The Lotus
Sutra
Translated by Burton Watson
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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.
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Update: 01-12-2001
