The Acts of the Buddha 5.12

5.12

時有一天子，乘千白鵠宮，
於上虛空中，觀佛般涅槃。
普為諸天眾，廣說無常偈：
「一切性無常，速生而速滅。
生則與苦俱，唯寂滅為樂。
行業薪積聚，智慧火熾燃。
名稱烟衝天，時雨雨令滅，
猶如劫火起，水災之所滅。」
復有梵仙天，猶第一義仙，
處天勝妙樂，而不染天報，
歎如來寂滅，心定而口言：
「觀察三世法，始終無不壞。
第一義通達，世間無比士，
慧知見之士，救護世間者，
悉為無常壞，何人得長存？
哀哉舉世間，群生墮邪徑。」
時阿那律陀，於世不律陀，
已滅不律陀，生死尼律陀，
歎如來寂滅，群生悉盲冥，
諸行聚無常，猶若輕雲浮。
速起而速滅，慧者不保持，
無常金剛杵，壞牟尼山王。
鄙哉世輕躁，破壞不堅固，
無常暴師子，害龍象大仙。
如來金剛幢，猶為非常壞，
何況未離欲，而不生怖畏？
六種子一芽，一水之所雨，
四引之深根，二觚五種菓，
三際同一體，煩惱之大樹，
牟尼大象拔，而不免無常。
猶如飾棄鳥，樂水吞毒蛇，
忽遇天大旱，失水而身亡。
駿馬勇於戰，戰畢純熟還，
猶火緣薪熾，薪盡則自滅。
如來亦如是，事畢歸涅槃，
猶如明月光，普為世除冥。
眾生悉蒙照，而復隱須彌，
如來亦如是，慧光照幽冥。
為眾生除冥，而隱涅槃山，
名稱勝光明，普照於世間。
滅除一切冥，不停若迅流，
善御七駿馬，軍眾羽從遊。
光光日天子，猶入於崦嵫，
日月五障翳，眾生失光明。
奉火祠天畢，唯有燋黑烟，
如來已潛輝，世失榮亦然。
絕恩愛希望，普應眾生望，
眾生望已滿，事畢絕希望。
離煩惱身縛，而得真實道，
離群聚憒亂，入於寂靜處。
神通騰虛遊，苦器故棄捨，
癡冥之重闇，智慧光照除。
煩惱之埃塵，智水洗令淨，
不復數數還，永之寂靜處。
滅一切生死，一切悉宗敬，
令一切樂法，以慧充一切。
悉安慰一切，一切德普流，
名聞遍一切，重照迄於今。
諸有競德者，於彼哀愍心，
四利不為欣，四衰不以慼。
善攝於諸情，諸根悉明徹，
澄心平等觀，六境不染著。
所得未曾得，得人所不得，
以諸出要水，虛渴令飽滿。
施人所不施，亦不望其報，
寂靜妙相身，悉知一切念。
好惡不傾動，力勝一切怨，
一切病良藥，而為無常壞。
一切眾生類，樂法各異端，
普應其所求，悉滿其所願。
聖慧大施主，一往不復還，
猶若世猛火，薪盡不復燃。
八法所不染，降五難調群，
以三而見三，離三而成三。
藏一以得一，超七而長眠，
究竟寂滅道，賢聖之所宗。
已斷煩惱障，宗奉者已度，
飢虛渴乏者，飲之以甘露。
被忍辱重鎧，降伏諸恚怒，
勝法微妙義，以悅於眾心。
修世界善者，植以聖種子，
習正不正者，等攝而不捨。
轉無上法輪，普世歡喜受，
宿殖樂法因，斯皆得解脫。
遊行於人間，度諸未度者，
未見真實者，悉令見真實。
諸習外道者，授之以深法，
說生死無常，無主無有樂。
建大名稱幢，破壞眾魔軍，
進却無欣慼，薄生歎寂滅。
未度者令度，未脫者令脫，
未寂者令寂，未覺者令覺。
牟尼寂靜道，以攝於眾生，
眾生違聖道，習諸不正業。
猶若大劫盡，持法者長眠，
密雲震霹靂，摧林雨甘澤。
少象摧棘林，識養能利人，
雲離象老悴，斯皆無所堪。
破見能成見，於世度而度，
已壞諸邪論，而得自在道。
今入於大寂，世間無救護。
魔王大軍眾，奮武震天地，
欲害牟尼尊，不能令傾動，
如何忽一朝，非常魔所壞？
天人普雲集，充滿虛空中，
畏無窮生死，心生大憂怖。
世間無遠近，天眼悉照見，
業報諦明了，如觀鏡中像。
天耳勝聰達，無遠而不聞，
昇虛教諸天，遊步化人境。
分身而合體，涉水而不濡，
憶念過去生，彌劫而不忘。
諸根遊境界，彼彼各異念，
知他心通智，一切皆悉知，
神通淨妙智，平等觀一切，
悉盡一切漏，一切事已畢，
智捨有餘界，息智而長眠。
眾生剛強心，見則得柔軟，
鈍根諸眾生，見則慧明利，
無量惡業過，見各得通塗，
一旦忽長眠，誰復顯斯德？
世間無救護，望斷氣息絕，
誰以清涼水，灑之令蘇息，
所作自事畢，大悲已長息。
世間愚癡網，誰當為壞裂？
向生死迅流，誰當說令反？
群生癡惑心，誰說寂靜道？
誰示安隱處？誰顯真實義？
眾生受大苦，誰為慈父救？
猶多訟志忘，馬易土失威，
王者亡失國，世無佛亦然。
多聞無辭辯，為醫而無慧，
人王失光相，佛滅俗失榮。
良駟失善御，乘舟失船師，
三軍失英將，商人失其導，
疾病失良醫，聖王失七寶，
眾星失明月，愛壽而失命，
世間亦如是，佛滅失大明。
如是阿羅漢，所作皆已畢，
諸漏悉已盡，知恩報恩故，
纏綿悲戀說，歎德陳世苦。
諸未離欲者，悲泣不自勝，
其諸漏盡者，唯歎生滅苦。
時諸力士眾，聞佛已涅槃，
亂聲慟悲泣，如群鵠遇鷹，
悉來詣雙樹，覩如來長眠，
無復覺悟容，椎胸而呼天，
猶師子搏犢，群牛亂呼聲。
中有一力士，心已樂正法，
諦觀聖法王，已入於大寂。
言：「眾生悉眠，佛開發令覺，
今入於大寂，畢竟而長眠。
為眾建法幢，而今一旦崩，
如來智慧日，大覺為照明。
精進為炎熱，智慧耀千光，
滅除一切闇，如何復長冥？
一慧照三世，普為眾生眼，
而今忽然盲，舉世莫知路。
生死大河流，貪恚癡巨浪，
法橋一旦崩，眾生長沒溺。」
彼諸力士眾，或悲泣號咷，
或密感無聲，或投身躃地，
或寂默禪思，或煩冤長吟。
辦金銀寶輿，香花具莊嚴，
安置如來身，寶帳覆其上，
具幢幡華蓋，種種諸伎樂，
諸力士男女，導從修供養。
諸天散香花，空中鼓天樂，
人天一悲歎，聲合而同哀。
入城見士女，長幼供養畢，
出於龍象門，度凞連河表，
到諸過去佛，滅度支提所。
積牛頭栴檀，及諸名香木，
置佛身於上，灌以眾香油，
以火燒其下，三燒而不燃。
時彼大迦葉，先住王舍城，
知佛欲涅槃，眷屬從彼來。
淨心發妙願，願見世尊身。
以彼誠願故，火滅而不燃。
迦葉眷屬至，悲歎俱瞻顏，
敬禮於雙足，然後火乃燃。
內絕煩惱火，外火不能燒，
雖燒外皮肉，金剛真骨存。
香油悉燒盡，盛骨以金瓶，
如法界不盡，骨不盡亦然。
金剛智慧果，難動如須彌，
大力金翅鳥，所不能傾移，
而處於寶瓶，應世而流遷。
奇哉世間力，能轉寂滅法，
德稱廣流布，周滿於十方。
隨世長寂滅，唯有餘骨存，
大光耀天下，群生悉蒙照。
一旦而潛暉，遺骨於瓶中，
金剛利智慧，壞煩惱苦山。
眾苦集其身，金剛志能安，
受大苦眾生，悉令得除滅。
如是金剛體，今為火所焚。
彼諸力士眾，勇健世無雙，
摧伏怨家苦，能救苦歸依。
親愛遭苦難，志強能無憂，
今見如來滅，悉懷憂悲泣。
壯身氣強盛，憍慢虛天步，
憂苦迫其心，入城猶曠澤，
持舍利入城，巷路普供養，
置於高樓閣，天人悉奉事。

At that time there was a devaputra who rode a mansion drawn by a thousand white swans; / from high up in empty space, he looked upon the Buddha's entry into parinirvāṇa. / Widely, for all the host of gods, he proclaimed a verse on impermanence: / 'All things by nature are impermanent, swiftly arising and swiftly ceasing. / Arising is coupled with suffering; only quiescent cessation is bliss. / The firewood of actions and deeds was piled up, and the fire of wisdom burned ablaze. / The smoke of his fame shot up into the sky, but the seasonal rain fell and extinguished it, / just as when the fire at the end of the kalpa arises, it is extinguished by the disaster of water.' / There was also a brahma-ṛṣi god, like a ṛṣi of the supreme truth, / dwelling in the superior, wondrous joy of heaven, yet unstained by heavenly retribution. / Praising the Tathāgata's quiescent cessation, with a settled mind he spoke aloud: / 'Observing the phenomena of the three times, from beginning to end there is none that does not perish. / He who penetrated the supreme truth, the