慈音雜誌電子報

【The First Step to be a Buddha 成佛的第一步】
In the Abhiniskramana Sutra, Volume 8 of the Original Conditions Division, it says:
本緣部《本行集經》卷八所載：

Forced by suffering of birth, all living beings have to be formed and move around in mothers’ wombs before they are borne. However, a Bodhisattva is not the case. He enters the upper part of his mother’s right side and stay there. He would not move in there. When it’s about time, he will be borne from his mother’s upper right side without any pain. It’s a rare and unusual event of a Bodhisattva.
一切諸眾生等。生苦逼故。在於胎內。處處移動。菩薩不然。從右脅入。還住右脅。在於胎內。不曾移動。及欲出時。從右脅生。不為眾苦之所逼切。是故菩薩此事希奇。

At first, the Bodhisattva (the prince before he became a Buddha) was born with proper mind from the right side of his mother’s chest. At that time, an illuminating ray was sent out all over the universe, including all devas, humans, demons, pure Sramana, Brahmans, etc. All of them asked each other where it is and why a being was born suddenly. It’s a rare and unusual event of a Bodhisattva (a respectful form of address before the prince became a Buddha).
菩薩（未成佛的太子）初從母胎右脅正念。生時放大光明。即時一切諸天人及天魔梵沙門婆羅門等。一切世間。悉皆遍照。乃至各各共相謂言。云何此處。忽有眾生。此是菩薩希奇之事。

When the Bodhisattva was first born from his mother’s right side, the four deva-kings holding the Bodhisattva showed his mother and asked the Lady Maya if she was happy about her giving birth to a child. Seeing someone was born a person, all devas would praise for it joyously, not to mention the human being. It’s a rare and unusual event of a Bodhisattva.
菩薩初從右脅生時。四大天王。抱持菩薩。將向母前示其母言。世大夫人。今可歡喜。夫人生子。既得人身。諸天猶尚歡喜讚歎。況復於人。是故菩薩希奇之事。菩薩生已。立在於地。仰觀於母右脅之時。口作是言。我此身形。從今日後不復更受。於母脅中不入胎臥。此是於我最末後身。我當作佛。此是菩薩希奇之事。

After the Bodhisattva was born, he stood on the ground looking up at his mother’s right side and saying that: “I would never have the form of my body again. I was inside my mother’s right side instead of lying in her womb. It should be my last life and I shall be a Buddha.” It’s a rare and unusual event of a Bodhisattva.
菩薩生已。無人扶持。即行四方。面各七步。步步舉足。出大蓮華。行七步已。觀視四方。目未曾瞬。口自出言。先觀東方。依自句偈。正語正言：世間之中。我為最勝。我從今日。生分已盡。」此是菩薩希奇之事。(下期待續)