣名色，名色緣六入，六入緣觸，觸緣受，受緣愛，愛緣取，取緣有，有緣生，生緣老死憂悲苦惱。無明滅則行滅，行滅則識滅，識滅則名色滅，名色滅則六入滅，六入滅則觸滅，觸滅則受滅，受滅則愛滅，愛滅則取滅，取滅則有滅，有滅則生滅，生滅則老死憂悲苦惱滅。
(The Buddha continued:) "At that time the Tathagata Mahabhijna-jnanabhibhu, having received the request of the Brahma heavenly kings of the ten directions and the sixteen princes, immediately turned the Dharma wheel of three turnings and twelve aspects, which no shramana, brahmin, deva, mara, Brahma or other in the world could turn: namely, this is suffering, this is the origin of suffering, this is the cessation of suffering, and this is the path to the cessation of suffering; and he extensively explained the dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination: ignorance conditions formations, formations condition consciousness, consciousness conditions name and form, name and form condition the six sense bases, the six sense bases condition contact, contact conditions feeling, feeling conditions craving, craving conditions clinging, clinging conditions becoming, becoming conditions birth, and birth conditions old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering and distress. When ignorance ceases, formations cease; when formations cease, consciousness ceases; when consciousness ceases, name and form cease; when name and form cease, the six sense bases cease; when the six sense bases cease, contact ceases; when contact ceases, feeling ceases; when feeling ceases, craving ceases; when craving ceases, clinging ceases; when clinging ceases, becoming ceases; when becoming ceases, birth ceases; and when birth ceases, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering and distress cease.
「佛於天人大眾之中說是法時，六百萬億那由他人，以不受一切法故，而於諸漏心得解脫，皆得深妙禪定，三明、六通，具八解脫。第二、第三、第四說法時，千萬億恆河沙那由他等眾生，亦以不受一切法故，而於諸漏心得解脫。從是已後，諸聲聞眾無量無邊不可稱數。
(The Buddha continued:) "When the Buddha preached this Dharma among the great assembly of devas and humans, six hundred myriad kotis of nayutas of people, because they no longer grasped at any dharma, had their minds liberated from all outflows, and all attained profound and wondrous dhyana concentration, the three clear knowledges and six supernatural powers, and were complete in the eight liberations. At the second, third and fourth preachings, living beings equal to a thousand myriad kotis of nayutas of Ganges sands likewise, because they no longer grasped at any dharma, had their minds liberated from all outflows. From then on, the shravaka assemblies were immeasurable, boundless, and beyond counting.
「爾時十六王子——皆以童子出家而為沙彌，諸根通利，智慧明瞭，已曾供養百千萬億諸佛，淨修梵行，求阿耨多羅三藐三菩提——俱白佛言：『世尊！是諸無量千萬億大德聲聞皆已成就。世尊亦當為我等說阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，我等聞已，皆共修學。世尊！我等志願如來知見，深心所念，佛自證知。』爾時轉輪聖王所將眾中八萬億人，見十六王子出家，亦求出家。王即聽許。
(The Buddha continued:) "At that time the sixteen princes, all of whom had left the household life as boys and become shramaneras (novice monks who have left home but not yet received full ordination), with their faculties keen and their wisdom clear, had already made offerings to a hundred thousand myriad kotis of buddhas, purely practiced the holy life, and sought supreme perfect enlightenment, together said to the Buddha: 'World-Honored One! These immeasurable thousands of myriads of kotis of great and virtuous shravakas have all accomplished it. World-Honored One, you should also preach for us the Dharma of supreme perfect enlightenment, and after we hear it, we will all practice and study it together. World-Honored One! Our aspiration is for the Tathagata's knowledge and vision; what is deeply in our minds the Buddha himself knows through realization.' At that time, among the people led by the wheel-turning sage king, eighty thousand kotis of persons, seeing the sixteen princes leave the household life, also sought to leave home. The king at once permitted it.
