前世三轉經
西晉沙門法炬譯
Translated by the Western Jin Monk Faju
聞如是：
Thus have I heard:
一時，佛遊於舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，與大比丘眾五百人，皆阿羅漢也。一切大聖皆其上尊，悉知他人心所念，獨阿難未也。
Once, the Buddha was staying at the Jeta Grove in the city of Shravasti, in the garden donated by Anathapindika. With him were a community of five hundred great monks, all of whom were Arhats—holy beings of the highest spiritual attainment who had fully awakened to the truth. Each one was a great sage, a venerable master who could see into the minds and thoughts of others. Only Ananda had not yet reached that level.
爾時，佛出精舍坐於虛空，為無央數百千眾會圍繞而為說法；及七萬菩薩，皆得諸總持。彼時，佛面色光明勝常時，光明從面出，往照遍諸世界。時佛便笑，五色光從口出，上至梵天。諸佛天中天授諸弟子決時，光往照四天王，光還照佛三匝，從足心入。諸佛天中天授辟支佛道決時，光從口中出，往照波羅尼蜜天，還繞佛三匝從臍入。諸佛天中天授佛道決時，光往照梵天，還繞佛三匝從頂入。是時地神皆同時舉聲：「如是佛見三事——若過去、當來、今現在——說種種決。」虛空神天、四天王、忉利天上至梵天，皆舉作聲：「如是說三事、種種決：過去、當來、今現在；為授弟子地決、為授辟支佛地決、為授佛地決。」時，梵天皆來下，上至三十三天人皆來下。爾時，無央數百千人會，比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷。
At that time, the Buddha emerged from his dwelling, seated in the sky, surrounded by countless thousands of beings, and taught the Dharma. There were also seventy thousand Bodhisattvas present, all of whom had attained various forms of cognitive mastery. Then, the Buddha's face shone with a radiance brighter than usual. Light emanated from his face, illuminating all worlds. The Buddha smiled, and five-colored light streamed from his mouth, reaching up to the Brahma Heaven.
When the Buddhas, the most honored among gods and humans, confer predictions on disciples, light shines upon the Four Heavenly Kings, then circles the Buddha three times before entering through the soles of the feet. When conferring predictions for Pratyekabuddhas, light shines from the mouth to the Parinirmita-vaśavartin Heaven, circles the Buddha three times, then enters through the navel. When conferring predictions for Buddhahood, light shines on the Brahma Heaven, circles the Buddha three times, then enters through the crown of the head.
At that moment, earth spirits all cried out in unison: "Thus the Buddha sees three things—the past, the future, and the present—and gives various predictions." The spirits of the sky, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Tavatimsa Heaven, and up to the Brahma Heaven, all declared aloud: "Thus he speaks of three things, giving various predictions: for the past, the future, and the present; giving predictions for the stage of disciples, for the stage of Pratyekabuddhas, and for the stage of Buddhahood."
At that time, the Brahma beings descended, as did beings from the thirty-three heavens down to earth. Then an immeasurable number of hundreds of thousands of beings gathered—monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.
賢者阿難，時知七法事，何等為七？一者、知義；二者、解法；三者、曉時；四者、了節；五者、明眾；六者、知身事；七者、知他人事。賢者阿難從座起，整衣被長跪叉手，以偈讚佛言：
Wise Ananda, knowing the seven principles at the right time—what are these seven? First, understanding meaning. Second, comprehending the Dharma. Third, knowing the right time. Fourth, understanding moderation. Fifth, discerning the assembly. Sixth, knowing one's own state. Seventh, knowing the state of others.
Wise Ananda rose from his seat, adjusted his robe, knelt with palms together, and praised the Buddha with a verse:
「得清淨智眼明好， 尊根寂定度無極，
光明遠照而金色， 神照誰得願說之。
誰今發意於佛道？ 誰坐樹下降伏魔？
誰今取佛上道利？ 月面願說何故笑？
若佛世尊笑之時， 面出光笑勝於人，
應時百千人民會， 今佛以緣當說之。」
"One gains pure wisdom with clear, bright eyes, Venerable faculties serene, transcendent without bounds. Your radiant light shines far, with golden hue— Whose spiritual attainment, pray, inspires your smile?
