English
The king said, 'Looking at it this way, I know that the Buddha's merits are so great and majestic, profound and vast, like a giant ocean that cannot be resisted!' The official reported to the king, 'Indeed, as the great king said, the small official deserves the blame for not being able to distinguish between truth and falsehood. Please allow me to send him back.' The king said, 'Good.' The official then apologized to the man and let him return on his own. The man suddenly woke up as if he had fallen from a great height, and was able to live. His parents then took him in a cart to Jetavana Vihara (祇洹精舍, the monastery where the Buddha often resided) to report to the Buddha. The Buddha then asked someone to question him, and he answered with what he had seen and said. The Buddha then smiled, and five-colored lights emanated from the top of his head, circled his body three times, and then entered from his navel. Ananda (阿难, one of the Buddha's ten great disciples, known for his exceptional memory) then adjusted his robes, knelt on both knees, and, with his palms together, reported to the Buddha, 'The Buddha does not smile without a reason. There must be a deep meaning to the smile. I hope the Buddha can explain the meaning in detail!' The Buddha said, 'Ananda (阿难)! Listen carefully and receive the teachings of the assembly.' Ananda (阿难) received the teaching and listened attentively. The Buddha said, 'This Jambudvipa (阎浮提, the continent where humans live in Buddhist cosmology) is in the evil age of the Five Heinous Offenses (matricide, patricide, Arhat-slaying, causing schism in the Sangha, and parricide). Sons are not filial to their fathers, ministers are not loyal to their rulers, husbands and wives deceive each other, deceiving superiors and misleading subordinates; the people are fierce and unruly, with little morality and reason, frivolous and arrogant without restraint, the strong bullying the weak; the rich collude with the rich, the poor can only cling to poverty, greedy for profit, stingy and miserly, without compassion, only wanting to surpass others. The Four Heavenly Kings (四天王) guard each other, and evil ghosts and deities take advantage of the situation. Those who violate the law will die, and their souls and consciousness will transmigrate, going to receive retribution according to their actions, becoming hungry ghosts, animals, and suffering various tortures in hell, painful beatings, cuttings, and boiling in hot water. If there is any remaining slight merit to ascend to the heavens, they will only be in the Sixth Desire Realm Heaven (Paranimmita-vasavatti, 他化自在天, the highest of the six heavens of the desire realm), with little fortune and a short life, not receiving the teachings of the Dharma. Even if they can be reborn as humans, they will become lowly slaves; or be reborn as cows, horses, livestock, mules, donkeys, camels, elephants, tigers, lions, birds, beasts, insects, and moths, suffering unspeakable hardships, unable to be liberated for hundreds of kalpas, thousands of kalpas, and tens of thousands of kalpas; sometimes they are sick as soon as they are born, or die quickly. If they can be reborn as humans, their six senses (the six sense organs) will not be complete, becoming disabled, deaf, blind, or mute, suffering endlessly. 'Now there is a person in this world who knows that there is a Buddha in the world, and hears the sutras --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
法，得见比丘僧，有善心好意恭敬慈心，捐九十六种道来入正法，自惟自克奉受五戒，修行十善以灭十恶。尔时有一人，皆是维卫佛时得道人，功德同是人，其有百劫、千劫、万劫之罪，皆悉灭尽。其人寿终已后，不复更见三恶道中。假有所犯，当追罪轻重诣地狱，王见之，衣毛当竖敬仰其人，帝王人民一切莫不尊奉，虽未得道，功德隆赫，天人龙鬼莫不称叹。” 佛语阿难：“我般泥洹后，世人多不敬法，喜自贡高自大轻蔑于人，薄贱正法、毁诸比丘，不与分卫，骂詈、瓦石击之，无所拘畏。是曹辈人，皆从魔界中来，生为人故，复恶如是。其信乐佛法，则是上古先世时佛上足弟子，能知真伪随奉正法，受持经戒，复灭二十事，皆悉诸菩萨摩诃萨非，凡人耶！ “人生当有死，无有不死者。持戒善人不惜身命，但念大慈大悲拯济一切，为众人作唱导，菩萨不惧生死之变，入生死度生死；入地狱说经戒，止恶为善；入饿鬼为说布施；入畜生为说淫泆亡人身，上天生为教诸天，人中为作法恶为善。人作地狱行则有地狱想；人作畜生行则有畜生想；人作天行则有天想；人作饿鬼行则有饿鬼想；人作人行则有人想。一切万物皆无所有，但依所作名便有思想。今是贤者，眼所见其证分明，于世生已得为人，有福德 现代汉语译本：如果有人能够依法修行，得见比丘僧团，心怀善意，恭敬慈悲，舍弃九十六种外道邪说而归入正法，自我约束，奉行五戒，修习十善以灭除十恶。那时，如果有一个人，都是在维卫佛（Vipassi Buddha）时期得道的人，功德与维卫佛时期得道的人相同，即使有百劫、千劫、万劫的罪业，都能够完全灭尽。这个人寿命终结之后，不再堕入三恶道中。即使有所触犯，追究罪责时，地狱之王见到他，也会敬畏地竖起衣毛，帝王人民无不尊敬奉承，即使尚未得道，功德也极其显赫，天人龙鬼无不称赞。 佛告诉阿难（Ananda）: ‘我涅槃（Parinirvana）之后，世人大多不尊敬佛法，喜欢贡高我慢，轻视他人，轻贱正法，毁谤比丘，不给他们食物，谩骂、用瓦石攻击他们，毫无顾忌。这些人，都是从魔界中来的，因为生而为人，所以才会如此恶劣。那些信奉佛法的人，则是上古先世时佛的上首弟子，能够辨别真伪，随顺奉行正法，受持经戒，还能灭除二十种恶事，这些人都是菩萨摩诃萨（Bodhisattva-Mahasattva），不是凡人啊！’ ‘人生必然有死亡，没有不死的人。持戒行善的人不吝惜自己的生命，只想着以大慈大悲之心拯救一切众生，为众人做出榜样，引导他们。菩萨不惧怕生死的变迁，进入生死轮回度化众生；进入地狱宣讲经戒，劝止恶行，引导向善；进入饿鬼道为他们宣讲布施；进入畜生道为他们宣讲淫欲会丧失人身，死后上天，为诸天人说法；在人间教化世人，使作恶之人改恶从善。人如果做地狱的行为，就会有地狱的念想；人如果做畜生的行为，就会有畜生的念想；人如果做天人的行为，就会有天人的念想；人如果做饿鬼的行为，就会有饿鬼的念想；人如果做人的行为，就会有人的念想。一切万物本来都是空无所有的，只是根据所作的行为而产生相应的名相和思想。现在这位贤者，亲眼所见的事实非常清楚，在世间出生已经得到了人身，拥有福德。’
English
English version: If someone can practice according to the Dharma, see the Bhikkhu Sangha (community of monks), have a good heart, and with respect and compassion, abandon the ninety-six kinds of heretical paths and enter the true Dharma, restrain themselves, uphold the five precepts, and cultivate the ten good deeds to eliminate the ten evils. At that time, if there is a person, all of whom attained enlightenment during the time of Vipassi Buddha (Vipassi Buddha), whose merits are the same as those who attained enlightenment during the time of Vipassi Buddha, even if they have committed sins for hundreds of kalpas, thousands of kalpas, or tens of thousands of kalpas, they can all be completely extinguished. After this person's life ends, they will no longer fall into the three evil realms. Even if they have committed some offenses, when pursuing their guilt, the King of Hell, upon seeing them, will stand in awe and their hair will stand on end. Emperors and people will all respect and revere them. Even if they have not yet attained enlightenment, their merits are extremely illustrious, and gods, humans, dragons, and spirits will all praise them. The Buddha said to Ananda (Ananda): 'After my Parinirvana (Parinirvana), most people in the world will not respect the Dharma, they will like to be arrogant and conceited, despise others, belittle the true Dharma, slander the Bhikkhus, not give them food, scold them, and attack them with tiles and stones, without any fear. These people all come from the realm of Mara (demon), and because they are born as humans, they are so evil. Those who believe in the Buddha's Dharma are the foremost disciples of the Buddha in ancient times, who can distinguish between truth and falsehood, follow and practice the true Dharma, uphold the sutras and precepts, and can also eliminate twenty evil deeds. These people are all Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas (Bodhisattva-Mahasattva), not ordinary people!' 