..续本文上一页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！有诸众生，信根不具，闻说诸佛甚深行处，作是思惟：云何但念药师琉璃光如来一佛名号，便获尔所功德胜利？由此不信，返生诽谤。彼于长夜失大利乐，堕诸恶趣，流转无穷！”

　　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.

　　佛告阿难：”是诸有情若闻世尊药师琉璃光如来名号，至心受持，不生疑惑，堕恶趣者无有是处”。

　　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.

　　”阿难！此是诸佛甚深所行，难可信解；汝今能受，当知皆是如来威力。阿难！一切声闻、独觉，及未登地诸菩萨等，皆悉不能如实信解，唯除一生所系菩萨。

　　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.

　　”阿难！人身难得；于三宝中，信敬尊重，亦难可得；闻世尊药师琉璃光如来名号，复难于是”。

　　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!"

　　”阿难！彼药师琉璃光如来，无量菩萨行，无量善巧方便，无量广大愿；我若一劫，若一劫余而广说者，劫可速尽，彼佛行愿，善巧方便无有尽也！”

　　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.

　　尔时、众中，有一菩萨摩诃萨，名曰救脱，即从座起，偏袒一肩，右膝著地，曲躬合掌而白佛言：”大德世尊！像法转时，有诸众生为种种患之所困厄，长病赢瘦，不能饮食，喉唇干燥，见诸方暗，死相现则，父母、亲属、朋友、知识啼泣围绕；然彼自身卧在本处，见琰魔使，引其神识至于琰魔法王之前。

　　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.

　　然诸有情，有俱生神，随其所作若罪若福，皆具书之，尽持授与琰魔法王。尔时、彼王推问其人，计算所作，随其罪福而处断之。

　　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.

　　时彼病人，亲属、知识，若能为彼归依世尊药师琉璃光如来，请诸众僧，转读此经，然七层之灯，悬五色续命神旛，或有是处彼识得还，如在梦中明了自见。或经七日，或二十一日，或三十五日，或四十九日，彼识还时，如从梦觉，皆自忆知善不善业所得果报；

　　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 (药师琉璃光如来本愿功德经)》全文未完，请进入下页继续阅读…