伏藏
Hidden Treasures
一說到伏藏品，很多學佛的人都認爲是甯瑪巴特有的，這種想法完全是孤陋寡聞的標志。
At the mention of the hidden treasures, “terma,” most Buddhists immediately assume that it is something special for the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. But to hold such a viewpoint is a sign of being ill informed.
佛陀在顯宗的《現行等持經》中雲：“一旦吾趨入滅盡，遺體法寶留于世，諸佛菩薩受持後，繕寫裝入寶箧中，藏入佛塔地與岩，交付天龍等衆生，此等經典恒不滅，如同天人之淨戒，未來因緣成熟時，無論種姓之大師，依佛菩薩言開取，如願利益諸有情。”《正法攝持經》也雲：“阿難，何人爲正法長久住世，將法書于紙上，隱藏而供養，能獲得四利。何四？得佛眼……”可見佛陀早已明示伏藏之由來，只是我們翻閱的經論太少，才會有此誤解。
In one scripture of the Sutrayana, The Sutra of Abiding in Samadhi, Buddha says: “As I pass into nirvana, my body relic and the Dharma will remain in the world. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, having meditated on the Doctrines, will codify and store them in treasure chests, conceal them inside stupas, under the earth, or in the rocks; they then bid gods, nagas, and demigods as the protectors. Just like the pine realm”s pure precepts, these Dharma treasures cannot ever be destroyed. In the future at the destined time, great masters of different lineages, cued by the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, will reveal the treasures, decipher them, and bring benefits to all sentient beings.” In The Sutra of Practicing the Authentic Dharma it also says: “Ananda, those who codify Dharma teachings and conceal them so that fresh, unimpaired Dharma will long remain in this world are making great offerings. They will be endowed with four huge fortunes. What are these four
They are: to attain Buddha”s pine eye and.” etc. Obviously, the Buddha from early on has described clearly the origin of the hidden treasures. Our misunderstanding comes from not having read enough scriptures.
不論怎樣，伏藏品在末法時期的利益實在無法估量。伏藏大師班瑪朗巴說過：“此法度化濁世多數衆，甚深無缺無障義廣大，僅依部分教言也解脫，是故蘇醒佛性有緣者，憶念死亡精修伏藏法，一生必將獲得解脫道，濁世伏藏法有信心者，曾經已見蓮師並發願，皆爲有緣善根者當喜。”
Regardless, the benefits of hidden treasures in this degenerate time are unfathomable. One of the great revealers of the hidden treasure, Terton Padma Langpa, says: “Terma—the profound, complete, faultless, and immense treasure—will guide numerous beings in degenerate times. Liberation may be achieved even by practicing some of it. Whosoever with karmic connections, therefore, awaken your Buddha nature and devote yourself to terma practice, spurred on always by the thought of impermanence. You can be sure to attain liberation in this very life. Whoever has faith in terma during a degenerate time must have met the Great Master of Oddiyana, Guru Rinpoche, previously and pledged in front of him. Rejoice, all of you virtuous beings destined to this practice!”
關于伏藏的功德、道理、辯論等解疑，在班瑪朗巴撰著的《伏藏大史》中有詳解，有興趣者不妨一讀。
If you want to know more about the hidden treasures, such as their quality, principle, debate on logic reasoning, and so forth, I would recommend to you check the detailed description in The Comprehensive History of Terma by Padma Langpa.
壬午年四月初二
2002年5月14日
2nd of April, Year of RenWu
May 14, 2002