Sutta 11: The Diverse Minds of Beings

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0769a05] Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was in Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain (耆闍崛山 [qi du jue shan]) in Rājagṛha (羅閱城 [luo yue cheng]), with a great assembly of five hundred bhikkhus (大比丘之眾五百人 [da bi qiu zhi zhong wu bai ren]).

[0769a05] wén rú shì:

yī shí, fú zài luó yuè chéng qí dū jué shān zhōng, yǔ dà bǐ qiū zhī zhòng wǔ bǎi rén jù.

[0769a05] wen ru shi:

yi shi, fu zai luo yue cheng qi du jue shan zhong, yu da bi qiu zhi zhong wu bai ren ju.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0769a06] At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra (釋提桓因 [shi ti huan yin]) descended from the Trāyastriṃśa heaven (三十三天 [san shi san tian]), came to the Buddha (佛 [fu]), prostrated himself at his feet, and stood to one side. He reported to the World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]), "What are the thoughts of devas (天 [tian]) and people (人民 [ren min])? What do they seek?"

[0769a06] shì shí, shì tí huán yīn cóng sān shí sān tiān méi, lái zhì fú suǒ, tóu miàn lǐ zú, zài yī miàn lì, bái shì zūn yán: “tiān jí rén mín yǒu hé xiǎng niàn? yì hé suǒ qiú?”

[0769a06] shi shi, shi ti huan yin cong san shi san tian mei, lai zhi fu suo, tou mian li zu, zai yi mian li, bai shi zun yan: "tian ji ren min you he xiang nian? yi he suo qiu?"

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0769a09] The Buddha told him, "Beings in the world wander (流浪 [liu lang]), their natures are different (其性不同 [qi xing bu tong]), their destinations vary (所趣各異 [suo qu ge yi]), and their thoughts are not singular. Devendra (天帝 [tian di]), you should know that in countless asaṃkhyeya kalpas (阿僧祇劫 [a seng qi jie]) in the past, I also had this thought: 'What do devas and all sentient beings (眾生之類 [zhong sheng zhi lei]) incline towards? What vows do they seek?' From that kalpa until today, I have not seen a single person with the same mind. Śakra Devānām Indra, you should know that sentient beings in the world give rise to inverted perceptions (顛倒之想 [dian dao zhi xiang]): perceiving permanence in impermanence (無常計常之想 [wu chang ji chang zhi xiang]), happiness in suffering (無樂計樂之想 [wu le ji le zhi xiang]), self in non-self (無我有我之想 [wu wo you wo zhi xiang]), purity in impurity (不淨有淨之想 [bu jing you jing zhi xiang]), the right path in the wrong path (正路有邪路之想 [zheng lu you xie lu zhi xiang]), evil in blessings (惡有福想 [e you fu xiang]), and blessings in evil (福有惡想 [fu you e xiang]). By this means, know that the roots of sentient beings are immeasurable (根難量 [gen nan liang]), and their conducts are diverse (性行各異 [xing xing ge yi]).

[0769a09] fú gào zhī yuē: “shì jiān liú làng, qí xìng bù tóng, suǒ qù gè yì, xiǎng niàn fēi yī. tiān dì dāng zhī, xī wǒ wú shù ā sēng qí jié yì shēng cǐ niàn: ‘tiān jí zhòng shēng zhī lèi, yì hé suǒ qù xiàng? wèi qiú hé yuàn?’ cóng bǐ jié zhì jīn rì, bù jiàn yī rén xīn gòng tóng zhě. shì tí huán yīn dāng zhī, shì jiān zhòng shēng qǐ diān dào zhī xiǎng, wú cháng jì cháng zhī xiǎng, wú lè jì lè zhī xiǎng, wú wǒ yǒu wǒ zhī xiǎng, bù jìng yǒu jìng zhī xiǎng, zhèng lù yǒu xié lù zhī xiǎng, è yǒu fú xiǎng, fú yǒu è xiǎng, yǐ cǐ fāng biàn, zhī zhòng shēng zhī lèi, qí gēn nán liàng, xìng xíng gè yì.

[0769a09] fu gao zhi yue: "shi jian liu lang, qi xing bu tong, suo qu ge yi, xiang nian fei yi. tian di dang zhi, xi wo wu shu a seng qi jie yi sheng ci nian: 'tian ji zhong sheng zhi lei, yi he suo qu xiang? wei qiu he yuan?' cong bi jie zhi jin ri, bu jian yi ren xin gong tong zhe. shi ti huan yin dang zhi, shi jian zhong sheng qi dian dao zhi xiang, wu chang ji chang zhi xiang, wu le ji le zhi xiang, wu wo you wo zhi xiang, bu jing you jing zhi xiang, zheng lu you xie lu zhi xiang, e you fu xiang, fu you e xiang, yi ci fang bian, zhi zhong sheng zhi lei, qi gen nan liang, xing xing ge yi.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0769a17] "If all sentient beings had completely the same perception (同一想 [tong yi xiang]) and no different perceptions, then the nine abodes of beings (九眾生居處 [jiu zhong sheng ju chu]) would be unknowable, and it would be difficult to distinguish the nine abodes of beings. The places where consciousness (神識 [shen shi]) dwells would also be unclear, and one would not know of the eight great hells (八大地獄 [ba da de yu]). The destinations of animals (畜生 [chu sheng]) would also be difficult to know. One would not distinguish the suffering of hell, nor know the nobility of the four castes (四姓之豪貴 [si xing zhi hao gui]), nor the path of the asuras (阿須倫 [a xu lun]), nor the Trāyastriṃśa heaven (三十三天 [san shi san tian]). If all were of the same mind, they would be like the Ābhāsvara devas (光音天 [guang yin tian]). Since sentient beings are of various kinds, their thoughts are also of various kinds. Therefore, we know there are nine abodes of beings, nine dwelling places for consciousness, and we know there are eight great hells, the three evil paths (三惡道 [san e dao]), up to the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. It is likewise so. By this means, we know that sentient beings are of different natures and their conducts vary."

[0769a17] “ruò dāng zhòng shēng jǐn tóng yī xiǎng, wú ruò gàn xiǎng zhě, jiǔ zhòng shēng jū chù, zé bù kě zhī, yì nán fēn bié jiǔ zhòng shēng jū, shén shí suǒ zhǐ yì fù nán míng, yì fù bù zhī yǒu bā dà de yù, chù shēng suǒ qù yì fù nán zhī. bù bié yǒu de yù zhī kǔ, bù zhī yǒu sì xìng zhī háo guì, bù zhī yǒu ā xū lún suǒ qù zhī dào, yì fù bù zhī sān shí sān tiān. shè dāng jǐn gòng tóng yī xīn zhě, dāng rú guāng yīn tiān. yǐ zhòng shēng ruò gàn zhǒng, xiǎng niàn yì ruò gàn zhǒng. shì gù, zhī yǒu jiǔ zhòng shēng jū chù,, jiǔ shén suǒ zhǐ chù, zhī yǒu bā dà de yù,, sān è dào, zhì sān shí sān tiān, yì fù rú shì. yǐ cǐ fāng biàn, zhī zhòng shēng lèi, qí xìng bù tóng, suǒ xíng gè yì.”

[0769a17] "ruo dang zhong sheng jin tong yi xiang, wu ruo gan xiang zhe, jiu zhong sheng ju chu, ze bu ke zhi, yi nan fen bie jiu zhong sheng ju, shen shi suo zhi yi fu nan ming, yi fu bu zhi you ba da de yu, chu sheng suo qu yi fu nan zhi. bu bie you de yu zhi ku, bu zhi you si xing zhi hao gui, bu zhi you a xu lun suo qu zhi dao, yi fu bu zhi san shi san tian. she dang jin gong tong yi xin zhe, dang ru guang yin tian. yi zhong sheng ruo gan zhong, xiang nian yi ruo gan zhong. shi gu, zhi you jiu zhong sheng ju chu,, jiu shen suo zhi chu, zhi you ba da de yu,, san e dao, zhi san shi san tian, yi fu ru shi. yi ci fang bian, zhi zhong sheng lei, qi xing bu tong, suo xing ge yi."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0769a27] At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra reported to the World-Honored One, "What the Tathāgata (如來 [ru lai]) has said is truly excellent: 'The natures of sentient beings are different, their conducts vary, and their thoughts are diverse.' Because the conducts of sentient beings are different, this results in variations in blue, yellow, white, black, long, and short. Furthermore, World-Honored One, the devas (諸天 [zhu tian]) have many duties and wish to return to heaven."

[0769a27] shì shí, shì tí huán yīn bái shì zūn yán: “rú lái suǒ shuō shén wèi qí yǎ: ‘zhòng shēng zhī xìng, qí xíng bù tóng, xiǎng niàn gè yì, yǐ qí zhòng shēng suǒ xíng bù tóng gù, zhì yǒu qīng,, huáng,, bái,, hēi,, zhǎng,, duǎn bù jūn.’ yòu qiě, shì zūn! zhū tiān shì wěi, yù hái tiān shàng.”

[0769a27] shi shi, shi ti huan yin bai shi zun yan: "ru lai suo shuo shen wei qi ya: 'zhong sheng zhi xing, qi xing bu tong, xiang nian ge yi, yi qi zhong sheng suo xing bu tong gu, zhi you qing,, huang,, bai,, hei,, zhang,, duan bu jun.' you qie, shi zun! zhu tian shi wei, yu hai tian shang."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0769b02] The Buddha told Śakra Devānām Indra, "You should know that now is the time."

[0769b02] fú gào shì tí huán yīn yuē: “yí zhī shì shí.”

[0769b02] fu gao shi ti huan yin yue: "yi zhi shi shi."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0769b03] At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra immediately rose from his seat, prostrated himself at the Buddha's feet, and then departed.

[0769b03] shì shí, shì tí huán yīn jí cóng zuò qǐ, tóu miàn lǐ zú, biàn tuì ér qù.

[0769b03] shi shi, shi ti huan yin ji cong zuo qi, tou mian li zu, bian tui er qu.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0769b04] At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra, having heard what the Buddha had said, rejoiced and respectfully put it into practice.

Nine Abodes (九止 [jiu zhi]), Giving (嚫 [chen]), Peacock (孔雀 [kong que]),
Binding (繫縛 [xi fu]), Foundation of Dharma (法之本 [fa zhi ben]),
Illness (病 [bing]), Offering (供養 [gong yang]), Panthaka (槃特 [pan te]),
Brahmacarya (梵行 [fan xing]), Different Perceptions (若干想 [ruo gan xiang]).

《Ekottarāgama Sutra》Roll [0768c05] 40

[0769b04] ěr shí, shì tí huán yīn wén fú suǒ shuō, huān xǐ fèng xíng.

jiǔ zhǐ,, chèn,, kǒng què　　xì fù,, fǎ zhī běn
　bìng,, gōng yǎng,, pán tè　　fàn xíng,, ruò gàn xiǎng

zēng yī ā hán jīng juǎn dì sì shí

[0769b04] er shi, shi ti huan yin wen fu suo shuo, huan xi feng xing.

jiu zhi,, chen,, kong que xi fu,, fa zhi ben
bing,, gong yang,, pan te fan xing,, ruo gan xiang

zeng yi a han jing juan di si shi