[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Buddhist Sanskrit literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit) › [Mahāyāna sūtras](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra) › [Saddharmapuṇḍarīkasūtra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika) › [妙法蓮華經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva) › [The Lotus Sutra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk) › 7 # 妙法蓮華經 7 The Lotus Sutra 7 - **Language:** English ### [7.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.4) puṇyasamuccaya, prasādavatī, ṛddhivikrīḍita, jñānolkā, vyūharāja, vimalaprabhāsa, vimalagarbha, apkṛtsna, and sūryāvarta. He thus attained great samādhis equal in number to the sands of hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of Ganges Rivers. As the light of the Buddha Śākyamuni illuminated his body, he addressed the Buddha Kamaladalavimalanakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, saying: “O Bhagavat! I shall go to the sahā world, approach the Buddha Śākyamuni in homage and reverence, and see Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the Prince of the Dharma, as well as Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja, Bodhisattva Pradānaśūra, Bodhisattva Nakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, Bodhisattva Viśiṣṭacāritra, Bodhisattva Vyūharāja, and Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyasamudgata.” Then the Buddha Kamaladalavimalanakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña addressed Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara, saying: “You must not despise that world nor think it inferior. O son of a virtuous family! The land of that sahā world is uneven and irregular and is filled with mud, stones, mountains, and filth. The Buddha is short of body, as are the bodhisattvas. By contrast, your body is forty-two thousand yojanas tall, and my body is six million eight hundred thousand yojanas tall. Your body is perfect in its bearing and illu- minated most beautifully with hundreds of millions of merits. Yet, when you go there you must not despise that country nor think the Buddha, bodhi- sattvas, or the world itself inferior.” The Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bha- gavat! I am now going to the sahā world through the power of the Tathā- gata, the carefree play of the transcendent powers of the Tathāgata, and the adornment of the qualities and wisdom of the Tathāgata.” At that time Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara, without rising from his seat or moving his body, entered samādhi. Through the power of the samādhi he caused eighty-four thousand jeweled lotus flowers to appear on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa, not far from the seat of the Dharma. The stems were made of Jambūnāda gold, the leaves of silver, the pistils of diamond, and the calyces of ruby. On seeing these lotus flowers, Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the Prince of the Dharma, addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! Why has this marvel appeared? There are a great many millions of lotus flowers, whose stems are made of Jambūnāda gold, leaves of silver, pistils of diamond, and calyces of ruby.” The Buddha Śākyamuni answered Mañjuśrī, saying: “The Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara wishes to come to this sahā world from the buddha world called Kamaladalavimalanakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, together with eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas as his retinue. He approaches me in hom- age and reverence, wishing to make offerings and to hear the Lotus Sutra.” Mañjuśrī asked the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! What roots of good merit has he planted, and what merits has he practiced to attain his great tran- ### [7.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.9) scendent powers? What kind of samādhi has he practiced? I entreat you to tell us the name of this samādhi. We wish to practice it with diligence. By practicing this samādhi we wish to see the shape, appearance, size, and manner of this bodhisattva. I entreat you, O Bhagavat, to use your transcendent powers and let us see the appearance of that bodhisattva.” Then, the Buddha Śākyamuni spoke to Mañjuśrī, saying: “The Tathāgata Prabhūtaratna, who long ago entered parinirvāṇa, will manifest the signs for you.” At that time the Buddha Prabhūtaratna addressed that bodhisattva, saying: “Come, O son of a virtuous family! Mañjuśrī, the Prince of the Dharma, wishes to see you.” Thereupon Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara disappeared from his world and arrived together with eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas. In the worlds through which he passed, the land quaked in six ways, seven-jeweled lotus flowers rained everywhere, and hundreds of thousands of heavenly musical instruments sounded spontaneously without being played. The eyes of this bodhisattva were as large as blue lotus leaves. Even if hundreds of thousands of myriads of moons were gathered together they would not exceed the beauty of his countenance. His body was pure gold in color, adorned with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of merits, radiant with virtuous dignity, and brilliantly illuminated like the adamantine body of the god Nārāyaṇa. Having entered the seven-jeweled platform and ascended into the air, he flew above the earth at a height of seven tāla trees. Surrounded by respectful bodhisattvas, he arrived at Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa in this sahā world and descended from the seven-jeweled terrace. He came before the Buddha Śākyamuni with a necklace worth hundreds of thousands in his hand and bowed until his forehead reached the Buddha’s feet. He presented the necklace to the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! The Buddha Kamaladalavimalanakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña inquires of the Bhagavat: Are you without illness or pain? Is your daily life pleasant? Are you at ease in practice? Is the world around you harmonious? Are your worldly affairs bearable? Is it easy to save sentient beings? Are they not filled with greed, anger, foolishness, avarice, and pride? Are they mindful of their parents? Do they respect śrāmaṇas? Do they not have false views or erring thoughts? Do they control the desires of their five senses? O Bhagavat! Do the sentient beings conquer māras? Has the Tathāgata Prabhūtaratna sitting in the seven-jeweled stupa long after his parinirvāṇa come here to hear the Dharma? Furthermore, he inquired of the Tathāgata Prabhūtaratna, saying: “Are you at ease and without pain? O Bhagavat! Will your life be long and endured with patience? I now wish to see the body of the Buddha Prabhūtaratna. I entreat you, O Bhagavat, to manifest and show it to me.” At that time the Buddha Śākyamuni said to the Buddha Prabhūtaratna: “This Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara wants to see you.” Then, the Buddha Prabhūtaratna addressed Gadgadasvara, saying: “Splen- did! Splendid! You have paid homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni and heard ### [7.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.13) the Lotus Sutra, and have come here in order to see Mañjuśrī and others.” Thereupon Bodhisattva Padmaśrī addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bha- gavat! What roots of good merit has this Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara planted, and what merits has he practiced to attain these transcendent powers?” The Buddha answered Bodhisattva Padmaśrī, saying: “In the past there was the Buddha called Meghadundubhisvararāja, a Tathāgata, Arhat, Com- pletely Enlightened. His world was called Sarvarūpasaṃdarśana and the kalpa was called Priyadarśana. For a period of twelve thousand years Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara paid homage to the Buddha Meghadundubhisvararāja with a hundred thousand kinds of music and eighty-four thousand seven-jeweled bowls. As a result of his deeds he was born in the world of the Buddha Kamala- dalavimalanakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña and has attained his transcendent powers. O Padmaśrī! What do you think about this? Is Bodhisattva Gadgada- svara, who paid homage to the Buddha Meghadundubhisvararāja with music and jeweled vessels, someone unknown? Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Gadga- dasvara here present is one and the same. O Padmaśrī! Having closely and respectfully attended innumerable buddhas and planted roots of good merit over a long time, this Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara met hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of buddhas equal in number to the sands of the Ganges River. O Padmaśrī! You think that the body of Bodhisattva Gadgada- svara exists only here; however, this bodhisattva manifests himself in vari- ous bodies. He has thus taught this sutra in many places for the sake of the sentient beings. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of Brahma. Some- times he has appeared in the form of Śakra. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of Īśvara. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of Maheśvara. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of the great commander of the devas. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of Vaiśravaṇa. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a noble emperor. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a minor king. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a wealthy man. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a householder. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a state official. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a brahman. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a monk, nun, layman, or laywoman. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of the wife of a wealthy man or a householder. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of the wife of a state official. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of the wife of a brahman. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a boy or a girl. Sometimes he has appeared in the form of a human, or a nonhuman such as a deva, nāga, yakṣa, gandharva, asura, garuḍa, kiṃnara, or mahoraga. “In this way he has expounded this sutra and saved those in the states of being of hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts, animals, and those in difficult circumstances. Sometimes he has transformed himself into a female in royal harems and taught this sutra. O Padmaśrī! This Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara saves all sentient beings in the sahā world. This Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara has transformed himself into various forms and taught this sutra for the sake of all sentient beings. Nevertheless, his transcendent power has never ### [7.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.17) decreased, nor his power of transformation or his wisdom. This bodhisattva illuminates the sahā world with his great wisdom and causes every sentient being to attain what should be known. He does exactly the same in all the worlds of the ten directions, which are equal in number to the sands of the Ganges River. If he is able to save them in the form of a śrāvaka, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a śrāvaka. If he is able to save them in the form of a pratyekabuddha, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a pratyekabuddha. If he is able to save them in the form of a bodhisattva, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a bodhisattva. If he is able to save them in the form of a buddha, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a buddha. Thus he transforms himself in various ways according to the capacities of those who are to be saved. If he is able to save them by means of parinirvāṇa, he manifests parinirvāṇa to them. O Padmaśrī! Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Gadgadasvara has achieved his transcendent powers and the power of wisdom in just such a manner.” Thereupon, Bodhisattva Padmaśrī addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! Deep are the roots of good merit that this Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara has planted! O Bhagavat! In what samādhi did this bodhisattva dwell, such that he was able to appear in various places in this way, and bring sentient beings to the path?” The Buddha answered Bodhisattva Padmaśrī, saying: “O son of a virtuous family! That samādhi was called sarvarūpasaṃdarśana. Dwelling in this samādhi, Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara has benefited innumerable sentient beings in this way.” When this chapter “Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara,” was being taught, those eighty-four thousand people who had come with Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara attained the samādhi called sarvarūpasaṃdarśana. Innumerable bodhisattvas in this sahā world also attained this samādhi and dhāraṇī. Then Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Gadgadasvara paid homage to the Buddha Śākyamuni and the stupa of the Buddha Prabhūtaratna and returned to his own world. Those worlds through which he traveled quaked in six ways and it rained jeweled lotus flowers. Hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of variegated music was heard. Having returned to his own world, he approached the Buddha Kamaladalavimalanakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, surrounded by eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas, and said to him: “O Bhagavat! I have been to the sahā world and benefited the sentient beings. Having seen the Buddha Śākyamuni and the stupa of the Buddha Prabhūtaratna, I paid homage to them and made them offerings. Having seen Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the Prince of the Dharma, Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja, Bodhisattva Vīryabalavegaprāpta, and Bodhisattva Pradānaśūra, I caused these eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas to attain the samādhi called sarvarūpasaṃdarśana.” When this chapter, “The Coming and Going of Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara,” was taught, forty-two thousand sons of the devas attained the acceptance of the nonorigination of all dharmas; and Bodhisattva Padmaśrī attained ### [7.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.28) the saddharmapuṇḍarīka samādhi. The Gateway to Every Direction \[Manifested by Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara\] Thereupon arising from his seat with his right shoulder bared, Bodhisattva Akṣayamati faced the Buddha with his palms pressed together, and spoke thus to him: “O Bhagavat! For what reason is Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (Hearer of the Sounds of the World) called Avalokiteśvara?” The Buddha answered Bodhisattva Akṣayamati, saying: “O son of a virtuous family! If innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings who experience suffering hear of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara and wholeheartedly chant his name, Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara will immediately perceive their voices and free them from their suffering. Even if those who hold to the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara were to enter a great fire, because of this bodhisattva’s transcendent power, the fire would not be able to burn them. If they were adrift on the great waters, by chanting his name they would reach the shallows. There are hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of sentient beings who enter the great ocean to seek such treasures as gold, silver, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, agate, coral, amber, and pearl. Even if a cyclone were to blow the ship of one of these toward the land of rākṣasa demons, they would all become free from the danger of those rākṣasa demons if there were even a single person among them who chanted the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. For this reason he is called Avalokiteśvara. “If anyone who is about to be beaten chants the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, the sticks and swords will immediately be broken into pieces and he will be delivered. If the yakṣas and rākṣasas filling the great manifold cosmos come with the intent to afflict the people but hear them chanting, those demons’ evil eyes will be unable to see them, so how could they possibly hurt them? “If anyone, whether guilty or innocent, is bound with fetters or chains, such bonds will be broken into pieces; and those who have been bound will become free by chanting the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. When a caravan leader travels on a dangerous road together with his fellow mer- chants, carrying precious treasures in a great manifold cosmos filled with evil robbers, if there be a single person who says: O sons of a virtuous family! Do not fear! You should wholeheartedly chant the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. This bodhisattva bestows fearlessness upon sentient beings. If you chant his name, you will be free from these evil robbers. “Now, if those merchants chant loudly in unison, saying: Homage to Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara! “Then, by chanting his name, the caravan will immediately gain deliver- ### [7.32](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.32) ance. O Akṣayamati! The transcendent power of Bodhisattva Mahāsattva Avalokiteśvara is as great and mighty as this. “If there are any sentient beings who are greatly subject to sensual desires, if they contemplate Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara with respect, they will become free from these desires. If there are any sentient beings who often become angry, if they contemplate Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara with respect, they will become free from anger. If there are any sentient beings who are greatly con- fused, if they contemplate Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara with respect, they will become free from their confusion. O Akṣayamati! Thus Bodhisattva Avalo- kiteśvara greatly benefits sentient beings through his transcendent power. For this reason sentient beings should always turn their thoughts to him. “If any woman wanting to have a baby boy pays homage and makes offerings to Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, she will bear a baby boy endowed with good merit and wisdom. If she wants to have a baby girl, she will bear a beautiful and handsome baby girl who has planted roots of good merit and will have the love of sentient beings. O Akṣayamati! Such are the transcen- dent powers of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara that if any sentient being rever- ently respects him, the merit they achieve will never be in vain. For this rea- son sentient beings should hold to the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. O Akṣayamati! What do you think of someone who holds to the names of the bodhisattvas equal in number to the sands of sixty-two koṭis of Ganges Rivers and pays homage to them with drink and