諸天讚
（寺廟用）
陳健民瑜伽士
敬禮 本師釋迦牟尼佛
敬禮 護持佛法諸天尊
本師文佛親口宣 自兜率天生閻浮 出家降魔轉法輪 諸天讚助無厭倦
希有世尊難逢遇 最初勸請降誕者 無上大恩是天尊 伎樂八萬四千音
聲聲勸請佛降生 勿忘我等可憫眾 捧缽四天請降生 佛聞此音乃受請
無上大恩是諸天 佛生一十二年前 淨居天尊先佛來 示婆羅門宣預言
謂有佛祖當降生 勝族選擇卅二德 智幢天尊所請問 如白象形下閻浮
勝光天尊所建議 下時諸天皆會集 四天及釋提桓因 夜摩天兜率陀天
樂變化天他化天 娑婆界主梵天王 梵眾天與梵輔天 妙光天與少光天
光嚴天與淨居天 以及阿迦尼吒天 摩醯首羅及餘天 捨棄諸禪三昧樂
從誕乃至於涅槃 常持淨心以侍佛 末世福薄聖賢少 具願菩薩應化者
願如請佛之故事 速請多請我啟請 末世縱有聖賢生 染污緣多難清淨
願如侍佛之故事 密密將護我啟請
佛既入胎淨居天 於佛父王現半身 說偈為報希有事 夜摩天等現妙宮
以為聖后之所居 佛既誕已諸天女 各捧妙油浴聖母 供佛天衣與寶具
梵王帝釋乃變化 極端正摩那婆身 演吉祥微妙讚詞 摩醯首羅與淨居
設大供養來慶賀 佛由生處入宮中 天女或持孔雀傘 或灑香水道路中
或執寶花或瓔珞 各類各五十萬女 色界諸天持寶幡 欲界諸天持寶蓋
如雲佈滿於虛空 佛配妃後處深宮 諸天說偈勸出家 兜率天名應出家
飛至殿上誦妙偈 讚嘆出家勝功德 並感宮中諸樂器 不奏自鳴勸出家
佛遊四門以觀察 淨居天尊於東門 化作老人以感佛 於南化作多病人
於西化作已死人 於北化作大比丘 為佛正說出家法 佛乃告父求出家
父王簡練勇猛士 晝夜戒備於內外 重門一響驚十里 無天之助何能越
藥叉大將二十八 毗沙門宮共候命 淨慧天尊施神力 令諸勇士悉昏睡
莊嚴遊戲天尊者 令諸象馬皆寂眠 嚴慧天尊施神力 於虛空界佈寶路
法行天尊施神力 令彼宮女變壞相 開發天尊施神力 令佛中夜忽獨醒
釋提桓因示道路 弗沙星與月合時 佛於中夜果醒起 安詳而出合掌立
正念十方一切佛 四天各領天眾來 釋提桓因立虛空 諸天同時大聲請
此正是時速出家 車匿既牽乾陟到 昇虛而行六震動 宮內外眾皆不知
夜裡經行六由旬 既至仙人苦行林 別車匿與乾陟後 孤身遠離華貴地
空林唯天最可親 當時誰人解事佛 替人事佛謝諸天 知佛嫌衣驕奢耶
淨居天尊供袈裟 佛乃自稱真出家 末世善根難培養 貪著五欲難出離
或以淺根希深行 冒充菩薩不出離 或雖出家入於廟 統眾大早不修行
入已如教守戒者 雙重出離勝妙器 願諸天尊嘿護佑 如護文佛真出家
佛六年苦修禪定 日食一米一麻耳 常為天眾所護持 波旬伺過不可得
善生女欲供梵志 淨居天遮梵志身 善生唯見文佛在 供吉祥相之乳糜
赴菩提場金剛座 十六天尊守此場 其名曰轉進天尊 無勝天尊施與天
愛敬天尊勇力天 善住天尊持地天 作光天尊無垢天 法自在天法幢天
行吉祥天無礙天 大莊嚴天淨戒天 蓮花光明十六天 皆曾得不退轉位
常時竭誠護道場 帝釋復化作刈人 供吉祥草為佛墊 大梵天王廣陳供
珍寶無量遍虛空 佛既入座發宏誓 六欲諸天東南住 防護障難恭而謹
四維上下皆有天 圍繞恭敬以防護 波旬統率魔男女 威迫媚誘逞所能
淨居天尊申警誡 無數諸天散天花 讚歎佛不為魔動 既成正覺現瑞相
諸天歡喜獻眾寶 天女各唱讚美詞 淨居讚後遍光讚 梵天讚後他化讚
化樂讚後兜率讚 帝釋讚後四天讚 並申無量廣大供 末世修行障難多
行者多欲魔得便 邪說王難攻其外 苦病疑心攻其內 五陰熾盛不易除
證量淵微不易達 修者如毛成如角 諸天見之寧不憫 如護文佛圓滿果
願諸天尊勤將護 令諸行者能安住 如教如法疾證成 六通十力皆具足
顯著菩提道果德
佛證果後嘿然住 波旬竟敢勸涅槃 螺髻梵王娑婆主 為我苦眾勸請佛
三勸三請轉法輪 當日懵懂之人類 誰解如天王勸請 於今人間有佛法
飲水思源謝天恩 佛既許可轉法輪 菩提樹守者四天 受法光明與樂法
法行四天復請問 當於何處初轉輪 欲色二界諸天眾 各將寶幢與寶蓋
為佛嚴淨鹿野苑 八萬四千寶獅座 佛合為一坐傳法 佛度比丘五尊已
為度迦葉十八變 帝釋聽經顯光明 佛受供已欲澡洗 帝釋指地而成池
佛欲浣衣帝釋知 為取四方大好石 佛欲曬衣帝釋知 復取六方石備用
其後各處轉法輪 或上於天或下海 乃至涅槃於雙林 諸天無時無方所
不為文佛之侍衛 末世魔軍勢力強 處處道場多障礙 國王宰官多邪見
