English
English version: , revolving and returning without self-awareness. Who is it that holds the coming and going? Who settles me in this state? According to what should be known, act accordingly. Thus, some may know me, and some may not. In this world, on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa, there is Śākyamuni Buddha, and here also is Ajita Buddha (Maitreya). In this world, sometimes there is the appearance of the kalpa fire, and sometimes the appearance of teaching the Dharma, such is the wonder, it is extremely rare. What else is the most supreme wonder? It is that all the children whom the world delights to see are not born in ordinary families, but in families of Bodhisattvas. Kāśyapa (name of Buddha's disciple) should know that those who offer service to them are all joyful, and their relatives and loved ones cherish them, all saying: 'Such a person is born in our lineage.' All these people are sent by me. Kāśyapa should know that if those Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas have the other four assemblies as their retinue, and they all hear this Great Dharma Drum Sutra, they will all attain unsurpassed Bodhi. Kāśyapa! In the past, a long time ago, in the city of Vaiśālī, I was a Cakravartin king named Nandisena. At that time, the city of Vaiśālī was like Jambudvīpa under the Four Heavenly Kings, like the world of endurance, and the rest of the world was also like that, like the three thousand great thousand worlds. My lifespan at that time was inconceivable. As such a Cakravartin king, I practiced countless superior acts of giving and various merits, maintained pure precepts, cultivated various good deeds, and accumulated such immeasurable blessings. If a good man or good woman hears this One Vehicle Great Dharma Drum Sutra, even if they go with a laugh, or even just for a single thought, the merit they obtain surpasses the previous meritorious deeds, it cannot be measured, it cannot be calculated by numbers or metaphors. For example, there is a mantra king named Flame Illumination, by reciting this mantra once, one can be well protected for four months. Kāśyapa should know that the power of ordinary worldly mantras is like this, how much more so the power of reading the Great Dharma Drum Sutra once, could it not protect one for their entire life? Therefore, those who can make offerings to this sutra are planting the decisive cause for unsurpassed Bodhi, and will not be separated from this sutra until they ultimately attain Bodhi.” At that time, the great assembly together exclaimed: 'Excellent, excellent!' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
甚奇，世尊！今此童子当为持佛名比丘，若般涅槃者，祇洹林神无所依怙。所以者何？彼从南方来至佛所而般涅槃。” 佛告大众：“彼亦不来，我自往彼，示现其身，先遣此经，然后乃往。所以者何？若此经不往至彼手中，则彼生退心。若彼有众生应调伏者，我与大众往住其前。彼见我已，当即还往迎，便般涅槃，随其所欲度众生处而般涅槃。 “尔时，天帝释子，名阿毗曼儒，当乘神通而来至此。彼虽幼少，真心清净信乐大乘，唯独一人无有俦匹。于天人中持此大乘甚深经典，是故彼为说解脱因，得授佛记。时诸大众同声说偈： “‘奇哉！一切， 世间乐见。 为比丘像， 击大法鼓， 护持佛法， 令得久住。 般涅槃后， 世间虚空； 彼灭度后， 无与等者。 如是比丘， 世间难得， 能为世间， 说究竟道。’” 尔时，迦叶、阿难、贤护菩萨等无量大众，闻佛所说，欢喜奉行。 大法鼓经卷下 现代汉语译本 “真是太神奇了，世尊！如果这个童子成为持佛名的比丘，并且入般涅槃（parini rvāṇa，指佛陀或阿罗汉的最终寂灭），那么祇洹林（Jetavana，佛陀在世时居住的精舍）的神灵将失去依靠。这是为什么呢？因为他从南方来到佛陀这里，然后就入般涅槃了。” 佛陀告诉大众说：“他并非真的来到这里，而是我亲自去到那里，显现我的身形。我先派遣这部经典过去，然后我才前往。这是为什么呢？如果这部经典没有到达他手中，他就会产生退转之心。如果那里有应该被调伏的众生，我将与大众一同前往那里。他见到我之后，会立刻前来迎接，然后入般涅槃，在他想要度化众生的地方入般涅槃。 “那时，天帝释（Śakra，佛教的护法神）的儿子，名叫阿毗曼儒（Abhimānaru，意为‘骄傲’），将会乘着神通来到这里。他虽然年幼，但真心清净，信乐大乘（Mahāyāna，佛教的一个主要流派），是独一无二的。在天人之中，他持有这部大乘甚深的经典，因此我为他说解脱之因，并为他授记成佛。当时，大众一同说偈： ‘真是奇妙啊！一切世间都乐于见到。他以比丘的形象，敲响大法鼓，护持佛法，使佛法得以长久住世。他入般涅槃后，世间将变得空虚；他灭度之后，再也没有人能与他相比。这样的比丘，在世间是难以遇到的，他能为世间宣说究竟之道。’ 当时，迦叶（Kāśyapa，佛陀的十大弟子之一）、阿难（Ānanda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）、贤护菩萨（Bhadrapāla，菩萨名）等无量大众，听闻佛陀所说，都欢喜地接受并奉行。
English
English version ‘It is truly amazing, World Honored One! If this young boy becomes a Bhikṣu (monk) who upholds the Buddha's name, and then enters Parinirvāṇa (the final passing away of a Buddha or Arhat), the spirit of the Jetavana (a monastery where the Buddha resided) will have no one to rely on. Why is this? Because he came from the south to the Buddha's place and then entered Parinirvāṇa.’ The Buddha told the assembly, ‘He is not actually coming here; rather, I will go there myself and manifest my form. I will first send this scripture ahead, and then I will go. Why is this? If this scripture does not reach his hands, he will develop a retreating mind. If there are beings there who should be tamed, I will go there with the assembly. After he sees me, he will immediately come to greet me, and then enter Parinirvāṇa, entering Parinirvāṇa wherever he wishes to liberate beings.’ ‘At that time, the son of Śakra (the king of the gods), named Abhimānaru (meaning ‘pride’), will come here by means of his supernatural powers. Although he is young, his heart is truly pure, and he believes in and delights in the Mahāyāna (a major branch of Buddhism). He is unique and without equal. Among gods and humans, he upholds this profound Mahāyāna scripture. Therefore, I will explain to him the cause of liberation and give him the prediction of Buddhahood. At that time, the assembly spoke in unison in verses: ‘How marvelous! All in the world are delighted to see him. In the form of a Bhikṣu, he strikes the great Dharma drum, protects and upholds the Buddha's Dharma, and enables it to abide for a long time. After he enters Parinirvāṇa, the world will become empty; after his passing, there will be no one comparable to him. Such a Bhikṣu is rare to find in the world, and he is able to proclaim the ultimate path to the world.’ At that time, Kāśyapa (one of the Buddha's ten great disciples), Ānanda (one of the Buddha's ten great disciples), Bhadrapāla (a Bodhisattva), and countless others, having heard what the Buddha said, joyfully accepted and practiced it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------