The Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Dharma
「又，舍利弗！是諸比丘、比丘尼，自謂已得阿羅漢，是最後身，究竟涅槃，便不復志求阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，當知此輩皆是增上慢人。所以者何。若有比丘實得阿羅漢，若不信此法，無有是處。除佛滅度後，現前無佛。所以者何？佛滅度後，如是等經受持讀誦解義者，是人難得。若遇餘佛，於此法中便得決了。舍利弗！汝等當一心信解受持佛語。諸佛如來言無虛妄，無有餘乘，唯一佛乘。」
(The Buddha continued:) "Again, Shariputra! If these bhiksus and bhiksunis call themselves having already attained arhatship, saying this is their last body and they have reached ultimate nirvana, and then no longer aspire to unsurpassed right and perfect awakening, you should know that these are all arrogant people. Why? If a bhiksu has truly attained arhatship and does not believe this Dharma, there is no such possibility. Except after the Buddha's extinction, when no Buddha is present before them. Why? After the Buddha's extinction, those who receive, uphold, read, recite and understand the meaning of such sutras are hard to find. If they meet other Buddhas, then they will gain a decisive understanding of this Dharma. Shariputra! You should believe and understand with one mind and receive and uphold the Buddha's words. The words of the Buddhas and Tathagatas are not false; there is no other vehicle, only the One Buddha Vehicle."
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:
「比丘比丘尼，有懷增上慢，
"Bhiksus and bhiksunis, who harbor arrogance,
優婆塞我慢，優婆夷不信，
upasakas with self-conceit, upasikas without faith,
如是四眾等，其數有五千，
such four assemblies, numbering five thousand,
不自見其過，於戒有缺漏，
do not see their own faults, are deficient and flawed in the precepts,
護惜其瑕疵。是小智已出，
and guard and cherish their defects. These of petty wisdom have gone out,
眾中之糟糠，佛威德故去，
the chaff of the assembly, departing through the Buddha's majestic virtue;
斯人尠福德，不堪受是法。
these people have little merit and cannot receive this Dharma.
此眾無枝葉，唯有諸貞實。
This assembly has no branches and leaves, only pure, true heartwood.
舍利弗善聽！諸佛所得法，
Shariputra, listen well! The Dharma attained by the Buddhas,
無量方便力，而為眾生說。
through immeasurable power of skillful means, is preached for beings.
眾生心所念，種種所行道，
What beings have in mind, the various paths they practice,
若干諸欲性，先世善惡業。
their many natures of desire, and their good and evil karma of former lives,
佛悉知是已，以諸緣譬喻、
the Buddha knows all this, and by means of causes and parables,
言辭方便力，令一切歡喜。
words and the power of skillful means, makes everyone glad.
或說修多羅、伽陀及本事、
Sometimes he preaches sutras, verses, and accounts of former events,
本生未曾有，亦說於因緣、
accounts of former births, and unprecedented events, and also causes and conditions,
譬喻並祇夜、優波提舍經。
parables, geya and upadesha sutras.
鈍根樂小法，貪著於生死，
Those of dull faculties delight in lesser teachings, clinging greedily to birth and death,
於諸無量佛，不行深妙道，
And among countless Buddhas they do not walk the deep and wondrous Way,
眾苦所惱亂，為是說涅槃。
Vexed and disturbed by many sufferings; for them I teach nirvana.
我設是方便，令得入佛慧，
I set up this skillful means to let them enter the Buddha's wisdom,
未曾說汝等，當得成佛道。
But I never told you that you would attain the Buddha Way.
所以未曾說，說時未至故，
The reason I never said so was that the time to say it had not come,
今正是其時，決定說大乘。
But now is the very time, and I decisively teach the Great Vehicle.
我此九部法，隨順眾生說，
These nine divisions of my teaching I speak in accord with beings,
入大乘為本，以故說是經。
With entry into the Great Vehicle as the root; therefore I speak this sutra.
有佛子心淨，柔軟亦利根，
There are Buddha-children whose minds are pure, gentle, and sharp in faculty,
無量諸佛所，而行深妙道。
Who among countless Buddhas have walked the deep and wondrous Way.
為此諸佛子，說是大乘經，
For these Buddha-children I teach this Great Vehicle sutra,
我記如是人，來世成佛道，
And I predict that such people will attain the Buddha Way in a future age,
以深心念佛，修持淨戒故。
Because with a deep mind they recollect the Buddha and uphold the pure precepts.
此等聞得佛，大喜充遍身，
When these hear that they will become Buddhas, great joy fills their whole bodies;
佛知彼心行，故為說大乘。
The Buddha knows their minds and conduct, and so teaches them the Great Vehicle.
聲聞若菩薩，聞我所說法，
Whether Hearers or Bodhisattvas, those who hear the Dharma I speak,
乃至於一偈，皆成佛無疑。
Even if only a single verse, will without doubt all become Buddhas.
十方佛土中，唯有一乘法，
In the Buddha lands of the ten directions there is only the One Vehicle Dharma,
無二亦無三。除佛方便說。
Not two and not three, except where the Buddha speaks by skillful means.
但以假名字，引導於眾生，
It is only through provisional names that beings are guided,
說佛智慧故，諸佛出於世。
To proclaim the Buddha's wisdom, for which the Buddhas appear in the world.
唯此一事實，餘二則非真，
Only this one matter is real; the other two are not true,
終不以小乘，濟度於眾生。
And in the end I never use the Small Vehicle to deliver beings.
佛自住大乘，如其所得法，
The Buddha himself abides in the Great Vehicle, in the Dharma he has attained,
定慧力莊嚴，以此度眾生。
Adorned with the power of concentration and wisdom; by this he delivers beings.
自證無上道，大乘平等法，
Having himself realized the unsurpassed Way, the equal Dharma of the Great Vehicle,
若以小乘化，乃至於一人，
If I were to teach with the Small Vehicle even a single person,
我則墮慳貪，此事為不可。
I would fall into stinginess and greed, and this cannot be.
若人信歸佛，如來不欺誑，
If someone has faith and takes refuge in the Buddha, the Tathagata does not deceive,
亦無貪嫉意，斷諸法中惡。
And has no thought of greed or envy, having cut off evil in all dharmas.
故佛於十方，而獨無所畏。
Therefore the Buddha alone, in the ten directions, is without fear.
我以相嚴身，光明照世間，
I adorn my body with the marks, and my light illumines the world,
無量眾所尊，為說實相印。
Honored by countless multitudes, and I teach for them the seal of true reality.
舍利弗當知，我本立誓願，
Shariputra, you should know that originally I made a vow,
欲令一切眾，如我等無異。
Wishing to make all beings just like me, without any difference.
如我昔所願，今者已滿足，
As my wish was in the past, so now it has been fulfilled,
化一切眾生，皆令入佛道。
Transforming all beings and causing them all to enter the Buddha Way.
若我遇眾生，盡教以佛道，
If I met beings and taught them all the Buddha Way,
無智者錯亂，迷惑不受教。
The unwise would be confused and in disorder, deluded and not receiving instruction.
我知此眾生，未曾修善本，
I know these beings have never cultivated the roots of goodness,