法苑珠林 36.48

36.48

The Buddha told Mañjuśrī: 'When using these flowers, if the fourfold assembly can faithfully practice this, they should rise early, bathe cleanly, rinse their mouths, and contemplate the Buddha's merit. Revering these flowers, they must not tread on them with their feet nor step across them. Holding and taking them according to rule, place them in a clean vessel. If someone suffers from chills, fever, or headache, grind the flowers with cold water and smear it on their body. If they vomit, have diarrhea with blood, or suffer distress and pain in the abdomen, grind the flowers with liquid beverage and drink this flower beverage. If there are sores in the mouth, grind the flowers with warm water and rinse the mouth with this flower juice. If rain does not cease, burn the flowers with fire in an open, quiet place, and the rain will immediately stop. If there is a severe drought, place the flowers in water in an open, quiet place, chant the incantation over cold water, and sprinkle it again on the flowers; rain will immediately fall. If cattle, horses, and the like are wild by nature, feed them with the flowers, and they will immediately become tamed. If fruit trees do not flourish with blossoms and fruit, grind the flowers to extract their juice with cold water and cow dung, and irrigate their roots; they must not be trampled upon, and the blossoms and fruit will become abundant. If there is excessive water in the fields and the crops are damaged, pound the flowers into powder and scatter it in the fields, and they will flourish. If there is pestilence in the country, grind the flowers with cold water, smear conch-trumpets, drums, and the like, and blow or strike them to produce sound; those who hear it will immediately be cured. If enemy nations or bandits intend to invade the border, grind the flowers with water and sprinkle and scatter it at that place, and they will immediately retreat and scatter. If on a high mountain there is a place with flat boulders, and many monks grind the flowers upon the rock, and having finished grinding the flowers, bow to one another, after a long time precious gems will naturally be produced upon the rock.' (Briefly stated in summary; for the rest, rely in full on the sūtra.) The Buddha told Mañjuśrī: 'Recite each one a full one hundred and eight times. These verses of incantation you should proclaim everywhere, just like the method for flowers offered to the Buddha; for other flowers it is also like this.'