譬喻品第四
Chapter 4: Parable
佛告颰陀和：「菩薩慈求三昧者，得是三昧已，不精進行者，譬如，颰陀和！有人載滿舡珍寶欲持度大海，未至舡中道壞，閻浮利人皆大悲念：『亡我爾所珍寶。』如是，颰陀和！是菩薩聞是三昧已，不書、不學、不誦、不持如中法，一切諸天人民皆為大悲憂，言：『乃亡我爾所經寶。』用失是深三昧故。」
The Buddha told Bhadrapāla: "A bodhisattva who earnestly seeks this samādhi, but after attaining it does not practice diligently—imagine, Bhadrapāla, someone loading a ship full of treasures, intending to cross the great sea, but the ship breaks in the middle of the journey. All the people of Jambudvīpa would grieve greatly, saying, 'We have lost so much treasure.' In the same way, Bhadrapāla, when a bodhisattva hears of this samādhi but does not copy it, study it, recite it, or uphold it as the Dharma instructs, all gods and people will grieve deeply, saying, 'We have lost such a treasure of scripture.' This is because they have lost this profound samādhi."
佛言：「是三昧經者，是佛所囑、佛所稱譽。聞是深三昧經者，不書、不學、不誦、不守、不持如法者，反復愚癡。自用以為高耶？不受是經，意欲高才反不肯學是三昧。譬如，颰陀和！愚癡之子，有人與滿手栴檀香，不肯受之，反謂與之不淨栴檀香。其貨主語其人言：『此栴檀香，卿莫謂不淨乎。且取嗅之知香不？試視之知淨不？』癡人閉目不視、不肯嗅。」
The Buddha said: "This scripture on samadhi is entrusted and praised by the Buddha. Those who hear this profound samadhi scripture but do not copy it, study it, recite it, uphold it, or practice it correctly, are truly foolish. Do they think themselves superior because of their own arrogance? They reject this scripture, preferring to think they are highly talented, yet they refuse to study this samadhi. For instance, Bhadrapala, it is like a foolish child: someone offers them a handful of sandalwood incense, but they refuse to accept it, even saying that what is offered is impure sandalwood. The merchant says to them, 'This sandalwood is pure—do not think it impure. Take it and smell it; do you not perceive its fragrance? Examine it; do you not see its purity?' The fool simply shuts their eyes, refusing to look or to smell."
佛言：「其聞是三昧者，如是不肯受之反棄捨去，是為不持戒人；反捨是珍寶經，是為愚癡無智。自用得禪具足為度，反呼世間為有，不入空、不知無。其人聞是三昧已，不樂、不信、不入中，反作輕戲語：『佛亦有深經乎？亦有威神乎？』反形言：『世間亦有比丘如阿難乎？』」
The Buddha said: "Those who hear about this samadhi but refuse to accept it, instead turning away and abandoning it—these are people who do not uphold the precepts. They reject this precious scripture, showing themselves to be foolish and lacking wisdom. They think they have attained enough through their own practice of meditation to be liberated, yet they still cling to the world as real, not entering into emptiness, not understanding non-existence. When such people hear of this samadhi, they do not delight in it, do not believe it, do not enter into it. Instead, they speak lightly and mockingly, saying: 'Does the Buddha even have profound teachings? Does He have spiritual power?' And further they say cynically: 'Are there monks in this world like Ananda?'"
佛言：「其人從持是三昧者，所去兩兩三三相與語云：『是語是何等說乎？是何從所得是語乎？是為自合會作是語耳，是經非佛所說。』」
The Buddha said: "Those who hold to this samadhi will sometimes have others coming to them in groups of two or three, saying: 'What kind of teaching is this? Where did you get these words? This is just something you made up yourself. This sutra was not spoken by the Buddha.'"
佛告颰陀和：「譬如賈客持摩尼珠示田家癡子，其人問賈客：『評此幾錢？』賈客答言：『夜半時於冥處持是摩尼珠著冥中，其明所照至，直滿其中寶。』」
The Buddha told Bhadra: "Imagine a merchant showing a mani pearl to a foolish farmer. The farmer asks: 'What is this worth?' The merchant replies: 'If you hold this pearl in the darkness at midnight, its light shines forth and illuminates everything, while its value equals the abundance of all treasures it fills.'"