博學之士偶得信 亦少如法而修行 所有已開之寺宇 欲建無上大法幢
財力人力每不足 願天回憶文佛事 曾費幾多維護力 如今縷縷一線法
如是法脈極珍貴 當超護持文佛力 倍加努力咸擁護 令具大願弘法者
壽長福多權威大 得續文佛大事業 重興廣大佛法幢 密密將護我啟請
密密將護我啟請
癸巳秋陳健民撰于西竺茅蓬，初稿為行者，今改為寺用。癸亥夏。
Free Verses on Praising All the Devas
Written in Chinese by the Buddhist Yogi C. M. Chen
Under the guidance of the author,
translated by Yutang Lin
Forward
Yogi Chen composed the first version of this hymn in Chinese for Buddhist practitioners in 1953 during his 25-year retreat in India. In 1983 he gave the second version in Chinese for monasteries. The second version differs from the first one in only six lines. Hence, we shall present our translation of the first version with each one of the six lines followed by that of the second version enclosed in brackets.
Yogi Chen himself translated the first version into English years ago and presented it to his readers as booklet 59 "A Praising to All the Gods." His translation was rhymed. The present translation tries to be literal, and hence not rhymed. We hope that with two translations the readers would appreciate more our gratitudes to the Dharma Protector Gods.
Yutang Lin
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Free Verses on Praising All the Devas
Salute
The original teacher Sakyamuni Buddha
Salute
The venerable devas who protect the Dharma
The original teacher Sakyamuni personally announced
That he had come from the Tusita Heaven to Jambu,
And that his pravraj, subjugation of demons and turning the harma Wheel
Had been tirelessly helped by the Devas;
The precious World-honored One is, rarest to meet.
The first ones to plead for his birth in this world
Are the Devas whose great benevolence is unsurpassable;
The Devas played Eighty-four thousand musical tones,
Tone after tone they pleaded the incarnation of Buddha:
Please forget not us, the pitiful ones.
