English
English version: The aspiration refers to the intention to embark on the path of enlightenment. Now, I (the Buddha) will explain to you the initial aspiration. In the past, seven thousand Asamkhya (countless) kalpas (extremely long periods of time) of Ganges River sands ago, there was a Buddha named Thunder Sound Tathagata (Tathagata is one of the titles of the Buddha, meaning 'one who has thus come'), the Utterly True, the Perfectly Enlightened One, who was in the east, seventy-two hekatombs (extremely large units) of Buddha lands (worlds where the Buddha teaches) away from here. The world was called Quick Achievement. That Buddha was there proclaiming the Dharma, and his disciples, the Sravakas (those who hear the Dharma and practice), numbered eighty-four billion hundred thousand hekatombs, and the Bodhisattvas (practitioners who aspire to become Buddhas) were even more numerous. At that time, there was a Universal Monarch (an ideal ruler of the world) named Anaba, known as the Dharma King, who ruled the four continents (the world as conceived by ancient Indians) with the Dharma and possessed the seven treasures (the seven treasures of a Universal Monarch). This monarch then went to where Thunder Sound Tathagata was, and offered sincere offerings for eighty-four thousand years, according to his ability. The monarch thought in his heart: 'I have already accumulated immeasurable merit, instead of using this merit, I should use it to cultivate and encourage others.' He further pondered: 'If I use merit to encourage others, what should I encourage them to become? A heavenly emperor (ruler of the heavens), a Brahma king (ruler of the form realm), a Universal Monarch, a Sravaka, or a Pratyekabuddha (one who attains enlightenment on their own, without a teacher)?' As soon as he had this thought, a great voice echoed in the sky: 'Great King! Do not have such a lowly thought, you should aspire to the unsurpassed, true, and enlightened mind (the mind that seeks the highest truth).' Upon hearing this, the monarch was immediately overjoyed. The monarch promoted compassion and did not change his intention to seek the path. Why is this so? Because the heavenly beings revealed his intention, knowing what he was thinking. At that time, King Anaba, along with a multitude of ninety-six billion hekatombs of people, went to where Thunder Sound Tathagata was, bowed their heads to the ground in reverence, circumambulated the Buddha seven times, and then stood aside. He praised the Buddha with a verse: ‘I wish to ask about the supreme Dharma, answer me with wondrous words: ‘How can a person in the world achieve the most extraordinary state? ‘By making universal offerings, and taking refuge in the protectors of the world, ‘With a mind free from attachment, never encouraging others. ‘World Honored One, you perceive everything, I have silently made this aspiration, ‘With abundant offerings, how should I encourage others? ‘Aspiring to become a heavenly emperor or a Brahma king, to be the ruler of the four directions, ‘If seeking to become a Sravaka, one should admire the Pratyekabuddha vehicle (the path of the Pratyekabuddha).’ As soon as I had this thought, a loud voice was proclaimed in the sky.
Chinese
