Lotus Sutra of the Wondrous Dharma, Fascicle Five

時諸菩薩摩訶薩，聞佛作是說已，皆大歡喜遍滿其身，益加恭敬，曲躬、低頭，合掌向佛，俱發聲言：「如世尊勅，當具奉行。唯然，世尊！願不有慮。」諸菩薩摩訶薩眾，如是三反，俱發聲言：「如世尊勅，當具奉行。唯然，世尊！願不有慮。」

At that time the Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas, hearing the Buddha say this, were all greatly delighted, their whole bodies filled with joy, and with even greater reverence they bowed, lowered their heads, joined their palms toward the Buddha, and said together: "As the World-Honored One commands, we shall fully carry it out. Yes, World-Honored One! May you have no worry." The assembly of Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas said this three times with one voice: "As the World-Honored One commands, we shall fully carry it out. Yes, World-Honored One! May you have no worry."

爾時釋迦牟尼佛令十方來諸分身佛各還本土，而作是言：「諸佛各隨所安，多寶佛塔還可如故。」說是語時，十方無量分身諸佛——坐寶樹下師子座上者，及多寶佛，並上行等無邊阿僧祇菩薩大眾，舍利弗等聲聞四眾，及一切世間天、人、阿修羅等，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜。

At that time Shakyamuni Buddha told the emanation Buddhas who had come from the ten directions to each return to his own land, and said: "Let each Buddha go where he is at ease, and the stupa of Prabhutaratna Buddha may be restored as it was." When he said these words, the immeasurable emanation Buddhas of the ten directions, those seated on lion thrones beneath the jeweled trees, and Prabhutaratna Buddha, together with the boundless asamkhya assembly of Bodhisattvas headed by Visishtacaritra, the four groups of shravakas headed by Shariputra, and all the devas, humans and asuras of the world, hearing what the Buddha said, were all greatly delighted.

爾時宿王華菩薩白佛言：「世尊！藥王菩薩云何遊於娑婆世界？世尊！是藥王菩薩有若干百千萬億那由他難行苦行？善哉，世尊！願少解說。」諸天、龍、神、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等，又他國土諸來菩薩，及此聲聞眾，聞皆歡喜。

At that time the Bodhisattva Nakshatraraja-Pushpa said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! How does the Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja roam through the Saha world? World-Honored One! How many hundreds of thousands of myriad nayuta of hard and painful practices has this Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja done? It is good, World-Honored One! I wish you would explain briefly." The devas, nagas, spirits, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans, and the Bodhisattvas from other lands who had come, and the assembly of shravakas here, hearing this, were all glad.

爾時佛告宿王華菩薩：「乃往過去無量恆河沙劫，有佛號日月淨明德如來、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。其佛有八十億大菩薩摩訶薩，七十二恆河沙大聲聞眾，佛壽四萬二千劫，菩薩壽命亦等。彼國無有女人、地獄、餓鬼、畜生、阿修羅等，及以諸難；地平如掌，琉璃所成，寶樹莊嚴，寶帳覆上，垂寶華幡，寶瓶香爐周遍國界，七寶為臺，一樹一臺，其樹去臺盡一箭道。此諸寶樹，皆有菩薩、聲聞而坐其下。諸寶臺上，各有百億諸天作天伎樂，歌歎於佛，以為供養。爾時彼佛為一切眾生憙見菩薩，及眾菩薩、諸聲聞眾，說法華經。

At that time the Buddha told the Bodhisattva Nakshatraraja-Pushpa: "Long ago in the past, immeasurable kalpas as many as the sands of the Ganges ago, there was a Buddha named Candra-Surya-Vimala-Prabhasasri 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. That Buddha had eight billion great Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas and seventy-two Ganges-sands' worth of great shravakas, and the Buddha's lifespan was forty-two thousand kalpas, and the Bodhisattvas' lifespans were equal. In that land there were no women, hells, hungry ghosts, animals or asuras, nor any such difficulties; the ground was flat as the palm, made of lapis lazuli, adorned with jeweled trees, with jeweled canopies covering the top, hanging jeweled flowers and banners, and jeweled vases and censers throughout the land, with terraces of the seven jewels, one terrace for each tree, each tree being an arrow's flight from its terrace. Beneath these jeweled trees there were Bodhisattvas and shravakas seated. On all the jeweled terraces there were a hundred billion devas playing heavenly music, singing praises to the Buddha as offerings. At that time that Buddha taught the Lotus Sutra to the Bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarshana (Beloved by All Beings), the other Bodhisattvas, and the assembly of shravakas.

「是一切眾生憙見菩薩，樂習苦行，於日月淨明德佛法中，精進經行，一心求佛，滿萬二千歲已，得現一切色身三昧。得此三昧已，心大歡喜，即作念言：『我得現一切色身三昧，皆是得聞法華經力，我今當供養日月淨明德佛及法華經。』即時入是三昧，於虛空中，雨曼陀羅華、摩訶曼陀羅華、細末堅黑栴檀，滿虛空中，如雲而下，又雨海此岸栴檀之香——此香六銖，價直娑婆世界——以供養佛。作是供養已，從三昧起，而自念言：『我雖以神力供養於佛，不如以身供養。』即服諸香——栴檀、薰陸、兜樓婆、畢力迦、瀋水、膠香，又飲瞻蔔諸華香油，滿千二百歲已，香油塗身，於日月淨明德佛前，以天寶衣而自纏身，灌諸香油，以神通力願而自然身，光明遍照八十億恆河沙世界。其中諸佛同時讚言：『善哉，善哉！善男子！是真精進，是名真法供養如來。若以華、香、瓔珞、燒香、末香、塗香、天繒、幡蓋及海此岸栴檀之香，如是等種種諸物供養，所不能及；假使國城、妻子佈施，亦所不及。善男子！是名第一之施，於諸施中最尊最上，以法供養諸如來故。』作是語已而各默然。其身火燃千二百歲，過是已後，其身乃盡。

(The Buddha continued:) "This Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings delighted in practicing austerities; in the Dharma of the Buddha Candra-Surya-Vimala-Prabhasasri, he diligently walked and meditated, seeking the Buddha with single mind, and when twelve thousand years were completed he attained the samadhi of manifesting all forms. Having attained this samadhi, his heart was greatly delighted and at once he thought: 'My attainment of the samadhi of manifesting all forms is entirely due to the power of hearing the Lotus Sutra; I should now make offerings to the Buddha Candra-Surya-Vimala-Prabhasasri and the Lotus Sutra.' At once he entered this samadhi, and in the sky he rained mandarava flowers, great mandarava flowers, and fine powdered hard black sandalwood, filling the sky and descending like clouds, and also rained the fragrance of sea-shore sandalwood, six zhu of which is worth the whole Saha world, as an offering to the Buddha. Having made this offering, he rose from samadhi and thought to himself: 'Though I have made offerings to the Buddha with supernatural power, it is not as good as making offerings with my body.' At once he took various perfumes, sandalwood, frankincense, turushka, pilika, aloeswood and resin incense, and also drank the fragrant oils of champaka and other flowers; when twelve hundred years were completed, he anointed his body with fragrant oil, and before the Buddha Candra-Surya-Vimala-Prabhasasri he wrapped his body in heavenly jeweled garments, poured on fragrant oils, and by the power of his supernatural vow set his own body on fire, and the light shone over eighty billion worlds as many as the sands of the Ganges. The Buddhas in them praised him at the same time: 'Good, good! Good man! This is true diligence; this is called true Dharma offering to the Tathagata. If one made offerings with flowers, incense, necklaces, burning incense, powdered incense, paste incense, heavenly silks, banners and canopies, and sea-shore sandalwood fragrance, and such other things, it would not equal this; even if one gave away states, cities, wife and children, it would not equal this. Good man! This is called the foremost giving, the most honored and highest among all giving, because it makes offerings to the Tathagatas with the Dharma.' Having said this, they each fell silent. His body burned for twelve hundred years, and after that his body was consumed.

