Chapter 1
第一章
[F.118.a]
1.1Homage to the Omniscient One.
1.1頂禮遍知者。
Subāhu paid respectful homage to the Lord of Yakṣas,
蘇跋呼恭敬地向夜叉之主頂禮。
Brilliant like a thousand suns
光芒耀眼如千個太陽般璀璨
And deeply immersed in compassion,
深深沉浸在慈悲之中，
Then asked him how to master the collections of vidyā and mantra.
隨後蘇跋呼請教如何掌握明咒和咒的集合。
“I have not seen anyone on earth
「我在世間未曾見過任何人
Who has reached perfection through persistence
誰通過堅持而達到圓滿
In recitation, fasting, or restrictive austerities.
在念誦、持齋或嚴格的苦行中。
Sole Father, do austerities not serve any purpose?
獨一的父親啊，苦行難道沒有任何作用嗎？
“Your Eminence, you are brilliant as sun-fire,
「尊敬的上師，您光輝燦爛如日輪火焰，
Supreme among those who purify and destroy evil.
在淨化和摧毀惡行者中最高尚的。
If you spoke words of truth,
如果你說真實的話語，
Why have the mantras not borne fruit?
為什麼咒還沒有顯現果報呢？
“People superior, middling, and inferior have practiced,
「上等、中等和下等的人都修持過，」
But even still have found no results through mantra.
但即使如此，仍然未曾通過咒語獲得成果。
If preparatory rites accomplish nothing at all,
如果準備儀式完全無法成就，
Accomplishment is only affliction, so what is the point?
成就只是煩惱而已，那有什麼意義呢？
“If the Victor previously taught
「如果勝者之前教導過
Pacifying wisdom to soothe afflictions,
平靜的智慧來撫慰痛苦，
How then are they relieved
那麼他們如何得到救度
When mantra and vidyā are not mastered?
當咒和明咒未被掌握時？
“Out of compassion you explained
「由於慈悲，你解說了
Myriad mantras meant to heal beings.
無數的咒，是為了治癒眾生。
How could they not be accomplished,
它們怎麼可能不成就呢，
Through recitation, homa , the observances, and preparatory rites?
通過念誦、火供、戒律遵守和準備儀式？
“Are the rites corrupt or devoid of power?
「這些儀式是否已經敗壞，或者缺乏力量？
Was the timing correct? Did evil interfere?
時間是否恰當？是否有邪惡的干擾？
Were the mantras altered? Were the offerings switched?
咒語是否被改變？供品是否被調換？
May the Blessed One tell all, omitting nothing.”
願世尊全部說明，毫不遺漏。
After listening to the words of his child,
在聽完他的孩子所說的話之後，
The vajra holder reflected for a moment,
執金剛者思考了片刻，
Opened his long eyes, brandished a flaming vajra,
睜開了長眼，揮舞著熊熊燃燒的金剛。
And spoke these words:
於是說出這些言語：
“Wonderful that you ask these questions that serve beings,
「你提出這些利益眾生的問題，實在太好了，
Moved by compassion radiant as moonlight.
被如月光般璀璨的慈悲所感動。
With such a pristine state of mind
以這樣清淨的心態
You will reach perfection among the Sugata’s children.
你將在善逝的眷屬中達成圓滿。
“Bodhisattvas are not attached to their own happiness, [F.118.b]
「菩薩不執著於自己的快樂，
Nor are they crushed by their own sufferings.
他們也不會被自己的痛苦所摧垮。
They suffer because others suffer,
他們因為他人的痛苦而感到痛苦，
And find joy in others’ happiness.
並從他人的快樂中得到喜悅。
“Child, because of your good nature
「孩子，因為你善良的本性
You posed these questions to benefit beings.
你提出這些問題是為了利益眾生。
Quickly then, focus your attention and listen,
那麼現在就要專注聽聞，
As I will answer in accord with the scriptures of mantra.
我會根據咒的經典來為你解答。
“I will first explain the observances
「我將首先講解戒律
For the mantra recitations I previously taught.
為了之前我所教導的咒誦。
A practitioner should first arouse faith in the Sugata,
修行者應該首先對善逝生起信心，
And with that, arouse bodhicitta.
並以此方式，生起菩提心。
“They should cast aside greed, arrogance, and conceit,
「他們應該捨棄貪欲、傲慢和自負，」
And faithfully serve the Three Jewels.
並虔誠地侍奉三寶。
They should delight in and have faith in me,
他們應當對我感到歡喜並生起信心，
And in what is widely known as the vajra clan .
