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English version After that is receiving the precepts. It should be said: 'Like all Buddhas, I will abstain from killing for the rest of my life. Can I, so-and-so, abstain from killing for one day and one night?' Like this, abstaining from stealing, abstaining from sexual misconduct, abstaining from false speech, abstaining from drinking alcohol, abstaining from sitting on high and large beds, abstaining from wearing flowers and fragrant garlands, abstaining from watching singing and dancing performances, and abstaining from eating after noon are called eight-part precepts (Uposatha, a type of Buddhist observance). Question: Why observe the eight precepts on the six Uposatha days (the eighth, fourteenth, fifteenth, twenty-third, twenty-ninth, and thirtieth days of each month)? Answer: Because on these days, evil spirits chase after people, wanting to take their lives. There will be illness, misfortune, decline, unkindness, and inauspicious events. The sages at the beginning of the kalpa (aeon), taught people to observe precepts and cultivate goodness, and make merit to avoid misfortune and decline. At that time, the observance of precepts did not include taking the eight precepts, but simply abstaining from eating for one day as a precept. Later, the Buddha appeared in the world and taught: 'You should observe the eight precepts like the Buddhas for one day and one night, and abstain from eating after noon.' By virtue of this merit, one can lead people to Nirvana (the ultimate goal of Buddhism). As it is said in the *Sutra of the Four Heavenly Kings*, the Four Heavenly Kings (the guardian deities of Buddhism) and others observe the people of the four continents from below. If there are few people who give alms, observe precepts, and are filial to their parents, the Four Heavenly Kings and others will go to Trāyastriṃśa Heaven (one of the six heavens of the desire realm in Buddhism) to report to Indra (the guardian deity of Buddhism). All the devas (gods) are unhappy and lament, saying: 'There are many of the Asura (a warlike deity) kind, and few of the deva kind.' If there are many people who give alms, observe precepts, and are filial, Indra and the devas are happy, saying: 'Increase the deva hosts and decrease the Asuras.' At this time, Indra himself spoke a verse: 'In the month of the six Uposatha days, observing pure precepts, after this person's life ends, the merit will surely be like mine.' The Buddha told Indra: 'Your three declines (referring to three signs of decay among devas) and three poisons (greed, hatred, and delusion) have not yet been eliminated. How can you falsely say that the merit and reward of observing the precepts for one day will surely be like yours?' If you observe these precepts, you must be like the Buddha, and the devas will be happy, and merit will increase. Moreover, on these six Uposatha days, evil spirits will harm people and disturb everything. If there are people in the country or city who observe precepts, the evil spirits will go far away, and the place of residence will be