法苑珠林 69.69

69.69

Furthermore, the Ekottarika-āgama states: The World-Honoured One told the monks: 'I shall now speak of the four types of Brahmā merit. What are the four? First, if there is a faithful good son or good daughter who, in a place where a stūpa has never been built, can erect one there; second, repairing an old monastery; third, reconciling the noble saṃgha; fourth, when a Tathāgata first turns the wheel of the Dharma, devas and humans entreat and request the turning of the wheel of the Dharma. These are called the four kinds of receiving Brahmā merit.' The monks addressed the World-Honoured One, saying: 'How much indeed is the merit of Brahmā Heaven?' The World-Honoured One told them: 'All the merits of sentient beings in the continent of Jambudvīpa are precisely equal to the merit of a single cakravartin. The merit of the people of Jambudvīpa along with a single cakravartin is equal to the merit of one person in Godānīya. The merit of the two regions of Jambudvīpa and Godānīya is still not equal to the merit of one person in Pūrvavideha. The merit of the people of the three regions is not equal to the merit of one person in Uttarakuru. The merit of the people of the four continents is not equal to the merit of the Four Heavenly Kings. And up to: the merit of the people of the four continents and the heavens of the six desire realms is not equal to the merit of a single King Mahābrahmā. If there are good sons or good daughters who seek such merit, this is its measure.'