化樂天授記品第十七
Chapter Seventeen: The Devas’ of the Nirmāṇarati Heaven Prediction of Enlightenment
爾時化樂天王為首，與其眷屬七億化樂諸天眾等，見諸阿修羅伽樓羅，乃至見諸兜率天等供養如來，聞授記已欣喜踊躍，咸皆稱心得住實際，於真如中無有疑惑。從坐而起，偏袒右肩右膝著地，頭面作禮向佛合掌，異口同音而白佛言：「世尊！如我解佛所說義，一切諸法是真實際、無邊際、無礙際、無住際、無盡際、不二際、非際實際。世尊！所言實際者，不顛倒故。無邊際者，無限量故。無礙際者，離對治故。無住際者，離自性故。無盡際者，無有生故。不二際者，謂一味故。言非際者，是非有故。世尊！彼實際者遍一切處，無有一法而非實際。世尊！謂菩提者亦是實際。世尊！何者是菩提？一切法是菩提，離自性故。乃至五無間業亦是菩提。何以故？菩提無自性，五無間業亦無自性，是故無間業亦是菩提。世尊！言菩提者，如無餘涅槃性，亦如無間業性。何以故？一切法即是無餘涅槃性亦是無間業性，是故無餘涅槃界即是菩提。世尊！若有眾生住生死者可求涅槃，於實際中無住生死求涅槃者。何以故？實際無二故。世尊！我等於此解了無疑。若於此法無疑慮者，當知是人已曾過去於諸佛所得授阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記。」
At that time, led by the King of the Nirmāṇarati Heaven, along with his retinue of seven hundred million devas from the Nirmāṇarati Heaven, they saw the Asuras, Garuḍas, and up to the Tuṣita devas making offerings to the Tathāgata. Having heard the predictions, they were delighted and jubilant, all feeling content and abiding in the ultimate reality, without any doubt about the true nature of things. They rose from their seats, bared their right shoulders, knelt on their right knees, bowed their heads to the ground in reverence to the Buddha, joined their palms together, and with one voice said to the Buddha:
"World-Honored One! As we understand the meaning of what the Buddha has taught, all dharmas are the ultimate reality, boundless reality, unobstructed reality, non-abiding reality, inexhaustible reality, non-dual reality, and the reality that is not reality. World-Honored One! What is called the ultimate reality is because it is not inverted. The boundless reality is because it is without limit. The unobstructed reality is because it is free from opposition. The non-abiding reality is because it is free from inherent nature. The inexhaustible reality is because it has no birth. The non-dual reality is because it is of one flavor. What is called non-reality is because it is non-existent.
World-Honored One! This ultimate reality pervades all places; there is not a single dharma that is not the ultimate reality. World-Honored One! What is called bodhi is also the ultimate reality. World-Honored One! What is bodhi? All dharmas are bodhi because they are free from inherent nature. Even the five heinous acts are bodhi. Why? Because bodhi has no inherent nature, and the five heinous acts also have no inherent nature, therefore the heinous acts are also bodhi.
World-Honored One! What is called bodhi is like the nature of nirvana without remainder, and also like the nature of the heinous acts. Why? Because all dharmas are the nature of nirvana without remainder and also the nature of the heinous acts, therefore the realm of nirvana without remainder is bodhi. World-Honored One! If there are beings dwelling in samsara who can seek nirvana, there is no one dwelling in samsara seeking nirvana within the ultimate reality. Why? Because the ultimate reality is non-dual.
World-Honored One! We have understood this without doubt. If one has no doubt about this dharma, know that this person has already received the prediction of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi from the Buddhas in the past."
爾時世尊聞化樂天王及諸七億化樂天等說授記已，欲令大眾心喜悅故而現微笑。爾時慧命馬勝以偈問曰：
At that time, after hearing the prediction given to the King of the Nirmāṇarati Heaven and the seven hundred million devas of the Nirmāṇarati Heaven, the World-Honored One smiled, wishing to make the great assembly joyful. Then the venerable Aśvajit asked in verse:
憐愍世者現微笑， 而不說其笑因緣， 天人導師非無因， 現此奇特微笑相。
The compassionate one for the world displays a smile, Yet does not explain the reason for his smile. The teacher of gods and humans does not act without cause, Showing this extraordinary smiling expression.
既見世尊笑光已， 今諸大眾悉懷疑， 唯願說其微笑因， 斷除一切諸疑網。
Having seen the World-Honored One's smiling light, Now the great assembly is filled with doubt. We only wish you would explain the reason for your smile, And remove all the nets of doubt.
斯等若蒙如來說， 聞已咸生希有心， 為彼眾會淨真路， 趣向菩提作因緣。
If these receive the Tathagata's explanation, Upon hearing, all will give rise to rare and precious minds. For that assembly, purify the true path, Creating causes and conditions for progressing toward enlightenment.
若有眾生疑慮者， 是人難得妙菩提， 唯願大智斷疑惑， 精勤速證無上道。
If there are beings with doubts and uncertainties, It is difficult for such people to attain wondrous enlightenment. We only wish the greatly wise one would cut off doubts and delusions, Diligently and swiftly realizing the unsurpassed Way.
世尊此諸大眾等， 志求菩提離諸惡， 得聞諸天授記已， 決定當成大法王。
World-Honored One, this great assembly Aspires to seek enlightenment and depart from all evils. Having heard the predictions given to the devas, They are certain to become great Dharma kings.
是故世尊願憐愍， 除斷一切疑惑心， 授此諸天菩提記， 令諸大眾皆欣喜。」
Therefore, World-Honored One, we pray you show compassion, Removing and cutting off all doubting minds. Bestow upon these devas the prediction of enlightenment, Causing the great assembly to all rejoice.
