The Translation
[F.307.b]
1.1Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
1.1恭敬禮敬一切佛陀和菩薩。
1.2Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying at Ṛṣipatana Deer Park near Vārāṇasī, with an assembly of some seven hundred monks and many bodhisattva great beings. At dawn, the Blessed One donned his upper and lower robes, picked up his alms bowl, and went on an alms round through Vārāṇasī together with his attendant monk, the venerable Ānanda, and the bodhisattva great being Ajita.
1.2我是這樣聽聞的。當時世尊正住在波羅奈的仙人論處鹿野苑，與七百位僧侶和許多菩薩大士的集會在一起。天亮時，世尊穿上上下兩件袈裟，拿起缽盂，與他的侍者僧、尊者阿難，以及菩薩大士阿逸多一起在波羅奈進行乞食遊化。
1.3As the Blessed One went steadily through the city of Vārāṇasī gathering alms, he arrived at the house of a brahmin woman by the name of Śrīmatī. As the Blessed One stayed to one side waiting for alms, Śrīmatī the brahmin woman saw from afar that the Blessed One was beautiful and inspiring, his senses at peace, and his heart at peace. He was gentle. He had arrived at tranquility; he had arrived at supreme tranquility. He was serene, peaceful, and well guarded. His senses were tamed and, without a trace of wickedness, he glowed with a fine complexion. Still and clear like a lake, elevated and unshakable like a golden offering post, he was unmoving, and due to the splendor of his attainment, he blazed, shone, and glowed with brilliance. Seeing this, Śrīmatī the brahmin woman was inspired and went to him. She paid homage at the feet of the Blessed One and the bodhisattva great being Ajita. “Welcome, Blessed One,” she said, bowing toward the Blessed One with joined palms. [F.308.a] “Welcome. Please be seated on the seat we have set out for you.”
1.3當世尊穩步在波羅奈城中乞食時，來到了一位名叫室利摩底的婆羅門女的家門口。世尊駐足一旁等待施食，室利摩底婆羅門女從遠處看見世尊相貌莊嚴，令人景仰，諸根寧靜，心意平和。他溫和柔善，已至寧靜，已至最高的寧靜。他安詳、和悅、守護完好。他的諸根已被調伏，沒有絲毫惡意，以清淨的膚色光彩照人。如同湖水一樣澄靜清澈，如同黃金供養柱一樣高聳而不可動搖，他靜止不動，因其成就的殊勝，而發出光芒、閃耀、照耀著光輝。見此情景，室利摩底婆羅門女深受鼓舞，前去迎接。她在世尊和菩薩阿逸多的足下禮拜。「世尊歡迎光臨，」她向世尊合掌躬身說道，「歡迎。請坐在我們為您準備的座位上。」
1.4The Blessed One and the bodhisattva great being Ajita took their respective seats. Seeing that the Blessed One and the bodhisattva great being Ajita were comfortably seated, Śrīmatī the brahmin woman bowed toward the Blessed One with joined palms and said, “Blessed One, I have heard that the Blessed One turned the wheel of Dharma at Ṛṣipatana Deer Park near the city of Vārāṇasī. Blessed One, what Dharma did the Blessed One teach?”
1.4世尊和菩薩大士阿逸多各自坐好。室利摩底婆羅門女見世尊和菩薩大士阿逸多都坐得很舒適，於是向世尊合掌禮拜，說道：「世尊，我聽說世尊在波羅奈城附近的仙人論處鹿野苑轉過法輪。世尊，世尊教授了什麼法呢？」
1.5The Blessed One answered Śrīmatī the brahmin woman, “Śrīmatī, it is this: Through the condition of ignorance, there are formations. Through the condition of formations, there is consciousness. Through the condition of consciousness, there is name and form. Through the condition of name and form, there are the six sense sources. Through the condition of the six sense sources, there is contact. Through the condition of contact, there is sensation. Through the condition of sensation, there is craving. Through the condition of craving, there is grasping. Through the condition of grasping, there is becoming. Through the condition of becoming, there is rebirth. Through the condition of rebirth, there is old age and death, as well as sorrow, misery, suffering, mental anguish, and agitation. In this way, only great heaps of suffering come about.
1.5世尊回答室利摩底婆羅門女說：「室利摩底，就是這樣：以無明為條件，就有行。以行為條件，就有識。以識為條件，就有名色。以名色為條件，就有六入。以六入為條件，就有觸。以觸為條件，就有受。以受為條件，就有愛。以愛為條件，就有取。以取為條件，就有有。以有為條件，就有生。以生為條件，就有老死，以及憂、悲、苦、惱、不悅等。就這樣，只有大量的苦蘊生起。」
1.6“With the cessation of ignorance, formations cease. With the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases. With the cessation of consciousness, name and form cease. With the cessation of name and form, the six sense sources cease. With the cessation of the six sense sources, contact ceases. With the cessation of contact, sensation ceases. With the cessation of sensation, craving ceases. With the cessation of craving, grasping ceases. With the cessation of grasping, becoming ceases. With the cessation of becoming, rebirth ceases. [F.308.b] With the cessation of rebirth, old age and death, as well as sorrow, misery, suffering, mental anguish, and agitation, cease. In only this way will the great heap of suffering cease.
1.6「無明滅則行滅，行滅則識滅，識滅則名色滅，名色滅則六入滅，六入滅則觸滅，觸滅則受滅，受滅則愛滅，愛滅則取滅，取滅則有滅，有滅則生滅，生滅則老死滅，及憂、悲、苦、惱、擾亦滅。唯有如斯，大苦堆聚方得息滅。」
1.7“This, Śrīmatī, is the wheel of Dharma that has never before been rightfully turned in the world by any mendicant, brahmin, god, demon, or brahmā, but was turned by the Thus-Gone One here at Ṛṣipatana Deer Park near the city of Vārāṇasī.”
1.7「室利摩底，這就是法輪。在此之前，世間上任何沙門、婆羅門、天神、魔鬼或梵天都沒有正確地轉過這個法輪，只有如來在波羅奈城附近的仙人論處鹿野苑這裡轉過它。」
1.8Śrīmatī the brahmin woman asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, is ignorance something internal or something external?”
1.8室利摩底婆羅門女問世尊說：「世尊，無明是內在的東西，還是外在的東西？」
The Blessed One responded, “It is neither, Śrīmatī.”
世尊說：「室利摩底，不是這樣。」
1.9“Blessed One, if ignorance is neither internal nor external, then how does something nonexistent act as a condition for formations? Are there any phenomena that are beyond this world, Blessed One?”
1.9「世尊，如果無明既不是內在的也不是外在的，那麼不存在的東西如何能成為行的條件呢？世尊，是否存在超越這個世界的現象呢？」
“There are not, Śrīmatī.”
「室利摩底，沒有。」
1.10“Blessed One, does ignorance have features?”
1.10「世尊，無明有特徵嗎？」
“It does not, Śrīmatī,” the Blessed One replied. “Ignorance comes about in a false manner, Śrīmatī; it does not come about in a true manner. Ignorance comes about in a mistaken manner, Śrīmatī; it does not come about in an unmistaken manner.”
「室利摩底，無明不具有特徵，」世尊回答說。「室利摩底，無明以虛假的方式而生起；它並不以真實的方式而生起。室利摩底，無明以錯誤的方式而生起；它並不以無誤的方式而生起。」
1.11“Blessed One, if ignorance is nonexistent then where do formations come from? And where does suffering come from? Blessed One, let me share an analogy. If a banyan tree has no roots, how do its boughs, leaves, and branches develop? In a similar manner, Blessed One, if ignorance has not come into being and is not existent, how can it act as the condition for formations?”
1.11「世尊，如果無明不存在，那麼行從何而來？苦又從何而來？世尊，讓我舉個比喻。如果榕樹沒有根，它的枝條、葉子和分枝怎麼會生長呢？同樣地，世尊，如果無明還沒有生起、不存在，它怎麼能作為行的條件呢？」
1.12“Indeed, Śrīmatī,” replied the Blessed One, “all phenomena are empty of inherent characteristics. [F.309.a] Nevertheless, childish, ordinary beings who lack learning, knowledge, and realization bring about the formation of karma. Through this karma, cyclic existence manifests, and due to cyclic existence, these beings end up experiencing suffering. But there is no one who forms karma nor is there any act of manifesting cyclic existence. This is the ultimate nature of phenomena. However, Śrīmatī, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddhas, being concerned with how beings can realize the ultimate nature, resort to convention to teach beings the Dharma. However, Śrīmatī, convention is not true. Why not? Because there is no one to comprehend it and no act of coming to understand it.
