妙法蓮華經 2

English (machine translation) 2

Language: English

2.1

Translated under imperial order by Kumārajīva, Tripiṭaka Master of the country of Kucha, under the Later Qin

At that time Śāriputra leaped up with joy, immediately rose, joined his palms, gazed up at the Bhagavat's countenance, and said to the Buddha: "Now hearing this voice of the Dharma from the Bhagavat, my heart leaps, obtaining what it had never before experienced. Why is this? Formerly, hearing such Dharma from the Buddha and seeing the Bodhisattvas receive their vyākaraṇa to become Buddhas, yet not sharing in this matter, I felt deeply aggrieved that I had lost the Tathāgata's immeasurable knowledge and vision. Bhagavat, I was often dwelling alone under trees in mountain forests; whether sitting or walking, I constantly had this thought: 'Since we equally enter the reality of phenomena, why has the Tathāgata delivered us through the Hīnayāna Dharma?' This was our own fault, not the Bhagavat's. Why? If we had waited for the explanation of the causes for accomplishing anuttarā samyaksambodhi, we surely would have been delivered through the Mahāyāna. Yet we did not understand the upāya spoken according to what was fitting; when first hearing the Buddha's Dharma, we merely believed, accepted, reflected on, and realized it on the spot. Bhagavat, from the past until now, all day and through the night I constantly reproached myself. But now, hearing from the Buddha the Dharma never heard before, the unexcelled Dharma, I have severed all doubts and regrets; my body and mind are at ease, comfortably secure. Today at last I know that I am truly a son of the Buddha, born from the Buddha's mouth, born transformed from the Dharma, obtaining a share of the Buddha's Dharma."

2.4

At that time Śāriputra, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses saying:

2.5

"Hearing this voice of the Dharma, / I have attained what I never had before; / my heart is filled with great joy, / and the net of doubts is entirely removed. / Formerly receiving the Buddha's teaching, / I have not lost the Mahāyāna; / the Buddha's voice is exceedingly rare, / able to eliminate the afflictions of sentient beings; / I had already attained the cessation of outflows, / and hearing it has also removed grief and distress. / When I was in mountain valleys, / or beneath the forest trees, / whether sitting or walking in meditation, / I constantly pondered this matter, / sighing and deeply reproaching myself: / 'Why have I deceived myself? / We too are sons of the Buddha, / equally entering the outflow-free Dharma, / yet in the future we cannot / proclaim the unsurpassed path.' / The thirty-two golden marks, / the ten powers, and the liberations— / though sharing within the single Dharma, / I could not attain these things; / the eighty subtle secondary marks, / the eighteen unique dharmas— / such merits as these, / I had completely lost. / When I walked alone in meditation, / I saw the Buddha amid the great assembly, / his renown filling the ten directions, / widely benefiting sentient beings; / reflecting that I had lost such benefit, / I was deceiving and beguiling myself. / Constantly day and night / I pondered this matter, / wishing to ask the Bhagavat / whether it was lost or not lost. / I constantly saw the Bhagavat / praising the Bodhisattvas; / because of this, day and night, / I deliberated upon such things. / Now hearing the Buddha's voice / teaching the Dharma according to what is fitting, / outflow-free and hard to conceive, / causing the assembly to reach the place of awakening. / Originally attached to wrong views, / I was a master of the brahmacārins; / the Bhagavat knew my mind, / uprooted the wrong, and spoke of nirvāṇa. / I completely eliminated wrong views, / attaining realization in the Dharma of emptiness; / at that time my mind thought / that I had attained extinction; / but now I realize of myself / that it was not true extinction. / If one attains Buddhahood, / endowed with the thirty-two marks, / revered by devas, humans, yakṣas, / nāgas, spirits, and the like, / only then can it be called / the perpetual extinction without remainder. / Amid the great assembly the Buddha declared / that I shall become a Buddha; / hearing such a voice of the Dharma, / doubts and regrets are entirely removed. / When first hearing what the Buddha spoke, / within my heart there was great alarm and doubt: / 'Could this be Māra acting as the Buddha, / troubling and confusing my mind?' / The Buddha, through various causes, parables, / and skillful words, / whose mind is as calm as the ocean— / upon hearing him, my net of doubts was severed. / The Buddha spoke of past eras, / with immeasurable extinguished Buddhas, / who, abiding peacefully in upāya, / likewise all spoke this Dharma. / The Buddhas of the present and future, / whose numbers are beyond measure, / also by means of upāya / proclaim such Dharma as this. / Just as the present Bhagavat, / from birth and renunciation / to attaining the path and turning the dharmacakra, / also speaks through upāya. / The Bhagavat speaks the true path; / Pāpīmān has no such ability; / by this I know with certainty / that it is not Māra acting as the Buddha. / Because I had fallen into the net of doubts, / I thought it was Māra's doing; / hearing the Buddha's gentle voice, / profound, far-reaching, and exceedingly subtle, / expounding the pure Dharma, / my heart is filled with great joy; / doubts and regrets are forever exhausted, / and I abide peacefully in true wisdom. / I shall surely become a Buddha, / revered by devas and humans, / turning the unsurpassed dharmacakra, / teaching and transforming the Bodhisattvas."

2.6

At that time the Buddha said to Śāriputra: "Now in the great assembly of devas, humans, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, and others, I declare: formerly in the presence of twenty thousand billion Buddhas, for the sake of the unsurpassed path, I constantly taught and transformed you, and through the long night you followed me and received instruction. Because I guided you through upāya, you were born into my Dharma. Śāriputra, formerly I taught you to aspire to the Buddha path, but now you have forgotten it all and thought of yourself as having already attained extinction. Now, wishing to make you remember again the path practiced under your original vow, for the sake of the śrāvakas I speak this Mahāyāna sūtra called the Lotus of the Wonderful Dharma, a dharma to instruct Bodhisattvas, protected and kept in mind by the Buddhas.

