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English version Birds. The following describes the birds transformed to expound the Dharma. 'Various' means more than one kind, 'wonderful' means extraordinary, and 'variegated' means beautiful and pleasing. White Cranes (bái hè): White crane, Peacocks (kǒng què): Peacock, Parrots (yīng wǔ): Parrot, Sarika Birds (shè lì): Sarika bird, i.e., egret, Kalavinka (jiā líng pín jiā): Kalavinka, meaning 'wonderful sound' bird, which has sound even before hatching, Jivajiva Birds (gòng mìng zhī niǎo): Jivajiva bird, two heads sharing one body; such two-headed birds exist in the Himalayas. Here, a few are mentioned from among the many kinds of birds. White cranes, peacocks, and parrots are all valued in this land. Sarika is the egret. Kalavinka, here translated as 'wonderful sound' bird, already has sound before hatching. Jivajiva birds have two heads and one body; such birds exist in the Himalayas. These birds, day and night, at six times, emit harmonious and elegant sounds. The birds of the Pure Land emit sounds day and night. Gentle and peaceful is 'harmony,' upright and solemn is 'elegance.' Their sounds proclaim and expound the Five Roots. 'Expound' means to expand, and 'proclaim' means to articulate. The Five Roots are: (1) Root of Faith, (2) Root of Vigor, (3) Root of Mindfulness, (4) Root of Concentration, and (5) Root of Wisdom. They are the roots that can generate the holy path. The Five Powers. These are the growth of the preceding Five Roots, possessing great power. The Seven Factors of Enlightenment. These are the Seven Bodhi Limbs: (1) Discrimination, (2) Vigor, (3) Joy, (4) Tranquility, (5) Renunciation, (6) Concentration, and (7) Mindfulness. They are used according to their respective functions. The Eightfold Noble Path. Also known as the Eight Right Practices: (1) Right View, (2) Right Thought, (3) Right Speech, (4) Right Action, (5) Right Livelihood, (6) Right Effort, (7) Right Mindfulness, and (8) Right Concentration. Not relying on bias or evil is called 'Right.' It is the path that can lead to Nirvana. Such and other Dharmas. The above twenty-five sections, and all other Dharmas. The beings in that land, upon hearing these sounds, are all mindful of the Buddha, mindful of the Dharma, and mindful of the Sangha. Sculpted and painted Buddha images are called the Buddha Jewel (possessing the merits of permanence, self, honor, and specialty), written scriptures are called the Dharma Jewel (teachings, practices, principles, and results), and the five groups of Bhikkhus are called the Sangha Jewel (the Three Sages and Ten Saints). Birds can expound the Dharma, enabling listeners to be mindful of the Three Jewels. This precisely illustrates the excellence of the Pure Land. Sariputra (shè lì fú): Sariputra, do not think that these birds are truly born from the retribution of sins. Lest one doubt the Pure Land, wondering why there are animals, which does not align with the original vows of Bhikshu Dharmakara. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 愿。故复言之。 所以者何。彼佛国土。无三恶道。
