中陰經三世平等品第八
Chapter 8: The Three Times Are Equal
爾時，座上有菩薩名不厭患劫，即從坐起，偏露右臂，右膝著地，合掌叉手，前白佛言：「善哉！最勝如來神力，極微妙不可思議如來神德，廣長舌不犯眾生過。今此三聚眾生——過去、當來、今現在——為過去耶？為未來、現在耶？」
At that time, a bodhisattva named Tireless in Eons stood up from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and with palms joined, said to the Buddha: "Excellent! The power of the Most Supreme Tathāgata is extremely subtle and inconceivable. The Tathāgata's divine virtue manifests through his vast and long tongue, which never speaks of sentient beings' faults. As for these three groups of beings—past, future, and present—do they belong to the past, the future, or the present?"
爾時，世尊告不厭患劫菩薩曰：「善哉，善哉！汝之所問於三聚眾生多所饒益、多所潤、及斷無明本、身業得清淨，非一佛所說。」
At that time, the World-Honored One said to the Bodhisattva Weary of Worldly Epochs: "Excellent, excellent! The question you have asked greatly benefits the three kinds of beings, brings them great nourishment, cuts off the root of ignorance, and purifies bodily actions—this has been taught not by just one Buddha alone."
爾時，世尊即說頌曰：
Then the World-Honored One spoke these verses:
「人本在胎時， 自識本宿命，
捨彼今就此， 三世炳然定。
前識非今識、 前身非今身，
但為愚惑迷， 不知趣道門。
念此在四使， 發起若干想，
咄嗟！老、病、死， 墜墮在三世。」
"When a person is still in the womb, they remember their past lives and destinies. Leaving that life and entering this one, the three realms become vividly clear. Past consciousness is not present consciousness, past body is not present body. But because of ignorance and delusion, people do not know the path to awakening. Consider the four temptations: they give rise to countless thoughts. Alas! Aging, sickness, and death plunge us into the cycle of three worlds."
爾時，世尊欲解斯義即說頌曰：
At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to clarify this meaning, spoke these verses:
「本我無此色， 受、想、識亦然。
我虛彼亦無， 豈有識、想、受？
無色名色法， 眾生亂想法，
九品有差別， 分別三世道。
上上最妙道， 非去、非未來；
上中最微細； 上下無覺觀。
中上斷三結、 中中滅三垢、
中下豁然悟， 此名為佛子。
下上雖為重， 如彼水上泡，
一生而一滅。 下中眾生類，
苦本最為深， 非我誰能知？
下下眾生類， 經歷於劫數，
吾亦就彼化， 不見漏失者。
人心有若干， 座上心不悟，
或願當來佛、 或願現在者，
此等眾生類， 難可濟度者。
人本無形生， 還入虛空中，
生死相牽連， 何者名泥洹？
若言有眾生， 身、口、意行淨，
寂然入滅度， 無有老、病患。
弘誓發一心， 亦不自為己，
虛空不可獲， 何者名虛實？
如來梵天音， 分別實相法，
解了空無慧， 三界獨步尊。
有覺空意法， 觀身不戀著；
無覺在三禪， 進取不退道。
自我成佛來， 以此為本業，
成佛亦由此、 泥洹亦復然。
所以積功勤， 未獲於實相，
聞四不離四， 此是諸佛印。」
"This 'self' has no such form; feelings, perceptions, and consciousness are the same. If I am empty, then others are also empty—how could there be consciousness, perceptions, or feelings? There is no form called 'form' — beings create confused thoughts. Nine levels of attainment differ, marking the three time-paths.
The highest, supreme path: it is neither gone nor yet to come; The second-highest, most subtle; the third-highest has no awareness or observation. The high-middle cuts off three fetters; the middle-middle eradicates three defilements; The low-middle awakens in a flash—these are called children of the Buddha.
Though the high-low is heavy, it is like a bubble on water— Arise once, then vanish once. The middle-low class of beings— The root of suffering is deepest—if not me, who can know it? The lowest-low class of beings passes through countless eons; I also teach to them, yet none of them are lost.
People's minds are manifold; seated, the mind does not awaken. Some vow to become a future Buddha, some vow to be a present one— These kinds of beings are difficult to rescue.