2.7

"Śāriputra, in a future age, after immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable kalpas have passed, having made offerings to several tens of millions of billions of Buddhas, upholding the true Dharma, and fully practicing the path walked by Bodhisattvas, you shall become a Buddha named Padmaprabha Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, Vidyācaraṇasaṃpanna, Sugata, Lokavid, Anuttara, Puruṣadamyasārathi, Śāstā Devamanuṣyāṇām, Buddha, Bhagavat. His land shall be named Virajā; its ground will be level, pure, adorned, secure, abundant, and joyful, teeming with devas and humans. It will have vaidūrya for ground, with eight intersecting roadways, demarcated along their edges by golden ropes. Along their sides will be seven-jeweled trees in rows, constantly bearing flowers and fruits. Padmaprabha Tathāgata will also teach and transform sentient beings through the three vehicles.

2.8

"Śāriputra, when that Buddha appears, although it will not be an evil age, due to his original vow he will teach the Dharma of the three vehicles. His kalpa shall be named Mahāratnapratimaṇḍita. Why is it named Mahāratnapratimaṇḍita? Because in that land Bodhisattvas are considered the great jewels. Those Bodhisattvas are immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable, beyond the reach of calculation or analogy, knowable by none except through the power of a Buddha's wisdom. When they wish to walk, jeweled flowers will support their feet. These Bodhisattvas are not newly resolved; they have all planted roots of virtue long ago, purified their brahma-conduct in the presence of immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of billions of Buddhas, and are constantly praised by all the Buddhas. Ever cultivating the Buddha's wisdom, endowed with great supernatural powers, skilled in knowing the doorways to all dharmas, upright and unfeigned, firm in their aspirations and mindfulness—such Bodhisattvas will fill that land.

2.9

"Śāriputra, the lifespan of the Buddha Padmaprabha will be twelve minor kalpas, not counting the time before he became a Buddha when he was a prince. The lifespan of the people of his country will be eight minor kalpas. When twelve minor kalpas have passed, Padmaprabha Tathāgata will confer upon the Bodhisattva Dhṛtiparipūrṇa the vyākaraṇa for anuttarā samyaksambodhi, telling the bhikṣus: 'This Bodhisattva Dhṛtiparipūrṇa will next become a Buddha named Padmavṛṣabhagāmin Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha. His Buddha-land will also be like this.'

2.10

"Śāriputra, after this Buddha Padmaprabha has entered extinction, the true Dharma will abide in the world for thirty-two minor kalpas, and the semblance Dharma will also abide in the world for thirty-two minor kalpas."

2.11

At that time the Bhagavat, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses saying:

2.12

"In a future age, Śāriputra / will become an all-wise honored Buddha, / named Padmaprabha, / who will deliver immeasurable multitudes. / Having made offerings to countless Buddhas, / perfecting the Bodhisattva practice, / the ten powers and other merits, / he will realize the unsurpassed path. / After immeasurable kalpas have passed, / in the kalpa named Mahāratnapratimaṇḍita, / the world will be named Virajā, / pure and free from blemish. / With vaidūrya for ground / and golden ropes bordering its roads, / trees of variegated seven jewels / will constantly bear flowers and fruits. / The Bodhisattvas of that country / will ever be firm in aspiration and mindfulness; / supernatural powers and pāramitās / will all be fully perfected. / In the presence of countless Buddhas / they have well studied the Bodhisattva path; / such great beings as these / will be transformed by the Buddha Padmaprabha. / When that Buddha was a prince, / he renounced his country and worldly glory, / and in his final existence, / left home to realize the Buddha path. / The Buddha Padmaprabha will abide in the world / for a lifespan of twelve minor kalpas; / the lifespan of the people of that country / will be eight minor kalpas. / After that Buddha enters extinction, / the true Dharma will abide in the world / for thirty-two minor kalpas, / widely delivering sentient beings. / When the true Dharma is exhausted, / the semblance Dharma will last thirty-two [minor kalpas]; / relics will be widely distributed, / universally revered by devas and humans. / Such will be the deeds / of the Buddha Padmaprabha; / that two-footed holy honored one / will be the most supreme and peerless. / That is none other than yourself; / you should rejoice."

2.13

At that time the fourfold assembly—bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās—and the great assembly of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and others, seeing Śāriputra receive the vyākaraṇa for anuttarā samyaksambodhi before the Buddha, rejoiced greatly in their hearts and leaped without measure, each removing their upper garments to offer to the Buddha. Śakra Devānām Indra, Brahmā, and others, together with countless devaputras, also offered to the Buddha celestial wonderful garments, heavenly māndārava flowers, mahāmāndārava flowers, and the like—the scattered celestial garments remaining suspended in empty space and whirling about on their own; hundreds of thousands of kinds of heavenly instrumental music sounded at once in empty space, raining down many heavenly flowers—and spoke these words: "Formerly at Vārāṇasī the Buddha first turned the dharmacakra; now he turns again the unsurpassed, greatest dharmacakra."

