佛說月明菩薩經一卷
Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on the Bodhisattva Moonlight
南吳月支國居士支謙譯
Translated by Zhi Qian, Layman of the Wu-Yuezhi Kingdom
聞如是：
Thus have I heard:
一時，佛在羅閱祇耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾千二百五十人，菩薩萬人俱。
Once, the Buddha was staying on Mount Vulture Peak in Rajagriha, accompanied by a great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty monks and ten thousand bodhisattvas.
是時，羅閱祇有大姓豪富家，名申日。申日有子，字栴羅法(漢言月明)，有清潔之行，佛譬童男，故言月明。童男到佛所，前為佛作禮，却坐一面。佛告月明童男：「菩薩摩訶薩在家、若作比丘，持法施、飯食施，常以善意迎逆一切人心，奉持食四願，當發意求佛，疾逮得無上正真道。何等為四願？第一願者、願一切人疾逮善權方便；第二願者、願世世與善知識共會；第三願者、願以財寶與一切人共；第四願者、願行二事以法施及飯食，常樂得是行。是為四願。
At that time, in the city of Rajagriha, there was a wealthy and noble family named Shenri. Shenri had a son named Zhanluofa, which means "Moonlight" in Chinese. He had pure and clean conduct. The Buddha compared him to a pure youth, hence calling him Moonlight. The youth came to the Buddha, bowed at his feet, and sat to one side. The Buddha said to the youth Moonlight: "Whether a bodhisattva-mahasattva is a layperson or a monk, when offering the Dharma and giving food as alms, they should always greet everyone with a kind heart. When offering food, they should uphold the Four Vows and aspire to seek Buddhahood, swiftly attaining supreme and perfect enlightenment. What are these Four Vows? The first vow is: May all beings quickly attain skillful means. The second vow is: May they encounter good spiritual teachers in every lifetime. The third vow is: May they share wealth and treasures with all beings. The fourth vow is: May they always delight in practicing two things: offering the Dharma and giving food as alms. These are the Four Vows."
「復次，月明童男！菩薩大士在家、若出家，常樂經法施，常以善權迎逆人，意無貪心，正立法中住，奉守禁戒當如法。復有一事，月明童男！若比丘疾病窮厄，勤苦當憂，令得安隱給與醫藥；何但醫藥？尚當不惜肌肉，當供養之趣令得愈。
"Furthermore, Bright Moon Youth! Whether bodhisattva-mahasattvas remain at home or leave home, they should always delight in the Dharma as a gift and joyfully welcome others with skillful means. Their minds should be free from greed, and they should dwell firmly in the proper Law, upholding and observing the precepts in accordance with the Dharma. There is another matter, Bright Moon Youth: If a monk is ill, in distress, and suffering bitterly, you should be concerned for him, help him find peace and security, and provide him with medicine and treatment. Why only medicine and treatment? One should not even begrudge their own flesh and blood—they should care for him until he is healed."
「復有一事，月明童子！菩薩大士布施終，不中疑。何以故？過去阿僧祇劫復阿僧祇劫，都不可計、無央數、極廣遠，爾時，世有佛，名諦念願無上王如來、無所著、等正覺，示現受身於世間，隨所樂具習行，為上尊。
Another matter, Moon-Bright Youth: Great Bodhisattvas who practice generosity never waver in doubt. Why is this? In the distant past, beyond countless eons stretching endlessly—incalculable, immeasurable, vast beyond all reckoning—a Buddha appeared in the world, named the King of True Mindfulness and Supreme Vows, the Thus-Come One, the Unattached, the Perfectly Enlightened. He manifested a body in the world, following whatever skillful means were needed, practicing the highest way.
