八吉祥經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's Park, in the city of Śrāvastī, together with one thousand two hundred and fifty great bhikṣus, eighty thousand bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, and the devas, nāgas, ghosts, and spirits.

At that time the World-Honored One addressed the Venerable Śāriputra:

"From this Buddha-land, going eastward, passing beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, there is a world named Heavenly Victory. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata Well-Spoken Auspiciousness, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and he is at present expounding the Dharma there.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-land, going eastward, passing beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Mindful Intent. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata Universal Radiant Light, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and he is at present expounding the Dharma there.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-land, going eastward, passing beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Delightful Sport. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata Victorious-in-Battle Auspiciousness, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and he is at present expounding the Dharma there.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-land, going eastward, passing beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Assembly of Good Purity. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata Sovereign Banner King, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and he is at present expounding the Dharma there.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-land, going eastward, passing beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Dustless Assembly. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata Boundless Merit and Radiant-Light Auspiciousness, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and he is at present expounding the Dharma there.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-land, going eastward, passing beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Unobstructed Sport. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata Unhindered Action-Abiding Auspiciousness, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and he is at present expounding the Dharma there.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-land, going eastward, passing beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Golden Assembly. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata Wondrous-Flower Valor, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and he is at present expounding the Dharma there.

Śāriputra! From that Buddha-land, going eastward, passing beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Beautiful Sound. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata Jeweled-Lotus Abiding King, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, and he is at present expounding the Dharma there.

Śāriputra! These eight Buddha-lands are all pure, without women, and also without the five turbidities.

Śāriputra! If there be any good sons or good daughters abiding in the Mahāyāna who hear these eight names of the Buddhas, uphold them without forgetting, and expound them for others, then that they should still fall into rebirth in the three evil destinies, or descend into the eight calamities—this could never come to pass.

If there be any woman who hears these eight names of the Buddhas and is then herself able to uphold them and expound them for others, that she should still receive a female body—this could never come to pass.

Śāriputra! If there be any good sons or good daughters abiding in the Mahāyāna who hear these eight names of the Buddhas, then uphold them and expound them for others, then in this life and in lives to come they shall ever possess spiritual penetrations, attain the eloquence of joyful exposition, deeply cultivate dhyāna concentration, be replete with dhāraṇīs, and ever encounter holy ones. They shall not be harmed by devas, nāgas, or yakṣas, by humans or non-humans, by thieves or robbers, by the calamities of water and fire, or by poison. All fears whatsoever shall be utterly extinguished; their sleep shall be at peace, they shall meet with no evil dreams, and they shall ever be guarded by the devas."

At that time the World-Honored One spoke these verses:

Their body and mind shall ever be at ease,
Without any fear;
Single-mindedly mindful, let them not be heedless—
The sins of countless kalpas shall be extinguished.

When the Buddha had finished expounding this Sutra, the Elder Śāriputra, the great bhikṣus, together with the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans, having heard the words of the Buddha, joyfully undertook to practice them.

The Sutra of the Eight Auspicious Ones