「爾時彼佛受沙彌請，過二萬劫已，乃於四眾之中說是大乘經，名『妙法蓮華』，教菩薩法，佛所護念。說是經已，十六沙彌為阿耨多羅三藐三菩提故，皆共受持，諷誦通利。說是經時，十六菩薩沙彌皆悉信受；聲聞眾中，亦有信解；其餘眾生千萬億種，皆生疑惑。佛說是經，於八千劫未曾休廢。說此經已，即入靜室，住於禪定八萬四千劫。是時十六菩薩沙彌，知佛入室寂然禪定，各昇法座，亦於八萬四千劫，為四部眾廣說分別妙法華經。一一皆度六百萬億那由他恆河沙等眾生，示教利喜，令發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。
(The Buddha continued:) "At that time that Buddha, having received the shramaneras' request, after twenty thousand kalpas had passed, then in the midst of the fourfold assembly preached this Mahayana sutra named the 'Wondrous Dharma Lotus Flower', teaching the Dharma of bodhisattvas, protected and kept in mind by the buddhas. After he preached this sutra, the sixteen shramaneras, for the sake of supreme perfect enlightenment, all together received and upheld it, reciting it fluently. When this sutra was preached, the sixteen bodhisattva shramaneras all believed and accepted it; among the shravaka assembly there were also those who believed and understood; but among the rest of the living beings, of a thousand myriad kotis of kinds, all gave rise to doubt. The Buddha preached this sutra for eight thousand kalpas without ever pausing. After preaching this sutra, he at once entered a quiet chamber and remained in dhyana concentration for eighty-four thousand kalpas. At this time the sixteen bodhisattva shramaneras, knowing that the Buddha had entered the chamber in silent dhyana concentration, each ascended the Dharma seat and also for eighty-four thousand kalpas extensively expounded and explained the Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra to the four groups of followers. Each of them liberated six hundred myriad kotis of nayutas of living beings, equal to Ganges sands, teaching, benefiting and gladdening them, causing them to give rise to the mind of supreme perfect enlightenment.
「大通智勝佛過八萬四千劫已，從三昧起，往詣法座安詳而坐，普告大眾：『是十六菩薩沙彌甚為希有，諸根通利，智慧明瞭，已曾供養無量千萬億數諸佛。於諸佛所，常修梵行，受持佛智，開示眾生，令入其中。汝等皆當數數親近而供養之。所以者何？若聲聞、辟支佛及諸菩薩，能信是十六菩薩所說經法，受持不毀者，是人皆當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提、如來之慧。』」
(The Buddha continued:) "After eighty-four thousand kalpas had passed, the Buddha Mahabhijna-jnanabhibhu arose from samadhi, went to the Dharma seat and sat down calmly, and told the great assembly: 'These sixteen bodhisattva shramaneras are most rare, with keen faculties and clear wisdom; they have already made offerings to immeasurable thousands of myriads of kotis of buddhas. Under those buddhas, they constantly practiced the holy life, received and kept the Buddha's wisdom, and revealed it to living beings, causing them to enter into it. You should all repeatedly draw near them and make offerings to them. Why? If shravakas, pratyekabuddhas and bodhisattvas can believe the sutra Dharma preached by these sixteen bodhisattvas, and receive, keep and not slander it, all these people will attain supreme perfect enlightenment and the wisdom of the Tathagata.'"
佛告諸比丘：「是十六菩薩常樂說是妙法蓮華經。一一菩薩所化六百萬億那由他恆河沙等眾生，世世所生與菩薩俱，從其聞法，悉皆信解，以此因緣，得值四百萬億諸佛世尊，於今不盡。
The Buddha told the bhikshus: "These sixteen bodhisattvas constantly delighted in preaching this Wondrous Dharma Lotus Sutra. Each bodhisattva transformed six hundred myriad kotis of nayutas of living beings, equal to Ganges sands, who in life after life were born together with the bodhisattvas, heard the Dharma from them, and all believed and understood it; through this cause and condition, they have been able to meet four hundred myriad kotis of buddha World-Honored Ones, and this has not been exhausted to this day.
「諸比丘！我今語汝：『彼佛弟子十六沙彌，今皆得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，於十方國土現在說法，有無量百千萬億菩薩、聲聞以為眷屬。其二沙彌，東方作佛，一名阿閦，在歡喜國，二名須彌頂；東南方二佛，一名師子音，二名師子相；南方二佛，一名虛空住，二名常滅；西南方二佛，一名帝相，二名梵相；西方二佛，一名阿彌陀，二名度一切世間苦惱；西北方二佛，一名多摩羅跋栴檀香神通，二名須彌相；北方二佛，一名雲自在，二名雲自在王；東北方佛，名壞一切世間怖畏，第十六我釋迦牟尼佛於娑婆國土成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』
(The Buddha continued:) "Bhikshus! Now I say to you: 'The sixteen shramaneras, disciples of that Buddha, have now all attained supreme perfect enlightenment and are at present preaching the Dharma in lands of the ten directions, with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of bodhisattvas and shravakas as their retinue. Two of the shramaneras became buddhas in the east, one named Akshobhya, in the land of Joy, and the other Sumeru Peak; in the southeast two buddhas, one named Lion Sound and the other Lion Mark; in the south two buddhas, one named Dwelling in Space and the other Constant Extinction; in the southwest two buddhas, one named Emperor Mark and the other Brahma Mark; in the west two buddhas, one named Amitabha and the other Liberator from All Worldly Suffering and Distress; in the northwest two buddhas, one named Tamalapatra Sandalwood Fragrance Supernatural Power and the other Sumeru Mark; in the north two buddhas, one named Cloud Sovereign and the other Cloud Sovereign King; the buddha in the northeast is named Destroyer of All Worldly Fears; and the sixteenth is I, Shakyamuni Buddha, who have attained supreme perfect enlightenment in the Saha land.'
「諸比丘！我等為沙彌時，各各教化無量百千萬億恆河沙等眾生，從我聞法，為阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。此諸眾生，於今有住聲聞地者，我常教化阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是諸人等，應以是法漸入佛道。所以者何？如來智慧，難信難解。爾時所化無量恆河沙等眾生者，汝等諸比丘，及我滅度後未來世中聲聞弟子是也。我滅度後，復有弟子不聞是經，不知不覺菩薩所行，自於所得功德生滅度想，當入涅槃。我於餘國作佛，更有異名。是人雖生滅度之想入於涅槃，而於彼土求佛智慧，得聞是經，唯以佛乘而得滅度，更無餘乘，除諸如來方便說法。
(The Buddha continued:) "Bhikshus! When we were shramaneras, each of us taught and transformed immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of living beings equal to Ganges sands, who heard the Dharma from me for the sake of supreme perfect enlightenment. Among these living beings, there are still some now dwelling on the shravaka ground, and I constantly teach them supreme perfect enlightenment. These people should gradually enter the Buddha Way by this Dharma. Why? The wisdom of the Tathagata is hard to believe and hard to understand. Those immeasurable living beings equal to Ganges sands who were transformed at that time are you bhikshus, and the shravaka disciples of the future after my extinction. After my extinction, there will again be disciples who do not hear this sutra, do not know or realize what bodhisattvas practice, and, on the merit they have gained, give rise to the thought of extinction and are about to enter nirvana. I will become a buddha in other lands and have a different name. Though these people give rise to the thought of extinction and enter nirvana, in that land they will seek the Buddha's wisdom, and on hearing this sutra, will attain extinction only through the Buddha Vehicle, and there is no other vehicle, except for the expedient teachings of the tathagatas.
「諸比丘！若如來自知涅槃時到，眾又清淨、信解堅固、了達空法、深入禪定，便集諸菩薩及聲聞眾，為說是經。世間無有二乘而得滅度，唯一佛乘得滅度耳。比丘當知！如來方便，深入眾生之性，知其志樂小法，深著五欲，為是等故說於涅槃。是人若聞，則便信受。
(The Buddha continued:) "Bhikshus! If the Tathagata himself knows that the time of nirvana has come, and the assembly is again pure, with firm faith and understanding, thoroughly comprehending the dharma of emptiness and deeply entered into dhyana concentration, then he gathers the bodhisattvas and the shravaka assembly and preaches this sutra for them. In the world there is no attainment of extinction through two vehicles; only through the one Buddha Vehicle is extinction attained. Bhikshus, you should know! The Tathagata's expedient means penetrate deeply into the nature of living beings; knowing that their aspirations delight in the lesser dharma and that they are deeply attached to the five desires, for the sake of these people he speaks of nirvana. If these people hear it, they then believe and accept it.
