7. The Attainment of Patience

「童子！是故，菩薩摩訶薩應善巧知入三法忍——謂知彼第一忍、第二忍、第三忍——於是忍中應善巧知，復於其智亦善巧知。何以故？若菩薩摩訶薩於忍智中善巧知者，彼菩薩摩訶薩速得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是故，童子！菩薩摩訶薩若欲速求阿耨多羅三藐三菩提者，於此三忍法門應當受持；持已，為他廣分別說，利益安樂無量眾生、救濟世間、利益安樂諸天及人。」

“O Youth! Therefore, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should be skilful in the three patiences. That is to say, they should be skilful in the first patience, skilful in the second patience, and skilful in the third patience. They should also be skilful in knowledge. Why? If bodhisattva mahāsattvas are skilful in patience and knowledge, they will quickly attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Therefore, O Youth, if bodhisattva mahāsattvas want to quickly attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi, they should take up and bear the teaching of the three patiences, and after bearing them, they should extensively explain them to others to benefit countless sentient beings, to rescue the world, and to benefit devas and humans.

爾時，世尊為彼月光童子即以偈句頌此入三忍法門：

Then the Bhagavān, wanting to restate this Dharma gate of the three patiences, spoke to the youth Candraprabha in verse:

「於諸眾生無違諍，
口不宣說非益言，
常能安住饒益法，
是則說名為初忍；

“Not to quarrel with sentient beings,
Not to say anything that is not beneficial,
To always be able to live by beneficial principles—
This is called the first patience. 

知一切法猶如幻，
即於此相不取著，
能於智中增無減，
是故名為初勝忍；

To know all things are like illusions,
Not to grasp their characteristics,
To be able to increase knowledge without decreasing it—
This is called the first patience. 

諸修多羅已修學，
智與善說恒相應，
於佛無量智不疑，
是則名為初勝忍；

Having cultivated and studied the sūtras,
To always be in accord with good explanations
And not to doubt the immeasurable knowledge of the Buddha—
This is called the first patience. 

若聞一切善說法，
猶如佛說無有疑，
能信一切諸佛法，
是則名為初勝忍。

If one hears all good explanations of the Dharma,
To have no doubt that what the Buddha says is true,
And to be able to believe in all the Buddha Dharma—
This is called the first patience.

於了義經常宣暢，
如佛所說而演說，
若說我人及眾生，
即知方便為引接。

To always expound the sūtras of definitive meaning,
And expound them in accord with what the Buddha has said;
If someone speaks of self, person, or sentient beings,
They know how to skillfully draw them in. 

種種外道諸異見，
菩薩於彼心無擾，
轉於彼人深悲愍，
是名第二勝忍相；

In regard to the various views of non-Buddhists,
Bodhisattvas are not disturbed by them,
And they turn toward them with deep compassion—
This is a characteristic of the second patience.

諸陀羅尼來現前，
於總持門無疑惑，
所說語言皆真實，
是名第二勝忍相；

The attainment of mental command of dhāraṇī,
The absence of doubt in regard to the methods of dhāraṇī,
And the truthfulness of all utterances—
This is a characteristic of the second patience.

假使四大相轉變，
所謂地、水、火、風等，
於佛菩提永不退，
是名第二勝忍相。

Even if the four elements of earth, water, fire, and air,
Should change their appearances,
They would never retrogress from the bodhi of a buddha—
This is a characteristic of the second patience.

世間所有諸工巧，
菩薩悉能善修學，
不見更有勝己者，
是名第三勝忍相；

All the arts and crafts in the world
The bodhisattvas are able to learn and practice,
And they do not see any that surpass them—
This is a characteristic of the third patience.

奢摩他力得調伏，
毘婆舍那山不動，
一切眾生莫能欺，
是名第三勝忍相；

Their power of śamatha is trained,
And their vipaśyanā is unshakable as a mountain;
Incapable of being deceived by any sentient beings—
This is a characteristic of the third patience.

所有言說常在定，
行、住、坐、臥恒三昧，
三摩堅固到彼岸，
是名第三勝忍相；

In all their speech, they are always in meditation,
Whether walking, standing, sitting, or reclining, always in samādhi.
Their samādhi is firm, and they reach the other shore—
This is a characteristic of the third patience. 

住於正定獲神通，
於多佛剎往說法，
智者神足勢無減，
是名第三勝忍相；

Abiding in right concentration they attain supernormal powers
And go to many buddha-lands to expound the Dharma,
And the power of their supernormal powers does not diminish.
This is a characteristic of the third patience. 

若修如是寂定時，
諸餘一切群生類，
不能知彼心分齊，
是名第三勝忍相；

When they cultivate such tranquil meditation,
None of the other creatures in the world
Can know their mind's limits.
This is a characteristic of the third patience. 

假使世界諸眾生，
一時作佛演說法，
是人悉能具領受，
是名第三勝忍相；

Even if all the beings in the world
Should all at once become Buddhas and expound the Dharma,
These people would be able to receive it all—
This is a characteristic of the third patience. 

東、西、南、北及四維、
上、下二方亦如是，
於諸方中悉見佛，
是名第三勝忍相；

The same is true of the east, west, south, and north, the four intermediate directions,
And the two upper and lower directions:
It's as if Buddhas were to appear in all directions—
This is a characteristic of the third patience. 

悉能變現無量身，
一切皆作真金色，
於無量剎往說法，
是名第三勝忍相；

They are able to transform and manifest innumerable bodies,
All the colour of gold,
Going to innumerable lands to expound the Dharma—
This is a characteristic of the third patience.  

此佛世界諸閻浮，
一切皆覩菩薩形，
諸天及人咸識知，
是名第三勝忍相；

All the Jambudvīpas in this buddha-world
Would be in the form of bodhisattvas,
Recognized by devas and humans alike—
This is a characteristic of the third patience.  

於諸佛法佛行處，
導師所有諸威儀，
智者悉能善修學，
是名第三勝忍相。

The Dharma of the Buddhas, the range of conduct of the Buddhas,
And the deportment of the Guides:
The wise are able to learn and  practise them—
This is a characteristic of the third patience.  

世界所有諸眾生，
悉來讚歎是菩薩，
菩薩於彼欣悅者，
則於佛智未修學；

If the sentient beings of the world
Should come and praise these bodhisattvas,
If these bodhisattvas should be pleased at that,
They should know that they have not yet learned buddha-knowledge. 

世界所有諸眾生，
罵詈、毀謗是菩薩，
於此若起瞋恨心，
當知佛智未修學；

If the sentient beings of the world
Should abuse and scold these bodhisattvas,
If these bodhisattvas should become angry at them,
They should know that they have not yet learned buddha-knowledge. 

若得利養心不喜、
於違失時無憂慼，
其心安住猶如山，
是名第三勝忍相。

If they should receive offerings, they should not rejoice at it;
If they should be wronged, they should not be distressed:
Their minds should be as stable as a mountain.
This is a characteristic of the third patience.  

一名、隨順音聲忍，
二名、思惟隨順忍，
三名、修習無生忍，
學此三忍得菩提。

The first is the patience that accords with sound,
The second is the patience that accords with thought,
And the third the patience at the nonarising of dharmas—
Training in these three patiences, one attains bodhi.

若於如是三勝忍，
菩薩其有能得者，
善逝見彼菩薩時，
即授無上菩提記。

If any Bodhisattva
Can attain these three patiences,
Then the Sugata, seeing that bodhisattva,
Immediately bestows on him the prediction of unexcelled bodhi. 

若有聞此授記莂，
不思議數億眾生，
咸發無上菩提心：
『我要當作人中尊。』

If any hear this prediction, immediately
Inconceivable numbers of koṭis of sentient beings
Will all arouse the aspiration for unexcelled bodhi, thinking:
‘I must become the most honoured among humans. ’

聞說如是授記音，
即時大地六種動，
光明普照十方界，
雨無量種勝妙花。

As soon as a buddha utters these words of prediction,
The earth quakes in six ways,
Light beams shine in all directions,
And innumerable beautiful flowers fall like rain.

若於如是三勝忍，
其有菩薩能得者，
悉不復見有生、死，
於彼起、滅亦復然；

The bodhisattvas who
Attain these three patiences
Do not see any birth or death,
Nor any origination or destruction thereof.

若於如是三種忍，
菩薩其有能得者，
已老、今老悉不見，
安住法中得如是。

If any bodhisattva who
Has attained these three patiences
Does not see any old age,
He dwells stably in the Dharma.

菩薩了知種種法，
體性空寂猶如幻，
是空亦復非生、滅，
以諸法體空寂故。

Bodhisattvas know all kinds of dharmas
Are essentially empty, like illusions;
They are empty, yet they are not born and do not perish,
Because the essence of dharmas is empty.

若有眾生來恭敬、
禮拜、尊重、興供養，
菩薩於彼無偏愛，
深達世間體性故；

If any sentient beings come and respectfully
Salute them, honour and make offerings to them,
Bodhisattvas have no partiality toward them,
Because they deeply understand the inherent nature of the world.

若有眾生來打罵，
菩薩於彼無嫌慢，
轉於其人起悲心，
為欲令其解脫故；

If any beat or scold them,
Bodhisattvas are not enraged at them,
But instead, conceive great compassion for them,
Wanting to liberate them.

若加刀杖及瓦石，
其心於彼無忿怒，
安住無我忍法中，
菩薩不畏起瞋覆。

Even if struck by sticks, stones, or clods of earth,
They remain calm and do not become angry.
They abide in the patience of no-self,
And do not fear the arising of anger. 

菩薩了知種種法，
體性空寂猶如幻，
若能安住是法中，
為諸人天所供養。

The bodhisattvas know that all dharmas are,
In essence, empty and illusory.
If they abide in this Dharma,
They will be honoured by devas and humans. 

有人手執利剛刀，
割截一一身支節，
心能忍受無恚恨，
悲憐增廣初不壞。

If someone takes up a sharp sword
And cuts off any part of their body,
They remain calm and do not become angry.
They increase in compassion and do not become depressed. 

以刀屠膾支節時，
菩薩即便生是念：
『汝若未得菩提處，
願我莫證於涅槃。』

When they are being cut to pieces,
The bodhisattva gives rise to the thought:

'If you have not yet attained the state of bodhi,
I vow that I shall not enter nirvāṇa.

如是忍力最無上，
於無我忍安住故。
是諸菩薩大名稱，
無量那由劫修習，

Thus, the power of patience is unexcelled,
Because it is based on patience in regard to no-self.
These bodhisattvas of great fame,
Even if they practised for countless nayutas of kalpas, 

復過是數如恒沙，
猶未能得證菩提，
於爾所時修佛行，
況復覺智何可說？

More than that, as many kalpas as sand grains in the Ganges River,
Still would not be able to realise bodhi;
They cultivate the practices of buddhas,
To say nothing of their attainment of awakened knowledge.

不可思議億劫說，
彼諸德號無窮盡，
於無我忍善安住，
是大名稱諸菩薩。

Speaking for inconceivable kalpas,
One could not exhaust the names of their virtues;
Abiding well in the patience of no-self,
Such is a greatly famous bodhisattva. 

若欲能知菩提者，
要當住於妙智聚；
若修諸佛所說忍，
得勝菩提則不難。」

If one wishes to know bodhi,
One must dwell in the accumulation of wonderful wisdom;
If one cultivates the patience taught by all buddhas,
Attaining supreme bodhi would not be difficult."