大乘悲分陀利經卷第一
Mahayana Lotus of Compassion Sutra, Volume 1
失三藏名今附秦錄
轉法輪品第一
Turning the Wheel of Dharma: Chapter 1
如是我聞：
This is what I heard:
一時，佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾六萬二千人俱，皆是阿羅漢——諸漏已盡，盡諸有結皆得自在，心善解脫、慧善解脫，如調象王，所作已辦，脫於重擔，逮得己利往來已盡，得正智已，心得自在，到於彼岸——唯除一人長老阿難。菩薩摩訶薩眾八十四百千人俱，彌勒為首，皆得陀羅尼忍辱三昧，樂居空靜皆不退轉。娑訶世界主梵天與無量百千梵天俱，他化天子與八十百千他化天子俱，化自在天子與七十百千化自在天子俱，珊兜率天子與六十百千兜率天子俱，須夜摩天子與七十二百千須夜摩天子俱，釋提桓因與八十百千三十三天俱，毘沙門天王與其眷屬百千夜叉俱，毘留勒伽與其眷屬千鳩槃荼俱，毘留波叉與其眷屬千龍俱，提陀羅吒各與其眷屬千龍王俱。爾時世尊，與如是等上首——皆求大乘行六波羅蜜——圍遶。捨四顛倒法，明慧光照，因四諦說法，令諸菩薩摩訶薩得種種三昧，以是三昧過聲聞、辟支佛地，以是三昧令得堅固阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
At one time, the Buddha was dwelling on Vulture Peak in the city of Rājagṛha, together with a great assembly of sixty-two thousand bhikṣus. All were arhats—their outflows exhausted, all bonds of existence severed, they had attained mastery. Their minds were well liberated, their wisdom well liberated, like well-tamed elephant kings. Their task was accomplished, the heavy burden laid down, their own benefit attained. Coming and going was ended; having attained right knowledge, their minds were fully free, having reached the far shore—with the sole exception of the venerable elder Ānanda.
There were also eighty-four hundred thousand bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, with Maitreya at their head. All had attained dhāraṇī, forbearance, and samādhi. Dwelling joyfully in emptiness and stillness, they never regressed.
Śakra, Lord of the Sahā World, was present with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Brahmā gods. The Paranimmitavaśavartin devas were present with eighty hundred thousand of their kind. The Nirmāṇarati devas were present with seventy hundred thousand. The Tuṣita devas were present with sixty hundred thousand. The Yāma devas were present with seventy-two hundred thousand. Śakra Devānām Indra was present with eighty hundred thousand gods of the Thirty-Three.
Vaiśravaṇa, the Heavenly King, was present with hundreds of thousands of yakṣas in his retinue. Virūḍhaka was present with a thousand kumbhāṇḍas in his retinue. Virūpākṣa was present with a thousand nāgas in his retinue. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, each with their own retinue, was present with a thousand nāga kings.
At that time, the World-Honored One was surrounded by such foremost beings—all seeking the Great Vehicle and practicing the six pāramitās. He had abandoned the four perverted views. His bright wisdom-light shone forth. Expounding the Dharma through the Four Truths, he enabled the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas to attain various samādhis. Through these samādhis, they transcended the stages of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Through these samādhis, they attained the unshakable, unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.