音： “仁者慎莫得， 劝助下劣心， 当为一切故， 兴发微妙心， 开显大道意， 饶益于世间。” 今欲问于佛， 在诸法自由： “云何起发心， 不失于道意？ 唯说斯义趣， 何因逮是处？ 如我所像人， 而发菩提心？ 天中尊愿说， 宣上妙章句。” 大王且听之， 当宣以渐训： “愍哀于众生， 乐住于法本， 如所誓志愿， 转得成所趣。 吾亦往宿世， 因发起道心， 愍哀于众生， 而兴斯誓愿。 如本所志愿， 亦若心所念， 逮无动佛道， 在世寂上圣。 大王当强志， 造立极上心， 若修诸正行， 仁亦当成佛。” 以闻是言教， 王意便欣然， 在一切普世， 颁宣师子吼： “假使于本际， 不知生死元， 为一一人行， 如若干众生。 今发于道心， 在一切世间， 普请于众生， 令不堕贫匮。 从今日以往， 假使生欲心， 辄当欺诸佛， 现在十方圣。 若生瞋恨厌， 嫉妒及贪苦， 未曾犯不可， 至成人中尊。 常当修梵行， 弃欲舍秽恶， 当学于诸佛， 戒禁调和性。 现代汉语译本 ‘仁者不应抱持狭隘之心，劝导帮助那些心性低下的人，应当为了所有众生，发起微妙的菩提心，开显通往真理的大道，利益世间。’ 现在我想请问佛陀，在诸法中自在的您：‘如何发起菩提心，而不失去对真理的追求？请您开示其中的深意，是什么原因能达到这种境界？像我这样的人，如何才能发起菩提心？天中之尊，愿您宣说这至高无上的妙法。’ 大王请听，我将逐渐教导你：‘要怜悯众生，乐于安住于佛法的根本，如同你所发誓的愿望，逐渐成就你所追求的目标。我过去世也曾因发起菩提心，怜悯众生，而立下这样的誓愿。如同我最初的愿望，也如同我心中的念头，最终证得不动摇的佛道，成为世间寂静的至圣。大王应当坚定意志，树立至高无上的心，如果修持各种正行，你也终将成佛。’ 听闻这些教诲后，国王心中欢喜，在一切世间，发出狮子吼般的誓言：‘即使我从根本上不了解生死的根源，也要为每一个众生修行，如同为无数众生修行一样。现在我发起菩提心，在一切世间，普遍请求众生，让他们不再贫困匮乏。从今天开始，如果我生起欲望之心，就等于欺骗诸佛，欺骗现在十方诸圣。如果我生起嗔恨、厌恶、嫉妒和贪婪的痛苦，就永远无法成就人中之尊。我将常修清净的梵行，舍弃欲望和污秽的恶行，学习诸佛的戒律，调和自己的心性。’
English
English version 'The benevolent one should not harbor a narrow mind, encouraging and assisting those of inferior disposition. One should, for the sake of all beings, arouse the subtle Bodhi mind, reveal the path to the great truth, and benefit the world.' Now I wish to ask the Buddha, who is free in all dharmas: 'How does one arouse the Bodhi mind without losing the intention of the path? Please explain the profound meaning of this, and what causes one to attain this state? How can someone like me arouse the Bodhi mind? Honored One among the heavens, please proclaim this supreme and wonderful teaching.' Great King, please listen, I will gradually instruct you: 'Have compassion for all beings, delight in dwelling in the root of the Dharma, and as your vows dictate, gradually achieve your goals. In my past lives, I also aroused the Bodhi mind, had compassion for all beings, and made such vows. As my original vows, and as my thoughts, I finally attained the unmoving Buddha path, becoming a silent sage in the world. Great King, you should strengthen your will, establish the supreme mind, and if you cultivate all righteous practices, you too will become a Buddha.' Upon hearing these teachings, the king was delighted, and in all the world, he proclaimed a lion's roar of a vow: 'Even if I do not understand the root of birth and death, I will practice for each and every being, as if practicing for countless beings. Now I arouse the Bodhi mind, and in all the world, I universally implore all beings, so that they will no longer be poor and destitute. From this day forward, if I give rise to a desire, it will be as if I am deceiving all the Buddhas, and the saints of the ten directions. If I give rise to anger, hatred, jealousy, and the suffering of greed, I will never become the honored one among humans. I will always cultivate pure Brahma conduct, abandon desires and defiled evils, and learn the precepts of all the Buddhas, harmonizing my nature.' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 不以斯四色， 疾成佛正觉， 用心切之故， 当行于本际。 常严净佛土， 无限不可议， 当宣传名称， 通彻于十方。 唯圣见授慧， 成佛人中上， 令其心清净， 永无众犹豫。 常修治身行， 口言亦如是， 亦当净心念， 不犯众瑕疵。 假使我成佛， 在世人中尊， 以是正真言， 地当六反动。 设我言至诚， 真正不虚诈， 由是见证明， 虚空宣伎乐。 若实不谀谄， 无贪嫉不厌， 以是诚信故， 雨清净意花。” 适宣斯言已， 至诚言无异， 十方亿万国， 则六反震动， 于上虚空中， 有巨亿音乐， 天雨杂意华， 积地四丈九。 其王以学是， 二十亿众人， 口宣柔和音， 必成佛上道， 二十亿众等， 一切建佛道， 见王发大道， 亦效学洪业。’”
Chinese
佛语师子步雷音菩萨：“欲知尔时安拔王乎？” 答曰：“不及也。” 佛言：“则今文殊师利身是也！发道心已来，如七千阿僧祇江河沙劫佛土满中尘，逮无所从生法忍已，过六十四江河沙劫，于彼世等则具十住、成就十力，普备一切诸佛道地辨诸佛法，从初 现代汉语译本 不因这四种颜色（指地、水、火、风四元素），就能迅速成就佛的正觉，因为用心恳切的缘故，应当修行至本源的境界。 要经常庄严清净佛土，其功德无限不可思议，应当宣扬佛的名称，使其传遍十方世界。 只有圣者才能给予智慧的启示，成就佛果的人是人中最尊贵的，要使他们的心清净，永远没有疑惑。 要经常修治身行，口中所说也要如此，也要清净心念，不犯任何过失。 假设我能成佛，成为世间人中最尊贵的，以这真实不虚的誓言，大地应当六次震动。 如果我的话语至诚，真实不虚假，以此为证明，虚空中应当响起音乐。 如果我真实不谄媚，没有贪婪嫉妒和厌恶，以这诚信的缘故，应当降下清净的意花。 刚说完这些话，至诚的誓言没有丝毫虚假，十方亿万国土，都发生了六次震动，在虚空中，响起了巨大的音乐，天空中降下各种意花，堆积在地上有四丈九尺高。 国王因为学习了这些，二十亿众人，口中宣说柔和的声音，必定能成就佛的无上之道，这二十亿众人，都发起了佛道之心，看到国王发起了大道心，也效仿学习这宏大的事业。 佛告诉师子步雷音菩萨：‘想知道当时的安拔王吗？’ 回答说：‘我不知道。’ 佛说：‘就是现在的文殊师利（Manjusri）菩萨！从发道心以来，如同七千阿僧祇（Asamkhya，无数）江河沙劫（Kalpa，时间单位）佛土满中的微尘，获得无所从生法忍（Anutpattika-dharma-ksanti，对一切法不生不灭的真理的领悟）之后，又过了六十四江河沙劫，在那样的世界中，具足十住（Dasabhumi，菩萨修行的十个阶段）、成就十力（Dasabala，佛的十种力量），普遍具备一切诸佛的道地，辨别诸佛的法，从最初开始。’