5. Ghoṣadatta
爾時，世尊告月光童子言：
Then the Bhagavān told Candraprabha:
「過去久遠無量無邊不可思議過阿僧祇劫，爾時有佛號曰聲德如來、應、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊出現於世。
“In the remote past, immeasurable, limitless, inconceivable, incalculable kalpas ago, there was a Buddha called Ghoṣadatta Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-saṃbuddha, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed, Tamer of Humans, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavān.
「童子！爾時聲德如來、應、正遍知於初會眾集有八億聲聞，皆阿羅漢，諸漏已盡，逮得己利，盡諸有結，依於正教，心善解脫，能到一切心自在岸；第二會集有七億眾、第三會集有六億眾，一切亦是大阿羅漢，諸漏已盡，逮得己利，盡諸有結，依於正教，心善解脫，能到一切心自在岸。
“O Youth! At that time, in the first assembly of the Tathāgata Ghoṣadatta, Arhat, Samyak-saṃbuddha, there were eight billion śrāvakas who were all arhats, who had ended their effluents, attained their own benefit, and ended their bondage to existence, they relied on the true teaching and their minds are well liberated, they were able to attain complete mental freedom. In the second assembly, there were seven billion, and in the third assembly, there were six billion who had ended their effluents, attained their own benefit, and ended their bondage to existence, they relied on the true teaching, and their minds are well liberated, they were able to attain complete mental freedom
「童子！爾時彼佛壽四萬歲，時閻浮提安隱豐樂，人民熾盛，普遍充滿。
"O Youth! At that time, the lifespan of that buddha was forty thousand years. At that time, the continent of Jambudvīpa was peaceful, prosperous, and happy, and the people were prosperous and healthy.
「童子！時閻浮提有二大王：一名、堅固力，二名、大力。此二大王一一統領半閻浮提，二王境土安隱豐樂，人民熾盛，普遍充滿。時聲德如來在大力王國出現於世。
"O Youth! At that time, there were two great kings in Jambudvīpa, named Dṛḍhabala and Mahābala. Each of these kings ruled over half of Jambudvīpa. The lands of these two kings were peaceful, prosperous, and happy, and the people were healthy and strong. At that time, the Tathāgata Ghoṣadatta appeared in the world in the kingdom of Mahābala.
「童子！是時大力王請聲德如來及比丘僧滿足千年，以一切隨順清淨無過衣服、飲食、臥具、湯藥而為供養。
"O Youth! Then King Mahābala invited the Tathāgata Ghoṣadatta and his bhikṣus to stay for a full one thousand years and made offerings to them of all kinds of fine and pure clothing, food and drink, bedding, and medicine.
「童子！彼聲德如來及聲聞僧多饒利養、恭敬、讚歎。
"O Youth! The Tathāgata Ghoṣadatta and his śrāvakas were greatly honoured and praised.
「時有淨信長者、諸婆羅門，於聲德如來及聲聞僧所發勇猛意，學大力王而設供養——謂以世財為勝供養——彼人不知行供養也。云何行供養？所謂受持五戒、八戒、出家詣佛、親覲請問見深法忍。
"At that time, there were householders and brāhmaṇas of pure faith who, having aroused a courageous intention to serve the Tathāgata Ghoṣadatta and his śrāvaka saṅgha, practised offerings with King Mahābala, thinking that worldly wealth was the best offering. Those people did not know how to make offerings. How does one make offerings? One observes the five precepts and the eight precepts, renounces family life, goes to the Buddha, approaches him, asks questions, and realises profound patience at dharmas.
「童子！時聲德如來作如是念：
"O Youth! At that time, Ghoṣadatta Tathāgata thought this:
『是諸眾生志意下劣，不能受持五戒、八戒、出家詣佛、親覲請問見深法忍、修於梵行寂靜遠離、受具足戒得比丘分、及以受行究竟善根，如是寂滅樂具無上妙樂悉皆遠離，但以世財而供養我。是諸眾生但希小樂，謂為至樂；是諸眾生但重現法及後世法，不能愛重究竟善根。云何名重現法？謂樂五欲。云何名重後世善根？謂樂生天。云何名為究竟善根？謂究竟清淨、究竟吉祥、究竟梵行、究竟窮盡、究竟最後、究竟涅槃。我今說如是法，令此眾生於其檀行不為究竟最勝供養，但以無上行而供養我。』
'These sentient beings are inferior in their aspirations and dispositions. They are unable to accept and uphold the five precepts and eight precepts, to leave home to visit the Buddha, to approach him and ask questions, to see the profound truth, to cultivate the holy life, to be serene and detached, to receive the complete set of precepts, to attain the state of a bhikṣu, or to accept and practice the ultimate roots of goodness. They have left behind all such peaceful and happy conditions and unsurpassed, wonderful happiness, and instead, they make offerings to me with worldly goods. These sentient beings only wish for a little happiness, thinking it is the ultimate happiness. These sentient beings value only dharmas of the present life and dharmas of the afterlife and are unable to value ultimate roots of goodness. What is meant by valuing dharmas of the present life? It means to enjoy the pleasures of the five senses. What is meant by valuing dharmas of the afterlife? It means to delight in rebirth in heaven. What are their ultimate roots of goodness? They are ultimate purity, ultimate goodness, ultimate noble conduct, ultimate exhaustion, ultimate completion, and ultimate nirvana. I shall now expound a Dharma to cause these beings to make offerings to me, not as ultimate supreme offerings of goods, but as unsurpassed offerings of conduct.
