English
English version Irreversible. After passing through a million trillion nayutas (immense numbers), asamkhyas (innumerable), and Ganges sand kalpas (extremely long time units), one should be able to attain Buddhahood. Eighty-four thousand Buddhas will appear in succession, all within the same kalpa, which is named Great Light. These Buddhas will share the same Buddha name, all being named Golden Light Tathagata (In ancient times, birds and beasts could speak because their fall into animal existence was recent. Now, they cannot speak because they have been wandering in the hell and animal realms for a long time, and thus cannot understand human speech). Celestial Maidens The Shurangama Samadhi Sutra states, 'The Buddha told Ananda, 'Do you now see these two hundred celestial maidens joining their palms and respectfully bowing to the Tathagata?' Ananda replied, 'I have seen them.' The Buddha said, 'These celestial maidens, in the past, at the places of five hundred Buddhas, deeply planted good roots. From now on, they will again make offerings to countless Buddhas. After seven hundred asamkhya kalpas, they will all attain Buddhahood, with the name Pure King. After these celestial maidens' lives end, they will be able to transform from female bodies and will all be born in the Tushita Heaven, making offerings and serving Maitreya Bodhisattva.' Boys The Birth Sutra states, 'At that time, there were five hundred young boys who formed a group and played together every day. They all went to the river and built sand pagodas, each saying their pagoda was the best. They all had good hearts, but their past lives' blessings were shallow. Suddenly, it rained heavily, and the river flooded, causing them to drown. The Buddha told the assembly, 'These five hundred boys were born in the Tushita Heaven, all with the same aspiration to practice the Bodhisattva path.' The Buddha emitted light, allowing their parents to see where their children were. The Buddha remotely called the five hundred young celestial princes to come, and they immediately arrived, staying in the void, scattering flowers below the Buddha, bowing their heads and saying, 'Receiving the grace of the World Honored One, although our bodies perished, we were able to see Maitreya Buddha.' The Buddha said, 'Excellent, you are very wise, knowing the ultimate truth. Building pagodas and temples allowed you to be born in heaven, see Maitreya, and seek and receive Dharma teachings.' The Buddha spoke the Dharma for them, and they were all very happy, standing in the state of non-retrogression. They each told their parents not to be sad anymore, but to diligently cultivate themselves with the Dharma. The parents all aroused the aspiration for enlightenment. The celestial princes bowed to the Buddha, circumambulated three times to the right, and suddenly disappeared, returning to the Tushita Heaven.' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 禽兽
Chinese
