Introduction
i.1The Dhāraṇī “Heap of Flowers” is a text that has had considerable influence. In India, it was quoted by Śāntideva and his followers; in China, it was preserved in at least four translations; and in Tibet it has been popular since the Imperial Period.
i.1《華積陀羅尼》是一部影響力很大的經文。在印度，它被寂天及其追隨者引用；在中國，至少保存了四個版本的譯本；在西藏，從帝國時期以來就一直很受歡迎。
i.2The dhāraṇī and the discourse that frames it is delivered by Buddha Śākyamuni at Lake Anavatapta, prompted by a question from the bodhisattva Siṃhavikrīḍita who wishes to know what amount of merit is gained by worshiping a buddha. The Buddha replies by slightly rebuking Siṃhavikrīḍita: since the qualities of the buddhas are endless, so too is the merit gained by worshiping them. Moreover, it does not matter whether those buddhas are directly present in reality or are present in the form of a caitya containing a small relic. Nor does it matter how precious the offering is (although a long list of appropriate offerings is provided). What truly matters is the positive mental attitude of the worshiper, both when making the offering and after the act. After this discourse, the Buddha teaches the dhāraṇī meant to enhance the act of worship, and explains its benefits.
i.2釋迦牟尼佛在阿那婆達多湖宣說這部陀羅尼及其前導的開示。菩薩師子遊戲菩薩提出了一個問題，想知道禮拜佛陀能獲得多少福德，這引發了本次宣說。佛陀略微責備了師子遊戲菩薩：由於諸佛的功德無邊無際，所以禮拜他們所獲得的福德也是無邊無際的。而且，無論這些佛陀是直接以真實的形象現前，還是以含有小舍利的支提的形式現前，都沒有區別。禮物的珍貴程度也不重要，儘管經文列舉了一長串恰當的供養物品。真正重要的是禮拜者的良好精神態度，無論是在做供養時還是在行為之後。在這個開示之後，佛陀宣說了用來增强禮拜行為的陀羅尼，並解釋了它的利益。
i.3We have not been able to find the original Sanskrit text in its entirety, but large and significant parts are preserved in Śāntideva’s Śikṣāsamuccaya (Toh 3940) and Prajñākaramati’s Bodhicaryāvatārapañjikā (Toh 3872).
i.3我們尚未能找到完整的梵文原文，但大量重要的篇章保存在寂天的《學集論》（Toh 3940）和智慧光的《入菩薩行論釋》（Toh 3872）中。
i.4The Tibetan translation is recorded in the imperial catalogs and we know of at least one fragment from the Dunhuang manuscript hoard, which was copied on the back of a Chinese scroll that contained a translation of the Diamond Sūtra (Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā). In the Degé Kangyur, the text is included in both the Tantra section (Toh 516) and the Compendium of Dhāraṇīs (Toh 886). The translators are not identified in these sources, but according to Butön Rinchen Drup (bu ston rin chen grub, 1290–1364), the dhāraṇī was translated by the well-known Tibetan scholar-monk, Yeshé Dé (ye shes sde).
i.4藏文譯本被記載在帝國目錄中，我們至少知道有一份敦煌手稿庫中的片段，是抄寫在一份包含《金剛經》譯文的中文卷軸的背面。在德格版大藏經中，該文本被收錄在密續部分（Toh 516）和陀羅尼集（Toh 886）中。這些文獻來源中並未標明譯者身份，但根據布頓仁欽竹（1290–1364）的說法，該陀羅尼由著名的藏傳學者僧侶業師德翻譯。
i.5The earliest of the four Chinese translations is 華積陀羅尼神呪經 (Taisho 1356, Huaji tuoluoni shenzhou jing), which is said to be the work of Zhi Qian and held to be of venerable antiquity (ca. 220–30 ᴄᴇ), but this attribution seems to be quite doubtful. This Chinese version is quite close to the Tibetan translation. The next two Chinese translations, 師子奮迅菩薩所問經 (Shizi fenxun pusa suowen jing, Taisho 1357) and 花聚陀羅尼呪經 (Huaju tuoluoni zhou jing, Taisho 1358), are the works of unknown translators from around the fourth or fifth century. The latest of the Chinese translations, 花積樓閣陀羅尼經 (Huaji louge tuoluoni jing, Taisho 1359), is the work of the famous Dānapāla, whose prolific output was sponsored by the Northern Song court around the turn of the first millennium.
i.5四部漢譯中最早的是《華積陀羅尼神呪經》（大正藏1356，支謙譯），據說成書於遠古時代（約西元220–30年），但這個歸屬似乎相當值得懷疑。這個漢譯版本與藏文譯本相當接近。接下來的兩部漢譯，《師子奮迅菩薩所問經》（獅子奮迅菩薩所問經，大正藏1357）和《花聚陀羅尼呪經》（大正藏1358），是出自身分不詳的譯者，成書於四、五世紀左右。最晚的漢譯《花積樓閣陀羅尼經》（大正藏1359），是著名的施護所譯，他的豐富譯作得到了北宋朝廷在第一個千禧年轉折時期的資助。
i.6This English translation was made principally on the basis of the Tibetan translations of the text found in the Tantra Collection (rgyud ’bum) and the Compendium of Dhāraṇīs (gzungs ’dus) in the Degé Kangyur in consultation with the Stok Palace Kangyur and the Dunhuang fragment.
i.6本英文翻譯主要根據德格版大藏經中密續部和陀羅尼集所收錄的藏文譯本製作，並參考了斯托克宮藏經和敦煌殘片。