food, clothes, bedding, and medicine. Is the merit of this son or daughter of a virtuous family great or not?” Akṣayamati answered, saying: “O Bhagavat! It is great.” The Buddha said: “If there is anyone who holds to the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara and anyone who pays homage to him and makes offerings even for a moment, the merit of these two people will be equal and the same; it will never be extinguished after hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas. O Akṣayamati! Those who hold to the name of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara will attain such benefits of immeasurable and limitless merit.” The Bodhisattva Akṣayamati addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! How does Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara wander through this sahā world? How does he teach the Dharma for the sake of sentient beings? What of his power of skillful means?” The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Akṣayamati: “O son of a virtuous family! If there is any land where sentient beings are to be saved by the form of a buddha, Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a buddha. To those who are to be saved by the form of a pratyekabuddha, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a pratyekabuddha. To those who are to be saved by the form of a śrāvaka, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a śrāvaka. To those who are to be saved by the form of Brahma, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of Brahma. To those who are to be saved by the form of Śakra, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the ### [7.39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.39) form of Śakra. To those who are to be saved by the form of Īśvara, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of Īśvara. To those who are to be saved in the form of Maheśvara, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of Maheśvara. To those who are to be saved by the form of the great commander of the devas, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of the great commander of the devas. To those who are to be saved by the form of Vaiśravaṇa, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of Vaiśravaṇa. To those who are to be saved by the form of a minor king, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a minor king. To those who are to be saved by the form of a wealthy man, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a wealthy man. To those who are to be saved by the form of a householder, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a householder. To those who are to be saved by the form of a state official, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a state official. To those who are to be saved by the form of a brahman, he teaches the Dharma by chang- ing himself into the form of a brahman. To those who are to be saved by the form of a monk, nun, layman, or laywoman, he teaches the Dharma by chang- ing himself into the form of a monk, nun, layman, or laywoman. To those who are to be saved by the form of a wife of either a wealthy man, a house- holder, a state official, or a brahman, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of such a wife. To those who are to be saved by the form of a boy or a girl, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of a boy or a girl. To those who are to be saved by the form of a human or of a nonhuman such as a deva, nāga, yakṣa, gandharva, asura, garuḍa, kiṃnara, or mahoraga, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into any of these forms. To those who are to be saved by the form of Vajrapāṇi, he teaches the Dharma by changing himself into the form of Vajrapāṇi. “O Akṣayamati! This Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara displays such quali- ties, wanders through many lands in various forms, and saves sentient beings. For this reason you should wholeheartedly pay homage to Bodhisattva Aval- okiteśvara. This Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara bestows fearlessness in times of fearful calamity. For this reason everybody in this sahā world calls him Abhayaṃ- dada (Giver of Fearlessness). The Bodhisattva Akṣayamati addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bha- gavat! I shall now pay homage to Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara.” He then took from his neck a many-jeweled necklace worth hundreds of thousands of gold coins, gave it to him, and said: “I entreat you to accept this rare-jeweled necklace for the Dharma.” At that time Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara did not dare to receive it. Akṣaya- mati addressed Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, saying: “I entreat you to accept this necklace out of pity for us.” ### [7.41](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.41) Then the Buddha said to Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara: “You should accept this necklace out of pity for such humans and nonhumans as this Bodhisattva Akṣayamati, the fourfold assembly, devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas.” The Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara accepted the necklace out of pity for the fourfold assembly, devas, nāgas, humans, nonhumans, and the rest. He then divided it into two parts and gave one part to the Buddha Śākyamuni and the other part to the stupa of the Buddha Prabhūtaratna. “O Akṣayamati! With such inherent transcendent powers Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara wanders throughout the sahā world.” Thereupon, Bodhisattva Akṣayamati asked a question in verse, saying: O Bhagavat, endowed with excellent marks! I now wish to ask you about him once again: For what reason is the heir of the Buddha Named Avalokiteśvara? The Bhagavat, endowed with excellent marks, answered Akṣayamati in verse: Listen to the practices of Avalokiteśvara, Which have their application to all! His vow is deep like the ocean And his kalpa is of inconceivable length. After having attended Many thousands of koṭis of buddhas, He made a great, pure vow. I will now explain it to you in brief: If you hear his name and see his body, And contemplate him in thought, Your life will not be in vain; And you will extinguish all suffering. If anyone wants to hurt you And pushes you into a great firepit, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, The firepit will change into a pond. If you drift upon the great ocean and meet danger From dragons, fish, and demons, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, You will not be swallowed by the waves. If you are on the peak of Sumeru And are pushed by somebody, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, You will stay suspended in the air like the sun. If any evil one chases you And pushes you from Mount Diamond, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, Not even a single hair will be hurt. If evil robbers surround you Each with a sword and the intent to harm, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, The thought of mercy will awaken in them. If you suffer under the punishment of a king And your life is to be ended by execution, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, The sword will be immediately broken into pieces. If you are imprisoned with a neck chain, Your hands and feet fettered, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, They will disappear and you will be released. If anyone wants to hurt your body With a curse or poison, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, These ills will return and afflict their authors. If you meet evil rākṣasas, Poisonous dragons, or demons, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, They will not dare to hurt you. If you are surrounded by evil animals Whose teeth and claws are fearfully sharp, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, They will run away swiftly And to an immeasurable distance. If there are lizards, snakes, vipers, or scorpions, Whose breath is poisonous like a flaming smoke, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, They will turn away swiftly at the sound of your voice. If thunder resounds, lightning flashes, Hail falls, and a great rain pours out of the clouds, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, They will disappear immediately. If sentient beings are in great adversity, And immeasurable pain afflicts them, The wonderful power of the wisdom of Avalokiteśvara Can relieve the suffering of the world. Endowed with transcendent powers And having fully mastered wisdom and skillful means, In all the worlds of the ten directions, There is no place where he will not manifest himself. The suffering of those in the troubled states of being: Hell-dwellers, hungry ghosts, and animals; And the suffering of birth, old age, illness, and death Will gradually be extinguished. He who perceives the world with truth, purity, And vast knowledge, And with benevolence and compassion, Should be ever longed for and looked up to. He is a spotless pure ray of light, A sun of wisdom that destroys the darkness, A flame that withstands the winds of calamity. He brilliantly illuminates the entire world. His will, the essence of which is compassion, Shakes like thunder; And the mind of mercy Is like a beautiful overspreading cloud, Which pours the Dharma rain of immortality And extinguishes the flame of desires. In a dispute before judges, Or fearful in the midst of battle, If you contemplate the power of Avalokiteśvara, All enemies will flee away. He has a wondrous voice, The voice of one who perceives the world, A voice like Brahma’s, a voice like the rolling tide, A voice unsurpassed in this world; For this reason you should always contemplate him. You should have no doubt, even for a moment. The pure seer Avalokiteśvara will be a refuge When suffering distress or the misery of death. ### [7.46](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.46) He is endowed with every quality, Sees the sentient beings with his benevolent eyes, And his ocean of merit is immeasurable; For this reason you should pay him homage. At that time Bodhisattva Dharaṇiṃdhara arose from his seat, went before the Buddha and said to him: “O Bhagavat! If there are any sentient beings who hear of this chapter, ‘Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara,’ and these effortless deeds, the manifestation of the gateway to all directions, and the transcen- dent powers, know that their merit will not be little!” When the Buddha taught the chapter, “The Gateway to Every Direc- tion,” the thought of incomparable highest, complete enlightenment awoke in eighty-four thousand sentient beings in the assembly. Chapter XXVI Dhāraṇī Thereupon, rising from his seat with his right shoulder bared, Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja faced the Buddha with his palms pressed together, and spoke to him, saying: “O Bhagavat! If there is any son or daughter of a virtuous family who preserves the Lotus Sutra and recites it, is versed in it, and copies it, how much merit will he or she attain?” Then the Buddha addressed Bhaiṣajyarāja, saying: “If there is any son or daughter of a virtuous family who pays homage to buddhas numbering as many as the sands of eight hundred myriads of koṭis of nayutas of Ganges Rivers, what do you think? Will the merit he or she attains be great or not?” He answered: “It will be great, O Bhagavat!” The Buddha said: “If any son or daughter of a virtuous family preserves a verse of four lines of this sutra, recites it, understands the meaning, or practices what it teaches, his or her merit will be very great.” Thereupon, Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! I will now give the dhāraṇīs to the expounders of the Dharma and protect them.” He then recited a dhāraṇī: Anye manye mane mamane citte carite same samitā viśānte mukte muk- tatame same avisame samasame jaye kṣaye akṣaye akṣiṇe śānte samite dhāraṇi ālokabhāṣe pratyavekṣaṇi nidhiru abhyantaranirviṣte abhyantarapāriśuddhi mutkule araḍe paraḍe sukāṇkṣi asamasame buddhavilokite dharmaparikśite saṃgha-nirghoṣanirghoṇi bhayā- ### [7.55](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.55) bhayaviśodhani mantre mantrākṣayate rute rutakauśalye akṣaye ak- ṣayavanatāye vakkule valoḍa amanyanatāye. “O Bhagavat! This mantra-dhāraṇī was spoken by buddhas equal in number to the sands of sixty-two koṭis of Ganges Rivers. Anyone who attacks or slanders an expounder of the Dharma also attacks or slanders these buddhas.” Thereupon, the Buddha Śākyamuni praised Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja, saying: “Splendid! Splendid! O Bhaiṣajyarāja! Out of compassion you have taught this dhāraṇī in order to protect the expounders of the Dharma. It will greatly benefit all sentient beings.” Then Bodhisattva Pradānaśūra addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bha- gavat! I also will teach a dhāraṇī in order to protect anyone who recites and preserves the Lotus Sutra. If expounders of the Dharma attain this dhāraṇī, no yakṣa, rākṣasa, pūtana, kṛtya, kumbhāṇḍa, or hungry ghost will ever have a chance to strike at their weaknesses even if they try to do so.” ### [7.59](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.59) In the presence of the Buddha he taught a dhāraṇī, saying: Jvale mahājvale ukke mukke aḍe aḍāvati nṛtye nṛtyāvati iṭṭini viṭṭini ciṭṭini nṛtyani nṛtyāvati. “O Bhagavat! This mantra-dhāraṇī has been spoken by buddhas equal in number to the sands of the Ganges River and everyone has rejoiced in it. Anyone who attacks or slanders an expounder of the Dharma also attacks or slanders these buddhas.” Thereupon, the devarāja Vaiśravaṇa, a world-protector, addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! I will also teach a dhāraṇī out of pity for sen- tient beings and in order to protect expounders of the Dharma.” He then recited a dhāraṇī, saying: Aṭṭe naṭṭe vanaṭṭe anaḍe nāḍi kunaḍi. “O Bhagavat! With this mantra-dhāraṇī I protect the expounders of the Dharma; I will also protect those who hold to this sutra. All heavy cares shall be banished for a hundred yojanas around.” At that time the devarāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra was present in the assembly, respect- fully surrounded by thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of gandharvas. He came before the Buddha together with them and addressed the Buddha with his palms pressed together, saying: “O Bhagavat! With a mantra-dhāraṇī I will also protect those who hold to the Lotus Sutra.” He then recited the dhāraṇī, saying: Agaṇe gaṇe gauri gandhāri caṇḍāli mātaṅgi jaṅguli vrūsaṇi agasti. “O Bhagavat! This mantra-dhāraṇī was spoken by forty-two koṭis of Chapter XXVI buddhas. Anyone who attacks or slanders an expounder of the Dharma also attacks or slanders these buddhas. “At that time there were ten rākṣasīs. Their names were Lambā, Vilambā, Kūṭadantī, Puṣpadantī, Makuṭadantī, Keśinī, Acalā, Mālādhāri, Kuntī, and Sarvasattvojohārī. These ten rākṣasīs, together with Hārītī and their children and retinues, came before the Buddha and addressed him in unison, saying: “O Bhagavat! We also want to protect those who recite and preserve the Lotus Sutra and rid them of their heavy cares. Those who try to strike at the expounders of the Dharma through their weaknesses shall never be able to do so.” ### [7.67](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.67) They then recited a dhāraṇī in the presence of the Buddha, saying: Iti me iti me iti me iti me iti me nime nime nime nime nime ruhe ruhe ruhe ruhe stuhe stuhe stuhe stuhe stuhe. “Let troubles come upon our heads rather than distress the expounders of the Dharma. No yakṣa, no rākṣasa, no hungry ghost, no pūtana, no kṛtya, no vetāla, no skanda, no omāraka, no apasmāraka, no yakṣakṛtya, no manuṣyakṛtya, no fever; no fever for one day, for two days, for three days, for four days or even up to seven days or at any time; no one in the form of a man, no one in the form of a woman, no one in the form of a boy, no one in the form of a maiden, no one who may appear even in a dream, in any of these forms shall cause them distress.” They then spoke to the Buddha in verse, saying: If anyone does not accept my dhāraṇī, And troubles one who expounds the Dharma, His head will be split into seven pieces Just like a branch of the arjaka tree. Consider the transgression of parricide, Of pressing sesame mixed with impurities, Of cheating people with scales; Consider the transgression committed by Devadatta Who divided the sangha. Those who slander this expounder of the Dharma Shall suffer consequences such as these. After having spoken these verses the rākṣasīs addressed the Buddha, saying: “O Bhagavat! We also want to protect those who preserve, recite, and practice this sutra, and cause them to live at ease, rid them of their weighty cares, and drive out various poisons.” The Buddha said to the rākṣasīs: “Splendid! Splendid! You protect those who preserve the name of the Lotus Sutra. Your merit is immeasurable. How much more merit is there in protecting those who perfectly preserve and revere the sutra in various ways; such as by offering flowers, perfumes, necklaces, fragrant ointments, scented powders, burning incense, banners, canopies, and music, or by lighting ghee lamps, oil lamps, fragrant oil lamps, lamps of oil made from sumanas, campaka, vārṣika, and utpala flowers! How much more merit is there in offering such things in hundreds to thousands of ways! O Kuntī! You and your retinues should protect the expounders of the Dharma in this way.” When this chapter, “Dhāraṇī,” was taught, sixty-eight thousand people attained the acceptance of the nonorigination of all dharmas. Ancient Accounts of King Śubhavyūha Thereupon, the Buddha addressed the great assembly, saying: “Once upon a time, immeasurable, limitless, inconceivable, and incalculable kalpas ago, ### [7.75](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.75) there was a buddha named Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña, a Tathāgata, Arhat, Completely Enlightened. His land was called Vairocanaraśmipratimaṇḍitā and the kalpa was named Priyadarśana. There was a king practicing the teaching of the Buddha. He was called Śubhavyūha, and his consort was named Vimaladatta. They had two sons. One was named Vimalagarbha, and the other Vimalanetra. These two sons were endowed with great transcendent power, merit, and wisdom, and practiced the bodhisattva path for a long time. They were versed in the perfections of giving (dāna), good conduct (śīla), perseverance (kṣānti), effort (vīrya), meditation (dhyāna), wisdom (prajñā), and skillful means and compassion, benevolence, joy, and generosity; as well as the thirty-seven helpful ways to attain the Dharma. Furthermore, they were also versed in the bodhisattva samādhis of vimala, nakṣatrarājāditya, vimalanirbhāsa, vimalarūpa, vimalabhāsa, alaṃkāraśubha, and mahātejogarbha. “Then the Buddha, wanting to guide King Śubhavyūha, and out of compassion for sentient beings, taught this Lotus Sutra. At that time Prince Vimalagarbha and Prince Vimalanetra approached their mother and addressed her with their palms and ten fingers pressed together, saying: We entreat you, O mother, to go before the Buddha Jaladharagarjita- ghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña. We