師子意佛品第十四
Chapter 14: Lion's Intention Buddha
佛爾時告跋陀和：「乃去久遠世時，其劫阿僧祇不可計、不可數、不可量、不可極阿僧祇，乃爾時有佛名私訶摩提怛薩阿竭、阿羅訶、三耶三佛——其威神無有與等者，安隱於世間，於經中之尊，天上天下號曰天中天——於是國土空閑之處。是閻浮利國土豐熟，人民熾盛樂。是時閻浮利內廣縱十八萬拘利那術踰旬。是時閻浮利內凡有六百四十萬國。爾時，閻浮利有大國名跋登加，其國中有六十億人。私訶摩提佛在是國中。有遮迦越王名惟斯芩王，往到私訶摩提佛所，為佛作禮却坐一面。時，私訶摩提佛即知其王心所念，便為說是三昧。其王聞是三昧助歡喜，即持珍寶散佛上，其心即念：『持是功德令十方人民皆安隱。』
The Buddha then addressed Bhadra: "A very long time ago—countless, incalculable, immeasurable, and inconceivable eons ago—there was a Buddha named Simhamati, the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Samyaksambuddha. His majestic power was without equal, bringing peace and stability to the world. He was honored among the scriptures, and in heaven and on earth, he was called the Heaven-Honored One. At that time, there was a secluded place in this land. The land of Jambudvipa was prosperous and thriving, with a dense and joyful population. The breadth of Jambudvipa stretched for eighteen million leagues, and within it lay six hundred and forty million kingdoms.
At that time, there was a great kingdom in Jambudvipa named Pataka, with a population of six billion people. Buddha Simhamati was in this kingdom. There was a universal monarch, King Visnu, who went to the place where Buddha Simhamati was. After bowing at the Buddha's feet, he sat down to one side. Immediately, Buddha Simhamati, knowing the king's thoughts, expounded this samadhi for him. Hearing this samadhi, the king rejoiced and offered precious treasures to the Buddha. He then resolved in his heart: 'May the merit from this action bring peace and happiness to all beings in the ten directions.'"
「時私訶摩提佛般泥洹後，惟斯芩遮迦越王其壽終已後還生王家作太子，名梵摩達。爾時，閻浮提有比丘高明名珍寶，是時為四部弟子——比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷——說是三昧。梵摩達太子聞是三昧助歡喜，心踊躍樂喜聞是經，持珍寶直百億散是比丘上，復持好衣供養之，以發意求佛道。時與千人俱，於是比丘所剃頭鬚作沙門，即於是比丘所從索學是三昧。與千比丘共承事師，八千歲不休懈，前後一反得聞是三昧。是比丘輩聞是三昧四事助歡喜，入高明之智。持是助歡喜功德，却後更見六萬八千佛，輒於一一佛所聞是三昧，自守、學、復教他人學。其人持是助歡喜功德其後得作佛，名坻羅惟是逮怛薩阿竭、阿羅訶、三耶三佛。時是千比丘從得阿耨多羅三耶三菩阿惟三佛，皆名坻羅首羅欝沈怛薩阿竭、阿羅訶、三耶三佛，教不可計人民皆求佛道。」
After the time when the Buddha Sīhamati entered final nirvana, King Viśuciṃ Cakravartin, upon the end of his lifespan, was reborn into a royal family as a crown prince named Brahmadatta. At that time, there was a wise and renowned monk named Ratna living in Jambudvīpa. He was teaching this samādhi to his four groups of disciples—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.
When Prince Brahmadatta heard about this samādhi, he felt delighted and his heart leaped with joy. Eager to hear the teachings, he offered a precious gift worth a hundred million coins to the monk Ratna, along with fine robes as an offering. Inspired, he resolved to seek Buddhahood.
Then, together with a thousand others, he shaved his head and beard at the monk’s feet and became a śrāmaṇa (novice monk). From that teacher, he sought to learn this samādhi. The thousand monks served their teacher devotedly for eight thousand years without any slackening, and only then did they hear this samādhi once.
These monks heard this samādhi and did four virtuous deeds to assist their joy, thereby entering profound wisdom. Because of the merit from assisting joy, they later encountered seventy-eight thousand Buddhas. At each Buddha’s presence, they heard this samādhi again—practicing it themselves, studying it, and teaching it to others.
Through the merit from assisting joy, these practitioners eventually attained Buddhahood. Their names became Tīraviśuddha Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha. At that time, the thousand monks all attained Anuttara Samyaksaṃbodhi and became Buddhas, all called Tīraśirouda Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha. They taught countless beings who all sought the path of Buddhahood.
佛告跋陀和：「何人聞是三昧不助歡喜者？何人不學者？何人不為他人說者？何人不守者？」
The Buddha told Bhadra: "Who, upon hearing this Samadhi, does not rejoice? Who does not practice it? Who does not teach it to others? Who does not uphold it?"
佛告跋陀和：「若有菩薩守是三昧者疾逮得佛。跋陀和！若有菩薩在四十里外聞有持是三昧者，菩薩聞之便當行求往到其所。但得聞知有是三昧常當求之，何況乃得聞學者？若去百里者、若遠四千里，聞有持是三昧者當行學到其所，但得聞知，何況乃得聞學者？」
The Buddha told Bhadra: "If a bodhisattva upholds this Samadhi, they will quickly attain Buddhahood. Bhadra! If a bodhisattva hears from forty miles away that someone is upholding this Samadhi, upon hearing this, they should immediately go seek out that person. If they merely hear about the existence of this Samadhi, they should always seek after it—how much more so if they actually get to hear and study it? If they are a hundred miles away, or even four thousand miles away, upon hearing that someone is upholding this Samadhi, they should go to study from that person. If they merely hear about its existence, how much more so if they actually get to hear and study it?"
佛言：「去人遠者常當自行求，何況去人十里、二十里，聞有持是三昧者不行求學？跋陀和！若有菩薩聞是三昧，欲行至彼聞求是三昧者，當承事其師十歲、百歲，悉具足供養占視。是菩薩不得自用，當隨其師教，常當念師恩。」
The Buddha said: "If something is far away, one should still go seek it themselves—how much more so when it is only ten or twenty miles away? If someone hears of someone who upholds this Samadhi, yet does not go to learn from them?
Bhadrapala! If a bodhisattva hears of this Samadhi and wishes to go and seek out someone who practices it, they should serve their teacher for ten or even a hundred years, providing full offerings and attentive care. Such a bodhisattva must not be willful; they should follow their teacher's guidance and always remember the teacher's kindness."
佛言：「我故相為說之，若菩薩聞有是三昧處去四千里者欲往到其所，設不得聞是三昧者。」
The Buddha said, "I will explain this to you. If a Bodhisattva hears that this samadhi exists in a place four thousand li away and wishes to go there, but ultimately does not get to hear this samadhi—even then, the effort itself is still meaningful."
佛言：「我告若曹，其人用精進行求故終不復失佛道，會自致作佛。見不？跋陀和！菩薩聞是三昧，念欲求不離，其得利甚尊。」
The Buddha said, "I tell you, such a person will never lose the path to enlightenment because they practice with diligent effort. They will eventually attain Buddhahood. Do you see this, Bhadrapāla? When a bodhisattva hears of this samadhi and desires to seek it without wavering, the benefits they gain are supremely noble."
佛爾時頌偈言：
「我念過去有如來， 人中尊號私訶末，
爾時有王典主人， 至於彼佛聞三昧。
至意黠慧聽此經， 心悅無量奉持法，
即以珍寶散其上， 供師子意人中尊。
心念如是而歎言： 『我身於此當來世，
奉行佛教不敢缺， 亦當逮得是三昧。』
用是福願壽終後， 輒復來還生王家，
爾時見尊大比丘， 號曰珍寶智博達。
應時從聞是三昧， 踊躍歡喜即受持，
供以好物若千億， 珍寶、妙衣用道故。
即與千人除鬚髮， 來志樂求是三昧，
同時具足八千歲， 常隨比丘不捨離。
一反得聞不復二， 是三昧者譬如海，
執持經卷諷誦說， 其所生處聞三昧。
用積累是功德故， 當見諸佛大神通，
其所具足八萬歲， 所見諸佛輒供養。
曾值諸佛六萬億， 加復供養六千尊，
聞所說法大歡喜， 然後得見師子佛。
蒙此功德生王家， 見佛號曰堅精進，
化無數億諸人民， 度脫一切生死惱。
諷誦學是法以後， 便復見佛名堅勇，
天上世間誦其稱， 聞三昧聲得作佛。
何況受持誦說者？ 於眾世界無所著，
廣宣分流是三昧， 未曾疑忘於佛道。
此三昧經真佛語， 設聞遠方有是經，
用道法故往聽受， 一心諷誦不忘捨。
假使往求不得聞， 其功德福不可盡，
無能稱量其德義， 何況聞已即受持？
設有欲求是三昧， 當念往時彼梵達，
教習奉行莫退轉， 比丘得經當如是。」
"I recall a Tathāgata of the past, A Honored One among humans, named Simha.
At that time, a king who governed the people Came to that Buddha and heard this absorption.
With wholehearted wisdom, he listened to this sutra, Joy overflowed as he upheld the Dharma.
He scattered precious jewels upon the Buddha, Making offerings to the Lion-Minded Honored One of humans.
In his heart, he reflected and proclaimed: 'In a future life, I will practice the Buddha's teachings without failure, And I will also attain this absorption.'
With this vow and the merit from his offering, After his life ended, he was born again into a royal family.
There he met a great elder monk, A brilliant master named Jewel-Treasure.
He immediately heard this absorption from him, Leaped with joy, and received it.
With devotion to the path, he offered thousands of millions of fine things, Gems and exquisite robes.
Together with a thousand followers, he shaved his head, And joyfully sought this absorption.
For a full eight thousand years, He constantly followed that monk without ever leaving.
Heard it once, never needing a second hearing; This absorption is like a vast sea.
He mastered the scriptures, recited and explained them, And wherever he was reborn, he heard this absorption.
By accumulating these merits, He would behold the great spiritual powers of all buddhas.
Through eighty thousand years of dedication, Every buddha he met received his offerings.
He encountered sixty thousand billion buddhas, Then offered to an additional six thousand honored ones.
Hearing their teachings brought him great joy, And at last he saw the Lion Buddha.
Through these merits, he was reborn in a royal family And saw a buddha named Firm Effort.
This buddha transformed countless billions of beings, Liberating them from all the suffering of birth and death.
After reciting and learning this Dharma, He then met a buddha called Unwavering Courage.
Both in heaven and among humans, his name was praised. Hearing the sound of this absorption led him to become a buddha.
What more of those who receive, uphold, and recite it? They are unattached to any world,
And widely proclaim this absorption. They never doubt or forget the Buddha's path.
This absorption scripture is the true word of the Buddha. If one hears that this sutra exists in a distant land,
For the sake of the path, they go there to hear and receive it, With single-minded recitation and never letting go.
If they travel in search but cannot hear it, Their merit and blessings are still inexhaustible—
No one can measure the value of their virtue. What of those who hear and immediately uphold it?
If someone seeks this absorption, Let them remember the Brahma of that time:
They should practice, learn, and never turn back. A monk who attains this sutra should be just so."