2.14

At that time the devaputras, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses saying:

2.15

"Formerly at Vārāṇasī, / you turned the dharmacakra of the four truths, / analyzing and explaining phenomena, / the arising and cessation of the five skandhas. / Now again you turn the most wonderful, / unsurpassed great dharmacakra; / this Dharma is exceedingly profound, / with few who are able to believe it. / From the past until now, / we have repeatedly heard the Bhagavat speak, / yet we have never heard such / a profound, subtle, and superior Dharma. / As the Bhagavat speaks this Dharma, / we all rejoice accordingly. / The greatly wise Śāriputra / now receives the honored vyākaraṇa; / we likewise / shall surely become Buddhas. / In all the worlds, / most revered with none above, / the Buddha path is inconceivable, / taught through upāya as appropriate. / Whatever meritorious deeds we have, / in this life or past lives, / and the merit of seeing the Buddha, / are entirely dedicated to the Buddha path."

2.16

At that time Śāriputra said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat, I now have no further doubts or regrets, having personally received before the Buddha the vyākaraṇa for anuttarā samyaksambodhi. But these twelve hundred whose minds have attained mastery previously dwelt in the stage of training (śaikṣa), and the Buddha constantly taught and transformed them, saying: 'My Dharma can free one from birth, old age, sickness, and death, reaching ultimate nirvāṇa.' These persons in training (śaikṣa) and beyond training (aśaikṣa) also each thought they had attained nirvāṇa by being free from the view of self, the views of existence and non-existence, and the like; yet now before the Bhagavat they hear what they had never heard before and have all fallen into doubt and confusion. Excellent, Bhagavat! Please explain the causes and conditions for the fourfold assembly, so that they may be freed from doubt and regret."

2.17

Then the Buddha told Śāriputra: "Did I not say before that the Buddhas, the Bhagavats, teach the Dharma by means of various causes and conditions, parables, and expressions of upāya, all for the sake of anuttarā samyaksambodhi? All these teachings are for the sake of transforming bodhisattvas. However, Śāriputra, I shall now use a parable again to clarify this meaning further, for the wise gain understanding through parables.

2.18

"Śāriputra, suppose in a country, city, or village there was a great elder, advanced in years, of immeasurable wealth, with many fields, houses, and servants. His house was vast, having only a single gate, and many people—a hundred, two hundred, or even five hundred—dwelt within it. Its halls and pavilions were old and decaying, the walls collapsing, the bases of the pillars rotting, the beams and rafters tilting and precarious, when all around at once a fire suddenly broke out, burning the house. The elder's sons, ten, twenty, or perhaps thirty, were inside this house. Seeing this great fire arising on all four sides, the elder was greatly terrified, and thought: 'Although I was able to escape safely through this burning gate, my sons are happily absorbed in playing games inside the burning house, unaware and unknowing, neither frightened nor terrified. The fire comes pressing upon their bodies, and severe pain cuts into them, yet their minds feel no distress, and they have no intention of seeking an escape.'

2.19

"Śāriputra, that elder thought: 'My body and hands have strength. I could carry them out of the house in a robe, or on a bench.' Again he thought: 'This house has only a single gate, which is moreover narrow and small. The children are young and lack discernment; clinging to their play-places, they may fall and be burned by the fire. I must explain terrifying matters to them: this house is already burning; you must come out quickly at once, so that you are not burned and harmed by the fire.' Having thought this, just as he had deliberated, he fully informed his sons: 'Come out quickly!' Although the father was compassionate and used gentle words to entice and instruct them, the sons were happily absorbed in playing games and were unwilling to believe and accept his words. They were neither frightened nor terrified, having no thought at all of leaving; nor did they know what fire was, what a house was, or what loss meant. They only ran east and west playing, merely looking at their father.

2.20

"At that time the elder thought: 'This house is already being burned by a great fire. If I and my sons do not come out in time, we will surely be burned by it. I must now devise an upāya to enable the sons to escape this harm.' The father knew what various rare and strange playthings his sons had previously favored in their hearts and would certainly delight in, and so told them: 'The rare and hard-to-obtain playthings you delight in—if you do not take them, you will surely regret it later. Various goat carts, deer carts, and ox carts such as these are now outside the gate, ready for you to play with. You should come out quickly from this burning house; whatever you desire, I will give to all of you.' Thereupon, hearing what their father said about the precious playthings, which suited their desires, the sons' hearts grew eager; pushing past one another, they competed and raced together, vying to escape the burning house. At that time, seeing that his sons had escaped safely and were all sitting in the open ground at the crossroads, free from obstacles, the elder was completely at ease, leaping with great joy. Then the sons each addressed their father: 'The playthings you promised before, the goat carts, deer carts, and ox carts—please bestow them upon us now.'

2.21

"Śāriputra, then the elder gave each of his sons a great cart. The carts were tall and broad, adorned with many jewels, surrounded by railings, with bells hanging on all four sides. Moreover, canopies were spread above them, also decorated with rare and various jewels, interlaced with jewel-ropes, hanging with flower-tassels, and layered with thick mats upon which vermilion pillows were placed. They were yoked to white oxen, whose hide was plump and clean, their bodies handsome and well-formed, endowed with great muscular strength, walking evenly and steadily, their speed like the wind; and there were many attendants to guard and serve them. Why was this? That great elder possessed immeasurable wealth, and his various treasuries were all full to overflowing. He thought: 'My wealth is limitless; I should not give inferior, small carts to my sons. These young boys are all my children, whom I love without partiality. Having such great carts made of the seven treasures in limitless numbers, I should give them to each with an impartial mind, without making distinctions. Why is this? If I were to supply a whole country with these things, they would still not be exhausted, how much less so for my sons!' At that time the sons each mounted a great cart, gaining what they had never had before, which was beyond their original hopes.

2.22

"Śāriputra, what do you think? Did that elder commit a falsehood when he gave the great carts of precious jewels to his sons equally?"