心地观经云。过去世。迦叶如来。为诸禽兽。而说偈言。 是身为苦本 余苦为枝叶 若能断苦本 众苦悉皆除 汝等先世业 造罪心不悔 感得不可量 杂类受苦身 若起殷重心 一念求忏悔 如火焚山泽 众罪皆消灭 是身苦不净 无我及无常 汝等咸应当 深生厌离心 尔时无量诸禽兽等。闻此偈已。于一念心。至诚忏悔。便舍恶道。生第四天。奉觐一生补处菩萨。闻不退法。究竟涅槃。 野干 未曾有因缘经云。昔毗摩国。徙陁山。有一野干。为师子所逐。堕一丘野井已经三日。安心分死。自说偈言。 一切皆无常 恨不饷师子 奈何死厄身 贪命无功死 无功已可恨 复污人中水 我悔十方佛 愿垂照我心 前代诸恶业 现偿皆令尽 从是值明师 修行尽作佛 时天帝释闻之。与八万诸天。到其井侧。曰不闻圣教。久处幽冥。向说非凡。愿更宣法。野干答曰。天帝无训。不识时宜。法师在下。自处其上。初不修敬。而问法要。帝释于是以天衣接取。叩头忏悔。忆念我昔。曾见世人。先敷高座。后请法师。诸天即各脱宝衣。积为高座野。干升座。曰有二大因缘。一者说法开化人天福无量故。二者 现代汉语译本 禽兽 《心地观经》中说，过去世，迦叶如来（Kāśyapa Tathāgata，过去七佛之一）为各种禽兽说法，说了这样的偈子： ‘这身体是痛苦的根源，其余的痛苦都是枝叶。如果能够断除痛苦的根源，所有的痛苦就都会消除。你们前世所造的业，造罪之后心中不后悔，感得这不可计量的，各种各样受苦的身体。如果生起殷重的心，一念之间求忏悔，就像火焚烧山泽一样，所有的罪业都会消灭。这身体是苦的、不净的，无我而且无常。你们都应当，深深地生起厌离之心。’ 当时，无数的禽兽等，听了这偈子后，在一念之间，至诚忏悔，便舍弃了恶道，生到第四天（兜率天），奉觐一生补处菩萨（弥勒菩萨），听闻不退转法，最终达到涅槃。 野干 《未曾有因缘经》中说，过去在毗摩国（Vima），徙陁山（Sita Mountain）上，有一只野干（一种动物，似狐狸），被狮子追逐，掉进一个荒野的水井里已经三天了。它安心等待死亡，自己说了这样的偈子： ‘一切都是无常的，后悔没有把自身献给狮子。奈何面临死亡的厄运，贪生怕死却无功而死。无功而死已经可恨，又污染了人中的水。我向十方佛（the Buddhas of the ten directions）忏悔，愿佛垂照我的心。前世的各种恶业，现在偿还都令其消尽。从此遇到明师，修行直至成佛。’ 当时，天帝释（Śakra，帝释天）听到了，与八万诸天来到井边，说：‘不闻圣教，长久处于幽冥之中。刚才所说非同凡响，愿你再次宣讲佛法。’野干回答说：‘天帝没有教养，不识时宜。法师在下面，自己却处在上面，一开始就不恭敬，却来问佛法要义。’帝释于是用天衣接它上来，叩头忏悔，回忆起我过去，曾经见过世人，先铺设高座，然后才请法师。诸天立即各自脱下宝衣，堆积成高座。野干升座，说：‘有两大因缘。一是说法开化人天，福德无量；二是……’
English
English version Beasts The *Heart-Contemplation Sutra* says: In the past, Kāśyapa Tathāgata (one of the Seven Buddhas of the Past) spoke this verse for various birds and beasts: 'This body is the root of suffering, the remaining sufferings are branches and leaves. If you can cut off the root of suffering, all sufferings will be eliminated. Your past karma, creating sins without repentance in your hearts, causes you to feel immeasurable suffering, in various kinds of bodies. If you arouse earnest hearts, seeking repentance in a single thought, like fire burning mountains and marshes, all sins will be extinguished. This body is suffering, impure, selfless, and impermanent. You should all, deeply generate a mind of aversion.' At that time, countless birds and beasts, after hearing this verse, sincerely repented in a single thought, and then abandoned the evil paths, and were born in the Fourth Heaven (Tuṣita Heaven), attending on the Bodhisattva who will attain Buddhahood in his next life (Maitreya Bodhisattva), hearing the Dharma of non-retrogression, and ultimately attaining Nirvana. Jackal The *Never-Before-Heard Causes and Conditions Sutra* says: In the past, in the country of Vima, on Sita Mountain, there was a jackal (a type of animal, similar to a fox) being chased by a lion, and it fell into a well in the wilderness for three days. It resigned itself to death, and spoke this verse: 'Everything is impermanent, regretting not offering myself to the lion. How can I face the misfortune of death, clinging to life but dying without merit. Dying without merit is already hateful, and I have also polluted the water of humans. I repent to the Buddhas of the ten directions (the Buddhas of the ten directions), may the Buddhas illuminate my heart. All