The Lotus Sūtra 6: 添品妙法蓮華經卷第六

Translated by the Indian Tripiṭaka Masters Jñānagupta and Dharmagupta under the Sui

Chapter 17: The Merit of Rejoicing in Sympathy

At that time, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Maitreya said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat! If there are good sons or good daughters who, hearing this Lotus Sūtra, rejoice in sympathy, how much merit will they obtain?" And he spoke verses, saying:

"After the Bhagavat's parinirvāṇa,
If there are those who hear this sūtra,
And can rejoice in sympathy,
How much merit do they obtain?"

At that time, the Buddha told the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Maitreya: "Ajita! After the passing of the Tathāgata, if bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, or other wise persons, whether old or young, having heard this sūtra and rejoiced in sympathy, depart from the Dharma assembly and go elsewhere—whether to a sanghārāma, an empty quiet place, a city, street, village, or field—and, according to what they heard, expound it to their parents, kin, good friends, and acquaintances according to their ability; and having heard it, these people rejoice in sympathy and proceed to teach others in turn; and other people, having heard it, also rejoice in sympathy and teach others in turn; and so on in succession up to the fiftieth person—Ajita! As for the merit of the rejoicing in sympathy of that fiftieth good son or good daughter, I will now speak of it; you must listen attentively. Suppose that in four hundred myriads of koṭis of asaṃkhyeya worlds, of the beings of the six destinies and four modes of birth—born from eggs, born from a womb, born from moisture, or born spontaneously; with form or formless; with perception or without perception; neither with perception nor without perception; footless, two-footed, four-footed, or many-footed—among all such beings included in the number of sentient beings, there is a person seeking merit who provides them with all implements of pleasure according to their desires. To every single sentient person, they give a Jambudvīpa-full of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, musāragalva, agate, coral, amber, and various wonderful jewels, as well as elephants, horses, carriages, and palaces and pavilions made of the seven treasures. After this great donor has practiced generosity in this way for a full eighty years, they think to themselves: 'I have already bestowed upon sentient beings implements of pleasure according to what their hearts desire. Yet these beings have all grown decrepit and old, over eighty years of age, their hair white and faces wrinkled, not long from death; I ought to guide and instruct them with the Buddha-Dharma.' Thereupon, they gather these sentient beings and proclaim the transformative Dharma, instructing, benefiting, and gladdening them, so that all at once they attain the fruit of srotāpanna, the fruit of sakṛdāgāmin, the fruit of anāgāmin, and the fruit of arhat, exhausting all taints, attaining mastery in all deep dhyānas, and fully possessing the eight liberations. What do you think in your mind? Would the merit obtained by this great donor be much or not?"

Maitreya said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat! The merit of this person is very great, immeasurable and boundless. Even if this donor had only bestowed all implements of pleasure upon sentient beings, the merit would be immeasurable, how much more so causing them to attain the fruit of an arhat!"

The Buddha said to Maitreya: “I now clearly declare to you: this person with all instruments of pleasure bestowed [them] upon the sentient beings of the six destinies in four million billion asaṃkhyeya worlds, and moreover caused them to attain the fruit of an arhat. Yet the merit they obtained does not equal one part in a hundred, one part in a thousand, one part in hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of the merit of this fiftieth person who rejoices upon hearing a single verse of the Lotus Sūtra, nor can it be known through calculation or metaphor. Ajita! The merit of rejoicing from hearing the Lotus Sūtra passed down successively to such a fiftieth person is already immeasurable, boundless, and asaṃkhyeya—how much more so for the one who first rejoices upon hearing it in the assembly! Their blessing is still greater, immeasurable, boundless, asaṃkhyeya, and beyond comparison. Furthermore, Ajita! If someone, for the sake of this sūtra, goes to a monastery and, sitting or standing, listens and receives it even for an instant, through the cause of this merit, in the body of their next birth they will obtain fine, superior, and marvelous elephants, horses, carriages, and jewel-adorned palanquins, and mount celestial palaces. If someone is seated at the place where the Dharma is expounded, and when another person arrives, urges them to sit and listen, or shares their seat to let them sit, through this person’s merit, in their next birth they will obtain the seat of Indra, the seat of Brahmā, or the seat of a wheel-turning sage king. Ajita! If someone tells another person, ‘There is a sūtra named the Lotus; we can go together and listen to it,’ and [the other] accepts their teaching and listens even for an instant, through this person’s merit, in their next birth they will be born together in the same place as dhāraṇī-bodhisattvas. They will have sharp faculties and wisdom; for hundreds of thousands of myriads of generations, they will never be mute; their breath will not be foul; their tongue will always be free of disease, their mouth likewise free of disease; their teeth will not be soiled or black, nor yellow, nor spaced apart, nor missing and falling out, nor uneven, nor crooked; their lips will not droop, nor shrivel, nor be rough, nor have sores or rashes, nor be broken, nor be skewed, nor be thick, nor large, nor dark, being free of anything repulsive; their nose will not be flat or bent; their complexion will not be black, nor narrow and long, nor sunken and crooked, without any displeasing characteristics; their lips, tongue, and teeth will all be ornate and fine; their nose long, high, and straight; their face rounded and full; their eyebrows high and long; their forehead broad, flat, and even; fully endowed with human marks. In life after life, they will see buddhas, hear the Dharma, and faithfully receive their instructions. Ajita! Consider this: when urging a single person to go and listen to the Dharma yields such merit, how much more so single-mindedly listening, reciting, and reading it, and explaining it for others in the great assembly, practicing in accordance with what is taught!”

Then the Bhagavat, wishing to proclaim this meaning once again, spoke in verse:

“If someone in the Dharma assembly / hears this scripture,
even down to a single verse, / and rejoicing, explains it to others;
thus handed down successively in teaching / reaching the fiftieth person:
the blessings obtained by that last person, / I shall now distinguish.
Suppose a great benefactor / provides for immeasurable multitudes,
fully completing eighty years, / according to whatever their minds desire;
seeing their marks of decline and old age, / their hair white and faces wrinkled,
their teeth sparse and forms withered, / he reflects that their death is not far off:
‘I should now teach them, / causing them to attain the fruit of the path’;
he then expounds through upāya / the real Dharma of nirvāṇa:
‘The world is entirely unstable, / like water-foam, bubbles, or a mirage;
you all should / swiftly produce a mind of disgust and renunciation.’
All those people, hearing this Dharma, / all become arhats,
fully endowed with the six supernatural powers, / the three knowledges, and the eight liberations.
The last, the fiftieth person, / rejoices upon hearing a single verse;
this person’s blessing surpasses that one’s, / beyond all metaphor.
When hearing it thus passed down successively, / the blessing is still immeasurable;
how much more so in the Dharma assembly / for the one who first rejoices upon hearing it!
If someone encourages a single person, / leading them to listen to the Lotus,
saying, ‘This sūtra is profound and marvelous, / hard to encounter in ten million kalpas,’
and they accept the instruction and go to listen, / hearing it even for an instant,
the retribution of blessings for this person, / I will now describe in detail.
Life after life, they will have no oral afflictions; / their teeth will not be sparse, yellow, or black;
their lips will not be thick, shriveled, or cleft, / devoid of any repulsive marks.
Their tongue will not be dry, black, or short; / their nose high, long, and straight;
their forehead broad, flat, and even; / face and eyes all dignified and fine.
They will be gladly beheld by people; / their breath will have no foul impurity;
the fragrance of an utpala flower / will constantly issue from their mouth.
If someone intentionally goes to a monastery, / wishing to listen to the Lotus Sūtra,
and rejoices upon hearing it for an instant, / I will now tell of their blessing.
Later born among devas and humans, / they will obtain fine elephant, horse, and carriages,
palanquins of rare jewels, / and ride in celestial palaces.
If at the place where the Dharma is expounded / one urges another to sit and listen to the sūtra,
through the cause and condition of this blessing, they will obtain / the seat of Śakra, Brahmā, or a wheel-turning king.
How much more so if one single-mindedly listens, / explains its meaning and purports,
and practices according to the teaching— / their blessings cannot be limited.”

Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra, Chapter 18: The Merits of the Dharma Master

At that time the Buddha addressed the bodhisattva mahāsattva Nityodyukta: “If a good man or a good woman accepts and upholds this Lotus Sūtra, whether reading, reciting, explaining, or copying it, that person will obtain eight hundred merits of the eyes, twelve hundred merits of the ears, eight hundred merits of the nose, twelve hundred merits of the tongue, eight hundred merits of the body, and twelve hundred merits of the mind. With these merits they will adorn the six sense faculties, making them all pure. This good man or good woman, with the pure physical eye born of parents, will see all the mountains, forests, rivers, and oceans within and outside the trichiliocosm, down to the Avīci Hell and up to the Peak of Existence; they will also see all sentient beings within it, together with their karmic causes and conditions, retributions, and places of rebirth, fully seeing and knowing them all.”

Then the Bhagavat, wishing to proclaim this meaning once again, spoke in verse:

“If in the great assembly, / with a mind free of fear,
one expounds this Lotus Sūtra, / hear the merits thereof!
This person will obtain eight hundred / eye-merits of superior excellence;
because they are adorned with these, / their eyes will be exceedingly pure.
With the eyes born of their parents, / they will see the entire three-thousandfold realm:
inner and outer Mount Meru, / Sumeru, and the Iron Ring mountains,
together with all other mountains and forests, / the great oceans, rivers, and streams,
down to the Avīci Hell, / and up to the Peak of Existence.
The sentient beings within it, / all will be seen entirely;
though they have not yet obtained the divine eye, / the power of their physical eye is such as this.

“Furthermore, Nityodyukta! If a good man or good woman accepts and upholds this sūtra, whether reading, reciting, explaining, or copying it, they will obtain twelve hundred merits of the ear. With this pure ear, they will hear the various speeches and sounds within and outside the trichiliocosm, down to the Avīci Hell and up to the Peak of Existence: elephant sounds, horse sounds, ox sounds, carriage sounds; sounds of weeping, sounds of sorrowful sighing; conch sounds, drum sounds, bell sounds, chime sounds; laughing sounds, talking sounds; male sounds, female sounds, boys’ sounds, girls’ sounds; sounds of Dharma, sounds of non-Dharma; sounds of suffering, sounds of pleasure; sounds of ordinary beings, sounds of sages; sounds of delight, sounds of displeasure; sounds of devas, sounds of nāgas, sounds of yakṣas, sounds of gandharvas, sounds of asuras, sounds of garuḍas, sounds of kinnaras, sounds of mahoragas; sounds of fire, sounds of water, sounds of wind; sounds of hells, sounds of animals, sounds of hungry ghosts; sounds of bhikṣus, sounds of bhikṣuṇīs, sounds of śrāvakas, sounds of pratyekabuddhas; sounds of bodhisattvas, sounds of buddhas. In short, all the sounds within and outside the trichiliocosm, though they have not yet attained the divine ear, with the pure normal ear born of parents, they will hear and understand them all. They will distinguish various sounds such as these without damaging their ear faculty.”

Then the Bhagavat, wishing to proclaim this meaning once again, spoke in verse:

“With the ear born of parents, / pure and free from taint,
with this ordinary ear they hear / the sounds of the three-thousandfold realm:
sounds of elephants, horses, carriages, and oxen, / sounds of bells, chimes, conches, and drums,
sounds of lutes, zithers, and harps, / the sounds of pipes and flutes;
pure and beautiful singing voices, / hearing them without attachment;
innumerable kinds of human voices, / hearing them, they fully comprehend;
they also hear the sounds of the devas, / their delicate and wondrous songs;
and hear the voices of men and women, / the voices of boys and girls;
in mountains, rivers, and rugged valleys, / the call of the kalaviṅka,
of the jīvañjīvaka and other birds, / they hear all their sounds.
The manifold pains and agonies of the hells, / the sounds of various torments;
hungry ghosts pressed by hunger and thirst, / their sounds of searching for food and drink;
the various asuras and their kind, / dwelling along the shores of the great ocean,
when conversing among themselves, / making loud sounds;
such an expounder of the Dharma, / abiding right here,
hears these multitudes of sounds from afar / without damaging the faculty of the ear;
in the worlds of the ten directions, / birds and beasts calling to each other,
that person who expounds the Dharma / hears them all right here.
In the various Brahmā heavens, / the Ābhāsvara and the Śubhakṛtsna,
up to the Peak of Existence heaven, / the sounds of speech—
the Dharma master abiding here / is able to hear them all.
All the assemblies of bhikṣus, / as well as all the bhikṣuṇīs,
whether reading and reciting the scriptures, / or expounding them for others—
the Dharma master abiding here / is able to hear them all.
Furthermore, the various bodhisattvas, / reading and reciting the scriptural Dharma,
or expounding it for others, / compiling and explaining its meaning—
all sounds such as these, / they are able to hear completely.
The buddhas, the great holy honored ones, / who teach and transform sentient beings,
in the great assemblies / expounding the marvelous Dharma:
one who upholds this Lotus [Sūtra] / is able to hear them all.
All the sounds, internal and external, / throughout the trichiliocosm,
down to the Avīci Hell, / up to the Peak of Existence heaven,
they hear all their sounds / without damaging the ear faculty;
because their ear is acute and sharp, / they are able to distinguish and know them all.
One who upholds this Lotus [Sūtra], / though having not yet attained the divine ear,
merely using the ear they were born with, / their merits are already such as this.”

"Furthermore, Satatasamitābhiyukta, if a good man or a good woman accepts and upholds this sūtra, whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it, they will achieve eight hundred merits of the nose. With this purified faculty of the nose, they will smell the various fragrances—above, below, within, and without—throughout the trichiliocosm: the fragrance of sumanā flowers, the fragrance of jātī flowers, the fragrance of mallikā flowers, the fragrance of campaka flowers, the fragrance of pāṭala flowers, the fragrance of red lotus flowers, the fragrance of blue lotus flowers, the fragrance of white lotus flowers, the fragrance of flowering trees, the fragrance of fruit trees, sandalwood fragrance, aloeswood fragrance, tamālapattra fragrance, tagara fragrance, and thousands of myriads of blended fragrances, whether in powder, pills, or ointments. Staying in this place, the upholder of this sūtra can distinguish them all. Furthermore, they distinctly know the fragrances of sentient beings: the fragrance of elephants, the fragrance of horses, the fragrances of cattle, sheep, and the like, the fragrance of men, the fragrance of women, the fragrance of boys, the fragrance of girls, and the fragrances of grasses, trees, and dense forests; all fragrances, whether near or far, they can smell and distinguish without error. Although staying here, the upholder of this sūtra also smells the fragrances of the devas in the heavens: the fragrance of the pārijātaka and kovidāra trees, as well as the fragrance of māndārava flowers, the fragrance of mahāmāndārava flowers, the fragrance of mañjūṣaka flowers, the fragrance of mahāmañjūṣaka flowers, various powders of sandalwood and aloeswood, and the fragrances of diverse flowers. There are none of these divine scents and fragrances blended therefrom that they do not smell and know. Moreover, they smell the fragrances of the bodies of the devas: the fragrance of Śakra Devānām Indra when he is enjoying the pleasures of the five desires and sporting in the Palace of Victory; the fragrance when he is expounding the Dharma for the Trāyastriṃśa devas in the Hall of the True Dharma; the fragrance when he is disporting in the various parks; and the fragrances of the bodies of other gods and goddesses, all of which they smell from afar. Proceeding successively like this up to the Brahmā heaven, and even up to the Akanistha Heaven, they also smell the fragrances of the bodies of all the devas, and they also smell the incense burned by the devas. They also smell from afar the fragrance of śrāvakas, the fragrance of pratyekabuddhas, the fragrance of bodhisattvas, and the fragrance of the bodies of the Buddhas, knowing where they are. Although they smell these fragrances, the faculty of their nose is neither impaired nor mistaken; if they wish to distinguish them and explain them to others, their memory will not be in error."

At that time the Bhagavat, wishing to proclaim this meaning again, spoke verses, saying:

"This person's nose is pure;
Within this world,
Fragrant or foul things,
They smell and know in their various kinds:
Sumanā, jātī,
Tamālapattra, sandalwood,
Aloeswood, and cassia fragrance,
The fragrances of diverse flowers and fruits;
And they know the fragrances of sentient beings,
The fragrances of men and women;
The expounder of the Dharma, dwelling far off,
Smells the fragrances and knows their whereabouts;
The mighty wheel-turning kings,
The lesser wheel-turning kings and their sons,
Ministers and palace attendants:
Smelling the fragrances, they know their whereabouts;
The precious jewels worn on their bodies
And the treasure stores within the earth,
The precious woman of a wheel-turning king:
Smelling the fragrances, they know their whereabouts;
The adornments of people's bodies,
Their clothing and necklaces,
And their various ointments:
Smelling them, they know their persons;
Whether the devas are walking, sitting,
Sporting, or working spiritual transformations,
The upholder of this Lotus [Sūtra],
Smelling their fragrance, can know them all;
The flowers and fruits of trees,
And the scent of clarified butter and oil:
The upholder of the sūtra, dwelling here,
Knows where all of them are;
In the deep, perilous places of the mountains,
Where the sandalwood trees are in bloom,
Sentient beings dwelling among them:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
Sentient beings within the Cakravāḍa mountains,
Within the great oceans, and within the earth:
The upholder of the sūtra, smelling their fragrance,
Knows where all of them are;
Asura men and women
Together with their retinues,
When they fight or sport:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
In the wilderness and perilous, narrow passes,
Lions, elephants, tigers, and wolves,
Wild oxen, water buffaloes, and the like:
Smelling their fragrance, they know their whereabouts;
If there is a pregnant woman
Whose child is not yet distinguished as male or female,
Deformities and non-humans:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
By the power of smelling fragrance,
They know if the pregnancy is newly begun,
Whether it will come to fruition or not,
And whether she will safely bear a child of merit;
By the power of smelling fragrance,
They know the thoughts of men and women,
Minds of lustful attachment, folly, or anger,
And they also know those cultivating the good;
The hidden subterranean treasures,
Gold, silver, and diverse precious gems
Contained in bronze vessels:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
Diverse necklaces
Whose value no one can know:
Smelling their fragrance, they know their value,
Their provenance, and their location;
The various flowers in the heavens,
Māndārava and mañjūṣaka,
And the pārijātaka tree:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
The palaces in the heavens,
Divided into superior, middling, and inferior,
Adorned with manifold precious flowers:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
The heavenly parks, the Palace of Victory,
The pavilions, and the Hall of the True Dharma,
Where they enjoy themselves:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
When the devas listen to the Dharma,
Or when they experience the five desires,
Coming, going, walking, sitting, or lying down:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
The garments worn by celestial maidens,
Adorned with fine flowers and perfumes,
As they wander about and sport:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
Proceeding successively upwards like this
Even up to the Brahmā heaven,
Those entering and emerging from dhyāna:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
From the Ābhāsvara and Śubhakṛtsna heavens
Up to the Akanistha Heaven,
Those newly born and those dying:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
The assemblies of bhikṣus,
Ever diligent in the Dharma,
Whether sitting or walking,
Or reading and reciting the sūtras and Dharma,
Or beneath the trees of the forest,
Single-mindedly seated in dhyāna:
The upholder of the sūtra, smelling their fragrance,
Knows where all of them are;
Bodhisattvas of firm resolve,
Seated in dhyāna or reading sūtras,
Or expounding the Dharma for others:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
The Bhagavats in every direction,
Revered by all,
Expounding the Dharma out of pity for the multitude:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
Sentient beings before the Buddhas,
Rejoicing to hear the sūtra
And practicing according to the Dharma:
Smelling their fragrance, they can know them all;
Although they have not yet obtained a bodhisattva's
Nose produced by the undefiled Dharma,
This upholder of the sūtra
First attains these characteristics of the nose."

"Furthermore, Satatasamitābhiyukta, if a good man or a good woman accepts and upholds this sūtra, whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it, they will obtain one thousand two hundred merits of the tongue. Whether good or bad, pleasant or unpleasant, as well as things that are bitter and astringent, when placed upon their tongue, all turn into the supreme flavor, like divine nectar, with nothing that is not delicious. If with this tongue they expound anything in the great assembly, they will produce a deep, wonderful voice that enters their hearts, causing them all to be delighted and joyful. Moreover, the devaputras, devakanyās, Śakra, Brahmā, and the other devas, hearing this deep, wonderful voice, its expositions and sequential discourse, will all come to listen. Also nāgas, nāgakanyās, yakṣas, yakṣiṇīs, gandharvas, gandharva women, asuras, asura women, garuḍas, garuḍa women, kinnaras, kinnara women, mahoragas, and mahoraga women, will all come near to listen to the Dharma, revering and making offerings to them. Bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, kings, princes, ministers, retinues, lesser wheel-turning kings, and great wheel-turning kings, with their seven treasures, thousand sons, and inner and outer retinues, riding in their palaces, will all come together to listen to the Dharma. Because this bodhisattva is good at expounding the Dharma, the brahmins, householders, and the people of the country will attend and make offerings to them for the rest of their lives. Furthermore, the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas will always delight in seeing them. In whatever direction this person is located, all the Buddhas will turn toward that place and expound the Dharma, and this person will be able to receive and uphold all the Buddha-Dharma, and will also be able to produce the deep, wonderful sound of the Dharma."

At that time the Bhagavat, wishing to proclaim this meaning again, spoke verses, saying:

"This person's faculty of the tongue is pure
And will never receive foul tastes;
Whatever food they eat
All turns into nectar;
With a deep, pure, and wonderful voice,
They expound the Dharma in the great assembly,
Using various causes, conditions, and parables
To guide the minds of sentient beings;
Those who hear are all delighted
And present supreme offerings;
Devas, nāgas, yakṣas,
And asuras and the like,
All with reverent minds,
Come together to listen to the Dharma;
If this person expounding the Dharma
Wishes to fill the trichiliocosm
With their wonderful sound,
It reaches there according to their wish;
Lesser and great wheel-turning kings,
Along with their thousand sons and retinues,
With palms joined and reverent minds,
Always come to listen to and receive the Dharma;
Devas, nāgas, yakṣas,
Rākṣasas, and piśācas,
Also with joyful minds,
Always delight in coming to make offerings;
Brahmā kings, Māra kings,
Īśvara, and Maheśvara—
Divine assemblies such as these
Constantly come to their dwelling;
The Buddhas and their disciples,
Hearing the sound of their expounding the Dharma,
Constantly keep them in mind and protect them,
Sometimes manifesting their bodies for them."

"Furthermore, Satatasamitābhiyukta, if a good man or a good woman accepts and upholds this sūtra, whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it, they will obtain eight hundred merits of the body. They will obtain a pure body, like clear lapis lazuli, which sentient beings delight to see. Because of their body's purity, the sentient beings of the trichiliocosm—at the time of birth, at the time of death, superior or inferior, fair or ugly, born in good places or bad places—will all appear within it. Also the Cakravāḍa mountains, the Mahācakravāḍa mountains, Mount Meru, Mount Mahāmeru, and other mountains, together with the sentient beings within them, will all appear within it. Below, reaching to the Avīci hell, and above, reaching to the Akanistha Heaven, all that exists, and all sentient beings, will appear within it. If śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas expound the Dharma, the forms of their bodies will all appear within this body."

