八佛名號經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was dwelling in the Garden of Jeṭa, the Grove of Anāthapiṇḍada (Jeṭavaṇe'nāthapiṇḍadasyārāma) in the country of Śrāvastī, together with a great assembly of Bhikṣus numbering one thousand two hundred and fifty, who had come to attend. There were also Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas of the Mahāyāna multitude, numbering ten thousand, who had come to attend.

At that time, immeasurable, innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of beings surrounded the World-Honored One, before and behind, to listen to the teaching of the Dharma.

Then the Venerable Śāriputra, from within the Great Assembly, rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee to the ground, faced the Buddha, joined his palms in reverence, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One! I have a doubt in my mind, and now I wish to inquire. I pray that the Tathāgata, out of compassion for sentient beings, will explain it for me."

At that time the World-Honored One said to the Venerable Śāriputra: "Good son! Ask as you wish. If you have a doubt in your mind, I shall analyze and explain it for you."

Then Śāriputra, relying upon the Buddha's assent and His promise to resolve the net of doubt, was joyful and delighted, and at once addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One! Is it so that at present there are Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, in the worlds of the ten directions, who in former times made vows ever to act for the sake of sentient beings, and who now expound the Dharma? As for all the names of those Tathāgatas, if good sons and good women wish to recite and uphold the names of those Buddhas, whether reading or hearing them or copying them down—through the merit of that condition they will at once attain non-retrogression in Anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi without any deficiency or diminishment, and even with regard to the Supreme, True,

and Right Path they will swiftly attain Anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi—is this so or not?"

At that time the World-Honored One said to Śāriputra: "Excellent! Excellent, good son! With true and marvelous eloquence you have made this inquiry for the sake of immeasurable sentient beings of later ages, extensively bringing benefit, with compassion and pity for all gods and humans—able to inquire of the Tathāgata about this profound meaning. Therefore, now listen attentively and reflect well, and I shall analyze and explain it for you."

Śāriputra said: "Yes, World-Honored One! With joy I wish to hear it."

At that time the World-Honored One said to Śāriputra: "Good son! In the eastern direction, beyond more than one Ganges' sands of worlds, there is a Buddha-land named Hard to Subdue. In that land there is a Buddha, World-Honored One, named Tathāgata Who Skillfully Proclaims and Praises Merit, the Worthy and True One, the Perfectly and Rightly Enlightened, who at this present time expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma for the sake of the Great Assemblies.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here, toward the east, passing beyond two Ganges' sands of worlds, there is a Buddha-land named Without Hindrance. In that land there is a Buddha, World-Honored One, named Tathāgata Indra-Banner Star-King, the Worthy and True One, the Perfectly and Rightly Enlightened, who at this present time likewise expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma for the sake of the Great Assemblies.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here, toward the east, passing beyond three Ganges' sands of worlds, there is a Buddha-land named Loving Delight. In that land there is a Buddha, World-Honored One, named Tathāgata Universal Radiance and Light, Merit-Adorned, the Worthy and True One, the Perfectly and Rightly Enlightened, who at this present time also expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma for the sake of the Great Assemblies.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here, toward the east, passing beyond four Ganges' sands of worlds, there is a Buddha-land named Universal Entrance. In that land there is a Buddha, World-Honored One, named Tathāgata Skillful in Battle, Hard to Subdue and Transcendent, the Worthy and True One, the Perfectly and Rightly Enlightened, who at this present time also expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma for the sake of the Great Assemblies.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here, toward the east, passing beyond five Ganges' sands of worlds, there is a Buddha-land named Pure Gathering. In that land there is a Buddha, World-Honored One, named Tathāgata Universal Merit, Bright and Adorned, the Worthy and True One, the Perfectly and Rightly Enlightened, who at this present time also expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma for the sake of the Great Assemblies.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here, toward the east, passing beyond six Ganges' sands of worlds, there is a Buddha-land named Lord Without Poison. In that land there is a Buddha, World-Honored One, named Tathāgata Unhindered Medicine-Tree, Praised for Merit, the Worthy and True One, the Perfectly and Rightly Enlightened, who at this present time also expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma for the sake of the Great Assemblies.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here, toward the east, passing beyond seven Ganges' sands of worlds, there is a Buddha-land named Suffused with Fragrance. In that land there is a Buddha, World-Honored One, named Tathāgata Treading upon Jeweled Lotus Flowers, the Worthy and True One, the Perfectly and Rightly Enlightened, who at this present time also expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma for the sake of the Great Assemblies.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here, toward the east, passing beyond eight Ganges' sands of worlds, there is a Buddha-land named Wondrous Sound and Light. In that land there is a Buddha, World-Honored One, named Tathāgata Jeweled Lotus Flower, Well-Abiding King of Sāla Trees, the Worthy and True One, the Perfectly and Rightly Enlightened, who at this present time also expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma for the sake of the Great Assemblies.

"Śāriputra! These Buddha-Tathāgatas, Worthy and True Ones, Perfectly and Rightly Enlightened, of this group, all have Buddha-lands pure and undefiled, without the five turbidities, and also without the five desires. The sentient beings in those lands have no minds of flattery, crookedness, or falsehood, and also do not engage in the practice of lust with women.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! If good sons and good women come to hear the names, such as these, of the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, of that group; and having heard them, are able themselves to receive and uphold, read and recite, and cultivate them, and further proclaim and reveal them for the sake of others—then that those good sons and good women should fall into the three evil destinies, there is no such thing. The only exceptions are the five offenses of rebellion, slandering the True Dharma, and reviling the Sages.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! If good sons and good women come to hear the names, such as these, of the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, of that group; and having heard them, are able themselves to receive and uphold, read and recite, and cultivate them, and further proclaim and reveal them for the sake of others—such persons, until Bodhi, in the intervening lifetimes, wherever they are born, will always be possessed of the five supernatural powers together with the various Dhāraṇīs, with the six faculties complete and without any defect, always enjoying delight, the hair upon their bodies curling toward the right.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! If good sons and good women come to hear the names, such as these, of the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, of that group; and having heard them, are able themselves to receive and uphold, read and recite, and cultivate them, and further proclaim and reveal them for the sake of others—then the sentient beings of that group, wherever they may dwell, cannot be harmed by district officials or by evil bandits seizing an advantageous opportunity; fire cannot burn them, water cannot sweep them away and drown them; evil dragons and evil serpents cannot inflict their venom upon them.

Whether walking or standing, lions, tigers, wolves, dogs, bears, boar-bears, jackals, leopards, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, the various evil ghosts and spirits, Kumbhāṇḍas, and humans and non-humans able to cause terror—there is no such thing. The only exception is calamity belonging to a former life (past misfortune).

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! If there be a woman who loathes her own body, and binds her thoughts with single-minded concentration to receive and uphold, read and recite the names of the Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, such as these, and further to discriminate and expound them for the sake of others—then that, after death, she should once more receive a woman's body, there is no such thing.

"Furthermore, Śāriputra! If there be good sons and good women who, in the stillness of the night, are able to recite the names of the Buddhas such as these—then the sentient beings of that group, now present in the world, will all swiftly accomplish the work they have undertaken, increasing day by day, without any hindrances."

At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to clarify this meaning once again, spoke in verse, saying:

_ If there be any sentient beings

Able to uphold those Buddhas' names,

They will at once cast off the evil destinies

And swiftly be born into the good destinies.

Ever in the presence of the Buddhas,

They constantly hear the wondrous Dharma proclaimed.

_ Having beheld the Supremely Honored Ones,

In accord with their hearts they make offerings.

Reciting and upholding the Buddhas' names,

They transcend hundreds of millions, thousands and myriads of kalpas.

_ If a person for a full seven days

Is able to recite those Buddhas' names,

Then he attains pure eyes,

And forthwith is able to behold the Buddhas.

_ If one comes to hear the Buddhas' names

And is forthwith able to recite and uphold them,

Then wherever he is born,

He will always be honored and revered by others,

With excellent marks and an upright form,

Ever born into blessings and bliss,

His mind delighting in the practice of Great Equanimity,

Intelligent and not heedless.

_ If there be any women

Who hear the names of these Buddhas,

Recite them themselves, and speak them for others,

Their blessings cannot be reckoned.

After this life has come to an end,

They cast off the recompense of a woman

And come to receive the body of a great man,

Life after life ever with keen faculties.

_ Because they recite and uphold the Buddhas' names,

Throughout many hundreds of millions of kalpas

Their mouths exude a fragrant breath,

Ever like the incense of sandalwood.

_ As for those Great Sages of that group,

With Names such as these,

If a person is able to recite and uphold them

With subtle mind (a fine and subtle mind), not heedless—

Because he recites and upholds the Buddhas' names,

His father and mother and brothers,

Together with all his kinsfolk,

Will be without strange sufferings and afflictions.

_ Because they recite and uphold the Buddhas' names,

All the Māra-Pāpīyas,

The kinsfolk of the multitude of Dark Gloom,

Cannot create hindrances for them;

The evil and the venomous cannot harm them;

The host of blades, staves, and fire,

District officials, thieves and evil bandits—

All cannot harm them.

_ Because they recite and uphold the Buddhas' names,

Throughout a thousand million kalpas

They are ever born upon jeweled lotus flowers,

Possessed of majestic marks and supernatural powers.

Ever within empty space,

Throughout realms inconceivable,

They contemplate the other Buddha-lands

And the purity within those lands.

Having realized the supreme Path,

Extensively, for the sake of all the various kinds of beings,

For the devas and the people of the world,

They are able to be a place of Refuge."

When the Buddha had finished speaking this Sūtra, the Elder Śāriputra, together with the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, non-humans, and all the rest of the Great Assembly, having heard what the Buddha had spoken, all rejoiced and reverently practiced it.

THE SŪTRA OF THE NAMES OF THE EIGHT BUDDHAS The End