English
English version: These profound principles are difficult for people to believe and understand. That you are now able to accept them, you should know that this is all due to the power of the Tathagata (another name for the Buddha). Ananda (Buddha's disciple), all Sravakas (those who attain enlightenment by hearing the Buddha's teachings), Pratyekabuddhas (those who attain enlightenment on their own), and Bodhisattvas who have not yet attained the ground (a stage of Bodhisattva development) are all unable to truly believe and understand this. Only Bodhisattvas who are bound by one life (Bodhisattvas who will become Buddhas in their next life) can do so. Ananda, it is difficult to obtain a human body, and it is also difficult to generate faith, reverence, and respect in the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). It is even more difficult to hear the name of the World Honored One, the Medicine Buddha Vaidurya Prabhasa Tathagata. Ananda, that Medicine Buddha Vaidurya Prabhasa Tathagata has immeasurable Bodhisattva practices, immeasurable skillful means, and immeasurable vast vows. If I were to extensively speak about them for one kalpa (an extremely long unit of time) or even more than one kalpa, the kalpa could quickly come to an end, but the Medicine Buddha's practices, vows, and skillful means would be endless. Statement: This is the third gate concerning the benefits and detriments of slander and faith. There are four aspects to this: First, the certainty of the Buddha's words, as the sutra says, 'As I praise, even the words of all Buddhas are without difference.' Second, the decline and loss brought about by slander, as the sutra says, 'There are sentient beings, even wandering endlessly.' Third, the benefits brought about by reverence and faith, as the sutra says, 'The Buddha told Ananda, even falling into evil destinies is impossible.' Fourth, encouraging people to believe and accept, as the sutra says, 'Ananda, even without end.' At that time, in the assembly, there was a Bodhisattva-Mahasattva (great Bodhisattva) named Rescue (name of the Bodhisattva), who immediately rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt on his right knee, bowed, and joined his palms, and said to the Buddha: 'Great Virtue World Honored One, in the Dharma-image period (the period of decline of the Dharma), there are many sentient beings who are troubled by various illnesses, suffering from long-term illnesses, weak and emaciated, unable to eat or drink, their throats and lips are dry, and they see darkness in all directions, and the signs of death appear before them. Their parents, relatives, friends, and acquaintances weep and surround them, but the sick person himself lies in his dwelling, seeing the messengers of Yama (messengers of hell) leading his consciousness to the presence of Yama, the Dharma King (ruler of hell). However, all sentient beings have co-born spirits (spirits born with them) who follow them, recording everything they do, whether it is sin or merit, recording it in detail, and handing it all over to Yama, the Dharma King. At that time, Yama, the Dharma King, will interrogate this person, calculate what he has done, and make a judgment according to his sins and merits. At this time, if the relatives and acquaintances of the sick person can take refuge in the World Honored One, the Medicine Buddha Vaidurya Prabhasa Tathagata, invite the Sangha (Buddhist monastic community) to recite this sutra, light seven-tiered lamps, and hang five-colored life-prolonging banners (banners to pray for the prolongation of life), perhaps there will be such a situation that the sick person's consciousness can return, just like in a dream, clearly seeing everything he has experienced.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
或经七日。或二十一日。或三十五日。或四十九日。彼识还时如从梦觉。皆自忆知善不善业所得果报。由自证见业果报故乃至命难亦不造作诸恶之业。是故净信善男子善女人等皆应受持药师琉璃光如来名号。随力所能恭敬供养。 述曰。此是第四开像资助门。此有二门。一资助所为门。二资助胜利门。初所为者。如经像法转时乃至而处断之故。言琰魔者唐云静息。晓悟罪人止众恶故。即由此义虽鬼界摄亦名法王。谓由业力病人意识现四相分。一琰魔使。二已神识。三琰魔王。四俱生神。传说本识与身故名俱生神。能熏习言具书持。表于法王故言授与。由业威力似神相现。如净土三昧经云。同生同名一神俱生。二资助胜利门者。如经时彼病人乃至诸恶之业故。此中资缘有五。归佛请僧转法燃灯及悬幡故。灯者明也。幡者将也。救闇沈故须幡灯也。七层五色者无说所以。若以义推。伏七支罪。调五方故。或有是处彼识得还者。为简定业故言或有。言或经七日乃至四十九日者。拟中有命。七日住故。然其后三隔二七说。为显据实不离身故。传者皆言其实神识未曾离身。 尔时阿难问救脱菩萨曰。善男子。应云何恭敬供养彼世尊药师琉璃光如来。续命幡灯复云何造。救脱菩萨言。大德。若有病人欲脱病苦。当为其 现代汉语译本：或者经过七天，或者二十一天，或者三十五天，或者四十九天，那意识返回的时候就像从梦中醒来一样，都能自己回忆起所做的善与不善之业所得到的果报。由于自己亲眼见到业的果报，乃至面临生命的危险，也不会造作各种恶业。因此，具有清净信仰的善男子、善女人等，都应该受持药师琉璃光如来（Bhaisajyaguru）的名号，随自己的能力恭敬供养。 述曰：这是第四个开像资助门。这里有两个方面：一是资助所为门，二是资助胜利门。首先是所为门，如经中所说，像法运转时乃至被处断的缘故。所说的琰魔（Yama），唐朝话叫做静息，晓悟罪人，停止各种恶行。因此，由此意义，虽然属于鬼界，也称为法王。意思是由于业力，病人的意识会显现四种相分：一是琰魔使者，二是已逝的神识，三是琰魔王，四是俱生神。传说本识与身体一同存在，所以叫做俱生神，能够熏习言语，具备书写能力，呈报给法王，所以说是授与。由于业的威力，类似神相显现。如同《净土三昧经》所说：同生同名一神俱生。二是资助胜利门，如经中所说，那时病人乃至各种恶业的缘故。这里资助的因缘有五种：归佛、请僧、转法、燃灯以及悬幡。灯代表光明，幡代表引导，为了救助沉溺于黑暗中的众生，需要幡和灯。七层五色没有说明原因。如果从意义上推断，是为了降伏七支罪，调和五方。或者有些情况下，那意识能够返回，为了区分定业，所以说是或者。所说的或者经过七天乃至四十九天，是比拟中有（Antarabhava）的生命，七天一住。然而后面的三次间隔两个七天来说，是为了显示据实不离身。传说都说其实神识未曾离开身体。 这时，阿难（Ananda）问救脱菩萨（Vimoksa）说：‘善男子，应该如何恭敬供养那位世尊药师琉璃光如来？续命幡灯又应该如何制造？’救脱菩萨说：‘大德，如果有病人想要脱离病苦，应当为他……’
English
English version: Or after seven days, or twenty-one days, or thirty-five days, or forty-nine days, when that consciousness returns, it is as if awakening from a dream. They can all recall the karmic consequences of their good and bad deeds. Because they personally witness the results of their karma, they will not commit any evil deeds, even in the face of death. Therefore, faithful good men and good women should all uphold the name of Bhaisajyaguru (Medicine Buddha), and respectfully make offerings according to their ability. Commentary: This is the fourth gate of assisting through image creation. There are two aspects to this: first, the gate of assisting in actions; second, the gate of assisting in victory. The first, the gate of assisting in actions, is as the sutra says, when the Dharma of images turns, even to the point of being judged. Yama (Lord of Death), in the Tang Dynasty, is called 'quiet rest,' enlightening sinners and stopping all evil deeds. Therefore, by this meaning, although belonging to the realm of ghosts, he is also called the Dharma King. It means that due to the power of karma, the patient's consciousness manifests four aspects: first, Yama's messengers; second, the departed consciousness; third, Yama