法苑珠林 60.16

60.16

This divine mantra has already circulated before. Its functions and benefits cannot be spoken of exhaustively. In the early morning, use a willow branch to cleanse the mouth, scatter flowers, and burn incense. Kneel with knees on the ground and palms joined before a Buddha image, and recite it with the mouth seven times. If recited fourteen or twenty-one times, it eliminates transgressions such as the four grave offenses and the five rebellious acts. In this present body, one will not be afflicted by various untoward disasters; and at the end of life, one will be reborn in the land of the Immeasurable Lifespan. Moreover, this mantra can transform a female body to make it male. Now, having collated separate Sanskrit manuscripts and questioned true Brahman monks and others: the mighty power of this mantra is inconceivable. Merely recite it a hundred times at dawn, dusk, and midday, and it can eliminate the four grave offenses and five rebellious acts, eradicate the roots of all transgressions, and obtain rebirth in the West. If one can be refined and sincere for a full two hundred thousand recitations, the sprout of bodhi will grow and one will attain non-retrogression. If one completes three hundred thousand recitations, one will see Amitābha Buddha face to face, and will definitely attain rebirth in the Pure Land of Peace and Joy. Moreover, the Scripture of the Miscellaneous Collection of Dhāraṇīs states: At that time, the World-Honoured One addressed the monks: 'I shall now explain for you: in the Western World of Peace and Joy, there is at present a Buddha named Amitābha. If there are four assemblies who can correctly receive and uphold the name of that Buddha, by this merit, when their lives are about to end, Amitābha Buddha together with the great assembly will go to where this person is to let them behold Him. Having seen Him, they will immediately give rise to joy and delight, redoubling their merit. Due to these causes and conditions, the place where they are born will forever leave behind the womb and forms of filthy desire, abiding purely within fresh and exquisite jewel lotus flowers, spontaneously transformed and born, endowed with great supernatural powers. All the Buddhas of the ten directions, numerous as the sands of the Ganges, together praise that World of Peace and Joy. All its Buddha Dharmas are inconceivable; its supernatural manifestations and various expedient means are inconceivable. If there are those who can believe in such things, you should know that these persons are inconceivable, and the karmic retribution they obtain is also inconceivable. That country is named Pure and Peaceful (Qingtai), the dwelling of a holy king. Its city is ten thousand yojanas in extent, and within it is filled with the kṣatriya lineage. Amitābha Buddha's father was named Candrodgata, a wheel-turning holy king; his mother was named Utkṛṣṭavarṇa; his son was named Candradīpa; his attendant disciple was named Vimalakīrti; his disciple of wisdom was named Matiprabhā; his disciple of supernatural travel and vigor was named Mahāvipura; the Māra King at that time was named Durjaya; and there was a Devadatta named Vijayakṣānti. Amitābha Buddha is accompanied by a great assembly of sixty thousand monks. If someone receives and upholds that Buddha's name, firms their mind, and remembers it without forgetting, casting off distraction for ten days and ten nights, diligently cultivating and gathering the mindfulness-of-Buddha samādhi, and receives, upholds, reads, and recites this Great Dhāraṇī of the King of the Sound of the Drum, single-mindedly mindful during the six periods of the day for ten days and ten nights, throwing the five limbs to the ground in worship of that Buddha, firming right mindfulness and entirely removing distraction—if they can make their mind sustain thought after thought without interruption, within ten days they will certainly behold that Amitābha Buddha, and also behold the Tathāgatas of the worlds of the ten directions and their dwelling places. Excluded only are those of heavy obstacles and dull faculties, who cannot behold them for a short time in the present. All wholesome deeds are entirely dedicated with the vow to attain rebirth in the World of Peace and Joy. On the day when life draws to its close, Amitābha Buddha together with the great assembly will appear before that person, comforting them and praising them as good. That person will immediately give rise to immense joy and delight. By these causes and conditions, they will soon attain rebirth in accordance with their wish.' The Buddha addressed the monks: 'What is called the Great Dhāraṇī of the King of the Sound of the Drum? I shall now explain it. Listen carefully.' They respectfully received the teaching. Thereupon the World-Honoured One spoke the mantra, saying: