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Difference between revisions of "The Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra: Chapter 18 - Rejoicing in Accord with Merit and Virtue"

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<big><big>Rejoicing in Accord with Merit and Virtue</big></big>}}<br/><br/>
 
<big><big>Rejoicing in Accord with Merit and Virtue</big></big>}}<br/><br/>
  
At that time, Maitreya Bodhisattva Mahasattva spoke to the Buddha, saying, “World Honored One, if a good man or a good woman hears this Dharma Flower Sutra and rejoices in accord with it, how much blessedness will he or she attain?”
+
At that [[time]], [[Maitreya Bodhisattva]] [[Mahasattva]] spoke to the [[Buddha]], saying, “[[World Honored One]], if a good man or a good woman hears this [[Dharma Flower Sutra]] and rejoices in accord with it, how much blessedness will he or she attain?”
  
 
He then spoke this verse:
 
He then spoke this verse:
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
         “After the World Honored One’s ultimate quiescence,
+
         “After the [[World]] Honored One’s [[Wikipedia:Absolute (philosophy)|ultimate]] quiescence,
         If one hears this Sutra,
+
         If one hears this [[Sutra]],
 
         And can accordingly rejoice,
 
         And can accordingly rejoice,
 
         How much blessedness will he gain?”
 
         How much blessedness will he gain?”
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
The Buddha then told the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya, “Ajita! After the passing into Stillness of the Thus Come One, if a Bhikshu, Bhikshuni, Upasaka, Upasika, or any person with wisdom, whether young or old, having heard this Sutra and rejoiced accordingly, leaves the Dharma assembly and goes to another place, be it a Sangha dwelling or an uninhabited place, a city, a street, a town, or a village, and expounds it according to the best of his ability to his father, mother, relatives, good friends, and acquaintances, and if, having heard it, they then rejoice in accord with it and further transmit the teaching to others who, having heard it, rejoice in accord and likewise transmit it, and this process goes on reaching to fifty people—Ajita, I will now tell you about the merit and virtue of that fiftieth good man or good woman who rejoices in accord. Listen well!”
+
The [[Buddha]] then told the [[Bodhisattva]] [[Mahasattva]] [[Maitreya]], “[[Ajita]]! After the passing into Stillness of the [[Thus Come One]], if a [[Bhikshu]], [[Bhikshuni]], [[Upasaka]], [[Upasika]], or any [[person]] with [[wisdom]], whether young or old, having heard this [[Sutra]] and rejoiced accordingly, leaves the [[Dharma]] assembly and goes to another place, be it a [[Sangha]] dwelling or an uninhabited place, a city, a street, a town, or a village, and expounds it according to the best of his ability to his father, mother, relatives, good friends, and acquaintances, and if, having heard it, they then rejoice in accord with it and further transmit the [[teaching]] to others who, having heard it, rejoice in accord and likewise transmit it, and this process goes on reaching to fifty people—Ajita, I will now tell you about the [[merit]] and [[virtue]] of that fiftieth good man or good woman who rejoices in accord. Listen well!”
  
“Suppose in four million kotis of asamkhyeyas of worlds, among living beings in the six destinies and of the four kinds of birth—egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born—those with form, those without form, those with thought, those without thought, those with neither thought nor non-thought, those without legs, those with two legs, those with four legs, those with many legs, and so forth, there is a person seeking blessings who gives to them whatever enjoyable things they desire, giving each being an entire Jambudvipa full of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, carnelian, coral, and amber, rare and precious gems, as well as elephants, horses, carriages, palaces, and pavilions made of the seven treasures.”
+
“Suppose in four million [[kotis]] of [[asamkhyeyas]] of [[worlds]], among [[living beings]] in the six destinies and of the four kinds of birth—egg-born, [[womb-born]], moisture-born, and transformation-born—those with [[form]], those without [[form]], those with [[thought]], those without [[thought]], those with neither [[thought]] nor non-thought, those without {{Wiki|legs}}, those with two {{Wiki|legs}}, those with four {{Wiki|legs}}, those with many {{Wiki|legs}}, and so forth, there is a [[person]] seeking [[blessings]] who gives to them whatever [[enjoyable]] things they [[desire]], giving each being an entire [[Jambudvipa]] full of {{Wiki|gold}}, {{Wiki|silver}}, [[lapis lazuli]], mother-of-pearl, {{Wiki|carnelian}}, coral, and amber, rare and [[precious]] [[gems]], as well as [[elephants]], [[horses]], carriages, {{Wiki|palaces}}, and pavilions made of the [[seven treasures]].”
  
