[ 佛说八大人觉经 ]

[ 佛说八大人觉经 ]

Sutra of the Eight Realizations of Great Beings
(Mahayana Sutra)

为佛弟子，常於昼夜，至心诵念，八大人觉。

Day and night, at all times,
Buddha’s disciples should
Mindfully recite and contemplate
The eight realizations of Great Beings.


第一觉悟 The First Realization:

世间无常，国土危脆；
四大苦空，五阴无我，
生灭变异，虚伪无主；
心是恶源，形为罪薮；
如是观察，渐离生死。

All the world is impermanent.
The earth is fragile and perilous.
The four great elements inhere in suffering and emptiness.
In the five skandhas there is no self.
All that arise, change, and perish,
Are illusive, unreal, and without a master.
Mind is the root of evil;
Body a reservoir of sin.
Thus observing and contemplating,
One gradually breaks free from birth and death.


第二觉知 The Second Realization:

多欲为苦，生死疲劳，从贪欲起，少欲无为，身心自在。

Excessive desire is suffering.
Birth, death, and weariness in life,
All originate from greed and desires.
Desiring less, being empty of effort,
Body and mind are at ease and free.


第三觉知 The third Realization:

心无厌足，惟得多求，增长罪恶；
菩萨不尔，常念知足，安贫守道，惟慧是业。

The mind is insatiable,
Always seeking, thirsty for more,
Thus increasing our sins.
Bodhisattvas renounce such conduct.
Always remember to follow the Way,
Be content and at peace with poverty,
With wisdom as the sole vocation.


第四觉知 The Fourth Realization：

懈怠坠落；常行精进，破烦恼恶，摧伏四魔，出阴界狱。

Indolence leads to degradation.
Always practice with diligence,
Vanquish all vexations,
Subdue the four maras,
And escape the prison of the skandhas and realms.


第五觉悟 The Fifth Realization：

愚痴生死，菩萨常念，广学多闻，
增长智慧，成就辩才，
教化一切，悉以大乐。

Ignorance leads to birth and death.
Bodhisattvas are always mindful
To study and learn extensively,
To increase their wisdom
And perfect their eloquence,
So they can teach and enlighten all beings,
And impart great joy to all.


第六觉知 The Sixth Realization:

贫苦多怨，横结恶缘；
菩萨布施，等念怨亲，不念旧恶，不憎恶人。

Poverty and hardship breed resentment,
Creating harm and discord.
Bodhisattvas practice dana,
Beholding the friendly and hostile equally;
They neither harbor grudges nor despise malicious people.


第七觉悟 The Seventh Realization:

五欲过患；
虽为俗人，不染世乐，常念三衣，瓦钵法器，
志愿出家，守道清白，梵行高远，慈悲一切。

The five desires are perilous.
Even as laity, be not sullied by worldly pleasures;
Think frequently of the three robes,
The tiled bowl, and instruments of Dharma;
Aspire to the monastic life
And cultivate the Way with purity;
Let your actions be noble and sublime,
Showering compassion on all.


第八觉知 The Eighth Realization:

生死炽然，苦恼无量，发大乘心，普济一切；
愿代众生，受无量苦；令诸众生，毕竟大乐。

Birth and death are like a blazing fire
Plagued with endless afflictions and suffering.
Vow to cultivate the Mahayana mind,
To bring relief to all;
To take on infinite sufferings for sentient beings,
And lead all tosupreme joy.