「一切眾生憙見菩薩作如是法供養已，命終之後，復生日月淨明德佛國中，於淨德王家結加趺坐，忽然化生。即為其父而說偈言：

(The Buddha continued:) "After the Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings had made such a Dharma offering and his life ended, he was born again in the land of Candra-Surya-Vimala-Prabhasasri, in the house of King Vimaladatta, seated in the lotus posture, born suddenly by transformation. At once he spoke to his father in verse:

「『大王今當知，我經行彼處，

"'Great King, know now, that I walked and meditated in that place,

即時得一切，現諸身三昧。

And at that moment obtained the samadhi of manifesting all bodies.

懃行大精進，捨所愛之身，

With diligent and great effort, I gave up my beloved body,

供養於世尊，為求無上慧。』

To make offerings to the World-Honored One, in order to seek unsurpassed wisdom.'

「說是偈已，而白父言：『日月淨明德佛，今故現在。我先供養佛已，得解一切眾生語言陀羅尼，復聞是法華經八百千萬億那由他甄迦羅、頻婆羅、阿閦婆等偈。大王！我今當還供養此佛。』白已，即坐七寶之臺，上昇虛空，高七多羅樹，往到佛所，頭面禮足，合十指爪，以偈讚佛：

(The Buddha continued:) "Having spoken this verse, he said to his father: 'The Buddha Candra-Surya-Vimala-Prabhasasri is still present now. Having first made offerings to the Buddha, I attained the dharani that understands the speech of all living beings, and also heard the verses of this Lotus Sutra, eight hundred thousand myriad nayuta kinkara, bimbara and akshobhya in number. Great King! I should now return and make offerings to this Buddha.' Having said this, he at once sat on a terrace of the seven jewels, rose up into the sky to the height of seven tala trees, went to where the Buddha was, bowed with his head at his feet, joined the ten fingers, and praised the Buddha in verse:

「『容顏甚奇妙，光明照十方，

"'Your countenance is most wondrous, your light illumines the ten directions,

我適曾供養，今復還親覲。』

I once made offerings to you, and now I return to see you again.'

「爾時，一切眾生憙見菩薩說是偈已，而白佛言：『世尊！世尊猶故在世。』爾時日月淨明德佛，告一切眾生憙見菩薩：『善男子！我涅槃時到、滅盡時至，汝可安施床座，我於今夜當般涅槃。』又勅一切眾生憙見菩薩：『善男子！我以佛法囑累於汝及諸菩薩大弟子，並阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，亦以三千大千七寶世界諸寶樹、寶臺及給侍諸天，悉付於汝。我滅度後，所有舍利亦付囑汝，當令流佈，廣設供養，應起若干千塔。』如是日月淨明德佛勅一切眾生憙見菩薩已，於夜後分入於涅槃。

(The Buddha continued:) "At that time the Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings, having spoken this verse, said to the Buddha: 'World-Honored One! The World-Honored One is still in the world.' Then the Buddha Candra-Surya-Vimala-Prabhasasri said to the Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings: 'Good man! The time of my nirvana has come, the time of my extinction has arrived; you may set out a couch and seat, and I shall enter parinirvana tonight.' He also instructed the Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings: 'Good man! I entrust the Buddha-Dharma to you and to the great disciples among the Bodhisattvas, together with the Dharma of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and I also hand over to you the jeweled trees and jeweled terraces of the three-thousand great thousand worlds of the seven jewels and the devas who attend them. After my extinction, I also entrust to you all my relics, which you should spread widely and make offerings to, building so many thousands of stupas.' Having thus instructed the Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings, the Buddha Candra-Surya-Vimala-Prabhasasri entered nirvana in the last part of the night.

「爾時，一切眾生憙見菩薩見佛滅度，悲感、懊惱，戀慕於佛，即以海此岸栴檀為𧂐，供養佛身，而以燒之。火滅已後，收取捨利，作八萬四千寶瓶，以起八萬四千塔，高三世界，表剎莊嚴，垂諸幡蓋，懸眾寶鈴。

(The Buddha continued:) "At that time the Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings, seeing the Buddha enter extinction, grieved and was anguished, longing for the Buddha, and at once used sea-shore sandalwood as firewood to make an offering of the Buddha's body, and cremated it. After the fire died down, he collected the relics, made eighty-four thousand jeweled vases, and built eighty-four thousand stupas, as high as three worlds, with majestic finials, hanging banners and canopies and suspended jeweled bells.

「爾時一切眾生憙見菩薩復自念言：『我雖作是供養，心猶未足，我今當更供養舍利。』便語諸菩薩大弟子及天、龍、夜叉等一切大眾：『汝等當一心念，我今供養日月淨明德佛舍利。』作是語已，即於八萬四千塔前，燃百福莊嚴臂七萬二千歲而以供養，令無數求聲聞眾、無量阿僧祇人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，皆使得住現一切色身三昧。

(The Buddha continued:) "At that time the Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings thought again: 'Though I have made this offering, my heart is still not satisfied; I should now make further offerings to the relics.' So he said to the great disciples among the Bodhisattvas and to the devas, nagas, yakshas and all the great assembly: 'You should think with one mind; I now make offerings to the relics of the Buddha Candra-Surya-Vimala-Prabhasasri.' Having said this, before the eighty-four thousand stupas he burned his arm, adorned with a hundred blessings, for seventy-two thousand years as an offering, and caused countless seekers of shravaka status and immeasurable asamkhya of people to give rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and to abide in the samadhi of manifesting all forms.

「爾時，諸菩薩、天、人、阿修羅等，見其無臂，憂惱悲哀而作是言：『此一切眾生憙見菩薩，是我等師，教化我者，而今燒臂，身不具足。』於時一切眾生憙見菩薩，於大眾中立此誓言：『我捨兩臂，必當得佛金色之身，若實不虛，令我兩臂還復如故。』作是誓已，自然還復，由斯菩薩福德智慧淳厚所致。當爾之時，三千大千世界六種震動，天雨寶華，一切人、天得未曾有。」

(The Buddha continued:) "At that time the Bodhisattvas, devas, humans, asuras and others, seeing that he had no arms, were troubled and grieved and said: 'This Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings is our teacher, who taught and transformed us, and now he has burned his arm and his body is not whole.' At that time the Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings made this vow in the great assembly: 'I have given up both arms; I shall surely attain the Buddha's golden body; if this is true and not false, let my two arms be restored as before.' Having made this vow, they were naturally restored, which was brought about by the pure and deep merit and wisdom of this Bodhisattva. At that moment the three-thousand great thousand worlds shook in six ways, jeweled flowers rained from heaven, and all humans and devas obtained what they had never had before."

佛告宿王華菩薩：「於汝意云何？一切眾生憙見菩薩，豈異人乎？今藥王菩薩是也。其所捨身佈施，如是無量百千萬億那由他數。

The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Nakshatraraja-Pushpa: "What do you think? Could the Bodhisattva Beloved by All Beings have been anyone else? He is the present Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja. The number of times he gave up his body in giving was immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriad nayuta.

「宿王華！若有發心欲得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，能燃手指，乃至足一指，供養佛塔，勝以國城、妻子，及三千大千國土山林河池、諸珍寶物而供養者，若復有人，以七寶滿三千大千世界，供養於佛，及大菩薩、辟支佛、阿羅漢，是人所得功德，不如受持此法華經，乃至一四句偈，其福最多。

(The Buddha continued:) "Nakshatraraja-Pushpa! If there is someone who has aroused the aspiration to attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and can burn a finger of the hand, or even a toe of the foot, as an offering to a Buddha stupa, that surpasses one who makes offerings with states, cities, wife and children, and with the lands, mountains, forests, rivers and ponds of the three-thousand great thousand worlds and all kinds of treasures; and if someone fills the three-thousand great thousand worlds with the seven jewels and makes offerings to a Buddha, and to great Bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas and arhats, the merit this person gains is not equal to that of receiving and upholding this Lotus Sutra, even a single four-line verse, whose blessing is greatest.

「宿王華！譬如一切川流江河，諸水之中海為第一；此法華經亦復如是，於諸如來所說經中，最為深大。又如土山、黑山、小鐵圍山、大鐵圍山及十寶山，眾山之中，須彌山為第一；此法華經亦復如是，於諸經中最為其上。又如眾星之中，月天子最為第一；此法華經亦復如是，於千萬億種諸經法中最為照明。又如日天子能除諸闇；此經亦復如是，能破一切不善之闇。又如諸小王中，轉輪聖王最為第一；此經亦復如是，於眾經中最為其尊。又如帝釋於三十三天中王，此經亦復如是，諸經中王。又如大梵天王，一切眾生之父；此經亦復如是，一切賢聖，學、無學，及發菩薩心者之父。又如一切凡夫人中，須陀洹、斯陀含、阿那含、阿羅漢、辟支佛為第一；此經亦復如是，一切如來所說、若菩薩所說、若聲聞所說，諸經法中，最為第一。有能受持是經典者，亦復如是，於一切眾生中亦為第一。一切聲聞、辟支佛中，菩薩為第一；此經亦復如是，於一切諸經法中最為第一。如佛為諸法王；此經亦復如是，諸經中王。

(The Buddha continued:) "Nakshatraraja-Pushpa! It is like all the streams, rivers and waters, among which the sea is foremost; this Lotus Sutra is the same, being the deepest and greatest among all the sutras the Tathagatas have taught. It is also like earth mountains, black mountains, the small Iron Ring Mountains, the great Iron Ring Mountains and the ten jeweled mountains, among which Mount Sumeru is foremost; this Lotus Sutra is the same, being the highest of all sutras. It is also like the moon god among the stars, who is foremost; this Lotus Sutra is the same, being the most illuminating among tens of millions of myriad kinds of sutras. It is also like the sun god, who can dispel all darkness; this sutra is the same, able to break all the darkness of the unwholesome. It is also like the wheel-turning sage king among small kings, who is foremost; this sutra is the same, being the most honored among all sutras. It is also like Indra, king of the thirty-three heavens; this sutra is the same, king among sutras. It is also like the great Brahma king, father of all living beings; this sutra is the same, father of all sages, of those in training and beyond training, and of those who have given rise to the Bodhisattva mind. It is also like, among all ordinary people, the srotapanna, sakrdagamin, anagamin, arhat and pratyekabuddha being foremost; this sutra is the same, being foremost among all the teachings of the sutras, whether spoken by the Tathagatas, by Bodhisattvas, or by shravakas. One who can receive and uphold this sutra is the same, foremost among all living beings. Among all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, the Bodhisattva is foremost; this sutra is the same, foremost among all sutra teachings. As the Buddha is king of all dharmas, this sutra is the same, king among sutras.

「宿王華！此經能救一切眾生者，此經能令一切眾生離諸苦惱，此經能大饒益一切眾生，充滿其願。如清涼池！能滿一切諸渴乏者，如寒者得火，如裸者得衣，如商人得主，如子得母，如渡得船，如病得醫，如暗得燈，如貧得寶，如民得王，如賈客得海，如炬除暗；此法華經亦復如是，能令眾生離一切苦、一切病痛，能解一切生死之縛。若人得聞此法華經，若自書、若使人書，所得功德，以佛智慧籌量多少，不得其邊。若書是經卷，華、香、瓔珞、燒香、末香、塗香，幡蓋、衣服，種種之燈——酥燈、油燈、諸香油燈、瞻蔔油燈、須曼那油燈、波羅羅油燈、婆利師迦油燈、那婆摩利油燈——供養，所得功德，亦復無量。

(The Buddha continued:) "Nakshatraraja-Pushpa! This sutra can save all living beings, this sutra can free all living beings from suffering and distress, this sutra can greatly benefit all living beings and fulfill their wishes. It is like a cool pond! It can satisfy all who are thirsty; like a cold person finding fire, like a naked person finding clothes, like merchants finding a leader, like a child finding its mother, like one crossing finding a boat, like the sick finding a doctor, like the dark finding a lamp, like the poor finding treasure, like the people finding a king, like traders finding the sea, like a torch dispelling darkness; this Lotus Sutra is the same, able to free living beings from all suffering and all illness and pain, and to loosen all the bonds of birth and death. If a person hears this Lotus Sutra, and either copies it himself or has others copy it, the merit he obtains, measured by the Buddha's wisdom, cannot be given any limit. If one copies this sutra scroll and makes offerings of flowers, incense, necklaces, burning incense, powdered incense, paste incense, banners, canopies, clothing and all kinds of lamps, butter lamps, oil lamps, lamps of fragrant oils, champaka oil lamps, sumana oil lamps, patala oil lamps, varshika oil lamps and navamallika oil lamps, the merit he gains is also immeasurable.

