佛說閻羅王五天使者經
Sutra of the Five Divine Messengers Spoken by the Buddha
宋沙門慧簡譯
Translated by the Song Dynasty Monk Huijian
聞如是：
I have heard it thus:
一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。佛告諸比丘：「善聽！以置心中。我以天眼徹見眾人生死所趣善惡之道，或有醜惡、或有勇強、或有怯弱，或生善道、或生惡道。凡人所作為皆分別知之。人身行惡口言惡心念惡，謗訕賢聖，見邪行邪，其人壽終，便墮惡道入泥犁中。凡人身行善口言善心念善，稱譽賢聖，見正行正，其人壽終，便生天上人間。如是，比丘！我以天眼見人終，便生天上人間。如是比丘！我以天眼觀天雨墮水中，見一泡興一泡滅，我見人死識神出生，有好色者、有惡色者，有勇強者、有怯弱者，或生善處、或生苦處；自生自死如水泡無異。復譬如人以五綵縷貫琉璃珠，用珠淨故，縷色青黃赤白黑悉現分明；我見人死魂神出生亦如是。又如冥夜以明月珠懸著宮門，有人住一面，觀門中出入者，皆一一見之。又如居高樓上望見下人，往者來者走者步者坐者立者，我見人死時魂神出生，端正醜惡勇強怯弱，如所施行，分別知之。」
Once, the Buddha was staying in the Jeta Grove, Anathapindika's Park, in the city of Shravasti. The Buddha addressed the monks: "Listen carefully and hold this in your hearts. With the divine eye, I clearly see the paths of beings after death, whether good or evil. Some are ugly, some are strong and bold, some are timid and weak; some are reborn in favorable realms, others in unfavorable realms. I know distinctly all that ordinary people do. When a person acts wickedly with body, speaks wickedly with mouth, and thinks wickedly with mind, slandering the wise and noble, holding wrong views and following wrong conduct—when that person's life ends, they fall into an unfavorable realm, entering the hells. When a person acts virtuously with body, speaks virtuously with mouth, and thinks virtuously with mind, praising the wise and noble, holding right views and following right conduct—when that person's life ends, they are reborn in the heavens or among humans. Thus, monks, with the divine eye I see beings die and be reborn in the heavens or among humans.
Furthermore, monks, with the divine eye I observe raindrops falling into water: one bubble forms, then vanishes. In the same way, I see beings die and their consciousness take rebirth—some with pleasant form, some with unpleasant form; some strong and bold, some timid and weak; some going to a good destination, some to a miserable one. They arise and perish just like water bubbles.
It is like someone threading a crystal bead with a five-colored string: because the bead is clear, the colors—blue, yellow, red, white, and black—are all distinctly visible. So too do I see beings die and their spirit take rebirth.
Again, it is like a bright pearl hung on a palace gate in the dark of night: a person standing to one side can clearly see everyone entering and leaving through the gate.
Or like looking down from a high tower, observing people below—some coming, some going, some running, some walking, some sitting, some standing—so do I see beings at death: their spirit takes rebirth, whether handsome or ugly, strong or weak, according to their deeds, and I know each one distinctly."
佛告諸比丘：「人生在世間時不孝父母，不敬沙門道人，不行仁義無可用心，不學經戒不畏後世者，其人身死，魂神當墮閻王。地獄主者輙持行，白王言其過惡：『此人非法，不孝父母，不敬沙門道人，不隨仁義，無可用心，無有福德，不恐畏死，當有所見；唯大王處其罰。』如是閻王，常先安徐，以忠正語為現五天使者而問言：『汝本不見，世間人始為嬰兒時，僵臥𡱁𡱤不能自護，口不知言語，亦不知好惡者耶？』人言：『已見，皆有是。』王言：『汝自謂獨不如是耶？人神從行，終即有生，雖尚未見，常當為善，自端其身端其口端其意，奈何放心快志？』人言：『實愚暗不知故耳。』王曰：『汝自以愚癡作惡，非是父母師長君天、沙門道人過也。罪自由汝，豈得以不樂故止乎？今當受之。』是為閻王現第一天使。
The Buddha addressed the assembly of monks: "When a person lives in this world, if they are unfilial to their parents, disrespectful to monks and spiritual practitioners, fail to act with benevolence and righteousness, lack a virtuous heart, do not study the scriptures and precepts, and have no fear of the afterlife—after such a person dies, their spirit will fall into the realm of King Yama. The lord of the underworld will bring them forward and report their wrongdoings to the king: 'This person acted unlawfully: they were unfilial to their parents, disrespectful to monks and spiritual practitioners, did not follow benevolence and righteousness, lacked a virtuous heart, possessed no merit or virtue, and showed no fear of death. They should face consequences. May Your Majesty decide their punishment.'
