大方廣圓覺修多羅了義經 1.117

1.117

於是賢善首菩薩在大眾中即從座起，頂禮佛足右遶三匝，長跪叉手而白佛言：「大悲世尊！廣為我等及末世眾生，開悟如是不思議事。世尊！此大乘教名字何等？云何奉持？眾生修習得何功德？云何使我護持經人？流布此教至於何地？」作是語已五體投地，如是三請終而復始。

Are called buddhas appearing in the world.

Those of dull capacity who have not yet realized it

Should constantly with all their mind confess

All their sins from beginningless time.

When their obstructions are dissolved,

The sphere of the Buddha will be manifest before them.

Chapter XII

Foremost of Worthies

Bodhisattva

Then Foremost of Worthies Bodhisattva arose from his seat within the great assembly, bowed with his head at the feet of the Buddha, circumambulated him three times, knelt before him with hands clasped at his breast, and addressed the Buddha, saying, “Great Compassionate World-honored One, for our sakes and that of sentient beings in the final age you have broadly awakened our understanding of such inconceivable things. World-honored One, what is this teaching of the Great Vehicle called? How is it to be maintained? What merits will sentient beings gain in putting it into practice? How should we protect those who are devoted to this scripture? Where should we go to propagate this teaching?” Having spoken these words, he prostrated himself fully. He made his request in this way three times in succession.

At that time the World-honored One addressed Foremost of Worthies Bodhisattva, saying, “Excellent! How excellent, son of good family, that, for the sake of the bodhisattvas and sentient beings in the final age, you are thus able to ask the Tathāgata about the teachings, merit, and names of this scripture. Now listen carefully to what I shall expound to you.” Then Foremost of Worthies Bodhisattva, delighted to receive the teaching, listened silently along with the great assembly.

“Son of good family, this scripture is preached by hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of buddhas as innumerable as the sands of the Ganges River, protected by the Tathāgatas of the three worlds, and taken as a refuge by bodhisattvas in the ten directions. It is the pure eye of the twelvefold canon. This scripture is called ‘The Great Extensive Dhāraṇī of Perfect Enlightenment.’ It is also called ‘The Scripture of Ultimate Meaning,’ ‘The Secret King Samādhi,’ ‘The Definitive Sphere of the Tathāgata,’ and ‘Distinctions in the Self-nature of the Tathāgatagarbha.’ You should reverently uphold it.

“Son of good family, this scripture just reveals the sphere of the Tathā-

gata. Only the Buddha Tathāgata is able to fully expound it. If bodhisattvas

and sentient beings in the final age base their practice on it, they will grad-

ually advance until they reach the stage (bhūmi) of buddhahood. Son of good

family, this scripture is designated as the Great Vehicle of the sudden teach-

ing, and sentient beings with sudden capacity will open their understanding

through it. It also encompasses all the variety of beings who engage in grad-

ual cultivation. It is like the vast ocean, into which all streams flow. All who

drink its water, even mosquitoes and asuras, will gain complete satisfaction.

“Son of good family, if someone were to offer a gift entirely composed

of the seven precious jewels filling a billion universes, [the merits of that

deed] would not compare with someone hearing the title of this scripture or

a single sentence from it. Son of good family, if someone were to teach hun-

dreds of thousands of sentient beings as innumerable as the sands of the

Ganges River to gain arhatship, [the merits of that deed] would not com-

pare with someone who expounded so much as half a verse of this scripture.

Son of good family, moreover, if someone hears the name of this scripture

and believes it with all his heart without doubt, know that such a person has