法苑珠林 30.24

30.24

Also, the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra says: At that time the World-Honoured One addressed the foremost, Maitreya, and all the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas of the Bhadrakalpa, saying, "Good sons, formerly when I was practicing the bodhisattva path, I made such offerings to the past Buddhas, the Tathāgatas. With these good roots, they served as the cause for my saṃbodhi. Out of pity for all sentient beings, I now divide this retribution-fruit into three portions. I reserve one portion for my own use. The second portion, after my extinction, I grant to the śrāvakas who are firmly endowed with dhyāna, liberation, and samādhi, so that they lack for nothing. The third portion I grant to those śrāvakas who have broken the precepts but recite the scriptures, and who shave their heads and wear the kāṣāya in the periods of the true Dharma and semblance Dharma, so that they lack for nothing. Maitreya, I now also entrust into your hands all the assemblies of śrāvakas—the bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās who are aligned with the three modes of karma—do not let them fall into scarcity or die in isolation. And those who have broken and violated the prohibitions and precepts yet wear the kāṣāya in the periods of the true Dharma and semblance Dharma, I entrust into your hands; do not let them die in scarcity of material necessities, nor let there be caṇḍāla kings who together harass and harm them so that they suffer in body and mind. I now also entrust into your hands all those donors. Those who have gone forth for my sake—whether they are suitable vessels or not—and are offered sustenance, you must also protect and nourish. Maitreya, if in the present or in future ages there are those who recite, receive, and maintain this Dharma gate, they shall attain ten kinds of pure virtues. What are the ten? Beginning with physical purity and thus abstaining from taking life, up to abstaining from wrong views; these are the ten kinds of virtues. From this time onward, for hundreds of thousands of millions of births, they will always attain these ten kinds of pure virtues. If there are those who listen to this Dharma gate with a sincere mind, these persons, abiding in the limit of reality (bhūta-koṭi), will attain eight kinds of pure virtues. What are the eight? First, longevity. Second, handsome appearance. Third, wealth and nobility. Fourth, fame. Fifth, constant protection by all the devas. Sixth, constant lack of nothing in what is needed. Seventh, the exhaustion of all karmic hindrances. Eighth, when their lives are about to end, the Buddhas of the ten directions and the great assemblies will emit great radiance shining upon their eyes, causing those persons to see it and be reborn in a good realm. Through hundreds of thousands of millions of births, they will always attain such eight kinds of virtues. I shall now also speak in brief: these persons will attain thirteen kinds of pure virtues. What are the thirteen? First, in the transmigratory flow of saṃsāra, they will never again give rise to inverted, evil views. Second, they will not be born in Buddha-less lands of the five turbidities. Third, they will always be able to see the Buddha. Fourth, they will always hear the saddharma. Fifth, they will always be able to make offerings to the saṃgha. Sixth, they will meet good spiritual friends. Seventh, they will always be aligned with the six pāramitās. Eighth, they will not fall into the Hīnayāna. Ninth, they will always mature sentient beings through the power of great loving-kindness, great compassion, and great skillful means. Tenth, they will always generate supreme vows. Eleventh, up until bodhi, they will never be separated from the aforesaid dharmas. Twelfth, they will swiftly be able to fulfill the six pāramitās. Thirteenth, they will realize saṃbodhi in anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi. If there are those who receive, maintain, copy, recite, explain to others, and practice according to the teachings of this Candragarbha Dharma Gate, the merits and virtues they obtain will be as described above."