《佛说菩萨修行四法经》略讲（一）

智广阿阇梨

二零一五年七月十九日在西班牙南卡宗闭关中心开示

A Brief Commentary on the Sutra of Four Methods of Practice of Bodhisattvas as Taught by the Buddha 1

By Archaya Zhiguang

At Namkha Dzong Retreat Centre in Spain on July 19, 2015

首先非常感谢尊贵的南卡仁波切和仁增僧团所有的道友，给我这样一个机会，和大家一起来学习《佛说菩萨修行四法经》。

First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to His Eminence Namkha Rinpoche and all the Dharma friends in the Rigdzin Community for giving me this opportunity to study with you the Sutra of Four Methods of Practice of Bodhisattvas as Taught by the Buddha.

据我所知，南卡仁波切已经讲过很多次《普贤上师言教》，所以大家应该对《普贤上师言教》有非常多的了解。而这部《佛说菩萨修行四法经》里面的内容，跟《普贤上师言教》有很多类似的地方，大家听起来应该会比较熟悉。这部佛经精炼简短，把所有大乘菩萨应该修行的要点归纳成四条，比较便于记忆。

As far as I know, Namkha Rinpoche has given teachings on The Words of My Perfect Teacher for many times, so you must have already known a lot about it. There are many similarities between this Sutra and The Words of My Perfect Teacher. So I think you may feel familiar with this lecture. This Sutra is very concise. It summarizes all the practices of Mahayana Bodhisattvas into four points, making it easy for us to remember.

释经题

Explanation of the title of the Sutra

首先来看经书的题目——《佛说菩萨修行四法经》，从“佛说”两个字来看,它是尊贵的佛陀亲口所宣讲的;它所教化的对象是修行大乘的“菩萨”;“四法”是我们作为一个大乘菩萨，必须要掌握的四个修行要点。通过学习这部经典，我们会看到《普贤上师言教》里面所说的很多内容，在佛经里面都是有根据的。

Let’s look at the title of the Sutra first, which is the Sutra of the Four Methods of Practice of Bodhisattvas as Taught by the Buddha. As indicated by the expression “as taught by the Buddha”, the Sutra was taught by the exalted Buddha personally. It is directed to the Mahayana Bodhisattvas. The” four methods” are four key points of practice that we must grasp as Mahayana Bodhisattvas. By studying this Sutra, we can find that many teachings in The Words of My Perfect Teacher have their origins in the Buddhist scriptures.

译者简介

Brief introduction to the translator of the Sutra

在汉文的《大藏经》里面关于菩萨修行的四法，我看到的一共有三部经典。一部是实叉难陀翻译的《大乘四法经》，它的内容非常长。在经的开头，会顶礼毗卢遮那佛，在唐代的经典里面来看，它是跟唐密有关系的经典。另外两部是同一本经典的两个译本，都是地婆诃罗大师译的，初译的经题为《佛说大乘四法经》，再译的就是我们这次要学习的《佛说菩萨修行四法经》。

In the Chinese Tripitaka (Dazangjing), I have found three scriptures related to the four methods of practice of Bodhisattvas. One of them is the Mahayana Sutra on Four Methods translated by Siksananda. It has a very long text, in which homage is paid to Vairocana Buddha in the beginning. According to the scriptures in the Tang Dynasty in China, it has connections with Tangmi (Tantric Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty). The other two scriptures are just two different versions of translation of the same sutra. They were both translated by Master Divakara. The title of the first version is the Mahayana Sutra on Four methods as Taught by the Buddha. The second version is just the Sutra of Four Methods of Practice of Bodhisattvas as Taught by the Buddha, which we are going to learn today.

地婆诃罗大师是唐朝时期那烂陀寺的一位高僧。龙树菩萨、莲花生大师，还有帝诺巴、那洛巴等许多高僧大德都是出自那烂陀寺，以前中国的很多高僧也去那烂陀寺留学，比如玄奘大师。

Master Divakara was a prominent Buddhist monk from the Nalanda Monastery during the time of the Tang Dynasty in China. Many Buddhist masters such as Nagarjuna, Padmasambhava, Tilopa and Naropa all studied in the Nalanda Monastery. Meanwhile, many Chinese Buddhist masters went to the Nalanda Monastery to study Dharma. One of them, for example, was Master Hsuan Tsang.

