菩薩處胎經聖諦品第三
Chapter 3: The Holy Truths
佛告菩薩摩訶薩、比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷、天、龍、鬼神、阿修羅、迦留羅、緊陀羅、摩睺勒、毘舍遮、鳩槃茶、富單那、摩㝹舍、阿摩㝹舍等：「吾今為汝說菩薩摩訶薩賢聖諦。諦聽，諦聽！善思念之！所以者何？吾從無數阿僧祇劫修習道果，此沒生彼周流五道，不捨菩薩賢聖諦。云何菩薩修習聖諦？或時菩薩從初發意乃至道場，行無閡法，不取禪證，滅諸惡想；或有菩薩入初禪地見清淨行，恥而厭患捨而進趣，欲登六住慇懃進業。
The Buddha said to the bodhisattvas, monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen, heavenly beings, dragons, spirits, demons, garudas, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas, pishachas, kumbhandas, putanas, manushyas, and amanushyas:
"Now I will teach you the Noble Truths as practiced by the bodhisattvas. Listen carefully, listen carefully, and reflect on this well! Why is this? Over countless eons, I have cultivated the path and its fruits, passing through birth and death, wandering through the five realms of existence, yet never abandoning the bodhisattvas' Noble Truths.
How do bodhisattvas cultivate the Noble Truths? Sometimes, from the very first aspiration to enlightenment until reaching the seat of awakening, a bodhisattva practices the unobstructed Dharma, does not seize upon meditative attainments, and extinguishes all harmful thoughts. Other times, a bodhisattva enters the first stage of meditation, sees the purity of conduct, feels shame and weariness with it, lets it go, and presses forward, striving diligently to reach the sixth level of bodhisattva-hood."
「入二禪地，心豁然悟如月雲除，自觀身中心發誓願，為堅固耶？不堅固耶？自以己心復觀眾生心，易度難度皆悉知之。時菩薩心極大歡喜：『吾將成佛審然不疑。剎土清淨除眾生垢，降伏於魔轉於無上賢聖法輪。快哉福報，所願知成。』爾時菩薩入不亂定，以心舉心以身舉身，即得成就神足聖道，從一佛剎至一佛剎，禮事供養諸佛世尊，聽受深法不難不畏，轉入三禪，觀諸色像悉空無所有。
Entering the second stage of meditation, the mind becomes suddenly clear and awakened, like the moon emerging from the clouds. Contemplating inwardly from the heart, a vow arose: "Is it firm? Is it not firm?" Then, examining the minds of other beings with their own mind, they perceived who would be easy to liberate and who would be difficult. At that moment, the Bodhisattva's heart was filled with immense joy: "I will surely attain Buddhahood without any doubt. The pure land, removing the defilements of beings, subduing Mara, and turning the supreme noble Dharma wheel—what a wonderful blessing! My aspiration is realized." Then, the Bodhisattva entered an unwavering concentration. With mind lifting mind, with body lifting body, they instantly attained the sacred path of miraculous powers, moving from one Buddha-land to another, paying homage and making offerings to the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones. They listened to and received the profound Dharma without difficulty or fear. Moving into the third stage of meditation, they observed all forms and appearances, seeing them as entirely empty, without anything existing.
「住於三禪觀眾生類悉能分別，彼沒生此此沒生彼，自識宿命，亦復知彼所從來處，剎利種、婆羅門種、居士種、長者種，斯應行人、不應行人，應受果、不應受果，出入息、非出入息，斯四意止、四意斷、根、力、神足、覺意、八道；斯人受決某國某處某眾生中成佛，皆悉知之；是謂菩薩於三禪地得清淨心。
Dwelling in the third stage of meditation, they observe all beings with perfect clarity, discerning how each passes away here and is reborn there, and how each passes away there and is reborn here. They remember their own past lives, and also know where others have come from—whether from the noble warrior caste, the priestly caste, the merchant class, or the elder class; whether they are individuals who should follow the path or not; whether they will receive certain results or not; they know their breathing patterns and their lack of them; they perceive the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Four Right Efforts, the Spiritual Faculties, the Powers, the Factors of Enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path. They know who has received the prophecy of future Buddhahood, in which country and among which beings they will attain awakening. This is called the bodhisattva attaining a pure mind in the third stage of meditation.
「復次，菩薩摩訶薩於三禪地上望八住，雖望而不得，晝夜勤精進求清淨心，入四禪中，面自見十方諸佛，為說四禪不退轉法；無礙解脫行四神足，能分一身為無數身，以無數身合為一身，入火光三昧，遍滿三千大千世界，令彼眾生見火光三昧，心意恐懼衣毛皆竪，自來歸依於菩薩所，因三昧力而得度脫。爾時於四禪中，分別世界真如法性，心退還墮習六住行，菩薩自念：『我今未得不退轉地。云何當得八住？』於四禪中慇懃修習，淨眾生行代其執苦；雖行此法不自稱譽，除去憍慢無有吾我，修六思念，雖復行道在九眾生居，心不染著戀慕生死，心豁然悟逮不退轉；是謂菩薩摩訶薩於聖諦得清淨心。
Furthermore, a great bodhisattva in the third stage of meditation looks toward the eighth stage of spiritual development. Though they see it, they cannot reach it. Day and night they diligently strive with pure focus. Entering the fourth stage of meditation, they personally see the buddhas of all ten directions, who teach them the irreversible path of the fourth stage of meditation.
With unimpeded liberation, they practice the four supernormal powers, enabling them to divide one body into countless bodies and recombine those countless bodies into one. They enter the fire-light meditation, radiating its brilliance throughout the whole universe. Upon witnessing this fire-light meditation, sentient beings become terrified—their hair stands on end—and they take refuge at the bodhisattva’s feet. Through the power of this meditation, they are liberated.
At that moment, within the fourth stage of meditation, the bodhisattva distinguishes the true nature of phenomena, yet their mind retreats and falls back into practicing the sixth stage. The bodhisattva thinks: “I have not yet reached the irreversible stage. How can I attain the eighth stage?” With sincere effort within the fourth meditation, they diligently cultivate—cleansing the actions of beings and taking on their hardships. Even while practicing this way, they do not praise themselves, abandon arrogance, and have no sense of self. They cultivate the six recollections. Even while walking the path among the nine types of beings, their mind remains untainted, not clinging to or longing for cyclic existence. Suddenly, their mind awakens and realizes the irreversible stage. This is called a great bodhisattva attaining a pure mind within the noble truth.
「於是菩薩入空處三昧，觀此三千大千世界眾生之類心識，修淨法離縛著無所戀慕，能自住壽一劫、二劫至無數劫，於某劫中教化眾生。生者、滅者漸漸將導獲清淨道，即於胎中成無上道。
Thus, the Bodhisattva entered the meditative state of Emptiness and observed the minds and perceptions of beings throughout this vast universe. They cultivated pure practices, freed themselves from attachments and longings, and were able to sustain their own life for one eon, two eons, or countless eons. During these eons, they guided beings—those who were born and those who died—gradually leading them to the path of purity. Right there, within the womb, they attained the supreme enlightenment.
「或時菩薩入識處三昧，觀此三千大千世界識神所趣，天道、人道、餓鬼道、畜生道、地獄道，易度、難度皆悉知之，即於胎中成無上道。
At times, the Bodhisattva entered the samadhi of the realm of consciousness and observed the destinations of all sentient beings throughout the entire universe: the heavenly realms, the human realm, the realm of hungry ghosts, the animal realm, and the hell realms. He understood completely which beings were easy to guide and which were difficult to guide. Even while still in the womb, he realized the supreme enlightenment.
「或時菩薩入不用處三昧，觀此三千大千世界眾生之類，青、黃、赤、白有多有少，即自厭患不用久住，即於胎中成無上道。
「或有菩薩入非想非不想處三昧，觀此三千大千世界眾生識神所趣，生者、滅者，青、黃、赤、白有長有短，令彼眾生使知壽盡，即於胎中成無上道。
「於是菩薩入大虛空大寂定三昧，觀此三千大千世界，上至無邊無盡剎土，眾生之類識神所趣，思惟分別空無之法，是謂菩薩摩訶薩即於胎中成無上道。
「於是菩薩入無形界三昧，普觀三千大千世界眾生之類，心所繫縛亦無有縛，識神無形所觀識法亦復無形，於無形法即於胎中成無上道。」
Thus the Bodhisattva entered the samadhi of the formless realm. From there, he broadly observes all living beings in the great universe of a billion worlds. The mind may seem bound, yet there is nothing actually binding it. Consciousness is without form, and the understanding that observes consciousness is also without form. Within this formless truth, the Bodhisattva realized supreme enlightenment while still in the womb.
菩薩從兜術天降神母胎說廣普經卷第一