勸助品第十三
Chapter 13: Encouragement and Support
佛告跋陀和：「是菩薩持有四事，於是三昧中助其歡喜，過去佛時持是三昧助歡喜；學是經者自致阿耨多羅三耶三菩阿惟三佛，其智悉具足，我助歡喜如是。復次，跋陀和！當來諸佛，求菩薩道者於是三昧中助歡喜，學是三昧者自致阿耨多羅三耶三菩阿惟三佛，其智悉具足，其皆助歡喜如是。復次，跋陀和！今現在十方無央數佛，本求菩薩道時於是三昧中者助歡喜，學是三昧者自致得阿耨多羅三耶三菩阿惟三佛，其智悉具足，其皆助歡喜福。令其與十方人民及蜎飛蠕動之類共得阿耨多羅三耶三菩阿惟三佛，持是三昧助歡喜功德令其疾得是三昧，作阿耨多羅三耶三菩阿惟三佛得不久。」
The Buddha said to Bhadrapāla, "A bodhisattva who upholds four things finds joy in this samādhi. In the time of the past Buddhas, those who held this samādhi found joy in it. Those who study this sutra will attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi (perfect enlightenment). Their wisdom will be fully complete, and I rejoice in this as well.
"Furthermore, Bhadrapāla, the future Buddhas who seek the bodhisattva path will find joy in this samādhi. Those who study this samādhi will attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Their wisdom will be fully complete, and I rejoice in this as well.
"Moreover, Bhadrapāla, the countless Buddhas now present in the ten directions, when they originally sought the bodhisattva path, found joy in this samādhi. Those who study this samādhi will attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Their wisdom will be fully complete. May the merit of their joy be shared with all beings throughout the ten directions—including every living creature, from humans to the tiniest insects—so that they too may attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.
"Through the merit of finding joy in this samādhi, may they quickly realize this samādhi and soon attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi."
佛告跋陀和：「是菩薩功德於是三昧中四事助歡喜，我於是中說少所譬喻。譬如人壽百歲，墮地行至百歲無有休息時，其人行使過疾風，周匝四方上下。云何，跋陀和！寧有能計其道里者不？」
The Buddha told Bhadrapala: "Regarding the merit of a bodhisattva in this samadhi through four acts that bring joy, I will now offer a brief analogy. Suppose a person lives to be one hundred years old, and from birth they travel without rest for one hundred years, moving even faster than the wind, encircling all directions—east, west, north, south, above, and below. What do you think, Bhadrapala? Could anyone measure the distance they have traveled?"
跋陀和言：「無有能計其道里者。天中天！獨佛弟子舍利弗羅、阿惟越致菩薩乃能計之耳。」
Anduō said: “No one can calculate the distance along that path, O Heavenly Honored One. Only your disciple Shariputra and those diligently devoted bodhisattvas could possibly calculate it.”
佛告跋陀和：「我故語諸菩薩，若有善男子、善女人取是四方上下諸國土其人所行處滿中珍寶布施與佛，不如聞是三昧。若有菩薩聞是三昧，於是四事中助歡喜，其福出過布施佛者百倍、千倍、萬倍、億倍。若見不？跋陀和！是菩薩助歡喜，其福寧多不？用是故當知之，是菩薩助歡喜其福甚尊大。」
The Buddha told Bhadrapala: "I therefore declare to all bodhisattvas—if a virtuous man or woman were to take treasures filling all lands in the ten directions, and offer them all to the Buddha, the merit gained would still not compare with merely hearing this samadhi. Furthermore, if a bodhisattva hears this samadhi and experiences joyful appreciation regarding these four matters, the merit generated surpasses that of making offerings to the Buddha by a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, or a billion times. Do you see? Bhadrapala! Is the merit of a bodhisattva who experiences such joyful appreciation truly great? For this reason, know this: the merit of a bodhisattva who experiences joyful appreciation is extremely vast and noble."
佛爾時頌偈言：
At that time, the Buddha spoke these verses:
「於是經教中， 持有四事歡，
過去及當來、 現在諸世尊，
勸助功德行， 度脫諸十方，
蜎飛之蠕動， 悉逮平等覺。
譬如此周匝， 四方及上下，
人生行百歲， 盡壽行不息。
欲有計道里， 其數難度量，
獨佛弟子知， 不退轉菩薩。
滿中珍寶施， 不如聞是法，
四事之勸助， 其福出彼上。
跋陀！且觀是， 四事之歡喜，
布施億萬倍， 不與勸化等。」
<row>"Therefore, within the teachings of the sutras,</row><row>There are four joyful practices.</row><row>All Buddhas of the past, future,</row><row>And present,</row><row>Through the meritorious act of rejoicing and supporting,</row><row>Liberate beings throughout the ten directions,</row><row>All living creatures, from insects to those that wriggle,</row><row>That they may all attain perfect enlightenment.</row><row>Consider this analogy: around us,</row><row>In all four directions, above and below,</row><row>If a person lived for a hundred years,</row><row>Walking nonstop throughout their entire life,</row><row>And one tried to measure the total distance,</row><row>It would be impossible to calculate,</row><row>Known only to Buddha's disciples</row><row>And irreversibly enlightened Bodhisattvas.</row><row>Yet offering such a huge amount of treasure</row><row>Cannot compare to hearing this Dharma,</row><row>The four joyful practices—</row><row>Their merit far surpasses that.</row><row>Bhadra! See this clearly,</row><row>The joy of these four things:</row><row>Even if you give billions in charity,</row><row>It's not equal to this joyful guidance."</row>