【中英对照】地藏菩萨本愿经 第十品

CHAPTER X
The Conditions and Comparative Merits and Virtues of Giving

校量布施功德缘品第十

At that time. Earth Store Bodhisattva, Mahasattva, based on the Buddha's awesome spiritual strength, arose from his seat, knelt on one knee, placed his palms together and said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, I have observed beings within the paths of karma and compared their acts of giving. Some do a little and some do a lot. Some receive blessings for one life, some for ten lives, and some receive great blessings and benefits for hundreds or thousands of lives. Why is that? Please, World Honored One, explain that for us."

　　尔时地藏菩萨摩诃萨承佛威神，从座而起，胡跪合掌白佛言：『世尊，我观业道众生，校量布施，有轻有重，有一生受福，有十生受福，有百生千生受大福利者。是事云何，唯愿世尊为我说之。』

At that time the Buddha told Earth Store Bodhisattva, "Here in this assembly in the palace of the Trayastrimsha Heaven, I will now discuss the comparative merit and virtue derived from acts of giving done by the beings in Jambudvipa. Listen attentively to what I say."

Earth Store said to the Buddha, "I have wondered about this matter and will be pleased to listen."
尔时佛告地藏菩萨：『吾今於忉利天宫一切会众，说阎浮提布施较量功德轻重，汝当谛听，吾为汝说。』地藏白佛言：『我疑是事，愿乐欲闻。』

The Buddha told Earth Store Bodhisattva, "In Jambudvipa, leaders of nations, prime ministers, high officials, great Elders, great Ksatriyas, great Brahmans, and others may encounter those who are poor, hunchbacked, crippled, dumb, mute, deaf, retarded, blind or handicapped in other ways.
佛告地藏菩萨：『南阎浮提，有国王、宰辅大臣、大长者、大刹利、大婆罗门等，若遇最下贫穷，乃至癃残喑哑，聋痴无目，如是种种不完具者。

Those leaders and good people may wish to give to those people and may be able to do so with great compassion, a humble heart, and a smile. They may arrange to give generously, either personally with their own hands, or by arranging for others to do so, using gentle words and sympathetic speech. The blessings and benefits that such leaders and good people will accrue will be comparable to the meritorious virtues derived from giving to as many Buddhas as there are grains of sand in a hundred Ganges Rivers. Why is that?
是大国王等欲布施时，若能具大慈悲下心含下，亲手遍布施，或使人施，软语慰谕，是国王等所获福利，如布施百恒河沙佛功德之力。何以故。

Those leaders and good people will receive such rewards of blessings and benefits for having shown a great compassionate heart toward the most impoverished and handicapped individuals. Throughout hundreds of thousands of lives to come they will always have an abundance of the seven gems, not to mention clothing, food, and the necessities of life.
　　缘是国王等，於最贫贱辈及不完具者，发大慈心，是故福利有如此报。百生千生中，常得七宝具足，何况衣食受用。』

"Moreover, Earth Store, in the future the leaders of nations, Brahmans, and others may encounter Buddhist stupas, monasteries, or images of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Sound-hearers, or Pratyekabuddhas and personally make offerings or give gifts to them. From doing that, those leaders and good people will serve as Lord Shakra for a duration of three eons, enjoying supremely wonderful bliss. If they are able to transfer the blessings and benefits of that giving and dedicate it to the Dharma Realm, then those leaders of nations and good people will reign as great Brahma Heaven kings for ten eons.
复次地藏：『若未来世，有诸国王，至婆罗门等，遇佛塔寺，或佛形像，乃至菩萨声闻辟支佛像，躬自营办供养布施。是国王等，当得三劫为帝释身，受胜妙乐。若能以此布施福利，回向法界，是大国王等，於十劫中，常为大梵天王。』

"Moreover, Earth Store, in the future leaders of nations, Brahmans, and others may, upon encountering ancient Buddhist stupas and monasteries or sutras and images that are damaged, decaying, or broken, resolve to restore them. Those leaders and good people may then do so themselves or encourage others, as many as hundreds of thousands of people to help and thereby establish affinities.
复次地藏：『若未来世，有诸国王，至婆罗门等，遇先佛塔庙，或至经像，毁坏破落，乃能发心修补。是国王等，或自营办，或劝他人，乃至百千人等布施结缘。

Those leaders and good people will become Wheel-Turning Kings for hundreds of thousands of successive lives and those who made offerings with them will be leaders of small nations for as many lives. If, before the stupas or monasteries, they resolve to dedicate that merit, then, based on that limitless and unbounded reward, those leaders, good people, and their helpers will eventually all complete the path to Buddhahood.

　　是国王等，百生千生中常为转轮王身。如是他人同布施者，百生千生中常为小国王身。更能於塔庙前，发回向心。如是国王乃及诸人，尽成佛道，以此果报无量无边。』

"Moreover, Earth Store, in the future, leaders of nations, Brahmans, and others may have compassionate thoughts upon seeing the old, the sick, or women in child birth, and may provide them with medicinal herbs, food, drink, and bedding so as to make them peaceful and comfortable. The blessings and benefits derived from doing that are quite inconceivable. For one hundred eons they will always be lords of the Pure Dwelling Heavens, for two hundred eons they will be lords in the Six Desire Heavens, and they will ultimately attain Buddhahood. They will never fall into the Evil Paths, and for hundreds of thousands of lives they will hear no sounds of suffering.
复次地藏：『未来世中，有诸国王及婆罗门等，见诸老病及生产妇女，若一念间，具大慈心，布施医药饮食卧具，使令安乐。如是福利最不思议，一百劫中常为净居天主，二百劫中常为六欲天主，毕竟成佛，永不堕恶道，乃至百千生中，耳不闻苦声。』

"Moreover, Earth Store, if in the future, leaders of nations, Brahmans, and others can give in that way, they will receive limitless blessings. "If they are in addition, able to dedicate that merit, be it great or small, they will ultimately attain Buddhahood. How much more easily will they be able to attain the rewards of becoming Shakra, Brahma, or a Wheel-Turning King. Therefore, Earth Store, you should urge beings everywhere to learn to give in those ways.

复次地藏：『未来世中，有诸国王及婆罗门等，能作如是布施，获福无量。更能回向，不问多少，毕竟成佛，何况帝释转轮之报。是故地藏，普劝众生当如是学。』

"Moreover, Earth Store, in the future if good men or good women only manage to plant a few good roots within the Buddhadharma, equivalent to no more than a strand of hair, a grain of sand, or a mote of dust, they will receive incomparable blessings and benefits.
复次地藏：『未来世中，若善男子善女人，於佛法中，种少善根，毛发沙尘等许，所受福利，不可为喻。』
"Moreover, Earth Store, good men or women in the future may, upon encountering images of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Pratyekabuddhas, or Wheel-Turning Kings, give gifts or make offerings to them. Such persons will attain limitless blessings and will always enjoy supremely wonderful bliss among people and gods. If they can dedicate that merit to the Dharma Realm, their blessings and benefits will be beyond compare.

　复次地藏：『未来世中，若有善男子善女人，遇佛形像、辟支佛形像、转论王形像，布施供养得无量福，常在人天受胜妙乐。若能回向法界，是人福利不可为喻。』

"Moreover, Earth Store, good men or good women in the future may, upon encountering Great Vehicle sutras or upon hearing but a single gatha or a sentence, be inspired to praise, venerate, give gifts, and make offerings to them. Those people will attain great limitless and unbounded rewards. If they can dedicate that merit to the Dharma Realm, their blessings will be beyond compare.
复次地藏：『未来世中，若有善男子善女人，遇大乘经典，或听闻一偈一句，发殷重心，赞叹恭敬，布施供养。是人或大果报，无量无边。若能回向法界，其福不可为喻。』

"Moreover, Earth Store, in the future, good men or good women may, upon encountering new Buddhist stupas, monasteries, or sutras of the Great Vehicle, give gifts and make offerings to them, gaze at them in worship, and respectfully make praises with joined palms.
复次地藏：『若未来世中，有善男子善女人，遇佛塔寺，大乘经典。新者布施供养，瞻礼赞叹，恭敬合掌。

They may, upon encountering old ones or those that have been destroyed or damaged, either do the repairing or rebuilding themselves or encourage others to help them. Those who help will become leaders of small nations throughout thirty successive lives. The donors themselves will always be Wheel-Turning Kings who will use the good Dharma to teach and transform those leaders of small nations.
　　若遇故者，或毁坏者，修补营理，或独发心，或劝多人同共发心。如是等辈，三十生中常为诸小国王，檀越之人，常为轮王，还以善法教化诸小国王。』

"Moreover, Earth Store, in the future, good men or good women may plant good roots in the Buddhadharma by giving, making offerings, repairing stupas or monasteries, rebinding sutras, or doing other good deeds amounting to no more than a strand of hair, a mote of dust, a grain of sand, or a drop of water. Merely by transferring the merit from such deeds to the Dharma Realm, those people's meritorious virtues will enable them to enjoy superior and wonderful bliss for hundreds of thousands of lives.
复次地藏：『未来世中，若有善男子善女人，於佛法中所种善根，或布施供养，或修补塔寺，或装理经典，乃至一毛一尘，一沙一　。如是善事，但能回向法界，是人功德，百千生中受上妙乐。

If they dedicate the merit only to their immediate or extended families or to their own personal benefit, then the rewards received will be only three lives of happiness. By giving up one, a ten-thousandfold reward is obtained."So it is, Earth Store. The circumstances involved in the causes and conditions of giving are like that."
　　但如回向自家眷属，或自身利益，如是之果，即三生受乐，舍一得万报。是故地藏，布施因缘，其事如是。』