Chapter 24: Entrustment

At that time Sakyamuni Buddha rose from his seat in the stupa, manifesting great transcendental powers, laid his right hand on the heads of incalculable bodhisattva-mahasattvas, and spoke thus, “For incalculable hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of asamkhyeya kalpas, I practised and cultivated this Dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi which is hard to obtain. Now I entrust it to all of you. You must all wholeheartedly propagate this Dharma, broadly causing others to benefit from it.”

In like manner three times he laid his hand upon the heads of the bodhisattva-mahasattvas, and spoke thus, “For incalculable hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of asamkhyeya kalpas, I practised and cultivated this Dharma of Anuttarasamyaksambodhi which is hard to obtain. Now I entrust it to all of you. You must all accept and keep, read and recite, and broadly proclaim this Dharma, enabling all bodhisattvas universally to know and hear it. Wherefore? The Tathagata is most benevolent and compassionate. He is in no way niggardly, nor is there anything he fears. He is able to give the bodhisattvas the wisdom of the Buddha. The Tathagata is the Great Guide of the bodhisattvas. You all must also learn the Tathagata's Dharma and never give way to niggardliness. In an age yet to come, if there is a good man or good woman who believes in the wisdom of the Tathagata, you must preach to him or her this Sutra of the Dharma Blossom, enabling him or her to hear and know it, in order to enable that person to attain Buddha-wisdom. If there are living beings who neither believe nor accept, then you are to show and to teach them, to afford them advantage and joy, by resort to the other profound dharmas of the Tathagata. If you can do this, then you shall have repaid the grace of the Buddhas.”

At that time the bodhisattva-mahasattvas, having heard the Buddha give this address, all experienced a great joy that permeated their bodies and, all the more humble and reverent, bending their bodies and bowing their heads, with palms joined they faced the Buddha and spoke together, saying, “As the World-honoured One command, so will we worshipfully do. Very well, O, World-honoured One! Have no anxiety!” In this way, three times did the multitude of bodhisattva-mahasattvas speak together, saying, “As the World-honoured One command, so will we worshipfully do. Very well, O, World-honoured One! Have no anxiety!”

Thereupon, Sakyamuni Buddha caused the Buddhas who were emanations of this body from the ten directions each to return to his original land, saying to them, “O, Buddhas! Peace be unto you! The stupa of the Buddha Abundant Treasures may again be as it was.”

When he had spoken these words, the incalculable Buddhas who were emanations of his body from the ten directions and who were sitting on the lion thrones under the jewelled trees, and the Buddha Abundant Treasures, as well as a great multitude consisting of Superior Conduct and limitless asamkhyeyas of bodhisattvas, Sariputra and other sravakas, the gods, men, and asuras in all the worlds, having heard what the Buddha had preached, were all overjoyed. The Tathagata would enter into great nirvana this mid night and he would preach no more.