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文殊師利。此法華經。是諸如來第一之予說。於諸說中。最為甚深。末後賜予。如彼強力之王。久護明珠。今乃予之。文殊師利。此法華經。諸佛如來祕密之藏。於諸經中。最在其上。長夜守護。不妄宣予說。始於今日。乃予汝等而敷演之。
釋迦牟尼佛又對「文殊師利」菩薩說，「此法華經」：這一部《妙法蓮華經》。「是諸如來第一之說」：是過去諸佛的第一之予說，是現在諸佛第一之說，也是未來諸佛第一之說。「於諸說中」：在所有佛所說的經典之中。「最為甚深」：這《妙法蓮華經》是最無上甚深的，沒有比它再高的，也沒有比它再深的了。「末後賜予」：這是最後的賜予，賜給一切眾生的。「如彼強力之王」：就像那一個轉輪聖王，他有大威德、有大強力那個轉輪聖王一個樣。「久護明珠」：他長久以來都自己守護他自己頂上這一粒明珠。「今乃予之」：現在因為這個人功勞太大了，所以他把這個明珠也賜給他了。「文殊師利」：妙吉祥菩薩。「此法華經」：這一部《妙法蓮華經》，「諸佛如來」：是三世一切諸佛，十方一切諸佛。「祕密之藏」：是最祕密的，是不傳之法，本來不宣傳的。「於諸經中」：在所有佛所說的經典裡邊，「最在其上」：這一部經是最上的了。「長夜守護」：那麼在從來，好像長夜似的，我守護這一部《妙法蓮華經》。「不妄宣說」：不是隨隨便便就可以對大家講的。「始於今日」：就是現在、今天。「乃予汝等」：我方才給你們各位在法會的大眾，「而敷演之」：來分別敷演，講給你們大家聽，你們不要拿著它當很平常的法來聽。
爾時世尊欲重宣此義。而說偈言。
常行忍辱。哀愍一切。
乃能演說。佛所讚經。
後末世時。持此經者。
於家出家。及非菩薩。
應生慈悲。斯等不聞。
不信是經。則為大失。
「爾時世尊欲重宣此義」：釋迦牟尼佛以大慈悲心，說完了上邊這個經文之後，又以這個偈頌來把這個義理，詳細地說給法會大眾聽。所以「而說偈言」，「常行忍辱」：修行菩薩道的大菩薩，應該常常修行這個忍辱的行門，忍一般人所不能忍的。「哀愍一切」：可憐一切眾生。「乃能演說」：能有這種的忍辱的心，和哀愍一切眾生的心，才能演說這《妙法蓮華經》。「佛說讚經」這《妙法蓮華經》，是十方諸佛、三世諸佛所共讚歎的經典。「後末世時」：在將來法要滅的時候。「持此經者」：受持讀誦這一部《妙法蓮華經》的人，「於家出家」或者是在家人，或者是出家人，或者不是出家、在家，不明白佛法這一些眾生。「及非菩薩，應生慈悲」：對他們應該生一種慈悲心，給他們快樂，而拔除他們的痛苦。「斯等不聞。不信是經」：應該憐憫他們，說這一等的眾生，也不聞《法華經》，也不信這個《法華經》。「則為大失」：你們真是有最大的損失囉！你們損失再沒有比這個再大的啦！因為你不能成佛。你不信法華經，就不可以成佛；你想成佛，必須要信《法華經》。
待續 |
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Manjushri, the Dharma Flower Sutra is the foremost
among the Tathagata’s teachings. Among all the teachings it is
the most profound, and it is only bestowed at the very end,
just like that bright pearl which the powerful king long kept
and then gave away. Manjushri, the Dharma Flower Sutra is the
secret treasury of all the Buddhas, Tathagatas. Among all the
Sutras it is the highest. In the long night of time it has
been guarded and never recklessly expounded. Today, for the
first time, I am speaking it for you.
Shakyamuni Buddha continues: Manjushri,
the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is the foremost among
the Tathagata’s teachings. It is the foremost teaching of all
Buddhas of the past, present, and future. Among all the
teachings, all the Sutras spoken by the Buddhas, it is the
most profound, and it is only bestowed at the very end. The
Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is by far the most supreme
and profound; there is nothing more lofty, nothing more deep.
It is only spoken for living beings at the very end. It is
just like that bright pearl which the powerful king long kept
and then gave away. The mighty wheel-turning sage king of
awesome virtue wore that pearl on his crown for a long, long
time before he finally gave it away. In time, his troops were
so successful that they deserved to have it.
Manjushri, Wonderfully Auspicious
Bodhisattva, the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is the
secret treasury of all the Buddhas, Tathagatas of the ten
directions and the three periods of time. It is a secret, a
Dharma that ordinarily is not transmitted. Among all the
Sutras spoken by the Buddhas, it is the highest. This Sutra is
above all the other Sutras. In the long night of time, for
such a long time, it has been guarded and never recklessly
expounded. It cannot be casually explained for people. Today,
for the first time, I am speaking it for you. I am explaining
the Sutra in detail for all the people in this great Dharma
Assembly. Don’t think this is an ordinary Dharma you are
hearing.
At that time the World Honored One,
wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses
saying,
Always practicing
patience,
And being merciful to all,
One
will then be able to proclaim
This
Sutra praised by the Buddhas.
In
the future Ending Age,
One
who upholds this Sutra,
Should bring forth kindness and
compassion
For those at home, those who have
left home,
And those who are not
Bodhisattvas,
Thinking, “Those who do not
hear
Or believe this Sutra Suffer a great
loss.
Shakyamuni Buddha, having spoken the above
passages out of great compassion, at that time spoke verses to
elaborate these principles for those in the Dharma Assembly.
The World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke
verses saying, “Always practicing patience is what the great
Bodhisattva cultivating the Bodhisattva Way does. He must bear
what other people cannot bear. Always practicing patience and
being merciful to all, having sympathy for all living beings,
one will then be able to proclaim / This Sutra praised by the
Buddhas. The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra is praised in
unison by all the Buddhas of the ten directions and three
periods of time.
In the future Ending Age when the Dharma
is about to become extinct, one who receives, upholds, reads,
and recites this Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra / Should
bring forth kindness and compassion / For those at home, those
who have left home / And those who are not Bodhisattvas.
“Those who are not Bodhisattvas” refers to those who are
neither lay people nor left-home people and who do not
understand the Buddhadharma. One should be kind and
compassionate to them, in order to make them happy and
alleviate their suffering.
He should take pity on such beings,
thinking, “Those who do not hear / Or believe this Dharma
Flower Sutra / Suffer a great loss.” This is the greatest loss
of all, because if you do not believe in the Dharma Flower
Sutra, you cannot become a Buddha. If you want to become a
Buddha, you have to believe in the Dharma Flower Sutra.
To be
continued
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