At that time the Bhagavat, wishing to proclaim this meaning again, spoke verses, saying:

"If someone upholds the Lotus [Sūtra],
Their body is extremely pure,
Like that clear lapis lazuli,
Which all sentient beings delight to see;
Also like a clean, bright mirror
Reflecting all physical forms,
The bodhisattva in their pure body
Sees everything that exists in the world;
They alone clearly discern it,
While other people do not see it;
Among all the multitudes of living beings
In the three-thousandfold world:
Devas, humans, asuras,
Hells, pretas, and animals—
All such forms as these
Appear within their body;
The palaces of the devas,
Extending up to the Akanistha Heaven,
The Cakravāḍa and Meru,
Mount Mahāmeru,
And the waters of the great oceans,
All appear within their body;
The Buddhas and śrāvakas,
Buddha sons and bodhisattvas,
Whether alone or in assemblies,
Expounding the Dharma, all appear;
Though they have not yet obtained the wonderful body
Of undefiled dharmatā,
By virtue of this pure, ordinary form,
All appears within it."

"Furthermore, Satatasamitābhiyukta, if a good man or a good woman, after the Parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgata, accepts and upholds this sūtra, whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it, they will obtain one thousand two hundred merits of the mind. By this pure faculty of the mind, upon hearing even a single verse or a single sentence, they will penetrate immeasurable and boundless meanings. Having understood these meanings, they will be able to expound a single sentence or a single verse for a month, for four months, or even for a whole year. Whatever Dharma they expound, in accordance with its principles, will not contradict the dharmatā. If they speak of secular texts, treatises on governance, professions for sustaining life, and the like, all will accord with the true Dharma. They will completely know the workings of the minds, the mental movements, and the mental conceptual proliferation of the sentient beings of the six destinies in the trichiliocosm. Although they have not yet attained undefiled wisdom, the faculty of their mind is pure to this degree. Whatever this person ponders, calculates, and speaks of will all be the Buddha-Dharma, with nothing that is not true, and will also be what was taught in the sūtras of former Buddhas."

At that time, the Bhagavat, wishing to proclaim this meaning again, spoke in verse, saying:

"This person's mind is pure,
clear, keen, and free from defilement and turbidity;
with this wondrous faculty of mind,
they know phenomena that are superior, middling, and inferior.
Even hearing a single verse,
they penetrate immeasurable meanings;
explaining them in proper order according to the Dharma,
for a month, four months, up to a year.
All living beings,
inside and outside this world—
whether gods, nāgas, and humans,
yakṣas, ghosts, and spirits—
whatever diverse thoughts they have
within the six destinies,
as a retribution for upholding the Lotus,
the person fully knows all at once.
The countless Buddhas of the ten directions,
endowed with marks adorned by a hundred merits,
preach the Dharma for living beings;
this person hears it all and can receive and uphold it.
They reflect upon immeasurable meanings,
and preach the Dharma likewise immeasurably,
from beginning to end never forgetting or erring,
because of upholding the Lotus.
They fully know the characteristics of all phenomena,
recognise their sequence according to their meanings,
penetrate names, words, and expressions,
and expound in accordance with what they know.
Whatever this person preaches
is entirely the Dharma of former Buddhas;
because of expounding this Dharma,
they have no fear in the assembly.
The mental faculty of the one who upholds the Lotus Sūtra
is pure like this;
though they have not yet attained undefiled state,
they first have such marks as these.
This person, upholding this sūtra,
abides securely in a rare stage;
by all living beings
they are joyfully loved and revered.
They are able, with ten million kinds
of skillful words,
to distinguish and preach the Dharma,
because of upholding the Lotus Sūtra."

Supplemented Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra, Chapter 19: Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta

At that time the Buddha addressed Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta: "You should know now that if there are bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, or upāsikās who uphold the Lotus Sūtra, and if anyone abuses, reviles, or slanders them, they will incur great retribution of sin as previously spoken; and the merits they attain will be the purification of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind as just spoken.

"Mahāsthāmaprāpta! Long ago in the past, beyond immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, there was a Buddha named Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, Vidyācaraṇasampanna, Sugata, Lokavid, Anuttara, Puruṣadamyasārathi, Śāstā Devamanuṣyāṇām, Buddha, Bhagavat. His kalpa was named Free from Decay, and his country was named Great Completion. In that world, that Buddha Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja preached the Dharma for gods, humans, and asuras. For those seeking to be śrāvakas, he preached the Dharma corresponding to the Four Truths, delivering them from birth, old age, sickness, and death to ultimate nirvāṇa. For those seeking to be pratyekabuddhas, he preached the Dharma corresponding to the twelve links of dependent origination. For the bodhisattvas, for the sake of anuttarāsamyaksambodhi, he preached the Dharma corresponding to the six pāramitās, bringing them to the ultimate wisdom of the Buddha.

"Mahāsthāmaprāpta! The lifespan of this Buddha Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja was forty myriads of nayutas of Gaṅgā sands of kalpas. The number of kalpas that the True Dharma remained in the world was equal to the dust motes in one Jambudvīpa; the number of kalpas that the Semblance Dharma remained in the world was equal to the dust motes in the four continents. After that Buddha had benefited living beings, he entered parinirvāṇa. After the True Dharma and the Semblance Dharma had completely ended, another Buddha appeared in this land, also named Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, Vidyācaraṇasampanna, Sugata, Lokavid, Anuttara, Puruṣadamyasārathi, Śāstā Devamanuṣyāṇām, Buddha, Bhagavat. In this succession there were twenty thousand myriads of Buddhas, all bearing the same name.

"After the first Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja Tathāgata had entered parinirvāṇa and the True Dharma had ended, during the Semblance Dharma, bhikṣus of excessive arrogance possessed great power. At that time there was a bodhisattva bhikṣu named Sadāparibhūta. Mahāsthāmaprāpta, for what reason was he named Sadāparibhūta? Whenever this bhikṣu saw anyone, whether bhikṣu, bhikṣuṇī, upāsaka, or upāsikā, he would bow down to them and praise them, saying: 'I deeply revere you and dare not treat you with arrogance or contempt. Why? You are all practicing the bodhisattva path and will surely become Buddhas.' This bhikṣu did not focus on reading and reciting sūtras, but merely practiced bowing. Even when he saw the fourfold assembly from afar, he would deliberately go to bow down to them and praise them, saying: 'I dare not treat you with contempt; you will all become Buddhas.'

"Among the fourfold assembly, there were those who gave rise to anger and whose minds were impure; they reviled and abused him with evil mouths, saying: 'Where does this foolish bhikṣu come from, saying on his own: "I do not treat you with contempt," and bestowing upon us a prophecy that we will become Buddhas? We have no need for such false prophecies.' Passing through many years like this, he was constantly reviled, but gave rise to no anger, always saying: 'You will become Buddhas.' When he spoke these words, people would sometimes strike him with sticks, tiles, or stones. Fleeing and standing at a distance, he would still shout loudly, saying: 'I dare not treat you with contempt; you will all become Buddhas.' Because he constantly spoke these words, the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās of excessive arrogance named him Sadāparibhūta.

"When this bhikṣu was about to die, he heard in the midst of the sky the twenty hundred thousand myriads of verses of the Lotus Sūtra previously preached by the Buddha Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja, and was able to receive and uphold them all. He immediately obtained the purification of the eye faculty as described above, as well as the purification of the faculties of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Having obtained the purification of these six faculties, his lifespan was further extended by two hundred myriads of nayutas of years, and he broadly preached this Lotus Sūtra for people.

"At that time, the fourfold assembly of excessive arrogance—the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who had despised this man and given him the name Paribhūta—saw that he had attained great supernatural powers, the power of eloquence in preaching, and the power of great good tranquility. Hearing what he preached, they all faithfully submitted and followed him. This bodhisattva further transformed ten million myriads of beings, causing them to abide in anuttarāsamyaksambodhi. After his life ended, he met two thousand myriads of Buddhas, all named Candrasūryapradīpa; within their Dharma he preached this Lotus Sūtra. Because of this condition, he further met two thousand myriads of Buddhas, all equally named Meghasvaradīparāja. Within the Dharma of these Buddhas, because he received, upheld, read, recited, and preached this sūtra for the fourfold assembly, he attained this constant purification of the eyes, as well as the purification of the faculties of ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, preaching the Dharma among the fourfold assembly with a mind free of fear.

"Mahāsthāmaprāpta! This Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sadāparibhūta made offerings to these numerous Buddhas, revering, honoring, and praising them, planting various roots of goodness. Later he further met ten million myriads of Buddhas, and likewise preached this sūtra within the Dharma of those Buddhas. His merits fulfilled, he was to become a Buddha. Mahāsthāmaprāpta! What do you think? Could that Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta of that time have been someone else? He was my own person. If in past lives I had not received, upheld, read, recited, and preached this sūtra for others, I would not have been able to quickly attain anuttarāsamyaksambodhi. Because in the presence of former Buddhas I received, upheld, read, recited, and preached this sūtra for others, I quickly attained anuttarāsamyaksambodhi.

"Mahāsthāmaprāpta! Because the fourfold assembly of bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās at that time despised me with angry minds, for two hundred myriads of kalpas they never encountered a Buddha, never heard the Dharma, and never saw the Saṅgha; for a thousand kalpas in Avīci Hell they underwent great suffering. When this sin was exhausted, they again met Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta, who instructed and transformed them toward anuttarāsamyaksambodhi.

"Mahāsthāmaprāpta! What do you think? Could the fourfold assembly of that time who constantly despised this bodhisattva have been someone else? They are precisely the five hundred bodhisattvas such as Bhadrapāla, the five hundred bhikṣus such as Siṃhacandra, and the five hundred upāsakas such as Sugatacetanā in this assembly today, who all do not regress from anuttarāsamyaksambodhi.

