The Translation
[F.222.a]
1.1Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!
1.1敬禮所有的佛陀和菩薩！
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling in Śrāvastī, in Prince Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. At that time a laywoman named Gaṅgottarā was living in the great city of Śrāvastī.
我聽到是這樣的。當時世尊住在舍衛城，祇陀太子的園林、給孤獨長者的公園裡。那時，有一位名叫恒河女的優婆夷住在舍衛城這座大城裡。
1.2One day, the laywoman Gaṅgottarā left Śrāvastī and went to Prince Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. When she arrived, she bowed down before the Blessed One with her head at his feet, and then she sat to one side.
1.2一日，優婆夷恒河女離開舍衛城，前往祇陀太子的園林——給孤獨長者的公園。她到達後，以頭頂禮世尊的雙足，然後坐在一旁。
1.3Once she had sat down, the Blessed One asked the laywoman Gaṅgottarā a question, even though he already knew the answer: “From where have you just come, Gaṅgottarā?”
1.3當她坐下後，世尊雖然已經知道答案，卻仍然問優婆夷恒河女一個問題：「恒河女，妳是從哪裡剛剛來的？」
1.4“Blessed One,” Gaṅgottarā replied, “if someone were to ask a magically created being, ‘From where have you just come?’ what would be the answer?” [F.222.b]
1.4「世尊，」恒河女回答說，「如果有人問幻人『你剛才從哪裡來？』，應該如何回答呢？」
1.5“Gaṅgottarā,” responded the Blessed One, “a magically created being neither stands nor sits. It does not lie down. It does not come or go. It does not die. It is not born. So, how could one declare that it has come from some place?”
1.5「恒河女，幻人既不站立，也不坐下。它不躺臥，不來不去，不死不生。那麼，怎麼能說它從某個地方來呢？」世尊如是回答。
1.6“Blessed One, are all things like magical creations?” asked Gaṅgottarā.
1.6「世尊，一切事物都像幻化一樣嗎？」恒河女問道。
“It is so, Gaṅgottarā.”
「是這樣的，恒河女。」
1.7“Blessed One,” she responded, “if all things are like magical creations, why do you ask, ‘Laywoman Gaṅgottarā, from where have you just come?’ ”
1.7「世尊，」她回答道，「如果一切事物都如同幻化，那麼您為什麼問『優婆夷恒河女，你剛才是從哪裡來的？』呢？」
1.8“Gaṅgottarā,” the Blessed One answered, “since magically created beings do not go to the lower realms, and they do not go to the higher realms, and they do not go to parinirvāṇa, do you, too, Gaṅgottarā, not go to the lower realms, or go to the higher realms, or go to parinirvāṇa?”
1.8「恒河女，既然幻人不去下趣，不去上趣，也不去般涅槃，那麼你恒河女，也不去下趣，也不去上趣，也不去般涅槃嗎？」世尊如此回答。
1.9“Blessed One,” Gaṅgottarā replied, “if I truly saw the laywoman Gaṅgottarā as being different in nature from a magical creation, then it would not be appropriate for me to compare myself to a magically created being by saying, ‘The laywoman Gaṅgottarā does not go to the lower realms, does not go to the higher realms, and does not go to parinirvāṇa.’ Nevertheless, Blessed One, I do not see myself as being different in nature from a magical creation. Since I do not see myself in that way, Blessed One, how can I declare in this way that the laywoman Gaṅgottarā goes to the lower realms, goes to the higher realms, or goes to parinirvāṇa?
1.9「世尊，」恒河女回答說，「如果我真的看到優婆夷恒河女在本質上與幻化不同，那麼我就不應該通過說『優婆夷恒河女不去下趣，不去上趣，也不去般涅槃』來把自己與幻人相比較。然而，世尊，我並沒有看到自己在本質上與幻化不同。既然我不這樣看待自己，世尊，我怎樣才能宣稱優婆夷恒河女去下趣、去上趣或去般涅槃呢？」
1.10“Even with this being the case, Blessed One, it is in accordance with the presence of mental straying, mental conceit, mental agitation, and vain imagining that one thinks the thoughts, ‘I go to the lower realms,’ ‘I go to the higher realms,’ and [F.223.a] ‘I go to parinirvāṇa.’ Blessed One, the state of nirvāṇa is such that it never goes to the lower realms, it never goes to the higher realms, and it never goes to parinirvāṇa. The laywoman Gaṅgottarā has a similar state, Blessed One.”