1.12「的確如此，室利摩底，」世尊回答說，「一切現象都無自性。然而，那些缺乏學習、知識和證悟的凡夫俗子形成了業。通過這個業，輪迴顯現，由於輪迴，這些眾生最終經歷苦難。但是沒有人形成業，也沒有顯現輪迴的行為。這是現象的究竟義。然而，室利摩底，如來、應供、正等正覺的佛陀，關心眾生如何能夠證悟究竟義，所以採用世俗的方式向眾生說法。但是，室利摩底，世俗並非真實。為什麼呢？因為沒有人去理解它，也沒有領悟的行為。」
1.13“Take the following analogy, Śrīmatī. The Thus-Gone One projects an emanation of himself which then, in turn, projects an emanation of itself. The emanation projected by the Thus-Gone One is hollow, that is, of a false and deceptive nature. The emanation projected by the emanation is also hollow, that is, of a false and deceptive nature. In a similar manner, Śrīmatī, that which conditions phenomena is hollow, that is, of a false and deceptive nature. The conditioned phenomena are also hollow, that is, of a false and deceptive nature.”
1.13「室利摩底，請聽一個比喻。如來化現一個身相，這個身相又化現另一個身相。如來所化現的身相是虛幻的，也就是說，具有虛假欺誑的性質。由身相所化現的身相也是虛幻的，也就是說，具有虛假欺誑的性質。同樣地，室利摩底，作為條件的法是虛幻的，也就是說，具有虛假欺誑的性質。被條件所制約的法也是虛幻的，也就是說，具有虛假欺誑的性質。」
1.14“It is so,” she replied. “The Blessed One has turned the wheel of emptiness, the wheel of emancipation, the wheel of certainty, the wheel of inconceivability, the wheel unturned, the wheel of the incomparable, the wheel just as it is, the wheel of birthlessness, the wheel of the unreal, and the wheel of the absence of characteristics.”
1.14「就是這樣，」她回答道，「世尊已經轉動了空的法輪、解脫的法輪、確定的法輪、不可思議的法輪、未轉動的法輪、無與倫比的法輪、如實的法輪、無生的法輪、非實的法輪，以及無相的法輪。」
1.15Then Śrīmatī the brahmin woman took a handful of sandalwood powder, sprinkled it on the Blessed One’s feet, and said, [F.309.b] “Blessed One, by this root of virtue, may I too in the future turn the wheel of Dharma in that way—the wheel of emptiness, the wheel of emancipation, the wheel of certainty, the wheel of inconceivability, the wheel unturned, the wheel of the incomparable, the wheel just as it is, the wheel of birthlessness, the wheel of the unreal, and the wheel of the absence of characteristics.”
1.15於是室利摩底婆羅門女取一把檀香粉，灑在世尊的雙足上，說道：「世尊，藉由這個福根，願我未來也能以同樣的方式轉法輪——空的法輪、解脫的法輪、確定的法輪、不可思議的法輪、未轉的法輪、無上的法輪、如實的法輪、無生的法輪、非實的法輪，以及無相的法輪。」
1.16At this, the Blessed One smiled. As is the nature of the blessed buddhas when they smile, as he smiled, lights of many colors—blue, white, red, crimson, and the colors of crystal and silver—streamed from his mouth, filling and illuminating worlds without end all the way up to the Brahmā realms, before returning, circling the Blessed One three times, and dissolving into the crown of his head.
1.16此時，世尊微笑。如同諸佛的本性，當他微笑時，從他的口中射出許多顏色的光芒——青色、白色、紅色、深紅色，以及水晶和白銀的顏色——充滿並照亮無邊無際的世界，直至梵天界，然後返回，繞著世尊轉了三圈，最後融入他的頭頂。
1.17Then the bodhisattva great being Ajita said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One! Thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddhas do not smile without cause and condition. What, then, are the causes and conditions for your smile?”
1.17那時菩薩大士阿逸多對世尊說：「世尊！如來、應供、正等覺的佛陀不會無因無緣地微笑。那麼，您微笑的因緣是什麼呢？」
1.18“Ajita,” he replied, “did you see Śrīmatī the brahmin woman take a handful of sandalwood powder and sprinkle it on the Blessed One’s feet?”
1.18「阿逸多，你看到室利摩底婆羅門女取了一把檀香粉，灑在世尊的腳上了嗎？」
“I did, Blessed One. I saw it, Well-Gone One.”
