本願藥師經古迹 2.10

2.10

At that time, Ānanda asked Bodhisattva Trāṇamukta: "Good man, how should one revere and make offerings to that Bhagavat Bhaiṣajyaguru-vaiḍūryaprabha Tathāgata? And how should one make the life-prolonging banners and lamps?" Bodhisattva Trāṇamukta said: "Virtuous one, if there is a sick person who wishes to be freed from the suffering of disease, one should observe the eightfold precepts for seven days and seven nights on that person's behalf, provide food and drink and other requisites according to one's capability to make offerings to the bhikṣu-saṃgha, and during the six periods of the day and night bow to and make offerings to that Bhagavat Bhaiṣajyaguru-vaiḍūryaprabha Tathāgata, recite this sūtra forty-nine times, and light forty-nine lamps. One should fashion seven images of that Tathāgata, placing seven lamps before each image, with each lamp being as large as a cartwheel, keeping their illumination continuous for up to forty-nine days. One should make five-colored silk banners forty-nine spans in length. One should release diverse living beings up to forty-nine, and thereby one will be able to cross over perilous calamities and not be held by various untimely evil ghosts. Furthermore, Ānanda, when disasters and calamities arise for kṣatriya consecrated kings and the like—namely, the calamity of pestilence among the populace, the calamity of invasion and oppression by other states, the calamity of rebellion within one's own domain, the calamity of ominous changes in stars and constellations, the calamity of eclipses of the sun and moon, the calamity of unseasonable wind and rain, or the calamity of drought past its season—those kṣatriya consecrated kings and the like should at that time give rise to thoughts of loving-kindness and compassion toward all sentient beings, pardon all who are imprisoned, and make offerings to that Bhagavat Bhaiṣajyaguru-vaiḍūryaprabha Tathāgata according to the previously stated method of offering. Due to these roots of goodness and the power of that Tathāgata's original vows, their country will immediately attain tranquility, wind and rain will be timely, the grain crops will ripen, all sentient beings will be free of disease and full of joy, in that country there will be no violent and evil yakṣa spirits afflicting sentient beings, all evil omens will immediately disappear, and the kṣatriya consecrated kings and the like will all increase in lifespan, physical strength, freedom from disease, and sovereignty. Ānanda, if queens, consorts, crown princes, royal sons, chief ministers, advisors, court ladies, hundred officials, or common people are tormented by illness and other calamities, they should also fashion five-colored spiritual banners, light lamps to perpetuate illumination, release living beings, scatter multicolored flowers, and burn various renowned incenses; their illnesses will be cured and their multiple calamities will be resolved."