1.10「世尊，正是因為心迷亂、心掉舉和妄想的存在，人才會產生『我前往下趣』、『我前往上趣』和『我前往般涅槃』這樣的念頭。世尊，涅槃界從來不前往下趣，從來不前往上趣，也從來不前往般涅槃。優婆夷恒河女的狀態也是如此，世尊。」
“Gaṅgottarā,” the Blessed One responded, “have you not set out for parinirvāṇa?”
「恒河女，你難道沒有趣向般涅槃嗎？」世尊如此回應。
1.11“Blessed One,” Gaṅgottarā replied, “if someone were to ask what is not born, ‘Have you not set out for parinirvāṇa?’ what would be the answer?”
1.11「世尊，」恒河女回答：「如果有人問『未曾出生的東西』，『你不是已經邁向般涅槃了嗎？』那麼答案會是什麼呢？」
1.12“Gaṅgottarā,” the Blessed One said, “since the phrase ‘what is not born’ is a designation for nirvāṇa, what would be the answer?”
1.12「恒河女，」世尊說，「既然『未生者』這個名相是對涅槃的指稱，那答案會是什麼呢？」
1.13“Blessed One,” Gaṅgottarā replied, “are all things the same as nirvāṇa?”
1.13「世尊，」恒河女回答：「一切事物都與涅槃相同嗎？」
“It is so, Gaṅgottarā,” he said. “All things are the same as nirvāṇa.”
「恒河女，確實如此，」他說，「一切事物都與涅槃相同。」
1.14“If all things are the same as nirvāṇa, then why, Blessed One, do you ask, ‘Gaṅgottarā, have you not set out for parinirvāṇa?’ Blessed One, if someone were to ask a magically created being, ‘Have you not set out for parinirvāṇa?’ what would be the answer?”
1.14「恒河女，如果一切法都與涅槃相同，那麼世尊，您為什麼要問『恒河女，你還沒有趣入般涅槃嗎？』世尊，如果有人問一個幻人『你還沒有趣入般涅槃嗎？』會得到什麼答案呢？」
“Gaṅgottarā,” the Blessed One responded, “this question does not have an objective basis.”
「恒河女，這個問題沒有所緣境。」世尊回答。
1.15“Do the words that the Blessed One has spoken have some connection to an objective basis?” asked Gaṅgottarā.
1.15「世尊所說的這些話，是否與所緣境有關聯呢？」恒河女提問。
1.16“Gaṅgottarā,” the Blessed One answered, “even though this question does not have an objective basis, nevertheless, asking it will be of great benefit to the noble sons and noble daughters who are gathered here in this assembly. Why is this? When the Tathāgata had not awakened directly and completely even to what is called the true nature of things, Gaṅgottarā, how much less would there be a thing arising from it that remains in parinirvāṇa?” [F.223.b]
1.16「恒河女，雖然這個問題沒有所緣境，但是，提出它將對聚集在這個法會中的諸位善男子和善女人帶來巨大利益。為什麼呢？當如來還沒有直接圓滿地覺悟到稱為諸法真實性的東西時，恒河女，會有什麼東西從它而生並停留在般涅槃中呢？」
1.17“If the Tathāgata had not awakened directly and completely even to what is called the true nature of things, and even less would there be a thing arising from it,” she replied, “how did the Blessed One properly plant roots of virtue in order to achieve awakening?”
1.17「如果如來還沒有直接圓滿地覺悟到所謂的諸法真實性，更不會有任何東西由此而生，」她回答道，「那麼世尊是如何適當地種植福德根本來成就覺悟的呢？」
1.18“Gaṅgottarā,” the Blessed One responded, “a root of virtue is not something that has an objective basis. During the time when the Bodhisattva was planting the roots of virtue, he never let go of inconceivability. During the time when he was not planting them, he also did not let go of inconceivability.”
