..續本文上一頁ng Thus Come One appeared in the world. If men or women hear this Buddha”s name, those people will encounter as many Buddhas as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, who will speak Dharma extensively for them, making certain that they realize Bodhi.

　　 『又於過去有佛出世，號大通山王如來。若有男子女人聞是佛名者，是人得遇恒河沙佛廣爲說法，必成菩提。』

　　"Furthermore, in the past there were Buddhas named Pure Moon Buddha, Mountain King Buddha, Wise Victory Buddha, Pure Name King Buddha, Accomplished Wisdom Buddha, Unsurpassed Buddha, Wonderful Sound Buddha, Full Moon Buddha,

　　Moon-Face Buddha, and indescribably many other Buddhas.

　　 『又於過去有淨月佛、山王佛、智勝佛、淨名王佛、智成就佛、無上佛、妙聲佛、滿月佛、月面佛有如是等不可說佛。

　　"World Honored One, beings of the present and future, both gods and humans, both male and female, can amass such limitless merit and virtue by reciting only one Buddha”s name. How much more merit will they amass by reciting many names.

　　世尊，現在未來一切衆生，若天若人，若男若女，但念得一佛名號，功德無量，何況多名。』

　　Those beings will personally obtain benefits in their lives and deaths significant enough to keep them from ever falling into the Evil Paths.

　　"When people are on the verge of dying, a group of their relatives, or even just one of them, should recite Buddhas” names aloud for the people who are sick. By doing so, the karmic retributions of those people who are about to die will be dissolved, even offenses deserving Fivefold Relentless Retribution.

　　 『是衆生等，生時死時，自的大利，終不墮惡道。若有臨命終人，家中眷屬，乃至一人，爲是病人高聲念一佛名，是命終人，除五無間罪，馀業報等悉得消滅。

　　Offenses warranting Fivefold Relentless Retribution are so extremely heavy that those who commit them should not escape retribution for millions of eons. If, however, at the time of such offenders” deaths, someone recites the names of Buddhas on their behalf, then their offenses can gradually be dissolved.

　　How much more will that be the case for beings who recited those names themselves. The merit they attain will be limitless and will eradicate measureless offenses."

　　是五無間罪，雖至極重，動經億劫，了不得出，承斯臨命終時，他人爲其稱念佛名，於是罪中，亦漸消滅。何況衆生自稱自念，獲福無量，滅無量罪。』

　　CHAPTER X

　　The Conditions and Comparative Merits and Virtues of Giving

　　 校量布施功德緣品第十

　　At that time. Earth Store Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, based on the Buddha”s awesome spiritual strength, arose from his seat, knelt on one knee, placed his palms together and said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, I have observed beings within the paths of karma and compared their acts of giving. Some do a little and some do a lot. Some receive blessings for one life, some for ten lives, and some receive great blessings and benefits for hundreds or thousands of lives. Why is that

　　 Please, World Honored One, explain that for us."

　　爾時地藏菩薩摩诃薩承佛威神，從座而起，胡跪合掌白佛言：『世尊，我觀業道衆生，校量布施，有輕有重，有一生受福，有十生受福，有百生千生受大福利者。是事雲何，唯願世尊爲我說之。』

　　At that time the Buddha told Earth Store Bodhisattva, "Here in this assembly in the palace of the Trayastrimsha Heaven, I will now discuss the comparative merit and virtue derived from acts of giving done by the beings in Jambudvipa. Listen attentively to what I say."

　　Earth Store said to the Buddha, "I have wondered about this matter and will be pleased to listen."

　　 爾時佛告地藏菩薩：『吾今於忉利天宮一切會衆，說閻浮提布施較量功德輕重，汝當谛聽，吾爲汝說。』

　　 地藏白佛言：『我疑是事，願樂欲聞。』

　　The Buddha told Earth Store Bodhisattva, "In Jambudvipa, leaders of nations, prime ministers, high officials, great Elders, great Ksatriyas, great Brahmans, and others may encounter those who are poor,

　　hunchbacked, crippled, dumb, mute, deaf, retarded, blind or handicapped in other ways.

　　 佛告地藏菩薩：『南閻浮提，有國王、宰輔大臣、大長者、大刹利、大婆羅門等，若遇最下貧窮，乃至癃殘　啞，聾癡無目，如是種種不完具者。

　　Those leaders and good people may wish to give to those people and may be able to do so with great compassion, a humble heart, and a smile. They may arrange to give generously, either personally with their own hands, or by arranging for others to do…

《Earth Store Bodhisattva (地藏菩薩本願經)》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…