'Life inevitably has death, and there is no one who does not die. Those who uphold the precepts and do good deeds do not cherish their own lives, but only think of saving all sentient beings with great compassion, setting an example for the people and guiding them. Bodhisattvas are not afraid of the changes of birth and death, they enter the cycle of birth and death to liberate sentient beings; they enter hell to preach the sutras and precepts, to stop evil deeds and guide them to do good; they enter the realm of hungry ghosts to preach about giving; they enter the realm of animals to preach that lust will lead to the loss of human form, and after death, they will be reborn in heaven, teaching the gods; in the human world, they teach people to turn from evil to good. If a person does the deeds of hell, they will have the thoughts of hell; if a person does the deeds of animals, they will have the thoughts of animals; if a person does the deeds of gods, they will have the thoughts of gods; if a person does the deeds of hungry ghosts, they will have the thoughts of hungry ghosts; if a person does the deeds of humans, they will have the thoughts of humans. All things are originally empty and without substance, but according to the actions performed, corresponding names and thoughts arise. Now this wise person, the facts seen with their own eyes are very clear, having been born into the world, they have already obtained a human body and possess blessings.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
奉正法，何不努力可自致得佛尊贵？何为作勤苦之业？身当自往受之，悔有何益？” 佛语阿难：“法之欲兴，世生善人；法之欲衰，恶人众多。善相告语，各勤加精进经戒，为忧一切无常。无常力大，佛不常住。于世努力勤之，既以自度，复能救度一切人、非人。诸比丘！汝曹当及我在世，当努力，莫言佛常在，今不努力后悔何益？今以死人者名见谛。” 见谛闻佛说经，父母诸家皆得阿罗汉道谛，即得阿惟越致，坚住不复动转。诸比丘及诸菩萨大弟子，天龙鬼神，闻经莫不欢喜，皆前为佛作礼而去。 弟子死复生经 现代汉语译本：既然信奉正法，为何不努力修行以证得佛的尊贵果位？为何还要造作这些充满痛苦的业？身体要亲自承受这些果报，到那时后悔又有什么用呢？' 佛告诉阿难：'正法将要兴盛时，世间就会出现许多善人；正法将要衰败时，恶人就会增多。善人应当互相劝告，各自勤奋精进地修持经戒，要忧虑一切事物的无常。无常的力量非常强大，即使是佛也不能永远住世。在世时要努力勤奋修行，既能自我解脱，又能救度一切人与非人。各位比丘！你们应当趁着我还住世的时候，努力修行，不要说佛会永远住世，现在不努力，将来后悔又有什么用呢？现在就以死而复生的人（见谛）为例来证明这一点。' 见谛（Jiandi）听闻佛所说的经法，他的父母和所有家人都证得了阿罗汉（Arahan）的道果，他自己也立即获得了阿惟越致（Aweiyuezhi，不退转）的果位，坚定不移，不再动摇。各位比丘以及各位菩萨大弟子，天龙鬼神，听闻佛所说的经法，没有不欢喜的，都上前向佛作礼后离去。 《弟子死复生经》
English
English version: 'Having embraced the true Dharma, why not strive diligently to attain the honored state of Buddhahood? Why engage in deeds that create suffering? Your body must personally experience the consequences; what benefit will regret bring then?' The Buddha said to Ananda: 'When the Dharma is about to flourish, many virtuous people will be born into the world; when the Dharma is about to decline, evil people will increase. Virtuous people should advise one another, each diligently cultivating the precepts and scriptures, mindful of the impermanence of all things. Impermanence is a great force; even the Buddha cannot remain in the world forever. Strive diligently while in this world, so that you may liberate yourselves and also save all humans and non-humans. Monks! You should strive diligently while I am still in the world, do not say that the Buddha will always be here. What benefit will regret bring if you do not strive now? Now, take the example of one who died and was reborn (Jiandi).' Having heard the sutra spoken by the Buddha, Jiandi's (见谛) parents and all his family attained the path of Arhat (阿罗汉), and he himself immediately attained Aweiyuezhi (阿惟越致, non-retrogression), steadfast and unmoving. The monks and great disciples who were Bodhisattvas, the devas, nagas, and spirits, all rejoiced upon hearing the sutra spoken by the Buddha, and they bowed to the Buddha and departed. 'The Sutra of the Disciple Who Died and Was Reborn' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------