爾時彌勒菩薩摩訶薩、無礙見菩薩、水天菩薩、師子意菩薩、照明菩薩摩訶薩，如是等十千菩薩，俱從座起整衣服，面東南向，右膝著地，叉手合掌，喜踊意視，作如是言：「南無南無蓮華上多陀阿伽度、阿羅呵、三藐三佛陀，成佛未久現大神通，勸發無數億那由他百千眾生，善根成就，得不退轉阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」
Then the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the Bodhisattva Unobstructed Vision, the Bodhisattva Water-Deva, the Bodhisattva Lion’s Mind, the Bodhisattva Illuminating Light, and ten thousand other bodhisattvas like these all rose from their seats, straightened their robes, turned toward the southeast, placed their right knees on the ground, joined their palms together, and with joyful, uplifted hearts gazed intently and spoke these words:
“We take refuge, we take refuge in the Buddha seated upon the lotus—the Thus-Come One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One. Not long after attaining Buddhahood, he manifests great spiritual powers, inspiring countless hundreds of thousands of millions of beings, causing their wholesome roots to mature and leading them to attain irreversible, unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”
爾時寶照明菩薩即從座起，整衣服，右膝著地，叉手合掌，白佛言：「世尊！以何因緣，彌勒菩薩、無礙見菩薩、水天菩薩、師子意菩薩、照明菩薩摩訶薩，如是等十千菩薩，俱捨世尊所說法，從座起，整衣服，面東南向，右膝著地，叉手合掌，喜踊意視，作如是言：『南無南無蓮華上多陀阿伽度、阿羅呵、三藐三佛陀，甚為希有，成佛未久現大神通，瑞應勸發無數億那由他百千眾生善根成就。』蓮華上如來、應供、正遍知，去此遠近？成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提來幾時？蓮華上如來世界何名？彼土嚴飾，云何莊嚴？以何蓮華上如來、應供、正遍知現大神通？以何因緣，有菩薩見於十方無數他方世界現在諸佛世尊，又見彼諸佛所現神通，我等不見？」
Then the Bodhisattva Jewel-Shining Light rose from his seat, arranged his robes, placed his right knee on the ground, joined his palms together, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, for what reason have Bodhisattva Maitreya, Bodhisattva Unobstructed Sight, Bodhisattva Water-Deva, Bodhisattva Lion's Mind, Bodhisattva Shining Light, and ten thousand other great bodhisattvas like them, all set aside the Dharma spoken by the World-Honored One, risen from their seats, arranged their robes, turned to face the southeast, placed their right knees on the ground, joined their palms together, and with joyful, uplifted minds and gazes, spoken these words: 'Homage, homage to the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One upon the Lotus! How exceedingly rare! Having attained buddhahood not long ago, he manifests great spiritual powers, with auspicious signs inspiring and awakening the wholesome roots of countless hundreds of thousands of millions of beings.'
"How far from here is the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One upon the Lotus? How long has it been since he attained unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment? What is the name of the world of the Tathagata upon the Lotus? How is that land adorned and made splendid? By what means does the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One upon the Lotus manifest great spiritual powers? And for what reason do some bodhisattvas see the present World-Honored Buddhas in countless other worlds throughout the ten directions, and see the spiritual powers displayed by those buddhas, while we ourselves do not see them?"
爾時世尊告寶照明菩薩言：「善哉，善哉！善男子！機辯甚善，所問賢快。汝，善男子！乃問如來如是之義，為無量億那由他百千眾生善根成就故，乃問蓮華上如來所現神通佛土莊嚴。汝，善男子！諦聽，諦聽！善思念之！當為汝說。」
Then the World-Honored One said to Bodhisattva Radiant Jewel: “Excellent, excellent! Virtuous one, your discernment is profound and your question is most timely. You, virtuous one, have asked the Tathagata about this meaning for the sake of countless hundreds of thousands of beings, that their wholesome roots may be perfected. You ask about the supernatural displays and the adornments of the Buddha-land manifested by the Buddha upon the Lotus. Now, virtuous one, listen carefully, listen well, and reflect upon it rightly—I shall explain it for you.”
「唯然！世尊！寶照明菩薩聽佛所說。」
"Indeed, Venerable World-Honored One! The Bodhisattva Jewel Illumination is listening to the Buddha's teaching."
