法苑珠林 86.18

86.18

Furthermore, according to the Sutra of the Buddha's Names, the Buddha at that time told Śāriputra: "If a good man or good woman who seeks anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi wishes to repent, they must first repent of all sins. If a bhikṣu has violated the four pārājikas; if a bhikṣuṇī has violated the eight pārājika precepts; if a śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, or śrāmaṇerikā has violated the root of renunciation; if an upāsaka has violated the grave precepts of an upāsikā; or if an upāsikā has violated the grave precepts of an upāsaka; and they seek to repent: they must bathe cleanly, put on new, clean robes, and abstain from pungent foods. They must, in a quiet place, clean and prepare an inner chamber, adorn the place of practice with fine flowers and banners, plaster the ground with fragrant mud, hang forty-nine banners, adorn the Buddha seat, install a Buddha image, burn various types of incense, scatter various flowers, and arouse great loving-kindness and compassion, vowing to cause the suffering beings who have not crossed over to cross over, maintaining a humble mind toward all sentient beings like the mind of a servant. If a bhikṣu has violated the four grave prohibitions, he should do so day and night for forty-nine days. He must disclose the offenses he has committed before eight pure monks, doing so once every seven days. With the utmost sincerity and deep gravity, he must repent of what he did previously, single-mindedly taking refuge in the Buddhas of the ten directions, reciting their names, and paying homage to them according to his capacity and portion. If he persists with such determination for a full forty-nine days, his sins will certainly be eliminated, and this person will attain purity. At that time, signs will appear: either while awake or in dreams, the Buddhas of the ten directions will bestow a prediction on him, or he will see bodhisattvas bestow a prediction on him, guide him to the place of practice, and become his companions; or they will stroke his head, permanently eliminating the marks of sin; or he will see himself enter a great assembly and take his place in the ranks; or he will see himself in the assembly preaching the Dharma; or he will see a Dharma master, a śramaṇa of pure conduct, lead him to the place of practice and show him the Buddhas. Śāriputra, when a bhikṣu repents of his sins, if he sees such signs, you should know that this person's sinful taints have been eliminated, except if he lacks sincere determination. If a bhikṣuṇī repents of the eight grave offenses, she must follow the procedure for a bhikṣu for a full forty-nine days and will attain purity, except if she lacks sincere determination. If an upāsaka or upāsikā repents of grave precepts, they should with sincere determination revere the Three Jewels. When seeing a śramaṇa, they should respectfully pay homage, generating the thought that such an encounter is rare to meet. They must invite [the monk] to the place of practice and provide various offerings; they must invite one bhikṣu whom they respect from the heart, disclose to him the sins they have committed, and repent with sincere determination, single-mindedly taking refuge in the Buddhas of the ten directions, reciting their names and paying homage. If they fulfill seven days in this manner, they will certainly attain purity, except if they lack sincere determination. Śāriputra, if a bhikṣu, bhikṣuṇī, upāsaka, or upāsikā wishes to repent of various sins, they must bathe, put on new, clean robes, clean and prepare an inner chamber, arrange a fine, high seat, install a Buddha image, hang forty-nine banners, offer various flowers and incense, and recite the names of these thirty-five Buddhas. Repenting during the six periods of the day and night for a full twenty-five days, they will eliminate the offenses of the four pārājikas, eight pārājikas, and the like. It is also like this for a śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, and śrāmaṇerikā."