English
English version: 'The reason for asking is because the questions asked are beneficial; second, for fear that people will say the Buddha does not know how to smile; third, to manifest the light from the mouth; fourth, to laugh at those who are not sincere; fifth, to laugh at the Arhats who only guard emptiness and cannot attain the Bodhisattva path. The light then enters from the top of the head, in order to show great light to future generations.' When the Buddha was about to pass away, the Bhikshus asked the Buddha: 'All beings in the world receive blessings from the Buddha. Now that the Buddha is about to pass away, from whom will the people of the world receive blessings?' The Buddha said: 'Bhikshus! Although I pass away, the Sutras will still exist. There are also four causes and conditions from which blessings can be obtained: first, if animals have no food, feed them so that they may live; second, if you see someone who is sick and has no one to care for them, you should provide them with offerings so that they may be at peace; third, you should care for the poor and lonely; fourth, if someone is practicing meditation alone and has no food or clothing, you should provide for them; these are the four things. Giving with a good intention, the blessings obtained are no different from offering to the Buddha.' At this time, the Buddha's body was in pain, and he wanted to pass away. The Buddha said to Shariputra (舍利弗, one of the Buddha's chief disciples): 'There are three reasons for letting (you) speak the Sutra: first, for fear that after the Buddha passes away, people will not believe the words of other Bhikshus; second, to encourage the minds of the disciples, so that they understand that even the Buddha lets the Bhikshus speak the Sutra, let alone others; third, to manifest the merits of Shariputra, for fear that other Bhikshus will be arrogant and want to have the opportunity to speak the Sutra.' Therefore, the Buddha let Shariputra speak the Sutra. After the Buddha passed away, the Arhats (阿罗汉, enlightened disciples) together blamed Ananda (阿难, the Buddha's attendant): 'When the Buddha wanted water when he was alive, why didn't you give it to him? All beings in the ten directions should be liberated from the Buddha, why didn't you keep the Buddha from entering Parinirvana (般泥洹, complete nirvana)? The Buddha wanted to use the four supernatural powers (四神足, four bases of spiritual power) to stay for one kalpa (劫, an aeon), or even a hundred kalpas, or even a thousand kalpas, why didn't you encourage the Buddha to use the four supernatural powers?' Ananda said: 'As you say, is the Buddha not able to be free, and needs my words? Even if the Buddha stayed in the world for one kalpa, how could Maitreya (弥勒, the future Buddha) come down to become a Buddha? The Buddha's original fellow practitioners' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
有八十亿万人，皆求菩萨道，唯有两人得道耳：一者释迦文；二者弥勒，其余人有得阿罗汉辟支佛者。佛忍辱过于地，心软过于水，意坚过于须弥山，功德过于海水，智慧过于虚空，以是故前得佛耳！” 佛言：“弥勒不来下，有四因缘：一者、有时福应彼间；二者、是间人粗无能受经者；三者、功德未满；四者、世间有能说经者，故弥勒不下。当来下，余有五亿七千六十万岁，弥勒时人眼皆见四千里。弥勒时人眼见四千里者，本行十因缘得：一者、不掩人眼明；二者、不舍人眼；三者、不覆蔽人眼；四者、不藏人善；五者、不视杀；六者、不视盗；七者、不视淫；八者、不视阴私及人短；九者、诸恶事不视；十者、然灯于佛寺；是为十事。 “佛、辟支佛、阿罗汉是三人，法同行异：佛者为觉意；辟支佛为见因缘知；阿罗汉坐禅乃知。辟支佛为因缘见生死相，自守不敢离行，从见因缘得道，故为辟支佛。佛者为通行欲度脱人故，故求辟支佛。辟支佛自割身活五百人，以木自刺其颈见因缘计挍，如割土见血是水、见万物皆非常，便取道。有辟支佛，先世为菩萨五百劫，身已有三十相，无二相不及佛，不及佛者，无善权方便故。 “佛说生死勤苦三恶道事，有黠人意解，便取阿罗汉，虽作阿罗汉，于 现代汉语译本 有八十亿人都在寻求菩萨道（Bodhisattva path），但只有两人能够得道成佛：一位是释迦文（Sakyamuni），另一位是弥勒（Maitreya）。其余的人则可能证得阿罗汉（Arhat）或辟支佛（Pratyekabuddha）的果位。佛陀的忍辱之心胜过大地，心肠柔软胜过水，意志坚定胜过须弥山（Mount Sumeru），功德胜过海水，智慧胜过虚空，因此才能先于他人成佛！' 佛陀说：‘弥勒菩萨现在不降生人间，有四个原因：第一，有时他的福报应该在其他的世界；第二，这个世界的人根器粗劣，没有能力接受甚深的佛法；第三，他的功德尚未圆满；第四，世间还有能够宣说佛法的人。所以弥勒菩萨现在还不降生。当他降生的时候，距离现在还有五亿七千六十万年。弥勒菩萨降生时，人们的眼睛都能看到四千里远的地方。弥勒菩萨时代的人们眼睛能看到四千里远，是由于过去世修行了十种因缘：第一，不遮掩别人的视力；第二，不舍弃别人的视力；第三，不覆盖别人的视力；第四，不**善（原文如此，疑为“不作恶”）**；第五，不观看杀戮；第六，不观看偷盗；第七，不观看淫欲之事；第八，不观看隐私和别人的缺点；第九，不观看各种恶事；第十，在佛寺中点灯。这就是十种因缘。’ ‘佛（Buddha）、辟支佛（Pratyekabuddha）、阿罗汉（Arhat）是三种人，他们的修行方法相同，但证悟的境界不同：佛是觉悟一切事物的真意；辟支佛是通过观察因缘而知晓真理；阿罗汉是通过坐禅才能知晓真理。辟支佛通过观察因缘而了知生死的真相，自我守护，不敢离开这种修行，从观察因缘而证得道果，所以称为辟支佛。佛是为了普遍地救度众生，所以才去寻求辟支佛的境界。辟支佛曾经割舍自己的身体来救活五百人，用木头刺自己的脖子来观察因缘，就像割开泥土看到血就是水，看到万物都是无常的，于是就证得了道果。有的辟支佛，前世曾经作为菩萨修行了五百劫，身上已经具有了三十二相中的三十相，只有两相不如佛，不如佛的原因是没有善巧方便。’ ‘佛陀宣说生死轮回的勤苦和三恶道（three evil realms）的苦难，有些聪明人听了之后，立刻就证得了阿罗汉的果位。虽然他们证得了阿罗汉的果位，但于
English
English version There are eighty billion people who all seek the Bodhisattva path, but only two will attain enlightenment: one is Sakyamuni (释迦文), and the other is Maitreya (弥勒). The rest may attain the state of Arhat (阿罗汉) or Pratyekabuddha (辟支佛). The Buddha's forbearance exceeds the earth, his heart is softer than water, his will is firmer than Mount Sumeru (须弥山), his merit is greater than the ocean, and his wisdom surpasses the void. That is why he attained Buddhahood before others!' The Buddha said, 'Maitreya (弥勒) does not descend now for four reasons: first, sometimes his blessings should be in other worlds; second, the people of this world are coarse and unable to receive the sutras; third, his merits are not yet complete; fourth, there are still those in the world who can expound the sutras. Therefore, Maitreya does not descend now. When he descends, there will be five hundred and seventy-six million years remaining. At the time of Maitreya, people's eyes will see four thousand li (里). The people of Maitreya's time can see four thousand li because they cultivated ten causes in past lives: first, not obscuring others' vision; second, not abandoning others' vision; third, not covering others' vision; fourth, not doing **evil** (不**善** - presumed to be 'not doing evil' as the original text seems to be missing a word); fifth, not watching killings; sixth, not watching theft; seventh, not watching lust; eighth, not watching private matters and others' shortcomings; ninth, not watching all kinds of evil deeds; tenth, lighting lamps in Buddhist temples. These are the ten causes.' 