佛言：「其人殊不曉其價，反形是摩尼珠言：『其價能與一頭牛等不？寧可貿一頭牛。』想是不復過，此與我者善、不肯者已。如是，颰陀和！其人聞是三昧不信者，反形是經如是。」
The Buddha said: "That person has no idea of its true value. Instead, they compare this Mani pearl and ask: 'Is it worth as much as a cow? Would it be better to trade it for a cow?' They think that's the most it could be worth. If the owner agrees to trade, fine; if not, so be it. In the same way, Bhadrapala, those who hear about this Samadhi and still don't believe it—they judge this scripture in the same foolish manner."
佛言：「如菩薩持是三昧，受信者便隨行，四面皆擁護無所畏，持禁戒完具，為得高明黠慧，深入為他人說之。菩薩當持是三昧，分布語人展轉相傳，當令是三昧久在。」
The Buddha said: “When a bodhisattva upholds this samadhi, those who receive and believe in it will naturally follow its practice. They are protected on all sides and have no fear. With complete observance of precepts, they attain profound wisdom and insight, and can teach it to others in depth. A bodhisattva should uphold this samadhi, share it with others, and pass it on from one to another, so that this samadhi may endure for a long time.”
佛言：「癡人自於前世佛所不供養、不作功德，反自貢高，多行誹謗、嫉妬。用財利故，但欲求名、但欲嘩說，不得善師、亦不明經。聞是三昧已，不信、不樂、不入中，反誹謗人言：『是彼不知愧，為自作是經耳，是經非佛所說。』」
The Buddha said: "Foolish people, in their past lives, did not make offerings to the Buddha, did not cultivate merit, and instead were arrogant, engaging in slander and jealousy. Motivated by profit, they sought only fame and wished only to show off. They did not find good teachers, nor did they understand the scriptures. Upon hearing of this Samādhi, they did not believe it, did not take joy in it, did not enter into it, and instead slandered others, saying: 'These people know no shame; they have composed this scripture themselves. This scripture was not spoken by the Buddha.'"
佛告颰陀和：「今我具語汝，如是，颰陀和！求菩薩道者——若善男子、善女人——持是三千國土滿其中珍寶施與佛，設有是功德，不如聞是三昧。若有菩薩聞是三昧信樂者，其福轉倍多。」
The Buddha told Bhadrapala, "Now I will tell you clearly, Bhadrapala: those who seek the path of a bodhisattva—whether a good man or a good woman—if they filled the entire three thousand worlds with treasures and offered them to the Buddha, that merit would still not compare to hearing this samadhi. If a bodhisattva hears this samadhi with faith and joy, their blessings would be even greater, many times over."
時佛歎曰：「是三千國土，滿其中珍寶施於佛，持用求佛。復有異人——持是三昧者——是佛所稱譽，聞信者其福倍多。」
At that time, the Buddha praised, saying: "If someone were to fill these three thousand worlds with precious treasures and offer them to the Buddha, seeking Buddhahood through such giving—yet another person who upholds this samadhi, and who hears and believes in it with faith, their merit would be far greater."
佛言：「是迷惑自貢高人、不信者及與惡知識從事，聞是經不信、不樂，是為於我經中怨家無異。是不持戒人在自大中，其餘人展轉聞其言信隨之，此為壞佛法。其人相告言：『是經為非佛所說。』直作是誹謗。」
The Buddha said: "Those who are conceited, self-important, lack faith, and associate with harmful companions—when they hear this sutra, they do not believe it and take no joy in it. They are no different from enemies of my teaching. These people, who do not uphold the precepts, are arrogant, and others who hear their words may believe and follow them, thus corrupting the Dharma. Such people say to one another: 'This sutra was not spoken by the Buddha.' This is outright slander."
佛言：「有信是三昧者，其人宿命曾見過去佛，已用是故，我為是信者說是三昧耳。是輩之人常護佛法，聞是經信樂者當作是知，離佛不遠。若持戒堅者常正心恭敬於經，我用是故，為是人說耳。」
The Buddha said: "Those who have faith in this samadhi have, in their past lives, seen the Buddhas of old. For this reason, I speak of this samadhi for those who possess such faith. Such people constantly protect the Dharma. Know this: those who hear this sutra with faith and joy are not far from the Buddha. For those who uphold moral discipline firmly and always maintain a reverent heart toward the scriptures, for these people I teach this teaching."
