諸經要集 4.112

4.112

又施燈功德經云。佛告舍利弗或有人。於佛塔廟諸形像前。而設供養故。奉施燈明。乃至以少燈炷。或蘇油塗然持以奉施。其明唯照一道一階。舍利弗。如此福德非是一切聲聞緣覺所能可知。唯佛如來乃能知也。求世報者福德尚爾。況以清淨深樂心。相續無間念佛功德。照道一階福德尚爾。何況全照一階道也。或二三四階道。或塔身一級二級。乃至多級。一面二面。乃至四面。乃至佛形像。舍利弗。彼所然燈。或時速滅。或風吹滅。或油盡滅。或炷盡滅。或俱盡滅。如是少時。於佛塔廟奉施燈明。為信佛法僧故。如是少燈奉施福田。所得果報。福德之聚。唯佛能知。少燈尚多不可算數。況我滅後。於佛塔寺。若自作若教他作。或然一燈二燈。乃至多燈。香花瓔珞。寶幢幡蓋。及餘種種勝妙供養。復次若人於佛塔廟。施燈明已。臨命終時得三種明。何等為三。一者彼人臨命終時。先所作福悉皆現前。憶念善法而不忘失。因此念已心生踊悅。二者因此。便能起念佛。能行布施得欣喜心無有死苦。三者因此便得念法之心。又舍利弗。彼人臨命終時。更復得見四種光明。何等為四。一者臨終見於日輪圓滿踊出。二者見淨月輪圓滿踊出。三者見諸天眾一處而生。四者見於如來應正遍知。坐菩提樹垂得菩提。自見己身尊重如來。合十指掌恭敬而住。又舍利弗。於佛塔廟施燈明已。於臨終時。得見如是四種光明。死已便生三十三天。生彼天已。於五種事而得清淨。一者得清淨力。二者於諸天中得殊勝威德。三者常得清淨念慧。四者常得聞於攝意之聲。五者而得眷屬常護彼意。心得欣喜。於彼天宮捨壽命已。不墮惡趣。生於人中最上種姓信佛法家。其時世間若無佛者。亦不在輕賤吉凶邪見家生。由施燈已。復得四種可樂之法。何等為四。一者色力。二者資財。三者大喜。四者智慧。若人住於大乘。於佛塔廟施燈。明已。得於八種可樂勝法。何等為八。一者獲勝肉眼。二者得於勝念無能測量。三者得於勝達分天眼。四者為於滿足修集道故得不缺戒。五者得智滿足證於涅槃。六者先所作善得無難處。七者所作善業。得值諸佛。能為一切眾生之眼。八者以彼善根。得轉輪王所得輪寶。不為他障。其身端正。或為帝釋。得大威力具足十眼。或為梵王。善弘梵事得大禪定。舍利弗。以是迴向菩提善根。得是八種所樂勝法。又舍利弗。若人於如來前。見他施燈信心清淨。合十指掌起隨喜心。以此善根。得於八種增上之法。何等為八。一者得增上色。二者得增上眷屬。三者得增上戒。四者於人天中得增上生。五者得增上信。六者得增上辯。七者得增上聖道。八者得阿耨菩提。又告舍利弗。有五種法。最為難得。一者得人身難。二者於佛正法得信樂難。三者樂於佛法得出家難。四者具清淨戒難。五者得漏盡難。一切眾生。於是五法言為難得。汝等已得（此經一卷略之要言）。

Furthermore, the Śīdēng gōngdé jīng (Sūtra on the Merits of Offering Lamps) says: The Buddha told Śāriputra, "There may be a person who, in order to make offerings before the stūpas and shrines or various images of the Buddha, presents and offers a lamp, even using a small wick, or offering anointment with clarified butter and oil to light it. Its light may illuminate only a single path or a single step. Śāriputra, such merit is not something that can be known by any śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha; only the Buddha, the Tathāgata, is able to know it. Even for one seeking worldly recompense the merit is like this; how much more so for one who, with a pure and deeply joyful mind, continuously and without interruption recollects the virtues of the Buddha! If the merit of illuminating a single step of a path is already like this, how much more so fully illuminating an entire flight of steps on a path, or two, three, or four flights of steps; or one tier, two tiers, or even many tiers of a stūpa body; or one side, two sides, or even four sides; or even an image of the Buddha! Śāriputra, the lamp lit by that person may at times be quickly extinguished, or blown out by the wind, or extinguished because the oil is exhausted, or extinguished because the wick is exhausted, or extinguished because both are exhausted. If for even such a short time one presents and offers a lamp before a Buddha's stūpa or shrine out of faith in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṃgha, the fruit and retribution, the heap of merit obtained by offering such a small lamp to the field of merit, can only be known by a Buddha. Even a small lamp brings immeasurable, incalculable merit; how much more so if, after my parinirvāṇa, at a Buddha's stūpa or monastery, one lights one lamp, two lamps, or even many lamps, whether making them oneself or having others make them, with incense, flowers, necklaces, jewelled banners, pennants, canopies, and other various superior and wonderful offerings! Furthermore, if a person, having offered a lamp at a Buddha's stūpa or shrine, reaches the end of life, they obtain three kinds of clarity. What are the three? First, at the end of that person's life, the merits previously performed all appear before them, and they remember wholesome dharmas without forgetting them, and having remembered them, joy leaps up in their mind. Second, through this, they are able to give rise to mindfulness of the Buddha and the ability to practice giving, and obtaining a joyful mind, they are free from the suffering of death. Third, through this, they obtain the mind of mindfulness of the Dharma. Furthermore, Śāriputra, at the end of life, that person further attains the sight of four kinds of light. What are the four? First, near death they see the sun disk rising full and radiant. Second, they see the pure moon disk rising full and radiant. Third, they see hosts of devas being born in a single place. Fourth, they see the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, sitting beneath the bodhi tree on the verge of attaining bodhi, and see their own body revering the Tathāgata, joining their ten fingers with palms together and standing in reverence. Furthermore, Śāriputra, having offered a lamp at a Buddha's stūpa or shrine, when approaching death, one attains the sight of these four kinds of light. After death, one is reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. Having been born in that heaven, one attains purity in five matters: first, one attains pure strength; second, among all devas one attains superior majesty and virtue; third, one constantly attains pure mindfulness and wisdom; fourth, one constantly hears voices that gather the mind; fifth, one attains a retinue that constantly protects their intentions, and their mind attains joy. When one's lifespan in that heavenly palace ends, one does not fall into evil destinies, but is born among humans into the highest clan, into a family that has faith in the Buddha's Dharma. If at that time there is no Buddha in the world, one is also not born into a base family with bad omens and wrong views. By having offered a lamp, one further attains four delightful dharmas. What are the four? First, physical strength; second, wealth and property; third, great joy; fourth, wisdom. If a person abides in the Mahāyāna, and having offered a lamp at a Buddha's stūpa or shrine, they attain eight delightful, superior dharmas. What are the eight? First, obtaining a superior physical eye. Second, obtaining superior mindfulness that no one can measure. Third, obtaining a divine eye that penetrates with distinction. Fourth, obtaining unbroken precepts for the purpose of fulfilling the cultivation of the path. Fifth, obtaining the fulfilment of wisdom and realizing nirvāṇa. Sixth, the wholesome deeds previously performed attain places free from difficulties. Seventh, by the wholesome karma performed, one meets with all Buddhas and is able to serve as the eye for all sentient beings. Eighth, through those roots of goodness, one becomes a wheel-turning king and obtains the wheel treasure without being obstructed by others, and one's body is upright; or one becomes Śakra, attaining great power and fully possessing the ten eyes; or one becomes a Brahmā king, skillfully propagating the affairs of Brahmā and attaining great dhyāna-concentration. Śāriputra, by dedicating these roots of goodness to bodhi, one obtains these eight delightful and superior dharmas. Furthermore, Śāriputra, if a person in the presence of the Tathāgata sees another offering a lamp, and with pure faith joins their ten fingers with palms together and gives rise to a mind of sympathetic joy, through this root of goodness they will obtain eight pre-eminent dharmas. What are the eight? First, obtaining pre-eminent physical form. Second, obtaining a pre-eminent retinue. Third, obtaining pre-eminent precepts. Fourth, obtaining pre-eminent rebirth among humans and devas. Fifth, obtaining pre-eminent faith. Sixth, obtaining pre-eminent eloquence. Seventh, obtaining the pre-eminent noble path. Eighth, obtaining anuttarasaṃbodhi. He further told Śāriputra, "There are five dharmas that are most difficult to obtain: first, obtaining a human body is difficult; second, obtaining faith and joy in the Buddha's true Dharma is difficult; third, rejoicing in the Buddha's Dharma and being able to go forth into homelessness is difficult; fourth, possessing pure precepts is difficult; fifth, obtaining the exhaustion of outflows is difficult. Among all sentient beings, these five dharmas are called difficult to obtain, yet you and the others have already obtained them." (This is an abridged summary of the essentials from the one fascicle of this sūtra.)