Kim Cang Đỉnh Du Già Niệm Châu Kinh

At that time the Blessed One, Vairocana, said to Vajrapani Bodhisattva: Excellent, excellent! For the sake of bodhisattvas who cultivate the true-word practice (11), you have spoken of rules and rituals, and out of compassion for sentient beings of future generations you have spoken of the superior merits and benefits of fingering and reciting with a rosary. Because they hear such wondrous intent, they will swiftly realize the wondrous fruit of siddhi. (12)

At that time Vajrasattva Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: Yes, Blessed One. Now I ask the Blessed One’s permission to speak for the great assembly and all beings about “fingering and reciting with a rosary.”

Then Vajrasattva Bodhisattva spoke these verses:

The rosary represents the bodhisattva’s supreme fruit;

Within it is fully present the power to end afflictions.

The thread stringing the beads represents Avalokiteshvara;

The central bead represents Amitabha Buddha.

Do not pass over it, lest one commit the transgression of violating the Dharma. (13)

Many merits are obtained by fingering the beads:

A rosary of shell gives merit multiplied once.

A rosary of tra wood gives merit doubled.

Using iron to make a rosary gives merit tripled;

A rosary made of copper gives merit quadrupled.

Crystal, pearls, and all kinds of jewels:

Such rosaries give merit multiplied a hundredfold.

Indra beads give merit multiplied a thousandfold;

A vajra rosary gives merit multiplied a hundred millionfold.

A rosary made of lotus seeds gives merit multiplied a thousand kotis;

A rosary of bodhi seeds gives merit beyond number.

For recitation in the Buddha family, use bodhi seeds;

For the Vajra Dharma family, use vajra beads.

For the Jewel family, recite with precious beads;

For the Lotus family, use a lotus-seed rosary.

In the Karma family, for recitation and fingering the rosary,

One should string beads of varied colors.

Rosaries are distinguished into four kinds:

Superior, most excellent, middling, and lower.

One thousand and eighty (1,080) beads are superior.

One hundred and eight (108) beads are most excellent;

Fifty-four (54) beads are middling,

Twenty-seven (27) beads are the lower kind.

Hold the rosary with both hands and place it at the heart.

Quieting anxiety and leaving thoughts, make the mind single-pointed.

In the yoga of the root deity, with mind on one object,

The Dharma of principle and phenomena is completely accomplished.

Whether placed upon the head or worn on the body,

Or worn around the neck or on the arm,

Speech and discussion become recitation,

And through that recitation the three karmas are purified. (15)

Placed upon the head, it purifies the sins of the Avici offenses; (16)

Worn around the neck, it purifies the four grave offenses. (17)

Held in the hand or on the arm, it removes all sins,

And constantly causes the practitioner (18) to become swiftly purified.

If one cultivates true words and dharanis, (19)

And recites the names of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas,

One will obtain immeasurable supreme merits;

Whatever supreme vow one seeks will be accomplished.