Lotus Sutra of the Wondrous Dharma, Fascicle 3

毒不能害，若人惡罵，口則閉塞。

poison cannot hurt them, and if people curse them, their mouths are stopped.

遊行無畏，如師子王，智慧光明，

They travel without fear, like the lion king, and the light of their wisdom

如日之照。若於夢中，但見妙事。

is like the shining of the sun. If in dreams, they see only wonderful things.

見諸如來，坐師子座，諸比丘眾、

They see the Tathagatas seated on lion thrones, with assemblies of bhiksus

圍繞說法。又見龍神、阿修羅等，

surrounding them as they preach the Dharma. They also see dragon gods, asuras and others,

數如恆沙，恭敬合掌，自見其身，

numerous as the sands of the Ganges, reverently joining their palms, and see themselves

而為說法。又見諸佛，身相金色，

preaching the Dharma to them. They also see the Buddhas, their bodies golden in color,

放無量光，照於一切，以梵音聲，

emitting immeasurable light that illuminates all things, with a Brahma voice

演說諸法。佛為四眾，說無上法，

expounding all dharmas. The Buddha preaches the unsurpassed Dharma to the four assemblies,

見身處中，合掌讚佛，聞法歡喜，

and they see themselves in the midst, joining palms and praising the Buddha, hearing the Dharma with joy

而為供養，得陀羅尼，證不退智。

and making offerings, attaining dharanis and realizing the wisdom of non-retrogression.

佛知其心，深入佛道，即為授記，

The Buddha knows their minds have deeply entered the Buddha's Way, and at once predicts

成最正覺：『汝善男子！當於來世，

their attainment of perfect enlightenment: 'You, good man, in a future age

得無量智，佛之大道。國土嚴淨，

will attain immeasurable wisdom and the great Way of the Buddha. Your land will be adorned and pure,

廣大無比；亦有四眾，合掌聽法。』

vast and without compare; there will also be four assemblies who join their palms and listen to the Dharma.'

又見自身，在山林中，修習善法，

They also see themselves in mountains and forests, practicing good dharmas,

證諸實相，深入禪定，見十方佛。

realizing the true aspect of all things, deeply entering meditation and seeing the Buddhas of the ten directions.

諸佛身金色，百福相莊嚴，

The Buddhas' bodies are golden in color, adorned with the marks of a hundred blessings;

聞法為人說，常有是好夢。

hearing the Dharma and preaching it to others, they constantly have such good dreams.

又夢作國王，捨宮殿眷屬，

Again they dream of being a king, who gives up palaces and retinue

及上妙五欲，行詣於道場。

and the finest five desires, and goes to the place of the Way.

在菩提樹下，而處師子座，

Under the bodhi tree, seated on a lion throne,

求道過七日，得諸佛之智。

seeking the Way for seven days, he attains the wisdom of all Buddhas.

成無上道已，起而轉法輪，

Having accomplished the unsurpassed Way, he rises and turns the Dharma wheel,

為四眾說法，經千萬億劫，

preaching the Dharma to the four assemblies for thousands of myriads of kotis of kalpas,

說無漏妙法，度無量眾生。

preaching the wonderful Dharma without outflows and liberating immeasurable beings.

後當入涅槃，如煙盡燈滅。

Afterward he will enter nirvana, like smoke ending and a lamp going out.

若後惡世中，說是第一法，

If in the evil age to come, one preaches this foremost Dharma,

是人得大利，如上諸功德。」

this person will gain great benefit, with merits such as those described above."

爾時他方國土諸來菩薩摩訶薩，過八恆河沙數，於大眾中起立，合掌作禮而白佛言：「世尊！若聽我等，於佛滅後，在此娑婆世界，懃加精進，護持、讀誦、書寫、供養是經典者，當於此土而廣說之。」

At that time the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas from the lands of other regions, more than eight Ganges-sands in number, rose in the great assembly, joined their palms, made obeisance and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! If you permit us, after the Buddha's extinction, in this Saha world, to be diligent and zealous, upholding, reading, reciting, copying and making offerings to this sutra, we shall widely preach it in this land."

爾時佛告諸菩薩摩訶薩眾：「止，善男子！不須汝等護持此經。所以者何？我娑婆世界自有六萬恆河沙等菩薩摩訶薩，一一菩薩各有六萬恆河沙眷屬，是諸人等，能於我滅後，護持、讀誦、廣說此經。」

At that time the Buddha told the assembly of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas: "Stop, good men! There is no need for you to uphold this sutra. Why? In my Saha world there are already sixty thousand Ganges-sands of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, and each Bodhisattva has a retinue of sixty thousand Ganges-sands; these people will be able, after my extinction, to uphold, read, recite and widely preach this sutra."

