諸經要集 8.95

8.95

As the Sūtra on Rebirth in the Five Destinies states: The Buddha said: 'Whenever one performs meritorious deeds as practices that follow oneself, burning incense and lighting lamps brings extremely great blessings. In burning incense to create merit and in reciting the sūtras, one must not invite others without offering dakṣiṇā and vows of dedication. It is just like hiring someone to eat: how could you yourself be satisfied? Burning incense to make it pure, lighting lamps to continue the light, holding vegetarian gatherings with incense, and reciting sūtras with dakṣiṇā should be the constant practice. Through giving, one attains blessings; the devas will support and lead them, all evils will be warded off, and all māras will be subdued. An indolent person cannot be diligent. When suddenly struck by sickness or bad fortune, they then wish to burn incense and only then begin to create merit. The devas have not yet descended, while all the māras are already before them, competing to disturb and torment them and cause various strange transformations. For this reason, one should always be diligent. Transgressions and blessings follow a person just as a shadow follows the form. Planting the field of merit is like the nyagrodha tree: originally one seed was planted, and gradually it grew larger, yielding limitless seeds.' The Buddha told Ānanda, 'Giving one brings a ten-thousand-fold return; these words are not false.' The Buddha spoke a verse, saying: