安樂集 1.10

1.10

第三、據大乘聖教，明眾生發心久近，供佛多少者。如《涅槃經》云：「佛告迦葉菩薩：『若有眾生，於熙連半恒河沙等諸佛所，發菩提心，然後乃能於惡世中，聞是大乘經典，不生誹謗；若有於一恒河沙等佛所，發菩提心，然後乃能於惡世中，聞經不起誹謗，深生愛樂；若有於二恒河沙等佛所，發菩提心，然後乃能於惡世中，不謗是法，正解信樂受持、讀誦；若有於三恒河沙等佛所，發菩提心，然後乃能於惡世中，不謗是法，書寫經卷，雖為人說，未解深義。』」何以故須如此教量者？為彰今日座下聞經者，曾已發心供養多佛也，又顯大乘經之威力不可思議。是故經云：「若有眾生，聞是經典，億百千劫不墮惡道。何以故？是妙經典所流布處，當知其地即是金剛，是中諸人亦如金剛。」故知聞經生信者，皆獲不可思議利益也。

Third, regarding relying on the sacred Mahāyāna teachings to explain the duration since sentient beings aroused the aspiration for awakening and the number of Buddhas they have served: As the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra* says: "The Buddha told Bodhisattva Kāśyapa: 'If there are sentient beings who, in the presence of as many Buddhas as half the sands of the Hiraṇyavatī River, have aroused bodhicitta, only then in an evil age can they hear this Mahāyāna scripture and not give rise to slander. If there are those who, in the presence of as many Buddhas as the sands of one Gaṅgā River, have aroused bodhicitta, only then in an evil age can they hear the sūtra without giving rise to slander, deeply producing love and delight. If there are those who, in the presence of as many Buddhas as the sands of two Gaṅgā Rivers, have aroused bodhicitta, only then in an evil age will they not slander this Dharma, and will rightly understand, faithfully delight in, receive, uphold, read, and recite it. If there are those who, in the presence of as many Buddhas as the sands of three Gaṅgā Rivers, have aroused bodhicitta, only then in an evil age will they not slander this Dharma and will copy the scrolls of the sūtra; and although they expound it for others, they do not yet understand its profound meaning.'" Why is such authoritative testimony of the teaching needed? To make clear that those seated here today hearing the sūtra have previously aroused their aspiration and made offerings to many Buddhas; and also to reveal that the mighty power of Mahāyāna sūtras is inconceivable. Therefore the sūtra says: "If there are sentient beings who hear this scripture, for hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kalpas they will not fall into the evil destinies. Why? Wherever this wonderful scripture is circulated, you should know that the ground there is like vajra, and the people therein are also like vajra." Therefore we know that those who hear the sūtra and give rise to faith all obtain inconceivable benefits.