英語訳
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That assembly was nine hundred and fifty li in extent, with the great assembly all seated together: Twelfth, listing the transformation assembly. Because this is an inconceivable bodhisattva, they are able to transform the pure lands of the ten directions and buddhas, bodhisattvas, etc., bringing them to this land. 《Split writing: and so forth》 Dividing the text into three parts: First, clarifying that inconceivable power can transform lands; second, from "there are immeasurable" below, clarifying that inconceivable power can manifest buddhas and bodhisattvas; third, from "each buddha individually" below, clarifying that inconceivable power can expound prajñā. 《Split writing: The above completes the testimonial sequence》 At that time 《Split writing: [margin] time of dharma teaching》 the ten epithets 《Split writing: [margin] Tathāgata, Arhat, etc.》 three clarifications. 《Split writing: [margin] perfectly reflecting the three periods, precisely》《Split writing: recognizing beings' capacities, text》 Great Extinction Truth Vajra Wisdom Śākyamuni Buddha: Below explains the sequence of sutra-teaching time. Within this there are seven sections: First, clarifying the Tathāgata's entry into samādhi; second, emitting light; third, manifesting flowers; fourth, earth trembling; fifth, questions of doubt; sixth, making music to praise the Buddha and summoning assemblies from the ten directions; seventh, arising from concentration. 《Split writing: and so forth》
First year, first month, eighth day: The Tathāgata expounded this sutra on the eighth day of the first month, thirty-six years after enlightenment. Seven years after enlightenment, he taught other prajñā. At age sixty-six, he taught this sutra.
Just seated on the ten grounds: The commentary states: "Just seated on the ten grounds" means that when the causes are perfected, one then realizes the Buddha fruit, called "just seated on the ten grounds." This refers back to past causes, not beginning to sit. It also states: These are the Buddha's ten grounds. 《Split writing: text》
Entering the Great Silence Chamber samādhi: The commentary states: Observing capacities and examining principles—therefore entering concentration. 《Split writing: text》
Contemplating conditions: The commentary states: "Contemplating conditions" means the great teaching arises from conditions, clearly examined with great wisdom, hence called "contemplating conditions." Another interpretation: contemplating conditions means wanting to expound prajñā while contemplating the meaning of marklessness; conditions means conditioning dharma-nature principle. 《Split writing: text》
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Emitting great light: Second, emitting light. The commentary states: Great light means manifesting rare phenomena, causing those who don't believe to generate faith, and causing those who already believe to gain increase. It also aims to have sentient beings break the darkness of ignorance and attain the brightness of wisdom. There are two types of light: first, supernatural power light; second, wisdom light. Why emit supernatural power light? Because beings with karmic connections are scattered throughout the ten directions—without emitting light to summon them, they wouldn't know the causes and conditions for teaching prajñā. Therefore light is emitted. To distinguish dharma characteristics and accord with beings' root capacities, wisdom light is emitted. 《Split writing: text》
Illuminating within the three realms, furthermore 《Split writing: [margin] third》 from the crown, a thousand jewel lotuses emerge: Some see the light and develop capacity; some see flowers and attain enlightenment, hence flowers are manifested. 《Split writing: and so forth》
Flowers reach up to Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception: This sutra establishes subtle form for the formless realm. Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception is the ultimate among the four formless voids. The Abhidharma states: Due to dim and inferior perception, having no clear superior perception, it gains the name "neither-perception"; having dim and inferior perception, it is called "nor-non-perception." 《Split writing: text》 Regarding lifespan: The verse commentary states: Formless lifespans from below are respectively twenty thousand, forty thousand, sixty thousand, eighty thousand great kalpas. 《Split writing: text》 It also states: In the formless realm, first twenty thousand, then each subsequent doubles by two. 《Split writing: text》 Sphere of Infinite Space, Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, Sphere of Nothingness.
Light 《Split writing: [margin] same as flowers》 is likewise, extending to buddha-lands of other directions numerous as Ganges sands: The commentary states: Not only illuminating this direction, but also pervading the ten directions. 《Split writing: text》
At that time the formless realm 《Split writing: [margin] formless realm rains flowers》 rained immeasurable varieties of great fragrant flowers, fragrant like cart wheels, flowers like Mount Sumeru
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the king of mountains, descending like clouds: All heavenly beings of the three realms rain flowers as offerings. The commentary states: By manifesting flowers, they want sentient beings to cultivate causes and attain results. 《Split writing: text》
The eighteen Brahmā heaven kings rain hundreds of varieties of differently colored flowers: Above describes the form realm raining flowers.
The six desire heavens rain flowers of immeasurable colors: The desire realm raining flowers.
Before the Buddha's seat, nine hundred million tiered flowers naturally grow: "Tiers" means layers.
Reaching up to Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception Heaven, at this time 《Split writing: [margin] fourth, supernatural power shaking earth》 six other types of trembling occurred: East rising, west sinking; west rising, east sinking; south rising, north sinking; north rising, south sinking; edges rising, center sinking; center rising, edges sinking.
At that time all the great assemblies together simultaneously generated doubt: Below describes the fifth section of the sutra-teaching sequence—the doubt and questioning portion. The text has four divisions: First, the great assembly's common doubt; from "each saying to one another" below is the second, initiating verbal discussion; from "previously for us" below is the third, relating their doubts; from "at that time the sixteen great kings" below is the fourth, clarifying that the Tathāgata's actions are unknowable. "Simultaneously" means all together.
Each saying to one another: The commentary states: "Each saying to one another" means mutually consulting and questioning.
Four fearlessnesses: Wanting to express their doubts, they first raise the Buddha's virtues. The commentary states: First, all-knowledge; second, exhaustion of outflows; third, path of ending suffering; fourth, teaching obstructive paths—these are called fearlessnesses. The Ten Stages Vibhāṣā states: Not fearing external challenges, hence called fearlessness. 《Split writing: text》
Eighteen distinctive dharmas: The commentary states: The eighteen distinctive dharmas are: first, no error in body; second, no error in speech;
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third, no error in mind; fourth, no different characteristics; fifth, no undetermined mind; sixth, no unknowing abandonment mind; seventh, activities and aspirations 《Split writing: [investigation] the seven characters "activities etc." in the Chinese version are written as one large character》 desire without decrease; eighth, vigor without decrease; ninth, mindfulness without decrease; tenth, wisdom without decrease; eleventh, liberation without decrease; twelfth, liberated knowledge and vision without decrease; thirteenth, bodily actions following wisdom; fourteenth, verbal actions following wisdom; fifteenth, mental actions following wisdom; sixteenth, wisdom knowing the past without obstruction; seventeenth, wisdom knowing the future without obstruction; eighteenth, wisdom knowing the present without obstruction. 《Split writing: text》
Five eyes: The commentary states: The flesh eye illuminates all dharmas from vajra downward, exhausting them all. The divine eye illuminates the Tathāgata's result of ultimate truth, called "beyond obstructions." The wisdom eye illuminates the emptiness of all dharmas such as permanent and impermanent. The dharma eye illuminates all conditioned dharmas' causes, effects, principles, and phenomena. The buddha eye penetrates all paths to completion.
Dharma body: The commentary states: The dharma body takes true dharma as its essence and wonderful understanding as its form, hence called dharma body.
Great Enlightened World-Honored One, previously for us, the great assembly, for twenty-nine years taught Mahāprajñāpāramitā, Vajraprajñāpāramitā, Heavenly King's Questions on Prajñāpāramitā, Light-Praising Prajñāpāramitā 《Split writing: [investigation] below "pāramitā" in the sutra there is the character "sūtra"》. Today the Tathāgata emits great light—what action is this? Properly relating the doubt. Twenty-nine years after enlightenment, four prajñā [sūtras] were already taught. Now again, on the eighth day of the first month of the thirtieth year, emitting light—how is this different from before? At Rājagṛha on Vulture Peak Mountain, the Large Prajñāpāramitā was taught. Going to Śrāvastī, the Vajraprajñāpāramitā and Heavenly King's Questions on Prajñāpāramitā were taught. Later returning to Rājagṛha on Vulture Peak Mountain, the Light-Praising Prajñāpāramitā and Conduct-Path Prajñā were taught.