佛說菩薩內習六波羅蜜經
Sutra on the Bodhisattva's Inner Practice of the Six Perfections
後漢臨淮沙門嚴佛調譯
Translated by Yan Fotiao, a Shramana from Linhuai, Later Han Dynasty
佛言：「欲學菩薩道者，當從此始：一、數，二、隨，三、止，四、觀，五、還，六、淨。」
The Buddha said: "Those who wish to study the Bodhisattva path should begin with these six practices: First, counting the breath; second, following the breath; third, calming the mind; fourth, contemplating deeply; fifth, returning to the source; and sixth, attaining purity."
佛言：「一、數，為檀波羅蜜。數息者，神得上天，為布施身中神，自致得須陀洹、斯陀含、阿那含、阿羅漢、辟支佛，得作佛，是為內檀波羅蜜，為布施得度。」
The Buddha said: "The first practice is Counting, which is the Dana Paramita (Perfection of Giving). Through counting the breath, the mind ascends to heavenly states. This is giving oneself—the act of offering the mind within your own body. Through this practice, one can attain the stages of Stream-Entry, Once-Return, Non-Return, Arhatship, Pratyekabuddhahood, and ultimately Buddhahood. This is the inner Dana Paramita—the giving that leads to liberation."
佛言：「二、相隨，為尸波羅蜜。意與心相隨俱出入，不邪念、意不轉，為不犯道禁，是為內尸波羅蜜，為不犯道禁得度。」
The Buddha said: "The second paramita is the paramita of moral discipline. When the mind and heart follow each other, entering and exiting together without wandering thoughts or turning toward wrong intentions, you do not violate the precepts of the path. This is the inner paramita of moral discipline—by not violating the path's precepts, you attain liberation."
佛言：「三、止，為羼提波羅蜜。意欲、婬怒、瞋恚能忍不為；口欲、甘肥、美味、身欲得細滑，自制意能忍、不受，是為內羼提波羅蜜，為忍辱得度。」
The Buddha said: "Third, forbearance is the perfection of patience (kṣānti pāramitā). When the mind harbors desires—lust, anger, or resentment—one is able to endure and not act on them. When the mouth craves sweet and rich flavors, or the body seeks soft and pleasant sensations, one can restrain the mind and endure, refusing to indulge. This is the inner perfection of patience—the patience that carries one across to liberation."
佛言：「四、明觀，為惟逮波羅蜜。內觀三身，體外觀萬物，皆當壞敗，無有常存，不復貪心。向道，念無為、常分別、不懈怠，是為內惟逮波羅蜜，為精進得度。」
The Buddha said: “The fourth is clear contemplation, which is the paramita of wisdom. Look inward and see the three bodies; look outward and see all things—all shall decay and perish, nothing lasts forever. Thus the mind no longer clings. Turning toward the path, keep mindfulness on the unconditioned, constantly discern, and never slacken. This is the inner practice of wisdom paramita—diligent effort that leads to liberation.”
佛言：「五、還，為禪波羅蜜。斷六入、還五陰。何謂六入？色入眼為衰，聲入耳為衰，香入鼻為衰，味入口為衰，細滑入身為衰，多念令心衰，是為六入，亦為六衰，亦為五陰。何謂五陰？色陰、痛痒陰、思想陰、生殊陰、識陰，是為五陰。還身守淨，斷求念空，是為內禪波羅蜜，而守一得度。」
The Buddha said: “Fifth, returning is the Perfection of Meditation. Cut off the six entrances and return to the five aggregates. What are the six entrances? Form entering the eye causes decline, sound entering the ear causes decline, fragrance entering the nose causes decline, taste entering the mouth causes decline, fine touch entering the body causes decline, and excessive thoughts weaken the mind. These are the six entrances, also known as the six declines, and also the five aggregates. What are the five aggregates? The aggregate of form, the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental formations, and the aggregate of consciousness—these are the five aggregates. Return the body to pure stillness, cut off attachments and let thoughts rest in emptiness. This is the inner Perfection of Meditation, and by abiding in oneness, one attains liberation.”
佛言：「六、淨，為般若波羅蜜。知人萬物皆當消滅，意不淨向生死，愛欲斷，心淨潔，智慧成就，是為內摩訶般若波羅蜜，從黠慧得度。」
The Buddha said: “The sixth is purity, which is the perfection of wisdom (Prajñā). Know that all people and all things must pass away. When the mind is not pure, it drifts toward birth and death. But when desire and craving are cut off, the mind becomes pure and clean, and wisdom is perfected. This is the inner great perfection of wisdom, by which one crosses over through keen insight.”
問曰：「何等為檀？何等為尸？何等為羼？何等為惟逮？何等為禪？何等為般若？何等為波羅蜜？」
Question: "What is giving? What is discipline? What is patience? What is diligence? What is meditation? What is wisdom? What is the Perfection?"
佛言：「檀為布施，尸為持戒，羼為忍辱，惟逮為精進，禪為棄惡，般若為黠慧，波羅為從生死得度，蜜為無極，是為六波羅蜜。」
The Buddha said: "Dāna means Generosity. Śīla means Moral Discipline. Kṣānti means Patience. Vīrya means Diligence. Dhyāna means letting go of what is unwholesome. Prajñā means clear Wisdom. Pāramitā means crossing over from birth and death. The 'mī' in pāramitā means reaching the boundless. These together are the Six Pāramitās."
問曰：「何以故正有六波羅蜜？」
Question: "Why are there exactly six paramitas?"
佛言：「用人有婬怒、瞋恚、愚癡故，行布施為除惡貪，持戒為除婬怒，忍辱為除瞋恚，精進為除懈怠，一心為除亂意，智慧為除愚癡，用欲去六事故，作是六波羅蜜。」
The Buddha said: "Because people have lust and anger, hatred and resentment, and ignorance, they practice generosity to remove evil greed, moral discipline to remove lust and anger, patience to remove hatred and resentment, diligence to remove laziness, single-minded focus to remove a distracted mind, and wisdom to remove ignorance. These six practices are undertaken to eliminate the six afflictions, and so they are called the six paramitas."
佛言：「人有六匿賊盜，斷惡故，作檀波羅蜜主制身，尸波羅蜜主制眼，羼提波羅蜜主制耳，惟逮波羅蜜主制鼻，禪波羅蜜主制口，般若波羅蜜主制意。」
問曰：「何以故身應檀波羅蜜？」
佛言：「人索頭，與頭；索眼，與眼；索肉，與肉。投身餓虎，是為布施故，屬檀波羅蜜。」
問曰：「何以故眼應尸波羅蜜？」
佛言：「眼不隨色，意不亂念，是為持戒，故屬尸波羅蜜。」
問曰：「何以故耳應羼提波羅蜜？」
佛言：「耳聞惡聲，不瞋恚，是為忍辱，故屬羼提波羅蜜。」
問曰：「何以故鼻應惟逮波羅蜜？」
佛言：「鼻知息出入，常守不離，是為精進，故屬惟逮波羅蜜。」
問曰：「何以故口應禪波羅蜜？」
佛言：「口不罵詈、不兩舌、不妄言、不綺語，是為寂然，故屬禪波羅蜜。」
問曰：「何以故意應般若波羅蜜？」
佛語：「阿難！汝曹為道，常當曉了知定諸垢濁穢、清淨自然，不起不滅，悉斷諸根。諸根斷已，不得復生。為道者，當發平等廣度一切，施立法橋，當令一切得入法門，廣作唱導，無端無底、無形無聲、無邊無際、無上無下，立教當施，本無之中持法當使，如來求道，當在於心，心意不正，道亦不生。立行當於本無之中，垢濁以除，內外清淨，從淨見明，以致自然已現，是空之淨。淨而復淨，空而復空，空無所有，是乃為道。道之本無，無所倚著；上無所攀，下無所據；左無所牽，右無所持；自然而立，清淨為本；空空之空，故曰泥洹。於有而無所有，故為有；於無而不無，是為無；於得而無所得，是為得也。」
第一發意菩薩、 第二持地菩薩、
第三應行菩薩、 第四生貴菩薩、
第五修成菩薩、 第六行登菩薩、
第七不退轉菩薩、 第八童真菩薩、
第九了生菩薩、 第十補處菩薩。
佛說菩薩內習六波羅蜜經