菩薩降身品第二
Chapter 2: The Bodhisattva's Descent
「於是能仁菩薩，化乘白象，來就母胎。用四月八日，夫人沐浴，塗香著新衣畢，小如安身，夢見空中有乘白象，光明悉照天下，彈琴鼓樂，絃歌之聲，散花燒香，來詣我上，忽然不現。夫人驚寤，王即問曰：『何故驚動？』夫人言：『向於夢中，見乘白象者，空中飛來，彈琴鼓樂，散花燒香，來在我上，忽不復現，是以驚覺。』王意恐懼心為不樂，便召相師隨若那，占其所夢。相師言：『此夢者，是王福慶，聖神降胎，故有是夢。生子處家，當為轉輪飛行皇帝；出家學道，當得作佛，度脫十方。』王意歡喜。於是夫人，身意和雅，而說偈言：
Then the Bodhisattva Sakyamuni, transformed into a figure riding a white elephant, approached his mother’s womb. On the eighth day of the fourth month, the Lady bathed, applied fragrant ointments, and put on new robes. As she rested peacefully, she dreamed of a white elephant rider appearing in the sky, whose radiance illuminated all under heaven. There was the sound of lutes and drums, of strings and song, with flowers scattered and incense burned, all approaching her—and then suddenly it vanished.
The Lady awoke with a start. The King asked her, “What has startled you?”
She replied, “Just now in a dream, I saw one riding a white elephant flying through the sky. There was music from lutes and drums, flowers were scattered, incense was burned—it all came to me, then suddenly disappeared. That is why I awoke startled.”
The King felt uneasy and troubled in his heart. He summoned the diviner Suijianuota to interpret the dream.
The diviner said, “This dream is an auspicious sign for the King—a holy spirit is descending into the womb. Therefore this dream appeared. If the child remains in the household, he will become a Wheel-Turning Sage King ruling the four quarters. If he leaves home to practice the Way, he will attain Buddhahood and liberate beings throughout the ten directions.”
The King’s heart was filled with joy. Then the Lady, her body and mind serene and harmonious, spoke these verses:
「『今我所懷胎， 必是摩訶薩，
婬邪嫉恚止， 身心清淨安。
心常樂布施， 持戒忍精進，
定意入三昧， 智慧廣度人。
觀察大王身， 敬如父以兄，
瞻愍人民類， 亦如己赤子。
疾病醫藥療， 飢寒施衣食，
憐貧敬尊老， 樂令生老滅。
諸在獄閉繫， 毒苦愁怖惱，
願王加大慈， 一時赦罪過。
今我不欲聞， 世俗音樂聲，
志趣山林宴， 清淨寂默定。』
"The child I now carry in my womb must be a great being. Lust, envy, and anger have ceased; my body and mind are pure and at peace.
My heart delights in generosity, upholding precepts, patience, and diligence, With focused mind entering deep meditation, wisdom that liberates all beings.
I regard the king with reverence, as one would a father or elder brother, And look upon the people with compassion, as if they were my own children.
For the sick, I offer medicine and care; for the hungry and cold, food and clothing. I pity the poor, honor the elderly, and rejoice in the end of birth, aging, and death.
For those imprisoned, bound by suffering, fear, and distress, I pray the king extends great compassion, pardoning their wrongs all at once.
Now I have no desire for the sounds of worldly music and entertainment; My heart is drawn to the tranquility of mountains and forests, to stillness and serene concentration."
