大通方廣懺悔滅罪莊嚴成佛經 2.36

2.36

At that time, Ākāśagarbha Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: "Bhagavat, in the past, in the presence of immeasurable Buddhas, in immeasurable assemblies, and among immeasurable multitudes, I have heard various dharmas, various affairs, various marks, and various vehicles, but never have I heard such a rare Dharma, such rare affairs, such rare marks, and such a rare Mahāyāna! I shall constantly accept and uphold it, causing it not to be severed. Bhagavat, the Tathāgata is eternal; the Dharma and the Saṅgha are imperishable. Sentient beings of the three realms are born of themselves and perish of themselves; not seeing the Tathāgata and the Dharma and Saṅgha, they proclaim that [the Buddha] has passed into extinction. Now, relying on the Buddha's spiritual power, we roam in the three realms, conforming to the needs of the times and provisionally proclaiming [your] passing into extinction. Bhagavat, now, after the Buddha's passing into extinction, together with eighty thousand mahāsattvas of the Dharma-body endowed with long-standing wisdom, I will propagate this sūtra, causing sentient beings throughout the Dharma realm to accept, uphold, read, recite, and practice it as taught, becoming Buddhas simultaneously, yet without ever letting go. Bhagavat, if a good man or good woman in the defiled, evil age after the Buddha's passing into extinction accepts, upholds, reads, recites, or copies this sūtra, how much merit will they obtain?"