天請問經
Heavenly Questions Sutra
大唐三藏法師玄奘奉 詔譯
Translation by the Tang Dynasty Tripitaka Master Xuanzang, by Imperial Decree
如是我聞：
Thus I have heard:
一時薄伽梵在室羅筏國，住誓多林給孤獨園。時有一天，顏容殊妙，過於夜分，來詣佛所，頂禮佛足，却住一面。是天威光，甚大赫奕，周遍照曜誓多園林。
Once, the Blessed One was residing in the country of Śrāvastī, at the Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍada’s monastery. At that time, a certain deity of strikingly beautiful appearance, after the night had advanced, came to where the Buddha was. He paid homage at the Buddha’s feet and stood to one side. The deity’s radiance was extremely brilliant, shining throughout the entire Jeta Grove.
爾時彼天以妙伽他而請佛曰：
At that time, that heavenly being addressed the Buddha with a beautiful verse, asking:
「云何利刀劍？ 云何磣毒藥？
云何熾盛火？ 云何極重暗？」
"What is the sharp sword? What is the bitter poison? What is the blazing fire? What is the deepest darkness?"
爾時世尊亦以伽他告彼天曰：
Then the World-Honored One replied to that deva with a verse:
「麁言利刀劍， 貪欲磣毒藥，
瞋恚熾盛火， 無明極重暗。」
"Harsh words are like a sharp sword, Greed is like poisoned medicine, Raging anger is like a blazing fire, Ignorance is the deepest darkness."
天復請曰：
The Heavenly Being asked again, saying:
「何人名得利？ 何人名失利？
何者堅鉀冑？ 何者利刀杖？」
"What person gains true benefit? What person suffers loss? Who wears strong armor? Who wields a sharp blade?"
世尊告曰：
The World-Honored One said:
「施者名得利， 受者名失利，
忍為堅鉀冑， 慧為利刀杖。」
"The giver gains true profit, The receiver finds but loss. Patience is strong armor, Wisdom the sharp sword."
天復請曰：
The Heavenly Being asked again, saying:
「云何為盜賊？ 云何智者財？
誰於天世間， 說名能劫盜？」
"What is a thief? What is a wise person's wealth? Who is said to rob others in this world and among the gods?"
世尊告曰：
The World-Honored One said:
「邪思為盜賊， 尸羅智者財，
於諸天世間， 犯戒能劫盜。」
"Wrong thoughts are like thieves, Virtue is the wise one's wealth. In all the realms of gods and men, A broken vow can steal it all."
天復請曰：
The Heavenly Being asked again, saying:
「誰為最安樂？ 誰為大富貴？
誰為恒端嚴？ 誰為常醜陋？」
"Who enjoys the greatest peace and happiness? Who possesses the greatest wealth and honor? Who always appears beautiful and dignified? Who is consistently ugly and despised?"
世尊告曰：
The World-Honored One said:
「少欲最安樂， 知足大富貴，
持戒恒端嚴， 破戒常醜陋。」
Few desires bring the greatest peace, Contentment is the truest wealth. Keeping precepts always brings dignity, Breaking them leads to constant shame.
天復請曰：
The Heavenly Being asked again, saying:
「誰為善眷屬？ 誰為惡心怨？
云何極重苦？ 云何第一樂？」
"Who are the good companions? Who are the malicious enemies? What is the most severe suffering? What is the highest happiness?"
世尊告曰：
The World-Honored One said:
「福為善眷屬， 罪為惡心怨，
地獄極重苦， 無生第一樂。」
Good fortune is the companion of good deeds, Sin is the enemy of a malicious mind. The hells hold the worst suffering, And the foremost joy is nirvana's peace.
天復請曰：
The Heavenly Being asked again, saying:
「何者愛非宜？ 何者宜非愛？
何者極熱病？ 誰是大良醫？」
"What love is not beneficial? What is beneficial is not love?
What is the most severe fever? Who is the great healer?"
世尊告曰：
The World-Honored One said:
「諸欲愛非宜， 解脫宜非愛，
貪為極熱病， 佛是大良醫。」
"Desires and attachments are not good; Freedom is good, not attachment. Greed is a burning fever, And the Buddha is the greatest healer."
天復請曰：
The Heavenly Being asked again, saying:
「誰能覆世間？ 世間誰所魅？
誰令捨親友？ 誰復障生天？」
"Who can cover the entire world? What enchants and blinds the world? What makes people abandon their loved ones? And what prevents them from being born in heaven?"
世尊告曰：
The World-Honored One said:
「無智覆世間， 世間癡所魅，
慳貪捨親友， 染著障生天。」
"Ignorance shrouds the world, Foolishness bewitches worldly beings.
Stinginess makes us abandon friends and family, Attachment blocks the path to heavenly rebirth."
天復請曰：
The Heavenly Being asked again, saying:
「何物火不燒， 風亦不能碎，
非水所能爛， 能浮持世間？
誰能與王賊， 勇猛相抗敵，
不為人非人， 之所來侵奪？」
"What is it that fire cannot burn, That wind cannot shatter, That water cannot rot, That can support and uphold the world?
Who can bravely stand against kings and thieves, And cannot be taken away or stolen By either human or non-human beings?"
世尊告曰：
The World-Honored One said:
「福非火所燒， 風亦不能碎，
福非水所爛， 能浮持世間。
福能與王賊， 勇猛相抗敵，
不為人非人， 之所來侵奪。」
"Merit cannot be burned by fire, Nor shattered by the wind. Merit cannot be dissolved by water— It upholds and supports the world.
Merit can stand against kings and thieves, Resist the force of the brave and strong. Neither humans nor non-humans Can ever seize it away."
天復請曰：
The Heavenly Being asked again, saying:
「我今猶有疑， 請佛為除斷。
今世往後世， 誰極自欺誑？」
"Master, I still have a doubt — please help resolve it for me.
In the journey from this life to the next, who is most deceived?"
世尊告曰：
The World-Honored One said:
「若多有珍財， 而不能修福，
今世往後世， 彼極自欺誑。」
"Though one may possess abundant wealth, yet fail to cultivate merit,
Passing from this life to the next, that person greatly deceives themselves."
爾時彼天聞佛世尊說是經已，歡喜踴躍，歎未曾有，頂禮佛足，即於佛前欻然不現。
When that celestial being heard the Buddha, the World-Honored One, teach this scripture, he was overjoyed and deeply moved, exclaiming that he had never heard anything so wonderful. He then bowed at the Buddha's feet, and in an instant, vanished from before him.
天請問經
Heavenly Questions Sutra