English
English version If people uphold the Eightfold Precepts (asta-sila) for seven days and seven nights, they should, according to their ability, prepare food, drink, and other necessities to offer to the Bhiksu Sangha (community of monks). They should worship and make offerings to that Bhagavan Bhaisajyaguru Vaidurya Prabharaja Tathagata (the Tathagata Medicine Buddha of Lapis Lazuli Radiance) six times during the day and night. They should recite this sutra forty-nine times, light forty-nine lamps, and make seven images of that Tathagata. Before each image, they should place seven lamps, each lamp as large as a cartwheel, and keep the light burning continuously for forty-nine days. They should make five-colored banners, each forty-nine cubits (hastas) in length. They should release various kinds of living beings, up to forty-nine, so that they may be able to pass through the difficulty of danger and not be held by various violent evil ghosts. Furthermore, Ananda (one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha), if Ksatriya (the warrior and ruling class in the Indian caste system) anointed kings, etc., encounter calamities, such as epidemics among the people, invasion by other countries, rebellion within their own territory, strange changes in the stars, solar or lunar eclipses, unseasonal winds and rain, or lack of rain when it is due, those Ksatriya anointed kings, etc., at that time should arouse a compassionate heart towards all sentient beings and pardon all those who are imprisoned. According to the method of offering described above, they should make offerings to that Bhagavan Bhaisajyaguru Vaidurya Prabharaja Tathagata. Because of this good root and the power of the original vows of that Tathagata, their country will immediately attain peace and stability, the wind and rain will be timely, the crops will ripen, and all sentient beings will be without illness and full of joy. In their country, there will be no violent and evil Yaksa (a type of guardian spirit) and other spirits who harass sentient beings. All evil omens will immediately disappear. And the Ksatriya anointed kings, etc., will have their lifespan, complexion, strength, health, and freedom all increased. Ananda, if emperors, empresses, crown princes, princes, ministers, prime ministers, palace ladies, officials, and common people are afflicted by illness or encounter other difficulties, they should also make five-colored divine banners, light lamps to continue the light, release living beings, scatter various colored flowers, and burn various famous incenses. In this way, the illness will be eliminated and cured, and all difficulties will be resolved. Statement: The fifth question and answer below is the chapter explaining disasters. There are two parts to it, one is the question and answer, and the other is the explanation of the disaster. This is the first part. There are two parts to the answer, the first is the answer about the disaster of illness, as stated in the sutra by Bodhisattva Saving Release, and so on. What is said here, in terms of its periphery, even if it is not fully equipped, is not without victory. As the previous sutra said, offer according to your ability. The Dharma Society Sutra says --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
