妙法蓮華經 6.50

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,