English
English version: 'If someone builds stupas (stupa, Buddhist monuments) that are tall, wide, majestic, and beautiful, and praises and makes offerings with various scented pastes, powdered incense, burning incense, flower garlands, excellent banners, jeweled parasols, music, and the light of lamps. What do you think? Due to this cause, would the merit they generate be much or not?' Ananda (Ananda, one of the Buddha's ten principal disciples) replied to the Buddha: 'Very much, World Honored One (Bhagavan, an epithet for the Buddha)! Very much, Well-Gone One (Sugata, one of the ten titles of a Buddha)!' The Buddha told Ananda: 'If a good man or good woman, with pure faith, says this: 'Now I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the Honored One among the two-legged; take refuge in the Dharma, the Honored One free from desire; take refuge in the Sangha, the Honored One among all assemblies.' Then this good man or good woman will obtain even greater merit. Ananda, you should know that the merit of offerings as described earlier cannot compare to the merit generated by these three refuges, not even by one percent, not even by one thousandth, not even by one hundred thousandth, numerical part, calculation part, accounting part, analogy part, or even by Aupanisadam (Aupanisadam, a measure of extreme minuteness) part.' At that time, the World Honored One further told Ananda: 'Let aside such a four great continents, the area illuminated by one sun and one moon. Beyond this, there is a small chiliocosm, surrounded by the Iron Ring Mountains (Cakravāḍa, the mountains that enclose the world), which contains one thousand suns, one thousand moons, one thousand four great oceans, one thousand Sumeru (Sumeru, Mount Meru) great jeweled mountain kings, one thousand seven golden mountains and surrounding mountains, one thousand Jambudvīpas (Jambudvīpa, the continent we inhabit), one thousand Videhas (Videha, East Videha), one thousand Godānīyas (Godānīya, West Godaniya), one thousand Kurus (Kuru, North Kuru), one thousand heavens of the Four Heavenly Kings (Cāturmahārājika, the first heaven of the desire realm), one thousand heavens of the Thirty-three (Trāyastriṃśa, the second heaven of the desire realm), one thousand Yāma heavens (Yāmadeva, the third heaven of the desire realm), one thousand Tuṣita heavens (Tuṣita, the fourth heaven of the desire realm), one thousand Nirmāṇarati heavens (Nirmāṇarati, the fifth heaven of the desire realm), one thousand Paranirmita-vaśavartin heavens (Paranirmita-vaśavartin, the sixth heaven of the desire realm), one thousand Brahmakāyika heavens (Brahmakāyika, the first dhyana heaven of the form realm), with one Great Brahma King (Mahābrahmā, the lord of the first dhyana heaven of the form realm) freely dwelling within it; this is called a small chiliocosm. Beyond this, there is a medium chiliocosm, surrounded by the Iron Ring Mountains, which contains one thousand small chiliocosms; this is called a medium chiliocosm. Beyond this, there is a great chiliocosm, surrounded by the Iron Ring Mountains, which contains one thousand medium chiliocosms; this is called a three-thousand great chiliocosm. Suppose all the mountains and oceans within it were removed and combined into one mass, or like a sugarcane forest, or like a reed forest,' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
或竹林等，或复稻田、胡麻田等，侧塞充满无有间隙。如是假使遍满其中，诸佛、如来、应、正等觉，侧塞充满亦无间隙，如甘蔗等。如是一切诸佛如来，若善男子或善女人，满二万岁，以诸世间所有一切上妙乐具、衣服、饮食、卧具、医药，奉施供养，恭敬礼拜。于是一一诸佛如来般涅槃后，如法焚身收佛驮都，起窣堵波高广严丽，皆以种种涂香、末香、薰香、花鬘，上妙幡盖、宝幢、音乐、灯烛光明，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！” 佛告阿难：“若善男子或善女人，于一佛所，二万岁中，以诸世间所有一切上妙乐具、衣服、饮食、卧具、医药，奉施供养，恭敬礼拜。般涅槃后如法焚身，收佛驮都起窣堵波高广严丽，亦以种种涂香、末香、薰香、花鬘，上妙幡盖、宝幢、音乐、灯烛光明，赞叹供养，其福尚多无量无边不可称计，况满三千大千世界诸佛、如来、应、正等觉，经二万岁如前供养，所生福德而可弥多，无量无边不可称计。” 佛告阿难：“若善男子或善女人，以净信心，作如是言：‘今我某名，归依于佛两足中尊，归依于法离欲中尊，归依于僧诸众中尊。’是善男子或善女人获福转胜。阿难当知，如前所说供养福 现代汉语译本 ‘或者在竹林等等地方，或者又在稻田、胡麻田等等地方，侧身拥挤充满，没有一点间隙。像这样假使遍满这些地方，诸佛（Buddha，觉悟者）、如来（Tathagata，佛的称号之一）、应（Arhat，阿罗汉，值得供养的人）、正等觉（Samyaksambuddha，完全觉悟者），侧身拥挤充满，也没有一点间隙，就像甘蔗一样。像这样一切诸佛如来，如果有善男子或善女人，用满二万年的时间，用世间所有一切最好的享乐器具、衣服、饮食、卧具、医药，奉献布施供养，恭敬礼拜。在这一一诸佛如来般涅槃（Parinirvana，完全寂灭）之后，如法焚烧遗体，收集佛驮都（Buddha-dhatu，佛的舍利），建造窣堵波（Stupa，佛塔），高大宽广庄严华丽，都用种种涂香、末香、薰香、花鬘，上妙的幡盖、宝幢、音乐、灯烛光明，赞叹供养。你认为怎么样？因为这个因缘，他们所产生的福德难道不多吗？’ 阿难（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）回答佛说：‘非常多。世尊（Bhagavan，佛的称号之一）！非常多。善逝（Sugata，佛的称号之一）！’ 佛告诉阿难：‘如果有善男子或善女人，在一个佛的处所，用二万年的时间，用世间所有一切最好的享乐器具、衣服、饮食、卧具、医药，奉献布施供养，恭敬礼拜。般涅槃之后如法焚烧遗体，收集佛驮都，建造窣堵波，高大宽广庄严华丽，也用种种涂香、末香、薰香、花鬘，上妙的幡盖、宝幢、音乐、灯烛光明，赞叹供养，他们的福德尚且多到无量无边不可称计，更何况是遍满三千大千世界（Trisahasra-Mahasahasra-lokadhatu，佛教宇宙观中的一个宇宙）的诸佛、如来、应、正等觉，经过二万年像前面那样供养，所产生的福德怎么能衡量，无量无边不可称计。’ 佛告诉阿难：‘如果有善男子或善女人，以清净的信心，这样说：‘现在我某某名字，归依于佛，两足中尊（Dvipada-uttamah，两足生物中最尊贵的）；归依于法（Dharma，佛法），离欲中尊（Viraga-uttamah，离欲者中最尊贵的）；归依于僧（Sangha，僧团），诸众中尊（Gana-uttamah，僧团中最尊贵的）。’这个善男子或善女人获得的福德更加殊胜。阿难应当知道，像前面所说的供养福德，
English
English version ‘Whether in bamboo groves, or in rice fields, sesame fields, and so on, crowded and filled without any gaps. Suppose they were filled in this way with Buddhas (Buddha, the awakened one), Tathagatas (Tathagata, 'Thus Gone One', an epithet of the Buddha), Arhats (Arhat, 'Worthy One', one who is worthy of offerings), Samyaksambuddhas (Samyaksambuddha, perfectly enlightened ones), crowded and filled without any gaps, like sugar cane. If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were to spend twenty thousand years offering, providing, revering, and worshiping all these Buddhas and Tathagatas with all the finest worldly pleasures, clothing, food, bedding, and medicine; and after each of these Buddhas and Tathagatas had attained Parinirvana (Parinirvana, complete nirvana), were to cremate their bodies according to the Dharma, collect their Buddha-dhatu (Buddha-dhatu, relics of the Buddha), and erect stupas (Stupa, a dome-shaped structure) that were tall, wide, magnificent, and adorned, and were to praise and make offerings with various scented pastes, powdered incense, burning incense, garlands of flowers, supreme banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, lamps, and bright lights, what do you think? Would the merit they generate from this cause be great or not?’ Ananda (Ananda, one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha) said to the Buddha, ‘Very great, World Honored One (Bhagavan, an epithet of the Buddha)! Very great, Well-Gone One (Sugata, an epithet of the Buddha)!’ The Buddha said to Ananda, ‘If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were to spend twenty thousand years in the presence of one Buddha offering, providing, revering, and worshiping with all the finest worldly pleasures, clothing, food, bedding, and medicine; and after their Parinirvana were to cremate their bodies according to the Dharma, collect their Buddha-dhatu, and erect stupas that were tall, wide, magnificent, and adorned, and were to praise and make offerings with various scented pastes, powdered incense, burning incense, garlands of flowers, supreme banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, lamps, and bright lights, their merit would be immeasurably, boundlessly, and incalculably great. How much more so the merit generated by making offerings in the same way for twenty thousand years to all the Buddhas, Tathagatas, Arhats, and Samyaksambuddhas filling the Trisahasra-Mahasahasra-lokadhatu (Trisahasra-Mahasahasra-lokadhatu, a great trichiliocosm) would be immeasurable, boundless, and incalculable.’ The Buddha said to Ananda, ‘If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, with pure faith, were to say, ‘I, so-and-so by name, take refuge in the Buddha, the most honored among bipeds (Dvipada-uttamah, the most honored among two-legged beings); I take refuge in the Dharma (Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha), the most honored among those free from desire (Viraga-uttamah, the most honored among those free from desire); I take refuge in the Sangha (Sangha, the monastic community), the most honored among assemblies (Gana-uttamah, the most honored among groups),’ the merit acquired by that virtuous man or virtuous woman would be even greater. Ananda, know that the merit of making offerings as described above --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
德，比此三归所生福德，复于百分不及其一，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。” 尔时，世尊复告阿难：“若善男子或善女人，归依佛竟、归依法竟、归依僧竟，乃至复能一弹指顷受持十善，由是因缘获福转胜。阿难当知，如前所说惟受三归所生福德，比此兼修一弹指顷十善福德，复于百分不及其一，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。” 尔时，世尊复告阿难：“若善男子或善女人，归依佛竟、归依法竟、归依僧竟，乃至复能一日一夜受持八戒，获福转胜。阿难当知，如前所说，一弹指顷十善福德，比一日一夜八戒福德，复于百分不及其一，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。” 尔时，世尊复告阿难：“若善男子或善女人，归依佛竟、归依法竟、归依僧竟，乃至复能尽其形寿受持五戒，获福转胜。阿难当知，如前所说，一日一夜八戒福德，比尽形受五戒福德，复于百分不及其一，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。” 尔时，世尊复告阿难：“若善男子或善女人，归依佛竟、归 现代汉语译本 佛陀对阿难说：‘德行啊，仅仅是皈依三宝（佛、法、僧）所获得的福德，与能够受持十善业的人相比，连百分之一都不及，千分之一也不及，甚至百千分之一、数分之一、算分之一、计分之一、譬喻分之一，乃至邬波尼杀昙（Upaniṣad-kalā，最小的计量单位）分之一都不及。’ 当时，世尊又告诉阿难：‘如果善男子或善女人，皈依佛完毕、皈依法完毕、皈依僧完毕，甚至还能在一个弹指的时间里受持十善，由此因缘所获得的福德更加殊胜。阿难你应该知道，像前面所说的仅仅受持三皈所生的福德，与兼修一个弹指时间的十善业的福德相比，连百分之一都不及，千分之一也不及，甚至百千分之一、数分之一、算分之一、计分之一、譬喻分之一，乃至邬波尼杀昙分之一都不及。’ 当时，世尊又告诉阿难：‘如果善男子或善女人，皈依佛完毕、皈依法完毕、皈依僧完毕，甚至还能一日一夜受持八关斋戒，所获得的福德更加殊胜。阿难你应该知道，像前面所说的一个弹指时间的十善业的福德，与一日一夜受持八关斋戒的福德相比，连百分之一都不及，千分之一也不及，甚至百千分之一、数分之一、算分之一、计分之一、譬喻分之一，乃至邬波尼杀昙分之一都不及。’ 当时，世尊又告诉阿难：‘如果善男子或善女人，皈依佛完毕、皈依法完毕、皈依僧完毕，甚至还能尽其一生受持五戒，所获得的福德更加殊胜。阿难你应该知道，像前面所说的一日一夜受持八关斋戒的福德，与尽形寿受持五戒的福德相比，连百分之一都不及，千分之一也不及，甚至百千分之一、数分之一、算分之一、计分之一、譬喻分之一，乃至邬波尼杀昙分之一都不及。’ 当时，世尊又告诉阿难：‘如果善男子或善女人，皈依佛完毕、皈