Who now awakens their resolve to follow the Buddha's path? Who sits beneath the tree, subduing Mara's might? Who now reaps the supreme benefit of the Buddha's way? O Moon-faced One, why do you smile? Please tell!
When the World-Honored One smiles, His face emits a light far surpassing mortal men. At once, hundreds of thousands in this assembly gather— The Buddha, through conditions, will now reveal its meaning."
阿難問佛：「惟，天中天！諸有婬、怒、癡者，以色、聲、香、味、細滑、法故笑；天中天斷婬、怒、癡，用何故笑？天中天！不是舍利弗所問？亦不是摩訶目犍連、摩訶迦葉、優為迦葉、迦翼迦葉、那翼迦葉、施羅比利迦私所問？諸佛天中天有六法不共。何等為六？一者、諸佛天中天知過去無所罣礙慧；二者、諸佛天中天有當來無所罣礙慧；三者、諸佛天中天今現在亦有無所罣礙慧；四者、諸佛天中天身所行智慧；五者、諸佛天中天口所說智慧；六者、諸佛天中天心念智慧。是為六。諸佛天中天無有不見聞，諸佛說佛道慧！」
Ananda asked the Buddha: “O Blessed One, the World-Honored One! Those who are driven by desire, anger, and ignorance laugh because of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, and thoughts. But you, Blessed One, have cut off desire, anger, and ignorance. Why do you laugh? Blessed One, is this a question Shariputra asked? Or Mahamaudgalyayana? Mahakashyapa? Uruvilva-Kashyapa? Gaya-Kashyapa? Nadi-Kashyapa? Shariputra? All Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, possess six unique qualities. What are these six? First, all Buddhas have unobstructed wisdom regarding the past. Second, all Buddhas have unobstructed wisdom regarding the future. Third, all Buddhas have unobstructed wisdom regarding the present. Fourth, all Buddhas have wisdom in their physical actions. Fifth, all Buddhas have wisdom in their spoken words. Sixth, all Buddhas have wisdom in their thoughts. These are the six. There is nothing that all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, do not see or hear. The Buddhas proclaim the wisdom of the Buddha way!”
佛告阿難：「過世時，有國名優波羅越，其國富樂熾盛、五穀豐熟，人民安隱，眾多不可得計。」佛語阿難：「爾時，優波羅越國中，有王名波羅先，於諸國中獨尊。所施行教敕使人，正法治國鞭杖不行。爾時，人民長壽二萬歲。時其王命過，其國中有一婬妷女，為上色面貌，端正姝好。其女人往至他人舍，其主人生男，便以手牽子臂。婬女便問之：『牽兒欲作何等？』報言：『我飢餓欲噉之。』問言：『無有飯可食之耶？』報言：『無有也。』婬女人報言：『且待須，我為汝持食來。』答曰：『卿未出門頃，我當餓死，那能須卿持飯來耶？』婬女人念言：『若我持兒去，其母便當餓死；若置去者，便當取兒噉之。將當奈何令母子各得安隱？』婬女人即取利刀，自割兩乳與之，其母便食之。婬女人問言：『卿為飽未？』報言：『已飽矣。』婬女人兩乳血出流離，便還其家。
The Buddha said to Ananda, “In a past age, there was a country called Upālavāti*, a prosperous and flourishing land with abundant harvests and a peaceful populace too numerous to count.” The Buddha continued, “At that time, King Bālasena ruled over Upālavāti, the sole sovereign among neighboring states. He governed by righteous laws, enacting decrees without resorting to corporal punishment. The people lived long lives, reaching twenty thousand years of age.