"Mahāsthāmaprāpta! You should know that this Lotus Sūtra greatly benefits bodhisattva mahāsattvas, enabling them to reach anuttarāsamyaksambodhi. Therefore, after the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa, bodhisattva mahāsattvas should always receive, uphold, read, recite, explain, and copy this sūtra."

At that time, the Bhagavat, wishing to proclaim this meaning again, spoke in verse, saying:

"In the past there was a Buddha named Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja;
his spiritual wisdom was immeasurable,
guiding all beings,
making offerings together by gods, humans, nāgas, and spirits.
After this Buddha's parinirvāṇa, when the Dharma was about to end,
there was a bodhisattva
named Sadāparibhūta.
At that time the fourfold assembly clung to dharmas;
Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta
went to their places
and said to them:
'I do not treat you with contempt;
you are practicing the path and will all become Buddhas.'
When the people heard this, they despised, disparaged, and reviled him;
Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta
was able to endure it.
When their sins were exhausted, at the time of his death,
he was able to hear this sūtra,
his six faculties were purified,
and through supernatural power
his lifespan was increased;
he broadly preached this sūtra again for people.
All the beings who clung to dharmas
received the bodhisattva's teaching and transformation,
which brought them to fulfillment
and caused them to abide in the Buddha path.
When Sadāparibhūta died, he encountered countless Buddhas;
because he preached this sūtra,
he attained immeasurable blessings.
Gradually acquiring merits,
he quickly accomplished the Buddha path.
Sadāparibhūta of that time was my own person.
The fourfold assembly of that time who clung to dharmas
heard Sadāparibhūta say:
'You will become Buddhas.'
Through this condition, they encountered countless Buddhas.
The assembly of five hundred bodhisattvas in this gathering,
as well as the fourfold groups
of laymen and laywomen of pure faith,
are those who now listen to the Dharma before me.
In a past life, I encouraged these people
to listen to and receive this sūtra,
the supreme Dharma;
I revealed and instructed them, causing them to abide in nirvāṇa,
and life after life to receive and uphold such a scripture as this.
Only through hundreds of millions of myriads of kalpas,
even inconceivable numbers,
does one at last get to hear this Lotus Sūtra.
Only through hundreds of millions of myriads of kalpas,
even inconceivable numbers,
do the Buddha Bhagavats
sometimes preach this sūtra.
Therefore, practitioners, after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa,
upon hearing such a sūtra as this,
should not give rise to doubt;
they should single-mindedly
broadly preach this sūtra,
meeting Buddhas life after life,
and quickly accomplishing the Buddha path."

Supplemented Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra, Chapter 20: The Supernatural Powers of the Tathāgata

At that time, the bodhisattva mahāsattvas equal to the dust motes of a thousand worlds who had welled forth from the earth, all with single minds joined their palms in the Buddha's presence, gazed up at his venerable face, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "Bhagavat! After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, in the lands where the Bhagavat's emanations abide and in the places of his parinirvāṇa, we will broadly preach this sūtra. Why? We also personally desire to attain this true, pure, Great Dharma, to receive, uphold, read, recite, explain, copy, and make offerings to it."

At that time, before all the assembly—before immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattva mahāsattvas originally residing in the Sahāloka such as Mañjuśrī, as well as the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, non-humans, and others—the Bhagavat displayed great supernatural powers. He extended his broad and long tongue until it reached up to the Brahmaloka, and from all his pores he emitted immeasurable, incalculable colored rays of light, all universally illuminating the worlds of the ten directions. Beneath the numerous jeweled trees, upon the lion thrones, the Buddhas did likewise, extending their broad and long tongues and emitting immeasurable light. When Śākyamuni Buddha and the Buddhas beneath the jeweled trees displayed these supernatural powers, a full hundred thousand years elapsed. Thereafter, they withdrew their tongue features, cleared their throats at once, and snapped their fingers together. These two sounds reached throughout the Buddha worlds of the ten directions, and the earth in all of them shook in six ways. Among them, the living beings—devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, non-humans, and others—through the Buddha's supernatural powers, all saw in this Sahāloka the Buddhas seated upon lion thrones beneath immeasurable, boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of jeweled trees; they saw Śākyamuni Buddha and Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata seated together on a lion throne within the jeweled stūpa; they also saw immeasurable, boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattva mahāsattvas; and they saw the fourfold assembly reverently surrounding Śākyamuni Buddha. Having seen this, they all rejoiced greatly, having attained what they had never had before. At that moment, the devas called out in loud voices in the midst of the sky: 'Beyond these immeasurable, boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of asaṃkhyeya worlds, there is a land named Sahā. In it there is a Buddha named Śākyamuni, who is now expounding to the bodhisattva mahāsattvas a Mahāyāna sūtra named the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma, a teaching for bodhisattvas, protected and kept in mind by the Buddhas. You should rejoice in accord with it from the depths of your hearts, and you should also pay homage and make offerings to Śākyamuni Buddha!'