T16n0686_佛說報恩奉盆經
大正藏第 16 冊 No. 0686 佛說報恩奉盆經
No. 686 [No. 685]
佛說報恩奉盆經(亦云報像功德經)
闕譯附東晉錄
聞如是：
一時，佛在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園。大目揵連始得六通，欲度父母報乳哺之恩，即以道眼觀視世界，見其亡母生餓鬼中，不見飲食，皮骨相連柱。目連悲哀，即缽盛飯，往餉其母。母得缽飯，便以左手障飯、右手摶食，食未入口化成火炭，遂不得食。
目連馳還白佛，具陳如此。佛告目連：「汝母罪根深結，非汝一人力所奈何；當須眾僧威神之力，乃得解脫。吾今當說救濟之法，令一切難皆離憂苦。」
佛告目連：「七月十五日，當爲七世父母在厄難中者，具麨飯、五果、汲灌瓫器、香油、庭燭、床榻、臥具，盡世甘美以供養眾僧。當此之日，一切聖眾，或在山間禪定、或得四道果、或樹下經行、或得六通飛行，教化聲聞、緣覺。菩薩大人權示比丘在大眾中，皆共同心受缽和羅。具清凈戒聖眾之道，其德汪洋，其有供養此等之眾，七世父母、五種親屬得出三塗，應時解脫衣食自然。」
佛敕眾僧：「當爲施主家七世父母，行禪定意，然後食此供。」
目連、比丘及一切眾，歡喜奉行。
【現代漢語翻譯】 現代漢語譯本 《佛說報恩奉盆經》(又名《報像功德經》)
（譯者缺失，附於東晉錄）
我（阿難）是這樣聽說的：
一時，佛陀在舍衛國祇樹給孤獨園（Jetavana Anathapindika-arama，釋迦牟尼佛在世時居住的重要場所）說法。大目犍連（Mahamaudgalyayana，釋迦牟尼佛的十大弟子之一，以神通著稱）剛證得六神通（Abhijna，佛教中的六種超自然能力），想要救度父母以報答乳哺之恩，便用道眼（Divine Eye，天眼通）觀察世界，看見他已故的母親生於餓鬼道中，無法得到飲食，皮包骨頭，形如柱子。目連非常悲哀，立即用缽盛滿飯食，前去供養他的母親。他的母親得到缽飯後，便用左手遮擋，右手抓取食物，食物還未入口就化成了火炭，最終無法食用。
目連趕緊返回稟告佛陀，詳細陳述了此事。佛陀告訴目連：『你母親的罪根深重，不是你一個人的力量所能解決的；必須依靠眾僧的威神之力，才能得到解脫。我現在將要宣說救濟之法，令一切受難者都能脫離憂苦。』
佛陀告訴目連：『在七月十五日（Ullambana，盂蘭盆節），應當為七世父母中處於厄難之中的人，準備米飯、五果、汲水灌溉用的盆器、香油、庭院蠟燭、床榻、臥具，以及世間各種美味佳餚來供養眾僧。在這一天，一切聖眾，有的在山間禪定（Dhyana，佛教中的一種冥想修行），有的證得四道果（The Four Fruits of the Path，須陀洹果、斯陀含果、阿那含果、阿羅漢果），有的在樹下經行（Walking Meditation，一種行走中的禪修方式），有的證得六神通飛行自在，教化聲聞（Sravaka，通過聽聞佛法而證悟的修行者）、緣覺（Pratyekabuddha，不依賴他人教導，獨自證悟的修行者）。菩薩（Bodhisattva，發願救度一切眾生的修行者）大人權且示現為比丘（Bhiksu，佛教中的出家男眾）在大眾之中，都共同以平等心接受缽羅飯食。具備清凈戒律的聖眾之道，其功德廣大無邊。凡是供養這些聖眾的人，其七世父母、五種親屬都能脫離地獄、餓鬼、畜生三塗之苦，應時得到解脫，衣食自然豐足。』
佛陀告誡眾僧：『應當為施主家的七世父母，先行禪定之意，然後再食用這些供養。』
目連、比丘以及一切大眾，歡喜地奉行佛陀的教誨。
【English Translation】 English version The Buddha Speaks the Ullambana Sutra (Also known as the Sutra of the Merit of Images)
(Translator missing, appended to the Eastern Jin Record)
Thus have I heard:
At one time, the Buddha was in the Jeta Grove, Anathapindika's Park in Shravasti (Jetavana Anathapindika-arama, an important place where Shakyamuni Buddha resided during his lifetime). Mahāmaudgalyāyana (Mahamaudgalyayana, one of the ten great disciples of Shakyamuni Buddha, known for his supernatural powers) had just attained the six supernormal powers (Abhijna, six kinds of supernatural abilities in Buddhism). Wishing to deliver his parents to repay the kindness of their milk and nurture, he used his divine eye (Divine Eye, the heavenly eye) to observe the world and saw that his deceased mother was born in the realm of hungry ghosts, unable to obtain food and drink, her skin and bones connected like a pillar. Maudgalyayana was very sorrowful and immediately filled a bowl with rice and went to offer it to his mother. When his mother received the bowl of rice, she used her left hand to shield the rice and her right hand to grab the food. Before the food entered her mouth, it turned into burning coals, and she was unable to eat it.
Maudgalyayana hurried back to report to the Buddha, detailing the matter. The Buddha told Maudgalyayana, 'Your mother's roots of sin are deeply entrenched, and it is not something that you alone can resolve; it requires the power of the collective sangha (Sangha, the Buddhist monastic community) to be liberated. I will now speak of the method of salvation, so that all those who suffer can be freed from sorrow and suffering.'
The Buddha told Maudgalyayana, 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month (Ullambana, the Ghost Festival), you should prepare cooked rice, five kinds of fruits, pitchers for drawing water, sesame oil, courtyard candles, beds, bedding, and all kinds of delicious foods to offer to the sangha for the sake of your parents of seven lifetimes who are in distress. On this day, all the holy assembly, some are in meditation (Dhyana, a type of meditation practice in Buddhism) in the mountains, some have attained the four fruits of the path (The Four Fruits of the Path, Srotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami, Arhat), some are walking under trees (Walking Meditation, a form of meditation in motion), some have attained the six supernormal powers and fly freely, teaching the Sravakas (Sravaka, practitioners who attain enlightenment through hearing the Dharma) and Pratyekabuddhas (Pratyekabuddha, practitioners who attain enlightenment independently without relying on the teachings of others). Bodhisattvas (Bodhisattva, practitioners who vow to save all sentient beings) may appear as Bhiksus (Bhiksu, ordained male monastics in Buddhism) among the assembly, all with a common mind accepting the bowl of food. The path of the holy assembly with pure precepts, its virtue is vast and boundless. Whoever makes offerings to this assembly, their parents of seven lifetimes and five kinds of relatives can be freed from the suffering of the three evil realms (hell, hungry ghost, animal), and they will be liberated in due course, with clothing and food naturally abundant.'
The Buddha instructed the sangha, 'You should first contemplate the welfare of the seven generations of parents of the donors, and then consume these offerings.'
Maudgalyayana, the Bhiksus, and all the assembly joyfully followed the Buddha's teachings.