法苑珠林 35.8

35.8

As the Avataṃsaka-sūtra says: 'Those who wear the kāṣāya abandon the three poisons.' Furthermore, the Mahākaruṇā-sūtra says: 'If someone merely has the nature of a śramaṇa, defiles the conduct of a śramaṇa, calls himself a śramaṇa, looks like a śramaṇa, and wears the kāṣāya, from Maitreya Buddha down to Rucika Buddha, they will be able to enter nirvāṇa without any omission or failure.' Furthermore, the Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka-sūtra says: 'In the past, before Ratnagarbha Buddha, Śākyamuni Buddha generated the bodhicitta and vowed: “When I attain Buddhahood, may my kāṣāya have five virtues. First, after I have attained Buddhahood, if any sentient beings enter my Dharma, leave home, and wear the kāṣāya, and yet violate the grave prohibitions, fall into wrong views, or disrespect and lack faith in the Three Jewels, amassing all grave offenses—whether bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, or upāsikās—if in a single thought they give rise to a reverent mind that honors the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha, then to every such sentient being, down to even a single person, I shall surely bestow a prophecy that they will achieve non-retrogression within the three vehicles. Second, after I have attained Buddhahood, if heavenly beings, dragons, ghosts, spirits, humans, or non-humans are able to show reverence, make offerings, honor, and praise anyone who wears this kāṣāya, and if that person merely gets to see even a small portion of this kāṣāya, they will immediately achieve non-retrogression within the three vehicles. Third, if sentient beings are afflicted by hunger and thirst, or if poor ghosts, spirits, lowly people, or even hungry ghosts and animals obtain even a small portion of the kāṣāya, down to four inches, they will immediately obtain an abundance of food and drink, and whatever they wish for will quickly be fulfilled. Fourth, if sentient beings turn against each other, perceive each other as foes, and repeatedly quarrel, or if the devas, nāgas, the eight classes of beings, humans, and non-humans quarrel with one another, and they recall this kāṣāya, they will immediately give rise to a mind of compassion, a tender mind, a mind free of enmity and malice, a peaceful and extinct mind, and a subdued, good mind. Fifth, if someone is in the midst of armed combat, litigation, or judicial judgment, and they take a small piece of this kāṣāya into their company for self-protection, and they offer, venerate, and honor the kāṣāya, then no one will be able to harm, harass, or demean them; they will always triumph over others and overcome these various difficulties. If my kāṣāya cannot accomplish these five sacred virtues, then I would be deceiving the present Buddhas of the ten directions and would not attain bodhi to become a Buddha in future ages.”' Furthermore, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna-sūtra says: 'If there are sentient beings who uphold the precepts with pure faith, know the Saṃgha to be a field of merit, and, for the sake of the Dharma robes, donate the value of a single fruit as the cost of a robe, always rejoicing and sharing in joy, at the end of their lives they will be born in the Grove-Play Heaven, roaming and playing at will wherever they wish. If born among humans, their divine power and virtue will be autonomous. If sentient beings have pure faith in their hearts and dye and prepare kāṣāya Dharma robes for the saṃgha of bhikṣus, at the end of their lives they will be born in the Varied-Ground Heaven, amusing themselves with celestial maidens in the five desires, drinking nectar without intoxication or confusion. When their lives in heaven end, they will obtain human bodies and be loved and revered by people.'