1.18「恒河女，」世尊回答道，「善根不是具有所緣境的事物。菩薩在種植善根的時候，從未放棄不可思議性。在他沒有種植善根的時候，他也沒有放棄不可思議性。」
1.19“With respect to the inconceivable, Blessed One, why is the inconceivable called the inconceivable?” asked Gaṅgottarā.
1.19恒河女問道：「世尊，關於不可思議，為什麼不可思議被稱為不可思議呢？」
1.20“Gaṅgottarā,” the Blessed One answered, “this teaching is not to be attained by the mind; it cannot be attained by the mind. Why is this? According to this teaching, when not even the mind itself has an objective basis, how much less so would the things that arise from the mind? The mind’s lack of an objective basis, Gaṅgottarā, is what is called the continuous stream of the inconceivable. That which is the continuous stream of the inconceivable is not attained. It is not fully realized. It is not known. It is not something to be experienced directly. It is not something to be attained. It is not afflicted. It is not purified. Why is this? It is because, Gaṅgottarā, the Tathāgata knows with certainty that all things are like space. All things, Gaṅgottarā, are unobstructed, just like space.”
1.20「恒河女，」世尊回答說：「這個教法不是用心來達到的；不能用心來達到。為什麼這樣說？根據這個教法，連心本身都沒有所緣境，更何況是從心而生起的事物呢？心沒有所緣境，恒河女，這就是所謂的不可思議的相續。作為不可思議的相續，它是不被達到的。它不被充分認知。它不被知曉。它不是某種可以直接體驗的東西。它不是某種可以達到的東西。它不是雜染的。它不是清淨的。為什麼這樣說？這是因為，恒河女，如來確切地知道，一切事物就像虛空一樣。恒河女，一切事物都是無障礙的，就像虛空一樣。」
1.21“Blessed One,” Gaṅgottarā asked, “if all things are unobstructed, just like space, then why does the Blessed One use verbal expressions like ‘form,’ ‘feeling,’ ‘conception,’ ‘formation,’ and ‘consciousness,’ as well as verbal expressions like ‘the aggregates,’ ‘the elements,’ and ‘the sense spheres’; ‘dependent arising’; ‘the intoxicated’ and ‘what is free of intoxication’; ‘the afflicted’ and ‘the purified’; and ‘saṃsāra’ and ‘nirvāṇa’?” [F.224.a]
1.21恒河女問：「世尊，如果一切事物都無障礙，如同虛空一樣，那麼世尊為什麼還要使用『色』、『受』、『想』、『行』、『識』這樣的言語表述，以及『蘊』、『界』、『處』這樣的言語表述，還有『緣起』、『有漏』和『無漏』、『雜染』和『清淨』、『輪迴』和『涅槃』這樣的言語表述呢？」
1.22“Gaṅgottarā,” the Blessed One replied, “just as one uses the expression ‘self’ even though the self has no objective basis at all, in precisely the same way, Gaṅgottarā, I use the expression ‘form,’ even though form has no objective basis at all. In the same way, too, I use the expressions ‘feeling,’ ‘conception,’ ‘formation,’ and ‘consciousness,’ even though consciousness has no objective basis at all. I also use the expressions ‘the aggregates,’ ‘the elements,’ and ‘the sense spheres’; ‘dependent arising’; ‘the intoxicated’ and ‘what is free of intoxication’; ‘the afflicted’ and ‘the purified’; and ‘saṃsāra’ and ‘nirvāṇa,’ even though nirvāṇa has no objective basis at all.
