Kinh-Sutra

Mahayana Sutra of the Holy Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani

Buddha Pronounces the Mahayana Sutra of

the Holy Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani

Translated from Sanskrit into Chinese in the Northern Song Dynasty

by The Purple Robe Dharma Master Fatian

Thus I have heard:

At one time the World-Honored One was dwelling in the Anathapindika Garden of Jetavana Park in the city kingdom of Sravasti , together with a group of 1,250 great bhiksus . As recognized by the multitudes, all of them were great Arhats who, with no more afflictions , had ended their discharge s, acquired benefits for themselves, and totally liberated their minds. Also to the assembly to hear the Dharma came honored Bodhisattva-Mahasattvas with vast wisdom and sublime virtues, complete in their majestic deportment. At the head of the assembly was Great Wisdom Ma\xD1jusri Bodhisattva-Mahasattva. At that time Sakyamuni 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 life span, 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 Ma\xD1jusri Bodhisattva , "All of you, hearken! Going west from this southern continent, Jambudvipa , passing countless Buddha Land s, 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 Tathagata , who has realized anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. 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 Ma\xD1jusri Bodhisattva , "Now in this world of Jambudvipa , the human life span is 100 years, but many commit evil karma and die prematurely. Ma\xD1jusri Bodhisattva, if there are sentient beings that have seen this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani and heard the name of this Tathagata, their merit will be superb. Suppose they accept and uphold this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani. It matters not whether they themselves have copied it or have had others copy it, whether they enshrine the Sutra 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 such as

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 Sutra , and give offerings and make obeisance to it with an aspiring mind, such individuals will be able to increase their life span to 100 years.

"Furthermore, Ma\xD1jusri Bodhisattva , if there are sentient beings that have heard the name of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata and can recite his name 108 times with an aspiring mind, the short life span 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 life span.

"Furthermore, Ma\xD1jusri 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 Dharani of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata :

namo bhagavate aparimita-ayur-j\xD1ana-suviniscita-tejo-rajaya | tathagataya- arhat e samyak-sambuddhaya | tad-yatha [om punya maha-punya | aparimita-punya | aparimita-ayuh-punya-j\xD1ana-sambharo'pacite |]* om sarva samskara parisuddha dharmate gagana samudgate | svabhava visuddhe maha-naya parivare svaha ||

"Ma\xD1jusri Bodhisattva , if there are those who themselves copy or have others copy this 108-syllable Dhara?i of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata or who enshrine this Dharani 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 life span of 100 years. Individuals such as these, after their lives have ended here, will be able to be reborn in the Buddha Land of that Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata, the world of Immeasurable Store of Virtue."

When Sakyamuni Buddha was pronouncing this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani , there were 99 koti Buddhas who, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani. And meanwhile, there were 84 koti Buddhas who, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani. And meanwhile, there were 77 koti Buddhas who, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani. And meanwhile, there were 66 koti Buddhas who, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King

Tathagata Dharani . And meanwhile, there were 55 koti Buddhas who, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani. And meanwhile, there were 44 koti Buddhas who, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani. And meanwhile, there were 36 koti Buddhas who, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani. And meanwhile, there were 25 koti Buddhas who, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani. And meanwhile, there were kotis of Buddhas as numerous as the

sands of ten Ganges, who, with one mind and one voice, also pronounced this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani .

[The Buddha continued,] "Furthermore, if there are those who themselves copy or have others copy this Dharani Sutra , 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 merit gained from copying this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani, 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 Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dhara?i, the merit earned 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 Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani , the merit earned 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 Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani, because of this merit, their karma, if any, of falling to the five hells of uninterrupted suffering, will all be obliterated. If there are those who themselves copy or have others copy this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dhara?i, such individuals will not fall under the rule

of the mara-king and his retinue or walk the life-paths of yak?as and rak?asas. 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 Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani , 99 koti 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 Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani, 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 Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani , such individuals will constantly be followed and protected invisibly by the four god-kings -in the east is the god-king Upolding the Kingdom, lord of gandharvas ; in the south is the god-king Increase and Growth, lord of kumbhandas ; 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 yak?as.

"If there are those who, for this Sutra , can give a small portion of their wealth as alms, they in effect give others all of the seven treasures , which include gold, silver, vaidurya, conch shell, emerald, coral, and amber, filling up the Three-Thousand Large Thousandfold World . Furthermore, if there are those who make offerings to this Sutra, 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- Tathagatas , the Arhats and Samyak-Sambuddhas-Vipasyin, Sikhin, Visvabhu, Krakucchanda, Kanakamuni, Kasyapa, and Sakyamuni-the quantity of the merit they would achieve can never be known by measurement. Similarly, if there are those who

make offerings to this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani , the limit of their merit can never be known by measurement, just as the number of drops of water in the four great oceans can never be known.

"If there are those who copy this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani , make offerings, uphold it, and read and recite it, the limit of the merit they have achieved cannot be known by measurement. If there are those who copy this Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani, the place where they are has the status of a treasure pagoda containing the relics of the bodies of Buddhas . Their place is worthy of paying respects and making obeisance. If there are sentient beings that have heard this Dharani, they will never again assume unfortunate life forms, such as birds, four-legged creatures, or multi-legged creatures. They will quickly attain anuttara-samyak-sa?bodhi, from which there

will be no regress .

"Furthermore, if there are those who have accumulated the seven treasures such as gold, silver, vaidurya, 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 Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani , 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 Sutra of the Infinite-Life Resolute Radiance King Tathagata Dharani and make obeisance and offerings to it, such individuals in effect make obeisance and offerings to all the Tathagatas in Buddha Land s in

the ten directions . There is no difference."

At that time Sakyamuni 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