Sūtra On Perfect Awakening: Section On Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva《圆觉经》金刚藏菩萨章 Cultivating Practice Is Like Smelting Gold Ore 修行如销金矿

《圆觉经》金刚藏菩萨章
Sūtra [On] Perfect Awakening: Section [On] Vajra Treasury [Vajragarbha] Bodhisattva

[修行如销金矿]
[Cultivating Practice (Is) Like Smelting Gold Ore]

于是金刚藏菩萨在大众中即从座起，顶礼佛足右绕三匝，长跪叉手而白佛言：「大悲世尊！善为一切诸菩萨众宣扬如来圆觉清净大陀罗尼因地法行渐次方便，与诸众生开发蒙昧；在会法众承佛慈诲，幻翳朗然，慧目清净。

Thereupon, Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva within [the] great assembly, immediately from [his] seat arose, prostrated [at the] Buddha’s feet, [to the] right circumambulated three rounds, long knelt [with] crossed hands [i.e. joined palms] and [to the] Buddha said, ‘Great Compassionate World-Honoured [One, may you] skilfully for all Bodhisattva assemblies propagate [the] Thus Come [Ones’] Perfect Awakening’s pure [and] great dhāraṇī ground’s Dharma practices’ gradual skilful means, for all sentient beings [to] dismantle ignorance. [Those] in [the] assembly, [this] Dharma assembly, [will] receive [the] Buddha’s compassionate instructions, [for] illusory obscurations [to be] clearly understood, [and] wisdom eyes [to be] purified.

世尊！若诸众生本来成佛，何故复有一切无明？

[1] World-Honoured [One], if all sentient beings [have] originally accomplished Buddhahood, [for] what reason [are they] again have all ignorant?

若诸无明众生本有，何因缘故，如来复说本来成佛？

[2] If all [their] ignorance, [is that] sentient beings originally have, [for] what cause [and] condition thus, [do the] Thus Come [Ones] again speak [of them having] originally accomplished Buddhahood?

十方异生本成佛道，后起无明；一切如来，何时复生一切烦恼？

[3] [If the] ten directions’ different [ordinary] beings [have] originally accomplished [the] Buddha path, [and] later gave rise [to] ignorance, all Thus Come [Ones, at] what time, [will] again give rise [to] all afflictions?

唯愿不舍无遮大慈，为诸菩萨开秘密藏，及为末世一切众生，得闻如是修多罗教了义法门永断疑悔。」

Only wishing [you will] not forsake [us, and with your] unobstructed great compassion, for all Bodhisattvas, open [the] esoteric treasury, and for [the Dharma]-Ending Age’s all sentient beings, [to] attain hearing [of] such sūtra teachings’ definitive Dharma door, [to] forever sever doubts [and] regrets.’

作是语已，五体投地，如是三请，终而复始。

[Having] made these statements already, [with] five [parts of his] body thrown [on the] ground, [he] thus thrice entreated, [after] ending [each time], then again beginning.

尔时，世尊告金刚藏菩萨言：「善哉！善哉！善男子！汝等乃能为诸菩萨及末世众生，问于如来甚深秘密究竟方便，是诸菩萨最上教诲了义大乘，能使十方修学菩萨及诸末世一切众生，得决定信，永断疑悔。汝今谛听！当为汝说。」

At that time, [the] World-Honoured [One] told Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva, saying, ‘Excellent, excellent! Good man, you all [are] thus able [to], for all Bodhisattvas and [the Dharma]-Ending Age’s sentient beings, ask about [the] Thus Come [Ones’] extremely profound, esoteric [and] ultimate skilful means, [which] is all Bodhisattvas’ most supreme teachings [and] instructions [of the] definitive Great Vehicle, [that are] able [to] enable [the] ten directions’ cultivating [and] learning Bodhisattvas, and all [the Dharma]-Ending Age’s all sentient beings, [to] attain definite faith, [to] forever sever doubts [and] regrets. You [should] now attentively listen! [I] will for you speak.’