以及在廣為人知的金剛部中。
“They should consistently forsake
他們應當始終遠離
Harsh speech, slander, and useless talk,
粗暴的言語、譭謗和無益的談論，
Visiting the woman of another, lying, stealing,
拜訪他人的女性、說謊、偷竊，
Killing, doing harm, and using alcohol.
殺生、傷害他人和飲用酒類。
“A deluded person who gathers
「一個迷惑的人聚集
The merit of body, speech, and mind
身、語、意的功德
Will destroy it through their wrong views,
會因為他們的邪見而摧毀它，
And experience the ripening of unwanted results.
並經歷不想要的結果的成熟。
“Just as a burnt seed will never produce a sprout,
「就如同被燒焦的種子永遠不會生出芽芽一樣，
Even if given soil, water, and time,
即使給予土壤、水分和時間，
A mind ruined by wrong views and ignorance
被邪見和無明摧毀的心識
Will not give rise to virtuous qualities.
就如同被燒焦的種子，即使給予土壤、水分和時間，也永遠不會長出新芽，一個被邪見和無明所摧毀的心智也不會產生善良的品質。
“Thus wrong views should be cast aside,
「因此應當捨棄邪見，
And the correct view adhered to.
而應堅持正確的見解。
It is best if the mind always follows
心能時常追隨就最好了
The Dharma path of the ten virtues.
十善法的修行道路。
“Devas, asuras, piśācas, and herukas
天神、阿修羅、餓鬼和忿怒尊
And all the terrible creatures of the night
以及所有可怕的夜間生物
Move through the world harming beings
在世界中行走，傷害眾生
And distracting those intent on recitation.
並且使那些專注於誦經的人分心。
“Because they are a countermeasure against them,
「因為它們是對治它們的方法，
When these beings see my collection of mantra and vidyā
當這些眾生看到我的咒和明咒的集合時
They grow anxious, thinking ‘This is terrifying,’
他們變得焦慮不安，想著：「這太可怕了。」
And distract the mind from recitation.
並使心遠離誦咒。
“In the maṇḍalas I have taught
「在我所教的壇城中
To crush harm-doers and enrich oneself,
為了摧毀作害者並豐富自身，
Reside devas and asuras who, according to samaya,
根據誓言而住在壇城中的天神和阿修羅，
Keep watch over meritorious deeds. [F.119.a]
守護功德行為。
“Where the myriad types of grahas are present,
「在無數種類的執持者駐守的地方，
There are maṇḍalas that employ various activities
有許多壇城，它們運用各種活動
That are intended to crush these harmful beings.
其目的是要摧毀這些有害的眾生。
People should strive hard to enter them.
人們應當努力進入這些壇城。
“They should use the maṇḍalas taught in the Vidyottama Tantra ,
他們應當使用在《明咒最勝密續》中所教導的壇城。
As well as the maṇḍalas of wrathful deities.
以及憤怒本尊的壇城。
There I have explained the various samayas,
我在那裡解釋了各種誓言，
So study them carefully to dispel evil.
所以要仔細學習它們以消除邪惡。
“When they observe the recitation
「當他們遵守誦經
Of the main goddess of the vajra clan,
金剛部的主要女神，
Whom the host of dūtīs and the many vidyās serve,
眾多使者女神和許多明咒所侍奉的主尊，
The obstructors will be ruined, filled with fear and rage.
障礙者將被摧毀，充滿恐懼和憤怒。
“To the extent one beholds the maṇḍala,
「人在觀看壇城的程度內，
One serves the vajra clan.
人應當侍奉金剛部。
The merit of serving the host of vidyās
侍奉明咒眾多所獲的功德
Causes all their blessings to enter one’s body.
使得他們所有的加持都進入自己的身體。
“Devas, nāgas, asuras, yakṣas, and siddhas
「天神、龍、阿修羅、夜叉與成就者
Will flee in fear from those reciting,
會對那些誦持者感到恐懼而逃離。
Upon seeing their invulnerable vajra nature,
看到他們堅不可摧的金剛本質時，
And believing the whole area to burn with vajra fire.
並相信整個區域都被金剛火焚燒。
“Those of my children who observe samaya
「我的孩子中那些遵守誓言的人
Will easily succeed in using mantras
將輕易成就於咒的運用
Taught by the mundane and transcendent;
由世俗和超越的境界所教導；
All obstructors will be brought to ruin.
