后成地藏菩萨的婆罗门女
The Brahmin Woman Who Later Became Earth Treasury Bodhisattva
《地藏菩萨本愿经》卷上：
Earth Treasury Bodhisattva’s Fundamental Vows’ Sūtra’s Upper Scroll:
忉利天宫神通品第一 (摘录)
Chapter One [On] Trāyastriṃśa Heavenly Palace’s Supernormal [Powers] (Excerpt)
【释迦牟尼佛】：又于过去不可思议阿僧祇劫，时世有佛，号曰觉华定自在王如来，彼佛寿命四百千万亿阿僧祇劫。
[Śākyamuni Buddha]: Furthermore, [in] past inconceivable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, then [in the] world was [a] Buddha, named Awakening’s Flower’s Concentration’s Ease King Thus Come [One], [with] that Buddha’s lifespan [being] four thousand million koṭis [of] asaṃkhyeya kalpas.
像法之中，有一婆罗门女，宿福深厚，众所钦敬，行住坐卧，诸天卫护，其母信邪，常轻三宝。
Within that Dharma-Semblance [Age], was a Brahmin Woman, [with] past blessings deep [and] abundant, by all that admired [and] respected, [when] walking, standing, sitting [and] lying down, [by] many heavenly [beings] guarded [and] protected, her mother believed [in the] evil, [and] often slighted [the] Triple Gem.
是时圣女，广设方便，劝诱其母，令生正见，而此女母，未全生信，不久命终，魂神堕在无间地狱。
[At] this time, [the] Noble Woman widely established skilful means, [to] encourage [and] induce her mother, [to] enable giving rise [to] Right Views, yet this woman’s mother, [when] yet [to] completely give rise [to] faith, not long [after, had her] life ended, [with her] consciousness falling into [the] Uninterrupted Hell.
[Note 1: Being reborn in the hell with the most suffering, this is the worst-case scenario in the next life.]
时婆罗门女，知母在世，不信因果，计当随业，必生恶趣，遂卖家宅，广求香华，及诸供具，于先佛塔寺，大兴供养。
Then, [the] Brahmin Woman, knowing [that her] mother, [when] alive, [did] not believe [in] cause [and] effect, prepared [that she] will follow [her] karmas, [with] definite birth [in an] evil realm, thereupon sold [her] house, widely sought incense, flowers and all offering instruments, [to be] at [the] former Buddha’s stupa [and] monasteries, [to] make offerings [on a] large scale.
[Note 2: The above was practised to create as much meritorious virtues (功德) as possible, for dedicating as much as possible. Only one of seven parts of meritorious virtues personally created is ‘dedicatable’ to other(s), as detailed at https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2013/05/can-dedication-of-merits-solve-problems.]
见觉华定自在王如来，其形像在一寺中，塑画威容，端严毕备。
[She] saw Awakening’s Flower’s Concentration’s Ease King Thus Come [One], his form’s image within a monastery, [as] sculpted [and] painted [with his] imposing appearance, [with] uprightness [and] majesty complete.
时婆罗门女，瞻礼尊容，倍生敬仰，私自念言：「佛名大觉，具一切智，若在世时，我母死后，傥来问佛，必知处所。」
Then, [the] Brahmin Woman, looking up [to and] prostrating [to the] Honoured [One’s] countenance, [with many] times [more] giving rise [of] reverence, privately thought, saying, ‘[The] Buddha [is] named [the] Great Awakened [One], complete [with] all-[knowing] wisdom. If when in [the] world, after my mother’s death, if coming [to] ask [the] Buddha, [he will] definitely know that place.’
[Note 3: On praying to the Buddha for answers to difficult questions, see the Main Solution section at https://purelanders.com/sure.]
时婆罗门女，垂泣良久，瞻恋如来，忽闻空中声曰：「泣者圣女，勿至悲哀，我今示汝母之去处。」
Then, [the] Brahmin Woman, crying [for a] long time, looking up [in] admiration [at the] Thus Come [One], suddenly heard within [the] sky, [a] voice saying, ‘That crying Noble Woman, [do] not grieve sorrowfully, [as] I now [will] show [you the] whereabouts [of] your mother.’
[Note 4: For more on handling grief:
How To Transform Grief For The Departed?
如何转变对亡者的悲伤？
https://purelanders.com/2024/05/14/how-to-transform-grief-for-the-departed
What Should We Do If Missing Departed Ones?
https://purelanders.com/2023/02/08/what-should-we-do-if-missing-departed-ones]
婆罗门女合掌向空，而白空曰：「是何神德，宽我忧虑？我自失母以来，昼夜忆恋，无处可问，知母生界。」
[The] Brahmin Woman joined [her] palms towards [the] sky, and to [the] sky said, ‘[You] are which divine virtuous one? [Can you] release me [from my] worries? I, since losing [my] mother, [in] day [and] night recollecting [and] longing, [am] without [a] place possible [for] asking, [to] know [my] mother’s birth realm.’
时空中有声，再报女曰：「我是汝所瞻礼者，过去觉华定自在王如来，见汝忆母，倍于常情，众生之分，故来告示。」
Then within [the] sky was [a] voice, again replying [to the] woman, saying, ‘I am that one you looked up [and] prostrated [to, the] past Awakening’s Flower’s Concentration’s Ease King Thus Come [One]. Seeing you recollecting [your] mother, [with many] times [more that] of common affection, [the] part of sentient beings, [I have] thus came [to] notify [you].’
婆罗门女闻此声已，举身自扑，肢节皆损，左右扶侍，良久方苏，而白空曰：「愿佛慈愍，速说我母生界，我今身心将死不久。」
[The] Brahmin Woman, [having] heard this voice already, [with] all [of her] body personally thrown [on the ground, her] limbs [and] joints [were] all injured [With her] attendants’ support, [after] a long time then revived, then to [the] sky said, ‘May [the] Buddha sympathise, [and] quickly speak [of] my mother’s birth realm, [as] my present body [and] mind [are] going [to] die not long [after].’
时觉华定自在王如来，告圣女曰：「汝供养毕，但早返舍，端坐思惟吾之名号，即当知母所生去处。」
Then, Awakening’s Flower’s Concentration’s Ease King Thus Come [One], told [the] Noble Woman, saying, ‘[After] your making [of] offerings [is] complete, [you should] only soon return [to your] home, [and] sit upright [with] contemplation of my name. Then will [you] know [your] mother’s whereabouts.’
[Note 5: Sincerity as expressed via mindfulness of Buddha (念佛) is key in connecting to the Buddha for responses.]
时婆罗门女寻礼佛已即归其舍，以忆母故，端坐念觉华定自在王如来，经一日一夜，忽见自身到一海边，其水涌沸，多诸恶兽，尽复铁身，飞走海上，东西驰逐；见诸男子女人，百千万数，出没海中，被诸恶兽争取食啖；又见夜叉，其形各异，或多手多眼，多足多头，口牙外出，利刃如剑，驱诸罪人，使近恶兽，复自搏攫，头足相就，其形万类，不敢久视。
Then, [the] Brahmin Woman, [having] immediately prostrated [to the] Buddha already, then returned [to] her home, with recollecting [of her] mother thus, sat upright [for] mindfulness [of] Awakening’s Flower’s Concentration’s Ease King Thus Come [One]. Passing one day [and] one night, [she] suddenly saw [her] own body reach a seaside, [with] its water gurgling [and] boiling, [with] many evil beasts’ completely covered iron bodies, flying [on the] sea above, [from the] East [to the] West driving [and] chasing, seeing many men [and] women, [of a] thousand million [in] number, appearing [and] disappearing within [the] sea, by many evil beasts competed [over as] food eaten. Also seeing yakṣas, [with] their forms each different, perhaps [with] many hands, many eyes, many legs, many heads, [and] mouths’ teeth outward protruding, [with] sharp blades like swords, driving all transgressing persons, causing [them to be] near [the] evil beasts, again personally captured, [with their] heads [and] feet near, [with] their forms [of] ten thousand kinds, [they do] not dare [to] look long [at them].
时婆罗门女，以念佛力故，自然无惧。
Then, [the] Brahmin Woman, with mindfulness [of] Buddha’s power thus, [was] naturally without fear.
[Note 6: As vowed by Dharma Treasury Bodhisattva (法藏菩萨) who became Amitā(bha) Buddha (阿弥陀佛: Āmítuófó) in Immeasurable Life Sūtra《无量寿经》: https://purelanders.com/dajing, ‘Of all with fear, for them creating great peace.’ (一切恐惧，为作大安。) The easiest way to connect to a Buddha for great peace, which is the opposite of great fear, is via mindfulness of the Buddha’s name.]
有一鬼王，名曰无毒，稽首来迎，白圣女曰：「善哉菩萨！何缘来此？」
[There] was a Ghost King, named Poisonless, [who] prostrated [and] came [to] welcome, [to [the] Noble Women saying, ‘Excellent Bodhisattva, [with] what condition [have you] come [to] this [place]?’
时婆罗门女问鬼王曰：「此是何处？」
Then, [the] Brahmin Woman asked [the] Ghost King, saying, ‘This is what place?’
无毒答曰：「此是大铁围山，西面第一重海。」
Poisonless replied, saying, ‘This is [the] Great Iron Wall Mountain’s western side’s first layer [of] sea.’
圣女问曰：「我闻铁围之内，地狱在中，是事实不？」
[The] Noble Woman asked, saying, ‘I [have] heard of [that] inside [the] Iron Wall. [Are the] hells within? Is [this] factual [or] not?’
