A Primer in Chinese Buddhist Writings 1

A Primer in Chinese Buddhist Writings
Volume One: Foundations

__________________________________________
________________________ John Kieschnick and Simon Wiles _____________________________________

A PRIMER IN CHINESE BUDDHIST WRITINGS
Acknowledgments
Many years ago, Rupert Gethin suffered through the first incarnation of this volume, providing helpful
corrections that all readers should be grateful for. Marcus Bingenheimer, David Carpenter, Kin Cheung, Rafal
Felbur, Tom Mazanec and Adrian Tiethof-Aronson caught many mistakes and provided advice on what worked
and what didn't. Bhikkhu Dhamma-dāsa and Jason Protass gave useful advice on vocabulary and structure.
Adeana McNicholl caught a further slew of errors that slipped through and suggested many improvements.
Peter Hauer caught another set of problems with diacritics that others had missed. Finally, Simon Wiles put so
much work into this volume—from Sanskrit reconstructions and tone corrections to formatting and design—
that he should be considered as co-author.
In this and in the subsequent volumes, I have drawn heavily on Charles A Muller ed., Digital Dictionary of
Buddhism. http://buddhism-dict.net/ddb.
Please send corrections and suggestions to:
[email protected]
February, 2019
VOLUME ONE: FOUNDATIONS
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ i
Pronunciation.......................................................................................................................................... i
Characters .............................................................................................................................................. ii
Grammar ............................................................................................................................................... iii
Lessons in Grammar ................................................................................................................................... 1
Lesson 1: Subject + Predicate ............................................................................................................... 1
Lesson 2: The Implicit Subject ............................................................................................................. 7
Lesson 3: Time Words ........................................................................................................................ 13
Lesson 4: Negation ............................................................................................................................ 19
Lesson 5: yǐ 以 .................................................................................................................................. 27
Lesson 6: suǒ 所 ................................................................................................................................ 33
Lesson 7: gù 故, reason ..................................................................................................................... 39
Lesson 8: zhě 者 ............................................................................................................................... 45
Lesson 9: Grammatical Flexibility...................................................................................................... 51
Lesson 10: Parallel and Rhythm.......................................................................................................... 56
The Scripture of the Great Origin (Dàběn jīng 大本經) .............................................................................. 61
Introduction to the Dàběn jīng 大本經 ............................................................................................. 61

Selected passages from the Dàběn jīng ............................................................................................... 62
i
Introduction
Close to two thousand years of Buddhism in China have produced a wealth of writings on Buddhist subjects.
These include Indian texts (many no longer extant in their original language) translated into Chinese in
medieval times; works on various aspects of Buddhist doctrine written originally in Chinese; biographies of
monks and chronologies of Buddhist history; liturgical writings with musical notation, epigraphy
commemorating devotional societies, monasteries, stupas and icons; poetry and letters on Buddhist themes;
autobiography; and official court documents relating to Buddhism. Each of these genres follows its own
conventions and employs distinctive vocabulary. Most require not just knowledge of Buddhist texts, but
familiarity with other genres of Chinese writing as well. In short, “Buddhist texts” encompasses a vast
literature—more than any one scholar could hope to master in a lifetime. This course can at most introduce
some of the vocabulary and grammatical conventions of a few of these genres.
In most Chinese programs at Western universities, the student begins by studying modern Chinese for a year
or two before studying classical Chinese. After a year of classical Chinese (reading philosophical works like the
Analects of Confucius, historical works like the Shǐjì or Zuǒzhuàn, and literary works like the Book of Poetry and
Tang poems),1 the student is exposed to Buddhist writings. But some students—particularly those interested
in Chinese chiefly as a means of accessing texts originally written in India—are understandably reluctant to
invest three years of intensive study of works unrelated to Buddhism before beginning to read Buddhist texts
in Chinese. It is in fact possible for Indologists to learn to read medieval Chinese translations of Indian
Buddhist texts directly, without previous knowledge of Chinese.
In this course, I attempt to satisfy both types of students. We begin with a series of lessons that introduce basic
vocabulary and grammar, drawing on one authentic text and then read through the prose sections of this text
in their entirety. Readers already familiar with the basics of modern or classical Chinese can cover the first ten
“lessons” in one or two sittings, while those with no previous knowledge of Chinese will require more time
(memorizing characters becomes easier with time—the hardest characters to memorize are the first 100).
Pronunciation
The dominant form of Chinese today is Mandarin. Like all forms of Chinese, Mandarin is tonal: the same sound,
pronounced in different tones can mean radically different things. In medieval times, when most of the texts
provided below were composed or translated, there were more tones, and the pronunciation differed
significantly. This explains in part why medieval transliterations of Sanskrit words (like Fótuó 佛陀 for Buddha)
in modern Mandarin pronunciation often do not sound much like their Sanskrit equivalents (the medieval
1
Two good introductions to literary Chinese are Michael A. Fuller, An Introduction to Literary Chinese (Cambridge MA: Harvard
University Press, 2004), and Paul Rouzer, A New Practical Primer of Literary Chinese (Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press,
2007). Mark Lewis provides an excellent reader in philosophical Chinese texts, including English translations for self-study, for free
at: http://chinesetexts.stanford.edu/
i
pronunciation of the word was probably much closer to “Buddha”). Linguists, working with rhymed poetry as
well as translations of foreign terms, have made various attempts to reconstruct medieval pronunciations of
Chinese words.2 While Mandarin is the official language of the PRC and Taiwan, used in news broadcasts and
political speeches, many other forms of Chinese are also in use. For the most part, these share grammar and
vocabulary with Mandarin. Some, probably owing to geographic isolation, have changed less rapidly over time
than others and preserve more ancient pronunciations. For this reason, Cantonese (spoken in Canton
[Guangdong] and Hong Kong) and Minnan (spoken in southern Fujian and Taiwan) are probably closer to the
way Chinese was spoken in the capital in the Tang dynasty than Mandarin is.
Nonetheless, for the purposes of this course, I gloss all terms according to Mandarin pronunciation, the basis
for most modern dictionaries of Chinese. Various systems have been used to “romanize” Chinese (represent
Chinese with Roman letters). The dominant system today is pīnyīn, a system developed in the PRC. Proper
pronunciation of Mandarin is best learned with recordings and a native speaker (much of the first year of a
modern Chinese course is spent mastering tones). Absent a teacher, your best option is to learn from an
introduction to pinyin with recordings (e.g. http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/pinyin_notes.htm ). Online videos with
native speakers are also useful.
Characters
Each Chinese character is pronounced with a single syllable. Words can, however, be composed with more
than one character. For example, the word for “disciple,” dìzi 弟子 is composed of the two characters dì 弟 and
zi 子. In archaic Chinese, words composed of two or more characters were relatively few. From medieval times
to the present they have become increasingly common.
There are various styles of writing characters. The earliest Chinese characters are those found on the oracle
bones, dating to ca. 1500 B.C. Discovered by scholars only in the twentieth century, these characters are quite
different from later Chinese and are only decipherable by specialists. In contrast, from circa 200BC on, the way
characters are written has changed relatively little. An educated Chinese person with minimal training can
recognize the characters in most medieval manuscripts, even if he or she doesn’t understand the overall
meaning of the text.3
The standard division of characters into different types is that first proposed by Xǔ Shèn 許慎 in his dictionary
of Chinese, the Shuōwén jiězì 說文解字 (Explanations of Graphs and Analysis of Characters) at the beginning
of the second century. He proposed six types of characters:
1) zhǐ shì 指事, “pointing to things.” These are characters that symbolize ideas, e.g. xià 下 for “down” and
2
See for instance Edwin G. Pulleyblank, Lexicon of Reconstructed Pronunciation in Early Middle Chinese, Late Middle Chinese and
Early Mandarin (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 1991). The historical phonology of Chinese is a hotly contested
field; there is as yet no firm consensus on how Chinese sounded in medieval times.
3
There are exceptions. Medieval manuscripts (in particular epigraphy) makes frequent use of unusual forms for characters that are
only recognized by specialists.
shàng 上 for “up”.

2) xiàng xíng 象形, “imitating shapes.” These are words that derive from pictograms like rì 日 “sun” and
yuè 月, “moon”.
3) xíng shēng 形聲, “form and sound.” Characters that combine two graphs, one representing the sound
and one the meaning. For example, in the word kǎo 烤, “to roast,” the part on the left 火 means fire;
the part on the right 考 has nothing to do with the meaning, representing instead the sound of the
character.
4) huì yì 會意, “combined meanings.” For example míng 明 combines sun (rì 日) and moon (yuè 月) and
means “bright.”
5) zhǔan zhù 轉注, “transferred notation,” an obscure category for words with similar meaning written
with similar graphs.
6) jiǎ jiè 假借, “borrowing,” where a character is used for another of the same or similar sound.
For practical purposes, these categories are not particularly useful for learning characters; they do, however,
illustrate that Chinese characters are not simple pictograms. When first learning characters, some students
invent their own folk etymologies as a mnemonic device. Some use flashcards, and others go over lists. Since
many elements of characters are repeated in different characters, the more characters you know, the easier
they are to memorize. The most difficult phase of learning characters is the first.
Each Chinese character has been assigned a “radical.”4 This is an element of the character (or in some cases
the character as a whole) that can be used to find the character in a dictionary. As on-line dictionaries and
digital resources become more common, allowing the reader to cut and paste unknown characters into an on-
line dictionary, radicals will become less important for finding characters.
In the second part of the course you will be given instruction in the use of dictionaries. For the first part you
will be given glossaries designed especially for this course. None the less, you may want to experiment with
on-line dictionaries (links provided separately) which are easy enough to use. Since the texts for this class are
available here, you can cut and paste them into on-line dictionaries relatively easily.
Grammar
There is very little morphology in Chinese; that is, changes in the form of words to convey different meanings.5
There are no conjugations or tenses. For understanding classical texts, it is most important to recognize the
function of a small set of grammatical particles, to note parallelisms (that is, if we are given a series of five-
4
Today, the most common list of radicals consists of 214 radicals, laid out in a dictionary compiled at the behest of the eighteenth-
century emperor Kangxi 康熙. For a complete list, see http://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/radicals.php.
5
There is as yet no good grammar for Buddhist Chinese texts, but there is a good grammar for Classical Chinese in general: Edwin G.
Pulleyblank, Outline of Classical Chinese Grammar (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 1995).
iii
character lines, the word order is usually the same for each of the lines), and above all, familiarity with
vocabulary. It is often possible to interpret a given line in various ways, taking a given word, for instance, as
either a verb or a noun. In such cases, the key is context: how is a given word used elsewhere in the same text
and, the strongest argument of all: what makes sense.
I have provided an English translation key separately. But your goal should be to reach a point at which you
are able to pronounce and translate the passages listed in the “review sections” without recourse to the
translation or to any notes of your own. When I have used this volume in the classroom, I do not allow students
to consult the translation in class or to refer to notes when translating from the “review sections.”
Lessons in Grammar
Lesson 1: Subject + Predicate

Grammar
The three basic rules of Chinese word order are: 1) the subject precedes the predicate; 2) a modifier precedes
the word it modifies; and 3) the verb precedes its object (Pulleyblank, p.14). There are exceptions to all of these
rules. Below are examples of the first of these rules—subject + predicate—taken from the Cháng āhán jīng 長
阿含經, the Chinese translation of the Dīrghāgama.
In the following examples, translate the line or passage that follows the vocabulary.
Example 1.1
Vocabulary
竺佛念 Zhú Fóniàn Name of monk
譯 yì to translate
The beginning of the Cháng āhán jīng records the translator of the text as follows:
竺佛念譯。
The object, the sutra itself, is understood.
1
Example 1.2
Vocabulary
人 rén man, men, people
壽 shòu lifespan
八 bā eight
萬 wàn ten thousand
歲 suì years
The Cháng āhán jīng, describing conditions at the time of a previous Buddha, states that during
the time of that Buddha...
人壽八萬歲。
Example 1.3
Vocabulary
迦葉 Jiāshè (Skt.) Kāśyapa (a Buddha of the Past)
佛 fó Buddha
坐 zuò to sit
尼拘律樹 níjūlǜshù (type of tree), (Skt.) nyagrodha
下 xià beneath
Before his enlightenment, one of the Buddhas of the past did the following:
迦葉佛坐尼拘律樹下。
Example 1.4
Vocabulary
尸棄 Shīqì (Skt.) Śikhin (a Buddha of the Past)
有 yǒu to have, to possess
二 èr two
弟子 dìzi disciple
尸棄佛有二弟子。
Example 1.5
Vocabulary
我 wǒ I, me, mine
父 fù father
名 míng to be named
淨飯 Jìngfàn (personal name) Skt. Śuddhodana (translates śuddha,
“pure” + odana, “boiled rice”)
In this line, the Buddha is speaking:
我父名淨飯。
Note that, depending on context, the same word can be read as a verb or a noun. 名 can be either
“name” or “to be named”.
3
Example 1.6
Vocabulary
告 gào to tell, to announce to
比丘 bǐqiū bhikṣu
This phrase introduces a statement by the Buddha.
佛告比丘…。
Example 1.7
Vocabulary
此 cǐ this, these
是 shì to be; this; thus
常 cháng constant, enduring, eternal
法 fǎ law, Skt. dharma
The text describes patterns common to all of the Buddhas of the past, concluding each description
of a particular facet of a Buddha's life (e.g. being born with special physical marks) with the
following passage:
此是常法。
Example 1.8
Vocabulary
如 rú like, as
聞 wén to hear
The Chang ahan jing, after listing the translators and date of translation, begins with the phrase:
如是我聞。
Note that 是 is not here a verb; in classical Chinese, it rarely is.
Example 1.9
Vocabulary
諸 zhū all
對 duì to respond, to answer
After the Buddha asks his disciples a question, the following phrase introduces their response:
諸比丘對...
Example 1.10
Vocabulary
智慧 zhìhuì wisdom; insight
增益 zēngyì to increase
When a Buddha is in his mother's womb, this happens to the mother:
智慧增益。
5
Review 1
You should now be able to translate the following passages without consulting the vocabulary lists:
1.1 竺佛念譯。
1.2 人壽八萬歲。
1.3 迦葉佛坐尼拘律樹下。
1.4 尸棄佛有二弟子。
1.5 我父名淨飯。
1.6 佛告比丘…。
1.7 此是常法。
1.8 如是我聞。
1.9 諸比丘對... ...
1.10 智慧增益。
Lesson 2: The Implicit Subject

We saw in the last lesson that Chinese sentences can usually be divided into a subject and a predicate. However,
the subject is often unexpressed in declarative sentences when it can be understood from context. The
preceding example (智慧增益) comes close since it is understood from context that it is the mother's wisdom
that increases. In the examples below the subject is entirely implicit. Note that in this passage, the preposition
與 (“with”) works with the verb 俱 (“together”).
Example 2.1
Vocabulary
在 zài at
舍衛 Shèwèi (Skt.) Śrāvastī
國 guó kingdom
祇樹 Qíshù An abbreviation of 祇樹給孤獨園 (Skt. Jetavana
Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma)
花林窟 Huālínkū (Skt.) Kareri-kuṭikā; literally “Flower-copse Cave”
大 dà big, great
與 yǔ together, with
比丘 bǐqiū bhikṣu
眾 zhòng assembly
千 qīan thousand
二 èr two
百 bǎi hundred
五 wǔ five
十 shí ten
人 rén man, men, people
俱 jù Together
佛在舍衛國祇樹花林窟與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。
7
Example 2.2
Vocabulary
唯 wéi only; (a sentence-opening particle with no translatable
meaning)
無上尊 wúshàngzūn without superior, exalted one
為 wéi to be, is
最 zuì most
奇特 qítè special, remarkable
神通 shéntōng lit. “divine perspicacity”; Skt. abhijñā, divine powers,
supernormal powers, supernormal cognitions.
遠達 yuǎn dá far reaching
威力 wēilì authority, power, might
弘大 hóngdà great, expansive
唯無上尊為最奇特、神通遠達、威力弘大
Note here that, in addition to dropping the subject in the second part of the sentence, no copula
(verb like “to be”) is necessary in the second part of the sentence either.
Example 2.3
Vocabulary
入 rù to enter
於 yú (preposition) in, at
涅槃 nièpán nirvana
斷 duàn to cut off
結使 jiéshǐ lit. “bounds and manipulations”; afflictions
消滅 xiāomiè to destroy, to dispense with
戱 xì funny, playful, absurd, fanciful, frivolous
論 lùn discourse, discussion, theory, deliberations
諸佛入於涅槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱論。
Again, once the subject (諸佛) is understood, it is not necessary to repeat it for the following
phrases.
Example 2.4
Vocabulary
戒 jiè precepts; morality; (Skt. śīla)
慧 huì Wisdom, insight
After describing the qualities of a Buddha, the text concludes:
佛有如是戒、有如是法、有如是慧
9
Example 2.5
Vocabulary
世尊 Shìzūn World-Honored One
閑靜 xiánjìng peaceful and quiet
處 chù place
天耳 tiāněr divine ear (one of the supernormal powers of a buddha)
清淨 qīngjìng pure
作 zuò to do, to make
議 yì discussion, argument, opinion
After describing a discussion among the Buddha's disciples when the Buddha was not present, the
text continues:
世尊在閑靜處。天耳清淨。聞諸比丘作如是議。
Example 2.6
Vocabulary
諦 dì carefully
聽 tīng to listen
善 shàn well
思念 sīniàn think on, contemplate
之 zhī it
佛告諸比丘「諦聽。諦聽。善思念之」
。
The verbs in quotations could, grammatically, refer to the Buddha himself. We know they are
commands from the context.
Example 2.7
Vocabulary
成 chéng to complete, to accomplish
最正覺 zuìzhèngjué Lit. “most correct awakening,” Skt. abhisaṃbuddha
迦葉佛坐尼拘律樹下成最正覺。
11
Review 2
2.1 佛在舍衛國祇樹花林窟與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。
2.2 唯無上尊為最奇特、神通遠達、威力弘大
2.3 諸佛入於涅槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱論。
2.4 佛有如是戒、有如是法、有如是慧
2.5 世尊在閑靜處。天耳清淨。聞諸比丘作如是議。
2.6 佛告諸比丘「諦聽。諦聽。善思念之」
。
2.7 迦葉佛坐尼拘律樹下成最正覺。
Lesson 3: Time Words

Time is expressed through time words and in some cases grammatical particles. We will look at grammatical
particles later.
Example 3.1
shí 時, “time” or “when,” is probably the most common word indicating time.
Vocabulary
一 yī one
時 shí time
舍衛 Shèwèi (Skt.) Śrāvastī
國 guó kingdom
祇樹 Qíshù Jeta Grove, an abbreviation of 祇樹給孤獨園
(Skt. Jetavana Anāthapiṇḍada-ārāma), 樹 = grove
花林窟 Huālínkū Flower Copse Grotto (Skt. Kareri-kuṭikā), 窟 = grotto
一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹花林窟
Example 3.2
Vocabulary
頌 sòng in verse
曰 yuē to say
佛時頌曰...
13
Example 3.3
Vocabulary
爾 ěr that
閑靜 xiánjìng peaceful and quiet
處 chù place
爾時，世尊在閑靜處。
Example 3.4
Vocabulary
受 shòu to receive
教 jiào teaching
而 ér [verbal connector] and, but; [adverbial connector, with

the preceding word or phrase modifying the verb that
follows]
聽 tīng to listen
時，諸比丘受教而聽。
Example 3.5
過去 is a common compound, meaning “in the past.”
Vocabulary
過去 guòqù the past

無數 wúshù without number, limitless
入 rù to enter
涅槃 nièpán nirvana
斷 duàn to cut off
結使 jiéshǐ lit. “bounds and manipulations”; afflictions, defilements
消滅 xiāomiè to destroy
戱 xì funny, playful, absurd, fanciful
論 lùn discourse, theory, deliberations
過去無數諸佛入於涅槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱論。
Example 3.6
Vocabulary
三 sān three
劫 jié aeon (transliteration of kalpa)
尸棄 Shīqì (Skt.) Śikhin
如來 rúlái Thus-Come-One, Skt. tathāgata (we have already seen 如
as “thus” in 如是我聞)
至 zhì utmost; extreme, most
真 zhēn true
至真 zhìzhēn “most-true-one” (a translation of arhat).
過去三十一劫，有佛名尸棄，如來至真。
15
Example 3.7
Vocabulary
即 jí then, next, thereupon
從 cóng from
座 zuò seat
起 qǐ to arise, get up
The Buddha, sitting apart from the bhikṣus, uses his supernormal powers to hear them converse.
Then...
聞諸比丘作如是議。即從座起。
Example 3.8
Vocabulary
相師 xiàngshī fortune teller, master of physiognomy
白 bái white; to address
王 wáng king
言 yán to say
時，諸相師即白王言... ...
Example 3.9
Vocabulary
於 yú multi-purpose particle (see note below).
乞 qǐ to beg
食 shí food; to eat
集 jí to gather
花林 Huālín Flower Copse
堂 táng hall
諸比丘於乞食後集花林堂
hòu 後, “after,” appears in the middle of sentences, between verbs. Here hòu is working together
with the particle yú. Yú 於 is a preposition which can be used for space (i.e. “at”) or, as here, for
time.
Example 3.10
Vocabulary
太子 tàizǐ prince
剃除 tìchú to cut off
鬚髮 xūfǎ hair and beard
太子於後即剃除鬚髮。
17
Review 3
3.1 一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹花林窟
3.2 佛時頌曰...
3.3 爾時，世尊在閑靜處。
3.4 時，諸比丘受教而聽。
3.5 過去無數諸佛入於涅槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱論。
3.6 過去三十一劫，有佛名尸棄，如來至真。
3.7 聞諸比丘作如是議。即從座起。
3.8 時，諸相師即白王言... …
3.9 諸比丘於乞食後集花林堂。
3.10 太子於後即剃除鬚髮。
Lesson 4: Negation
One of the most common negatives is bù 不. In declarative sentences, it comes before the word it negates.
Example 4.1
Vocabulary
毘婆尸 Pípóshī (Skt.) Vipaśyin
菩薩 púsà bodhisattva
母 mǔ mother
胎 tāi womb
專 zhuān to concentrate
念 niàn to think, to ponder
亂 luàn chaos, confusion
毘婆尸菩薩在母胎時，專念不亂。
Note: Grammatically, 專念不亂 could refer to either the bodhisattva or to his mother. The implicit
subject is usually carried over from the previous sentence. From the context of the larger passage
that we see that it refers to the bodhisattva.
19
Example 4.2
In questions, 不 can come at the very end of a sentence, and can be translated “or not”. This construction is
particularly common in Buddhist texts. It is commonly pronounced fǒu when it comes at the end of a sentence.
Vocabulary
吾 wú I, me
今 jīn today, now
欲 yù to want, to desire
以 yǐ (以 is a co-verb, meaning it works in conjunction with
another verb. We will look at this word more closely in a
later lesson). To use, to employ; with, by means of
宿命智 sùmìngzhì knowledge of past lives (lit. past-destinies-wisdom)
說 shuō say, expound, relate, explain
事 shì thing, event
汝 rǔ you
世尊告諸比丘：「吾今欲以宿命智說過去佛事。汝欲聞不？」
Example 4.3
Wú 無 normally indicates non-existence (often negating “to have” yǒu 有), meaning “there is no...” In these
cases, it takes a noun as its object. It is also used, as below, in double negatives.
Immediately upon the Buddha's birth, a great light fills the universe. The light is so great that...
Vocabulary
處 chù place
闇冥 ànmíng darkness
無 wú not, none
蒙 méng to receive
明 míng brightness
闇冥之處，無不蒙明。
Example 4.4:
Vocabulary
數 shù number
過去無數諸佛入於涅槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱論
21
Example 4.5
Vocabulary
毘婆尸 Pípóshī (Skt.) Vipaśyin (a Buddha of the Past)
從 cóng from
兜率 Dōushuài Tuṣita
天 tiān Heaven; god, deva
降 jiàng to descend
神 shén divine; spirit
胎 tāi womb
身 shēn body; physically
安隱 ānyǐn serene, at peace
惱患 nǎohuàn troubles, difficulties
毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎，專念不亂。母身安隱，無眾惱患。
Note: Grammatically, the phrase 降神母胎 could be read either as “he descended in spirit into his mother’s
womb” or “he descended into the divine mother’s womb.” We know from context (and that fact that 神母 is
not a common term for a Buddha’s mother) that the former is correct.
Example 4.6: fēi 非

非 is the “negative copula” meaning “is not.” Normally, it is itself a verb and takes a noun as object. In the
following passage, the text describes how the gods protect the newly born Bodhisattva from various sorts of
beings, including both 人 and 非人。
Vocabulary
四 sì four
天子 tiānzǐ lit. children of heaven, heavenly beings, minor deities
執 zhí to hold
戈 gé halberd
矛 máo spear
侍 shì to attend
護 hù to protect
其 qí his [grammatical particle]
得 dé to be able to
侵嬈 qīnrǎo to harass
有四天子執戈矛侍護其人。人與非人不得侵嬈。此是常法。
Example 4.7
Vocabulary
間 jiān between, among
憒閙 kuìnào hubub, noise
此 cǐ this, these
宜 yí appropriate
Before leaving the palace, the bodhisattva determines that...
人間憒閙，此非我宜。
23
Example 4.8: wù 勿.
wù 勿 is imperative, “do not.”
Vocabulary
天 tiān heavenly, celestial
母 mǔ mother
天母 tiānmǔ here: queen
生 shēng to be born
聖 shèng holy
子 zǐ child; son
懷 huái to harbor
憂慼 yōuqī worries and sadness
Just before the bodhisattva's mother gives birth, four deities tell her:
「天母，今生聖子。勿懷憂慼。此是常法」。
Example 4.9
Vocabulary
使 shǐ to cause, to make
眾生 zhòngshēng all beings
墜落 zhuìluò to fall, to descend to
餘 yú other, remaining
趣 qù destination, realm, path of existence
When the Buddha hesitates to preach the Dharma, Brahma pleads with him to do so, saying:
「勿使眾生墜落餘趣」
。
Example 4.10: wèi 未, not yet
Vocabulary
去 qù to leave
久 jiǔ long (duration)
其去未久...
25
Review 4
4.1 毘婆尸菩薩在母胎時，專念不亂。
4.2 世尊告諸比丘：「吾今欲以宿命智說過去佛事。汝欲聞不？」
4.3 闇冥之處，無不蒙明。
4.4 過去無數諸佛入於涅槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱論
4.5 毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎，專念不亂。母身安隱，無眾惱患。
4.6 有四天子執戈矛侍護其人。人與非人不得侵嬈。此是常法。
4.7 人間憒閙，此非我宜。
4.8 「天母，今生聖子。勿懷憂慼。此是常法」。
4.9 「勿使眾生墜落餘趣」
4.10 其去未久...
Lesson 5: yǐ 以
以 is a co-verb, meaning “to take, use; with, by means of.”
Example 5.1
Vocabulary
答 dá to answer, to reply
具 jù together
The Buddha returns to a gathering of his disciples and asks them what they have been discussing...
時，諸比丘具以事答。
Example 5.2
Vocabulary
宿命智 sùmìngzhì knowledge of past lives (lit. past-destinies-wisdom)
吾今欲以宿命智說過去佛事。汝欲聞不？
Example 5.3
Vocabulary
善哉 shànzāi excellent! (哉 marks the previous as emphatic—the
equivalent of an exclamation mark)
平等 píngděng equal, with equanimity
信 xìn faith
修 xiū to cultivate, practice
道 dào the Way, path, the Tao; to speak
27
善哉！善哉！汝等以平等信，出家修道。
Note that in this example děng is used in two different ways: first as a plural marker, and then as
part of a compound indicating equanimity.
Example 5.4
After his enlightenment, the Buddha is reluctant to preach since he fears the beings of the world will not be
able to understand his teachings. Brahma insists that there are some in the world who are capable of receiving
his teachings. The Buddha then decides to have a look for himself...
Vocabulary
眼 yǎn eye
觀 guān to observe
視 shì to see, to view
世界 shìjiè world
即以佛眼觀視世界。
Example 5.5
以 can also be used to express purpose, “and thereby,” “in order to.”
Vocabulary
手 shǒu hand
執 zhí to grasp, to hold
白 bái white
蓋 gài parasol
寶 bǎo precious; jeweled
扇 shàn fan
障 zhàng to impede, to protect from
寒 hán cold
暑 shǔ summer; heat
When the bodhisattva is born, devas protect the infant by doing the following:
手執白蓋、寶扇，以障寒暑
Example 5.6
Vocabulary
增 zēng to increase
伎 jì performers
樂 yuè music; musicians (note that this word can also be read lè
in which case it means “happiness”)
悅 yuè to be pleased; to please
心 xīn heart, mind
To keep the bodhisattva from leaving the palace, his father did the following:
29
增諸伎樂以悅其心。
Example 5.7
Vocabulary
泉 quán fountain, spring
湧 yǒng to bubble forth, to spring forth
出 chū out; to merge, go out
溫 wēn warm
冷 lěng cold; cool
供 gòng to supply
澡浴 zǎoyù bath; to bathe
Immediately after the bodhisattva's birth, the following happened:
二泉湧出一溫一冷。以供澡浴。此是常法。
Example 5.8
Vocabulary
簡擇 jiǎnzé to select
婇 cǎi beautiful; colourful
女 nǚ woman, women
娛 yú to entertain
樂 lè happy, joyful; pleasure
To keep the bodhisattva at home, his father...
簡擇婇女以娛樂之。
Example 5.9
The phrase shìyǐ 是以 means “because of,” “therefore.”
Vocabulary
道 dào road
逢 féng to meet
老 lǎo old
The king asks the bodhisattva's attendant why the boy is not happy. The attendant replies:
道逢老人。是以不樂。
Example 5.10
Vocabulary
默 mò silence, quiet
然 rán (suffix forming stative verb, describing a continuing
action or state)
When Brahma encourages the Buddha to preach the Dharma, he explains that the people of the
world are not receptive to his teachings, concluding by saying...
是以默然，不欲說法。
31
Review 5
5.1 時，諸比丘具以事答。
5.2 吾今欲以宿命智說過去佛事。汝欲聞不？
5.3 善哉！善哉！汝等以平等信，出家修道。
5.4 即以佛眼觀視世界。
5.5 手執白蓋、寶扇，以障寒暑
5.6 增諸伎樂以悅其心。
5.7 二泉湧出一溫一冷。以供澡浴。此是常法。
5.8 簡擇婇女以娛樂之。
5.9 道逢老人。是以不樂。
5.10 是以默然，不欲說法。
Lesson 6: suǒ 所
suǒ 所 is a common relative pronoun, normally meaning “where,” “which,” “that which,” or “what” depending
on context. As a noun it means “place,” “location.”
Example 6.1
When placed before a verb or verb phrase, 所 turns it into a noun. 所 indicates that the noun receives the
action of the verb. Below, it is not that the monks hear the Buddha speak, but that they hear that which the
Buddha spoke. The distinction here isn't that important, but in other contexts it is.
諸比丘聞佛所說。
Example 6.2
汝等所論
This is a noun phrase rather than a complete sentence.
Example 6.3
Vocabulary
治 zhì to govern
城 chéng city
王所治城
33
Example 6.4
Vocabulary
日 rì sun
月 yuè moon
及 jí to reach
處 chù place, location
日月所不及處
Example 6.5
Vocabulary
因緣 yīnyuán lit. causes and conditions; story; here: “circumstances”
名號 mínghào lit. name and “style name”; here: “name”
種族 zhǒngzú class
此是諸佛因緣、名號、種族、所出生處。
Example 6.6
Vocabulary
相 xiàng characteristic, mark (this is why 相師 lit. “master of
marks” means fortune teller).
子 zǐ son; child
時，諸相師即白王言：
「王所生子有三十二相。」
Example 6.7
Vocabulary
何 hé what
語 yǔ to speak (yù); words, language, speech
汝等集此，何所語議？
Example 6.8
Vocabulary
梵 Fàn Brahma
天 tiān deity, Skt. deva; heaven
知 zhī to know, to recognize
毘婆尸 Pípóshī (Skt.) Vipaśyin (a Buddha of the Past)
時，梵天王知毘婆尸如來所念。
35
Example 6.9
Vocabulary
清淨 qīngjìng clear and pure
欲 yù desire; desirous
想 xiǎng to think; thoughts
為 wéi (we have already seen 為 as meaning “to be” – here it
marks the verb as passive) by
婬 yín lasciviousness; lust
火 huǒ fire
燒然 shāorán to burn
佛告比丘：
「毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎，專念不亂。母心清淨，無眾
欲想，不為婬火之所燒然。此是諸佛常法」。
Example 6.10
Vocabulary
乃 nǎi to the extent that
多少 duōshǎo lit. “many and few”; amount
又 yòu further, moreover
彼 bǐ that (pronoun)
名號 mínghào name and “style name”
姓字 xìngzì surname and cognomen
比丘，唯無上尊為最奇特、神通遠達、威力弘大，乃知過去無數諸佛入
於涅槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱論。又知彼佛劫數多少、名號、姓字、所生
種族。
37
Review 6
6.1 諸比丘聞佛所說。
6.2 汝等所論
6.3 王所治城
6.4 日月所不及處
6.5 此是諸佛因緣、名號、種族、所出生處。
6.6 時，諸相師即白王言：
「王所生子有三十二相。」
6.7 汝等集此，何所語議？
6.8 時，梵天王知毘婆尸如來所念。
6.9 佛告比丘：
「毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎，專念不亂。母心清淨，無眾欲
想，不為婬火之所燒然。此是諸佛常法」
。
6.10 比丘，唯無上尊為最奇特、神通遠達、威力弘大，乃知過去無數諸佛入於涅
槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱論。又知彼佛劫數多少、名號、姓字、所生種族。
Lesson 7: gù 故, reason
In Buddhist texts, 故 most often appears at the end of a sentence, meaning “for this reason” or “because of”
what preceded it. It can also appear at the beginning of a sentence, meaning “therefore,” “for this reason.”
Example 7.1
故我默然不欲說法。
Example 7.2
Vocabulary
愛 ài love, affection; craving
滅 mìe to destroy (we have seen this word in the compound 消
滅. The meaning is identical).
取 qǔ grasping, taking
What follows is part of a description of the twelve-fold chain of causation.
愛滅故取滅。
Example 7.3
Vocabulary
安和 Ānhé lit. Peaceful Harmony. Here, a personal name, (P.) Sotthi
(Skt.) Svāstika.
隨 suí to follow; according to
王名安和。隨王名故城名安和。
39
Example 7.4
Vocabulary
老 lǎo old
死 sǐ death
憂 yōu worry, grief
悲 bēi sadness, sorrow
苦惱 kǔ’nǎo suffering, affliction
We return here to the twelve-fold chain of causation.
生滅故老、死、憂、悲、苦惱滅。
Example 7.5
Vocabulary
兩 liǎng the pair; both
相 xiāng mutually (we saw this word earlier pronounced xiàng
and meaning “mark” or “characteristic”)
俱 jù both
汙 wū to stain, to sully
The following is a metaphor which describes the condition of a pure gem placed on a clean piece
of silk.
兩不相汙。二俱淨故。
Example 7.6
Vocabulary
問 wèn to ask, to inquire
答 dá to reply, to answer
曰 yuē to say
夫 fú (an introductory particle announcing a topic)
者 zhě (here, a particle marking off a topic. We will examine
this word more closely in the next lesson)
生 shēng life (we have seen this word earlier meaning to give birth
and to arise)
向 xiàng (preposition) towards
盡 jìn termination, ending
命 mìng destiny, life
幾 jǐ several, few
謂 wèi to say to, to address; to call, to label
After seeing his first old man, the bodhisattva asks his charioteer to explain.
又問「何如為老？」答曰「夫老者，生壽向盡。餘命無幾。故謂之老」。
Example 7.7
Vocabulary
故 gù intentionally (we have seen 故 earlier in another
meaning, as “cause”)
The Buddha has already used his supernormal powers to overhear a conversation, but
nonetheless...
爾時，世尊，知而故問，謂諸比丘：「汝等集此，何所語議？」
Example 7.8
Vocabulary
父 fù father
彼 bǐ that, those
41
者 zhě (particle that nominalizes the preceding verb, in this

case “he who attends,” “attendant”)
遊 yóu to travel, to wander
歡 huān joyous, blissful
樂 lè happy
耶 yé (particle indicating a question)
爾時，父王問彼侍者「太子出遊，歡樂不耶？」答曰「不樂」。又問其
故。
Example 7.9
Vocabulary
病 bìng sick
痛 tòng pain
迫切 pòqiè to press upon
存亡 cúnwáng to live and to die, survival
期 qī date, appointment; to predict, to know in advance
也 yě (final particle serving function of the verb “to be”)
問曰「何如為病？」答曰「病者，眾痛迫切。存亡無期。故曰病也」
。
Example 7.10
故 often works together with 以, meaning “for this reason”, “because”.
Vocabulary
慈悲 cíbēi compassion
為 wèi for the sake of, in order to (we have previously seen 為 in
the second tone meaning “to be” and elsewhere
indicating the passive, “by”).
真諦 zhēndì noble truth
In one of the verses (which I omitted from the text you will read below), the Buddha explains why
he explained the Four Noble Truths.
以慈悲心故，為說四真諦。
43
Review 7
7.1 故我默然不欲說法。
7.2 愛滅故取滅。
7.3 王名安和。隨王名故城名安和。
7.4 生滅故老、死、憂、悲、苦惱滅。
7.5 兩不相汙。二俱淨故。
7.6 又問「何如為老？」答曰「夫老者，生壽向盡。餘命無幾。故謂之老」。
7.7 爾時，世尊，知而故問，謂諸比丘：「汝等集此，何所語議？」
7.8 爾時，父王問彼侍者「太子出遊，歡樂不耶？」答曰「不樂」。又問其故。
7.9 問曰「何如為病？」答曰「病者，眾痛迫切。存亡無期。故曰病也」
。
7.10 以慈悲心故，為說四真諦。
Lesson 8: zhě 者
者 is most commonly used as a nominalizer; it makes a verb or verb phrase, or adjective a noun or noun
phrase—the person or thing who carries out the verb or possesses the quality of the adjective.
Example 8.1
者 can often be translated as “one who is...”
Vocabulary
何 hé what; why; how
智 zhì wisdom, intelligence
歡喜 huānxǐ happy, delighted
何有智者聞此因緣而不歡喜、起愛樂心？
Note: There are two ways to read the 者 here. Either it is modifying the verb 有 (one who has
wisdom) or it is just modifying the adjective 智 (How could there exist a wise person who...).
Example 8.2
When the Bodhisattva, on a ride with his chariot driver outside the palace, for the first time sees a sick man...
Vocabulary
顧 gù to look at
太子顧問侍者「此為何人？」
45
Example 8.3
Vocabulary
出 chū to leave
家 jiā family, household
調伏 tiáofú to tame
心意 xīnyì intention
夫出家者，欲調伏心意。
Example 8.4
Vocabulary
御 yù to drive
沙門 shāmén Skt. śramaṇa
御者答曰「此是沙門」
。
Example 8.5
Vocabulary
為 wèi for the sake of; to be
信 xìn faith
Here the Buddha explains whom he will speak to.
今為信受樂聽者說。
Example 8.6
者 does not always come immediately after the verb it nominalizes. We have seen this already in 8.1.
Vocabulary
當 dāng will; should

趣 qù to go to a destination
必 bì necessary
疑 yí doubt, suspicion
When the bodhisattva is born, fortune-tellers augur two possible destinies...
有此相者，當趣二處，必然無疑。
Example 8.7
The text continues...
Vocabulary
若 ruò if
家 jiā family; home, household
轉 zhuǎn to turn
輪 lún wheel
轉輪王 zhuǎnlún wáng Wheel-turning King, Skt. Cakravartin
若其樂家者，當為轉輪王。
47
Example 8.8
At times, rather than make a verb a noun, 者 marks the preceding word as the topic of the sentence.
Vocabulary
足 zú feet
安 ān peace; stable, steady
平 píng level
滿 mǎn full
Here the Buddha describes the marks of a Buddha.
說三十二相。一者，足安平，足下平滿。
Example 8.9
After seeing his first old man, the Bodhisattva asks his charioteer what old age is. His charioteer explains.
Vocabulary
生壽 shēngshòu lifespan
向 xiàng to approach, to near
答曰「夫老者，生壽向盡。餘命無幾。故謂之老」
。
Note: There are two ways of taking 者 here. Either it makes 老 a person (“one who is old”) or it
marks it as a general topic (“old age”).
Example 8.10
Vocabulary
給 gěi to supply
乳 rǔ milk
哺 bǔ to suckle
澡浴 zǎoyù to bathe
塗 tú to smear, to coat
香 xiāng incense
娛樂 yúlè entertainment
Soon after the bodhisattva's birth, his father supplied him with all of the necessities, including...
爾時，父王給四乳母：一者乳哺、二者澡浴、三者塗香。四者娛樂。
49
Review 8
8.1 何有智者聞此因緣而不歡喜、起愛樂心？
8.2 太子顧問侍者「此為何人？」
8.3 夫出家者，欲調伏心意。
8.4 御者答曰「此是沙門」
。
8.5 今為信受樂聽者說。
8.6 有此相者，當趣二處，必然無疑。
8.7 若其樂家者，當為轉輪王。
8.8 說三十二相。一者，足安平，足下平滿。
8.9 答曰「夫老者，生壽向盡。餘命無幾。故謂之老」
。
8.10 爾時，父王給四乳母：一者乳哺、二者澡浴、三者塗香。四者娛樂。
Lesson 9: Grammatical Flexibility

Grammatical flexibility: nouns become verbs; verbs, nouns; verbs become adjectives, etc.
Example 9.1
Vocabulary
語 yǔ words; language, speech
語 yù to speak to
kě to approve, to accept
可
Compare the word 語 in the following sentences. The first describes the Buddha's response to what the devas
told him. In the second, he explains how it is that he knows of the lives of Buddhas of the distant past.
爾時，如來聞此天語，默然可之。
諸天來語，乃知此事。
51
Example 9.2
Vocabulary
設 shè establish, make, set out; take
方便 fāngbiàn expedience, Skt. upāya; measures
使 shǐ to cause to
處 chǔ to place
深 shēn deep, profound
至 zhì to, until
處 chù place
恭敬 gōngjìng to respect, venerate
四事 sìshì “the four things” (i.e. the four basic necessities: clothing,
food, bedding, medicine).
供養 gòngyǎng to provide
Compare the word 處 in the following sentences. The first describes the actions of the
Bodhisattva's father, intended to prevent him from becoming a wandering ascetic. The second
describes the reception of the Buddha during his period of wandering.
當設方便，使處深宮。
從國至國。所至之處，無不恭敬，四事供養。
Example 9.3
Vocabulary
善枝 Shànzhī (personal name) lit. Good Branch
安和 Ānhé (personal name) lit. Peaceful Harmony (P.) Sotthija (Skt.)
Svāstika
若 Ruò if
家 Jiā home, household
轉輪聖王 zhuǎnlún Wheel-turning Sagely King, Skt. Cakravartin
shèngwáng
天下 tiānxià lit. “All under heaven”; here: continent
王 wáng / wàng king / to be king of, to rule
Compare 王 in the following passages. In the first, the text describes the names of the parents of one of the
buddhas of the past:
母名善枝。王名安和。
若在家者，當為轉輪聖王，王四天下。
53
Example 9.4
Vocabulary
樂 lè happiness, pleasure; to please; to be happy
苦 kǔ suffering
慼 qī sadness, sorrow
遇 yù to meet, to encounter
欣 xīn to enjoy, to delight
Compare 樂 in the following sentences.
道逢老人。是以不樂。
逢苦不慼，遇樂不欣。
簡擇婇女以娛樂之。
Example 9.5
Notice the word 俱 in the following two sentences you have seen above.
一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹花林窟，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。
兩不相汙。二俱淨故。
Review 9
9.1.1 爾時，如來聞此天語，默然可之。
9.1.2 諸天來語，乃知此事。
9.2.1 當設方便，使處深宮。
9.2.2 從國至國。所至之處，無不恭敬，四事供養。
9.3.1 母名善枝。王名安和。
9.3.2 若在家者，當為轉輪聖王，王四天下。
9.4.1 道逢老人。是以不樂。
9.4.2 逢苦不慼，遇樂不欣。
9.4.3 簡擇婇女以娛樂之。
9.5.1 一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹花林窟，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。
9.5.2 兩不相汙。二俱淨故。
55
Lesson 10: Parallel and Rhythm

Classical Chinese prose often employs parallel passages: two phrases or sentences in which the word order of
the first is parallel to that of the second. This fondness for parallel often explains word choice and grammar: if
a particular word is clearly a verb in the first phrase, the word in the same position of the second phrase is
probably also to be taken as a verb. Similarly, the number of characters in classical Chinese texts was also often
regulated. The text from which these lessons draw, the Dà běn jīng, for instance, has a particular fondness for
four-character phrases. You will notice many instances in which the text could have been just as clear with
three characters as four, or would have been clearer with five characters instead of four; in these instances,
clarity or concision are sacrificed for rhythm. Remember that use of punctuation in Chinese is a modern
phenomenon. In the absence of punctuation, regulating the number of characters in a passage provided clues
to meaning and made for ease of reading. The examples below illustrate this tendency.
Example 10.1
Vocabulary
嚴駕 yánjià to adorn (a vehicle), to make ready, to harness
訖已 qìyǐ to finish, complete
還 huán to return
正 zhèng right; just so; truly
乘 chéng to ride
寶 bǎo precious
車 chē cart, chariot
詣 yì to go to
彼 bǐ that
園 yuǎn park
觀 guān to see, to observe
There is no semantic distinction between 即 and 即便, both of which mean “then”. Divide the following
passage into four character units and you will see why the translators used 即便 instead of just 即 in the
second instance.
御者即便嚴駕訖已，還。白：
「今正是時」。太子即乘寶車詣彼園觀。
Example 10.2
Vocabulary
昔 xí in the past
占相 zhānxiàng to read someone’s signs, to tell one’s fortune
得無 déwú is or is not, could it be?
乎 hū (interrogative)
怒 nù anger
癡 chí foolishness, stupidity
承 chéng to bear
用 yòng to use
We have seen that the word 者 normally acts to nominalize verbs. But in the following sentences, while
perhaps it serves to emphasize the character before it, the primary function is to add a fourth character to the
phrase. In this passage, when the Bodhisattva shows signs of dissatisfaction with his life as a prince, his father
muses...
昔日相師占相太子，言當出家。今者不悅，得無爾乎？
57
Example 10.3
Vocabulary
凡愚 fányú mundane, ordinary; ordinary people
能 néng to be able to
及 jí to reach, to achieve
In the following sentences, the concluding word 也 is also primarily used to fill out the four-character phrase.
病者，眾痛迫切。存亡無期。故曰病也。
Here the Buddha explains that not everyone will understand his teachings...
智者所知。非是凡愚所能及也。
Example 10.4
Compare the following two sentences which you have seen in previous lessons. Why does one conclude with
the interrogative 耶?
父王問彼侍者「太子出遊，歡樂不耶？」
世尊告諸比丘：「吾今欲以宿命智說過去佛事。汝欲聞不？」
Example 10.5
Vocabulary
靜默 jìngmò quietly, silently
思惟 sīwéi to think, to reflect
Despite the restrictions imposed by the four-character phrase, there is still considerable room for variations in
phrasing. Consider the two following phrases.
是時，如來靜默自思： …
爾時，父王默自思念： …
59
Review 10
10.1 御者即便嚴駕訖已，還。白：
「今正是時」。太子即乘寶車詣彼園觀。
10.2.1 昔日相師占相太子，言當出家。今者不悅，得無爾乎？
10.3.1 病者，眾痛迫切。存亡無期。故曰病也。
10.3.2 智者所知。非是凡愚所能及也。
10.4.1 父王問彼侍者「太子出遊，歡樂不耶？」
10.4.2 世尊告諸比丘：「吾今欲以宿命智說過去佛事。汝欲聞不？」
10.5.1 是時，如來靜默自思： …
10.5.2 爾時，父王默自思念： …
The Scripture of the Great Origin (Dàběn jīng 大本經)

Introduction to the Dàběn jīng 大本經
This is the first scripture in the Cháng āhánjīng 長阿含經, literally the “long āgama scripture,” known in
Sanskrit as the Dīrghāgama. It is indeed a long scripture, containing many independent scriptures and forming
one of the “four āgamas.”
The Cháng āhánjīng was translated into Chinese in the capital city of Cháng’ān 長安 in 413 by Buddhayaśas
佛陀耶舍 and Zhú Fóniàn 竺佛念 from an Indian version of the text. Zhú Fóniàn is unusual among Chinese
monks for being one of the few said to have mastered Sanskrit. Only fragments of a Sanskrit version of the
Dīrghāgama are extant. A Pali version of the text exists as the Dīgha Nikāya.6
The section we will read is the Dàběn jīng 大本經, literally the “scripture of the great origin.” (Pali,
Mahāpadāna-suttanta; Skt. Mahāvadāna-sūtra). It describes the characteristics of a Buddha. In addition to the
Chinese and Pali versions of the Scripture of the Great Origin, one fairly substantial part of the sutra survives in
Sanskrit in one fragment which, together with several other manuscripts gives nearly the whole sutra.7
The Chinese text before you is useful, particularly in comparison with the Pali and Sanskrit versions, for
reconstructing what many consider to be among the earliest Buddhist texts. It is also useful for understanding
the Dharmaguptaka School from which it came.8
6
On the various versions of this text and it significance, see André Bareau, Les sectes bouddhiques du Petit Véhicule (Paris:
Publications de l’École Française d’Extrême-Orient 38, 1955), p.191; Étienne Lamotte, Histoire du bouddhisme indien des origines
à l’ère Śaka (Louvain: Bibliothèque du Muséon 43, 1958), pp.629-630; and Jan Nattier, Once Upon a Future Time. Studies in a
Buddhist Prophecy of Decline (Berkeley: Asian Humanities Press, 1991), pp.19-20. For a recent English translation of the work, see
The Long Discourses of the Buddha. A Translation of the Dīgha Nikāya by Maurice Walshe (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1987).
The Pali version of the text we will be reading is translated in section 14, pp.199-222.
7
What is missing are mostly verses. The sections dealing with the bodhisattva's birth are also paralleled in The Gilgit manuscript of
the Saṅghabhedavastu: being the 17th and last section of the Vinaya of the Mūlasarvāstivādin, edited by Raniero Gnoli with the
assistance of T. Venkatacharya (Rome: Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente, 1977). The fragments of the
Mahāvadānasūtra were originally edited by Ernst Waldschmidt, Das Mahāvadānasūtra: ein kanonischer Text über die sieben
letzten Buddhas; Sanskrit, verglichen mit dem Pāli nebst einer Analyse der in chinesischer Übersetzung überlieferten
Parallelversionen auf Grund von Turfan-Handschriften (Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, 1953-1956). The Sanskrit text was revised using
additional fragments by Takamichi Fukita, The Mahāvadānasūtra: a new edition based on manuscripts discovered in Northern
Turkestan, Sanskrit-Wörterbuch der buddhistischen Texte aus den Turfan-Funden 10 (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht,
2003). There is no published English translation of the Sanskrit text, but there is a German one: Claudia Weber, Buddhistische
Sutras: das Leben des Buddha in Quellentexten (Munich: Diederichs, 1999), pp. 35-103.
8
On this once-thriving school, most of the works of which are extant only in Chinese translation, see Ann Heirman, “Can We Trace
61
And while the Āgamas were not as influential in China as key Mahāyāna sutras, they were well known among
Buddhist thinkers and were studied by eminent monks throughout Chinese history from the time of their
translation in the fifth century to the present day and are hence important for understanding the development
of Chinese as well as Indian Buddhism.9
Selected passages from the Dàběn jīng

The passages below follow the order of the original. I have skipped some of the introductory material that lists
the date of translation (we will cover Chinese dates later in the class), and have skipped most of the verse.
Passages deleted are noted with ellipses.
You should memorize all of the characters in the vocabulary lists with the exception of rarer words, in
parentheses, which you may want to save for later. Here again, your goal should be to reach a point at which
you can read and translate the passages without recourse to your own notes, the vocabulary lists or the
renditions in the English translation volume. When I have used these materials in class, students are only
allowed to bring the passages appended at the end of the volume (from page 132) stripped of glossaries and
grammatical explanations.
the Early Dharmaguptakas?” T’oung Pao Vol.88, no.4-5 (2002), pp.396-429.