「宿王華！若有人聞是藥王菩薩本事品者，亦得無量無邊功德。若有女人聞是藥王菩薩本事品，能受持者，盡是女身，後不復受。若如來滅後後五百歲中，若有女人聞是經典，如說修行。於此命終，即往安樂世界，阿彌陀佛、大菩薩眾，圍繞住處，生蓮華中，寶座之上，不復為貪欲所惱，亦復不為瞋恚愚痴所惱，亦復不為憍慢嫉妬諸垢所惱，得菩薩神通、無生法忍。得是忍已，眼根清淨，以是清淨眼根，見七百萬二千億那由他恆河沙等諸佛如來。是時諸佛遙共讚言：『善哉，善哉！善男子！汝能於釋迦牟尼佛法中，受持讀誦思惟是經，為他人說，所得福德無量無邊，火不能燒，水不能漂，汝之功德，千佛共說不能令盡。汝今已能破諸魔賊，壞生死軍，諸餘怨敵皆悉摧滅。善男子！百千諸佛，以神通力共守護汝，於一切世間天、人之中無如汝者，唯除如來，其諸聲聞、辟支佛、乃至菩薩，智慧禪定無有與汝等者。』宿王華！此菩薩成就如是功德智慧之力。若有人聞是藥王菩薩本事品，能隨喜讚善者，是人現世口中常出青蓮華香，身毛孔中常出牛頭栴檀之香，所得功德，如上所說。是故，宿王華！以此藥王菩薩本事品囑累於汝。我滅度後後五百歲中，廣宣流佈於閻浮提，無令斷絕，惡魔、魔民、諸天、龍、夜叉、鳩槃茶等，得其便也。

(The Buddha continued:) "Nakshatraraja-Pushpa! If anyone hears this chapter on the Previous Life of the Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja, they will also gain immeasurable, boundless merit. If a woman hears this chapter on the Previous Life of the Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja and can receive and uphold it, she will have this woman's body for the last time and not receive another. If in the last five hundred years after the Tathagata's extinction, any woman hears this sutra and practices as it teaches, at the end of this life she will go at once to the Land of Peace and Bliss, where Amitabha Buddha and the assembly of great Bodhisattvas surround the place, and she will be born in a lotus flower on a jeweled seat, no longer troubled by greed, nor by anger or ignorance, nor by the defilements of pride, arrogance and jealousy, and will attain the Bodhisattva's supernatural powers and the forbearance of non-arising. Having attained this forbearance, her eye-faculty will be pure, and with this pure eye-faculty she will see seven million two hundred thousand myriad nayuta Buddhas, Tathagatas, as many as the sands of the Ganges. Then the Buddhas will praise her together from afar: 'Good, good! Good woman! In the Dharma of Shakyamuni Buddha you have received, upheld, read, recited and reflected on this sutra and taught it to others, and the merit and virtue you gain are immeasurable and boundless; fire cannot burn it, water cannot wash it away, and a thousand Buddhas speaking together could not exhaust your merit. You have now been able to break the thieves of the demons, destroy the army of birth and death, and crush all other enemies. Good woman! Hundreds of thousands of Buddhas together guard you with supernatural power, and among all the devas and humans of the world there is none like you, except the Tathagata; and among all the shravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and even Bodhisattvas, none equals you in wisdom and meditative concentration.' Nakshatraraja-Pushpa! This Bodhisattva has attained such merit and the power of wisdom. If anyone hears this chapter on the Previous Life of the Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja and can rejoice and praise it, in this life from that person's mouth the fragrance of blue lotuses will always come, and from his pores the fragrance of ox-head sandalwood will always come, and the merit he gains is as described above. Therefore, Nakshatraraja-Pushpa! I entrust to you this chapter on the Previous Life of the Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja. In the last five hundred years after my extinction, spread it widely in Jambudvipa and do not let it be cut off, lest evil demons, demon people, devas, nagas, yakshas, kumbhandas and others take advantage.

「宿王華！汝當以神通之力守護是經。所以者何？此經則為閻浮提人，病之良藥。若人有病，得聞是經，病即消滅，不老不死。宿王華！汝若見有受持是經者，應以青蓮花盛滿末香，供散其上。散已，作是念言：『此人不久必當取草坐於道場，破諸魔軍，當吹法螺、擊大法鼓，度脫一切眾生老病死海。』是故求佛道者、見有受持是經典人，應當如是生恭敬心。」

(The Buddha continued:) "Nakshatraraja-Pushpa! You should guard this sutra with the power of your supernatural abilities. Why? This sutra is a good medicine for the people of Jambudvipa. If a person has an illness and hears this sutra, the illness is at once removed, and he neither ages nor dies. Nakshatraraja-Pushpa! If you see someone who receives and upholds this sutra, you should fill blue lotus flowers with powdered incense and scatter it over him. After scattering, think this: 'Before long this person will surely take grass and sit at the site of enlightenment, break the armies of the demons, blow the Dharma conch and beat the great Dharma drum, and deliver all living beings from the sea of birth, old age, sickness and death.' Therefore those who seek the Buddha Way, on seeing a person who receives and upholds this sutra, should give rise to such a reverent mind."

說是藥王菩薩本事品時，八萬四千菩薩得解一切眾生語言陀羅尼。多寶如來於寶塔中讚宿王華菩薩言：「善哉，善哉！宿王華！汝成就不可思議功德，乃能問釋迦牟尼佛如此之事，利益無量一切眾生。」

When this chapter on the Previous Life of the Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja was spoken, eighty-four thousand Bodhisattvas attained the dharani that understands the speech of all living beings. The Tathagata Prabhutaratna, in the jeweled stupa, praised the Bodhisattva Nakshatraraja-Pushpa, saying: "Good, good! Nakshatraraja-Pushpa! You have attained inconceivable merit, and could ask Shakyamuni Buddha such a matter, benefiting immeasurable living beings."

後秦龜茲國三藏法師鳩摩羅什奉詔譯

Translated by imperial command by Kumarajiva, Tripitaka Dharma Master from the Kingdom of Kucha (around present-day Kuqa, Xinjiang), of the Later Qin dynasty.

爾時釋迦牟尼佛放大人相肉髻光明，及放眉間白毫相光，遍照東方百八萬億那由他恆河沙等諸佛世界。過是數已，有世界名淨光莊嚴，其國有佛，號淨華宿王智如來、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，為無量無邊菩薩大眾恭敬圍繞而為說法，釋迦牟尼佛白毫光明遍照其國。爾時一切淨光莊嚴國中，有一菩薩名曰妙音，久已殖眾德本，供養親近無量百千萬億諸佛，而悉成就甚深智慧，得妙幢相三昧、法華三昧、淨德三昧、宿王戲三昧、無緣三昧、智印三昧、解一切眾生語言三昧、集一切功德三昧、清淨三昧、神通遊戲三昧、慧炬三昧、莊嚴王三昧、淨光明三昧、淨藏三昧、不共三昧、日旋三昧，得如是等百千萬億恆河沙等諸大三昧。釋迦牟尼佛光照其身，即白淨華宿王智佛言：「世尊！我當往詣娑婆世界，禮拜、親近、供養釋迦牟尼佛，及見文殊師利法王子菩薩、藥王菩薩、勇施菩薩、宿王華菩薩、上行意菩薩、莊嚴王菩薩、藥上菩薩。」