himself; and fourth, the co-born spirit. It is said that the fundamental consciousness exists with the body, so it is called the co-born spirit, capable of learning language and possessing writing skills, reporting to the Dharma King, hence the term 'giving.' Due to the power of karma, a god-like appearance manifests. As the Samadhi Sutra on Pure Land says: 'Born together, named together, one spirit born together.' Second, the gate of assisting in victory, as the sutra says, at that time, the patient, even because of all evil deeds. Here, there are five conditions for assistance: taking refuge in the Buddha, inviting monks, turning the Dharma wheel, lighting lamps, and hanging banners. Lamps represent light, and banners represent guidance. To save beings drowning in darkness, banners and lamps are needed. The seven layers and five colors are not explained. If inferred from the meaning, it is to subdue the sins of the seven limbs and harmonize the five directions. Or in some cases, that consciousness can return; to distinguish fixed karma, it is said 'or.' The saying 'or after seven days, even to forty-nine days' is analogous to the life of the intermediate state (Antarabhava), residing for seven days. However, the subsequent three times are said with an interval of two sevens, to show that in reality, it does not leave the body. Tradition says that in fact, the consciousness has never left the body. At that time, Ananda (Buddha's disciple) asked Vimoksa Bodhisattva (Liberation Bodhisattva): 'Good man, how should we respectfully make offerings to that World Honored One, Bhaisajyaguru? And how should we make the life-prolonging banners and lamps?' Vimoksa Bodhisattva said: 'Great Virtue, if there is a sick person who wishes to be freed from suffering, one should for him...' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
人七日七夜受持八分斋戒。应以饮食及余资具随力所辩供养苾刍僧。昼夜六时礼拜供养彼世尊药师琉璃光如来。读诵此经四十九遍。燃四十九灯。造彼如来形像七躯。一一像前各置七灯。一一灯量大如车轮。乃至四十九日光明不绝。造五色彩幡长四十九搩手。应放杂类众生至四十九可得过度危厄之难不为诸横恶鬼所持。复次阿难。若刹帝利灌顶王等。灾难起时。所谓人众疾疫难。他国侵逼难。自界叛逆难。星宿变怪难。日月薄蚀难。非时风雨难。过时不雨难。彼刹帝利灌顶王等。尔时应于一切有情起慈悲心。赦诸系闭。依前所说供养之法供养彼世尊药师琉璃光如来。由此善根及彼如来本愿力故。令其国界即得安稳。风雨顺时谷稼成熟。一切有情无病欢乐。于其国中无有暴恶药叉等神恼有情者。一切恶相皆即隐没。而刹帝利灌顶王等寿命色力无病自在皆得增益。阿难。若帝后妃主储君王子大臣辅相中宫婇女百官梨庶为病所苦及余厄难。亦应造立五色神幡燃灯续明放诸生命散杂色华烧众名香。病得除愈众难解脱。 述曰。自下第五问答释难门。于中有二。一问答故。二释难故。此初也。答中有二。初约病难答。如经救脱菩萨言乃至广说故。此中所说就其边际设不具足非无胜利。如前经言随力所能而供养故。法社经云 现代汉语译本 人若能连续七日七夜受持八关斋戒，应当尽力准备饮食和其他资具，供养比丘僧众。日夜六时礼拜供养药师琉璃光如来（Bhagavan Bhaisajyaguru Vaidurya Prabharaja，药师佛的尊号）。读诵此经四十九遍，燃点四十九盏灯，制作七尊药师如来的形像，每一尊像前各放置七盏灯，每一盏灯的油量要像车轮那么大，乃至四十九天光明不绝。制作五色彩幡，长度为四十九搩手（约合73.5英尺）。应当放生各种动物，达到四十九之数，这样就可以度过危难，不被各种横死的恶鬼所控制。此外，阿难（Ananda，佛陀的十大弟子之一），如果刹帝利（Kshatriya，印度种姓制度中的第二等级，通常是统治者和战士）灌顶王等遭遇灾难，比如民众疾病流行，他国入侵，国内叛乱，星象变异，日蚀月蚀，不合时节的风雨，或者过了时节不下雨，这些刹帝利灌顶王等，这时应当对一切众生生起慈悲之心，赦免所有被囚禁的人。依照前面所说的供养方法，供养药师琉璃光如来。由于这种善根以及药师如来的本愿力的缘故，可以使他们的国家立即得到安稳，风调雨顺，五谷丰登，一切众生没有疾病，充满欢乐。在他们的国家中，没有凶暴恶劣的药叉（Yaksa，一种守护神）等神灵恼害众生。一切不祥的征兆都会立即消失。而刹帝利灌顶王等的寿命、容貌、力量、健康和自在都会得到增长。阿难，如果帝王、后妃、太子、王子、大臣、辅相、后宫嫔妃、百官百姓被疾病所困扰，或者遭遇其他厄难，也应当制作五色神幡，燃灯续明，放生，散布各种颜色的鲜花，焚烧各种名贵的香。这样，疾病就能消除痊愈，各种灾难都能解脱。 述曰：下面第五个问答是解释灾难的章节。其中有两部分，一是问答，二是解释灾难。这是第一部分。回答中有两部分，首先是关于疾病灾难的回答，如经文救脱菩萨所说，乃至广说。这里所说的，就其边缘而言，即使不完全具备，也并非没有胜利。如前面的经文所说，随自己的能力而供养。法社经说