The Lotus Sūtra 5.22

5.22

「常行忍辱，哀愍一切，乃能演說，
佛所讚經。後末世時，持此經者，
於家出家，及非菩薩，應生慈悲，
斯等不聞，不信是經，則為大失。
我得佛道，以諸方便，為說此法，
令住其中。譬如強力，轉輪之王，
兵戰有功，賞賜諸物，象馬車乘，
嚴身之具，及諸田宅，聚落城邑，
或與衣服，種種珍寶，奴婢財物，
歡喜賜與。如有勇健，能為難事，
王解髻中，明珠賜之。如來亦爾，
為諸法王，忍辱大力，智慧寶藏，
以大慈悲，如法化世。見一切人、
受諸苦惱，欲求解脫，與諸魔戰。
為是眾生，說種種法，以大方便，
說此諸經。既知眾生，得其力已，
末後乃為，說是法華。如王解髻，
明珠與之。此經為尊，眾經中上，
我常守護，不妄開示，今正是時，
為汝等說。我滅度後，求佛道者，
欲得安隱，演說斯經，應當親近，
如是四法。讀是經者，常無憂惱，
又無病痛，顏色鮮白，不生貧窮、
卑賤醜陋。眾生樂見，如慕賢聖，
天諸童子，以為給使。刀杖不加，
毒不能害，若人惡罵，口則閉塞。
遊行無畏，如師子王，智慧光明，
如日之照。若於夢中，但見妙事。
見諸如來，坐師子座，諸比丘眾、
圍繞說法。又見龍神、阿修羅等，
數如恒沙，恭敬合掌，自見其身，
而為說法。又見諸佛，身相金色，
放無量光，照於一切，以梵音聲，
演說諸法。佛為四眾，說無上法，
見身處中，合掌讚佛，聞法歡喜，
而為供養，得陀羅尼，證不退智。
佛知其心，深入佛道，即為授記，
成最正覺：『汝善男子！當於來世，
得無量智，佛之大道。國土嚴淨，
廣大無比；亦有四眾，合掌聽法。』
又見自身，在山林中，修習善法，
證諸實相，深入禪定，見十方佛。
諸佛身金色，百福相莊嚴，
聞法為人說，常有是好夢。
又夢作國王，捨宮殿眷屬，
及上妙五欲，行詣於道場。
在菩提樹下，而處師子座，
求道過七日，得諸佛之智。
成無上道已，起而轉法輪，
為四眾說法，經千萬億劫，
說無漏妙法，度無量眾生。
後當入涅槃，如烟盡燈滅。
若後惡世中，說是第一法，
是人得大利，如上諸功德。」

"Constantly practicing forbearance, pitying all beings,
One is then able to expound the sūtra praised by the Buddha.
In the later, final era, one who upholds this sūtra
Toward those at home, those who have left home, and those who are not bodhisattvas,
Should generate loving-kindness and compassion.
If these people do not hear and do not believe in this sūtra,
It is a great loss for them.
When I attain the Buddha's Path, through various upāyas
I will teach this Dharma for them, causing them to dwell within it.
Just as a powerful wheel-turning king,
When his soldiers achieve merit in battle, rewards them with various things:
Elephants, horses, carriages, and ornaments for decorating the body,
As well as fields, houses, villages, and towns;
Or he gives clothing, various precious treasures,
Slaves, and material wealth, joyfully bestowing them.
If there is a brave and valiant one able to accomplish a difficult task,
The king unbinds the bright pearl from his topknot and confers it upon him.
The Tathāgata is also like this: he is the King of all Dharmas,
Possessing the great power of forbearance and the jewel treasury of wisdom,
With great loving-kindness and compassion transforming the world in accordance with the Dharma.
Seeing all people suffering various afflictions,
Seeking liberation and fighting against the māras,
He expounds various teachings for these sentient beings,
With great upāya preaching these sūtras.
Having known that sentient beings have already attained their strength,
Only at the very end does he preach this Lotus for them—
Just as the king unbinds his topknot and gives them the bright pearl.
This sūtra is honored, supreme among all sūtras;
I have constantly guarded it and not recklessly revealed it.
Now is precisely the time to expound it for you all.
After my extinction, those who seek the Buddha's Path
And wish to dwell in tranquility while expounding this sūtra
Should draw close to these four dharmas.
Those who read this sūtra will always be free from grief and distress,
And will also be free from illness and pain; their complexion will be fresh and fair;
They will not be born into poverty, lowliness, or ugliness.
Sentient beings will delight in seeing them, longing for them as for a sage,
And heavenly youths will serve as their attendants.
Swords and staves will not strike them, poison will not harm them;
If someone curses them with malice, that person's mouth will be closed.
They will travel without fear, like the lion king;
The radiance of their wisdom will be like the shining of the sun.
If they dream, they will see only wondrous things:
They will see the Tathāgatas seated upon lion thrones,
Surrounded by the bhikṣu assemblies as they preach the Dharma.
They will also see dragons, spirits, asuras, and the like,
In numbers like the sands of the Ganges, reverently joining their palms;
They will see their own bodies preaching the Dharma for them.
They will also see the buddhas, their bodies golden in appearance,
Emitting immeasurable light that shines upon everything,
Expounding the various dharmas with the voice of Brahmā.
The Buddha expounds the unsurpassed Dharma for the four assemblies;
They see their own bodies standing among them, joining palms in praise of the Buddha,
Hearing the Dharma with joy and making offerings,
Attaining dhāraṇī and realizing the non-retrogressing wisdom.
The Buddha, knowing their hearts have deeply entered the Buddha's Path,
Immediately confers upon them the vyākaraṇa to achieve supreme right awakening:
'You, kulaputra, in a future age shall attain
Immeasurable wisdom, the Great Path of the Buddhas.
Your land will be adorned and pure, incomparably vast;
There will also be the four assemblies listening to the Dharma with joined palms.'
They will also see their own bodies in the mountain forests, cultivating wholesome dharmas,
Realizing the true mark of all phenomena, entering deeply into dhyāna-concentration, and seeing the buddhas of the ten directions.
The bodies of the buddhas are golden, adorned with the marks of a hundred merits;
Hearing the Dharma, they preach it for others—they will constantly have such auspicious dreams.
They will also dream that they become kings, abandoning palaces, attendants,
And the superior, wondrous five desires, proceeding to the site of awakening.
Beneath the bodhi tree, seated upon the lion throne,
Seeking the Path for seven days, they attain the wisdom of the buddhas.
Having accomplished the unsurpassed Path, they arise and turn the dharmacakra,
Expounding the Dharma for the four assemblies throughout thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas,
Preaching the undefiled saddharma and delivering immeasurable sentient beings.
Afterward they will enter nirvāṇa, like smoke exhausting and a lamp going out.
If in the evil age to come one expounds this foremost Dharma,
That person will attain great benefit, such merits as described above."