无毒答曰：「实有地狱。」
Poisonless replied, saying, ‘[There] truly are [the] hells.’
圣女问曰：「我今云何得到狱所？」
[The] Noble Woman asked, saying, ‘How [did] I now attain arrival [at the] hells’ place?’
无毒答曰：「若非威神，即须业力，非此二事，终不能到。」
Poisonless replied, saying, ‘If not [with] mighty super[normal powers], then needing karmic power, [if] not [with] these two matters, [one] in the end [is] not able [to] arrive [here].’
[Note 7: As the Brahmin Woman did not reach the hells via her evil karmas’ ripening, it was with riding upon the Buddha’s supernormal powers. And since there were no evil karmas involved, she did not suffer as a hell-being.]
圣女又问：「此水何缘，而乃涌沸，多诸罪人，及以恶兽？」
[The] Noble Woman again asked, ‘This water [has] what condition, [to] then thus gurgle [and] boil, [with] many of [those] transgressing persons, and with evil beasts?’
无毒答曰：「此是阎浮提造恶众生，新死之者，经四十九日后，无人继嗣，为作功德，救拔苦难，生时又无善因，当据本业所感地狱，自然先渡此海。海东十万由旬，又有一海，其苦倍此，彼海之东，又有一海，其苦复倍，三业恶因之所招感，共号业海，其处是也。」
Poisonless replied, saying, ‘These are Jambudvīpa’s sentient beings [who have] created evil, those newly deceased. Passing forty-nine days later, without persons succeeding, for [them] creating meritorious virtues, saving [and] pulling [them] out [of] suffering, when born again, again without good causes, [they] will accord [with their] original karmas [to reach] those connected hells, naturally first crossing this sea. [To this] sea’s East’s ten thousand yojanas, again has a sea, [with] its suffering [many] times [more than] this. Of that sea’s East, again has a sea, [with] its suffering again [many] times [more. With the] three karmas’ evil causes, by those attracted [and] connected, together named karmas’ ocean, this is [that] place.’
[Note 8: It is thus important to create meritorious virtues on the behalf of the deceased, especially within the 7 weeks after death, which is the complete bardo (intermediate) state’s (中阴) duration for the average person, before the realm reborn in is determined. The easiest way to create great meritorious virtues swiftly is by ample mindfulness of Buddha. (The three karmas [三业] are karmas created via body, speech and mind, in terms of intentional deeds, speech and thoughts respectively.)]
圣女又问鬼王无毒曰：「地狱何在？」
[The] Noble Woman again asked [the] Ghost King Poisonless, saying, ‘Where are [the] hells?’
无毒答曰：「三海之内，是大地狱，其数百千，各各差别。所谓大者，具有十八，次有五百，苦毒无量，次有千百，亦无量苦。」
Poisonless replied, saying, ‘Inside [the] three seas, are [the] Great Hells, [with] them numbering [a] hundred thousand, [with] each one different. [Those] so-called “Great” have eighteen. Next having five hundred, [with] suffering’s poisons immeasurable. Next having [a] thousand hundred, also [with] immeasurable suffering.’
圣女又问大鬼王曰：「我母死来未久，不知魂神当至何趣？」
[The] Noble Woman again asked [the] Great Ghost King, saying, ‘My mother, since death, [has] yet [to be] long. Not knowing [her] consciousness will arrive [at] which realm.’
鬼王问圣女曰：「菩萨之母，在生习何行业？」
[The] Ghost King asked [the] Noble Woman, saying, ‘[The] mother of [the] Bodhisattva, when alive, habitually practised what karmas?’
圣女答曰：「我母邪见，讥毁三宝，设或暂信，旋又不敬，死虽日浅，未知生处？」
[The] Noble Woman replied, saying, ‘My mother [had] evil views, [and] slandered [the] Triple Gem. If perhaps temporarily [having] faith, returned again [to have] disrespect. [With her] deceased only [for] days few, yet [to] know [is her] birth place.’
无毒问曰：「菩萨之母，姓氏何等？」
Poisonless asked, saying, ‘[The] mother of [the] Bodhisattva, [has] what family [and] clan name?’
圣女答曰：「我父我母，俱婆罗门种，父号尸罗善现，母号悦帝利。」
[The] Noble Woman replied, saying, ‘My father [and] my mother, together [were of the] Brahmin caste, [with my] father named Śīla Good Appearance, [and my] mother named Yuèdìlì.’