2.23

Śāriputra said: "No, Bhagavat! That elder merely caused his sons to escape the disaster of fire and preserved their physical lives; this is not a falsehood. Why? If they preserved their lives, they already gained playthings, not to mention that through an upāya he rescued them from that burning house! Bhagavat, even if that elder had not given them the smallest cart, it would still not be a falsehood. Why? That elder previously thought: 'I will use an upāya to enable my sons to escape.' By this reason, there is no falsehood. How much less so when the elder, knowing his wealth to be immeasurable and wishing to benefit his sons, gave them all great carts equally!"

2.24

The Buddha told Śāriputra: "Excellent, excellent! It is just as you have said. Śāriputra, the Tathāgata is also like this: he is the father of all the world. In him all terrors, decline, afflictions, worries, troubles, and the darkness of ignorance have been permanently exhausted without remainder, and he has completely achieved immeasurable knowledge and vision, powers, and fearlessnesses. He possesses great supernormal power and the power of wisdom, is fully endowed with upāya and the pāramitā of wisdom, is greatly benevolent and greatly compassionate, is ever untiring, constantly seeking what is good to benefit all beings. And so he is born into the decaying, old, burning house of the triple realm to liberate sentient beings from the fires of birth, old age, sickness, and death, of sorrow, grief, suffering, affliction, foolishness, darkness, and the three poisons, teaching and transforming them to attain anuttarā samyaksambodhi. He sees sentient beings being burned and boiled by birth, old age, sickness, and death, and by sorrow, grief, suffering, and affliction; and also undergoing various sufferings for the sake of the five desires, wealth, and profit. Furthermore, due to greed and attachment in seeking them, they undergo all kinds of suffering in the present, and later undergo the suffering of the hells, animals, and hungry ghosts; or, if born in the heavens or among humans, the sufferings of poverty and distress, the suffering of parting from what is loved, the suffering of meeting with what is hated, and various sufferings such as these. Sentient beings are submerged in them, yet they rejoice and play, unaware and unknowing, neither frightened nor terrified, neither feeling revulsion nor seeking liberation. In this burning house of the triple realm, they race east and west; although they encounter great suffering, they do not consider it a calamity.

2.25

"Śāriputra, having seen this, the Buddha thought: 'I am the father of sentient beings; I should rescue them from their suffering and difficulties, and give them the immeasurable, boundless joy of the Buddha's wisdom, letting them disport in it.'

2.26

"Śāriputra, the Tathāgata again thought: 'If I were to use only supernormal power and the power of wisdom, abandoning upāya, to praise for sentient beings the Tathāgata's knowledge and vision, powers, and fearlessnesses, sentient beings would not be able to be liberated by this. Why? These sentient beings have not yet escaped birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and affliction, but are being burned by the burning house of the triple realm; how could they understand the Buddha's wisdom?'

2.27

"Śāriputra, just as that elder, though possessing strength in body and hands, did not use it, but merely with earnest upāya delivered his sons from the peril of the burning house and only afterward gave each of them a great cart of precious jewels, so too is the Tathāgata. Although he has powers and fearlessnesses, he does not use them, but merely with the upāya of wisdom delivers sentient beings from the burning house of the triple realm, expounding for them the three vehicles—the śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and Buddha vehicles—saying: 'You must not take pleasure in dwelling in the burning house of the triple realm, nor covet coarse and wretched forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and tangibles. If you are greedy and attached, giving rise to craving, you will be burned by them. Quickly leave the triple realm and you will attain the three vehicles—the śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and Buddha vehicles. I now guarantee this for you; it will never be false. You need only cultivate diligence.' The Tathāgata, having enticed and encouraged sentient beings with this upāya, again says: 'You should know that the Dharma of these three vehicles is praised by the noble ones; it is free and unattached, without anything to rely upon or seek. Riding on these three vehicles, you will amuse yourselves with the outflows-free faculties, powers, factors of awakening, the Path, dhyāna concentrations, liberations, and samādhis, and then you will attain immeasurable peace and joy.'

2.28

"Śāriputra, if there are sentient beings who have inner wisdom, hear the Dharma from the Buddha, the Bhagavat, and accept it with faith, practicing with earnest diligence, wishing to leave the triple realm quickly and seeking nirvāṇa for themselves, this is called the śrāvaka vehicle, just as those sons came out of the burning house seeking the goat carts. If there are sentient beings who hear the Dharma from the Buddha, the Bhagavat, and accept it with faith, practicing with earnest diligence, seeking spontaneous wisdom, taking pleasure in solitary quietude, and deeply understanding the causes and conditions of phenomena, this is called the pratyekabuddha vehicle, just as those sons came out of the burning house seeking the deer carts. If there are sentient beings who hear the Dharma from the Buddha, the Bhagavat, and accept it with faith, diligently cultivating vigor, seeking all-knowledge, the Buddha's wisdom, spontaneous wisdom, and uninstructed wisdom, the Tathāgata's knowledge and vision, powers, and fearlessnesses, taking pity on and bringing peace and joy to immeasurable sentient beings, benefiting gods and humans, and liberating all, this is called the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna). Because bodhisattvas seek this vehicle, they are called Mahāsattvas, just as those sons came out of the burning house seeking the ox carts.