Thus, King Yama, always calm and deliberate, speaks with integrity and presents the first heavenly messenger, asking: 'Did you not see, in the human world, how people begin as infants—lying helpless, unable to protect themselves, not yet knowing how to speak, nor distinguishing between good and bad?' The person replies: 'I have seen this; it is true for all.' The king says: 'Did you think you alone were exempt from this? The spirit follows one's actions, and life inevitably ends in rebirth. Though you have not yet witnessed it, you should always strive to do good, purify your body, speech, and mind. How could you indulge your desires and give free rein to your will?' The person says: 'I was truly ignorant and unaware, that is why.' The king declares: 'You yourself, out of foolishness, committed wrongs—it is not the fault of your parents, teachers, rulers, heaven, monks, or spiritual practitioners. The guilt lies with you alone. How can you avoid the consequences simply because you dislike them? Now you must face them.' This is King Yama presenting the first heavenly messenger."
「閻王復問：『子為人時，天使者次第到，寧能覺不？』人言：『實不覺知。』王曰：『汝不見世間丈夫母人，年老時髮白齒墮、羸瘦僂步起居拄杖？』人言：『有是。』王曰：『汝謂獨可得不老？凡人已生，法皆當老，曼其強壯常當為善，端身口心奉行經戒，奈何自放恣？』人言：『愚闇故耳。』王曰：『汝自以愚癡作惡，非是父母君天、沙門道人過也。罪自由汝，豈得以不樂故止乎？今當受之。』是為閻王正教現第二天使。
「閻王復問曰：『子為人時，豈不見世間男女婦人疾病者，軀體苦痛坐起不安，命近憂促，眾醫不能復治？』人言：『有是。』王曰：『汝謂可得不病耶？人生既老，法皆當病，曼身強健當勉為善，奉行經戒端身口意，奈何自放恣？』人言：『愚闇故耳。』王曰：『汝自以愚癡作惡，非父母君天、沙門道人過也、罪自由汝，豈得以不樂故止乎？今當受之。』是為閻王正教現第三天使。
「閻王復問曰：『子為人時，豈不見世間諸死亡者，或藏其屍、或棄損之，一日至七日肌肉壞敗，狐狸百鳥皆就食之，凡人已死身惡腐爛？』人言：『有是。』王曰：『汝謂獨可得不死耶？凡人已生，法皆當死，曼在世間常為善，勑身口意奉行經戒，奈何自放恣？』人言：『愚闇故耳。』王曰：『汝自作惡，非是父母君天、沙門道人過也。罪自由汝，不得以不樂故止，今當受之。』是為閻王正教現第四天使。
「閻王復問曰：『子為人時，獨不見世間弊人惡子，為吏所捕取，案罪所應刑法加之，或斷手足或削鼻耳，銳掠治刓刻肌膚，熱沙沸膏燒灌其形，裹蘊火燎懸頭日炙，屠割支解毒痛參并？』人言：『有是。』王曰：『汝謂為惡獨可得解耶？眼見世間罪福分明，何不守善勅身口意奉行經道。云何自快心？』人言：『愚闇故耳。』王曰：『汝自用心，作不忠正，非是父母君天、沙門道人過也。今是殃罪要當自受，豈得以不樂故止耶？』是為閻王忠正之教現第五天使者。」
佛說已，諸弟子皆受教誡，各前作禮。
佛說閻羅王五天使者經