「世尊，我看到了。善逝，我看到了。」
1.19“Ajita,” the Blessed One continued, “through her roots of virtue, this brahmin woman will not fall back into the lower realms for eight hundred and forty million eons. She will honor, venerate, respect, and worship sixty-four thousand buddhas. She will listen to the Dharma from them, she will retain what she hears, and she will fully master the true Dharma. [F.310.a] She will greatly worship the thus-gone ones who are present and those who have passed into parinirvāṇa. She will place countless, innumerable beings in the state of awakening. In a future life, during the eon known as Self-Luminous, she will appear in this great trichiliocosm as a thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha known as Luminous Dharma, whose lifespan will be equal to a thousand eons, and, after working for the benefit of countless, innumerable beings, she will pass into parinirvāṇa—the expanse of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates.”
1.19「阿逸多，這位婆羅門女人以她的善根功德，在八億四千萬劫當中都不會墮入下三道。她將恭敬、禮拜、尊重並供養六萬四千位佛陀。她將從他們那裡聽聞法，記住所聽聞的教法，並圓滿掌握真正的法。她將大力供養現在的如來以及已般涅槃的如來。她將使無數無量的眾生證得覺悟。在未來世，於名為自光明劫的時代，她將在這大三千大千世界中示現為一位如來、應供、正等覺者，名號為光明法佛，壽命等於一千劫，在為無數無量的眾生工作利益之後，她將般涅槃——進入不含任何蘊的涅槃境界。」
1.20Then the bodhisattva great being Ajita asked the Blessed One, “Did Śrīmatī the brahmin woman previously possess other roots of virtue?”
1.20那時菩薩大士阿逸多問世尊：「室利摩底婆羅門女以前還有其他的善根嗎？」
1.21“She did, Ajita,” he replied. “In her desire for unsurpassed and perfect awakening, Śrīmatī the brahmin woman, in a previous life as a woman, offered a garland of flowers to the Thus-Gone One Vipaśyin. She also offered robes to the Thus-Gone One Śikhin and went forth as a renunciant in his teaching, practiced the holy life for a thousand years, and questioned that blessed one on profound topics. She offered food to the Thus-Gone One Viśvabhū and his assembly of hearers, serving them to their satisfaction. She scattered atimuktaka flowers before the Thus-Gone One Krakucchanda and from that blessed one received the five basic precepts. To the Thus-Gone One Kanakamuni she offered garments, meals, bedding, curative medicines, and supplies throughout his life. That blessed one partook of her meals for two months and she also offered him a pair of sandals. [F.310.b] In her desire for unsurpassed and perfect awakening, she threw a golden rosary before the Thus-Gone One Kāśyapa and made the aspiration, ‘Until I am prophesied to reach unsurpassed and perfect awakening, I will not inhabit any other form than that of a woman.’ These, Ajita, are the past roots of virtue of Śrīmatī the brahmin woman.”
1.21「是的，阿逸多，」世尊回答道，「室利摩底婆羅門女為了追求無上正等覺，在前世作為女身時，曾向如來毘婆尸佛獻上一座花鬘。她還向如來尸棄佛獻上衣服，並在他的教法中出家，修行梵行一千年，並向那位世尊請問深奧的法義。她向如來毘舍婆佛及其聲聞大眾獻上飲食，殷勤服侍至其滿足。她在如來拘留孫佛面前散灑阿提木多迦華，並從那位世尊受持五戒。她向如來迦葉佛獻上衣服、飲食、卧具、醫藥和日常用品，直到他生命的終結。那位世尊食用了她的供養達兩個月之久，她還獻上了一雙鞋履。在追求無上正等覺的願心中，她在如來迦葉佛面前投擲了一串金珠，並發願道：『直到我被預言將達到無上正等覺，我不願轉生為任何其他身形，唯願住於女身。』阿逸多，這些就是室利摩底婆羅門女過去世的善根。」
1.22After the Blessed One had spoken thus, the bodhisattva great being Ajita, Śrīmatī the brahmin woman, and the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas all rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
1.22世尊說完這些話後，菩薩摩訶薩阿逸多、婆羅門女室利摩底，以及包括天神、人類、阿修羅和乾闥婆的世間眾生，都歡喜踴躍，讚歎世尊所說的言教。
1.23This concludes the noble Mahāyāna sūtra “The Questions of Śrīmatī the Brahmin Woman.”
1.23（結尾）