The Lotus Sūtra 5.24

5.24

爾時他方國土諸來菩薩摩訶薩，過八恒河沙數，於大眾中起立，合掌作禮而白佛言：「世尊！若聽我等，於佛滅後，在此娑婆世界，懃加精進，護持、讀誦、書寫、供養是經典者，當於此土而廣說之。」

At that time, the bodhisattva mahāsattvas who had come from other lands, exceeding the number of sands of eight Ganges Rivers, arose in the midst of the great assembly, joined their palms, bowed in homage, and said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat, if you permit us, after the Buddha's extinction, in this Sahā world we will diligently exert vigor to guard, uphold, read, recite, write, and make offerings to this sūtra, and we shall preach it broadly in this land."