Chinese
申明上意。愚痴暗蔽。生畜生趣。悭贪嫉姤。生饿鬼趣。十恶五逆。生地狱趣。名三恶道。法藏愿云。我作佛时。刹中无饿鬼畜生。以至蜎蠕。明彼国原无恶道也。 舍利弗。其佛国土。尚无恶道之名。何况有实。 三恶者。彼国非唯目所未睹。亦复耳所不闻。曾无三恶名字。况其有实乎。法藏愿云。我刹中人。皆不闻不善之名。何况有实是也。 是诸众鸟。皆是阿弥陀佛。欲令法音宣流。变化所作。 既无恶道。彼白鹤等何来彼国。良由佛欲法音。普周无间。不独以人说法。使彼鸟音。皆能说法。无处无时而不闻听。此则大神力之所变化。非真实有。观经云。如意珠王。涌出金色微妙光明。化为百宝色鸟是也。 舍利弗。彼佛国土。微风吹动。诸宝行树。及宝罗网。出微妙音。譬如百千种乐。同时俱作。 此言风树演法也。风曰微音曰微妙。美之至也。行树罗网。皆是七宝。被以微风。互相敲叩。自然出微妙之音。宛如六律交畅。八音克谐。和雅之至。其音亦演畅根力觉道等法可知。不言者省文也。 闻是音者自然皆生念佛念法念僧之心。 经中但称妙音。其实意含说法。若非法音。何能使人系 念三宝。大本云。微风徐动。吹诸宝树。或作音乐。或作法音。是其证也。 舍利弗。其佛国土。成就如是功德庄严。 结上化禽风树。种种庄严。皆阿弥陀佛功德之所成就也。法藏愿云。我作佛时。我刹中人。随其志愿。所欲闻者。自然得闻。又云。于佛法僧。信重恭敬。今来成佛。所愿悉皆成就。 佛德无量分第六 上明依报庄严。此明正报庄严。言阿弥陀佛。为万德之所成也。 ○初光明无量。二寿命无量。三道成无量。四化伴无量。末总结。 舍利弗。于汝意云何。彼佛何故号阿弥陀。 此释主土之佛。佛号弥陀。其义广大。应为开阐。使生向慕。 舍利弗。彼佛光明无量。 此言光明无量也。光明有二。自受用身。照真法界。名智光。他受用身。遍照大众名身光。又有常光者。常所显光。无放不放。如圆光一寻等是也。有放光者。或放眉间顶上口齿脐足之类是也。大本云。尔时阿弥陀佛。从其面门放无量光。又云。我以智慧光。广照无央界。 照十方国。 十方诸佛。顶中光明。至远照二百万世界。唯阿弥陀佛。照千万世界。无有穷尽。故号无量光佛。无边光佛。无碍光佛。乃至超日月光佛。观经云。彼佛有八万四千相。一一相有八 现代汉语译本： 念三宝。《大本》中说：‘微风徐徐吹动，吹拂着各种宝树，有的发出音乐声，有的发出佛法之音。’这就是证明。 舍利弗（Śāriputra，佛陀十大弟子之一）。那个佛国，成就了如此功德庄严。 总结以上化生之鸟、风吹宝树等种种庄严，都是阿弥陀佛（Amitābha，佛教中西方极乐世界的教主）功德所成就的。法藏菩萨（Dharmākara，阿弥陀佛的前身）发愿说：‘我成佛时，我的刹土中的人，随他们的意愿，想要听闻什么，自然就能听到。’又说：‘对于佛、法、僧三宝，信重恭敬。’如今成佛，所发的愿都全部成就。 佛德无量分第六 上面说明依报（佛所依止的环境）庄严，这里说明正报（佛自身）庄严。说阿弥陀佛，是由万种功德所成就的。 ○初光明无量，二寿命无量，三道成无量，四化伴无量，末总结。 舍利弗。你认为怎么样？那尊佛为什么号称阿弥陀？ 这里解释主土之佛，佛号弥陀（Amitābha）。其意义广大，应当开示阐明，使众生心生向往。 舍利弗。那尊佛光明无量。 这里说光明无量。光明有两种：自受用身（佛为自身证悟而显现的法身）的光明，照耀真法界（宇宙的真实本质），名为智光；他受用身（佛为教化他人而显现的报身）的光明，普遍照耀大众，名为身光。又有常光，是常时显现的光明，没有放出与不放出的分别，如圆光一寻等。有放光，是或从眉间、顶上、口齿、脐足等处放出的光明。《大本》中说：‘当时阿弥陀佛，从他的面门放出无量光明。’又说：‘我以智慧光，广照无央界（无边无际的世界）。’ 照十方国。 十方诸佛，顶中光明，至远照二百万世界。唯独阿弥陀佛，照千万世界，没有穷尽。所以号称无量光佛、无边光佛、无碍光佛，乃至超日月光佛。《观经》中说：‘彼佛有八万四千相，一一相有八’
English
English version: Reciting the Three Jewels. The Larger Sutra says: 'A gentle breeze softly moves, blowing the jeweled trees, some producing music, some producing the sound of Dharma.' This is the proof. Śāriputra (one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha). That Buddha-land is accomplished with such meritorious adornments. Summarizing the above transformations of birds, wind-blown jeweled trees, and various adornments, all are accomplished by the merits of Amitābha Buddha (the principal Buddha of the Western Pure Land). Dharmākara Bodhisattva (the previous incarnation of Amitābha Buddha) vowed: 'When I become a Buddha, the people in my land, according to their wishes, will naturally hear whatever they desire to hear.' It also says: 'They deeply respect and revere the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha (the Three Jewels).' Now having become a Buddha, all vows are fulfilled. Section Six: Immeasurable Virtues of the Buddha The above explains the adornments of the circumstantial rewards (the environment the Buddha dwells in), and this explains the adornments of the direct rewards (the Buddha himself). It says that Amitābha Buddha is accomplished by ten thousand virtues. ○ First, immeasurable light; second, immeasurable life; third, immeasurable attainment