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The Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra
THE MERIT AND VIRTUE OF HOLDING THE SUTRA
CHAPTER 15
Sutra:
“Subhuti, a good man, or good woman, might in the morning give up as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and again at noon might give up as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, and again in the evening might give up as many bodies as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, giving up bodies in that way throughout measureless millions of kalpas. But if someone else were to hear this sutra and believe it with no reservations, his blessings would surpass the former one’s. How much the more so if people can write out, receive, hold, read, recite, and explain it for others. Subhuti, the merit and virtue of this sutra are inexpressible, inconceivable, boundless, and beyond all praise. It is spoken by the Tathagata for those who have set out on the Great Vehicle, those who have set out on the Supreme Vehicle. If people can receive, hold, read, recite, and speak it for others, they are completely known by the Tathagata; they are completely seen by the Tathagata. Such people accomplish immeasurable, inexpressible, boundless, inconceivable merit and virtue and thus sustain the Tathagata’s anuttarasamyaksambodhi.
Commentary:
Shakyamuni Buddha again called to Empty Born, “Subhuti, if a man or a woman who cultivates the five precepts and the ten good acts, were to give up his body as many times as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.” The Buddha had previously spoken of giving one’s body as a gift. Now he speaks of giving one’s body repeatedly, as many times as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River. Not only does the person give up that many bodies in the morning, he also does so at noon. Furthermore, he gives up his body as many times as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River in the evening. Nor is the offering for one day only, but for measureless millions of kalpas. Yet the blessings and virtue derived when a person merely hears the sutra and believes it with no reservations surpass those of the person who gives up bodies as many as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River each morning, noon, and evening for measureless millions of kalpas.
With no reservations means that the listener has no certainty but believes wholeheartedly. When one uses life and body as a gift, one is merely practicing the giving of wealth. When one hears the sutra he receives the gift of dharma through which wisdom is obtained. In order to open enlightenment and realize Buddhahood, one requires proper wisdom. If one only has the reward of blessings and lacks true wisdom, he cannot open enlightenment. Therefore the one who hears the sutra and is blessed with wisdom receives greater blessings than the former. How much the more is that true when one uses pen and ink to write out the Vajra Sutra or receives, holds, reads, recites, and speaks it for others. Subhuti, the merit and virtue of the sutra cannot be conceived of, spoken of, adequately praised or calculated. The principles of the sutra are truly boundless.
It is spoken by the Tathagata for those who have set out on the Great Vehicle. The Tathagata did not speak the sutra for small fruit Sound-Hearers. It was for the sake of people who were initially Great Vehicle Bodhisattvas that the sutra was spoken.
Those who have set out on the Supreme Vehicle. The sutra was not only delivered for those who have set out in the Bodhisattva Way, but also for those who aim straight for the Buddha Way and want to take across the multitudes of living beings – that is for those of the very highest, unsurpassed Buddha Vehicle.
If a person receives, holds, reads, recites, and lectures the sutra for others, the Tathagata sees and knows such a person through the power of the heavenly eye. Such a person obtains inexpressible merit and virtue and sustains the work of a Buddha. He can obtain anuttarasamyaksambodhi, the unsurpassed, proper and equal, right enlightenment.
Sutra:
“And why? Subhuti, one who delights in lesser teachings is attached to a view of self, a view of others, a view of living beings, and a view of a life. He cannot hear, receive, hold, read, or recite the sutra or explain it for others.
“Subhuti, the gods, the men, and the asuras of the world make offerings at any place where this sutra is found. You should know such a place is a stupa where everyone should respectfully bow, circumambulate, and scatter incense and flowers.
Commentary:
A person who takes on the responsibility of the Buddha’s work is not one who enjoys Small Vehicle teachings. Those who study the teachings of the Small Vehicle are attached to a view of self, which is a kind of greed. They are attached to a view of others, which is a kind of hostility. They are attached to a view of living beings and a life, which is a kind of stupidity. Such people cannot hear, receive or recite the contents of the Vajra Sutra. Because they are only fond of Small Vehicle teachings, they are unable to receive the wonderful principles of the Great Vehicle, the dharma of real mark which has no marks. Such people cannot believe the Vajra Sutra themselves nor can they explain it for others. Their hearts are too small, and their state of mind too narrow to understand Great Vehicle dharma.
All the worldly and world-transcending living beings of the dharma realm, the gods, the men, and the asuras, the latter of which are beings with the blessings of the heavens who lack the virtuous qualities of gods, should make offerings to the sutra wherever they encounter it.
There are ten kinds of offerings:
1. Incense. The finest, most expensive incense should be offered to the Buddhas. If you were to buy old incense which shopkeepers were about to discard and bring it as an offering to the Buddha, your heart would be lacking in sincerity. On the other hand, if you were to offer Gosirsa-candana, “Ox-head Sandalwood” incense, your gift, involving considerable sacrifice on your part, could be considered sincere. “Ox-head” incense is often mentioned in the Buddha’s teachings. The Shurangama Sutra explains that this incense was so fragrant that it could be detected within a radius of thirteen miles when it was being burned in the city of Shravasti during the Buddha’s dharma assemblies. The Brahman woman in the Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra sold her house and sacrificed her wealth in order to make a great offering to Enlightenment Flower Samadhi Self-Existent King Tathagata. Her sincerity was so great that she sold the very roof over her head in order to make the very best offerings to the Buddha.
The reward for offering incense to the Buddha is that in the future your body will be fragrant. A rare scent constantly issued from Shakyamuni Buddha’s mouth and from every pore on his body. An ordinary person’s body has such a foul odor it can be detected for miles. If you don’t believe that, just consider how a police dog is able to trace a human scent at a distance of three to five miles. However if you make offerings of incense to the Buddha with the hope of gaining a fragrant body, then you have missed the point. You should not seek for it. When your merit and virtue are sufficient your body will quite naturally be fragrant. The gods, for example, have fragrant bodies because they made offerings of incense to the Buddha in former lives. Until your merits and virtues are sufficient, you will continue to have a common stinking body no matter how much you strive to attain a fragrant odor.
2. Flowers. The finer the flowers that you offer to the Buddha, the greater the merit and virtue you receive from the offering. Do not spend all your money for good things to eat; save a little for an offering to the Buddha. The reward for offerings of flowers is that you will have perfect features and be very beautiful or extremely handsome in your next life. People will fall in love with you at first sight. Women will be strongly attracted to you if you are a man, and men will be unable to resist your beauty if you are a woman. “That is too much trouble,” you may say. “I don’t want to get involved with that.”
If you don’t want that kind of trouble, so much the better. Shakyamuni Buddha had perfect features as a result of offering incense and flowers to Buddhas in former lives. If you fear the trouble a perfect appearance might bring, you can imitate Patriarch Bodhidharma who had a ragged beard and ugly features! It is up to you. However you like it, you can have it that way.
3. Lamps. If you light lamps before the Buddha, next life your eyes will be bright. You will be able to see the things other people cannot see and know the things other people cannot know. You will be able to attain the penetration of the Five Eyes, the Heavenly eye, the Buddha eye, the Dharma eye, the Wisdom eye, and the Flesh eye.
“So-and-so has the Buddha eye,” you may complain. “Why don’t I have one?” Of course you do not have the five eyes; in the past you never bought one lamp to offer to the Buddha. If you want the five eyes you should quickly bring in the very finest incense and oil and light lamps before the Buddha as an offering. The merit and virtue of this kind of offering is so wonderful that as a result you can obtain the five eyes and six spiritual penetrations.
4. Necklaces. Rare jewels and gems may be placed before the Buddha as offerings.
5. Jewelled parasols. Items used in adornment of the Buddha hall are also an acceptable offering.
6. Banners and canopies. Banners made of cloth which has been painted or stitched with adornments, or wooden plaques which have been carved with inscriptions, are offerings appropriate to place before the Buddha. You may also hang canopies like the Great Brahma Heaven King’s net canopy which is circular and adorned with jewels.
7. Clothes. When you make or buy fine clothes you may place them on the altar before the Buddha prior to wearing them. Only upper garments should be offered. Although the Buddha cannot wear the clothes, the offering is a gesture to express the sincerity of your heart.
8. Fruit and food. Food should be placed before the Buddha prior to being eaten. This offering as well is a gesture of respect.
9. Music. Making temple music includes beating the wooden fish, playing the drum and bell, ringing the small bells, striking the gong, and singing praises. Music such as this is an offering to the Buddha.
10. Joined Palms. The tenth kind of offering is simple and does not expend any energy. This is merely placing your palms together as an offering.
You should make offerings wherever this sutra is found. You should know such a place is a stupa. It is a place where the Tathagata’s true body resides, the Tathagata’s sarira.
Everyone should respectfully bow and circumambulate. Circumambulation refers to circling to the right around the Buddha while reciting the Great Compassion Mantra or reciting the Buddha’s name. And all kinds of incense and flowers should be scattered as offerings.
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