法苑珠林 17.66

17.66

又涅槃經云。我涅槃後若有得聞如是大乘微妙經典生信敬心。當知是等於未來世。百千億劫不墮惡道。又云。若有於一河沙佛所發心。然後乃能於惡世中不謗是法。愛樂是典。不能為人分別廣說。若有於二河沙佛所發心。然後乃能於惡世中不謗是法。正解信樂受持讀誦。亦不能為他人廣說。若有於三河沙佛所發心。然後乃能於惡世中不謗是法。乃至書寫經卷。雖為他說未解深義。若有於四河沙佛所發心。然後乃能於惡世中不謗是典。乃至書寫經卷為他廣說十六分中一分之義。若有於五河沙佛所發心。乃至於惡世中為人廣說十六分中八分之義。若有於六河沙佛所發心。乃至於惡世中為他廣說十六分中十二分義。若有於七河沙佛所發心。乃至於惡世中為他廣說十六分中十四分義。若有於八河沙佛所發心。乃至於惡世中書寫經卷。亦勸他人令得書寫。自能聽受亦勸他人。令解聽受如說修行。具足能解盡其義味。

Furthermore, the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "After my nirvāṇa, if there are those who hear such a sublime Mahāyāna scripture as this and give rise to a faithful and reverent mind, you should know that such persons will not fall into evil destinies for hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kalpas in future ages." It also says: "If someone has produced the aspiration [for awakening] in the presence of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, only then will they be able to refrain from slandering this Dharma in an evil age, and take delight in this scripture, though they cannot analyze and broadly explain it for others. If someone has produced the aspiration in the presence of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, only then will they be able to refrain from slandering this Dharma in an evil age, correctly understand, faithfully delight in, uphold, read, and recite it, though they also cannot broadly explain it for other people. If someone has produced the aspiration in the presence of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, only then will they be able to refrain from slandering this Dharma in an evil age, up to copying the sūtra scrolls, yet though expounding it for others they do not yet understand its profound meaning. If someone has produced the aspiration in the presence of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, only then will they be able to refrain from slandering this scripture in an evil age, up to copying the sūtra scrolls and broadly expounding for others the meaning of one sixteenth part. If someone has produced the aspiration in the presence of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, [they can] up to broadly expounding for others the meaning of eight sixteenth parts in an evil age. If someone has produced the aspiration in the presence of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, [they can] up to broadly expounding for others the meaning of twelve sixteenth parts in an evil age. If someone has produced the aspiration in the presence of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, [they can] up to broadly expounding for others the meaning of fourteen sixteenth parts in an evil age. If someone has produced the aspiration in the presence of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, [they can] up to copying the sūtra scrolls in an evil age, encouraging others to copy them, being able to listen and receive it themselves and encouraging others to understand, listen, receive, and cultivate practice as taught, fully able to understand and exhaust its flavorful meaning."