涅槃功德品第五
Chapter Five: The Merit of Nirvana
爾時尊者舍利弗復作是念：「世尊已說不動如來、應、正等覺修菩薩道功德無邊，又說彼土及聲聞菩薩殊勝德業廣大莊嚴。復願世尊於茲開示彼佛滅度化迹如何。」
At that time, Venerable Śāriputra thought, "The World-Honored One has already explained Tathāgata Akṣobhya, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One's boundless merits in practicing the bodhisattva path, and has also explained the vast and magnificent meritorious deeds of the śrāvakas and bodhisattvas in that land. May the World-Honored One now explain how that Buddha's nirvāṇa and transformative traces were."
爾時世尊知舍利弗心之所念，告言：「舍利弗！不動如來般涅槃日，化身分布一切世界，於地獄中說諸妙法，以法調伏無量有情，皆當證得阿羅漢果，然此時獲果方滅度，前證無學人轉增其數。即於此日，授香象菩薩摩訶薩記云：『汝於我滅度後當得作佛，號曰金蓮如來、應、正等覺。』復次舍利弗！彼金蓮如來佛剎功德聲聞眾數，與不動如來等無有異。復次舍利弗！不動如來入般涅槃，是時大地普皆震動，一切三千大千世界震吼發聲，其聲上徹乃至阿迦尼吒天，諸天聞已即知彼佛入於涅槃。
At that time, the World-Honored One, knowing Śāriputra's thoughts, said, "Śāriputra! On the day Tathāgata Akṣobhya entered parinirvāṇa, he distributed emanation bodies throughout all worlds, teaching the sublime Dharma in the hells, taming countless beings with the Dharma, all of whom would attain the fruit of arhatship. However, they attained the fruit only at this time and then entered nirvāṇa, increasing the number of those who had previously attained the state of no more learning. On that very day, he gave the prediction to Bodhisattva-mahāsattva Gandhahastin, saying, 'After my nirvāṇa, you will become a Buddha named Tathāgata Golden Lotus, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One.' Furthermore, Śāriputra! The merits and number of śrāvakas in Tathāgata Golden Lotus's buddha-field will be no different from those of Tathāgata Akṣobhya. Furthermore, Śāriputra! When Tathāgata Akṣobhya entered parinirvāṇa, at that time the earth shook everywhere, all three thousand great thousand world-systems trembled and roared, and the sound reached up to the Akaniṣṭha Heaven, and when the devas heard it, they knew that Buddha had entered nirvāṇa.
「復次舍利弗！彼佛剎中所有叢林及諸藥草，皆悉傾向不動如來涅槃之處。是時天人悉以華鬘雜香及諸衣服而散佛上，所散香花周匝圍繞高一由旬。復次舍利弗！彼涅槃時，三千大千世界所有天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽等，皆向不動如來合掌作禮。他方諸天以佛神力，悉皆得見入般涅槃。是諸天人經七晝夜心懷悲惱，不受人天嬉戲娛樂亦無欲想，互相謂言：『不動如來為世光明作眾生眼，今取滅度一何速哉。』舍利弗！若菩薩摩訶薩從此世界或餘世界，於命終後生彼佛剎，若現生彼皆得授阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記，非可以百數而數，彼以千數及百千數。舍利弗！是百千菩薩摩訶薩數者，應知入如來數皆入佛數，皆入佛數入一切智性數。若有菩薩摩訶薩當生彼剎者，亦皆得入如來等數，舍利弗！除彼不退菩薩摩訶薩。所餘菩薩於此世界，若不聞稱讚不動如來功德法門者，皆為惡魔之所攝受。
"Furthermore, Śāriputra! All the groves and medicinal herbs in that buddha-field bowed toward the place of Tathāgata Akṣobhya's nirvāṇa. At that time, devas and humans scattered flower garlands, various fragrances, and garments over the Buddha, and the scattered flowers and incense surrounded him to a height of one yojana. Furthermore, Śāriputra! At the time of his nirvāṇa, all the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas in the three thousand great thousand world-system joined their palms and bowed to Tathāgata Akṣobhya. Through the Buddha's spiritual power, devas from other directions all witnessed his entering parinirvāṇa. These devas and humans were grief-stricken for seven days and nights, taking no pleasure in divine or human amusements and having no thoughts of desire, saying to each other: 'Tathāgata Akṣobhya was the light of the world and the eye of beings - how swiftly he has entered nirvāṇa!'
Śāriputra! When bodhisattva-mahāsattvas from this world or other worlds pass away and are born in that buddha-field, or are currently born there, they all receive predictions of anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi, not countable by hundreds but by thousands and hundreds of thousands. Śāriputra! These hundreds of thousands of bodhisattva-mahāsattvas should be known to enter the number of Tathāgatas, enter the number of Buddhas, enter the number of all-knowing wisdom. If any bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are to be born in that field, they too will enter the number of Tathāgatas, Śāriputra! Except for those non-regressing bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. The remaining bodhisattvas in this world, if they do not hear praise of Tathāgata Akṣobhya's meritorious Dharma gate, are all captured by evil māras.
