勝解脫品第五
Chapter 5: Supreme Liberation
菩薩思惟：「常所愛勝解脫者來覺悟我，彼來者不為財寶，為欲成就我大事故來。」菩薩或為人王，修諸功德者來而白王言：「有乞者來。」王即念言：「此言乞者乃是勝解脫來，我今得之。」王自念言：「我今不為貪著王位，為欲利益一切眾生，不應空居王位，應修施果滿足。而彼使者乃是覺悟我者。」凡為乞者甚難為顏，心懷慚恥言色變異，菩薩即知其意而安慰言：「若有所須隨意而求。」乞者既得財物心大歡喜，施者受者二俱歡喜如涅槃樂。三有生死熾然大苦，菩薩處之如涅槃樂。何以故？為欲救濟諸眾生故。菩薩念言：「悲眾生者即是我解脫。以大施惠救濟眾生，眾生得樂即是我解脫。」雖復大施，若無悲心不名為施；若有悲心，施即是解脫。菩薩思念：「我於往昔三界尊前聞解脫極樂，我今已證。何以故？稱意而施即是解脫。若阿羅漢解脫樂與悲心所起施樂相似者我則愛之；若不相似我則不愛。唯愛施樂以為解脫。」悲心起施所得快樂無有比類，無悲心施解脫之樂百千萬分不得為喻；悲心起施所得喜樂若當可以喻為喻，最為極大，是故不可為喻。
The bodhisattva reflects: "The liberation I deeply cherish is what comes to awaken me. This arrival does not seek wealth or treasure, but aims to accomplish my great purpose."
The bodhisattva, perhaps as a virtuous king, is approached by an official who announces: "Sovereign, a beggar has come." The king then thinks: "This 'beggar' is liberation itself coming to me; now I have found it." He continues: "I do not cling to kingship out of greed, but to benefit all beings. I should not occupy the throne idly—I must cultivate the fruit of generosity. This messenger is truly my awakener."
For ordinary people, begging is difficult to bear—they feel shame and their expression changes. But the bodhisattva understands this and comforts the beggar: "Ask for whatever you need, as you wish." When the beggar receives the gift, both giver and receiver rejoice as though experiencing the bliss of nirvāṇa.
Although the flames of suffering blaze within the three realms of existence, the bodhisattva dwells among them as if in nirvāṇa's peace. Why? Because his purpose is to rescue all beings. The bodhisattva thinks: "Compassion for beings is my liberation. By giving great gifts to relieve them, their joy becomes my liberation."
Yet even great giving without compassion is not true giving. When compassion is present, giving itself becomes liberation. The bodhisattva reflects: "Long ago, before the honored ones of the three realms, I heard of the supreme bliss of liberation. Now I have realized it. Why? Because giving as one truly wishes is liberation. If the arahats' bliss of liberation resembles the joy of compassionate giving, then I cherish it; if not, I do not. I cherish only the joy of giving as liberation."
The happiness born of compassionate giving is incomparable. Even one hundred thousand times the pleasure of uncompassionate generosity cannot match it. If the joy of compassionate giving could be expressed by any simile, it would be among the greatest—therefore it is beyond all comparison.