The Lotus Sūtra 3.9

3.9

「破有法王，出現世間，隨眾生欲，
種種說法。如來尊重，智慧深遠，
久默斯要，不務速說。有智若聞，
則能信解；無智疑悔，則為永失。
是故迦葉！隨力為說，以種種緣，
令得正見。迦葉當知！譬如大雲，
起於世間，遍覆一切；慧雲含潤，
電光晃曜，雷聲遠震，令眾悅豫。
日光掩蔽，地上清涼，靉靆垂布、
如可承攬。其雨普等，四方俱下，
流澍無量，率土充洽。山川險谷、
幽邃所生，卉木藥草，大小諸樹，
百穀苗稼，甘蔗蒲萄，雨之所潤，
無不豐足，乾地普洽，藥木竝茂。
其雲所出，一味之水，草木叢林，
隨分受潤。一切諸樹，上中下等，
稱其大小，各得生長，根莖枝葉，
華菓光色，一雨所及，皆得鮮澤。
如其體相，性分大小，所潤是一，
而各滋茂。佛亦如是，出現於世，
譬如大雲，普覆一切。既出于世，
為諸眾生，分別演說，諸法之實。
大聖世尊，於諸天人、一切眾中，
而宣是言：『我為如來，兩足之尊，
出于世間，猶如大雲，充潤一切。
枯槁眾生，皆令離苦，得安隱樂——
世間之樂，及涅槃樂。諸天人眾，
一心善聽，皆應到此，覲無上尊。』
我為世尊，無能及者，安隱眾生，
故現於世。為大眾說，甘露淨法，
其法一味，解脫涅槃。以一妙音、
演暢斯義，常為大乘，而作因緣。
我觀一切，普皆平等，無有彼此，
愛憎之心。我無貪著，亦無限礙，
恒為一切，平等說法。如為一人，
眾多亦然，常演說法，曾無他事。
去來坐立，終不疲厭，充足世間，
如雨普潤。貴賤上下，持戒毀戒，
威儀具足，及不具足，正見邪見，
利根鈍根，等雨法雨，而無懈倦。
一切眾生，聞我法者，隨力所受，
住於諸地。或處人天，轉輪聖王，
釋梵諸王，是小藥草。知無漏法，
能得涅槃，起六神通，及得三明，
獨處山林，常行禪定，得緣覺證，
是中藥草。求世尊處，我當作佛，
行精進定，是上藥草。又諸佛子，
專心佛道，常行慈悲，自知作佛，
決定無疑，是名小樹。安住神通，
轉不退輪，度無量億、百千眾生，
如是菩薩，名為大樹。佛平等說，
如一味雨；隨眾生性，所受不同，
如彼草木，所稟各異。佛以此喻，
方便開示，種種言辭，演說一法，
於佛智慧，如海一渧。我雨法雨，
充滿世間，一味之法，隨力修行。
如彼叢林，藥草諸樹，隨其大小，
漸增茂好。諸佛之法，常以一味，
令諸世間，普得具足，漸次修行，
皆得道果。聲聞緣覺，處於山林，
住最後身，聞法得果，是名藥草，
各得增長。若諸菩薩，智慧堅固，
了達三界，求最上乘，是名小樹，
而得增長。復有住禪，得神通力，
聞諸法空，心大歡喜，放無數光，
度諸眾生，是名大樹，而得增長。
如是迦葉！佛所說法，譬如大雲，
以一味雨，潤於人華，各得成實。
迦葉當知！以諸因緣、種種譬喻，
開示佛道，是我方便，諸佛亦然。
今為汝等，說最實事：『諸聲聞眾，
皆非滅度。汝等所行，是菩薩道，
漸漸修學，悉當成佛。』」