“This great almsgiver in this way bestows gifts for a full eighty years. Then he thinks, ‘I have already given living beings these enjoyable things in accord with their desires. However, these living beings are old and worn out, over eighty years old, with white hair and wrinkled faces. Their time of death is not far off. I should instruct and guide them with the Buddhadharma.’”
+
“This great [[almsgiver]] in this way bestows gifts for a full eighty years. Then he [[thinks]], ‘I have already given [[living beings]] these [[enjoyable]] things in accord with their [[desires]]. However, these [[living beings]] are old and worn out, over eighty years old, with white [[hair]] and wrinkled faces. Their [[time]] of [[death]] is not far off. I should instruct and guide them with the [[Buddhadharma]].’”
  
“He then gathers the beings together and expounds the Dharma to them to instruct them, bringing to them benefit and delight so that they all at once gain the path of Srotaapanna, the path of Sakridagamin, the path of Anagamin, and the path of Arhatship, exhausting all outflows, obtaining comfort in all of the deep Dhyana concentrations, and perfecting the eight liberations.”
+
“He then gathers the [[beings]] together and expounds the [[Dharma]] to them to instruct them, bringing to them [[benefit]] and [[delight]] so that they all at once gain the [[path]] of Srotaapanna, the [[path]] of [[Sakridagamin]], the [[path]] of [[Anagamin]], and the [[path]] of [[Arhatship]], exhausting all outflows, obtaining {{Wiki|comfort}} in all of the deep [[Dhyana]] concentrations, and perfecting the eight [[liberations]].”
  
“What do you think? Would the merit and virtue of this great almsgiver be great or not?”
+
“What do you think? Would the [[merit]] and [[virtue]] of this great [[almsgiver]] be great or not?”
  
Maitreya said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, this person’s merit and virtue would be extremely great, measureless, and unbounded. If the almsgiver had only given the beings all the playthings, his merit and virtue would be unlimited. How much the more so would it be if he enabled them to attain the fruit of Arhatship!”
+
[[Maitreya]] said to the [[Buddha]], “[[World Honored One]], this person’s [[merit]] and [[virtue]] would be extremely great, measureless, and unbounded. If the [[almsgiver]] had only given the [[beings]] all the playthings, his [[merit]] and [[virtue]] would be [[unlimited]]. How much the more so would it be if he enabled them to attain the fruit of [[Arhatship]]!”
  
The Buddha told Maitreya, “I will now tell you plainly: The merit and virtue obtained by this person, who gives playthings to living beings in the six paths in four million kotis of asamkhyeyas of worlds and who further causes them to obtain the fruit of Arhatship, does not equal the merit of the fiftieth person who hears but a single verse of the Dharma Flower Sutra and rejoices in accord with it. His merit does not equal a hundredth part, a thousandth part, a hundred thousand myriad millionth part, and so forth until it cannot be known by resort to calculation or analogy.”
+
The [[Buddha]] told [[Maitreya]], “I will now tell you plainly: The [[merit]] and [[virtue]] obtained by this [[person]], who gives playthings to [[living beings]] in the six [[paths]] in four million [[kotis]] of [[asamkhyeyas]] of [[worlds]] and who further [[causes]] them to obtain the fruit of [[Arhatship]], does not {{Wiki|equal}} the [[merit]] of the fiftieth [[person]] who hears but a single verse of the [[Dharma Flower Sutra]] and rejoices in accord with it. His [[merit]] does not {{Wiki|equal}} a hundredth part, a thousandth part, a hundred thousand myriad millionth part, and so forth until it cannot be known by resort to calculation or analogy.”
  
