15. The Sutra Is a Supreme Vehicle
“Subhuti, if a good man or good woman renounces their life for charity in the morning as many times as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, and does likewise at noon and in the evening, continuing thus for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of kalpas; and if someone else hears this teaching and gives rise to unwavering faith, the merit of the latter would far exceed that of the former. How much more the merit of those who transcribe, recite, remember, follow, and explain this sutra to others!
“In summary, Subhuti, this sutra carries inconceivable, immeasurable, limitless virtue, and the Tathagata teaches it for the benefit of the aspirants of the great vehicle, and the aspirants of the supreme vehicle. The Tathagata will know and see those, who are able to recite, remember, follow, and widely teach this sutra to others, as achieving innumerable, immeasurable, limitless, and inconceivable virtues. They carry on the work of the Tathagata in bringing beings to unsurpassed complete enlightenment. Why? Subhuti, those who are content with inferior teachings are attached to the views of a self, a person, a sentient being, and a life span. Such people are not able to hear, recite, remember, and explain this sutra to others. Subhuti, wherever this sutra is present, all the heavenly and human beings and asuras in all the worlds should come and make offerings. You should know that its presence is equivalent to a pagoda that all should venerate and pay homage to, by circumambulating or scattering flowers and incense around its grounds.”
持 經 功 德 分 第 十 五
須菩提•若有善男子善女人•初日分•以恆河沙等身 布施•中日分•復以恆河沙等身布施•後日分•亦以 恆河沙等身布施•如是無量百千萬億劫•以身布施• 若復有人聞此經典•信心不逆•其福勝彼•何況書寫 受持讀誦•為人解說•須菩提•以要言之•是經有不 可思議•不可稱量•無邊功德•如來為發大乘者說• 為發最上乘者說•若有人能受持讀誦•廣為人說•如 來悉知是人•悉見是人•皆得成就不可量•不可稱• 無有邊•不可思議功德•如是人等•即為荷擔如來阿 耨多羅三藐三菩提•何以故•須菩提•若樂小法者• 著我見•人見•眾生見•壽者見•即於此經•不能聽 受讀誦•為人解說•須菩提•在在處處•若有此經• 一切世間天人阿修羅•所應供養•當知此處•即為是 塔•皆應恭敬•作禮圍繞•以諸華香•而散其處•
