The Lotus Sutra
Translated by Burton Watson
- Chapter Twenty-eight
- The Encouragement of Bodhisattva Universally Worthy
At that time Bodhisattva Universal worthy, famed for his freely
exercised transcendental powers, dignity and virtue, in company with great bodhisattvas in
immeasurable, boundless, indescribable numbers, arrived from the east. The lands that he
passed through one and all quaked and trembled, jeweled lotus flowers rained down, and
immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of different kinds of music
played. In addition, numberless heavenly beings, dragons yakshas, gandharvas, asuras,
garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, human and nonhuman beings surrounded him in a great
assembly, each displaying his dignity, virtue, and transcendental powers.
When [Bodhisattva Universal Worthy] arrived in the midst of Mount
Gridhrakuta in the saha world, he bowed his head to the ground in obeisance to Shakyamuni
Buddha, circled around him to the right seven times, and said to the Buddha:
'World-Honored One, when I was in the land of the Buddha King Above Jeweled Dignity and
Virtue, from far away I heard the Lotus Sutra being preached in this saha world. In
company with this multitude of immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten thousands,
millions of bodhisattvas I have come to listen to and accept it. I beg that the
World-Honored One will preach it for us. And good men and good women in the time after the
Thus Come One has entered extinction--how will they be able to acquire this Lotus
Sutra?"
The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Universal Worthy: "If good men and
good women will fulfill four conditions in the time after the Thus Come One has entered
extinction, then they will be able to acquire this Lotus Sutra. First, they must be
protected and kept in mind by the Buddhas. Second, they must plant the roots of virtue.
Third, they must enter the stage where they are sure of reaching enlightenment. Fourth,
they must conceive a determination to save all living beings. If good men and good women
fulfill these four conditions, then after the Thus Come One has entered extinction they
will be certain to acquire this sutra."
At that time Bodhisattva Universal Worthy said to the Buddha:
"World-Honored One , in the evil and corrupt age of the last five-hundred-year
period, if there is someone who accepts and upholds this sutra, I will guard and protect
him, free him from decline and harm, see that he attains peace and tranquility, and make
certain that no one can spy out and take advantage of his shortcomings, no devil, devil's
son, devil's daughter, devil's minion, or one possessed by the devil, no yaksha, rakshasa,
kumdhanda, pishacha, kritya, putana, vetada, or other being that torments humans will be
able to take advantage of him.
"Whether that person is walking or standing, if he reads and
recites this sutra, then at that time I will mount my six-tusked kingly white elephant and
with my multitude of great bodhisattvas will proceed to where he is. I will manifest
myself, offer alms, guard and protect him, and bring comfort to his mind. I will do this
because I too want to offer alms to the Lotus Sutra. If when that person is seated he
ponders this sutra, at that time too I will mount my kingly white elephant and manifest
myself in his presence. If that person should forget a single phrase or verse of the Lotus
Sutra, I will prompt him and join him in reading and reciting so that he will gain
understanding. At that time the person who accepts, upholds, reads and recites the Lotus
Sutra will be able to see my body, will be filled with great joy, and will apply himself
with greater diligence than ever. Because he has seen me, he will immediately acquire
samadhis and dharanis. These are called the repetition dharani, the hundred, thousand, ten
thousand, million repetition dharani, and the Dharma sound expedient dharani. He will
acquire dharanis such as these.
"World-Honored One, in that later time, in the evil and corrupt
age of the last five-hundred-year period, if monks, nuns, laymen believers or laywomen
believers who seek out, accept, uphold, read, recite, and transcribe this Lotus Sutra
should wish to practice it, they should do so diligently and with a single mind for a
period of twenty-one days. When the twenty-one days have been fulfilled, I will mount my
six-tusked white elephant and, with immeasurable numbers of bodhisattvas surrounding me
and with this body that all living beings delight to see, I will manifest myself in the
presence of the person and preach the Law for him, bringing him instruction, benefit, and
joy. I will also give him dharani spells. And because he has acquired these spells, no
nonhuman being will be able to injure him and he cannot be confused or lead astray by
women. I too will personally guard him at all times. Therefore, World-Honored One, I hope
you will permit me to pronounce these dharanis." Then in the presence of the Buddha
he pronounced these spells:
adande dandapati dandavarte dandakushale dandasudhare
sudhare sudharapati buddhapashyane sarvadharani-avartani
sarvandhashyavartani su-avartani samghaparikshani
samghanarghatani asamge samgapagate tri-adhvasamgatulya-
arate-prapty savasamgasamatikrante sarvadharmasuparikshite
sarvasattvarutakaushalyanugate simhavikridite
"World-Honored One, if any bodhisattva is able to hear these
dharanis, he should understand that it is due to the transcendental powers of Universal
Worthy. If when the Lotus Sutra is propagated throughout Jambudvipa there are those who
accept and uphold it, they should think to themselves: This is all due to the authority
and supernatural power of Universal Worthy! If there are those who accept this sutra,
memorize it correctly, understand its principles, and practice it as the sutra prescribes,
these persons should know that they are carrying out the practices of Universal Worthy
himself. In the presence of immeasurable, boundless members of Buddhas they will have
planted good roots deep in the ground, and the hands of the Thus Come Ones will pat them
on the head.
