法苑珠林 21.9

21.9

又僧伽吒經云。佛告一切勇菩薩言。若三千大千世界滿中胡麻。以此數轉輪聖王。若有人布施如是輪王。不如布施一須陀洹。若施三千世界諸須陀洹所得功德。不如施一斯陀含。若施三千世界諸斯陀含。不如施一阿那含。若施三千世界諸阿那含。不如施一阿羅漢。若施三千世界諸阿羅漢。不如施一辟支佛。若施三千世界諸辟支佛。不如施一菩薩。若施三千世界諸菩薩。不如施一如來所起清淨心。若於三千世界諸如來所生清淨心。不如凡夫聞此法門功德勝彼。何況書寫讀誦受持。爾時一切大眾白佛言。世尊。一佛福德有幾量耶。佛言。譬如大地微塵如恒河沙等眾生悉作十地菩薩。如是一切十地菩薩所有功德。不如一佛福德之力。

Also, the Saṅghāṭa-sūtra says: The Buddha addressed the Bodhisattva Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin, saying, 'If the trichiliocosm were filled with sesame seeds, and there were as many cakravartins as that number, if someone were to practice giving to such cakravartins, it would not equal giving to a single srotāpanna. The merit obtained from giving to all the srotāpannas in the trichiliocosm would not equal giving to a single sakṛdāgāmin. Giving to all the sakṛdāgāmins in the trichiliocosm would not equal giving to a single anāgāmin. Giving to all the anāgāmins in the trichiliocosm would not equal giving to a single arhat. Giving to all the arhats in the trichiliocosm would not equal giving to a single pratyekabuddha. Giving to all the pratyekabuddhas in the trichiliocosm would not equal giving to a single bodhisattva. Giving to all the bodhisattvas in the trichiliocosm would not equal giving with a pure mind aroused toward a single Tathāgata. The merit of giving with a pure mind aroused toward all the Tathāgatas in the trichiliocosm would not surpass the merit of an ordinary person hearing this Dharma-gate, let alone copying, reciting, and upholding it.' At that time, the entire great assembly addressed the Buddha, saying, 'World-Honoured One, what is the measure of the merit of a single Buddha?' The Buddha said, 'Even if all beings as numerous as the dust particles of the great earth and the sands of the Ganges were to become bodhisattvas of the tenth bhūmi, all the merit of such bodhisattvas of the tenth bhūmi would not equal the power of the merit of a single Buddha.'