摩訶般若波羅蜜經奉鉢品第二
Offering the Bowl Chapter 2
佛告舍利弗：「若菩薩摩訶薩行般若波羅蜜能作是功德，是時四天王皆大歡喜，意念言：『我等當以四鉢奉上菩薩，如前天王奉先佛鉢。』三十三天乃至他化自在天亦皆歡喜，意念言：『我等當給侍供養菩薩，減損阿修羅種，增益諸天眾。』三千大千國土四天王天乃至阿迦尼吒天皆大歡喜，意念言：『我等當請是菩薩轉法輪。』舍利弗！是菩薩摩訶薩行般若波羅蜜增益六波羅蜜時，諸善男子、善女人各各歡喜，念言：『我等當為是人作父母妻子、親族知識。』爾時四天王天乃至阿迦尼吒天皆大歡喜，各自念言：『我等當作方便，令是菩薩離於婬欲，從初發意常作童真，莫使與色欲共會，若受五欲障生梵天，何況阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』以是故，舍利弗！菩薩摩訶薩斷婬欲出家者，應得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提非不斷。」
The Buddha said to Shariputra, "When a great bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom and is able to accomplish such merit, at that time the Four Heavenly Kings are greatly delighted and think to themselves: 'We should offer four alms bowls to this bodhisattva, just as the heavenly kings offered bowls to the Buddhas of the past.'
The gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, up to and including the gods of the Heaven of Free Enjoyment of Others' Emanations, are also all delighted and think: 'We should serve and make offerings to this bodhisattva, diminish the race of asuras, and increase the multitude of gods.'
Throughout the great chiliocosm, the gods of the Four Heavenly Kings up to the gods of the Akaniṣṭha Heaven are all greatly delighted and think: 'We should request this bodhisattva to turn the wheel of Dharma.'
Shariputra, when this great bodhisattva practices the Perfection of Wisdom and enhances the six perfections, all good men and good women are each delighted and think: 'We should become this person's parents, spouse, children, relatives, and friends.'
At that time, the gods from the Four Heavenly Kings up to the Akaniṣṭha Heaven are all greatly delighted, each thinking to themselves: 'We should devise skillful means so that this bodhisattva remains free from sexual desire. From the very first aspiration, may they always maintain purity like a youth, and never associate with sensual pleasures. If they indulge in the five desires, it will obstruct rebirth in the Brahma heavens, let alone the attainment of supreme, perfect enlightenment.'
Therefore, Shariputra, a great bodhisattva who cuts off sexual desire and leaves the household life should attain supreme, perfect enlightenment—not one who does not."
舍利弗白佛言：「世尊！菩薩摩訶薩要當有父母妻子、親族知識耶？」
Shariputra asked the Buddha, "World-Honored One, must a great bodhisattva have parents, spouse, children, relatives, and friends?"
佛告舍利弗：「或有菩薩有父母妻子、親族知識。或有菩薩從初發心斷婬欲修童真行，乃至得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不犯色欲。或有菩薩方便力故受五欲已，出家得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。譬如幻師若幻弟子，善知幻法幻作五欲於中共相娛樂。於汝意云何，是人於此五欲頗有實受不？」
The Buddha said to Shariputra, "Some Bodhisattvas have parents, wives, children, relatives, and friends. Others, from the very moment they first set their minds on awakening, renounce sensual desire and cultivate pure conduct, remaining free from sexual desire all the way until they attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. Still others, through skillful means and power, first experience the five desires, then leave home and attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.
It is like a master illusionist or a skilled disciple of illusion who, well-versed in the art of illusion, conjures up the five desires and enjoys them together with others. What do you think? Do those people truly experience those five desires?"
舍利弗言：「不也，世尊！」
Shariputra replied, "No, World-Honored One."
佛告舍利弗：「菩薩摩訶薩以方便力故化作五欲，於中受樂成就眾生，亦復如是。是菩薩摩訶薩不染於欲，種種因緣毀呰五欲，欲為熾然、欲為穢惡、欲為毀壞、欲為如怨。是故，舍利弗！當知菩薩為眾生故受五欲。」
The Buddha said to Shariputra, "A great bodhisattva, through skillful means, manifests the five desires and experiences pleasure within them, all to guide and mature sentient beings. Yet this great bodhisattva is not tainted by desire. Through various teachings, they condemn the five desires—desire as a burning fire, desire as filth and defilement, desire as destruction, desire as an enemy. Therefore, Shariputra, you should understand that a bodhisattva endures the five desires for the sake of all beings."
舍利弗白佛言：「菩薩摩訶薩云何應行般若波羅蜜？」
Shariputra asked the Buddha, "How should a bodhisattva practice the perfection of wisdom?"
佛告舍利弗：「菩薩摩訶薩行般若波羅蜜時，不見菩薩、不見菩薩字，不見般若波羅蜜，亦不見我行般若波羅蜜，亦不見我不行般若波羅蜜。何以故？菩薩、菩薩字性空，空中無色，無受想行識；離色亦無空，離受想行識亦無空。色即是空，空即是色；受想行識即是空，空即是識。何以故？舍利弗！但有名字故謂為菩提，但有名字故謂為菩薩，但有名字故謂為空。所以者何？諸法實性無生無滅、無垢無淨故。菩薩摩訶薩如是行，亦不見生亦不見滅，亦不見垢亦不見淨。何以故？名字是因緣和合作法，但分別憶想假名說。是故菩薩摩訶薩行般若波羅蜜時，不見一切名字，不見故不著。」
The Buddha said to Shariputra: "When a great bodhisattva practices the perfection of wisdom, they do not perceive a bodhisattva, nor do they perceive the word 'bodhisattva.' They do not perceive the perfection of wisdom. They do not perceive themselves as practicing the perfection of wisdom, nor do they perceive themselves as not practicing it. Why is this? The nature of a bodhisattva and the word 'bodhisattva' are empty. In emptiness, there is no form, no feeling, no perception, no mental formations, no consciousness. Apart from form, there is no emptiness; apart from feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness, there is no emptiness. Form itself is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. Feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are emptiness; emptiness is consciousness. Why is this, Shariputra? It is merely due to names that we speak of enlightenment. It is merely due to names that we speak of a bodhisattva. It is merely due to names that we speak of emptiness. Why? Because the true nature of all phenomena is neither born nor destroyed, neither defiled nor pure. When a great bodhisattva practices in this way, they do not perceive birth or destruction, nor do they perceive defilement or purity. Why? Names are things formed by the coming together of causes and conditions; they are merely conceptual labels, provisional designations for the sake of speech. Therefore, when a great bodhisattva practices the perfection of wisdom, they do not perceive any names. Since they do not perceive them, they do not cling to them."