妙法蓮華經 6

The Lotus Sutra 6

Language: English

6.7

other places—either dwelling in monasteries or tranquil places, cities, towns, villages, or forests—and teach what they have heard to their parents, relatives, good friends, and acquaintances according to the various capacities of these people. Having heard the teaching, they will rejoice and go on to teach it to others. These people having heard it will also joyfully teach it to others in turn, and so it continues in this way until it reaches the fiftieth person.

“O Ajita! I will now explain about the merit which this fiftieth son or daughter of a virtuous family acquires from joyful acceptance. You should listen attentively!

“Suppose that in the four hundreds of myriads of koṭis of incalculable worlds, there are sentient beings in the six transmigratory states and of the four modes of birth—born from an egg, born from the womb, from moisture, or born spontaneously—either with or without form, either with or without consciousness, either unconscious or not unconscious, having no legs, two, four, or many legs; and that, among the number of such beings, there is a person who seeks to acquire merit and gives pleasurable things to

these beings, according to their desire. He gives each of those sentient beings gold, silver, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, agate, coral, amber, and other treasures such as would fill this continent of Jambudvīpa, as well as elephant carts, horse carts, and palaces and towers made out of the seven treasures. Having performed such acts of giving for a full eighty years, this great donor thinks:

I have already given these sentient beings such pleasurable things as

they wished. Yet now these sentient beings are old and feeble. They are

over eighty years old, with white hair and wrinkles, and they will die

before long. I should now instruct them by means of the Buddha-Dharma.

“He immediately gathers these sentient beings together, inspires them by proclaiming the Dharma, and gladdens them by revealing its benefits. In an instant they all successively attain the first stage of the śrāvakas called stream-winner (srota-āpanna), the second stage called once-returner (sakṛdāgāmin) the third stage called non-returner (anāgāmin), and finally the stage of the arhat, free from corruption, entering profound meditations, gaining complete mastery of all, and attaining the eight liberations.

“What do you think about this? Has this great donor acquired abundant merit or not?”

Maitreya addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! The donor’s merit is extremely great, immeasurable and limitless. Even if this donor had only given all those pleasurable things to sentient beings, the merit would have been immeasurable. How much greater is this donor’s merit after having caused them to attain arhatship!”

The Buddha addressed Maitreya, saying: “I will now clarify this for you. This person has given all these pleasurable things to the sentient beings in the six states of existence in four hundreds of myriads of koṭis of incalculable worlds, and enabled them to attain arhatship. The merit he has attained cannot be compared with that of even the fiftieth person who, after hearing even a single verse of the Lotus Sutra, received it with joy. It would be even less than a hundredth, a thousandth, a hundred thousandth of a myriad of a koṭi of that person’s merit.

“O Ajita! In this way the merit attained by even the fiftieth person who rejoiced in hearing this Lotus Sutra is immeasurable, limitless, and incalcu-

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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

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In accordance with its teaching!

Their merit will thus be limitless.

The Benefits Obtained by

an Expounder of the Dharma

Thereupon the Buddha addressed Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Satatasamitābhiyukta, saying: “If sons or daughters of a virtuous family preserve this Lotus Sutra, recite, explain, and copy it, they will attain eight hundred qualities of the eye, twelve hundred qualities of the ear, eight hundred qualities of the nose, twelve hundred qualities of the tongue, eight hundred qualities of the body, and twelve hundred qualities of the mind. These qualities will adorn the six sense faculties, purifying them all. Through the natural bodily eyes given them by their parents, which are thus purified, those sons and daughters of a virtuous family will see the mountains, forests, rivers, and oceans both within and beyond the great manifold cosmos, all the way from the lowest hell up as far as the highest summit of the universe. They will also see all the sentient beings there, perceive and know the causes and consequences of their deeds and of their states of birth.”

Then the Bhagavat, wanting to elaborate upon the meaning of this further, spoke these verses:

Listen to the qualities

Of those in the great assembly

Who can fearlessly teach

This Lotus Sutra!

Such people will attain

The eight hundred qualities

Of the excellent eye.

Adorned with these qualities

Their eyes are extremely pure.

With the eyes given by their parents

They see both all the manifold cosmos,

Within and beyond Mount Meru, Sumeru, up to Mount Cakravāḍa,

And many other mountains,

Forests, oceans, rivers, and streams,

Down to the lowest hell

And up to the summit of the universe.

There they see all the sentient beings;

Although they have not yet

Attained the divine eyes,

Their power of sight will be like this.

“Furthermore, O Satatasamitābhiyukta, if sons or daughters of a virtu-

ous family preserve, recite, explain, or copy this sutra, they will attain the

twelve hundred qualities of the ear. Through their pure ears they will hear

both within and beyond the great manifold cosmos, down as far as the low-

est hell and up as high as the summit of the universe; they will hear all kinds

of voices and sounds, such as the sound of elephants, the neighing of horses,

the sound of cows and carts, cries, weeping, the sound of conches and drums,

gongs and bells, laughter, talking, male and female voices, the voices of boys

and girls, righteous and unrighteous voices, the sounds of suffering and hap-

piness, the voices of common and holy people, pleasant and unpleasant

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sounds; the voices of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas,

kiṃnaras, mahoragas, the sounds of fire, water, wind, beings in the hells,

animals, hungry ghosts, monks, nuns, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhi-

sattvas, and buddhas.

“In short, although they do not have the divine faculty of hearing, they

will always hear and know everything both within and beyond the great man-

ifold cosmos, through the purified, natural bodily ears given by their par-

ents. They distinguish all these various sounds and yet their faculty of hear-

ing remains unharmed.”

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

The ear, given by the parents,

Is pure and spotless;

With this natural ear

They hear the sounds of the manifold cosmos.

They hear the sounds of elephants,

Horses, carts and cows; The sounds of gongs, bells, conches, Drums, and vīṇās; The sounds of harps, bamboo pipes, and flutes; Pure and pleasing songs. And even though they hear these, They are not attached to them. They hear innumerable kinds of human voices, And yet they are able to discriminate them. Furthermore, they hear divine sounds, Subtle melodies, male and female voices, The sounds of boys and girls. They also hear the cries of the kalaviṅka And jīvakajīvaka birds in the mountains, Around the rivers, or in deep valleys. They hear as well various sounds of pain And suffering from the hells, And sounds of hungry ghosts, Who, suffering from hunger and thirst, Are in search of food and drink. When the asuras living along the ocean Speak to each other and utter great cries, Such expounders of the Dharma, living here, Hear all of these various voices from afar, And yet their faculty of hearing is unharmed. Those expounders of the Dharma Hear all birds and animals In the ten directions calling to each other. The expounders of the Dharma dwelling here Also hear the voices in the Ābhāsvara And Śubhakṛtsna Heavens above the Brahma world, All the way up to the summit of the universe. The expounders of the Dharma dwelling here

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Hear all of the monks and nuns Either reciting the sutra

Or explaining it to others.

They also hear such voices

As those of the bodhisattvas reciting the sutra,

Teaching it to others, compiling the collections,

And explaining their meaning to others.

Those who preserve this Lotus Sutra

Will all hear the buddhas, the great seers,

Teaching the subtle Dharma to the great assembly

And leading and inspiring sentient beings.

They will hear all the sounds

Both within and beyond the manifold cosmos,

Down to the lowest hell

And up to the summit of the universe;

And yet their faculty of hearing

Remains unharmed.

Because their faculty of hearing is keen,

They are able to discriminate these sounds.

Although those who preserve this Lotus Sutra

Have not yet attained the divine faculty of hearing,

They can simply use the ears given by their parents.

Their qualities are exactly like this.

“Furthermore, O Satatasamitābhiyukta, if sons or daughters of a good family preserve this sutra, recite, explain, or copy it, they will perfect the eight hundred qualities of the nose. With this pure faculty of the nose they will smell all kinds of fragrances both within and beyond the great manifold cosmos, such as the fragrance of sumanas, jāti, mallikā, campaka, pāṭala flowers, and red, blue, and white lotus flowers, the scent of blossoming and fruit-bearing trees like sandalwood, aloeswood, and tagara wood, the aroma of the leaves of the tamāla tree, thousands of myriads of sorts of fragrances of blended incense, either powdered, shaped into balls, or made into scented ointments. Those who preserve this sutra will be able to distinguish all of these fragrances while remaining in a single place. They will be able to distinguish the scents of sentient beings such as elephants, horses, cows, sheep, men and women, boys and girls, grasses, trees, and shrubs or any kind of

odor, either nearby or at a distance. They will also be able to unerringly distinguish all kinds of scents.

“Those who preserve this sutra, although they dwell here, can smell all kinds of divine fragrances in heaven, such as the fragrance of pāracitraka

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and kovidāra trees; māndārava, great māndārava, mañjūṣaka, and great mañjūṣaka flowers, or the fragrance of sandalwood and aloeswood powder and various kinds of powdered and blended incense. Among these divine fragrances, there is not one whose scent they cannot distinguish.

“They can smell the fragrance of the bodies of all the devas. They can also smell from afar the fragrance that is emitted when Śakra, the king of devas, is dwelling in his excellent palace, when he is enjoying the desires of the five senses, or the fragrance that is emitted when he is in the Sudharmā Hall teaching the Dharma to the thirty-three devas, or the fragrance that is emitted when he plays in the garden, or the fragrance of the bodies of all the other male and female devas.

“In this way their faculty of smell reaches up to the Brahma world and to the highest summit of the universe, wherein they can smell the bodies of the devas and the incense the devas burn. They can also smell from afar the fragrance of the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas and know where they are.

“Although they can smell all these fragrances, their faculty of smell will not be harmed or misled; and if they want to discriminate and explain these different fragrances to others, they remember them without error.”

At that time the Bhagavat, wanting to elaborate the meaning of this further, spoke these verses:

Their faculty of smell is pure.

They can smell and discriminate

All kinds of good and bad odors

In this world, such as sumanas

And jāti flowers, tamāla leaves,

Sandalwood, aloeswood, and tagara trees,

And various fruits and flowers.

And they also know the fragrance

Of sentient beings, men and women.

The Dharma teachers, although dwelling afar,

Know where these fragrances come from.

They smell the scents of the noble emperors

Of great dignity, the lesser rulers

And their children, subjects and attendants,

And know where they are.

They can smell the fragrance of the rare jewels

That they wear, their underground treasuries,

And the noble emperor’s bejeweled queens,

And also know where they are.

They can also smell the ornaments, garments,

And necklaces with which people adorn themselves

And the fragrances they anoint themselves with,

And know who wears them.

Those who preserve this Lotus Sutra can smell

The fragrance of the devas and tell

Whether they are walking, sitting,

Playing, or transforming themselves.

Although they dwell here,

Those who preserve this sutra,

Know the location of the fragrances

Of various flowers, fruits, and oils in detail.

They can smell the scent of sentient beings,

Either deep in dangerous mountains,

Or where the sandalwood flowers are in bloom,

And know where they are.

Those who preserve this sutra

Can smell the scents of sentient beings,

Either on Mount Cakravāḍa,

In the ocean or underground,

And know exactly where they are.

They can also smell the scents of the male

And female asuras and their attendants;

And they can discriminate them,

When they are fighting or when at play.

They can also smell the odors of lions, Elephants, tigers, wolves, buffaloes, And water buffaloes dwelling in dangerous Precipitous places in the wilderness, And know where they are. They can smell and discriminate exactly The scent of a pregnant woman And determine whether the embryo Will be male or female, Without sex organs, or nonhuman. Through this power of smell They know in the first instance If the woman is pregnant, And whether or not It will be carried to full term; And if she will give birth easily, And to a happy child. Through this power of the faculty of smell They know what men and women are thinking, Their desires, delusions, and anger, Or whether they cultivate goodness. They can also smell gold, silver, And various rare treasures hidden underground, As well as the contents of copper vessels, And completely distinguish them. They can smell various necklaces And know whether they are valuable or not, Even when their prices are undetermined, Where they come from and where they are now. They can smell and know all about Divine flowers such as māndārava And mañjūṣaka flowers and pārijāta trees. They can also smell and discriminate The difference between superior, Mediocre, and inferior fragrances

Of heavenly palaces adorned With various jeweled flowers. They can also smell and know exactly About those who take pleasure In the heavenly gardens, excellent palaces, Towers and Dharma halls. Moreover, they can smell and know exactly Whether the devas are listening to the Dharma, Are enjoying the desires of the five senses, Or whether they are coming, going, Walking, sitting, or lying. They can also smell and know every detail of The garments worn by the heavenly maidens, Giving off the fragrance of beautiful flowers, And where those maidens ramble in their play. In this way their power of smell reaches All the way up to the Brahma world. They can smell and know exactly The devas entering meditation and Emerging from meditation.

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They can also smell All the way from the Ābhāsvara And Śubhakṛtsna Heavens Up to the highest summit of the universe, And know exactly Who has been born there for the first time And who has emerged. Those who preserve this sutra can Smell the monks and know exactly where they are, If they are constantly persevering toward the Dharma, If they are either sitting or walking, Reciting this sutra; Or if they are diligently Meditating under forest trees. They can also smell and know exactly

If a bodhisattva is firm in intention,

Meditating or reciting the sutra,

Or teaching the Dharma to others.

They can also smell and know exactly

If the Bhagavat is being honored by all,

And if he is teaching the Dharma

Out of his compassion for sentient beings.

Moreover, they can smell and know exactly

If the sentient beings in the presence

Of the Buddha are joyfully listening

To the sutra, and are practicing

According to the Dharma.

Those who preserve this sutra

Will attain a faculty of smell such as this,

Even before the bodhisattva’s faculty of smell

That is attained from the incorruptible Dharma.

“Furthermore, O Satatasamitābhiyukta, if sons and daughters of a virtuous family preserve, recite, explain, or copy this sutra, they will attain the twelve hundred qualities of the tongue. All that they taste, whether of good or bad flavor, savory or bland, bitter or astringent, will, through their pure faculty of tongue, come to taste just like the heavenly nectar of immortality, and they will find nothing unpleasant.

“If they expound the teaching to the great multitude with their tongues, their voices will be profound and touch the heart. All those in this multitude will be gladdened and pleased.

“Furthermore, Śakra, Brahma and other devaputras and heavenly maidens, hearing a sequence of their teaching expounded with such profound voices, will all come to hear it. Dragons, the daughters of nāgas, yakṣas, the daughters of yakṣas, gandharvas, the daughters of gandharvas, asuras, the daughters of asuras, garuḍas, the daughters of garuḍas, kiṃnaras, the daughters of kiṃnaras, mahoragas, and the daughters of mahoragas will all approach, respect, and honor them in order to listen to their teaching. The monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, kings and princes, ministers and their attendants, and the lesser noble emperors and great noble emperors adorned with the seven

treasures and their thousand princes and their attendants of the inner and outer

households will enter the palace and listen to the teaching.

“Since these bodhisattvas expound the teaching skillfully, the brahmans,

householders, and the people of their land will attend and honor such bodhi-

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sattvas until the end of their lives. All the śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhi-

sattvas, and buddhas will always wish to see them.

“Wherever this person may be, he will teach the Dharma in the pres-

ence of the buddhas there. He will thus be able to preserve the Buddha-

Dharma entirely as well as utter the profound word of the Dharma.”

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

Such people, through their pure faculty of taste,

Will never taste bad flavors.

Whatever they eat

Will all become the nectar of immortality.

With their profound, subtle voice

They will teach the Dharma to the great assembly.

With various explanations and illustrations

Their teaching will touch the hearts of sentient beings.

All those who hear them will be gladdened

And honor them with the best offerings.

All the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, and asuras

Will come together and listen with respect

To the Dharma.

If these expounders of the Dharma want

Their subtle voice to penetrate

Throughout the manifold cosmos,

It will reach wherever they wish.

The great and lesser noble emperors,

And their thousand princes and attendants,

Will always come and listen to the Dharma

With their palms pressed together

And with respectful thoughts.

All the devas, nāgas, yakṣas,

Rākṣasas, and piśācas

With joyful minds will also always

Rejoice to come and honor them.

All the devas,

Such as Brahma, Māra, Īśvara, Maheśvara,

Will always come to them.

All the buddhas and their disciples,

Hearing the sound of his teaching,

Will always remember and protect him,

And at times appear in his presence.

“Furthermore, O Satatasamitābhiyukta, those sons and daughters of a virtuous family who preserve, recite, explain, and copy this sutra will attain eight hundred qualities of the body. Their bodies will be as pure as clear lapis lazuli and sentient beings will gladly look upon them. Because of this purity of body, everything will appear therein: the sentient beings in the great manifold cosmos, when they are born or die, whether they are superior or inferior, whether they are fair or ugly, whether they are in the good or bad states of being. The mountain kings, such as Mount Cakravāḍa, Mount Mahācakravāḍa, Mount Meru, or Mount Mahāmeru, as well as all the sentient beings who dwell there, will all appear in their body. All those who dwell down as far as the lowest hell and up as high as the summit of the universe will appear in their body. Wherever those śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhi-

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sattvas, or buddhas are, the buddhas teach the Dharma; and will appear with their physical images in their body.”

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

Their bodies are extremely pure

Like clear lapis lazuli.

All those sentient beings

Who preserve the Lotus Sutra

Will gladly look upon them.

Just as all physical images

Reflect in a clear mirror,

The bodhisattvas will see in their own bodies

Everything in this world.

They alone see it,

While no one else does.

All those sentient beings, devas, humans,

Asuras, hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts,

Or animals in the manifold cosmos

Will also appear in this body

With their physical images.

All the heavenly palaces

Which reach as high as the top of the universe,

Mount Cakravāḍa, Mount Meru, Mount Mahāmeru

And the oceans will appear in their bodies.

Those buddhas, śrāvakas, or bodhisattvas,

Heirs of the buddhas,

Who are either alone

Or who teach the Dharma to the assembly,

Will all appear in their body.

Even though they have not yet attained

The Dharma body,

Which is subtle and without corruption,

Everything in this world

Will appear in their pure physical bodies.

“Furthermore, O Satatasamitābhiyukta, a son or a daughter of a virtuous family who preserves, recites, explains, or copies this sutra, after the parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgata will attain twelve hundred qualities of the mind. Through their pure faculty of mind, on hearing but a single verse or a single line, they will become versed in the immeasurable and limitless meaning.

“If, after having understood this meaning, they teach a single line or a single verse for the period of one month, four months, or one year, all the teachings they expound will be entirely characterized by the mark of truth, in accordance with its meaning.

“If they teach the works on worldly affairs, treatises on political science or enterprise, all these will be in harmony with the True Dharma. They will completely know the minds of those sentient beings who pass through the six transmigratory states in the great manifold cosmos—their workings,

shifts, and fallacies—even though they have not yet attained the uncorrupted wisdom. Their faculty of mind will be pure just like this.

“Whatever this person contemplates, judges, or expounds will be nothing but the True Buddha-Dharma, which has also been taught in the sutras by previous buddhas.”

Thereupon the Bhagavat, wanting to elaborate the meaning of this further, spoke these verses:

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The minds of such people are pure

And transparent without impurity.

Through their faculty of intellect

They will know the superior,

Mediocre and inferior teachings.

On hearing a single verse,

They will thoroughly penetrate

The immeasurable meaning.

Thus they will teach the Dharma little by little

For a period of one month,

Four months, or one year.

As the result of preserving the Lotus Sutra,

They will instantly know

What all the sentient beings,

Inside and outside this world,

Such as devas, nāgas, humans, yakṣas, rākṣasas,

And those who dwell in the six transmigratory states,

Think in their various ways.

They will hear and completely preserve the Dharma

Which the innumerable buddhas in the ten directions,

Who are possessed of the marks of a hundred merits,

Teach for the sake of sentient beings.

They contemplate the immeasurable meaning

And they teach the Dharma in immeasurable ways;

They will neither forget nor be confused

From the beginning to the end

Because they preserve the Lotus Sutra.

They will completely know All aspects of all dharmas, And discern the meaning According to the sequence. They will be versed in names and words And expound in accordance with this knowledge. What they teach is the Dharma That has all been taught By the buddhas of the past. Because they expound this Dharma, They will have no fear among the people. Those who preserve the Lotus Sutra possess The pure faculty of mind just like this. Even though they have not yet attained The stage of noncorruption, They will previously have had The characteristics described above. These people preserve this sutra And dwell in the marvelous stage; All the sentient beings will rejoice And revere them. They will illuminate and explain the teaching With thousands of myriads of koṭis of skillful words Because they preserve the Lotus Sutra.

Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta

Thereupon the Buddha addressed Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Mahāsthāmaprāpta: “You should know that, as I have previously explained, those who revile, disparage, or slander monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who preserve the Lotus Sutra will sow a bitter harvest; as I have just taught, the merit attained by preserving the Lotus Sutra will result in the pure faculties of the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

“O Mahāsthāmaprāpta, in the past, immeasurable, limitless, inconceivable and incalculable kalpas ago, there was a buddha called Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja, a Tathāgata, Arhat, Completely Enlightened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Departed, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed, Tamer of Humans, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Bhagavat. His land was called Mahāsaṃbhavā and the kalpa was named Vinirbhoga. The Buddha Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja expounded the Dharma for the devas, humans, and asuras in his world.

“To those who sought the śrāvaka vehicle he expounded the Dharma in accordance with the Four Noble Truths, ferried them from birth, old age, illness, and death, and ultimately led them to nirvana. To those who sought the pratyekabuddha vehicle, he expounded the Dharma in accordance with the twelve-linked chain of dependent origination. To the bodhisattvas he expounded the Dharma in accordance with the six perfections, with reference to highest, complete enlightenment, and led them to the Buddha’s wisdom.

“O Mahāsthāmaprāpta, the lifespan of the Buddha Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja was as kalpas equal to forty myriads of koṭis of nayutas of sands of the Ganges River. The True Dharma abided for kalpas equal to the number of particles in Jambudvīpa. The Semblance Dharma abided for kalpas equal to the number of particles in the four continents. After having benefited the sentient beings, the Buddha entered parinirvāṇa. After the extinction of the True and Semblance Dharmas, there appeared in this land another buddha who was also called Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja, a Tathāgata, Arhat, Completely Enlightened,

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Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Departed, Knower of the World,

Unsurpassed, Tamer of Humans, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha,

Bhagavat. In this way there appeared two myriads of koṭis of buddhas one

after another, all of whom had the same name.

“After the parinirvāṇa of the first Tathāgata Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja, there

were excessively proud and overbearing monks in the Age of the Semblance

Dharma, after the True Dharma had been extinguished. At that time there was

also a monk, a bodhisattva, called Sadāparibhūta (Never Despising).

“O Mahāsthāmaprāpta, why was he called Sadāparibhūta? Because

whenever he saw any monk, nun, layman, or laywoman, he would praise

and pay homage to them, saying:

I deeply respect you. I dare not belittle you. Why is this? Because all

of you practice the bodhisattva path, and will become buddhas.

“Furthermore, this monk did not concentrate himself on reciting the sutras

but only paid homage such that, even when he saw the fourfold assembly

from afar, he would go up to them, praise, and pay homage to them, saying:

I dare not belittle you, because you will all become buddhas.

“In the fourfold assembly there were some whose minds were impure

and who became angry, and reviled and disparaged him, saying:

Where does this ignorant monk come from? He says that he himself

does not belittle us and predicts that we shall all become buddhas. We

do not need such an idle prediction.

“In this way he wandered about for many years and was always reviled.

But he never got angry and always said, ‘You will become a buddha.’

“Whenever he spoke these words, people would assail him with sticks

or stones; he fled from them yet still proclaimed loudly at a distance:

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I dare not belittle you. You will all become buddhas.

“Since he always spoke these words, the excessively proud monks, nuns,

laymen, and laywomen called him Sadāparibhūta. When this monk was about

to die, he heard in the air twenty thousands of myriads of koṭis of verses of

the Lotus Sutra expounded previously by the Buddha Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja

and, completely preserving them, he attained the purity of the eye, and the purity of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind that were described before. After having attained these pure faculties, his lifespan increased two hundreds of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of years and he taught this Lotus Sutra to the people far and wide.

“Then those excessively proud monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen in the fourfold assembly who had despised him and called him Sadāparibhūta saw that he had attained great transcendent powers, the power of joy in eloquence, and the power of great virtuous meditation. Hearing his teaching, all of them believed and followed him.

“Furthermore, this bodhisattva inspired a thousand myriads of koṭis of sentient beings and caused them to abide in highest, complete enlightenment. After his death, he met two thousand koṭis of buddhas, all of whom were called Candrasūryapradīpa. In accordance with his teaching he expounded this Lotus Sutra, and for this reason met another two thousand koṭis of buddhas, all of whom were called Meghasvararāja. He preserved and recited this sutra in accordance with the teaching of these buddhas and expounded it for the sake of the fourfold assembly. Thus he attained purity of the natural eye and purity of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, and taught the Dharma to the fourfold assembly without fear.

“O Mahāsthāmaprāpta, this Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Sadāparibhūta respected, honored, praised, and paid homage to all these buddhas. Having planted roots of good merit, he again met thousands of myriads of koṭis of buddhas; and he expounded this sutra over again in accordance with the teaching of those buddhas. Having perfected his merits he attained buddhahood.

“O Mahāsthāmaprāpta, what do you think about this? Was Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta of that time someone unknown to you? He was none other than I myself. If I had not preserved and recited this sutra and taught it to others in my previous lives, I would not have swiftly attained highest, complete enlightenment. Because I preserved and recited this sutra and taught it to others in the presence of previous buddhas, I swiftly attained highest, complete enlightenment.

“O Mahāsthāmaprāpta, then the fourfold assembly of monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who became angry and disparaged me, did not, as a consequence, meet a buddha for two hundred koṭis of kalpas, nor did they

hear the Dharma or see the Sangha. They suffered greatly in the Avīci Hell

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for a thousand kalpas. After having been freed from the consequences of

their errors they finally met Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta, who led and inspired

them to highest, complete enlightenment.

“O Mahāsthāmaprāpta, what do you think about this? Were those in the

fourfold assembly of that time who disparaged this bodhisattva persons

unknown to you? They are the five hundred bodhisattvas in this assembly,

beginning with Bhadrapāla, the five hundred nuns beginning with Siṃha-

candrā, and the five hundred laymen beginning with Sugatacetanā, all of

whom will never turn back on the path to highest, complete enlightenment.

“O Mahāsthāmaprāpta, know that this Lotus Sutra will greatly benefit

the bodhisattva mahāsattvas and lead them to highest, complete enlighten-

ment. For this reason, after the Tathāgata’s parinirvāṇa the bodhisattva

mahāsattvas should always preserve, recite, explain, and copy this sutra.”

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

In the past there was a buddha

Called Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja.

He had immeasurable transcendent powers,

Led and guided all sentient beings,

And was paid homage by devas, humans, and nāgas.

After the parinirvāṇa of this buddha,

When the True Dharma faced extinction,

There was a bodhisattva called Sadāparibhūta.

At that time the fourfold assembly

Was becoming attached

To its own interpretation of the Dharma.

Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta

Would approach them and say:

I do not belittle you;

Practice the path

And you will all become buddhas.

After hearing this,

All the people insulted and disparaged him;

But Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta Patiently bore this. As he neared the time of his death, When he had expiated his past errors, He was able to hear this sutra, And his six sense faculties became pure. Through his transcendent powers He prolonged his life And explained this sutra far and wide, Acting, once again, for the benefit of others. Those who were attached To their own interpretations of the Dharma Were led and inspired by this bodhisattva And were enabled to abide Within the buddha path. After the end of his life, Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta Met innumerable buddhas. Because he explained this sutra, He attained immeasurable happiness. Gradually accumulating his merits, He quickly attained the buddha path. The Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta of that time Was none other than I. Because the fourfold assembly, Which was then attached to Particular aspects of the Dharma, Heard Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta say:

You will all become buddhas,

They have since met innumerable buddhas. Those people are none other Than the five hundred bodhisattvas And laymen and laywomen of pure belief Who are now gathered before me

In this assembly to hear the Dharma.

