顯無邊佛土功德經

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Bhagavān[1] was dwelling in the Forest of Tranquil Dharma in the country of Magadha[2]. At that time He was seated upon a lion throne atop a red-lotus dais of wondrous, firm, and indestructible bodhi-vajra, adorned with precious jewels. There were also gathered around Him great Bodhisattvas as numerous as the fine dust motes within ten ineffable koṭi-nayuta hundred-thousand Buddha-lands, together with immeasurable devas, humans, asuras[3], and others.

At that time, within the assembly, the great Bodhisattva Inconceivable Light King, relying upon the awesome spiritual power of the Buddha, rose from his seat, bowed his head to the feet of the Buddha, joined his palms together respectfully, and said:

"World-Honored One! Among the lands of the Buddhas, do their durations of time and their adornments differ in being superior or inferior?"

The Buddha said:

"Good son! One kalpa in the Sahā world[4] of the Buddha Śākyamuni is equal to but a single day and night in the World of Ultimate Bliss of the Buddha Immeasurable Light. One kalpa in the World of Ultimate Bliss is equal to but a single day and night in the world Kāṣāya Banner of the Buddha Vajra-Firm Joy.

One kalpa in the world Kāṣāya Banner is equal to but a single day and night in the world Sound of the Non-Retrogressing Wheel of the Buddha Supremely Wondrous Perfect Red-Lotus Spreading Body. One kalpa in the world Sound of the Non-Retrogressing Wheel is equal to but a single day and night in the world Free of Dust of the Buddha Dharma Banner. One kalpa in the world Free of Dust is equal to but a single day and night in the world Bright Lamp of the Buddha Lion.

One kalpa in the world Bright Lamp is equal to but a single day and night in the world Wondrous Light of the Buddha Universal Illumination. One kalpa in the world Wondrous Light is equal to but a single day and night in the world Hard to Surpass of the Buddha Body Emitting Dharma Light. One kalpa in the world Hard to Surpass is equal to but a single day and night in the world Adornment of the Buddha All-Spiritual-Penetration Wisdom-Light King.

One kalpa in the world Adornment is equal to but a single day and night in the world Mirror Wheel of the Buddha Moon Awakening.

"Good son! In this manner, increasing gradually until the very last world among the number of worlds as numerous as the fine dust motes within ten ineffable koṭi-nayuta hundred-thousand Buddha-lands. One kalpa of the Buddha-land in this very last world is equal to but a single day and night in the world Lotus Virtue of the Buddha Worthy Virtue. In that world, the assemblies of Bodhisattvas cultivate the supreme vows and practices of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra.

"Good son! Just as the days and nights of these worlds increase gradually, so too do the bodily marks and the lifespans of the Buddhas, and the adorned worlds of the Bodhisattvas, all likewise increase. Because the merit and virtue of sentient beings[5] increases gradually, if there be any man or woman who hears this Dharma-gate that Reveals the Merit and Virtue of Boundless Buddha-Lands and rejoices in it with reverent faith, who upholds, recites, and reads it, who contemplates it in accordance with its true meaning, and who expounds it for others to hear, then when that person is about to reach the end of life, the immeasurable Buddhas throughout the ten directions will all appear before that person, consoling and praising him, helping that person to increase immeasurable wholesome roots,

so that in accordance with his vow he is reborn into the pure lands of the Buddhas, and ultimately attains Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment.

In whatever world he is born, he will ever remember his past lives[6], cultivate the practices of a Bodhisattva, and swiftly bring them to fulfillment."

When the Bhagavān had finished speaking this sūtra, the great Bodhisattva Inconceivable Light King, the devas, humans, asuras, and others, and the entire assembly all rejoiced and faithfully accepted it, and reverently practiced it.

Notes:

[1] Bhagavān 薄伽梵: one of the ten epithets of the Buddha, translated in meaning as Possessor of Virtue, Able to Destroy, World-Honored One, and Honored and Noble.

[2] The country of Magadha 摩揭陀國: an ancient country of India, that is, the region of present-day Bihar. This was one of the sixteen great countries during the time when the Buddha was still in the world. This country had a very profound relationship with the development of Buddhism.

[3] Asura 阿素洛: commonly called a-tu-la, a kind of war-loving spirit-demon of India regarded as an evil deity and which often struggles against Śakra, lord of the devas.

[4] The Sahā world 索訶世界: that is, the Sahā world.

[5] Sentient beings 有情: living beings that possess sentience and life.

[6] Past lives 宿命: the destiny of past existences; "past lives" is a term that refers generally to the differing karmic retributions—such as good and evil, suffering and joy, and so forth—that a person must undergo in a single life, and throughout immeasurable lives in the past.