English
English version: Sa. Holding a golden, radiant, thousand-petaled lotus, he came to the Buddha's place, prostrated at the Buddha's feet, and offered this lotus to the World-Honored One. This flower was sent by Amitabha Buddha (无量寿佛) for me to bring. The World-Honored One accepted the lotus and placed it on his left side. The Buddha said to Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Mahāsattva (观自在菩萨摩诃萨): 'What do you think of the divine power and meritorious adornment you are now manifesting?' Avalokiteśvara said: 'I am doing this to save all sentient beings in the evil realms, namely all pretas (饿鬼), Avīci hell (阿鼻地狱), Kālasūtra hell (黑绳地狱), Saṃjīva hell (等活地狱), Tapana hell (烧燃地狱), Mahātapana hell (煻煨地狱), Saṃghāta hell (镬汤地狱), Arbuda hell (寒水地狱), and all beings in such great hells. I will rescue them all, liberate them from all evil realms, and enable them to attain anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi (阿耨多罗三藐三菩提).' At that time, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, having said this, prostrated at the Buddha's feet, and after the prostration, disappeared suddenly, like a flame merging into the void. At this time, Ratnapāṇi Bodhisattva (宝手菩萨) said to the World-Honored One: 'I now have a doubt and wish to ask the Tathāgata (如来). I hope you will explain it to me. What kind of merit does Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva have that enables him to manifest such divine power?' The Buddha said: 'If as many Tathāgata Arhat Samyaksaṃbuddhas (如来应正等觉) as there are sands in the Ganges River (殑伽河沙数) were to offer heavenly exquisite clothing, as well as kasayas (袈裟), food, medicine, and sitting and sleeping implements, the merit gained from offering to such Buddhas would be no different in quantity from the merit of a single pore of hair of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. Good man, furthermore, if in the four great continents, it rained heavily day and night for twelve months of the year, I could count every single drop of rain. Good man, I cannot exhaustively describe the amount of merit that Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva possesses. Good man, furthermore, if the ocean were eighty-four thousand yojanas (逾缮那) deep and wide, and there were four such great oceans, I could count every single drop of water. Good man, I cannot exhaustively describe the amount of merit that Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva possesses. Good man, furthermore, if all the four-legged sentient beings in the four great continents, lions, elephants, horses, tigers, wolves, bears, deer, cattle, and sheep, all such four-legged creatures, I could count all the hairs on each of their bodies. Good man, I cannot exhaustively describe the amount of merit that Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva possesses. Good man,' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
又如有人。以天金宝造作如微尘数如来形像。而于一日皆得成就种种供养。所获福德而我悉能数其数量。善男子观自在菩萨所有福德。而我不能说尽数量。善男子又如一切树林。我能数其一一叶数。观自在菩萨所有福德。而我不能说尽数量。善男子又如四大洲所有男子女人童男童女。如是之人皆成预流果一来不还阿罗汉果缘觉菩提。如是所有福德。与观自在菩萨一毛端福其量无异。是时宝手菩萨白世尊言。我从昔已来。所未曾见亦未曾闻。诸佛如来有于如是福德之者。世尊观自在位居菩萨。云何而有如是福德耶。佛告善男子。非独此界唯我一身。乃至他方无数如来应正等觉俱集一处。亦不能说尽观自在菩萨福德数量。善男子于此世界若有人。能忆念观自在菩萨摩诃萨名者。是人当来远离生老病死轮回之苦。犹如鹅王随风而去。速得往生极乐世界。面见无量寿如来听闻妙法。如是之人而永不受轮回之苦。无贪瞋痴无老病死无饥馑苦。不受胎胞生身之苦。承法威力莲华化生。常居彼土侯是观自在菩萨摩诃萨。救度一切有情。皆得解脱坚固愿满。是时宝手菩萨白世尊言。此观自在而于何时。救度一切有情。皆得解脱坚固愿满。世尊告言有情无数。常受生死轮回无有休息。是观自在为欲救度如是有情。证菩提道随有情类现身说 现代汉语译本 又比如有人，用像微尘一样多的天金宝物，造作出像微尘一样多的如来佛像，并且在一天之内全部完成，并以各种方式供养。我能够数清这个人所获得的福德数量。善男子，但观自在菩萨（Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva，意为观世音菩萨）所拥有的福德，我却无法说尽其数量。善男子，又比如所有的树林，我能够数清每一片叶子的数量。但观自在菩萨所拥有的福德，我却无法说尽其数量。善男子，又比如四大洲所有的男子、女人、童男、童女，这些人全都证得预流果（Srotapanna，意为入流果）、一来果（Sakrdagamin，意为一来果）、不还果（Anagamin，意为不还果）、阿罗汉果（Arhat，意为无学果）、缘觉菩提（Pratyekabuddha Bodhi，意为独觉菩提）。所有这些福德加起来，与观自在菩萨一毛端上的福德相比，其量也没有什么差别。 这时，宝手菩萨（Ratnapani Bodhisattva）对世尊说：‘我从过去到现在，从未见过也未曾听闻过，诸佛如来中有像观自在菩萨这样拥有如此巨大福德的。世尊，观自在菩萨位居菩萨之位，为何会有如此巨大的福德呢？’ 佛告诉善男子：‘不仅仅是这个世界，只有我一个人这样说，即使其他无数世界的如来应正等觉（Tathagata Arhat Samyaksambuddha，如来十号之一）都聚集在一处，也无法说尽观自在菩萨福德的数量。善男子，在这个世界，如果有人能够忆念观自在菩萨摩诃萨（Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Mahāsattva，意为大菩萨）的名号，这个人将来就能远离生老病死的轮回之苦，就像鹅王随风而去一样，迅速往生到极乐世界，面见无量寿如来（Amitabha Tathagata），听闻微妙的佛法。这样的人将永远不再遭受轮回之苦，没有贪婪、嗔恨、愚痴，没有衰老、疾病、死亡，没有饥饿的痛苦，不受胎胞所生的身体之苦，凭借佛法的威力，在莲花中化生，常住在极乐世界，等待观自在菩萨摩诃萨救度一切有情众生，使他们都得到解脱，坚固的愿望得以圆满。’ 这时，宝手菩萨对世尊说：‘这位观自在菩萨在什么时候，才能救度一切有情众生，使他们都得到解脱，坚固的愿望得以圆满呢？’ 世尊告诉宝手菩萨说：‘有情众生无数，常常遭受生死轮回，没有休息的时候。观自在菩萨为了救度这些有情众生，证得菩提道（Bodhi，意为觉悟），随着有情众生的种类而显现不同的身相说法。’
English
English version Furthermore, suppose someone were to create as many Tathagata images as there are motes of dust, using heavenly gold and jewels, and were to accomplish all of them in a single day, offering various kinds of worship. I could enumerate the amount of merit they would acquire. Good son, but the merit possessed by Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, I cannot fully express its quantity. Good son, furthermore, like all the forests, I can count the number of leaves on each tree. But the merit possessed by Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, I cannot fully express its quantity. Good son, furthermore, like all the men, women, boys, and girls in the four great continents, if all these people were to attain the fruits of Stream-enterer (Srotapanna), Once-returner (Sakrdagamin), Non-returner (Anagamin), Arhat, and Pratyekabuddha Bodhi, all the merit thus acquired would not differ in quantity from a single pore of hair of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. At that time, Ratnapani Bodhisattva said to the World-Honored One, 'Since the past, I have never seen or heard of any Buddhas or Tathagatas possessing such great merit as this. World-Honored One, Avalokiteśvara occupies the position of a Bodhisattva, how can he possess such great merit?' The Buddha told the good son, 'It is not only in this world that I alone can say this, but even if countless Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones (Tathagata Arhat Samyaksambuddha) from other worlds were to gather in one place, they could not fully express the quantity of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva's merit. Good son, in this world, if there is someone who can remember the name of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, that person will in the future be far from the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death, like a goose king following the wind, quickly attaining rebirth in the Pure Land, meeting Amitabha Tathagata face to face, and hearing the wonderful Dharma. Such a person will never again suffer the pain of reincarnation, will be without