The Encouragement of Bodhisattva Universally Worthy
Vajrasattva Bodhisattva
Chapter Twenty-eight from The Lotus Sutra
At that time Bodhisattva Universal worthy, famed for his freely exercised transcendental powers,
dignity and virtue, in company with great bodhisattvas in immeasurable, boundless, indescribable
numbers, arrived from the east. The lands that he passed through one and all quaked and trembled,
jeweled lotus flowers rained down, and immeasurable hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions
of different kinds of music played. In addition, numberless heavenly beings, dragons yakshas,
gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, human and nonhuman beings surrounded him
in a great assembly, each displaying his dignity, virtue, and transcendental powers.
When [Bodhisattva Universal Worthy] arrived in the midst of Mount Gridhrakuta in the saha world, he
bowed his head to the ground in obeisance to Shakyamuni Buddha, circled around him to the right
seven times, and said to the Buddha: 'World-Honored One, when I was in the land of the Buddha
King Above Jeweled Dignity and Virtue, from far away I heard the Lotus Sutra being preached in this
saha world. In company with this multitude of immeasurable, boundless hundreds, thousands, ten
thousands, millions of bodhisattvas I have come to listen to and accept it. I beg that the
World-Honored One will preach it for us. And good men and good women in the time after the Thus
Come One has entered extinction--how will they be able to acquire this Lotus Sutra?"
The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Universal Worthy: "If good men and good women will fulfill four
conditions in the time after the Thus Come One has entered extinction, then they will be able to
acquire this Lotus Sutra. First, they must be protected and kept in mind by the Buddhas. Second,
they must plant the roots of virtue. Third, they must enter the stage where they are sure of reaching
enlightenment. Fourth, they must conceive a determination to save all living beings. If good men and
good women fulfill these four conditions, then after the Thus Come One has entered extinction they
will be certain to acquire this sutra."
At that time Bodhisattva Universal Worthy said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One , in the evil and
corrupt age of the last five-hundred-year period, if there is someone who accepts and upholds this
sutra, I will guard and protect him, free him from decline and harm, see that he attains peace and
tranquility, and make certain that no one can spy out and take advantage of his shortcomings, no
devil, devil's son, devil's daughter, devil's minion, or one possessed by the devil, no yaksha,
rakshasa, kumdhanda, pishacha, kritya, putana, vetada, or other being that torments humans will be
able to take advantage of him.
"Whether that person is walking or standing, if he reads and recites this sutra, then at that time I will
mount my six-tusked kingly white elephant and with my multitude of great bodhisattvas will proceed
to where he is. I will manifest myself, offer alms, guard and protect him, and bring comfort to his
mind. I will do this because I too want to offer alms to the Lotus Sutra. If when that person is seated
he ponders this sutra, at that time too I will mount my kingly white elephant and manifest myself in
his presence. If that person should forget a single phrase or verse of the Lotus Sutra, I will prompt
him and join him in reading and reciting so that he will gain understanding. At that time the person
who accepts, upholds, reads and recites the Lotus Sutra will be able to see my body, will be filled
with great joy, and will apply himself with greater diligence than ever. Because he has seen me, he
will immediately acquire samadhis and dharanis. These are called the repetition dharani, the
hundred, thousand, ten thousand, million repetition dharani, and the Dharma sound expedient
dharani. He will acquire dharanis such as these.
"World-Honored One, in that later time, in the evil and corrupt age of the last five-hundred-year
period, if monks, nuns, laymen believers or laywomen believers who seek out, accept, uphold, read,
recite, and transcribe this Lotus Sutra should wish to practice it, they should do so diligently and with
a single mind for a period of twenty-one days. When the twenty-one days have been fulfilled, I will
mount my six-tusked white elephant and, with immeasurable numbers of bodhisattvas surrounding
me and with this body that all living beings delight to see, I will manifest myself in the presence of
the person and preach the Law for him, bringing him instruction, benefit, and joy. I will also give him
dharani spells. And because he has acquired these spells, no nonhuman being will be able to injure
him and he cannot be confused or lead astray by women. I too will personally guard him at all times.
Therefore, World-Honored One, I hope you will permit me to pronounce these dharanis." Then in the
presence of the Buddha he pronounced these spells:
adande dandapati dandavarte dandakushale dandasudhare
sudhare sudharapati buddhapashyane sarvadharani-avartani
sarvandhashyavartani su-avartani samghaparikshani
samghanarghatani asamge samgapagate tri-adhvasamgatulya-
arate-prapty savasamgasamatikrante sarvadharmasuparikshite
sarvasattvarutakaushalyanugate simhavikridite
"World-Honored One, if any bodhisattva is able to hear these dharanis, he should understand that it
is due to the transcendental powers of Universal Worthy. If when the Lotus Sutra is propagated
throughout Jambudvipa there are those who accept and uphold it, they should think to themselves:
This is all due to the authority and supernatural power of Universal Worthy! If there are those who
accept this sutra, memorize it correctly, understand its principles, and practice it as the sutra
prescribes, these persons should know that they are carrying out the practices of Universal Worthy
himself. In the presence of immeasurable, boundless members of Buddhas they will have planted
good roots deep in the ground, and the hands of the Thus Come Ones will pat them on the head.
"If they do no more than copy the sutra, when their lives come to an end they will be reborn in the
Trayastrimsha heaven. At that time eighty-four thousand heavenly women, performing all kinds of
music, will come to greet them. Such persons will put on crowns made of seven treasures amidst the
ladies-in-waiting will amuse and enjoy themselves. How much more so, then, if they accept, uphold,
read and recite the sutra, memorize it correctly, understand its principles, when the lives of these
persons come to an end, they will be received into the hands of a thousand Buddhas, who will free
them from all fear and keep them from falling into the evil paths of existence. Immediately they will
proceed to the Tushita heaven, to the place of Bodhisattva Maitreya. Bodhisattva Maitreya possesses
the thirty-two features and is surrounded by a multitude of great bodhisattvas. He has hundreds,
thousands, ten thousands, millions of heavenly women attendants, and these persons will be reborn
in their midst. Such will be the benefits and advantages they enjoy.
"Therefore persons of wisdom should single-mindedly copy the sutra themselves, or cause others to
copy it, should accept, uphold, read, and recite it, memorize it correctly and practice it as the sutra
prescribes. "World-Honored One, I now therefore employ my transcendental powers to guard and
protect this sutra. And after the Thus Come One had entered extinction, I will cause it to be widely
propagated throughout Jambudvipa and will see that it never comes to an end."
At that time Shakyamuni Buddha spoke these words of praise: "Excellent, excellent, Universal
Worthy! You are able to guard and assist this sutra and cause many living beings to gain peace and
happiness and advantages. You have already acquired inconceivable benefits and profound great
pity and compassion. Since long ages in the past you have shown a desire for
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, and have taken a vow to use your transcendental powers to guard and
protect this sutra. And I will employ my transcendental powers to guard and protect those who can
accept and uphold the name of Bodhisattva Universal Worthy.
"Universal Worthy, if there are those who accept, uphold, read and recite this Lotus Sutra, memorize
it correctly, practice and transcribe it, you should know that such persons have seen Shakyamuni
Buddha. It is as though they heard his sutra from the Buddha's mouth. You should know that such
persons have offered alms to Shakyamuni Buddha you should know that such persons have been
patted on the head by Shakyamuni Buddha. You should know that such persons have been covered
in the robes of Shakyamuni Buddha.
"They will no longer be greedy for or attached to worldly pleasures, they will have no taste for the
scriptures or jottings of the non-Buddhists. They will take no pleasure in associating this such people,
or with those engaged in evil occupations such as butchers, raisers of pigs sheep, chickens or dogs,
hunters, or those who offer women's charms for sale. These persons will be honest and upright in
mind and intent, correct in memory, and will possess the power of merit and virtue. They will not be
troubled by the three poisons, nor will they be troubled by jealousy, self-importance, ill-founded
conceit, or arrogance. These persons will have few desires, will be easily satisfied, and will know how
to carry out the practices of Universal Worthy.
"Universal Worthy, after the Thus Come One has entered extinction, in the last five-hundred-year
period, if you see someone who accepts, upholds reads, and recites the Lotus Sutra, you should
think to yourself: Before long this person will proceed to the place of practice, conquer the devil
hosts, and attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. He will turn the wheel of the Dharma, beat the Dharma
drum, and sound the Dharma conch, and rain down the Dharma rain. He is worthy to sit in the lion
seat of the Dharma, amid the great assembly of heavenly and human beings.
"Universal Worthy, in later ages if there are those who accept, uphold, read, and recite this sutra,
such persons will no longer be greedy for or attached to clothing, bedding, food and drink, or other
necessities of daily life. Their wishes will not be in vain, and in this present existence they will gain
the reward of good fortune. If there is anyone who disparages or makes light of them, saying, 'You
are mere idiots! It is useless to carry out these practices--in the end they will gain you nothing!, then
as punishment for his offense that person will be born eyeless in existence after existence. But if
there is anyone who offers alms to them and praises them, then in this present existence he will
have manifest reward for it.
"If anyone sees a person who accepts and upholds this sutra and tries to expose the faults or evils of
that person, whether what he speaks is true or not, he will in his present existence be afflicted with
white leprosy. If anyone disparages or laughs at that person, then in existence after existence he will
have teeth that are missing or spaced far apart, ugly lips, a flat nose, hands and feet that are
gnarled or deformed, and eyes that are squinty. His body will have a foul odor, with evil sores that
run pus and blood, and he will suffer from water in the belly, shortness of breath, and other severe
and malignant illnesses. Therefore, Universal Worthy, if you see a person who accepts and upholds
this sutra, you should rise and greet him from afar, showing him the same respect you would a
Buddha."
When this chapter on the Encouragements of the Bodhisattva Universal Worthy was preached,
bodhisattvas immeasurable and boundless as Ganges sands acquired dharanis allowing them to
memorize a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand, a million repetitions of the teachings, and
bodhisattvas equal to the dust particles of the thousand-million-fold world perfected the way of
Universal Worthy.
When the Buddha preached this sutra, Universal Worthy and the other bodhisattvas, Shariputra and
the other voice-hearers, along with the heavenly beings, dragons, humans and nonhuman
beings--the entire membership of the great assembly were all filled with great joy. Accepting and
upholding the words of the Buddha, they bowed in obeisance and departed.