Chinese
‘父母和合得众生生。’者，何故多人共和合，少有众生而得生耶？此义云何？” 佛言：“大仙！我今为汝所引譬喻，随汝所能为我解说。汝大仙人！如有一子中多有树生，复一树中有无边枝，一一枝中复无量花，是一一花应各结果。何故有结、有不结者？若已结者，皆应成熟中作种子。何故复有熟、不熟者？此义云何？” 大仙人言：“瞿昙！由风吹故，有结、不结。若已结者，堕落不熟，不任为种。” 佛告大仙人：“以业风自转吹业众生，果堕落故，少有众生而得生耶。大仙人！汝当知之：若在胎中，或为虫食、或为业风转为碎失。汝当知之：树灾堕落少不足言，所有众生为灾堕落多不可说。复次，大仙人！以邪心故起众生界，若诸众生能有几许心想转者，还复尔数受后有生。是故，我言：‘邪心故，起众生界。’” 尔时，大仙人言：“瞿昙！如是如是，如我所问，汝已答我，此义得成。瞿昙！更复为我解说何以故有劫烧尽也？” 佛言：“大仙人！汝当知之：无作故，名为法界。若劫尽时大地不烧者，法界便有二种：少有分是无常、少有分是常。若如是者，是诸如来则亦不成为实语者。若一切无常，无为法中不可思量者，是故如来得名一切智。” 尔时，大仙人闻 现代汉语译本：‘父母和合才能产生众生。’那么，为什么多人共同结合，却很少有众生能够出生呢？这其中的道理是什么？” 佛说：“大仙！我现在为你举个例子，请你尽你所能为我解释。你这位大仙！比如一棵树上生出许多树，一棵树上又有无数的枝条，每一根枝条上又有无数的花朵，每一朵花都应该结果。为什么有的结果，有的不结果呢？如果已经结果，都应该成熟并成为种子。为什么又有成熟的，不成熟的呢？这其中的道理是什么？” 大仙人说：“瞿昙（Gautama，佛陀的姓氏）！因为风吹的缘故，有的结果，有的不结果。如果已经结果，（果实）掉落而不成熟，就不能作为种子。” 佛告诉大仙人：“因为业风（karma wind，由业力产生的风）自行运转，吹动业力众生，果实因此掉落，所以很少有众生能够出生。大仙人！你应该知道：如果在胎中，有的被虫子吃掉，有的被业风吹散而破碎消失。你应该知道：树木因灾害而掉落（果实）不足为奇，所有众生因灾害而堕落的情况多得不可胜数。再者，大仙人！因为邪恶的心念而产生众生界（sentient beings' realm，众生存在的领域），如果众生有多少心念的转变，就会有多少次接受后世的生命。所以，我说：‘因为邪恶的心念，才产生众生界。’” 当时，大仙人说：“瞿昙！是这样的，是这样的，正如我所问的，你已经回答了我，这个道理成立了。瞿昙！请再为我解释为什么会有劫火焚烧（kalpa fire burning，世界末日的火焰）呢？” 佛说：“大仙人！你应该知道：因为无为（non-action，不造作）的缘故，被称为法界（Dharmadhatu，诸法实相的境界）。如果劫尽时大地不被焚烧，那么法界就会有两种：少部分是无常的（impermanent），少部分是常的（permanent）。如果这样的话，那么诸如来（Tathagatas，佛的称号）也就不能成为说实话的人了。如果一切都是无常的，在无为法（unconditioned dharma，不依赖任何条件存在的法）中不可思议，所以如来才被称为一切智（omniscient，全知）。” 当时，大仙人听到这些话。
English
English version: ‘Parents unite to produce sentient beings.’ Then, why is it that many people unite, but few sentient beings are born? What is the meaning of this?' The Buddha said, 'Great Immortal! I will now give you an analogy, and I ask you to explain it to me to the best of your ability. Great Immortal! Suppose there is one tree from which many trees grow, and one tree has countless branches, and each branch has countless flowers, and each flower should bear fruit. Why do some bear fruit and some do not? If they have already borne fruit, they should all ripen and become seeds. Why are some ripe and some not? What is the meaning of this?' The Great Immortal said, 'Gautama (Buddha's family name)! Because of the wind, some bear fruit and some do not. If they have already borne fruit, they fall and are not ripe, and cannot be used as seeds.' The Buddha told the Great Immortal, 'Because the karma wind (karma wind, the wind generated by karmic force) turns and blows the sentient beings of karma, the fruits fall, so few sentient beings are born. Great Immortal! You should know that if they are in the womb, some are eaten by insects, and some are scattered and broken by the karma wind. You should know that the falling of trees due to disasters is not worth mentioning, but the falling of all sentient beings due to disasters is countless. Furthermore, Great Immortal! Because of evil thoughts, the sentient beings' realm (sentient beings' realm, the realm where sentient beings exist) arises. If sentient beings