..续本文上一页thagata dwells to-day in the state of a Jina, in the state of omniscience, in the state of a Mahanaga; and he contemplates the holy and fully enlightened Tathagatas of the past, future, and present.”

　　After these words, the Bhagavat thus spoke to the blessed Ananda: ”Well said! well said! Ananda. Did the gods suggest this matter to you

　　 or the blessed Buddhas

　　 Or do you know this through the philosophical knowledge which you possess

　　”

　　After these words the blessed Ananda spoke thus to the Bhagavat: ”The gods, O Bhagavat, do not suggest this matter to me, nor the blessed Buddhas, but this thought occurs to me by my own philosophy alone, that is, that probably the Tathagata dwells to-day in the state of a Buddha, probably the Tathagata dwells to-day in the state of a Jina, in the state of omniscience, in the state of a Mahanaga; or he contemplates the venerable Buddhas of the past, future, and present.”

　　After these words the Bhagavat spoke thus to the blessed Ananda: ”Well said! well said! Ananda; excellent indeed is your question, good your philosophy, and beautiful your understanding! You, O Ananda, have arrived for the benefit and happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the sake of the great body of men, for the benefit and happiness of gods and men, as you think it right to ask the Tathagata this matter: Thus, indeed, Ananda, might pile up intellectual knowledge under immeasurable and innumerable blessed, holy, and fully enlightened Tathagatas, and yet the knowledge of the Tathagata would not be exceeded thereby. And why

　　 Because, O Ananda, one who possesses the knowledge of a Tathagata possesses an intellectual knowledge of causes that cannot be exceeded.

　　”If the Tathagata wished O Ananda, he could live for a whole kalpa on one alms-gift, or for a hundred kalpas, or for a thousand kalpas, or for a hundred thousand kalpas, to a hundred thousand nayutas of kotis of kalpas, nay, he could live beyond, and yet the organs of nature of the Tathagata would not perish, the color of his face would not be altered, nor would the color of his skin be injured. And why

　　 Because, O Ananda, the Tathagata has so fully obtained the perfections which arise from Samadhi.

　　”The appearance of fully enlightened Buddhas is very difficult to be obtained in this world, O Ananda. As the appearance of Audumbara-flowers is very difficult to be obtained in this world; thus, O Ananda, the appearance of Tathagatas who desire welfare, wish for what is beneficial, are compassionate, and have arrived at the highest compassion, is very difficult to be obtained. But, O Ananda, it is owing to the grace of the Tathagata himself that you think that the Tathagata should be asked this question, so that there may arise in this world beings who can be teachers of all the world, for the sake of noble-minded Bodhisattvas. Therefore, O Ananda, listen, and take it well and rightly to heart! I shall tell you.”

　　”Yes, O Bhagavat,” so did the blessed Ananda answer the Bhagavat.

　　# 3. The Bhagavat then spoke to Ananda: ”At the time, O Ananda, which was long ago in the past, in an innumerable and more than innumerable, enormous, immeasurable, and incomprehensible kalpa before now--at that time, and at that moment, there arose in the world a holy and fully enlightened Tathagata called Dipankara. Following after Dipankara, O Ananda, there was a Tathagata Pratapavat, and after him, Prabhakara, Kandanagandha, Sumerukalpa, Kandana, Vimalanana, Anupalipta, Vimalaprabha, Nagabhibhu, Suryodana, Giririjaghosha, Merukuta, Suvarnaprabha, Gyotishprabha, Vaiduryanirbhasa, Brahmaghosha, Kandabhibho, 19. Turyaghosha, Muktakusumapratimanditaprabha, Srikuta, Sagaravarabuddhivikriditabhijna, Varaprabha, Mahagandhajanirbhasa, Vyapagatakhilamalapratighosha, Surakuta, …

《无量寿经 The Sutra on the Buddha of Eternal Life translated from the Sanskrit by F· Max Mueller》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…