When the king passed away, there lived in that country a courtesan of unparalleled beauty and grace. One day, she visited a neighbor’s home where a woman had just given birth. The mother grabbed her newborn son’s arm, and the courtesan asked, ‘Why are you pulling the child?’ The mother replied, ‘I am starving and wish to eat him.’
The courtesan asked, ‘Is there no food you can eat?’ The mother answered, ‘There is none.’ The courtesan said, ‘Wait a moment, and I will bring you some food.’ But the mother replied, ‘Before you even step out the door, I will have died of hunger. How can I wait for you to bring me food?’
The courtesan thought to herself, ‘If I take the child away, the mother will starve to death. If I leave it here, she will eat it. How can I ensure both mother and child survive?’ So she took a sharp knife, cut off her own breasts, and gave them to the mother, who ate them. The courtesan asked, ‘Are you full now?’ The mother replied, ‘I am full.’
As the courtesan’s wounds bled profusely, she returned home.
「時，有一男子至其婬女人舍，欲與共作非法，見之便言：『誰取此上色女乳，割如是耶？』便有悲意，以姊弟心侍之，不復起欲心。男子即問言：『姊！誰取卿如是耶？』報言：『無有嬈我者也。我自至他舍，其主人適產，生便牽其子。我問言：「欲作何等？」報我言：「我飢餓，欲取子肉噉之。」我問：「卿無有飯可食耶？」報我言：「無有也。」我言：「且待，須我為汝持飯來。」報我言：「卿去未及出門頃，我便餓死。」我心念：「適持兒去，母便當死；若捨去者，則當取兒噉。」我便割乳便與噉之。』其男子聞之言，即躃地奄絕。婬女便取水灑其上，其久乃得穌息。男子問言：『姉當為我現至誠？』婬女言：『諾！』男子言：『我初不見此難。實至誠如汝言不虛者，姉乳當平復如故。』應時，其女人乳平復如故，亦無瘢也。
At that time, a man went to the house of a courtesan, intending to commit an immoral act. But when he saw her, he said, "Who took this beautiful woman’s breasts and cut them off like this?" He felt compassion and treated her like a sister, his lustful thoughts disappearing. The man then asked, "Sister, who did this to you?" She replied, "No one harmed me. I went to another house, where the mistress had just given birth. She took hold of her own child, and I asked, 'What are you doing?' She said, 'I am starving, and I want to eat the child's flesh.' I asked, 'Don't you have any food to eat?' She replied, 'I have none.' I said, 'Wait, I'll bring you some food.' She said, 'By the time you leave and return, I will have starved to death.' I thought to myself, 'If I take the child away, the mother will die; if I leave, she will eat the child.' So I cut off my breast and gave it to her to eat." When the man heard this, he collapsed and fainted. The courtesan sprinkled water on his face, and after a long time, he regained consciousness. The man then asked, "Sister, will you swear to the truth of this?" She replied, "Yes." He said, "I have never seen such a difficult act. If your words are sincerely true, may your breast be restored as it was." Immediately, the woman's breast was restored to its original state, without even a scar.
「釋提桓因以天眼見婬妷女，言：『此上色婬女人布施為福乃如是，恐來奪我座。』則化作婆羅門，持寶枝，澡豆瓶，著金錫杖，行乞匃至此婬女家，言：『乞我分衛。』其女人便以金鉢盛飯出與婆羅門，婆羅門即却行不肯受。上色女問道人：『何為却行不肯受食？』報言：『我不用食。我聞汝布施乳，為審爾不乎？』報言：『實如是。』婆羅門以偈問之曰：
Lord Shakra, seeing this with his heavenly vision, remarked, "This beautiful woman, by giving has earned such merit—I fear she might come to take my seat." He then transformed himself into a Brahmin, carrying a jeweled staff, a bowl, and a golden staff used for begging. He went to her house and said, "Please give me alms." The woman took a golden bowl filled with rice and offered it to the Brahmin, but he stepped back and would not accept it. The beautiful woman asked the holy man, "Why do you step back and refuse to accept this food?" He replied, "I don't want the food. I heard that you gave milk from your breasts. Is that true?" She answered, "Yes, that is correct." The Brahmin then questioned her in verse:
「『汝為索何願？ 云何釋為梵？
為求多寶王， 所願難如是。』
"‘For what goal did you make this vow? Why seek the celestial realm so high? Was it for a treasure-filled king’s place? This wish of yours is marvellous indeed.’"
