大聖末劫經
GREAT SAGE END KALPA SUTRA
From https://archive.org/details/dsmjj_images/page/n5/mode/2up
This text is one of a series of rather curious 'folk' scriptures. it will hopefully be first of a series of such scriptures that I intend to translate and will post on this blog. All these sutras have a common theme: A series of disasters will soon come to strike humanity; the wicked will perish, and the good survive. If the readers would repent in time and cultivate morality/distrubute the scripture, then they would be saved.
The earliest such scripture is the Scripture of the Five Lords 五公經 which I have previously featured here https://edwardwhite123.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-sutra-of-five-lords.html
(I presently possess an English translation of the sutra, but the Chinese text from which I take it is so jumbled that the translation barely makes sense. When I get a better copy of the sutra I will revise the translation and publish it). However the Scripture of the Five Lords is not alone: The Great Sage End Kalpa sutra is another such example.
Before I go further I should speak of the religious affiliation of the text. The boundaries between buddhism and Daoism have always been blurred in China- especially at a popular level, and this scripture is no exception. We have Maiterya, the future Buddha, as well as Guanyin having a dialogue with the Jade emperor.
However, as much as this work works in a buddhist/daoist cosmology, it is far from the mainstream chinese buddhist [or indeed, daoist] scripture- not least because there have been numerous rebellions of people who proclaimed themselves as Maitreya. if I recall correctly I did not acquire this text from a Buddhist temple, but rather from a 'tract table' in a Daoist temple, where people place holy books for free distribution. (Chinese Daoists are really more polytheists: they have a more relaxed attitude to these things)
It is also worth noting how the sutra came to earth- via the well-established method of fuji, or planchette writing -- the sutra's colophon states precisely when and where the the sutra was revealed. Furthermore, the book from which the sutra is extracted has a whole plethora of messages from the god at the back, likewise revealed through FuJi. The fact that this text was revealed by planchette writing may also show why it is so disjointed: it goes backwards and forwards, often repeating itself.
I have doubts about some translations, and there may be errors. If my readers can spot such errors or have any other suggestions, I would be glad to hear of them.
彌勒尊佛。 南海慈航。聞尊所說。
The worthy buddha Maitreya, Compassionate voyager of the southern sea; hear what [the] Worthy [One] has to say!
扶提眾生。十惡不善。天差天羅仙下界。查看此經。果有供奉著。可免災星。一家人名。可保無憂。
To help all sentient beings, [who] commit the ten evil acts and ungoodnesses, the Heavens Lack and Heaven’s net immortals descend to the world. Inspect this sutra! If there is any one who receives and practises it, the stars of disaster will be remitted. All people in a family, will remain without vexations.
若有惡人不信者。但是看申酉戌亥年。有飯無人吃。有衣無人穿。有路無人走。有屋無人住。有田無人耕。至五六月間。惡蛇滿地。八九月。惡人盡死。屍堆滿地。有人改惡從善者。不愁十劫之數字耳。
If There are evil people, who do not believe; just look at the years of the Ape, Chicken, Dog, and Pig. 申酉戌亥年 There will be cooked rice, but nobody to eat it; clothes but nobody to wear them; roads, but nobody to walk on them; fields, but nobody to plough them. When the fifth or sixth months come, evil snakes will fill the land. In the 8th and 9th months, the evil people will all die; corpses will be piled all over the grounds. If an evil person repents and reforms, they will not suffer from the the ten tragic disasters that are enumerated:
一愁水火劫。二愁煙火絕滅。三愁昏迷死。四愁夫妻拆散。五愁惡蛇咬人。六愁屍堆滿地。七愁刀兵動殺。八愁晝夜作寒。九愁有家送與別人。十愁不見太平年。
The first tragedy: disaster by water and fire
The second tragedy, the smoke of [domestic] fires will become extinct.
The third tragedy, people will fall unconscious and die;
The fourth tragedy, husband and wife will part from one another.
The fifth tragedy, tigers and snakes will bite people;
The sixth tragedy, corpses will be piled over the land;
The seventh tragedy, knives and soldiers will move and kill;
The eighth tragedy, cold by night and day;
The Ninth tragedy, families will have to send [their] members away;
The 10th tragedy they will not get to see the year of Great Peace.
路[3] 上死人無其數。一萬之中死九千。惡劫到了。天下五穀少收成。惡風暴雨。惡龍橫行。眾生有災。
Uncountable dead will be seen on the road; of ten thousand, nine thousand will die. When the evil kalpa has come, there will be but little harvest of the five grains. Evil wind and violent rain, evil dragons will travel about. The massed beings will suffer disasters .
