Lotus Sutra of the Wondrous Dharma, Fascicle Five

諸山深嶮處，栴檀樹花敷，

In the deep and dangerous places of mountains, where sandalwood trees bloom,

眾生在中者，聞香皆能知。

The beings who are there, he smells the fragrance and can know them all.

鐵圍山大海，地中諸眾生，

The Iron Ring Mountains and the great seas, the beings in the earth,

持經者聞香，悉知其所在。

The sutra-holder smells the fragrance and knows where they all are.

阿修羅男女，及其諸眷屬，

The asura men and women, and their retinues,

鬪諍遊戲時，聞香皆能知。

When they quarrel or play, he smells the fragrance and can know them.

曠野險隘處，師子象虎狼，

In wild plains and narrow, dangerous places, lions, elephants, tigers and wolves,

野牛水牛等，聞香知所在。

Wild oxen and water buffalo, he smells the fragrance and knows where they are.

若有懷妊者，未辯其男女，

If there is a woman who is pregnant, and it is not yet clear whether the child is a boy or girl,

無根及非人，聞香悉能知。

Or without organs or not human, by smelling the fragrance he can know all.

以聞香力故，知其初懷妊，

By the power of smelling the fragrance, he knows her first conception,

成就不成就，安樂產福子。

Whether it will be completed or not, and she will bear a blessed child in peace and joy.

以聞香力故，知男女所念，

By the power of smelling the fragrance, he knows what men and women think,

染欲痴恚心，亦知修善者。

Minds stained with desire, ignorance and anger, and he also knows those who cultivate good.

地中眾伏藏，金銀諸珍寶，

The many hidden treasures in the earth, gold, silver and all precious jewels,

銅器之所盛，聞香悉能知。

Held in copper vessels, by smelling the fragrance he can know them all.

種種諸瓔珞，無能識其價，

All kinds of necklaces, whose price no one can tell,

聞香知貴賤，出處及所在。

By the fragrance he knows their value, origin and location.

天上諸華等，曼陀曼殊沙、

The flowers of the heavens, mandara and manjushaka,

波利質多樹，聞香悉能知。

The parijata tree, he can know all by the fragrance.

天上諸宮殿，上中下差別，

The palaces of the heavens, differing in upper, middle and lower,

眾寶花莊嚴，聞香悉能知。

Adorned with many jeweled flowers, he can know all by the fragrance.

天園林勝殿，諸觀妙法堂，

The heavenly gardens and splendid palaces, the viewing halls and wondrous Dharma hall,

在中而娛樂，聞香悉能知。

Those who take their pleasure within, he can know all by the fragrance.

諸天若聽法，或受五欲時，

When devas listen to the Dharma, or while enjoying the five desires,

來往行坐臥，聞香悉能知。

Coming, going, walking, sitting and lying, he can know all by the fragrance.

天女所著衣，好華香莊嚴，

The clothes worn by heavenly maidens, adorned with fine flowers and incense,

周旋遊戲時，聞香悉能知。

When they move about and play, he can know all by the fragrance.

如是展轉上，乃至於梵世，

Passing upward in this way, all the way to the Brahma world,

入禪出禪者，聞香悉能知。

Those who enter and leave meditation, he can know all by the fragrance.

光音遍淨天，乃至於有頂，

The Abhasvara and Subhakritsna heavens, up to the Summit of Existence,

初生及退沒，聞香悉能知。

The newly born and the departed, he can know all by the fragrance.

諸比丘眾等，於法常精進，

The assembly of bhikkhus, always diligent in the Dharma,

若坐若經行，及讀誦經法，

Sitting or walking, or reading and reciting the sutras,

或在林樹下，專精而坐禪，

Or beneath the trees in forests, sitting in meditation with focused effort,

持經者聞香，悉知其所在。

The sutra-holder smells the fragrance and knows where they all are.

菩薩志堅固，坐禪若讀誦，

Bodhisattvas with firm resolve, sitting in meditation or reading and reciting,

或為人說法，聞香悉能知。

Or teaching the Dharma to others, he can know all by the fragrance.

在在方世尊，一切所恭敬，

The World-Honored Ones in every place, respected by all,

愍眾而說法，聞香悉能知。

Pitying the multitude and teaching the Dharma, he can know all by the fragrance.

眾生在佛前，聞經皆歡喜，

Beings before the Buddha, hearing the sutra all rejoice,

如法而修行，聞香悉能知。

And practice according to the Dharma, he can know all by the fragrance.

