Chapter 10 - Comparing the Merit and Conditions for Dāna

 爾時，地藏菩薩摩訶薩承佛威神，從座而起，胡跪合掌，白佛言：「世尊！我觀業道眾生，校量布施，有輕有重：有一生受福，有十生受福，有百生千生受大福利者。是事云何？唯願世尊，為我說之。」

At that time, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva mahāsattva used the great spiritual power of the Buddha, kneeled, joined palms, and said to the Buddha, “World Honored One, I see the karmic acts of sentient beings and compare their practice of dāna. There are some that do little and some that do much. Some attain merit for one life, some for ten lives, some for a hundred, and some receive great merit for a thousand lives. Why is this? I only wish that the World Honored One could explain this.”

爾時，佛告地藏菩薩：「吾今於忉利天宮，一切眾會，說閻浮提布施，校量功德輕重。汝當諦聽，吾為汝說。」

At that time, the Buddha said to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, “In the Palace of Trāyastriṃśa Heaven today I will I will explain to everybody in the assembly the practice of dāna in Jambudvīpa, comparing the merit of practicing a little and the merit of practicing a lot. Please listen carefully to what I say.”

地藏白佛言：「我疑是事，願樂欲聞。」

Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva said to the Buddha, “I have doubts on this issue and will listen with joy.”

佛告地藏菩薩：「南閻浮提，有諸國王、宰輔大臣、大長者、大剎利、大婆羅門等，若遇最下貧窮，乃至癃殘瘖啞，聾癡無目，如是種種不完具者。是大國王等，欲布施時，若能具大慈悲，下心含笑，親手遍布施，或使人施，軟言慰喻。是國王等，所獲福利，如布施百恆河沙佛功德之利。何以故？緣是國王等，於是最貧賤輩，及不完具者，發大慈心，是故福利，有如此報：百千生中，常得七寶具足，何況衣食受用？

The Buddha said to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, “Jambudvīpa has many kings, ministers, chancellors, great elders, great Kṣatriyaḥs, and great Brāhmaṇs who may meet one of the most impoverished, even someone with deformed limbs and body or someone who is mute, deaf, or blind or some other kind of disability. If at the time the great king or other important person desires to practice dāna they can have great compassion, smile mindfully, distribute alms with their own hands or ask somebody else to distribute alms, and use a soft, reassuring voice then the merit that this king of other important figure gains will be as great as the dāna of Buddhas a numerous as the grains of sand in a hundred Ganges Rivers. What is the reason for this? The conditions of this king or other important figure showed a great merciful heart to the very poor or disabled person so the merit that they attain will be such that in a hundred thousand lifetimes they will sufficiently attain the Seven Treasures. How could they not have ample food and clothing for their use?

「復次，地藏！若未來世，有諸國王，至婆羅門等，遇佛塔寺，或佛形像，乃至菩薩、聲聞、辟支佛像，躬自營辦，供養布施。是國王等，當得三劫為帝釋身，受勝妙樂。若能以此布施福利，迴向法界，是大國王等，於十劫中，常為大梵天王。

“Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, if in future lives the king of even a brāhman visits a pagoda or temple or the image of a Buddha or even a bodhisattva, śrāvaka, or Pratyekabuddha image and bows or makes an offering then the king or other important figure will appear for three Asankhyeya Kalpas in the form of Śakra's body and receive wonderful bliss. If they can transfer the merit from this dāna back to the Dharma realm then the king or other great figure will be a Brahma Heaven king for ten kalpas.

「復次，地藏！若未來世，有諸國王，至婆羅門等，遇先佛塔廟，或至經像，毀壞破落，乃能發心修補。是國王等，或自營辦，或勸他人，乃至百千人等，布施結緣。是國王等，百千生中，常為轉輪王身。如是他人同布施者，百千生中，常為小國王身。更能於塔廟前，發迴向心，如是國王，乃及諸人，盡成佛道，以此果報，無量無邊。

“Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, if there is a king or even a Brahman in a future world first visits the pagoda, temple, or images that are damaged or have deteriorated and they can make up their mind to repair the stūpa or temple then that king or other important figure either undertake the repair by himself, commission someone else, or encourage even a hundred thousand people to make donations and make affinities with them then that king or other important figure will be reborn as a wheel turning king [cakravartin] for a hundred thousand lifetimes. Thus other people who similarly practice dāna will be reborn as kings of smaller states for hundreds of thousands of lifetimes. If they can, in front of a stūpa or temple, resolve to transfer merits then a king or any other person can each follow the path to become a Buddha and attain immeasurable positive karmic results [vipāka].

「復次，地藏！未來世中，有諸國王，及婆羅門等，見諸老病，及生產婦女，若一念間，具大慈心，布施醫藥、飲食、臥具，使令安樂。如是福利，最不思議：一百劫中常為淨居天主；二百劫中，常為六欲天主；畢竟成佛，永不墮惡道，乃至百千生中，耳不聞苦聲。

“Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, in future there will be kings and Brahmans that when the see the old, sick, and pregnant women and immediately have compassionate thoughts and practice dāna by giving medicine, food and drink, and accommodation so as to lead them to have peace and happiness. They will thus benefit unimaginably: for one hundred kalpas they will reside in the Pure Abodes [śuddhāvāsa or Pure Dwelling Heavens], for two hundred kalpas they will resid in the Six Heavens of the Desire Realm and, in the end, become a Buddha, never to have an evil rebirth, not even for a hundred thousand lifetimes and never hear the sound of suffering.

「復次，地藏！若未來世中，有諸國王，及婆羅門等，能作如是布施，獲福無量，更能迴向，不問多少，畢竟成佛，何況釋梵轉輪之報？是故，地藏！普勸眾生，當如是學。

“Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, if in future a king or a Brahman can practice dāna in this way then he will attain unlimited merit [puṇya]. If he is able to transfer the merit, no matter how much or how little, then he will, after all, become a Buddha. How much easier would it be for them to attain rebirth as Sakra, Brahma, or a wheel turning king? Therefore, Kṣitigarbha, you should urge all sentient beings to follow this practice.

「復次，地藏！未來世中，若善男子、善女人，於佛法中，種少善根，毛髮沙塵等許，所受福利，不可為喻。復次，地藏！未來世中，若有善男子、善女人，遇佛形像、菩薩形像、辟支佛形像、轉輪王形像，布施供養，得無量福，常在人天，受勝妙樂。若能迴向法界，是人福利，不可為喻。

“Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, if there are virtuous men or women in the future who have just a few virtuous roots in the Dhárma, perhaps as much as a strand of hair or a grain of sand, then the benefits that they receive will be uncomparable. Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, in future if there is a virtuous man or a virtuous woman who sees the image of a Buddha, a bodhisattva, a Pratyekabuddha, or a wheel turning king and makes offerings then he or she will attain immeasurable merit, as long lasting as heaven and earth and enjoy wonderful bliss. If that person can transfer the merits then the benefit obtained will be uncomparable.

「復次，地藏！未來世中，若有善男子、善女人，遇大乘經典，或聽聞一偈一句，發殷重心，讚歎恭敬，布施供養。是人獲大果報，無量無邊。若能迴向法界，其福不可為喻。

“Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, if there are good men and women in future who encounter Mahāyāna sūtras, either hearing one verse or one sentence, and resolve to praise, respect, and practice dāna by making offerings then they will obtain great karmic results, without limit. If they are able to transfer those merits to the Dharma realm then their merit will be incomparable.

「復次，地藏！若未來世中，有善男子、善女人，遇佛塔寺、大乘經典新者，布施供養，瞻禮讚歎，恭敬合掌；若遇故者或毀壞者，修補營理，或獨發心，或勸多人同共發心。如是等輩，三十生中，常為諸小國王。檀越之人，常為輪王，還以善法，教化諸小國王。

“Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, if there are good men and women in future who encounter a stūpa or a temple, or Mahāyāna sūtras and practice dāna by making offerings, revere and worship, praising, and bowing with joined palms or if they encounter damaged stūpas or temples and repair them, either by themselves or by commissioning others to, then for the next thirty lifetimes they will be a king of a lesser state. The donor [dānapati] will be a wheel turning king [cakravartin] or somebody that teaches a kings of a lesser states.

「復次，地藏！未來世中，若有善男子、善女人，於佛法中，所種善根，或布施供養，或修補塔寺，或裝理經典，乃至一毛一塵，一沙一渧。如是善事，但能迴向法界，是人功德，百千生中，受上妙樂。如但迴向自家眷屬，或自身利益，如是之果，即三生受樂，捨一得萬報。

“Furthermore, Kṣitigarbha, if there are good men and women in the future who plant virtuous roots in the Dhárma by practicing dāna [charity] by making offerings, repairing stūpas and temples, or preserving sūtras even as little as a strand of hair or a grain of sand and if they can transfer [dedicate] the merits to the Dhárma Realm [the entire world] for these benevolent actions then the merit [puṇya] will be such that they will enjoy supreme and wonderful bliss for a hundred thousand lifetimes. However, if the merit is only transferred to their immediate family dependents or only for their own benefit then the karmic results will only result in three lifetimes of bliss. For giving up one they will gain a ten-thousand-fold reward. So, Kṣitigarbha, the causes and conditions for the practice of dāna are such.”