「童子！爾時聲德如來欲覺悟彼大力王及諸長者、婆羅門等而說偈言：
"O Youth! At that time, the Tathāgata Ghoṣadatta uttered the following gāthā in order to awaken King Mahābala and the householders and brāhmaṇas:
「『若人行於財、食施，
彼此不名相尊敬，
如是所行不可歎，
諸佛、智者已遠離；
'If one practices the giving of food and wealth,
One will not be respected by others.
If one does such things that should not be praised,
One will be far removed from the Buddhas and the wise.
若說無我智慧者，
如是勝人應奉事，
彼於聖諦信不動，
奉敬是者佛所歎。
If one teaches the wisdom of no-self,
One should serve such excellent people.
If one’s faith in the noble truth is unshakable,
One will be praised by the Buddhas for serving them.
若人財、食而奉施，
但獲現近少利益；
若能遠離如是施，
是人成就出家行。
If one gives food and wealth,
One will gain only a small benefit in the present.
If one can stay away from such giving,
One will perfect the practice of renouncing the world.
若有能起無財心，
又能顯示無財法，
亦能淨信無財者，
是人速成無上道。
If one can give rise to the thought of having no wealth,
And can teach the Dharma of having no wealth,
And can have pure faith in having no wealth,
One will quickly attain the unsurpassed bodhi.
無有處於五欲中，
於妻子等生愛著，
凡愚恒在居家者，
是人而能得漏盡；
If one has no abode in the five desires,
And is attached to one’s wife and children,
One is an ordinary fool who always remains at home.
If one can end one’s afflictions,
厭離五欲如火坑，
能於妻子離愛染，
怖畏居家求出離，
獲勝菩提則不難。
If one dislikes the five desires as if they were a pit of fire,
One will be able to give up attachment to one’s wife and children.
If one fears the household life and seeks to leave it behind,
One will attain superior bodhi without difficulty.
無有過去諸如來，
及其現在、未來者，
常在居家住欲地，
而能獲得勝妙道。
There have been no tathāgatas in the past,
Nor those in the present, nor those in the future,
Who have always lived at home in the realm of desire,
And yet have been able to attain the superior, wondrous path.
棄捨王位如涕唾，
住於遠離空閑處，
斷除煩惱降諸魔，
悟解離垢無為道。
If one abandons one’s royal position as if it were spittle,
And will dwell in remote, empty places;
If one cuts off afflictions and subjugates māras,
One will awaken to and understand the stainless, unconditioned path.
若有恒沙世雄猛，
千萬億歲而供養，
有能厭患在家者，
如是功德最為上。
If there are heroes in the world as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
And one makes offerings to them for thousands of myriads of koṭis of years,
If one can become disgusted with the household life,
Such merit is supreme.
非是飲食及衣服、
諸妙花香及塗香，
如是等事供養佛，
能如出家奉行法。
It is not by offering food and drink, clothing,
Or beautiful flowers, incense, or perfumes
To the Buddha
That one can practice the Dharma like a renunciant.
若有樂求菩提者，
能利眾生厭世間，
趣向空閑行七步，
如是福報最為上。』
If one who aspires to bodhi
Can benefit sentient beings and turn away from the world,
Then if they take seven steps toward a quiet place,
Such merit is the highest reward.'
「童子！時大力王聞聲德如來、應、正遍知說如是等出家修行義利名已，復作是念：
"O Youth! After hearing the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-saṁbuddha Ghoṣadatta describe the benefits of renouncing family life in this way, King Mahābala thought:
『如我解佛所說義者，如來非說檀波羅蜜以為究竟清淨、究竟吉祥、究竟梵行、究竟窮盡、究竟最後、究竟涅槃。』
'As I understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching, the Tathāgata does not teach that the dāna pāramitā is the ultimate purity, the ultimate good fortune, the ultimate noble life, the ultimate exhaustion, the ultimate conclusion, or the ultimate nirvāṇa.'
彼大力王復作是念：
"King Mahābala then thought:
『非在家住能得無上、修得無上修行義利，而我今者遠離是行。我今要當剃除鬚髮、被服袈裟，以家非家，出家為道。』
'It is not possible to gain the unsurpassed benefits of the unsurpassed practice of renouncing family life while living at home. I now will distance myself from this practice. I will now shave my hair and beard, don the yellow robe, and renounce family life to pursue the path.'
「童子！時大力王與其眷屬八萬人俱，前後圍遶往聲德佛所頂禮佛足，右遶三匝，退坐一面。
"O Youth! Then the king, accompanied by eighty thousand people, went to the Buddha Ghoṣadatta, bowed at his feet, circled him to the right three times, and sat to one side.
「童子！爾時，聲德如來知大力王及其眷屬心所欲樂，即為宣說一切諸法體性平等無戲論三昧，分別顯示。
"O Youth! Then the Buddha Ghoṣadatta, knowing the aspiration of King Mahābala and his people, expounded and explained to them the samādhi of the equality and nondiscrimination of the essence of all dharmas.
「童子！時大力王聞是三昧，歡喜踊躍，深心愛樂，即於聲德佛所棄捨王位，正信出家，剃除鬚髮，服三法衣。既出家已，於此三昧廣能聽受、讀誦、憶持、分別其義、修行相應，以此善根於二億劫不墮惡道。次第復值二億諸佛，彼佛法中常得出家，一一佛所於此三昧聽受、讀誦、分別其義、修行相應，以此善根次第滿百億劫得成佛道，號曰智勇如來、應、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊，利益無量無邊眾生，然後乃當入般涅槃。童子！汝當觀此三昧有是神力，能令菩薩招感佛智。
"O Youth! When King Mahābala heard this samādhi, he rejoiced and danced for joy, and his heart was profoundly delighted. He immediately abandoned his royal position in the presence of the Buddha Ghoṣadatta and renounced the world with true faith. He shaved his hair and beard and donned the three Dharma robes. After renouncing the world, he extensively listened to this meditation, took it up it, read and recited it, bore it, analysed its meaning, and put it into practice. Because of this root of goodness, he did not fall into the evil realms for two hundred million kalpas. He then met two hundred million buddhas in succession and always renounced the world in the Dharma of each of these buddhas. Under each buddha he heard this samādhi, recited it, analysed its meaning, and put it into practice. Because of these roots of goodness he eventually attained buddhahood after a full one hundred million kalpas. He was called Jñānaśūra, a Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-saṃbuddha, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed, Tamer of Humans, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavān. He benefitted innumerable, limitless sentient beings and afterwards entered parinirvāṇa. O Youth! You should observe that this samādhi has this supernormal power that can cause bodhisattvas to attain Buddha-wisdom.
「童子！彼大力王所將眷屬八萬人等，聞是三昧歡喜踊躍，心甚愛樂，亦皆隨王正信出家，剃除鬚髮，被服法衣。是出家輩聞此三昧，讀誦、受持、分別解說、修行相應，以此善根於二億劫不墮惡道，一一劫中值千萬佛，於彼佛所常得出家。既出家已，聞此三昧，讀誦、受持、應修、行住，以此善根於後滿百千劫各異世界得成佛道，同號堅固勇健堪能如來、應、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊，利益無量諸眾生已，然後乃入無餘涅槃。
"O Youth! The king Mahābala and the eighty thousand people who were with him, having heard this samādhi, rejoiced and danced for joy, and their minds were very happy. They all followed the king into homelessness with true faith, shaved their hair and beards, and donned the Dharma robes. Those who had gone forth, having heard this samādhi, recited it, took it up and bore it, explained it in detail, and practised it in accordance with it, on account of this root of goodness did not fall into the evil realms for two hundred million kalpas. In each kalpa, they met ten million buddhas, and always went forth from home in the presence of those buddhas. After they had gone forth from home they heard this samādhi, recited it, took it up and bore it, and cultivated and abided by it. On account of these root of goodness, they later attained buddhahood in different worlds for a full hundred thousand kalpas. They were all equally named Dṛḍhaśūra, Tathāgata, Arhat, Samya-saṃbuddha, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed, Tamer of Humans, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavān. Having benefited innumerable sentient beings, they entered nirvana without remainder.
「童子！如是三昧有大威力，能令菩薩招致阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」
"O Youth! This samādhi has great power and can cause bodhisattvas to attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi."
爾時，世尊欲重宣此義而說偈言：
Thereupon the Bhagavān, wishing to reiterate the meaning of this further, spoke this gāthā
「我念過去久遠世，
不思議劫有佛出，
能為眾生作利益，
號曰聲德大仙尊。
"I remember that in the distant past,
Inconceivable kalpas ago, there appeared a buddha
Who was able to benefit sentient beings.
