English
English version: With incomplete limbs, a flat nose, dull and ignorant, and a short and ugly appearance, such a person gradually eliminates karmic obstacles, transmigrates through the ten directions, and may encounter Buddhas, draw near to them, and make offerings. They may again hear the Mahayana teachings, and upon hearing them, may rejoice and accept them with faith. Consequently, they will generate the great Bodhicitta (the mind of enlightenment), diligently cultivate the practices of a Bodhisattva, gradually advance in learning, and eventually attain Bodhi (enlightenment). 'The Buddhas and World Honored Ones have no separate intention, but for sentient beings, they expound the Five Vehicles of Dharma. By the power of their original vows and the Dharmakaya (Dharma body), at all times, from every pore, they spontaneously emit immeasurable Dharma light, and with one wondrous sound, they equally pour down the rain of Dharma. In one assembly, countless sentient beings, those who formerly believed in the Sravaka Vehicle (the vehicle of the disciples), hear the Buddha expound the Sravaka Vehicle; those who formerly believed in the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle (the vehicle of solitary Buddhas), hear the Buddha expound the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle; those who formerly believed in the Unsurpassed Vehicle (Mahayana), hear the Buddha expound the Unsurpassed Vehicle; those who formerly believed in various vehicles, hear the Buddha expound various vehicles; those who formerly believed in the Human and Deva Vehicle (the vehicle of humans and gods), hear the Buddha expound the Human and Deva Vehicle. Even animals and ghosts hear the Tathagata (Buddha) expound the Dharma with sounds appropriate to their kind. If there are those who have never heard the Dharma before, they only see the Buddha silently present in the assembly. Those who have heard the Mahayana teachings but slandered them, after countless kalpas (eons) of falling into the great hells, the realms of animals, hungry ghosts, and the realms of gods and humans, enduring all kinds of suffering, upon hearing the Mahayana Dharma again, they will be able to rejoice and deeply generate pure faith, and then generate the Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi-citta (the mind of unsurpassed, complete, and perfect enlightenment).' At that time, Virtue and Splendor, having heard the Buddha's teachings, again requested the Buddha, saying: 'What is the Mahayana? What is the meaning of the name Mahayana?' The World Honored One said: 'Excellent, excellent! You are able to delight in hearing the merits of the Mahayana. Listen carefully, listen carefully! Think well upon it, and I will explain to you separately the various meanings represented by the name Mahayana. This vehicle encompasses everything, embraces and governs, is vast and far-reaching, without omission, therefore it is called Mahayana. The merits of this vehicle are extremely profound and subtle, surpassing all numbers, therefore it is called Mahayana. This vehicle is firm and solid, and false discriminations cannot shake it, therefore it is called Mahayana. This vehicle is true and real, exhausting the future, without end, therefore it is called Mahayana. This vehicle is vast and expansive, encompassing and covering --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
法界邈无边际，故曰大乘。此乘如海吞纳蕴积功德宝聚，故曰大乘。此乘如山作镇区域邪徒不扰，故曰大乘。此乘如空包含一切情非情类，故曰大乘。此乘如地普能生长世出世善，故曰大乘。此乘如水等润一切令无枯槁，故曰大乘。此乘如火焚灭诸障令无余习，故曰大乘。此乘如风扫除一切生死云雾，故曰大乘。此乘如日开照群品成熟一切，故曰大乘。此乘如月能除热恼破诸邪暗，故曰大乘。此乘尊贵。天龙八部咸所敬奉，故曰大乘。此乘恒为诸健达缚歌咏赞美，故曰大乘。此乘恒为四王梵释礼敬尊重，故曰大乘。此乘恒为诸龙神等敬事防守，故曰大乘。此乘恒为一切菩萨精勤修学，故曰大乘。此乘任持诸佛圣种展转增盛，故曰大乘。此乘圆满具大威德映夺一切，故曰大乘。此乘周给一切有情令无匮乏，故曰大乘。此乘威力犹如药树救疗众病，故曰大乘。此乘能害一切有情诸烦恼贼，故曰大乘。此乘能转无上法轮饶益一切，故曰大乘。此乘微妙甚深秘密不可宣说，故曰大乘。此乘神用绍三宝种能使不绝，故曰大乘。此乘能显世俗胜义理趣究竟，故曰大乘。此乘能显诸菩萨行无不具足，故曰大乘。此乘能显佛地功德无不备悉，故曰大乘。此乘利乐一切有情尽未来际，故曰大乘。此乘至功能建大义妙用无尽，故曰大乘。此 乘幽玄下劣意乐不能信受，故曰大乘。此乘平等增上意乐方能信受，故曰大乘。此乘广大下愚不测而为轻笑，故曰大乘。此乘尊高上智能达常所宝玩，故曰大乘。此乘超过独觉乘等最上无比，故曰大乘。” 佛说如是大乘名义体用殊胜诸功德时，于此三千大千世界六种震动，空中天乐百千万类不鼓自呜，诸妙天花缤纷乱堕，无量天子无数声闻，闻此法音睹斯瑞应，皆发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心，百千俱胝新学菩萨，同时证得无生法忍。 尔时阿难即从座起，合掌恭敬而白佛言：“今此法门甚为希有，能普利乐一切有情，当以何名奉持流布？”佛告阿难：“此经名为‘称赞大乘功德’，亦名‘显说谤法业障’，以是名字汝当奉持。” 时薄伽梵说此经已，阿难陀等无量声闻，德严华等无数菩萨，及诸天、人、阿素洛等一切大众，闻佛所说皆大欢喜，信受奉行。 称赞大乘功德经 现代汉语译本： 由于心怀幽玄下劣的想法，无法相信和接受，所以称为‘大乘’（Mahayana，伟大的交通工具）。只有心怀平等增上的想法，才能相信和接受这个乘，所以称为‘大乘’。这个乘广大深奥，下愚之人无法测度，反而轻视嘲笑，所以称为‘大乘’。这个乘尊贵高尚，上等智慧之人能够通达，并且常常珍视玩味，所以称为‘大乘’。这个乘超越了独觉乘（Pratyekabuddhayana，独自觉悟者的交通工具）等等，是最上无比的，所以称为‘大乘’。 佛陀宣说这样的大乘的名义、体性、作用以及殊胜的功德时，在这个三千大千世界发生了六种震动，空中响起了成百上千万种天乐，无需敲击自然鸣响，各种美妙的天花纷纷坠落，无数的天子和无数的声闻（Sravaka，听闻佛法者），听到这个法音，看到这些吉祥的征兆，都发起了阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心（Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi-citta，无上正等正觉之心），成百上千俱胝新学的菩萨，同时证得了无生法忍（anutpattika-dharma-ksanti，对事物不生不灭的深刻理解）。 当时，阿难（Ananda，佛陀的侍者）立即从座位上站起来，合掌恭敬地对佛陀说：‘如今这个法门非常稀有，能够普遍利益和安乐一切有情众生，应当用什么名字来奉持和流布呢？’佛陀告诉阿难：‘这部经名为《称赞大乘功德》，也名为《显说谤法业障》，你们应当用这些名字来奉持。’ 当时，薄伽梵（Bhagavan，世尊）说完这部经后，阿难陀（Ananda）等无量的声闻，德严华等无数的菩萨，以及诸天、人、阿修罗（Asura，一种神道生物）等一切大众，听了佛陀所说，都非常欢喜，信受奉行。 《称赞大乘功德经》
English
English version: Because of inferior intentions filled with mystery and subtlety, one cannot believe and accept it, therefore it is called ‘Mahayana’ (the Great Vehicle). Only with intentions of equality and increase can one believe and accept this vehicle, therefore it is called ‘Mahayana’. This vehicle is vast and profound, beyond the comprehension of the foolish, who instead belittle and ridicule it, therefore it is called ‘Mahayana’. This vehicle is noble and lofty, understood by those of superior intelligence, who constantly cherish and contemplate it, therefore it is called ‘Mahayana’. This vehicle surpasses the Pratyekabuddhayana (the Vehicle of Solitary Buddhas) and others, being the most supreme and incomparable, therefore it is called ‘Mahayana’. When the Buddha spoke of the names, essence, function, and supreme merits of such a Mahayana, the three thousand great thousand worlds shook in six ways. Hundreds of millions of kinds of heavenly music sounded in the sky without being played. Various wonderful heavenly flowers fell in profusion. Countless devas (gods) and countless Sravakas (listeners) heard this Dharma sound and saw these auspicious signs, all generating the Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi-citta (the mind of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment). Hundreds of thousands of kotis (a large number) of newly learning Bodhisattvas simultaneously attained the anutpattika-dharma-ksanti (the patient acceptance of the non-arising of phenomena). At that time, Ananda (the Buddha's attendant) immediately rose from his seat, joined his palms respectfully, and said to the Buddha: ‘This Dharma gate is extremely rare, capable of universally benefiting and bringing joy to all sentient beings. By what name should we uphold and propagate it?’ The Buddha told Ananda: ‘This sutra is named ‘Praising the Merits of the Mahayana’, and also named ‘Clearly Explaining the Karmic Obstacles of Slandering the Dharma’. You should uphold it by these names.’ At that time, after the Bhagavan (the Blessed One) finished speaking this sutra, countless Sravakas such as Ananda, countless Bodhisattvas such as Virtue Adorned Flower, and all the great assembly of devas, humans, Asuras (a type of demigod), and others, hearing what the Buddha had said, were all greatly delighted, believed, accepted, and practiced it. The Sutra of Praising the Merits of the Mahayana --------------------------------------------------------------------------------