爾時世尊告寶照明菩薩言：「善男子！東南方去此佛土，過億百千佛剎，有世界名蓮華；諸妙莊嚴散眾名華，種種妙香充滿世界，寶樹莊嚴多諸寶山，地紺琉璃，菩薩遍滿法音不絕。彼琉璃地柔軟妙好，猶若天衣，若以足蹈則下四寸，舉足還復；多諸蓮花。七寶行樹高七由旬，其寶樹上垂諸天衣。天作音樂柔軟妙好。樹上眾鳥，演出根、力、覺、道法化之聲。諸寶樹葉互相𢴤觸，所出音聲勝天五樂。一一寶樹所出妙香遍千由旬。諸寶樹上垂天瓔珞，一一樹間有七寶臺，高五百由旬，廣百由旬，其臺四邊有諸窓牖，遶臺周匝。自然池水，長八十由旬，廣五十由旬，池水四邊七寶梯階，芙蓉青蓮華遍覆水上，一一蓮華廣一由旬。
Then the World-Honored One addressed the Bodhisattva Jewel-Shining Radiance, saying: “Noble one, to the southeast of this Buddha-land, beyond hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha-realms, there is a world named Lotus Flower. It is adorned with all manner of sublime ornaments and scattered with renowned blossoms. Every kind of exquisite fragrance fills that world. Jeweled trees adorn it, and there are many jeweled mountains. The ground is of deep-blue lapis lazuli. Bodhisattvas fill the land everywhere, and the sound of Dharma never ceases.
That lapis lazuli ground is soft, wondrous, and fine, like heavenly cloth. When a foot presses upon it, it sinks down four inches; when the foot is lifted, it rises back again. There are many lotus flowers. The jeweled trees in orderly rows are seven yojanas high, and from these jeweled trees hang heavenly garments. Heavenly music plays—soft, wondrous, and fine. The many birds in the trees sing forth the sounds of the Dharma—the faculties, the powers, the factors of enlightenment, and the path. The leaves of the jeweled trees brush against one another, and the sound they produce surpasses the five kinds of heavenly music. The exquisite fragrance from each jeweled tree spreads for a thousand yojanas. From the jeweled trees hang heavenly strings of jewels. Between each tree is a seven-jeweled terrace, five hundred yojanas high and one hundred yojanas wide. On all four sides of the terrace are windows, and around the terrace runs a perimeter.
There are natural ponds, eighty yojanas long and fifty yojanas wide. Surrounding the ponds are seven-jeweled steps. Blue lotuses and blue water-lilies cover the water’s surface, each lotus one yojana across.”
「眾華臺上生諸菩薩摩訶薩，於初夜時，華臺上生結加趺坐，受解脫樂，歡喜竟夜；天欲明時，四方微風柔軟香好吹華開敷，彼諸菩薩從三昧起，捨解脫樂，從華臺下昇諸寶臺，於七寶座結加趺坐，而聽受法。諸樹寶臺周匝四面，紫磨寶山高二十由旬，廣三由旬，其諸山上有無數百千日明月明、王紺大紺明月寶珠，處處皆現蓮華上佛光明，山珠佛光珠明普照蓮華世界。妙光常遍，晝夜無異，無日月光不覺有夜，蓮華合時眾鳥聲止，以是知夜。彼諸山上有紺琉璃寶臺，高六十由旬，廣二十由旬，寶臺周匝七寶窓牖，其寶臺中有七寶座，一生補處菩薩坐上聽法。
Upon jeweled lotus thrones, great bodhisattvas are born. At the beginning of the night, they appear seated cross-legged upon these lotus platforms, immersed in the bliss of liberation, rejoicing throughout the night. As dawn approaches, a gentle, fragrant breeze from the four directions softly blows, causing the lotuses to bloom. Then, these bodhisattvas emerge from their meditative concentration, leave behind the bliss of liberation, descend from their lotus thrones, and ascend to jeweled terraces. There, upon seats of seven treasures, they sit cross-legged and listen to the Dharma.
