..續本文上一頁se to slander. During the long night, they lose great benefit and joy and fall into the evil destinies, where they wander ceaselessly"

　　”世尊！有諸衆生，信根不具，聞說諸佛甚深行處，作是思惟：雲何但念藥師琉璃光如來一佛名號，便獲爾所功德勝利？由此不信，返生誹謗。彼于長夜失大利樂，墮諸惡趣，流轉無窮！”

　　The Buddha told Ananda, "If these sentient beings hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata and sincerely accept and uphold it without any doubts, they cannot possibly fall into the evil destinies.

　　佛告阿難：”是諸有情若聞世尊藥師琉璃光如來名號，至心受持，不生疑惑，墮惡趣者無有是處”。

　　Ananda, this is the extremely profound practice of all Buddhas which is difficult to believe and to understand! You should know that your ability to accept this comes from the awesome power of the Tathagata.

　　Ananda, all Hearers, Solitarily Enlightened Ones, and the Bodhisattvas who have not yet ascended to the Grounds are incapable of believing and understanding this Dharma as it really is. Only the Bodhisattvas who are destined in one life to attain Buddhahood are capable of understanding.

　　”阿難！此是諸佛甚深所行，難可信解；汝今能受，當知皆是如來威力。阿難！一切聲聞、獨覺，及未登地諸菩薩等，皆悉不能如實信解，唯除一生所系菩薩。

　　Ananda, it is difficult to obtain a human body. It is also difficult to have faith in and to revere the Triple Jewel. It is even more difficult to be able to hear the name of the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata.

　　”阿難！人身難得；于叁寶中，信敬尊重，亦難可得；聞世尊藥師琉璃光如來名號，複難于是”。

　　Ananda, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata possesses boundless Bodhisattva practices,

　　limitless skillful expedients, and immeasurably, vast, great vows.

　　If I were to speak extensively of those for an eon or more, the eon would soon end, but that Buddha”s practices, vows, and skillfulexpedients have no end!"

　　”阿難！彼藥師琉璃光如來，無量菩薩行，無量善巧方便，無量廣大願；我若一劫，若一劫余而廣說者，劫可速盡，彼佛行願，善巧方便無有盡也！”

　　At that time within the assembly, a Bodhisattva Mahasattva named One Who Rescues and Liberates

　　arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, leaned forward with his palms joined together, and said to the Buddha,

　　"Greatly virtuous World Honored One! During the Dharma-Image Age, there will be living beings afflicted with various diseases, emaciated from chronic illnesses, unable to eat or drink, their throats parched and their lips dry. Such a being sees darkness gathering all around him as the signs of

　　death appear. While lying in bed, surrounded by his weeping parents, relatives, and friends, he sees the messengers of Yama leading his spirit before that king of justice.

　　爾時、衆中，有一菩薩摩诃薩，名曰救脫，即從座起，偏袒一肩，右膝著地，曲躬合掌而白佛言：”大德世尊！像法轉時，有諸衆生爲種種患之所困厄，長病贏瘦，不能飲食，喉唇幹燥，見諸方暗，死相現則，父母、親屬、朋友、知識啼泣圍繞；然彼自身臥在本處，見琰魔使，引其神識至于琰魔法王之前。

　　Every sentient being has spirits that stay with him throughout his life. They record his every deed, both good and evil, to present to Yama, the king of justice.

　　At that time, King Yama interrogates this person in order to tally his karma and mete out judgement according to his good and evil deeds.

　　然諸有情，有俱生神，隨其所作若罪若福，皆具書之，盡持授與琰魔法王。爾時、彼王推問其人，計算所作，隨其罪福而處斷之。

　　At that time, if the sick person”s relatives and friends, on his behalf, can take refuge with the World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, and request members of the Sangha to recite this Sutra, to light seven layers of lamps, and to hang up the five-colored banners for prolonging life, then it is possible for his spirit to return.

　　As if in a dream, the person will see everything very clearly himself.

　　If his spirit returns after seven, twenty-one, thirty-five, or forty-nine days, he will feel as if awakened from a dream and will remember the retributions that he underwent for his good and bad karma.

　　時彼病人，親屬、知識，若能爲彼歸依世尊藥師琉璃光如來，請諸衆僧，轉讀此經，然七層之燈，懸五色續命神旛，或有是處彼識得還，如在夢中明了自見。或經七日，或二十一日，或叁十五日，或四十九日，彼識還時，如從夢覺，皆自憶知善不善業所得果報；

　　Having personally witnessed the retributions of his own karma, he will never again…

《Sutra of the Merit and Virtue of the Past Vows of Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata (藥師琉璃光如來本願功德經)》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…