Mahayana Sutra of the Precious Moon Boy's Questions on Dharma

Translated by Dharma Master Shi Hu, a Tripitaka Master from the Western Regions, Court Gentleman for Ceremonial Service, Acting Junior Supervisor of

Thus I have heard:

Once, the Buddha was residing on Vulture Peak in Rajagriha, together with a great assembly of fifty-five thousand quintillion bhikṣus, all of whom were single-mindedly practicing the bodhisattva path. Also present were the invincible bodhisattva and eighty thousand million countless hundreds of billions of other bodhisattvas, along with hundreds of thousands of billions of gods and humans.

At that time, the World-Honored One, when it was time for alms, put on his robe, took up his bowl, and was reverently surrounded by a gathering of monks, bodhisattvas, devas, nagas, and spiritual beings. Together they entered the great city of Rajagriha to seek alms.

At that time, Prince Jewel Moon, the son of King Bimbisara, was riding a great dragon-elephant out of the great city of Rajagriha on account of some business. Seeing the World-Honored One from afar, he immediately descended from the dragon-elephant and approached the Buddha. Upon arriving, he paid his respects, prostrating his head at the Buddha’s feet, and then stood to one side. Prince Jewel Moon said to the Buddha: “Thus Come One, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened One, I respectfully ask that the World-Honored One teach the names of all the Thus Come Ones of the ten directions. If any faithful good man or good woman hears these names, all their sins—even the five heinous crimes—and all their karmic obstacles will be completely eliminated, and they will quickly attain non-retrogression from supreme, perfect enlightenment.”

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the youth Precious Moon: "Excellent, excellent! Your joyful wish to hear the meaning of the Tathagata's name is truly virtuous. The intention is good, and all wrongful deeds will definitely be cleared away. Youth! Listen carefully now, and reflect well on what I say! I will explain it for you."

"Child! Beyond the eastern direction, past countless worlds as numerous as the sands of a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of Ganges rivers, there exists a realm called the City of No Sorrow. In that realm dwells a Tathagata, named Guanyin Auspicious One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. He is free from illness and affliction, and constantly teaches the wonderful Dharma to all beings. The lifespan of that Buddha is six hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of countless kalpas. In that world, there is no sun, moon, or day and night; only the Buddha's light illuminates everything everywhere. This light also reaches all beings in the hells, the animal realm, and the realm of Yama, enabling them to attain liberation. Countless beings thereby achieve the patience of the non-arising of phenomena."

The Buddha said, "Young one! In the south, beyond hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha lands—as numerous as the sands of the Ganges—there exists a world called Stillness. In that world, there is a Thus-Come One named Boundless Light, the One Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One. He constantly teaches the wondrous Dharma to all beings."

The Buddha said, "Young one, to the west, passing through hundreds of thousands of times the number of grains of sand in the Ganges River multiplied by a billion, there is a world called Joy. In that world, there is a Tathagata named Joyful Auspicious—one who is worthy of offerings, perfectly and fully enlightened. He constantly teaches the sublime Dharma to all beings."

The Buddha said, "Young man, to the north, past countless realms as numerous as the sands of a hundred thousand million rivers, there is a world called 'Immovable.' In that world, there is a Tathāgata named 'Jeweled Banner'—the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One—who constantly teaches the profound Dharma to all beings."

The Buddha said, "Young sir, to the southeast, beyond a hundred thousand billion times the number of sand grains in the Ganges River of Buddha lands, there is a world called Right Conduct. There is a Tathagata there named Worry-Free and Auspicious, one worthy of offerings, and perfectly enlightened. He constantly teaches the wonderful Dharma for all beings."

The Buddha said, "Young man! To the southwest, beyond a hundred thousand, millions, and trillions of Buddha-lands—as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River—there exists a world called 'Jewel Banner Auspicious.' In that world, there is a Tathagata named 'Jewel Banner,' one who is Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly and Completely Enlightened, and always teaches the sublime Dharma to all beings."

The Buddha said, "Child, to the northwest, beyond a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of Ganges-river-sands of Buddha-lands, there is a world called Wonderful Sound. In that world, there is a Tathagata named Auspicious Flower, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One, who always teaches the wonderful Dharma to all beings."

The Buddha said, "Young man, to the northeast, beyond a hundred thousand kotis of nayutas of Ganges River's sands of Buddha lands, there is a world called Peace and Joy. There, the Tathagata named Lotus Light Playful Wisdom, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, constantly teaches the wonderful Dharma to all beings."

The Buddha said, "Young man, far below, beyond hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, there is a world called 'Vast and Expansive.' In that world, a Tathāgata dwells, named 'Auspicious Light,' one who is worthy of offerings and fully enlightened. He constantly teaches the sublime Dharma for the benefit of all beings."