peerless person in the world, / the hero of wisdom, knowledge, and vision, the savior and protector of the world— / all are destroyed by impermanence; what person can long endure? / Alas, in the entire world, all living beings have fallen into evil paths!' / Then Aniruddha, who in the world had no disorder, / having extinguished all disorder, with birth and death brought to cessation, / lamented the Tathāgata's quiescent cessation, and that all living beings were blind and dark: / 'The aggregates of compounded things are impermanent, floating like light clouds. / Swiftly they rise and swiftly they cease; the wise do not grasp onto them. / The vajra-pestle of impermanence has shattered the Muni, king of mountains. / How despicable is the world, frivolous and rash, fragile and unsolid! / The fierce lion of impermanence has slain the great ṛṣi, the elephant of men. / Even the Tathāgata's vajra banner is broken by impermanence; / how much less could those who have not abandoned desire fail to give rise to fear? / Six seeds form a single sprout, rained upon by one water; / four deep roots pull it down, with two branches and five kinds of fruit; / the three times share one substance: this great tree of defilements, / though uprooted by the Muni, the great elephant, could not escape impermanence. / Like the śikhaṇḍin bird, delighting in water and devouring venomous snakes, / when suddenly encountering a great heavenly drought, loses the water and dies. / A swift steed is valiant in battle; when the battle is over, calm and practiced, it returns. / Just as fire flares up in dependence on firewood, and when the firewood is exhausted it naturally goes out, / so too is the Tathāgata: his deeds finished, he returns to nirvāṇa. / Just like the light of the bright moon, which dispels darkness universally for the world, / living beings all receive its radiance, yet it hides behind Sumeru; / so too is the Tathāgata: the light of wisdom illuminates deep darkness, / dispelling the darkness for living beings, yet hiding behind the mountain of nirvāṇa. / The supreme radiance of his fame illuminated the world far and wide, / dispelling all darkness, never stopping, like a swift stream. / Skillfully driving the seven swift horses, accompanied by an army with plumage, / the bright and glorious sun god still enters the Yanzī mountains; / the sun and moon suffer five obscurations, and living beings lose their light. / When the fire sacrifice to the gods is over, only scorched black smoke remains; / the Tathāgata has hidden his radiance, and the world's loss of glory is just like this. / Having cut off the longing of affection, he answered universally the expectations of living beings; / the expectations of living beings now fulfilled, with deeds completed, all expectations are severed. / Free from the bodily fetters of defilement, he attained the path of truth; / leaving the turmoil of crowds, he entered the place of tranquility. / With supernatural powers soaring through the void, he cast off the vessel of suffering; / the deep darkness of ignorance was dispelled by the light of wisdom. / The dust of defilements was washed clean by the water of wisdom; / no longer returning time and again, he has gone forever to the place of tranquility. / Having extinguished all birth and death, revered by all, / he made all delight in the Dharma and filled all with wisdom. / He comforted all; his virtue flowed everywhere; / his renown pervaded everything, shining again unto the present. / Toward those who vied with him in virtue, his mind held only compassion; / he took no joy in the four gains, nor grieved over the four declines. / Skillfully restraining all sense-faculties, his sense-bases were completely lucid; / with a serene mind in equal