法苑珠林 35.64

35.64

又灌頂經云。救脫菩薩白佛言。若族姓男女。其有尫羸著床痛惱無救護者。我今當勸請諸眾僧。七日七夜齋戒一心。受持八禁六時行道。四十九遍讀是經典。勸然七層之燈。懸五色續命神幡。阿難問言。續命幡燈法則云何。神幡五色四十九尺。燈亦復爾。七層之燈一層七燈。燈如車輪。若遭厄難閉在牢獄枷鎖著身。亦應造立幡燈放諸雜類眾生。至四十九。可得過度危厄之難。不為諸橫惡鬼所持。

Furthermore, the Abhiṣeka-sūtra says: The Bodhisattva Trāṇamukta addressed the Buddha, saying: 'If there are men or women of good family who are emaciated, bedridden, in pain and distress without savior or protector, I shall now urge the saṃgha to observe the fast and purify their minds with single devotion for seven days and seven nights, maintain the eight precepts, practice the Path during the six periods, read this sūtra forty-nine times, light seven tiers of lamps, and hang five-colored spirit banners for extending life.' Ānanda asked: 'What are the rules for the banners and lamps for extending life?' [The Bodhisattva said]: 'The spirit banner is of five colors and forty-nine feet long; the lamps are also like this: seven tiers of lamps, seven lamps per tier, the lamps like chariot wheels. If someone encounters distress, is confined in prison, with cangue and fetters on the body, they should also erect banners and lamps, and release various kinds of sentient beings up to forty-nine; then they may cross over the distress of danger and calamity, and not be seized by untimely evil ghosts.'