「於是粟散諸小國王，聞大王夫人有娠，皆來朝賀，各以金銀珍寶衣被花香，敬心奉貢稱吉，無量夫人，舉手攘之，不欲勞煩。自夫人懷妊，天獻眾味，補益精氣，自然飽滿，不復饗王厨。十月已滿太子身成，到四月七日，夫人出遊，過流民樹下，眾花開化、明星出時，夫人攀樹枝，便從右脇生墮地。行七步，舉手而言：『天上天下，唯我為尊。三界皆苦，吾當安之。』應時天地大動，三千大千剎土莫不大明。釋梵四王與其官屬，諸龍、鬼神、閱叉、揵陀羅、阿須倫，皆來侍衛。有龍王兄弟，一名迦羅，二名欝迦羅，左雨溫水，右雨冷泉，釋梵摩持天衣裹之，天雨花香，彈琴鼓樂，熏香燒香，擣香澤香，虛空側塞。夫人抱太子，乘交龍車，幢幡伎樂，導從還宮。
Then the kings of the scattered smaller states heard that the great king's consort was with child, and they all came to offer their congratulations. Each presented gold, silver, precious jewels, clothing, flowers, and incense with reverent hearts, proclaiming auspicious blessings without measure. The consort raised her hand to decline, not wishing to trouble them.
From the time the consort conceived, heavenly beings offered various delicacies to nourish her essence and energy, so she was naturally satisfied and no longer partook of the royal kitchen's meals.
When ten months had passed and the prince's body was fully formed, on the seventh day of the fourth month, the consort went out for a stroll. Passing beneath a flowering tree, as the blossoms opened and the morning star appeared, she grasped a branch of the tree, and the child was born from her right side, descending to the ground.
He took seven steps, raised his hand, and declared: "Throughout heaven and earth, I alone am honored. The three realms are all suffering—I shall bring them peace."
At that moment, the heavens and earth greatly trembled, and the three thousandfold world system was filled with brilliant light. Indra, Brahmā, the Four Heavenly Kings with their retinues, along with dragons, spirits, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras all came to attend and guard him.
There were two nāga kings, brothers—one named Kāla, the other named Utkala—who showered warm water from the left and cool springs from the right. Indra and Brahmā held heavenly garments to wrap him, while divine flowers and incense rained down, lutes and drums played, fragrant incense and perfumed oils filled the air, saturating the empty sky.
The consort embraced the prince, mounted a carriage drawn by intertwined dragons, and with banners, flags, music, and a procession leading the way, returned to the palace.
「王聞太子生，心懷喜躍，即與大眾、百官群臣、梵志、居士長者、相師，俱出往迎。王馬足觸地，五百伏藏，一時發出，海行興利，於時集至梵志相師，普稱萬歲，即名太子，號為悉達(漢言財吉)。王見釋梵四王、諸天龍神彌滿空中，敬心肅然，不識下馬禮太子。時未至城門，路側神廟一國所宗，梵志相師咸言：『宜將太子禮拜神像。』即抱入廟，諸神形像，皆悉顛覆。梵志相師、一切大眾皆言：『太子實神實妙，威德感化，天神歸命。』咸稱太子，號天中天。
The king heard that the prince was born, and his heart leaped with joy. He immediately went out to welcome him, accompanied by the great assembly, all the officials and ministers, Brahmin scholars, lay devotees, elders, and astrologers. When the king's horse's hoof touched the ground, five hundred hidden treasures emerged all at once. The sea brought forth prosperity, and at that moment, all the assembled Brahmin astrologers proclaimed, "Long live the prince!" They then named the prince Siddhartha(In Chinese, this means "Auspicious Wealth.").
The king saw the gods of the Four Heavenly Kings, along with dragons and spirits filling the sky, and felt a deep reverence. Without dismounting, he bowed to the prince from his horse. Before they reached the city gate, they passed by a roadside temple that was revered throughout the kingdom. The Brahmin astrologers all said, "It is fitting to bring the prince to pay respects to the temple deities." So they carried him into the temple, and all the statues of the gods toppled over.
The Brahmin astrologers and the entire assembly exclaimed, "The prince is truly divine and wondrous! His majestic virtue has moved even the heavenly spirits to submit." They all hailed the prince as the "Lord of Lords."
