前期提示：曼殊室利法王子請佛講諸佛名號、本大願及殊勝功德。令諸聞者，業障消除。
我們修道的人，都應該要發真正的願，發真正的、
內心發出來的大願大力，來照著這個願力去實行。
People who cultivate should make real vows. We should bring forth genuine, great vows from our hearts, and then we should practice according to them.
爾時世尊。讚曼殊室利童子言。善哉善哉。曼殊室利。汝以大悲。勸請我說。諸佛名號。本願功德。為拔業障。所纏有情。利益安樂。像法轉時。諸有情故。汝今諦聽。極善思惟。當為汝說。曼殊室利言。唯然願說。我等樂聞。
「爾時世尊，讚曼殊室利童子言」：這個時候，佛就讚歎文殊師利童子言。這位菩薩是童真入道，行菩薩道，修菩薩道，所以成為菩薩中的上首。那麼佛在這時候就讚歎他說了，「善哉善哉，曼殊室利」：你這位菩薩是真好，你這位菩薩好極了！為什麼我讚歎說你好呢？
因為「汝以大悲，勸請我說」：說是你用你這個大慈悲心，慈運無緣，這個有緣、沒有緣的眾生，你現在都為眾生來請法，用這個大悲濟度一切眾生的思想，來勸請我給大家說「諸佛名號，本願功德」：諸佛的名號和諸佛本願的功德。
「為拔業障，所纏有情」：為了要拔濟，把這個有業障的，從這個三惡道這個苦海裏頭救出來，拔度出來。他們的業障纏縛他們，令他們不自由。這一切的有情，你為他們來請法，「利益安樂」：令他們得到利益，得到這個安樂，沒有煩惱了。「像法轉時」：等到那個像法時代，「諸有情故」：你要利益像法時代所有的有情。
「汝今諦聽」：說你現在要審視而聽，你很注意的，不可以那麼很隨便的，「極善思惟」：極就是到極點了，你好好地想一想，想到那個最極處。「當為汝說」：說我現在可以給你說一說這個法門。
「曼殊室利言」：那麼佛對文殊師利這麼樣講，文殊師利又答覆，就說「唯」：說「好！」就答應好、是、 yes 。「然」：是這樣子。「願說」：我願意佛發大慈悲，為我等說。「我等樂聞」：說我們這一切的眾生，現在都願意聽如來說這種的法門。
佛告曼殊室利。東方去此。過十伽沙等佛土。有世界名淨琉璃。佛號藥師琉璃光如來。應正等覺。明行圓滿。善逝。世間解。無上士。調御丈夫。天人師。佛。薄伽梵。曼殊室利。彼世尊藥師琉璃光如來。本行菩薩道時。發十二大願。令諸有情。所求皆得。
「佛告曼殊室利：東方去此，過十殑伽沙」：佛告訴文殊師利，說是：「我現在告訴你，從我們這個娑婆世界向東方走，經過十殑伽沙。」這一個殑伽沙，也就是恆河沙，比恆河沙更多。「等」：比十個殑伽沙那麼多的還更多，也或者和那個相等，或者更多一點。「佛土」：這麼多的佛國土。「有世界名淨琉璃」：其中就有一個世界；這個世界叫什麼名字呢？就叫淨琉璃世界，它清淨猶如琉璃一樣，這個世界是透明體的，這個地都是琉璃為地。
「佛號藥師琉璃光如來」：這一位佛的名號就叫藥師琉璃光如來，那麼他這十號也和其他佛的十號是一樣的。「應正等覺、明行圓滿」：他已經成就無上正等正覺了，他修行和智慧都達到圓滿了。「善逝、世間解」：他是世間最有智慧的人，世間人所不能解的，他都能解；「無上士、調御丈夫」：也是無上士，也是調御丈夫；「天人師」：也是天人的師表；也是「佛、薄伽梵」：薄伽梵也就是世尊。
「曼殊室利，彼世尊藥師琉璃光如來，本行菩薩道時」：他在因地，這個本就是他因地還沒有成佛的那時候，修行菩薩道的時候，「發十二大願」：他曾經發過十二種的大願，所以我們修道的人，都應該要發真正的願，發真正的、內心發出來的大願大力，來照著這個願力去實行。那麼藥師琉璃光如來發這十二個大願，他就「令諸有情」：能使令一切所有的有情，「所求皆得」。我們現在修行是比較容易，釋迦牟尼佛修成佛，是經過三大阿僧祇劫的時間，每一個阿僧祇劫就是無量數，經過三個大的無量數這麼長的時間，然後才成佛了。藥師琉璃光如來在行菩薩道的時候，也是經過很多的阿僧祇劫，然後才成佛了。可是我們現在藉著諸佛所發的願力，藉著佛給我們留下的遺產，留下的這個佛法，佛的三藏十二部，是佛給我們佛子留下的遺產。我們是不是能承受這個遺產？就看我們是不是想真做一個真正的佛子。我們想真做一個佛子，我們就可以承受佛無上的這種法寶的遺產；我們如果功德不夠，不想做一個真正的佛子，那就不能承受這種無上的法寶、這種的遺產了。
那麼藥師琉璃光如來，發這十二大願，所以我們一切的有情，所求皆得。你看！你就從這一句「所求皆得」，無論你求什麼，都會滿你的志願，令你遂心滿願，令你很快成佛。這是過去諸佛所發的願力，我們就用力少而成功高；用的力量沒有那麼多，我們成的果位是很高的。所以各位遇到這樣的佛法，趕快地勇猛精進，要生大歡喜心，得到法喜充滿。
待續 |
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Sutra text from last issue: Dharma Prince Manjushri requested the World Honored One to speak the Buddhas' names, the great vows they made in the past, and their supreme merit and virtue, so that those who hear them will be rid of their karmic hindrances.
Sutra:
The Buddha then praised the Pure Youth Manjushri: “Good indeed! Good indeed, Manjushri. With great compassion you now request that I speak about the Buddhas’ names and the merit and virtue of their past vows, for the sake of rescuing sentient beings who are bound up by karmic obstacles, and for the purpose of bringing benefit, peace, and joy to beings who live in the Dharma-Image Age. Listen attentively to my words and reflect on them extremely well, for I will now answer you.”
Manjushri said, “Please do speak. We are glad to listen.”
Commentary:
The Buddha then praised the Pure Youth Manjushri. Manjushri Bodhisattva had begun practicing the Bodhisattva Way as a virgin youth, and he eventually became the foremost leader among Bodhisattvas. The Buddha praised him, saying, “Good indeed! Good indeed, Manjushri. You are a fine Bodhisattva. You are a terrific Bodhisattva! I am praising you because with great compassion you now request that I speak. You have a heart of great kindness and compassion. Such kindness can gather in those who lack affinities. You are now requesting the Dharma for the sake of all living beings, whether or not they have affinities. Compassionately wishing to save all beings, you ask me to tell everyone about the Buddhas’ names and the merit and virtue of their past vows.
“For the sake of rescuing sentient beings who are bound up by karmic obstacles, who are suffering in the three evil paths, and for the purpose of bringing benefit, peace, and joy to beings who live in the Dharma-Image Age, you are requesting the Dharma. You wish to benefit all the sentient beings in the Dharma-Image Age, causing them to be happy and free from afflictions.
“Listen attentively to my words and reflect on them extremely well, for I will now answer you. Don’t be so sloppy. Listen well and reflect carefully, to the utmost extent, on the Dharma that I will now explain to you.”
After the Buddha has spoken, Manjushri said, “Yes, please do speak. We are glad to listen. Buddha, please be compassionate and speak for us. We all now wish to hear the Buddha explain this Dharma.”
Sutra:
The Buddha told Manjushri, “Passing from here to the east, beyond Buddhalands numerous as the sand grains in ten Ganges rivers, is a world called ‘Pure Vaidurya.’ The Buddha there is named Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata; Of Proper and Equal Enlightenment; Perfect in Understanding and Practice; Well Gone One; One Who Understands the World; Supreme Lord; Regulating Hero; Teacher of Gods and Humans; Buddha; Bhagavan. Manjushri, when that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, was practicing the Bodhisattva path in the past, he made twelve great vows that enable all sentient beings to obtain what they seek.”
Commentary:
The Buddha told Manjushri, “Passing from here to the east, beyond Buddhalands numerous as the sand grains in ten Ganges rivers, is a world called ‘Pure Vaidurya.’ If you start from our Saha world and go east, passing over Buddhalands as many as the sand grains in ten Ganges rivers, or perhaps even more than that number, you will reach a world called the Pure Vaidurya Land. That world is translucent and pure, and the ground is made of vaidurya.
The Buddha there is named Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata. Like all Buddhas, he has the ten titles. Of Proper and Equal Enlightenment; Perfect in Understanding and Practice. He has already realized the Unsurpassed, Proper, Equal and Right Enlightenment. His cultivation and wisdom are both perfected. Well Gone One; One Who Understands the World. He is the wisest person in the world; his understanding is unsurpassed. Supreme Lord; Regulating Hero; Teacher of Gods and Humans; Buddha; Bhagavan. “Bhagavan” means “World Honored One.”
Manjushri, when that World Honored One, Medicine Master Vaidurya Light Tathagata, was practicing the Bodhisattva path in the past, before he became a Buddha, he made twelve great vows. People who cultivate should make real vows. We should bring forth genuine, great vows from our hearts, and then we should practice according to them. Medicine Master Tathagata made twelve great vows that enable all sentient beings to obtain what they seek.
Our cultivation is relatively easy, compared to Shakyamuni Buddha’s. Shakyamuni Buddha cultivated for three great asamkhyeyas of eons before becoming a Buddha. An asamkhyeya is an uncountable number. Medicine Master Buddha also cultivated the Bodhisattva path for many asamkhyeyas of eons before realizing Buddhahood. Now we can rely on the vows made by the Buddhas. We are the Buddhas’ sons, and they have bequeathed to us the Three Treasuries and Twelve Divisions of the Canon. But can we accept this legacy of supreme Dharma treasures? If we want to be true sons of the Buddha, then the legacy is ours. However, if our merit and virtue are insufficient and we don’t want to be true sons of the Buddha, then we cannot inherit this legacy.
Because of Medicine Master Buddha’s twelve great vows, sentient beings can obtain whatever they seek and soon become Buddhas. Through the vows of past Buddhas, we can realize a great fruition with just a little bit of effort. We should be overjoyed to encounter this Dharma, and we should advance vigorously in our practice, so that we’ll be filled with Dharma-happiness!
to be continued |
