Dharma Torch

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 Śrāvastī, dwelling in the Jeta Grove of Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, together with immeasurable great bhikṣus, immeasurable Bodhisattvas, and devas, humans and others.

At that time, the venerable Ānanda was sitting alone in a secluded place in contemplation. A thought arose in his mind: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, with pure faith, receives the Three Refuges and speaks in this way: ‘Now I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the most honored among those with two feet; I take refuge in the Dharma, the most honored among those free from desire; I take refuge in the Sangha, the most honored among assemblies.’ How much merit would such taking of refuge obtain?”

After thinking this, when the sun had just risen, he rose from his seat in his dwelling, arranged his robes properly, and walked forth in a calm and composed manner to the place where the Tathāgata was staying. When he arrived, he bowed his head at the feet of the World-Honored One, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee upon the ground, joined his palms respectfully, and said to the Buddha: “Just now, while sitting alone in a secluded place in contemplation, I thought in this way: ‘If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, with pure faith, receives the Three Refuges and speaks thus: “Now I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the most honored among those with two feet; I take refuge in the Dharma, the most honored among those free from desire; I take refuge in the Sangha, the most honored among assemblies.” How much merit would such taking of refuge obtain?’ I was unable to understand this fully. I hope that the World-Honored One, out of compassion, will explain it for me so that beings may obtain correct wisdom and understanding.”

At that time the World-Honored One said to Ānanda: “Excellent, excellent. You truly possess subtle wisdom, able to contemplate in this skillful way and to skillfully ask the Tathāgata about this meaning. 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.”

Then the World-Honored One said to Ānanda: “You should now know that 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 the whole of Jambudvīpa were combined into a single expanse planted entirely with groves of sugarcane, or groves of reeds, or groves of bamboo, or fields of rice and sesame, densely filled and packed together without the slightest gap. Suppose further that throughout the whole of Jambudvīpa there were those who had attained the fruit of Stream-entry, filling it as densely as a grove of sugarcane, with no empty space at all.

“If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were to serve and honor all these Stream-enterers for a full one hundred years, offering them the various excellent enjoyments of the world, robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicines, presenting these as offerings with reverence and veneration; and after each Stream-enterer had entered Nirvāṇa, were to cremate the body according to the proper rite, collect the relics, and build stūpas for them that were lofty, spacious, magnificent, and solemnly adorned, and were to praise and make offerings to them with various fragrant pastes, powdered incense, perfumed incense, flower garlands, excellent banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, lamps, candles, and radiant light. What do you think? Because of such causes and conditions, would the merit produced be great or not?”

Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Very great, World-Honored One. Very great, Sugata.”

The Buddha said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, with pure faith, were to say: ‘Now I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the most honored among those with two feet; I take refuge in the Dharma, the most honored among those free from desire; I take refuge in the Sangha, the most honored among assemblies,’ then the merit obtained by that virtuous man or virtuous woman would be immeasurable and boundless. Ānanda, you should know that if the former merit of those offerings were compared with this merit of receiving the Three Refuges, it would not equal even a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor a hundred-thousandth part, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

Then the World-Honored One said to Ānanda: “Let us set aside Jambudvīpa for the moment. Within the eastern Videha, the extension is eight thousand yojanas. Its shape resembles a half-moon, and the faces of the people are also of that shape. Suppose that the whole of Videha were combined into a single expanse planted entirely with groves of sugarcane, or groves of reeds, or groves of bamboo, or fields of rice and sesame, densely filled and packed together without the slightest gap. Suppose further that throughout the whole of Videha there were those who had attained the fruit of Once-returner, filling it as densely as a grove of sugarcane, with no empty space at all.

“If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were to serve and honor all these Once-returners for a full two hundred years, offering them the various excellent enjoyments of the world, robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicines, presenting these as offerings with reverence and veneration; and after each Once-returner had entered Nirvāṇa, were to cremate the body according to the proper rite, collect the relics, and build stūpas for them that were lofty, spacious, magnificent, and solemnly adorned, and were to praise and make offerings to them with various fragrant pastes, powdered incense, perfumed incense, flower garlands, excellent banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, lamps, candles, and radiant light. What do you think? Because of such causes and conditions, would the merit produced be great or not?”

Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Very great, World-Honored One. Very great, Sugata.”

The Buddha said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, with pure faith, were to say: ‘Now I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the most honored among those with two feet; I take refuge in the Dharma, the most honored among those free from desire; I take refuge in the Sangha, the most honored among assemblies,’ then the merit obtained by that virtuous man or virtuous woman would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that if the former merit of those offerings were compared with this merit of receiving the Three Refuges, it would not equal even a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor a hundred-thousandth part, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

Then the World-Honored One said to Ānanda: “Let us set aside eastern Videha for the moment. Within the western Godāniya, the extension is nine thousand yojanas. Its shape resembles a sun, and the faces of the people are also of that shape. Suppose that the whole of Godāniya were combined into a single expanse planted entirely with groves of sugarcane, or groves of reeds, or groves of bamboo, or fields of rice and sesame, densely filled and packed together without the slightest gap. Suppose further that throughout the whole of Godāniya there were those who had attained the fruit of Non-returner, filling it as densely as a grove of sugarcane, with no empty space at all.

“If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were to serve and honor all these Non-returners for a full three hundred years, offering them the various excellent enjoyments of the world, robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicines, presenting these as offerings with reverence and veneration; and after each Non-returner had entered Nirvāṇa, were to cremate the body according to the proper rite, collect the relics, and build stūpas for them that were lofty, spacious, magnificent, and solemnly adorned, and were to praise and make offerings to them with various fragrant pastes, powdered incense, perfumed incense, flower garlands, excellent banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, lamps, candles, and radiant light. What do you think? Because of such causes and conditions, would the merit produced be great or not?”

Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Very great, World-Honored One. Very great, Sugata.”

The Buddha said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, with pure faith, were to say: ‘Now I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the most honored among those with two feet; I take refuge in the Dharma, the most honored among those free from desire; I take refuge in the Sangha, the most honored among assemblies,’ then the merit obtained by that virtuous man or virtuous woman would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that if the former merit of those offerings were compared with this merit of receiving the Three Refuges, it would not equal even a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor a hundred-thousandth part, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

Then the World-Honored One said to Ānanda: “Let us set aside western Godāniya for the moment. Within the northern Uttarakuru, the extension is ten thousand yojanas. Its shape resembles a square, and the faces of the people are also of that shape. Suppose that the whole of Uttarakuru were combined into a single expanse planted entirely with groves of sugarcane, or groves of reeds, or groves of bamboo, or fields of rice and sesame, densely filled and packed together without the slightest gap. Suppose further that throughout the whole of Uttarakuru there were those who had attained the fruit of Arhat. All outflows had been exhausted and they were no longer subject to afflictions. Their minds had attained mastery and they possessed true liberation. They were liberated through correct wisdom. Their minds were well-trained and submissive, like great nāga-elephants. They had accomplished what was to be done and had laid down all heavy burdens. They had attained their own goal and would not undergo further existence. Their brahma conduct was fully established. Their bodies and minds were without obstruction. They understood the nature of sentient beings. They were endowed with the six supranormal powers and had realized the eight liberations. Such Arhats fill the continent as densely as a grove of sugarcane, with no empty space at all.

“If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were to serve and honor all these Arhats for a full four hundred years, offering them the various excellent enjoyments of the world, robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicines, presenting these as offerings with reverence and veneration; and after each Arhat had entered Nirvāṇa, were to cremate the body according to the proper rite, collect the relics, and build stūpas for them that were lofty, spacious, magnificent, and solemnly adorned, and were to praise and make offerings to them with various fragrant pastes, powdered incense, perfumed incense, flower garlands, excellent banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, lamps, candles, and radiant light. What do you think? Because of such causes and conditions, would the merit produced be great or not?””

Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Very great, World-Honored One. Very great, Sugata.”

The Buddha said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, with pure faith, were to say: ‘Now I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the most honored among those with two feet; I take refuge in the Dharma, the most honored among those free from desire; I take refuge in the Sangha, the most honored among assemblies,’ then the merit obtained by that virtuous man or virtuous woman would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that if the former merit of those offerings were compared with this merit of receiving the Three Refuges, it would not equal even a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor a hundred-thousandth part, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

At that time the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “Let us set aside the northern Uttarakuru for the moment. The four great continents are encircled by the Iron Wheel Mountains. This is the sphere illuminated by one sun and one moon. Suppose that within this entire region all the mountains and great oceans were completely removed and set aside, and the whole were merged into one level plain, planted everywhere with groves of sugarcane, or groves of reeds, or groves of bamboo, or fields of rice and sesame, all densely packed together without even the slightest gap. Suppose further that throughout this entire world encircled by mountains there were Pratyekabuddhas filling it completely, each accomplished in all the virtues that surpass those of Arhats, so that they stood packed together like a grove of sugarcane with not even the smallest empty space.

“If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were to serve and honor all these Pratyekabuddhas for a full ten thousand years, offering them the various excellent enjoyments of the world, robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicines, presenting these offerings with reverence and veneration; and after each Pratyekabuddha had entered Nirvāṇa, were to build for them stūpas that were lofty, spacious, magnificent, and solemnly adorned, praising and honoring them with various fragrant pastes, powdered incense, perfumed incense, flower garlands, excellent banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, lamps, candles, and radiant light. What do you think? Because of such causes and conditions, would the merit produced be great or not?”

Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Very great, World-Honored One. Very great, Sugata.”

The Buddha said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, with pure faith, were to say: ‘Now I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the most honored among those with two feet; I take refuge in the Dharma, the most honored among those free from desire; I take refuge in the Sangha, the most honored among assemblies,’ then the merit obtained by that virtuous man or virtuous woman would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that if the former merit of those offerings were compared with this merit of receiving the Three Refuges, it would not equal even a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor a hundred-thousandth part, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

Then the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “Let us set aside such a single system of the four great continents, the region illuminated by one sun and one moon. Beyond this there is a small chiliocosm encircled by Iron Wheel Mountains. Within it there are one thousand suns, one thousand moons, one thousand great oceans, one thousand great jeweled king mountains of Sumeru, one thousand ranges of the Seven Golden Mountains and the surrounding Wheel Mountains, one thousand Jambudvīpas, one thousand Videhas, one thousand Godānīyas, one thousand Uttarakurus, one thousand heavens of the Four Great Kings, one thousand heavens of the Thirty-Three, one thousand Yāma heavens, one thousand Tuṣita heavens, one thousand Heavens of Joy Emanation, one thousand Heavens of Mastery over Others’ Emanations, and one thousand Brahmā assemblies, within which there is one Great Brahmā King who exercises sovereign authority. This is called a small chiliocosm.

“Beyond this there is a middle chiliocosm encircled by Iron Wheel Mountains, containing one thousand small chiliocosms. This is called a middle chiliocosm. Beyond this there is a great chiliocosm encircled by Iron Wheel Mountains, containing one thousand middle chiliocosms. This is called the trichiliocosm.

“Suppose that within this entire system all the mountains and great oceans were completely removed and set aside, and everything were merged into a single level plain, planted everywhere with groves of sugarcane, or groves of reeds, or groves of bamboo, or fields of rice and sesame, all densely packed together without the slightest gap. Suppose further that throughout this entire realm there were Buddhas, Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, and Perfectly Enlightened Ones filling it everywhere, standing packed together like a grove of sugarcane without even the smallest empty space.

“If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were to serve and honor all these Buddhas and Tathāgatas for a full twenty thousand years, offering them all the excellent enjoyments of the world, robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicines, presenting these offerings with reverence and veneration; and after each Tathāgata had entered Nirvāṇa, were to cremate the body according to the proper rite, collect the Buddha’s dhātu, and build stūpas that were lofty, spacious, magnificent, and solemnly adorned, praising and honoring them with various fragrant pastes, powdered incense, perfumed incense, flower garlands, excellent banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, lamps, candles, and radiant light. What do you think? Because of such causes and conditions, would the merit produced be great or not?”

Ānanda said to the Buddha: “Very great, World-Honored One. Very great, Sugata.”

The Buddha said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman were, before a single Buddha, for twenty thousand years, to offer and present with reverence all the most excellent enjoyments of the world, robes, food and drink, bedding, and medicines, serving and honoring that Buddha with respectful worship, and after the Buddha’s Nirvāṇa were to cremate the body according to the proper rite, collect the Buddha’s dhātu, and build a stūpa that was lofty, spacious, magnificent, and solemnly adorned, and were further to praise and make offerings with various fragrant pastes, powdered incense, perfumed incense, flower garlands, excellent banners and canopies, jeweled standards, music, lamps, candles, and radiant light, then the merit obtained in this way would already be immeasurable and boundless, beyond all reckoning and calculation.

“How much more so in the case of the Buddhas, Tathāgatas, Worthy Ones, and Perfectly Enlightened Ones who fill the entire trichiliocosm. If for twenty thousand years they were honored and served in the manner described before, the merit produced would be even greater, immeasurable and boundless, beyond all reckoning and calculation.”