2.29

"Śāriputra, just as that elder, seeing that his sons had escaped safely from the burning house and arrived at a place free of fear, reflected that his wealth was immeasurable and gave great carts equally to his sons, so too is the Tathāgata: he is the father of all sentient beings. When he sees immeasurable hundreds of thousands of koṭis of sentient beings escaping the suffering of the triple realm and its terrifying, perilous paths through the gate of the Buddha's teaching, attaining the joy of nirvāṇa,

2.30

the Tathāgata then thinks: 'I possess the treasury of Buddhadharmas of immeasurable and boundless wisdom, powers, and fearlessnesses. These sentient beings are all my children; I will give them the Mahāyāna equally, not letting anyone attain extinction alone, but delivering all into extinction through the Tathāgata's extinction.' All those sentient beings who escape the triple realm are given the playthings of the Buddhas' dhyāna concentrations, liberations, and so forth, all of one characteristic and one kind, praised by the noble ones, and able to generate pure, sublime, and foremost joy.

2.31

"Śāriputra, just as that elder first enticed his sons with three carts and only afterward gave them a great cart adorned with precious jewels, safe and foremost, yet that elder committed no fault of falsehood, so too is the Tathāgata: he is free from falsehood. He first expounds the three vehicles to guide sentient beings, and only afterward liberates them with the Mahāyāna alone. Why? The Tathāgata possesses the treasury of dharmas of immeasurable wisdom, powers, and fearlessnesses, and can give the Dharma of the Mahāyāna to all sentient beings, but not all are capable of receiving it.

2.32

"Śāriputra, for this reason you should know that, through the power of upāya, the Buddhas distinguish and speak of three in the one Buddha vehicle."

2.33

Wishing to restate this meaning, the Buddha spoke in verse:

2.34

"Suppose a householder had a great house. This house was old and dilapidated,
its halls lofty and perilous, the bases of its pillars decayed and rotten,
its beams and rafters tilting and askew, its foundations and steps crumbling,
its walls cracked and breaking apart, its plaster peeling off, its thatched roofing falling in disorder,
its eaves and rafters disjointed, its enclosures twisted and crooked, and filth filled it everywhere.
Five hundred people dwelt within it.
Kites, owls, eagles, vultures, crows, magpies, doves, pigeons,
vipers, snakes, adders, scorpions, centipedes, millipedes,
geckos, and myriapods, as well as weasels, badgers, and mice—all manner of venomous vermin—ran crisscross in every direction.
Places foul with excrement and urine overflowed with impurity, and dung beetles and other bugs gathered upon them.
Foxes, wolves, and jackals chewed, trampled, and gnawed on dead corpses, leaving bones and flesh strewn about.
Because of this, packs of dogs vied to snatch and grab at them, starving, emaciated, and frantic, seeking food everywhere,
fighting and snarling, growling and barking. Such was the terrifying state into which that house had fallen.
Everywhere there were chimera, mountain sprites, yakṣas, and malevolent demons devouring human flesh.
Venomous vermin of every kind and fierce beasts and birds hatched and gave birth, each hiding and protecting [its young].
Yakṣas rushed in, vying to seize and eat them; once sated, their evil intentions flared even more, and the din of their fighting was dreadful indeed.
Kumbhāṇḍa demons squatted on mounds of dirt, or hovering a foot or two above the ground,
roamed back and forth, indulging in frivolous play: seizing dogs by two legs, striking them dumb,
or pressing their necks with their feet, amusing themselves by terrifying the dogs.
There were also other demons, huge in body, naked, black, and gaunt, constantly dwelling within, raising loud, terrible cries, howling and seeking food.
There were also demons whose throats were like needles; there were also demons with heads like oxen, some eating human flesh, others devouring dogs, with disheveled hair, cruel and dangerous, driven by hunger and thirst, screaming and rushing about.
Yakṣas, hungry ghosts, and fierce birds and beasts, starving and frantic, looked in all four directions, peeking through windows.
Such perils and terrors were measureless.
This decayed old house belonged to one man.
That man had recently gone out not long before, when suddenly a fire broke out behind the house,
and from all four directions at once, the flames flared up together.
Beams, rafters, and pillars cracked and burst with loud reports, broke and fell down, and the walls collapsed.
The demons and spirits cried out loudly in fear.
Eagles, vultures, and other birds, as well as kumbhāṇḍas, ran around in panic and terror, unable to get themselves out.
Fierce beasts and venomous vermin hid away in holes and crevices.
Piśāca demons also dwelt within; having meager merit, hard-pressed by the fire, they turned upon and harmed one another, drinking blood and eating flesh.
Creatures such as jackals had already died beforehand; the great fierce beasts vied to devour them.
Noxious smoke billowed, blanketing everything on all four sides.
Centipedes, millipedes, and venomous snakes, scorched by the fire, scurried out of their holes, and kumbhāṇḍa demons seized and ate them as they emerged.
Furthermore, hungry ghosts with fires blazing upon their heads, tormented by hunger, thirst, and heat, scurried about in distress.
Such was this house, utterly terrifying: poisons, hazards, and the disaster of fire, multiple tribulations without end.
At that time, the master of the house stood outside the gate and heard someone say:
'Your children, having earlier come into this house to play, young and innocent, are happily enjoying themselves.'
The elder, hearing this, rushed alarmed into the burning house, intending to devise a rescue so that they would not be burned or harmed.
He warned the children, explaining the many perils: the evil demons, venomous vermin, and spreading fire, multiple afflictions in succession, continuous without break;
poisonous snakes, vipers, and adders, as well as yakṣas, kumbhāṇḍa demons, jackals, foxes, dogs, eagles, vultures, kites, owls, and centipede species,
frenzied with hunger and thirst, exceedingly terrifying.
Such is this place of suffering and danger, and how much more so with the great fire!
The children, unknowing, though hearing their father's admonition, still clung to their pleasures, playing on without stopping.
At that time, the elder thought to himself: 'These children acting thus only add to my grief and anxiety.
Now in this house there is not a single thing to enjoy, yet the children, absorbed in their play, will not heed my instruction and will be destroyed by the fire.'
He immediately reflected and devised various expedients, telling the children:
'I have all kinds of precious playthings, wonderful, fine jewel carts: goat carts, deer carts, and great ox carts, which are now outside the gate.
Come out, all of you! I have made these carts for you; you can play with them just as you wish.'
The children, hearing tell of such carts, instantly raced and dashed out, reaching an open space, free from all sufferings and dangers.
The elder, seeing that his children had escaped the burning house and halted at the crossroads, sat upon a lion seat and congratulated himself, saying:
'I am joyful now! These children were very difficult to rear;
foolish, young, and unknowing, they entered the perilous house, filled with venomous vermin and terrifying sprites, where a great blaze flared up on all four sides;
yet these children craved and enjoyed their games. I have rescued them, letting them escape danger. Therefore, good people, I am joyful now.'
At that time, the children, knowing that their father was safely seated, all went to him and said: 'We pray you give us the three kinds of precious carts, as previously promised:
"Children, come out, and I will give you three carts as you desire." Now is truly the time; please deign to give them to us.'
The elder was very rich, with abundant storehouses of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, and carnelian; with these many precious materials, he constructed great carts.
They were adorned and decorated, surrounded by railings, with bells hung on all four sides and intertwined gold cords;
networks of pearls were spread across their tops, and golden flower garlands hung down in every place;
various colorful decorations wrapped them all around, and soft silks and floss served as cushions;
superfine cotton fabrics worth thousands of millions, pristine, white, and clean, were spread over them.
There were great white oxen, plump, strong, and powerful, of handsome form, yoked to the precious carts, with many attendants escorting them.
With these wonderful carts, he gave equally to all his children.
The children at that time leaped for joy, mounted these precious carts, roamed in the four directions, playing and rejoicing, at ease and unimpeded.
He said to Śāriputra: 'I am also like this, the foremost among the assembly of sages, the Father of the World.
All sentient beings are my children, deeply attached to worldly pleasures, devoid of wisdom.
The triple world has no peace, just like a burning house, filled with manifold sufferings, exceedingly terrifying;
there are constantly the sorrows and afflictions of birth, aging, sickness, and death—fires such as these blaze without ceasing.
The Tathāgata has already escaped the burning house of the triple world, dwelling in tranquil solitude, safely abiding in forest and field.
Now this triple world is entirely mine, and the sentient beings within it are all my children.
Yet now this place has many perils and afflictions; I alone can rescue and protect them.
Though I give instructions, they do not accept them with faith, because their craving and attachment to sense desires run deep.
By this expedient, I speak of the three vehicles to them, causing sentient beings to know the sufferings of the triple world, opening up and expounding the path that transcends the world.
If these children have resolved minds, fully endowed with the three knowledges and the six supernatural powers, there are those who achieve pratyekabuddhahood, or become non-retrogressing bodhisattvas.
You, Śāriputra! For the sake of sentient beings, I use this parable to speak of the One Buddha Vehicle.
If all of you can accept these words in faith, all shall attain the Buddha Path.
This vehicle is subtle, wonderful, pure, and foremost, unsurpassed in all worlds, delightful to the Buddhas.
It should be praised, revered, and worshipped by all sentient beings.
Through immeasurable hundreds of thousands of powers, liberations, meditations, wisdoms, and the other qualities of the Buddha, such a vehicle is obtained,
allowing the children, through days, nights, and kalpas, always to disport themselves,
