英語訳
【Right page, upper section】
They do not create Buddha statues and do not erect stupas. Laypeople (white-robed ones) sit on high seats and make bhikṣus into slaves. It is like the dharma of heretics. At that time the Buddha-dharma should perish. Also in the final age, kings later 《Marginal note: [Investigation] Characters may be missing after "later"》 outwardly appear to protect the Three Jewels but inwardly destroy the Buddha-dharma. It is like worms in a lion's body eating the lion itself. Children turn against their parents, the six relatives are not harmonious, and heavenly spirits do not protect. Epidemics and evil demons come daily to harm people, and disasters are many. Sentient beings die and enter the three evil paths. At that time the Buddha-dharma should perish. Also in the final age, various bhikṣus seek fame and profit, self-protect 《Marginal note: [Investigation] The character "protect" is a copying error. Should it be the character "explain"?》 explaining the causes and conditions for destroying the Buddha-dharma, themselves explaining the causes and conditions for national destruction. At that time the Buddha-dharma should be destroyed. When it is destroyed, this Benevolent Kings Sutra protects the king. When the World-Honored One explained this, among the immeasurable great assembly at the Benevolent Kings Sutra gathering, ten billion bodhisattvas, ten billion arhats, and fifty billion heavenly beings heard the Buddha's explanation of the prajñā that protects Buddha-fruit and the prajñā that protects countries. With immeasurable joy they made prostrations, received and upheld it, and all departed.
The Matter of How the Benevolent Kings Prajñā's Protection of Countries Surpasses All Other Sutras
The Benevolent Kings Sutra says: The Buddha told King Prasenajit: "This Benevolent Kings Sutra is called wish-fulfilling jewel, also called country-protecting jewel, also called heaven-earth mirror. By making offerings to this Benevolent Kings Sutra, within a thousand li of this Benevolent Kings Sutra seven calamities will not arise and seven blessings will return and be born. Wonderful awakening samādhi, worldly truth samādhi, ultimate truth samādhi, first principle truth samādhi. This three truths samādhi is the king of all samādhis." 《Marginal note: Above》 Śākyamuni's influence proclaimed: "Among all the sutras I have explained, for protecting benevolent kings and protecting countries, the Prajñā Sutra alone excels. The Benevolent Kings Prajñā is a wish-fulfilling jewel, a country-protecting jewel. Therefore within a thousand li where the Benevolent Kings Prajñā is located, seven calamities do not arise and seven blessings return and are born. Why is this? Because the Benevolent Kings Prajñā is wonderful awakening samādhi 《Marginal note: indeed》. Wonderful awakening samādhi is three
【Right page, lower section】
truths samādhi 《Marginal note: indeed》. Three truths samādhi is king samādhi. King samādhi is the king samādhi among all samādhis. As for king samādhi, other samādhis are partial 《Marginal note: indeed》 while three truths samādhi 《Marginal note: [Investigation] "worldly truth samādhi" may be missing after "samādhi"》 ultimate truth samādhi and first principle samādhi. Worldly truth samādhi is what I called conventional truth samādhi when I explained the Necklace Sutra. Ultimate truth samādhi is what I called emptiness truth samādhi when I explained the Necklace Sutra. First principle truth samādhi is what I called middle way samādhi when I explained the Necklace Sutra. Three truths samādhi is what I called three contemplations samādhi when I explained the Necklace Sutra. The three contemplations 《Marginal note: emptiness, conventional, middle》 are the self-nature pure path of dharmadhātu buddhas. You Samantabhadra, Mañjuśrī, Dharmamati, Guṇavanlin, Vajradhvaja, Jinagarbha and others, leading myriads of great assemblies, should each practice the three contemplations dharmadhātu various self-nature pure paths. I see that in the future various disputes will arise. The various schools are mostly partial. They do not transcend the three contemplations dharmadhātu. If they do not transcend the three contemplations dharmadhātu, they do not know the self-nature pure path of all buddhas. If so, there will be the Abhidharma school. The Abhidharma school through worldly truth samādhi should propagate true existence. Also there should be the Satyasiddhi school. The Satyasiddhi school clarifies ultimate truth and should propagate true emptiness. Also there should be the Yogācāra school. The Yogācāra school clarifies worldly truth samādhi and should propagate the separate existence of the five natures. Also there will be the Three Treatises school. The Three Treatises school clarifies ultimate truth samādhi and should propagate emptiness without establishing letters. Also there will be the Esoteric school. The Esoteric school forms secret seals with the body, recites mantras with the mouth 《Marginal note: [Investigation] The character "mind" may be missing after "mantras"》 and contemplates principal deities and others. Clarifying worldly truth samādhi, they should propagate the gate of existence. That you clarify the three contemplations dharmadhātu and propagate one-mind three contemplations is excellent, excellent. You have attained the Benevolent Kings Prajñā three truths samādhi. Also, the three contemplations dharmadhātu of the Necklace Sutra—when I explained the Necklace Sutra, from the first ground and above there is the three contemplations
【Left page, upper section】
mind. Three contemplations one-mind becomes the Buddha's three contemplations dharmadhātu mind, becoming the wonderful awakening samādhi three truths king samādhi. That the Benevolent Kings Prajñā protects countries and benefits 《Marginal note: [Investigation] "beings" may be missing after "benefits"》 is the awesome power of three truths samādhi. Worldly truth samādhi illuminates countries and illuminates seven calamities, protects countries and sweeps away seven calamities, gives birth to seven blessings and benefits sentient beings. Ultimate truth samādhi as contemplative prajñā enjoys the self-received dharma bliss. Also middle way samādhi arouses worldly truth and ultimate truth, enjoying self-received dharma bliss, protecting countries and benefiting beings, and bestowing self-received dharma bliss. The Benevolent Kings Country-Protecting Prajñāpāramitā is most honored and supreme. 《Marginal note: Above》
Śākyamuni's Influence Secret Dharma of the Benevolent Kings Sutra, Volume Eight Complete
This Secret Dharma of Śākyamuni's Influence on the Benevolent Kings Sutra—in Japan, apart from myself, there were no great masters or virtuous predecessors in ancient times who knew of it. The reason is that my adoptive father, Chancellor Saionji Sanekane, invested three thousand and five ryō of gold and sent Kashima Jōgyō and Chiba Dōgen as envoys to Tang, dispatching them to foreign courts. The foreign emperor, Great Yuan King Wanchen General, as imperial envoy opened the great treasury of Guoqing Temple and sent to our court the imperial writings of the Seven-Volume Secret Records of Śākyamuni's Influence Proclamation and Edicts that had been sealed by imperial edict of Emperor Yang of Sui. What a rare and excellent matter! Where is the school that has Śākyamuni's Influence giving dharma teachings again? The Great Master of Tiantai deeply hid and concealed it, so people of other schools do not know. The Tiantai school is the teaching of ordinary masters' sleep. The assertion that there is no transmission from Śākyamuni is soft-tongued. Together with Sanzōin Hanken in the same studies
【Left page, lower section】
as Nōkan, it was prohibited in the presence of Retired Emperor Kameyama. However, now it is transmitted through establishing questions as primary. Guarding it with one's life, in a hundred evenings it is buried in walls. Written by the brush of Prince Ryōsuke, former Tendai head priest, second successor of Retired Emperor Kameyama, without court rank.
The original text says:
At this time, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month of Bun'an 6 (1449), year of the Earth Snake, at the southern tail of the western pagoda compound of Mt. Hiei, completed writing in the southern-facing room of the upper four chambers of the guest hall of Dharma Seal Eisei of Hōon-in
This is a transcription for circulation in the final age. Deeply secret, deeply secret. Transmitted only to one person.
It is revealed that Ryōsuke was a Tendai head priest. He retired and lived near Tōnomine. His lay name after returning to secular life was called Upāsaka. He is foremost among those who attached many transcriptions to the Three Great Sections and Five Great Commentaries. He wrote as a layperson.
At this time, in the eighth month of Kan'ei 21 (1644), year Wood-Monkey, completed copying
Dharma Seal Shinkōzō of Kan'on-ji, Ashiura, Ōmi Province