The Lotus Sūtra 7.87

7.87

佛說是妙莊嚴王本事品時，八萬四千人遠塵離垢，於諸法中得法眼淨。

of myriads of koṭis of buddhas, perfected inconceivable good merit. If anyone

holds the names of these two bodhisattvas in memory, the devas and humans

in this entire world will certainly pay homage to those bodhisattvas.”

When the Buddha taught this chapter, “Ancient Accounts of King Śubha-

vyūha,” eighty-four thousand people removed themselves from impurity, rid

themselves of defilement, and attained pure Dharma-eyes with which to see

the teachings.

Encouragement of

Bodhisattva Samantabhadra

Thereupon Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, through his effortless transcendent power, dignity, and fame, arrived from the east together with innumerable, limitless, and incalculable numbers of great bodhisattvas. All the lands quaked universally wherever he passed. Jeweled lotus flowers rained down and immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of kinds of music were heard. He was surrounded by a great assembly of innumerable beings: humans and such nonhumans as devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas, each manifesting dignity and transcendent powers. He then arrived at Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa in the sahā world. He prostrated himself before Śākyamuni Buddha and circled around him to the right. He then addressed him, saying: “O Bhagavat! Afar in the land of the Buddha Ratnatejo’bhyudgatarāja I heard you expound the Lotus Sutra in this sahā world. I have come here to listen to you, together with the assembly of immeasurable and limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattvas. I entreat you, O Bhagavat, to teach us how the sons and daughters of a virtuous family may attain the Lotus Sutra after the parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgata.”

The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Samantabhadra: “After the parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgata the sons and daughters of a virtuous family will attain the Lotus Sutra if they achieve the four necessary accomplishments: the first is to be protected by the buddhas; the second is to plant roots of good merit; the third is to enter a group of those who are rightly resolute; and the fourth is to awaken the thought of saving all sentient beings. Those sons and daughters of a virtuous family will definitely attain this sutra after the parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgata if they perfect these four accomplishments.”

Then Bodhisattva Samantabhadra addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! If there are those who preserve this sutra in the troubled world of five hundred years after, I will protect them and rid them of their heavy cares, cause

them to attain happiness, and allow no one to strike at them through their weak-

nesses. I will not give Māra any chance to afflict them, nor the sons of Māra,

daughters of Māra, minions of Māra, those possessed by Māra, yakṣas, rākṣasas,

kumbhāṇḍas, piśācas, kṛtyas, pūtanas, or vetālas. If they recite this sutra, whether