"If they do no more than copy the sutra, when their lives come to
an end they will be reborn in the Trayastrimsha heaven. At that time eighty-four thousand
heavenly women, performing all kinds of music, will come to greet them. Such persons will
put on crowns made of seven treasures amidst the ladies-in-waiting will amuse and enjoy
themselves. How much more so, then, if they accept, uphold, read and recite the sutra,
memorize it correctly, understand its principles, when the lives of these persons come to
an end, they will be received into the hands of a thousand Buddhas, who will free them
from all fear and keep them from falling into the evil paths of existence. Immediately
they will proceed to the Tushita heaven, to the place of Bodhisattva Maitreya. Bodhisattva
Maitreya possesses the thirty-two features and is surrounded by a multitude of great
bodhisattvas. He has hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of heavenly women
attendants, and these persons will be reborn in their midst. Such will be the benefits and
advantages they enjoy.
"Therefore persons of wisdom should single-mindedly copy the sutra
themselves, or cause others to copy it, should accept, uphold, read, and recite it,
memorize it correctly and practice it as the sutra prescribes. "World-Honored One, I
now therefore employ my transcendental powers to guard and protect this sutra. And after
the Thus Come One had entered extinction, I will cause it to be widely propagated
throughout Jambudvipa and will see that it never comes to an end."
At that time Shakyamuni Buddha spoke these words of praise:
"Excellent, excellent, Universal Worthy! You are able to guard and assist this sutra
and cause many living beings to gain peace and happiness and advantages. You have already
acquired inconceivable benefits and profound great pity and compassion. Since long ages in
the past you have shown a desire for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, and have taken a vow to use
your transcendental powers to guard and protect this sutra. And I will employ my
transcendental powers to guard and protect those who can accept and uphold the name of
Bodhisattva Universal Worthy.
"Universal Worthy, if there are those who accept, uphold, read and
recite this Lotus Sutra, memorize it correctly, practice and transcribe it, you should
know that such persons have seen Shakyamuni Buddha. It is as though they heard his sutra
from the Buddha's mouth. You should know that such persons have offered alms to Shakyamuni
Buddha you should know that such persons have been patted on the head by Shakyamuni
Buddha. You should know that such persons have been covered in the robes of Shakyamuni
Buddha.
"They will no longer be greedy for or attached to worldly
pleasures, they will have no taste for the scriptures or jottings of the non-Buddhists.
They will take no pleasure in associating this such people, or with those engaged in evil
occupations such as butchers, raisers of pigs sheep, chickens or dogs, hunters, or those
who offer women's charms for sale. These persons will be honest and upright in mind and
intent, correct in memory, and will possess the power of merit and virtue. They will not
be troubled by the three poisons, nor will they be troubled by jealousy, self-importance,
ill-founded conceit, or arrogance. These persons will have few desires, will be easily
satisfied, and will know how to carry out the practices of Universal Worthy.
"Universal Worthy, after the Thus Come One has entered extinction,
in the last five-hundred-year period, if you see someone who accepts, upholds reads, and
recites the Lotus Sutra, you should think to yourself: Before long this person will
proceed to the place of practice, conquer the devil hosts, and attain
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. He will turn the wheel of the Dharma, beat the Dharma drum, and
sound the Dharma conch, and rain down the Dharma rain. He is worthy to sit in the lion
seat of the Dharma, amid the great assembly of heavenly and human beings.
"Universal Worthy, in later ages if there are those who accept,
uphold, read, and recite this sutra, such persons will no longer be greedy for or attached
to clothing, bedding, food and drink, or other necessities of daily life. Their wishes
will not be in vain, and in this present existence they will gain the reward of good
fortune. If there is anyone who disparages or makes light of them, saying, 'You are mere
idiots! It is useless to carry out these practices--in the end they will gain you
nothing!, then as punishment for his offense that person will be born eyeless in existence
after existence. But if there is anyone who offers alms to them and praises them, then in
this present existence he will have manifest reward for it.
"If anyone sees a person who accepts and upholds this sutra and
tries to expose the faults or evils of that person, whether what he speaks is true or not,
he will in his present existence be afflicted with white leprosy. If anyone disparages or
laughs at that person, then in existence after existence he will have teeth that are
missing or spaced far apart, ugly lips, a flat nose, hands and feet that are gnarled or
deformed, and eyes that are squinty. His body will have a foul odor, with evil sores that
run pus and blood, and he will suffer from water in the belly, shortness of breath, and
other severe and malignant illnesses. Therefore, Universal Worthy, if you see a person who
accepts and upholds this sutra, you should rise and greet him from afar, showing him the
same respect you would a Buddha."
When this chapter on the Encouragements of the Bodhisattva Universal
Worthy was preached, bodhisattvas immeasurable and boundless as Ganges sands acquired
dharanis allowing them to memorize a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million
repetitions of the teachings, and bodhisattvas equal to the dust particles of the
thousand-million-fold world perfected the way of Universal Worthy.
When the Buddha preached this sutra, Universal Worthy and the other
bodhisattvas, Shariputra and the other voice-hearers, along with the heavenly beings,
dragons, humans and nonhuman beings--the entire membership of the great assembly were all
filled with great joy. Accepting and upholding the words of the Buddha, they bowed in
obeisance and departed.