釋迦譜 1.454

1.454

說是偈已王大歡喜。心無悔恨大如毛髮。即使盡寫遣使頒示。閻浮提內咸使誦習。世尊往昔為於眾生。不顧身命乃至如是。今者世尊。法海已滿法幢已立。法鼓已建法炬已照。潤益成立今正得時。云何欲捨一切眾生。入於涅槃而不說法。爾時梵王於如來前。合掌讚歎說於如來。先身求法為於眾生。凡有千首。世尊爾時受梵王請。即便往詣波羅柰國鹿野苑中轉于法輪。三寶因是乃現於世。時諸天人諸龍鬼神八部之眾。聞說是已莫不歡喜。普曜經云。如來具足成正覺已。移坐石室自念本願。欲度眾生思惟生死。世間道術九十六種。各信所事孰知其惑。天地無常皆悉大苦。誰能信者意欲默然。不為說法便入定意。時天帝釋。知佛不欲說法。悲念三界即將般遮。下到石室鼓琴歌佛本願。請說不死之法。佛隨俗心是法甚深。非心所思非言可暢。即說偈言。

When this verse had been spoken, the king rejoiced greatly, without a hair's breadth of regret in his heart. He immediately had it copied in full and dispatched envoys to proclaim it, causing everyone within Jambudvīpa to recite and practice it. The World-Honoured One in past lives did not spare his life for the sake of sentient beings, even to such an extent as this. Today, World-Honoured One, the ocean of the Dharma is full, the banner of the Dharma is erected, the drum of the Dharma is raised, and the torch of the Dharma shines forth. To enrich, benefit, and establish them—now is precisely the proper time! Why do you wish to abandon all sentient beings and enter nirvāṇa without preaching the Dharma?" At that time the Brahmā King, before the Tathāgata, joined his palms in praise and recounted the Tathāgata's seeking of the Dharma for sentient beings in his former lives, in a total of one thousand stanzas. The World-Honoured One then accepted the Brahmā King's request, and immediately proceeded to the Deer Park in the country of Vārāṇasī to turn the wheel of the Dharma. The Three Jewels thereby appeared in the world. When the devas, humans, nāgas, ghosts, spirits, and the assembly of the eight classes heard this, there was none who did not rejoice. The Lalitavistara says: When the Tathāgata had fully attained perfect awakening, he moved his seat to a stone chamber and reflected on his original vow. Wishing to deliver sentient beings, he contemplated birth and death: "There are ninety-six kinds of worldly paths, each person believing in what they practice; who knows their confusion? Heaven and earth are impermanent, and all is great suffering. Who could believe it?" Wishing to remain silent, he did not preach the Dharma, but entered meditative absorption. At that time Śakra Devānām Indra, knowing that the Buddha did not wish to preach the Dharma, took pity on the three realms and brought Pañca[śikha] down to the stone chamber, playing the lute and singing of the Buddha's original vow, requesting him to preach the deathless Dharma. The Buddha, considering the minds of ordinary people, [thought]: "This Dharma is exceedingly profound; it is not what can be conceived by the mind, nor can it be expressed in words." He then spoke a verse: