English
English version: ’Indra (King of the Gods) said, ‘Yes.’ Then he went forward to take the milk, and immediately told the cow, ‘Now the World-Honored One (Bhagavan, an epithet of the Buddha) has a slight stroke and needs milk. If you give milk to the Tathagata (Thus Come One, an epithet of the Buddha), you will gain immeasurable blessings.’ Thereupon, the cow answered Indra, ‘Take my two udders, but leave the milk in two udders for my calf.’ The calf, being by its mother's side, heard the name of the World-Honored One, and its heart was greatly rejoiced. It then said to its mother, ‘Use my share of the milk entirely to offer to the Buddha. The Tathagata, the World-Honored One, is the teacher of gods and humans, and is very difficult to encounter. When I was a human, I drank milk for a long time, and it is the same when I am a beast. The foolish in the world are very many, and most do not know about giving, nor do they know that they will obtain blessings in the next life. I was in a previous life because I associated with bad friends, did not believe in the scriptures and doctrines, and liked to argue and deny. That is why I fell into the realm of cows and horses for sixteen kalpas (aeons), and only then was I able to hear the Buddha's voice. Use all the remaining milk to offer to the Tathagata. May I have wisdom in the future and attain the Way like the Buddha.’ The cow mother and calf spoke of things like this.’ The Buddha told Ananda (one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha), ‘It is indeed as the cow mother and calf have said.’ The Buddha said, ‘Listen carefully to what I say. This cow mother and calf were in a past life once elders, very wealthy, with much wealth and treasure. But they were stingy and greedy, unwilling to give, did not believe in the Buddha's scriptures and precepts, and did not know the root of birth and death. They often liked to lend out money, and when outsiders came to borrow money, they charged interest monthly and daily, and liked to collect a lot of interest, without reason. After the money was repaid, they would deceive and deny others, saying that they had not finished repaying. It is because of this reason that they fell into the animal realm for sixteen kalpas. What is the reason for their joy now upon hearing my name? The sins of the animals should also be finished, so upon hearing the Buddha's voice, they have compassion and offer milk to the Buddha. By this cause and condition, they should attain liberation.’ The Buddha then smiled, and five-colored light came out of his mouth, and the heavens and earth greatly shook. The light shone in the ten directions, and circled his body three times, dividing into two parts: one part entered his navel, and one part entered from the top of his head and then disappeared. Thereupon, Ananda stepped forward, knelt with palms together, and said to the Buddha, ‘The Buddha does not smile without a reason, there must be some cause and condition.’ The Buddha told Ananda, ‘What you ask is a great matter.’ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
善！何以故？此牛子母却后命尽，七反生兜术天及梵天上，七反生世间，当为豪富家作子，终不生三恶道。所在常当通识宿命，当供养诸佛，为悬缯、幡、盖，散华，烧香，受持经法。牛母从是因缘，最后当值见弥勒佛作沙门，精进不久，当得罗汉道。犊子亦当如是，上下二十劫竟，当得作佛，号曰乳光，国土当名幢幡光明。乳光如来得作佛时，当度天上、天下万民及蜎飞蠕动之类，其数当如恒沙数。尔时国中人民皆寿七千岁，被服、饮食譬如北方尊上天下。佛在世间教授四万岁，般泥洹后经法住止万岁乃尽。” 佛告阿难：“牛之子母以好心、善意布施与如来乳湩，俱得度脱。如畜生尚有善心，何况作人？六情完具，能别知好、丑，而不信明生所从来、死所趣向，复不知佛经戒，不信布施后世当得其福。人但坐悭贪故，还自欺身，心念恶、口言恶、身行恶。愚痴之人，皆由是不得解脱。” 说经已，会中五百长者子悉发无上正真道意。三千八百梵志本不信佛法，闻经踊跃欢喜，应时得须陀洹道。五百人本不信生死罪福，见佛变化，悉受五戒为清信士。 佛说经已，比丘、众长者、梵志、人民，皆大欢喜，稽首佛足而退。 佛说乳光佛经 现代汉语译本 ‘善哉！’这是什么缘故呢？这头母牛和它的牛犊死后，将七次转生到兜率天（Tushita Heaven，欲界天之一）和梵天（Brahma Heaven，色界天之一），七次转生到人间，将投生到豪富之家做儿子，最终不会堕入三恶道（地狱、饿鬼、畜生）。他们所到的地方常常能够通晓宿命，应当供养诸佛，悬挂彩缯、幡幢、宝盖，散花，烧香，受持佛经。这头母牛从这个因缘出发，最终将会遇到弥勒佛（Maitreya Buddha，未来佛）并出家为沙门（Shramana，佛教出家修行者），精进修行不久，就将证得阿罗汉道（Arhat，断尽烦恼，证入涅槃的圣者）。这头牛犊也将如此，上下经历二十劫（Kalpa，极长的时间单位）后，将证得佛果，佛号为乳光（Dugdhaprabha），国土的名字将叫做幢幡光明（Dhvajapataka-prabha）。乳光如来成佛时，将度化天上、天下无数的民众以及所有蜎飞蠕动之类，其数量将如恒河沙数一般。那时，国中的人民都将寿命七千岁，他们的衣着和饮食将如同北方尊上天下的人民一样。佛在世间教化四万岁，般涅槃（Parinirvana，佛陀的最终涅槃）后，经法住世一万年才会灭尽。’ 佛陀告诉阿难（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一）: ‘这头母牛和它的牛犊以美好的心意和善念布施给如来乳汁，都得以解脱。像畜生尚且有善心，更何况是人呢？六根（眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意）完备，能够分辨好坏、美丑，却不相信自己从何处来、死后往何处去，又不知道佛经戒律，不相信布施在后世会得到福报。人只是因为悭吝贪婪的缘故，反而欺骗自己，心中想着恶事、口中说着恶语、身体做着恶行。这些愚痴的人，都是因为这样才不能得到解脱。’ 说完这部经后，法会中有五百位长者（长老）的儿子都发起了无上正真道意（Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi-citta，无上正等正觉之心）。三千八百位婆罗门（Brahmin，古印度僧侣阶层）原本不相信佛法，听了这部经后踊跃欢喜，当即证得了须陀洹道（Srotapanna，预流果，佛教四果位之初果）。五百位原本不相信生死罪福的人，见到了佛陀的神变，都受了五戒（不杀生、不偷盗、不邪淫、不妄语、不饮酒）成为优婆塞（Upasaka，在家男居士）。 佛陀说完这部经后，比丘（Bhikkhu，出家男众）、众位长者、婆罗门、人民，都非常欢喜，顶礼佛足后退下。 佛说乳光佛经
English
English version ‘Excellent!’ What is the reason for this? This cow and her calf, after their lives end, will be reborn seven times in the Tushita Heaven (one of the heavens in the Desire Realm) and the Brahma Heaven (one of the heavens in the Form Realm), and seven times in the human world. They will be born as sons in wealthy families and will ultimately not fall into the three evil paths (hell, hungry ghosts, animals). Wherever they are, they will often be able to know their past lives, and they should make offerings to all Buddhas, hanging banners, streamers, and canopies, scattering flowers, burning incense, and upholding the scriptures. From this cause, the cow will eventually encounter Maitreya Buddha (the future Buddha) and become a Shramana (a Buddhist renunciate). With diligent practice, she will soon attain the state of Arhat (a perfected being who has extinguished all defilements and entered Nirvana). The calf will also be like this, and after twenty kalpas (extremely long units of time), he will attain Buddhahood, with the name Dugdhaprabha (Milk Light), and his land will be called Dhvajapataka-prabha (Banner and Streamer Light). When the Tathagata Dugdhaprabha attains Buddhahood, he will liberate countless beings in the heavens and on earth, as well as all kinds of flying and crawling creatures, their number being like the sands of the Ganges River. At that time, the people in his country will all live for seven thousand years, and their clothing and food will be like those of the honored ones in the upper regions of the north. The Buddha will teach in the world for forty thousand years, and after his Parinirvana (final Nirvana), the Dharma will remain for ten thousand years before it disappears.’ The Buddha told Ananda (one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha): ‘This cow and her calf, with good hearts and intentions, gave milk to the Tathagata, and both were liberated. Even animals have good hearts, how much more so should humans? With the six senses (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind) complete, able to distinguish between good and bad, beautiful and ugly, yet they do not believe where they come from or where they go after death, nor do they know the precepts of the Buddhist scriptures, nor do they believe that giving will bring blessings in the next life. People only deceive themselves because of their stinginess and greed, thinking evil thoughts, speaking evil words, and doing evil deeds. These foolish people are unable to attain liberation because of this.’ After the sutra was spoken, five hundred sons of elders in the assembly all aroused the mind of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi-citta (the mind of unsurpassed, right, and perfect enlightenment). Three thousand eight hundred Brahmins (ancient Indian priestly class) who originally did not believe in the Buddha's teachings, rejoiced upon hearing the sutra and immediately attained the state of Srotapanna (stream-enterer, the first of the four stages of enlightenment). Five hundred people who originally did not believe in the blessings and consequences of life and death, saw the Buddha's transformations and all took the five precepts (not to kill, not to steal, not to commit sexual misconduct, not to lie, not to consume intoxicants) and became Upasakas (lay male devotees). After the Buddha finished speaking the sutra, the Bhikkhus (ordained monks), the elders, the Brahmins, and the people were all very happy, bowed at the Buddha's feet, and withdrew. The Sutra of the Buddha Dugdhaprabha --------------------------------------------------------------------------------