and together with the assembly of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas, to ride this precious vehicle directly to the place of enlightenment.
For this reason, seeking throughout the ten directions, there is no other vehicle except the Buddha's expedients.'
He said to Śāriputra: 'All of you are my children, and I am your father.
You have been burned by manifold sufferings for successive kalpas; I rescue and deliver you all, causing you to emerge from the triple world.
Though I previously said: "You have attained nirvāṇa,"
this was merely exhausting birth-and-death, not real extinction; what ought to be accomplished now is solely the Buddha's wisdom.
If there are bodhisattvas in this assembly who can single-mindedly listen to the true Dharma of the Buddhas,
though the Buddha Bhagavats use expedients, the sentient beings they transform are all bodhisattvas.
If people of small wisdom are deeply attached to love and desire, for their sake the truth of suffering is taught.
Sentient beings rejoice in their hearts, experiencing what they never had before: the truth of suffering taught by the Buddha is real and without error.
If there are sentient beings who do not know the root of suffering, deeply attached to the cause of suffering, unable to abandon it even for a moment,
for their sake the Path is taught through expedients: the cause of all suffering is rooted in craving;
if craving is eliminated, there is nothing upon which [suffering] can rest; the complete cessation of all suffering is called the third truth.
For the sake of the truth of cessation, they practice the Path; being freed from the bonds of suffering is called attaining liberation.
From what has this person attained liberation? Merely from falsehood is one said to be liberated;
in reality, one has not yet attained complete liberation.
The Buddha says that such a person has not truly attained nirvāṇa. Because this person has not yet attained the unsurpassed Path, I do not intend for them to reach final extinction.
I am the King of the Dharma, sovereign in the Dharma, appearing in the world to bring peace and safety to sentient beings.
You, Śāriputra! This Dharma seal of mine is spoken for the benefit of the world; wherever you roam, do not proclaim it heedlessly.
If there are those who hear it, rejoice, and receive it upon the crowns of their heads, know that such people are avaivartika.
If there are those who accept the teaching of this sūtra in faith, such persons have already seen the Buddhas of the past, respectfully made offerings to them, and also heard this Dharma.
If anyone can believe what you preach, they have seen me, and have also seen you, the sangha of bhikṣus, and all the bodhisattvas.
This Lotus Sūtra is spoken for those of profound wisdom; when those of shallow understanding hear it, they are deluded and do not understand.
All śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas find their powers inadequate in this sūtra.
You, Śāriputra, entered this sūtra only through faith; how much more so other śrāvakas!
The other śrāvakas comply with this sūtra because they believe the Buddha's words, not by their own wisdom.
Furthermore, Śāriputra! To the arrogant, the negligent, and those who cling to a view of self, do not speak this sūtra.
Ordinary people of shallow understanding are deeply attached to the five desires; hearing it, they cannot understand, so do not speak it to them either.
If someone does not believe and slanders this sūtra, they will sever all Buddha-seeds in the world.
Or if they scowl and harbor doubts, you should hear the karmic retribution for this person.
Whether the Buddha is in the world or after his parinirvāṇa, if there are those who slander such a sūtra as this,
or seeing those who recite, read, copy, and uphold the sūtra, look down upon, hate, envy, and bear grudges against them—
now hear again the retribution of this person. When this person's life ends, they will enter the Avīci Hell for a full kalpa, and when that kalpa ends, be reborn there again.
Passing on in this way through countless kalpas, emerging from hell, they will fall into the animal realm:
becoming a dog or a jackal, emaciated and sickly, dark-skinned, mangy, tormented by others,
and despised and scorned by people, constantly troubled by hunger and thirst, their flesh and bones dried up, suffering agony in life, pelted with tiles and stones in death.
Because they severed the Buddha-seed, they suffer such retribution.
If born as a camel or an ass, their bodies will always bear heavy burdens, beaten with rods and whips, mindful only of water and grass, knowing nothing else.
Because of slandering this sūtra, they incur such guilt.
Some become jackals entering villages, their bodies covered in mange, missing one eye,
pelted with stones by children, suffering manifold pains, sometimes resulting in death.
Having died here, they receive a python's body, five hundred yojanas in length, deaf, witless, and legless, writhing upon its belly, devoured by small insects, suffering pain day and night without rest.
Because of slandering this sūtra, they incur such guilt.
If they manage to become human, their faculties will be dull, dwarfish, ugly, crippled, blind, deaf, and hunchbacked.
When they speak, no one will believe or accept them; their breath will always be foul, possessed by evil spirits;
poor and lowly, ordered about by others, sickly and emaciated, without any reliance;
though they try to be close to others, others pay them no mind; if they gain anything, they soon forget and lose it.
If they practice medicine and treat illnesses according to formulas, they will only aggravate the other's illness or even cause their death.
If they themselves fall ill, there is no one to treat them; even if they take good medicine, the illness worsens.
If others rebel, rob, or steal, they will be wrongly implicated in the calamity.
Such sinners will never see the Buddha, the King of Sages, expounding the Dharma and transforming beings.
Such sinners will always be born in difficult realms, mad, deaf, and distracted in mind, never hearing the Dharma.
For countless kalpas as many as the sands of the Ganges, they will be born deaf and mute, lacking complete faculties,
always dwelling in hell as though strolling in a garden, and regarding other evil realms as their own homes, with camels, asses, pigs, and dogs as their companions.
Because of slandering this sūtra, they incur such guilt.
If they manage to become human, they will be adorned with deafness, blindness, muteness, poverty, and manifold declines;
dropsy, emaciation, mange, sores, and carbuncles will be their clothing;
their bodies constantly foul, filthy, and impure, deeply attached to the view of self, increasing in anger, their lust blazing so violently that they do not discriminate even beasts.
Because of slandering this sūtra, they incur such guilt.'
He said to Śāriputra: 'If I were to recount the retribution of those who slander this sūtra, a kalpa would not suffice.
For this reason, I say to you: "Among people lacking wisdom, do not preach this sūtra."
If there are those of sharp faculties, clear wisdom, wide learning, and strong memory who seek the Buddha Path, to such people you may preach it.
If someone has seen hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddhas, planted roots of goodness, and has a deeply resolute mind, to such people you may preach it.
If someone is energetic, constantly cultivates compassion, and does not begrudge life or limb, to them you may preach it.
If someone is reverent, without deceit, distant from foolish people, living alone in mountains and marshes, to such people you may preach it.
Furthermore, Śāriputra! If you see someone who abandons bad companions and associates with good friends, to such people you may preach it.
If you see a disciple of the Buddha keeping precepts purely like a spotless jewel, seeking the Mahāyāna sūtras, to such people you may preach it.
If someone is free from anger, upright and gentle, constantly compassionate toward all, and reverent toward the Buddhas, to such people you may preach it.
Furthermore, if there is a disciple of the Buddha who, amidst the great assembly, with a pure mind expounds the Dharma without hindrance using various reasons, parables, and expressions, to such people you may preach it.
If there is a bhikṣu who seeks the Dharma in the four directions for the sake of all-knowledge, with palms joined receiving it atop the head, delighting only in receiving and upholding Mahāyāna scriptures, even not accepting a single gāthā of other sūtras, to such people you may preach it.
Just as a person whole-heartedly seeks the Buddha's relics, so does one seek this sūtra, and upon obtaining it, receives it upon the crown of the head, no longer aspiring to seek other scriptures nor ever thinking of non-Buddhist texts—to such people you may preach it.'
He said to Śāriputra: 'Were I to describe the characteristics of those who seek the Buddha Path, a kalpa would not suffice.'
People such as these are able to believe and understand; you should preach the Lotus Sūtra for them."

