香積佛品第十
🍃 CHAPTER TEN - ACCUMULATION OF FRAGRANCES BUDDHA
於是舍利弗心念：「日時欲至，此諸菩薩當於何食？」
THen, Śāriputra thought to himself, “It is almost noon. What will all these bodhisattvas eat?”
時維摩詰知其意而語言：「佛說八解脫，仁者受行，豈雜欲食而聞法乎？若欲食者，且待須臾，當令汝得未曾有食。」
Then Vimalakīrti, knowing his thoughts, said, “The Buddha has explained the eight emancipations, and the Venerable has accepted their practice. How can you mix up the desire for food and the desire for listening to the Dharma? If you want to eat, just wait a moment and you will be provided with an unprecedented meal.”
時維摩詰即入三昧，以神通力示諸大眾，上方界分過四十二恒河沙佛土，有國名眾香，佛號香積，今現在，其國香氣，比於十方諸佛世界人、天之香，最為第一。彼土無有聲聞、辟支佛名，唯有清淨大菩薩眾，佛為說法。其界一切，皆以香作樓閣，經行香地，苑園皆香，其食香氣，周流十方無量世界。時彼佛與諸菩薩方共坐食，有諸天子皆號香嚴，悉發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，供養彼佛及諸菩薩，此諸大眾莫不目見。
Then Vimalakīrti entered samadhi, and by the power of spiritual penetration, manifested to the great gathering that, in the upper direction past buddha lands as numerous as the sands of forty-two Ganges Rivers, there is a land called Gathered Fragrances, with a buddha named Accumulation of Fragrances, who currently exists in that world. In comparison with the world-systems of the other buddhas throughout the ten directions, the fragrances experienced by the humans and gods of that country are supreme. In that land, the names ‘voice hearer’ (śrāvaka) and ‘solitary buddha’ (pratyekabuddha) do not exist—there is only the great gathering of pure bodhisattvas, for whom the Buddha explains the Dharma. In that world, all the buildings are made of fragrances. In doing walking meditation on that fragrant earth, the gardens are all fragrant. The fragrance of the food there circulates throughout the immeasurable worlds in the ten directions. When that Buddha and all the bodhisattvas sit together to eat, the gods in attendance all exclaim ornamental fragrances and all generate anuttarā samyak-saṃbodhi citta and make offerings to that buddha and the bodhisattvas. Everyone in the great gathering witnessed what they had never seen before.
時維摩詰問眾菩薩言：「諸仁者！誰能致彼佛飯？」以文殊師利威神力故，咸皆默然。維摩詰言：「仁此大眾，無乃可恥？」
Then Vimalakīrti asked all the bodhisattvas, “Venerables! Who is able to go get food from that buddha?” But, due to the influence of Mañjuśrī’s spiritual power, they all remained silent. Vimalakīrti said, “Venerable, this great assembly, is it not shameful?”
文殊師利曰：「如佛所言，勿輕未學。」
Mañjuśrī replied, “As the Buddha has said, one should not put down those who have not learned.”
於是維摩詰不起于座，居眾會前，化作菩薩，相好光明，威德殊勝，蔽於眾會，而告之曰：「汝往上方界分，度如四十二恒河沙佛土，有國名眾香，佛號香積，與諸菩薩方共坐食。汝往到彼，如我辭曰：『維摩詰稽首世尊足下！致敬無量，問訊起居，少病少惱，氣力安不？願得世尊所食之餘，當於娑婆世界施作佛事，令此樂小法者得弘大道，亦使如來名聲普聞。』」
At this Vimalakīrti, without rising from his seat, in front of everyone gathered in his house, created a bodhisattva by transformation with radiant auspicious characteristics and a glorious presence that surpassed everyone in the assembly and he told it, “Go to the world in the upper direction where, separated from here by buddha lands as numerous as the sands of forty-two Ganges Rivers, there is a land called Gathered Fragrances. The buddha [there] is named Accumulation of Fragrances. Along with all the bodhisattvas, they are just now sitting down to eat. Go there, and say as I tell you: ‘Vimalakīrti bows his head to the feet of the World-Honored One! With great respect he inquires immeasurable times, are your ills slight, some slight vexation, and whether your energies are at peace? He wishes to obtain the leftovers of the World-Honored One’s meal, which would be given to accomplish the Buddha’s work in the Sahā world. It will cause those who delight in lesser dharmas to disseminate the great path, and it will also cause the name of the Thus Come One to be universally heard.’”