9
For a useful Japanese translation of the Cháng āhánjīng with extensive annotation, see Okayama Hajime 丘山新 et al., Gendai
goyaku “Agon kyōten” 《現代語訳「阿含経典」 : 長阿含経》 (Tōkyō : Hirakawa Shuppansha, 1995-2002). For a French
translation of the Dàběnjīng, see Jin Siyan, Grand soutra sur l'essence des choses. Mahāpadāna-Sutra (Paris: Éditions You-feng, 2011).
Dàběn jīng 大本經: §1
Vocabulary
各 gè each
共 gòng together (we have previously seen 具 and 俱, each also
meaning “together”)
賢 xián wise, sagacious
飲 yín to drink
脩 xiū long
短 duǎn short
(更) gèng to experience
苦 kǔ suffering
解 jǐe understanding
住 zhù to abide, to dwell (either literally where or how he lived,
or metaphorically, as in to “dwell in” a particular state)
別 bié to distinguish
云何 yúnhé how, why
法性 fǎxìng dharma nature, Skt. dharmatā
來 lái to come
如是我聞：
一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹花林窟，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。時，諸比丘於
乞食後，集花林堂。各共議言：
「諸賢比丘，唯無上尊為最奇特、神通遠達、
威力弘大，乃知過去無數諸佛入於涅槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱論。又知彼佛劫
數多少、名號、姓字、所生種族、其所飲食、壽命脩短、所更苦樂。又知彼
佛有如是戒、有如是法、有如是慧、有如是解、有如是住。云何？諸賢，如
來為善別法性知如是事，為諸天來語，乃知此事。」
63
Note: Above, 諸賢比丘 could be taken to mean “among the worthy monks,” but we would expect
the character zhōng 中 in the phrase to indicate “among,” and elsewhere, similar sentences begin
by addressing the audience. Note below how often the Buddha begins a phrase by saying “bhikṣus.”
Vocabulary
詣 yì to go to, to arrive at
就 jiù then, thereupon; to go to, to approach
哉 zāi (exclamation, indicates emphasis)
平等 píngděng equal, with equanimity, non-discriminating
信 xìn faith
修 xiū to cultivate, practice
道 dào the Way, path, the Tao; to speak
應 yīng should, ought to
行 xíng conduct, action
凡 fán in total, overall
業 yè karma; duties, tasks
曰 yuē is called (we saw above meaning “to speak”)
賢聖 xiánshèng wise and sagely (from Skt. bhadra and arya)
講法 jiǎngfǎ to lecture on the Law, to speak on the Dharma
正 zhèng right; just so; truly
亦 yì also, in addition
爾時，世尊在閑靜處。天耳清淨。聞諸比丘作如是議。即從座起。詣花
林堂，就座而坐。爾時，世尊知而故問，謂諸比丘：「汝等集此，何所語
議？」時，諸比丘具以事答。爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「善哉。善哉。汝等
以平等信，出家修道。諸所應行，凡有二業：一曰賢聖講法、二曰賢聖
默然。汝等所論，正應如是。如來神通，威力弘大。盡知過去無數劫
事，以能善解法性故知，亦以諸天來語故知」。
65
Vocabulary
識 shí to know
宿命智 sùmìngzhì knowledge of past lives
願 yuàn to be willing
奉 fèng respectfully
分別 fēnbié one by one; to analyze
解說 jiěshuō explain
九 jiǔ nine
毘婆尸 Pípóshī (Skt.) Vipaśyin
出現 chūxiàn to appear
于 yú (preposition) at, in, by
復次 fùcì moreover, furthermore, and so (we will later see fù by
itself. In this text it is used as the compound fùcì only at
the beginning of sentences.)
尸棄 Shīqì (Skt.) Śikhi
中 zhōng in, among, during
毘舍婆 Píshèpó (Skt.) Viśvabhu
賢劫 xiánjíe lit., “the worthy aeon,” (Skt.) bhadrakalpa. This is the
kalpa in which we live.
拘樓孫 Jūlóusūn (Skt.) Krakucchanda
拘那含 Jū’nàhán (Skt.) Kanakamuni
亦 yì also, furthermore
最正覺 zuìzhèngjué lit., “most correct awakening”, Skt. abhisaṃbuddha
... ... 又告諸比丘：

「汝等欲聞如來識宿命智、知於過去諸佛因緣不？我
當說之」。時，諸比丘白言「世尊，今正是時。願樂欲聞。善哉，世尊。
以時講說，當奉行之」
。
佛告諸比丘：
「諦聽，諦聽。善思念之。吾當為汝分別解說」。時，諸比
丘受教而聽。佛告諸比丘：「過去九十一劫，時世有佛名毘婆尸，如來至
真。出現于世。復次，比丘，過去三十一劫，有佛名尸棄，如來至真。
出現於世。復次，比丘，即彼三十一劫中，有佛名毘舍婆，如來至真。
出現於世。復次，比丘，此賢劫中有佛名拘樓孫。又名拘那含。又名迦
葉。我今亦於賢劫中成最正覺」
。
Vocabulary
七 qī seven
六 liù six
少 shǎo few
出 chū go beyond, exceed
多 duō many
減 jiǎn reduce; less than
... ...「汝等當知，毘婆尸佛時，人壽八萬歲。尸棄佛時，人壽七萬歲。
毘舍婆佛時，人壽六萬歲。拘樓孫佛時，人壽四萬歲。拘那含佛時，人
壽三萬歲。迦葉佛時，人壽二萬歲。我今出世，人壽百歲。少出多
。... ...
減」
67
Vocabulary
剎利 chālì (Skt.) kṣatriya, the ruling class
種 zhǒng class
姓 xìng surname
拘利若 Jūlìruò (Skt.) Kauṇḍinya
婆羅門 pōluómén (Skt.) brahmin
瞿曇 Jùtán (Skt.) Gautama
「毘婆尸佛出剎利種，姓拘利若。尸棄佛、毘舍婆佛種、姓亦爾。拘樓
孫佛出婆羅門種，姓迦葉。拘那含佛、迦葉佛種、姓亦爾。我今如來至
真，出剎利種，姓名曰瞿曇」
。... …
Note: Chinese punctuation, which only became widespread in modern times, includes an
“enumeration comma” (、) for separating items in a series.
Vocabulary
波波羅樹 bōbōluóshù Skt. pāṭalī, “trumpet-flower tree”
分陀利樹 fēntuōlìshù Skt. puṇḍarī, “lotus tree”
娑羅樹 suōluóshù Skt. śāla, “shala tree”
尸利沙樹 shīlìshāshù Skt. śirīṣa, “acacia tree”
烏暫婆羅門樹 wúzànpóluó Skt. uḍumbara, “cluster fig tree”
menshù
尼拘律樹 níjūlǜ shù Skt. nyagrodha, “banyan tree”
鉢多樹 bōduōshù Skt. pippala, “sacred fig tree”
毘婆尸佛坐波波羅樹下成最正覺。尸棄佛坐分陀利樹下成最正覺。毘舍
婆佛坐娑羅樹下成最正覺。拘樓孫佛坐尸利沙樹下成最正覺。拘那含佛
坐烏暫婆羅門樹下成最正覺。迦葉佛坐尼拘律樹下成最正覺。我今如來
至真，坐鉢多樹下成最正覺。... ...
Vocabulary
會 huì gathering
初 chū first; at first
次 cì next
毘婆尸如來三會說法。初會，弟子有十六萬八千人。二會，弟子有十萬
人。三會，弟子有八萬人。尸棄如來亦三會說法。初會、弟子有十萬
人。二會、弟子有八萬人。三會、弟子有七萬人。毘舍婆如來二會說
法。初會、弟子有七萬人。次會、弟子有六萬人。拘樓孫如來一會說
法。弟子四萬人。拘那含如來一會說法。弟子三萬人。迦葉如來一會說
法。弟子二萬人。我今一會說法。弟子千二百五十人。... ...
From context, “assembly” here refers to groups of disciples, rather than to the number of
times a Buddha preached.
69
Vocabulary
騫茶 Jiǎnchá (personal name), Skt. Skanda
提舍 Tíshě (personal name), Skt. Tiṣya
中 zhōng middle; among
第一 dìyī first
阿毘浮 Āpífú (personal name), Skt. Abhibhū
三婆婆 Sānpōpō (personal name), Skt. Saṃbhava
扶遊 Fúyóu (personal name), Skt. Śroṇa
鬱多摩 Yùduōmó (personal name), Skt. Uttama
薩尼 Sāní (personal name), Skt. Saṃjīva
毘樓 Pílóu (personal name), Skt. Vidhūra
舒槃那 Shūpánnà (personal name), Skt. Bhujiṣya
鬱多樓 Yùduōlóu (personal name), Skt. Uttara
婆羅婆 Póluópó (personal name), Skt. Bhāradvāja
舍利弗 Shèlìfú (personal name), Skt. Śāriputra
目揵連 Mùjiànlián (personal name), Skt. Maudgalyāyana
時，毘婆尸佛有二弟子：一名騫茶、二名提舍。諸弟子中最為第一。尸
棄佛有二弟子：一名阿毘浮、二名三婆婆。諸弟子中最為第一。毘舍婆
佛有二弟子：一名扶遊、二名鬱多摩。諸弟子中最為第一。拘樓孫佛有
二弟子：一名薩尼、二名毘樓。諸弟子中最為第一。拘那含佛有二弟
子：一名舒槃那、二名鬱多樓。諸弟子中最為第一。迦葉佛有二弟子：
一名提舍、二名婆羅婆。諸弟子中最為第一。今我二弟子。一名舍利
弗、二名目揵連。諸弟子中最為第一。... ...
Vocabulary
執事 zhíshì administrative; administrator, attendant
無憂 Wúyōu (personal name) lit. Without Grief, Skt. Aśoka
忍行 Rěnxíng (personal name) lit. Tolerant Practice; P. Khemaṁkara;
Skt. Kṣemaṃkara?
寂滅 Jìmiè (personal name) lit. Tranquil Extinction; P. Upasannaka;
Skt. Upaśānta?
善覺 Shànjué (personal name) lit. Well-Awakened; P. Buddhija; Skt.
Bhadrika?
安和 Ānhé (personal name) lit. Peaceful Harmony; P. Sotthija; Skt.
Svāstika?
善友 Shànyǒu (personal name) lit Good Friend; P. Sabbamitta; Skt.
Sarvamitra
阿難 Ā’nán (personal name) Skt. Ānanda
毘婆尸佛有執事弟子，名曰無憂。尸棄佛執事弟子，名曰忍行。毘舍婆
佛有執事弟子，名曰寂滅。拘樓孫佛有執事弟子，名曰善覺。拘那含佛
有執事弟子，名曰安和。迦葉佛有執事弟子，名曰善友。我執事弟子名
曰阿難。... ...
71
Vocabulary
方膺 Fāngyìng (personal name) lit. “Broad-Shouldered”; Skt.
Susaṃvṛttaskandha
無量 Wúliàng (personal name) lit. “Immeasurable”; Skt. Atula
妙覺 Miàojué (personal name) lit. “Marvelous Awakening”; Skt.
Suprabuddha
上勝 Shàngshèng (personal name) lit. “Superior”, “Majestic”; Skt.
Pratāpana?
導師 Dǎoshī (personal name) lit. “Leader”; Skt. Sārthavāha
集軍 Jíjūn (personal name) lit. “Gathered Army”; Vijitasena
羅睺羅 Luóhóuluó (personal name) Skt. Rāhula
毘婆尸佛有子，名曰方膺。尸棄佛有子，名曰無量。毘舍婆佛有子，名
曰妙覺。拘樓孫佛有子，名曰上勝。拘那含佛有子，名曰導師。迦葉佛
有子，名曰集軍。今我有子，名曰羅睺羅。... ...
Vocabulary
槃頭 Pántóu (personal name) P. Bandhumā; Skt.Pāṇḍu
槃頭婆提 Pántóupótí (personal name) P. Bandhumatī; Skt.?
治 zhì to govern
城 chéng city
毘婆尸佛父名槃頭，剎利王種。母名槃頭婆提。王所治城名曰槃頭婆
提。
Vocabulary
明相 Míngxiàng (personal name) lit. “Brightness”; P./Skt. Aruṇa
光曜 Guāngyào (personal name) lit. “Radiance”; P. Pabhāvatī; Skt.
Prabhāvatī
光相 Guāngxiàng (personal name) lit. “Brilliance”; P. Aruṇavatī; Skt.?
尸棄佛父名曰明相，剎利王種。母名光曜。王所治城名曰光相。
73
Vocabulary
善燈 Shàndēng (personal name) lit. Good Lamp; P. Suppatīta; Skt.
Supradīpa
稱戒 Chēngjiè (personal name) lit. “Proclaim Conduct”; P. Yasavatī;
Skt.Uttarā?
無喻 Wúyù (personal name) lit. “Without Compare”; P. Anopama;
Skt. Anupama
毘舍婆佛父名善燈。剎利王種。母名稱戒。王所治城名曰無喻。
Vocabulary
祀得 Sìdé (personal name) lit. Sacrifice Obtained; P. Aggidatta; Skt.
Agnidatta
善枝 Shànzhī (personal name) lit. Good Branch; P. Visākhā; Skt.
Viśākhā
安和 Ānhé (personal name) lit. Peaceful Harmony; P. Sotthija; Skt.
Svāstika?
拘樓孫佛父名祀得，婆羅門種。母名善枝。王名安和。隨王名故城名安
和。
Vocabulary
大德 Dàdé (personal name) lit. Great Virtue ; P. Yaññadatta; Skt.
Yajñadatta?
善勝 Shànshèng (personal name) lit. Skilled in Victory; P. Uttara; Skt.
Yaśovati?
清淨 Qīngjìng (personal name) lit. Clear and Pure; P. Sobha; Skt.
Śobhavatī?
拘那含佛父名大德。婆羅門種。母名善勝。是時王名清淨。隨王名故城
名清淨。
Vocabulary
梵德 Fàndé (personal name) lit. “Brahma Virtue”; Skt./P.
Brahmadatta
財主 Caízhǔ (personal name) lit. Patron; P. Dhanavatī; Skt. Viśākhā
汲毘 Jípí (personal name) P. Kikin; Skt. Kṛkin
波羅奈 Pōluónài (personal name) Skt./P. Vārānasī
迦葉佛父名曰梵德。婆羅門種。母名曰財主。時王名汲毘。王所治城名
波羅奈。
75
Vocabulary
淨飯 Jìngfàn (personal name) lit. Pure Rice; Skt. Śuddhodana
大清淨妙 Dàqīngjìngmiào (personal name) lit. Great Pure and Marvelous; Skt.
Māyā
迦毘羅衛 Jiāpíluówèi (place name) Skt. Kapilavastu; P. Kapilavatthu
我父名淨飯。剎利王種。母名大清淨妙。王所治城名迦毘羅衛。
Vocabulary
因緣 yīnyuán causes and conditions; circumstances; story
智 zhì wisdom
歡喜 huānxǐ bliss, happiness
愛樂 aìlè love and joy
此是諸佛因緣、名號、種族、所出生處。何有智者聞此因緣而不歡喜、
起愛樂心？」爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「吾今欲以宿命智說過去佛事。汝欲
聞不？」
諸比丘對曰：
「今正是時。願樂欲聞。」
Vocabulary
右 yòu right
脇 xiè side
入 rù to enter
地 dì earth
震動 zhèndòng to shake
放 fàng to emit, to put forth
光明 guāngmíng light
普 pǔ generally, universally, everywhere
照 zhào to shine
世界 shìjiè world
日 rì sun
月 yuè moon
及 jí to reach
皆 jiē all
幽冥 yōumíng darkness
眾生 zhòngshēng all beings
覩見 dūjiàn to see
趣 qù realm, path of existence; to be in a realm
復 fù again; moreover, further
魔宮 mógōng the devil’s palace, Mara’s palace
釋 Shì (usually 帝釋) Śakra / Indra
梵 Fàn Brahma
自然 zìrán of itself; naturally
現 xiàn to appear, to make manifest
77
佛告諸比丘：
「諦聽。諦聽。善思念之。吾當為汝分別解說。比丘，當知
諸佛常法。毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎。從右脇入。正念不亂。當於
爾時。地為震動。放大光明。普照世界。日月所不及處，皆蒙大明。幽
冥眾生，各相覩見。知其所趣。時，此光明復照魔宮。諸天、釋、梵、
沙門、婆羅門及餘眾生普蒙大明。諸天光明自然不現」。
Vocabulary
天子 tiānzǐ lit. children of heaven, heavenly beings, minor deities
執 zhí to hold
戈 gé halberd
矛 máo spear
侵嬈 qīnrào to harass, harm
「諸比丘，當知諸佛常法。毘婆尸菩薩在母胎時，專念不亂。有四天子
執戈矛侍護其人。人與非人不得侵嬈。此是常法」
。
As noted above, grammatically, 專念不亂 could refer to either the bodhisattva or his mother. Use
of the term later in the text suggest the former is right. See, for example, §23 and especially §26
below.
Vocabulary
安隱 ānyǐn serene, at peace
惱患 nǎohuàn troubles, difficulties
自 zì oneself
觀 guān to see, to observe
見 jiàn to see, to view
身 shēn body
根 gēn faculties; organs; limbs
具足 jùzú complete, fully formed
瑕 xiá faults, blemishes
猶如 yóurú it is like
目 mù eye; eyesight
士 shì man (usually of high status)
紫磨金 zǐmójīn polished rose gold
穢 huì dirt, filth
琉璃 liúlí beryl (often glossed as “lapis lazuli,” but lapis lazuli is
usually opaque, and here the gem is translucent)
內外 nèiwài inner and outer
清徹 qīngchè clear; translucent
障翳 zhàngyì clouded, visually impaired; obstruction
又告比丘：
「諸佛常法。毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎，專念不亂。母身
安隱，無眾惱患。智慧增益。母自觀胎。見菩薩身，諸根具足。如紫磨
金，無有瑕穢。猶如有目之士觀淨琉璃。內外清徹，無眾障翳。諸比
丘，此是諸佛常法」
。
79
Vocabulary
婬 yín lasciviousness; lust
火 huǒ fire
之所 zhīsuǒ (in <subject + object + verb> phrase, marks the verb as
passive; i.e. the subject is verbed by the object)
燒然 shāorán to burn
佛告比丘：
Note: You have now seen the three primary uses for 為. Here, it works with 所, marking the verb
as passive. We have also seen it act as a copula (to be): 唯無上尊為最奇特, and 何如為老. It can
also mean “for the sake of” (read in the fourth tone): 以慈悲心故，為說四真諦 and 今為信受
樂聽者說。
Vocabulary
奉持 fèngchí to uphold, to honor
五 wǔ five
戒 jiè precepts
梵行 fànxíng Skt. brahmacarya, “pure practices”; religious conduct;
often means celibacy
篤信 dǔxìn devotion and faith
仁愛 rénài benevolence and love
成就 chéngjiù to accomplish
畏 wèi fear
壞 huái to go bad, to deteriorate, to fail
命 mìng life
終 zhōng to end
忉利天 Dāolìtiān the Daoli Heaven, Skt. Trāyastriṃśa
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎，專念不亂。其母
奉持五戒。梵行清淨。篤信仁愛。諸善成就。安樂無畏。身壞命終，生
忉利天。此是常法」
。
81
Vocabulary
當 dāng when, at that time
其 qí his, her, its
始 shǐ at first; to begin
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出。地為震動。光
明普照。始入胎時，闇冥之處，無不蒙明。此是常法」。
Vocabulary
手 shǒu hand
攀 pān to climb; to grip
枝 zhī branch
臥 wò to recline, to lie down
香 xiāng fragrant
水 shuǐ water
前 qián before, in front of
立 lì to stand
唯然 wéirán only, uniquely; it is so
勿 wù (negation)
懷 huái to harbor, to have
憂慼 yōuqī worries and sadness
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出，專念不亂。
時，菩薩母手攀樹枝。不坐不臥。時，四天子手奉香水。於母前立言：
『唯然，天母。今生聖子。勿懷憂慼』
。此是常法」。
83
Vocabulary
穢惡 huìè dirt, filth
汙染 wūrán stained, polluted, sullied
珠 zhū jewel, gem
投 tóu to toss, to cast
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法。毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出，專念不亂。其
身清淨，不為穢惡之所汙染。猶如有目之士，以淨明珠投白繒上。兩不
相汙，二俱淨故。菩薩出胎亦復如是。此是常法」
。
Vocabulary
墮 duò to fall
行 xíng to walk
步 bù paces, steps
扶侍 fúshì to support
舉 jǔ to raise
遍 piàn pervasive; everywhere
方 fāng direction
手 shǒu hand
要 yào to want, will
度 dù to save, to deliver
病 bìng sickness
死 sǐ death
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出，專念不亂。從
右脇出，墮地行七步。無人扶侍。遍觀四方。舉手而言。
『天上天下，唯
我為尊。要度眾生生老病死』
85

Vocabulary
泉 quán fountain, spring
湧 yǒng to bubble forth, to spring forth
溫 wēn warm
冷 lěng cold
供 gòng to supply
澡浴 zǎoyù to bathe
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出，專念不亂。二
泉湧出，一溫一冷，以供澡浴。此是常法」。
Vocabulary
太子 tàizi prince
槃頭 Pántóu (personal name) P. Bandhumā; Skt.?)
召集 zhàojí to summon, to call together
道術 dàoshù masters of the (esoteric) arts, magicians, soothsayers
令 lìng to order, to make, to command
吉凶 jíxiōng good and bad fortune, fortune, fate
命 mìng command
即 jí to approach
披 pī to remove, pull back
衣 yī clothing
具 jù complete
相 xiàng marks, signs
占 zhàn to prognosticate, evaluate, assess, divine

趣 qù to go to; (we have also seen as destination”)
必然 bìrán necessarily
疑 yí doubt
若 ruò if
家 jiā home, household
轉輪聖王 zhuǎnlún Wheel-turning Sagely King, Skt. Cakravartin
shèngwáng
天下 tiānxià lit. “all under heaven”; here: continent
王 wàng to be king of, to rule
四兵 sìbīng fourfold army (four types of troops), Skt. caturaṅgabala
偏枉 piānwǎng Bias, prejudice
恩 ēn benevolence
七寶 qībǎo seven gems, Skt. saptaratnāṇi (the seven “jewels” of a
wheel-turning king).
自 zì of itself; of themselves
至 zhì to arrive
勇健 yǒngjiàn brave and stout
伏 fú to subdue
外 wài external, outside; foreign
敵 dí enemy
兵杖 bīngzhàng weapons
太平 taìpíng great peace
十號 shíhào The ten epithets (the ten major terms for a Buddha:
Tathāgatha, Bhagavat, etc.)
87
太子初生，父王槃頭召集相師及諸道術。令觀太子，知其吉凶。時，諸
相師受命而觀。即前披衣，見有具相。占曰：『有此相者，當趣二處，必
然無疑。若在家者，當為轉輪聖王，王四天下，四兵具足，以正法治，
無有偏枉，恩及天下，七寶自至，千子勇健，能伏外敵，兵杖不用，天
下太平。若出家學道，當成正覺，十號具足』。時，諸相師即白王言：
『王所生子有三十二相。當趣二處，必然無疑。在家當為轉輪聖王。若
其出家，當成正覺，十號具足』」
。
Note: You have seen two uses for 前: as a verb, “move forward,” as here 即前披衣; before in space
時，四天子手奉香水，於母前立言....; It can also mean before in time.
Vocabulary
慇懃 yīnqín sincere
再三 zàisān lit. two and three; repeatedly
重 chóng again; repeatedly
更 gèng further (we have seen this word before meaning “to
experience”)
斯 sī this; these
足 zú feet
安 ān peaceful; steady
平 píng flat, even
滿 mǎn full
蹈 dǎo step
隱 yǐn stable, steady
相輪 xiànglún wheel
輻 fú spoke
光 guāng light
照 zhào to shine
網縵 wǎngmàn webbed
鵝 é goose
是時，父王慇懃再三，重問相師：「汝等更觀太子三十二相，斯名何
等？」時諸相師即披太子衣，說三十二相。一者，足安平，足下平滿，
蹈地安隱。二者，足下相輪，千輻成就，光光相照。三者，手足網縵，
猶如鵝王。
89
Note: Here we see three uses of 相: in a compound for wheel 相輪 (this is rare), to mean mark or
sign 三十二相, and (read in first tone) to mean “mutually” 光光相照, here suggesting that the
light from each spoke reflects on the others.
Vocabulary
柔軟 róuruǎn soft
指 zhǐ digits
纖 xiān slender
長 cháng long
跟 gēn heels
充滿 chōngmǎn full
視 shì to see
厭 yàn to tire of; to dislike
鹿 lù deer
膊腸 bócháng limbs
傭直 yōngzhí straight
鈎 gōu hook; hooked
鎻 suǒ link; linked
骨 gǔ bones
節 jié joints
鎻連 suǒlián linked; chain
陰 yīn penis
馬藏 mǎcáng lit. hidden like a horse’s, i.e. retractable
垂 chuí to hang down
過 guò to exceed
膝 xī knees
四者手足柔軟，猶如天衣。五者手足指纖，長無能及者。六者足跟充
滿，觀視無厭。七者鹿膊腸，上下傭直。八者鈎鎻骨，骨節相鈎，猶如
鎻連。九者陰馬藏。十者平立垂手過膝。
Note: 指 can mean either finger or toe.
Vocabulary
孔 kǒng hole, pore
毛 máo hair
右 yòu right
旋 xuān to turn, to spiral
仰靡 yǎngmí to be upturned, facing up
紺 gàn brownish black
琉璃 liúlí beryl
色 sè color
黃金 huángjīn yellow gold
皮膚 pífu skin
細軟 xìruǎn soft
塵 chén dust
肩 jiān shoulders
齊亭 qítíng even, equal
圓好 yuánhǎo perfect
胸 xiōng chest
萬 wàn ten thousand; swastika
91
字 zì [Chinese] character, symbol, word

長 cháng length
倍 bèi double
七處 qīchù lit. “seven places” (arms, feet, shoulders and neck)
十一、一一孔一毛生，其毛右旋，紺琉璃色。十二、毛生右旋，紺色仰
靡。十三、身黃金色。十四、皮膚細軟，不受塵穢。十五，兩肩齊亭，
充滿圓好。十六．胸有萬字。十七．身長倍人。十八．七處平滿。
Vocabulary
長 cháng length
廣 guǎng width
等 děng equal, the same
尼拘盧 níjūlú (kind of tree) Skt. nyagrodha, “banyan tree”
頰車 jiáchē jowls, jaws
師子 shīzi lion
胸膺 xióngyīng chest
方整 fāngzhěng square and complete; well proportioned; broad
口 kǒu mouth
齒 chǐ teeth
齊平 qípíng even
密 mì dense
間 jiān space
鮮明 xiānmíng sparkling
咽喉 yānhóu throat
味 wèi flavor
稱適 chēngshì to call satisfying, to be satisfied; to find agreeable
舌 shé tongue
耳 ěr ear
舐 shì to lick
左 zuǒ left
梵音 Fànyīn the voice of Brahma (Skt. brahmasvara)
清徹 qīngchè clear
眼 yǎn eyes
紺青 gànqīng deep blue; deep green; pitch black
牛 niú ox
眴 shùn to squint; to blink
眉 méi eyebrows
毫 háo hair
柔軟 róuruǎn soft
細 xì fine
澤 zé moist
引 yǐn to pull
尋 xún (a measure of length, about eight feet)
放 fàng to release
則 zé then
旋螺 xuānluó to spiral, to coil
真珠 zhēnzhū pearl
頂 dǐng the top of the head
肉 ròu meat, flesh
髻 jì bun, topknot
93
十九，身長廣等。如尼拘盧樹。二十，頰車如師子。二十一，胸膺方整
如師子。二十二，口四十齒。二十三，方整齊平。二十四，齒密無間。
二十五，齒白鮮明。二十六，咽喉清淨。所食眾味，無不稱適。二十
七，廣長舌，左右舐耳。二十八，梵音清徹。二十九，眼紺青色。三
十，眼如牛王，眼上下俱眴。三十一，眉間白毫柔軟細澤。引長一尋。
放則右旋螺如真珠。三十二，頂有肉髻。是為三十二相。」
Vocabulary
虛空 xūkōng space, air
風 fēng wind
雨 yǔ rain
塵 chén dust
土 tǔ earth
歡喜 huānxǐ happy, joyful
養育 yǎngyù to raise, to nurture
懈倦 xièjuàn tired
佛告比丘：
「毘婆尸菩薩生時，諸天在上。於虛空中手執白蓋、寶扇，以
障寒暑、風雨、塵土」
。
爾時，父王給四乳母：一者乳哺、二者澡浴、三者塗香。四者娛樂。歡
喜養育。無有懈倦。
Vocabulary
童子 tóngzǐ child
舉 jǔ entire
國 guó kingdom, country
士 shì men of standing; men
女 nǔ women
視 shì to view, to see
厭足 yànzú surfeit, feel is in excess
傅抱 fùbào to assist and protect, to coddle
寶 bǎo precious, valuable
華 huá flowers
忉利天 Dāolìtiān the Daoli Heaven, Skt. Trāyastriṃśa
和 hé harmonious
雅 yǎ elegant
迦羅頻伽 jiāluópínjiā Skt. kalaviṅka, a melodious bird (perhaps a cuckoo)
鳥 niǎo bird
聲 shēng voice; sound
徹 chè thoroughly, completely
由旬 yóuxún Skt. yojana (measure of distance)
年 nián years; age
漸 jiàn gradual
長大 zhǎngdà to mature, grow up
在天 zàitiān (he who is) in heaven; the ruler, the king, the emperor
正堂 zhèngtáng main hall
道 dào way, path; moral teachings
95
開化 kāihuà to preach, to enlighten
恩 ēn benevolence
及 jí to reach
庶民 shūmín common people
名 míng famous
德 dé virtue
為童子時，舉國士女視無厭足。
為童子時，舉國士女眾共傅抱。如觀寶華。
菩薩生時，其目不眴。如忉利天。以不眴故，名毘婆尸。
菩薩生時，其聲清徹。柔軟和雅。如迦羅頻伽鳥聲。
菩薩生時，眼能徹視，見一由旬。
菩薩生時，年漸長大。在天正堂，以道開化。恩及庶民，名德遠聞。
Note: 以不眴故，名毘婆尸 is apparently a folk etymology of the word vipaśyin (paśya means
“to see”); a common Chinese translation of the name Vipaśyin was Shèngguānfó 勝觀佛
(“Buddha of superior vision”).
The Scripture of the Account of the World (Shìjì jīng 世記經) , another scripture included in the
Cháng āhán jīng 長阿含經 (from which you will read a selection in volume two of the primer),
describes ten characteristics of the gods of 忉利天, one of which is that “they do not blink.”(T.
no.1, Vol.1, p. 132c).
Vocabulary
遊觀 yóuguāng to travel; to tour, to go on an excursion
告勅 gàochì to command
御 yù to drive
嚴駕 yánjià to adorn (a vehicle), to make ready, to harness
寶 bǎo precious
車 chē cart, chariot
詣 yì to go to
彼 bǐ that
園林 yuǎnlín park
巡行 xúnxíng to tour, to inspect
便 biàn thereupon, then
訖已 qìyǐ to finish, complete
還 huán to return
今 jīn today, now
太子 tàizi prince
乘 chéng to ride
路 lù road
見 jiàn to see
頭 tóu head
齒 chǐ teeth
落 luò fall
面 miàn face
皺 zhòu wrinkles
身 shēn body
僂 lǔ bent over, stooped
97
拄杖 zhùzhàng cane, staff

羸 léi weak, sick
步 bù steps
喘息 chuǎnxí to pant
行 xíng to walk
顧 gù to look at
問 wèn to ask
答 dá to answer
生壽 shēngshòu lifespan
免 miǎn to avoid
患 huàn sickness; disaster
耶 yé (interrogative)
然 rán it is so
必 bì inevitable, necessarily
豪 háo wealthy, prosperous
賤 jiàn poor; miserable; low born
於是 yúshì thereupon
悵然 chàngrán disappointed, disillusioned
悅 yuè to be happy
迴 huí to return
駕 jià to drive
宮 gōng palace
靜默 jìngmò quietly, silently
思惟 sīwéi to think, to reflect
於時，菩薩欲出遊觀。告勅御者嚴駕寶車、詣彼園林、巡行遊觀。御者
即便嚴駕訖已，還。白：「今正是時」
。太子即乘寶車詣彼園觀。於其中
路見一老人。頭白齒落。面皺身僂。拄杖羸步。喘息而行。太子顧問侍
者：
「此為何人？」答曰：「此是老人」
。又問：
「何如為老？」答曰「夫
老者，生壽向盡。餘命無幾。故謂之老」
。太子又問：「吾亦當爾。不免
此患耶？」答曰：「然。生必有老。無有豪賤」
。於是，太子悵然不悅。
即告侍者迴駕還宮。靜默思惟，念此老苦：「吾亦當有」
。
Note: We know that in the phrase 白：「今正是時」it is the charioteer speaking because 白 is
used by an inferior to address a superior.
99
Vocabulary
道 dào road
逢 féng to meet
默 mò to be silent
昔 xí in the past
占相 zhànxiàng to read someone’s signs, to tell one’s fortune
得無 déwú is or is not, could it be?
乎 hū (interrogative)
設 shè establish, make, set out; take
方便 fāngbiàn expedience, Skt. upāya; measures
使 shǐ to cause to
深 shēn deep, profound
五欲 wǔyù five desires (there are various sets)
娛樂 yúlè entertainment
嚴飾 yánshì ornament, adorn, decorate
宮館 gōngguǎn palace buildings
簡擇 jiǎnzé to select
婇女 cǎinǚ beautiful women
爾時，父王問彼侍者：
「太子出遊，歡樂不耶？」答曰：
「不樂」。又問其
故。答曰：
「道逢老人。是以不樂」。爾時，父王默自思念：「昔日相師占
相太子，言當出家。今者不悅，得無爾乎？當設方便，使處深宮。五欲
娛樂，以悅其心，令不出家」
。即便，嚴飾宮館。簡擇婇女，以娛樂之。
Vocabulary
復 fù moreover, furthermore
命 mìng life; to order

病 bìng sick
腹 fù belly
面目 miànmù countenance
黧黑 líhēi dark yellow
獨 dú alone
臥 wò to lie down
糞除 fènchú the removal of filth, to clean; what is taken away after
cleaning, i.e. filth, rubbish (other editions of the text give
the more usual fènhuì 糞穢).
瞻視 zhānshì to gaze upon, to watch over
苦毒 kǔdú painful; intense suffering, acute pain
能 néng can, to be able to
痛 tòng pain
迫切 pòqiè to press upon
存亡 cúnwáng to live and to die, survival
期 qī date, appointment
貴 guì noble, high born
又於後時。太子復命御者嚴駕出遊。於其中路逢一病人。身羸腹大。面
目黧黑。獨臥糞除。無人瞻視。病甚苦毒。口不能言。顧問御者：
「此為
何人？」答曰：「此是病人」
。問曰：
「何如為病？」答曰：「病者，眾痛
迫切。存亡無期。故曰病也」
。又曰：
「吾亦當爾，未免此患耶？」答
曰：
「然，生則有病。無有貴賤」。於是，太子悵然不悅。即告御者迴車
還宮。靜默思惟，念此病苦：
「吾亦當爾」。
101
Vocabulary
更 gèng further, again
增 zēng to increase
伎樂 jìyuè performers and musicians
爾時，父王復問御者：
故。答曰：
「道逢病人。是以不樂」。於是父王默然思惟：
「昔日相師占相
太子，言當出家。今日不悅。得無爾乎？吾當更設方便，增諸伎樂，以
悅其心，使不出家」
。即復嚴飾宮館。簡擇婇女以娛樂之。
Vocabulary
雜 zá diverse, varied
色 sè color
繒 zēng fabric, cloth
幡 fān banner
前後 qiánhòu before and after
導引 dǎoyǐn lead, precede; here, accompanying
宗族 zōngzú family, clan
親里 qīnlǐ relatives and neighbors
悲 bēi bad, sorrowful
號 hào to shout,to wail
哭泣 kūqì to cry, to weep
送 sòng to send off
盡 jìn termination, ending
風 fēng wind; here, breath?
先 xiān first
火 huǒ fire; here, warmth?
次 cì next
諸 zhū all
根 gēn organs; faculties
壞敗 huàibài to destroy, to break, decay
異 yì different
室家 shìjiā home; husband and wife
離別 líbié to depart; to separate
又於異時，太子復勅御者嚴駕出遊。於其中路逢一死人。雜色繒幡前後
導引。宗族親里悲號哭泣。送之出城。太子復問：
「此為何人？」答曰：
「此是死人」
。問曰：
「何如為死？」答曰：「死者，盡也。風先火次。諸
根壞敗。存亡異趣。室家離別。故謂之死」。太子又問御者：「吾亦當
爾。不免此患耶？」答曰：「然。生必有死。無有貴賤」
。於是，太子悵
然不悅。即告御者迴車還宮。靜默思惟。念此死苦：「吾亦當然」
。
故。答曰：
「道逢死人。是故不樂」。於是父王默自思念：
太子。言當出家。今日不悅。得無爾乎？吾當更設方便。增諸伎樂以悅
其心。使不出家」。即復嚴飾宮館。簡擇婇女以娛樂之。
Vocabulary
沙門 shāmén Skt. śramaṇa
103
服 fú clothing; to wear
持 chí to hold, to grip
鉢 bō alms bowl
地 dì ground
捨離 shělí to abandon, to cast off
恩愛 ēn’ài affection and love, attachments
修 xiū to cultivate
攝御 shèyù to drive, to ride; to control, to master
染 rǎn to taint; be tainted by
外 wài external
慈 cí compassion
一切 yíqiè all
傷害 shānghài to hurt, to harm
慼 qī sadness, sorrow
遇 yù to meet
欣 xīn to enjoy, to delight
忍 rěn to tolerate
永 yǒng forever, always
絕 jué cut off
塵累 chénléi lit. burden of dust, burdens of the world
清虛 qīngxū pristine, pure
微妙 wéimiào subtle, marvelous
惟 wéi only
快 kuài happy; pleasure
又於異時，復勑御者嚴駕出遊。於其中路逢一沙門。法服持鉢。視地而
行。即問御者：「此為何人？」御者答曰：「此是沙門」
。又問：
「何謂沙
門？」答曰：
「沙門者，捨離恩愛，出家修道。攝御諸根，不染外欲。慈
心一切，無所傷害。逢苦不慼，遇樂不欣。能忍如地。故號沙門」
。太子
曰：
「善哉。此道真正，永絕塵累。微妙清虛。惟是為快」
。即勑御者，
迴車就之。
Vocabulary
剃除 tìchú to cut off
鬚髮 xūfǎ hair and beard
志 zhì aspiration, will
求 qiú to seek, to request
調伏 tiáofú to tame
心意 xīnyì intention
離 lí to depart from
塵垢 chén’gòu filth, dirt
育 yù nurture
群生 qúnshēng the masses of beings; all beings
侵嬈 qīnrào disturbance, harassment
虛心 xūxīn modest, humble
靜寞 jìngmò silent
務 wù duty; to take as a duty, to devote oneself
尋 xún then, subsequently
勑 chì to order
105
賷 jī to carry; to take
并 bìng together with
及 jí and
轝 niǎn cart, chariot
習 xí custom, habit
自居 zìjū self reliant
術 shù arts
歸 guī to return
爾時，太子問沙門曰：
「剃除鬚髮。法服持鉢。何所志求」
。沙門答曰：
「夫出家者，欲調伏心意、永離塵垢、慈育群生、無所侵嬈、虛心靜
寞、唯道是務」。太子曰：「善哉。此道最真」
。尋勑御者：「賷吾寶衣并
及乘轝，還白大王，我即於此剃除鬚髮、服三法衣、出家修道。所以然
者，欲調伏心意，捨離塵垢。清淨自居，以求道術」。於是，御者即以太
子所乘寶車及與衣服還歸父王。太子於後即剃除鬚髮，服三法衣，出家
修道。
Vocabulary
苦惱 kǔnǎo suffering, affliction
戀 liàn to be enamored of, to crave
情 qíng emotion
滅 miè to extinguish, destroy
廓然 kuòrán expansive
悟 wù to be enlightened; enlightenment, insight
下 xià to go down, descend
步 bù step; to take a step
中間 zhōngjiān in the midst of

