經律異相 8.20

8.20

善信菩薩於無法之世尋求正法空中聲曰。其此東方一萬由旬彼有一國王名曰善住。昔有如來出現於世久已滅度。像法衰微有一女人。生自卑賤形貌醜陋人世所無。而髣髴能識半句一偈。示有所傳能往問疑。有一淤泥縱廣萬里踐者即沒。乃至鳥飛不能過毫毛不能勝。汝今困瘵手足斷裂。云何而能更復前進。我聞踊躍馳起東行至淤泥所。分捨身命以軀自投本期陷沒。我擲身時。當身所觸。出一小路。潔白修直。我踐其上無復眾難。徑至彼國入善住城。哀號自咎不覩世尊。見此女人處於卑陋。屋室穿穴。人形凡鄙。而我恭敬視如佛想。瞻奉禮拜圍繞讚歎。仰請女人以為大師。願垂教示得遂深信。女人答曰。諸佛妙法無量無邊我之所聞唯一半偈。若欲聞者今便說之。

In an age without the Dharma, the Bodhisattva Shanxin was searching for the true Dharma when a voice in the sky said: 'Ten thousand yojanas to the east of here, there is a country whose king is named Supratiṣṭhita. Formerly a Tathāgata appeared in the world, but he has long since entered extinction. As the Semblance Dharma declined, there was a woman born of humble and low caste, ugly in appearance, such as did not exist in the human world. Yet she vaguely remembers half a sentence, a single verse, showing that she holds a transmission; you may go and inquire about your doubts. [However,] there is a mire ten thousand leagues across; whoever steps on it immediately sinks. Even flying birds cannot cross it, and it cannot bear a single fine hair. You are now exhausted, and your hands and feet are cracked and broken. How could you advance further?' Hearing this, I leaped up and ran east to where the mire was. Prepared to abandon my body and life, I threw myself into it, originally expecting to sink. As I threw my body, wherever my body touched, a small road emerged, pure white, long, and straight. Treading upon it, I had no further difficulties, and went directly to that country and entered the city of Supratiṣṭhita. Weeping and blaming myself for not beholding the Bhagavat, I saw this woman dwelling in a humble and mean place, her room full of holes, her human form coarse and lowly. Yet with respect I regarded her as if she were a Buddha; looking upon her, making prostrations, circumambulating and praising her, I besought the woman to be my great master: 'May you deign to instruct me, so that I may fulfill deep faith.' The woman replied: 'The wondrous Dharma of the Buddhas is immeasurable and boundless; what I have heard is only half a verse. If you wish to hear it, I will speak it now: