Chapter 17 - Distinctions in Benefits
At that time the Buddha said to the bodhisattva and mahasattva
Maitreya: "Ajita, if there are living beings who, on hearing that the
life span of the Buddha is of such long duration, are able to believe
and understand it even for a moment, the benefits they gain thereby
will be without limit or measure.
"Suppose there are good men or good women who, for the sake of
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, over a period of eight hundred thousand
million nayutas of kalpas practise the five paramitas-- the paramitas
of dana (almsgiving), shila (keeping of the precepts), kshanti
(forbearance), virya (assidousness) and dhyana (meditation), the
paramita of prajna being omitted--the benefits they obtain will not
measure up to even a hundredth part, a thousandth part, a hundred,
thousand, ten thousand, millionth part of the benefits mentioned
previously.
"Indeed it is beyond the power of calculation, simile or parable to
convey the comparison. For good men who have gained such benefits as
those (mentioned previously) to fall back without reaching the goal of
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi is utterly unimaginable."
[ If you believe the One inside you is eternal, your benefits are
great, greater than those who ciultivate self and not knowing the One
inside them.]
"Furthermore, Ajita, if there is someone who, hearing of the long
duration of the Buddha's life span, can understand the import of such
words, the benefits that such a person acquires will be without limit
or measure, able to awaken in him the unsurpassed wisdom of the Thus
Come One. How much more so, then, if far and wide a person listens to
this sutra or causes others to listen to it, embraces it himself or
causes others to embrace it, copies it himself or causes others to copy
it, or presents flowers, incense, necklace, streamers, banners, silken
canopies, fragrant oil or lamps of butter oil as offerings to the sutra
rolls. The benefits of such a person will be immeasurable, boundless,
able to inspire in him the wisdom that embraces all species.
"Ajita, if good men and good women, hearing me describe the great
length of my life span, in the depths of their mind believe and
understand, then they will see the Buddha constantly abiding on Mount
Gridhrakuta, with the great bodhisattvas and multitude of voice-hearers
surrounding him, preaching the Dharma. They will also see this saha
world, its ground of lapis lazuli level and well ordered, the Jambunala
gold bordering its eight highways, the rows of jeweled trees, the
terraces, towers and observatories all made of jewels, and all the
multitude of bodhisattvas who live in their midst. [same as in
Visualising Sutra] If there are those who are able to see such things,
you should know that it is a mark of their deep faith and
understanding." (rou you neng ru shi guan zhe. dang zhi shi wei shen
xin jie xiang [If they are able to visualise like this, you should know
it is a deep faith, understanding image.])
"Again, if after the Thus Come One has entered extinction there are
those who hear this sutra and do not slander or speack ill of it but
feel joy in their hearts, you should know that this is a sign that they
have already shown deep faith and understanding. How much more in the
case of persons who read, recite and embrace this sutra! Such persons
are in effect receiving the Thus Come One on the crown of their heads."
(si ren ze wei ding dai ru lai. [Such persons are in effect, the crowns
of their head, carry (or wear) Thus Come Ones.])
"Ajita, these good men and good women need not for my sake erect towers
and temples or build monks quarters or make the four kinds of offerings
to the community of monks. Why? Because these good men and good women,
in receiving, embracing, reading and reciting this sutra, have already
erected towers, constructed monks quarters, and given alms to the
community of monks. It should be consideredthat they have erected
towers adorned with the seven treasures for the relics of the Buddha,
broad at the base and tapering at the top, reaching to the Brahma
heaven, hung with banners, canopies, and a multitude of jeweled bells,
with flowers, incense, necklaces, powdered incense, paste incense,
incense for burning, many kinds of drums, musical instruments, pipes,
harps, and various types of dances and diversions, and with wonderful
voices that sing and intense hymns of praise. It is as though they have
already offered alms for immeasurable thousands, ten thousands,
millions of kalpas."
[ If you believe the One inside you is Thus Come One or Buddha, you
need not have to pray to Buddha statues, ancestors, bow to corpses in
coffins because you already know you are Buddha.]
"Ajita, if after I have entered extinction there are those who hear
this sutra and can accept and uphold it, copy it themselves or cause
others to copy it, then it may be considered that they have already
erected monks quarters, or used red sandalwood to construct thirty-two
halls, as tall as eight tala trees, lofty, spacious and beautifully
adorned to accommodate hundreds and thousands of monks. Gardens,
groves, pools, lakes, exercise grounds, caves for meditation, clothing,
food, drink, beds, matting, medicines, and all kinds of utensils for
comfort fill them, and these monks quraters and halls number in the
hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions, and indeed are
immeasurable in number. All these are presented before me as alms for
me and the community of monks." [ Merits of believing the One inside
you and meditating on the One at the nose bridge are more than all
materials donations, charity works etc.]
"So I say, if after the Thus Come One enters extinction there are those
who accept, uphold, read and recite this sutra or preach it to others,
who copy it themselves or cause others to copy it, or who offer alms to
the sutra rolls, then they need not erect towers or temples or build
monks quarters or offer alms to the community of monks. And how much
more is this true of those who are able to embrace this sutra and at
the same time dispense alms, keep the precepts, practise forbearance,
and display diligence, single-mindedness and wisdom! Their virtue will
be uppermost, immeasurable and boundless, as the open sky, east, west,
north and south, in the four intermediate directions and up and down,
is immeasurable and boundless. The blessings of such persons will be as
immeasurable and boundless as this, and such persons will quickly
attain the wisdom that embraces all species.
"If a person reads, recites, accepts and upholds this sutra or preaches
it to others, if he copies it himself or causes others to copy it; and
if he can erect towers, build monks quarters, offer alms and praise to
the community of voice-hearers; if he can employ hundreds, thousands,
ten thousands, millions of modes of praise to praise the merits of the
bodhisattvas; and if for the sake of others he employs various causes
and conditions and accords with principle in explaining and preaching
this Lotus Sutra; and if he can observe the precepts with purity, keep
company with those who are gentle and peaceful, be forbearing and
without anger, firm in intent and thought, constantly prizing the
practice of sitting in meditation, attaining various states of profound
meditation, diligent and courageous, mastering all the good doctrines,
keen in faculties and wisdom, good at answering difficult
questions--Ajita, if after I have entered extinction there are good men
and good women who accepts, uphold, read and recite this sutra and have
good merits such as these, you should know that they have already
proceeded to the place of practice and are drawing near to
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi as they sit beneath the tree of the way.
Ajita, wherever these good men and good women sit or stand or circle
about in exercise, there one should erect a tower, and all heavenly and
human beings should offer alms to it as they would to the tower of the
Buddha."
[No need to sit beneath the Bodhi tree. This is a symbol for our
eye-brows, below there at the nose bridge is the seat of Buddha. It is
here we need to pray, not statues in temples, if you understand the
meaning.]
dang zhi shi ren. yi qu dao chang. jin e nou duo luo san miao san pu
ti. zuo dao shu xia. e yi duo. shi shan nan zi shan nu ren. ruo zuo ruo
li ruo xing chu. ci zheng bian ying qi ta. yi qie tian ren jie ying
gong yang ru fo zhi ta. [ You should know this people have already
reached the the Way's (Tao) site and are near to
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, sit below the Way's (Tao) tree. Ajita, these
good men and good women, wherever they sit, or stand or walk about,
there should one erect a tower, so that all heavenly people should
offer alms to it as if it is the tower of Buddha.]
[ The structure of Chinese characters can have different meaning. Tao's
site should be the Mark on our forehead. Tao's tree should be our
eye-brows, like the life giving tree in Garden of Eden. Buddha's tower
can be our nose and we should gaze at the nose tip as if we are praying
to the Buddha's tower.]

The Cynic wrote: