English
English version: ‘Mind’ is called ‘Noble Silence’. Furthermore, good son! If one knows the sharpness and dullness of all beings' faculties and teaches them accordingly, this is called ‘expounding the Dharma’; constantly entering into samadhi (Samadhi, meditative state) with an unscattered mind is called ‘Noble Silence.’ Equal Conduct said, ‘According to my understanding of the meaning of what Manjushri (Manjushri, a Bodhisattva) said, all Sravakas (Sravaka, a disciple who learns by hearing the teachings) and Pratyekabuddhas (Pratyekabuddha, a solitary Buddha who attains enlightenment on their own) have neither expounding the Dharma nor Noble Silence. Why? Because they cannot understand the sharpness and dullness of all beings' faculties, nor can they constantly abide in samadhi. Manjushri! If someone truthfully asks, ‘Who are the expounders of the Dharma in the world? Who are those who practice Noble Silence in the world?’ then one should say that the Buddhas are. Why? Because the Buddhas are skilled at discerning the sharpness and dullness of all beings' faculties, and they constantly abide in samadhi.’ The Buddha said to Manjushri, ‘So it is, so it is! As Equal Conduct has said, only the Buddhas, the Tathagatas (Tathagata, 'Thus Gone One', an epithet of the Buddha), possess these two qualities.’ At that time, Subhuti (Subhuti, one of the Buddha's disciples) said to the Buddha, ‘World Honored One! I have personally heard from the Buddha, ‘You should practice two things: either expounding the Dharma or Noble Silence.’ World Honored One! If the Sravakas cannot practice these, how can the Tathagata command the Bhiksus (Bhiksu, a Buddhist monk) to practice these two things?’ The Buddha said to Subhuti, ‘What do you think? If the Sravakas do not hear from others, can they expound the Dharma or practice Noble Silence?’ Subhuti said, ‘No, they cannot.’ ‘Subhuti! Therefore, you should know that all Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas have neither expounding the Dharma nor Noble Silence.’ At that time, Manjushri said to Subhuti, ‘Elder Subhuti! The Tathagata knows the eighty-four thousand dispositions of beings. Among these, do you have the wisdom to expound the Dharma according to their needs?’ Subhuti replied, ‘No, I do not!’ ‘Now, can Subhuti enter the samadhi of observing the minds of all beings, abide in this samadhi, and understand the thoughts and mental activities of all beings, without any hindrance to your own mind or the minds of others?’ Subhuti replied, ‘No, I cannot!’ ‘Subhuti!’ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
