Chapter 9 - In Praise of of the Buddha's Name

 爾時，地藏菩薩摩訶薩白佛言：「世尊！我今為未來眾生，演利益事，於生死中，得大利益。唯願世尊，聽我說之。」

At that time, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva mahāsattva said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, today for the sake of all future beings I will explain some things regarding life and death that are of great benefit to them. I only hope that the World Honored One will listen to what I have to say.”

佛告地藏菩薩：「汝今欲興慈悲，救拔一切罪苦六道眾生，演不思議事，今正是時，唯當速說。吾即涅槃，使汝早畢是願，吾亦無憂現在未來一切眾生。」

The Buddha said to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, “Today, with your great compassion you desire to save all suffering beings in the Six Realms, explaining unimaginable things. Today is a good time to do that. Please go ahead and speak. I will soon attain final Nirvāṇa and will soon help you complete your vow. I also hope that all the beings in the present and future will not suffer.”

地藏菩薩白佛言：「世尊！過去無量阿僧祇劫，有佛出世，號無邊身如來。若有男子女人，聞是佛名，暫生恭敬，即得超越四十劫生死重罪。何況塑畫形像、供養讚歎？其人獲福，無量無邊。

Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, uncountable asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago a Buddha called Boundless Body Tathāgata came into this world. If a man or a woman hears this Buddha's name and this immediately produces respect in the person then that will transcend forty kalpas of serious offenses. How much more would the merit be if the person were to make offerings to a moulded figure or painting of the Buddha? That person would receive immeasurable and unlimited merit [puṇya].

「又於過去恆河沙劫，有佛出世，號寶性如來。若有男子女人，聞是佛名，一彈指頃，發心歸依，是人於無上道，永不退轉。

“Also, in the past, as many kalpas ago as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, a Buddha called Jewel Nature Tathāgata came into this world. I a man or a woman heard this Buddha's name then in the snap of the fingers the person would make up their mind to take refuge. That person would never retreat from the unsurpassed path.

又於過去，有佛出世，號波頭摩勝如來。若有男子女人，聞是佛名，歷於耳根，是人當得千返生於六欲天中，何況志心稱念？

“There was also a Buddha that came into the world in the past called Red Lotus Supreme Tathāgata. If a man or a woman heard this Buddha's name or if the sound of his name passed through a person's ears then that person would be reborn in the Six Heavens of the Desire Realm and not regress for a thousand lifetimes. How much more so for a person who mindfully called the Buddha's name?

「又於過去不可說不可說阿僧祇劫，有佛出世，號師子吼如來。若有男子女人，聞是佛名，一念歸依，是人得遇無量諸佛，摩頂授記。

“Also in the past, an indescribable number of asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, a Buddha came into the world called Lion's Roar Tathāgata. If a man or a woman heard this Buddha's name then that person would take refuge with a single thought. That person would meet an uncountable number of Buddhas who would make a prediction about that person attaining enlightenment.

又於過去，有佛出世，號拘留孫佛。若有男子女人，聞是佛名，志心瞻禮，或復讚歎，是人於賢劫千佛會中，為大梵王，得授上記。

“Also, in the past a Buddha called Krakucchanda Buddha came into this world. If a man or a woman heard this Buddha's name, wholeheartedly revere and worship the Buddha, or repeatedly praise the Buddha then in the present kalpa that person will become a great Brahma in the Thousand Buddha Assembly and receive superior predictions.

「又於過去，有佛出世，號毘婆尸。若有男子女人，聞是佛名，永不墮惡道，常生人天，受勝妙樂。

“Also, in the past a Buddha called Vipasyin came into the world. If a man or a woman heard this Buddha's name then that person would never fall into an evil rebirth but always be born in the Heavenly and Human realms and enjoy wonderful bliss.

「又於過去無量無數恆河沙劫，有佛出世，號寶勝如來。若有男子女人，聞是佛名，畢竟不墮惡道，常在天上，受勝妙樂。

“Also in the past, an indescribable number of asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, a Buddha came into the world called Jeweled Victory Tathāgata. If a man or a woman heard this Buddha's name then that person would never fall into an evil rebirth always residing in the heavens and would enjoy wonderful bliss.

「又於過去，有佛出世，號寶相如來。若有男子女人，聞是佛名，生恭敬心，是人不久，得阿羅漢果。

“Also, in the past a Buddha called Jewel Appearance Tathāgata came into the world. If a man or a woman heard this Buddha's name then that person would be born with a respectful mind and not be a person for long before becoming an Arhat as a result.

「又於過去，無量阿僧祇劫，有佛出世，號袈裟幢如來。若有男子女人，聞是佛名者，超一百大劫生死之罪。

“Also in the past, an indescribable number of asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, a Buddha came into the world called Kasaya Banner Tathāgata. If a man or a woman heard this Buddha's name then that person would transcend the offenses committed for the lives of over one hundred mahākalpas.

「又於過去，有佛出世，號大通山王如來。若有男子女人，聞是佛名者，是人得遇恆河沙佛，廣為說法，必成菩提。

“Also, in the past a Buddha called Great Open Mountain Tathāgata came into the world. If a man or a woman heard this Buddha's name then that person would meet as many Buddhas as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, teach the Dhárma widely, and attain enlightenment.

又於過去，有淨月佛、山王佛、智勝佛、淨名王佛、智成就佛、無上佛、妙聲佛、滿月佛、月面佛，有如是等不可說佛。

“Also, in the past indescribable Buddhas called Pure Moon Buddha, Mountain King Buddha, Wise Victory Buddha, Pure Name King Buddha, Wise Susiddhikara Buddha, Unexcelled Buddha, Wonderful Sound Buddha, Full Moon Buddha, and Moon Face Buddha.

「世尊！現在未來一切眾生，若天若人，若男若女，但念得一佛名號，功德無量，何況多名？是眾生等，生時死時，自得大利，終不墮惡道。若有臨命終人，家中眷屬，乃至一人，為是病人，高聲念一佛名，是命終人，除五無間罪，餘業報等，悉得銷滅。是五無間罪，雖至極重，動經億劫，了不得出，承斯臨命終時，他人為其稱念佛名，於是罪中亦漸銷滅。何況眾生，自稱自念，獲福無量，滅無量罪。」

“World Honored One, all the present and future sentient beings, whether human or heavenly, whether men or women, if the only recite one Buddha's name then they will attain immeasurable virtue [puṇya]. How much merit will they attain if they recite the names of many Buddhas? At the time these sentient beings are born and at the time they die they obtain great benefit, sufficent to prevent them from falling into an evil rebirth. If a person who is about to die has family dependents and even just one of them recites a Buddha's name loudly for the sick person then when the sick person dies the karmic results of their wrongdoing will be absolved, even offenses deserving Fivefold Relentless Retribution. Although the offenses deserving Fivefold Relentless Retribution are extremely serious that those who commit them will experience Avīci Hell for hundreds of millions of kalpas without any chance of escape. However, if someone else recites a Buddha's name near the time of death of such a person then the person's guilt will gradually be eliminated. How much better will this be for a sentient being who chants a Buddha's name of his own volition. The merit [puṇya] gained will be unlimited. This will extinguish immeasurable wrongdoings.”