The Buddha said, "Young one! Past hundreds of thousands of millions of Buddha lands, like the countless sands of the Ganges River, there exists a world called Moonlight. In that world, there is a Thus-Come One named Auspicious Treasure, who is worthy of offerings, perfectly awakened, and always teaches the wondrous Dharma for all beings."

Young one! In all these worlds and Buddha-lands, there are pure sandalwood pavilions. The names of all the Tathāgatas are there — if someone hears them, reverently upholds them, writes them down, recites them, and widely teaches them to others, then all their grave offenses, including the five heinous crimes, are completely wiped away. They will not fall into the realms of hells, animals, or Yama’s world, and will swiftly attain irreversible progress toward supreme perfect enlightenment.

What do you think, child? In the distant past, countless and boundless eons ago, there was a world called Jewel-Birth. In that world, a Tathāgata appeared, named Diligent Auspiciousness, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One. At that time, ten Tathāgatas, while still Bodhisattvas in the presence of Buddha Diligent Auspiciousness, made a vow before that Buddha, offering their devotion: "When each of us attains unsurpassed, complete enlightenment in our own Buddha-realms, if any living being should hear the names of us ten Buddhas—even for a moment or a brief instant—and upon hearing them, reverently accept, uphold, write, recite, and teach them widely to others: then all their misdeeds, even the five heinous crimes, shall be completely eradicated. They shall not fall into the hells, the animal realm, or the realm of Yama. They shall soon attain non-retrogression from unsurpassed, complete enlightenment."

Then, having heard this, the Jewel Moon Bodhisattva spoke again, saying, "World-Honored One, what is the lifespan of that Tathagata Buddha?"

The World-Honored One replied: "The lifespan of that Buddha extends for a period equal to the number of kalpas as the dust motes in ten asamkhyeyas, hundreds of thousands of kotis, and nayutas of worlds."

When the young attendant heard this, he said to the Buddha, "That Tathagata is truly extraordinary! With such a compassionate heart, he made these vows, all for the sake of helping beings attain this lifespan."

The Buddha said, "Young one! If any living being hears these names of the ten Buddhas, and with reverence accepts and upholds them—copying, reciting, and faithfully practicing them with joy—they will fully obtain boundless, measureless blessings and virtues, and the sins of body, speech, and mind will not arise."

"Child! If a good man or good woman were to fill worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges with precious treasures and offer them to the Tathagata for hundreds of thousands of years, they would gain immeasurable merit. But if a good man or good woman hears these names of the ten Buddhas, reveres and accepts them with faith, copies and recites them, and explains them to others, the merit they attain is infinitely greater than that of the former offering."

At that time, the Lord of the Saha World, along with the Great Brahma Heavenly King, Lord Shakra (Indra), the Four Heavenly Kings, the god Suxima, and the Sovereign God Maheshvara, offered the finest sandalwood powder before the World-Honored One as a token of reverence. They then said to the World-Honored One: "If there are sentient beings who write down, recite, faithfully understand, and uphold this true Dharma, they will be honored and respected by all gods, humans, and asuras. And all those in the realms of hells, animals, Yama’s world, the asura bodies, and the hungry ghosts will be freed from their suffering."

The Buddha said: "If this true Dharma is heard, accepted, upheld, recited, and studied, no evil or demonic harm can touch such a person. They will swiftly reach a state of non-retrogression on the path to supreme perfect enlightenment."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

At that time, Prince Baoyue, son of King Bimbisara, addressed the World-Honored One, speaking in verse:

At that time, having spoken this verse, the youth said to the World-Honored One: "Now I have thus learned and practiced the Dharma teachings on patience, the great wisdom of Bodhisattvas, the comprehensive teachings, the expansive scriptures, and the Buddha's path to enlightenment—practicing the Bodhisattva path in this way."

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke these verses:

If, in the final age of the Dharma, someone upholds, recites, and studies this true teaching, that person will quickly attain Buddhahood after death. If someone, for many eons, offers incense and flowers to all the Buddhas, it is still not as good as someone who, for even a short time, copies or recites this true teaching—the merits they gain are immeasurable and boundless. And if someone fills entire worlds with the most precious seven treasures and offers them to all the Buddhas, even that is not as good as reciting this sutra—the blessings gained are far greater.

When the Buddha taught this sutra, countless beings—hundreds of thousands of millions in number—awakened the aspiration for supreme enlightenment. Vast, limitless beings attained the insight that all phenomena are unborn and irreversible in their commitment to supreme enlightenment.

When the Buddha spoke these words, the youths, including Precious Moon and the others, were all filled with great joy. They made obeisance and withdrew.

Mahayana Sutra of the Precious Moon Boy's Questions on Dharma