Surrounding these jeweled terraces and trees on all four sides are mountains of purple-gold, twenty yojanas high and three yojanas wide. Upon these mountains, countless hundreds and thousands of sun-gems, moon-gems, kingly sapphires, great sapphires, and luminous moon-jewels appear everywhere, each revealing the radiant light of Buddhas seated upon lotuses. The light from these mountain jewels, Buddha rays, and luminous pearls shines universally throughout the Lotus World. A wondrous radiance constantly pervades all places, with no difference between day and night. Without relying on sun or moon, one does not perceive the coming of night; it is only known when the lotuses close and the songs of birds cease. Upon these mountains are terraces of lapis lazuli, sixty yojanas high and twenty yojanas wide. These jeweled terraces are encircled by windows of seven treasures, and within them are seven jeweled seats. Upon these seats sit bodhisattvas who dwell in the stage of one lifetime away from Buddhahood, listening to the Dharma.
「善男子！蓮華世界菩提之樹，名因陀羅，高三千五百由旬，枝葉分布五千由旬；彼菩提樹下有蓮花，高五百由旬，琉璃為莖，黃金為葉，有億百千，長五百由旬，七寶為臺，馬瑙為鬚，高十由旬，廣七由旬。蓮華上如來、應供、正遍知，於彼華上昨夜成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。於其道場周匝華座，皆有菩薩而坐其上，觀蓮華上如來現大神通。」
"Good man! In the Lotus World, there is a tree of Enlightenment named Indra, standing thirty-five hundred yojanas tall, with branches and leaves spreading across five thousand yojanas. Beneath that Enlightenment Tree grows a lotus flower, five hundred yojanas high, its stem made of lapis lazuli and its leaves of pure gold. There are hundreds of millions of such lotuses, each five hundred yojanas long, resting on pedestals of seven treasures, with agate filaments, ten yojanas high and seven yojanas wide. Upon these lotus flowers, the Tathagata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, last night attained Supreme Perfect Enlightenment. Around that sacred site, lotus seats encircle the area, each occupied by a Bodhisattva seated upon it, witnessing the Tathagata on the lotus flower manifesting great spiritual powers."
是時寶照明菩薩白佛言：「世尊！蓮華上如來，云何現大神通？」
At that time, the Bodhisattva Jeweled Radiance addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, how did the Tathagata Lotus Blossom manifest his great spiritual power?"
爾時佛告寶照明菩薩言：「蓮華上如來於昨後夜成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，即夜向明現是神通，變化身至梵天，頂上肉髻放六十億那由他百千光明，照於上方，過一佛世界微塵數諸佛國土。是時上方諸菩薩，觀見下方，大鐵圍山、小鐵圍山、黑山，無能障礙。諸世界中大菩薩得授記者，有得三昧，有得總持，有得忍辱，有得過地，有得一生補處。菩薩摩訶薩皆見光明，叉手合掌觀蓮華上如來身，見三十二大人之相，八十種好以自莊嚴；并見菩薩摩訶薩眾，蓮華世界佛土莊嚴。見已歡喜，皆發善心。過一佛土微塵數世界菩薩摩訶薩，各各捨己國土，以神足力至蓮華世界，供養恭敬親近蓮華上如來、應供、正遍知。
「善男子！蓮華上如來見大眾集，現廣長舌相，遍覆大眾及四天下，行、住、坐、立於此座上。菩薩皆從三昧起，一切大眾供養蓮華上如來。
「善男子！蓮華上如來還攝舌相神通，復放一一身諸毛孔各六十億那由他百千光明，遍照十方各一佛世界微塵數國土。於諸剎中菩薩摩訶薩，有授記者，得三昧者，略說。彼諸菩薩摩訶薩，各各捨己佛剎，以神足力到蓮華世界，供養恭敬親近蓮華上如來。
「善男子！爾時蓮華上如來，還攝神通，為一切菩薩大眾，轉不退轉正法之輪，多所饒益，愍念世間，為饒益安樂諸天世人成就大乘故。」