玉皇大帝差發。關趙二將下凡。並虛空過往神祇。查看此經。果有惡人不信。巧心魍魎。天自差下挽星。收此惡人。
The Jade Emperor decreed the generals Guan and Zhao to descend to the mortal realm, to travel in the void towards the various Gods, and inspect this scripture. There were evil people who disbelieved; whose demoniac hearts were given to wiles. Heaven personally sent down these stars, to collect these evil people.
還有米價大漲。白銀一輛。買米五升。彌勒尊佛出現。關趙二將臨凡。壬戌瘟疫起來。癸亥至。人民九死一生。
The price of rice will rise massively; a tael of silver bought five sheng of rice. [when that happens] Materiya buddha manifests himself, and the generals Guan and Zhao entered the mortal realm. In the [year] Renxu, illnesses rise; they stop in Guihai. Of the people, nine would perish, and one survive.
又言人民大難。一遭風劫，二遭火劫。三遭水劫。四遭刀兵劫。五遭傷癆劫。六遭雷火劫。七遭蛇咬劫。八遭難產劫。九遭飢餓劫。十遭人民絕滅劫。
Again i will speak of the great evils [endured] by the people. First, the disaster of Wind; Second the disaster of fire; Third, the disaster of water; Fourth the disaster of knives and soldiers; Fifth the disaster of injury and strains; Sixth the disaster of lightning; Seventh the disaster of being bitten by snakes; Eighth the disaster of difficult birth; Ninth the disaster of famine; Tenth the disaster of the extinction of humanity.
釋迦尊佛所管一萬三千[4]年。現今已滿。彌勒尊佛。接掌乾坤。庚申年起。甲子年止。五穀無收。飢餓而死。刀兵難免。
The worthy Buddha Shakyamuni has will control the world for 13,000 years, and his term has already expired. The Worthy Buddha Materiaya, will then take over heaven and earth. Starting from the year Gengshen until the year Jiazi, the five grains will not be harvested; people will die of hunger; it would be hard to avoid knives and soldiers.
若有人將此經。傳於天下。一傳十，十傳百。百傳千萬。躲過末劫之年。到了堯天舜日。同享蓮花世界。
If a person takes this scripture and transmits it all under heaven– one transmitting to ten, ten transmitting to a hundred, a hundred transmitting to a myriad, [they can] hide from the end kalpa, and see the Heaven of Yao and the days of Shun, and together enjoy the world of lotuses.
有人知者。不傳此經。身遭十劫。難以復生。有人抄寫傳送者。可保一家無劫。千祥雲集。永不遭十劫之數耳。
If a person knows of this scripture and does not transmit it, they will experience the ten disasters in their bodies; hard would it be for them to be reborn. If a person copies and distributes this [scripture] their whole family will be spared disasters; the thousand clouds of auspiciousness collect, and they will never encounter the ten disasters.
南海慈航朝 天尊。將下人善惡。奉上 天庭。
The Compassionate Sailor of the Southern Seas came before the Heavenly Worthy, and reported the Good and Evil deeds of people to the Heavenly Palace.
玉皇大帝。聞知大怒。喝眾神靈。枉受香火。不勸眾生。如今惡人滿世。不存良心。
The Jade Emperor, on hearing this, became enraged, and scolded the massed gods: in vain they have received the incense fires, for they did not encourage the massed beings [to do good]. Now, evil people with no conscience fill the world.
降旨。興災數載。換過生靈。時諸神啓奏。南海觀音。俯伏 金闕。幾次求情。惡者應滅。善者區分。
He then ordered several years of disasters to flourish, and for the Living spirits to be changed 換過生靈. [At that] time, Guanyin of the Southern Seas, petitioned the Golden watchtower several times for mercy: The evil [ones] should be extinguished, but the good should be separated from them.
玉皇批勒。姑念善惡兩層。刀兵擇地而起。瘟疫向人而生。即差 元帥。奉旨拿人。
The Jade Emperor then [commanded– possible corruption here?] "you have spoken of [dividing] the good and evil into two layers; [When the] Knives and soldiers [rise on] the land, and epidemics face people, [I will] Then order the Marshals to take the following persons "
一收怨罵天地。二收不孝雙親。三收虐民欺主。
First, those who rail and scold heaven and earth
Second, those who are unfilial to their parents
Third, those who mistreat the people and deceive their lords
四收犯姦好淫。五收抛撒五穀。六收滅像欺神。
Fourth, those who are lewd and given to lust
Fifth those who waste and scatter the five grains
Sixth those who destroy images [of gods] and decieve the gods
七收宰殺牛犬。八收巧施斗秤。九收明瞞暗騙。
Seventh those who slaughter cows and dogs,
Eighth, those who craftily [alter] the bushel and balance
Ninth, those who confuse the clear and cheat in the obscure
十收利己害人。老者毫不勸化。後輩長亂五倫。
Tenth, those who harm others to profit themselves.
