The Lotus of the Wonderful Law (W. E. Soothill, 1930)第 17 品 · Soothill 英译节本

During the length of time that the Buddha tells of the eternity of his life, vast hosts, numerous as sands of Ganges, attain to the assurance of no further re-incarnation; others attain powers of hearing and keeping the Law; others powers of eloquence and argument; others of insight into infinite motion; others of preaching the Law; others, after various stages, of Perfect Enlightenment. The numbers given for each group are as the atoms of various kinds and numbers of worlds.During the length of time that the Buddha tells of the eternity of his life, vast hosts, numerous as sands of Ganges, attain to the assurance of no further re-incarnation; others attain powers of hearing and keeping the Law; others powers of eloquence and argument; others of insight into infinite motion; others of preaching the Law; others, after various stages, of Perfect Enlightenment. The numbers given for each group are as the atoms of various kinds and numbers of worlds.

While the Buddha is telling of the eternity of his life, on the host of Buddhas seated on their lion-thrones beneath the jewel-trees and on their retinues, on the Bodhisattvas and their retinues, and on the assembly, there rain down celestial flowers and fine incense. In the heavens the celestial drums resound with deep reverberation. Celestial robes, jewels, necklaces, censers burning priceless incense, descend upon the congregation. Celestial canopies arise high as the Brahma-heavens; and countless Bodhisattvas sing praises to the Buddhas.While the Buddha is telling of the eternity of his life, on the host of Buddhas seated on their lion-thrones beneath the jewel-trees and on their retinues, on the Bodhisattvas and their retinues, and on the assembly, there rain down celestial flowers and fine incense. In the heavens the celestial drums resound with deep reverberation. Celestial robes, jewels, necklaces, censers burning priceless incense, descend upon the congregation. Celestial canopies arise high as the Brahma-heavens; and countless Bodhisattvas sing praises to the Buddhas.

Maitreya then arises from his seat and repeats this, in lengthy verse.Maitreya then arises from his seat and repeats this, in lengthy verse.“The Buddha has preached the rare Law Never heard by us before. Great is the power of the World-honoured, And His lifetime beyond estimation. . . . . . With thousands, myriads of stanzas The Buddha’s praise is sung. . . . . . Learning the Buddha’s life is limitless All creatures are filled with joy, The Buddha’s fame sounds through the Universe, Enriching all the roots Of goodness of the living, To bring them to the Supreme Truth.”“The Buddha has preached the rare Law Never heard by us before. Great is the power of the World-honoured, And His lifetime beyond estimation. . . . . . With thousands, myriads of stanzas The Buddha’s praise is sung. . . . . . Learning the Buddha’s life is limitless All creatures are filled with joy, The Buddha’s fame sounds through the Universe, Enriching all the roots Of goodness of the living, To bring them to the Supreme Truth.”

The Buddha then proceeds to say that those who have heard and believed, however feebly, his truth of the Eternal Life of the Buddha, have merit surpassing the merit of works.The Buddha then proceeds to say that those who have heard and believed, however feebly, his truth of the Eternal Life of the Buddha, have merit surpassing the merit of works.“Suppose,” he says, “there be any good son or daughter who, to obtain Perfect Enlightenment, during eight hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of kalpas, puts in practice the Five Paramitas ... these merits, compared with the above-mentioned merit, are not equal to even the hundredth part, the thousandth part, or indeed one part of a hundred thousand myriad kotis of it; indeed neither numbers nor comparison can make it known. If any good son or daughter possesses only such merit of faith, there is no such thing as failing to obtain Perfect Enlightenment.”“Suppose,” he says, “there be any good son or daughter who, to obtain Perfect Enlightenment, during eight hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of kalpas, puts in practice the Five Paramitas ... these merits, compared with the above-mentioned merit, are not equal to even the hundredth part, the thousandth part, or indeed one part of a hundred thousand myriad kotis of it; indeed neither numbers nor comparison can make it known. If any good son or daughter possesses only such merit of faith, there is no such thing as failing to obtain Perfect Enlightenment.”

The verse part is still more elaborate in its comparison of the respective values of faith and works. Though a man should live the most devoted life and sacrifice everything—The verse part is still more elaborate in its comparison of the respective values of faith and works. Though a man should live the most devoted life and sacrifice everything—“Yet, any good son or daughter Who hears me declare my Eternity, And believes with a single thought, This one’s reward surpasses his. . . . . . Just as the present World-honoured One Who, King of all the Sakyas, On his Wisdom-Throne raised the Lion’s roar, And fearlessly preached the Law, So may we, in future ages, Honoured and revered by all, Sit on the Wisdom throne And tell of long life in like manner.”“Yet, any good son or daughter Who hears me declare my Eternity, And believes with a single thought, This one’s reward surpasses his. . . . . . Just as the present World-honoured One Who, King of all the Sakyas, On his Wisdom-Throne raised the Lion’s roar, And fearlessly preached the Law, So may we, in future ages, Honoured and revered by all, Sit on the Wisdom throne And tell of long life in like manner.”

