Nelle varie lingue del mondo

- Inglese -

 

 

Alcuni versioni del Sutra del Loto in lingua inglese tradotti dal Prof. W.S. Soothill, Rev. Senchu Murano, Rev. Bunno Kato e dall Prof. Burton Watson

 

1° Capitolo - Myoho Renge Kyo Johon Dai-ichi

THE SUTRA OF THE LOTUS FLOWER OF THE WONDERFUL DHARMA

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

 

THUS have I heard. The Buddha once lived on Mt. Grdharkuta in the City of King-House. He was accompanied by twelve thousand great bhiksus. They were Arhats. They had already eliminated asravas, and had no illusions. They had already benefited themselves, broken off the bonds of existence [in the world of birth and death], and obtained liberty in their minds. They included Ajnata-Kaundinya, Maha-Kasyapa, Uruvilva-Kasyapa, Gaya-Kasyapa, Nadi-Kasyapa, Sariputra, Great Maudgalyiyana, Maha-Katyayana, Aniruddha, Kapphina, Gavampati, Revata, Pilindavatsa, Bakkula, Maha-Kausthila, Nanda, Sundarananda, Purna who was the son of Maitrayani, Subhuti, Ananda, and Rahula. They were great Arhats well known to the multitude. There were also two thousand [Srvakasl, some of whom had something more to learn while others had nothing more to learn. Maha-Prajapati Bhiksuni was present with her six thousand attendants. Yasodhara Bhiksuni, the mother of Rahula, was also present with her attendants. There were also eighty thousand Bodhisattva-mahasattvas. They never faltered in [seeking] Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. They had already obtained dharanis, turned the irrevocable wheel of the Dharma with eloquence according to the wishes [of all living beings], made offerings to many hundreds of' thousands of' Buddhas, and planted the roots of' virtue under those Buddhas, by whom they had always been praised. They had already trained themselves out of' their compassion towards others, entered the Way to the wisdom of the Buddha, obtained great wisdom, and reached the Other Shore so that their fame had already extended over innumerable worlds. They had already saved many hundreds of thousands of' living beings. They included Manjusri Bodhisattva, World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva, Great-Power-Obtainer Bodhisattva, Constant-Endeavour Bodhisattva, Never-Resting Bodhisattva, Treasure-Palm Bodhisattva, Medicine-King Bodhisattva, Brave-in-Giving Bodhisattva, Treasure-Moon Bodhisattva, Moon-Light Bodhisattva, Full-Moon Bodhisattva, Great-Power Bodhisattva, Immeasurable-Power Bodhisattva, Transcending-Triple-World Bodhisattva, Bhadrapala Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Accumulated-Treasure Bodhisattva, and Leading-Teacher Bodhisattva. Eighty thousand Bodhisattva-mahasattvas such as these were present. Sakra-Devanam-Indra was also present. Twenty thousand gods were attending on him. There were also Beautiful-Moon God, Universal-Fragrance God, Treasure-Light God, and the four great heavenly-kings. Ten thousand gods were attending on them. Freedom God and Great-Freedom God were also present. Thirty thousand gods were attending on them. Brahman Heavenly-King who was the lord of the Saha-World, Great Brahman Sikhin, and Great Brahman Light wcre also present. Twelve thousand gods were attending on them. There were also the eight dragon-kings: Nanda Dragon-king, Upananda Dragon-King, Sagara Dragon-King, Vasuki Dragon-King, Takyaka Dragon-King, Anavatapta Dragon-King, Manasvin Dragon-King, and Utpalaka Dragon-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants. There were also the four kimnara-kings: Dharma Kimnara-King, Wonderful-Dharma Kimnara-King, Great-Dharma Kimnara-King, and Dharma-Keeping Kimnara-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants. 'I'here were also the four gandharva-kings : Musical Gandharva-King, Musical-Voice Gandharva-King, Beautiful Gandharva-King, and Beautiful-Voice Gandharva-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants. There were also the four asura-king's: Balin Asura-King, Kharaskandha Asura-King, Vemacitrin Asura-King, and Rahu Asura-King, each accom-panied by hundrcds of thousands of attendants. There were also the four garuda-kings : Great-Power-Virtue Garuda-King, Great-Body Garuda-King, Great-Fulfillment Garuda-King, and Free-At-Will Garuda-King, each accompanied by hundreds of thousands of attendants. King Ajatasatru, who was the son of Vaidehi, was also present with his hundreds of thousands of attendants. They each worshipped the feet of the Buddha, retired, and sat to one side.