The old, who yet do not reform,
Surely their descendants will violate the Five Cardinal Relations.
惡者欺負良善。富者刻薄窮民。圖利外宄內引。強佔謀奪相爭。
The evil, who bully the good,
The rich, who are unkind to the poor,
Seekers of profit, who do evil outside to draw [profit] within,
Those who occupy by force, plan to seize, and fight one another.
盜竊人家物件。發賣假藥哄人。遇善欺到骨髓。遇惡十分奉承。
Thieves of people’s property,
Sellers of false medicine, who cheat people,
Those who on encounting the good, cheat them ‘till they are stripped to the marrow,
Those who on encountering the evil, fawn on them extremely.
買賣欺哄愚蠢。踐踏字紙書文。有等衣冠人面。逆天負地施行。
Those who in trading cheat the ignorant,
Who step on written paper, or documents
Even though they wear clothes and are of human form,
They act in a manner that is against heaven and earth.
有等恃依威勢。瞞心昧己害人。有[6]等忍心圖利。不顧廉恥喪心。
Those who rely on force and violence,
Who decieve [their?] heart and obscure themselves to harm people,
Those who with cruelty seek profit,
With not a sense of shame or regret.
有等忘恩負義。後代和以做人。有等欺老淩幼。有等拆散婚姻
Those who forget kindness and reject good done to them
How can they be people later on?
Those who cheat the old and bully the young
Those who break up people’s marriages
有等打公罵婆。有等愛富嫌貧。有等不和妯娌。有等不敬夫君。
Those who strike their father-in-law and scold their mother in law,
Those who love the wealthy and despise the poor,
Those who are disharmonious with their brothers and sisters in law
Those who do not respect their [husband]
有人唆人爭訟。有等兄弟相争。捉蛇網魚打鳥。放火燒山傷墳。
Those who incite people to lawsuits
Those brothers who fight,
Who catch snakes, net fish, and strike birds
Who set fire to mountains, thereby harming graves
書差作法弄鬼。埋名訂咒傷生。專寫白頭字帖。別人爭論生嗔。
[who, with improper learning, do rites and manipulate ghosts?]
Who defame and curse others, harming life
Who write white-headed essays
Who are enraged at others quarrels.
播弄是非巧計。米穀拌水販人。見人有錢忿恨。見人富貴妒心。
Who broadcast disagreements and deceits
Who soak grain and sell it to people
Who, in seeing those with money, hate them
Who in seeing the rich, becomes jealous:
逢人落難不救。見人苦楚不憐。不量自己長短。反說他人不平。
Who in seeing people fall into disaster, help them not
Who in seeing people’s difficulties, pity them not,
Who do not speak of their own shortcomings
But instead speak of others’ inequities.
勸他行善不信。引他作惡便行。五十四條惡孽。逐一監察收清。
Who, on being encouraged to do good, do not believe,
Who encourage others to do evil
[these?] fifty-four evils and sins,
Every one will be carefully recorded and counted.
不當留他在世。打入餓鬼畜生。使他全家絕滅。使他子散妻分。
He will not remain in this world long,
He will become a hungry ghost or animal,
His whole family will be extinguished,
His wife and children will separate from him,
使他血流[7]若水。使他枯骨成林。有田無人耕種。有家送與別人。
His blood will run like water,
His dry bones will become like a forest,
His fields will have nobody to plough them,
His home will be sent to another,
若有該惡為善。使他病退延年。看他眾生思想。趕早從善施行。
If the evil correct and do good,
His illness will diminish, his lifespan increase,
If he thinks [for the good] of the massed beings
And hurriedly begins to practise goodness,
限定三年查遍。即當回奏 朕聞。玉帝旨敕已下。吾即下界查巡。
his life will be [extended for?] for three years
And at once will quickly report to the Emperor.
The Jade Emperor sent down an order
“You must quickly go down to the word and perform an inspection”
處處監察清楚。吾當分判而行。先行刀兵一陣。旋施瘟疫幾分。
Check minutely in every location,
I will proceed to issue judgement.
First i will send forth a set of troops
Then will spread a portion of epidemics
從茲數月之內。到處收盡惡人。任爾求神不應。任爾服藥不靈。
From that point, within a few months,
I will collect all the evil people.
[they] may beg the gods, to no avail
[they] may give medicines, but it will have no effect,
神農藥房雖在。服藥善惡兩分。善者服藥有效。惡者服藥無生。
Even though Shennong’s formulae are extant.