「復次舍利弗！不動如來般涅槃後，乃至正法住世，彼佛剎中所生菩薩摩訶薩亦當入其數。所以者何？由彼如來本願力故。是諸菩薩若於後時受生彼者，應當讀誦百八法門，讀誦茲已方能受持彼一切法。不動如來之所安立一百八法門本性，我滅度後若有菩薩摩訶薩當生彼剎者，亦當讀誦一百八法門，及能受持一切法門。舍利弗！不動如來、應、正等覺善能攝受諸菩薩摩訶薩，佛雖滅度，其說法聲及莊嚴功德與佛在世等無有異。
"Furthermore, Śāriputra! After Tathāgata Akṣobhya's parinirvāṇa, until the true Dharma remains in the world, the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas born in that buddha-field will also enter that number. Why? Because of that Tathāgata's original vow power. When these bodhisattvas are born there in the future, they should recite the one hundred and eight Dharma gates, and only after reciting these can they retain all those teachings. The fundamental nature of the one hundred and eight Dharma gates established by Tathāgata Akṣobhya, after my nirvāṇa, when bodhisattva-mahāsattvas are born in that field, they too should recite the one hundred and eight Dharma gates and be able to retain all Dharma gates. Śāriputra! Tathāgata Akṣobhya, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One skillfully embraces all bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, and though the Buddha has entered nirvāṇa, his teaching voice and adorning merits are no different than when the Buddha was in the world.”
「復次舍利弗！彼不動如來、應、正等覺從身出火而自闍維，舍利遺形皆作金色。譬如低彌羅樹隨分斷處皆有卍(音萬)字之文，如來舍利亦復如是。復次舍利弗！不動如來所有舍利分分周圓，表裏皆有吉祥之相(相表之文其狀如下)卍。舍利弗！譬如補羅迦樹，隨解之處中表皆有吉祥之文。彼佛舍利亦復如是。舍利弗！彼國眾生為供舍利起七寶塔，遍滿三千大千世界，又以金色千葉蓮華而為供養，其大千世界即以塔華而為嚴飾。
"Furthermore, Śāriputra! That Tathāgata Akṣobhya, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One emitted fire from his body and cremated himself, and his relics were all golden in color. Just as the timira tree has svastika marks wherever it is cut, so too were the Tathāgata's relics. Furthermore, Śāriputra! All of Tathāgata Akṣobhya's relics were perfectly round, with auspicious svastika marks both inside and out. Śāriputra! Just as the pūraka tree has auspicious marks wherever it is split, so too were that Buddha's relics. Śāriputra! The beings of that land built seven-jeweled stupas for the relics, filling the three thousand great thousand world-system, and made offerings with golden thousand-petaled lotus flowers, adorning that great thousand world-system with stupas and flowers.”
「復次舍利弗！若諸菩薩於不動佛國將滅度者，臨壽終時曾不失念，而見如是種種瑞相。或有菩薩見當生土，無有如來自方作佛，或見彼有佛當即奉事。或見菩薩入於母胎，或見菩薩被大甲冑，或見捨家趣於非家，或見坐於道場降伏魔軍，或見菩薩證一切智智，或見菩薩於某世界成等正覺轉於法輪。或有菩薩住虛空中，自身漸滅不遺少分。譬然濕草煙氣上騰，漸以消散至于滅盡。舍利弗！是諸菩薩既滅度已，一切天人備修供養。
"Furthermore, Śāriputra! When bodhisattvas in Akṣobhya's buddha land are about to enter nirvāṇa, at the time of death they never lose mindfulness and see various auspicious signs. Some bodhisattvas see the land where they will be born, where there is no Tathāgata and they themselves will become Buddhas, or they see a Buddha there whom they will serve. Some see bodhisattvas entering mothers' wombs, some see bodhisattvas donning great armor, some see them leaving home for the homeless life, some see them sitting at the site of enlightenment subduing Māra's armies, some see bodhisattvas attaining all-knowing wisdom, some see bodhisattvas attaining perfect enlightenment and turning the Dharma wheel in certain worlds. Some bodhisattvas dwell in space, their bodies gradually dissolving without leaving a trace. Like wet grass sending up smoke that gradually disperses until nothing remains. Śāriputra! After these bodhisattvas enter nirvāṇa, all devas and humans make complete offerings
「復次舍利弗！不動如來以大涅槃，般涅槃已正法住世經百千劫。」
"Furthermore, Śāriputra! After Tathāgata Akṣobhya entered the great nirvāṇa, his true Dharma remained in the world for hundreds of thousands of kalpas."
時舍利弗白佛言：「世尊！不動如來正法所住，是何等劫？」
Then Śāriputra said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! For how many kalpas did Tathāgata Akṣobhya's true Dharma remain?"
佛告舍利弗：「二十小劫以為一劫，彼住如是百千劫數。舍利弗！正法滅已，有大光明照十方界，地皆震動發大音聲。然彼非天魔之所能壞，亦非如來及聲聞眾而自沈隱。但由彼時人少有聽聞多無欲樂，能說法者皆悉遠之。既於正法寡聞轉增不信，不信增長則無精勤。知法比丘自當退靜，觀無樂欲不復弘宣，彼佛微言漸當隱沒。」
The Buddha told Śāriputra, "Twenty small kalpas make one kalpa, and it remained for that many hundreds of thousands of kalpas. Śāriputra! After the true Dharma disappeared, there was a great light illuminating the ten directions, and the earth shook and made a great sound. However, this was not something that māras or devas could destroy, nor did the Tathāgata and śrāvaka assembly hide themselves away. Rather, it was because at that time few people listened and many had no desire for it, and those who could teach the Dharma all stayed away. As the true Dharma was seldom heard, disbelief increased, and as disbelief grew, there was no diligence. The bhikṣus who knew the Dharma withdrew into silence, seeing no desire for it they no longer proclaimed it widely, and that Buddha's subtle words gradually disappeared."