If any have faith in the Eternal Life of the Buddha, he will see the Buddha always on the Spiritual Vulture Peak surrounded by the celestial host ever preaching this Law. He will see, too, the realm in which he lives resplendent with palaces and jewels. But he who devotes himself to this Sutra will have joys even greater. Such a one carries the Tathagata on his head, or as we may say, is crowned with the Tathagata.If any have faith in the Eternal Life of the Buddha, he will see the Buddha always on the Spiritual Vulture Peak surrounded by the celestial host ever preaching this Law. He will see, too, the realm in which he lives resplendent with palaces and jewels. But he who devotes himself to this Sutra will have joys even greater. Such a one carries the Tathagata on his head, or as we may say, is crowned with the Tathagata.

“Such a good son or daughter need no more erect stupas, temples or monasteries for me, or make offerings to the monks.”“Such a good son or daughter need no more erect stupas, temples or monasteries for me, or make offerings to the monks.”The implication is that such a one, himself or herself, is the shrine or temple of the living Buddha. The narrative shows that faith is works—The implication is that such a one, himself or herself, is the shrine or temple of the living Buddha. The narrative shows that faith is works—“By reason of devotion to the Lotus Sutra, he or she has in effect already erected stupas, built monasteries, and made offerings to the monks; that is to say, has spiritually erected for the Buddha’s relics, stupas of the Precious Seven, high and broad, and tapering up to the Brahma-heaven, with flags and canopies and precious bells, and with flowers, perfumes, garlands, sandal-powder, unguents, incense, drums, instruments, pipes, flutes, harps, all kinds of dances and plays—singing and lauding with wondrous notes—he or she has already made these offerings for innumerable thousands, myriads, kotis of kalpas.“By reason of devotion to the Lotus Sutra, he or she has in effect already erected stupas, built monasteries, and made offerings to the monks; that is to say, has spiritually erected for the Buddha’s relics, stupas of the Precious Seven, high and broad, and tapering up to the Brahma-heaven, with flags and canopies and precious bells, and with flowers, perfumes, garlands, sandal-powder, unguents, incense, drums, instruments, pipes, flutes, harps, all kinds of dances and plays—singing and lauding with wondrous notes—he or she has already made these offerings for innumerable thousands, myriads, kotis of kalpas.

“Ajita! If any one, after my extinction, hears this Sutra, and is able either to receive and keep, or himself copy, or cause others to copy it, he has already erected monasteries and built red sandal-wood temples of thirty-two shrines, tall as eight Tala-trees, lofty, spacious, splendid, in which abide hundreds, thousands of bhikshus; adorned also with gardens, groves, and bathing-pools, promenades and meditation-cells; with clothing, victuals, bedding, medicaments, and all aids to pleasure provided to the full therein. Such monasteries and such numbers of temples, hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis, countless in their number, he has here in my presence, offered to me and to my bhikshu-monks. Therefore I say, if any one after the extinction of the Tathagata, receives and keeps, reads and recites it, preaches it to others, either himself copies it, or causes others to copy it, and pays homage to the Sutra, he need no longer erect stupas and temples, or build monasteries, and make offerings to the monks. How much less he who is able to keep this Sutra and thereto add alms-giving, morality, forbearance, zeal, concentration, and wisdom. His merit will be most excellent, infinite and boundless; even as the sky which east, west, south, and north, the four intermediate directions, the zenith and nadir, is infinite and boundless, so also the merit of this man will be infinite and boundless, and he will speedily reach Perfect Knowledge. If any one reads and recites, receives and keeps this Sutra, preaches it to other people, or himself copies it, or causes others to copy it; moreover, is able to erect stupas and build monasteries, and to serve and extol the Sravaka-monks, and also with hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis of ways of extolling, extols the merits of the Bodhisattvas; also if he to other people, with various reasonings, according to its meaning, expounds this Law-Flower Sutra; again, if he is able to keep the commandments in purity, amicably to dwell with the gentle, to endure insult without anger, to be firm in will and thought, ever to value meditation, to attain to profound concentration, zealously and boldly to support the good, to be clever and wise in ably answering difficult questionings; Ajita! again, if after my extinction, there be good sons and daughters who receive and keep, read and recite this Sutra, and who possess such excellent merits as these, you may know that those people have proceeded towards the Wisdom-terrace, and are near to Perfect Enlightenment, sitting under the tree of enlightenment. Ajita! Wherever those good sons or good daughters either sit or stand or walk, in that place you should erect a stupa; all gods and men should pay homage to it as a stupa of Buddha.”“Ajita! If any one, after my extinction, hears this Sutra, and is able either to receive and keep, or himself copy, or cause others to copy it, he has already erected monasteries and built red sandal-wood temples of thirty-two shrines, tall as eight Tala-trees, lofty, spacious, splendid, in which abide hundreds, thousands of bhikshus; adorned also with gardens, groves, and bathing-pools, promenades and meditation-cells; with clothing, victuals, bedding, medicaments, and all aids to pleasure provided to the full therein. Such monasteries and such numbers of temples, hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis, countless in their number, he has here in my presence, offered to me and to my bhikshu-monks. Therefore I say, if any one after the extinction of the Tathagata, receives and keeps, reads and recites it, preaches it to others, either himself copies it, or causes others to copy it, and pays homage to the Sutra, he need no longer erect stupas and temples, or build monasteries, and make offerings to the monks. How much less he who is able to keep this Sutra and thereto add alms-giving, morality, forbearance, zeal, concentration, and wisdom. His merit will be most excellent, infinite and boundless; even as the sky which east, west, south, and north, the four intermediate directions, the zenith and nadir, is infinite and boundless, so also the merit of this man will be infinite and boundless, and he will speedily reach Perfect Knowledge. If any one reads and recites, receives and keeps this Sutra, preaches it to other people, or himself copies it, or causes others to copy it; moreover, is able to erect stupas and build monasteries, and to serve and extol the Sravaka-monks, and also with hundreds, thousands, myriads, kotis of ways of extolling, extols the merits of the Bodhisattvas; also if he to other people, with various reasonings, according to its meaning, expounds this Law-Flower Sutra; again, if he is able to keep the commandments in purity, amicably to dwell with the gentle, to endure insult without anger, to be firm in will and thought, ever to value meditation, to attain to profound concentration, zealously and boldly to support the good, to be clever and wise in ably answering difficult questionings; Ajita! again, if after my extinction, there be good sons and daughters who receive and keep, read and recite this Sutra, and who possess such excellent merits as these, you may know that those people have proceeded towards the Wisdom-terrace, and are near to Perfect Enlightenment, sitting under the tree of enlightenment. Ajita! Wherever those good sons or good daughters either sit or stand or walk, in that place you should erect a stupa; all gods and men should pay homage to it as a stupa of Buddha.”