the evil karma of past lives, may they be fully repaid now. From this, I will meet a wise teacher, and cultivate until I become a Buddha.' At that time, Śakra (the Lord of the Devas) heard this, and came to the side of the well with eighty thousand devas, saying: 'Not hearing the holy teachings, you have long been in darkness. What you said just now was extraordinary, may you proclaim the Dharma again.' The jackal replied: 'The Lord of the Devas is uncultured, and does not recognize the times. The Dharma master is below, while you are above, without showing respect from the beginning, yet you ask for the essentials of the Dharma.' Śakra then used a celestial robe to receive it, kowtowed and repented, recalling that in the past, he had seen people first set up a high seat, and then invite the Dharma master. The devas immediately took off their precious robes and piled them up as a high seat. The jackal ascended the seat, saying: 'There are two great causes and conditions. First, speaking the Dharma to enlighten humans and devas brings immeasurable blessings; second, ...' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
为报施食恩故。天帝白曰。得免井厄。功报应大。云何恩不及耶。答曰。生死各宜。有人贪生。有人乐死。有愚痴人。不知死后更生。违远佛法。不值明师。贪生畏死。死堕地狱。有智慧人。奉事三宝。遭遇明师。改恶修善。如斯之人。恶生乐死。死生天上。天帝曰。如尊所诲。全命无功者。愿闻施食施法。答曰。布施饥饿。济一日之命。施珍宝者。济一世之乏。增益生死。说法教化者。能令众生出世间道。得三乘果。免三恶道。受人天乐。是故佛说。以法作施。功德无量。天帝曰。师今此形。为是业报。为是应化。答曰。是罪非应。天帝曰。我谓是圣。方闻罪报。未知其故。愿闻因缘。答曰。昔生波罗奈国。波头摩城。为贫家子。刹利之种。幼怀聪朗。特好学习。至年十二。逐师于山。不失时节。经五十年。九十六种经书。靡所不达。皆由和尚之恩。其功难报。由先学慧。自识宿命。由受王位。奢淫着乐。报尽命终。生地狱畜生。(自下云云。略而不述)时天帝释。与八万诸天。从受十善。欲还天宫。问曰。和尚何时舍此罪报。得生天上。野干曰。克后七日。当舍此身。生兜率天。汝等便可愿生彼天。多有菩萨说法教化。时野干一心。专念十善行法。不行求食。七日命终。生兜率天宫。复识宿命。复以十善教化诸天 现代汉语译本 为了报答施食的恩德，天帝（Śakra，佛教的护法神）问道：‘您得以免除井中的灾难，这功德报应实在太大了，为什么说恩德还不够呢？’ 答道：‘生死各有其宜。有人贪恋生命，有人乐于死亡。有些愚痴的人，不知道死后还会再生，远离佛法，遇不到明师，所以贪生怕死，死后堕入地狱。而有智慧的人，奉事三宝（佛、法、僧），遇到明师，改恶修善，这样的人，厌恶生存，乐于死亡，死后便能升到天上。’ 天帝（Śakra）说：‘如您所教诲的，保全性命却无功德的人，希望听闻关于施食和施法的道理。’ 答道：‘布施给饥饿的人，只能救济一天的性命；施舍珍宝的人，只能救济一世的匮乏；而说法教化的人，能够使众生脱离世间的轮回，得到三乘（声闻乘、缘觉乘、菩萨乘）的果位，免除三恶道（地狱、饿鬼、畜生），享受人天之乐。所以佛说，以法布施，功德无量。’ 天帝（Śakra）问道：‘师父您现在的形体，是业报所致，还是应化而来？’ 答道：‘是罪业所致，并非应化。’ 天帝（Śakra）说：‘我原以为您是圣人，现在才知道是罪业的报应，不知是什么缘故，希望听闻其中的因缘。’ 答道：‘过去我生在波罗奈国（Varanasi），波头摩城（Padma）中，是一个贫穷人家的孩子，属于刹帝利（Kshatriya）种姓。从小就聪明好学，到了十二岁，就跟随老师到山中学习，从不懈怠。经过五十年，九十六种经书，没有不通达的，这都是和尚的恩德，难以报答。因为先学习了智慧，所以能知道自己的宿命。后来因为做了国王，生活奢靡淫乐，福报享尽后，便命终堕入地狱和畜生道。（以下省略不述）’ 当时天帝释（Śakra）与八万诸天，跟随他受持十善业。将要返回天宫时，问道：‘和尚您什么时候才能舍弃这罪业的报应，得以往生天上？’ 野干（Jackal）说：‘七天之后，我将舍弃这个身体，往生到兜率天（Tuṣita）。你们可以发愿往生到那里，那里有很多菩萨说法教化。’ 当时野干（Jackal）一心专念十善行法，不再寻求食物。七天后命终，往生到兜率天宫，又忆起了宿命，又以十善教化诸天。
English
English version To repay the kindness of food offering, the Deva King Śakra (天帝) asked: 'You were spared from the well's calamity, the merit and reward for that is immense. Why do you say the kindness is not enough?' He replied: 'Life and death each have their suitability. Some people are greedy for life, some are happy to die. Some foolish people do not know that they will be reborn after death, they stay away from the Buddha's teachings, and do not encounter enlightened