2.35

The Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra, Chapter 4: Faith and Understanding

2.36

At that time, the venerable Subhūti, Mahākātyāyana, Mahākāśyapa, and Mahāmaudgalyāyana, having heard from the Buddha this Dharma never heard before, and seeing the Bhagavat bestow upon Śāriputra the vyākaraṇa for anuttarā samyaksambodhi, gave rise to a rare aspiration and danced for joy. They immediately rose from their seats, adjusted their robes, bared their right shoulders, placed their right knees on the ground, single-mindedly joined their palms, bowed respectfully, and gazing upward at the Honoured Face, addressed the Buddha, saying: "We stand at the head of the saṃgha and are all advanced in years. We regarded ourselves as having already attained nirvāṇa, incapable of further undertaking, and no longer advanced in seeking anuttarā samyaksambodhi. Formerly, when the Bhagavat expounded the Dharma over a long time, we were present in the assembly, but our bodies were fatigued, and we contemplated only emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; toward the Bodhisattva-dharma—sporting in supernormal powers, purifying Buddha-lands, and bringing sentient beings to maturity—our hearts felt no joy. Why is this? The Bhagavat enabled us to emerge from the three realms and attain the realization of nirvāṇa. Furthermore, now that we are advanced in years, when the Buddha instructed the Bodhisattvas in anuttarā samyaksambodhi, not a single thought of aspiration or delight arose in us. Now, before the Buddha, hearing that śrāvakas are bestowed the vyākaraṇa for anuttarā samyaksambodhi, our hearts are filled with great joy, having obtained what we never had before. We never expected that now, all of a sudden, we would hear this rare Dharma; we deeply congratulate ourselves, having gained great and wholesome benefits, boundless precious treasures, obtained spontaneously without seeking."

2.37

"Bhagavat! We now wish to speak a parable to clarify this meaning. Suppose there were a person who, while still young in years, deserted his father and ran away, dwelling long in another land—for ten, twenty, or up to fifty years. As he grew older, he became increasingly destitute, racing in all directions in search of food and clothing. Gradually wandering about, he happened to head toward his native country. Formerly, his father had sought his son in vain, and had settled in a certain city. His household was exceedingly wealthy, with boundless treasures—gold, silver, lapis lazuli, coral, amber, and crystal beads—and his storehouses were all overflowing; he had many servants, ministers, officials, and attendants; elephants, horses, carriages, cattle, and sheep without number. His investments and profits extended to other lands, and merchant traders were also very numerous. Meanwhile, the impoverished son wandered through various settlements, passing through countries and towns, until he arrived at the city where his father dwelt. The father constantly thought of his son, having been separated from him for over fifty years, yet he had never spoken of this matter to anyone. He merely reflected to himself, harboring regret, thinking: 'I am old and decrepit, yet possess great wealth, gold, silver, and precious jewels, with overflowing storehouses; having no offspring, if once I die, the wealth will be scattered and lost, with no one to entrust it to.' Therefore, he earnestly remembered his son and further thought: 'If I could find my son and entrust my wealth to him, I would be serene and joyful, with no further anxiety.'"

2.38

"Bhagavat! At that time, the impoverished son, wandering about doing hired labor, happened to reach his father's house and stopped beside the gate. From afar he saw his father sitting on a lion throne, his feet resting on a jeweled stool, respectfully surrounded by brahmins, kṣatriyas, and householders, his body adorned with pearl necklaces worth tens of millions; attendants and servants holding white whisks stood by his sides. A jeweled canopy covered him, hanging with floral banners; perfumed water was sprinkled on the ground, and various famous flowers were scattered about; precious objects were arrayed, and receipts and expenditures were conducted. Adorned in such varied ways, his majesty and virtue were singularly revered. Seeing his father's great power, the impoverished son was seized with fear, regretting that he had come here. Secretly he thought: 'This is perhaps a king, or the equal of a king; this is no place for me to gain things through hired labor. It would be better to go to a poor neighborhood, where there is a place for hard labor, and food and clothing are easy to find. If I stay here long, I might be oppressed and forced into hard labor.' Having had this thought, he ran swiftly away."

2.39

"Then the wealthy elder on his lion throne saw his son and immediately recognized him. His heart was filled with great joy, and he thought: 'My wealth and storehouses now have someone to whom they can be entrusted. I have constantly thought of this son, with no way to see him, yet he has suddenly arrived on his own, which suits my wish well. Although I am old, I still cherish [my wealth].' He immediately dispatched an attendant to give chase swiftly and bring him back. Then the messenger ran swiftly to seize him. Startled and terrified, the impoverished son cried out in grievance: 'I have done no wrong; why am I being seized?' The messenger held him all the more firmly and dragged him back by force. At that time, the impoverished son thought to himself that he was without guilt yet had been captured, and that he would certainly die; growing ever more terrified, he fell unconscious to the ground. The father, seeing this from afar, said to the messenger: 'There is no need for this man; do not bring him by force. Sprinkle cold water on his face to revive him, and speak to him no further.' Why is this? The father knew his son's disposition was base, and he knew that his own nobility would intimidate his son; fully knowing it was his son, through upāya he did not tell others, 'This is my son.' The messenger told him: 'I now release you; go wherever you wish.' The impoverished son was joyful, having obtained what he never had before; he rose from the ground and went to a poor neighborhood to seek food and clothing."

First 39 of 47 passages. Read on

Translations (1)

The Lotus Sutra — Tsugunari Kubo & Akira Yuyama 2007, English

Linked texts (1)

妙法蓮華經 — Classical Chinese