English
English version Next, it explains the twofold power of gradual acceleration: first, to make the body honorable; second, to make the place of dwelling noble. Making the body honorable is due to the attainment of Buddhahood. The Sutra says: 'Ajita (Maitreya, the Bodhisattva Maitreya), as for those who reach the stupa of the Buddha,' this is to make the place of dwelling noble. Next, the nineteen and a half verses of the turning-force verses are used to explain the threefold meaning of future merits. First, four and a half verses praise the practice of concurrently cultivating offerings to the relics. Second, four verses praise the practice of concurrently cultivating offerings to the Sangha (community of monks). Third, eleven verses praise the practice of concurrently cultivating the Six Paramitas (Six Perfections: generosity, morality, patience, diligence, concentration, and wisdom). The first two chapters can be understood, and the last chapter has threefold meaning. First, three verses explain the method of cultivation. Second, three verses explain the degree of cultivation. Third, five verses explain the power of cultivation. The power of cultivation has threefold meaning: first, one and a half verses explain being respected by the devas (gods); second, one verse explains quickly attaining the Way; third, two and a half verses explain making the place of dwelling honorable. Chapter Eighteen on the Merits of Rejoicing This chapter is the second, explaining the benefits of expedient means. 'Sui' (following) means obedience, and 'Xi' (joy) means rejoicing. So-called hearing the Dharma (Buddhist teachings), obeying the teachings, and generating joy in the mind is called rejoicing. There are two kinds of rejoicing: first, rejoicing from hearing the Dharma oneself; second, encouraging others to hear the Dharma. Rejoicing from hearing the Dharma oneself is receiving the Dharma-giving of others; encouraging others to hear the Dharma is giving the Dharma to others. Receiving the Dharma-giving of others can increase one's own wisdom of hearing the Dharma; giving the Dharma to others can enable others to increase their wisdom of hearing the Dharma. Increasing one's own wisdom of hearing the Dharma is the act of benefiting oneself; increasing others' wisdom of hearing the Dharma is the act of benefiting others. In this way, because of hearing the Dharma and rejoicing, the wisdom of hearing arises; because of the wisdom of hearing, the wisdom of thinking arises; because of the wisdom of thinking, the wisdom of cultivation arises; because of the wisdom of cultivation, the wisdom of realization arises. Hearing is imbuing, thinking is awakening, cultivation is stillness, and realization is thorough understanding. These four are all based on rejoicing, so it is called the Chapter on the Merits of Rejoicing. Within the chapter, there are two prefaces and two verses, totaling fourfold meaning: first, the preface asks the question; second, the verses ask the question; third, the preface answers the question; fourth, the verses answer the question. The first two parts can be understood. The Sutra says: 'At that time, the Buddha told to those who have already rejoiced,' next, the preface answers, explaining the merits of five kinds of people, totaling fivefold meaning: first, the person who rejoices; second, the person who goes to listen to the Dharma; third, the person who shares a seat; fourth, the person who encourages others to listen to the Dharma; fifth, the person who cultivates. The first two kinds of people explain the cause, not the effect; the middle three kinds of people explain the effect, not the cause. This is a mutual discussion of the hidden and the manifest. First, it explains that there are fifty people who rejoice, namely the ten faiths, ten understandings, ten practices, ten dedications, and ten grounds, totaling five. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
十。此中从胜向劣而为次第故。以法云地为最初人。信心为最后人。初随喜为最胜。后随喜为最劣。是故数至五十不多不少。文有六重。一立初二总转三条后四对田五起行六量福。立初两重。一喜闻二喜化。此明喜闻三意。一喜时即如来灭后。二喜人即道俗四众。三喜事即闻经随喜。 经曰。从法会出至随力演说者。此喜化三意。一化处即僧坊等。二化境即父母等。三化事即随力演说。 经曰。是诸人等至第五十者。第二总转也。 经曰。阿逸多至汝当善听者。第三条后也。 经曰。若四百万亿至众生数者。第四对田也三意。一器多即四百万亿阿僧祇世界。二生多即五类众生。三结多即如是等在众生数也。五类者。一道类。二生类。三界类。四体类。五相类。道类则六趣。如序品解。生类即四生。谓卵胎湿化生者新诸根起也。依㲉而生曰卵。含藏而出曰胎。假润而兴曰湿。欻然而现曰化。卵生者孔雀鹦鹉等。胎生者象马驼驴等。湿生者蚊蚋精蛉等。化生者地狱诸天等。于五道中人畜具四生。地狱诸天但化生。鬼神二种化生胎生。人卵生者。如世罗优波世罗二比丘。从鹤卵中生。鹤鸟于山中生二卵卵出两童子。人夺养之为立名字。一名大山。二名小山。后出家得罗汉。世罗言山。优波世罗言小 现代汉语译本 十、这里因为是从殊胜到低劣的次第，所以将法云地（Dharmamegha Bhumi，菩萨十地中的第十地）的菩萨作为最初的人，将信心作为最后的人。最初的随喜最为殊胜，最后的随喜最为低劣。因此，数量达到五十不多也不少。文中有六重含义：一是建立最初，二是总括转述，三是分条说明最后的人，四是针对福田进行比较，五是发起修行，六是衡量福报。建立最初包含两重含义：一是欢喜听闻，二是欢喜教化。这里说明欢喜听闻的三种意义：一是欢喜的时机，即如来灭度之后；二是欢喜的人，即道俗四众（比丘、比丘尼、优婆塞、优婆夷）；三是欢喜的事情，即听闻佛经并随喜。 经文说：‘从法会出来到随自己的能力演说’，这是欢喜教化的三种意义：一是教化的处所，即僧坊等；二是教化的对象，即父母等；三是教化的事情，即随自己的能力演说。 经文说：‘这些人们直到第五十个’，这是第二重总括转述。 经文说：‘阿逸多（Ajita，弥勒菩萨的别名）！你应当好好听’，这是第三重分条说明最后的人。 经文说：‘如果四百万亿阿僧祇（Asamkhya，无数）世界直到众生的数量’，这是第四重针对福田进行比较，包含三种意义：一是器界众多，即四百万亿阿僧祇世界；二是众生众多，即五类众生；三是因缘众多，即像这样等等都在众生的数量之中。五类众生是：一道类，二生类，三界类，四体类，五相类。道类就是六趣（地狱、饿鬼、畜生、阿修罗、人、天），如《序品》所解释的。生类就是四生（卵生、胎生、湿生、化生），所谓卵胎湿化生是指新的诸根生起。依靠蛋壳而生的叫做卵生，含藏在母胎中而出的叫做胎生，凭借湿气而兴起的叫做湿生，忽然显现的叫做化生。卵生如孔雀、鹦鹉等，胎生如象、马、骆驼、驴等，湿生如蚊、蚋、精蛉等，化生如地狱诸天等。在五道之中，人道和畜生道兼具四生。地狱和诸天只有化生。鬼神有两种，化生和胎生。人道中也有卵生的，如世罗（Sela）和优波世罗（Upasela）两位比丘，是从鹤卵中出生的。鹤鸟在山中生下两个卵，卵中生出两个童子，人们夺来养育他们，为他们取名字，一个叫大山，一个叫小山，后来出家证得阿罗汉。世罗的意思是山，优波世罗的意思是小山。
English
English version 10. Here, because the order is from the superior to the inferior, the Bodhisattva of Dharmamegha Bhumi (the tenth Bhumi of the Bodhisattva) is taken as the first person, and faith is taken as the last person. The initial rejoicing is the most superior, and the last rejoicing is the most inferior. Therefore, the number reaches fifty, neither more nor less. There are six layers of meaning in the text: first, establishing the beginning; second, summarizing and restating; third, itemizing the last person; fourth, comparing the fields of merit; fifth, initiating practice; and sixth, measuring blessings. Establishing the beginning includes two layers of meaning: first, rejoicing in hearing; second, rejoicing in teaching. Here, three meanings of rejoicing in hearing are explained: first, the time of rejoicing, which is after the extinction of the Tathagata; second, the people who rejoice, which are the four assemblies of laity and clergy (bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas, upasikas); third, the matter of rejoicing, which is hearing the sutras and rejoicing accordingly. The sutra says: 'From leaving the Dharma assembly to expounding according to one's ability,' this is the three meanings of rejoicing in teaching: first, the place of teaching, which is monasteries, etc.; second, the object of teaching, which is parents, etc.; third, the matter of teaching, which is expounding according to one's ability. The sutra says: 'These people up to the fiftieth,' this is the second layer of summarizing and restating. The sutra says: 'Ajita (another name for Maitreya Bodhisattva)! You should listen carefully,' this is the third