Lotus Sutra of the Wondrous Dharma, Fascicle Five

如是諸天眾，常來至其所。

Such hosts of devas always come to his place.

諸佛及弟子，聞其說法音，

The Buddhas and their disciples, hearing the sound of his teaching,

常念而守護，或時為現身。

Always keep him in mind and protect him, and sometimes show their bodies to him.

「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，得八百身功德。得清淨身、如淨琉璃，眾生憙見。其身淨故，三千大千世界眾生，生時、死時，上下、好醜，生善處、惡處，悉於中現。及鐵圍山、大鐵圍山、彌樓山、摩訶彌樓山等諸山，及其中眾生，悉於中現。下至阿鼻地獄，上至有頂，所有及眾生，悉於中現。若聲聞、辟支佛、菩薩、諸佛說法，皆於身中現其色像。」

(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 eight hundred merits of the body. They obtain a pure body, like pure lapis lazuli, which beings are glad to see. Because their body is pure, the beings of the three-thousand great-thousand world, at the time of birth and death, high and low, beautiful and ugly, born in good places and evil places, all appear in it. And the Iron Ring Mountains, the Great Iron Ring Mountains, Mount Meru, Great Mount Meru and the other mountains, and the beings within them, all appear in it. Down to the Avici hell and up to the Summit of Existence, all that exists and all beings appear in it. If shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas and Buddhas teach the Dharma, their forms all appear in his body."

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:

「若持法花者，其身甚清淨，

"If one upholds the Lotus, his body is very pure,

如彼淨琉璃，眾生皆憙見。

Like that pure lapis lazuli, beings are all glad to see it.

又如淨明鏡，悉見諸色像，

And like a clear bright mirror, all forms are seen,

菩薩於淨身，皆見世所有，

The Bodhisattva in his pure body sees all that is in the world,

唯獨自明瞭，餘人所不見。

Clear only to himself, and not seen by others.

三千世界中，一切諸群萌，

In the three-thousand worlds, all the multitude of beings,

天人阿修羅、地獄鬼畜生，

Devas, humans, asuras, hell beings, ghosts and animals,

如是諸色像，皆於身中現。

Such forms all appear in his body.

諸天等宮殿，乃至於有頂，

The palaces of the devas, up to the Summit of Existence,

鐵圍及彌樓、摩訶彌樓山，

The Iron Ring, Mount Meru, Great Mount Meru,

諸大海水等，皆於身中現。

The waters of the great seas, all appear in his body.

諸佛及聲聞，佛子菩薩等，

The Buddhas and shravakas, the Buddha's sons and Bodhisattvas,

若獨若在眾，說法悉皆現。

Whether alone or in assembly, teaching the Dharma, all appear.

雖未得無漏，法性之妙身，

Though he has not yet attained the wondrous body of flawless Dharma nature,

以清淨常體，一切於中現。

Through his pure, constant body, everything appears within it.

「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，如來滅後、受持是經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，得千二百意功德。以是清淨意根，乃至聞一偈一句，通達無量無邊之義，解是義已，能演說一句一偈至於一月、四月乃至一歲，諸所說法，隨其義趣，皆與實相不相違背。若說俗間經書、治世語言、資生業等，皆順正法。三千大千世界六趣眾生，心之所行、心所動作、心所戲論，皆悉知之。雖未得無漏智慧，而其意根、清淨如此。是人有所思惟、籌量、言說，皆是佛法，無不真實，亦是先佛經中所說。」

(The Buddha continued:) "Furthermore, Sadaparibhuta! If good men or good women, after the Tathagata's extinction, receive and uphold this sutra, whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it or copying it, they gain twelve hundred merits of the mind. With this pure faculty of the mind, even on hearing a single verse or phrase, they penetrate countless and boundless meanings, and having understood the meaning, they can expound a single phrase or verse for a month, four months, or even a year, and all they teach, according to its meaning, does not contradict the true nature of things. If they speak of worldly books, words for governing the world, or trades for livelihood, all accord with the right Dharma. The movements of the minds of beings of the six destinies in the three-thousand great-thousand world, what their minds do, and what their minds idly discuss, he knows all of it. Though he has not yet attained flawless wisdom, his faculty of mind is as pure as this. Whatever this person thinks, calculates or says is all the Buddha's Dharma, none of it untrue, and is also what was said in the scriptures of former Buddhas."

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:

「是人意清淨，明利無穢濁，

"This person's mind is pure, bright, keen and without defilement,

以此妙意根，知上中下法，

With this wondrous faculty of mind he knows the higher, middle and lower teachings,

乃至聞一偈，通達無量義，

Even on hearing one verse, he penetrates countless meanings,

次第如法說，月四月至歲。

And in order teaches it according to the Dharma, for a month, four months, up to a year.

是世界內外，一切諸眾生，

Within this world and outside it, all the many beings,

若天龍及人、夜叉鬼神等，

Whether devas, nagas, or humans, yakshas and spirits,

其在六趣中，所念若干種，

Among the six paths of rebirth, whatever various thoughts they hold,

持法花之報，一時皆悉知。

The reward of upholding the Lotus Sutra lets him know them all at once.

十方無數佛，百福莊嚴相，

The countless Buddhas of the ten directions, adorned with the marks of a hundred blessings,

為眾生說法，悉聞能受持。

Preaching the Dharma to living beings, he hears it all and can receive and uphold it.

思惟無量義，說法亦無量，

He reflects on immeasurable meanings, and his teaching is also immeasurable,

終始不忘錯，以持法華故。

From beginning to end never forgetting or erring, because he upholds the Lotus Sutra.

悉知諸法相，隨義識次第，

He knows the characteristics of all dharmas, and discerns their order according to meaning,

達名字語言，如所知演說。

Understanding names and words, he expounds as he knows.

此人有所說，皆是先佛法，

What this person says is all the Dharma of the earlier Buddhas,

以演此法故，於眾無所畏。

And because he expounds this Dharma, he has no fear before the assembly.

持法花經者，意根淨若斯，

For one who upholds the Lotus Sutra, the mind-faculty is pure like this;

雖未得無漏，先有如是相。

Though he has not yet attained the state without outflows, he first has such marks.

是人持此經，安住希有地，

This person upholds this sutra and dwells securely in a rare state,

為一切眾生，歡喜而愛敬。

Loved and revered by all living beings with joy.

能以千萬種，善巧之語言，

He can use thousands upon thousands of kinds of skillful words,

分別而說法，持法花經故。」

To distinguish and teach the Dharma, because he upholds the Lotus Sutra."

爾時，佛告得大勢菩薩摩訶薩：「汝今當知！若比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷持法花經者，若有惡口、罵詈、誹謗，獲大罪報，如前所說；其所得功德，如向所說，眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意清淨。

At that time the Buddha told the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Mahasthamaprapta: "You should know now! If a bhikshu, bhikshuni, upasaka or upasika who upholds the Lotus Sutra is abused, reviled or slandered, the one who does so incurs a great punishment as spoken of before; and the merits this person gains are as said above, with the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind purified.

「得大勢！乃往古昔，過無量無邊不可思議阿僧祇劫，有佛名威音王如來、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。劫名離衰，國名大成。其威音王佛，於彼世中，為天、人、阿修羅說法，為求聲聞者，說應四諦法，度生老病死，究竟涅槃；為求辟支佛者，說應十二因緣法；為諸菩薩，因阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，說應六波羅蜜法，究竟佛慧。

(The Buddha continued:) "Mahasthamaprapta! Long ago in the past, beyond immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable asamkhya kalpas, there was a Buddha named Bhishmagarjitasvararaja Tathagata, worthy of offerings, perfectly enlightened, 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 was called Free from Decline, and the country was called Great Accomplishment. In that age, the Buddha Bhishmagarjitasvararaja taught the Dharma to devas, humans and asuras; for those seeking to be shravakas, he taught the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, to cross over birth, old age, sickness and death and reach final nirvana; for those seeking to be pratyekabuddhas, he taught the Dharma of the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination; for the Bodhisattvas, on the basis of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, he taught the Dharma of the six paramitas, to reach the Buddha's wisdom in the end.

「得大勢！是威音王佛，壽四十萬億那由他恆河沙劫；正法住世劫數，如一閻浮提微塵；像法住世劫數，如四天下微塵。其佛饒益眾生已，然後滅度。正法、像法滅盡之後，於此國土復有佛出，亦號威音王如來、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。如是次第有二萬億佛，皆同一號。

(The Buddha continued:) "Mahasthamaprapta! This Buddha Bhishmagarjitasvararaja lived for four hundred myriad nayuta kalpas, as many as the sands of the Ganges; the number of kalpas in which his True Dharma remained in the world was like the dust motes in one Jambudvipa; the number of kalpas in which his Semblance Dharma remained was like the dust motes in the four continents. After that Buddha had benefited living beings, he entered extinction. After the True Dharma and the Semblance Dharma had come to an end, another Buddha appeared in this land, also named Bhishmagarjitasvararaja Tathagata, worthy of offerings, perfectly enlightened, 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. In this way there were twenty thousand myriad Buddhas in succession, all with the same name.

「最初威音王如來既已滅度，正法滅後，於像法中，增上慢比丘有大勢力。爾時有一菩薩比丘名常不輕。得大勢！以何因緣名常不輕？是比丘，凡有所見——若比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷——皆悉禮拜讚歎而作是言：『我深敬汝等，不敢輕慢。所以者何？汝等皆行菩薩道，當得作佛。』而是比丘，不專讀誦經典，但行禮拜，乃至遠見四眾，亦復故往禮拜讚歎而作是言：『我不敢輕於汝等，汝等皆當作佛。』四眾之中，有生瞋恚、心不淨者，惡口罵詈言：『是無智比丘從何所來？自言：「我不輕汝。」而與我等授記，當得作佛。我等不用如是虛妄授記。』如此經歷多年，常被罵詈，不生瞋恚，常作是言：『汝當作佛。』說是語時，眾人或以杖木瓦石而打擲之，避走遠住，猶高聲唱言：『我不敢輕於汝等，汝等皆當作佛。』以其常作是語故，增上慢比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，號之為常不輕。是比丘臨欲終時，於虛空中，具聞威音王佛先所說法華經二十千萬億偈，悉能受持，即得如上眼根清淨、耳鼻舌身意根清淨。得是六根清淨已，更增壽命二百萬億那由他歲，廣為人說是法華經。於時增上慢四眾——比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷——輕賤是人，為作不輕名者，見其得大神通力、樂說辯力、大善寂力，聞其所說，皆信伏隨從。是菩薩復化千萬億眾，令住阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。命終之後，得值二千億佛，皆號日月燈明，於其法中，說是法華經。以是因緣，復值二千億佛，同號雲自在燈王，於此諸佛法中，受持讀誦，為諸四眾說此經典故，得是常眼清淨，耳、鼻、舌、身、意諸根清淨，於四眾中說法，心無所畏。

(The Buddha continued:) "After the first Tathagata Bhishmagarjitasvararaja had entered extinction and the True Dharma had ended, in the Semblance Dharma period, arrogant bhikshus held great power. At that time there was a Bodhisattva-bhikshu named Sadaparibhuta (Never Disparaging). Mahasthamaprapta! For what reason was he called Never Disparaging? This bhikshu, whomever he saw, whether bhikshu, bhikshuni, upasaka or upasika, he bowed to them all and praised them, saying: 'I deeply respect you and dare not hold you in contempt. Why? You all practice the Bodhisattva Way and will become Buddhas.' And this bhikshu did not devote himself to reading and reciting the scriptures, but only did obeisance, and even when he saw the four groups from afar, he would also go to them to bow and praise them, saying: 'I dare not hold you in contempt; you will all become Buddhas.' Among the four groups there were those who became angry, with impure minds, who abused him with harsh words, saying: 'Where did this ignorant bhikshu come from? He says, "I do not disparage you," and gives us predictions that we will become Buddhas. We have no use for such false predictions.' Thus for many years he was constantly abused, but he did not become angry, and always said: 'You will become Buddhas.' When he said these words, some people would beat him with sticks and throw tiles and stones, and he would run away and stand far off, still crying out loudly: 'I dare not hold you in contempt; you will all become Buddhas.' Because he always spoke these words, the arrogant bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas and upasikas called him Never Disparaging. When this bhikshu was about to die, in the sky he fully heard the twenty thousand myriad koti of verses of the Lotus Sutra that the Buddha Bhishmagarjitasvararaja had taught before, and was able to receive and uphold them all, and at once attained the purity of the eye-faculty as above and the purity of the ear, nose, tongue, body and mind faculties. Having attained the purity of the six faculties, his life was further extended by two million myriad nayuta years, and he widely taught this Lotus Sutra to people. At that time the arrogant four groups of bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas and upasikas who had despised this man and given him the name Never Disparaging saw that he had gained great supernatural power, the power of delightful eloquence and the power of great goodness and tranquility, and hearing what he taught, all believed, submitted and followed him. This Bodhisattva also converted tens of millions of myriad beings and led them to abide in unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. After his life ended, he met two thousand myriad Buddhas, all named Sun-Moon Lamp Light, and in their Dharma he taught this Lotus Sutra. Because of this cause, he again met two thousand myriad Buddhas, all named Cloud Self-Mastery Lamp King, and in the Dharma of these Buddhas he received, upheld, read and recited it and, because he taught this sutra to the four groups, obtained this constant pure eye and the purity of the ear, nose, tongue, body and mind faculties, and in teaching to the four groups his heart had no fear.

