Lyrics and translation 黃慧音 - 利益存亡品第七

利益存亡品第七

爾時地藏菩薩摩訶薩白佛言：
『世尊，我觀是閻浮眾生，
舉心動念，無非是罪。
脫獲善利，多退初心。
若遇惡緣，念念增益。
是等輩人，如履泥塗，負於重石，漸困漸重，足步深邃。
若得遇知識，替與減負，或全與負；
是知識有大力故，復相扶助，
勸令牢腳；若達平地，須省惡路，
無再經歷。』

『世尊，習惡眾生，
從纖毫間便至無量；
是諸眾生有如此習，
臨命終時，父母眷屬，
宜為設福，以資前路；
或懸旛蓋及燃油燈；或轉讀尊經，
或供養佛像及諸聖像，
乃至念佛菩薩及辟支佛名字，
一名一號，歷臨終人耳根，
或聞在本識；是諸眾生所造惡業，
計其感果，必墮惡趣，
緣是眷屬為臨終人修此聖因，
如是眾罪，悉皆銷滅。
若能更為身死之後，七七日內，
廣造眾善，能使是諸眾生永離惡趣，
得生人天，受勝妙樂，
現在眷屬利益無量。』

『是故我今對佛世尊及天龍八部、
人非人等，勸於閻浮提眾生臨終之日，慎勿殺害，及造惡緣，
拜祭鬼神，求諸魍魎。』

『何以故？爾所殺害乃至祭拜，
無纖毫之力利益亡人，
但結罪緣，轉增深重；
假使來世或現在生，得獲聖分，
生人天中。
緣是臨終被諸眷屬造是惡因，
亦令是命終人殃累對辯，晚生善處。
何況臨命終人，在生未曾有少善根，
各據本業，自受惡趣，
何忍眷屬更為增業。』

『譬如有人從遠地來，絕糧三日，
所負擔物，強過百斤，忽遇鄰人，
更附少物，以是之故，轉復困重。』

『世尊，我觀閻浮眾生，
但能於諸佛教中，乃至善事，
一毛一渧，一沙一塵，
如是利益悉皆自得。』

說是語時，會中有一長者，
名曰大辯，是長者久證無生，
化度十方，現長者身，合掌恭敬，
問地藏菩薩言：
『大士，是南閻浮提眾生，
命終之後，小大眷屬為修功德，
乃至設齋，造眾善因，
是命終人得大利益及解脫否？』

地藏答言：
『長者，我今為未來現在一切眾生，
承佛威力，略說是事。
長者，未來現在諸眾生等，臨命終日，得聞一佛名、一菩薩名、一辟支佛名，不問有罪無罪，悉得解脫。
若有男子女人，
在生不修善因多造眾罪。
命終之後，眷屬小大，
為造福利一切聖事，
七分之中而乃獲一，
六分功德，生者自利。
以是之故，未來現在善男女等，
聞健自修，分分己獲。
無常大鬼，不期而到，
冥冥遊神，未知罪福。
七七日內如癡如聾；
或在諸司辯論業果，
審定之後，據業受生；
未測之間，千萬愁苦，
何況墮於諸惡趣等；
是命終人，未得受生，
在七七日內，念念之間，
望諸骨肉眷屬，與造福力救拔；
過是日後，隨業受報。
若是罪人，動經千百歲中，
無解脫日；若是五無間罪，
墮大地獄，千劫萬劫，永受眾苦。』

復次長者：
『如是罪業眾生，命終之後，
眷屬骨肉，為修營齋，
資助業道未齋食竟及營齋之次，
米泔菜葉不棄於地，
乃至諸食未獻佛僧，勿得先食。
如有違食，及不精勤，
是命終人，了不得力。
如精勤護淨奉獻佛僧，
是命終人，七分獲一。
是故長者，閻浮眾生，
若能為其父母乃至眷屬，
命終之後，設齋供養，志心勤懇；
如是之人，存亡獲利。』

說是語時，忉利天宮，
有千萬億那由他閻浮鬼神，
悉發無量菩提之心，
大辯長者作禮而退。

Chapter Seven: Benefits for the Living and Deceased

At that time, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva Mahāsattva said to the Buddha:
'World-Honored One, I observe the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa,
whose every thought and action are nothing but sins.
Having gained some good fortune, many regress from their initial aspirations.
When encountering adverse conditions, their negative thoughts increase with each passing moment.
These people are like those walking in mud, carrying heavy stones, becoming increasingly exhausted and burdened, their steps sinking deeper.
If they meet a wise advisor who helps lighten their load, or even carries it entirely for them,
this advisor, possessing great strength, also offers support,
encouraging them to stand firm; and once they reach level ground, they should reflect on the treacherous path,
and never traverse it again.'

'World-Honored One, sentient beings accustomed to evil,
from the smallest of transgressions, eventually reach immeasurable depths.
For these beings with such habits,
when approaching the end of their lives, their parents, family, and loved ones,
should create blessings for them, to provide resources for their onward journey;
they may hang banners and canopies, or light oil lamps; they may recite the revered scriptures,
or make offerings to Buddha images and images of all sages,
even reciting the names of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Pratyekabuddhas,
each name and title reaching the ears of the dying person,
or being heard by their consciousness; for these sentient beings, due to the evil karma they have created,
considering the consequences, they are destined to fall into the evil realms,
but because their families cultivate these holy causes for them at the time of their death,
all such sins are completely eradicated.
If they can further create abundant good deeds within the forty-nine days after death,
it can enable these sentient beings to forever depart from the evil realms,
and be reborn in the human or heavenly realms, enjoying supreme bliss,
bringing immeasurable benefits to their living family members.'

'Therefore, I now, before the World-Honored Buddha, and the devas, dragons, and the eightfold division,
humans and non-humans alike, urge the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa, on the day of their death, to be cautious not to kill, or create evil karma,
or worship ghosts and spirits, or seek assistance from demons and monsters.'

'Why is this? The acts of killing and even worshiping you perform,
have not the slightest power to benefit the deceased,
but only create karmic bonds, further increasing the severity of their situation;
even if in future lives, or in their present life, they were to attain the status of a sage,
and be reborn in the human or heavenly realms,
due to the evil karma created by their family members at the time of their death,
it will also cause the deceased to suffer retribution and delays in their rebirth in good realms.
How much more so for those who, at the time of their death, have never cultivated any good roots in life,
each according to their own karma, they will experience the consequences in the evil realms,
how can their family bear to further increase their burden?

'It is like a person who has traveled a long distance, without food for three days,
carrying a load exceeding one hundred pounds, suddenly encountering a neighbor,
who adds a few more items, and because of this, becomes even more exhausted.'

'World-Honored One, I observe the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa,
as long as they can, in any of the Buddha's teachings, or even in good deeds,
offer a single hair, a drop of water, a grain of sand, or a speck of dust,
such benefits will all be reaped by themselves.'

As these words were spoken, there was an elder in the assembly,
named Great Eloquence, this elder had long realized non-birth,
and had transformed and guided beings across the ten directions, manifesting as an elder, with palms pressed together in respect,
he asked Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva:
'Great Bodhisattva, for the sentient beings of South Jambudvīpa,
after they pass away, if their family members, young and old, cultivate merit for them,
and even hold vegetarian feasts, creating various good causes,
will the deceased gain great benefits and liberation?'

Kṣitigarbha replied:
'Elder, I will now, for all sentient beings of the future and present,
by the power of the Buddha, briefly explain this matter.
Elder, all sentient beings of the future and present, on the day they approach death, if they hear the name of a single Buddha, a single Bodhisattva, or a single Pratyekabuddha, regardless of whether they have sins or not, they will all attain liberation.
If there are men or women,
who in life did not cultivate good causes and committed many sins,
after their death, their family members, young and old,
create blessings for them through all sorts of holy deeds,
out of seven parts, they will only receive one,
the remaining six parts of merit benefit the living themselves.
Therefore, good men and women of the future and present,
while you are still healthy, cultivate yourselves, for every part you cultivate, you yourselves will reap the rewards.
The great demon of impermanence arrives unexpectedly,
the wandering spirits in the darkness know not of sin or blessings.
Within the forty-nine days, they are like the foolish and deaf;
or they may be in various courts debating the consequences of their karma,
after judgment is passed, they are reborn according to their karma;
during this uncertain period, there are countless worries and sufferings,
let alone falling into the various evil realms;
these deceased individuals, before receiving their rebirth,
within the forty-nine days, with each passing thought,
hope for their family members and loved ones to create blessings and rescue them;
after this period, they will experience retribution according to their karma.
If they are sinners, they may spend hundreds or thousands of years,
with no day of liberation; and if they have committed the five heinous crimes,
they will fall into the Avīci Hell, for thousands of kalpas, eternally enduring various sufferings.'

Furthermore, Elder:
'For these sentient beings burdened by sins, after their death,
if their family members and loved ones hold vegetarian feasts for them,
to provide resources for their karmic journey, before the feast is completed and during its preparation,
the rice water and vegetable scraps should not be discarded on the ground,
and even before the food is offered to the Buddhas and Sangha, it should not be eaten beforehand.
If there is any violation of this, or if they are not diligent,
the deceased will not receive any benefit.
If they are diligent in maintaining purity and offering to the Buddhas and Sangha,
the deceased will receive one-seventh of the merit.
Therefore, Elder, the sentient beings of Jambudvīpa,
if they can, for their parents or even family members,
after their death, hold vegetarian feasts and make offerings, with a sincere and diligent heart;
such individuals, both living and deceased, will gain benefits.'

As these words were spoken, in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven,
tens of millions of nayutas of ghost and spirits from Jambudvīpa,
all generated the immeasurable mind of Bodhi,
Elder Great Eloquence paid his respects and withdrew.