佛說是時，娑婆世界三千大千國土地皆震裂，而於其中，有無量千萬億菩薩摩訶薩同時踴出。是諸菩薩，身皆金色，三十二相，無量光明，先盡在此娑婆世界之下、此界虛空中住。是諸菩薩，聞釋迦牟尼佛所說音聲，從下發來。一一菩薩皆是大眾唱導之首，各將六萬恆河沙眷屬；況將五萬、四萬、三萬、二萬、一萬恆河沙等眷屬者；況復乃至一恆河沙、半恆河沙、四分之一、乃至千萬億那由他分之一；況復千萬億那由他眷屬；況復億萬眷屬；況復千萬、百萬、乃至一萬；況復一千、一百、乃至一十；況復將五、四、三、二、一弟子者；況復單己，樂遠離行。如是等比，無量無邊，算數譬喻所不能知。

When the Buddha spoke these words, the land of the three-thousand-great-thousand world of the Saha world trembled and split, and from within it immeasurable thousands of myriads of kotis of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerged at the same time. These Bodhisattvas all had golden bodies, the thirty-two marks, and immeasurable light, and had formerly all dwelt below this Saha world, in the space of this realm. Hearing the voice of Sakyamuni Buddha's preaching, they came from below. Each Bodhisattva was the head of a great assembly's leaders, each leading a retinue of sixty thousand Ganges-sands; how much more those leading fifty thousand, forty thousand, thirty thousand, twenty thousand, or ten thousand Ganges-sands; how much more those with one Ganges-sand, half a Ganges-sand, a quarter, or even one part in a thousand myriads of kotis of nayutas; how much more those with a thousand myriads of kotis of nayutas of attendants; how much more those with a myriad of kotis; how much more those with ten million, a million, or ten thousand; how much more those with a thousand, a hundred, or even ten; how much more those leading five, four, three, two or one disciple; and how much more those alone, who delight in solitary practice. Such were they, immeasurable and boundless, beyond what counting or parables can know.

是諸菩薩從地出已，各詣虛空七寶妙塔多寶如來、釋迦牟尼佛所。到已，向二世尊頭面禮足，及至諸寶樹下師子座上佛所，亦皆作禮，右繞三匝，合掌恭敬，以諸菩薩種種讚法而以讚歎，住在一面，欣樂瞻仰於二世尊。是諸菩薩摩訶薩，從初踴出，以諸菩薩種種讚法而讚於佛，如是時間，經五十小劫。是時釋迦牟尼佛默然而坐，及諸四眾亦皆默然五十小劫；佛神力故，令諸大眾謂如半日。

Having emerged from the earth, these Bodhisattvas each went to the wonderful stupa of seven treasures in space, to Prabhutaratna Tathagata and Sakyamuni Buddha. Having arrived, they bowed with head and face at the feet of the two World-Honored Ones, and also went to the Buddhas on lion thrones beneath the jeweled trees and bowed to them all, circled them three times to the right, joined their palms in reverence, and praised them with the various Bodhisattva praises, standing to one side, joyfully gazing up at the two World-Honored Ones. From the time these Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas first emerged and praised the Buddha with the various Bodhisattva praises, fifty small kalpas passed. During this time Sakyamuni Buddha sat in silence, and the four assemblies were also silent for fifty small kalpas; by the Buddha's spiritual power, the whole great assembly felt it was like half a day.

爾時四眾，亦以佛神力故，見諸菩薩遍滿無量百千萬億國土虛空。是菩薩眾中有四導師：一名上行，二名無邊行，三名淨行，四名安立行。是四菩薩，於其眾中最為上首唱導之師，在大眾前，各共合掌，觀釋迦牟尼佛而問訊言：「世尊！少病、少惱，安樂行不？所應度者，受教易不？不令世尊生疲勞耶？」

Then the four assemblies, also by the Buddha's spiritual power, saw the Bodhisattvas filling the space of immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of lands. Among this assembly of Bodhisattvas there were four leaders: the first named Superior Practice, the second named Boundless Practice, the third named Pure Practice, and the fourth named Firmly Established Practice. These four Bodhisattvas were the foremost leading teachers in the assembly, and before the great assembly they together joined their palms, looked at Sakyamuni Buddha and asked: "World-Honored One! Are you of little illness and little affliction, at ease in practice? Are those who should be liberated easy to teach? Do they not cause the World-Honored One weariness?"

爾時四大菩薩而說偈言：

Then the four great Bodhisattvas spoke in verse:

「世尊安樂，少病少惱，教化眾生，

"Is the World-Honored One at ease, with little illness and little affliction, teaching and transforming beings

得無疲惓。又諸眾生，受化易不？

without weariness? And are the beings easy to transform?

不令世尊，生疲勞耶？」

Do they not cause the World-Honored One to be weary?"

爾時世尊，於菩薩大眾中而作是言：「如是，如是！諸善男子！如來安樂，少病、少惱；諸眾生等，易可化度，無有疲勞。所以者何？是諸眾生，世世已來常受我化，亦於過去諸佛供養尊重，種諸善根。此諸眾生，始見我身，聞我所說，即皆信受入如來慧；除先修習學小乘者。如是之人，我今亦令得聞是經，入於佛慧。」

Then the World-Honored One said to the great assembly of Bodhisattvas: "So it is, so it is! Good men! The Tathagata is at ease, with little illness and little affliction; the beings are easy to transform and liberate, and there is no weariness. Why? These beings, in life after life, have always received my transformation, and have also made offerings to and revered the Buddhas of the past and planted good roots. These beings, as soon as they see my body and hear what I preach, all believe and receive it and enter the Tathagata's wisdom; except those who earlier practiced and studied the Small Vehicle. Even such people, I now cause to hear this sutra and enter the Buddha's wisdom."

爾時諸大菩薩而說偈言：

Then the great Bodhisattvas spoke in verse:

「善哉善哉！大雄世尊！諸眾生等，

"Excellent, excellent! Great Hero, World-Honored One! These beings

易可化度。能問諸佛，甚深智慧，

are easy to transform and liberate. They can ask about the very profound wisdom of the Buddhas,

聞已信行，我等隨喜。」

and having heard, believe and practice; we rejoice with them."

於時世尊讚歎上首諸大菩薩：「善哉，善哉！善男子！汝等能於如來發隨喜心。」

Then the World-Honored One praised the foremost great Bodhisattvas: "Excellent, excellent! Good men! You are able to give rise to a mind of joyful sympathy toward the Tathagata."

爾時彌勒菩薩及八千恆河沙諸菩薩眾，皆作是念：「我等從昔已來，不見不聞如是大菩薩摩訶薩眾，從地踴出，住世尊前，合掌、供養，問訊如來。」

Then Maitreya Bodhisattva and the eight thousand Ganges-sands of Bodhisattvas all had this thought: "From the past until now, we have never seen or heard of such a great assembly of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas emerging from the earth, standing before the World-Honored One, joining palms, making offerings and greeting the Tathagata."

時彌勒菩薩摩訶薩，知八千恆河沙諸菩薩等心之所念，並欲自決所疑，合掌向佛，以偈問曰：

Then Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Maitreya, knowing the thoughts in the minds of the eight thousand Ganges-sands of Bodhisattvas and wishing also to resolve his own doubt, joined his palms toward the Buddha and asked in verse:

「無量千萬億，大眾諸菩薩，

"Immeasurable thousands of myriads of kotis, a great assembly of Bodhisattvas,

昔所未曾見，願兩足尊說，

never seen before: we pray that the Honored One, most worthy among two-legged beings, will tell us

是從何所來，以何因緣集？

from where they have come, and by what cause and condition they have gathered.

巨身大神通，智慧叵思議，

With huge bodies, great spiritual powers, and wisdom beyond conception,

其志念堅固，有大忍辱力，

their will and thought firm, and having the great power of patience,

眾生所樂見，為從何所來？

whom beings delight to see: from where have they come?

一一諸菩薩，所將諸眷屬，

Each of these Bodhisattvas leads a retinue,

其數無有量，如恆河沙等。

in numbers beyond measure, like the sands of the Ganges.

或有大菩薩，將六萬恆沙，

Some great Bodhisattvas lead sixty thousand Ganges-sands;

如是諸大眾，一心求佛道。

such great assemblies single-mindedly seek the Buddha's Way.

是諸大師等，六萬恆河沙，

These great teachers, sixty thousand Ganges-sands,

俱來供養佛，及護持是經。

have all come to make offerings to the Buddha and to uphold this sutra.

將五萬恆沙，其數過於是。

Some lead fifty thousand Ganges-sands, whose number exceeds even this.