「得大勢！是常不輕菩薩摩訶薩，供養如是若干諸佛，恭敬、尊重、讚歎、種諸善根，於後復值千萬億佛，亦於諸佛法中說是經典，功德成就，當得作佛。

(The Buddha continued:) "Mahasthamaprapta! This Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Never Disparaging made offerings to so many Buddhas, revered, honored and praised them, and planted all kinds of good roots; afterward he again met tens of millions of myriad Buddhas, and in the Dharma of these Buddhas he also taught this sutra, and when his merit was complete he was to become a Buddha.

「得大勢！於意云何？爾時常不輕菩薩豈異人乎？則我身是。若我於宿世不受持讀誦此經、為他人說者，不能疾得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。我於先佛所，受持讀誦此經、為人說故，疾得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。

(The Buddha continued:) "Mahasthamaprapta! What do you think? Could the Bodhisattva Never Disparaging of that time have been anyone else? He was I myself. If in past lives I had not received, upheld, read and recited this sutra and taught it to others, I could not have quickly attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Because in the presence of earlier Buddhas I received, upheld, read and recited this sutra and taught it to people, I quickly attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

「得大勢！彼時四眾——比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷——以瞋恚意輕賤我故，二百億劫常不值佛、不聞法、不見僧，千劫於阿鼻地獄受大苦惱。畢是罪已，復遇常不輕菩薩，教化阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。

(The Buddha continued:) "Mahasthamaprapta! Because the four groups of that time, bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas and upasikas, despised me with angry minds, for two hundred myriad kalpas they never met a Buddha, never heard the Dharma and never saw the Sangha, and for a thousand kalpas they suffered great torment in Avici hell. When they had finished this punishment, they met the Bodhisattva Never Disparaging again, who taught and transformed them toward unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

「得大勢，於汝意云何？爾時四眾常輕是菩薩者，豈異人乎？今此會中跋陀婆羅等五百菩薩、師子月等五百比丘、尼思佛等五百優婆塞，皆於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不退轉者是。

(The Buddha continued:) "Mahasthamaprapta, what do you think? Could the four groups who constantly despised this Bodhisattva at that time have been anyone else? They are the five hundred Bodhisattvas in this assembly headed by Bhadrapala, the five hundred bhikshus headed by Simhacandra, and the five hundred upasakas headed by Nishinbuddha, all of whom do not regress from unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

「得大勢！當知是法華經，大饒益諸菩薩摩訶薩，能令至於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是故諸菩薩摩訶薩，於如來滅後，常應受持、讀誦、解說、書寫是經。」

(The Buddha continued:) "Mahasthamaprapta! You should know that this Lotus Sutra greatly benefits all Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas and can lead them to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment. Therefore all Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, after the Tathagata's extinction, should always receive, uphold, read, recite, explain and copy this sutra."

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:

「過去有佛，號威音王，神智無量，

"In the past there was a Buddha named Bhishmagarjitasvararaja, whose divine wisdom was immeasurable,

將導一切，天人龍神，所共供養。

Who led all beings, and was offered to by gods, humans, nagas and spirits together.

是佛滅後，法欲盡時，有一菩薩，

After this Buddha's extinction, when the Dharma was about to end, there was a Bodhisattva,

名常不輕。時諸四眾，計著於法。

Named Never Disparaging. At that time the four groups were attached to the Dharma.

不輕菩薩，往到其所，而語之言：

The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging went to where they were and said to them: