八佛名號經

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, in the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, within the city of Śrāvastī, together with 1,250 great bhikṣus and 10,000 bodhisattva-mahāsattvas.

At that time, immeasurable hundreds of thousands of attendants surrounded the World-Honored One, and he expounded the Dharma for them.

Then the Venerable Śāriputra, who was amid the great assembly, rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee to the ground, and, joining his palms toward the Buddha, addressed him, saying:

"World-Honored One! Now there is a doubt within my heart that I wish to inquire about. I respectfully beseech the Tathāgata, out of compassion for sentient beings, to expound it for me."

At that time the World-Honored One said to Śāriputra:

"O good son! If there is a doubt within your heart, then ask as you wish. I shall discern and explain it for you."

Knowing that the Buddha had granted his consent to surely dispel the net of doubt, Śāriputra was joyful and delighted, and at once addressed the Buddha, saying:

"World-Honored One! At present, throughout the worlds of the ten directions, are there Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, who by the power of their original vows constantly expound the Dharma for sentient beings? If there are good sons or good daughters who wish to uphold and recite the names of those Buddhas, Tathāgatas—whether by reading, or hearing, or copying them down—then, by reason of that merit, shall they attain non-retrogression in Unsurpassed, Perfect, Complete Enlightenment, suffer no diminishment with regard to the unsurpassed Path, and even swiftly accomplish Unsurpassed, Perfect, Complete Enlightenment?"

At that time the World-Honored One said to Śāriputra:

"Excellent, excellent, O good son! What you ask is truly wondrous eloquence.

Because you wish for immeasurable sentient beings in the age to come to obtain great benefit, and because of your compassionate pity for all gods and humans, you are able to inquire of the Tathāgata about such a profound meaning. Therefore, listen now, receive and uphold it, and reflect upon it well. I shall discern and explain it for you."

Śāriputra said:

"Yes, World-Honored One! I joyfully wish to hear it."

At that time the World-Honored One said to Śāriputra:

"O good son! From here toward the east, beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of one Ganges River, there is a world named Hard to Subdue. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata of Well-Spoken Acclaimed Merit, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly, Completely Enlightened One. At present, he is expounding the wondrous Dharma for the great assemblies there.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here toward the east, beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of two Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Without Obstruction. In that land there is a Buddha named Indra-Banner-Star-King Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly, Completely Enlightened One. At present, he too is expounding the wondrous Dharma for the great assemblies there.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here toward the east, beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of three Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Delight in Affection. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata of Universal Radiant Merit and Adornment, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly, Completely Enlightened One. At present, he too is expounding the wondrous Dharma for the great assemblies there.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here toward the east, beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of four Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Universal Entry. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata of Skillful Combat, Hard to Subdue and Surpassing, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly, Completely Enlightened One. At present, he too is expounding the wondrous Dharma for the great assemblies there.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here toward the east, beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of five Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Pure Gathering. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata of Universal Merit and Radiant Adornment, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly, Completely Enlightened One. At present, he too is expounding the wondrous Dharma for the great assemblies there.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here toward the east, beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of six Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Lord Without Poison. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata of Unobstructed Medicine-Tree Merit Acclaimed, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly, Completely Enlightened One. At present, he too is expounding the wondrous Dharma for the great assemblies there.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here toward the east, beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Pervaded with Fragrance. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata Treading upon Jeweled Lotus Flowers, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly, Completely Enlightened One. At present, he too is expounding the wondrous Dharma for the great assemblies there.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! From here toward the east, beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges Rivers, there is a world named Radiant Wondrous Sound. In that land there is a Buddha named Tathāgata of Jeweled Lotus, Well-Abiding Sāla-Tree King, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly, Completely Enlightened One. At present, he too is expounding the wondrous Dharma for the great assemblies there.

O Śāriputra! The worlds of those Buddhas, Tathāgatas, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly, Completely Enlightened Ones, are all pure and undefiled, without the five turbidities, and likewise without the five desires. The sentient beings there have no minds of cunning falsehood or deceit, no lust, and there are likewise no women.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! If there are good sons or good daughters who hear the names of those Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and, having heard them, are able to receive and uphold them, recite and cultivate them, and further proclaim and explain them for others—suppose such a good son or good daughter were to fall into the three evil destinies—this could never come to pass, save for those who commit the five heinous transgressions, or who slander the True Dharma and the sages.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! If there are good sons or good daughters who hear the names of those Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and, having heard them, are able to receive and uphold them, recite and cultivate them, and further proclaim and explain them for others—then, all the way until they accomplish bodhi, wherever they are born, such a person will always be complete in the five supernatural powers and attain the dhāraṇīs, will have the six faculties whole and without defect, will have a mind ever joyful, and will have the hair upon their body curling to the right.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! If there are good sons or good daughters who hear the names of those Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and, having heard them, are able to receive and uphold them, recite and cultivate them, and further proclaim and explain them for others—then in every place where these sentient beings dwell, corrupt officials and evil bandits cannot harm them, fire cannot burn them, water cannot drown them, and savage dragons and venomous serpents cannot poison them. Suppose that, while going or standing, lions, tigers, wolves, bears, leopards, yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, hosts of evil ghosts and spirits, or humans and non-humans could throw them into terror—this could never come to pass, save for the calamities of former lives.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! If there is any woman who, weary of the female body, then with single-minded concentration recites, receives and upholds the names of those Buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and further discerns and explains them for others—that after the end of her life she should again receive a female body, this could never come to pass.

Furthermore, Śāriputra! If there are good sons or good daughters who, in the stillness of the deep night, are able to recite the names of those Buddhas, then all the present worldly endeavors and livelihoods of these sentient beings will swiftly be accomplished, increasing day by day, and meeting with no obstruction."

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

"If there be any sentient being

Who upholds these Buddhas' names,

They cast off the realms of evil destinies

And are swiftly born in places of peace.

Ever dwelling before the Buddhas,

They constantly hear the wondrous Dharma expounded,

Behold the Unsurpassed Honored Ones in person,

And make offerings as their hearts desire.

By the recitation and upholding of the Buddhas' names,

They surpass a thousand myriads of millions of kalpas;

All their afflictions, every one,

Swiftly accomplish the fruit of bodhi.

If anyone for seven days

Upholds and recites these Buddhas' names,

They at once attain pure eyes

And are able to behold the Buddhas.

If anyone hears the Buddhas' names

And is able single-mindedly to uphold and recite them,

Then in every place they are born

They are ever revered and cherished by others.

With marks excellent and body upright,

They are ever born into households of merit,

Their minds joyful, practicing great equanimity,

Intelligent and never heedless.

If there be any woman

Who, by hearing these Buddhas' names,

Herself recites and explains them for others,

Her merit cannot be measured.

After the end of her life,

She casts off the karmic female body,

Attains the body of a man,

And life after life is ever of keen faculties.

By the recitation and upholding of the Buddhas' names,

Throughout many thousands of millions of kalpas,

Their breath is ever fragrant,

Like the scent of sandalwood.

Those Buddhas, World-Honored Ones—

Their names are such as these.

If anyone diligently recites and upholds them,

Single-minded and not negligent—

By the recitation and upholding of the Buddhas' names,

Father and mother, and brothers,

Together with their kindred,

Forever depart from suffering and affliction.

By the recitation and upholding of the Buddhas' names,

All the māras of Pāpīyas,

The dark hosts of their kindred,

Can never disturb them,

And the wicked and venomous can never invade.

Blades and staves, water and fire,

Corrupt officials and bands of evil bandits—

None of these can do them harm.

By the recitation and upholding of the Buddhas' names,

Throughout a thousand million kalpas,

They are ever born upon jeweled lotus flowers,

Complete in supernatural powers and majestic marks.

Ever dwelling amid empty space,

They pervade everywhere beyond conception,

Contemplating those who are pure

Among the various other Buddha-lands.

When they realize the unsurpassed Path,

Widely, for the sake of the multitude of beings,

For the gods and the people of the world,

They skillfully serve as a place of refuge."

When the Buddha had finished expounding this sūtra, the Elder Śāriputra, together with the gods, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans, and all the great assembly, having heard what the Buddha had taught, rejoiced and reverently put it into practice.

The Sūtra of the Names of the Eight Buddhas