The Lotus Sūtra 6.11

6.11

「又，阿逸多！若人為是經故，往詣僧坊，若坐、若立須臾聽受，緣是功德，轉身所生，得好上妙象、馬車乘、珍寶輦輿，及乘天宮。若復有人於講法處坐，更有人來，勸令坐聽，若分座令坐，是人功德，轉身得帝釋坐處，若梵王坐處，若轉輪聖王所坐之處。

lable. How much more so is the merit of the first person who heard it in the assembly and rejoiced in it! His merit is even greater, it is immeasurable, limitless, and incalculable, and is not to be apprehended through metaphor.

“Furthermore, O Ajita, if anyone approaches the monasteries in order to listen to this sutra and hears it for even a single moment, whether seated or standing, through this merit they will be reborn into a place where they will gain beautiful and excellent elephant carts, horse carts, palanquins made out of rare treasures, and will ride on a heavenly vehicle. Moreover, if anyone sits in a place where the Dharma is taught, and if another comes along and they invite that person to sit down and listen, or if they offer that person part of their own seat, through this merit they will be reborn in the place where Śakra dwells, in the place where Brahmas dwell, or in a place where a noble emperor dwells.

“O Ajita! If anyone addresses others, saying:

There is a sutra called the Lotus Sutra. Let us go together and listen

to it!

“And if their instruction is accepted and the other person listens to it for even a single moment, then through this merit the former person will be reborn in the same place as the bodhisattva who has acquired the dhāraṇīs. They will have keen faculties and wisdom. For hundreds and thousands of myriads of lives they will never be deaf and dumb; nor will they have fetid breath. Their tongues will never be diseased, nor will they have diseases of the mouth. Their teeth will never be dirty, black, or yellow, nor gapped; nor will any be missing, irregular, or crooked. Their lips will not be drooping, pursed, or twisted; and their lips will never have cankers, scabs, be cracked, misshapen, thick or fat, black, or ugly. They will have no disagreeable features. Their noses will never be flat or thin, crooked or twisted. They will never be dark-complected, with a narrow or long face that is hollow-cheeked or twisted. They will have no mark that is displeasing to others. Their lips, tongues, and teeth will all be very beautiful. Their noses will be long, high, and straight. Their faces will be round, their eyebrows arched and long. Their foreheads will be broad and even. They will thus have a perfect human countenance. Wherever they may be born, life after life, they will meet a buddha, hear the Dharma, and accept the teaching.

“Look, O Ajita! The merit of that person who moved others to listen to

the Dharma is like this. How much more is the merit of those who single-

mindedly listen, teach, and recite the sutra, explain it for others in the great

assembly, and practice as they explain to others!”

Thereupon the Bhagavat, wanting to elaborate on the meaning of this

If anyone hears this sutra

In the Dharma assembly,

And joyfully teaches others

Even a single verse,

And if in this way it is taught from one person

To another until it reaches the fiftieth one,

The merit that this last person will attain

Shall be as I will now explain:

Suppose there were a great donor

Who gave things to an immeasurable number

Of people as they wished

For a full eighty years.

He will see that they are old and feeble,

With white hair and wrinkled faces,

With gaps between their teeth and withered bodies,

And that they will die before long.

He will think that he should now

Teach them and enable them

To attain the fruits

Of the buddha path.

He will teach nirvana, the True Dharma,

Through skillful means, saying:

The world is impermanent

Like splashes of water, bubbles, a mirage!

The feeling of repulsion for it

Should quickly awaken in you!

All of them, hearing this teaching,

Attain arhatship and perfect

The six transcendent powers, the three sciences, And the eight liberations. The merit of the fiftieth person Who joyfully hears a single verse Is so much greater than this great donor’s That it is beyond illustration. The merit of those who successively hear The Lotus Sutra in this way is immeasurable. How much more is the merit of the first person Who heard it with joy amid the Dharma assembly! If there is a person who moves another To listen to the Lotus Sutra, saying:

This sutra is profound and difficult to encounter

Even in thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas.

And if this person’s urging is accepted And the other one goes to hear it And listens for a single moment, The merit that the former person will acquire Shall be as I will now explain: Life after life they will have No diseases of the mouth. Their teeth will have no gaps, Nor be yellow or black. Their lips will be neither fat, thick, Or thin; nor will they ever have A disagreeable countenance; And their tongues will never be Dry, black, or short. Their noses will be high, long, and straight. Their foreheads will be broad and even. Their faces will be completely handsome, Pleasing to others who see them. They will never have fetid breath. And their mouths will always emit

The fragrance of a blue lotus flower.

I will now explain the merit

Of the one who approaches the monastery

Wanting to hear the Lotus Sutra,

And who joyfully listens to it

Even for a single moment:

Later they will be born among devas and humans

And will acquire beautiful elephant and horse carts,

And palanquins made out of rare treasures,

And will ride on a heavenly vehicle.

If one is where the Dharma is taught

And invites another to sit there

And listen to the sutra,

Through the merit which is thus acquired,

One will attain the seats of Śakra,

Brahma, or the noble emperors.

How much more is the merit of a person

Who singlemindedly listens to this sutra,

Explains its meaning, and practices