English
English version: ‘Manjushri! Excellent, excellent! The Tathagata (Tathagata, title of the Buddha) is immeasurable and inconceivable!’ Then he spoke in verse: ‘The Buddha was born into the Ikshvaku (Ikshvaku) clan, After extinction, he is no longer reborn, If people take refuge in the Buddha, They will not fear the suffering of hell. The Buddha was born into the Ikshvaku clan, After extinction, he is no longer reborn, If people take refuge in the Buddha, They will not fear the suffering of hungry ghosts. The Buddha was born into the Ikshvaku clan, After extinction, he is no longer reborn, If people take refuge in the Buddha, They will not fear the suffering of animals.’ Chapter Four: No Self Manjushri said to the Buddha: ‘World Honored One! Future beings will say that there is a “self” that pervades all places. Why? Because of all actions. Transcending the three times of past, present, and future, suffering, joy, hatred, and love are all aspects of the “self”. World Honored One! This is how non-Buddhists conceive of the “self”.’ The Buddha told Manjushri: ‘For example, a magnet attracts all iron filings. Is it the iron filings that are the “self”, or the magnet that is the “self”? If you were to say, “The iron filings are not the ‘self’, and the magnet is not the ‘self’,” then it is not all-pervasive. If the magnet and the iron filings are all the “self”, then how can the “self” use itself to attract itself? Moreover, it is not all-pervasive. Why? Because it is the self attracting its own body. All form is composed of the four great elements, and everything is impermanent. If it is impermanent, it is not real. If it is not real, it is not true. If it is not true, then there is no place for it, and because there is no place for it, there is no “self”. Manjushri! It is like an old man sitting in the night, holding his knees and saying, “Where did these two little children come from?” If there is a “self” in this old man’s body, why does he not recognize his own knees and think they are little children? For this reason, there is actually no “self”; this is a perverse view, clinging to something where there is nothing. It is like seeing a flame and imagining water, but there is actually no water, because the eyes are confused. Likewise, it is not the “self”, but a false idea of “self” arises. This is the darkness and delusion of a perverse view, not a correct view. ‘If the “self” pervades all places, then it pervades the five paths. Humans and gods experience happiness, while hell, hungry ghosts, and animals experience suffering. If the “self” pervades all places, then the “self” should experience hell --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
苦，则人、天亦应苦。乐者由善业得，苦者由恶业得。乐者生染，苦者生瞋。或有勇健，或有怖畏，如是异相，故知不遍。我不说此是真实思惟。若我过三世者，过去已没，如灯已灭；未来未到，如未来灯；现在不停，犹如流水。我非过去、非未来、非现在，无时节。何以故？过时节故。 “若无时，则无数，以无数故，亦无有我。何以故？以可分故。 “阿者，离我声，多者不破，么者灭憍慢。又阿者，真实离我。真实离我，故两过说阿。是故，文殊师利！分别字故，定无有我。” 佛说此祇夜： “磁石吸铁屑， 二种谁是我？ 不遍及自吸， 决定无我故， 如渴人见焰， 非水生水想， 邪见横执我， 其事亦复然， 分别于阿字， 定知无有我。” 涅槃品第五 尔时文殊师利白佛言：“世尊！涅槃者，声闻、缘觉、凡夫不能分别，唯如来、正遍知之所能说。” 佛言：“文殊师利！涅槃不灭。何以故？无断烦恼故，无所到处。何以故？以无处故，到者得义，无到故无得。何以故？无苦乐故，无断不断，无常不常。” 佛说此祇夜： “不断不灭， 不生不起， 不堕不落， 不行不住。 “常住涅槃，不断不常相。何以 现代汉语译本 苦，如果‘我’存在，那么人和天人也应该受苦。快乐是由善业产生的，痛苦是由恶业产生的。快乐会产生贪染，痛苦会产生嗔恨。有些人勇敢强健，有些人恐惧害怕，像这样有种种不同的现象，所以可知‘我’不是普遍存在的。我不认为这种想法是真实的思考。如果‘我’存在于过去、现在、未来三世，那么过去已经消逝，就像灯已经熄灭；未来还没有到来，就像未来的灯；现在不停留，就像流水。所以‘我’既不是过去，也不是未来，也不是现在，没有时间性。为什么呢？因为‘我’超越了时间。 如果‘我’没有时间性，那么就无法计数，因为无法计数，所以也没有‘我’。为什么呢？因为‘我’是可以被分解的。 ‘阿’(A)这个字，代表远离‘我’的声音，‘多’(Da)代表不破灭，‘么’(Ma)代表灭除骄慢。另外，‘阿’(A)也代表真实地远离‘我’。因为真实地远离‘我’，所以两次提到‘阿’(A)。因此，文殊师利！通过分析这些字，可以确定没有‘我’的存在。 佛说了这段偈语： ‘磁石吸引铁屑，这两种东西哪个是‘我’？‘我’既不普遍存在，也不能自我吸引，所以可以确定没有‘我’。就像口渴的人看到火焰，虽然不是水却产生了水的想法，邪见错误地执着于‘我’，情况也是这样。通过分析‘阿’(A)字，就能确定没有‘我’的存在。’ 涅槃品第五 这时，文殊师利菩萨对佛说：‘世尊！涅槃的境界，声闻、缘觉、凡夫都不能分辨，只有如来、正遍知才能说清楚。’ 佛说：‘文殊师利！涅槃不是断灭。为什么呢？因为没有断除烦恼，所以无处可去。为什么呢？因为没有地方可去，到达才有了意义，没有到达就没有获得。为什么呢？因为没有痛苦和快乐，没有断灭和不断灭，没有常和无常。’ 佛说了这段偈语： ‘不断不灭，不生不起，不堕不落，不行不住。’ ‘常住的涅槃，是不常也不断灭的相。为什么呢？’