greed, hatred, and delusion, without old age, sickness, and death, without the suffering of hunger, and will not suffer the pain of being born from a womb. Relying on the power of the Dharma, they will be born from a lotus flower, and will always reside in that land, awaiting Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Mahāsattva to save all sentient beings, so that they may all attain liberation and their firm vows may be fulfilled.' At that time, Ratnapani Bodhisattva said to the World-Honored One, 'When will this Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva save all sentient beings, so that they may all attain liberation and their firm vows may be fulfilled?' The World-Honored One told Ratnapani Bodhisattva, 'Sentient beings are countless, constantly suffering in the cycle of birth and death without rest. Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, in order to save these sentient beings and attain Bodhi, manifests different forms according to the types of sentient beings and preaches the Dharma.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
法。应以佛身得度者。即现佛身而为说法。应以菩萨身得度者。即现菩萨身而为说法。应以缘觉身得度者。即现缘觉身而为说法。应以声闻身得度者。即现声闻身而为说法。应以大自在天身得度者。即现大自在天身而为说法。应以那罗延身得度者。即现那罗延身而为说法。应以梵王身得度者。即现梵王身而为说法。应以帝释身得度者。即现帝释身而为说法。应以日天子身得度者。即现日天子身而为说法。应以月天子身得度者。即现月天子身而为说法。应以火天身得度者。即现火天身而为说法。应以水天身得度者。即现水天身而为说法。应以风天身得度者。即现风天身而为说法。应以龙身得度者。即现龙身而为说法。应以频那夜迦身得度者。即现频那夜迦身而为说法。应以药叉身得度者。即现药叉身而为说法。应以多闻天王身得度者。即现多闻天王身而为说法。应以人王身得度者。即现人王身而为说法。应以宰官身得度者。即现宰官身而为说法。应以父母身得度者。即现父母身而为说法。善男子观自在菩萨摩诃萨。随彼有情应可度者。如是现身而为说法。救诸有情皆令当证如来涅盘之地。是时宝手菩萨白世尊言。我未曾见闻如是不可思议希有。世尊观自在菩萨摩诃萨。有如是不可思议实未曾有。佛告善男子。此南赡部洲 现代汉语译本 对于那些应该以佛身得度的人，观自在菩萨（Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva）就示现佛身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以菩萨身得度的人，就示现菩萨身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以缘觉身（Pratyekabuddha）得度的人，就示现缘觉身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以声闻身（Śrāvaka）得度的人，就示现声闻身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以大自在天身（Maheśvara）得度的人，就示现大自在天身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以那罗延身（Nārāyaṇa）得度的人，就示现那罗延身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以梵王身（Brahmā）得度的人，就示现梵王身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以帝释身（Indra）得度的人，就示现帝释身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以日天子身（Sūrya）得度的人，就示现日天子身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以月天子身（Candra）得度的人，就示现月天子身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以火天身（Agni）得度的人，就示现火天身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以水天身（Varuna）得度的人，就示现水天身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以风天身（Vāyu）得度的人，就示现风天身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以龙身（Nāga）得度的人，就示现龙身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以频那夜迦身（Vinayaka）得度的人，就示现频那夜迦身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以药叉身（Yakṣa）得度的人，就示现药叉身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以多闻天王身（Vaiśravaṇa）得度的人，就示现多闻天王身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以人王身得度的人，就示现人王身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以宰官身得度的人，就示现宰官身来为他们说法。对于那些应该以父母身得度的人，就示现父母身来为他们说法。善男子，观自在菩萨摩诃萨（Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva Mahāsattva）随着那些应该被度化的众生，如此示现各种身形来为他们说法，救度所有的众生，使他们最终证得如来涅槃的境界。这时，宝手菩萨（Ratnapāṇi Bodhisattva）对世尊说：‘我从未见过或听过如此不可思议和稀有的事情。世尊，观自在菩萨摩诃萨有如此不可思议、前所未有的功德。’佛告诉善男子：‘这南赡部洲（Jambudvīpa）’