shall also go before him together with you, attend him, make offerings to him, and pay him homage. Why is this? Because this buddha teaches the Lotus Sutra amid the assembly of all the devas and humans. Thus we should all listen to him. “Their mother answered the sons, saying: Your father follows heresies and is deeply attached to the teachings of ### [7.76](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.76) the brahmans. You should go to your father to ask him to come with us. “Vimalagarbha and Vimalanetra said to their mother with their palms and ten fingers pressed together: We are the children of the King of the Dharma, although we were born in this house of wrong views. “The mother replied to her sons, saying: You should have compassion for your father and show him great mir- acles. If he sees them, his mind will certainly be purified. He will then allow us to go before the Buddha. “Thereafter the two sons jumped up into the air as high as seven tāla trees and, out of their love for their father, showed him various miracles. They walked, stood, sat, and slept in the air, causing water to flow from their upper bodies and blowing fire out of their lower bodies, causing water to flow from their lower bodies, and blowing fire out of their upper bodies; enlarging their bodies so that they filled the air, making them small and then enlarging them again; disappearing in midair and instantly reappearing on the earth; enter- ing the earth as if it were water and walking on the water as though on the earth. By showing various marvels like these, they purified their father’s mind and caused him to believe them. When their father saw the transcendent pow- ers of his sons, he rejoiced a great deal at his unprecedented experience and addressed his sons with his palms pressed together, saying: Who is your teacher? Whose pupils are you? “The two sons said: O great king! The Buddha Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarāja- saṃkusumitābhijña is now sitting on the seat of the Dharma under the seven-jeweled bodhi tree and teaching the Lotus Sutra extensively to the assembly of all the devas and humans in this world. He is our teacher. We are his pupils. “The father said to his sons: I now also wish to see your teacher. Let me go with you! “Thereupon, the two sons descended from the air, approached their mother, and addressed her with their palms pressed together, saying: Our father believed us and the thought of highest, complete enlight- enment can now awaken in him. We have done the Buddha’s work for the sake of our father. We entreat you, O mother, to allow us to renounce household life and practice the bodhisattva path under the guidance of that buddha. “At that time the two sons addressed the mother in verse, wanting to elaborate on this meaning further, saying: We entreat you, O mother, to allow us To renounce household life And to become śrāmaṇas! It is extremely difficult to meet buddhas. We will learn by following this buddha. It is more difficult to meet a buddha Than to see uḍumbara flowers. It is also difficult to escape from adversity. We entreat you to allow us To renounce household life. “Their mother addressed them immediately, saying: I give my consent for you to renounce household life. What is the rea- son for this? It is because it is difficult to meet a buddha. “Then the two sons addressed their parents, saying: Splendid! O father and mother! We entreat you now to approach and meet the Buddha Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarājasaṃkusu- mitābhijña and pay homage to him. Why is this? Because it is diffi- ### [7.80](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.80) cult to meet a buddha, just as it is to see uḍumbara flowers or for a one-eyed turtle to find the hole in a floating piece of wood. Because of our profound merits accumulated in the past, we were born to meet the Buddha-Dharma. For this reason our father and mother should allow us to renounce household life. Why is this? Because it is diffi- cult to meet buddhas and it is also difficult to obtain an opportunity for meeting them. “At that time eighty-four thousand women in the palace of King Śubhavyūha all became capable of preserving this Lotus Sutra. Bodhisattva Vimalanetra had already been versed in the saddharmapuṇḍarīka samādhi for a long time and Bodhisattva Vimalagarbha had also been versed in the sarvasattvapāpajahana samādhi for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas, for he wanted all sentient beings to be separated from evil states of being. The consort of that king attained the sarvabuddhasaṃgīti samādhi and the secret treasure house of the buddhas was revealed to her. In this way the two sons inspired their father through the power of their skillful means and caused him to have faith and pleasure in the Buddha-Dharma. “Then King Śubhavyūha together with his subjects and retinue, Queen Vimaladatta together with her servants and retinue, and the two princes together with forty-two thousand people came before the Buddha at the same time. Having approached the Buddha, they bowed until their foreheads touched his feet, then circled around him three times and sat to one side. “At that time the Buddha expounded and taught the Buddha-Dharma for the king’s sake, greatly benefiting and rejoicing him. Then King Śubhavyūha and his queen took off their pearl necklaces worth hundreds of thousands and scattered them over the Buddha. In the air they transformed into a four-pillared jeweled platform. On the platform was a great jeweled bed, spread with hundreds of thousands of myriads of heavenly clothes. The Buddha sat crosslegged upon it, emitting great rays of light. Then King Śubhavyūha thought: The Buddha’s form is marvelous, most superior in dignity, and given perfection by the most delicate countenance. “Thereupon the Buddha Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña addressed the fourfold assembly, saying: Do you see King Śubhavyūha standing with his palms pressed together in my presence? This king has become a monk in my Dharma. He will diligently practice the Dharma that aids those on the buddha path, and will become a buddha. He will be called Śālendrarāja. His land will be called Vistīrṇavatī and the kalpa Abhyudgatarāja. With this buddha Śālendrarāja will be innumerable bodhisattvas and śrāvakas. His land will be level. Such will be his merits. “That king immediately gave his kingdom to his younger brother. He renounced household life and practiced the Buddha-Dharma together with his queen, two sons, and their retinue. For a period of eighty-four thousand years after their renunciation the king continued to make diligent efforts and practiced the Lotus Sutra. After this he attained the sarvaguṇālaṃkāravyūha ### [7.84](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.84) samādhi. He ascended instantly into the air to a height of seven tāla trees and addressed the Buddha, saying: O Bhagavat! My two sons have done the Buddha’s work. Through their miracles they have reformed my erring mind so that I dwell in the Buddha-Dharma. These two sons are my good friends; they enabled me to see the Bhagavat. It was because they wanted to nurture the roots of good merit accumulated in my past and benefit me that they were born in my house. “Then the Buddha Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarājasaṃkusumitābhijña addressed King Śubhavyūha, saying: Exactly! Exactly! It is exactly as you have said. If the sons and daugh- ters of a virtuous family make good friends throughout many lives, after having planted roots of good merit, those good friends will per- form the Buddha’s work, illuminating, teaching, benefiting, and glad- dening them, and will cause them to enter highest, complete enlight- enment. O great king! You should know that a good friend is indeed the great spur that brings inspiration to others, causing them to meet a buddha and the thought of highest, complete enlightenment to awaken in them. O great king! Do you see these two sons? These two sons have already paid homage to buddhas equal in number to the sands of sixty-five hundred thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of Ganges Rivers, closely attended the buddhas with respect, accepted the Lotus Sutra in their presence, and, in their compassion, caused sentient beings with false views to dwell in right views. “Immediately after that, King Śubhavyūha descended from the air and addressed the Buddha, saying: O Bhagavat! The Tathāgata is extraordinary. Because he is endowed with merits and wisdom, his topknot is brilliantly illuminated, his deep blue eyes are long and wide, the tuft of hair between his eyebrows is white like the bright moon, his white teeth are even and always shin- ing, and his scarlet lips are like the bimba fruit in their beauty. “At that time King Śubhavyūha praised immeasurable hundreds of thou- sands of myriads of koṭis of qualities of the Buddha like these and, again, whole- heartedly addressed the Buddha with his palms pressed together, in the pres- ence of the Tathāgata, saying: O Bhagavat! This is unprecedented. The Tathāgata’s Dharma is endowed and perfected with inconceivable subtle qualities. His teach- ing, integrity, and deeds are serene and comfortable. From today on we shall never act selfishly and the wrongful thoughts of false views, pride and anger shall never awaken in us. “Having spoken these words he bowed to the Buddha and went away.” The Buddha addressed the great assembly, saying: “What do you think about this? Is King Śubhavyūha someone unknown? He is none other than this Bodhisattva Padmaśrī. His Queen Vimaladatta is none other than this Vairocanaraśmipratimaṇḍitādhvajarāja now in the presence of the Buddha. Because she had compassion for King Śubhavyūha and his retinue, she was born here. These two sons are none other than Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja and Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyasamudgata. These bodhisattvas Bhaiṣajyarāja and Bhaiṣa- jyasamudgata perfected great qualities such as these and, having planted many roots of good merit under the guidance of innumerable hundreds of thousands ### [7.87](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.87) 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 ### [7.92](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7.92) walking or standing, I will then come before them on a white elephant king with six tusks, together with the assembly of great bodhisattvas, manifest myself, pay homage and protect them, and console their minds for the sake of revering the Lotus Sutra. If they sit contemplating upon this sutra, I will then manifest myself before them on a white elephant king. If they forget a single line or a verse in the Lotus Sutra, I will teach and recite it with them and cause them to become proficient in it. At that time those who accept and recite the Lotus Sutra will be able to see me and, greatly rejoicing, will thus make further efforts. As a result of seeing me they will attain the samādhi and dhāraṇīs named āvartā dhāraṇī, koṭīśatasahasrāvartā dhāraṇī, and sarvarutakauśalyāvartā dhāraṇī. They will attain dhāraṇīs like these. O Bhagavat! In the troubled world of five hundred years after those monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen who seek, pre- serve, recite, copy, and wish to practice this Lotus Sutra should persevere sin- glemindedly for twenty-one days. After a full twenty-one days I will appear on a white elephant with six tusks, accompanied by innumerable bodhisattvas who themselves will also be surrounded by their retinues, and manifest myself before sentient beings in whatever form they wish to see. Then I will expound and teach the Dharma to them and gladden them. I will also give them a dhāraṇī- spell. When they attain this dhāraṇī, nonhumans will have no power to destroy them and women no power to trouble them. I myself will also protect these people. I entreat you, O Bhagavat, to allow me to teach this dhāraṇī.” Thus he taught the spell in the presence of the Buddha, saying: Adaṇḍe daṇḍapati daṇḍāvartani daṇḍakuśale daṇḍasudhāri sudhāri sudhārapati buddhapaśyane sarvadhāraṇī āvartani sarvabhāṣyā- vartane su-āvartane saṃghaparīkṣani saṃghanirghātani asaṃge saṃgāpa-gate tṛ-adhvasaṃgatulyaprāpte sarvasaṃgasamatikrānte sarvadharmasuparīkṣite sarvasattvarutakauśalyānugate siṃhavikrīḍite. “O Bhagavat! If there is any bodhisattva who hears this dhāraṇī, he should know it is because of the transcendent power of Samantabhadra. If _First 18 of 21 passages. [Read on](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7)_ ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-mt.7.4) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [妙法蓮華經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva.7.4) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.mahayanasutra.saddharmapundarika*zh-kumarajiva~en-bdk.7) · Pramāṇa