佛告跋陀和：「我所說無有異爾，故說是語耳。今見我說是三昧者，其人却後世時，聞是三昧終不疑、不形笑、不言不信，除在惡師邊。正使在善師邊，其功德薄少，如是輩人復轉與惡師從事，是輩人者聞是三昧，不信、不樂、不入中。何以故？其人未久學，所更佛少所信，智慧少故不信耳。」
The Buddha said to Bhadrapala, "What I have spoken is no different from the truth, so I offer these words. For those who now hear this meditation (samādhi) being taught, in ages to come, when they encounter this teaching, they will have no doubt, will not mock it, will not speak against it, nor refuse to believe—unless they have fallen into the company of evil teachers. Even if they are with good teachers, but their store of merit is thin and sparse, and such people then turn again to evil teachers, when they hear of this meditation, they will not believe, take no joy in it, and will not enter into it. Why is that? Because those people have not studied for long, have encountered few Buddhas, and their faith and wisdom being shallow, they cannot believe."
佛告颰陀和：「其有菩薩聞是三昧，不形笑、不誹謗者，歡喜不中疑、不言乍信乍不信，樂書、樂學、樂誦、樂持。」
佛言：「我悉豫知豫見已，其人不獨於一佛所作功德，不於二、若三、若十，悉於百佛所聞是三昧。却後世時聞是三昧者，書、學、誦持經卷，最後守一日一夜，其福不可計，自致阿惟越致，所願者得。」
佛告颰陀和：「聽我說譬喻。譬如，颰陀和！有人取一佛剎悉破碎如塵，其人取此一塵悉復破盡如一佛剎塵，都盧悉取一一塵皆復塵碎盡如一佛剎塵。云何，颰陀和！是塵其數寧多不？」
颰陀和言：「甚多甚多。天中天！」
佛告颰陀和：「我為汝曹引此譬喻，若有一菩薩盡取是一塵置一佛剎，其數爾所佛剎滿其中珍寶悉持供養諸佛，不如聞是三昧。若復有一菩薩聞是三昧已，書、學、誦持、為他人說須臾間，是菩薩功德不可復計。」
佛言：「持是三昧者，書、學、誦持、為他人說，其福乃爾，何況守是三昧悉具足者？」
佛爾時頌偈曰：
「三千大千之國土， 滿中珍寶用布施，
設使不聞是像經， 其功德福為薄少。
若有菩薩求眾德， 當講奉行是三昧，
疾悉諷誦此經法， 其功德福無有量。
如一佛國塵世界， 皆破壞碎以為塵，
彼諸佛土過是數， 滿中珍寶用布施；
其有受持是世尊， 四句之義為人說，
是三昧者諸佛慧， 得聞功德叵比喻。
何況有人自講說、 受持、諷誦念須臾，
轉加增進奉行者， 其功德福無有量。
假使一切皆為佛， 聖智清淨慧第一，
皆於億劫過其數， 講說一偈之功德，
至於泥洹讚詠福， 無數億劫悉歎誦，
不能盡究其功德， 於是三昧一偈事。
一切佛國所有地， 四方、四隅及上、下，
滿中珍寶以布施， 用供養佛天中天。
若有聞是三昧者， 得其福祐過於彼，
安諦、諷誦、講說者， 引譬功德不可喻。
其人貢高終不起， 亦無有趨惡道時，
解了深法不疑結， 行斯三昧德如是。
學士為以見奉吾， 德重精進普不著，
增益信明為菩薩， 力學三昧佛所讚。
屬累汝等常勸教， 力行精進無放逸，
自勖勇猛勤修行， 令得大道不復反。
其有誦受是三昧， 已為面見百千佛，
假使最後大恐懼， 持此三昧無所畏。
行是比丘以見我， 常為隨佛不遠離，
菩薩聞習三昧者， 義當受持為人說。
菩薩得是三昧者， 爾乃名曰博達慧，
為逮總持佛稱譽， 疾成佛道智如海。
常恒誦說是三昧， 當從佛法世尊教，
聞其種姓得等覺， 如佛所說無有異。」
般舟三昧經卷上