16. The Past
「我念過去修行時，
於師子幢佛法中，
時有比丘甚聰叡，
名曰賢施為法師。
"I recall in the past when I was practicing,
In the Buddha's Dharma of Siṃhadhvaja,
There was a monk who was very intelligent,
Named Brahmadatta, a Dharma master.
我作王子名黠慧，
身遇病苦甚困篤，
時彼賢施為我師，
柔軟淳直備儒德。
I was a prince named Mati,
Who was severely ill and very sick,
At that time, Brahmadatta was my teacher,
Soft, pure, and upright, with the virtue of a scholar.
五百良醫無減少，
咸皆盡來為我治，
彼悉不能除我病，
親戚眷屬懷憂惱。
There were no less than five hundred excellent physicians,
All of whom came to treat me,
But none of them could cure my illness,
Causing my relatives and associates to be worried and distressed.
是時大師聞我患，
便至我所而慰問，
賢施即生悲愍心，
而為我說是三昧。
At that time, the great teacher heard of my illness,
And came to comfort and inquire about me,
Brahmadatta then gave rise to compassionate thoughts,
And spoke this Samādhi for me.
我得聞此三昧已，
不顧財寶心愛樂，
了知諸法體性故，
其時病苦即除愈。
After hearing this Samādhi,
I disregarded wealth and treasures, with a heart of love and joy,
Comprehending the nature of all dharmas,
At that time, my suffering and afflictions were immediately cured.
比丘行於菩提行，
得成佛道號然燈；
我昔黠慧王子時，
以此三昧除苦惱。
The monk practiced the bodhisattva path,
Attained the Buddha's path, named Dīpaṃkara;
When I was Prince Mati in the past,
I eliminated suffering and afflictions with this samādhi.
以是因緣故，童子！
我憶是事今付汝：
能忍罵詈、毀辱等，
受持、讀誦如是定。
For this reason, child,
I remember this matter and now entrust it to you:
Being able to endure slander, insults, and so forth,
Receiving and upholding, reading and reciting this Samādhi.
末世比丘有無量，
放逸毀禁多慳悋，
堅著衣鉢樂為惡，
於是三昧起誹謗；
In the Dharma-ending age, there will be countless monks,
Indulging in laxity and breaking precepts, stingy and greedy,
Staunchly attached to robes and bowls, delighting in evil,
And slandering this Samādhi.
嫉妬輕躁縱諸根，
止住俗家為貪利，
常依出入息利活，
是等當謗此三昧。
Jealous and impetuous, indulging the senses,
Residing in lay households for the sake of profit,
Always relying on interest-bearing loans for a livelihood,
These will slander this Samādhi.
舒手展足奢縱誕，
趨步言笑自顧影，
伴黨挑臂隨路行，
若入聚落現異相。
Extending their hands and feet, indulging in extravagance,
Walking, talking, and gazing at their reflections,
Walking along the road with their arms outstretched,
If they enter villages, displaying strange appearances.
如是不應儀式人，
晝夜繫心在童女，
於彼色聲常愛著，
遊行村邑現是儀，
Those who do not follow proper etiquette
Day and night focus their minds on young women,
Constantly attached to their appearance and voice,
Roaming through villages and towns displaying this deportment,
心常貪嗜於美食，
戲笑歌舞及音樂，
販賣貿易恒規利，
憙樂飲醼及乘騎，
Always craving for delicious food,
Playfully laughing, singing, and playing music,
Trading and selling for profit,
Enjoying drinking and riding,
廣貯積聚飲食已，
命終墜墮三惡道。
專事墾殖及耕田，
保翫自己所住處，
Stocking up on food and drink in great quantities,
When their lives end they fall into the three evil realms.
Dedicated to plowing and farming,
Cherishing their own dwellings,
受他教命傳書信，
棄捨禁戒及威儀，
親近白衣違佛教，
毀破禁戒住惡道，
Receiving others' commands and transmitting letters,
Abandoning the precepts and proper deportment,
Associating with laypeople and violating the Buddha's teachings,
Destroying the precepts and dwelling in evil paths,
常作佛不讚歎業，
所謂斗秤諸欺誑，
造作如是諸惡行，
以此惡行墮惡道。
Always doing deeds not praised by the Buddha,
Such as using scales and weights to deceive others,
Creating such evil deeds,
With these evil deeds they fall into evil paths.
多饒財寶、珠、金、貝，
棄捨親愛而出家，
不能安住淨戒聚，
還為販肆作鄙業。
With abundant wealth, jewels, gold, and shells,
They abandon their loved ones and leave home,
But cannot peacefully abide in the pure precepts,
Returning to engage in lowly business.
牛馬雄雌相孚乳，
惟恃財穀為勝想，
何為出家除鬚髮，
而不護戒及儀式？
Cows and horses, male and female, mate and lactate,
Only relying on wealth and grain for the thought of superiority,
Why shave off the hair and beard and leave home,
Yet not protect the precepts and proper deportment?
我於過去行菩提，
於千劫中修苦行，
為求如是寂滅定，
愚人聞之生嗤笑。
In the past, I practised for bodhi
For a thousand of kalpas, cultivating ascetic practices,
Seeking such a tranquil concentration,
When fools hear it they laugh in derision.
行非梵行憙妄語，
常貪利養趣惡道，
披梵行服為標式，
毀戒謗定言非法，
Engaging in non-Brahmanic conduct and delighting in false speech,
Always craving for benefits and heading for evil paths,
Wearing the robes of a renunciant as a sign,
Destroying the precepts and slandering concentration, saying it is not the Dharma,
彼此遞互相破壞，
不能應法求利養，
各欲共相求短失，
命終墮於三惡趣。
They mutually destroy each other,
Unable to follow the Dharma to seek benefits,
Each wanting to seek out the other's faults and lose them,
When their lives end they fall into the three evil realms.
百千人中難得一，
謂能住於忍辱者，
朋黨鬪諍無量人，
棄捨忍辱恒忿競。
Among a hundred thousand people,
It is difficult to find one who can abide in patience,
While many people form factions and fight,
Abandoning patience and always competing.
咸自稱歎是菩薩，
欲望聲流遍諸國，
若得虛名自欣慶，
尚無善行何況道？
They all call themselves bodhisattvas,
Hoping to spread their fame throughout the lands,
If they obtain empty fame, they rejoice,
Yet they have no good conduct, let alone the path.
我曾不聞亦不見，
無有淨行欲樂者，
誹謗此法無欣慕，
而能獲得菩提道。
I have never heard of or seen anyone
Who delights in pure conduct,
Who does not slander this Dharma and yearns for it,
And yet can attain the path of bodhi.
為不活故多出家，
不求一切佛菩提，
愚人安住我見中，
聞說無我便驚怖。
Many leave home for the sake of not living,
Not seeking all the Buddha's enlightenment,
Foolish people abide in the view of self,
And when they hear of no-self, they are frightened.
彼此更互恒諍論，
我慢自舉相陵蔑，
自稱己是說他非，
常行不善妄歡喜。
They always argue with each other,
Arrogantly elevating themselves and looking down on others,
Calling themselves right and others wrong,
Always doing evil and falsely rejoicing.
成就淨戒諸功德、
安住慈心行忍辱、
調伏柔濡淳善者，
是等善人為彼欺。
Those who have accomplished pure precepts and virtues,
Who abide in a compassionate mind and practice patience,
Who are tamed, gentle, and good,
These good people are deceived by them.
若有當來起惡心，
極甚抵突為不善，
喜樂鬪諍行非法，
是等爾時得供養。
If there are those who will give rise to evil minds in the future,
Extremely hostile and unwholesome,
Delighting in fighting and acting contrary to the Dharma,
They will receive offerings at that time.
我今善相勸告汝，
汝當於我生淨信，
於此如來所說教，
彼惡人輩勿親近。
I now sincerely advise you,
You should have pure faith in me,
In the teachings spoken by this Tathāgata,
Do not associate with those evil people.
於極貪愛及重瞋、
多愚癡人惛慢者，
無慚、無愧、心不調，
汝於彼速起忍力。
Who are extremely greedy and heavy in anger,
Who are foolish and arrogant,
Without shame or conscience,
And whose minds are not tamed.
我今所說無量德，
比丘於此不安住，
非但口言得菩提，
要須堅固行者得。」
I now speak of immeasurable virtues,
But monks do not abide in them,
Not just by speaking can one attain enlightenment,
One must practice firmly to attain it."