「復有一事，月明童男！爾時，諦念願無上王如來、至真、等正覺，其日現得等正覺相，便變化作無央數身形，隨所喜樂而開導之，使無數人得須陀洹道、無數人得斯陀含道、無數人得阿那含道、無數人得阿羅漢道、無數人得辟支佛道、無數人生四王天上、無數人生忉利天上、無數人生鹽天上、無數人生兜術天上、無數人生尼摩羅天上、無數人生魔天上、無數人生梵天上，無數人受別發無上正真道意，人人皆當過泥洹大道去。
"There is another matter, Bright Moon Boy! At that time, the king known as Single-Minded Vow, the Thus-Come One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, had just achieved perfect enlightenment. He then transformed himself into countless forms, guiding beings according to what would bring them joy. In this way, countless people attained the stage of Stream-Enterer, countless people attained the stage of Once-Returner, countless people attained the stage of Non-Returner, countless people attained Arhatship, countless people attained the stage of Pratyekabuddha, countless people were born in the Heaven of the Four Kings, countless people were born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, countless people were born in the Yama Heaven, countless people were born in the Tushita Heaven, countless people were born in the Nirmāṇarati Heaven, countless people were born in the Paranirmita-vaśavartin Heaven, countless people were born in the Brahma Heaven, and countless people received the prediction and set their minds on supreme, perfect enlightenment. Each and every one of them will eventually pass beyond into the great Nirvāṇa."
「爾時，諦念願無上王如來、無所著、等正覺，於是教授，現身一日。所度盡已，便般泥洹；般泥洹後，其法留止二十億千歲。其數欲盡最後五十歲中，比丘多不復信深經，多喜淺事，經法於是稍稍未盡。
At that time, the Thus-Coming One, the Unattached One, the Perfectly Enlightened One — known as the King of Upholding Truth and Vows — gave his teachings for a single day. Once those who were to be guided had been fully liberated, he entered Parinirvāṇa. After his passing, his Dharma remained in the world for two billion, one thousand years. As its end approached, in the final fifty years, many monks no longer had faith in the profound scriptures and instead favored trivial matters. Gradually, the teachings began to fade.
「爾時，閻浮利國有王，名智力，常修行佛三事。何等三事？一者、常護佛深法；二者、受行佛深法；三者、諦信佛深法。爾時，世有比丘字浮曇末(漢言至誠意)，常行三事。何等為三事？一者、常持是三昧；二者、常護是三昧；三者、常誦是三昧。加有八事：常行慈心、常行哀心、常行悲心、常行護心、常行𭶑慧心、常行答問心、常行喜踊心、常行第一心。以是便具降九十六種道，悉覽知一一深法不復疑。至誠意比丘與智力王有親理，為王所尊敬，國人愛重亦爾。王欲見是比丘，無有厭極；時聽是比丘說經法，無有厭足；時欲禮是比丘，無有厭足。
At that time, in the land of Jambudvīpa there was a king named Wisdom Power, who always practiced three things with regard to the Buddha. What were these three? First, he always protected the profound teachings of the Buddha; second, he received and practiced the profound teachings of the Buddha; third, he had firm faith in the profound teachings of the Buddha.
At that time, there was a monk in the world named Fú Tán Mò(Meaning "Sincere Intention" in Chinese), who always practiced three things. What were these three? First, he always upheld this samādhi; second, he always protected this samādhi; third, he always recited this samādhi. Additionally, he practiced eight more things: he always practiced loving-kindness, always practiced compassion, always practiced sympathetic joy, always practiced equanimity, always practiced discerning wisdom, always practiced answering questions, always practiced rejoicing, and always practiced the supreme mind.
Through these, he was able to overcome the ninety-six kinds of paths, and he could thoroughly understand each profound teaching without any doubt. The monk Sincere Intention and King Wisdom Power were related by family, and the king held him in high esteem, and the people of the country also loved and respected him. The king never tired of seeing this monk; he never tired of hearing him expound the Dharma; and he never tired of paying homage to him.
