法苑珠林 40.16

40.16

如大悲經云。爾時世尊告阿難。我滅度後。若有人乃至供養我之舍利如芥子等。恭敬尊重謙下供養。我說是人以此善根一切皆得涅槃界盡涅槃際。若有造立形像塔廟。乃有信心念佛功德。乃至一華散於空中。我說是人以此善根一切皆當得涅槃界盡涅槃際。佛告阿難。若有眾生以念佛故。乃至一華散於空中。如是福德所得果報不可窮盡。若有眾生以至誠心念佛功德乃至一華散於空中。於未來世當得釋天王梵天王轉輪聖王。於其福報亦不能盡。施佛福田不以有為果報所能盡邊。我說是人必得涅槃盡涅槃際。乃至若有畜生於佛世尊能生念者。我亦說其善根福報當得涅槃盡涅槃際。若有三千大千世界滿中四沙門果及辟支佛如甘蔗竹𥯤。若有人能若現在若滅後起塔供養。若一劫若減一劫。以諸稱意一切樂具恭敬尊重謙下供養。若復有人於諸佛所但一合掌一稱佛名。如是福德比前福德。百分不及一。千分百千億分。乃至迦羅分不及一。何以故。以佛如來諸福田中為最無上。是故施佛成大功德神通威力。

As the Mahākāruṇika-sūtra says: At that time the World-Honoured One told Ānanda, "After my parinirvāṇa, if someone were even to make an offering to my śarīra as small as a mustard seed, revering, honouring, humbling oneself, and making offerings to it, I say that through these roots of good this person will completely attain the realm of nirvāṇa and reach the ultimate limit of nirvāṇa. If someone were to construct images, stūpas, and temples, or faithfully contemplate the merits of the Buddha, or even scatter a single flower into the air, I say that through these roots of good this person will certainly attain the realm of nirvāṇa and reach the ultimate limit of nirvāṇa." The Buddha told Ānanda, "If any sentient being, out of mindfulness of the Buddha, scatters even a single flower into the air, the fruition and retribution obtained from such merit are inexhaustible. If any sentient being with utmost sincerity contemplates the merits of the Buddha and scatters even a single flower into the air, he will in future ages become the king of the Śakra gods, the king of the Brahmā gods, or a holy wheel-turning king (cakravartin), and even then the retribution of his merit will not be exhausted. The field of merit (puṇyakṣetra) of making offerings to the Buddha cannot have its limits exhausted by conditioned fruitions and retributions. I say that such a person will definitely attain nirvāṇa and reach the ultimate limit of nirvāṇa. Even if there is an animal that can give rise to mindfulness of the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, I also say that through the retribution of its roots of good it will attain nirvāṇa and reach the ultimate limit of nirvāṇa. If there were a great trichiliocosm completely filled with the four fruits of a śramaṇa and with pratyekabuddhas as numerous as sugarcanes, bamboos, and reeds; and if someone, whether in their present life or after their parinirvāṇa, were to erect stūpas and make offerings to them for an entire kalpa or for less than a kalpa, revering, honouring, humbling oneself, and making offerings with all desirable pleasing things and instruments of pleasure; and if another person, before the Buddhas, merely joins their palms once or recites the Buddha's name once: this [latter] merit, compared to the former merit, does not equal a hundredth part, a thousandth part, a hundred-thousand-millionth part, or even a kalā part. Why is this? Because the Buddha, the Tathāgata, is the most supreme among all fields of merit. Therefore, offering to the Buddha accomplishes great merit, supernormal power, and majestic potency."