Chapter 18: Sthāvarā, the Goddess of the Earth
第18章：堅牢地神
18.1Then, within that great assembly, Sthāvarā, the goddess of the earth, rose from her seat and said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, when this Supremely Victorious King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is being promulgated, whether it is in the present or the future, or whether in a village, a town, a market town, a king’s palace, or a wilderness, on a mountain, in a cave, or in a forest, [F.114.b] Bhagavat, I will go there and make offerings to it, honor it, protect and defend it, and promulgate it widely.
18.1堅牢地神從座而起，向薄伽梵說道：「薄伽梵，當這部至勝王經——《金光明經》被弘揚時，無論是現在或未來，無論是在村莊、城鎮、市集、王宮，或是曠野、山上、洞穴或森林，薄伽梵，我都會前往那裡，向它供養、尊敬、保護、護持它，並廣泛地弘揚它。」
18.2“In whatever place a high throne is made for the dharmabhāṇaka upādhyāya and this sūtra is taught, I will make myself invisible through my miraculous powers and will go there and support his feet with my head.
18.2「無論在什麼地方，為法師和尚設置高座，傳講此經，我將以神通力隱沒自身，前往彼處，用我的頭頂支撐他的雙足。」
18.3“When I hear the Dharma, with thoughts of complete trust, I will be overjoyed. Through the power of obtaining the flavor of the Dharma, my magnificence will increase, and I will gain an immeasurable reverence for it. Because I attain such a benefit, this will increase all the goodness of the earth throughout eighty thousand yojanas of this great earth, as far down as the vajra disk. The goodness of the earth will increase throughout the entire great earth as far as the four oceans, becoming potent and greater and exceptionally superior to what it was before.
18.3「當我聽聞法時，以完全信心的念頭，我將歡喜踊躍。通過獲得法的滋味的力量，我的莊嚴將增長，我將獲得對它無量的恭敬。因為我獲得這樣的利益，這將增長這大地整個八萬由旬之內所有的善德，直到金剛輪為止。大地的善德將增長遍及整個大地直至四大洋，變得強大而偉大，並且遠超越之前的樣子。」
18.4“In this Jambudvīpa, the various kinds of rivers, ponds, trees, herbs, forests, flowers, fruits, roots, stems, branches, leaves, and grains that exist will have beautiful, attractive forms, and many people will wish to look at them; they will have excellent color and scents, and they will all be useful.
18.4「在這閻浮提中，各種河流、池塘、樹木、草藥、森林、花卉、果實、根莖、枝葉和穀物都將具有美麗、吸引人的色相，許多人都會想要看它們；它們將具有優美的色澤和香氣，並且都將是有用的。」
18.5“Those beings who use them for the most perfect food and drink will have their lifespan, complexion, strength, and faculties increased in health and magnificence. They will have no illness, and their minds will have steadfast wisdom and will persevere in anything. Moreover, all of the hundreds of thousands of things that are used to any extent from this great earth will all be perfect. [F.115.a]
18.5「那些眾生以這些東西作為最圓滿的飲食，他們的壽命、膚色、力、根根都會增長健康而莊嚴。他們將沒有疾病，他們的心會獲得堅定的智慧，在任何事情上都會持久不懈。而且，從這大地上取用的所有數百千的東西，在任何程度上都會全部完善圓滿。」
18.6“Bhagavat, through that cause and condition, Jambudvīpa will have perfect happiness and excellent harvests, and humans will multiply and increase, without any calamities, so that all the beings that exist will experience happiness. In that way, their bodies and minds will experience happiness, and wherever they are, they will have deep reverence for this king of sūtras. Everyone will aspire to possess it, make offerings to it, honor it, venerate it, and speak its praises. Moreover, they will go to the places where great dharmabhāṇaka upādhyāyas will teach the Dharma, and they will supplicate them to teach this sublime king of sūtras for the sake of beings.
