八吉祥經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was dwelling in the Garden of Jeta and Anāthapiṇḍada (Jeṭavaṇe'nāthapiṇḍadasyārāma) in the land of Śrāvasti (Śrāvastya), together with a great assembly of Bhikṣus, twelve hundred and fifty in number, who had come to attend. There were also Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas, thirty thousand in number, together with the hosts of Devas, Nāgas, ghosts and spirits, and others.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Śāriputra: "From this Buddha-World, toward the East, beyond Worlds as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, there is a World named Surpassing Heaven. In that land there is a Buddha named Well-Speaking Auspiciousness Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One. At present, even now, he is expounding the Dharma.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-World, toward the East, beyond Worlds as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, there is a World named Mindful Intention. In that land there is a Buddha named Universal Radiant Light Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One. At present, even now, he is expounding the Dharma.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-World, toward the East, beyond Worlds as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, there is a World named Delightful Play. In that land there is a Buddha named Triumphant in Battle Auspiciousness Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One. At present, even now, he is expounding the Dharma.

Śāriputra! From that World, toward the East, beyond Worlds as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, there is a World named Good Pure Gathering. In that land there is a Buddha named Sovereign Banner King Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One. At present, even now, he is expounding the Dharma.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-World, toward the East, beyond Worlds as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, there is a World named Dustless Gathering. In that land there is a Buddha named Boundless Merit Radiant Light Auspiciousness Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One. At present, even now, he is expounding the Dharma.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-World, toward the East, beyond Worlds as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, there is a World named Unobstructed Play. In that land there is a Buddha named Unimpeded Karmic Abiding Auspiciousness Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One. At present, even now, he is expounding the Dharma.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-World, toward the East, beyond Worlds as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, there is a World named Golden Gathering. In that land there is a Buddha named Fragrant Valor Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One. At present, even now, he is expounding the Dharma.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-World, toward the East, beyond Worlds as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, there is a World named Beautiful Sound. In that land there is a Buddha named Jeweled Lotus Abiding King Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One. At present, even now, he is expounding the Dharma.

Śāriputra! These eight Buddha-lands are all pure, having no women and none of the five turbidities (the five defilements).

Śāriputra! If a good son or a virtuous woman who abides in the Great Vehicle (Mahā-yāna) hears the names of these eight Buddhas, upholds them without forgetting, and moreover expounds them for others, then that one being born into the three evil paths, or into the places of the eight calamities, is something that shall not come to pass.

If a woman hears the names of the eight Buddhas, remembers and keeps them herself, and moreover expounds them for others, then her receiving a woman's body once again is something that shall not come to pass.

Śāriputra! If a good son or a virtuous woman who abides in the Great Vehicle (Mahā-yāna) hears the names of these eight Buddhas—having heard, upholds them without forgetting, and expounds them for others—then in this life and in lives to come, that one shall ever possess spiritual penetrations, attain the Eloquence of Delight in Speaking, cultivate profound meditative concentration (Dhyāna), be complete in Dhāraṇīs, have all the faculties pure, and ever meet with the Sages. That one shall not fear the hosts of Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, humans and non-humans, thieves and bandits, water, fire, poison, and the rest. All such fears shall be utterly removed; whether sleeping or waking that one shall ever be at peace, having no evil dreams, and shall ever be guarded and protected by the Devas."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this Geya (Geya: Responsive Verse, Repeated Verse):

Their body and mind shall ever be at peace,
Having none of the terrors.

With concentrated mindfulness, never lost,
They extinguish the offenses of measureless kalpas.
In lives to come they shall be Devas and humans,
Far removed from the evil destinies.

When the Buddha had finished speaking this Sūtra, then the great Bhikṣus of the company of the Elder Śāriputra, together with the assemblies of Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas; the hosts of Devas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garuḍas, Kiṃnaras, Mahoragas, humans, non-humans, and others—having heard what the Buddha had said, all rejoiced and reverently practiced it.

THE SŪTRA OF THE EIGHT AUSPICIOUS ONES The End