English
English version: In the Jambudvipa (the continent where we live), to the east, there is the Purva-videha continent, which is 8,000 yojanas (an ancient Indian unit of distance) in circumference, shaped like a half-moon, and the faces of the people there are also like that. Suppose that in this continent, all places are densely packed together, like sugarcane forests, reed forests, bamboo forests, or rice fields, sesame fields, etc., crowded side by side without any gaps. Suppose that the entire eastern Purva-videha continent is filled with noble ones who have attained the Srotapanna (stream-enterer, the first fruit), Sakrdagamin (once-returner, the second fruit), Anagamin (non-returner, the third fruit), Arhat (one who has extinguished all defilements, the fourth fruit), and Pratyekabuddhas (solitary Buddhas), crowded side by side like sugarcane without any gaps. If a family, for their entire life, respectfully serves and makes offerings to these noble ones, offering them excellent clothing, food, bedding, medicine, and various necessities, and after each of them attains Nirvana (extinction of suffering), they cremate their bodies according to the Dharma, collect their relics, build stupas (Buddhist monuments) that are tall, wide, and ornately decorated, and use scented paste, powdered incense, burning incense, garlands of flowers, excellent banners, canopies, jeweled parasols, music, and lamps to praise and make offerings. What do you think? Because of this cause, wouldn't the merit they generate be great?' Ananda (one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha) replied to the Buddha: 'Very much, Bhagavan (the Blessed One, a title of the Buddha)! Very much, Sugata (the Well-Gone One, one of the ten titles of the Tathagata)!' At that time, the Buddha again said to Ananda: 'Let's set aside the eastern Purva-videha continent for now. In this western Apara-godaniya continent, which is 9,000 yojanas in circumference, shaped like the sun, and the faces of the people there are also like that. Suppose that in this continent, all places are densely packed together, like sugarcane forests, reed forests, bamboo forests, or rice fields, sesame fields, etc., crowded side by side without any gaps. Suppose that the entire western Apara-godaniya continent is filled with noble ones who have attained the Srotapanna, Sakrdagamin, Anagamin, Arhat, and Pratyekabuddhas, crowded side by side like sugarcane without any gaps. If a family, for their entire life, respectfully serves and makes offerings to these noble ones, offering them excellent clothing, food, bedding, medicine, and various necessities, and after each of them attains Nirvana, they cremate their bodies according to the Dharma, collect their relics, build stupas that are tall, wide, and ornately decorated, and use scented paste, powdered incense, burning incense, garlands of flowers, excellent banners, canopies, jeweled parasols, music, and lamps --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
炬光明赞叹供养。汝意云何？由是因缘，彼所生福宁为多不？” 阿难白佛：“甚多。世尊！甚多。善逝！” 尔时，世尊复告阿难：“且置西方瞿陀尼洲，于此北方大俱卢洲，纵广周匝十千逾缮那，地形四方人面亦尔。假使于中合成一段，或甘蔗林，或芦苇林，或竹林等，或复稻田、胡麻田等，侧塞充满无有间隙。如是假使遍彼北方大俱卢洲，或预流果、或一来果、或不还果、或阿罗汉、或诸独觉，侧塞充满亦无间隙如甘蔗等。若有一家于彼圣众，尽形恭敬承事供养，奉施上妙衣服、饮食、卧具、医药及诸资缘，于彼一一般涅槃后，如法焚身收其遗骨，起窣堵波高广严饰，涂香、末香、薰香、花鬘，上妙幡盖宝幢音乐，灯炬光明赞叹供养。汝意云何？由是因缘，彼所生福宁为多不？” 阿难白佛：“甚多。世尊！甚多。善逝！” 尔时，世尊复告阿难：“且置北方大俱卢洲，天主帝释有大层台，其台依止八万四千众妙宝柱，一一宝柱，笼以种种天青琉璃、妙宝、珠网，布以金砂，洒以香水。此台周匝八万四千妙宝窗牖，一一窗牖，垂以种种天青琉璃、妙宝、珠帘，布以金砂，洒以香水。此台复有八万四千众妙宝敌，一一宝敌覆以种种天青琉璃、妙宝、珠网，布以金砂，洒以香水。假使若有 现代汉语译本： 炬光明赞叹供养。你的意思如何？由于这个因缘，他们所获得的福报难道不多吗？” 阿难对佛说：“非常多。世尊！非常多。善逝！” 这时，世尊又告诉阿难：“暂且放下西方瞿陀尼洲（G瞿陀尼洲：四大部洲之一，位于西方），在这个北方大俱卢洲（大俱卢洲：四大部洲之一，位于北方），纵横周长十千由旬（逾缮那：长度单位），地形四方，人面也是如此。假设其中合成一片，或是甘蔗林，或是芦苇林，或是竹林等，或是稻田、胡麻田等，侧身拥挤充满，没有间隙。像这样假设遍布北方大俱卢洲，或是证得预流果（预流果：佛教修行证得的第一个果位）、或是一来果（一来果：佛教修行证得的第二个果位）、或是不还果（不还果：佛教修行证得的第三个果位）、或是阿罗汉（阿罗汉：佛教修行证得的最高果位）、或是诸位独觉（独觉：不依佛陀教导，自己证悟的圣者），侧身拥挤充满，也像甘蔗等一样。如果有一家人对于这些圣众，终身恭敬承事供养，奉献上好的衣服、饮食、卧具、医药以及各种资生之物，在他们一一般涅槃（涅槃：佛教指解脱生死轮回的境界）后，如法焚烧遗体，收集他们的遗骨，建造窣堵波（窣堵波：即佛塔），高大宽广，庄严修饰，涂香、末香、薰香、花鬘，上好的幡盖、宝幢、音乐，灯炬光明赞叹供养。你的意思如何？由于这个因缘，他们所获得的福报难道不多吗？” 阿难对佛说：“非常多。世尊！非常多。善逝！” 这时，世尊又告诉阿难：“暂且放下北方大俱卢洲，天主帝释（帝释：佛教中的护法神）有巨大的层台，这个层台依靠八万四千根众妙宝柱，每一根宝柱，都笼罩着各种天青琉璃、妙宝、珠网，铺设着金砂，洒着香水。这个层台周围有八万四千个妙宝窗牖，每一个窗牖，都垂挂着各种天青琉璃、妙宝、珠帘，铺设着金砂，洒着香水。这个层台还有八万四千个众妙宝敌，每一个宝敌都覆盖着各种天青琉璃、妙宝、珠网，铺设着金砂，洒着香水。假设如果有人
English
English version: ‘What do you think? Because of this cause, wouldn't the merit they generate be great?’ Ānanda said to the Buddha, ‘Very much, World Honored One! Very much, Well-Gone One!’ At that time, the World Honored One again told Ānanda, ‘Set aside the western Godānīya Continent (Godānīya: one of the four continents, located in the west). In this northern Uttarakuru Continent (Uttarakuru: one of the four continents, located in the north), which is ten thousand yojanas (yojana: a unit of distance) in length and breadth, and whose terrain is square and people's faces are also like that. Suppose within it, it forms a single stretch, either a sugarcane forest, or a reed forest, or a bamboo forest, etc., or rice fields, sesame fields, etc., crowded and filled without any gaps. Like this, suppose it covers the entire northern Uttarakuru Continent, either with those who have attained the Stream-Enterer fruit (Stream-Enterer: the first stage of enlightenment in Buddhism), or the Once-Returner fruit (Once-Returner: the second stage of enlightenment in Buddhism), or the Non-Returner fruit (Non-Returner: the third stage of enlightenment in Buddhism), or Arhats (Arhat: the highest stage of enlightenment in Buddhism), or Pratyekabuddhas (Pratyekabuddha: a solitary enlightened being who attains enlightenment without the guidance of a Buddha), crowded and filled without any gaps, like sugarcane, etc. If a family, for their entire life, respectfully serves and makes offerings to these holy beings, offering them excellent clothing, food, bedding, medicine, and various necessities, and after each of them attains Parinirvana (Parinirvana: the final liberation from the cycle of rebirth), cremates their bodies according to the Dharma, collects their relics, and erects stupas (stupa: a Buddhist monument, often containing relics), tall, wide, and adorned, with scented paste, powdered incense, burning incense, flower garlands, excellent banners, jeweled canopies, musical instruments, and lamps, praising and making offerings with light. What do you think? Because of this cause, wouldn't the merit they generate be great?’ Ānanda said to the Buddha, ‘Very much, World Honored One! Very much, Well-Gone One!’ At that time, the World Honored One again told Ānanda, ‘Set aside the northern Uttarakuru Continent. Indra (Indra: the lord of the gods in Buddhism) has a great tiered platform, which relies on eighty-four thousand wondrous jeweled pillars. Each jeweled pillar is covered with various sapphire-blue lapis lazuli, wondrous jewels, and pearl nets, spread with gold sand, and sprinkled with fragrant water. This platform is surrounded by eighty-four thousand wondrous jeweled windows, each window hung with various sapphire-blue lapis lazuli, wondrous jewels, and pearl curtains, spread with gold sand, and sprinkled with fragrant water. This platform also has eighty-four thousand wondrous jeweled parapets, each parapet covered with various sapphire-blue lapis lazuli, wondrous jewels, and pearl nets, spread with gold sand, and sprinkled with fragrant water. Suppose if someone’ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
诸善男子或善女人，造妙层阁高广严丽，似天帝释妙宝层台，奉施四方大德僧众。汝意云何？是善男子或善女人，由此因缘，彼所生福宁为多不？” 阿难白佛：“甚多。世尊！甚多。善逝！” 尔时，世尊告阿难曰：“且置四洲及天帝释大宝层台，假使若有诸善男子或善女人，能造百千俱胝层阁，高广严丽皆如帝释妙宝层台，奉施四方大德僧众。复有诸善男子或善女人，于诸如来般涅槃后起窣堵波，其量下如阿摩洛果，以佛驮都如芥子许安置其中，树以表刹量如大针，上安相轮如小枣叶，或造佛像下如穬麦。以前福聚比此福聚，于百分中不及其一，于千分中亦不及一，于百千分、数分、算分、计分、喻分，乃至邬波尼杀昙分亦不及一。何以故？阿难！如前福聚其量虽多，然不及者，为诸如来于三大劫阿僧仙耶修集无量胜戒、定、慧，及以解脱、解脱知见皆圆满故；如来无量慈悲喜舍，十方六趣教化神通皆圆满故，如来无量布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、静虑、智慧，及余功德皆圆满故。以是当知，造佛形像及窣堵波，所获福聚不可思议不可比喻。” 尔时，世尊告阿难曰：“汝当敬受如是法门。” 阿难白佛：“我已敬受。未审如是所说法门，其名何等我当奉持？” 佛告阿难：“今此 现代汉语译本： ‘诸位善男子或善女人，建造精妙的楼阁，高大宽广，庄严华丽，如同天帝释（Śakra-devānām-Indra，佛教的护法神）的珍宝楼台，奉献给四方有德行的僧众。你们认为如何？这位善男子或善女人，由此因缘所产生的福报是多还是少呢？’ 阿难（Ānanda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）回答佛说：‘非常多。世尊（Bhagavān，佛陀的称号）！非常多。善逝（Sugata，佛陀的称号）！’ 这时，世尊告诉阿难说：‘暂且放下四洲（catasro dvīpāḥ，指四大部洲）以及天帝释的大宝楼台不谈，假如有善男子或善女人，能够建造成百上千俱胝（koṭi，古印度计数单位，意为千万）的楼阁，高大宽广庄严华丽都如同帝释的珍宝楼台，奉献给四方有德行的僧众。再有善男子或善女人，在诸如来般涅槃（parinirvāṇa，佛教术语，指佛陀或阿罗汉的入灭）后，建造窣堵波（stūpa，即佛塔），其大小下限如同阿摩洛果（āmalaka，一种果实），用佛陀的舍利，像芥菜籽那么大，安置在其中，树立表刹（chattra，塔顶的伞盖）像大针一样，上面安放相轮（cakra，塔顶的轮状装饰）像小枣叶一样，或者塑造佛像，小到像穬麦（kuḍmāla，一种麦子）。用之前的福德聚集和这之后的福德聚集相比，百分之一都比不上，千分之一也比不上，在百千分之一、数分之一、算分之一、计分之一、比喻分之一，乃至邬波尼杀昙（upaniṣad，奥义书）分之一也比不上。为什么呢？阿难！像之前的福德聚集，数量虽然多，但是比不上的原因是，诸如来在三大阿僧祇劫（asaṃkhyeya-kalpa，极长的时间单位）中修集无量殊胜的戒、定、慧，以及解脱、解脱知见都圆满的缘故；如来无量的慈悲喜舍，十方六道（ṣaḍ-gatī，指天、人、阿修罗、地狱、饿鬼、畜生）教化神通都圆满的缘故，如来无量的布施、持戒、忍辱、精进、静虑、智慧，以及其他功德都圆满的缘故。因此应当知道，建造佛的形像以及窣堵波，所获得的福德聚集是不可思议不可比喻的。’ 这时，世尊告诉阿难说：‘你应该恭敬地接受这个法门。’ 阿难对佛说：‘我已经恭敬地接受了。不知道这个所说的法门，它的名字是什么，我应当奉持？’ 佛告诉阿难：‘现在这个’