He was called Ghoṣadatta, the great ṛṣi.
初會眾集滿八億，
悉是聲聞諸弟子；
第二會集七億數、
第三六億阿羅漢，
His first assembly consisted of a full eight koṭis of disciples,
All śrāvakas.
His second assembly consisted of seven koṭis,
And his third assembly consisted of six koṭis of arhats.
一切漏盡無煩惱，
諸神通力到彼岸。
其佛壽命四萬歲，
國土世界甚嚴淨。
All of them had exhausted the effluents and ended their afflictions
And had attained the other shore through their supernormal powers.
The lifespan of this buddha was forty thousand years,
And his world was exceedingly pure.
時閻浮提有二王，
號曰大力、堅固力，
是等二王所居土，
一一各領半閻浮。
At that time there were two kings in Jambudvīpa,
Whose names were Mahābala and Dṛḍhabala.
The lands ruled by these two kings
Each spanned half Jambudvīpa.
佛出大力王國中，
諸勝人天奉供養，
其王於佛得淨信，
恭敬供養滿千年。
When the Buddha appeared in the land of the king Mahābala,
He was honoured by the most excellent humans and devas.
The king gained pure faith in the Buddha
And honoured and worshipped him for a full thousand years.
國人無量學是王，
種種供養於如來，
但以世財非法供，
佛及聲聞悉豐足。
The people of the land, who were innumerable, followed the king
And made various offerings to the Tathāgata.
They only made offerings of worldly riches and not of the Dharma,
And the Buddha and his śrāvakas were all wealthy.
爾時世尊作是念：
『我說是法令捨欲，
必令彼王生厭離，
於我法中而出家。』
Then the Bhagavān thought,
'If I teach this Dharma to make him give up his desires,
That will surely cause the king to give rise to dissatisfaction
And leave the household life in my Dharma.'
彼時人尊說偈言：
『棄捨惡法是佛教，
在家多過具諸苦，
如法修行真供佛。』
Then, that Bhagavān spoke the stanzas:
'Giving up evil dharmas is the Buddha’s teaching.
Those who live at home have many faults and experience much suffering.
Those who practice in accordance with the Dharma make true offerings to the Buddha.'
時王聞說如是偈，
獨趣空閑作是念：
『我今不能處家纏，
而為最勝法供養。』
When the king heard these verses spoken,
He went alone to an empty place and thought,
'I cannot now remain in the bondage of a householder,
But I will make offerings to the supreme Dharma.'
即捨王位如洟唾，
并及八萬諸眷屬，
一時俱往到佛所，
頭面作禮住尊前。
He immediately abandoned his royal position as if he were spitting saliva,
And together with eighty thousand of his attendants
They all went to where the Buddha was at once.
They bowed their heads and stood before the Bhagavān.
佛知此等之樂欲，
為說難見寂滅定，
彼聞愛敬而悅樂，
一切歡喜即出家。
The Buddha knew their aspirations and desires
And immediately expounded to them the samādhi of quiescence, which is difficult to see.
When they heard it, they were affectionate, respectful, and delighted.
They were all joyful and immediately went forth.
既出家已於此定，
讀誦、受持、廣分別，
次第二億劫數中，
未曾墜墮三惡道。
After they had gone forth,
They recited, received, and extensively analyzed this samādhi.
For the next two koṭis of kalpas,
They never again fell into the three evil realms.
是人以此諸善業，
得見百億諸如來，
於彼佛法恒出家，
宣說如是勝三昧。
Through these good karmas
Those people immediately saw a hundred billion Tathāgatas.
They immediately renounce family life in the Dharma of those Buddhas
And immediately expound such a superior samādhi.
是等於後得成佛，
同號堅固大精進，
利益無量億眾生，
後入涅槃猶火滅。
They later attained buddhahood
And all were equally called Dṛḍhaśūra.
They immediately benefitted immeasurable hundreds of billions of sentient beings.
They then directly enter nirvāṇa, like a fire that has been extinguished.
時彼往昔大力王，
久成佛道號智勇，
利益無量百億眾，
置菩提已入涅槃。
At that time, in the past, King Mahābala
Long ago attained buddhahood and was called Jñānaśūra.
He immediately benefited immeasurable hundreds of billions of sentient beings.
He then directly entered nirvāṇa after establishing them in bodhi.
既聞如是勝利益，
末世持經佛所讚，
若能奉持佛法藏，
是等速成人中上。
Having heard of such superior benefits,
Then, in the future, if one will bear the sūtras praised by the Buddhas,
And can uphold the Dharma Treasury of the Buddha,
They will immediately become supreme among humans.