Holding a bowl the Four Caturmaharajas pleaded for His incarnation,
Only upon hearing this did Buddha accept the plea;
Thanks to the Devas for their unsurpassable great benevolence!
A decade and two years before Buddha's birth,
Venerable Suddhavasadeva came in advance.
He appeared as a Brahman and spread the prophecy:
Buddha's incarnation will soon be here!
The Holy family chosen had had thirty-two virtues,
This was revealed upon the Deva JnanaDhvaja's request;
To descend into Jambu in the form of a white elephant,
It was suggested by the Deva Superior Light;
The following Devas gathered upon Buddha's descent:
The four Caturmaharajas and Sakrodevanamindra,
Yamadevas, Tusitadevas,
Sunirmitas, Paranirmita-vasavartins,
The Lord of Saha-world--Brahma,
Brahmaparisadyas and Brahmapurohitas,
Abhasvaras and Parittabhas,
Apramanabhas and Suddhavasadeva,
Together with Akanistha,
Mahesvara and the other Devas,
Forsaking the pleasure of Dhyana-samadhi,
From Buddha's birth till his Nirvana,
They constantly served Buddha with pure intentions.
The Kali Age with little merits has only few Saints,
The incarnations of Bodhisattvas with Great Vows,
Just as the Devas pleaded for Buddha's incarnation,
I pray that you Devas plead more of them to come soon.
Even though Saints may be born in the Kali Age,
It is difficult for them to remain free from pollutions,
Just as the Devas served the Buddha,
I pray that you Devas protect them well and tight.
After Buddha had entered the womb, Suddhavasadeva
Showed half of his body to Buddha's King-father,
Reporting this rare event in stanzas.
The Yamadevas presented a wonderful palace,
For the Holy Queen to dwell in.
After Buddha's birth the devakanyas
Held wonderful oil to bath the Holy Mother,
They offered Buddha Heavenly clothings and jewelry.
Brahma Sakra then transformed himself into a very fine Monapokaya,
Praising with wonderful and auspicious phrases.
Mahesvara and Suddhavasadeva
Presented huge offerings to celebrate.
Buddha was brought to the Palace from where he was born,
The Devakanyas held fans made of peacock feathers,
Sprinkled perfume along the way,
Or held jeweled flowers or jeweled necklaces,
Each kind has five hundred thousand Devakanyas,
The Devas of Rupadhatu held jeweled banners,
The Devas of Kamadhatu held jeweled canopies,
Like clouds they filled the whole sky.
After Buddha had married his wife they lived in the secluded palace.
With stanzas the Devas persuaded him to leave home and become a monk.
The Tusita-Deva named Should-Leave-Home
Flew to the palace hall and recited wonderful stanzas,
Praising the superior merits of pravraj.
He also affected the musical instruments in the palace
To sound without being played the pleadings for pravraj.
Buddha toured the four gates of the city to observe.
The Venerable Suddhavasadeva appeared
At the east gate as an old man to affect the Buddha.
At the south gate a man with various diseases,
At the west gate a dead man,
At the north gate a Mahabhiksu
Preaching to Buddha the Dharma of Pravraj.
Buddha then requested his father to let him leave home.
The King father picked brave and fierce soldiers,
Night and day they guarded the palace in and out,
The double gates would sound and disturb ten Lis,
Without help from the Devas, how could one escape?
The Yaksas generals, twenty-eight in number,
All waited for orders at the palace of Vaisravana.
