法苑珠林 19.49

19.49

Furthermore, the *Mahākaruṇā-sūtra* states: The Buddha told Ānanda, “In my Dharma, so long as someone is a śramaṇa by disposition, defiles the conduct of a śramaṇa, calls himself a śramaṇa, looks like a śramaṇa, and comes to wear the kāṣāya robe—in this Bhadrakalpa, beginning with Maitreya and ending with the final Tathāgata Vairocana, across these one thousand buddhas, all those śramaṇas will successively enter parinirvāṇa in the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder, without exception. Why is this? Among all such śramaṇas, even if they have only once invoked the Buddha's name and once given rise to faith, the merit they have created will ultimately not be in vain. Ānanda, by the Buddha's wisdom I fathom and know the Dharmadhātu; there is nothing I do not fathom and know. Ānanda, all white karma receives white retribution, and black karma receives black retribution. If there are living beings of pure mind who invoke and say, ‘Namo Buddhāya,’ by virtue of that root of goodness they will certainly draw near to nirvāṇa—how much more so if they encounter a buddha and attend upon and make offerings to him in person!”