“Ajita! The merit and virtue of the fiftieth person who hears in his turn the Dharma Flower Sutra and who rejoices in accord with it is limitless, boundless, and uncountable. How much the more so is the merit and virtue of one who is among the first to hear it in the assembly and who rejoices in accord with it. That person’s blessings are even more supreme, unlimited, unbounded, and uncountable beyond comparison.”
+
“[[Ajita]]! The [[merit]] and [[virtue]] of the fiftieth [[person]] who hears in his turn the [[Dharma Flower Sutra]] and who rejoices in accord with it is limitless, [[boundless]], and uncountable. How much the more so is the [[merit]] and [[virtue]] of one who is among the first to hear it in the assembly and who rejoices in accord with it. That person’s [[blessings]] are even more supreme, [[unlimited]], unbounded, and uncountable beyond comparison.”
  
“Further, Ajita, if a person for the sake of this Sutra goes to a Sangha dwelling and, whether sitting or standing, hears and accepts it for but an instant, by reason of that merit and virtue, in his next rebirth he will acquire the finest elephant and horse carriages and jeweled palanquins, and will even ride in heavenly palaces.”
+
“Further, [[Ajita]], if a [[person]] for the sake of this [[Sutra]] goes to a [[Sangha]] dwelling and, whether sitting or [[standing]], hears and accepts it for but an instant, by [[reason]] of that [[merit]] and [[virtue]], in his next [[rebirth]] he will acquire the finest [[elephant]] and [[horse]] carriages and jeweled palanquins, and will even ride in [[heavenly]] {{Wiki|palaces}}.”
  
“Again, if a person is seated in a place where the Dharma is being lectured, and when another person comes along, he encourages that person to sit and listen to it or shares his seat with him, the former person will, through his merit and virtue, in his next rebirth gain the seat of Shakra, the seat of a Brahma King, or the seat of a wheel-turning sage king.”
+
“Again, if a [[person]] is seated in a place where the [[Dharma]] is being lectured, and when another [[person]] comes along, he encourages that [[person]] to sit and listen to it or shares his seat with him, the former [[person]] will, through his [[merit]] and [[virtue]], in his next [[rebirth]] gain the seat of [[Shakra]], the seat of a [[Brahma]] [[King]], or the seat of a [[wheel-turning sage king]].”
  
“Ajita! If, further, a person says to another, ‘There is a Sutra by the name of Dharma Flower. Let’s go together and listen to it,’ and taking that person’s advice, the second person goes and hears it for but a moment, the former person’s merit and virtue will be such that in his next life he will be born in the same place as the Dharani Bodhisattva. He will have keen faculties and wisdom.”
+
“[[Ajita]]! If, further, a [[person]] says to another, ‘There is a [[Sutra]] by the [[name]] of [[Dharma]] [[Flower]]. Let’s go together and listen to it,’ and taking that person’s advice, the second [[person]] goes and hears it for but a moment, the former person’s [[merit]] and [[virtue]] will be such that in his next [[life]] he will be born in the same place as the [[Dharani]] [[Bodhisattva]]. He will have keen [[faculties]] and [[wisdom]].”
  
“For one hundred thousand myriad lifetimes he will never be mute, his breath will not stink, his tongue will always be free from disease, and his mouth will also be free from disease. His teeth will not be dirty, black, yellow, or wide-spaced, not missing or falling out, not uneven or crooked. His lips will not be pendulous, twisted or pursed, rough, chapped, or covered with sores, or split. They will not be askew, thick or large, or black, and there will be nothing repulsive about them. His nose will not be flat, thin, crooked, or out of joint. His complexion will not be dark, thin, concave, or crooked, or in any way unpleasant.”
+
“For one hundred thousand myriad lifetimes he will never be mute, his [[breath]] will not stink, his {{Wiki|tongue}} will always be free from {{Wiki|disease}}, and his {{Wiki|mouth}} will also be free from {{Wiki|disease}}. His teeth will not be dirty, black, yellow, or wide-spaced, not missing or falling out, not uneven or crooked. His lips will not be pendulous, twisted or pursed, rough, chapped, or covered with sores, or split. They will not be askew, thick or large, or black, and there will be nothing repulsive about them. His {{Wiki|nose}} will not be flat, thin, crooked, or out of joint. His complexion will not be dark, thin, concave, or crooked, or in any way [[unpleasant]].”
  
“His lips, tongue, and teeth will all be beautiful; his nose long, high, and straight. His face will be round and full, his eyebrows high and long, his forehead broad and even, his mark of manhood perfect.”
+
“His lips, {{Wiki|tongue}}, and teeth will all be beautiful; his {{Wiki|nose}} long, high, and straight. His face will be round and full, his eyebrows high and long, his forehead broad and even, his mark of manhood perfect.”
  
“In life after life, wherever he is born he will see the Buddhas, hear the Dharma, and believe and accept the teachings.”
+
“In [[life]] after [[life]], wherever he is born he will see the [[Buddhas]], hear the [[Dharma]], and believe and accept the teachings.”
  
“Ajita, look at this: If the merit and virtue gained from exhorting a single person to go listen to the Dharma is such as this, how much greater is that of one who single-mindedly listens to the teachings, reads and recites them, and in the great assembly explains them in detail to others, and cultivates accordingly.”
+
“[[Ajita]], look at this: If the [[merit]] and [[virtue]] gained from exhorting a single [[person]] to go listen to the [[Dharma]] is such as this, how much greater is that of one who single-mindedly listens to the teachings, reads and recites them, and in the [[great assembly]] explains them in detail to others, and cultivates accordingly.”
  
At that time the World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses, saying,
+
At that [[time]] the [[World Honored One]], wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses, saying,
 
<poem>
 
<poem>
         “Suppose a person in the Dharma assembly
+
         “Suppose a [[person]] in the [[Dharma]] assembly
         Gets to hear this Sutra,
+
         Gets to hear this [[Sutra]],
 
         Even just a single verse,
 
         Even just a single verse,
 
         And rejoices in accord, and speaks it to others,
 
         And rejoices in accord, and speaks it to others,
         And thus the teaching is passed on
+
         And thus the [[teaching]] is passed on
 
         Until it reaches the fiftieth hearer.
 
         Until it reaches the fiftieth hearer.
         The blessings gained by this last person
+
         The [[blessings]] gained by this last [[person]]
 
         I will now set forth in detail.
 
         I will now set forth in detail.
  
         Suppose there is a great almsgiver
+
         Suppose there is a great [[almsgiver]]
 
         Who presents gifts to uncountable multitudes,
 
         Who presents gifts to uncountable multitudes,
         Of all the things they desire,
+
         Of all the things they [[desire]],
 
         For a full eighty years.
 
         For a full eighty years.
         Seeing them old and worn,
+
         [[Seeing]] them old and worn,
         With white hair and wrinkled faces,
+
         With white [[hair]] and wrinkled faces,
         Their teeth sparse, their bodies withered,
+
         Their teeth sparse, their [[bodies]] withered,
         He thinks, “They will die before long.
+
         He [[thinks]], “They will [[die]] before long.
 
         I should now instruct them,
 
         I should now instruct them,
         That they may obtain the Fruit of the Path.”
+
         That they may obtain the Fruit of the [[Path]].”
 
         Then he expediently explains to them
 
         Then he expediently explains to them
         The true Dharma of Nirvana:
+
         The true [[Dharma]] of [[Nirvana]]:
  
         “The world is not a secure place.
+
         “The [[world]] is not a secure place.
         It’s like foam, water bubbles, or a will-o’-the-wisp.
+
         It’s like foam, [[water]] bubbles, or a will-o’-the-wisp.
 
         All of you should quickly
 
         All of you should quickly
         Produce thoughts of revulsion for it.”
+
         Produce [[thoughts]] of revulsion for it.”
         The people, on hearing the Dharma,
+
         The [[people]], on hearing the [[Dharma]],
         All attain Arhatship,
+
         All attain [[Arhatship]],
         Perfect the Six Spiritual Penetrations,
+
         Perfect the [[Six Spiritual Penetrations]],
         The Three Clarities, and the Eight Liberations.
+
         The [[Three Clarities]], and the Eight [[Liberations]].
         The last, fiftieth, person,
+
         The last, fiftieth, [[person]],
 
         Who has heard a single verse and rejoiced in accord with it,
 
         Who has heard a single verse and rejoiced in accord with it,
 
         Gains blessedness which exceeds that of the former,
 
         Gains blessedness which exceeds that of the former,
Line 81: Line 81:
  
 
         If the blessedness of the one who hears it in turn
 
         If the blessedness of the one who hears it in turn
         Is so unlimited,
+
         Is so [[unlimited]],
 
         How much greater is that of he who, in the assembly,
 
         How much greater is that of he who, in the assembly,
 
         Was the first to hear it and rejoice.
 
         Was the first to hear it and rejoice.
  
         Suppose a person exhorts another
+
         Suppose a [[person]] exhorts another
         And leads him to listen to the Dharma Flower,
+
         And leads him to listen to the [[Dharma]] [[Flower]],
         Saying, “This Sutra is profound and wonderful,
+
         Saying, “This [[Sutra]] is profound and wonderful,
 
         Hard to encounter in a thousand myriad eons,”
 
         Hard to encounter in a thousand myriad eons,”
         And suppose that person, persuaded, goes to listen,
+
         And suppose that [[person]], persuaded, goes to listen,
 
         And hears it for even just a moment.
 
         And hears it for even just a moment.
         Of the reward of blessings of the first person,
+
         Of the reward of [[blessings]] of the first [[person]],
 
         I will now speak in detail.
 
         I will now speak in detail.
  
         Life after life, his mouth will have no illness.
+
         [[Life]] after [[life]], his {{Wiki|mouth}} will have no {{Wiki|illness}}.
 
         His teeth will not be wide-spaced, yellow, or black.
 
         His teeth will not be wide-spaced, yellow, or black.
 
         His lips will not be thick, pursed, or split,
 
         His lips will not be thick, pursed, or split,
 
         Nor will he have any repulsive marks.
 
         Nor will he have any repulsive marks.
         His tongue will not be dry, black, or short.
+
         His {{Wiki|tongue}} will not be dry, black, or short.
         His nose will be prominent, long, and straight.
+
         His {{Wiki|nose}} will be prominent, long, and straight.
 
         His forehead will be broad and even,
 
         His forehead will be broad and even,
 
         His visage upright and splendid,
 
         His visage upright and splendid,
         So that all will rejoice upon seeing him.
+
         So that all will rejoice upon [[seeing]] him.
         His breath will never stink,
+
         His [[breath]] will never stink,
         But the fragrance of the utpala flower
+
         But the {{Wiki|fragrance}} of the [[utpala]] [[flower]]
         Will always issue from his mouth.
+
         Will always issue from his {{Wiki|mouth}}.
         If he goes to a Sangha dwelling
+
         If he goes to a [[Sangha]] dwelling
         Wishing to hear the Dharma Flower Sutra
+
         Wishing to hear the [[Dharma Flower Sutra]]
 
         And, hearing it for but a moment, then rejoices,
 
         And, hearing it for but a moment, then rejoices,
         I will now tell of his blessings.
+
         I will now tell of his [[blessings]].
  
         He shall later be born among gods and humans,
+
         He shall later be born among [[gods]] and [[humans]],
         Acquire fine elephant and horse carriages and
+
         Acquire fine [[elephant]] and [[horse]] carriages and
         Precious, jeweled palanquins
+
         [[Precious]], jeweled palanquins
         And will even ride in heavenly palaces.
+
         And will even ride in [[heavenly]] {{Wiki|palaces}}.
         If, in a place where the Sutra is lectured,
+
         If, in a place where the [[Sutra]] is lectured,
 
         He encourages another to sit down and listen,
 
         He encourages another to sit down and listen,
         By virtue of his blessings, he will gain
+
         By [[virtue]] of his [[blessings]], he will gain
         The seat of Shakra, Brahma, or a wheel-turning king.
+
         The seat of [[Shakra]], [[Brahma]], or a [[wheel-turning king]].
         How much greater will the blessings be of one who single-mindedly listens
+
         How much greater will the [[blessings]] be of one who single-mindedly listens
         And explains the Sutra’s meaning,
+
         And explains the [[Sutra’s]] meaning,
 
         Cultivating it as he preaches—
 
         Cultivating it as he preaches—
         His blessings shall know no limit.”
+
         His [[blessings]] shall know no limit.”
 
</poem>
 
</poem>
  

Latest revision as of 19:46, 16 February 2014

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The Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra
Chapter 18
Rejoicing in Accord with Merit and Virtue



At that time, Maitreya Bodhisattva Mahasattva spoke to the Buddha, saying, “World Honored One, if a good man or a good woman hears this Dharma Flower Sutra and rejoices in accord with it, how much blessedness will he or she attain?”

