The Translation
[F.293.a]
1.1Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas. [F.293.b]
1.1敬禮一切佛陀和菩薩。
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying in Śrāvastī, in Prince Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s park, along with a great saṅgha of 1,250 monks and many thousands of bodhisattvas.
我這樣聽聞過。薄伽梵當時住在舍衛城，在給孤獨園，與一千二百五十位比丘組成的大僧團以及數千位菩薩在一起。
1.2Venerable Ānanda rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground, and bowing toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, are thus-gone, worthy, perfectly complete buddhas limitless? Blessed One, do thus-gone, worthy, perfectly complete buddhas possess limitless good qualities?”
1.2尊者阿難從座位上起身，將上衣披在一肩，右膝跪地，向薄伽梵合掌禮拜，請問薄伽梵說：「薄伽梵，正等正覺佛是否數量無限？薄伽梵，正等正覺佛是否具備無限的功德？」
1.3The Blessed One replied to Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, thus-gone, worthy, perfectly complete buddhas are limitless. Ānanda, thus-gone, worthy, perfectly complete buddhas possess limitless good qualities.”
1.3薄伽梵回答尊者阿難說：「阿難，如來、阿羅漢、正等正覺佛是無邊無際的。阿難，如來、阿羅漢、正等正覺佛具有無邊無際的善妙功德。」
1.4Venerable Ānanda then asked the Blessed One a second time, “Blessed One, are thus-gone, worthy, perfectly complete buddhas limitless? Blessed One, do thus-gone, worthy, perfectly complete buddhas possess limitless good qualities?”
1.4尊者阿難又向薄伽梵提出第二次提問："薄伽梵，正等正覺佛是無量的嗎？薄伽梵，正等正覺佛具有無量的功德嗎？"
1.5The Blessed One replied to Venerable Ānanda a second, and also a third time, “Yes, Ānanda, [F.294.a] thus-gone, worthy, perfectly complete buddhas are limitless. Yes, Ānanda, thus-gone, worthy, perfectly complete buddhas possess limitless good qualities.
1.5薄伽梵再次向尊者阿難重複回答，並在第三次時說道：「是的，阿難，如來、阿羅漢、正等正覺佛是無量的。是的，阿難，如來、阿羅漢、正等正覺佛具有無量的功德。」
1.6“Ānanda, do you wish to hear of the limitlessness of thus-gone ones, to know about the range of thus-gone ones, and to know of the good qualities of thus-gone ones?”
1.6「阿難，你願意聽聞如來的無邊性、了解如來的境界範圍，以及認識如來的功德嗎？」
1.7“Yes, Blessed One, please teach the monks,” Venerable Ānanda replied. “Please teach us, Well-Gone One. If the monks hear it from you directly, they will retain it well.”
1.7「好的，薄伽梵，請為比丘們講述，」尊者阿難回答說，「請為我們講述，善逝。如果比丘們直接從您這裡聽到，他們會記住得很好。」
1.8The Blessed One then asked Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, do you know the miraculous powers with which Mahāmaudgalyāyana can travel in the cardinal and intermediate directions?”
1.8薄伽梵於是問阿難尊者說：「阿難，你知道大目犍連具有什麼樣的神通，能夠在十方遊行嗎？」
1.9Ānanda replied, “Please tell us, Blessed One. With what miraculous powers does Mahāmaudgalyāyana travel in the cardinal and intermediate directions? Well-Gone One, please teach us.”
1.9阿難回答說：「薄伽梵，請為我們說明。大目犍連以什麼神通在四方八方遊行呢？善逝，請為我們開示。」
1.10“Ānanda, I will illustrate it for you by means of an analogy,” said the Blessed One. “Why? Because, Ānanda, learned people reach understanding through analogies. Ānanda, take the analogy of a pool measuring eight thousand leagues. It is so filled with water that a crow can drink from it, it is of equal depth on all sides, and it is covered with lotus leaves. Over this pool someone then rides an iron chariot pulled by fine horses that are stronger than the wind. They race with such power, force, and speed that the wooden rims of the wheels do not even touch the water, nor do the horses’ hooves touch the water, and the lotus leaves are not crushed by the horses’ hooves, not even slightly. [F.294.b] Ānanda, if a poisonous snake were to appear from that pool and coil itself around the chariot eight times before the chariot had left the lake, well, Ānanda, in the time it took to coil itself just once around that chariot, you can give eight kinds of Dharma teaching and make them understood. But in the time it takes you, Ānanda, to utter one word, Mahāmaudgalyāyana can give eight kinds of Dharma teaching and make them understood. However, Ānanda, in the time it takes Mahāmaudgalyāyana to utter one word, the elder Śāradvatīputra can give eight kinds of Dharma teaching and make them understood. Similarly, in the time it takes the elder Śāradvatīputra to utter one word, a pratyekabuddha can give innumerable kinds of Dharma teaching. And in the time it takes a pratyekabuddha to utter one word, a bodhisattva can give unutterably and inconceivably innumerable kinds of Dharma teaching and make them understood. Well, Ānanda, in the time it takes a bodhisattva to utter just one word, the elder Mahāmaudgalyāyana can traverse eighty thousand world systems.
1.10「阿難，我用比喻來為你說明，」薄伽梵說。「為什麼呢？阿難，有學問的人通過比喻能夠獲得理解。阿難，想像有一個池塘，面積寬廣八千由旬。它裡面裝滿了水，水量足夠讓烏鴉飲用，四周的水深都相等，池面覆蓋著蓮葉。有人駕著由駿馬拉動的鐵製戰車在池上奔馳，這些馬比風還強壯有力。他們以極大的力量、威勢和速度奔馳，使得車輪的木質輪圈沒有接觸到水，馬的蹄子也沒有接觸到水，蓮葉甚至沒有被馬蹄踩壞，即使最輕微的損傷都沒有。阿難，假如一條毒蛇從那個池塘裡出現，在戰車離開湖面之前纏繞戰車八圈，那麼阿難，在毒蛇纏繞戰車一圈的時間裡，你能夠傳授八種法的教導，並使他人理解。但是阿難，在你說出一個字的時間裡，大目犍連能夠傳授八種法的教導並使他人理解。然而阿難，在大目犍連說出一個字的時間裡，長老舍利弗能夠傳授八種法的教導並使他人理解。同樣地，在長老舍利弗說出一個字的時間裡，獨覺能夠傳授無數種法的教導。而在獨覺說出一個字的時間裡，菩薩能夠傳授無法言說且難以思議的無數種法的教導，並使他人理解。阿難，在菩薩說出僅僅一個字的時間裡，長老大目犍連能夠遍歷八萬個世界。
1.11“Ānanda, imagine if one who has developed such a miraculous ability traveled in this way in the eastern direction for seven days and nights without rest, through however many world systems there may be; and then, in the same way, traveled to the south, to the west, and to the north; and likewise for seven days and nights without rest to the southeast, to the southwest, to the northwest, the northeast, and likewise in the upward and downward directions. Then, imagine someone enclosed all of those world systems in the ten directions within a fence, and, having leveled the ground and cleared it of rocks, stones, gravel, and debris, [F.295.a] made it into a single city, and filled it right to the top with mustard seeds. Well, Ānanda, I see beings embarked upon awakening in world systems even more numerous than the number of mustard seeds in that city. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas engaging in bodhisattva conduct. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas taking birth among the gods of the Heaven of Joy. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas seated among the gods of the Heaven of Joy. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas dying among the gods of the Heaven of Joy. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas entering their mothers’ wombs. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas emerging from their mothers’ wombs. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas engaged in child’s play. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas abandoning their kingdoms and going forth as renunciants. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas demonstrating the practice of austerities. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas proceeding towards the seat of awakening. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas gazing upon the seat of awakening. In world systems even more numerous than that, [F.295.b] I see bodhisattvas circumambulating the seat of awakening three times with the utmost devotion and respect. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas seated at the seat of awakening. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas seated before the Bodhi tree. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas who will completely realize unsurpassed and perfectly complete awakening. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see bodhisattvas who have completely realized unsurpassed and perfectly complete awakening. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see blessed buddhas turning the wheel of Dharma. In world systems even more numerous than that, I see blessed buddhas displaying the great parinirvāṇa.
1.11「阿難，想像一位具備這樣神通能力的人，向東方遊行七天七夜不休息，經過所有可能存在的世界；然後以同樣的方式向南方、向西方、向北方遊行；同樣地向東南方、西南方、西北方、東北方，以及向上和向下的方向遊行七天七夜不休息。再想像有人把十方所有的世界都圍在一個柵欄內，並平整地面、清除岩石、碎石、沙粒和瓦礫，將其變成一個城市，然後用芥菜籽填滿整個城市。阿難，我看到在世界的數量上比那個城市中的芥菜籽還要多的世界裡，有許多眾生正在踏上覺悟之道。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩在從事菩薩行。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩在兜率天中投生。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩坐在兜率天的諸天之中。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩在兜率天中死去。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩進入母親的子宮。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩從母親的子宮中出生。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩在從事童年的遊戲。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩捨棄王國而出家。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩在修行苦行。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩朝著菩提座前進。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩凝視著菩提座。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩懷著最高的虔誠和敬意，三次繞行菩提座。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩坐在菩提座上。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩坐在菩提樹前。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩將要圓滿實現無上和究竟圓滿的覺悟。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到菩薩已經圓滿實現無上和究竟圓滿的覺悟。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到佛陀轉動法輪。在數量更多的世界裡，我看到佛陀示現大般涅槃。」
1.12“All of these are merely those bodhisattvas with fitting names and fitting family lineages, which is not to mention those great bodhisattvas, in whichever world systems, with different names and different family lineages, who are renouncing, who are proceeding toward the seat of awakening, who are gazing upon the seat of awakening, who are circumambulating the seat of awakening, who are seated at the seat of awakening, who are seated before the Bodhi tree, who are completely awakened and have turned the wheel of Dharma, and who are displaying the great parinirvāṇa.”
1.12「這些僅是那些名號相應、族姓相應的菩薩而已，何況那些大菩薩，在各種世界中，具有不同的名號和不同的族姓，他們正在出家、正在趣向菩提座、正在凝視菩提座、正在繞菩提座、正在菩提座上安坐、正在菩提樹前安坐、已經覺悟並轉動法輪，以及正在示現大般涅槃的菩薩。」
1.13Venerable Ānanda then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, are there any world systems in which blessed buddhas do not appear? [F.296.a] Are there any world systems in which bodhisattvas do not engage in bodhisattva conduct?”
1.13尊者阿難隨後問薄伽梵說：「薄伽梵，有沒有沒有佛陀出現的世界？有沒有菩薩不從事菩薩行的世界？」
1.14The Blessed One replied, “To draw an analogy Ānanda, in those world systems that I have spoken of, the appearance of blessed buddhas, and bodhisattvas who engage in bodhisattva conduct, is as rare, Ānanda, as gold dust among the sands of the great ocean or the sands of the river Gaṅgā. Ānanda, the appearance of blessed buddhas in any world system, and world systems in which bodhisattvas engage in bodhisattva conduct, are as rare as this. Ānanda, world systems in which blessed buddhas appear, and in which bodhisattvas engage in bodhisattva conduct, are as uncommon as someone finding a single grain of gold among all the sands of the great ocean or the sands of the river Gaṅgā.”
1.14薄伽梵回答說：「阿難，以比喻來說，在我所說過的那些世界中，佛陀的出現以及從事菩薩行的菩薩，阿難，就像大海的沙粒或恆河沙粒中的金粉一樣稀有。阿難，任何世界中佛陀的出現，以及菩薩從事菩薩行的世界，都像這樣稀有。阿難，有佛陀出現、有菩薩從事菩薩行的世界，就像有人在大海的所有沙粒或恆河沙粒中找到單一金粒一樣罕見。」
1.15Thus spoke the Blessed One, and Venerable Ānanda, together with the monks and bodhisattvas, as well as the world of gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
1.15薄伽梵如是說已，尊者阿難與諸比丘、菩薩及諸天、人、阿修羅、乾闥婆眾，皆歡喜讚歎薄伽梵所說。
1.16This concludes the noble Mahāyāna sūtra “Like Gold Dust.”
1.16（結尾）