The Buddha said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, with pure faith, were to say: ‘Now I, so-and-so, take refuge in the Buddha, the most honored among those with two feet; I take refuge in the Dharma, the most honored among those free from desire; I take refuge in the Sangha, the most honored among assemblies,’ then the merit obtained by that virtuous man or virtuous woman would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that if the former merit of those offerings were compared with this merit of receiving the Three Refuges, it would not equal even a hundredth part, nor a thousandth part, nor a hundred-thousandth part, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

At that time the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, having completed taking refuge in the Buddha, having completed taking refuge in the Dharma, and having completed taking refuge in the Sangha, were even to uphold the Ten Wholesome Deeds for the time of a single finger snap, then because of this cause and condition the merit obtained would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that the merit produced merely from upholding the Three Refuges, as spoken of before, when compared with this merit of also practicing the Ten Wholesome Deeds for the time of a single finger snap, would not equal even one part in a hundred, nor one part in a thousand, nor one part in a hundred thousand, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

At that time the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, having completed taking refuge in the Buddha, having completed taking refuge in the Dharma, and having completed taking refuge in the Sangha, were further able to uphold the Eight Precepts of Purification for one day and one night, then the merit obtained would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that the merit of the Ten Wholesome Deeds practiced for the time of a single finger snap, as spoken of before, when compared with the merit of upholding the Eight Precepts of Purification for one day and one night, would not equal even one part in a hundred, nor one part in a thousand, nor one part in a hundred thousand, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

At that time the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, having completed taking refuge in the Buddha, having completed taking refuge in the Dharma, and having completed taking refuge in the Sangha, were further able to uphold the Five Precepts for as long as life lasts, then the merit obtained would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that the merit of upholding the Eight Precepts of Purification for one day and one night, as spoken of before, when compared with the merit of upholding the Five Precepts for as long as life lasts, would not equal even one part in a hundred, nor one part in a thousand, nor one part in a hundred thousand, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

At that time the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman, having completed taking refuge in the Buddha, having completed taking refuge in the Dharma, and having completed taking refuge in the Sangha, were further able to uphold the śrāmaṇera or śrāmaṇerikā precepts for as long as life lasts, then the merit obtained would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that the merit as spoken of before, when compared with this merit, would not equal even one part in a hundred, nor one part in a thousand, nor one part in a hundred thousand, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

At that time the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “If one is able to uphold the śikṣamāṇā precepts for as long as life lasts, then the merit obtained would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that the merit as spoken of before, when compared with this merit, would not equal even one part in a hundred, nor one part in a thousand, nor one part in a hundred thousand, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

At that time the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “If one is able to uphold the bhikṣuṇī precepts for as long as life lasts, then the merit obtained would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that the merit as spoken of before, when compared with this merit, would not equal even one part in a hundred, nor one part in a thousand, nor one part in a hundred thousand, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

At that time the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “If one is able to uphold the great bhikṣu precepts for as long as life lasts, then the merit obtained would be even more excellent. Ānanda, you should know that the merit as spoken of before, when compared with this merit, would not equal even one part in a hundred, nor one part in a thousand, nor one part in a hundred thousand, nor a numerical part, nor a calculable part, nor a mathematical part, nor a comparative part, even up to an upaniṣad fraction.”

At that time the World-Honored One again said to Ānanda: “If a virtuous man or virtuous woman is able to arouse the aspiration for Anuttarā-Samyak-Saṃbodhi and, until the end of the future, uphold the Bodhisattva’s three collections of pure precepts without deficiency and without transgression, the merit obtained will be immeasurable and boundless, inconceivable and beyond comparison, most supreme, most honored, most excellent, and most wondrous.”

At that time the venerable Ānanda, having heard the Buddha’s teaching that from receiving the Three Refuges up to upholding the Bodhisattva’s three collections of pure precepts the merit obtained is immeasurable and boundless, rejoiced greatly and was filled with delight. He marveled that such a thing had never been heard before, and he said to the Buddha: “How extraordinary, World-Honored One! Such a Dharma Gate is supremely excellent and rare, inconceivable, revealing profound meaning, with merit vast and difficult to compare or measure. What is its name? How should I uphold it?”

The Buddha said to Ānanda: “This Dharma Gate is called ‘The Most Incomparable.’ It compares and measures the various true merits. You should uphold it by this name. Why is it named in this way? Because this sūtra teaches the most incomparable Dharma Gate, something that is difficult for all the world to hear.”

When the Bhagavān had finished speaking this sūtra, the venerable Ānanda, the assembly of great bhikṣus, immeasurable Bodhisattvas, and the devas, humans, asuras, and others, having heard the Dharma spoken by the Buddha, all gave rise to great joy, marveled that such a teaching had never been heard before, accepted it with faith, and practiced accordingly.