据史料记载，地婆诃罗大师对玄奘大师非常敬仰，也对唐朝非常向往，发愿去唐朝弘扬佛法，利益众生。他精通三藏，通晓五明，尤其精通密咒，所以他不仅仅是一个三藏法师，同时也是一个密咒师。他到了中国以后，最重要的工作就是翻译经典，所以他也是一个大译师，共译出十八部三十四卷经书。

According to historical records, Master Divakara admired Master Hsuan Tsang very much and was deeply intrigued by China in the Tang Dynasty. He vowed to go to China to spread Dharma to benefit the sentient beings. He was well versed in the Tripitaka, and proficient in the Five Sciences, especially in the Tantric mantras. So he was not just a Dharma master of Tripitaka, but also a master of Tantric mantras. When he traveled to China, his most important job was to translate the Buddhist scriptures. So he was also a great translator. He had translated thirty four volumes of eighteen sutras in total.

地婆诃罗大师是第一位把准提法的经典翻译成中文的大师，他翻译的《佛说七俱胝佛母心大准提陀罗尼经》是唐代密宗的一部重要经典。准提佛母是密宗非常重要的一个本尊，以前我曾经在尊贵的上师第五世华智仁波切面前得到过准提佛母的修法传承。这是一个非常殊胜的修法，在唐代传入中国，最早就是地婆诃罗大师翻译的。后来这个修法在中国有非常广大的影响，很多人修持，成为唐代密宗当中非常重要的一个部分。

Master Divakara was the first master to translate the scriptures of Maha Cundhi Bodhisattva into Chinese. The Sutra of the Dharani of Maha Cundhi——the Essence of Mother of Seven Kotis of Buddhas——as Taught by the Buddba, which was translated by Master Divakara, is an important scripture in Tangmi. Maha Cundhi Bodhisattva is one of the major Yidams in Tantric Buddhism. I have received the transmission of Maha Cundhi practice from my exalted Lama——His Eminence the Fifth Patrul Rinpoche. This is a very precious practice. It was introduced into China in the Tang Dynasty, and was first translated by Master Divakara. It had a widespread influence in China later. Many people practiced it and it became a very important part of Tangmi.

地婆诃罗大师又翻译了另外一个很重要的密法叫做《佛顶最胜陀罗尼经》，后来在中国也非常盛行，当时唐代的皇帝曾经命令汉地所有的出家人每天必须念二十一遍，可见，地婆诃罗大师在中国对密宗的弘扬做出了巨大的贡献。

Master Divakara also translated another very important Tantric sutra which is called the Usnisa Vijaya Dharani Sutra. It also became very popular in China. The emperor of the Tang Dynasty at that time ordered all the monks and nuns in China to recite it twenty one times every day. So it is clear that Master Divakara had made great contributions to the spreading of Tantric Buddhism in China.

印度分为东南西北中五个地区，地婆诃罗大师属于中印度人。日本真言宗的大阿阇梨松长有庆经过专门的研究，认为公元七、八世纪密教在中印度和南印度正值鼎盛，很多高僧大德都修行密法。所以这位地婆诃罗大师，应该也是非常精通密宗的。

India consists of eastern, southern, western, northern and central regions, and Master Divakara came from the central India. After his research, Matsunaga Yokei, an Acharya of Shingon Sect in Japan, believes that Tantric Buddhism was thriving in central and southern India during the 7^th and 8^th centuries when many Buddhist masters followed Tantric practice. So, Master Divakara must also be very experienced in Tantric Buddhism.

这位大师翻译的经典，以前我曾经传讲过两部。

I have taught two of the sutras translated by Master Divakara before.

