8. Buddha Abhāvasamudgata

爾時，佛告月光童子言：

Then, the Buddha addressed the youth Candraprabha, saying:

「於過去廣大久遠無量無數不可思議過阿僧祇劫，爾時有佛名無所有起如來、應、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊出現於世。云何名為無所有起如來、應、正遍知？童子！是佛生時，上昇虛空高七多羅樹，行於七步而作是言：

"In the past, vast and immeasurably ancient, beyond an incalculable and inconceivable asaṃkhyeya of kalpas, at that time there was a Buddha named Abhāvasamudgata, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-saṃbuddha, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Humans, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavān, who appeared in the world. Why is he called Abhāvasamudgata Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-saṃbuddha? O Youth! When this Buddha was born, he ascended into the sky to the height of seven tāla trees, took seven steps, and then declared:

『一切諸法悉無所有，一切諸法悉無所有。』

'All dharmas are utterly non-existent, all dharmas are utterly non-existent.'

其音遍滿三千大千世界。是時地神展轉相告至于梵世，而作是言：

"His voice filled the cosmos of three thousand great thousand worlds. At that time, the earth devas relayed the message to each other up to the realm of Brahmā, saying:

『是世界中有佛出世，號曰無所有起如來、應、正遍知，其初生時於虛空中行於七步而作是言：

‘In this world, a Buddha has been born, named Abhāvasamudgata Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-saṃbuddha. At His birth, in the sky, He took seven steps and declared:

「一切諸法悉無所有。」』

“All dharmas are utterly non-existent.”’

童子！以是因緣，其佛號曰無所有起。

"O Youth! For this reason, that Buddha is named Tathāgata of Non-Existent Birth, Abhāvasamudgata.

「彼佛成正覺時，所有樹木、叢林、藥草皆出聲言：

"When that Buddha attained perfect enlightenment, all trees, groves, and medicinal herbs spoke out, saying:  

『一切諸法悉無所有。』

‘All dharmas are utterly non-existent.’  

童子！時彼世界所出諸聲皆亦說言：

"O Youth! At that time, all the sounds that emerged in that world also said:  

『一切諸法悉無所有。』

‘All dharmas are utterly non-existent.’  

「童子！爾時無所有起如來所說法時，有一王子名思惟大悲，形貌端正，人所愛樂，心行調柔。童子！爾時，王子詣無所有起如來所，頂禮佛足，右遶三匝，退坐一面。

"O Youth! At that time, when Abhāvasamudgata spoke the Dharma, there was a prince named Mahākaruṇācintin, of noble appearance, beloved and enjoyed by people, with a gentle and disciplined mind. O Youth! At that time, the prince approached Abhāvasamudgata, paid homage at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated three times to the right, and then sat down to one side.

「爾時，無所有起如來知彼思惟大悲王子深心所樂，即為說是一切諸法體性平等無戲論三昧。王子聞已得淨信心，以家非家，出家為道，剃除鬚髮，被服袈裟。既出家已，於此三昧讀誦、受持、廣為他人分別顯示，以此善根於二十劫不墮惡道，一一劫中值二億佛。過二十劫已得成佛道，號曰善思義如來、應、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊，出現於世。

"At that time, Abhāvasamudgata Tathāgata, knowing the deep inclinations of Mahākaruṇācintin's mind, then spoke of the samādhi of the equality and nondiscrimination of the essence of all dharmas. Upon hearing this, the prince attained a pure faith, seeing household life as non-household, took to the homeless life for the sake of the path, shaved off his hair and beard, and donned the robes. Having left household life, he studied, took up and bore, and widely explained this samādhi to others; through these virtuous roots, for twenty kalpas, he did not fall into an evil realm, in each kalpa encountering two hundred million Buddhas. After the twenty kalpas, he attained buddhahood, and was called Suvicintitārtha Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyak-saṃbuddha, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Humans, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavān, who appeared in the world.

「童子！汝當觀此三昧有是威力，能令菩薩招致阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。

"O Youth! You should observe this samādhi's power, capable of leading bodhisattvas to reach anuttara-samyaksaṃbodhi.