「於是還宮，天降瑞應，三十有二：一者、地為大動坵墟皆平，二者、道巷自淨臭處更香，三者、國界枯樹皆生花葉，四者、苑園自然生奇甘果，五者、陸地生蓮花大如車輪，六者、地中伏藏悉自發出，七者、中藏寶物開現精明，八者、篋笥衣被被在柁架，九者、眾川萬流停住澄清，十者、風霽雲除空中清明，十一者、天為四面細雨澤香，十二者、明月神珠懸於殿堂，十三者、宮中火燭為不復用，十四者、日月星辰皆住不行，十五、沸星下現侍太子生，十六、天梵寶蓋彌覆宮上，十七、八方之神奉寶來獻，十八、天百味飯自然在前，十九、寶甕萬口懸盛甘露，二十、天神牽七寶交露車至，二十一、五百白象子自然羅在殿前，二十二、五百白師子子從雪山出羅住城門，二十三、天諸婇女現伎女肩上，二十四、諸龍王女繞宮而住，二十五、天萬玉女把孔雀拂現宮牆上，二十六、天諸婇女持金瓶盛香汁列住空中侍，二十七、天樂皆下同時俱作，二十八、地獄皆休毒痛不行，二十九、毒蟲隱伏吉鳥翔鳴，三十、漁獵怨惡一時慈心，三十一、境內孕婦生者悉男，聾盲瘖瘂、癃殘百疾，皆悉除愈，三十二、樹神人現低首禮侍。當此之時，十六大國，莫不雅奇歎未曾有。
Then the prince returned to the palace, and thirty-two auspicious signs appeared in the heavens: First, the earth shook greatly, and all hills and valleys were leveled. Second, the streets became clean, and foul odors turned fragrant. Third, withered trees throughout the land burst into leaf and flower. Fourth, gardens spontaneously produced sweet, rare fruits. Fifth, lotuses as large as carriage wheels bloomed on dry land. Sixth, hidden treasures beneath the earth surfaced of their own accord. Seventh, buried jewels shone forth radiantly. Eighth, chests of clothing opened and the garments hung draped over racks. Ninth, all rivers and streams stopped flowing and became clear. Tenth, the wind settled, clouds parted, and the sky brightened. Eleventh, fine, fragrant rains fell from the four directions. Twelfth, moon-bright precious pearls hung from the palace chambers. Thirteenth, the torches and lamps within the palace were no longer needed. Fourteenth, the sun, moon, and stars paused in their courses. Fifteenth, a bright star appeared, descending to welcome the prince’s birth. Sixteenth, celestial jeweled canopies spread over the palace. Seventeenth, the gods of the eight directions came bearing precious gifts. Eighteenth, a hundred flavors of divine food appeared naturally before him. Nineteenth, ten thousand jeweled jars hung filled with sweet nectar. Twentieth, celestial beings pulled a carriage adorned with seven jewels, arriving before the palace. Twenty-first, five hundred white elephants spontaneously stood in rows before the hall. Twenty-second, five hundred white lion cubs emerged from the Snow Mountains and stationed themselves at the city gates. Twenty-third, heavenly maidens appeared above the dancers’ shoulders. Twenty-fourth, dragon princesses circled the palace and took their places. Twenty-fifth, ten thousand celestial maidens, holding peacock-feather fans, appeared upon the palace walls. Twenty-sixth, heavenly maidens with golden pitchers of fragrant water lined up in the sky, attending. Twenty-seventh, celestial music descended and played in harmony all at once. Twenty-eighth, the hell realms paused, and all suffering ceased. Twenty-ninth, venomous creatures hid, and auspicious birds sang joyfully. Thirtieth, hunters, fishermen, and those bearing grudges set aside their malice and felt compassion. Thirty-first, all pregnant women within the realm gave birth to sons, and those who were deaf, blind, mute, lame, or afflicted with disease were all healed. Thirty-second, tree spirits appeared in human form, bowing and paying homage. At that time, all sixteen great kingdoms marveled, saying that such a miracle had never been seen before.