In my previous lives I taught them

And led them to hear and accept this sutra,

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Which is the ultimate Dharma.

I revealed it and taught it to others,

And caused them to abide in nirvana.

Throughout many lifetimes they preserved and kept

A sutra such as this.

Only after myriads of koṭis of koṭis

Of kalpas have passed,

A time inconceivable,

Can they hear this Lotus Sutra.

Only after myriads of koṭis of koṭis

Of kalpas have passed,

A time inconceivable,

Do the Buddha Bhagavats

Expound this sutra.

For this reason, all you practitioners

Who hear this sutra

After the nirvana of the Buddha

Should feel no doubt about it.

You must wholeheartedly

Expound this sutra far and wide.

You will then meet the buddhas lifetime after lifetime

And quickly attain the buddha path.

The Transcendent Powers

of the Tathāgata

Thereupon the bodhisattva mahāsattvas equal to the number of particles in the great manifold cosmos, who had emerged from the earth, all in the presence of the Buddha gazed singlemindedly at his face with their palms pressed together, and spoke to the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat, after the parinirvāṇa of the Buddha, we will teach this sutra extensively in the lands of the Bhagavat’s separate forms, at the time of his extinction. Why is this? Because we also wish to attain this true, pure, great Dharma, and to preserve, recite, explain, copy, and make offerings to it.”

Then the Bhagavat manifested his great transcendent powers in the presence of Mañjuśrī and other immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattva mahāsattvas who had long lived in this sahā world, such humans and nonhumans as monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas.

He put out his wide and long tongue which reached upward to the Brahma world. He emitted innumerable and immeasurable colored rays of light from all his pores and universally illuminated the worlds of the ten directions.

All the buddhas sitting on the lion seats under the jeweled trees also put out their wide and long tongues and emitted immeasurable rays of light in the same way. Śākyamuni Buddha and the other buddhas under the jeweled trees manifested transcendent powers while fully hundreds of thousands of years passed.

After this they drew back their tongues, coughed, and snapped their fingers together in unison. Those two sounds penetrated throughout the various buddha worlds of the ten directions and the earth quaked in six ways.

Through the transcendent powers of the Buddha, all the sentient beings in these worlds—humans and such nonhumans as devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas—saw all the buddhas

sitting on the lion seats under the immeasurable, limitless hundreds of thou-

sands of myriads of koṭis of jeweled trees in this sahā world.

They saw Śākyamuni Buddha sitting on the lion seat in the jeweled

stupa, together with Tathāgata Prabhūtaratna. They also saw immeasurable,

6.50

limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattva mahāsattvas

and the fourfold assembly respectfully surrounding Śākyamuni Buddha.

After seeing this, they all rejoiced greatly at having attained this unprece-

dented experience. At the same time all the devas spoke loudly while in the

air, saying: “Beyond these immeasurable, limitless hundreds of thousands

of myriads of koṭis of incalculable worlds, there is a land called Sahā. In it

is a buddha called Śākyamuni. For the sake of the bodhisattva mahāsattvas

he now teaches the Mahayana sutra called the Lotus Sutra, the instruction

for bodhisattvas and treasured lore of the buddhas. You should rejoice deeply.

You should also honor and pay homage to Śākyamuni Buddha.”

Hearing this voice in the air, all those sentient beings pressed their palms

together, faced the sahā world and said: “We take refuge in Śākyamuni

Buddha. We take refuge in Śākyamuni Buddha.”

All of them scattered various kinds of flowers, incense, necklaces, ban-

ners, canopies, ornaments, jewels, and other beautiful things over the sahā

world from afar. All that had been scattered formed together from the ten

directions like a cloud and was transformed into a jeweled screen that cov-

ered all the buddhas. Then the worlds of the ten directions became pellucid,

without obstruction, as if they were one buddha land.

Thereupon the Buddha addressed the great assembly of bodhisattvas,

beginning with Viśiṣṭacāritra:

“The transcendent powers of the buddhas are as immeasurable, limit-

less, and inconceivable as this. Yet if I were to use these transcendent pow-

ers to teach the benefits of this sutra so that it would be entrusted to you for

immeasurable, limitless, hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of incal-

culable kalpas, I would not be able to reach the end of these qualities. To

sum up, in this sutra I have clearly revealed and taught all the teachings of

the Tathāgata, all the transcendent powers of the Tathāgata, all the treasure

houses of the hidden essence of the Tathāgata, and all the profound aspects

of the Tathāgata. For this reason, after the parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgata, you

should wholeheartedly preserve, recite, explain, and copy it, and practice

according to the teaching. Those who accept, recite, explain, and copy it, and practice according to the teaching, in whichever land they may be, in a place where the sutra abides—either in a garden, a forest, under a tree, in a monk’s chamber, in a layman’s house, in a palace, on a mountain, in a valley, or in the wilderness—in all of these places they should erect and pay homage to a monument. Why is this? Because you should know that these places are the terraces of enlightenment where all the buddhas have attained highest, complete enlightenment, where all the buddhas have turned the wheel of the Dharma, and where all the buddhas entered parinirvāṇa.”