爾時世尊以偈答慧命馬勝曰：
At that time, the World-Honored One answered Venerable Aśvajit in verse:
哀愍世間故現笑， 馬勝汝今問我義， 我悉與彼天授記， 汝等咸各淨心聽。
Out of compassion for the world, I smile, Ashvajit, you now ask me the meaning, I will give predictions to all those devas, All of you listen with pure minds.
此諸化樂天眾等， 自說授記得菩提， 眾中既作師子吼， 能壞外道諸邪見。
These Nirmāṇarati devas Have proclaimed their own predictions of enlightenment, Making the lion's roar in the assembly, They can destroy the wrong views of non-Buddhists.
譬如空中雨眾石， 必墮大地無有疑， 如是佛子離疑惑， 自知定當成佛道。
Just as stones raining from the sky Will certainly fall to the ground without doubt, So too, the Buddha's children free from doubt Know for certain they will attain The Way of the Buddha.
猶如日沒至夜時， 當知日出必不久， 如是佛子備眾行， 定知必當具十力。
Just as when the sun sets in the evening, One knows it will rise again before long, So too, the Buddha's children equipped with all practices Know for certain they will possess the ten powers.
又如日在正中時， 觀諸色像皆明了， 如是佛子具眾行， 自知必得薩婆若。
And just as when the sun is at its zenith, All forms and images are clearly seen, So too, the Buddha's children complete in all practices Know for certain they will attain omniscience.
喻若日光至沒時， 眾人咸知日不見， 如是佛子皆自知， 決定當得最勝智。
Like when the sun's light reaches sunset, Everyone knows the sun is no longer visible, So too, all the Buddha's children know for themselves They will certainly attain the supreme wisdom.
譬如眾流趣其下， 智者當知歸大海， 如是佛子具明慧， 定知必得上菩提。
Just as all streams flow downward, The wise know they return to the great ocean, So too, the Buddha's children endowed with clear wisdom Know for certain they will attain supreme enlightenment.
如人以石擲虛空， 決定墮地無疑慮， 如是佛子悉自知， 不久當得世間解。
Like one who throws a stone into the sky, It will certainly fall to the ground without doubt, So too, all the Buddha's children know for themselves Before long they will gain understanding of the world.
智者法爾有此見， 以知法故不致疑， 自知分有佛功德， 必定近於自然智。
The wise naturally have this view, Because they know the Dharma, they have no doubts, Knowing they share in the Buddha's merits, They will certainly approach self-arisen wisdom.
假使諸魔那由眾， 現佛言汝不作佛， 不能沮壞其心意， 已自善解真法故。
Even if countless māras Appeared as Buddhas saying "You will not become a Buddha," They could not destroy their resolve, For they have already well understood the true Dharma.
決定於彼佛功德， 咸各自說得授記， 於斯諸天授記事， 如來悉生隨喜心。
Certain of the Buddha's virtues, They all proclaim their own predictions, Regarding these devas receiving predictions, The Tathāgata feels great joy.
此天所修菩薩行， 悉自了知不由他， 彼等自說成善逝， 世尊於此皆隨喜。
The bodhisattva practices these devas cultivate They all understand by themselves, not from others, They proclaim they will become Tathāgatas, And the World-Honored One rejoices in this.
是故馬勝若有人， 欲得無上菩提者， 可於此法應勤求， 必獲最勝安隱處。
Therefore, Ashvajit, if there are those Who wish to attain supreme enlightenment, They should diligently seek this Dharma, They will surely gain the supreme place of peace.
自成正覺寤斯理， 隨義如實能了知， 親近供養善知識， 彼證菩提不為難。
Awakening to this principle by oneself, One can truly understand according to its meaning, Drawing near to and honoring good spiritual friends, It is not difficult to realize enlightenment.
若有千劫修苦行， 皮膏血肉無戀惜， 若能解了斯義趣， 此福廣大勝於彼。
If one practices austerities for a thousand kalpas, Not sparing skin, fat, flesh or blood, If one can understand the meaning of this teaching, The merit is far greater than that.
過去所有一切佛， 未來憐愍眾生者， 及以現在諸世尊， 悉依此法成佛道。
All the Buddhas of the past, Those of the future who will have compassion for beings, And all the World-Honored Ones of the present, All rely on this Dharma to attain the Way of the Buddha.
化天於我供養已， 咸皆善知第一義， 曾供過去諸如來， 寤斯義理當成佛。
These devas, having made offerings to me, All understand well the ultimate truth, Having made offerings to past Tathāgatas, Awakening to this principle, they will become Buddhas.
諸佛所有勝三昧， 及以現在所住定， 彼天深得佛境界， 由本先世久修習。
The supreme samādhis of all Buddhas, And the states they currently dwell in, These devas deeply enter the Buddha's realm, Due to their long practice in previous lives.
馬勝！化樂天子等， 於彼三昧無有疑， 清淨佛法既善學， 今於佛道現修行。
Ashvajit! These Nirmāṇarati devas Have no doubts about those samādhis, Having well learned the pure Buddha Dharma, They now practice the Buddha's path.
是故於理生信解， 當正勤求離苦邊， 常應親近多聞者， 必得無上大菩提。」
Therefore, generate faith and understanding in this principle, Diligently seek to leave the realm of suffering, Always draw near to those of great learning, You will certainly attain supreme enlightenment.
聞佛所說妙法已， 化樂諸天眾會等， 皆悉欣喜除疑網， 流注趣向大涅槃。
Having heard the wonderful Dharma taught by the Buddha, The assembly of Nirmāṇarati devas All rejoiced and dispelled their doubts, Flowing towards the great nirvana.