菩提！如来于众生八万四千行，随其所应为说法药。又常住定平等相中心不动摇，而通达一切众生心心所行。须菩提！是故当知，一切声闻、辟支佛不及此事。须菩提！或有众生多淫欲者，以观净得解脱，不以不净——唯佛能知。或有众生多瞋恚者，以观过得解脱，不以慈心——唯佛能知。或有众生多愚痴者，以不共语得解脱，不以说法——唯佛能知。或有众生等分行者，不以观净、不以不净、不以观过、不以慈心、不以不共语、不以说法得解脱者，随其根性以诸法平等而为说法使得解脱——唯佛能知。是故如来于诸说法人中为最第一，禅定人中亦最第一。” 尔时须菩提问文殊师利：“若声闻、辟支佛不能如是说法，不能如是圣默然者，诸菩萨有成就如是功德，能说法、能圣默然不？” 答言：“唯佛当知！” 于是佛告须菩提：“有三昧名入一切语言心不散乱，若菩萨成就此三昧皆得是功德。” 尔时文殊师利谓等行菩萨：“善男子！为众生八万四千行故，说八万四千法藏，名为说法；常在一切灭受、想、行定中，名圣默然。善男子！我若一劫、若减一劫能说是义，是名说法相、是圣默然相，犹不能尽。” 于是佛告等行菩萨：“善男子！乃往过去无量无边不可思议阿僧祇劫，时 现代汉语译本 佛陀（菩提！如来）对众生的八万四千种行为，根据他们各自的情况宣说相应的法药。而且，佛陀常住在禅定和平等的状态中，内心不动摇，却能通达一切众生的心念和行为。须菩提（Subhuti）！因此你应该知道，一切声闻（Śrāvaka，听闻佛法而修行的弟子）、辟支佛（Pratyekabuddha，不依师教，自己觉悟的修行者）都无法做到这一点。须菩提！有些众生淫欲心重，通过观想清净之法而得到解脱，而不是通过观想不净之法——只有佛陀才能知道。有些众生嗔恨心重，通过观察过失而得到解脱，而不是通过慈悲心——只有佛陀才能知道。有些众生愚痴心重，通过不与人交谈而得到解脱，而不是通过说法——只有佛陀才能知道。有些众生各种习性比较平均，不通过观想清净、不通过观想不净、不通过观察过失、不通过慈悲心、不通过不与人交谈、不通过说法而得到解脱，佛陀会根据他们的根性，用诸法平等的道理为他们说法，使他们得到解脱——只有佛陀才能知道。因此，如来在所有说法的人中是最第一的，在禅定的人中也是最第一的。' '这时，须菩提问文殊师利（Manjusri）菩萨：‘如果声闻、辟支佛不能像这样说法，不能像这样圣洁地沉默，那么诸位菩萨是否能成就这样的功德，既能说法，又能圣洁地沉默呢？’ 文殊师利菩萨回答说：‘只有佛陀才能知道！’ 于是，佛陀告诉须菩提：‘有一种三昧（Samadhi，禅定）名为“入一切语言心不散乱”，如果菩萨成就了这种三昧，就能得到这些功德。’ 这时，文殊师利菩萨对等行菩萨说：‘善男子！为了众生的八万四千种行为，宣说八万四千法藏，这叫做说法；常住在一切灭受、想、行定中，这叫做圣洁的沉默。善男子！我即使用一劫（kalpa，极长的时间单位），或者减少一劫的时间，来说明这个道理，这叫做说法的相状，这叫做圣洁沉默的相状，也无法完全说完。’ 于是，佛陀告诉等行菩萨：‘善男子！在过去无量无边不可思议阿僧祇劫（asaṃkhya-kalpa，极长的时间单位）以前，那时……’
English
English version Bodhi! The Tathagata (如来) offers Dharma remedies appropriate to the eighty-four thousand conducts of sentient beings. Moreover, He constantly abides in a state of meditative equipoise and equality, His mind unshaken, yet He understands the thoughts and actions of all sentient beings. Subhuti (须菩提)! Therefore, you should know that all Sravakas (声闻, disciples who learn by hearing the teachings) and Pratyekabuddhas (辟支佛, solitary Buddhas who attain enlightenment on their own) are incapable of this. Subhuti! Some beings are strongly driven by lust, and they attain liberation by contemplating purity, not by contemplating impurity—only the Buddha knows this. Some beings are strongly driven by anger, and they attain liberation by observing faults, not by cultivating loving-kindness—only the Buddha knows this. Some beings are strongly driven by ignorance, and they attain liberation by avoiding speech, not by teaching the Dharma—only the Buddha knows this. Some beings have balanced tendencies, and they do not attain liberation by contemplating purity, impurity, faults, loving-kindness, avoiding speech, or teaching the Dharma. The Tathagata, according to their dispositions, teaches them the equality of all dharmas, enabling them to attain liberation—only the Buddha knows this. Therefore, the Tathagata is the foremost among all Dharma teachers, and also the foremost among those who practice meditation.' 