「上色女，以偈報之言：
Ascetic maiden, replied with a verse:
「『婆羅門無為者， 無生老及病死，
無愁憂清淨處， 婆羅門我求彼。』
「婆羅門言：『問汝：持乳布施時，意寧轉異不？』女人報言：『婆羅門！我當為汝現至誠。』報言：『現之。』女人言：『若使我至誠持乳布施意無異者，令我轉女人身得作男子。』所言適竟，即轉成男子。
「時優波羅越王，治國五千歲已後終亡。傍臣，左右聞婬女人轉身作男子，念言：『正當立此作國王，為王者當以正法治國。』便共立作王。鞭杖不行，以正法治國，好布施金銀、珍寶著四城門外及諸街里，欲得飯食、漿水、衣被、熏華、房室、座席、舍宅、金銀、珍寶、明月珠、玉琉璃、水精、珊瑚、馬瑙，隨其欲與之。教一天下人持八關齋，如是治國五百歲，不耕種自然稻米清潔香美，無有麁獷，今日截，旦日續，自然生，即取其米，莖應時沒不現。取共食味，一切味食是已後，齒不落，亦不老、亦不病、亦不傴，顏色無異，長短適等；祿相亦等，譬如欝單越天下。國王自念言：『我布施與人，有何可怪？我布施與禽獸者，爾乃為難。』時，王穌香自塗身，便入山空閑處，臥巖石上。諸百鳥皆來生噉其身，便命過，生於婆羅門家——其家大富，金銀珍寶無央數——十月已滿便生，端正好無比。適生，四侍女共養育：第一女主拭其身；第二女主沐浴；第三女主乳哺；第四女主抱之。兒即長大，四人共侍議，不得使有見者，五百綵女共侍相娛樂。便竊出，過向市，觀見販賣貧窮乞匃者，有悲哀之意言：『此人民若使富樂者，不復賈作販賣。』爾時，自說偈言：
Then, after King Uposadha had ruled the kingdom for five thousand years, he passed away. The ministers and officials around him, having heard that the promiscuous woman had transformed into a man, thought: "We should make him our king. As king, he must govern the land with righteousness." So together they set him on the throne, and he ruled with justice, without the use of beatings or punishments. He was generous, placing gold, silver, and precious jewels outside the four city gates and along the streets, so that anyone who desired food, drink, clothing, incense, flowers, housing, seats, mansions, gold, silver, jewels, moonbeams, jade, crystal, coral, or agate could receive whatever they wished. He taught the entire nation to observe the Eight Precepts for a full day and night.
He ruled in this way for five hundred years. During that time, rice grew spontaneously—clean, fragrant, and fine, without any coarse husks. Cut it today, and it would grow back by dawn the next day, without seeds being planted. As soon as it was harvested, the stalks would disappear from sight. After eating this rice, people's teeth never fell out, they never aged, they never fell ill, and they never hunched over. Their complexion remained unchanged, and their height and fortune were all equal—just like the people of the continent of Uttarakuru.
Then the king thought to himself: "What’s so special about giving to human beings? It would be truly difficult if I could give to animals." So he anointed his body with fragrant incense, went into the mountains to a lonely place, and lay down on a rock. Birds came and ate his flesh, and in that moment, he passed away. He was reborn into a wealthy Brahmin family, whose home was filled with countless gold, silver, and jewels. After a full ten months, he was born—exceedingly handsome and flawless.
