阿惟越致遮經師子女品第十五
爾時，私休童女與五百童女俱問佛言：「唯然世尊！女人若學是經卷者，獲何功德？設諷誦讀，福何所趣？」
At that time, the maiden Siṃha together with five hundred maidens asked the Buddha: "Indeed, World-Honored One! If women study this sutra scroll, what merit do they obtain? If they recite and read it, where does their merit tend?"
佛言：「女人若求無上正真之道，欲學此經，觀餘女人。所以者何？若學此經專精不亂，不効他女貪於塵勞，猶是之緣致女人身。」
The Buddha said: "If women seek the unsurpassed true path and wish to study this sutra, they should observe other women. Why is this so? If they study this sutra with focused concentration without disturbance, not imitating other women who are greedy for worldly toils, this very condition causes the female body."
私休又問：「何謂女人之塵勞也？為欲所惑奚受女身？」
Siṃha further asked: "What are women's worldly toils? Why are they deluded by desires and receive female bodies?"
答曰：「若有女人，見他婦女端正姝好、寶瓔珞身，不以願樂，自觀察已。譬如穢廁，心不樂欲，造污路觀，不以為清。若貪樂是，則受女身。又計女人多懷嫉妬，心口各異，而不相副、不應前後。雖見比丘，但求名聞，不用經法，多懷瞋恚。喜會人客，未甞利求如此像經。若讀誦者，心在著求，其志憒亂，遊于塵埃。以是之故，受女人形，不能除罪。此以女人，設除愛欲，不興邪想，受此經本，持諷誦讀。所以者何？是深尊經，除女塵色。」
He answered: "If there are women who see other women beautiful and lovely, adorned with precious necklaces, and do not wish for such pleasures, observing themselves. Like a filthy toilet, the mind does not delight in desires, creating an impure path of observation, not considering it clean. If they crave and delight in this, they receive female bodies. Moreover, women often harbor jealousy, their minds and mouths different, not corresponding to each other, inconsistent in front and behind. Though seeing bhikṣus, they only seek fame, not using the sutra teachings, often harboring anger. They delight in meeting guests, never beneficially seeking such scriptural teachings. If they read and recite, their minds are set on attached seeking, their aspirations confused and disturbed, wandering in dust. For these reasons, they receive female forms and cannot remove sins. If women eliminate desires and do not arouse wrong thoughts, receiving this sutra, holding, reciting, and reading it - why is this so? This profound honored sutra removes women's dusty forms."
又問：「假使女人不願其身，受此經法，持諷誦讀。以何因緣轉女像耶？」
She further asked: "If women do not wish for their bodies and receive this sutra teaching, holding, reciting, and reading it, by what causes and conditions do they transform their female appearance?"
佛言：「欲轉女身，受此經籍，持諷誦讀，不願女人，常畏穢之。譬如有人見大熾火自投其中，而口說言：『莫令火燒，無使傷肌。』於童女意云何？彼人言爾，寧得願乎？」
The Buddha said: "Wishing to transform the female body, receive this scripture, hold, recite, and read it, not wishing to be women, always fearing and being disgusted by it. It is like someone who sees a great blazing fire and throws themselves into it, while saying: 'Don't let the fire burn me, don't let it harm my flesh.' What do you think, maiden? Could that person's words be fulfilled?"
答曰：「不得。天中之天！所以者何？計於火種主有所燒，爛壞肌肉不得無傷。」
She answered: "They could not, Lord of Devas! Why is this so? Fire by its nature burns, rotting and destroying flesh - it cannot avoid harm."
佛言：「如是。此經亦然，燒盡塵埃愛欲無餘。設使貪著情欲之態，累世自危。是故女人欲轉是身，速當究竟成於聖道、見無央數諸佛世尊、備無量辯，當受此經持諷誦讀。」
The Buddha said: "Exactly so. This sutra is also like this, burning up all dust and desires without remainder. If one clings to the attitudes of emotional desires, they endanger themselves for countless lifetimes. Therefore, women wishing to transform this body should quickly accomplish the holy path, see countless Buddhas and World-Honored Ones, prepare immeasurable eloquence, and should receive this sutra, holding, reciting, and reading it."
私休童女及五百人俱白佛言：「吾等省念。世尊！往古從定光佛如來、至真、等正覺受此經本，持諷誦讀，為無量億百千之眾演說其義。」
The maiden Sihu and five hundred people together said to the Buddha: "We remember, World-Honored One! In ancient times we received this sutra from Dīpaṅkara Buddha Tathāgata, the Truly and Perfectly Enlightened One, holding, reciting, and reading it, expounding its meaning for countless billions and hundreds of thousands of beings."
阿難白佛：「此私休身雖為女人，則非女也。所以者何？今吾最後而目察覩，私休童女示現變化乃如是乎。愍傷女人欲以度脫，攝諸男子不見處所，以是感動化眾女人。」
Ānanda said to the Buddha: "Though this Sihu has a female body, she is not a woman. Why is this so? Now I finally observe that the maiden Sihu manifests transformations like this. Pitying women and wishing to liberate them, gathering men without visible location, thus inspiring and transforming many women."
佛言：「阿難！其私休者，非男非女，無有此法。所以者何？觀諸法本，不得男子、亦無女人，一切諸法皆無可獲，等不差特。所以者何？如是計之，非男非女。私休童女分別此經，無所罣礙，逮得法明。是故，阿難！若有女人欲求男子，當順私休修行之法，受是經卷持諷誦讀。」
The Buddha said: "Ānanda! This Sihu is neither male nor female—there is no such dharma. Why is this so? Observing the foundation of all dharmas, one cannot find men or women; all dharmas cannot be obtained, equal without distinction. Why is this so? Calculating thus, neither male nor female. The maiden Sihu distinguishes this sutra without hindrance, attaining Dharma illumination. Therefore, Ānanda! If there are women wishing to become men, they should follow Sihu's method of cultivation, receiving this sutra scroll, holding, reciting, and reading it."