He then spoke this verse:

        “After the World Honored One’s ultimate quiescence,
        If one hears this Sutra,
        And can accordingly rejoice,
        How much blessedness will he gain?”

The Buddha then told the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Maitreya, “Ajita! After the passing into Stillness of the Thus Come One, if a Bhikshu, Bhikshuni, Upasaka, Upasika, or any person with wisdom, whether young or old, having heard this Sutra and rejoiced accordingly, leaves the Dharma assembly and goes to another place, be it a Sangha dwelling or an uninhabited place, a city, a street, a town, or a village, and expounds it according to the best of his ability to his father, mother, relatives, good friends, and acquaintances, and if, having heard it, they then rejoice in accord with it and further transmit the teaching to others who, having heard it, rejoice in accord and likewise transmit it, and this process goes on reaching to fifty people—Ajita, I will now tell you about the merit and virtue of that fiftieth good man or good woman who rejoices in accord. Listen well!”

“Suppose in four million kotis of asamkhyeyas of worlds, among living beings in the six destinies and of the four kinds of birth—egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, and transformation-born—those with form, those without form, those with thought, those without thought, those with neither thought nor non-thought, those without legs, those with two legs, those with four legs, those with many legs, and so forth, there is a person seeking blessings who gives to them whatever enjoyable things they desire, giving each being an entire Jambudvipa full of gold, silver, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, carnelian, coral, and amber, rare and precious gems, as well as elephants, horses, carriages, palaces, and pavilions made of the seven treasures.”

“This great almsgiver in this way bestows gifts for a full eighty years. Then he thinks, ‘I have already given living beings these enjoyable things in accord with their desires. However, these living beings are old and worn out, over eighty years old, with white hair and wrinkled faces. Their time of death is not far off. I should instruct and guide them with the Buddhadharma.’”

“He then gathers the beings together and expounds the Dharma to them to instruct them, bringing to them benefit and delight so that they all at once gain the path of Srotaapanna, the path of Sakridagamin, the path of Anagamin, and the path of Arhatship, exhausting all outflows, obtaining comfort in all of the deep Dhyana concentrations, and perfecting the eight liberations.”

“What do you think? Would the merit and virtue of this great almsgiver be great or not?”

Maitreya said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, this person’s merit and virtue would be extremely great, measureless, and unbounded. If the almsgiver had only given the beings all the playthings, his merit and virtue would be unlimited. How much the more so would it be if he enabled them to attain the fruit of Arhatship!”

The Buddha told Maitreya, “I will now tell you plainly: The merit and virtue obtained by this person, who gives playthings to living beings in the six paths in four million kotis of asamkhyeyas of worlds and who further causes them to obtain the fruit of Arhatship, does not equal the merit of the fiftieth person who hears but a single verse of the Dharma Flower Sutra and rejoices in accord with it. His merit does not equal a hundredth part, a thousandth part, a hundred thousand myriad millionth part, and so forth until it cannot be known by resort to calculation or analogy.”

Ajita! The merit and virtue of the fiftieth person who hears in his turn the Dharma Flower Sutra and who rejoices in accord with it is limitless, boundless, and uncountable. How much the more so is the merit and virtue of one who is among the first to hear it in the assembly and who rejoices in accord with it. That person’s blessings are even more supreme, unlimited, unbounded, and uncountable beyond comparison.”

“Further, Ajita, if a person for the sake of this Sutra goes to a Sangha dwelling and, whether sitting or standing, hears and accepts it for but an instant, by reason of that merit and virtue, in his next rebirth he will acquire the finest elephant and horse carriages and jeweled palanquins, and will even ride in heavenly palaces.”

“Again, if a person is seated in a place where the Dharma is being lectured, and when another person comes along, he encourages that person to sit and listen to it or shares his seat with him, the former person will, through his merit and virtue, in his next rebirth gain the seat of Shakra, the seat of a Brahma King, or the seat of a wheel-turning sage king.”

Ajita! If, further, a person says to another, ‘There is a Sutra by the name of Dharma Flower. Let’s go together and listen to it,’ and taking that person’s advice, the second person goes and hears it for but a moment, the former person’s merit and virtue will be such that in his next life he will be born in the same place as the Dharani Bodhisattva. He will have keen faculties and wisdom.”

“For one hundred thousand myriad lifetimes he will never be mute, his breath will not stink, his tongue will always be free from disease, and his mouth will also be free from disease. His teeth will not be dirty, black, yellow, or wide-spaced, not missing or falling out, not uneven or crooked. His lips will not be pendulous, twisted or pursed, rough, chapped, or covered with sores, or split. They will not be askew, thick or large, or black, and there will be nothing repulsive about them. His nose will not be flat, thin, crooked, or out of joint. His complexion will not be dark, thin, concave, or crooked, or in any way unpleasant.”

“His lips, tongue, and teeth will all be beautiful; his nose long, high, and straight. His face will be round and full, his eyebrows high and long, his forehead broad and even, his mark of manhood perfect.”

“In life after life, wherever he is born he will see the Buddhas, hear the Dharma, and believe and accept the teachings.”

Ajita, look at this: If the merit and virtue gained from exhorting a single person to go listen to the Dharma is such as this, how much greater is that of one who single-mindedly listens to the teachings, reads and recites them, and in the great assembly explains them in detail to others, and cultivates accordingly.”

At that time the World Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke verses, saying,

        “Suppose a person in the Dharma assembly
        Gets to hear this Sutra,
        Even just a single verse,
        And rejoices in accord, and speaks it to others,
        And thus the teaching is passed on
        Until it reaches the fiftieth hearer.
        The blessings gained by this last person
        I will now set forth in detail.

        Suppose there is a great almsgiver
        Who presents gifts to uncountable multitudes,
        Of all the things they desire,
        For a full eighty years.
        Seeing them old and worn,
        With white hair and wrinkled faces,
        Their teeth sparse, their bodies withered,
        He thinks, “They will die before long.
        I should now instruct them,
        That they may obtain the Fruit of the Path.”
        Then he expediently explains to them
        The true Dharma of Nirvana:

        “The world is not a secure place.
        It’s like foam, water bubbles, or a will-o’-the-wisp.
        All of you should quickly
        Produce thoughts of revulsion for it.”
        The people, on hearing the Dharma,
        All attain Arhatship,
        Perfect the Six Spiritual Penetrations,
        The Three Clarities, and the Eight Liberations.
        The last, fiftieth, person,
        Who has heard a single verse and rejoiced in accord with it,
        Gains blessedness which exceeds that of the former,
        Beyond the power of analogy to express.

        If the blessedness of the one who hears it in turn
        Is so unlimited,
        How much greater is that of he who, in the assembly,
        Was the first to hear it and rejoice.

        Suppose a person exhorts another
        And leads him to listen to the Dharma Flower,
        Saying, “This Sutra is profound and wonderful,
        Hard to encounter in a thousand myriad eons,”
        And suppose that person, persuaded, goes to listen,
        And hears it for even just a moment.
        Of the reward of blessings of the first person,
        I will now speak in detail.

        Life after life, his mouth will have no illness.
        His teeth will not be wide-spaced, yellow, or black.
        His lips will not be thick, pursed, or split,
        Nor will he have any repulsive marks.
        His tongue will not be dry, black, or short.
        His nose will be prominent, long, and straight.
        His forehead will be broad and even,
        His visage upright and splendid,
        So that all will rejoice upon seeing him.
        His breath will never stink,
        But the fragrance of the utpala flower
        Will always issue from his mouth.
        If he goes to a Sangha dwelling
        Wishing to hear the Dharma Flower Sutra
        And, hearing it for but a moment, then rejoices,
        I will now tell of his blessings.

        He shall later be born among gods and humans,
        Acquire fine elephant and horse carriages and
        Precious, jeweled palanquins
        And will even ride in heavenly palaces.
        If, in a place where the Sutra is lectured,
        He encourages another to sit down and listen,
        By virtue of his blessings, he will gain
        The seat of Shakra, Brahma, or a wheel-turning king.
        How much greater will the blessings be of one who single-mindedly listens
        And explains the Sutra’s meaning,
        Cultivating it as he preaches—
        His blessings shall know no limit.”

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Source

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