Venerable Pure Wisdom Deva granted his spiritual power
To make all the brave soldiers sound asleep;
Venerable Adornment Play Deva
Made all elephants and horses sleep in silence;
Venerable Glorious Wisdom Deva granted his spiritual power
To pave a jeweled path in the sky;
Venerable Dharma Activities Deva granted his spiritual power
To make those palace maids look ugly;
Venerable Development Deva granted his spiritual power
To make Buddha alone suddenly awake at midnight;
Sakro-devanamindra showed the path
When the Pusya star met the moon,
At midnight Buddha indeed awoke and got up,
Calmly he came out and stood with folded palms,
Rightfully thinking of all the Buddhas in the ten directions;
The four Caturmaharajas came with their Deva followers,
Sakro-devanamindra stood in the sky.
All the Devas simultaneously made loud pleas:
This is just the right time! Please leave home soon!
After Chandaka had brought Chantze to Buddha,
They walked through the sky and the earth quaked in six manners.
All the people inside or outside the palace did not know this.
During the night they walked for six yojanas;
Having arrived the Uruvilva-kasyapa forest,
And bad farewell to Chandaka and Chantze,
Alone and far away from the majestic place,
In the forest only the Devas were so dear!
Who would know to serve Buddha then?
Thanks to the Devas for having served Buddha for men.
Knowing that Buddha disliked his luxurious clothings,
Venerable Suddhavasadeva offered him kasaya;
Only then did Buddha proclaim that his pravraj was complete.
During the Kali Age it is difficult to cultivate Nice Roots,
Being greedily attached to the five desires it is difficult for people to renounce the worldly things,
Some people are of shallow root yet aspire to the profound path,
Pretending to be Bodhisattvas they don't drop out from the society,
Or although they have left home and entered the monastic life,
They have led the multitude too early to practice on their own.
Those who have left home and monastery both,
[Those who have entered the monastery and kept silas as Buddha taught,]
Are the superior wonderful Dharma instruments,
May the venerable Devas secretly protect them,
As you protected Buddha's genuine pravraj.
For six years Buddha diligently practiced dhyana,
Daily he ate only one grain of rice and same of sesame,
He was constantly protected by the Devas,
Papiyan watched for his mistakes but could not find any.
A sujata girl wanted to make offerings to a Brahmacarin,
Suddhavasadeva hid the body of the Brahmacarin,
The sujata girl saw only the Buddha's presence,
She offered him the milk porridge of auspicious sign.
Buddha went to the Vajra Seat of Bodhimandala,
Sixteen venerable Devas protected this place,
Their names are, respectively, Turn-to-progress Deva,
Venerable Ajita Deva, Dana Deva,
Venerable Respectful Love Deva, Brave-Power Deva,
Venerable Sugata Deva, Dharanimdhara Deva,
Venerable Light-emitting Deva, Vimala Deva,
Dharmasvara Deva, Dharmadhvaja Deva,
Auspicious Activities Deva, Apratihata Deva,
Maha-alamkaraka Deva, Vimala-Sila Deva,
Pundarika-Prabha Deva, all sixteen of them
Had attained the stage of avaivartika,
Constantly and devotedly they protected the Bodhimandala.
Sakra then transformed into a grass cutter
Who offered the auspicious Kusa grass as Buddha's cushion.
Mahabrahma presented huge offerings
Of countless jewels that filled the sky.
After Buddha had sat on the Vajra Seat he made the Great Vow.
The Devas of the six devalokas stayed in the south-east,
Respectfully and Carefully they were guarding against hindrances.
The Devas surrounded Buddha in four directions, above and below,
They respectfully protected the Buddha.
Papiyan led the male and female devils,
Did their best to threaten with force or entice with charms.
Venerable Suddhavasadeva gave them warnings and admonitions.
Countless Devas threw heavenly flowers,
Praising the fact that Buddha was unaffected by the devils.
Upon Buddha's Ful1 Enlightenment he showed auspicious signs. The Devas were happy and offered many treasures,
The Devakanyas sang hymns in praise of Buddha:
After Suddhavasadeva had praised, so did Apramanabha,
After Brahmadeva had praised, so did Paranirmita-vasavartin,
After Sunirmita had praised, so did Tusitadevas,
After Sakra had praised, so did the four Caturmaharajas.