。贫者一灯亦得成故。各置七灯者。迈师云。像前一座造七轮灯形如车轮。一一像座前各置一轮灯。一一轮上各安七盏灯。后约国难答。此复有二。国界难故。眷属难故。如经复次阿难乃至众难解脱故。非但病人亦济王难。此中意也。国有七难。如文可解。灌顶王者。最大国主上位之时诸小国王及诸群臣各取四大海水灌其顶故。言国界安稳者。第二三难除故。风雨谷顺者。第六七难除故。无病无神者。初难除故。恶相隐没者。第四五难除故。王眷属难如文可解。 尔时阿难问救脱菩萨言。善男子。云何已尽之命而可增益。救脱菩萨言。大德。汝岂不闻如来说有九横死邪。是故劝造续命幡灯修诸福德。以修福故尽其寿命不经苦患。阿难问言。九横云何。救脱菩萨言。有诸有情得病虽轻。然无医药及看病者。设复遇医授以非药。实不应死而便横死。又信世间邪魔外道妖㜸之师妄说祸福便生恐动。心不自正卜问觅祸。杀种种众生解奏神明呼诸魍魉请乞福祐。欲冀延年终不能得。愚痴迷惑信邪倒见。遂令横死入于地狱无有出期。是名初横。二者横被王法之所诛戮。三者畋猎嬉戏耽淫嗜酒放逸无度横为非人夺其精气。四者横为火焚。五者横为水溺。六者横为种种恶兽所啖。七者横堕山崖。八者横为毒药厌祷咒咀起尸鬼等之 现代汉语译本：贫穷的人点一盏灯也能成就功德。至于各处设置七盏灯，迈师说，在佛像前设置一个七轮灯，形状像车轮。每一个佛像前都设置这样一个轮灯，每一个轮灯上都安放七盏灯。后面是关于应对国家危难的解答。这里又有两种情况：国家疆界的危难，和亲属的危难。如经文所说，‘再次，阿难，乃至各种灾难得以解脱’，不仅仅是病人，也能救济国王的危难，这就是此处的含义。国家有七种危难，如经文所解释的那样。‘灌顶王者’，是指最大的国王在即位的时候，各个小国王以及各位大臣取四海的海水来灌注在他的头顶。说‘国家疆界安稳’，是因为第二、第三种危难被消除了。‘风调雨顺，五谷丰登’，是因为第六、第七种危难被消除了。‘没有疾病，没有邪神作祟’，是因为第一种危难被消除了。‘不好的预兆消失’，是因为第四、第五种危难被消除了。国王亲属的危难，可以按照经文的解释来理解。 当时，阿难问救脱菩萨说：‘善男子，怎么样才能使已经快要终结的寿命得以延长呢？’救脱菩萨说：‘大德，你难道没有听如来说过有九种横死吗？因此我劝大家建造续命幡灯，修各种福德。因为修福的缘故，即使寿命将尽，也能不经历痛苦和灾患。’阿难问道：‘哪九种横死呢？’救脱菩萨说：‘有些众生得了病，即使病情很轻，但是没有医药以及照顾病人的人。即使遇到了医生，医生却给他们开了不合适的药，本来不应该死的却横死了。还有人相信世间的邪魔外道、妖妄的巫师，胡说八道，制造祸福，于是就产生了恐惧和动摇，心不能够端正，占卜问卦，自寻灾祸，杀害各种众生，祭祀神明，呼唤各种鬼怪，祈求福佑，想要借此来延长寿命，最终也不能够得到。愚痴迷惑，相信邪恶的、颠倒的见解，于是就导致了横死，堕入地狱，没有出来的期限。这叫做第一种横死。第二种是横遭王法的诛杀。第三种是打猎嬉戏，沉迷于淫欲和嗜酒，放纵无度，横遭非人夺取精气。第四种是横遭火灾焚烧。第五种是横遭水溺。第六种是横遭各种恶兽吞食。第七种是横堕山崖。第八种是横遭毒药、厌胜、诅咒、僵尸鬼等等的伤害。
English
English version: Even a single lamp offered by a poor person can accomplish merit. As for placing seven lamps in each location, Master Mai says, 'In front of each Buddha image, create a seven-wheeled lamp shaped like a wheel. Place one such wheel lamp in front of each image, and on each wheel, place seven lamps.' The answer regarding national calamities will be given later. Here, there are two situations: calamities of the national borders and calamities of relatives. As the sutra says, 'Furthermore, Ananda, even various calamities can be liberated.' It's not just about the sick; it can also relieve the king's difficulties. That is the meaning here. A country has seven calamities, as explained in the text. 'Crowned kings' refers to the greatest rulers who, upon ascending the throne, have the lesser kings and ministers take water from the four great seas to pour on their heads. Saying 'national borders are secure' means that the second and third calamities are eliminated. 'Favorable weather and abundant harvests' means that the sixth and seventh calamities are eliminated. 'No illness, no evil spirits' means that the first calamity is eliminated. 'Bad omens disappear' means that the fourth and fifth calamities are eliminated. The calamities of the king's relatives can be understood according to the explanation in the text. At that time, Ananda asked the Bodhisattva Saving-from-Extrication, 'Good man, how can a life that is already nearing its end be prolonged?' The Bodhisattva Saving-from-Extrication said, 'Great Virtue, have you not heard the Thus Come One speak of nine untimely deaths? Therefore, I advise you to build banners and lamps for prolonging life and cultivate various merits. Because of cultivating merit, even if life is about to end, one will not experience suffering and calamity.' Ananda asked, 'What are the nine untimely deaths?' The Bodhisattva Saving-from-Extrication said, 'Some sentient beings get sick, and even if the illness is mild, they have no medicine or caregivers. Even if they encounter a doctor, the doctor prescribes the wrong medicine. They should not have died, but they die an untimely death. Others believe in worldly demons, heretics, and deceitful sorcerers who speak nonsense, fabricating fortune and misfortune, and thus generate fear and agitation. Their minds cannot be upright, and they seek disaster through divination and questioning. They kill various sentient beings, make offerings to spirits, call upon various ghosts, and pray for blessings, hoping to prolong their lives, but ultimately they cannot obtain it. Foolish and deluded, believing in evil and inverted views, they thus lead to untimely death, fall into hell, and have no hope of escape. This is called the first untimely death. The second is being executed by the king's law. The third is hunting, playing, indulging in lust and alcohol, and being unrestrained, resulting in non-humans seizing their essence. The fourth is being burned by fire. The fifth is drowning in water. The sixth is being devoured by various ferocious beasts. The seventh is falling off a cliff. The eighth is being harmed by poison, curses, incantations, and corpses.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
所中害。九者饥渴所困不得饮食而便横死。是为如来略说横死有此九种。其余复有无量诸横难可具说。复次阿难。彼琰魔王主领世间名藉之记。若诸有情不孝五逆破辱三宝坏君臣法毁于信戒。琰魔法王随罪轻重考而罚之。是故我今劝诸有情燃灯造幡放生修福。令度苦厄不遭众难。 述曰。此即释难门。于中有五。一难二决三徴四解五结。决意者九种横死皆不定业宿业相似等流果故。若有助福得延长故。言终不能得者。夫杀生短命食肉病多。而断他命延已寿乎。得病虽轻损灭寿业横死入狱。此中意也。结意者。若不延命属琰魔故。文相可知。 尔时众中有十二药叉大将俱在会坐。所谓宫毗罗大将。伐折罗大将。迷企罗大将。安底罗大将。頞尔罗大将。珊底罗大将。因达罗大将。波夷罗大将。摩虎罗大将。真达罗大将。招杜罗大将。毗羯罗大将。此十二药叉大将一一各有七千药叉以为眷属。同时举声白佛言。世尊。我等今者蒙佛威力得闻世尊药师琉璃光如来名号。不复更有恶趣之怖。我等相率皆同一心乃至尽形归佛法僧。誓当荷负一切有情为作义利饶益安乐。随于何等村城国邑空闲林中。若有流布此经或复受持药师琉璃光如来名号恭敬供养者。我等眷属卫护是人。皆使解脱一切苦难。诸有愿求悉令满足。或有 现代汉语译本： 所遭受的灾害。第九种是遭受饥饿和干渴的困扰，无法得到饮食而突然横死。以上是如来我简略地说明的九种横死。其余还有无数种横死，难以全部说尽。此外，阿难，那琰魔王（Yama，掌管地狱的冥王）主管世间的生死簿。如果众生不孝顺父母，犯下五逆之罪，诋毁侮辱佛法僧三宝，破坏君臣之道，违背信用和戒律，琰魔法王会根据罪行的轻重来考察并惩罚他们。因此，我现在劝导各位众生点灯、建造幡幢、放生、修习福德，以度过苦难，不遭遇各种灾祸。 述曰：这部分是解释疑问。其中有五个部分：提出疑问、确定疑问、征询解答、解释疑问、总结。确定疑问是指九种横死都是不确定的业，是过去世的业力相似相续的果报。如果行善积福，就能延长寿命。说最终不能得到好结果，是因为杀生会导致短命，吃肉会导致疾病增多。断绝其他生命的，怎么能延长自己的寿命呢？即使生病很轻微，也会损耗寿命，造下横死入狱的因。这就是其中的含义。总结是指如果不修福延寿，就会归属于琰魔王管辖。文意显而易见。 这时，大众中有十二药叉大将（Twelve Yaksha Generals），都在法会中就坐。他们分别是：宫毗罗大将（Kumbhira），伐折罗大将（Vajra），迷企罗大将（Mihira），安底罗大将（Andira），頞尔罗大将（Anila），珊底罗大将（Sandila），因达罗大将（Indra），波夷罗大将（Pajra），摩虎罗大将（Mahura），真达罗大将（Cindala），招杜罗大将（Caudala），毗羯罗大将（Vikala）。这十二药叉大将，每一位都各有七千药叉作为眷属。他们同时发出声音对佛说：‘世尊，我们今天蒙受佛的威力，得闻世尊药师琉璃光如来（Bhaisajyaguru，the Medicine Buddha）的名号，不再有堕入恶道的恐惧。我们相互带领，都同一心，乃至尽未来际都皈依佛法僧三宝。誓愿承担一切众生的责任，为他们带来利益、饶益和安乐。无论在哪个村庄、城市、国家、空闲的树林中，如果有流传这部经，或者受持药师琉璃光如来的名号，恭敬供养的人，我们这些眷属都会卫护这个人，使他们解脱一切苦难，所有愿望都能够满足。或者有’