无毒合掌启菩萨曰：「愿圣者却返本处，无至忧忆悲恋，悦帝利罪女，生天以来，经今三日，云承孝顺之子，为母设供修福，布施觉华定自在王如来塔寺，非唯菩萨之母，得脱地狱，应是无间罪人，此日悉得受乐，俱同生讫。」鬼王言毕，合掌而退。
Poisonless joined [his] palms [and] informed [the] Bodhisattva, saying, ‘May [the] noble one retreat [and] return [to your] originating place, not [be with] extreme worries [and] grief [with] attachment, [as the] transgressing woman Yuèdìlì, [with] birth [in a] heaven since, now passing three days, has received [the] filial piety of [her] child, for [her] mother giving offerings [and] cultivating blessings, giving [at] Awakening’s Flower’s Concentration’s Ease King Thus Come [One’s] stupa [and] monasteries, not only [the] mother of [the] Bodhisattva, attained liberation [from the] hells, responding [to] this Uninterrupted [Hell’s] transgressing persons, [on] this day, all attained [and] received bliss, together [with] similar births completely.’ [The] Ghost King, [having] spoken completely, [with] joined palms then retreated.
[Note 9: The Buddha, with his all-knowing wisdom, should already know that the Brahmin Woman’s mother had already ascended to a heaven three days earlier. The Buddha thus gave her the answer to her question indirectly, through the Ghost King’s reply, while wanting to show the Brahmin Woman where her mother first went, as a skilful means to show her the hells, to urge her to give rise to great compassion for all beings.
There should not be worry that mindfulness of Buddha to discern the whereabouts of the deceased might lead to a visit to the hells, as this was the case for the Brahmin Woman only because she was spiritually ready, to benefit from the visit.]
[Note 10: Since the other hell-beings were liberated from the hell too, the Brahmin Woman must have created truly much meritorious and dedicated them, at least to all beings wherever her mother was reborn in. The Buddha must have also wanted to let the Brahmin Woman know the great power of her dedication of meritorious virtues, which we should take heed of too.]
[Note 11: The Ghost King addressed her as ‘Bodhisattva’ earlier. Thus, she was probably already practising the Bodhisattva path, at least in part, even if ‘unknowingly’. Although she was a Brahmin Woman by birth, she was clearly inclined towards the Buddhist teachings, as exemplified by her focused practices done.]
[Note 12: If one is already reborn in another realm with no communication access, such as the hells, or as a hungry ghost or animal who is far away, dedication of meritorious virtues can still alleviate suffering and expedite a better rebirth.]
[Note 13: Although liberation from a lower realm is good, what ideal however, in the dying, just deceased and post-death phases (within 49 days), is to offer ample guidance (开示) and support-chanting (助念) for reaching Āmítuófó’s Pure Land: https://purelanders.com/wake.
As those who have reached it will no longer be subject to rebirth, and will progress most swiftly to Buddhahood, this is true and complete liberation. This contrasts with only having a long but still limited life in a worldly heaven, though they will grow in their causes for liberation.]
婆罗门女寻如梦归，悟此事已，便于觉华定自在王如来塔像之前，立弘誓愿：「愿我尽未来劫，应有罪苦众生，广设方便，使令解脱。」
[The] Brahmin Woman immediately, like [from a] dream returned, [having] awakened [to] this matter already, then before Awakening’s Flower’s Concentration’s Ease Thus Come [One’s] stupa [and] image, established [the] great vow, ‘May I, exhausting future kalpas, respond [to] sentient beings [who] have transgressions [and] suffering, [by] widely establishing skilful [means, to] enable [and] cause [them to be] liberated.’
[Note 14: This vow expresses giving rise of the Bodhi Mind (发菩提心) formally. As all sentient beings have transgressions and suffering, and since true liberation is Buddhahood, this is a Bodhisattva vow (菩萨愿).]
佛告文殊师利：「时鬼王无毒者，当今财首菩萨是；婆罗门女者，即地藏菩萨是。」
[The] Buddha told Mañjuśrī, ‘Then, that Ghost King Poisonless, is [the] present Wealth Foremost Bodhisattva, [and] that Brahmin Woman, then is Earth Treasury Bodhisattva.’
[Note 15: An important learning point from this account is that we can always do something to aid the deceased, wherever they have been reborn in, to lessen their suffering there, and even expedite a better rebirth to elsewhere. There should not be mere wallowing in misery to no end, which helps no one, and even harms oneself.
[Note 16: Similar to other Great Bodhisattvas, Earth Treasury Bodhisattva also guides beings to Āmítuófó’s Pure Land: https://purelanders.com/dizangpusa.]
Namo Amituofo : Translation and notes by Shen Shi’an
相关文章
Related Articles:
《地藏经》之念佛教理
Kṣitigarbha Sūtra’s Niànfó Teachings
https://purelanders.com/dizangjing
How The Future Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva ‘First’ Visited Hell
https://thedailyenlightenment.com/2019/01/how-the-future-ksitigarbha-bodhisattva-first-visited-hell
