佛說大乘聖無量壽決定光明王如來陀羅尼經
Translated
from Sanskrit into Chinese in the Northern Song Dynasty by The Purple
Robe Dharma Master Fatian
Translated
from the Chinese Canon, Vol. 19, Text no. 937
Thus I have heard:
At one
time the World-Honored One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden of Jetavana Park in the city kingdom
Śrāvastī, together with a group of 1,250 great bhikṣus. As recognized by the multitudes, all of them were
great Arhats who, with no more afflictions, had ended their discharges,
acquired benefits for themselves, and totally liberated their minds. Also to
the assembly to hear the Dharma came honored Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas with vast wisdom
and sublime virtues, complete in their majestic deportment. At the head of the
assembly was Great Wisdom Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva. At that time
Śākyamuni Buddha sympathetically considered all the sentient beings that would
live a short life in future times. In order to let them acquire the great
benefit of increased lifespan, He decided to pronounce, for their sake, the
inconceivable, secret, profound, subtle, victorious Dharma.
At that
time the World-Honored One said to Great Wisdom Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, "All
of you, hearken! Going west from this southern continent, Jambudvīpa, passing
countless Buddha Lands, there is a world named Immeasurable Store of Virtue.
That land is magnificent, adorned with multitudinous treasures, pure and superb,
peaceful and joyous, foremost in exquisiteness, surpassing all the lands in the
ten directions. In that world of Immeasurable Store of Virtue is a Buddha named
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata, who has realized
anuttara-samyak-saṁbodhi. He is now living in that world. Exuding great
lovingkindness and compassion, He expounds the wondrous Dharma for the sake of
sentient beings, enabling them to acquire excellent benefits, peace, and
joy."
Moreover, the Buddha said to Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, "Now in this
world of Jambudvīpa, the human lifespan is 100 years, but many commit evil
karma and die prematurely. Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, if there are sentient beings
that have seen this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī and heard the name of this Tathāgata, their virtue
will be superb. Suppose they accept and uphold this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life
Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī. It
matters not whether they themselves have copied it or have had others copy it,
whether they enshrine the Sūtra in their own houses, in tall buildings, or in
the halls of ashrams, or whether they read and recite it, honor it, make
obeisance, or give offerings to it of various kinds of wonderful flowers,
incense for burning, powdered incense, solid perfumes, garlands, and so forth.
If those who expect to live a short life can copy, uphold, read and recite this
Sūtra, and give offerings and make obeisance to it with an aspiring mind, such
individuals will be able to increase their lifespan to 100 years.
"Furthermore, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, if there are sentient beings
that have heard the name of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
and can recite his name 108 times with an aspiring mind, the short lifespan of
such sentient beings will be extended. If there are those who have only heard
His name and believe, accept, and honor it with an aspiring mind, such
individuals can also have an increase in their lifespan.
"Furthermore, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, suppose there are those who,
without momentary wavering, constantly and sincerely think of and seek the
wondrous Dharma. Good men and women, all of you should hearken. For your sake,
I now pronounce the 108-syllable Dhāraṇī of
the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata:
namo bhagavate
aparimita-āyur-jñāna-suviniścita-tejo-rājāya | tathāgatāya-arhate samyak-saṁbuddhāya | tad-yathā (oṁ
puṇya mahā-puṇya |
aparimita-puṇya | aparimita-āyuḥ-puṇya-jñāna-saṁbhāro'pacite
|)* oṁ sarva saṁskāra
pariśuddha dharmate gagana samudgate | svabhāva viśuddhe mahā-naya parivāre
svāhā ||
"Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, if there are those who themselves copy or
have others copy this 108-syllable Dhāraṇī of
the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata or who enshrine this Dhāraṇī on the top of a tall building or at a pure, clean
place in the hall, adorn it according to the Dharma, and make various kinds of
offerings, such individuals who expect to live a short life will be able to
gain longevity, fulfilling the lifespan of 100 years. Individuals such as
these, after their lives have ended here, will be able to be reborn in the Buddha Land
When
Śākyamuni Buddha was pronouncing this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute
Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, there were 99
koṭi Buddhas who, with one mind and in one voice, also
pronounced this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī. And meanwhile, there were 84 koṭi Buddhas who, with one mind and in one voice, also
pronounced this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī. And meanwhile, there were 77 koṭi Buddhas who, with one mind and in one voice, also
pronounced this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī. And meanwhile, there were 66 koṭi Buddhas who, with one mind and in one voice, also
pronounced this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī. And meanwhile, there were 55 koṭi Buddhas who, with one mind and in one voice, also
pronounced this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī. And meanwhile, there were 44 koṭi Buddhas who, with one mind and in one voice, also
pronounced this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī. And meanwhile, there were 36 koṭi Buddhas who, with one mind and in one voice, also
pronounced this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī. And meanwhile, there were 25 koṭi Buddhas who, with one mind and in one voice, also
pronounced this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī. And meanwhile, there were koṭis of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges,
who, with a unanimous mind and voice, also pronounced this Sūtra of the
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī.
[The
Buddha continued,] "Furthermore, if there are those who themselves copy or
have others copy this Dhāraṇī Sūtra, such
individuals will never fall to hell, the ghost world, the animal kingdom, or
the dominion of Yama, lord of the underworld. They will never again undergo the
evil retributions of those evil life-paths. Individuals such as these, because
of their virtue from having copied this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute
Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, will have
past-life knowledge, continuing rebirth after rebirth, life after life,
wherever they will be reborn. If there are those who themselves copy or have
others copy this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī, the virtue achieved by such individuals will be no
different from that of copying 84,000 Dharmas in store. If there are those who
themselves copy or have others copy this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute
Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, the virtue
achieved by such individuals will be no different from that of constructing
84,000 treasure pagodas. If there are those who themselves copy or have others
copy this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, because of this virtue, their karma, if any, of
falling to the five hells of uninterrupted suffering, will all be expunged. If
there are those who themselves copy or have others copy this Sūtra of the
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, such individuals will not fall under the rule of
the māra-king and his retinue or walk the life-paths of yakṣas and rakṣasas.
They will not die accidental deaths and will never receive those evil
retributions mentioned above. If there are those who themselves copy or have
others copy this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī, 99 koṭi
Buddhas will appear before such individuals at the end of their lives, to
receive them to be reborn in the land of that Buddha. You should not doubt what
I say. If there are those who themselves copy or have others copy this Sūtra of
the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, such individuals will never assume a woman's body
in their future lives. If there are those who themselves copy or have others
copy this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, such individuals will constantly be followed and
protected invisibly by the four god-kings: in the east is lord of gandharvas,
the god-king Upolding the Kingdom; in the south is lord of kumbhānḍas, the god-king Increase and Growth; in the west is
lord of great dragons, the god-king Broad Eye; and in the north is lord of yakṣas, the god-king Hearing Much.
"If
there are those who, for this Sūtra, can give a small portion of their wealth as
alms, they in effect give others all of the seven treasures, which include
gold, silver, vaiḍūrya, conch shell, emerald, coral, and amber, filling
up the Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold World. Furthermore, if there are those
who make offerings to this Sūtra, they in effect make offerings to the entire
true Dharma store. If there are those who would present the superb seven
treasures as offerings to the past seven Buddha-Tathāgatas: Vipaśyin, Śikhin,
Visvabhū, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, Kāśyapa, and Śākyamuni, who were Arhats and
Samyak-Saṁbuddhas, the quantity of the merit they would achieve
can never be known by measurement. Similarly, if there are those who make
offerings to this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata
Dhāraṇī, the limit of their merit can never be known by
measurement. As in the water of the four great oceans, the number of drops can
never be known.
"If
there are those who copy this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, make offerings, uphold it, and read and recite it,
the limit of the virtue they have achieved cannot be known by measurement. If
there are those who copy this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, the place where they are has the status of a
treasure pagoda containing the relics of the true bodies of Buddhas. That place
is worthy of paying respects and making obeisance. If there are sentient beings
that have heard this Dhāraṇī, they will
never again assume unfortunate life forms, such as birds, four-legged
creatures, or multi-legged creatures. They will swiftly attain
anuttara-samyak-saṁbodhi, from which there will be no regress.
"Furthermore, if there are those who have accumulated the seven
treasures such as gold, silver, vaiḍūrya,
conch shell, emerald, coral, and amber, piled up as a wonderful high mountain,
can give all away as alms, the quantity of the merit they have achieved cannot
be known by measurement. Similarly, it there are those who, for this Sūtra of
the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī, can give alms, the limit of the merit they have
achieved also cannot be known by measurement. Furthermore, if there are those
who copy this Sūtra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata Dhāraṇī and make obeisance and give offerings to it, such
individuals in effect make obeisance and give offerings to all the Tathāgatas
in the Buddha Lands in the ten directions. There is no difference."
At that
time Śākyamuni, the World-Honored One, spoke in verse:
By cultivation accomplish the power of almsgiving.
By virtue of the power of almsgiving, one attains
Buddhahood.
If one enters the fine chamber of great compassion
And one's ear hears briefly this Dhāraṇī,
Even though almsgiving is not yet fulfilled,
One will swiftly become the teacher to gods and
humans.
By cultivation accomplish the power of observing the
precepts.
By virtue of the power of observing the precepts, one
attains Buddhahood.
If one enters the fine chamber of great compassion
And one's ear hears briefly this Dhāraṇī,
Even though observing the precepts is not yet
fulfilled,
One will swiftly become the teacher to gods and
humans.
By cultivation accomplish the power of endurance.
By virtue of the power of endurance, one attains Buddhahood.
If one enters the fine chamber of great compassion
And one's ear hears briefly this Dhāraṇī,
Even though endurance is not yet fulfilled,
One will swiftly become the teacher to gods and
humans.
By cultivation accomplish the power of energetic progress.
By virtue of the power of energetic progress, one
attains Buddhahood.
If one enters the fine chamber of great compassion
And one's ear hears briefly this Dhāraṇī,
Even though energetic progress is not yet fulfilled,
One will swiftly become the teacher to gods and
humans.
By cultivation accomplish the power of dhyāna.
By virtue of the power of dhyāna, one attains
Buddhahood.
If one enters the fine chamber of great compassion
And one's ear hears briefly this Dhāraṇī,
Even though dhyāna is not yet fulfilled,
One will swiftly become the teacher to gods and
humans.
By cultivation accomplish the power of wisdom.
By virtue of the power of wisdom, one attains
Buddhahood.
If one enters the fine chamber of great compassion,
And one's ear hears briefly this Dhāraṇī,
Even though the power of wisdom is not yet fulfilled,
One will swiftly become the teacher to gods and
humans.
After
the Buddha had pronounced this Sūtra, the great bhikṣus, Bodhisattvas, gods, humans, asuras, gandharvas,
and others in the assembly, having heard what the Buddha had said, greatly
rejoiced. They all believed in, accepted, and reverently carried out the
teachings.
————————————
*This mantra is copied from the Digital Sanskrit
Buddhist Canon on the website of the University of the West. Although the
phrases in parentheses are not present in Text no. 937, in the Chinese Canon,
they are included here because the Buddha says that this mantra is composed of
108 syllables.
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