所有的障礙者都將被摧毀。
“If they do not see the vidyā or observe samaya,
如果他們不見明咒或不守誓言，
If they lack compassion or do not arouse bodhicitta,
如果他們缺乏慈悲或未能發起菩提心，
If they lack faith in the Buddha and rely on other deities,
如果他們對佛陀缺乏信心，並且依靠其他的天神，
Recitation of my mantras will bring them to ruin.
誦持我的咒語將使他們走向毀滅。
“If those unable to look upon any of these maṇḍalas
「如果那些無法觀看這些壇城中任何一個的人
Because they are disheartened and lack the means,
因為他們感到灰心喪氣，缺乏修持的方法，
Instead view just one among the maṇḍalas with faith
相反地，應該只觀修其中一個壇城，並具有信心
While maintaining their observances,
在保持他們的戒律的同時，
“The host of yakṣas and creatures of the night,
「夜叉的眾多部眾和夜間的生靈，
Nāgas, and all the grahas that float above the ground,
龍，以及所有懸浮在地面上方的星曜，
Devas and the like, vighnas, and vināyakas
天神與此類存在、障礙和毘那夜迦
Will find no chance to harm them.
將無法傷害他們。
“Just as any crop depends on its soil
「就如同任何莊稼都依賴於土壤
To grow up free from blight,
要得以無害地生長，
It is in dependence on discipline
戒律是成就的基礎
That virtuous deeds grow, watered with compassion.
善德由慈悲的灌溉而增長。
“From the complete Vinaya, the pure discipline of prātimokṣa,
「從完整的律，波羅提木叉的清淨戒律，
Taught with certainty by the Victor, [F.119.b]
由勝者確定無疑地宣說，
A householder mantrin should abandon the outer signs and rites,
在家咒師應當放棄外在的標記和儀軌。
And train in all the rest.
並修習其他一切。
“Thus freed from nonvirtuous dharma,
「如此脫離了非善法，
They are imbued with the Sugata’s eloquent Dharma,
他們充滿了善逝的精妙之法。
Which is pure and brings liberation.
其中是清淨的，能帶來解脫。
When weary of recitation, they should read scripture.
當對念誦感到疲倦時，他們應該閱讀經典。
“To purify nonvirtue they should continuously erect,
「為了淨化不善業，他們應當持續建立，
In a clean and secluded place,
在清淨而隱僻的地方，
Caityas to the Sugata made of either sand or clay
用沙子或黏土製造的供奉善逝的塔
That contain the Essence of Dependent Arising.
包含了緣起的本質。
“Before relic-filled caityas and statues
在裝有舍利的塔和雕像前
They should sing praise and offer fragrances, garlands, and lamps.
他們應該唱誦讚頌，供奉香、花環和燈。
With deep faith they should perform worship,
他們應該以深深的信心進行禮拜，
Using parasols, banners, flags, and music.
使用傘蓋、旗幡、旗幟和音樂。
“A one-wheeled chariot will never move along a path
「單輪的車永遠無法沿著路行進
Even when harnessed to a horse.
即使套上馬匹也不會前進。
Neither will a practitioner lacking an assistant
同樣地，缺乏助手的修行者也無法成就。
Gain siddhi in this life.
在今生獲得成就。
“Such assistants are intelligent, attractive, and fastidiously clean.
「這樣的助手聰慧、吸引人，而且潔身自好。
They hail from a venerable line and are inclined toward Dharma.
他們出身於尊貴的家族，並且傾心於法。
They are eloquent, courageous, have tamed their senses,
他們善於言辭，勇敢無畏，已經降伏了自己的感官。
And are pleasant of speech, generous, and compassionate.
且言辭溫和、慷慨大方、充滿慈悲。
“Patient in the face of hunger, thirst, and emotions,
「在飢餓、口渴和情緒面前保持耐心，
They do not worship brahmins or other gods.
他們不禮拜婆羅門或其他的神。
They are enthusiastic, skilled in the arts, talented,
他們熱忱、精通藝術、才華出眾，
And have faith in the Three Jewels.
並且對三寶有信心。
“Someone with all these good qualities
「具備所有這些良好品質的人
Is rare to find in this age of strife.
在這個充滿紛爭的時代，很難找到這樣的人。
A mantrin should thus rely on an assistant
咒師應當依賴一位助手
With half, a quarter, or even an eighth of these qualities.”
具備這些品質中的一半、四分之一，甚至八分之一就可以了。
1.40This was the first chapter of the noble “Subāhu’s Questions.”
1.40（結尾）