contemplation, he was unstained by the six sense-objects. / Attaining what had never been attained, he attained what people could not attain; / with the water of the ways of deliverance, he satisfied their parched thirst. / Giving what others could not give, he did not seek any reward; / with a quiescent, wondrously marked body, he knew all thoughts. / Unmoved by good or ill, his strength overcame all foes; / a fine medicine for all sicknesses, yet he was destroyed by impermanence. / All kinds of living beings take joy in different aspects of the Dharma; / universally he responded to what they sought, fully satisfying their wishes. / The great donor of noble wisdom, once gone, does not return, / like a fierce fire in the world: when the fuel is spent, it burns no more. / Unstained by the eight dharmas, he subdued the five hard-to-tame hosts; / by means of the three he saw the three; abandoning the three, he accomplished the three. / Concealing the one to attain the one, transcending the seven, he entered long slumber, / the ultimate path of quiescent cessation, revered by the worthy and the noble. / Having severed the barrier of defilements, those who revered him were carried across; / to those hungry, empty, and parched, he gave amṛta to drink. / Wearing the heavy armor of patience, he conquered all wrath; / with the subtle and wondrous meaning of the supreme Dharma, he gladdened the minds of the multitude. / For those cultivating worldly goodness, he planted the noble seeds; / those practicing what is right or unrighteous, he gathered equally without abandoning them. / Turning the unsurpassed wheel of the Dharma, the whole world joyfully received it; / those who had planted past causes of joy in the Dharma all attained liberation. / Wandering through the world of mortals, he crossed over those not yet crossed over; / those who had not seen the truth, he made see the truth. / To those practicing non-Buddhist paths, he imparted the profound Dharma, / declaring that birth and death are impermanent, without a master, and without bliss. / Raising the great banner of renown, he destroyed the armies of Māra; / advancing and retreating without joy or grief, he looked lightly upon birth and praised quiescent cessation. / Those not yet crossed over he caused to cross over; those not yet liberated he caused to be liberated; / those not yet stilled he caused to be stilled; those not yet awakened he caused to be awakened. / By the Muni's quiescent path, he gathered living beings; / living beings opposed the noble path and practiced various unrighteous deeds. / As when a great kalpa comes to an end, the upholder of the Dharma enters long slumber. / Dense clouds rumble with thunderbolts, crushing the forest and raining down sweet moisture; / a young elephant crushes the thorn thicket, and with knowledge and care can benefit men; / when the clouds disperse and the elephant grows decrepit, both can do no more. / He shattered views and established right view, crossing over the world as he himself crossed over; / having destroyed all false doctrines, he attained the path of mastery. / Now that he has entered the great quiescence, the world has no savior or protector. / The great army of Māra shook heaven and earth with military might, / wishing to harm the Muni, yet they could not make him waver; / how then, suddenly in a single morning, was he destroyed by the demon of impermanence? / Gods and humans gathered like clouds, filling the open sky; / fearing the endless cycle of birth and death, great sorrow and terror arose in their hearts. / Far and near in the world, his divine eye illuminated all; / karmic retributions were clearly evident, like seeing reflections in a mirror. / His divine ear was superbly acute, hearing all without