At that time Shakyamuni Buddha sent out the light of the ushnisha, the mark of a great person, and the light of the white hair-curl between his eyebrows, which shone everywhere on the Buddha worlds to the east, one hundred eight myriad nayuta, as many as the sands of the Ganges. Beyond that number there was a world called Vairochana Rashmi Pratimandita, in which there was a Buddha named Nakshatraraja-Pushpa-Jnana 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, who was respectfully surrounded by an immeasurable, boundless assembly of Bodhisattvas and taught them the Dharma, and the light of Shakyamuni Buddha's white hair-curl shone over that land. At that time, in that whole land of Pure Light Adornment, there was a Bodhisattva named Gadgadasvara (Wonderful Voice), who had long planted roots of virtue and made offerings to and drawn near to immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriad Buddhas, and had fully attained profound wisdom, obtaining the samadhi of the wonderful banner mark, the Lotus samadhi, the pure virtue samadhi, the samadhi of the play of the king of constellations, the samadhi of no conditions, the samadhi of the wisdom seal, the samadhi of understanding the speech of all living beings, the samadhi of gathering all merits, the pure samadhi, the samadhi of the play of supernatural powers, the samadhi of the torch of wisdom, the samadhi of the king of adornments, the samadhi of pure light, the samadhi of the pure treasury, the samadhi of non-sharing, and the samadhi of the revolving sun, obtaining great samadhis such as these, hundreds of thousands of myriad as many as the sands of the Ganges. The light of Shakyamuni Buddha shone on his body, and he at once said to the Buddha Nakshatraraja-Pushpa-Jnana: "World-Honored One! I should go to the Saha world, bow to, draw near to and make offerings to Shakyamuni Buddha, and see the Dharma-prince Bodhisattva Manjushri, the Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja, the Bodhisattva Pradanashura, the Bodhisattva Nakshatraraja-Pushpa, the Bodhisattva Visishtacaritra, the Bodhisattva Vyuharaja, and the Bodhisattva Bhaishajyasamudgata."

爾時淨華宿王智佛告妙音菩薩：「汝莫輕彼國，生下劣想。善男子！彼娑婆世界，高下不平，土石諸山，穢惡充滿，佛身卑小，諸菩薩眾其形亦小。而汝身四萬二千由旬，我身六百八十萬由旬，汝身第一端正，百千萬福，光明殊妙，是故汝往，莫輕彼國——若佛、菩薩及國土，生下劣想。」

At that time the Buddha Nakshatraraja-Pushpa-Jnana told the Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara: "Do not look down on that land or give rise to the thought that it is inferior. Good man! That Saha world is uneven, high and low, with earth, stones and mountains, filled with filth and evil; the Buddha's body is small, and the assembly of Bodhisattvas there are small in form too. But your body is forty-two thousand yojanas, mine is six million eight hundred thousand yojanas, and your body is the most upright and beautiful, with hundreds of thousands of myriad blessings and a wondrous radiance, so when you go, do not look down on that land, giving rise to a thought of inferiority about the Buddha, the Bodhisattvas or the land."

妙音菩薩白其佛言：「世尊！我今詣娑婆世界，皆是如來之力，如來神通遊戲，如來功德智慧莊嚴。」於是妙音菩薩不起於座，身不動搖，而入三昧，以三昧力，於耆闍崛山，去法座不遠，化作八萬四千眾寶蓮華，閻浮檀金為莖，白銀為葉，金剛為鬚，甄叔迦寶以為其臺。

The Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara said to that Buddha: "World-Honored One! My going now to the Saha world is all by the power of the Tathagata, by the play of the Tathagata's supernatural powers, and by the adornment of the Tathagata's merit and wisdom." Then the Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara, without rising from his seat or moving his body, entered samadhi, and by the power of samadhi, on Mount Gridhrakuta, not far from the Dharma seat, he created eighty-four thousand lotus flowers of many jewels, with stems of Jambunada gold, leaves of white silver, stamens of diamond, and calyxes of kimshuka jewels.

爾時，文殊師利法王子見是蓮華，而白佛言：「世尊！是何因緣，先現此瑞？有若干千萬蓮華，閻浮檀金為莖，白銀為葉，金剛為鬚，甄叔迦寶以為其臺。」

At that time the Dharma-prince Manjushri, seeing these lotus flowers, said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! For what reason do these auspicious signs appear first? There are many thousands of myriads of lotus flowers, with stems of Jambunada gold, leaves of white silver, stamens of diamond, and calyxes of kimshuka jewels."

爾時釋迦牟尼佛告文殊師利：「是妙音菩薩摩訶薩，欲從淨華宿王智佛國，與八萬四千菩薩，圍繞而來至此娑婆世界，供養、親近、禮拜於我，亦欲供養、聽法華經。」

At that time Shakyamuni Buddha told Manjushri: "This is the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Gadgadasvara, who wishes to come from the land of the Buddha Nakshatraraja-Pushpa-Jnana, surrounded by eighty-four thousand Bodhisattvas, to this Saha world, to make offerings to, draw near to and bow to me, and also to make offerings to and listen to the Lotus Sutra."

文殊師利白佛言：「世尊！是菩薩種何善本？修何功德？而能有是大神通力？行何三昧？願為我等說是三昧名字，我等亦欲勤修行之，行此三昧，乃能見是菩薩色相大小，威儀進止。唯願世尊以神通力，彼菩薩來，令我得見。」

Manjushri said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! What good roots has this Bodhisattva planted? What merit has he cultivated, that he can have such great supernatural power? What samadhi does he practice? I wish you would tell us the name of this samadhi, and we too wish to diligently practice it; by practicing this samadhi we could see the form and size of this Bodhisattva and his deportment, advancing and stopping. I only wish that the World-Honored One, by supernatural power, would bring that Bodhisattva here, so that we may see him."

爾時釋迦牟尼佛告文殊師利：「此久滅度多寶如來，當為汝等而現其相。」

At that time Shakyamuni Buddha told Manjushri: "The Tathagata Prabhutaratna, long extinct, will show his form to you."

時多寶佛告彼菩薩：「善男子！來，文殊師利法王子欲見汝身。」於時妙音菩薩於彼國沒，與八萬四千菩薩俱共發來。所經諸國，六種震動，皆悉雨於七寶蓮華；百千天樂，不鼓自鳴。是菩薩目如廣大青蓮華葉，正使和合百千萬月，其面貌端正復過於此，身真金色，無量百千功德莊嚴，威德熾盛，光明照曜，諸相具足，如那羅延堅固之身。入七寶臺，上昇虛空，去地七多羅樹，諸菩薩眾恭敬圍繞，而來詣此娑婆世界耆闍崛山。到已，下七寶臺，以價直百千瓔珞，持至釋迦牟尼佛所，頭面禮足，奉上瓔珞，而白佛言：「世尊！淨華宿王智佛問訊世尊，少病、少惱，起居輕利，安樂行不？四大調和不？世事可忍不？眾生易度不？無多貪欲、瞋恚、愚痴、嫉妬、慳慢不？無不孝父母、不敬沙門、邪見、不善心、不攝五情不？世尊！眾生能降伏諸魔怨不？久滅度多寶如來在七寶塔中，來聽法不？又問訊多寶如來，安隱、少惱，堪忍久住不？世尊！我今欲見多寶佛身，唯願世尊，示我令見。」

Then the Buddha Prabhutaratna told that Bodhisattva: "Good man! Come, the Dharma-prince Manjushri wishes to see your body." At that time the Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara disappeared from that land and set out together with eighty-four thousand Bodhisattvas. The lands he passed through shook in six ways and all rained lotus flowers of the seven jewels; hundreds of thousands of heavenly instruments sounded by themselves without being struck. The eyes of this Bodhisattva were like the broad leaves of blue lotus flowers, and even if hundreds of thousands of myriad moons were joined together, his face would surpass them in upright beauty; his body was pure gold, adorned with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of merits, his majestic virtue blazing, his light shining, with all the marks complete, like the solid body of Narayana. He entered a terrace of the seven jewels, rose up into the sky seven tala trees above the ground, respectfully surrounded by the assembly of Bodhisattvas, and came to Mount Gridhrakuta in this Saha world. Having arrived, he descended from the terrace of the seven jewels, took necklaces worth hundreds of thousands, went to where Shakyamuni Buddha was, bowed with his head at his feet, offered the necklaces, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! The Buddha Nakshatraraja-Pushpa-Jnana asks after the World-Honored One: are you with little illness and little distress, with ease in daily life, at peace and happy in your practice? Are the four elements in harmony? Are worldly affairs bearable? Are living beings easy to deliver? Are they without much greed, anger, ignorance, jealousy and stinginess and arrogance? Are they without lack of filial piety toward parents, lack of respect for monks, wrong views, unwholesome minds, and failure to restrain the five senses? World-Honored One! Can living beings subdue the demonic enemies? Does the Tathagata Prabhutaratna, long extinct, come in the jeweled stupa of the seven jewels to hear the Dharma? I also ask after the Tathagata Prabhutaratna: is he at peace, with little distress, and able to endure staying long? World-Honored One! I now wish to see the body of the Buddha Prabhutaratna; I only wish that the World-Honored One would show me so that I may see."

爾時釋迦牟尼佛語多寶佛：「是妙音菩薩欲得相見。」

At that time Shakyamuni Buddha said to the Buddha Prabhutaratna: "This Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara wishes to see you."

時多寶佛告妙音言：「善哉，善哉！汝能為供養釋迦牟尼佛及聽法華經，並見文殊師利等，故來至此。」

The Buddha Prabhutaratna then told Gadgadasvara: "Good, good! You have come here to make offerings to Shakyamuni Buddha and to listen to the Lotus Sutra and to see Manjushri and the others."

爾時華德菩薩白佛言：「世尊！是妙音菩薩，種何善根，修何功德，有是神力？」

At that time the Bodhisattva Padmasri said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! What good roots has this Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara planted, and what merit has he cultivated, to have this supernatural power?"

佛告華德菩薩：「過去有佛，名雲雷音王多陀阿伽度、阿羅訶、三藐三佛陀，國名現一切世間，劫名憙見，妙音菩薩於萬二千歲，以十萬種伎樂供養雲雷音王佛，並奉上八萬四千七寶缽。以是因緣果報，今生淨華宿王智佛國，有是神力。華德！於汝意云何？爾時雲雷音王佛所，妙音菩薩——伎樂供養、奉上寶器者，豈異人乎？今此妙音菩薩摩訶薩是。華德！是妙音菩薩，已曾供養親近無量諸佛，久殖德本，又值恆河沙等百千萬億那由他佛。

The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Padmasri: "In the past there was a Buddha named Megha-dundubhi-svara-raja Tathagata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, in a country named Sarvabuddhaloka-darshana, in a kalpa named Priyadarshana, and the Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara for twelve thousand years made offerings to the Buddha Megha-dundubhi-svara-raja with a hundred thousand kinds of music and offered eighty-four thousand bowls of the seven jewels. By the result of that cause, he has been born in the land of the Buddha Nakshatraraja-Pushpa-Jnana and has this supernatural power. Padmasri! What do you think? Could the Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara of that time, who made offerings of music and offered precious vessels at the place of the Buddha Megha-dundubhi-svara-raja, have been someone else? He is this Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Gadgadasvara. Padmasri! This Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara has already made offerings to and drawn near to immeasurable Buddhas, has long planted roots of virtue, and has met hundreds of thousands of myriad nayuta Buddhas as many as the sands of the Ganges.

「華德！汝但見妙音菩薩其身在此，而是菩薩，現種種身，處處為諸眾生說是經典——或現梵王身，或現帝釋身，或現自在天身，或現大自在天身，或現天大將軍身，或現毘沙門天王身，或現轉輪聖王身，或現諸小王身，或現長者身，或現居士身，或現宰官身，或現婆羅門身，或現比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷身，或現長者居士婦女身，或現宰官婦女身，或現婆羅門婦女身，或現童男、童女身，或現天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等身，而說是經。諸有地獄、餓鬼、畜生，及眾難處，皆能救濟，乃至於王後宮，變為女身，而說是經。

(The Buddha continued:) "Padmasri! You only see the body of the Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara here, but this Bodhisattva manifests various bodies and everywhere teaches this sutra to living beings: sometimes he manifests the body of Brahma, sometimes of Indra, sometimes of Ishvara, sometimes of Mahesvara, sometimes of a great heavenly general, sometimes of the heavenly king Vaishravana, sometimes of a wheel-turning sage king, sometimes of lesser kings, sometimes of an elder, sometimes of a householder, sometimes of a minister, sometimes of a brahmin, sometimes of a bhikshu, bhikshuni, upasaka or upasika, sometimes of the wife of an elder or householder, sometimes of the wife of a minister, sometimes of the wife of a brahmin, sometimes of a boy or girl, sometimes of a deva, naga, yaksha, gandharva, asura, garuda, kinnara, mahoraga, human or non-human, and teaches this sutra. In the hells, among hungry ghosts and animals and in all places of difficulty he can rescue them, and even in the king's inner palace he changes into a woman's body and teaches this sutra.

「華德！是妙音菩薩，能救護娑婆世界諸眾生者，是妙音菩薩如是種種變化現身，在此娑婆國土，為諸眾生說是經典，於神通、變化、智慧無所損減。是菩薩，以若干智慧明照娑婆世界，令一切眾生各得所知；於十方恆河沙世界中，亦復如是。若應以聲聞形得度者，現聲聞形而為說法；應以辟支佛形得度者，現辟支佛形而為說法；應以菩薩形得度者，現菩薩形而為說法；應以佛形得度者，即現佛形而為說法。如是種種，隨所應度而為現形，乃至應以滅度而得度者，示現滅度。

(The Buddha continued:) "Padmasri! This Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara can rescue and protect all beings of the Saha world; this Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara thus transforms and manifests various bodies in this Saha land and teaches this sutra to living beings, with no loss in supernatural power, transformation, or wisdom. This Bodhisattva illuminates the Saha world with such wisdom, letting all living beings each know what they should know; and in the worlds as many as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions, it is the same. For those who should be delivered in the form of a shravaka, he manifests the form of a shravaka and teaches the Dharma; for those who should be delivered in the form of a pratyekabuddha, he manifests the form of a pratyekabuddha and teaches the Dharma; for those who should be delivered in the form of a Bodhisattva, he manifests the form of a Bodhisattva and teaches the Dharma; for those who should be delivered in the form of a Buddha, he at once manifests the form of a Buddha and teaches the Dharma. In this way, according to whom is to be delivered, he manifests a form, and for those who should be delivered by extinction, he shows extinction.

「華德！妙音菩薩摩訶薩，成就大神通智慧之力，其事如是。」

(The Buddha continued:) "Padmasri! The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Gadgadasvara has attained the power of great supernatural abilities and wisdom, and his deeds are such as this."

爾時華德菩薩白佛言：「世尊！是妙音菩薩，深種善根。世尊！是菩薩住何三昧，而能如是在所變現，度脫眾生？」

At that time the Bodhisattva Padmasri said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! This Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara has deeply planted good roots. World-Honored One! In what samadhi does this Bodhisattva abide, that he can thus transform and manifest in whatever place and deliver living beings?"

佛告華德菩薩：「善男子！其三昧名現一切色身，妙音菩薩住是三昧中，能如是饒益無量眾生。」

The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Padmasri: "Good man! That samadhi is called manifesting all forms. The Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara abides in this samadhi and can thus benefit immeasurable living beings."

說是妙音菩薩品時，與妙音菩薩俱來者八萬四千人，皆得現一切色身三昧；此娑婆世界無量菩薩，亦得是三昧及陀羅尼。

When this chapter on the Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara was spoken, the eighty-four thousand people who had come with the Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara all attained the samadhi of manifesting all forms; and immeasurable Bodhisattvas of this Saha world also attained this samadhi and dharani.

爾時妙音菩薩摩訶薩供養釋迦牟尼佛及多寶佛塔已，還歸本土，所經諸國，六種震動，雨寶蓮華，作百千萬億種種伎樂。既到本國，與八萬四千菩薩、圍繞至淨華宿王智佛所，白佛言：「世尊！我到娑婆世界饒益眾生，見釋迦牟尼佛，及見多寶佛塔，禮拜、供養；又見文殊師利法王子菩薩，及見藥王菩薩、得勤精進力菩薩、勇施菩薩等，亦令是八萬四千菩薩得現一切色身三昧。」說是妙音菩薩來往品時，四萬二千天子得無生法忍，華德菩薩得法華三昧。

At that time the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva Gadgadasvara, having made offerings to Shakyamuni Buddha and to the stupa of the Buddha Prabhutaratna, returned to his own land; the lands he passed through shook in six ways, rained jeweled lotus flowers, and played hundreds of thousands of myriad kinds of music. Having reached his own country, he went, surrounded by eighty-four thousand Bodhisattvas, to the Buddha Nakshatraraja-Pushpa-Jnana and said to him: "World-Honored One! I went to the Saha world and benefited living beings, saw Shakyamuni Buddha and the stupa of the Buddha Prabhutaratna, bowed and made offerings; I also saw the Dharma-prince Bodhisattva Manjushri, the Bodhisattva Bhaishajyaraja, the Bodhisattva Viryabalavega, the Bodhisattva Pradanashura and others, and also enabled these eighty-four thousand Bodhisattvas to attain the samadhi of manifesting all forms." When this chapter on the coming and going of the Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara was spoken, forty-two thousand sons of heaven attained the forbearance of non-arising, and the Bodhisattva Padmasri attained the Lotus samadhi.

觀世音菩薩，以爍迦羅心應變無窮，自在神通遍遊法界，入微塵國土說法濟度，具足妙相弘誓如海，凡有因緣發清淨心，才舉聲稱，即隨聲而應，所有欲願即獲如意。妙法蓮華經普門品者，為度脫苦惱之真詮也。人能常以是經作觀，一念方萌，即見大悲勝相，能滅一切諸苦，其功德不可思議。朕惟天道福善禍淫，故佛示果報，使人為善而不敢為惡。夫天堂、地獄皆由人為，不違於方寸之內，故為善者得昇天堂，為惡者即墮地獄。夫忠臣孝子吉人貞士，其心即佛，故神明芘佑，業障俱泯，是以生不犯於憲條，沒不墮於無間。夫兇頑之徒，一於為惡，棄五倫如敝帚，蹈刑法如飲甘，寧餧羅剎，不欽佛道。然人性本善，所為惡者，特氣質之偏；苟能改心易慮，修省避畏，轉移之間惡可為善矣。為善則即善人，昔之所積之咎，如太空點塵、紅罏片雪，消滌淨盡，雖有果報將安施乎？朕恆念此，惟恐世之人有過而不知改，乃甘心焉以自棄，遂表章是經，使善良君子永堅禁戒之心，廣納無量之福，為善功德豈有涯涘哉！

The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, with a diamond-firm heart, responds to change without end, roams freely with spiritual powers throughout the Dharma realm, enters lands as small as motes of dust to teach and liberate beings, is endowed with wondrous marks, and has great vows as vast as the sea. Whoever has the affinity and arouses a pure mind need only raise his voice once and call the name, and he is answered at once, and whatever he wishes is granted as he desires. The Universal Gate chapter of the Lotus Sutra is the true teaching for freeing beings from suffering. If a person can always contemplate this sutra, as soon as a thought arises he will see the supreme form of great compassion and will be able to extinguish all suffering, and its merit is inconceivable. I consider that the Way of Heaven blesses the good and brings disaster on the dissolute, so the Buddha showed the retribution of karma to make people incline to goodness and not dare to do evil. Heaven and hell are both made by people themselves and are never apart from the space of the heart. So those who do good rise to heaven, and those who do evil fall into hell. The loyal minister and filial son, the auspicious and upright person, have the Buddha as their very heart, so the spirits protect them and their karmic obstacles all vanish, and thus in life they do not violate the laws, and in death they do not fall into the uninterrupted hell. The violent and stubborn set their minds on evil, discard the five relationships like a worn-out broom, tread on punishment as though drinking sweet wine, and would rather feed the rakshasas than revere the Buddha's Way. Yet human nature is originally good, and what makes people do evil is only a bias of temperament; if one can change heart and thought, cultivate and reflect and fear to do wrong, evil can turn into good in a moment of change. If one does good, one is at once a good person, and the faults accumulated in the past are like a speck of dust in the vast sky or a flake of snow on a red furnace, washed away entirely, and even if there were karmic retribution, where would it be applied? I often think of this, and fear that people in the world who err will not know how to change but be willing to abandon themselves; so I honor this sutra, that good and kind gentlemen may forever keep firm a heart of prohibition and take in immeasurable blessings, and how could the merit of doing good have a limit!

永樂九年五月初一日

First day of the fifth month, ninth year of Yongle.

妙法蓮華經觀世音菩薩普門品經姚秦三藏法師鳩摩羅什譯長行

The Lotus Sutra, the chapter of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara's Universal Gate; the prose portion translated by the Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of the Yao Qin dynasty.

隋北天竺沙門闍那崛多譯重頌

The verses translated by the Shramana Jnanagupta of North India during the Sui dynasty.

爾時，無盡意菩薩即從座起，偏袒右肩，合掌向佛而作是言：「世尊！觀世音菩薩以何因緣名觀世音？」

At that time the Bodhisattva Akshayamati rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said: "World-Honored One! For what reason is the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara called Avalokiteshvara?"

佛告無盡意菩薩：「善男子！若有無量百千萬億眾生受諸苦惱，聞是觀世音菩薩，一心稱名，觀世音菩薩即時觀其音聲，皆得解脫。若有持是觀世音菩薩名者，設入大火，火不能燒，由是菩薩威神力故。若為大水所漂，稱其名號，即得淺處。若有百千萬億眾生，為求金、銀、琉璃、車𤦲、馬瑙、珊瑚、虎珀、真珠等寶，入於大海。假使黑風吹其船舫，飄墮羅剎鬼國，其中若有，乃至一人，稱觀世音菩薩名者，是諸人等皆得解脫羅剎之難。以是因緣，名觀世音。若復有人臨當被害，稱觀世音菩薩名者，彼所執刀杖尋段段壞，而得解脫。若三千大千國土滿中夜叉、羅剎欲來惱人，聞其稱觀世音菩薩名者，是諸惡鬼尚不能以惡眼視之，況復加害。設復有人，若有罪、若無罪，杻械、枷鎖檢繫其身，稱觀世音菩薩名者，皆悉斷壞，即得解脫。若三千大千國土滿中怨賊，有一商主將諸商人，齎持重寶經過嶮路。其中一人作是唱言：『諸善男子！勿得恐怖！汝等應當一心稱觀世音菩薩名號。是菩薩能以無畏施於眾生。汝等若稱名者，於此怨賊當得解脫。』眾商人聞，俱發聲言：『南無觀世音菩薩。』稱其名故，即得解脫。

The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Akshayamati: "Good man! If there are immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of beings who suffer various afflictions and hear of this Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara and single-mindedly call his name, Avalokiteshvara at once observes their voices, and they are all liberated. If there are those who hold the name of this Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, even if they enter a great fire, the fire cannot burn them, through this Bodhisattva's majestic spiritual power. If they are swept away by a great flood and call his name, they will at once find shallow water. If there are hundreds of thousands of millions of beings who go out to the great sea to seek gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell, agate, coral, amber, pearls and other treasures, and a black wind blows their ship and it drifts to the land of the rakshasa demons, if among them there is even a single person who calls the name of Avalokiteshvara, all those people will be freed from the rakshasa's calamity. For this reason he is called Avalokiteshvara. If someone is about to be killed and calls the name of Avalokiteshvara, the swords and staffs held by his attackers will break into pieces and he will be freed. If the three thousand great thousand worlds are filled with yakshas and rakshasas wishing to harass people, when they hear someone call the name of Avalokiteshvara, these evil demons cannot even look at him with evil eyes, let alone harm him. Even if a person, whether guilty or innocent, is bound in fetters, cangue and chains, if he calls the name of Avalokiteshvara, all will be broken and he will be freed. If the three thousand great thousand worlds are filled with hostile bandits and a merchant leader leads a group of merchants carrying heavy treasures along a dangerous road, and one of them cries out, 'Good men! Do not be afraid! You should single-mindedly call the name of Avalokiteshvara. This Bodhisattva can grant fearlessness to beings. If you call his name you will be freed from these bandits,' and the merchants hear and all cry out together, 'Namo Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva,' because they called his name, they are at once liberated.

「無盡意！觀世音菩薩摩訶薩威神之力，巍巍如是。若有眾生多於婬欲，常念恭敬觀世音菩薩，便得離欲。若多瞋恚，常念恭敬觀世音菩薩，便得離瞋。若多愚痴，常念恭敬觀世音菩薩，便得離痴。

(The Buddha continued:) "Akshayamati! The majestic spiritual power of the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Avalokiteshvara is as lofty as this. If there are beings with much lust, let them constantly think of and revere Avalokiteshvara and they will be freed from lust. If they have much anger, let them constantly think of and revere Avalokiteshvara and they will be freed from anger. If they have much ignorance, let them constantly think of and revere Avalokiteshvara and they will be freed from ignorance.

「無盡意！觀世音菩薩有如是等大威神力，多所饒益。是故眾生常應心念。若有女人，設欲求男，禮拜供養觀世音菩薩，便生福德智慧之男；設欲求女，便生端正有相之女。宿殖德本，眾人愛敬。

(The Buddha continued:) "Akshayamati! The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara has such great majestic spiritual power and brings abundant benefit. Therefore beings should constantly keep him in mind. If a woman wishes for a son, let her bow to and make offerings to Avalokiteshvara and she will bear a son of merit and wisdom; if she wishes for a daughter, she will bear a daughter who is upright and has fine marks. Having planted roots of virtue in the past, they will be loved and revered by all.

「無盡意！觀世音菩薩有如是力。若有眾生恭敬禮拜觀世音菩薩，福不唐捐。是故眾生皆應受持觀世音菩薩名號。

(The Buddha continued:) "Akshayamati! The Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara has this power. If beings revere and bow to Avalokiteshvara, their blessing is not in vain. Therefore all beings should receive and hold the name of Avalokiteshvara.

「無盡意！若有人受持六十二億恆河沙菩薩名字，復盡形供養飲食、衣服、臥具、醫藥。於汝意云何？是善男子、善女人，功德多不？」

(The Buddha continued:) "Akshayamati! Suppose someone receives and holds the names of sixty-two billion Bodhisattvas, as many as the sands of the Ganges, and for the rest of his life makes offerings of food, clothing, bedding and medicine to them. What do you think? Would the merit of this good man or good woman be great?"

無盡意言：「甚多，世尊！」

Akshayamati said: "Very great, World-Honored One!"

佛言：「若復有人受持觀世音菩薩名號，乃至一時禮拜、供養。是二人福，正等無異，於百千萬億劫不可窮盡。無盡意！受持觀世音菩薩名號，得如是無量無邊福德之利。」

The Buddha said: "If another person receives and holds the name of Avalokiteshvara and even once bows to and makes offerings to him, the blessings of these two people are exactly equal, without difference, and cannot be exhausted in hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas. Akshayamati! Receiving and holding the name of Avalokiteshvara brings the benefit of such immeasurable and boundless merit."