The Lotus of the Wonderful Law (W. E. Soothill, 1930)第 23 品 · Soothill 英译节本

It is probable that with the preceding chapter the author ends his religious drama, as already has been mentioned in the Introduction, to which the reader is referred. The succeeding chapters add little to the apocalyptic conception but, whether originally part of the author’s work or not, they have a value of their own as showing ideas current in Northern Buddhism early in our era.It is probable that with the preceding chapter the author ends his religious drama, as already has been mentioned in the Introduction, to which the reader is referred. The succeeding chapters add little to the apocalyptic conception but, whether originally part of the author’s work or not, they have a value of their own as showing ideas current in Northern Buddhism early in our era.

In this chapter the starry sky seems to be represented by a Bodhisattva who may be described as King of the Star-Cluster—perhaps of Ursa Major. He asks the Buddha why the Bodhisattva Medicine-King, or King of Healing, wanders for countless aeons in suffering through the worlds. To him and the assembled host the Buddha replies that, of yore, there was a Buddha named Brilliance of Sun and Moon. Amongst the incalculable entities of his realm, “no women, no hells, no hungry ghosts, no animals, no titans, no disasters” found a place. While the gods discoursed celestial music this Buddha, who seems to represent the Light, preached the Law-Flower Sutra to a Bodhisattva called Beautiful. So full of rapture did Beautiful become, that he resolved to express his gratitude by the immolation of his beautiful body. Before so doing, he partook of all the fragrance of all the flowers for twelve hundred years. Then he anointed his body with costly unguents, wrapped himself in a celestial robe, bathed in perfumed oil, and by his transcendent will set fire to his body. The brightness illuminated all worlds, the Buddhas in which acclaimed his deed as “true zeal”; “the True Law Homage to the Tathagata”; “the supreme gift”. His body continued to burn and illuminate the worlds for twelve hundred years, after which it came to an end.In this chapter the starry sky seems to be represented by a Bodhisattva who may be described as King of the Star-Cluster—perhaps of Ursa Major. He asks the Buddha why the Bodhisattva Medicine-King, or King of Healing, wanders for countless aeons in suffering through the worlds. To him and the assembled host the Buddha replies that, of yore, there was a Buddha named Brilliance of Sun and Moon. Amongst the incalculable entities of his realm, “no women, no hells, no hungry ghosts, no animals, no titans, no disasters” found a place. While the gods discoursed celestial music this Buddha, who seems to represent the Light, preached the Law-Flower Sutra to a Bodhisattva called Beautiful. So full of rapture did Beautiful become, that he resolved to express his gratitude by the immolation of his beautiful body. Before so doing, he partook of all the fragrance of all the flowers for twelve hundred years. Then he anointed his body with costly unguents, wrapped himself in a celestial robe, bathed in perfumed oil, and by his transcendent will set fire to his body. The brightness illuminated all worlds, the Buddhas in which acclaimed his deed as “true zeal”; “the True Law Homage to the Tathagata”; “the supreme gift”. His body continued to burn and illuminate the worlds for twelve hundred years, after which it came to an end.

Bodhisattva Beautiful was reborn by transformation in the domain of the same Buddha, into the home of King Virtue. He forthwith informed the King, that he had obtained the spell which enabled him to interpret the utterances of all the living; moreover that he had heard the Law-Flower Sutra in countless verses. He must needs pay his Buddha a visit of homage, and at once, seated on a lofty tower, he rose into the sky.Bodhisattva Beautiful was reborn by transformation in the domain of the same Buddha, into the home of King Virtue. He forthwith informed the King, that he had obtained the spell which enabled him to interpret the utterances of all the living; moreover that he had heard the Law-Flower Sutra in countless verses. He must needs pay his Buddha a visit of homage, and at once, seated on a lofty tower, he rose into the sky.

The Buddha thereupon announced to him his own departure: “My good son! The time of my Nirvana has come. The time of my extinction has arrived. You may arrange my bed. To-night I shall enter Parinirvana”. He committed his Law, his disciples, his realm, his relics to Beautiful, and the same night passed away. Beautiful mourned him, deeply moved and distressed; then on a costly sandal-wood pyre burnt the body, collected the relics, made eighty-four thousand precious urns and erected the same number of Stupas with richest adornment.The Buddha thereupon announced to him his own departure: “My good son! The time of my Nirvana has come. The time of my extinction has arrived. You may arrange my bed. To-night I shall enter Parinirvana”. He committed his Law, his disciples, his realm, his relics to Beautiful, and the same night passed away. Beautiful mourned him, deeply moved and distressed; then on a costly sandal-wood pyre burnt the body, collected the relics, made eighty-four thousand precious urns and erected the same number of Stupas with richest adornment.