English
English version If ‘self’ exists, then humans and devas (gods) should also suffer. Happiness arises from good karma, and suffering arises from bad karma. Happiness gives rise to attachment, and suffering gives rise to aversion. Some are brave and strong, while others are fearful and timid. Because of these different characteristics, it is known that ‘self’ is not pervasive. I do not say that this is true contemplation. If ‘self’ exists in the three periods of time—past, present, and future—then the past has already vanished, like a lamp that has gone out; the future has not yet arrived, like a future lamp; the present does not stay, like flowing water. Therefore, ‘self’ is neither past, nor future, nor present; it is without time. Why? Because it transcends time. If ‘self’ is without time, then it cannot be counted. Because it cannot be counted, there is also no ‘self’. Why? Because ‘self’ can be divided. The syllable ‘A’ (阿) represents the sound of being apart from ‘self’; ‘Da’ (多) represents non-destruction; ‘Ma’ (么) represents the eradication of arrogance. Furthermore, ‘A’ (阿) also represents truly being apart from ‘self’. Because of truly being apart from ‘self’, ‘A’ (阿) is mentioned twice. Therefore, Manjushri (文殊师利)! By analyzing these syllables, it can be determined that there is no ‘self’. The Buddha spoke this gatha (verse): ‘The magnet attracts iron filings; which of these two is ‘self’? ‘Self’ is neither pervasive nor can it attract itself, so it can be determined that there is no ‘self’. Like a thirsty person seeing flames, although it is not water, the thought of water arises; the false view of clinging to ‘self’ is also like this. By analyzing the syllable ‘A’ (阿), one can certainly know that there is no ‘self’.’ Chapter Five: Nirvana (涅槃) At that time, Manjushri (文殊师利) Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: ‘World Honored One (世尊)! The state of Nirvana (涅槃) cannot be distinguished by Shravakas (声闻), Pratyekabuddhas (缘觉), or ordinary beings (凡夫); only the Tathagata (如来), the Perfectly Enlightened One (正遍知), can explain it clearly.’ The Buddha said: ‘Manjushri (文殊师利)! Nirvana (涅槃) is not annihilation. Why? Because there is no cessation of afflictions, so there is nowhere to go. Why? Because there is nowhere to go, arrival has meaning; without arrival, there is no attainment. Why? Because there is no suffering or happiness, no cessation or non-cessation, no permanence or impermanence.’ The Buddha spoke this gatha (verse): ‘Neither ceasing nor annihilating, neither arising nor originating, neither falling nor declining, neither moving nor abiding.’ ‘The permanent Nirvana (涅槃) is the aspect of neither permanence nor annihilation. Why?’ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