1.22世尊答道：「恒河女，就如同人們使用『我』這個詞語，雖然我根本沒有所緣境一樣，恒河女，我也正是這樣使用『色』這個詞語，雖然色根本沒有所緣境。同樣地，我使用『受』、『想』、『行』和『識』這些詞語，雖然識根本沒有所緣境。我也使用『蘊』、『界』和『處』；『緣起』；『有漏』和『無漏』；『雜染』和『清淨』；以及『輪迴』和『涅槃』這些詞語，雖然涅槃根本沒有所緣境。」
1.23“Gaṅgottarā, just as a mirage does not produce water and has no objective basis at all, in precisely the same way, Gaṅgottarā, I use the expression ‘form,’ even though form has no objective basis at all. In the same way, too, I use the expressions ‘feeling,’ ‘conception,’ ‘formation,’ and ‘consciousness,’ even though consciousness has no objective basis at all. I also use the expressions ‘the aggregates,’ ‘the elements,’ ‘the sense spheres’; ‘dependent arising’; ‘the intoxicated’ and ‘what is free of intoxication’; ‘the afflicted’ and ‘the purified’; and ‘saṃsāra’ and ‘nirvāṇa,’ even though ultimately not one of these things exists or has any objective basis.
1.23恒河女，正如陽焰不產生水，也沒有任何所緣境，完全一樣地，恒河女，我使用「色」這個表達方式，儘管色根本沒有所緣境。同樣地，我也使用「受」「想」「行」「識」這些表達方式，儘管識根本沒有所緣境。我也使用「蘊」「界」「處」；「緣起」；「有漏」和「無漏」；「雜染」和「清淨」；以及「輪迴」和「涅槃」這些表達方式，儘管最終這些東西都不存在，也都沒有任何所緣境。
1.24“One who practices the holy life without holding on to the Dharma as the final word, Gaṅgottarā, dwells in the practice of the holy life according to the well-stated Dharma and Discipline. [F.224.b] There are some who have self-conceit, Gaṅgottarā, who practice the holy life while thinking that their abiding by it has an objective basis, and I say that their practice of the holy life is not completely purified. When they hear a profound teaching such as this one on cutting off the continuous stream, those who do not practice the holy life with complete purity become terrified, and they do not become free from birth, old age, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, distress, and conflict; they receive their share of suffering, I say.
1.24「恒河女，不執著法為究竟而修習梵行的人，是依照善說的法和律而住於梵行的實踐中。恒河女，有些人具有我慢，他們修習梵行時認為自己的住持具有所緣境，我說他們的梵行實踐並未完全清淨。當他們聽聞像這樣關於切斷相續的深奧教法時，那些梵行修習不完全清淨的人會感到恐懼，他們沒有脫離生、老、病、死、憂、悲、苦、惱和爭執；他們承受他們份內的痛苦，我這樣說。」
1.25“Whether now or after I have passed away, Gaṅgottarā, there will be those who teach this kind of profound teaching on cutting off the continuous stream, and ignorant people will come to conceive the idea that they have the intent to kill them. Due to their misunderstanding, these ignorant people thus come to generate a homicidal hatred and go to the lower realms.”
1.25「恒河女，無論是現在或我涅槃之後，都會有人宣說這種關於切斷相續的深奧教法，而愚癡的人會因此產生想要殺害他們的念頭。由於這些愚癡的人的誤解，他們因而生起殺害他人的瞋恨，最終墮入下趣。」
1.26“ ‘Cutting off the continuous stream, cutting off the continuous stream,’ ” Gaṅgottarā replied. “Blessed One, what is it that you call cutting off the continuous stream?”
1.26「『切斷相續，切斷相續』，」恒河女回答說。「世尊，您所說的切斷相續是什麼呢？」
1.27“Gaṅgottarā,” the Blessed One answered, “this teaching does not cut off the continuous stream; it is not the disintegration of it; it is not the destruction of it. For this reason, it should be called cutting off the continuous stream. It should also be called the ultimate endpoint . It should be called the continuous stream of the inconceivable.”
1.27「恒河女，這個教法不是斷絕相續，不是相續的瓦解，也不是相續的摧毀。因此，應該稱為斷絕相續。它也應該被稱為究竟。它應該被稱為不可思議的相續。」
1.28Then, at that moment, the Blessed One displayed a smile. Various multicolored rays of light issued from the Blessed One’s mouth in such a way that blue, yellow, red, white, rose madder, crystalline, and silvery rays of light spread throughout endless, limitless world systems, reaching as far as the Brahmā realm, and then they returned and disappeared into the Blessed One’s mouth.
1.28那時，世尊露出了笑容。從世尊的口中發出各種五顏六色的光線，藍色、黃色、紅色、白色、胭脂紅、水晶色和銀色的光線遍佈無邊無際的世界系統，照耀到梵天界，然後返回消失在世尊的口中。
1.29At that point, the venerable Ānanda draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, and then, joining his palms together in a gesture of respect toward the Blessed One, he paid homage to the Blessed One [F.225.a] and said this: “Blessed One, the tathāgatas do not display their smile without a reason. What is the cause? What is the condition? Why have you displayed your smile?”
1.29此時，尊者阿難將上衣搭在一肩，右膝著地跪下，雙手合掌向世尊恭敬致禮，禮拜世尊後說道：「世尊，如來不會無緣無故地顯現笑容。什麼是原因？什麼是條件？您為什麼顯現笑容？」
1.30“Ānanda,” the Blessed One replied, “I have direct knowledge of the fact that, in this very place, one thousand tathāgatas have taught this formulation of the Dharma, always starting with a single laywoman whose name was always Gaṅgottarā. All those laywomen went forth and achieved parinirvāṇa—that is, the state of parinirvāṇa without any remaining aggregates.”
1.30「阿難，」世尊回答，「我具有直接的知識，在這個地方，已經有一千位如來教授過這部法的闡述，他們總是從一位名叫恒河女的優婆夷開始。所有那些優婆夷都出家了，並且實現了般涅槃——也就是說，沒有任何蘊存在的般涅槃狀態。」
1.31The venerable Ānanda then asked the Blessed One, “What is the name of this formulation of the Dharma, Blessed One? How should it be remembered?”
1.31尊者阿難於是問世尊：「世尊，這個法門叫什麼名字？應當怎樣去受持？」
1.32“Ānanda,” the Blessed One replied, “you may call this formulation of the Dharma Stainless. Remember it as the one you may call Stainless.”
1.32「阿難，」世尊回答，「你可以稱這個法的表述為無垢。將它記住為你可以稱之為無垢的那一個。」
1.33When this Dharma discourse was taught, the minds of seven hundred monks and four hundred nuns were freed from the intoxicants and did not grasp any more. Then the gods of the desire realm and the gods of the form realm magically created divine flowers and sandalwood powder and strewed them over the Blessed One while saying, “It is marvelous that such a laywoman lives in the city of Śrāvastī! Not only does she converse with the Tathāgata but also her body does not become weary from it. In the very same way, this laywoman Gaṅgottarā has served victors of the past, generated roots of virtue, practiced virtue for a long time, practiced the holy life for a long time, and venerated many buddhas!”
1.33當這個法的開示被教導時，七百位比丘和四百位比丘尼的心意從煩惱中解脫，不再執著任何事物。那時，欲界的天神和色界的天神用神通變化出天花和檀香粉，撒在世尊身上，同時說道：「真是奇妙啊，在舍衛城裡有這樣的優婆夷！她不僅能和如來交談，而且身體也不會因此感到疲倦。同樣地，這位優婆夷恒河女早已侍奉過去的勝者，積累了福德的根本，長久以來修習功德，長久以來修習梵行，並且尊敬供養過許多佛陀！」
1.34“So it is, divine ones,” the Blessed One said. “For a long time, she has served victors of the past, generated roots of virtue, [F.225.b] and practiced the holy life.”
1.34「正是如此，諸天，」世尊說，「恒河女長期以來侍奉過去的勝者，積聚了善根，並且修習了梵行。」
1.35After the Blessed One had spoken these words, the laywoman Gaṅgottarā was delighted, and so was the world with its gods, humans, asuras, and gandharvas, and they rejoiced at what the Blessed One had said.
1.35世尊說完這些話後，優婆夷恒河女感到歡喜，世間連同其中的神、人、阿修羅和乾闥婆也都感到歡喜，對世尊所說的法感到欣悅。
1.36Thus concludes “The Chapter of the Questions of Gaṅgottarā,” the thirty-first of the one hundred thousand chapters of the formulation of the Dharma known as “The Noble Great Heap of Jewels.”
1.36（結尾）