爾時，五百比丘尼前白佛言：「吾等之類，從今日始，受是經本，持諷誦讀。不樂女人，穢厭此身。從今以往，不復座寐，諷誦此經，通利乃定。」
At that time, five hundred bhikṣuṇīs came forward and said to the Buddha: "Our kind, from today forward, receive this sutra, holding, reciting, and reading it. We do not delight in being women, disgusted and weary of this body. From now on, we will not sit or sleep, reciting this sutra until we master it and achieve concentration."
時佛讚曰：「善哉！是之所說諷誦斯言，被大德鎧通達精進，不慕女像。是故，仁者！益加勤修，受此經本，持諷誦讀。」
Then the Buddha praised saying: "Excellent! What you have said about reciting these words, wearing the armor of great virtue, penetrating diligence, not longing for female appearance. Therefore, benevolent ones! Increase your diligent cultivation, receive this sutra, hold, recite, and read it."
時比丘尼聞佛所說欣然大悅，即脫身衣以覆佛上，而歎頌曰：
When the bhikṣuṇīs heard what the Buddha said, they were delighted with great joy, immediately removed their robes to cover the Buddha, and praised in verse:
我今日得樂， 望為男子身， 正覺言無異， 必獲世上尊。」
Today I have attained joy, Hoping for a male body, Perfect Enlightenment's words without difference, Certainly obtaining the world's supreme honor."
於是，五百長者妻聞比丘尼被是德鎧，即從座起前白佛言：「唯天中天！吾從今始，受此經卷，持諷誦讀。願令我等獲得自在，不繫綴人、莫察他顏，離於魔使難固之患。所以者何？正使女人生于王家，則有所屬不得自在，盡其形壽給事夫婿。是故我等今日始遵精進。假使有人說此經中一句之義，不敢誹謗，至窮命盡不近夫婿，令我等讀解此經。」
Thereupon, five hundred elders' wives, hearing that the bhikṣuṇīs were wearing this armor of virtue, immediately rose from their seats and came forward to say to the Buddha: "O Lord of Devas! From today forward, we receive this sutra scroll, holding, reciting, and reading it. We wish to attain freedom, not being bound to people, not observing others' faces, departing from the difficulties of Māra's messengers that are hard to overcome. Why is this so? Even if women are born in royal families, they belong to others and cannot be free, serving their husbands for their entire lives. Therefore, we today begin following diligence. Even if someone explains the meaning of one sentence from this sutra, we dare not slander it; until our lives end, we will not approach husbands, so that we may read and understand this sutra."
於時世尊讚長者妻言：「善哉，善哉！是女人等今於佛前大師子吼，此言甚佳被無極鎧。如人所志不察他顏、不負重擔十月懷軀、亦不加遭而入胞胎。所生佛國清淨佛土，無女人處，莫有瘕疵。」
At that time, the World-Honored One praised the elders' wives saying: "Excellent, excellent! These women now make a great lion's roar before the Buddha; these words are excellent, wearing infinite armor. Like people whose aspirations do not observe others' faces, not bearing heavy burdens of ten months' pregnancy, also not additionally suffering by entering the womb. The Buddha-countries where they will be born are pure Buddha-lands, places without women, without any flaws."
阿難問佛：「此諸姊等所生世界，其號云何而無瘕疵？」
Ānanda asked the Buddha: "What is the name of the world where these sisters will be born that is without flaws?"
佛言：「世界號寶蓮華藏，當生彼土。」
The Buddha said: "The world is called Precious Lotus Treasury; they will be born in that land."
又問佛言：「聖號為何如來、至真、等正覺？」
He further asked the Buddha: "What is the holy name of the Tathāgata, the Truly and Perfectly Enlightened One?"
佛言：「佛號一切諸寶妙珍之光如來、至真、等正覺，現在說法。是長者妻學此經籍，見彼如來。」
The Buddha said: "The Buddha is named Tathāgata Light of All Precious Wonderful Jewels, the Truly and Perfectly Enlightened One, who is presently teaching the Dharma. These elders' wives studying this scripture will see that Tathāgata."
時長者妻歡喜踊躍善心生矣，即解頸著百千之寶七寶珠瓔，以散佛上，同聲說偈言：
At that time, the elders' wives were joyful and elated, good minds arising, and they immediately removed from their necks precious necklaces of hundreds of thousands of seven-jeweled pearls, scattered them over the Buddha, and spoke in unison these verses:
今日獲大望， 當棄女人身， 等覺言無特， 口演至誠語。
Today we attain great hope, We shall abandon female bodies, Equal Enlightenment's words without distinction, The mouth speaking sincere words.
當除此愚形， 女人殃罪體， 癡騃志貪著， 不解知本無。
We shall remove this foolish form, Women's calamitous sinful bodies, Ignorant aspirations greedily attached, Not understanding original non-existence.
非更於胞胎， 除去所受身， 逮得無上義， 未甞有所處。」
No longer in the womb, Removing the received body, Attaining the unsurpassed meaning, Never having any abiding place."
時長者妻說是偈已，瞻仰尊顏，目未甞瞬。
When the elders' wives had spoken these verses, they gazed up at the honored countenance, their eyes never blinking.