轉 zhǔan to turn, revolve, in turns; gradually
遠 yǔan distant; to distance oneself
縛著 fūzhuó to bind, to tie; attachments
咸 xián all
捨 shě to abandon
榮 róng honor, glory
位 wèi position
捐棄 sǔnqì to cast off
重 zhòng to value
往就 wǎngjiù to go towards
求 qíu to beg, to ask
佛告比丘：
「太子見老、病人，知世苦惱。又見死人，戀世情滅。及見沙
門，廓然大悟。下寶車時，步步中間，轉遠縛著。是真出家。是真遠
離。時，彼國人聞太子剃除鬚髮。法服持鉢。出家修道。咸相謂言『此
道必真，乃令太子捨國榮位、捐棄所重』
。于時，國中八萬四千人往就太
子。求為弟子。出家修道。
Note that the Buddha here is reasserted as speaker.
107
Vocabulary
納受 nàshòu to receive, to accept, to take in
與 yǔ together with
之 zhī (marker of possession); him; her; to go
在在 zàizài everywhere
教化 jiàohuà to teach and transform, to proselytize
村 cūn village
恭敬 gōngjìng to respect, venerate
四事 sìshì “the four things” (i.e. the four basic necessities: clothing,
food, bedding, medicine).
供養 gòngyǎng to provide
憒閙 kuìnào hubbub, noise
群眾 qúnzhòng masses, throng
尋 xún then, subsequently
獲 huò to obtain, to get
志願 zhìyuàn goal, ambition
專精 zhūanjīng concentrated, with intensity
作 zuò to do, to make
愍 mǐn to pity
危脆 wēicuì fragile, weak
緣 yuán on this basis, according to these conditions, following
此 cǐ this; here
彼 bǐ that; there
陰 yīn dark (the “yin” of “yinyang”); group, mass
流轉 liúzhǔan to circulate, flow
窮 qióng to exhaust, to end
曉 xiǎo to understand
了 liǎo completely; to complete
于時，太子即便納受。與之遊行。在在教化。從村至村。從國至國。所
至之處，無不恭敬，四事供養。菩薩念言：「吾與大眾，遊行諸國。人間
憒閙，此非我宜。何時當得離此群眾？閑靜之處，以求道真」。尋獲志
願。於閑靜處，專精修道。復作是念：
「眾生可愍。常處闇冥。受身危
脆。有生、有老、有病、有死。眾苦所集，死此生彼。從彼生此。緣此
苦陰，流轉無窮。我當何時曉了苦陰，滅生、老、死？」
Note: Here 可 makes the verb that follows it passive. Hence 可愍 means “can be pitied,” or
“pitiable.”
109
Vocabulary
有 yǒu to exist; being (the conventional translation in this
context is “becoming,” but this is based on Sanskrit and
Pali and isn’t easily derived for the word 有).
觀察 guānchá to observe
由 yóu to come from; source
起 qǐ to arise
取 qǔ grasping, taking
愛 ài love, affection, craving
受 shòu receive; here: to sense, feel
觸 chù contact
六入 liùrù lit. “the six entrances”; the six sense organs (organs for
sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and thought)
名色 míngsè name and form
識 shì consciousness
行 xíng to act; conduct (the conventional translation in this
context is “dispositions” )
癡 chí ignorance; madness
憂 yōu worry, grief
悲 bēi sadness, sorrow
苦 kǔ pain
惱 nǎo frustration
盛 shèng full, abundant; to flourish
智 zhì wisdom; knowledge
眼 yǎn eyes; sight, vision
覺 jué feeling, perception; awakening
明 míng light, clarity
通 tōng understanding
慧 huì wisdom
證 zhèng verification; realization
復作是念：
「生死何從？何緣而有？」即以智慧觀察所由。
「從生有老
死，生是老死緣。生從有起，有是生緣。有從取起，取是有緣。取從愛
起，愛是取緣。愛從受起，受是愛緣。受從觸起，觸是受緣。觸從六入
起，六入是觸緣。六入從名色起，名色是六入緣。名色從識起，識是名
色緣。識從行起，行是識緣。行從癡起，癡是行緣。
是為，緣癡有行。緣行有識。緣識有名色。緣名色有六入。緣六入有
觸。緣觸有受。緣受有愛。緣愛有取。緣取有有。緣有有生。緣生有
老、病、死、憂、悲、苦、惱。此苦盛陰，緣生而有。是為苦集」
。菩薩
思惟苦集陰時，生智、生眼、生覺、生明、生通、生慧、生證。
Vocabulary
逆順 nìshùn backwards and forwards; upstream and downstream
實 shí truthfully
座 zuò seat
阿耨多羅三藐 ānòuduōluó Skt. anuttarasamyaksambodhi, complete and perfect
三菩提 sānmiǎo sānpútí enlightenment
111
於時，菩薩復自思惟：
「何等無，故老死無？何等滅，故老死滅」
。即以
智慧觀察所由：「生無故老死無，生滅故老死滅。有無故生無，有滅故生
滅。取無故有無，取滅故有滅。愛無故取無，愛滅故取滅。受無故愛
無，受滅故愛滅。觸無故受無，觸滅故受滅。六入無故觸無，六入滅故
觸滅。名色無故六入無，名色滅故六入滅。識無故名色無，識滅故名色
滅。行無故識無，行滅故識滅。癡無故行無，癡滅故行滅。
是為，癡滅故行滅。行滅故識滅。識滅故名色滅。名色滅故六入滅。六
入滅故觸滅。觸滅故受滅。受滅故愛滅。愛滅故取滅。取滅故有滅。有
滅故生滅。生滅故老、死、憂、悲、苦、惱滅」
。
菩薩思惟苦陰滅時，生智、生眼、生覺、生明、生通、生慧、生證。爾
時，菩薩逆順觀十二因緣。如實知，如實見已。即於座上成阿耨多羅三
藐三菩提。
Vocabulary
觀 guān contemplation
安隱 ānyǐn peace, tranquility
出離 chūlí separation; to depart; to distance oneself from
毘婆尸佛初成道時，多修二觀：一曰安隱觀、二曰出離觀。
Vocabulary
深 shēn profound
微妙 wéimiào subtle
難 nán difficult
解 jiě to understand
息滅 xímiè to extinguish; to be extinguished; extinction
凡愚 fányú mundane, ordinary
及 jí to reach
斯 sī this
異 yì different
忍 rěn to endure, to tolerate
依 yī according to
樂 lè to delight in, to like
求 qiú to seek; to request
務 wù duty; to take as a duty, to devote oneself to
習 xí custom, habit
甚 shèn very, extreme
了 liǎo completely, entirely
然 rán yet
倍 pèi double, twice as much
更 gèng moreover
觸擾 chùrǎo disturbed, anxious
默然 mòrán silently; to be silent
113
毘婆尸佛於閑靜處復作是念：
「我今已得此無上法。甚深微妙，難解難
見。息滅、清淨，智者所知。非是凡愚所能及也。斯由眾生異忍、異
見、異受、異學。依彼異見，各樂所求，各務所習。是故於此甚深因
緣，不能解了。然愛盡涅槃，倍復難知。我若為說，彼必不解。更生觸
擾。」作是念已，即便默然不復說法。
Vocabulary
梵 Fàn Brahma
世間 shìjiān world
敗壞 bàihuài corrupt, in decay
甚 shèn very, most, extreme
而 ér but, yet
哀愍 āimǐn sorrowful compassion
妙 miào marvelous
譬如 pìrú it is like
力士 lìshì strongman
屈伸 qūshēn to bend and extend, to flex
臂 bì arm
頃 qǐng instant, moment
宮 gōng palace
忽然 hūrán suddenly
立 lì to stand
頭 tóu head
面 miàn face
禮 lǐ ritual; to pay obeisance
足 zú feet
却 què to retreat; but

住 zhù to stop; to abide
一面 yímiàn one side
膝 xī knee
著 zhuó to touch
地 dì ground
叉 chā to cross; to interlink
合掌 hézhǎng to press the palms together
塵垢 chéngòu dust, filth
微薄 wéibó slight, thin, meager
根 gēn roots, faculties
猛利 ménglì fiercely sharp, very sharp
恭敬 gōngjìng to respect
易 yì easy
開化 kāihuà enlighten and transform; to teach
畏怖 wèibù to fear
救 jiù to save; to expiate
罪 zuì crime; sin, fault
時，梵天王知毘婆尸如來所念。即自思惟：「念此世間便為敗壞，甚可哀
愍。毘婆尸佛乃得知此深妙之法，而不欲說」。譬如力士屈伸臂頃，從梵
天宮忽然來下。立於佛前。頭面禮足。却住一面。時，梵天王右膝著
地。叉手合掌白佛言：
「唯願世尊以時說法。今此眾生塵垢微薄、諸根猛
利、有恭敬心、易可開化。畏怖後世無救之罪。能滅惡法、出生善道」。
115
Note: Above, 更生觸擾 could be taken to refer to either the Buddha, or those who hear his
instruction. That is, is the Buddha saying that teaching those incapable of understanding him
would be troublesome to them or to him?
A similar phrase in the next passage (若為婬、怒、癡眾生說者，必不承用。徒自勞疲。)

is equally ambiguous. In the corresponding passages in the Pali it is clear that it is the Buddha who
would would find this sort of fruitless teaching troublesome.
The phrase 畏怖後世無救之罪 could be taken in at least three different ways: Does Brahma fear
that people will commit these horrible sins? Or does he fear that the Buddha will commit the sin
of not saving them? Or is he saying that the people fear committing these sins? In this case, a
passage below (in §52) suggests that the third interpretation is correct. That is, it is the people who
fear committing unredeemable sins. The passage in question below is: 即以佛眼觀視世界眾
生，垢有厚薄，根有利鈍，教有難易。易受教，畏後世罪。能滅惡法，出生善道。
Vocabulary
汝 rǔ you
但 dàn however, but
正 zhèng correct
阿僧祇 āsēngqǐ Skt. asaṃkhya (infinity, infinite)
勤苦 qínkǔ diligent, hard-working
懈 xiè to rest, to be slack
始 shǐ begin; only now, just
獲 huò to obtain
婬 yín lasciviousness
怒 nù anger
癡 chí foolishness, stupidity
承 chéng to bear
用 yòng to use
徒 tú vainly
勞疲 láopí to tire
相反 xiāngfǎn oppose, be in conflict with; opposite of
染 rǎn to be polluted by
愚冥 yúmíng ignorance and darkness
覆 fù covered, blanketed
佛告梵王：
「如是。如是。如汝所言。但我於閑靜處，默自思念『所得正
法，甚深微妙。若為彼說，彼必不解，更生觸擾』
。故我默然不欲說法。
我從無數阿僧祇劫，勤苦不懈，修無上行。今始獲此難得之法。若為
婬、怒、癡眾生說者，必不承用。徒自勞疲。此法微妙。與世相反。眾
生染欲。愚冥所覆，不能信解。梵王，我觀如此。是以默然不欲說法」。
Vocabulary
復重 fùchóng repeatedly
勸請 quànqǐng to supplicate, to request
慇懃 yīnqín sincerely, devoutly, diligently
懇惻 kěncè sincerely, devoutly, diligently
再三 zàisān repeatedly
世間 shìjiān the world (Skt. loka)
壞敗 huàibài to destroy, to ruin
願 yuàn to hope, to wish for
敷演 fūyǎn to sermonize; to expostulate
墜落 zhùiluò to fall, to descend
餘趣 yúqù lit. the “remaining realms”, that is, the realms of rebirth
other than the human realm.
佛眼 fóyǎn Buddha eye, the sight of a Buddha
垢 gòu dirt, pollution, defilement
117
厚薄 hòubáo thick and thin; mild and extreme

利鈍 lìdùn sharp and dull
難易 nányì difficult and easy
畏 wèi to fear
罪 zuì fault, sin,bad ways
道 dào path (of existence)
花 huā Flower (also written 華)
優鉢羅 yōubóluó Skt. utpala, blue lotus
鉢頭摩 bōtóumó Skt. padma, a kind of lotus
鳩勿頭 jiūwùtóu Skt. kumuda, white lotus
分陀利 fēntuōlì Skt. puṇḍarīka, kind of lotus
或 huò may, perhaps; some
汙泥 wūní mud, dirt
皆 jiē all
敷開 fūkāi to unfold; to blossom
時，梵天王復重勸請。慇懃懇惻。至于再三：「世尊，若不說法，今此世
間便為壞敗。甚可哀愍。唯願世尊以時敷演。勿使眾生墜落餘趣」
。爾
時，世尊三聞梵王慇懃勸請，即以佛眼觀視世界眾生，垢有厚薄，根有
利鈍，教有難易。易受教者畏後世罪。能滅惡法，出生善道。譬如優鉢
羅花、鉢頭摩華、鳩勿頭華、分陀利華。或有始出汙泥，未至水者。或
有已出，與水平者。或有出水，未敷開者。然皆不為水所染著，易可開
敷。世界眾生，亦復如是。
Vocabulary
愍 mǐn to love
開演 kāiyǎn to expound
甘露 gānlù sweet dew

受 shòu to receive
益 yì benefit
爾時，世尊告梵王曰：
「吾愍汝等。今當開演甘露法門。是法深妙，難可
解知。今為信受樂聽者說。不為觸擾無益者說」
。
Vocabulary
請 qǐng invitation
歡喜 huānxǐ bliss, joy
踊躍 yǒngyùe overjoyed
遶 rào to circle; to circumambulate
匝 zā a circle, a round
現 xiàn to appear, to manifest
先 xiān first
誰 shéi who
槃頭 Pántóu (place name) P. Bandhumā; Skt.?
內 nèi in, inside
提舍 Tíshě (personal name) P. Tissa; Skt. Tiṣya
臣子 chénzǐ official, minister
騫茶 Jiǎnchá (personal name) Skt. Skanda; P. Khaṇḍa
力士 lìshì strongman
屈伸 qūshēn to bend and extend, to flex
臂 bì arm
頃 qǐng instant, moment
119
鹿野苑 Lùyěyuàn Deer Park (Skt. Saraṅganātha)

道樹 dàoshù lit. “tree of the Way”; the bodhi tree
敷 fū to put out, to set forth
爾時，梵王知佛受請，歡喜踊躍，遶佛三匝。頭面禮足。忽然不現。其
去未久。是時，如來靜默自思：
「我今先當為誰說法？」即自念言：
「當
入槃頭城內。先為王子提舍、大臣子騫茶開甘露法門」。於是，世尊如力
士屈伸臂頃，於道樹忽然不現，至槃頭城槃頭王，鹿野苑中，敷座而
坐。
Vocabulary
宜 yí it is appropriate, fitting
守 shǒu to protect, to guard; keeper
寧 níng (“modal” indicating wish) do you? would you like?
苑 yuàn garden
行 xíng to carry out
所 suǒ location, place
語 yǔ to speak (yù); words, language
卿 qīng you
宣 xuān to announce, to proclaim
漸 jiàn gradual; incrementally
示 shì to demonstrate, show, teach
利喜 lìxǐ profit and joy
施 shī to give, to donate
論 lùn discourse, theory
淨 jìng clean, pure
漏 lòu lit. “outflow” (Skt. āsrava); affliction.
患 huàn troubled, afflicted

讚歎 zàntàn to praise
第一 dìyī first, foremost
柔輭 róuruǎn soft, receptive, supple
堪 kān to sustain, be capable of
聖諦 shèngdì holy truth, noble truth
敷演 fūyǎn to expound
開解 kāijiě to explain
分布 fēnbù to announce, proclaim
宣釋 xuānshì to explicate
要 yào essential
毘婆尸佛告守苑人曰：
「汝可入城。語王子提舍、大臣子騫茶『寧欲知
不？毘婆尸佛今在鹿野苑中。欲見卿等。宜知是時』」
。時，彼守苑人受
教而行。至彼二人所，具宣佛教。二人聞已，即至佛所，頭面禮足，却
坐一面。佛漸為說法。示教利喜。施論、戒論、生天之論。欲惡不淨、
上漏為患。讚歎出離為最微妙清淨第一。爾時，世尊見此二人，心意柔
輭。歡喜信樂。堪受正法。於是即為說苦聖諦。敷演開解。分布宣釋苦
集聖諦、苦滅聖諦、苦出要諦。
121
Vocabulary
法眼淨 fǎyǎnjìng lit. “the purity of the eye of the Law” (Skt.
dharmacakṣuviśuddha); the ability to perceive
accurately.
素 sù plain, unadorned
質 zhí substance, material
染 rǎn dye
地 dì earth
神 shén spirit
唱 chàng to sing out
轉 zhǔan to turn
輪 lún wheel
展轉 zhǎnzhǔan continuously, one after the other
聲 shēng voice; sound
徹 chè to penetrate; to reach
他化自在天 Tāhuàzìzàitiān lit. “Heaven of Those Who have Mastery Over the
Creation of Others” (Skt. Paranirmitavaśavartin)
須臾 xūyú in an instant, in a moment
爾時，王子提舍、大臣子騫茶。即於座上，遠離塵垢，得法眼淨。猶若
素質易為受染。是時，地神即唱斯言：
「毘婆尸如來於槃頭城鹿野苑中轉
無上法輪。沙門、婆羅門、諸天、魔、梵及餘世人所不能轉」
。如是展
轉，聲徹四天王，乃至他化自在天。須臾之頃，聲至梵天。
Vocabulary
果 guǒ the fruit, the results, the benefits
真實 zhēnshí true
欺 qī to deceive
成就 chéngjiù to accomplish, to achieve
畏 wèi fear
自在 zìzài mastery; freedom; unimpeded
苦際 kǔjì lit. “the border of suffering”; the last life in which one will
suffer
具戒 jùjiè the complete precepts
事 shì things
示現 shìxiàn to show, to demonstrate; demonstration
神足 shénzú Lit. either “divine feet” or “the basis of divine [power]”;
in China often understood to mean the ability to move
great distances in an instant; here, the term refers to
supernormal powers more generally (Skt. ṛddhi-pāda)
觀他心 guāntāxīn lit. “to see another’s heart”; to read minds
教誡 jiàojiè instruction; the ability to instruct
無漏心 wúlòuxīn lit. “mind of no outflows”; untainted mind (Skt.
anāsrava-citta).
解脫 jiětuō liberation, release
疑 yí doubt
是時，王子提舍、大臣子騫茶見法得果。真實無欺。成就無畏。即白毘
婆尸佛言：
「我等欲於如來法中淨修梵行」。佛言：「善來，比丘。吾法清
淨自在。修行以盡苦際」。爾時，二人即得具戒。具戒未久，如來又以三
事示現。一曰神足、二曰觀他心、三曰教誡。即得無漏心解脫、生死無
疑智。
123
Vocabulary
人民 rénmín people
法 fǎ Dharma
服 fú clothing; to wear
持 chí to hold, to grip
鉢 bō alms bowl
捨 shě to abandon
世 shì world, worldly
榮 róng honor, glory
位 wèi position
使 shǐ to cause
捐棄 juānqì to cast off
重 zhòng to value
往詣 wǎngyì to go towards
爾時，槃頭城內眾多人民，聞二人出家學道、法服持鉢、淨修梵行，皆
相謂曰：「其道必真。乃使此等捨世榮位，捐棄所重」。時，城內八萬四
千人往詣鹿野苑中毘婆尸佛所。頭面禮足，却坐一面。佛漸為說法。示
教利喜。施論、戒論、生天之論。欲惡不淨，上漏為患；讚歎出離為最
微妙，清淨第一。爾時，世尊見此大眾，心意柔輭、歡喜信樂、堪受正
法。於是即為說苦聖諦。敷演開解。分布宣釋苦集聖諦，苦滅聖諦，苦
出要諦。

(You should know all of the vocabulary in this passage!)
時，八萬四千人即於座上，遠塵離垢，得法眼淨。猶如素質易為受色。
見法得果。真實無欺。成就無畏。即白佛言：「我等欲於如來法中，淨修
梵行」。佛言：「善來，比丘。吾法清淨自在。修行以盡苦際」。時，八萬
四千人即得具戒。具戒未久，世尊以三事教化：一曰神足、二曰觀他
心、三曰教誡。即得無漏心解脫、生死無疑智現前。
八萬四千人聞佛於鹿野苑中，轉無上法輪。沙門、婆羅門、諸天、魔、
梵及餘世人所不能轉。即詣槃頭城毘婆尸佛所。頭面禮足。却坐一面。
時，佛為說法亦復如是。
Vocabulary
上昇 shàngshēng to ascend
虛空 xūkōng space
火 huǒ fire
神變 shénbiàn divine transformations; miracles
遣 qiǎn to dispatch, to send off
遊行 yóuxíng to travel, to wander
俱 jù together
125
爾時，槃頭城有十六萬八千大比丘眾。提舍比丘、騫茶比丘於大眾中上
昇虛空。身出水火。現諸神變。而為大眾說微妙法。爾時，如來默自念
言：
「今此城內乃有十六萬八千大比丘眾。宜遣遊行。各二人俱，在在處
處。至於六年，還來城內說具足戒」。
Vocabulary
首陀會天 Shǒutuōtiān Skt. Śuddhāvāsa, “Pure Abodes”
沒 mò to disappear
分布 fēnbù to distribute
擁護 yōnghù to protect
伺 sì to wait
便 biàn convenient
可 kě to approve, assent
時，首陀會天知如來心。譬如力士屈伸臂頃，從彼天沒，忽然至此。於
世尊前，頭面禮足。却住一面。須臾白佛言：「如是，世尊。此槃頭城內
比丘眾多。宜各分布，處處遊行。至於六年，乃還此城。說具足戒。我
當擁護。令無伺求得其便者。爾時，如來聞此天語，默然可之。
Vocabulary
許可 xǔkě to approve of, to permit
執持 zhíchí to hold, to keep
時，首陀會天見佛默然許可。即禮佛足。忽然不現。還至天上。其去未
久。佛告諸比丘：「今此城內，比丘眾多。宜各分布。遊行教化。至六年
已，還集說戒」。時，諸比丘受佛教已。執持衣鉢。禮佛而去。
Vocabulary
訖…已 qì … yǐ to finish, complete
攝持 shèchí to have, to hold
時，首陀會天於一年後告諸比丘：「汝等遊行已過一年。餘有五年。汝等
當知，訖六年已，還城說戒」
。如是至于六年。天復告言：
「六年已滿。
當還說戒」
。時，諸比丘聞天語已。攝持衣鉢。還槃頭城。至鹿野苑毘婆
尸佛所。頭面禮足。却坐一面。
Vocabulary
結加 jiéjiā to cross, to form
趺坐 fūzuò to sit cross-legged, in the lotus posture
經 jīng scripture, sūtra
忍辱 rěnrǔ tolerance (Skt. kṣānti)
爾時，如來於大眾前上昇虛空。結加趺坐。講說戒經。忍辱為第一。佛
說涅槃最。不以除鬚髮害他為沙門。時，首陀會天去佛不遠。
127
Dà běn jīng 大本經: §65
Vocabulary
羅閱城 Luóyuèchéng (place name) Skt.Rājagraha
耆闍崛山 Qíshèjuéshān (name of mountain) Skt. Gṛdhrakūṭa, “Vulture Peak”
遍 biàn to reach
除 chú besides
設 shè if
無造天 Wúzàotiān “Not Created Heaven “ (Skt. Avṛha, one of the five
Śuddhāvāsas, “Pure Abodes”)
壯士 zhuàngshì mighty man, powerful man
本末 běnmò beginning and end, details
釋迦摩尼 Shìjiāmóní Śākyamuni
阿迦尼吒 Ājīanízhà Skt. Akaniṣṭha, “of whom none is the youngest” (one of
the five Śuddhāvāsas, “Pure Abodes”)
爾時，世尊告諸比丘：
「我自思念，昔一時於羅閱城耆闍崛山，時生是念
『我所生處，無所不遍。唯除首陀會天。設生彼天。則不還此』。我時，
比丘，復生是念『我欲至無造天上』。時，我如壯士屈伸臂頃，於此間
沒，現於彼天。時，彼諸天見我至彼。頭面作禮。於一面立。而白我言
『我等皆是毘婆尸如來弟子。從彼佛化，故來生此』。具說彼佛因緣本
末。又尸棄佛、毘沙婆佛、拘樓孫佛、拘那含佛、迦葉佛、釋迦牟尼
佛，皆是我師。我從受化，故來生此』
。亦說諸佛因緣本末。至生阿迦尼
吒諸天，亦復如是。」
佛說此大因緣經已，諸比丘聞佛所說。歡喜奉行。
Only “non-returners” (bùhuán 不還, ā’nàhán 阿那含, Skt. anāgāmin) are born in 首陀會天,
which includes five separate worlds, including 無造天 and 阿迦尼吒.
Congratulations! You have now read an entire sutra (minus the verses). For review, read the sutra again
(given in full below), as much as possible without recourse to the vocabulary lists.
§1
如是我聞：
一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹花林窟，與大比丘眾千二百五十人俱。時，諸比
丘於乞食後，集花林堂。各共議言：「諸賢比丘，唯無上尊為最奇特、神
通遠達、威力弘大，乃知過去無數諸佛入於涅槃、斷諸結使、消滅戱
論。又知彼佛劫數多少、名號、姓字、所生種族、其所飲食、壽命脩
短、所更苦樂。又知彼佛有如是戒、有如是法、有如是慧、有如是解、
有如是住。云何？諸賢，如來為善別法性知如是事，為諸天來語，乃知
此事。」
§2
爾時，世尊在閑靜處。天耳清淨。聞諸比丘作如是議。即從座起。詣花
林堂，就座而坐。爾時，世尊知而故問，謂諸比丘：「汝等集此，何所語
議？」時，諸比丘具以事答。爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「善哉。善哉。汝等
以平等信，出家修道。諸所應行，凡有二業：一曰賢聖講法、二曰賢聖
默然。汝等所論，正應如是。如來神通，威力弘大。盡知過去無數劫
事，以能善解法性故知，亦以諸天來語故知」。
129
§3
…. ... 又告諸比丘：
「汝等欲聞如來識宿命智、知於過去諸佛因緣不？我
當說之」。時，諸比丘白言「世尊，今正是時。願樂欲聞。善哉，世尊。
以時講說，當奉行之」
。
佛告諸比丘：
「諦聽，諦聽。善思念之。吾當為汝分別解說」。時，諸比
丘受教而聽。佛告諸比丘：「過去九十一劫，時世有佛名毘婆尸，如來至
真。出現于世。復次，比丘，過去三十一劫，有佛名尸棄，如來至真。
出現於世。復次，比丘，即彼三十一劫中，有佛名毘舍婆，如來至真。
出現於世。復次，比丘，此賢劫中有佛名拘樓孫。又名拘那含。又名迦
葉。我今亦於賢劫中成最正覺」
。
§4
「汝等當知，毘婆尸佛時，人壽八萬歲。尸棄佛時，人壽七萬歲。毘舍
婆佛時，人壽六萬歲。拘樓孫佛時，人壽四萬歲。拘那含佛時，人壽三
萬歲。迦葉佛時，人壽二萬歲。我今出世，人壽百歲。少出多減」
。
§5
「毘婆尸佛出剎利種，姓拘利若。尸棄佛、毘舍婆佛種、姓亦爾。拘樓
孫佛出婆羅門種，姓迦葉。拘那含佛、迦葉佛種、姓亦爾。我今如來至
真，出剎利種，姓名曰瞿曇」
。
§6
毘婆尸佛坐波波羅樹下成最正覺。尸棄佛坐分陀利樹下成最正覺。毘舍
婆佛坐娑羅樹下成最正覺。拘樓孫佛坐尸利沙樹下成最正覺。拘那含佛
坐烏暫婆羅門樹下成最正覺。迦葉佛坐尼拘律樹下成最正覺。我今如來
至真，坐鉢多樹下成最正覺。... …
§7
毘婆尸如來三會說法。初會，弟子有十六萬八千人。二會，弟子有十萬
人。三會，弟子有八萬人。尸棄如來亦三會說法。初會、弟子有十萬
人。二會、弟子有八萬人。三會、弟子有七萬人。毘舍婆如來二會說
法。初會、弟子有七萬人。次會、弟子有六萬人。拘樓孫如來一會說
法。弟子四萬人。拘那含如來一會說法。弟子三萬人。迦葉如來一會說
法。弟子二萬人。我今一會說法。弟子千二百五十人。……
§8
時，毘婆尸佛有二弟子：一名騫茶、二名提舍。諸弟子中最為第一。尸
棄佛有二弟子：一名阿毘浮、二名三婆婆。諸弟子中最為第一。毘舍婆
佛有二弟子：一名扶遊、二名鬱多摩。諸弟子中最為第一。拘樓孫佛有
二弟子：一名薩尼、二名毘樓。諸弟子中最為第一。拘那含佛有二弟
子：一名舒槃那、二名鬱多樓。諸弟子中最為第一。迦葉佛有二弟子：
一名提舍、二名婆羅婆。諸弟子中最為第一。今我二弟子。一名舍利
弗、二名目揵連。諸弟子中最為第一。……
131
§9
毘婆尸佛有執事弟子，名曰無憂。尸棄佛執事弟子，名曰忍行。毘舍婆
佛有執事弟子，名曰寂滅。拘樓孫佛有執事弟子，名曰善覺。拘那含佛
有執事弟子，名曰安和。迦葉佛有執事弟子，名曰善友。我執事弟子名
曰阿難。... ...
§10
毘婆尸佛有子，名曰方膺。尸棄佛有子，名曰無量。毘舍婆佛有子，名
曰妙覺。拘樓孫佛有子，名曰上勝。拘那含佛有子，名曰導師。迦葉佛
有子，名曰集軍。今我有子，名曰羅睺羅。... ...
§11
毘婆尸佛父名槃頭，剎利王種。母名槃頭婆提。王所治城名曰槃頭婆
提。
§12
尸棄佛父名曰明相，剎利王種。母名光曜。王所治城名曰光相。
§13
毘舍婆佛父名善燈。剎利王種。母名稱戒。王所治城名曰無喻。
§14
拘樓孫佛父名祀得，婆羅門種。母名善枝。王名安和。隨王名故城名安和。
§15
拘那含佛父名大德。婆羅門種。母名善勝。是時王名清淨。隨王名故城
名清淨。
§16
迦葉佛父名曰梵德。婆羅門種。母名曰財主。時王名汲毘。王所治城名
波羅奈。
§17
我父名淨飯。剎利王種。母名大清淨妙。王所治城名迦毘羅衛。
§18
此是諸佛因緣、名號、種族、所出生處。何有智者聞此因緣而不歡喜、
起愛樂心？」爾時，世尊告諸比丘：「吾今欲以宿命智說過去佛事。汝欲
聞不？」
諸比丘對曰：
「今正是時。願樂欲聞。」
133
§19
佛告諸比丘：
「諦聽。諦聽。善思念之。吾當為汝分別解說。比丘，當知
諸佛常法。毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎。從右脇入。正念不亂。當於
爾時。地為震動。放大光明。普照世界。日月所不及處，皆蒙大明。幽
冥眾生，各相覩見。知其所趣。時，此光明復照魔宮。諸天、釋、梵、
沙門、婆羅門及餘眾生普蒙大明。諸天光明自然不現」。
§20
「諸比丘，當知諸佛常法。毘婆尸菩薩在母胎時，專念不亂。有四天子
執戈矛侍護其人。人與非人不得侵嬈。此是常法」
§21
又告比丘：
「諸佛常法。毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎，專念不亂。母身
安隱，無眾惱患。智慧增益。母自觀胎。見菩薩身，諸根具足。如紫磨
金，無有瑕穢。猶如有目之士觀淨琉璃。內外清徹，無眾障翳。諸比
丘，此是諸佛常法」
。
§22
佛告比丘：
§23
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩從兜率天降神母胎，專念不亂。其母
奉持五戒。梵行清淨。篤信仁愛。諸善成就。安樂無畏。身壞命終，生
忉利天。此是常法」
。
§24
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出。地為震動。光
明普照。始入胎時，闇冥之處，無不蒙明。此是常法」。
§25
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出，專念不亂。
時，菩薩母手攀樹枝。不坐不臥。時，四天子手奉香水。於母前立言：
『唯然，天母。今生聖子。勿懷憂慼』
§26
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法。毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出，專念不亂。其
身清淨，不為穢惡之所汙染。猶如有目之士，以淨明珠投白繒上。兩不
相汙，二俱淨故。菩薩出胎亦復如是。此是常法」
。
135
§27
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出，專念不亂。從
右脇出，墮地行七步。無人扶侍。遍觀四方。舉手而言。
『天上天下，唯
我為尊。要度眾生生老病死』
§28
佛告比丘：
「諸佛常法：毘婆尸菩薩當其生時，從右脇出，專念不亂。二
泉湧出，一溫一冷，以供澡浴。此是常法」。
§29
太子初生，父王槃頭召集相師及諸道術。令觀太子，知其吉凶。時，諸
相師受命而觀。即前披衣，見有具相。占曰：『有此相者，當趣二處，必
然無疑。若在家者，當為轉輪聖王，王四天下，四兵具足，以正法治，
無有偏枉，恩及天下，七寶自至，千子勇健，能伏外敵，兵杖不用，天
下太平。若出家學道，當成正覺，十號具足』。時，諸相師即白王言：
『王所生子有三十二相。當趣二處，必然無疑。在家當為轉輪聖王。若
其出家，當成正覺，十號具足』」
。
§30
是時，父王慇懃再三，重問相師：「汝等更觀太子三十二相，斯名何
等？」時諸相師即披太子衣，說三十二相。一者，足安平，足下平滿，
蹈地安隱。二者，足下相輪，千輻成就，光光相照。三者，手足網縵，
猶如鵝王。
§31
四者手足柔軟，猶如天衣。五者手足指纖，長無能及者。六者足跟充
滿，觀視無厭。七者鹿膊腸，上下傭直。八者鈎鎻骨，骨節相鈎，猶如
鎻連。九者陰馬藏。十者平立垂手過膝。
§32
十一、一一孔一毛生，其毛右旋，紺琉璃色。十二、毛生右旋，紺色仰
靡。十三、身黃金色。十四、皮膚細軟，不受塵穢。十五，兩肩齊亭，
充滿圓好。十六．胸有萬字。十七．身長倍人。十八．七處平滿。
§33
十九，身長廣等。如尼拘盧樹。二十，頰車如師子。二十一，胸膺方整
如師子。二十二，口四十齒。二十三，方整齊平。二十四，齒密無間。
二十五，齒白鮮明。二十六，咽喉清淨。所食眾味，無不稱適。二十
七，廣長舌，左右舐耳。二十八，梵音清徹。二十九，眼紺青色。三
十，眼如牛王，眼上下俱眴。三十一，眉間白毫柔軟細澤。引長一尋。
放則右旋螺如真珠。三十二，頂有肉髻。是為三十二相。」
§34
佛告比丘：
「毘婆尸菩薩生時，諸天在上。於虛空中手執白蓋、寶扇，以
障寒暑、風雨、塵土」
。
137
爾時，父王給四乳母：一者乳哺、二者澡浴、三者塗香。四者娛樂。歡
喜養育。無有懈倦。
§35
為童子時，舉國士女視無厭足。
為童子時，舉國士女眾共傅抱。如觀寶華。
菩薩生時，其目不眴。如忉利天。以不眴故，名毘婆尸。
菩薩生時，其聲清徹。柔軟和雅。如迦羅頻伽鳥聲。
菩薩生時，眼能徹視，見一由旬。
菩薩生時，年漸長大。在天正堂，以道開化。恩及庶民，名德遠聞。
§36
於時，菩薩欲出遊觀。告勅御者嚴駕寶車、詣彼園林、巡行遊觀。御者
即便嚴駕訖已，還。白：「今正是時」
。太子即乘寶車詣彼園觀。於其中
路見一老人。頭白齒落。面皺身僂。拄杖羸步。喘息而行。太子顧問侍
者：
「此為何人？」答曰：「此是老人」
。又問：
「何如為老？」答曰「夫
老者，生壽向盡。餘命無幾。故謂之老」
。太子又問：「吾亦當爾。不免
此患耶？」答曰：「然。生必有老。無有豪賤」
。於是，太子悵然不悅。
即告侍者迴駕還宮。靜默思惟，念此老苦：「吾亦當有」
。
§37
爾時，父王問彼侍者：
故。答曰：
「道逢老人。是以不樂」。爾時，父王默自思念：「昔日相師占
相太子，言當出家。今者不悅，得無爾乎？當設方便，使處深宮。五欲
娛樂，以悅其心，令不出家」
。即便，嚴飾宮館。簡擇婇女，以娛樂之。
§38
又於後時。太子復命御者嚴駕出遊。於其中路逢一病人。身羸腹大。面
目黧黑。獨臥糞除。無人瞻視。病甚苦毒。口不能言。顧問御者：
「此為
何人？」答曰：「此是病人」
。問曰：
「何如為病？」答曰：「病者，眾痛
迫切。存亡無期。故曰病也」
。又曰：
「吾亦當爾，未免此患耶？」答
曰：
「然，生則有病。無有貴賤」。於是，太子悵然不悅。即告御者迴車
還宮。靜默思惟，念此病苦：
「吾亦當爾」。
§39
故。答曰：
「道逢病人。是以不樂」。於是父王默然思惟：
太子，言當出家。今日不悅。得無爾乎？吾當更設方便，增諸伎樂，以
悅其心，使不出家」
。即復嚴飾宮館。簡擇婇女以娛樂之。
139
§40
又於異時，太子復勅御者嚴駕出遊。於其中路逢一死人。雜色繒幡前後
導引。宗族親里悲號哭泣。送之出城。太子復問：
「此為何人？」答曰：
「此是死人」
。問曰：
「何如為死？」答曰：「死者，盡也。風先火次。諸
根壞敗。存亡異趣。室家離別。故謂之死」。太子又問御者：「吾亦當
爾。不免此患耶？」答曰：「然。生必有死。無有貴賤」
。於是，太子悵
然不悅。即告御者迴車還宮。靜默思惟。念此死苦：「吾亦當然」
。
§41
故。答曰：
「道逢死人。是故不樂」。於是父王默自思念：
太子。言當出家。今日不悅。得無爾乎？吾當更設方便。增諸伎樂以悅
其心。使不出家」。即復嚴飾宮館。簡擇婇女以娛樂之。
§42
又於異時，復勑御者嚴駕出遊。於其中路逢一沙門。法服持鉢。視地而
行。即問御者：「此為何人？」御者答曰：「此是沙門」
。又問：
「何謂沙
門？」答曰：
「沙門者，捨離恩愛，出家修道。攝御諸根，不染外欲。慈
心一切，無所傷害。逢苦不慼，遇樂不欣。能忍如地。故號沙門」
。太子
曰：
「善哉。此道真正，永絕塵累。微妙清虛。惟是為快」
。即勑御者，
迴車就之。
§43
爾時，太子問沙門曰：
「剃除鬚髮。法服持鉢。何所志求」
。沙門答曰：
「夫出家者，欲調伏心意、永離塵垢、慈育群生、無所侵嬈、虛心靜
寞、唯道是務」。太子曰：「善哉。此道最真」
。尋勑御者：「賷吾寶衣并
及乘轝，還白大王，我即於此剃除鬚髮、服三法衣、出家修道。所以然
者，欲調伏心意，捨離塵垢。清淨自居，以求道術」。於是，御者即以太
子所乘寶車及與衣服還歸父王。太子於後即剃除鬚髮，服三法衣，出家
修道。
§44
佛告比丘：
「太子見老、病人，知世苦惱。又見死人，戀世情滅。及見沙
門，廓然大悟。下寶車時，步步中間，轉遠縛著。是真出家。是真遠
離。時，彼國人聞太子剃除鬚髮。法服持鉢。出家修道。咸相謂言『此
道必真。乃令太子捨國榮位。捐棄所重』
。于時，國中八萬四千人往就太
子。求為弟子。出家修道。
141
§45
于時，太子即便納受。與之遊行。在在教化。從村至村。從國至國。所
至之處，無不恭敬，四事供養。菩薩念言：「吾與大眾，遊行諸國。人間
憒閙，此非我宜。何時當得離此群眾？閑靜之處，以求道真」。尋獲志
願。於閑靜處，專精修道。復作是念：
「眾生可愍。常處闇冥。受身危
脆。有生、有老、有病、有死。眾苦所集，死此生彼。從彼生此。緣此
苦陰，流轉無窮。我當何時曉了苦陰，滅生、老、死？」
§46
復作是念：
「生死何從？何緣而有？」即以智慧觀察所由。
「從生有老
死，生是老死緣。生從有起，有是生緣。有從取起，取是有緣。取從愛
起，愛是取緣。愛從受起，受是愛緣。受從觸起，觸是受緣。觸從六入
起，六入是觸緣。六入從名色起，名色是六入緣。名色從識起，識是名
色緣。識從行起，行是識緣。行從癡起，癡是行緣。是為，緣癡有行。
緣行有識。緣識有名色。緣名色有六入。緣六入有觸。緣觸有受。緣受
有愛。緣愛有取。緣取有有。緣有有生。緣生有老、病、死、憂、悲、
苦、惱。此苦盛陰，緣生而有。是為苦集」。菩薩思惟苦集陰時，生智、
生眼、生覺、生明、生通、生慧、生證。
§47
於時，菩薩復自思惟：
「何等無，故老死無？何等滅，故老死滅」
。即以
智慧觀察所由：「生無故老死無，生滅故老死滅。有無故生無，有滅故生
滅。取無故有無，取滅故有滅。愛無故取無，愛滅故取滅。受無故愛
無，受滅故愛滅。觸無故受無，觸滅故受滅。六入無故觸無，六入滅故
觸滅。名色無故六入無，名色滅故六入滅。識無故名色無，識滅故名色
滅。行無故識無，行滅故識滅。癡無故行無，癡滅故行滅。是為，癡滅
故行滅。行滅故識滅。識滅故名色滅。名色滅故六入滅。六入滅故觸
滅。觸滅故受滅。受滅故愛滅。愛滅故取滅。取滅故有滅。有滅故生
滅。生滅故老、死、憂、悲、苦、惱滅」
。菩薩思惟苦陰滅時，生智、生
眼、生覺、生明、生通、生慧、生證。爾時，菩薩逆順觀十二因緣。如
實知，如實見已。即於座上成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
§48
毘婆尸佛初成道時，多修二觀：一曰安隱觀、二曰出離觀。
§49
毘婆尸佛於閑靜處復作是念：
「我今已得此無上法。甚深微妙，難解難
見。息滅、清淨，智者所知。非是凡愚所能及也。斯由眾生異忍、異
見、異受、異學。依彼異見，各樂所求，各務所習。是故於此甚深因
緣，不能解了。然愛盡涅槃，倍復難知。我若為說，彼必不解。更生觸
擾。」作是念已，即便默然不復說法。
143
§50
時，梵天王知毘婆尸如來所念。即自思惟：「念此世間便為敗壞，甚可哀
愍‧毘婆尸佛乃得知此深妙之法，而不欲說」。譬如力士屈伸臂頃，從梵
天宮忽然來下。立於佛前。頭面禮足。却住一面。時，梵天王右膝著
地。叉手合掌白佛言：
「唯願世尊以時說法。今此眾生塵垢微薄、諸根猛
利、有恭敬心、易可開化。畏怖後世無救之罪。能滅惡法、出生善道」。
§51
佛告梵王：
「如是。如是。如汝所言。但我於閑靜處，默自思念『所得正
法，甚深微妙。若為彼說，彼必不解，更生觸擾』
。故我默然不欲說法。
我從無數阿僧祇劫，勤苦不懈，修無上行。今始獲此難得之法。若為
婬、怒、癡眾生說者，必不承用。徒自勞疲。此法微妙。與世相反。眾
生染欲。愚冥所覆，不能信解。梵王，我觀如此。是以默然不欲說法」。
§52
時，梵天王復重勸請。慇懃懇惻。至于再三：「世尊，若不說法，今此世
間便為壞敗。甚可哀愍。唯願世尊以時敷演。勿使眾生墜落餘趣」
。爾
時，世尊三聞梵王慇懃勸請，即以佛眼觀視世界眾生，垢有厚薄，根有
利鈍，教有難易。易受教者畏後世罪。能滅惡法，出生善道。譬如優鉢
羅花、鉢頭摩華、鳩勿頭華、分陀利華。或有始出汙泥，未至水者。或
有已出，與水平者。或有出水，未敷開者。然皆不為水所染著，易可開
敷。世界眾生，亦復如是。
§53
爾時，世尊告梵王曰：
「吾愍汝等。今當開演甘露法門。是法深妙，難可
解知。今為信受樂聽者說。不為觸擾無益者說」
。
§54
爾時，梵王知佛受請，歡喜踊躍，遶佛三匝。頭面禮足。忽然不現。其
去未久。是時，如來靜默自思：
「我今先當為誰說法？」即自念言：
「當
入槃頭城內。先為王子提舍、大臣子騫茶開甘露法門」。於是，世尊如力
士屈伸臂頃，於道樹忽然不現，至槃頭城槃頭王，鹿野苑中，敷座而
坐。
§55
毘婆尸佛告守苑人曰：
「汝可入城。語王子提舍、大臣子騫茶『寧欲知
不？毘婆尸佛今在鹿野苑中。欲見卿等。宜知是時』」
。時，彼守苑人受
教而行。至彼二人所，具宣佛教。二人聞已，即至佛所，頭面禮足，却
坐一面。佛漸為說法。示教利喜。施論、戒論、生天之論。欲惡不淨、
上漏為患。讚歎出離為最微妙清淨第一。爾時，世尊見此二人，心意柔
輭。歡喜信樂。堪受正法。於是即為說苦聖諦。敷演開解。分布宣釋苦
集聖諦、苦滅聖諦、苦出要諦。
145
§56
爾時，王子提舍、大臣子騫茶。即於座上，遠離塵垢，得法眼淨。猶若
素質易為受染。是時，地神即唱斯言：
「毘婆尸如來於槃頭城鹿野苑中轉
無上法輪。沙門、婆羅門、諸天、魔、梵及餘世人所不能轉」
。如是展
轉，聲徹四天王，乃至他化自在天。須臾之頃，聲至梵天。
§57
是時，王子提舍、大臣子騫茶見法得果。真實無欺。成就無畏。即白毘
婆尸佛言：
「我等欲於如來法中淨修梵行」。佛言：「善來，比丘。吾法清
淨自在。修行以盡苦際」。爾時，二人即得具戒。具戒未久，如來又以三
事示現。一曰神足、二曰觀他心、三曰教誡。即得無漏心解脫、生死無
疑智。
§58
爾時，槃頭城內眾多人民，聞二人出家學道、法服持鉢、淨修梵行，皆
相謂曰：「其道必真。乃使此等捨世榮位，捐棄所重」。時，城內八萬四
千人往詣鹿野苑中毘婆尸佛所。頭面禮足，却坐一面。佛漸為說法。示
教利喜。施論、戒論、生天之論。欲惡不淨，上漏為患；讚歎出離為最
微妙，清淨第一。爾時，世尊見此大眾，心意柔輭、歡喜信樂、堪受正
法。於是即為說苦聖諦。敷演開解。分布宣釋苦集聖諦，苦滅聖諦，苦
出要諦。
§59
時，八萬四千人即於座上，遠塵離垢，得法眼淨。猶如素質易為受色。
見法得果。真實無欺。成就無畏。即白佛言：「我等欲於如來法中，淨修
梵行」。佛言：「善來，比丘。吾法清淨自在。修行以盡苦際」。時，八萬
四千人即得具戒。具戒未久，世尊以三事教化：一曰神足、二曰觀他
心、三曰教誡。即得無漏心解脫、生死無疑智現前。
八萬四千人聞佛於鹿野苑中，轉無上法輪。沙門、婆羅門、諸天、魔、
梵及餘世人所不能轉。即詣槃頭城毘婆尸佛所。頭面禮足。却坐一面。
時，佛為說法亦復如是。
§60
爾時，槃頭城有十六萬八千大比丘眾。提舍比丘、騫茶比丘於大眾中上
昇虛空。身出水火。現諸神變。而為大眾說微妙法。爾時，如來默自念
言：
「今此城內乃有十六萬八千大比丘眾。宜遣遊行。各二人俱，在在處
處。至於六年，還來城內說具足戒」。
§61
時，首陀會天知如來心。譬如力士屈伸臂頃，從彼天沒，忽然至此。於
世尊前，頭面禮足。却住一面。須臾白佛言：「如是，世尊。此槃頭城內
比丘眾多。宜各分布，處處遊行。至於六年，乃還此城。說具足戒。我
當擁護。令無伺求得其便者。爾時，如來聞此天語，默然可之。
147
§62
時，首陀會天見佛默然許可。即禮佛足。忽然不現。還至天上。其去未
久。佛告諸比丘：「今此城內，比丘眾多。宜各分布。遊行教化。至六年
已，還集說戒」。時，諸比丘受佛教已。執持衣鉢。禮佛而去。
§63
時，首陀會天於一年後告諸比丘：「汝等遊行已過一年。餘有五年。汝等
當知，訖六年已，還城說戒」
。如是至于六年。天復告言：
「六年已滿。
當還說戒」
。時，諸比丘聞天語已。攝持衣鉢。還槃頭城。至鹿野苑毘婆
尸佛所。頭面禮足。却坐一面。
§64
爾時，如來於大眾前上昇虛空。結加趺坐。講說戒經。忍辱為第一。佛
說涅槃最。不以除鬚髮害他為沙門。時，首陀會天去佛不遠。
§65
爾時，世尊告諸比丘：
「我自思念，昔一時於羅閱城耆闍崛山，時生是念
『我所生處，無所不遍。唯除首陀會天。設生彼天。則不還此』。我時，
比丘，復生是念『我欲至無造天上』。時，我如壯士屈伸臂頃，於此間
沒，現於彼天。時，彼諸天見我至彼。頭面作禮。於一面立。而白我言
『我等皆是毘婆尸如來弟子。從彼佛化，故來生此』。具說彼佛因緣本
末。又尸棄佛、毘沙婆佛、拘樓孫佛、拘那含佛、迦葉佛、釋迦牟尼
佛，皆是我師。我從受化，故來生此」
。亦說諸佛因緣本末。至生阿迦尼
吒諸天，亦復如是。
佛說此大因緣經已，諸比丘聞佛所說。歡喜奉行。
149

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A Primer in Chinese Buddhist Writings

Volume One: Foundations

________________________ John Kieschnick and Simon Wiles _____________________________________

Please send corrections and suggestions to:

Introduction to the Dàběn jīng 大本經 ............................................................................................. 61

shàng 上 for “up”.

Lesson 1: Subject + Predicate

The object, the sutra itself, is understood.

This phrase introduces a statement by the Buddha.

Note that 是 is not here a verb; in classical Chinese, it rarely is.

When a Buddha is in his mother's womb, this happens to the mother:

1.9 諸比丘對... ...

Lesson 2: The Implicit Subject

After describing the qualities of a Buddha, the text concludes:

成 chéng to complete, to accomplish

最正覺 zuìzhèngjué Lit. “most correct awakening,” Skt. abhisaṃbuddha

Lesson 3: Time Words

而 ér [verbal connector] and, but; [adverbial connector, with

過去 is a common compound, meaning “in the past.”

過去 guòqù the past

相師 xiàngshī fortune teller, master of physiognomy

白 bái white; to address

Example 4.6: fēi 非

Before leaving the palace, the bodhisattva determines that...

Example 4.10: wèi 未, not yet

Immediately after the bodhisattva's birth, the following happened:

To keep the bodhisattva at home, his father...

This is a noun phrase rather than a complete sentence.

This is a noun phrase rather than a complete sentence.

This is a noun phrase rather than a complete sentence.

What follows is part of a description of the twelve-fold chain of causation.

We return here to the twelve-fold chain of causation.

者 zhě (particle that nominalizes the preceding verb, in this

何 hé what; why; how

智 zhì wisdom, intelligence

歡喜 huānxǐ happy, delighted

Here the Buddha explains whom he will speak to.

當 dāng will; should

When the bodhisattva is born, fortune-tellers augur two possible destinies...

Here the Buddha describes the marks of a Buddha.

Lesson 9: Grammatical Flexibility

Compare 樂 in the following sentences.

Lesson 10: Parallel and Rhythm

The Scripture of the Great Origin (Dàběn jīng 大本經)

Selected passages from the Dàběn jīng

the Early Dharmaguptakas?” T’oung Pao Vol.88, no.4-5 (2002), pp.396-429.

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §1

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §2

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §3

... ... 又告諸比丘：

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §4

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §5

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §6

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §7

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §8

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §9

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §10

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §11

Dàběn jīng 大本經: §12

John Kieschnick and Simon Wiles _____________