2013年5月，我在日本真言宗的醍醐寺，曾经讲过地婆诃罗大师翻译的一部很重要的经典——《大乘遍照光明藏无字法门经》，这也是佛陀亲自传授的一部经典。这部经主要谈到了菩萨修行的一些要点，而且讲到要如何认识自己的如来藏、佛性。佛在这部经中说：“若当来世有善男子及善女人。设有已作五逆等罪。闻此法门若能书持读诵解说。或劝他人书持读诵及以解说。我见是人不堕恶道。其人所有诸烦恼障业障报障皆得清净。其人来世具得五眼。其人则为一切诸佛所共灌顶。”读了这部经典就等于得到一切诸佛的灌顶。又说：“彼未来世诸众生等。若得闻此希有法门。当知是人久已成就无量福慧。当知是人则为承事供养于我。当知是人则为荷担佛大菩提。当知是人决定当得成就辩才。当知是人决定当得清净佛土。当知是人临命终时。定当得见阿弥陀佛菩萨大众之所围绕。当知是人常见我身在灵鹫山。及见此等诸菩萨众。当知是人则为已得无尽法藏。当知是人得宿命智。当知是人不堕恶道。”足见这部经的功德殊胜难得。

In May 2013, I taught an important sutra translated by Master Divakara at the Daigoji Monastery of the Shingon Sect in Japan. It is called the Mahayana Sutra All-pervasive Illuminating Radiance-Store Wordless Dharma Door. It is also a sutra taught personally by the Buddha. It mainly mentions some key points of practice for Bodhisattvas. It also teaches how to recognize our own Tathagatagarbha or Buddha Nature. It is stated in this sutra that: “Suppose in future times, among good men and good women, there are those who have committed sins, such as the five rebellious acts. If they have heard this Dharma Door (path), whether they copy this sutra, read and recite it, or explain it, whether they persuade others to copy it, read and recite it, or explain it, I can see that these individuals will not fall to the evil realms. All their hindrances——afflictions, karmas and retribution——will be eliminated. In a future life they will acquire the five kinds of eyes. They will receive empowerments from all the Buddhas.” So reading this sutra gives you the empowerments by all the Buddhas. It is also stated in the sutra that: “If sentient beings in future times are able to hear this rare Dharma Door (path), one should know that they have already acquired immeasurable merit and wisdom for a long time; that they in effect serve me and make offerings to me; that they in effect carry on the great Bodhi course of the Buddha; that they will certainly achieve command of eloquence; that they will certainly arrive in Buddha’s pureland; that when their lives come to an end, they will certainly see themselves surrounded by the Amitabha Buddha and all his Bodhisattvas; that they will constantly see me on the Vulture Peak Mountain and see a multitude of Bodhisattvas like these here; that they have already acquired the inexhaustible Dharma store; that they will gain past-life knowledge; and that they will never go down the evil realms”. So it is quite clear that this sutra is really supreme.

今年初，我还讲过他翻译的《佛说七俱胝佛母心大准提陀罗尼经》，这就是地婆诃罗大师第一次把准提密法的经典翻译成中文的经典。这部经里面很详细地讲解了准提法的修行，还讲到很多的事业法——息灾、增益、怀爱、降伏等，还讲到怎么治病、怎么变得更加聪明等等。而且这个修法可以让你有求必应、心想事成。这部经里面还特别讲了很多护摩的方法（火供）。

Early this year, I taught another sutra translated by Master Divakara, namely, the Sutra of the Dharani of Maha Cundhi——the Essence of Mother of Seven Kotis of Buddhas——as Taught by the Buddha. It is a scripture on Cundi Tantric teachings first translated by Master Divakara into Chinese. It explains the Maha Cundi practice in great detail. It also expounds the peaceful, increasing, loving and wrathful methods in individual lives and careers, as well as the methods of how to cure diseases, make one wiser, and etc. The Maha Cundi practice enables you to fulfill all your wishes. In particular, the sutra teaches many methods of fire Puja.

这是我曾经讲过的地婆诃罗大师所翻译经典里面的两部。今天我们要讲的是他翻译的另外一部经典《佛说菩萨修行四法经》。

So these are the two sutras translated by Master Divakara that I have taught before. Today we are going to learn another sutra translated by him, ie., the Sutra of Four Methods of Practice of Bodhisattvas as Taught by the Buddha.

（未完待续）

(To be continued)