of the Path; fourth, immeasurable transformation companions; and finally, a summary. Śāriputra, what do you think? Why is that Buddha called Amitābha? This explains the Buddha of the principal land, whose name is Amitābha. Its meaning is vast and should be expounded to inspire aspiration in sentient beings. Śāriputra, that Buddha's light is immeasurable. This speaks of immeasurable light. There are two kinds of light: the light of the self-enjoyment body (Dharmakaya, the body of the Buddha's own enlightenment), which illuminates the true Dharma realm (the true nature of the universe), is called wisdom light; the light of the other-enjoyment body (Sambhogakaya, the body of the Buddha's reward for his merits), which universally illuminates the masses, is called body light. There is also constant light, which is the light that is constantly manifested, without being emitted or not emitted, such as the halo of one fathom. There is emitted light, which is the light emitted from the space between the eyebrows, the top of the head, the mouth, the teeth, the navel, the feet, and so on. The Larger Sutra says: 'At that time, Amitābha Buddha emitted immeasurable light from his face.' It also says: 'I use the light of wisdom to widely illuminate the boundless realms.' Illuminating the ten directions. The light from the crown of the head of Buddhas in the ten directions illuminates up to two million worlds. Only Amitābha Buddha illuminates ten million worlds without end. Therefore, he is called Immeasurable Light Buddha, Boundless Light Buddha, Unobstructed Light Buddha, and even Light Surpassing the Sun and Moon Buddha. The Contemplation Sutra says: 'That Buddha has eighty-four thousand characteristics, each characteristic has eight' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
万四千随形好。一一好有八万四千光明。遍照十方念佛众生。摄取不舍。 无所障碍。 日虽有光。犹有所碍。唯佛之光明。通幽达冥。无能遮障隔碍。如须达老女。不愿见佛。避入深闺。佛光所及。垣壁俱彻。内外四方。恒与佛对是也。 是故号为阿弥陀。 弥陀之号。以光明故。 又舍利弗。彼佛寿命。 此言寿命无量也。寿之所历。有长有短。今当减劫。寿仅百年。彼增劫时。亦止八万。纵轮王天帝诸佛住世。亦有限量。唯彼佛寿。至为久远。不局常数。 及其人民。 佛为法王。生彼国者。依佛学佛。有人民义。一心清净。莲华化生。不同质碍肉身。有老病死。故有寿命。 无量无边阿僧祇劫。 阿僧祇。此言无央数。劫此言世。倍之为无量无边。言佛及人民。寿命无量也。 故名阿弥陀。 弥陀之名。又以寿命故。 舍利弗。阿弥陀佛。成佛以来。于今十劫。 此言道成无量也。一大劫。成住坏空。各二十小劫。八十劫终。方成大劫。十劫十大劫也。阿弥陀佛。是法藏所成之佛。成佛以前因地。不但法藏一因。又有多种因。一法华经云。大通智胜如来时。十六王子出家。净修梵行。第九王子。于西方成佛。彼王子 现代汉语译本： 万四千随形好（指佛的三十二相中的随形好，即佛身形相完美，自然呈现的细微特征）。每一随形好都放出八万四千光明，遍照十方念佛的众生，摄取他们而不舍弃， 无所障碍。 太阳虽有光芒，仍然有所阻碍。只有佛的光明，通达幽暗，没有能够遮蔽阻隔的。例如须达老妇，不愿意见佛，躲入深闺。佛光所及，墙壁都穿透，内外四方，恒常与佛相对，就是这样。 是故号为阿弥陀（Amitābha，意为无量光）。 阿弥陀（Amitābha）之名，是因为光明之故。 又舍利弗（Śāriputra，佛陀十大弟子之一），彼佛寿命， 这是说寿命无量。寿命的长短，各有不同。现在是减劫时期，人的寿命仅有百年。在增劫时期，也只有八万岁。即使是转轮圣王、天帝诸佛住世，也有尽头。只有阿弥陀佛（Amitābha）的寿命，极为长久，不局限于常数。 及其人民， 佛为法王，生在彼国的人，依佛学佛，所以有人民的意义。一心清净，莲花化生，不同于有形质阻碍的肉身，有衰老病死，所以有寿命。 无量无边阿僧祇劫（asaṃkhya kalpas，极长的时间单位）。 阿僧祇（asaṃkhya），这里指无数。劫（kalpa）指世。倍增为无量无边。说的是佛和人民，寿命无量。 故名阿弥陀（Amitābha）。 阿弥陀（Amitābha）之名，又是因为寿命之故。 舍利弗（Śāriputra），阿弥陀佛（Amitābha）成佛以来，到如今已经十劫。 这是说道业成就无量。一大劫，有成、住、坏、空，各二十小劫，八十劫终了，才成一大劫。十劫就是十大劫。阿弥陀佛（Amitābha），是法藏比丘（Dharmākara）所成就的佛。成佛以前的因地，不单单是法藏比丘（Dharmākara）这一因，还有多种因。例如《法华经》说，大通智胜如来时，十六王子出家，清净修行梵行。第九王子，在西方成佛，那位王子