雖未得菩薩，無漏法生鼻，

Though he has not yet become a Bodhisattva whose nose is born of the flawless Dharma,

而是持經者，先得此鼻相。」

The one who upholds the sutra first obtains this sign of the nose."

「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，受持是經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，得千二百舌功德。若好、若醜，若美、不美，及諸苦澁物，在其舌根，皆變成上味，如天甘露，無不美者。若以舌根於大眾中有所演說，出深妙聲，能入其心，皆令歡喜快樂。又諸天子、天女，釋梵諸天，聞是深妙音聲，有所演說言論次第，皆悉來聽。及諸龍、龍女，夜叉、夜叉女，乾闥婆、乾闥婆女，阿修羅、阿修羅女，迦樓羅、迦樓羅女，緊那羅、緊那羅女，摩睺羅伽、摩睺羅伽女，為聽法故，皆來親近恭敬供養。及比丘、比丘尼，優婆塞、優婆夷，國王、王子、群臣、眷屬，小轉輪王、大轉輪王、七寶千子內外眷屬，乘其宮殿，俱來聽法，以是菩薩善說法故。婆羅門、居士、國內人民、盡其形壽，隨侍供養。又諸聲聞、辟支佛、菩薩、諸佛，常樂見之。是人所在方面，諸佛皆向其處說法，悉能受持一切佛法，又能出於深妙法音。」

(The Buddha continued:) "Furthermore, Sadaparibhuta! If good men or good women receive and uphold this sutra, whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it or copying it, they gain twelve hundred merits of the tongue. Whether good or ugly, fine or not fine, and all bitter and astringent things, once on the root of his tongue, all turn into the finest taste, like heavenly nectar, none that is not delicious. If with the faculty of the tongue he expounds in the great assembly, he gives forth deep and wondrous sound that can enter their hearts, making them all joyful and happy. Also all the sons and daughters of the devas, and Indra, Brahma and the devas, hearing this deep and wondrous sound, and the sequence of his discourse, all come to listen. And the nagas and naga maidens, yakshas and yaksha maidens, gandharvas and gandharva maidens, asuras and asura maidens, garudas and garuda maidens, kinnaras and kinnara maidens, mahoragas and mahoraga maidens, for the sake of hearing the Dharma, all come to draw near, honor and make offerings. And bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upasakas, upasikas, kings, princes, ministers and their families, lesser wheel-turning kings and great wheel-turning kings with their seven jewels and thousand sons and inner and outer retinues, riding in their palaces, all come together to hear the Dharma, because this Bodhisattva teaches the Dharma well. Brahmins, householders, and the people of the country, as long as they live, attend and make offerings. Also the shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas always delight to see him. In the direction where this person is, the Buddhas all face that place to teach the Dharma, and he can receive and uphold all the Buddhas' Dharma, and can also give forth the deep and wondrous Dharma sound."

爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：

Then the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse:

「是人舌根淨，終不受惡味，

"This person's faculty of the tongue is pure, and never receives bad tastes,

其有所食噉，悉皆成甘露。

Whatever he eats, all turns into nectar.

以深淨妙聲，於大眾說法，

With deep, pure and wondrous voice, he teaches the Dharma in the great assembly,

以諸因緣喻，引導眾生心，

With parables of causes and conditions, he guides the hearts of beings,

聞者皆歡喜，設諸上供養。

Those who hear are all delighted, and set out the finest offerings.

諸天龍夜叉，及阿修羅等，

The devas, nagas, yakshas, and the asuras and the rest,

皆以恭敬心，而共來聽法，

All with reverent hearts come together to hear the Dharma,

是說法之人，若欲以妙音，

This person who teaches the Dharma, if he wishes with his wondrous voice,

遍滿三千界，隨意即能至。

To fill the three-thousand worlds, can reach them as he wishes.

大小轉輪王，及千子眷屬，

The great and small wheel-turning kings, and their thousand sons and retinues,

合掌恭敬心，常來聽受法。

With palms pressed together and reverent hearts, always come to hear and receive the Dharma.

諸天龍夜叉、羅剎毘舍闍，

The devas, nagas, yakshas, rakshasas and pishachas,

亦以歡喜心，常樂來供養。

Also with joyful hearts always delight to come and make offerings.

梵天王魔王，自在大自在，

Brahma king and Mara king, Isvara and Mahesvara,