'At that time, Subhuti asked Manjusri (文殊师利): 'If Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot teach the Dharma in this way, nor maintain such noble silence, do Bodhisattvas achieve such merits, being able to both teach the Dharma and maintain noble silence?' Manjusri replied: 'Only the Buddha knows!' Then, the Buddha told Subhuti: 'There is a Samadhi (三昧, meditative state) called 'Entering All Languages Without Mental Distraction.' If a Bodhisattva achieves this Samadhi, they will attain these merits.' At that time, Manjusri said to the Bodhisattvas of Equal Conduct: 'Good men! For the sake of the eighty-four thousand conducts of sentient beings, the eighty-four thousand Dharma treasures are taught, and this is called teaching the Dharma. Constantly abiding in the cessation of perception, feeling, thought, and volition, this is called noble silence. Good men! Even if I were to spend a kalpa (劫, eon), or less than a kalpa, explaining this meaning, this is called the aspect of teaching the Dharma, and this is called the aspect of noble silence, yet I would not be able to exhaust it.' Then, the Buddha told the Bodhisattvas of Equal Conduct: 'Good men! In the immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable asaṃkhya-kalpas (阿僧祇劫, countless eons) of the past, at that time...' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
世有佛号曰普光，劫曰名闻，国名喜见。彼国严净丰乐安隐、天人炽盛，其地皆以众宝庄严，柔软细滑，生宝莲花，一切香树充满其中，常出妙香。善男子！喜见国土有四百亿四天下，一一天下纵广八万四千由旬。其中诸城纵广一由旬，皆以众宝校饰。一一城者，有一万五千聚落村邑而围绕之。一一聚落、村邑无量百千人众充满其中。彼时人民所见色像心皆喜悦，无可憎恶，亦悉皆得念佛三昧，是以国土名曰喜见。若他方世界诸来菩萨皆得快乐，余国不尔。善男子！其普光佛以三乘法为弟子说，亦多乐说如是法音：‘汝等比丘当行二事：若说法、若圣默然。’ “善男子！尔时上方医王佛土有二菩萨：一名无尽意，二名益意，来诣普光佛所。头面礼足，右绕三匝，恭敬合掌，却住一面。时普光佛为二菩萨广说净明三昧：‘所以名曰净明三昧者，若菩萨入是三昧，即得解脱一切诸相及烦恼着，亦于一切佛法得净光明，是故名为净明三昧。又前际一切法净、后际一切法净、现在一切法净，是三世毕竟净，无能令不净，性常净故，是以说一切诸法性常清净。何谓诸法性净？谓一切法空相，离有所得故；一切法无相相，离忆想分别故；一切法无作相，不取不舍、无求无愿，毕竟离自性故，是名性常清净。以是常净相，知 现代汉语译本 世间有一尊佛，名号是普光（Puguang），所处的劫名为名闻（Mingwen），国名叫喜见（Xijian）。那个佛国庄严清净，丰饶安乐，天人和合兴盛，土地都用各种珍宝装饰，柔软细滑，生长着宝莲花，各种香树充满其间，常散发出美妙的香气。善男子！喜见国土有四百亿个四天下（sitianxia，佛教宇宙观中的一个世界），每一个天下纵横广阔八万四千由旬（youxun，古印度长度单位）。其中的各个城市纵横一由旬，都用各种珍宝装饰。每一座城市，都有一万五千个聚落村庄围绕着它。每一个聚落、村庄都充满着无数百千的人众。那时的人民所见到的色相都心生喜悦，没有令人憎恶的，而且都能够得到念佛三昧（nianfo sanmei，通过念佛而达到的一种禅定状态），因此这个国土名叫喜见。如果其他世界的菩萨来到这里，都会感到快乐，其他国土则不是这样。善男子！那尊普光佛用三乘法（sanshengfa，声闻乘、缘觉乘、菩萨乘）为弟子说法，也喜欢宣说这样的法音：‘你们这些比丘（biqiu，佛教出家男子）应当奉行两件事：要么说法，要么保持圣洁的沉默。’ ‘善男子！那时上方医王佛（Yiwangfo）的国土有两位菩萨：一位名叫无尽意（Wujinyi），一位名叫益意（Yiyi），他们来到普光佛的住所。用头面礼拜佛足，右绕佛三圈，恭敬地合掌，退到一旁站立。当时普光佛为这两位菩萨广泛地宣说净明三昧（jingming sanmei）：‘之所以称作净明三昧，是因为如果菩萨进入这种三昧，就能解脱一切诸相以及烦恼执着，也能在一切佛法中得到清净光明，所以称作净明三昧。而且前际一切法清净、后际一切法清净、现在一切法清净，这三世毕竟清净，没有什么能够使它不清净，因为它的本性常常是清净的，因此说一切诸法的本性常常是清净的。什么叫做诸法的本性清净呢？就是说一切法都是空相（kongxiang，佛教术语，指一切事物没有实体），远离有所得的观念；一切法都是无相相（wuxiangxiang，佛教术语，指没有可以执著的表象），远离忆想分别；一切法都是无作相（wuzuoxiang，佛教术语，指没有造作），不取不舍，无求无愿，毕竟远离自性，这就叫做本性常常清净。凭借这种常净相，知道
English
English version There was a Buddha named Puguang (Universal Light), the kalpa (aeon) was named Mingwen (Renowned), and the country was named Xijian (Joyful Vision). That Buddha-land was solemn, pure, abundant, peaceful, and secure, with flourishing gods and humans. Its ground was adorned with various treasures, soft and smooth, growing precious lotus flowers, and filled with fragrant trees that constantly emitted wonderful scents. Good man! The land of Xijian had four hundred billion four-continents (sitianxia, a world system in Buddhist cosmology), each four-continent being eighty-four thousand yojanas (youxun, an ancient Indian unit of distance) in length and breadth. The cities within them were one yojana in length and breadth, all adorned with various treasures. Each city was surrounded by fifteen thousand settlements and villages. Each settlement and village was filled with countless hundreds of thousands of people. At that time, the people's minds were filled with joy at the sights they saw, with nothing repulsive, and they all attained the Samadhi (sanmei, a state of meditative consciousness) of Buddha Recitation, hence the country was named Xijian. If bodhisattvas from other worlds came there, they would all find happiness, unlike in other countries. Good man! That Puguang Buddha taught his disciples using the Three Vehicles (sanshengfa, Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, and Bodhisattvayāna), and also delighted in speaking such Dharma sounds: 'You monks (biqiu, Buddhist monks) should practice two things: either teach the Dharma or maintain noble silence.' 'Good man! At that time, from the land of the Medicine King Buddha (Yiwangfo) in the upper direction, two bodhisattvas came to the place of Puguang Buddha: one named Wujinyi (Inexhaustible Intent), and the other named Yiyi (Beneficial Intent). They bowed their heads to the Buddha's feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, respectfully joined their palms, and stood to one side. Then, Puguang Buddha extensively explained the Samadhi of Pure Brightness (jingming sanmei) to the two bodhisattvas: 'The reason it is called the Samadhi of Pure Brightness is that if a bodhisattva enters this samadhi, he will be liberated from all phenomena and afflictions, and will also attain pure light in all Buddha-dharmas, hence it is called the Samadhi of Pure Brightness. Moreover, all dharmas of the past are pure, all dharmas of the future are pure, and all dharmas of the present are pure. These three times are ultimately pure, and nothing can make them impure, because their nature is always pure. Therefore, it is said that the nature of all dharmas is always pure. What is meant by the purity of the nature of all dharmas? It means that all dharmas are of the nature of emptiness (kongxiang, the characteristic of emptiness), being free from any sense of attainment; all dharmas are of the nature of no-characteristics (wuxiangxiang, the characteristic of no-appearance), being free from recollection and discrimination; all dharmas are of the nature of non-action (wuzuoxiang, the characteristic of non-doing), not grasping or rejecting, without seeking or desiring, ultimately free from self-nature. This is called the nature being always pure. With this constant purity, knowing --------------------------------------------------------------------------------