layer of itemizing the last person. The sutra says: 'If four million billion Asamkhya (innumerable) worlds up to the number of sentient beings,' this is the fourth layer of comparing the fields of merit, including three meanings: first, the multitude of realms, which is four million billion Asamkhya worlds; second, the multitude of sentient beings, which is five categories of sentient beings; third, the multitude of conditions, which is like this and so on, all within the number of sentient beings. The five categories of sentient beings are: first, the category of paths; second, the category of births; third, the category of realms; fourth, the category of bodies; fifth, the category of forms. The category of paths is the six realms (hell, hungry ghosts, animals, asuras, humans, devas), as explained in the 'Introduction' chapter. The category of births is the four births (oviparous, viviparous, moisture-born, metamorphic), so-called oviparous, viviparous, moisture-born, and metamorphic refer to the arising of new faculties. Born relying on eggshells is called oviparous, born contained in the womb is called viviparous, born relying on moisture is called moisture-born, and born suddenly appearing is called metamorphic. Oviparous beings are like peacocks, parrots, etc. Viviparous beings are like elephants, horses, camels, donkeys, etc. Moisture-born beings are like mosquitoes, gnats, dragonflies, etc. Metamorphic beings are like hell beings and devas, etc. Among the five paths, humans and animals have all four births. Hell beings and devas only have metamorphic birth. Ghosts and spirits have two types, metamorphic and viviparous. There are also oviparous humans, such as the two bhikshus Sela and Upasela, who were born from crane eggs. Crane birds laid two eggs in the mountains, and two children were born from the eggs. People took them and raised them, giving them names, one called Great Mountain and the other called Small Mountain. Later, they left home and attained Arhatship. Sela means mountain, and Upasela means small mountain. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
山。又如弥伽罗母毗舍佉夫人。一时生三十二卵。卵出三十二子。值佛出家并得初果。又如般遮罗王生五百子。并是卵生。王及王子。后时并悟缘觉果。人胎生者如今世人也。人湿生者。如顶生王遮娄王优波遮娄王。劫初时布萨王顶生一胞。胞破生顶生王。顶生王膝上生一胞。胞破生遮娄王。遮娄王𨄔上生一胞。胞破生优波遮娄王。此三即是祖父孙并登转轮王位。又如耆婆母。从庵罗树生。亦是湿生也。人化生者。如劫初时人。一切化生。畜生四生者前三可见。唯龙及金翅鸟有化生不尽皆。然地狱诸天并中阴。此三处唯化生。鬼神多化生。而亦有胎生者。如女饿鬼。白目连云。我夜生五子。昼时亦生五。生已皆食尽。如此我无饱。问。何生最胜。答。化生。问。若尔云何最后生菩萨。已得生自在唯受胎生。答。见大利益故。大利益者。由亲属相关。今无量释迦种得入正法故。此人是转轮种。但由此名生他恭敬尊重。背邪归正故。人道得此胜利。起受化者。正勤心故。除世间疑。此众生是何幻或为天为鬼故。除外道谤。一百劫尽。幻人世啖食世间故。余师说为安立舍利。令他供养得生天解脱。何以故。化生众生无外种子。若死身不得住故。若人信佛有成愿通慧此救不然。因论起论。若化生众生尸骸不可得。经中云何说化 现代汉语译本 山。又如弥伽罗母毗舍佉夫人（Migara's mother Visakha，弥伽罗的母亲毗舍佉）。一时生了三十二个卵。卵孵化出三十二个孩子。正值佛陀出家，他们都证得了初果。又如般遮罗王（King Pancala）生了五百个儿子，都是卵生的。国王和王子们后来都领悟了缘觉果。人胎生就像现在的世人一样。人湿生，比如顶生王（King Mandhata）、遮娄王（Caru）和优波遮娄王（Upacaru）。劫初的时候，布萨王（King Pusa）顶上生了一个胞，胞破后生出顶生王。顶生王膝盖上生了一个胞，胞破后生出遮娄王。遮娄王肩上生了一个胞，胞破后生出优波遮娄王。这三位是祖父、父亲和孙子，都登上了转轮王的王位。又如耆婆（Jivaka）的母亲从庵罗树（mango tree）生出，也是湿生。人化生，比如劫初时的人，都是化生。畜生有四种生，前面三种可以见到，只有龙和金翅鸟（Garuda）有化生，但不是全部。然而，地狱的众生、诸天以及中阴身，这三个地方只有化生。鬼神大多是化生，但也有胎生的，比如女饿鬼（female hungry ghost）对目连（Maudgalyayana）说：‘我夜里生五个孩子，白天也生五个，生下来就被我吃光了，所以我总是吃不饱。’问：哪种生最好？答：化生。问：如果这样，为什么最后一位菩萨已经获得了生的自在，却只选择胎生？答：因为能见到更大的利益。更大的利益是，因为亲属的关系，现在无数的释迦族人（Sakya clan）得以进入正法。这个人是转轮王的后代，仅仅因为这个名号就能得到他人的恭敬和尊重，从而背离邪道，归于正道，人道因此获得这种胜利。发起接受教化的人，是因为有精进的心，消除世间的疑惑，疑惑这些众生是幻化的，还是天人，还是鬼神。消除外道的诽谤，认为一百劫后，幻化的人会吃掉世间的东西。其他老师说这是为了安立舍利（relics），让人们供养，从而得生天解脱。为什么呢？因为化生众生没有外在的种子，如果死了，身体就无法存在。如果有人相信佛陀有成愿通慧，这种说法是不对的。因为辩论而引发辩论，如果化生众生的尸骸无法找到，经中怎么说化生呢？