“If any one, after my extinction, Is able to honour and keep this Sutra, His happiness will be infinite. . . . . . By this act he has made Every kind of offering And erected relic-stupas Adorned with the precious seven, . . . . . With thousands, myriads of gem-bells Stirred by the wind to mystic music, As if for numberless kalpas He had paid homage to stupas With flowers, incense, garlands. . . . . . He who is able to keep this Sutra Will be as if Buddha were present, And he, with finest sandal-wood, Built Him monasteries in service, Built them of thirty-two halls Eight Tala-trees in height, With the best of food and garments, Complete with beds for sleeping, With rooms for hundreds and thousands, With gardens, groves and bathing-pools, With walks and meditation-cells, All beautifully adorned. . . . . . Whoever does homage to it Will obtain infinite merit Boundless as the realms of Space Such will be his merit. How much more he who humbly keeps it.”“If any one, after my extinction, Is able to honour and keep this Sutra, His happiness will be infinite. . . . . . By this act he has made Every kind of offering And erected relic-stupas Adorned with the precious seven, . . . . . With thousands, myriads of gem-bells Stirred by the wind to mystic music, As if for numberless kalpas He had paid homage to stupas With flowers, incense, garlands. . . . . . He who is able to keep this Sutra Will be as if Buddha were present, And he, with finest sandal-wood, Built Him monasteries in service, Built them of thirty-two halls Eight Tala-trees in height, With the best of food and garments, Complete with beds for sleeping, With rooms for hundreds and thousands, With gardens, groves and bathing-pools, With walks and meditation-cells, All beautifully adorned. . . . . . Whoever does homage to it Will obtain infinite merit Boundless as the realms of Space Such will be his merit. How much more he who humbly keeps it.”

The indwelling Buddha is especially emphasized in the closing stanzas:The indwelling Buddha is especially emphasized in the closing stanzas:“If one meets with such a teacher, Strew him with celestial flowers, Clothe him in divine clothing, Salute him at his feet With a mind as if thinking of Buddha. . . . . . Wherever he dwells or stays, Where he walks, or sits, or lies, Or speaks but a phrase of the Sutra, In that place erect a stupa, Adorn it and make it beautiful, And in every way pay it homage. Where’er dwells a Buddha-son, That place the Buddha uses And constant within it abides, And walks and sits and reclines.”“If one meets with such a teacher, Strew him with celestial flowers, Clothe him in divine clothing, Salute him at his feet With a mind as if thinking of Buddha. . . . . . Wherever he dwells or stays, Where he walks, or sits, or lies, Or speaks but a phrase of the Sutra, In that place erect a stupa, Adorn it and make it beautiful, And in every way pay it homage. Where’er dwells a Buddha-son, That place the Buddha uses And constant within it abides, And walks and sits and reclines.”