时，金刚藏菩萨奉教欢喜，及诸大众默然而听。

Then, Vajra Treasury Bodhisattva received [the] teachings joyfully, and all [in the] great assembly silently then listened.

「善男子！一切世界始终生灭，前后有无，聚散起止，念念相续，循环往复，种种取舍，皆是轮回。

‘Good man, all worlds begin [and] end [with] arising [and] ceasing, before [and] after exist [and do] not [exist], gather [and] disperse [at the] start [and] end. [With] thought [after] thought [in] continuous succession, cyclically going [and] returning, [with] all kinds [of] accepting [and] rejecting, all are [with] rebirth.

未出轮回而辨圆觉，彼圆觉性即同流转；若免轮回，无有是处。

Yet [to] exit rebirth, then differentiating Perfect Awakening, that Perfect Awakening’s nature [is] then [the] “same” [as that] flowing [to be] transformed [i.e. reborn]. If [wishing to] avoid rebirth, [this] is without possibility.

譬如动目能摇湛水；又如定眼犹回转火；云驶月运，舟行岸移亦复如是。

For example, like moving [the] eyes, [is] able [to] shake clear water. Also, like fixing [the] eyes, [can] seemingly rotate [a] fire. [Like the] clouds hastening, [with the] moon moving, [and] boats moving, [with the] shore shifting, [they are] likewise thus.

善男子！诸旋未息，彼物先住尚不可得；何况轮转生死垢心曾未清净，观佛圆觉而不旋复？是故汝等便生三惑。

Good man, [with] all revolving yet [to] cease, [wanting] those objects [to] first stop, [this] also cannot [be] attained. Moreover, [with the] cycle [of] birth [and] death’s defiled mind actually yet [to be] purified, contemplating [the] Buddha’s Perfect Awakening, [how does this] then not revolve again? Therefore, you all then gave rise [to the] three confusions.

[Note: See Note 1 at https://purelanders.com/2025/05/20/28-desiring-to-see-true-form-have-wholehearted-mindfulness-of-buddha on the three confusions (三惑).]

善男子！譬如幻瞖妄见空花，幻翳若除，不可说言：『此瞖已灭，何时更起一切诸翳？』

Good man, for example, like [having an] illusory [visual] obscuration [i.e. timira], falsely seeing [a] sky’s flower [i.e. eye floater], [with the] illusory obscuration, if eliminated, [you] should not say, “This obscuration [is] already eliminated. [At] what time, [will] again arise [with] all obscurations?”

何以故？瞖花二法非相待故。亦如空花灭于空时，不可说言：『虚空何时更起空花？』

Why thus? [The] obscurations [and] flowers, [these] two dharmas, [are] not interdependent thus. Also, like when [the] sky’s flowers [are] eliminated from [the] sky, [you] should not say, “[This] empty space, [at] what time, [will] again arise [with the] sky’s flowers?”

何以故？空本无花非起灭故。生死涅槃同于起灭，妙觉圆照离于花瞖。

Why thus? [As the] sky [is] originally without flowers, [they are] not [with] arising [and] ceasing thus. [As] births [and] deaths, [and] Nirvāṇa [are the] same as [that] arising [and] ceasing, wonderful awakening’s perfect illumination [is] departed from [the] flowers [and] obscurations.

善男子！当知虚空非是暂有亦非暂无，况复如来圆觉随顺，而为虚空平等本性。

Good man, [you] should know [that] empty space does not temporarily exist, [and] also [does] not temporarily not [exist]. Moreover, [with the] Thus Come [Ones’] Perfect Awakening followed [and] complied, [it] then is [like] empty space’s equal original nature.

善男子！如销金矿，金非销有；既已成金不重为矿，经无穷时金性不坏。不应说言本非成就，如来圆觉亦复如是。

Good man, like smelting gold ore, [the] gold [is] not [from] smelting existing. Since already accomplishing gold, not again becoming ore, passing endless time, [the] gold’s nature [will] not [be] destroyed. [It] should not [be] said [that it was] originally not accomplished, [with the] Thus Come [Ones’] Perfect Awakening likewise thus.

善男子！一切如来妙圆觉心本无菩提及与涅槃，亦无成佛及不成佛，无妄轮回及非轮回。

Good man, all Thus Come [Ones’] wonderful Perfect Awakening’s minds [are] originally without Bodhi reached and Nirvāṇa, likewise without accomplishing Buddhahood and not accomplishing Buddhahood, without false rebirths and non-rebirths.

善男子！但诸声闻所圆境界身心语言皆悉断灭，终不能至彼之亲证所现涅槃，何况能以有思惟心测度如来圆觉境界。

Good man, only [with] all Voice-hearers’ that “perfect” state’s body, mind [and] speech all severed [and] ceased [i.e. annihilated], [in the] end, [they are] not able [to] reach [the] personal realisation of that manifested Nirvāṇa [of Buddhahood]. Moreover, [how are they] able [to], with [their] existing contemplation’s minds, measure [the] Thus Come [Ones’] Perfect Awakening’s state?

如取萤火烧须弥山，终不能着；以轮回心生轮回见，入于如来大寂灭海，终不能至。是故我说一切菩萨及末世众生，先断无始轮回根本。

Like obtaining [a] firefly’s light [to] burn Mount Sumeru, [in the] end, [this is] not able [to] set [it alight]. With rebirth’s mind giving rise [to] rebirth’s views, [for] entering of [the] Thus Come [Ones’] great still extinguishment’s ocean, [in the] end, [this is] not able [to be] reached. Therefore, I say all Bodhisattvas and [the Dharma]-Ending Age’s sentient beings, [should] first sever beginningless rebirth’s root.

善男子！有作思惟从有心起，皆是六尘，妄想缘气，非实心体，已如空花。用此思惟辨于佛境，犹如空花复结空果，展转妄想无有是处。

Good man, [when] having [the] action [of] contemplation, from [the] existing mind arising, all are [the] six dusts [i.e. of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, touches and thoughts (色声香味触法)], [with] false thoughts conditioning [the] disposition, not [with the] true mind’s essence, [this is] already like [the] sky’s flowers. Using this contemplation [for] differentiating of [the] Buddhas’ state, [is] similar to [the] sky’s flowers, again forming [the] sky’s “fruits”. Passing through many [of that] false, [this] is without possibility.

善男子！虚妄浮心多诸巧见，不能成就圆觉方便。如是分别，非为正问。」

Good man, [the] false drifting mind, [with] many “clever” views, [is] not able [to] accomplish Perfect Awakening’s skilful means. Thus differentiating, [these] are not right questions.’

尔时，世尊欲重宣此义而说偈言：

At that time, [the] World-Honoured [One], desiring [to] re-proclaim these meanings, then spoke [in] verse, saying,

「金刚藏当知，如来寂灭性，未曾有终始。若以轮回心，
思惟即旋复，但至轮回际，不能入佛海。譬如销金矿，
金非销故有，虽复本来金，终以销成就，一成真金体，
不复重为矿。生死与涅槃，凡夫及诸佛，同为空花相。
思惟犹幻化，何况诘虚妄？若能了此心，然后求圆觉。」

‘Vajra Treasury, [you] should know, [that the] Thus Come [Ones’] still extinguishment’s nature, never before has [an] ending [and] beginning. If with rebirth’s mind, contemplating, immediately circling again, however, until rebirth’s limit, [this is] not able [to] enter [the] Buddhas’ ocean. For example, like smelting gold ore, [the] gold [does] not, [with] smelting thus exists. Although again [with the] original gold, [in the] end, with smelting accomplished, once accomplishing true gold’s essence, not again becoming ore. Births [and] deaths with Nirvāṇa, ordinary beings and all Buddhas, are [the] same [as the] sky’s flowers’ forms. Contemplations [are] like [these] illusory manifestations, moreover [for] investigating [the] false. If able [to] understand this mind, after that seek Perfect Awakening.‘

Námó Āmítuófó : Translation and note by Shen Shi’an

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