佛說造塔延命功德經
Sutra on the Merits of Building Stupas for Extending Life
罽賓國三藏沙門般若奉 詔譯
Translated by the Tripitaka Master Prajñā of Jibin Kingdom, by Imperial Command.
如是我聞：
This is what I have heard:
一時佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園，與大苾芻眾及菩薩摩訶薩眾俱。爾時波斯匿王在大眾中，即從座起，整理衣服，偏袒右肩，右膝著地禮佛雙足，合掌恭敬而白佛言：「希有世尊！相師占我却後七日必當壽盡。我為無常苦所逼惱，無所依仰，來投世尊。唯願世尊為我救護。云何令我得離憂苦？」佛告言：「大王！善自安慰，勿得憂怖。諸佛如來有善方便，能令大王獲殊勝利，近延壽命，當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。諦聽諦聽，善思念之，吾當為汝分別解說。大王當知，若欲免離無常苦惱，超入如來法身壽量，應先發心、持佛淨戒、修最上福。能發此心，延王壽命。」王白佛言：「唯願世尊為我救護。所說發心持佛淨戒修最上福，我便奉行，亦令國人奉行此法。未知發心何等心？持何等戒？何福最上？唯願如來為我宣說。」佛告大王言：「發心者，發四無量心。言持戒者，持不殺戒。修上福者，無過造塔。悲愍救護一切眾生，諸天善神常來守護，不相捨離如影隨形，發生大王無邊福利。大王！建立佛塔，福利難思，三世如來所共稱讚。我為大王略說因緣，王當諦聽。乃往古昔有一小兒此地牧牛，有諸相師來共占相，謂言此牧牛兒却後七日必當壽盡。是牧牛兒又於異時與諸小兒聚沙為戲，中有小兒摧沙為堆，言作佛塔，高一磔手或二或三至四磔手。時此小兒戲聚沙塔高一磔手，却後更延七年壽命。於聚沙時，有辟支佛持鉢而行，時諸小兒以嬉戲心將沙奉施，言：『我施麨。』時辟支佛引鉢受之，以神通力沙變成麨。時諸小兒見此因緣，皆悉獲得清淨信心。時辟支佛與諸小兒悉授記莂，作如是言：『汝諸童子所造之塔高一磔手者，於未來世作鐵輪王，王一天下。二磔手者，作銅輪王，王二天下。三磔手者，作銀輪王，王三天下。四磔手者，作金輪王，王四天下。』時諸小兒以嬉戲心造如是塔、感如是果，何況大王發至誠心。若有善男子善女人，以決定心如法造塔，乃至一肘量、一磔手、一指節、一穬麥，所得功德無有限量，常有諸天雨花供養。是故大王！若善男子善女人欲造塔時，先於一切眾生起大悲心而為先導，以菩提心而為根本，然後淨地作壇供養，以瞿摩夷塗之，燒香散花。面正東坐，作是思惟：『佛薄伽梵自利利他功德圓滿，復能滿足眾生之願。我今成就第一法身，發菩提心，於薄伽梵所有造塔軌儀法則，一一次第如法奉行。』
At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove of Anathapindika's Park in the city of Shravasti, together with a great assembly of bhikkhus and bodhisattva-mahasattvas. At that time, King Prasenajit was among the great assembly. He rose from his seat, adjusted his robes, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, bowed at the feet of the Buddha, and with palms joined respectfully addressed the Buddha, saying:
"Rare and honored World-Honored One! Fortune-tellers have predicted that I have only seven days left to live. I am tormented by the suffering of impermanence and have no one to rely upon. I have come to seek refuge in the World-Honored One. I sincerely pray that the World-Honored One will rescue and protect me. How can I be freed from this sorrow and distress?"
The Buddha replied, saying: "Great King, comfort yourself well. Do not be distressed or fearful. The Tathagatas have skillful means that can enable you, Great King, to obtain supreme benefit, extend your life, and attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Listen carefully, listen carefully, and reflect well upon it. I shall explain it to you in detail.
"Great King, you should know that if you wish to be free from the suffering of impermanence and transcend into the Tathagata's Dharma-body life span, you must first arouse the mind, uphold the pure precepts of the Buddha, and cultivate the highest merit. By arousing this mind, the king's life span will be extended."
The king addressed the Buddha, saying: "I sincerely pray that the World-Honored One will rescue and protect me. Regarding the arousing of the mind, upholding the Buddha's pure precepts, and cultivating the highest merit that you have spoken of, I will respectfully practice them and also cause the people of my country to practice this Dharma. However, I do not know what mind is to be aroused, what precepts are to be upheld, and what merit is the highest. I pray that the Tathagata will explain this to me."
The Buddha told the great king: "The mind to be aroused is the mind of the Four Immeasurables. The precepts to be upheld are the precept of not killing. Cultivating the highest merit is none other than building a stupa. By compassionately rescuing and protecting all beings, the virtuous gods and spirits will constantly come to guard and protect, never abandoning you, just as a shadow follows the body. This will generate boundless benefit and happiness for you, Great King.