The medicines will distinguish between good and evil
The good, on consuming medicine, will feel its effects
The evil, on consuming medicine, will not live.
枉受爾等香火。把我奉作尊神。現今有難不救。是我枉自稱尊。
In vain they will offer incense,
And call me a Worthy God.
At present, if i do not help when summoned,
I will be called a ‘worthy’ in vain
上界哀求迫[8]切。下界說與聽聞。今適逢此末[9]劫。凡人九死一生。
The world above, urgently seek [this?]
The world below, hear what [has to be said]
When the end kalpa has come
Nine will die, but one will live.
刀兵四路蕩起來。瘟疫八路將侵。雷電霹靂震動。水漲山河滿盈。
狂風到處翻掃地。
Knives and soldiers will arise from the four roads
Plagues will invade form the eight roads
Thunder, Lighting will quake pell-mell
Water’s floods will cove the rivers and mountains
<From this point on the verse is in lines of 6 characters, rather than 7 characters>
大旱焦枯難生。魔王昏夜叩戶。瘟鬼白日現身。虎出山林何避。
Great drought will scorch [everything], it will be hard to live
The Demon king will at evening and night, knock on the doors
Plague ghosts will manifest in broad daylight
The tigers will come out of the mountains; impossible to avoid
蛇當道路難行。有了十劫難過。過了十劫算人。此乃十劫大難。
Snakes will block up the road, making it hard to travel.
There will be ten disasters, hard to cross,
Passing the ten disasters, they will be accounted as [good?] men.
Such are the ten disasters.
只有勸爾改心。現機速速改悔。聞讀急急囘心。莫待災到難至。
Only if you are willing to change you heart
And at this moment, quickly repent [will you be saved]
Those who hear and read this, quickly be converted,
Do not wait till the disasters arrive
臨時求救無門。趕早從善躲過。眾生快發誠心。孝敬天地父母。
When that comes, there will be no gate for those to seek help.
Quickly! Do good to hide from the disaster.
Let the massed beings swiftly, with a sincere heart
Be filial and respect heaven, earth, and parents
忠愛上國下民。窮要安份守己。富要救急濟貧。明人勸化愚蠢。
Be loyal and careful to country above, and people below.
The poor should be peaceful and content with their lot.
The wealthy should deliver people from emergencies, and aid the poor
The clever should encourage and teach the foolish
同過上劫之塵。無分墮落苦海。有緣方見清平。吾令附體借口。
Thus one can avoid the Disaster’s dust
Those with no relation [with good] will fall into the bitter sea,
Those with a relation will see the Clear Peace
I now currently possess a body, to borrow a mouth
託爾識字之人。與我傳寫一本。保爾一身安寧。與我傳寫十本。
[and] beg you literate people,
To write and distribute a copy of the scripture for me.
Doing so will protect your body’s peace
[If you can] write and distribute ten copies for me,
[9]一家可以免災星。與我傳寫百本。保爾福壽齊臻。有錢刻印即送。
Your whole family will be spared the stars of disaster
If you write and distrubute a hundred copies for me,
Your fortune and longevity will increase.
If you have money, print and distribute [this scripture]
保爾家道顯榮。若遇不識字者。代說與他聽聞。若有惡人不信。
Your family will flourish manifestly.
If you encounter someone who is illiterate,
Explain this scripture to them.
If there are evil people who do not believe,
兇鬼即刻臨身。惡時神魂顛倒。七孔流血渺冥。至此十惡之內。
Evil ghosts will come unto their body at once,
At and evil hour their spirits will collapse
Their seven orifices will flow with blood.
Form then on, of the ten evils
吾也不說分明。想把天機洩漏。又恐法罪惡刑。爾等說不信。
I will not describe them.
Those who leak the designs of heaven,
I fear will be subject to an evil punishment.
If you do not believe what I have said
災患不久臨身。世人若肯聽尊。上天免災降星。
Disasters and afflictions will come to you
If the people of the world would listen
The heavens will remit disasters [and the] descent of stars.
中華民國五年。陰曆十月初十日夜。三句鐘。降於古歙。宜善閣之集善壇。
The fifth year of the Republic (1916) Lunar calendar, the night of the 10th day of the 10th month, the third period’s bell. Descended in Old She [county], Jishan [collected good] Altar in Yishan Lue [Suitable Goodness Gallery]
樂山君子。廣慕印送。免劫功德。自益益人。
The Gentleman of Leshan printed this for broad distribution; may the disaster-relieving merit, benefit himself and others
敬惜字紙。行善增百福。惜字第一功。
RESPECT LETTERED PAPER:
Doing good acts will bring a hundred fortunes
Caring for written papers is the first act of merit.
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