佛說太子刷護經一卷
Sutra of the Buddha's Teaching to Prince Shua Hu
西晉三藏竺法護譯
Translated by Dharmaraksha, Tripiṭaka Master of the Western Jin Dynasty
佛在羅閱祇耆闍崛山中時，與千二百比丘，菩薩萬二千人，優婆塞、優婆夷，諸天王梵釋，及無央數人民、鬼神、龍皆來俱會。阿闍世王太子，名為刷護，從國中與群臣長者子五百人，各持黃金華蓋，出羅閱國相隨出至佛所，持黃金華蓋上佛已，却叉手持，頭面著地為佛作禮訖竟，皆叉手住。
The Buddha was staying at Vulture Peak in Rajagriha, accompanied by twelve hundred monks, twelve thousand bodhisattvas, laymen, laywomen, celestial kings, Brahma and Shakra, and countless people, spirits, and dragons who had all gathered together. Prince Ajatashatru, whose name was Shuahua (Shua Hu), left the capital with five hundred sons of ministers and elders, each carrying a golden flower canopy. They followed one another out of Rajagriha and made their way to where the Buddha was. After presenting the golden flower canopies to the Buddha, they withdrew, pressed their palms together, and prostrated themselves with their heads touching the ground to pay respects to the Buddha. When they had finished, they all stood with palms pressed together.
阿闍世王太子刷護白佛言：「願欲問事，如佛肯說者當問，不肯者不敢問。」
Prince Ajātasattu, son of King Bimbisāra, said to the Buddha, "I wish to ask a question. If the Buddha is willing to answer, I will ask; if not, I dare not ask."
佛言：「在所問事。」
The Buddha said: "Ask whatever you wish."
太子白佛言：「菩薩何因緣得顏頰端正？何因緣不入女人腹中，於蓮華中化生？何因緣能自知前世宿命之事？願佛大恩當為我曹說之。」
The Crown Prince said to the Buddha: "What causes a Bodhisattva to be born with a beautiful and upright face? What causes one to be born not from a woman's womb, but through miraculous transformation in a lotus flower? What causes one to naturally know the events of past lives? I ask that the Buddha, out of great compassion, explain this to us."
佛告太子：「能忍辱不怒者，後生即為人姝好；不淫泆，不與女人交通，若壽欲終時，人生一歲一月及七日者，後世生，便自知宿命無數世以來之事。」
The Buddha told the crown prince: “Those who can practice patience and refrain from anger are reborn with beauty and grace. Those who do not indulge in lust or have relations with women—if, when their life is about to end, they live but a year, a month, or even seven days—will, in their next life, be reborn with the natural ability to recall countless lifetimes of their past deeds.”
太子白佛言：「菩薩何因緣，身有三十二相？何因緣有八十種好？何因緣人民有見佛身者視之無厭極？」
The Crown Prince asked the Buddha: "What causes and conditions lead a Bodhisattva to possess the thirty-two marks of a great being? What causes and conditions lead to the eighty excellent features? And what causes and conditions ensure that when people see the Buddha's body, they never tire of gazing upon it?"
佛告太子：「本為菩薩時，好憙布施種種雜物，與諸佛菩薩及師父母人民，在所來索，用是故得三十二相。菩薩當有慈心，哀念十方人民及蜎飛蠕動之類，如視赤子皆欲令度脫，用是故得八十種好。菩薩見怨家、父母，心適等無有異，用是故人民見佛視之無厭極。」
The Buddha told the crown prince, "When I was a bodhisattva, I delighted in giving all kinds of things to the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, my teachers, parents, and all people. Whatever they asked for, I gave it to them. Because of this, I attained the thirty-two marks of a great being.
A bodhisattva should have a heart full of compassion, thinking of all people throughout the ten directions—even the smallest creatures that fly or crawl—as if they were beloved children, wishing to lead them all to liberation. Because of this, I attained the eighty excellent characteristics.
A bodhisattva looks upon enemies and parents with a heart that is perfectly equal, with no difference between them. Because of this, when people see the Buddha, they never tire of looking at him."
太子復白佛言：「菩薩何所因緣，知深經智慧及陀羅尼行？何因緣知三昧定意得安隱？何因緣佛所說皆快善？其有聞者皆歡喜信受？」
The prince then asked the Buddha, "What is the reason that bodhisattvas come to know the deep scriptures, the wisdom of prajñā, and the practices of dhāraṇī? What causes them to attain concentration and samādhi with a peaceful mind? And why is it that whatever the Buddha teaches is excellent and good, so that all who hear it rejoice, have faith, and accept it?"
佛告太子：「菩薩憙書信受諷誦學，用是故知深經智慧，得陀羅尼行；菩薩常憙專心正意，用是故得三昧安隱；菩薩所說皆至誠不欺，用是故所語人民皆信向，聞者莫不歡喜者。」
The Buddha told the prince, "A bodhisattva delights in studying and sincerely reciting the scriptures, and through this, they come to understand the profound teachings and wisdom, attaining the practice of sustaining focus (dharani). A bodhisattva always delights in concentrating the mind with right intention, and through this, they attain a stable and peaceful state of meditation (samadhi). Everything a bodhisattva says is truthful and without deception, and therefore, the people all trust and follow their words, and all who hear them rejoice."
太子復白佛言：「菩薩何因緣學經聞佛語人民皆信？何因緣知經律儀法？何因緣孝順隨佛教不犯？」
The crown prince then asked the Buddha: "Why is it that bodhisattvas study the scriptures, hear the Buddha's words, and are trusted by all people? Why do they understand the precepts, rules, and teachings? Why do they practice filial obedience, follow the Buddha's instructions, and never transgress them?"
佛告太子：「菩薩世世不諛諂，用是故學經聞佛語悉知不忘；菩薩入深經不恐不怖，用是故得經律便知儀法；菩薩世世敬佛敬經敬師敬父母，用是故得智慧。」
The Buddha told the Crown Prince, "A bodhisattva in every lifetime is honest and without deceit. Because of this, when they study the scriptures and hear the Buddha's teachings, they understand everything and never forget it. A bodhisattva who enters into the profound teachings without fear or trembling gains mastery over the sutras and monastic rules, naturally knowing proper conduct and ceremony. A bodhisattva who, in every lifetime, reveres the Buddha, reveres the scriptures, reveres their teachers, and reveres their parents, attains wisdom because of this."
太子復白佛言：「菩薩何因緣世世生佛邊？何因緣問佛歎經曉知中慧？」
The crown prince again asked the Buddha, "What causes a bodhisattva to be born in the presence of the Buddha in life after life? What causes one to ask the Buddha about the scriptures and come to understand the wisdom within them?"
佛告太子：「菩薩世世見人說經，不中壞亂，不呵之，用是故得生佛邊；菩薩數歎深經，用是故知中慧。」
The Buddha told the crown prince: "A bodhisattva, in life after life, when seeing others teach the Dharma, does not disrupt or mock them—therefore, they are born in the presence of the Buddha. A bodhisattva repeatedly praises the profound scriptures—therefore, they come to possess deep wisdom."
太子復白佛言：「何因緣不生惡處？何因緣生天上？何因緣不貪愛欲？」
The prince then asked the Buddha, "What causes one to avoid being born in a place of suffering? What causes one to be born in heaven? What causes one to be free from craving and attachment to sensual desires?"
佛告太子：「菩薩世世信佛信經信比丘僧，用是故不生八惡處；菩薩持戒不缺，用是故生天上；菩薩知經法本空，用是故不貪愛欲。」
The Buddha told the crown prince: "A bodhisattva, in life after life, has faith in the Buddha, faith in the teachings, and faith in the monastic community. Because of this, they are never born in the eight unfortunate states. A bodhisattva upholds moral discipline without fault. Because of this, they are born in the heavenly realms. A bodhisattva understands that the fundamental nature of all dharmas is emptiness. Because of this, they are not attached to sensual desires."
太子復白佛言：「菩薩何因緣身所行、口所言、心所念皆淨潔？何因緣魔不能得其便？何因緣不敢誹謗佛？不敢誹謗經？不敢誹謗比丘僧？」
The prince again asked the Buddha: "Why is it that a bodhisattva's actions of body, speech, and mind are all pure? Why is it that Māra cannot find a way to harm them? Why is it that they do not dare to slander the Buddha, do not dare to slander the teachings, and do not dare to slander the monastic community?"
佛告太子：「菩薩侍佛憙學經愛比丘僧，用是故得淨潔；菩薩晝夜行道精進不懈，用是故魔不能得其便；菩薩所語皆至誠，用是故眾人不敢誹謗佛，不敢誹謗經道，不敢誹謗比丘僧。」
The Buddha told the prince: "Bodhisattvas who serve the Buddha, delight in studying the scriptures, and cherish the community of monks—because of this, they attain purity. Bodhisattvas who practice the path day and night with unrelenting diligence—because of this, Māra cannot find a foothold against them. Bodhisattvas speak only with complete sincerity—because of this, people do not dare to slander the Buddha, do not dare to slander the scriptures and the Path to Cessation, and do not dare to slander the community of monks."
太子復白佛言：「菩薩何因緣，好高聲如梵天聲？何因緣有八種音？何因緣知眾人所念皆悉能報？」
The Crown Prince then asked the Buddha, "What causes a bodhisattva to have a voice as deep and clear as Brahma's? What causes them to possess eight kinds of tones? And what allows them to perceive the thoughts of all beings and respond accordingly?"
佛告太子：「菩薩世世至誠不欺，用是故好高聲如梵天聲；菩薩世世不惡口，用是故得八種音；菩薩世世不兩舌、不妄語，用是故眾人所念悉能報故。」
The Buddha said to the prince: "Because the bodhisattva, in life after life, has been utterly honest and never deceived others, his voice is deep and resonant, like the sound of Brahma. Because the bodhisattva has never spoken harshly, he possesses eight kinds of melodious tones. Because the bodhisattva has never spread divisive words or uttered falsehoods, all beings think of him with love, and he is able to respond to them all."
太子復白佛言：「何因緣得壽命長？何因緣身得無疾病？何因緣家室和順相愛，不令他人別離？」
佛告太子：「不殺生者，用是故後生為人師壽命長；不持刀杖擊人，用是故後生為人得無疾病；見人有變鬪憙行和解令歡喜，用是故後生為人他人不能得別離。」
太子復白佛言：「菩薩何因緣，多得財物珍寶有不離？何因緣不亡財物？不為人所劫盜？何因緣得尊者得高？」
佛告太子：「不貪他人財物者，用是故後生為人得富樂，憙布施不慳貪，用是故不亡財物，物益增多；見人富樂得錢財，心不嫉妬，不自貢高，用是故後生得高尊。」
太子復白佛言：「何因緣能得天眼洞視？何因緣得天耳徹聽？何因緣能知世間人民死生之事？」
佛告太子：「用好憙然燈於佛前，以是故後生為人得天眼洞視；好憙持倡伎樂於佛寺前，用是故後生為人得天耳徹聽；菩薩憙定意入三昧得禪，用是故知世間死生之變。」
太子復白佛言：「菩薩何因緣得飛行四神足？菩薩何因緣念知前世無數劫以來之事？菩薩何因緣得三活佛便般泥洹？」
佛告太子：「菩薩好憙布施，常持車馬驢騾象駱駝履屣及水船，與諸佛比丘僧及與人民，用是故得飛行四神足。菩薩常專心念諸佛，三昧從學憙行教人，用是故得念前世無數劫以來之事。菩薩得阿維越致道，以念無所復著，用是故能斷死生之根，得佛道便般泥洹。」
太子復白佛言：「菩薩何因緣預治國？何因緣預會比丘僧？何因緣光明照十方？」
佛告太子：「菩薩本求大願，用是故預得佛國；菩薩好憙布施乞匃與人，憙教人民為六波羅蜜，是故後得比丘僧；菩薩憙持七寶作華蓋用上佛，用是故得光明遍照十方。」
佛為太子分別說是事，太子歡喜，及五百長者子皆大歡喜。太子刷護復白佛言：「願使我後世生者，佛所說，令我悉受得，悉奉行之，皆令如願。」
佛便大笑，口中五色光出。佛告彌勒菩薩言：「聽我說之，太子刷護菩薩及長者子，前世皆供養百八億佛、皆行菩薩道，乃前世提和迦羅佛時，是五百人皆是佛弟子，是我所教，後世悉當共會，六億佛却後一劫，摩訶波羅會一劫中，五百人前後作佛，皆同一名若那伎頭陀耶。後作佛時，當如阿彌陀佛其國，亦當如阿彌陀時等無異，國中菩薩往來者飛行者，皆如阿彌陀佛國。若有人民聞是經信喜者，皆當生阿彌陀國。」
佛說是已，太子刷護及五百長者子，諸比丘僧、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，諸天、人民、鬼神、龍，皆大歡喜，前為佛作禮而去。
太子刷護經