As soon as he was born, four maidservants cared for him: one wiped his body, one bathed him, one nursed him, and one held him. When the boy grew up, these four discussed among themselves that no one should be allowed to see him. Five hundred palace women entertained him with music and games. Then one day, he secretly slipped out and went to the marketplace, where he saw merchants, poor people, and beggars. He felt compassion and said: "If these people were wealthy and happy, they wouldn't have to work as merchants and vendors." At that moment, he spoke this verse:
「『我之身心云何？ 甚堅而不破碎，
吾自在安樂處， 見勤苦諸人民。』
"How is it with my body and mind? They remain steady, unbroken. I am at ease in a place of peace, While I see the suffering of the people."
「馳還白父母：『我欲除鬚髮行入山空處，處樹下。』父母不聽。所以者何？適有汝一子，甚重愛之：『我禱祠山川、日月、諸天，適得汝一子耳。我不見汝者便愁憂死。』不肯聽使去，子便委臥地，一日、二日至五日不食飲。諸親厚知識聞此兒欲學道除鬚髮，父母不聽，委臥空地不食飲五日。諸親厚知識皆共到其所，諫曉言：『童子！何以不起沐浴、飲食、莊嚴，用除鬚髮，在樹間樂道？』童子亦不應；如是言者三日。諸親厚共到父母所，言：『聽使去學道，若樂者可數來往相見，不樂者便當來歸。』父母言：『諾！』見聽已，子便自養視六、七日，繞父母三匝為作禮，便入空閑坐行道，已後，則往至餘大叢樹間。
「中有兩道人坐得五神通，精誠求道離婬欲，童子便至其所問：『此間作何等？』報言：『我在此間露坐禪念道，用人民故，作勤苦行。』童子言：『我亦當用人民故，露坐禪念道。』二道人言：『善！』童子即於大叢樹下坐禪。於中用人民故，勤苦行道，即得五神通，精進踰於二道人；其人大聖上尊。其樹間有虎妊娠。諸道人法，樹果自墮落者，乃取食之，不從樹摘取也。諸道人共行求果蓏，便見妊娠虎，童子道人語兩道人言：『此虎今不久當產，飢餓經日，恐自噉其子。誰能持身食之者？』彌勒菩薩言：『我當持身食之。』採果還已，見虎乳飢餓，欲取其子噉之，其道人語兩道人言：『虎已乳飢餓，欲還噉其子。誰能持身食之？』便共俱至餓虎所，虎開目張口向之，兩道人俱畏懼，便飛上虛空中。其一人言：『道人！卿之至誠如是也。屬者言：「當持身食餓虎。」今者何故飛上虛空也？』其一道人哀之淚出，左右顧視無所有。童子道人取利刀，刺右臂流血，如是七處自刺，血入虎口中，因飲之，便復自投身食餓虎，則死。」
佛語阿難：「欲知爾時上色婬女人者不？正是我身；時立為王者，亦是我身；時婆羅門子自投身餧餓虎者，亦是我身；兩道人者，是迦葉，彌勒菩薩。」
佛告阿難：「我精進行道故，超越九劫出彌勒前。如是，阿難！勤苦行道六十劫，布施手、足、鼻、耳、頭、目、肌肉、婦、子、男、女、好衣被、飲食故，降伏六十億魔，三十四億得佛道。」
佛語阿難：「若使一切人知布施之福，如我所知者，窮乏餬口得一食，自飯繼命；若不食此便死者，則當不自食與善人令受。阿難！我念昔世時所布施，用是故面色明好照曜，笑光從口出遍三千大千世界。」
佛說是經時，四千二百比丘起無餘意得解脫，八十那術諸天人發無上正真道意，七萬菩薩得無所從生法忍。佛說如是，賢者阿難及一切眾會諸天龍、鬼神、世間人皆歡喜，前為佛作禮而去。
前世三轉經