"The King of Dharma, who destroys existence, / appears in the world; / in accordance with the desires of living beings, / he preaches the Dharma in various ways. / The Tathāgata is venerable and honored, / his wisdom profound and far-reaching; / having long kept silent on this essential, / he was not eager to preach it quickly. / If the wise hear it, / they are able to believe and understand; / if the unwise doubt and regret it, / they will be lost forever. / Therefore, Kāśyapa, / according to their capacity he preaches it for them, / through various conditions, / causing them to obtain right view. / Kāśyapa, you should know! / It is like a great cloud / rising in the world, / covering everything; / the cloud of wisdom holds moisture, / lightning flashes and gleams, / the sound of thunder rumbles afar, / making the multitude joyful. / The light of the sun is veiled, / coolness spreads over the earth; / dense clouds hang down low, / as if within reach of the hand. / Its rain falls everywhere equally, / pouring down simultaneously from the four quarters; / the deluge is immeasurable, / fully saturating all the land. / Growing in mountain streams, perilous gorges, / and deep, secluded recesses, / the plants, trees, and medicinal herbs, / both large and small trees, / the hundred grains, shoots, and crops, / sugarcane and grapevines— / nourished by the rain, / none is not fully satisfied; / the dry earth is soaked everywhere, / and herbs and trees flourish alike. / What comes forth from that cloud / is water of a single flavor, / yet the herbs, trees, thickets, and forests / receive moisture according to their measure. / All the various trees, / superior, middling, and inferior, / according to their size, / each attain growth; / roots, stems, branches, and leaves, / the luster and color of flowers and fruits, / wherever the single rain reaches, / all become fresh and glistening. / In accordance with their substance and characteristics, / the size of their natures and shares, / that which moistens them is one, / yet each flourishes on its own. / The Buddha is also like this, / appearing in the world / like a great cloud / covering everything. / Having appeared in the world, / for the sake of living beings / he analyzes and expounds / the reality of all dharmas. / The Great Sage, the Bhagavat, / amidst all the gods, humans, / and the entire assembly, / proclaims these words: / 'I am the Tathāgata, / the most honored of two-footed beings; / appearing in the world / like a great cloud, / I moisten all / parched living beings, / causing them all to be free from suffering / and obtain peace and joy— / the joys of the world / and the joy of nirvāṇa. / Hosts of gods and humans, / listen closely with single mind; / you should all come here / to behold the Unsurpassed Honored One.' / I am the Bhagavat, / none can equal me; / to bring peace and security to living beings, / I appear in the world. / For the great assembly I preach / the pure Dharma of amṛta; / that Dharma is of a single flavor: / liberation and nirvāṇa. / With a single wonderful voice / I expound this meaning, / constantly creating the causes and conditions / for the Mahāyāna. / I observe all beings / as completely equal, / having no thought of 'this' or 'that', / nor of love or hate. / I am without greed or attachment, / and also without limitation or hindrance; / constantly for all beings / I preach the Dharma with impartiality. / As it is for a single person, / so it is for many; / constantly expounding the Dharma, / I have never had any other business. / Coming, going, sitting, standing, / I never grow weary or fatigued, / filling the world / like rain that moistens everywhere. / Noble and base, high and low, / those who keep precepts and those who break precepts, / those complete in deportment / and those incomplete, / those with right views and those with wrong views, / those of sharp faculties and those of dull faculties— / equally I rain down the Dharma rain / without indolence or weariness. / All living beings / who hear my Dharma, / receive it according to their capacity / and abide on various stages: / whether dwelling among humans or gods, / wheel-turning sage kings, / or the kings Śakra and Brahmā— / these are the small medicinal herbs. / Those who know the uncontaminated dharmas, / can attain nirvāṇa, / develop the six supernatural powers / and acquire the three knowledges, / dwelling alone in mountain forests, / constantly practicing dhyāna, / and attaining the realization of a pratyekabuddha— / these are the middling medicinal herbs. / Those who seek the station of the Bhagavat, / thinking, 'I shall become a Buddha,' / practicing vigor and concentration— / these are the superior medicinal herbs. / Furthermore, the Buddha's sons / who focus their minds on the Buddha-path, / constantly practicing loving-kindness and compassion, / knowing themselves that they will become Buddhas, / resolute without doubt— / these are called small trees. / Those who dwell securely in supernatural powers, / turn the irreversible wheel, / and deliver immeasurable hundreds of thousands / of myriads of koṭis of living beings— / such Bodhisattvas / are called large trees. / The Buddha preaches with equality, / like rain of a single flavor; / in accordance with the natures of living beings, / what they receive is not the same, / just as those herbs and trees / receive differently according to their kinds. / The Buddha uses this metaphor / to expediently reveal [the truth]; / through various expressions / he expounds the single Dharma, / which, compared to the Buddha's wisdom, / is like a drop in the ocean. / I rain down the Dharma rain, / filling the world; / this Dharma of a single flavor / is cultivated according to capacity, / just as those thickets, forests, / medicinal herbs, and trees, / according to their size, / gradually increase in flourishing beauty. / The Dharma of all Buddhas / is always of a single flavor, / causing all worlds / to become completely fulfilled; / practicing gradually, / all attain the fruit of the path. / Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, / dwelling in mountain forests, / abiding in their final bodies, / who hear the Dharma and attain the fruit, / are called medicinal herbs / that each attain growth. / If Bodhisattvas / have firm wisdom, / thoroughly understand the three realms, / and seek the supreme vehicle, / they are called small trees / that attain growth. / There are also those who dwell in dhyāna, / obtain the power of supernatural abilities, / hear of the emptiness of all dharmas, / rejoice greatly in their hearts, / emit immeasurable rays of light, / and deliver living beings; / these are called large trees / that attain growth. / Thus, Kāśyapa, / the Dharma preached by the Buddha / is like a great cloud; / with rain of a single flavor / it moistens the human flowers, / each attaining full fruition. / Kāśyapa, you should know / that by various causes and conditions / and diverse metaphors / I reveal the Buddha-path: / this is my upāya, / and so it is with all Buddhas. / Now for your sake / I speak of the most real matter: / 'The hosts of śrāvakas / have none attained extinction. / What you are practicing / is the Bodhisattva path; / gradually cultivating and learning, / you shall all become Buddhas.'"