佛為海龍王說法印經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Bhagavān was dwelling in the palace of the Ocean Dragon King, together with one thousand two hundred and fifty great bhikṣus, and with many Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas.

At that time, Sāgara the dragon king rose from his seat, went forth, bowed his head to the feet of the Buddha, and said: "World-Honored One, is it possible to receive and uphold but a few Dharmas, and yet gain abundant blessings?"

The Buddha said to the Ocean Dragon King: "There are four especially exalted Dharmas. If one is able to receive, uphold, read, and recite them, and is able to understand their meaning, then although he expends but little effort, he will gain abundant blessings. The merits and virtues that he attains will be the same as those of reading and reciting the eighty-four thousand Dharma-Stores."

"What are these four? They are:

All conditioned things are impermanent.

All beings are suffering.

All phenomena are without self.

Tranquil extinction is bliss."

"Dragon king, these are the four especially exalted Dharmas, which can bestow upon the Bodhisattvas the inexhaustible Dharma-wisdom, cause them to attain the unconditioned stage all the sooner, and reach Perfect Tranquility swiftly. Therefore, you all should constantly recite them and be mindful of them."

When the World-Honored One had spoken this Sūtra of the Dharma-Seal of the four sentences, those Voice-Hearers, the great Bodhisattvas, and the eight kinds of supramundane beings, including the gods, dragons, Asuras, Gandharvas, and so forth, having heard the words of the Buddha, were greatly delighted. They received the teaching with faith, and began to uphold and practice it.