have a certain number of changes in their thoughts, they will receive rebirth in the afterlife that many times. Therefore, I say: 'Because of evil thoughts, the sentient beings' realm arises.'' At that time, the Great Immortal said, 'Gautama! It is so, it is so. As I asked, you have answered me, and this meaning is established. Gautama! Please explain to me further why there is a kalpa fire burning (kalpa fire burning, the fire of the end of the world)?' The Buddha said, 'Great Immortal! You should know that because of non-action (non-action, non-contrivance), it is called Dharmadhatu (Dharmadhatu, the realm of the true nature of all dharmas). If the earth is not burned when the kalpa ends, then the Dharmadhatu will have two kinds: a small part is impermanent, and a small part is permanent. If this is the case, then the Tathagatas (Tathagatas, an epithet of the Buddha) will not be truthful speakers. If everything is impermanent, and inconceivable in the unconditioned dharma (unconditioned dharma, dharma that does not depend on any conditions), then the Tathagata is called omniscient (omniscient, all-knowing).' At that time, the Great Immortal heard these words. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
是语已，回首顾语自诸弟子言：“汝知之不？此瞿昙者，真成是于一切智也。” 尔时，世尊复更重告大仙人言：“若劫尽时一切大地不被烧者，不得分别此是初时、此是末时，亦复不知好丑业果、善恶等报。汝当知之：此劫烧时焚荡尽者，是诸如来大方便力之所为也。所有众生若能闻信劫当烧尽、洞皆燃者，尔数众生诸如来边受诸摄受。汝当知之：如大蟒蛇身分所有眼、耳、口、鼻，以毒力故，悉能摄受一切飞走杂类众生。应知如来亦复如是，以布施、爱语、利行、同事法毒力故，悉能摄受调伏一切诸众生也。大仙人！又如有人以其金铤置在火中——不以瞋恨置于火中，以不熟故欲令成熟——为欲成就真宝物故、为令价大得多财故，置金火中连椎交打、柔软清净。如是，一切诸众生辈莫不皆因诸佛如来放劫尽烧而得调伏。如是劫尽大地烧时，实无众生受苦恼者。” 大仙人言：“世尊！希有。可得劫尽火焚烧然大地坏时，无一众生受苦恼者。” 佛言：“不也。大仙人！诸佛如来不令一众生受逼切恼。何以故？大仙人！譬如十方微细雨渧，彼诸雨渧宁为多不？” 大仙人言：“甚多。世尊！” 佛言：“大仙人！诸佛如来、十地菩萨倍多于彼。当尔劫尽大地烧时，于上虚空中以慈悲 语毕之后，世尊回头告诉他的弟子们说：‘你们知道吗？这位乔达摩（瞿昙，Gautama，释迦牟尼佛的姓），确实成就了一切智慧。’ 这时，世尊再次郑重地告诉大仙人说：‘如果劫尽之时，一切大地没有被焚烧，就无法分辨什么是最初，什么是末了，也无法知道好坏业的果报、善恶的报应。你应该知道：这劫烧之时，焚烧殆尽，是诸如来大方便力的作用。所有众生如果能够听闻并相信劫将烧尽、一切洞穴都将燃烧，这些众生都会在诸如来身边受到摄受。你应该知道：就像大蟒蛇身体的所有眼、耳、口、鼻，凭借毒力，都能摄受一切飞禽走兽等各类众生。应当知道如来也是这样，以布施、爱语、利行、同事这四种法门的‘毒’力，都能摄受调伏一切众生。大仙人！又如有人将金锭放在火中——不是因为嗔恨而放在火中，而是因为金子不熟，想要让它成熟——为了成就真正的宝物，为了让它的价值更大，获得更多的财富，将金子放在火中，连续锤打，使其柔软清净。如此，一切众生都因为诸佛如来放出劫尽之火焚烧而得以调伏。如此劫尽大地焚烧之时，实际上没有众生会受到苦恼。’ 大仙人说：‘世尊！真是稀有。竟然在劫尽之火焚烧大地坏灭之时，没有一个众生会受到苦恼。’ 佛说：‘不是这样的。大仙人！诸佛如来不会让一个众生受到逼迫苦恼。为什么呢？大仙人！譬如十方微细的雨滴，那些雨滴是多还是不多呢？’ 大仙人说：‘非常多。世尊！’ 佛说：‘大仙人！诸佛如来、十地菩萨比那些雨滴还要多。当劫尽大地焚烧之时，他们在上方的虚空中以慈悲’
English
Having spoken, the World Honored One (世尊) turned and said to his disciples, 'Do you know? This Gautama (瞿昙, Shakyamuni Buddha's surname), has truly attained all wisdom.' At that time, the World Honored One (世尊) again solemnly told the great immortal, 'If, when the kalpa (劫, cosmic cycle) ends, all the earth is not burned, then one cannot distinguish what is the beginning and what is the end, nor can one know the karmic consequences of good and bad deeds, and the retributions of good and evil. You should know that when this kalpa (劫) is burned, and everything is consumed, it is due to the great skillful means of the Tathagatas (如来, Buddhas). If all beings can hear and believe that the kalpa (劫) will be burned and all caves will be ablaze, then these beings will be received and protected by the Tathagatas (如来). You should know that just as a large python's eyes, ears, mouth, and nose can, through its venomous power, capture all kinds of flying and running creatures, so too, the Tathagatas (如来) can, through the 'venomous' power of the four means of conversion—giving, kind speech, beneficial action, and cooperation—subdue and tame all beings. Great immortal! It is like someone placing a gold ingot in the fire—not out of anger, but because the gold is not yet refined and they want to refine it—to create a true treasure, to increase its value and obtain more wealth, placing the gold in the fire, hammering it repeatedly, making it soft and pure. In this way, all beings are tamed by the Tathagatas (如来) releasing the fire that burns at the end of the kalpa (劫). Thus, when the earth is burned at the end of the kalpa (劫), no being actually suffers.' The great immortal said, 'World Honored One (世尊)! It is rare. That when the fire at the end of the kalpa (劫) burns and destroys the earth, not a single being suffers.' The Buddha said, 'It is not so. Great immortal! The Tathagatas (如来) do not allow a single being to suffer oppression. Why? Great immortal! It is like the tiny raindrops in the ten directions. Are those raindrops many or few?' The great immortal said, 'Very many, World Honored One (世尊)!' The Buddha said, 'Great immortal! The Tathagatas (如来) and the Bodhisattvas of the ten grounds (十地菩萨) are even more numerous than those raindrops. When the earth is burned at the end of the kalpa (劫), they, in the sky above, with compassion' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
智慧身手解救众生，不令有苦而触身也。所以者何？以彼诸佛如来、一切菩萨，妙身广大、相好端严，众生见者无不欢喜，生正信心，唱如是言：‘我等愿于未来世中皆得成就如是除拔，还得成就如是形色、如是相好端严之身。’当于是时，又有心解脱已，得阿罗汉果者；或有厌离心生，得须陀洹果、斯陀含、阿那含果证者；或复有得无生法忍者、有得不退转地者；有得生于四天王天上者、有得生于忉利天上、夜摩天上、兜率天上、化乐天上、他化自在天上者，略说乃至有得生于阿迦腻吒天上者。 “当于是时，所有一切大转轮圣王、小转轮王，及诸方域粟散小王、大仙人等，乃至刹利大家、大婆罗门、大富长者，如是次第以见如来妙色之身。复见己身于大恐怖生死海中得解脱故，生大踊跃欢喜之心，于如来边起知恩心、起报恩心。于如来边听受法已，各各皆于十业道中作不放逸行，以是方便力因缘故，于十恶道中速得舍离。 “当于是时，所得十地大菩萨者，以此菩萨眼道所及照了之处大地微尘，彼等微尘虽复甚多，而彼时节诸众生界，乃至知于烦恼体性污染不净，从于无为涅槃道中入彼无余涅槃道者，倍多于彼。汝今当知：诸佛如来为如是等大利益故，方便显示劫烧尽也。” 尔时，一切大仙 现代汉语译本 以智慧和神通解救众生，不让他们遭受痛苦。这是为什么呢？因为那些诸佛如来、一切菩萨，他们的妙身广大，相好端严，众生见到没有不欢喜的，都生起真正的信心，并这样说：‘我们希望在未来世中都能成就这样拔除痛苦的能力，都能成就这样的形色、这样相好端严的身躯。’当这个时候，有人因此心解脱，证得阿罗汉果位；或者有人生起厌离之心，证得须陀洹果、斯陀含果、阿那含果；或者有人证得无生法忍，有人证得不退转地；有人因此得生于四天王天，有人得生于忉利天、夜摩天、兜率天、化乐天、他化自在天，简略地说，乃至有人得生于阿迦腻吒天。 ‘当这个时候，所有一切大转轮圣王、小转轮王，以及各方区域的众多小王、大仙人等，乃至刹帝利大家族、大婆罗门、大富长者，都依次见到如来妙色之身。又看到自己从大恐怖的生死海中得到解脱，生起极大的踊跃欢喜之心，对如来生起知恩心、报恩心。在如来身边听闻佛法后，各自都在十善业道中努力修行，不放逸。因为这种方便的力量和因缘，迅速从十恶道中脱离。’ ‘当这个时候，所证得十地大菩萨的数量，以菩萨眼力所能及之处的大地微尘来计算，这些微尘虽然非常多，但那个时候的众生界，乃至了解到烦恼的体性是污染不净，从而从无为涅槃道进入无余涅槃道的人，比那些微尘还要多。你应该知道，诸佛如来为了这样的大利益，才方便示现劫火烧尽的景象。’ 这时，一切大仙。