distance; / ascending to the void, he taught the gods; walking the earth, he transformed the realm of humans. / Dividing his body or uniting it, walking on water without getting wet, / recollecting past births across kalpas without forgetting. / His senses roaming their spheres, while each mind had different thoughts, / with the supernatural knowledge of others' minds, he knew them all; / with pure, subtle wisdom of supernatural powers, he observed everything with equanimity. / Having completely exhausted all outflows, his every task was done; / wisdom cast aside the realm with remainder; setting wisdom to rest, he entered long slumber. / When living beings with unyielding minds saw him, they became gentle; / when dull-witted living beings saw him, their wisdom became sharp and bright; / those with boundless faults of evil karma, seeing him, found a clear path. / Once he has suddenly entered long slumber, who will reveal such virtues again? / The world has no savior or protector; hope is cut off and breath fails. / Who will sprinkle cool water to revive them? / His own tasks being finished, the Great Compassion has rested forever. / The web of worldly folly—who will tear it apart? / Toward the swift current of birth and death, who will speak to turn them back? / For the foolish, deluded minds of living beings, who will declare the path of tranquility? / Who will show the place of peace? Who will reveal the true meaning? / When living beings suffer great pain, who will save them as a compassionate father? / Like when many disputes arise and the mind forgets, or when a horse changes terrain and loses its vigor, / or when a king loses his kingdom—so it is when the world has no Buddha. / Like being learned but lacking eloquence, or being a physician without wisdom, / or a king of men losing his glorious marks—when the Buddha enters cessation, the world loses its splendor. / Like fine steeds losing a skilled charioteer, or travelers in a boat losing their captain, / or the three armies losing their brave general, or merchants losing their guide, / or the sick losing a fine physician, or a Cakravartin losing the seven treasures, / or the stars losing the bright moon, or one who clings to longevity losing his life— / so it is with the world: with the Buddha's cessation, it loses its great brightness.' / In this way the arhats, their tasks all accomplished, / all their outflows utterly exhausted, in order to know and repay kindness, / spoke with deep, loving sorrow, praising his virtues and describing the world's suffering. / Those who had not yet abandoned desire wept uncontrollably; / those whose outflows were exhausted only lamented the suffering of arising and ceasing. / Then the hosts of Mallas, hearing that the Buddha had already entered parinirvāṇa, / wept and wailed in disarray, like a flock of swans encountering a hawk. / They all went to the twin trees, and seeing the Tathāgata in long slumber, / no longer bearing the countenance of awakening, beat their breasts and cried to heaven, / like cows crying in disorder when a lion seizes a calf. / Among them was one Malla whose mind already delighted in the true Dharma; / gazing intently upon the noble Dharma King, who had already entered the great quiescence, / he said: 'Living beings were all asleep; the Buddha enlightened them and made them awake. / Now he has entered the great quiescence, in ultimate, long slumber. / For the multitude he raised the banner of the Dharma, and now in a single morning it has collapsed! / The Tathāgata's sun of wisdom, with great awakening, shone bright. / Vigor was its blazing heat, wisdom radiated a thousand beams; / it dispelled all darkness—how can it return to long gloom? / A single wisdom illuminated the three times, universally serving as the eyes for living beings; / and now suddenly they are blind, and the entire world knows not the way. / The great river of birth and death has huge waves of greed, anger, and folly; / the bridge of the Dharma has collapsed in a morning, and living beings are drowned forever.' / Those hosts of Mallas—some wept and wailed aloud, / some grieved silently without a sound, some threw their bodies on the ground, / some meditated in quiet contemplation, and some groaned in deep distress. / They prepared a precious litter of gold and silver, adorned with incense and flowers, / placed the Tathāgata's body upon it, covered it with a jeweled canopy, / equipped it with banners, pennants, canopies, and various kinds of music; / the male and female Mallas led the way and followed, making offerings. / The gods scattered fragrant flowers, and sounded heavenly music in the air; / humans and gods lamented together, their voices joining in shared grief. / Entering the city, seen by men and women, old and young, the offerings were completed; / they went out through the Dragon-Elephant Gate, crossed the Nairañjanā River, / and arrived at the caitya where past Buddhas entered cessation. / They heaped up Gośīrṣa sandalwood and various famous fragrant woods, / placed the Buddha's body upon them, poured various fragrant oils over it, / and set fire underneath; but thrice it was lit, and it would not burn. / At that time Mahākāśyapa, who had previously dwelt in Rājagṛha, / knew that the Buddha was about to enter parinirvāṇa, and came with his retinue from there. / With a pure mind he made a wondrous vow, wishing to behold the Bhagavat's body. / Because of his sincere vow, the fire went out and would not burn. / When Kāśyapa and his retinue arrived, weeping, they gazed upon his face together, / and paid homage to his two feet; only then did the fire ignite. / The fire of defilements having been extinguished within, the external fire could not burn him; / though it burned the outer skin and flesh, the true vajra bones remained. / The fragrant oil was completely consumed; they placed the bones in a golden urn; / just as the dharmadhātu is inexhaustible, so too the bones were inexhaustible. / The fruit of vajra wisdom is immovable like Sumeru; / even the mighty Garuḍa bird could not overturn it, / yet it rested in a precious urn, shifting in accordance with worldly conditions. / How wondrous is worldly power, able to turn the Dharma of quiescent cessation! / His virtuous renown spread far and wide, filling the ten directions. / Following the world, he entered long quiescence; only his remaining bones were left. / His great light had shone upon the world, and living beings all received his illumination; / suddenly in a morning he hid his radiance, leaving his bones in the urn. / His sharp vajra wisdom destroyed the mountain of defilement and suffering; / when all sufferings gathered on his body, his vajra resolve could remain tranquil; / living beings enduring great suffering he caused to be completely extinguished. / Such a vajra body is now consumed by fire. / Those hosts of Mallas, of unmatched valor in the world, / had crushed the misery of enemies and could rescue those who sought refuge from suffering; / when loved ones met misfortune, their strong resolve kept them from grief; / yet now, seeing the Tathāgata's cessation, they were filled with sorrow and wept. / With sturdy bodies and robust vigor, they used to pace proudly like gods; / but sorrow and suffering pressed upon their hearts, and entering the city seemed like entering an empty wilderness. / Bearing the relics into the city, they made offerings all along the lanes and roads, / placed them in a high upper storey, and gods and humans served and venerated them.