Introduction
i.1The Sūtra of Dharmaketu, also known as Dharmaketu’s Question, is among the shortest sūtras in the Kangyur. While the Buddha Śākyamuni is staying at Prince Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s park in Śrāvastī, a bodhisattva named Dharmaketu asks him what qualities a bodhisattva requires to achieve full awakening. In his response, the Buddha enumerates ten key qualities that must be cultivated.
i.1《法幢菩薩經》，也稱為《法幢菩薩的提問》，是《甘珠爾》中最短的經典之一。當佛陀釋迦牟尼住在舍衛城的祇園精舍（阿那他槃提達的園林）時，一位名叫法幢菩薩的菩薩向他請問，菩薩需要具備什麼樣的品質才能達到圓滿的覺悟。在他的回答中，佛陀闡述了十項必須培養的關鍵品質。
i.2As noted by Peter Skilling, three of these qualities—bodhicitta, never forsaking spiritual mentors, and dwelling in seclusion—overlap with those also enjoined in The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra on the Four Factors (Caturdharmakasūtra, Toh 251, 1.4–1.8). An additional three qualities—meditative concentration, ethical conduct, and joyous effort—are among the six perfections that constitute the core of the bodhisattva path. The remaining four factors are faith, compassion, being learned in the Buddha’s teachings, and seeking out the oral instructions of masters.
i.2正如彼得·斯基林所指出的，這些特質中的三項——菩提心、不捨善知識和遠離——與《大乘四法經》中所教導的特質相重疊。另有三項特質——禪定、戒律和精進——是構成菩薩道核心的六波羅蜜之列。其餘四個因素是信、慈悲、通達佛陀教法的學識，以及尋求大師們的口頭教導。
i.3No Sanskrit version of this sūtra is to our knowledge extant, and it does not appear to have been translated into Chinese. The translators of the text into Tibetan are unknown since none of the Tibetan versions carry a colophon. It is not listed in the Phangthangma or Denkarma catalogs of Tibetan imperial period translations, nor in Chomden Rikpai Raltri’s survey of translated texts compiled in the late thirteenth century. It is, however, listed in Butön Rinchen Drup’s catalog compiled in 1322. The sūtra is preserved in both the Tshalpa and Thempangma lineage Kangyurs, although under slightly different titles.
i.3據我們所知，該經沒有梵文版本存世，也沒有被翻譯成中文。由於藏文版本中沒有任何後記，所以該經的藏文譯者身份不詳。它未被列入芳塘碼或頓喀碼的藏族帝國時期翻譯目錄中，也未出現在十三世紀末朵敦·日佩喇特瑞編纂的譯著調查中。然而，它被列在布頓·仁欽朱於1322年編纂的目錄中。該經被保存在擦巴和天磐碼兩個傳承的甘珠爾版本中，雖然標題略有不同。
i.4A recent English translation, based on the Peking Kangyur edition, has been published by Peter Skilling (2021). As noted by Skilling in his introduction, the bodhisattva Dharmaketu does not play a prominent role in Buddhist literature, although he is mentioned as a member of the audience in a number of discourses.
i.4彼得·斯基林於2021年出版了一部英文譯本，以北京版甘珠爾為基礎。如斯基林在他的導言中所述，菩薩法幢在佛教文獻中並未扮演重要角色，但在許多論述中被提及為聽眾的一員。
i.5This translation is based on the Tibetan as found in the Degé Kangyur, in consultation with the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace Kangyur. Where alternative readings have been preferred over the Degé version, that has been recorded in the notes.
i.5本翻譯以德格版甘珠爾中的藏文為基礎，並參考了對照版（《德烏瑪》）和斯托克宮版甘珠爾。凡是採用與德格版本不同的異讀，都已在註釋中記錄。