T0689 The Extremely Rare / 甚希有經

Translated by the Tripiṭaka Master Xuan Zang of the Great Tang Dynasty by Imperial Command

Thus have I heard.

At one time, the Bhagavān was in Rājagṛha, dwelling on Vulture Peak, together with a great assembly of one thousand two hundred fifty bhikṣus, as well as immeasurable Bodhisattvas and various devas and humans.

At that time, in the early morning, the venerable Ānanda put on his robes and took up his bowl to enter the city of Rājagṛha for alms. He went from house to house in order. From afar he saw a lofty multistoried pavilion, newly completed, magnificently adorned and solemn, exceedingly delightful to behold. After seeing it, Ānanda reflected in his mind in this way: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were able to build such a lofty and spacious pavilion, magnificently adorned and solemn, exceedingly delightful to behold, and then offer it in dāna to the great virtuous Sangha of the four directions; and if again a virtuous man or virtuous woman, after the Parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgatas, were to establish a stūpa, even if its size were as small as an āmalaka fruit, placing within it the Buddha’s dhātu in an amount as small as a mustard seed, erecting a kṣetra as high as a large needle, placing upon it canopies as large as the leaf of a small jujube, or were to make an image of the Buddha, even if its size were as small as a grain of barley, then of these two, which accumulation of merit would be greater?”

Then, after the venerable Ānanda had thought this, he finished his alms round in order throughout the city of Rājagṛha, came out from the city, and returned to where he had been before. After he had eaten, he put away his robes and bowl, washed his feet, and when the meal was over, he went to the Tathāgata. When he arrived, he bowed his head at the feet of the World-Honored One, withdrew to one side, stood there, and then said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One, just now in the early morning, for the sake of alms, I put on my robes and took up my bowl and entered the city of Rājagṛha, going from house to house in order for alms. From afar I saw a lofty multistoried pavilion, newly completed, magnificently adorned and solemn, exceedingly delightful to behold. After seeing it, I reflected in my mind in this way: and if again a virtuous man or virtuous woman, after the Parinirvāṇa of the Tathāgatas, were to establish a stūpa, even if its size were as small as an āmalaka fruit, placing within it the Buddha’s dhātu in an amount as small as a mustard seed, erecting a kṣetra as high as a large needle, placing upon it canopies as large as the leaf of a small jujube, or were to make an image of the Buddha, even if its size were as small as a grain of barley, then of these two, which accumulation of merit would be greater? Therefore I now ask the World-Honored One. I only pray that the Tathāgata, out of compassion, will explain this for me.”

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Ānanda in a sublime Brahmā voice: “Excellent, excellent. You now ask the Tathāgata about this profound meaning for the benefit and happiness of immeasurable beings, and out of compassion for devas, humans, and the rest of the world, so that they may obtain great benefit and peace. You should now listen carefully and reflect well. I shall explain it to you in detail.”

Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Yes, World-Honored One. I gladly wish to hear.”

At that time, the World-Honored One said to Ānanda: “Within this Jambudvīpa, the extension is seven thousand yojanas. It is broad in the north and narrow in the south, its shape resembling the box of a cart, and the faces of the people are likewise of that shape. Suppose that this entire region were gathered together so that it appeared like one single grove of sugarcane, or like one single grove of reeds, or like one single grove of bamboo, or like one single field of rice or sesame, all closely packed together and completely filled without even the slightest gap. Suppose further that throughout the whole of Jambudvīpa there were only those who had attained the fruit of Stream-entry, the fruit of Once-returning, the fruit of Non-returning, Arhats, and Pratyekabuddhas, all densely filling it without any interval, just like the groves of sugarcane and the rest.

“If there were a single household that, throughout an entire lifetime, respectfully served and made offerings to this assembly of noble ones, presenting them with excellent robes, food and drink, bedding, medicines, and all kinds of requisites; and when each one entered Parinirvāṇa, they then burned the body according to the proper rite, collected the relics, and established stūpas for them, making them lofty and magnificent, anointing them with fragrant paste, powdered incense, and perfumed incense, adorning them with flower garlands, and furthermore praising and honoring them with excellent banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, and the radiance of lamps and torches. What do you think? Through such causes and conditions, would the accumulation of merit produced be great or not?”