故？无生死故。文殊师利！我尚不见生死，何况当见生死过患？文殊师利！我尚不见涅槃，何况见涅槃功德？” 佛说此祇夜： “若见有一法， 余法悉应见， 以一法空故， 一切法亦空。 “文殊师利！当知诸法空，若不灭则不生，若不断则不灭，若不常则不生。无烦恼可断故，是故不灭；无烦恼处故，是故不生。” 佛复告文殊师利：“无障碍故不灭，不灭故无障碍。生善、不善、无记，故不障碍。文殊师利！是说涅槃。” 佛说此祇夜： “不灭不到， 不断不常， 不障不碍， 是说涅槃。” 佛告文殊师利：“常住涅槃，无日月、星宿、地、水、火、风，无昼夜、数量，无色、无形、无老病死，无年岁、无所作，是常、是恒，离众苦业，如是涅槃善人所说。” 佛说此祇夜： “彼无有日月， 星宿及四大， 昼夜与量数， 形色及虚空； 亦无老病死， 年岁诸所作， 已断生死本， 是常亦是恒， 如是涅槃相， 善人之所说。” 文殊师利白佛言：“世尊！有诸外道，说世间空，又说不空，此是外道邪意分别？” 佛告文殊师利：“此外道意，不真实思惟。若世间空，则无生死。何以故？以空故。生死 现代汉语译本：因此，没有生也没有死。文殊师利（Manjushri，菩萨名）！我尚且不见生和死，又怎么会见到生死的过患呢？文殊师利（Manjushri）！我尚且不见涅槃（Nirvana，佛教术语，指解脱），又怎么会见到涅槃的功德呢？' 佛说此偈颂： '如果见到有一法，其余法都应当见到，因为一法是空性的缘故，一切法也都是空性的。' '文殊师利（Manjushri）！应当知道诸法是空性的，如果不灭，就不会生；如果不断，就不会灭；如果不常，就不会生。没有烦恼可以断除，所以不灭；没有烦恼的处所，所以不生。' 佛又告诉文殊师利（Manjushri）：'因为没有障碍的缘故，所以不灭；因为不灭的缘故，所以没有障碍。生起善、不善、无记（既非善也非恶）的念头，所以没有障碍。文殊师利（Manjushri）！这就是所说的涅槃（Nirvana）。' 佛说此偈颂： '不灭也不到，不断也不常，不障碍也不阻碍，这就是所说的涅槃（Nirvana）。' 佛告诉文殊师利（Manjushri）：'常住的涅槃（Nirvana）中，没有日月、星宿、地、水、火、风，没有昼夜、数量，没有色、没有形、没有老病死，没有年岁、没有所作所为，这是常，这是恒，远离各种痛苦的业，这样的涅槃（Nirvana）是善人所说的。' 佛说此偈颂： '那里没有日月，星宿以及四大（地、水、火、风），昼夜与量数，形色以及虚空；也没有老病死，年岁和各种作为，已经断除了生死的根本，这是常也是恒，这样的涅槃（Nirvana）之相，是善人所说的。' 文殊师利（Manjushri）对佛说：'世尊！有一些外道，说世间是空的，又说世间不是空的，这是外道邪恶的意念分别吗？' 佛告诉文殊师利（Manjushri）：'这些外道的意念，是不真实的思惟。如果世间是空的，就没有生死。为什么呢？因为是空的缘故，所以没有生死'
English
English version: Therefore, there is no birth and no death. Manjushri (Manjushri, name of a Bodhisattva)! I do not even see birth and death, how much less would I see the faults of birth and death? Manjushri (Manjushri)! I do not even see Nirvana (Nirvana, a Buddhist term referring to liberation), how much less would I see the merits of Nirvana? The Buddha spoke this Gatha (verse): 'If one sees one dharma (phenomenon), all other dharmas should be seen, because one dharma is empty, all dharmas are also empty.' 'Manjushri (Manjushri)! You should know that all dharmas are empty; if they do not cease, they will not arise; if they are not cut off, they will not cease; if they are not constant, they will not arise. There are no afflictions to be cut off, therefore they do not cease; there is no place for afflictions, therefore they do not arise.' The Buddha further told Manjushri (Manjushri): 'Because there are no obstructions, they do not cease; because they do not cease, there are no obstructions. The arising of good, non-good, and neutral (neither good nor bad) thoughts, therefore there are no obstructions. Manjushri (Manjushri)! This is what is meant by Nirvana (Nirvana).' The Buddha spoke this Gatha (verse): 'Neither ceasing nor arriving, neither cutting off nor being constant, neither obstructing nor hindering, this is what is meant by Nirvana (Nirvana).' The Buddha told Manjushri (Manjushri): 'In the permanent Nirvana (Nirvana), there are no sun, moon, stars, earth, water, fire, wind, no day and night, no quantities, no form, no shape, no old age, sickness, and death, no years, no actions; this is permanent, this is constant, free from all painful karma; such Nirvana (Nirvana) is what the virtuous ones speak of.' The Buddha spoke this Gatha (verse): 'There are no sun and moon, stars and the four elements (earth, water, fire, wind), day and night and quantities, form and shape and space; there is also no old age, sickness, and death, years and all actions, the root of birth and death has been cut off, this is permanent and also constant, such is the aspect of Nirvana (Nirvana), spoken of by the virtuous ones.' Manjushri (Manjushri) said to the Buddha: 'World Honored One! There are some non-Buddhist (外道) who say the world is empty, and also say the world is not empty, is this the evil intention and discrimination of non-Buddhists (外道)?' The Buddha told Manjushri (Manjushri): 'These non-Buddhist's (外道) intentions are not true contemplation. If the world is empty, there would be no birth and death. Why? Because it is empty, therefore there is no birth and death.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------