Eight Great Awakenings Sutra

　　佛說八大人覺經

　　Translated by Shramana An Shr Gao of the Latter Han Dynasty

　　Buddhist Disciples! At all times, day and night, sincerely recite and bear in mind these eight truths that cause great people to awaken.

　　爲佛弟子，常于晝夜，至心誦念八大人覺：

　　The First Awakening: The world is impermanent. Countries are perilous and fragile. The body is a source of pain, ultimately empty. The five skandhas are not the true self. Life and Death is nothing but a series of transformations-hallucinatory, unreal, uncontrollable. The intellect is a wellspring of turpitude, the body a breeding ground of offenses. Investigate and contemplate these truths. Gradually break free of death and rebirth.

　　第一覺悟：世間無常；國土危脆，四大苦空，五陰無我，生滅變異，虛僞無主，心是惡源，形爲罪薮，如是觀察，漸離生死。

　　The Second Awakening: Too much desire brings pain. Death and rebirth are wearisome ordeals, originating from our thoughts of greed and lust. By lessening desires we can realize absolute truth and enjoy peace, freedom, and health in body and mind.

　　第二覺知：多欲爲苦；生死疲勞，從貪欲起，少欲無爲，身心自在。

　　The Third Awakening: Our minds are never satisfied or content with just enough. The more we obtain, the more we want. Thus we create offenses and perform evil deeds. Bodhisattvas don”t wish to make these mistakes. Instead, they choose to be content. They nurture the Way, living a quiet life in humble surroundings-their sole occupation, cultivating wisdom.

　　第叁覺知：心無厭足，惟得多求，增長罪惡；菩薩不爾，常念知足，安貧守道，惟慧是業。

　　The Fourth Awakening: Idleness and self-indulgence are the downfall of people. With unflagging vigor, great people break through their afflictions and baseness. They vanquish and defeat the four kinds of demons, and escape from the prison of the five skandhas.

　　第四覺知：懈怠墜落；常行精進，破煩惱惡，摧伏四魔，出陰界獄。

　　The Fifth Awakening: Stupidity and ignorance are the cause of death and rebirth. Bodhisattvas apply themselves and deeply appreciate study and erudition, constantly striving to expand their wisdom and refine their eloquence. Nothing brings them greater joy than teaching and transforming living beings.

　　第五覺悟：愚癡生死；菩薩常念，廣學多聞，增長智慧，成就辯才，教化一切，悉以大樂。

　　The Sixth Awakening: Suffering in poverty breeds deep resentment. Wealth unfairly distributed creates ill-will and conflict among people. Thus, Bodhisattvas practice giving. They treat friend and foe alike. They do not harbor grudges or despise amoral people.

　　第六覺知：貧苦多怨，橫結惡緣；菩薩布施，等念怨親，不念舊惡，不憎惡人。

　　The Seventh Awakening: The five desires are a source of offenses and grief. Truly great people, laity included, are not blighted by worldly pleasures. Instead, they aspire to don the three-piece precept robe and the blessing bowl of monastic life. Their ultimate ambition is to leave the home life and to cultivate the Path with impeccable purity. Their virtuous qualities are lofty and sublime; their attitude towards all creatures, kind and compassionate.

　　第七覺悟：五欲過患；雖爲俗人，不染世樂，常念叁衣，瓦缽法器，志願出家，守道清白，梵行高遠，慈悲一切。

　　The Eighth Awakening: Like a blazing inferno, birth and death are plagued with suffering and affliction. Therefore, great people resolve to cultivate the Great Vehicle, to rescue all beings, to endure hardship on beh. alf of others, and to lead everyone to ultimate happiness.

　　第八覺知：生死熾然，苦惱無量；發大乘心，普濟一切，願代衆生，受無量苦，令諸衆生，畢竟大樂。

　　These are the Eight Truths that all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and great people awaken to. Once awakened, they even more energetically continue to cultivate the Path. Steeping themselves in kindness and compassion, they grow in wisdom. They sail the Dharma ship across to Nirvana”s shore, and then return on the sea of birth and death to rescue living beings. They use these Eight Truths to show the proper course for living beings, causing them to recognize the anguish of birth and death. They inspire all to forsake the five desires, and to cultivate their minds in the manner of Sages.

　　如此八事，乃是諸佛，菩薩大人，之所覺悟，精進行道，慈悲修慧，乘法身船，至涅槃岸。複還生死，度脫衆生。以前八事，開導一切，令諸衆生，覺生死苦，舍離五欲，修心聖道。

　　If Buddhist disciples recite this Sutra on the Eight Awakenings, and constantly ponder its meaning, they will certainly eradicate boundless offenses, advance towards Bodhi, and will quickly realize Proper Enlightenment. They will always be free of birth and death, and will abide in eternal bliss.

　　若佛弟子，誦此八事，于念念中，滅無量罪，進趣菩提，速登正覺，永斷生死，常住快樂。

　　Translated from Chinese into English by

　　Buddhist Text Translation Society

　　City of Ten Thousand Buddhas

　　Talmage, California

　　注：本經以說明諸佛菩薩等大人應覺知思念之八種法。佛弟子須觀察體會八大人覺，以作自覺、覺他之修行。本經之八大人覺系指覺世間無常、覺多欲、覺心不足、覺懈怠、覺愚癡、覺貧怨、覺欲過患、覺生死。八大人覺在阿含經典、佛遺教經、成實論中均廣有論說，其順序、名稱雖異，然旨趣則同。明代智旭曾爲作”八大人覺經略解”［八大人覺之原始研究(增永靈鳳)］

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