佛說校量數珠功德經
Sutra on the Merits of Comparing Prayer Beads
大唐天竺三藏寶思惟譯
Translator: Baosivei of the Tang Dynasty, from India
爾時，文殊師利法王子菩薩摩訶薩為欲利益諸有情故，以大悲心告諸大眾言：「汝等善聽，我今演說受持數珠校量功德獲益差別。若有誦念諸陀羅尼及佛名者，為欲自利及護他人、速求諸法得成驗者，其數珠法應有如是，須當受持。若用鐵為數珠者，誦掐一遍得福五倍；若用赤銅為數珠者，誦掐一遍得福十倍；若用真珠、珊瑚等為數珠者，誦掐一遍得福百倍；若用木槵子為數珠者，誦掐一遍得福千倍，若求往生諸佛淨土及天宮者，應受此珠；若用蓮子為數珠者，誦掐一遍得福萬倍；若用因陀囉佉叉為數珠者，誦掐一遍得福百萬倍；若用烏嚧陀囉佉叉為數珠者，誦掐一遍得福千萬倍；若用水精為數珠者，誦掐一遍得福萬萬倍；若菩提子為數珠者，或用掐念或但手持，數誦一遍其福無量，不可算數，難可校量。諸善男子！其菩提子者，若復有人手持此珠，不能依法念誦佛名及陀羅尼，此善男子但能手持隨身，行、住、坐、臥，所出言語若善若惡，斯由此人以持菩提子故，得福等同，如念諸佛誦呪無異，獲福無量。其數珠者，要當須滿一百八顆。如其難得，或為五十四，或二十七，或十四亦皆得用，此即數珠法相差別。
Then, the Dharma Prince Manjushri, the great bodhisattva, wishing to benefit all living beings, spoke to the assembly with great compassion: "Listen well, everyone. I will now explain the different levels of merit gained by keeping and using prayer beads. For those who recite mantras and buddha names, seeking to benefit themselves and protect others, and to quickly attain successful results in their practice, this method of using prayer beads should be observed and upheld.
If you use prayer beads made of iron, reciting once brings you five times the merit. If you use prayer beads made of red copper, reciting once brings you ten times the merit. If you use prayer beads made of pearls or coral, reciting once brings you a hundred times the merit. If you use prayer beads made of wood seeds (or soapberry), reciting once brings you a thousand times the merit. If you seek rebirth in the pure lands of the buddhas or heavenly palaces, you should use this kind of bead. If you use prayer beads made of lotus seeds, reciting once brings you ten thousand times the merit. If you use prayer beads made of indraksha (a type of seed), reciting once brings you a million times the merit. If you use prayer beads made of urudraksha (a type of seed), reciting once brings you ten million times the merit. If you use prayer beads made of crystal, reciting once brings you a hundred million times the merit. If you use prayer beads made of bodhi seeds, whether you recite with them or simply hold them, reciting once brings you infinite merit—beyond measure, beyond comparison.
Good people! As for the bodhi seed beads, if someone simply carries them without reciting buddha names or mantras according to the practice, he will still gain equal merit merely by keeping them on his person—whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, and whether his speech is good or bad. This is because he carries the bodhi seeds, and the blessing is the same as if he had recited the buddhas' names and chanted mantras; he gains limitless merit.
As for the prayer beads themselves, you should use a full set of one hundred and eight beads. If that is difficult to obtain, you may also use fifty-four, twenty-seven, or even fourteen beads. These are the variations in the method of using prayer beads.
「諸善男子！以何因緣，我今獨讚用菩提子獲益最勝？諸人善聽，我為汝等重說昔因。過去有佛出現於世，在此樹下成等正覺。時，一外道信邪倒見毀謗三寶，彼有一男，忽被非人打殺。外道念言：『我今邪盛，未審諸佛有何神力。如來既是在此樹下成等正覺，若佛是聖，樹應有感。』即將亡子臥著菩提樹下，作如是言：『佛樹若聖，我子必蘇。』以經七日誦念佛名，其子乃得重蘇。外道讚言：『諸佛神力，我未曾見。佛成道樹現此希奇，甚大威德，難可思議。』諸外道等，悉捨邪歸正，發菩提心，信知佛力，不可思議。諸人咸號為延命樹。以此因緣有其二名，應當知之。我為汝等視其所要，說此語已。」
Good men, why do I now single out the bodhi seed for praise, saying it brings the greatest benefit? Listen well, and I will tell you the story from the past that explains this.
In a previous age, a Buddha appeared in the world and attained perfect enlightenment under a certain tree. At that time, there was a non-Buddhist teacher who followed false and heretical views, slandering the Three Jewels. This man had a son who was suddenly struck down and killed by a spirit.
The non-Buddhist thought, "My beliefs are strong and extreme. But I have never seen what spiritual power the Buddhas truly possess. If the Tathagata attained enlightenment under this tree, then if the Buddha is truly sacred, this tree must also be blessed."
He then laid his dead son beneath the bodhi tree and said, "If this tree of the Buddha is sacred, let my son come back to life." For seven days he chanted the Buddha's name, and finally, his son was revived.
The non-Buddhist exclaimed, "I have never seen such miraculous power from any Buddha! The tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment has displayed this wonder—its majesty and virtue are immense, beyond all comprehension." All of the heretical teachers then abandoned their false views and turned to the right path, awakening the mind of enlightenment. They came to believe in and understand the power of the Buddha, which is truly inconceivable.
From then on, people called this tree "The Life-Restoring Tree."
Now you know the reason for these two names. I have told you this essential teaching, so remember it well.
佛言：「善哉，善哉！文殊師利法王子！如汝所說，一無有異。」
The Buddha said, "Excellent, excellent, Manjushri, Dharma Prince! What you have said is exactly right—not a single word is off."
一切大眾，聞此持珠校量功德，皆大歡喜，信受奉行。
All those assembled heard this teaching on the merits of holding the prayer beads. They were all overjoyed, accepted it with faith, and put it into practice.
佛說校量數珠功德經
Sutra on the Merits of Comparing Prayer Beads