safe. For this reason, observing precepts on the six days can obtain more merit. Question: Why do various evil spirits harm people on these six days? Answer: The *Sutra of the Origin of Heaven and Earth* says that at the beginning of the formation of the kalpa, there was a prince of a different Brahmā (the creator god in Hinduism), who was the father of various ghosts and spirits, and who practiced asceticism as a Brahmin (a member of the priestly class) for twelve years in heaven. On these six days, he cut off his flesh and shed blood to put into the fire. For this reason, various evil ghosts and spirits have special power on these six days. Question: Why did the parents of various ghosts and spirits cut off their own flesh and blood to put into the fire on these six days? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
中。答诸天神中摩醯首罗最为第一。诸神皆有日分。摩醯首罗一月有四日分。八日二十三日十四日二十九日。余神一月有二日分。月一日十六日月二日十七日其十五日三十日属一切神。摩醯首罗为诸天王。又得日多故。数其四日为斋。二日是一切神日亦数为斋。是故诸鬼神。于此六日辄有势力。又诸鬼神父于此六日割肉出血以着火中。过十二年已天王来下语其子言。汝求何愿。答言。我求有子。天王言。仙人供养法以烧香甘果诸清净事。汝云何以肉血着火中。如罪恶法破善法乐为恶事。令汝生恶子敢肉饮血。当说是时火中有八大鬼出。身黑如墨。发黄眼赤。有大光明。一切鬼神皆从此八鬼生。以是义于六日割身肉血以着火中而得势力。如佛法中日无好恶。随世恶日教持斋受戒。戒复一年者。谓一年中月别六日常持八分斋戒。谓白月八日十四十五日。黑月亦尔。或复三月者。谓未能一年常持月六。但经一年持三。长月谓正月即春分。四月之初月。五月即夏分。四月之初月。九月即冬分。四月之初月。以彼天竺国法一年但有三时。三时之中各于初月持斋戒。即表一年常修善也。 经。以此善根至如来所者 三随所愿乐。今言以此善根者。是前持戒等善根。谓修此善根愿生西方也。云何名为极乐世界称赞。经说假使经 现代汉语译本 中。答：诸天神中，摩醯首罗（Maheśvara，大自在天）最为第一。诸神都有各自掌管的日子。摩醯首罗一个月有四日分，分别是初八、二十三、十四和二十九日。其余诸神一个月有两日分，分别是初一和十六日，初二和十七日，而十五日和三十日属于一切神。摩醯首罗作为诸天之王，又因为得到更多的日子，所以将这四日算作斋日。其他神的两个日子也算作斋日。因此，诸鬼神在这六日特别有势力。另外，诸鬼神的父亲在这六日割肉出血，投入火中。经过十二年后，天王降临，对他的儿子说：‘你求什么愿？’回答说：‘我求有儿子。’天王说：‘仙人供养的方法是用烧香、甘果等清净之物。你为什么用肉血投入火中？这种罪恶之法破坏善法之乐，只会让你生下恶子，喜欢吃肉饮血。’当说话的时候，火中有八大鬼出现，身体黑如墨，头发黄，眼睛赤红，有很大的光明。一切鬼神都从此八鬼而生。因此，因为这个原因，在这六日割身肉血投入火中才能得到势力。如同佛法中，日子没有好坏之分，只是随顺世俗认为的恶日，教导人们持斋受戒。戒复一年，是指一年中每个月的那六日经常持八分斋戒，即白月（农历上半月）的初八、十四、十五日，黑月（农历下半月）也是如此。或者三个月，是指不能一年经常每月持六斋日，但经过一年持三个月。长月是指正月，即春分；四月之初月；五月，即夏分；四月之初月；九月，即冬分；四月之初月。因为彼天竺国（印度）的历法一年只有三季，在这三季中，各于初月持斋戒，就表示一年都在修善。以此善根至如来所者，三随所愿乐。今言以此善根者，是前持戒等善根。谓修此善根愿生西方也。云何名为极乐世界称赞。经说假使经
English
English version Among all the gods, Maheśvara (the Great Lord, a form of Shiva) is the foremost. All gods have their designated days. Maheśvara has four days in a month: the 8th, 23rd, 14th, and 29th. Other gods have two days a month: the 1st and 16th, the 2nd and 17th, while the 15th and 30th belong to all gods. Maheśvara, being the king of the gods and having more days, counts these four days as fasting days. The two days of other gods are also counted as fasting days. Therefore, ghosts and spirits have power on these six days. Furthermore, the fathers of these ghosts and spirits cut their flesh and shed blood into the fire on these six days. After twelve years, the heavenly king descends and says to his son, 'What do you wish for?' He replies, 'I wish to have a son.' The heavenly king says, 'The method of offering for immortals is to burn incense, offer sweet fruits, and perform other pure acts. Why do you put flesh and blood into the fire? Such sinful practices destroy the joy of virtuous practices and will only cause you to have an evil son who loves to eat flesh and drink blood.' At that moment, eight great demons emerge from the fire, their bodies as black as ink, their hair yellow, and their eyes red, possessing great light. All ghosts and spirits are born from these eight demons. Therefore, for this reason, cutting flesh and shedding blood into the fire on these six days grants power. Like in the Buddha's teachings, days have no inherent good or evil; it is only in accordance with worldly beliefs about inauspicious days that people are taught to observe fasting and precepts. 'Observing precepts for another year' means frequently observing the eight-part fast on those six days of each month throughout the year, namely the 8th, 14th, and 15th days of the waxing moon (first half of the lunar month), and similarly for the waning moon (second half of the lunar month). Or 'three months' refers to not being able to observe the six fasting days every month of the year, but observing them for three months out of the year. 'Long months' refers to the first month, which is the spring equinox; the first month of April; the fifth month, which is the summer solstice; the first month of April; the ninth month, which is the winter solstice; the first month of April. Because the calendar in that country of India (天竺国, Tiānzhú Guó) only has three seasons in a year, observing fasting and precepts in the first month of each of these three seasons signifies constantly cultivating goodness throughout the year. Regarding 'using these roots of goodness to reach the Tathāgata (如来, Rúlái)', one follows one's wishes. Now, 'using these roots of goodness' refers to the roots of goodness from previously upholding precepts, etc. It means cultivating these roots of goodness with the wish to be born in the Western Pure Land. What is called the 'Praise of the World of Ultimate Bliss'? The scripture says, 'Even if...' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
于百千俱胝那庾多劫。以其无量百千俱胝那庾多舌。一一舌上出无量声赞其功德。亦不能尽。是故名为极乐世界。梵音阿弥陀。此云无量寿。 经。由得闻彼至名号故 四由昔闻名。由闻药师如来名故。入正定聚。便得往生。问聚有几种。答聚有三种。问聚既有三未知位地如何。答依萨婆多宗。五亭心观已前名邪定聚。从五亭心观至腹顶两位名不定聚。忍位已上名正定聚。若依大乘无三乘种性者名邪定聚。有三乘种性。或未发心。虽发心未是不退 皆名不定聚。若有三乘种性。复已发心决定不退者名正定聚。谓前持戒等众。虽愿生极乐。有未入定位者。若后得闻药师如来名号。便得入正定聚中终能往生。 经。于命终时至自然化生 五圣众来迎。波头摩花者。赤莲花也。问涅槃智论温室经等。明庵罗女本花中生名为湿生。今净土中亦因花生乃名化生。竟有何意。答秽土之中及诸草木人未托生之前先自因湿而生。常有湿气。复得庵罗女等托此湿气而生故名湿生。净土莲花与人同时无而忽有。若人若花俱不因湿而起故名化生。 经。若复此人至如大力士 六天人受福。谓闻药师如来名故。命终生天。此人虽复未凡生净土亦是正定聚人终能往生故。此经云虽生天中本昔吾根无有穷尽。不复更生诸余恶趣。 现代汉语译本 即使经过百千俱胝那由他劫（俱胝那由他：均为古代印度计数单位），用无数百千俱胝那由他的舌头，每一条舌头发出无数的声音来赞美阿弥陀佛的功德，也无法完全表达。所以叫做极乐世界。梵语‘阿弥陀’，这里翻译为‘无量寿’。 经文：‘由于听闻彼佛的名号的缘故’，四、由于过去听闻过名号。由于听闻药师如来的名号的缘故，进入正定聚。便能往生。问：聚有几种？答：聚有三种。问：聚既然有三种，不知道位地如何划分？答：依据萨婆多宗的观点，在五停心观之前叫做邪定聚。从五停心观到腹顶两位叫做不定聚。忍位以上叫做正定聚。如果依据大乘的观点，没有三乘种性的人叫做邪定聚。有三乘种性，或者没有发菩提心，即使发了菩提心但还没有达到不退转的阶段，都叫做不定聚。如果有三乘种性，而且已经发了菩提心，决定不会退转的人叫做正定聚。所说前面持戒等等的众生，虽然发愿往生极乐世界，有还没有进入定位的人，如果后来听闻药师如来的名号，便能进入正定聚中，最终能够往生。 经文：‘在临命终时’，五、圣众前来迎接，在莲花中自然化生。波头摩花（波头摩花：赤莲花），是赤莲花。问：涅槃智论、温室经等，说明庵罗女（庵罗女：人名）在花中出生叫做湿生。现在净土中也因为莲花出生，却叫做化生，究竟是什么意思？答：在秽土之中以及各种草木，人在没有托生之前，先因为潮湿而生，常常有湿气。再加上庵罗女等依托这种湿气而生，所以叫做湿生。净土的莲花与人同时出现，无中生有。人和花都不是因为潮湿而产生，所以叫做化生。 经文：‘如果这个人’，六、天人享受福报。由于听闻药师如来的名号的缘故，临命终时往生天界。这个人即使还没有往生净土，也是正定聚的人，最终能够往生。所以这部经说，即使往生天界，‘我’往昔的善根也不会穷尽，不再堕落到其他的恶道中。