「譬如五百由旬險難惡道，曠絕無人、怖畏之處。若有多眾，欲過此道至珍寶處。有一導師，聰慧明達，善知險道通塞之相，將導眾人慾過此難。所將人眾中路懈退，白導師言：『我等疲極，而復怖畏，不能復進；前路猶遠，今欲退還。』導師多諸方便而作是念：『此等可愍，云何捨大珍寶而欲退還？』作是念已，以方便力，於險道中過三百由旬，化作一城，告眾人言：『汝等勿怖，莫得退還。今此大城，可於中止，隨意所作。若入是城，快得安隱。若能前至寶所，亦可得去。』是時疲極之眾，心大歡喜，歎未曾有：『我等今者免斯惡道，快得安隱。』於是眾人前入化城，生已度想、生安隱想。爾時導師，知此人眾既得止息，無復疲惓。即滅化城，語眾人言：『汝等去來，寶處在近。曏者大城，我所化作，為止息耳。』
(The Buddha continued:) "It is like a dangerous and evil road of five hundred yojanas, desolate, without people, a place of fear. Suppose there is a large group of people who wish to cross this road to a place of precious treasures. There is one guide, intelligent and discerning, who knows well the open and blocked aspects of the dangerous road, and who leads the group wishing to pass through this difficulty. Midway, the people he leads grow weary and wish to give up, and say to the guide: 'We are utterly exhausted and also afraid, and cannot go on; the road ahead is still far, and now we wish to turn back.' The guide, with many expedient means, thinks: 'These people are pitiable; how can they give up the great treasures and wish to turn back?' Having thought this, by the power of expedient means, in the dangerous road, after three hundred yojanas he conjures up a city, and tells the people: 'Do not be afraid, do not turn back. Here is this great city, where you may rest and do as you please. If you enter this city, you will be quickly at ease. And if you are able to go on to the place of treasure, you can also go.' Then the exhausted people were greatly delighted and sighed at what had never been: 'We have now escaped this evil road and will quickly be at peace.' Thereupon the people went forward into the conjured city, and thought they had crossed over and felt secure. At that time the guide, knowing that the people had rested and no longer were weary, at once made the conjured city vanish and said to them: 'Come, let us go; the place of treasure is near. The great city before was something I conjured up merely as a place to rest.'
「諸比丘！如來亦復如是，今為汝等作大導師，知諸生死煩惱惡道險難長遠，應去應度。若眾生但聞一佛乘者，則不欲見佛，不欲親近，便作是念：『佛道長遠，久受懃苦乃可得成。』佛知是心怯弱下劣，以方便力，而於中道為止息故，說二涅槃。若眾生住於二地，如來爾時即便為說：『汝等所作未辦，汝所住地，近於佛慧，當觀察籌量所得涅槃非真實也。但是如來方便之力，於一佛乘分別說三。』如彼導師，為止息故，化作大城。既知息已，而告之言：『寶處在近，此城非實，我化作耳。』」爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：
(The Buddha continued:) "Bhikshus! The Tathagata is also like this. Now I act as a great guide for you, knowing that the dangerous and difficult evil road of birth and death and affliction is long and far, and that it should be traversed and crossed. If living beings only heard of the one Buddha Vehicle, they would not wish to see the Buddha, would not wish to draw near him, and would think: 'The Buddha Way is long and far; one must endure hard toil for a long time before it can be attained.' The Buddha, knowing that their minds are timid and inferior, by the power of expedient means, in order to give them rest midway, teaches two kinds of nirvana. If living beings dwell on the two grounds, the Tathagata then speaks to them: 'What you have to do is not yet done; the ground where you dwell is near the Buddha's wisdom; you should observe and consider that the nirvana you have attained is not real. It is only the Tathagata's power of expedient means that, from the one Buddha Vehicle, distinguishes and speaks of three.' It is like that guide who, in order to give rest, conjured up a great city. Having known that they have rested, he tells them: 'The place of treasure is near; this city is not real, it is only something I conjured up.'" Then the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:
「大通智勝佛，十劫坐道場，
"The Buddha Mahabhijna-jnanabhibhu sat ten kalpas at the site of the Way,
佛法不現前，不得成佛道。
the Buddha Dharma did not appear before him, and he could not attain the Buddha Way.
諸天神龍王、阿修羅眾等，
The devas, spirits, dragon kings, asura hosts and others
常雨於天華，以供養彼佛。
constantly rained heavenly flowers as offerings to that Buddha.
諸天擊天鼓，並作眾伎樂，
The devas beat heavenly drums and played all kinds of music,
香風吹萎華，更雨新好者。
fragrant winds blew away withered flowers, and fresh fine ones rained again.
過十小劫已，乃得成佛道，
After ten small kalpas had passed, only then did he attain the Buddha Way,
諸天及世人，心皆懷踴躍。
and the devas and people of the world all felt joy leaping in their hearts.
彼佛十六子，皆與其眷屬，
That Buddha's sixteen sons, together with their retinues,
千萬億圍繞，俱行至佛所，
surrounded by thousands of myriads of kotis, all went together to where the Buddha was,
頭面禮佛足，而請轉法輪：
bowed with heads and faces at the Buddha's feet, and asked him to turn the Dharma wheel:
『聖師子法雨，充我及一切。』
'Holy lion, may the rain of the Dharma fill us and all.'
世尊甚難值，久遠時一現，
The World-Honored One is very hard to meet, appearing once in a long, long time,
為覺悟群生，震動於一切。
to awaken the multitude of beings, shaking everything.
東方諸世界，五百萬億國，
In the worlds of the east, in five hundred myriad kotis of lands,
梵宮殿光曜，昔所未曾有。
the palaces of Brahma shone with a brilliance never before seen.
諸梵見此相，尋來至佛所，
The Brahmas, seeing this sign, came to where the Buddha was,
散花以供養，並奉上宮殿，
scattered flowers as offerings, and presented their palaces,
請佛轉法輪，以偈而讚歎。
asked the Buddha to turn the Dharma wheel, and praised him in verse.
佛知時未至，受請默然坐。
The Buddha, knowing the time had not yet come, accepted their request and sat silent.
三方及四維、上下亦復爾，
In the three other directions, the four intermediate directions, up and down, it was likewise,
散花奉宮殿，請佛轉法輪：
they scattered flowers, offered palaces, and asked the Buddha to turn the Dharma wheel:
『世尊甚難值，願以大慈悲，
'The World-Honored One is very hard to meet; may you, with great compassion,
廣開甘露門，轉無上法輪。』
widely open the gate of sweet dew and turn the supreme Dharma wheel.'
無量慧世尊，受彼眾人請，
The World-Honored One of immeasurable wisdom, accepting the request of that multitude,
為宣種種法：『四諦十二緣，
proclaimed various dharmas for them: 'The four noble truths and the twelve links,
無明至老死，皆從生緣有。
from ignorance to old age and death, all arise from the condition of birth.
如是眾過患，汝等應當知。』
Such are the many faults and sufferings; you should know them.'
宣暢是法時，六百萬億姟，
When he proclaimed this Dharma, six hundred myriad ten-thousand-kotis
得盡諸苦際，皆成阿羅漢。
reached the end of all suffering and all became arhats.
第二說法時，千萬恆沙眾，
At the second preaching, a multitude equal to a thousand myriad Ganges sands,
於諸法不受，亦得阿羅漢。
no longer grasping at any dharmas, also became arhats.
從是後得道，其數無有量，
From then on, those who attained the Way were beyond measure in number,
萬億劫算數，不能得其邊。
which could not be reckoned even through ten thousand kotis of kalpas.
時十六王子，出家作沙彌，
At that time the sixteen princes left the household life and became shramaneras,
皆共請彼佛，演說大乘法：
and all together asked that Buddha to expound the Mahayana Dharma:
『我等及營從，皆當成佛道，
'We and our followers should all attain the Buddha Way,
願得如世尊，慧眼第一淨。』
may we be like the World-Honored One, with the wisdom eye, supreme in purity.'
佛知童子心，宿世之所行，
The Buddha, knowing the hearts of the youths and what they had practiced in former lives,
以無量因緣、種種諸譬喻，
with immeasurable causes and conditions and various parables,
說六波羅蜜，及諸神通事。
spoke of the six paramitas and the matters of supernatural powers.
分別真實法，菩薩所行道，
He distinguished the true dharma and the path that bodhisattvas practice,
說是法華經，如恆河沙偈。
and preached this Lotus Sutra in verses as many as Ganges sands.
彼佛說經已，靜室入禪定，
After that Buddha had preached the sutra, he entered dhyana concentration in a quiet chamber,
一心一處坐，八萬四千劫。
sitting with one mind in one place for eighty-four thousand kalpas.