18.6「薄伽梵，以此因緣，閻浮提將獲得圓滿的幸福和豐收的莊稼，人類將繁衍增加，沒有任何災難，使得所有存在的眾生都能體驗到幸福。如此，他們的身心將體驗到幸福，無論他們身在何處，都會對這部經之王深生恭敬。人們都將渴望擁有它，對它作供養，尊重它，禮拜它，並宣揚它的美德。此外，他們將前往法師和尚教授法的地方，懇請他們為了眾生的利益而傳授這部至尊的經之王。」
18.7“Why would they do that? Bhagavat, through the power of this sūtra being taught, I and my entourage will be benefited. Our light, color, strength, courage, magnificence, and beauty of form will become far superior to what they were before.
18.7「為什麼會這樣呢？薄伽梵，由於這部經被宣講的力，我和我的眷屬將會得到利益。我們的光輝、色澤、力、勇氣、威德和色的美好將會遠遠超過以前的樣子。」
18.8“Bhagavat, I, the earth goddess Sthāvarā, will also be satiated by the flavor of the Dharma, and because of that, all the earth for seven thousand yojanas in Jambudvīpa will become potent, and, as stated before, all the beings that exist will experience happiness.
18.8「薄伽梵，我堅牢地神也將因為品嚐到法的滋味而得到滿足，因此，閻浮提內七千由旬的所有大地都將變得肥沃有力，如同之前所說的那樣，所有存在的眾生都將經歷幸福。」
18.9“Therefore, Bhagavat, at that time, in order to repay my kindness, those beings should think, ‘Without a doubt we will listen to, honor, serve, make offerings to, venerate, and praise this sūtra.’ Thinking in that way, they should leave their homes and go to the gathering for the Dharma teaching, whether it be in a village, a town, a market town, a house, or a wilderness. They should bow down their heads to the dharmabhāṇaka upādhyāya and, having paid homage to him, listen to this sūtra.
18.9「因此，薄伽梵，在那時，為了報答我的恩德，那些眾生應當這樣想：『毫無疑問，我們一定要聽聞、尊敬、侍奉、供養、恭敬和讚美這部經。』這樣想著，他們應當離開家庭，前往法教的集會，無論是在村莊、城鎮、市集、房舍或荒野。他們應當向法師和尚低眉俯首，在向他禮拜之後，聽聞這部經。」
18.10“When they have listened to the sūtra, they will return to their own homes, [F.115.b] and with great joy arisen in their minds they will say, ‘Today, through having heard a profound and unsurpassable, wonderful Dharma, we have gathered an inconceivable accumulation of merit. Through the power of the might of the sūtra, we have offered to and served countless, infinite hundreds of thousands of quintillions of buddhas so that we are freed from the unendurable sufferings of the three lower existences. Also, for a hundred thousand future lifetimes, we will always be reborn as humans in the higher existences and experience supreme happiness.’
18.10「他們聽聞了經之後，將回到自己的家中，心中生起了大喜，他們會說：『今天，通過聽聞了深遠無上、奇妙的法，我們積聚了不可思議的功德。通過經的力量，我們供奉和侍奉了無數、無邊的百千萬億的佛，使我們得以脫離難忍的三惡趣的苦。而且，在百千萬個未來的生世中，我們將始終轉生為人道中的更高的眾生，並體驗最殊勝的快樂。』」
18.11“When those many people return to their own homes, if they teach many beings even just one example that is taught in this king of sūtras, or just one chapter, or just one history, or the name of just one tathāgata, or the name of just one bodhisattva, or just one four-line verse, or even a single line of verse, or if they only tell them the name of this sūtra, then, venerable Bhagavat, in all the places where those beings live, the earth will become potent and superior to that in other places, and everything that grows from the great earth will multiply greatly and be vast so that beings will experience the enjoyment of great happiness. There will be many jewels and wealth. They will perform great acts of generosity. Their minds will be constantly steady, and they will have complete conviction in the Three Jewels.”
18.11「當那些眾多的人回到各自的家中，如果他們用這部經王中所教導的來教導許多眾生，即便只是一個譬喻，或者只是一品章節，或者只是一個故事，或者只是一位如來的名號，或者只是一位菩薩的名號，或者只是一個四句偈，或者甚至只是一句偈言，或者他們只是告訴他人這部經的名號，那麼，尊敬的薄伽梵，在那些眾生居住的所有地方，大地就會變得富饒，比其他地方更加優越，從大地所生長的一切都會大量增長、廣大豐茂，使得眾生能夠享受偉大的幸福。將會有許多珍寶和財富。他們會行持廣大的佈施。他們的心意將會時常穩定，他們對於三寶將會有完全的信心。」
18.12Then the Bhagavat said to Sthāvarā, the goddess of the earth, “If any being hears even one line from this Supremely Victorious King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, after they have passed away, [F.116.a] they will be reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa or another paradise.
18.12薄伽梵隨後對堅牢地神說：「假如有任何眾生，聽聞這部至勝王經《金光明經》中的哪怕一句話，他們在命終之後，將會在三十三天或其他天堂中重新誕生。
18.13“If any being, because they wish to make offerings to this king of sūtras, perfectly adorns their home by even putting up one canopy or hanging one streamer, then through that cause and condition they will be reborn in accordance with their aspiration, among the six paradises, and enjoy according to their wishes a sublime, supreme divine palace made of the seven jewels. Each one will frolic together with seven thousand devīs and enjoy inconceivable superior bliss constantly, day and night.”
18.13「如果有任何眾生，因為他們想要對這部經王作供養，就算只是掛起一個華蓋或懸掛一條旗幡，就能完美地莊嚴他們的家，那麼通過這樣的因緣，他們將按照自己的願望，在六欲天中重生，並享受由七寶所成的殊勝、至高的天宮。每一個天人都將與七千位天女一起嬉樂，日夜不斷享受無量殊勝的極樂。」
18.14Then Sthāvarā, the earth goddess, said to the Bhagavat, “Therefore, Bhagavat, when anyone among the four classes of followers sits upon a Dharma throne and teaches this Dharma correctly, I will protect and defend that individual day and night. I will make my body invisible and come before their Dharma thrones and will support their feet.
18.14那時堅牢地神對薄伽梵說：「因此，薄伽梵，當四眾弟子中的任何人坐在法座上正確地講授這個法時，我會日夜保護和守衛那個人。我會隱沒我的身體，來到他們的法座前，支撐他們的雙足。」
18.15“Bhagavat, those beings, who have planted good roots with many hundreds of thousands of buddhas, will widely promulgate such a sūtra as this so that it will not vanish. Any being who listens to this sūtra will in the time that follows, for countless hundreds of thousands of quintillions of eons, constantly enjoy perfect happiness among devas and humans. They will meet many buddhas and will quickly attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood. They will not experience the suffering of the three lower existences or of saṃsāra.”
18.15「薄伽梵，那些與數百千萬諸佛種植善根的眾生，將廣泛弘揚這樣的經，使其不會消滅。任何聽聞此經的眾生，在之後無數百千萬億劫的時間裡，將常常在諸天和人類中享受圓滿的快樂。他們將遇見許多諸佛，並將迅速證得無上正等菩提的佛果。他們將不會經歷三惡趣或輪迴的苦難。」
18.16The earth goddess Sthāvarā then further said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I have a mantra essence that will benefit devas and humans and bring happiness to them all. If any man, woman, or one of the four kinds of followers [F.116.b] wishes to truly and directly see my body, if they single-mindedly possess this dhāraṇī, then all their aspirations will be fulfilled exactly as they wish.
18.16地神堅牢地神又對薄伽梵說：「薄伽梵，我有一個真言的精要，能夠利益諸天和人類，為他們帶來快樂。如果有任何男人、女人或四眾弟子願意真實直接地見到我的身體，如果他們一心持誦這個陀羅尼，那麼他們所有的願望都將恰好如願得到圓滿。」
18.17“In this way, if they wish for wealth, a treasure of jewels, higher cognitions, the possession of medicine for a long life, healing the illness of many beings, the defeat of adversarial enemies, or the elimination of those who disagree with them, then they should make a circle in a clean building. They should wash their bodies, wear clean, new clothes, sit on a seat made of grass, and in front of an image that contains relics or in front of a stūpa that contains relics, burn incense, scatter flowers, and offer various kinds of food and drink. On the eighth day of the waxing moon, when it is the time of the constellation Puṣya, they should repeat this mantra of invitation:
18.17「薄伽梵，若要獲得財富、珠寶之藏、神通、長壽的醫方明、治癒眾生的疾病、戰勝敵對的仇敵或消除那些與他們意見不合的人，就應該在清淨的殿堂中畫一個圓形。他們應該洗淨身體，穿著乾淨的新衣服，坐在草製的座位上，在含有舍利的佛像或含有舍利的塔前，焚香、散花，供養各種食物和飲品。在農曆初八，當弱星星宿的時候，他們應該誦持這個邀請的真言：
18.18tadyathā | cili cili curu curu kuru kuru kuṭu kuṭu toṭu toṭu vaha vaha variṣa variṣa svāhā |
18.18（咒語不翻）
18.19“Bhagavat, if anyone among the four classes of followers invites me by repeating this vidyāmantra a hundred and eight times, I will for that reason come to the one who invited me.
18.19「薄伽梵，若四眾弟子中有人以此明咒念誦一百零八遍而邀請我，我就會因此來到邀請我的那個人面前。」
18.20“Moreover, Bhagavat, any being who wishes to truly, directly see me and seeks to speak with me should perform the rite in the same way as previously described and repeat this dhāraṇī:
18.20"而且，薄伽梵，任何想要真實直接見到我、希望與我交談的眾生，都應該按照之前所述的同樣方式進行儀式，並誦念這個陀羅尼：
18.21tadyathā | añcani kyalikṣani śiśidhari haha hihi kuruvare svāhā |
18.21（咒語不翻）
18.22“Bhagavat, if anyone recites this mantra, repeating it a hundred and eight times and then reciting the previous mantra, there is no doubt that I will manifest my body and will completely fulfill all aspirations.
18.22「薄伽梵，若有任何人誦念此真言，重複誦念一百零八遍，然後誦念前面的真言，我必定會顯現我的身體，並完全圓滿所有的願望，對此毫無疑問。」
18.23“If someone wishes to recite this mantra, they should first recite this mantra of protection for their body:
18.23「如果有人想要誦持這個真言，應當先誦持這個保護身體的真言：
18.24tadyathā | śiri śiri vāśakati tati kuṭṭi pūta pūderi pūderi [F.117.a] tiṭe vati kukuṭi kavacili svāhā |
18.24（咒語不翻）
18.25“Bhagavat, when reciting this dhāraṇī mantra, take up a cord of five colors and repeat the mantra onto it twenty-one times while making twenty-one knots. Having repeated the mantra in that way twenty-one times, tie them onto the left upper arm, and then from then on, the body will be protected so that there will be no danger.
18.25「薄伽梵，誦此陀羅尼真言時，應取五色繩索，邊誦真言邊結二十一個結。如此誦真言二十一次後，將繩索繫於左臂，從此以後身體便會受到保護，不會有任何危險。」
18.26“If someone repeats this mantra with a single-pointed mind, aspirations will be accomplished exactly as wished. I am not speaking a falsehood. The Three Jewels of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha are my witnesses and know it to be the truth.”
18.26「如果有人以專一之心誦持這個真言，所有願望都將如實成就。我說的並非虛言。佛、法、僧伽三寶是我的見證者，知道這是真實的。」
18.27Then the Bhagavat said to the earth goddess Sthāvarā, “It is excellent, excellent that you protect this king of sūtras, which has been sealed by a mantra of pure words and the dharmabhāṇakas. Through this cause and condition, you will attain an immeasurable ripening of merit.”
18.27薄伽梵隨後對堅牢地神說：「很好，很好。你保護了這部被清淨真言和法師們所加持的經王。透過這個因緣，你將獲得無量的功德成熟。」
18.28This concludes “Sthāvarā, the Goddess of the Earth,” the eighteenth chapter of “The Supremely Victorious King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light.”
18.28（結尾）