English
English version With wisdom and skillful means, they rescue sentient beings, not allowing them to experience suffering. Why is this so? Because those Buddhas, Tathagatas (如来，one who has thus gone), and all Bodhisattvas (菩萨，enlightenment being), their wondrous bodies are vast and their marks and characteristics are perfect and dignified. When sentient beings see them, none are without joy, and they generate true faith, saying thus: ‘We wish to attain such power to eliminate suffering in future lives, and to attain such forms, such perfectly dignified bodies with marks and characteristics.’ At that time, some will attain liberation of mind and realize the Arhat (阿罗汉，one who is worthy) fruit; others will generate a mind of aversion and realize the Srotaapanna (须陀洹，stream-enterer) fruit, the Sakradagamin (斯陀含，once-returner) fruit, or the Anagamin (阿那含，non-returner) fruit; still others will attain the forbearance of non-origination, or attain the stage of non-retrogression; some will be born in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings (四天王天), some will be born in the Trayastrimsa Heaven (忉利天), the Yama Heaven (夜摩天), the Tusita Heaven (兜率天), the Nirmanarati Heaven (化乐天), or the Paranirmita-vasavartin Heaven (他化自在天). Briefly speaking, some will even be born in the Akanistha Heaven (阿迦腻吒天). ‘At that time, all the great Wheel-Turning Sage Kings (转轮圣王，universal ruler), the lesser Wheel-Turning Kings, and the various regional scattered small kings, great immortals, and even the great Kshatriya (刹利，warrior caste) families, great Brahmins (婆罗门，priestly caste), and great wealthy elders, will in this order see the wondrous form of the Tathagata. Moreover, seeing themselves liberated from the great terrifying ocean of birth and death, they will generate great joy and delight, and develop a mind of gratitude and a mind of repaying kindness towards the Tathagata. Having heard the Dharma (法，teachings) from the Tathagata, each will diligently practice the ten paths of wholesome action, without negligence. Because of the power of these skillful means and conditions, they will quickly abandon the ten evil paths.’ ‘At that time, the number of great Bodhisattvas who attain the Ten Grounds (十地，ten stages of bodhisattva path) will be like the dust motes of the great earth within the range of a Bodhisattva's vision. Although these dust motes are very numerous, the number of sentient beings at that time who understand that the nature of afflictions is defiled and impure, and who enter the Nirvana (涅槃，liberation) without remainder from the unconditioned Nirvana path, will be even greater than those dust motes. You should know that the Buddhas, Tathagatas, display the burning of the kalpa (劫，aeon) as a skillful means for such great benefits.’ At that time, all the great immortals. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------