「於是香山有道士名阿夷，中夜覺天地大動，觀見光明暉赫非常，山中有花，名優曇鉢，花中自然生師子王，墮地便行七步，舉頭而吼，面四十里，其中飛鳥走獸、蜎飛蚑行蠕動之類，莫不懾伏。阿夷念言：『世間有佛，應現此瑞。今世五濁盛惡，何故有此吉祥瑞應？』天曉飛到迦維衛國，未及國城，四十里外，忽然落地。心甚驚喜：『此必有佛，於我無疑。』步詣宮門，門監白王：『阿夷在門。』王愕然曰：『阿夷常飛，今者何故在門求通？』王即出禮拜迎，澡洗沐浴，施新衣服，問訊：『今日臨顧，勞屈尊聖！』阿夷答言：『聞大王夫人生太子，故來瞻省。』勅其內人，抱太子出。侍女白言：『太子疲懈，始得安眠。』阿夷喜悅，便說偈言：
Thus, on Fragrant Mountain, there was a sage named Ayi. At midnight, he sensed a great trembling of heaven and earth and saw a dazzling, extraordinary light shining brightly. On the mountain, there grew a flower called the udumbara. From within the flower, a lion king arose naturally. Upon touching the ground, it took seven steps, raised its head, and roared. For forty li in every direction, birds in flight, wild beasts, crawling insects, and all creatures that moved were subdued and terrified. Ayi thought to himself: "When a Buddha appears in the world, such auspicious signs arise. This age is filled with the five corruptions—evil and foul. Why, then, does this good omen appear?" At dawn, he flew swiftly toward Kapilavastu. But when he was still forty li from the city, he suddenly fell to the ground. His heart was filled with astonishment and joy: "A Buddha must be here—I have no doubt." He walked to the palace gate. The gatekeeper announced to the king, "Ayi is at the gate." The king was startled and said, "Ayi always flies. Why is he now at the gate seeking entry?" The king came out, bowed, and welcomed him. He had water prepared for washing and bathing, offered new clothes, and asked, "What brings you here today, noble sage? You have honored us with your presence!" Ayi replied, "I heard that the queen has given birth to a crown prince, so I have come to pay my respects." The king summoned the women of the palace to bring the prince out. The maids said, "The prince is tired and has just fallen asleep." Ayi rejoiced and spoke these verses:
「『大雄常自覺， 覺諸不覺者，
歷劫無睡臥， 豈當眠寐乎？』
「於是侍女，抱太子出，欲以太子向阿夷禮。阿夷便驚起，前禮太子足。國王及群臣，見國師阿夷敬禮太子，心便悚然，益知至尊，即頭面禮太子足。阿夷猛力，迴伏百壯士，方抱太子，筋骨委震，見奇相三十二、八十種好，身如金剛，殊妙難量，悉如祕讖，必當成佛，於我無疑，淚下哽咽悲不能言。時王惶怖請問：『太子有不祥乎？吉凶願告，幸勿有難。』阿夷自抑制，即便說偈言：
Then the maidservant brought the crown prince out, intending to present him to Asita for a blessing. But Asita rose in surprise and stepped forward to bow at the prince’s feet. Seeing the royal teacher Asita pay such homage to the prince, the king and his ministers were filled with awe, realizing all the more that this child was supremely noble. The king himself then bowed his head to the prince’s feet.
Asita, though possessing the strength of a hundred mighty men, felt his bones tremble as he held the prince. He beheld the thirty-two marks of a great being and the eighty secondary signs, a body like a diamond, sublime and immeasurable in its wonder. All of this matched the sacred prophecies—this prince would surely become a Buddha, of that there was no doubt. Weeping, Asita choked with grief and was unable to speak.
The king, alarmed and frightened, asked: “Is there something inauspicious about the prince? Whether good or ill, I beg you to tell me—please do not hesitate.”
Asita composed himself and then spoke in verse:
「『今生大聖人， 除世諸災患，
傷我自無福， 七日當命終。
不見神變化， 說法雨世間，
今與太子別， 是故自悲泣。』
太子舉手言： 『五道十方人，
吾當盡教化， 皆令得其所。
本我意所願， 當度薩和薩，
一人不得道， 吾不入泥洹。』
"The Great Sage has now been born in this world, Ending calamities and suffering for all beings. My own misfortune has wounded me, For in seven days my life shall end. I will not see His divine transformations, Nor hear the rain of Dharma falling on the world. Now that I must part from the Prince, It is for this I weep in sorrow."
The Prince raised His hand and said: "I will teach and transform all beings Throughout the five realms and ten directions, Guiding each to their rightful place. This has always been My heartfelt vow — To deliver all who suffer in existence. If even one person fails to attain the Way, I will not enter Nirvana."
「於是阿夷喜，重禮太子足。白淨王怖止歡喜，而說偈言：
「『太子有何相？ 當何治於世？
願為一一說， 諸相有何福？』
「時阿夷以偈答王言：
「『今觀太子身， 金色堅固志，
無上金剛杵， 舂破婬欲山。
大人相滿具， 足下安平趾，
居國常平治， 出家等正覺。
手足輪相現， 其好有千輻，
是故轉法輪， 得佛三界尊。
鹿腨而龍髀， 隱相陰馬藏，
觀者無有厭， 是故法清淨。
纖長手臂指， 軟掌鞔中里，
是故法久長， 千歲在世教。
皮毛柔軟細， 右旋不受塵，
金色鉤鎖骨， 是故伏外道。
方身師子臆， 旋轉不阿曲，
平住手過膝， 是故一切禮。
身有七處滿， 千子力當敵，
菩薩宿作行， 是故無怨惡。
口含四十齒， 方白而齊平，
甘露法率眾， 是故有七寶。
頰車如師子， 四牙萬字現，
佛德現天下， 是故豐三世。
味味次第味， 所食識其味，
是以設法味， 施與於一切。
廣舌如蓮華， 出口覆其面，
是故種種音， 受者如甘露。
語聲哀鸞音， 誦經過梵天，
是故說法時， 身安意得定。
眼相紺青色， 世世慈心觀，
是故天人類， 視佛無有厭。
頂特生肉髻， 髮色紺琉璃，
欲度一切故， 是以法隆盛。
面光如滿月， 色像花初開，
是以眉間毫， 白淨如明珠。』
「於是王深知其能相，為起四時殿，春、秋、冬、夏。各自異處，於其殿前列種甘果樹，樹間七寶浴池，池中奇花，色色各異，譬如天花，水類之鳥，數十百種，宮城牢固，七寶樓觀懸鈴幡幢，門戶開閉，聲聞四十里，選五百妓女，擇取溫雅禮儀備者，供養娛樂，育養太子。太子生日，國中八萬四千長者，生子悉男，八萬四千廐馬生駒，其一特異，毛色絕白，髦𮤅貫珠，以是之故，名為騫特。廐生白象，八萬四千，其一白象，七肢平跱，髦尾貫珠，口有六牙，是故名為白象之寶。白馬給乘，奴名車匿。
「太子生七日，其母命終，以懷天師功德大故，生忉利天，封受自然。太子在宮，不樂憒閙，志思閑燕。王問侍女：『太子樂乎？』侍女白言：『供養伎樂，不失時節，觀省太子，不以歡樂。』王用愁憂，即召群臣：『阿夷相言，必成佛道。以何方便，使太子留，令無道志。』有一臣言：『唯教書䟽，用繫志意。』即與其僕五百人俱，共詣師門。師聞太子至，即出拜迎。太子問言：『此為何人？』臣言：『是國教書師也。』太子問言：『閻浮提書凡有六十四種，即數書名，今用何書，以相教示？』梵志惶怖，答太子言：『六十四種，己所未聞，唯持二書，以教人民。即時歸命，願赦不及。』