'Buddha (佛), Pratyekabuddha (辟支佛), and Arhat (阿罗汉) are three types of people. Their methods of practice are the same, but their states of enlightenment are different: the Buddha is enlightened to the true meaning of all things; the Pratyekabuddha knows the truth by observing causes and conditions; the Arhat knows the truth through meditation. The Pratyekabuddha understands the truth of birth and death by observing causes and conditions, guarding himself and not daring to leave this practice. He attains enlightenment from observing causes and conditions, so he is called Pratyekabuddha. The Buddha seeks the state of Pratyekabuddha in order to universally save sentient beings. A Pratyekabuddha once cut off his own body to save five hundred people, and pierced his own neck with wood to observe causes and conditions, just as cutting open the soil to see blood is water, and seeing that all things are impermanent, and then he attained enlightenment. Some Pratyekabuddhas, in their previous lives, practiced as Bodhisattvas (菩萨) for five hundred kalpas (劫), and already possessed thirty of the thirty-two marks, only two marks being inferior to the Buddha. The reason for being inferior to the Buddha is the lack of skillful means.' 'The Buddha speaks of the diligence and suffering of birth and death and the suffering of the three evil realms (三恶道). Some intelligent people, upon hearing this, immediately attain the state of Arhat. Although they attain the state of Arhat, they are --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
中最尊。所以者何？用前世行菩萨道五百劫，有慈心欲度十方人故，虽得阿罗汉智慧，能晓方俗语。初为阿罗汉时，不能自觉前世为菩萨，佛便说佛功德，复为说阿罗汉功德，尔乃知佛功德大，便自悔欲转意取佛。” 佛言：“已得阿罗汉道，不可复得转，便自悔言：‘我何愚痴正取阿罗汉道？’佛便为解意：‘汝智胜余阿罗汉，智慧不及佛。阿罗汉自断苦不断他人苦，佛本行自断苦亦断他人苦，是故不相及。’” 佛言：“舍利弗！有三语，悉以知人意：一者、粗语；二者、深语；三者、牵语。得是三语，有善意即见，有恶意亦见，有忍意亦见，欲意从是三语悉知人意。” 舍利弗白佛言：“弹指之间，人意有六十生死？” 佛言：“有九百六十生死复不多，要有三意：有善意、有恶意、有欲意。善意有三百二十、恶意有三百二十、欲意有三百二十，弹指之间三意并行，合为九百六十生死。除善意三百二十，余有六百四十生死意。佛与舍利弗同行三十七品经，智慧不等者，譬如喘息，同从诸毛孔，出入能觉，便但知鼻息气出入。佛所知悉知诸毛孔，舍利弗所知如鼻孔，取舍利弗知分为十六分，满一佛界三千大千日月天下黠人所知，不及舍利弗所知一分；取佛智分为十六分，满一佛界中舍利 现代汉语译本： ‘最为尊贵。’这是为什么呢？因为（他）前世修行菩萨道五百劫，有慈悲心想要度化十方众生，所以即使获得了阿罗汉（Arhat，断除烦恼，证得解脱的圣者）的智慧，也能明白各地的风俗语言。最初成为阿罗汉时，不能自己觉察到前世是菩萨，佛陀便为（他）讲述佛的功德，又为（他）讲述阿罗汉的功德，（他）这才知道佛的功德广大，便后悔想要转变心意去证得佛果。 佛说：‘已经证得阿罗汉道，不可能再转变（方向）了。’（他）便后悔地说：‘我为什么如此愚痴，只证得阿罗汉道呢？’佛便为（他）解释说：‘你的智慧胜过其他的阿罗汉，但智慧比不上佛。阿罗汉只是断除自己的痛苦，不能断除他人的痛苦，佛本来修行是既断除自己的痛苦也断除他人的痛苦，所以（阿罗汉的功德）不能与（佛的功德）相比。’ 佛说：‘舍利弗（Sariputra，佛陀十大弟子之一，以智慧著称）！有三种语言，可以用来了解人的心意：第一种是粗俗的语言；第二种是深刻的语言；第三种是牵强的语言。’得到这三种语言，（就能）看到（对方）是否有善意，也能看到（对方）是否有恶意，也能看到（对方）是否有忍耐之心，从这三种语言中完全可以了解人的心意。 舍利弗问佛说：‘弹指之间，人的心意有六十个生死（生灭）？’ 佛说：‘有九百六十个生死，甚至更多，关键在于有三种意念：有善意、有恶意、有欲望。善意有三百二十个，恶意有三百二十个，欲望有三百二十个，弹指之间三种意念同时运行，合起来就是九百六十个生死。除去善意三百二十个，还剩下六百四十个生死的意念。佛与舍利弗一同修行三十七品经，智慧不等同的原因，譬如喘息，同样是从各个毛孔出入，（佛）能够觉察到，（舍利弗）便只知道鼻子的气息出入。佛所知道的，悉知各个毛孔（的气息），舍利弗所知道的如同鼻孔（的气息）。取舍利弗的智慧分为十六份，充满一个佛界三千大千世界日月天下聪明人所知道的，比不上舍利弗所知道的一份；取佛的智慧分为十六份，充满一个佛界中舍利’