"Great King, establishing a Buddha stupa brings benefits and happiness that are inconceivable. All Tathagatas of the past, present, and future praise it together. I shall briefly explain the cause and condition to you, Great King. Listen carefully.
"In the distant past, there was a young boy herding cattle in this very place. Some fortune-tellers came and made a prediction, saying that this cowherd boy had only seven days left to live. On another occasion, this cowherd boy was playing with other children, piling up sand. Among them, a child heaped sand into a mound, saying he was making a Buddha stupa, one handspan high, or two, or three, or even four handspans high. At that time, this child playfully piled a sand stupa one handspan high, and as a result, his life was extended by seven years.
"While they were piling the sand, a Pratyekabuddha was walking by, holding his alms bowl. The children, with playful minds, offered sand to him, saying, 'I offer food.' The Pratyekabuddha extended his bowl and received it. Through his spiritual power, the sand transformed into food. Seeing this cause and condition, all the children obtained pure faith. The Pratyekabuddha then bestowed predictions upon all the children, saying thus: 'You children who have built a stupa one handspan high will, in a future life, become an Iron Wheel-Turning King, ruling one continent. Those who built one two handspans high will become a Copper Wheel-Turning King, ruling two continents. Those who built one three handspans high will become a Silver Wheel-Turning King, ruling three continents. Those who built one four handspans high will become a Golden Wheel-Turning King, ruling four continents.'
"Great King, those children, with merely a playful mind, built such stupas and experienced such results. How much more so for you, Great King, if you arouse a sincere mind! If good men or good women, with a resolute mind, build a stupa in accordance with the Dharma—even if it is only the size of an elbow, a handspan, a finger joint, or a grain of barley—the merit they obtain will be immeasurable and limitless. Constantly, the gods will rain down flowers in offering.
"Therefore, Great King, when good men or good women wish to build a stupa, they should first, as a guiding principle, give rise to a great compassionate mind toward all beings. With the mind of Bodhi as the foundation, they should then purify a piece of ground, make an altar, make offerings, smear it with cow dung, burn incense, and scatter flowers. Sitting facing due east, they should contemplate thus: 'The Buddha Bhagavan has perfected the merit of benefiting himself and others, and is also able to fulfill the wishes of beings. I now accomplish the foremost Dharma-body, arouse the Bodhi mind, and respectfully practice, one by one in sequence and in accordance with the Dharma, all the rules and methods for building a stupa taught by the Bhagavan.'"
「第一，採集妙華，以陀羅尼加持七遍，散布壇上供養如來。陀羅尼曰：
First, gather exquisite flowers. Empower them by reciting the mantra seven times, then scatter them upon the altar as an offering to the Tathagata. The mantra is:
「曩謨薩怛他二合耶埵阿耨羯多跛羅底瑟恥二合帝布數波罽答迷怛他蘖多耶三藐三母馱耶怛儞也二合他補澁閉補澁閉二合蘇補澁閉二合娑縛二合賀引」
I take refuge in the Buddha, the fully awakened one. I take refuge in the Dharma, the sacred teachings. I take refuge in the Sangha, the noble community. Homage to the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One. Homage to the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One. Homage to the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One. May all beings be happy and free from suffering.
「第二，埏埴作泥團時，作婀字觀，此是如來法界身，先當歸命。作如是言：
Second, when kneading clay to form a lump, visualize the syllable "A." This is the Dharma-body of the Tathagata. First, take refuge and recite this verse:
「曩謨捺闍溺崛芻二合悉底二合耶捺嚩平薩嚩怛他蘖多難滿泥上囉怛曩二合怛羅二合演輸梵阿閦鞞阿彌陀畔差子阿反薄伽梵阿哩也引嚩嚕枳帝濕嚩二合羅耶麌嚕」
Namo Ratna Trayāya. Namo Bhagavate Tathāgatāyārhate Samyaksaṃbuddhāya. Namo Bhagavate Amitābhāya Tathāgatāyārhate Samyaksaṃbuddhāya. Namo Bhagavate Avalokiteśvarāya Bodhisattvāya Mahāsattvāya Mahākāruṇikāya.
「正埏埴時，以俱胝陀羅尼加持其泥二十一遍，造一佛塔如造一俱胝佛塔，所獲功德等無有異。是故此陀羅尼名為俱胝陀羅尼。陀羅尼曰：
When forming clay, recite the Jùzhī Dhāraṇī twenty-one times over the clay. Building one stupa this way equals the merit of building a billion stupas. Therefore, this dhāraṇī is called the Jùzhī Dhāraṇī. The dhāraṇī is:
「怛儞也二合他唵蘇上佉澁茗四合蘇佉澁茗四合蘇佉澁麼四合阿耨羯諦訕諦訕諦誕諦誕諦儞平囉拘黎曳(八)戍嚩提(九)諦主嚩提(十)薩嚩母馱(十一)阿地瑟姹二合曩阿地瑟恥二合多阿母底羝(十四)娑嚩二合引賀引」
Om, Sukha-same, Sukha-same, Sukha-same, Anuttara-gate, San-san-gate, Tan-tan-gate, Ni-ra-ku-li-ye, Shu-fa-ti, Gate Zhu-fa-ti, Sa-ba-mu-tuo, A-di-she-zha-nang, A-di-she-chi-duo, A-mu-di, Di, Suo-ha.
「第三，次於泥團作娑頗二合字觀。當觀此泥團猶如水精，又如頗胝迦寶，內外清淨分明瑩徹。以陀羅尼加持一遍。陀羅尼曰：
Third, next, visualize the two syllables "śa" and "pha" upon the lump of clay. One should regard this lump of clay as if it were crystal, or like the cat's-eye gem—pure and clear both inside and out, transparent and radiant. Recite the mantra once to empower it. The mantra is:
「唵嚩日羅二合嗢多皤嚩耶娑嚩二合引賀引」
「第四，次塗赤土時，作火色觀，即知一切世間出世間法，皆從微塵而得成就。作此觀已，取乾赤土遍塗泥團，觀一切法本來無生畢竟空寂。作含字觀，想此泥團如鎔金色，然後造塔。以陀羅尼加持一遍。陀羅尼曰：
Fourth, when applying the red clay, contemplate the color of fire, and understand that all worldly and transcendent dharmas are accomplished from fine dust. Having made this contemplation, take dry red clay and spread it over the clay ball, contemplating that all dharmas are originally unborn and ultimately empty and still. Contemplate the syllable "Haṁ," visualizing this clay ball as molten gold, and then construct the stūpa. Recite the dhāraṇī once for empowerment. The dhāraṇī is:
「唵阿羅左尾羅左娑嚩二合引賀」
Here is the translation of the mantra:
"Om Arlo Zuo Weilo Zuo Suohe"
「第五，次以泥團入模時，用陀羅尼加持一遍，然後入模。陀羅尼曰：
「唵嚩日羅二合引馱都蘖陛娑嚩二合引賀引」
「第六，次入法身真言時，用此陀羅尼加持一遍，然後入印子中。陀羅尼曰：
「唵達摩馱都蘖陛娑嚩賀引」
「第七，次椎打塔印時，用陀羅尼加持一遍，然後椎打。陀羅尼曰：
「唵嚩日囉二合引補特伽羅拘吒耶拘吒耶娑嚩二合引賀」
「第八，次椎打竟，以手作塔階時，用陀羅尼加持一遍，安置塔階。陀羅尼曰：
「唵嚩日羅二合引喻曬娑嚩二合引賀」
「第九，次塔正從模中出時，用陀羅尼加持一遍，然後出之。陀羅尼曰：
「唵達摩底珠娑嚩二合引賀」
「第十，次脫塔出模已，安置塔時用陀羅尼加持一遍。陀羅尼曰：
「唵蘇鉢羅二合引底瑟恥二合多嚩日入羅二合娑嚩二合賀引」
「第十一，次安置塔座了，以手按塔頂上，以陀羅尼加持一遍。陀羅尼曰：
「唵跛羅藍三合摩哆喃曳平娑嚩二合引賀引」
「第十二，次於塔上安傘蓋時，以陀羅尼加持一遍。陀羅尼曰：
「唵跛羅藍三合摩婀喻曬娑嚩二合賀」
佛告大王：「若善男子、善女人以清淨心依此軌儀造作佛塔，若自作、若教人作，若復讚歎、若當信受，所得功德與造佛塔等無差別。當知是人於此一生，不為一切毒藥所中，壽命長遠無有橫死，究竟當得不壞之身，一切鬼神不敢逼近，五星七曜隨順驅使，一切怨家悉皆退散，隨所生處身常無病，一切眾生見皆歡喜；無淨戒者淨戒滿足，不調伏者能令調伏，不清淨者能令清淨，破齋戒者齋戒復生，若犯四重及五無間極重罪業悉得消滅，無始劫來障累皆盡。若有女人欲求男者，即生勇健福德之男，四大天王常隨擁護。造塔功德其福如是。若塔破壞變作微塵，風吹一塵散落他處，塵所經過山林河海，一切眾生觸斯塵者，永更不受雜類之身，捨身受生常得見佛。大王！若善男子、善女人，若於造塔及陀羅尼想觀分明一心憶念，永離水難火難，王難賊難、刀兵等難無能傷害。若於曠野、若空閑處、若於聚落及大會中，能以此經宣告大眾，即為救護眾生身命，所獲福德量與空等。若於後世書寫流通，塔雖未造，造塔功德等無有異。我為大王及未來世一切眾生，廣開造塔延命功德，王當憶持。」
爾時波斯匿王及諸大眾，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜，信受奉行。
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