http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra04.html
Buddha Pronounces the
Mahāyāna Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance
King Tathāgata
Thus I have heard:
At one time the World-Honored
One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika
Garden of Jetavana
Park in the city kingdom of Śrāvastī, together with
1,250 great bhikṣus. As recognized by
the multitudes, all of them were great Arhats, who had ended
their afflictions and the
discharges thereof,
acquired benefits for themselves, and completely liberated their
minds. Honored Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas
with vast wisdom and merit, complete in their majestic deportment,
also came to the assembly to hear the Dharma. At the head of the
assembly was Great Wisdom Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva-Mahāsattva.
At that time Śākyamuni Buddha sympathetically
considered all sentient beings that would live a short life in
future times. In order to let them acquire the great benefit of
lengthened lifespan, He decided to expound the inconceivable,
secret, profound, wondrous, victorious Dharma.
The World-Honored One told Great Wisdom Mañjuśrī
Bodhisattva, “All of you,
hearken! West of Jambudvīpa, this southern
continent, beyond countless Buddha Lands, there is a land called
Immeasurable Merit Store. That land is magnificent, adorned with
multitudinous treasures, pure and superb, peaceful and joyous,
foremost in exquisiteness, surpassing all worlds in the ten
directions. In that land of Immeasurable Merit Store
resides a Buddha called Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata, who has realized anuttara-samyak-saṁbodhi.
He is now staying in that land. Exuding great lovingkindness and
compassion, He expounds the true Dharma for the sake of sentient
beings, enabling them to acquire excellent benefits, peace, and
joy.”
The Buddha next told Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, “Now
in this world of Jambudvīpa, human lifespan is one hundred years,
but many do evil karma and die prematurely.
Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, if there are sentient beings that have seen
this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life
Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata and heard this Tathāgata’s name, their
merit will be excellent. After they copy or have others copy this
sūtra, they will enshrine the copies in their homes, in high
towers, or in the halls of ashrams. They will accept and uphold
this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance
King Tathāgata as they read and recite it, make obeisance to
it, and offer various kinds of flowers, incense for burning,
powdered incense, solid perfumes, necklaces, and so forth. If those
who expect to live a short life earnestly copy and uphold this
sūtra, read and recite it, and make offerings and obeisance, they
will have their lifespans lengthened to one hundred years.
Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, if sentient beings that
have heard the name of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata earnestly say His name 108 times, their short lifespans
will be lengthened. If those who have only heard His name earnestly
believe, accept, and honor it, they too will have their lifespans
lengthened.
“Moreover, Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, suppose there are those who,
without momentary wavering, constantly and earnestly think of and
seek the true Dharma. Good men and good women, all of you should
hearken. For your sake, I now pronounce the 108-syllable dhāraṇī of
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata:
namo
bhagavate aparimitāyur-jñāna-suviniścita-tejorājāya |
tathāgatāyārhate samyak-saṁbuddhāya | tad-yathā [oṁ puṇya
mahā-puṇya | aparimita-puṇya |
aparimitāyuḥ-puṇya-jñāna-saṁbhāropacite |]* oṁ sarva saṁskāra
pariśuddha dharmate gagana samudgate | svabhāva viśuddhe
mahā-naya parivāre svāhā ||
“Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva, for
those who expect to live a short life, if they copy or have others
copy this 108-syllable dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance
King Tathāgata, enshrine the copies on the tops of high towers or
in clean places in the halls [of ashrams], adorn them in accordance
with the Dharma, and make various kinds of offerings, they will
gain longevity, living one hundred years. After their lives end
here, they will be reborn in Immeasurable Merit Store, the land of
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata.”
While Śākyamuni Buddha was pronouncing this
Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata, 99 koṭi Buddhas, with one
mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī
of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata. Meanwhile,
84 koṭi Buddhas, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this
Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata. Meanwhile, 77 koṭi Buddhas, with one mind and one
voice, also pronounced this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata. Meanwhile, 66
koṭi Buddhas, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this
Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata. Meanwhile, 55 koṭi Buddhas, with one mind and one
voice, also pronounced this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata. Meanwhile, 44
koṭi Buddhas, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this
Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata. Meanwhile, 36 koṭi Buddhas, with one mind and one
voice, also pronounced this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata. Meanwhile, 25
koṭi Buddhas, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this
Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata. Meanwhile, koṭis of Buddhas, as numerous as the
sands of ten Ganges Rivers, with one mind and one voice, also
pronounced this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute
Radiance King Tathāgata.
[The Buddha continued] “If there are those who
copy or have others copy this dhāraṇī sūtra, they will never be
reborn in hell, the ghost world, the animal kingdom, or the
dominion of Yama, king of the
underworld. They will never again take those evil life-paths in acceptance
of evil requitals. Because of their merit acquired from copying
this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance
King Tathāgata, they will have past-life knowledge, rebirth
after rebirth, life after life, wherever they are reborn. If there
are those who copy or have others copy this Sūtra of the
Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata,
their merit will be the same as that from copying texts in 84,000
Dharma stores. If there are those
who copy or have others copy this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata, their merit
will be the same as that from constructing 84,000 treasure
pagodas.
“If there are those who copy or have others copy
this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance
King Tathāgata, because of this merit, their [evil] karmas,
which would drive them into the hell of uninterrupted suffering,
will all be obliterated. If there are those who copy or have others
copy this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute
Radiance King Tathāgata, they will neither fall under the rule
of the māra-king and his retinue
nor take the life-paths of yakṣas or rakṣasas They will not die
an accidental death and will never receive those evil requitals
mentioned before. If there are those who copy or have others copy
this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance
King Tathāgata, at the end of their lives, 99 koṭi Buddhas
will appear before them to receive them to be reborn in that
Buddha’s land. You all should not doubt what I say. If there are
those who copy or have others copy this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata, they will
never assume female form in their future lives. If there are those
who copy or have others copy this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata, they will
always be secretly followed and protected by the four
god-kings. In the east is the god-king Upholding the
Kingdom, lord of gandharvas; in the south
is the god-king Increase and Growth, lord of kumbhāṇḍas; in the west is
the god-king Broad Eye, lord of great dragons; and in the north
is the god-king Hearing Much, lord of yakṣas.
“If there are those who, for this sūtra, give
away a small portion of their wealth as alms, they in effect give
others all of the seven
treasures—gold, silver, aquamarine, conch shell,
emerald, coral, and amber—filling up this Three-Thousand
Large Thousandfold World. Furthermore, if there are
those who make offerings to this sūtra, they in effect make
offerings to the entire store of the true Dharma. If there are
those who present the superb seven treasures as an offering to the
past seven
Buddha-Tathāgatas, also called Arhats,
Samyak-Saṁbuddhas—Vipaśyin, Śikhin, Viśvabhū, Krakucchanda,
Kanakamuni, Kāśyapa, and Śākyamuni—the quantity of merit they
acquire can never be known by measurement. Similarly, if there are
those who make offerings to this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of
Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata, the limit of
their merit can never be known by measurement.
“As the number of drops of water in the four
great oceans can never be known, likewise, if there are those who
copy this Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute
Radiance King Tathāgata, uphold it, read and recite it, and
make offerings, the limit of their merit cannot be known by
measurement. If there are those who copy this Sūtra of the
Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathāgata,
their place has the status of a treasure pagoda containing the holy
relics of Buddhas. Their 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 quickly attain anuttara-samyak-saṁbodhi, from which they will
never regress.
“If those who have accumulated the seven
treasures—gold, silver, aquamarine, conch shell, emerald, coral,
and amber—piled high like a wonderful mountain, give them all away
as alms, the quantity of merit they acquire cannot be known by
measurement. Similarly, if there are those who, for this Sūtra
of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata, give alms, the limit of their merit cannot be known
by measurement. Moreover, if there are those who copy this
Sūtra of the Dhāraṇī of Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King
Tathāgata, and make obeisance and offerings to it, they in
effect make obeisance and offerings to all Tathāgatas in Buddha
Lands in the ten directions. There is no difference.”
Then Śākyamuni the World-Honored One spoke in
verse:
Through training acquire 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 briefly hears this dhāraṇī,
Although almsgiving is not yet fully achieved,
One will soon become the teacher to gods and humans.
Through training acquire 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 briefly hears this dhāraṇī,
Although observing the precepts is not yet fully achieved,
One will soon become the teacher to gods and humans.
Through training acquire 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 briefly hears this dhāraṇī,
Although endurance is not yet fully achieved,
One will soon become the teacher to gods and humans.
Through training acquire 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 briefly hears this dhāraṇī,
Although energetic progress is not yet fully achieved,
One will soon become the teacher to gods and humans.
Through training acquire the power of meditation.
By virtue of the power of meditation, one attains Buddhahood.
If one enters the fine chamber of great compassion
And one’s ear briefly hears this dhāraṇī,
Although meditation is not yet fully achieved,
One will soon become the teacher to gods and humans.
Through training acquire 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 briefly hears this dhāraṇī,
Although wisdom is not yet fully achieved,
One will soon become the teacher to gods and humans.
After the Buddha pronounced
this sūtra, the great bhikṣus, Bodhisattvas, gods, humans, asuras,
gandharvas, and others in the assembly, having heard the Buddha’s
words, greatly rejoiced. They all believed in, accepted, and
reverently carried out the teachings.