「時，是比丘髀上生大惡瘡，國中醫藥所不能愈，王愁大悲，即為淚出；時，二萬夫人俱亦皆同時悲念是比丘。於時王臥出，夢中有天人來語王言：『若欲愈是至誠意比丘病者，當得生人肉血飲食之，即愈矣。』王寤，驚悸不樂，念：『是比丘病重，乃須彼藥。法所難得。』勅問臣下：『何從得生人血肉？』
At that time, that monk developed a severe, putrid sore on his thigh, which the kingdom’s doctors and medicines could not cure. The king grew deeply sorrowful, even shedding tears, and his twenty thousand wives also wept, full of compassion for that monk. Then, as the king slept, he dreamed that a heavenly spirit appeared and said to him: “If you wish to cure that monk of his affliction with genuine sincerity, you must obtain the flesh and blood of a living person for him to consume, and then he will be healed.” When the king awoke, he was troubled and unsettled, thinking: “This monk’s illness is so grave, yet he requires a remedy that is difficult to obtain.” He then inquired of his ministers: “Where can one obtain the flesh and blood of a living person?”
「時，王第一太子——字若羅衛(漢言智止)——智止白王：『王莫悲、莫愁、莫憂！人之血肉最為賤微，世人所重，道無所違。』王答太子：『善哉，善哉！』太子默然，還入齋室，持刀割髀，取肉及血，持送與比丘。比丘得服之，瘡即除愈，身得安隱。王聞比丘已得除愈，大歡喜悅，懌不能自勝，意存比丘，不復念太子痛，持是歡喜，各有至心；太子亦自平復，便舉國財寶賜與太子。太子以偈答王曰：
At that time, the king's eldest son, named Ruoluowei—in Chinese, "Zhi Zhi" (Wisdom and Serenity)—said to the king: "Do not grieve, do not worry, do not be distressed! Human flesh and blood are the most lowly and insignificant. What the world values, the Way does not oppose." The king replied to the prince: "Well said, well said!" The prince fell silent, returned to his meditation chamber, took a knife, cut flesh from his own thigh, and offered both the flesh and blood to the monk. The monk consumed them, and his wound healed completely, bringing him peace and comfort. When the king heard that the monk had been cured, he was overjoyed beyond control. His mind was fixed on the monk, and he no longer dwelled on the prince's pain. With that joy, each directed their sincere hearts. The prince himself also fully recovered. The king then offered the nation's wealth and treasures to the prince. But the prince replied to the king with a verse:
「『與血肉安隱施， 割血肉施與人，
即得愈無復恐， 是供養佛所譽。
德中德最安隱， 未來當作佛者，
斷貪婬去瞋恚， 一切人皆除愈。』」
"When you give your own flesh and blood for the peace and safety of others, cutting off your own flesh to give to those in need, you will become fearless and free from terror— this is the offering that the Buddha praises.
The most peaceful among peaceful ones, those who will become buddhas in the future, cut off greed and lust, abandon anger and hatred, and heal all beings completely."
佛告月明童男：「爾時至誠意比丘者，提和竭羅佛是；爾時智力王者，今彌勒菩薩是；時智止太子，我身是。如來、無所著、等正覺饒益於世間不可計量，積累功德欲度一切故，菩薩大士行皆如是。若善男子，善女人欲求度世苦者，當發無上正真道意，誦習是三昧。」
The Buddha said to the youth Moonlight, "The monk Sincere Mind at that time was the Buddha Dipankara. The king of Wisdom and Strength at that time is now the Bodhisattva Maitreya. The prince Calm Wisdom at that time was myself. A Tathagata, an Arahant, a Fully Enlightened One benefits the world in immeasurable ways, accumulating merit to liberate all beings. This is the way of all great Bodhisattvas. Therefore, good men and good women who wish to transcend the suffering of the world should awaken the supreme, correct, and true aspiration for enlightenment and recite and practice this samadhi."
佛說經已，莫不歡喜，作禮而去。
The Buddha finished speaking this sutra, and everyone rejoiced. They paid their respects and departed.
佛說月明菩薩經
Sutra Spoken by the Buddha on the Bodhisattva Moonlight