teachers. They are greedy for life and afraid of death, and after death, they fall into hell. Wise people, on the other hand, serve the Three Jewels (Triratna - Buddha, Dharma, Sangha), encounter enlightened teachers, change their evil ways and cultivate goodness. Such people dislike living and are happy to die, and after death, they are reborn in the heavens.' Deva King Śakra (天帝) said: 'As you have taught, those who preserve their lives but have no merit, I wish to hear about the principles of giving food and giving the Dharma.' He replied: 'Giving food to the hungry only saves a life for a day; giving precious treasures only relieves the lack for a lifetime; but teaching and transforming through Dharma can enable sentient beings to escape the cycle of samsara, attain the fruits of the Three Vehicles (Triyāna - Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, Bodhisattvayāna), avoid the three evil realms (地狱, 饿鬼, 畜生 - hell, hungry ghost, animal), and enjoy the pleasures of humans and devas. Therefore, the Buddha said that giving through Dharma has immeasurable merit.' Deva King Śakra (天帝) asked: 'Master, is your current form due to karmic retribution or a manifestation?' He replied: 'It is due to sin, not a manifestation.' Deva King Śakra (天帝) said: 'I thought you were a sage, but now I know it is the retribution of sin. I do not know the reason, I wish to hear the cause and conditions.' He replied: 'In the past, I was born in the country of Varanasi (波罗奈国), in the city of Padma (波头摩城), as the child of a poor family, belonging to the Kshatriya (刹利) caste. From a young age, I was intelligent and eager to learn. At the age of twelve, I followed my teacher to the mountains to study, never slacking off. After fifty years, I became proficient in ninety-six kinds of scriptures, all thanks to the kindness of my teacher, which is difficult to repay. Because I first learned wisdom, I was able to know my past lives. Later, because I became a king, I lived a life of luxury and pleasure, and when my blessings were exhausted, I died and fell into hell and the animal realm. (The following is omitted).' At that time, Deva King Śakra (天帝释) and eighty thousand devas followed him to receive the ten virtuous deeds. When they were about to return to the heavenly palace, they asked: 'When will you, Venerable Sir, be able to abandon this retribution of sin and be reborn in the heavens?' The Jackal (野干) said: 'In seven days, I will abandon this body and be reborn in the Tuṣita Heaven (兜率天). You can vow to be reborn there, where there are many Bodhisattvas teaching and transforming through Dharma.' At that time, the Jackal (野干) single-mindedly focused on practicing the ten virtuous deeds, no longer seeking food. Seven days later, he died and was reborn in the Tuṣita Heaven (兜率天) palace, and again remembered his past lives, and again taught the devas with the ten virtuous deeds. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------