[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法苑珠林](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122) › 35.58 # 法苑珠林 35.58 法苑珠林 35.58 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [35.58](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.35.58) 又施燈功德經云。佛告舍利弗。或有人於佛塔廟諸形像前而設供養。故奉施燈明。乃至以少燈炬。或蘇油塗然持以奉施。其明唯照一道一階。舍利弗。如此福德非是一切聲聞緣覺所能可知。唯佛如來乃能知也。求世報者。福德尚爾。況以清淨深樂心。相續無間念佛功德。照道一階福德尚爾。何況全照一切階道也。或二三四階道。或塔身一級二級乃至多級。一面二面乃至四面。乃至佛形像。舍利弗。彼所然燈。或時速滅。或風吹滅。或油盡滅。或炷盡滅。或俱盡滅。如是少時於佛塔廟奉施燈明。為信佛法僧故。如是少燈奉施福田。所得果報福德之聚。唯佛能知。少燈尚多不可算數。況我滅後於佛塔寺。若自作若教他作。或然一燈二燈乃至多燈。香華纓絡寶幢幡蓋。及餘種種勝妙供養。復次若人。於佛塔廟施燈明已。臨命終時得三種明。何等為三。一者彼人臨命終時。先所作福悉皆現前。憶念善法而不忘失。因此念已心生踊悅。二者因此便能起念佛心能行布施得欣喜心無有死苦。三者因此便得念法之心。又舍利弗。彼人臨命終時。更復得見四種光明。何等為四。一者臨終見於日輪圓滿踊出。二者見淨月輪圓滿踊出。三者見諸天眾一處而生。四者見於如來應正遍知。坐菩提樹垂得菩提。自見己身尊重如來。合十指掌恭敬而住又舍利弗。於佛塔廟施燈明已。於臨終時。得見如是四種光明。死已便生三十三天。生彼天已。於五種事而得清淨。一者得清淨力。二者於諸天中得殊勝威德。三者常得清淨念慧。四者常得聞於攝意之聲。五者而得眷屬。常護彼意心得欣喜。於彼天宮捨壽命已。不墮惡趣。生於人中最上種姓信佛法家。其時世間若無佛者。亦不在輕賤吉凶邪見家生。由施燈已復得四種可樂之法。何等為四。一者色力。二者資財。三者大善。四者智慧。若人住於大乘。於佛塔廟施燈明已。得於八種可樂勝法。何等為八。一者獲勝肉眼。二者得於勝念無能測量。三者得於勝達分天眼。四者為於滿足修集道故得不缺戒。五者得智滿足證於涅槃。六者先所作善得無難處。七者所作善業得值諸佛。能為一切眾生之眼。八者以彼善根得轉輪王。所得輪寶不為他障。其身端正。或為帝釋。得大威力具足十眼。或為梵王。善弘梵事得大禪定。舍利弗。以其迴向菩提善根。得是八種所樂勝法。又舍利弗。若人於如來前。見他施燈信心清淨。合十指掌起隨喜心。以此善根得於八種增上之法。何等為八。一者得增上色。二者得增上眷屬。三者得增上戒。四者於人天中得增上生。五者得增上信。六者得增上辯。七者得增上聖道。八者得阿耨菩提。又告舍利弗。有五種法最為難得。一者得人身難。二者於佛正法得信樂難。三者樂於佛法得出家難。四者具清淨戒難。五者得漏盡難。一切眾生於是五法。言為難得。汝等已得（此經一卷略取要言）。 > Furthermore, the Sūtra on the Merit of Offering Lamps states: The Buddha told Śāriputra: 'Suppose someone sets out offerings before stūpas, shrines, or various images of the Buddha, respectfully making an offering of lamp illumination, even if only with a small torch, or smearing and lighting clarified butter or oil to offer it, so that its illumination shines on only one path or one flight of stairs. Śāriputra, such meritorious virtue cannot be known by any śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha; only the Buddha, the Tathāgata, can know it. Even for those seeking worldly retribution, the meritorious virtue is still like this; how much more so for one who, with a pure and deeply joyful mind, continuously and without interruption recollects the virtues of the Buddha! If the meritorious virtue of illuminating one flight of a path is already like this, how much more so for completely illuminating all stairs and paths, or two, three, or four tiers of stairs and paths, or one tier, two tiers, up to many tiers of a stūpa body, or one side, two sides, up to four sides, or even an image of the Buddha! Śāriputra, the lamps lit by them may quickly extinguish at times, or be blown out by the wind, or be extinguished when the oil is spent, or when the wick is spent, or when both are spent. Even when lamp illumination is offered for such a short time before a Buddha's stūpa or shrine out of faith in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha, the mass of fruit, retribution, and meritorious virtue obtained by offering such a small lamp to the puṇyakṣetra can be known only by a Buddha. Even a small lamp brings immeasurable \[merit\]; how much more so if, after my extinction, at the Buddha's stūpas and monasteries, one either does it oneself or instructs others to do it, burning one lamp, two lamps, up to many lamps, with incense, flowers, garlands, jewelled banners, flags, and canopies, and various other superior and wondrous offerings! Furthermore, if a person, having offered lamp illumination at a Buddha's stūpa or shrine, approaches the end of life, they will obtain three kinds of illumination. What are the three? First, when that person is at the end of life, the merits previously performed will all manifest before them; they will recollect the good dharmas without forgetting them, and due to this recollection, their mind will leap with joy. Second, because of this, they will be able to arouse the mind that recollects the Buddha, be able to practice dāna, and obtain a joyful mind, free from the suffering of death. Third, because of this, they will attain the mind of recollecting the Dharma. Furthermore, Śāriputra, when that person approaches the end of life, they will also see four kinds of light. What are the four? First, at the end of life, they see the full sun disc leaping forth. Second, they see the pure full moon disc leaping forth. Third, they see hosts of devas being born in one place. Fourth, they see the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksaṃbuddha, sitting under the Bodhi tree on the verge of attaining bodhi, seeing their own body paying reverence to the Tathāgata, joining their ten fingers with palms together and abiding in respect. Furthermore, Śāriputra, having offered lamp illumination at a Buddha's stūpa or shrine, when at the end of life they see these four kinds of light, upon dying they will be born in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. Having been born in that heaven, they will attain purity in five things: First, they obtain pure strength. Second, among all the devas, they obtain superior majesty and virtue. Third, they constantly obtain pure mindfulness and wisdom. Fourth, they constantly hear sounds that delight the mind. Fifth, they obtain a retinue that constantly protects their intentions, making their mind joyful. When their lifespan ends in that heavenly palace, they will not fall into bad destinies, but will be born among humans in the highest castes and in families that have faith in the Buddha's Dharma. If at that time there is no Buddha in the world, they will also not be born into lowly, superstitious, or wrong-view families. Having offered lamps, they will furthermore obtain four delightful dharmas. What are the four? First, physical appearance and strength; second, material wealth; third, great goodness; fourth, wisdom. If a person abides in the Mahāyāna and has offered lamp illumination at a Buddha's stūpa or shrine, they will obtain eight delightful and superior dharmas. What are the eight? First, they obtain superior physical eyes. Second, they obtain superior mindfulness that none can measure. Third, they obtain the superior, penetrating divine eye. Fourth, in order to fulfill the path of cultivation and accumulation, they obtain unblemished precepts. Fifth, they obtain fulfillment of wisdom and realize nirvāṇa. Sixth, their previously performed goodness enables them to avoid difficult places of rebirth. Seventh, due to their performed wholesome karma, they will encounter Buddhas and be able to serve as the eye for all sentient beings. Eighth, through those roots of goodness, they will become a cakravartin, and the wheel treasure they obtain cannot be obstructed by others, their body upright and handsome; or they will become Śakra, possessing great power and being complete with ten eyes; or they will become a Brahmā king, skillfully propagating Brahmā affairs and attaining great dhyāna. Śāriputra, because of dedicating their roots of goodness toward bodhi, they obtain these eight delightful and superior dharmas. Furthermore, Śāriputra, if a person, before the Tathāgata, sees another offering a lamp and, with pure faith, joins the ten fingers with palms together and gives rise to a mind of sympathetic joy, through this root of goodness they will obtain eight preeminent dharmas. What are the eight? First, they obtain preeminent appearance. Second, they obtain a preeminent retinue. Third, they obtain preeminent precepts. Fourth, among humans and devas, they obtain a preeminent birth. Fifth, they obtain preeminent faith. Sixth, they obtain preeminent eloquence. Seventh, they obtain the preeminent noble path. Eighth, they obtain anuttara-bodhi.' He furthermore told Śāriputra, 'There are five dharmas that are most difficult to obtain: First, obtaining a human body is difficult. Second, obtaining faith and joy in the Buddha's true Dharma is difficult. Third, taking joy in the Buddha's Dharma and being able to leave the household life is difficult. Fourth, being complete with pure precepts is difficult. Fifth, attaining the exhaustion of outflows is difficult. For all sentient beings, these five dharmas are said to be difficult to obtain; you have already obtained them.' (This sūtra is in one fascicle; its essential words are summarized here.) > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 35.57](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.35.57) - [Next: 35.59](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.35.59) - [Up: 35](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.35) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122~en-mt.35.58) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [萬善同歸集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2017.2.62) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.35.58](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2122.35.58) · Pramāṇa