Translated by Imperial Command by Tripiṭaka Master Śubhakarasiṃha from the Great Nālaṃdā Monastery in the Kingdom of Central Sindhu
At that time, the Firm and Stable Earth Devī and the Great Virtue Devī rose together from their seats and addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, if there are bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, upāsikās, boys, girls, or others who constantly restrain their five sense faculties, single-mindedly and wholeheartedly recollect us, the Earth Devī and the Virtue Devī, bow to us with reverence, make offerings to us, and recite our mantra, we will constantly bring forth the essence of the earth to nourish them and increase their span of life.
“The vital essence of the earth will fill the practitioner’s body, giving them a fine complexion and strength, mindfulness, joy, diligence, great wisdom, eloquence, the three vidyās, and the six supernormal powers. They will be loved and respected by humans and devas and will gain incomparable and inexhaustible stores of merit.
“Their merit will be like that of a sacred wheel-turning king. Wherever the practitioner goes and wherever they dwell, that place will be like the pleasure gardens of Trāyastriṃśa. In this life, in future lives, and through thousands and tens of thousands of lives without end, they will gain immense and far-reaching blessings. Day after day, thousands upon tens of thousands of attendants will bow before them and make offerings. Countless beings suffering hardship will likewise be supplied with what they need to sustain their lives. Storehouses and granaries will overflow, and the seven treasures will be without limit. The elephant-jewel, the horse-jewel, the wheel-jewel, and the woman-jewel who accords with one’s wishes will come of themselves without being summoned and give their lives to that person.
“A bhikṣu who practices this method will be fully supplied with all manner of gold, silver, precious jewels, necessities of life, grains, and rice. If the practitioner maintains this recollection from the first watch of the night through the middle and final watches, whether sitting, lying down, walking, or standing, keeping the mind free from distracting external conditions, then whatever is needed to establish a monastery, build a dwelling or a grove, or provide clothing, food, seats and bedding, medicines during illness, and other necessities of life will always be supplied.
“Once the practitioner has all these things and lacks nothing, the body will be secure and there will be no anxiety. The mind will always be joyful, and the practitioner will become an excellent field of merit and a vessel fit for the Dharma. Having practiced giving in this way, in future lives the practitioner will receive great karmic fruits, will deeply delight in the Dharma, will not be born in the lower realms, and will commit no evil deeds. By protecting that person in this way, we enable them to cultivate loving-kindness and compassion, so that all these various sublime roots of goodness continue to grow and never diminish.”
The Buddha said:“Excellent, excellent! Such is your diligent resolve. Through it, the power of merit can swiftly increase within the Great Vehicle.”
At that time, the Firm and Stable Earth Devī and the Great Virtue Devī together addressed the Buddha:“For the sake of bringing benefit and happiness, we wish to proclaim the heart-mantra.”
The Buddha then said to the Earth Devī and the Virtue Devī:“Excellent! For the benefit of all sentient beings you wish to proclaim this mantra. Speak it freely, as you wish.”
They then spoke the mantra:
namaḥ samanta buddhānāṃ | oṃ prabha ratani śri samanta | adha adha ado ado | pṛthivī pṛthivīye svāhā
“If someone recites and upholds this mantra until completing one hundred thousand repetitions, this constitutes the preliminary practice. Whoever recites the mantra and makes offerings to the Earth Devī will obtain limitless wealth and prosperity, inexhaustible seven treasures, and will swiftly accomplish every siddhi.
“Next, the fundamental body-mudrā is explained.
“Place the palms together. Cross both index fingers and both little fingers inside the palms. Keep both middle fingers and both ring fingers upright, with their tips touching one another. Keep the two thumbs side by side, pressing against the sides of the index fingers. By moving the thumbs back and forth, all ritual activities can be accomplished.
“Next are the homa practices for various complishments. To perform homa with rice blossoms. This brings about abundant harvests of the five grains.
“Another practice is to perform homa with jāti flowers. One will successfully obtain a yield of one thousand pound through sericulture.
“Another practice is to perform homa with non-glutinous rice. One will gain inexhaustible merit and cultivate fields of merit life after life.
“Another practice is this: at a place where a deity dwells, if people gather there and perform homa, they will obtain immense wealth.
“Another practice is to perform homa with barley and wheat. One will become wealthy and prosperous.
“Another practice is to perform homa with kaṅgu grass. One will gain countless wealth in livestock.
“Another practice is this: before an ancient tomb where a great yakṣa dwells, perform homa with jāti flowers. One will obtain great wealth.
“Another practice is to perform homa with flower buds. One will become beloved by others.
“Another practice is this: at a place where a deity of fortune dwells, if one wishes to summon it and obtain its presence, cut twenty-one hairs from the tail of a grey-colored horse, each one inch in length. At each session, use them in homa while reciting the mantra. The deity of fortune will surely come and enter one’s body.
“Another practice is to take dung from a grey-colored horse and empower it twenty-one times with the Earth Devī mantra given above. Place it on the altar, then mix it with soil obtained by begging and smear the mixture on the chimney of the stove. One will then obtain wealth as desired.
“Another practice is to take twenty-one hairs from the forehead of a grey-colored horse and offer them to the deity of fortune. The deity of fortune will surely be pleased and bestow fortune.
“Another practice is to take earth from the stove chimney of a prosperous household. On the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, bring it to my place and set it there. One will surely become wealthy. When taking the earth, recite the preceding Earth Devī mantra twenty-one times. Sudatta upāsaka, Dhanapriya upāsaka, Merit-Jewel-Radiance upāsikā practiced this method.
“Another practice is this: if the force within the earth becomes excessively strong and causes members of the fourfold assembly to become involved in legal disputes, empower it with the mantra given above, and the disturbance will be removed.
“Another practice is to take soil from beneath the grain-pounding mortar in the home of a wealthy householder and use it in homa. One will surely become wealthy.
“Another practice is to take soil from inside the entrance to the tomb of a wealthy householder and use it in homa. One will again obtain wealth.
“Method for Painting the Image of the Firm and Stable Earth Deity
“The male deity should be flesh-colored. His left hand holds a bowl filled with flowers, while his right hand is held with the palm facing outward. The female deity should be pale flesh-colored. Her right hand is held at her breast, while her left hand rests against her thigh.”