People originally have no form at birth, then return into empty space. Life and death entangle one another—what is called nirvana? If it is said that beings, with pure body, speech, and mind, Enter extinction in stillness, without aging or sickness—
A great vow arises from a single mind, not for oneself. Empty space cannot be grasped—what is called real or unreal? The Tathagata's Brahma voice distinguishes the marks of true reality, Understanding the wisdom of emptiness—the solitary honored one in the three realms.
Some awakened awareness of the empty mind, observing the body without attachment; Without awareness, dwelling in the third dhyana, progressing and never retreating from the path. Since I attained Buddhahood, this has been my foundation; Attaining Buddhahood also comes from this, and nirvana as well.
The reason for accumulating diligent effort, yet not attaining true reality: Hearing 'four' without departing from 'four'—this is the seal of all Buddhas."
爾時，世尊說此頌已，無量無限那由他眾生，及中陰、五色識、非想非非想眾生，欲得去離，不樂三世。
At that time, after the World-Honored One spoke this verse, countless and immeasurable beings—including those in the intermediate state, those with the five aggregates of perception, and beings in the realm of neither perception nor non-perception—wished to break free, no longer finding delight in the three realms of existence.
爾時，世尊重說頌曰：
At that time, the World-Honored One spoke these verses again:
「過去非今有、 現在亦復然，
當來彌勒身， 教化無差別。
我今說少少， 如人爪上塵，
欲說世界盡， 誰能究盡者？
今雖處中陰， 移坐無想天，
地獄對門人， 聞法乃得悟。」
The past does not exist today, And what is now will also pass away. When Maitreya* appears in time to come, His teachings will be the same—no difference at all.
I speak but now a little, like a speck of dust upon a fingernail; If I tried to describe the end of worlds, who could ever grasp it fully?
Though one may dwell in the intermediate state* and ascend to the Heaven of No-Thought, Even those standing at the gates of hell may awaken by hearing the Dharma.
爾時，世尊即以神力接中陰眾生至非想非非想識天。爾時，世尊復以神力到彼，至非想非非想識界，施設莊嚴七寶高座皆有化佛，一一化佛皆有四眾，一一眾者威儀法則悉皆成就，此眾生中或有誦經、說義、賢聖默然，或有入定、出定。
Then, the World-Honored One used his divine power to bring the beings in the intermediate state to the heaven of neither perception nor non-perception. There, the World-Honored One again used his divine power to arrive at the realm of neither perception nor non-perception. He set up adorned high seats made of seven precious materials, each with a transformation Buddha. Each transformation Buddha was accompanied by an assembly of four types of followers, each of whom had perfected their conduct and deportment. Among these beings, some were reciting scriptures, some were explaining teachings, some were silently contemplating in enlightened stillness, and some were either entering or emerging from meditative absorption.
爾時，妙覺如來復以神足十力接彼非想非非想識眾生——如中陰形，無有差別。
爾時，世尊如諸佛常法威儀法則，令無量化佛合為一佛，或以一身變為無量、或在樹下演說法教、或入初禪定意不亂、或在高巖閑靜寂處、或坐處空作十八變——身下出火身上出水、身上出火身下出水、履地若空無有罣礙——或取滅度亦無滅度、或現無常身體膖脹爛臭如白鴿色、或現手足各在異處。
爾時，非想非非想識眾生見此變易心懷恐怖：「我本生心謂呼『定』是泥洹，無病、無老、無諸痛苦；今觀此法有生、有老、有病、死痛。今遇如來降神在此，若不順者，無擇地獄即我舍宅。吾本宿世同要之人。」先生彼識阿難陀、迦蘭陀見佛禮拜：「善哉，世尊！尊中無比。降神此界，如遇優曇鉢華；若佛不降神此者，我等永處邊地，殺害無量迦蘭陀身。」
復自宣白：「今遭大聖，如日消雪；若不遭聖，彼當墮墜作飛狸身，飛走盡害，無有脫者。以此本誓，願得脫苦際，虛空無量界，神德三界尊，辟支、聲聞等，眼之所能見。」
爾時，迦蘭陀作是念：「我等同生，生此識界罪福未分，或墮邪見、受飛狸身。我本造身，不獨三界——中陰、五色及無色形。」
已生此念，非想識眾皆生苦心：「我等諸人雖生此處，非得泥洹、非安隱處。今遇如來說真實法，斷拔千萬門，不去亦不來。貪欲本生我，我今還滅汝。為過所覆非，今世、後世，生有老病、苦，如影重有影、如月、樹葉影現於水，野干飲之終竟無獲。我今三世尊有實、無實，法化不變易，生者非有生。善哉！世微法，難度而度。世間愚癡人，計我為身實，當其捨壽時，鉤鏁骨相連，分別彼身中。何者命與壽？生死纏裹苦，捨彼復受此。處胎冷熱苦，出有生滅憂，母雖樂育我，不生誰有患？落漠如水泡，識神染其形，輪轉五趣中，所往無脫處，生死五道海，無往而不經。心為殺身本，汝滅我何患？虛空無本末，誰知常無常？」
彼無想之識見阿蘭、迦蘭陀，一為邊地王、一為著翅虫。「三界最為苦，本處非泥洹，如遊曠野，指東謂為西。今遭大聖，於一切眾苦都得解脫。」
爾時，非想非無想識眾生即於佛前尋聲而說頌曰：
「吾本事五火， 燒炙身體爛，
臥在荊棘上， 身被髑髏衣，
翹足向日月， 無神不奉事。
今生非非想， 得見如來身，
自恥本所行， 在此無脫處。
特知正法化， 如來自降神，
得脫無擇門， 永在安隱處。
五欲生死垢， 纏縛四流中，
心惑著三有， 燒以智慧火。
四趣五道人， 不見生本末，
著識吾我者， 如我今無異。」
爾時，妙覺如來復以頌報曰：
「卿等本謂真， 八萬四千劫，
無常生死本， 彼死還生此。
汝等眾生類， 未曾老、病、死，
守一求泥洹， 此非真實法。
垢盡識不滅， 還在三惡中，
非我汝不悟， 誰能脫此難？
吾從無量劫， 誓度生、老、死，
非我前身造、 亦非後身受。
本得金剛定， 今乃教化汝：
地不可作空、 空不可作地、
水不可作火、 火不可作水。
一切愚惑人， 萬物皆我有，
愚癡無明法， 謂為正真道。
如彼疲倦人， 懈息須臾間，
雖居八萬四， 視之如一日。
為五苦眾生， 何處不有我？
分別身法相、 分別空無法，
生者不見生、 死亦不見死。
問生根本道， 由行之所造；
三惡之重者， 癡病是其源。
名色、六入法， 此是世之常，
觸入更色法， 愛入更樂樂。
一切眾生惑， 不識十二緣，
如蛾投火光。 妙覺如來說：
由汝垢重故， 則我心垢重。
如我成佛身， 經歷不度界，
破壞心垢重， 識別想非想。
結使之根源， 無常謂為常、
以苦言是樂、 計空以為有、
無我以為我。 此想非想類，
習顛倒來久， 如蛾貪火光，
不避滅身難。 迷惑墮六趣、
生此非想天， 譬如斫伐樹，
根在由復生。 迷惑四顛倒，
無明之所裹， 今開甘露門，
聖諦真如有， 拔苦之根本，
永盡無有餘。 四使長流海，
生生生不斷， 我今破三界，
將到至彼岸， 安隱無畏處。」
爾時，世尊說此頌時，非想非非想識眾生皆發無上正真道意，於無餘泥洹而不般泥洹。
或有應生天者與說十善法，應生人中為說五戒，或趣三惡道者與說刀山、劍樹、火車、爐炭。如此等類，三百三十六億那由他厭患劫壽，聞清淨法即成道果。
爾時，世尊復以神足、十力、無畏接彼非想非非想識眾生，將至五色識界眾生，修治道樹，莊嚴剎土，放大光明，一一光明皆有化佛，一一化佛皆坐七寶高座，三十二大人之相，說六度無極。
彼五色眾生見如來變化，心垢縛著坦然除盡，不復願樂染著生死。
爾時，世尊以清淨梵音而說頌曰：
「苦本生死怨， 除之以善權，
四等大慈心， 超越無量界。
今此利根人， 一聞不再受，
覩佛色形相， 普入寂滅度。
乃知賢聖道， 無量難思議，
滅垢不復生， 盡同聖賢道。」
當其世尊說此頌時，無限無量五色識眾生盡同一號，於當來世號普廣如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊。