Translations

[7] Dharma Flower Bhikṣuṇī In Her Later Life Becoming Officials’ Prostitute 法华尼后身作官妓

法华尼后身作官妓
[7] Dharma Flower Bhikṣuṇī [In Her] Later Life Becoming Officials’ Prostitute


欧阳永叔知颍州,一官妓口气作莲华香。

[In] Ōuyáng Yǒngshū’s Zhīyǐngzhōu [i.e. today’s Ānwēi Fùyáng (安微阜阳)], [there was] an official prostitute’s mouth, [with] breath [that] created lotus flowers’ fragrance.

有僧知宿命,言:「此妓前世为尼,诵《法华经》三十年,一念之差,遂至于此。」

[There] was [a] monastic [who] knew [her] past life, [who] said, ‘This prostitute, [in her] past life, [was] as [a] Bhikṣuṇī, [who] recited [the Wonderful] Dharma [Lotus] Flower Sūtra《妙法莲华经》[for] thirty years, [with the] mistake of one thought, thereupon [with the] reaching of this [state].’

问妓云:「曾读《法华经》否?」

[He] asked [the] prostitute, ‘Have [you] read [the] Dharma Flower Sūtra before or not?’

答云:「失身于此,何暇诵经。」

[She] answered, ‘[From] losing [my] chastity to this [moment], when [do I have] spare [time to] recite [a] sūtra?’

与以《法华》,则读诵如流。与之他经,则不能读。以此知僧言可信矣。

Given with [the] Dharma Flower, [she] then recited [it] aloud, like flowing [water]. Giving her other sūtras, [she was] then not able [to] read [them]. With this [is it] known [that the] monastic’s words can [be] believed.

使此尼知西方法门,则上品上生可也。不知而坠堕于妓,可不哀哉!

If this Bhikṣuṇī knew [the] Western [Pure Land’s] Dharma door, then [could she attain a] High Grade’s High Birth. Not knowing [it], then falling [to] be [a] prostitute, how [is this] not pitiful?

以此知能用西方法门教人者,其济拔之功大矣,福报岂易量哉!

With this, [it should be] known [that of] those able [to] use [the] Western [Pure Land’s] Dharma door [to] teach people, their merits of aiding [and] pulling out [those from the suffering ocean are] great. [Of their] blessed rewards, how [can they be] easily measured?

Namo Amituofo : Translation by Shen Shi’an

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https://purelanders.com/2021/12/28/6-three-bodhisattvas-who-cultivated-to-reach-tu%e1%b9%a3ita/

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