Going to the Temple

前往寺院

8.1Monks, on the very evening of the Bodhisattva’s birth, there were twenty thousand girls born among the ruling class, the priestly class, the merchants, and the householders, such as the landowners. All of them were offered to the Bodhisattva by their parents to serve and honor him. King Śuddhodana also gave twenty thousand girls to the Bodhisattva to serve and honor him. His friends, his ministers, his [118] kinfolk, and his blood relatives also offered twenty thousand girls to serve and honor the Bodhisattva. [F.63.a] Finally the members of ministerial assemblies also offered twenty thousand girls to serve and honor the Bodhisattva.

8.1比丘們，就在菩薩出生的那個晚上，在統治階級、婆羅門階級、商人階級和居士（例如地主）中，有二萬名女子出生。她們的父母都把她們獻給菩薩，來侍奉和恭敬菩薩。淨飯王也給了菩薩二萬名女子來侍奉和恭敬他。他的朋友、他的大臣、他的親戚和他的血親也獻上二萬名女子來侍奉和恭敬菩薩。最後，國家行政官員集會的成員也獻上二萬名女子來侍奉和恭敬菩薩。

8.2Monks, at that time the male and female elders of the Śākya clan gathered and said to King Śuddhodana, “King, please pay heed. The prince should now worship in the temple.”

8.2比丘們，當時釋迦族的男性和女性長者聚集在一起，對淨飯王說：「大王，請聽我們說。王子現在應該到寺院裡去禮拜。」

King Śuddhodana replied, “Yes, it would be excellent for him to worship in this way. Therefore, let the city be decorated! Ornament the streets, crossroads, intersections, and marketplaces. Send away all the hunchbacks and all the blind, deaf, and mute people, as well as anyone who is deformed or crippled. Gather everything auspicious! Beat the drums of merit and ring the bells of auspiciousness. Ornament the gates of this excellent city. Play the most pleasant instruments, cymbals, and drums. Assemble all the local lords and gather the merchants, householders, ministers, gatekeepers, and all the local people. Prepare chariots for the girls. Procure brimming vases. Gather the priests who are experts in recitation. Ornately decorate the temples.”

淨飯王回答說：「是的，他以這樣的方式禮拜會非常好。因此，讓城市得到裝飾吧！裝飾街道、十字路口、交叉路口和市場。趕走所有駝背的人，以及所有盲人、聾子和啞巴，還有任何畸形或殘疾的人。聚集所有吉祥的東西！敲響福德的鼓，並鳴響吉祥的鐘。裝飾這個優美城市的城門。演奏最悅耳的樂器、鐃鈸和鼓。聚集所有當地的領主，集合商人、居士、大臣、守門人和所有當地人民。為女孩們準備車輦。準備滿溢的寶瓶。聚集精通誦經的婆羅門。華麗地裝飾寺院。」

8.3Monks, everyone followed the commands issued by the king. Then King Śuddhodana went to his home and spoke to Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī, saying, “The prince is to pray in the temple. Ornament him well.”

8.3比丘們，眾人都遵照國王的命令。然後淨飯王回到家中，對摩訶波闍波提瞿曇彌說：「王子要到寺院去禮拜。請你把他打扮得漂亮莊嚴。」

Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī replied, “Of course,” and dressed the prince lavishly.

摩訶波闍波提瞿曇彌回答道：「好的。」並為王子精心裝扮打扮得華麗無比。

While the prince was being dressed, with a slight smile and no hint of annoyance, he spoke these pleasant words to his maternal aunt: “Mother, where are you taking me?”

王子在被打扮的時候，面帶微笑，毫無煩惱之色，對他的姨母說出這些溫和的言語：「母親，您要帶我到哪裡去呢？」

She replied, “Son, I am taking you to the temple.” [F.63.b]

她回答說：「兒子，我正帶你去寺院。」

8.4The prince then smiled, laughed, and spoke these verses to his maternal aunt:

8.4王子於是微笑，大笑，向他的姑母說出了這些偈頌：

“When I was born, this trichiliocosm trembled.

「我降生時，三千大千世界為之震動。

Śakra, Brahmā, the demigods, the mahoragas, [119]

釋提桓因、梵天、阿修羅、摩睺羅伽，

Sūrya, and Candra, as well as Vaiśravaṇa and Kumāra,

日天、月天，以及毘沙門和童子，

All bowed their heads to my feet and paid homage to me.

都向我的腳低頭禮拜，向我敬禮。

“What other god is there who is superior to me,

「還有哪位天神比我更殊勝呢？

Who my mother takes me to worship today?

我的母親今天帶我去拜祭誰？

I am superior to all the gods; I am the God of Gods.

我勝過一切天神；我是諸天之王。

There is no other god like me, so how could anyone be superior?

沒有其他天神像我一樣，那麼怎麼會有人比我更高超呢？

“Still, mother, I will follow worldly customs;

「不過，母親，我會遵循世俗的習慣；

When beings see my miraculous displays, they will be pleased.

當眾生看到我的神奇顯現時，他們會感到歡喜。

It will inspire them with great respect,

這將激發他們心中的巨大敬畏。

And gods and humans will know that I am the God of Gods.”

天神和人類將會知道我是諸天之王。

8.7Monks, once the main streets, crossroads, intersections, and markets had been richly ornamented, with praises and benedictions of all kinds posted around the city, a richly ornamented chariot was prepared for the prince in the inner courtyard. With all auspicious circumstances having been arranged in this manner, King Śuddhodana lifted the prince onto his lap. Surrounded by priests, townspeople, merchants, householders, ministers, local lords, gatekeepers, local people, friends, and kinfolk, they traveled through the richly ornamented roads, intersections, crossroads, and marketplaces, which were enveloped in the fragrant scent of incense and strewn with flower petals, filled with horses, elephants, chariots, and foot soldiers, with parasols, victory banners, and flags held aloft, and resounding with many instruments. At that time a hundred thousand gods led the Bodhisattva’s chariot. Many hundreds of millions of gods and maidens scattered flowers from the sky above and played cymbals.

8.7比丘們，當城市的主幹道、十字路口、交叉口和市場都被精心裝飾，各種讚頌和祝福的詞語貼滿了整座城市後，淨飯王在內院為王子準備了一輛精心裝飾的香車。在這樣所有吉祥的安排都已準備好的情況下，淨飯王把王子抱上了自己的膝蓋。由婆羅門、城市居民、商人、居士、大臣、地方諸侯、城門守衛、當地百姓、親友和親戚們簇擁著，他們行進在經過精心裝飾的道路、十字路口、交叉口和市場上。這些地方瀰漫著濃烈的香火香氣，撒滿了花瓣，擁擠著馬匹、大象、戰車和步兵，傘蓋、勝利幢和旗幟高高舉起，各種樂器聲不絕於耳。當時，十萬尊天神率領著菩薩的香車前行。數百萬尊天神和天女從空中灑落花瓣，敲奏著鈸樂。

8.8Monks, King Śuddhodana, accompanied by the great royal procession, splendor, and ceremony, brought the prince to the temple. As soon as the Bodhisattva placed his right foot in the temple, [F.64.a] the insentient [120] statues of the gods, such as Śiva, Skanda, Nārāyaṇa, Kubera, Candra, Sūrya, Vaiśravaṇa, Śakra, Brahmā, and the guardians of the world, all stood up from their seats and prostrated at the Bodhisattva’s feet. Right then a hundred thousand gods and humans cried out in amazement and delight. The fine city of Kapilavastu trembled in six ways. A rain of divine flowers fell, and a hundred thousand divine instruments sounded without even being played. Then the various statues in the temple all returned to their seats and spoke these verses:

8.8比丘們，淨飯王帶著宏大的王室隊伍、榮耀與儀式，將王子帶到寺院。菩薩的右腳一踏入寺院，濕婆天、塞建陀、那羅延天、多聞天王、月天、日天、毘沙門、釋提桓因、梵天以及四大天王等無情的天神塑像，全都從座位上站了起來，在菩薩足下頂禮。就在那時，十萬天神和人類發出驚嘆和喜悅的呼聲。吉祥的迦毘羅衛城六種方式震動。天界的花雨紛紛落下，十萬尊天界的樂器無人彈奏卻自然奏響。隨後寺院內的各尊塑像都回到座位，誦出這些偈頌：

“Mount Meru, the greatest and best of mountains, would never bow down to a mustard seed;

「須彌山乃諸山中最偉大、最殊勝者，絕不會向芥子低眉屈膝；

The great ocean, the nāga king’s abode, would never bow down to a puddle;

大海、龍王的住所，永遠不會向水窪彎腰；

The brilliant sun and moon would never bow down before a firefly.

光輝的日天和月天絕不會向螢火蟲低眉順眼。

So how could the Noble One, with merit and wisdom, bow down before the gods?

那麼具有福德和智慧的聖者，怎麼可能向天神低眉順眼呢？

“The gods and humans of this trichiliocosm

「這三千大千世界的天神和人類

Are like mustard seeds, puddles, and fireflies, and yet filled with pride.

就像芥子、水窪和螢火蟲一樣渺小，卻充滿了慢。

If the world bows to He Who Is like Mount Meru, the Ocean, the Sun, and the Moon‍—

如果世界向那位如同須彌山、大海、太陽和月亮一樣的聖者頂禮——

The self-arisen sublime one of this world‍—then they would attain heaven and nirvāṇa.”

這個世界自然生起的殊勝者——那麼他們就會證得天界和涅槃。

8.11Monks, when the Bodhisattva entered the temple, three million two hundred thousand gods gave rise to the intention to attain unexcelled, perfect, and complete awakening. Monks, these are the circumstances and causes related to the Bodhisattva’s equanimity as he was brought to the temple.

8.11比丘們，當菩薩進入寺院時，三百二十萬天神生起了要證得無上正等覺的心念。比丘們，這些就是與菩薩被帶往寺院時他所展現的捨相關的因緣和條件。

8.12This concludes the eighth chapter, on going to the temple. [121]

8.12（結尾）