Still unsatisfied with his devotion, he further set fire to his own arms, which burnt for seventy-two thousand years, bringing vast hosts of people to seek Perfect Enlightenment. All mourned and lamented over his burnt-off arms and deformed body. To comfort them and reveal his divine power, he restored his arms as before. The Milky Way, its disappearance and return, is suggestive of the lost arms and their reappearance.Still unsatisfied with his devotion, he further set fire to his own arms, which burnt for seventy-two thousand years, bringing vast hosts of people to seek Perfect Enlightenment. All mourned and lamented over his burnt-off arms and deformed body. To comfort them and reveal his divine power, he restored his arms as before. The Milky Way, its disappearance and return, is suggestive of the lost arms and their reappearance.

Śakyamuni is now made to say, that Beautiful has become the present Bodhisattva, the King of Healing. Such has been his example of self-immolation that, “if any one with mind set on attaining Perfect Enlightenment is able to burn a finger of his own hand, or even a toe of his foot, in homage to a Buddha’s stupa, he surpasses any other who pays homage with domain, cities, wives, and children.”Śakyamuni is now made to say, that Beautiful has become the present Bodhisattva, the King of Healing. Such has been his example of self-immolation that, “if any one with mind set on attaining Perfect Enlightenment is able to burn a finger of his own hand, or even a toe of his foot, in homage to a Buddha’s stupa, he surpasses any other who pays homage with domain, cities, wives, and children.”

This Sutra is as vast as is the ocean to the streams and rivers; as is Mount Sumeru, the great mountain of the world, to the other hills; as are the sun and moon to the stars; and, in short, “just as the Buddha is king of the laws (or of all things) so is it with this Sutra: it is King among the Sutras.”This Sutra is as vast as is the ocean to the streams and rivers; as is Mount Sumeru, the great mountain of the world, to the other hills; as are the sun and moon to the stars; and, in short, “just as the Buddha is king of the laws (or of all things) so is it with this Sutra: it is King among the Sutras.”“Just as a clear and cool pool is able to satisfy all those who are thirsty, and as is the condition of the cold who obtain a fire, the naked who find clothing, a caravan of merchants who find a leader, children who find a mother, one who at a ferry finds a boat, a sick man who finds a doctor, one in the darkness who obtains a lamp, a poor man who finds a jewel, a people who find a king, merchant-venturers who gain the sea, and a torch which dispels the darkness, so is it also in regard to this Law-Flower Sutra. It is able to deliver the living from all sufferings and diseases, and is able to unloose the bonds of mortal life.“Just as a clear and cool pool is able to satisfy all those who are thirsty, and as is the condition of the cold who obtain a fire, the naked who find clothing, a caravan of merchants who find a leader, children who find a mother, one who at a ferry finds a boat, a sick man who finds a doctor, one in the darkness who obtains a lamp, a poor man who finds a jewel, a people who find a king, merchant-venturers who gain the sea, and a torch which dispels the darkness, so is it also in regard to this Law-Flower Sutra. It is able to deliver the living from all sufferings and diseases, and is able to unloose the bonds of mortal life.

“If any one, hearing this Law-Flower Sutra, either himself copies, or causes others to copy it, the limits of the sum of merit to be obtained cannot be calculated even by Buddha-wisdom. If any one copies this Sutra and pays homage to it with flowers, scents, necklaces, incense, sandal-powder, unguents, flags, canopies, garments, and various kinds of lamps: ghee lamps, oil lamps, lamps of scented oil, lamps of Campaka oil, lamps of Samana oil, lamps of Patala oil, lamps of Varshika oil, and lamps of Navamalika oil, the merit to be obtained by him is equally inestimable.“If any one, hearing this Law-Flower Sutra, either himself copies, or causes others to copy it, the limits of the sum of merit to be obtained cannot be calculated even by Buddha-wisdom. If any one copies this Sutra and pays homage to it with flowers, scents, necklaces, incense, sandal-powder, unguents, flags, canopies, garments, and various kinds of lamps: ghee lamps, oil lamps, lamps of scented oil, lamps of Campaka oil, lamps of Samana oil, lamps of Patala oil, lamps of Varshika oil, and lamps of Navamalika oil, the merit to be obtained by him is equally inestimable.

“King of the Star-Cluster! If there be any one who hears this chapter of the Former Act of the Bodhisattva King of Healing, he will also obtain infinite and boundless merits. If there be any woman who hears this chapter of the Former Deed of the Bodhisattva King of Healing, and is able to receive and keep it, she, after the end of her present woman’s body, will not again receive it. If, after the extinction of the Buddha, in the last five hundred years, there be any woman who hears this Sutra and acts according to its teaching; at the close of this life she will go to the Happy World where Amitayus Buddha dwells, encompassed by his host of great Bodhisattvas, and will there be born in the midst of a lotus-flower upon a jewelled throne. Never again will he (the transformed woman) be harassed by desire, nor be harassed by anger and foolishness, nor again be harassed by pride, envy, or uncleanness, but will attain to transcendent powers and the Assurance of No-rebirth; and having obtained this assurance, the organ of the eye will be serene, by which serene organ of the eye he will see seven million two thousand kotis of nayutas of Buddha-Tathagatas, equal to the sands of the Ganges river, when these Buddhas from afar will unite in lauding him, saying: ‘Excellent, excellent! Good son! You have been able to receive and keep, read and recite, and ponder on this Sutra of the Law of Śakyamuni Buddha and to expound it to others. The blessed merit you have obtained is infinite and boundless; fire cannot burn it, water cannot wash it away. Your merit is beyond the power of a thousand Buddhas to explain. You have now been able to destroy the Mara-marauders, to overthrow the hostile forces of mortality, and to crush out all other enemies. Good son! Hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, with their transcendent powers, together guard and protect you. Among the gods and men of all worlds none can equal you, except the Tathagata.”“King of the Star-Cluster! If there be any one who hears this chapter of the Former Act of the Bodhisattva King of Healing, he will also obtain infinite and boundless merits. If there be any woman who hears this chapter of the Former Deed of the Bodhisattva King of Healing, and is able to receive and keep it, she, after the end of her present woman’s body, will not again receive it. If, after the extinction of the Buddha, in the last five hundred years, there be any woman who hears this Sutra and acts according to its teaching; at the close of this life she will go to the Happy World where Amitayus Buddha dwells, encompassed by his host of great Bodhisattvas, and will there be born in the midst of a lotus-flower upon a jewelled throne. Never again will he (the transformed woman) be harassed by desire, nor be harassed by anger and foolishness, nor again be harassed by pride, envy, or uncleanness, but will attain to transcendent powers and the Assurance of No-rebirth; and having obtained this assurance, the organ of the eye will be serene, by which serene organ of the eye he will see seven million two thousand kotis of nayutas of Buddha-Tathagatas, equal to the sands of the Ganges river, when these Buddhas from afar will unite in lauding him, saying: ‘Excellent, excellent! Good son! You have been able to receive and keep, read and recite, and ponder on this Sutra of the Law of Śakyamuni Buddha and to expound it to others. The blessed merit you have obtained is infinite and boundless; fire cannot burn it, water cannot wash it away. Your merit is beyond the power of a thousand Buddhas to explain. You have now been able to destroy the Mara-marauders, to overthrow the hostile forces of mortality, and to crush out all other enemies. Good son! Hundreds of thousands of Buddhas, with their transcendent powers, together guard and protect you. Among the gods and men of all worlds none can equal you, except the Tathagata.”

* * * * ** * * * *Any one who receives this chapter will “ever breathe out the fragrance of the blue lotus flower, and out of the pores of his body will come fragrance of sandal-wood”. Such is the symbolic way of presenting the fragrant life. “If a man be sick, on hearing this Sutra his sickness will instantly disappear, and he will neither grow old nor die.” The implication may be that the man is spirit and therefore cannot grow old and die.Any one who receives this chapter will “ever breathe out the fragrance of the blue lotus flower, and out of the pores of his body will come fragrance of sandal-wood”. Such is the symbolic way of presenting the fragrant life. “If a man be sick, on hearing this Sutra his sickness will instantly disappear, and he will neither grow old nor die.” The implication may be that the man is spirit and therefore cannot grow old and die.

Finally the Tathagata Abundant Treasures, from the Celestial Shrine, praises the King of the Star-cluster for having been able to obtain from Śakyamuni Buddha “such things as these, and thereby infinitely benefit all the living”.Finally the Tathagata Abundant Treasures, from the Celestial Shrine, praises the King of the Star-cluster for having been able to obtain from Śakyamuni Buddha “such things as these, and thereby infinitely benefit all the living”.