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

The buddhas, world-inspirers,

Abiding in their great transcendent powers,

Manifest this immeasurable power

In order to gladden sentient beings.

Their tongues reach up to the Brahma world

And they emit innumerable rays of light

From their bodies.

They manifest this marvel

For those who seek for the buddha path.

The coughing and snapping sounds

Of the buddhas are universally heard

In the lands of the ten directions.

The earth quakes in six ways.

Because this sutra can be preserved

After the nirvana of the Buddha,

All the buddhas rejoice and manifest

Their immeasurable transcendent powers.

Even if, for immeasurable kalpas,

They praise those who preserve this sutra,

In order to entrust it,

They will not reach the limit of their merit.

The qualities of those people are

Limitless and endless,

Just like the boundless sky

In the ten directions. Those who preserve this sutra Have already seen me, The Buddha Prabhūtaratna, And the various magically created forms; And today they see all the bodhisattvas I have led and inspired up until now. Those who preserve this sutra Will gladden me, my magically created forms, As well as the Buddha Prabhūtaratna Who has entered nirvana. They will also see, gladden, and pay homage to The past and future buddhas, and those who are present In the ten directions. Those who preserve this sutra Will before long attain the Dharma, The hidden essence, Which was attained by the buddhas Seated upon the terrace of enlightenment. Those who preserve this sutra Will explain the meaning of the Dharma, The names and phrases, joyfully and with undying vigor, Like the wind in the sky That has no obstruction whatsoever. After the parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgata, They will know the causes and conditions And the sequences of the sutras Taught by the Buddha, And will explain the truth In accordance with its meaning. As the light of the sun and moon Eliminates the darkness, These people practicing in the world Will extinguish the blindness of sentient beings, Teaching innumerable bodhisattvas

To dwell ultimately in the single vehicle. For this reason, The wise, hearing of the benefits of these merits,

6.53

Should preserve this sutra After my nirvana. Those people will be resolute and will Unwaveringly follow the buddha path.

Chapter XXII

Entrustment

Thereupon, having arisen from the Dharma seat and manifested his great transcendent powers, Śākyamuni Buddha caressed the heads of the innumerable bodhisattva mahāsattvas with his right hand, and addressed them, saying: “For immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of incalculable kalpas, I practiced this Dharma of highest, complete enlightenment, which is hard to attain. I now entrust it to you. You should wholeheartedly spread this teaching and so extensively benefit others.”

Having caressed the heads of the bodhisattva mahāsattvas three times in this way, he further addressed them, saying: “For immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of incalculable kalpas, I practiced this Dharma of highest, complete enlightenment, which is hard to attain. I now entrust it to you. You should preserve and recite it. You should spread this teaching extensively. You should let all the sentient beings hear and know it. Why is this? Because with his great compassion, unstinting and unafraid, the Tathāgata gives the wisdom of the Buddha, the wisdom of the Tathāgata, and the knowledge of the self-arising one to the sentient beings. The Tathāgata is nothing but the great donor to all the sentient beings. You should accordingly practice the teaching of the Tathāgata. Never allow the thought of avarice to awaken in you! If there are sons and daughters of a virtuous family who believe in the wisdom of the Tathāgata in the future, you should expound this Lotus Sutra; and let them hear and know it so that they may attain the wisdom of the Buddha. If there are sentient beings who do not accept it, you should reveal, teach, benefit, and gladden them with the other profound teachings of the Tathāgata. If you do this, you will repay your indebtedness to the Buddha.”

Having heard the Buddha teach this, all the bodhisattva mahāsattvas were filled with joy, inclined their bodies, bowed their heads with increased respect, and, with their palms pressed together, faced the buddhas and uttered these words: “We will certainly do as the Bhagavat directs us. O Bhagavat, we entreat you to feel no anxiety.”

All the bodhisattva mahāsattvas uttered these words three times in this

way, saying: “We will do as the Bhagavat directs us. O Bhagavat, we entreat

you to feel no anxiety.”

At that time, in order to cause all the buddhas who were his magically

created forms and who had come from the ten directions to return to their

own lands, Śākyamuni Buddha said this: “All the buddhas should be at ease.

The Buddha Prabhūtaratna will be restored as before.”

When he said this, all the innumerable buddhas in their magically cre-

ated forms from the ten directions sitting on the lion seats under the jeweled

First 16 of 24 passages. Read on

Translations (1)

English (machine translation) — English, machine translation

Linked texts (1)

妙法蓮華經 — Classical Chinese