 

2° Capitolo - Myoho Renge Kyo Hoben-pon Dai-ni

THE SUTRA OF THE LOTUS FLOWER OF THE WONDERFUL DHARMA

CHAPTER II EXPEDIENTS

THEREUPON the World-Honoured One emerged quietly from his samadhi, and said to Sariputra : "The wisdom of the [present] Buddhas is profound and immeasurable. The gate to it is difficult to understand and difficult to enter. [Their wisdom] cannot be understood by any Sravaka or Pratyeka-buddha because the [present] Buddhas attended on many hundreds of thousands of billions of [past] Buddhas, and practised the innumerable teachings of those Buddhas bravely and strenuously to their far-flung fame until they attained the profound Dharma which you have never heard before, [and became Buddhas,] and also because Lsince they became Buddhas] they have been expounding the Dharma according to the capacities of all living beings in such various ways that the true purpose of their [various] teachings is difficult to understand. "Sariputra! Since I became a Buddha, I [also] have been expounding various teachings with various stories of previous lives, with various parables, and with various similes. I have been leading all living beings with innumerable expedients in order to save them from various attachments, because I have the power to employ expedients and the powcr to perform the paramita of insight. "Sariputra ! The insight of the Tathagatas is wide and deep. [The Tathagatas] have all the [states of mind towards] innumerable [living beings], unhindered [eloquence], powers, fearlessness, dhyana-concentrations, emancipations, and samadhis. They entered deep into boundlessness, and attained the Dharma which you have never heard before. "Sariputra! The Tathagatas divide [the Dharma] into various teachings, and expound those teachings to all livlng beings so skilfully and with such gentle voices that living beings are delighted. Sariputra! In short, the Buddhas attained the innumerable teachings which you have never heard before. No more, Sariputra, will I say because the Dharma attained by the Buddhas is the highest Truth, rare [to hear] and difficult to understand. Only the Buddhas attained [the highest Truth, that is,] the reality of all things in regard to their appearances as such, their natures as such, their entities as such, their powers as such, their activities as such, their primary causes as such, their environmental causes as such, their effects as such, their rewards and retributions as such, and their equality as such [despite these differences].

 

Yokuryoshu (passaggi dai capitoli 2, 3, 10, e 11)

The Coming of the Buddha (From Chapter II Expedients)

 

The Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones,

Appear in the worlds

In order to cause all living beings

To open the gate to the insight of the Buddha,

And to cause them to purify themselves.

They appear in the worlds

In order to show the insight of the Buddha

To all living beings.

They appear in the worlds

In order to cause all living beings

To obtain the insight bf the Buddha.

They appear in the worlds

In order to cause all living beings

To enter the Way to the insight of the Buddha.

Sariputra! This is the one great purpose

For which the Buddhas appear in the worlds.

 

The Triple World (From Chapter III A Parable)

 

The triple world is not peaceful.

It is like the buming house.

It is full of sufferings.

It is dreadful.

 

There are always the sufferings

Of birth, old age, disease and death.

They are like flames raging endlessly.

I have already left

The buming house of the triple world.

I am tranquil and peaceful

In a bower in a forest.

 

This triple world is my property.

All living beings therein are my children.

 

There are many sufferings in this world.

Only I can save all living beings.

 

Dispatch of Monks and Nuns

(From Chapter X The Teacher of the Dharma)

 

I will manifest the four kinds of devotees:

Bhiksus, bhiksunis, and men and women of pure faith,

And dispatch them to him

So that they may make offerings to him,

And that they may lead many living beings,

Collecting them to hear the Dharma from him.

If he is hated and threatened

With swords, sticks, tile-pieces or stones,

I will manifest men and dispatch them to him

In order to protect him.

 

The Appearance of a Stupa

(From Chapter XI Beholding the Stupa of Treasures)

 

Thereupon a loud voice of praise was heard

From within the stupa of treasures:

"Excellent, excellent!

You, Sakyamuni, the World-Honoured One,

Have expounded to this great multitude

The Sutra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma,

The Teaching of Equality,

The Great Wisdom,

The Dharma for Bodhisattvas,

The Dharma Upheld by the Buddhas.

So it is, so it is.

What you, Sakyamuni, the World-Honoured One,

Have expounded is all true."

 

 

16° Capitolo - Myoho Renge Kyo Juryo-hon Dai-juroku (Jigage)

 

It is many hundreds of' thousands

Of' billions of' trillions

Of' asamkhyas of kalpas

Since I became the Buddha.

 

For the past innumerable kalpas

I have always been expounding the Dharma

To many hundreds of millions of living beings

In order to lead them into the Way to Buddhahood.

 

Jn order to save the [perverted] people,

I expediently show my Nirvana to them.

In reality I shall never pass away.

I always live here and expound the Dharma.

 

Although I always live here

With the perverted people,

I disappear from their eyes

By my supernatural powers.

 

When they see me seemingly pass away,

And make ofibrings to my sariras,

And adore me, admire me,

And become devout, upright and gentle,

And wish to see me

With all their hearts

At the cost of their lives,

I reappear on Mt. Sacred Eagle

With my Samgha,

And say to them:

"I always live here.

I shall never be extinct.

I show my extinction to you expediently

Although I never pass away.

I also expound the unsurpassed Dharma

To the living beings of the other worlds

If they respect mc, believe me,

And wish to see me.

You have never heard this;

Therefore, you thought that I pass away."

 

I see the I [perverted] people sinking

In an ocean of' suffering.

Therefore, I disappear from their eyes

And cause them to admire me.

When they adore me,

I appear and expound the Dharma to them.

 

I can do all this by my supernatural powers.

I Iive on Mt. Sacred Eagle

And also in the other abodes

For asamkhya kalpas.

 

The [perverted] people think:

'This world is in a great fire.

The end of the kalpa [of destruction] is coming.'

In reality this world of mine is peaceful.

It is filled with gods and men.

The gardens, forests, and stately buildings

Are adorned with various treasures;

The jewelled trees have many flowers and fruits;

The living beings are enjoying themselves;

And the gods are beating heavenly drums,

Making various kinds of music,

And raining mandarava-flowers on the great multltude

and me.

 

[This] pure world of mine is indestructible.

But the [perverted] people think :

'It is full of sorrow, fear, and other sufferings.

It will soon burn away.'

 

Because of their evil karmas,

These sinful peop]e will not be able

To hear even the names of the Three Treasures

During asarnkhya kalpas.

 

To those who have accumulated merits,

And who are gentle and upright,

And who see me living here,

Expounding the Dharma,

I say :

"The duration of my life is immeasurable."

To those who see me after a long time,

I say, "It is difficult to see a Buddha."

 

I can do all this by the power of my wisdom.

The light of my wisdom knows no bound.

The duration of my life is innumerable kalpas.

I obtained this longevity by ages of practices.

 

All of you, wise men!

Have no doubts about this!

Remove your doubts, have no more !

My words are true, not false.

The physician, who sent a man expediently

To tell his perverted sons

Of the death of their father in order to cure them,

Was not accused of falsehood although he was still alive.

 

In the same manner, I am the father of the world.

I am saving all living beings from suffering.

Because they are perverted,

I say that I shall pass away although I shall not.

If they always see me,

They will become arrogant and licentious,

And cling to the five desires

So much that they will fall into the evil regions.

 

I know who is practising the Way and who is not.

Therefore, I expound various teachings

To all living beings

According to their capacities.

 

I am always thinking:

'How shall I cause all living beings

To enter into the unsurpassed Way

And quickly become Buddhas ?'

Alcune eccelenti libri supplementari sul significato e studio del Sutra del Loto a cura di Niwano Nikkyo e del Rev. Shinjo Suguro

 

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