時化菩薩即於會前，昇于上方，舉眾皆見其去，到眾香界，禮彼佛足，又聞其言：「維摩詰稽首世尊足下！致敬無量，問訊起居，少病少惱，氣力安不？願得世尊所食之餘，欲於娑婆世界施作佛事，使此樂小法者得弘大道，亦使如來名聲普聞。」
Then the transformation bodhisattva, in front of the assembly, ascended to the upper direction and the entire congregation saw him arrive at that Gathered Fragrances world-system and worship at that Buddha’s feet, and they also heard him say, “Vimalakīrti bows his head to the feet of the World-honored One, and with great respect he inquires immeasurable times, Are your ills slight, some slight vexation, and whether your energies are at peace? He wishes to obtain the leftovers of the World-Honored One’s meal, which would be given to accomplish the Buddha’s work in the Sahā world. It will cause those who delight in ‘lesser dharmas’ to disseminate the great path, and it will also cause the name of the Thus Come One to be universally heard.”
彼諸大士見化菩薩，歎未曾有：「今此上人從何所來？娑婆世界為在何許？云何名為樂小法者？」即以問佛。佛告之曰：「下方度如四十二恒河沙佛土，有世界名娑婆，佛號釋迦牟尼，今現在。於五濁惡世，為樂小法眾生敷演道教；彼有菩薩名維摩詰，住不可思議解脫，為諸菩薩說法，故遣化來，稱揚我名，并讚此土，令彼菩薩增益功德。」
When the great beings there saw the transformation bodhisattva, they exclaimed that it was unprecedented. “Where has this superior person come from? Where is the Sahā world? What does ‘those who delight in lesser dharmas’ mean?” So they asked the Buddha. The Buddha told them, “In the lower direction, separated from here by buddha lands as numerous as the sands of forty-two Ganges Rivers, is a world named Sahā. The buddha there is named Śākyamuni, who exists at present. In an evil time of five kaṣāya (stages of corruption), he broadly expounds the teaching of the path in order to enlighten those who delight in lesser dharmas. One of his bodhisattvas is named Vimalakīrti, who resides in the Inconceivable Liberation and explains the Dharma for bodhisattvas. Therefore, he has sent this transformation here to praise my name and extol this land, so that those bodhisattvas will increase their merit.”
彼菩薩言：「其人何如，乃作是化？德力無畏，神足若斯！」佛言：「甚大！一切十方皆遣化往，施作佛事，饒益眾生。」
Those bodhisattvas said, “Who is this person and how did they make this transformation? How great must his merit power, fearlessness, and spiritual powers be!”
The Buddha said, “Extremely great! He sends transformations throughout the ten directions, where they carry out the Buddha’s work and benefit sentient beings.”
於是香積如來以眾香鉢盛滿香飯，與化菩薩。時彼九百萬菩薩俱發聲言：「我欲詣娑婆世界供養釋迦牟尼佛，并欲見維摩詰等諸菩薩眾。」佛言：「可往。攝汝身香，無令彼諸眾生起惑著心。又當捨汝本形，勿使彼國求菩薩者，而自鄙恥。又汝於彼莫懷輕賤，而作礙想。所以者何？十方國土，皆如虛空。又諸佛為欲化諸樂小法者，不盡現其清淨土耳！」時化菩薩既受鉢飯，與彼九百萬菩薩俱，承佛威神，及維摩詰力，於彼世界，忽然不現，須臾之間，至維摩詰舍。
At this, Accumulation of Fragrances Thus Come One shared a bowl full of gathered fragrances and fragrant food with the transformation bodhisattva. Then nine million bodhisattvas there together raised their voices saying, “We wish to go to the Sahā World to make offerings to Śākyamuni Buddha. And we wish to see Vimalakīrti and all the other bodhisattvas. The Buddha said, “You can go, but withdraw the fragrances of your bodies, so as not to cause the sentient beings there to generate thoughts of deluded attachment. Also, you should relinquish your original forms, so as not to cause those bodhisattva seekers in that country to be ashamed of themselves. Also, you must not harbor feelings of belittlement or disgust, and create hindered perceptions. Why? All lands throughout the Ten Directions are all like empty space. Also, all buddhas do not completely manifest their pure lands because they want to transform those who delight in lesser dharma!” Then the transformation bodhisattva received the bowl of food and, with those nine million bodhisattvas, by means of the Buddha’s awesome spiritual [powers] and Vimalakīrti’s power, they suddenly disappeared from that world and, in an instant, they arrived at Vimalakīrti’s house.
時維摩詰即化作九百萬師子之座，嚴好如前，諸菩薩皆坐其上。是化菩薩以滿鉢香飯與維摩詰，飯香普熏毘耶離城，及三千大千世界。時毘耶離婆羅門、居士等，聞是香氣，身意快然，歎未曾有！於是長者主月蓋從八萬四千人，來入維摩詰舍。見其室中菩薩甚多，諸師子座，高廣嚴好，皆大歡喜，禮眾菩薩及大弟子，却住一面。諸地神、虛空神及欲、色界諸天，聞此香氣，亦皆來入維摩詰舍。
Then Vimalakīrti created by transformation nine million lion seats, excellently ornamented as before, and the bodhisattvas all sat upon them. When the transformation bodhisattva gave the bowl full of fragrant food to Vimalakīrti, the fragrance of the food permeated the city of Vaiśālī and the entire Three Thousand Great Thousand world-system. Then the Brāhmans and retired scholars of Vaiśālī smelled this fragrance and their bodies and minds were joyful, and they sighed at the unprecedented. At this, a chief of the elders, Moon Canopy, followed by eighty-four thousand people, came and entered Vimalakīrti’s house. Seeing so many bodhisattvas inside the room, and all the lion seats, so tall and so broad, with the finest ornamentation, they were all great joyful and revered the gathering of bodhisattvas and great disciples, then stood to one side. [And] all the earth spirits, sky [or space] spirits, and gods of the realms of desire and form smelled this fragrance, also coming and entering Vimalakīrti’s house.
時維摩詰語舍利弗等諸大聲聞：「仁者可食，如來甘露味飯，大悲所熏，無以限意食之，使不消也。」有異聲聞念：「是飯少，而此大眾人人當食？」化菩薩曰：「勿以聲聞小德小智，稱量如來無量福慧！四海有竭，此飯無盡！使一切人食，揣若須彌，乃至一劫，猶不能盡。所以者何？無盡戒、定、智慧、解脫、解脫知見功德具足者，所食之餘，終不可盡。」於是鉢飯悉飽眾會，猶故不[歹*斯]。其諸菩薩、聲聞、天、人，食此飯者，身安快樂，譬如一切樂莊嚴國諸菩薩也；又諸毛孔皆出妙香，亦如眾香國土諸樹之香。
Then Vimalakīrti said to Śāriputra and the other great voice hearers, “Venerables, you may eat this food of the flavor of sweet dew of the Thus Come One, which is perfumed with the limitless intention of great compassion, and which will not be diminished by its consumption.”
A different voice hearer thought, “There is not much food, yet everyone in this great assembly is supposed to eat!”
The transformation bodhisattva said, “Do not measure the limitless blessings and sagacity of the Thus Come One with the small merit and small wisdom of a voice hearer! Even were the four seas to dry up, this food would not be exhausted. Even if everyone ate as much as Sumeru for an entire kalpa, we would never be able to exhaust it. Why? That which is left over from the meal of someone who fully possesses the merits of morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the vision and hearing of emancipation can never be exhausted.”
Then the food in the bowl was used to satisfy the gathered assembly, yet it remained just as it was, without depletion. All the bodhisattvas, voice hearers, gods and humans eating the food had a sense of bodily ease and delight of mind, just as every bodhisattva delights in adorning lands, and a wonderful scent also emitted from the hair pores of their bodies, like the scents of all the trees of Land of Gathered Fragrances.”
爾時維摩詰問眾香菩薩：「香積如來以何說法？」
Then Vimalakīrti asked the Gathered Fragrances bodhisattvas, “How does Accumulation of Fragrances Thus Come One explain the Dharma?”
彼菩薩曰：「我土如來無文字說，但以眾香令諸天、人得入律行。菩薩各各坐香樹下，聞斯妙香，即獲一切德藏三昧。得是三昧者，菩薩所有功德皆悉具足。」
Those bodhisattvas replied, “The Thus Come One of our land does not explain with words and letters, simply by using gathered fragrances do all gods and humans enter disciplined practice. Bodhisattvas each sit beneath a fragrant tree and smell such wondrous fragrances that they ‘catch’ (attain) all the virtuous treasuries of samādhi. Those who attain this samādhi all become replete in the merits of a bodhisattva.”
彼諸菩薩問維摩詰：「今世尊釋迦牟尼以何說法？」
All those bodhisattvas then asked Vimalakīrti, “How does the World-Honored One Śākyamuni explain the Dharma here?”
維摩詰言：「此土眾生剛強難化，故佛為說剛強之語以調伏之。言是地獄、是畜生、是餓鬼，是諸難處，是愚人生處；是身邪行，是身邪行報；是口邪行，是口邪行報；是意邪行，是意邪行報；是殺生，是殺生報；是不與取，是不與取報；是邪婬，是邪婬報；是妄語，是妄語報；是兩舌，是兩舌報；是惡口，是惡口報；是無義語，是無義語報；是貪嫉，是貪嫉報；是瞋惱，是瞋惱報；是邪見，是邪見報；是慳悋，是慳悋報；是毀戒，是毀戒報；是瞋恚，是瞋恚報；是懈怠，是懈怠報；是亂意，是亂意報；是愚癡，是愚癡報；是結戒，是持戒，是犯戒；是應作，是不應作；是障礙，是不障礙；是得罪，是離罪；是淨，是垢；是有漏，是無漏；是邪道，是正道；是有為，是無為；是世間，是涅槃。以難化之人，心如猨猴，故以若干種法，制御其心，乃可調伏。譬如象馬，[怡-台+龍]悷不調，加諸楚毒，乃至徹骨，然後調伏。如是剛強難化眾生，故以一切苦切之言，乃可入律。」
Vimalakīrti said, “The sentient beings of this land are obdurate and difficult to convert, and so the Buddha disciplines them by means of stern language. He says, ‘There are the hells, there are animals, and there are hungry ghosts. These are the places of difficulty, and these are the places where the foolish are born. These are improper practices of the body, and these are the retributions for improper practices of the body. These are improper practices of the mouth, and these are the retributions for improper practices of the mouth. These are improper practices of the mind, and these are the retributions for improper practices of the mind. This is to kill sentient beings, and this is the retribution for killing sentient beings. This is to take what is not given, and this is the retribution for taking what is not given. This is improper behavior, and this is the retribution for improper behavior. This is false speech, and this is the retribution for false speech. This is slander, and this is the retribution for slander. This is defamation, and this is the retribution for defamation. This is idle speech, and this is the retribution for idle speech. These are desire and jealousy, and this is the retribution for desire and jealousy. These are anger and vexation, and this is the retribution for anger and vexation. These are heterodox views, and this is the retribution for heterodox views. This is parsimony, and this is the retribution for parsimony. This is breaking the precepts, and this is the retribution for breaking the precepts. This is anger, and this is the retribution for anger. This is laziness, and this is the retribution for laziness. This is perturbation, and this is the retribution for perturbation. This is stupidity, and this is the retribution for stupidity. This is to be bound by the precepts, this is to maintain the precepts, and this is to transgress the precepts. This is what you should do, and this is what you should not do. These are hindrances, and these are not hindrances. These are transgressions, and these are not transgressions. This is pure, and this is defiled. This is to have flaws, and this is to be flawless. This is the wrong path, and this is the correct path. This is the conditioned, and this is the unconditioned. This is worldly, and this is Nirvana.’”
“Since the minds of people so difficult to convert are like monkeys, one must use several types of Dharma to control their minds, so that they can be disciplined. It is like elephants and horses who are stubborn and uncontrollable, who can only be disciplined by making them suffer to the bone. Because sentient beings are obdurate like this, [The Buddha] uses all sorts of strict language to get [sentient beings] to enter disciplined practice.”
彼諸菩薩聞說是已，皆曰：「未曾有也！如世尊釋迦牟尼佛，隱其無量自在之力，乃以貧所樂法，度脫眾生；斯諸菩薩亦能勞謙，以無量大悲，生是佛土。」
When those bodhisattvas heard this explanation, they all said, “Unprecedented! Thus the World-honored One Śākyamuni Buddha conceals his immeasurable autonomous powers and uses that which is enjoyed by the poverty-stricken to free sentient beings. The bodhisattvas here are also able to labor and be humble, and it is with immeasurable great compassion that they have been born in this Buddha Land.”
維摩詰言：「此土菩薩於諸眾生大悲堅固，誠如所言。然其一世饒益眾生，多於彼國百千劫行。所以者何？此娑婆世界有十事善法，諸餘淨土之所無有。何等為十？以布施攝貧窮，以淨戒攝毀禁，以忍辱攝瞋恚，以精進攝懈怠，以禪定攝亂意，以智慧攝愚癡，說除難法度八難者，以大乘法度樂小乘者，以諸善根濟無德者，常以四攝成就眾生，是為十。」
Vimalakīrti said, “The bodhisattvas of this land are resolute in their compassion for all sentient beings. Truly, it is as you have said. Thus in a single lifetime they benefit more sentient beings than you do in that country in a hundred thousand kalpas of practice. Why? This Sahā world has ten excellent dharmas (things about them) that are lacking in the other pure lands. What are these ten?1. The poor are attracted by Giving; 2. transgressors are attracted by pure Precepts; 3. the angry are attracted by Patience; 4. the lazy are attracted by Determination; 5. the crazed are attracted by meditation; 6. the foolish are attracted by Wisdom; 7. those who experience the eight difficulties are liberated by explanation of the Dharma on eliminating difficulties; 8. those who delight in the Hinayana are liberated by the Mahayana; 9. those without virtue are ‘ferried’ by all good roots; and 10. all sentient beings are liberated by the Four Means of ‘Attraction’ (inclusion). These are the ten.”
彼菩薩曰：「菩薩成就幾法？於此世界行無瘡疣，生于淨土。」
Those bodhisattvas said, “How many dharmas do bodhisattvas accomplish in their flawless practice in this world to be born in[to] a pure land?”
維摩詰言：「菩薩成就八法，於此世界行無瘡疣，生于淨土。何等為八？饒益眾生，而不望報；代一切眾生受諸苦惱，所作功德盡以施之；等心眾生，謙下無礙；於諸菩薩視之如佛；所未聞經，聞之不疑；不與聲聞而相違背；不嫉彼供，不高己利，而於其中調伏其心；常省己過，不訟彼短，恒以一心求諸功德，是為八法。」
Vimalakīrti said, “Bodhisattvas accomplish eight dharmas in their flawless practice in this world to be born in[to] a pure land. What are the eight? 1. They benefit sentient beings without seeking anything in return; 2. they take upon themselves the sufferings of all living beings, and what merit they acquire thereby is given to those beings; 3. they are even-minded toward all sentient beings, humble and non-contrarian; 4. they see bodhisattvas as if they are buddhas; 5. they hear and do not doubt sutras they have not heard before; 6. they do not dispute voice hearers; 7. they do not envy the alms received by others, nor boast of their own gains, and, in all of this, their minds are disciplined; 8. they always reflect on their own errors and do not point out the shortcomings of others, they just single mindedly seek all virtues. These are the eight.
維摩詰、文殊師利於大眾中說是法時，百千天、人皆發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，十千菩薩得無生法忍。
When Vimalakīrti and Mañjuśrī explained this Dharma to the great congregation, a hundred thousand gods and humans all generated anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi citta, and ten thousand bodhisattvas attained the patient tolerance of the birthlessness of dharmas.