They also presented countless huge offerings.
During the Kali Age a practitioner may encounter many obstacles,
The practitioners have many desires and thus become accessible to the devils,
The perverted views and governmental harassments attack him from outside,
The hardships, sicknesses and doubts attack him from within,
The five skandhas are vehemently active and difficult to get rid of,
The essence of realization is profound, subtle and difficult to achieve,
So many are the practitioners yet so few are the accomplished ones,
Don't you Devas feel pitiful seeing this?
Just as you protected Sakyamuni Buddha's perfect accomplishment,
May you venerable Devas diligently guard the practitioners
So that they are free from the hindrances of devils,
[So that they may peacefully stay in the monastery,]
They soon accomplish the Evolution and the Perfect Yogas,
[They, adhering to the teachings of Buddha, soon become accomplished,]
They fully possess the six supernatural abilities and the ten powers,
And they exemplify the fruitful merits of Vajrayana.
[And they exemplify the fruitful merits of Bodhi-path.]
After Buddha had achieved Enlightenment he remained in silence.
Papiyan did dare to plead for Buddha's Nirvana.
The conch-tuft Brahma, Lord of the Saha-world,
Pleaded to Buddha on behalf of us, the suffering multitude.
Time and again he pleaded Buddha thrice to turn the Wheel of Dharma.
How could the then muddle-headed mankind
Know to plead as Brahma did?
Now that Buddha Dharma is spreading among human beings,
Thanks to the Brahma who originated the spreading of Dharmas!
After Buddha had granted his permission to turn the Dharma Wheel,
The four Devas who guarded the Bodhi-tree:
Dharma-receiver, Rasmiprobhasa, Dharma-enjoyment
And Dharma-activities again asked:
Where should Buddha turn the Dharma Wheel for the very first time?
The Devas of devalokas or rupalokas
Held jeweled banners or jeweled canopies
To adorn and sanctify Mrgadava.
Eighty-four thousand jeweled Lion-Seats
Were merged into one by Buddha to sit while preaching.
After Buddha had converted the five venerable Bhiksus,
He manifested eighteen transformations to convert Kasyapa.
Sakra exhibited his brightness while listening to the Dharma.
After Buddha had received offerings he wanted to take a bath,
Sakra pointed to the ground and there a pond became.
Sakra knew that Buddha wanted to wash his robe,
So he brought a huge fine square rock.
Sakra knew that Buddha wanted to dry his robe in the Sun,
Again he brought a hexagonal rock to be used.
Afterwards Buddha turned the Dharma Wheel at various locations,
Up to the heavens or down into the ocean,
Until his Nirvana under the Sala-trees,
No time and no where were the Devas not
The guardian protectors of Sakyamuni Buddha.
In the Kali Age the devil's army has strong power,
The Bodhi-place everywhere has many obstacles,
Kings and government officials mostly are of perverted views,
Well-learned scholars occasionally obtain the faith,
Yet they seldom practice according to the Dharma.
Sometimes there are virtuous men with noble aspirations who
[All the monasteries that are well-established]
Would like to establish the unsurpassable great Dharma banner,
But the financial as well as man power are often insufficient.
May the Devas remember the activities of Sakyamuni Buddha.
How strenuous did you guard Buddha?
Now Dharma is like a delicate thread,
Such a Dharma vein is most precious!
You Devas should exert more protection power than you did for Buddha.
Multiply your efforts and all come to support
So that the virtuous men with great aspirations,
[So that the Dharma propagators with great aspirations,]
Possess longevity, good luck and superb authority,
Become capable of continuing the Holy Karma of Sakyamuni Buddha,
And revive the great banner of Buddha Dharma.
I pray that you Devas do protect us well and tight!
I pray that you Devas do protect us well and tight!
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In the autumn of 1953, Chen Chien Ming composed this hymn in his hermitage in India.
The first version was written for the practitioners; now it is amended to be used by the monasteries in the summer of 1983.
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