The Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas -- A General Explanation By Master Zhenlin 2

The Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas

A General Explanation By Venerable Master Zhenlin

English Translation of the Sutra Text by Rulu
(http://www.sutrasmantras.info/sutra03.html)

English Translation of the Commentary by Zhenlin Disciples

Master Zhenlin’s Commentary on the Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas --II


Text:
At that time the World-Honored One, having traveled not too far on the road, came to a garden called Abundant Wealth. In that garden were the ruins of an ancient pagoda, dilapidated and collapsed. With the courtyard covered by thistles and the doors sealed by creeping weeds, the buried rubbles resembled a mound of dirt. At that time the Buddha went straight to the pagoda. Forthwith, the pagoda issued vast, bright light, illuminating and glowing. A voice from the heap of earth praised, "Very good! Very good! Śhākyamuni, Your action today is excellent! And you, Brahmin, will receive great benefits today!"

Commentary:

What does this passage tell about?

Shakyamuni Buddha stood up and walked to a garden, where he saw a mound. The courtyard was covered by weeds and thistles. There was an ancient pagoda. Speaking of pagoda, I’d like to say a few words about the famous Leifeng Pagoda. It had collapsed, and was renovated a few years ago. It remained efficacious even after it was collapsed. It was efficacious, because there was a copy of the Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas buried under it. Nevertheless, the copy was taken away during the renovation and is being kept in a museum now.

Anyway, when the Buddha walked to the pagoda, all of his followers saw it emitting very bright Buddha lights.

“Forthwith, the pagoda issued vast, bright light, illuminating and glowing.” It was very very bright. Perhaps few of you have witnessed firsthand the Buddha lights. Buddha lights are different from the sunlight. Sunlight can be very offensive and hurt our eyes. The Buddha lights, though bright, never hurt the eyes. See, the mound not only emitted Buddha lights, but also was talking. “Very good! Very good! Shakyamuni! What you are doing today is very very good! It is a huge good deed, and that the Brahmin will receive very great benefits today.”

Text:

Then the World-Honored One paid respects to the ruined pagoda by circumambulating it to the right three times. He took off His upper garment, placed it over the pagoda, and wept tears with blood. After weeping, He then smiled. Meanwhile, all Buddhas in the ten directions, looking on together, also shed tears, each emitting light to illuminate this pagoda. At that time the huge assembly was so astonished as to lose their color and wanted to resolve their bewilderment.

Commentary:

What does this passage tell us?

Shakyamuni Buddha walked to the mound, which was emitting Buddha lights and talking. He then took off his upper garment and covered the mound with it. “The ruined pagoda” means it had collapsed.

He circumambulated it three times, a token of great respect. Shakyamuni Buddha showed great respect to the Buddha! He even took off his upper garment and covered the mound with it. As He did so, he was shedding tears so much so that he wept blood.

“After weeping, He then smiled.” He then smiled after the weeping. At that time, the assembly found the Buddhas in the ten directions were weeping tears, too. They manifested Buddha lights to illuminate the mound. The Buddha lights went a long way. Why was it so? The arhats and Bodhisattvas who followed Shaykyamuni Buddha felt bewildered to see Him weeping tears and blood, and that the Buddhas in the ten directions were also shedding tears. They were astonished and scared to the extent of losing their color, or as we may put it, their face turned pale or green.

“and wanted to resolve their bewilderment”: they did not ask Shakyamuni Buddha but each other why. “Do you know why?” They were whispering and discussing it. What happened?

Text:

Meanwhile, Vajrapani and other Bodhisattvas also shed tears. Twirling the vajra in glowing flames, he came to the place where the Buddha was. He asked, "World-Honored One, for what causes and conditions are these lights manifesting; why did the Tathagata shed these tears from His eyes; and why do Buddhas in the ten directions manifest the sign of vast, auspicious light? I pray that the Tathagata will resolve, in this huge assembly, my bewilderment."

Commentary:

By then, the Vajrapani and other Bodhisattvas also shed tears. The Vajrapanies are also Bodhisattvas. They do not manifest themselves as a Bodhisattva but as a Vajrapani, while in fact they have certified to Bodhisattvahood but choose to be born as the Vajrapanies. They could not hold back the tears when they saw the Buddha weeping tears. AVajrapani can pour forth fire. His body has glowing fires.

“Twirling the vajra in glowing flames, he came to the place where the Buddha was.”
He poured forth fire from the mouth, twirled the vajra, and walked around cautiously. Vajrapanies are protectors of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, as we cultivators of the Buddha Dharma. He had thought a demon was coming. He walked around but saw nothing. Then “he came to the place where the Buddha was”: he stopped before the Buddha.

He asked, “World-Honored One, for what causes and conditions are these lights manifesting; why did the Tathagata shed these tears from His eyes; and why do Buddhas in the ten directions manifest the sign of vast, auspicious light? I pray that the Tathagata will resolve, in this huge assembly, my bewilderment.”
Having walked around and searching cautiously, he found nothing unusual. He went to the Buddha, and asked Him why He was weeping tears, why the mound was issuing bright lights, and actually Buddha lights, and why the Buddhas in the ten directions were also shedding tears and illuminating the mound with their Buddha lights.
He prayed that Shakyamuni Buddha explained to him and the assembly why.

Text:

Then the Bhagavan replied to Vajrapani, "This great treasure pagoda of accumulated whole-body relics of Tathagatas contains immeasurable kotis of the heart dharanis, the secret seal of the essence of the Dharma of all Tathagatas. Vajrapani, because of the essence of the Dharma contained in it, the pagoda has become tiered seamlessly like sesame seeds. You should know that the bodies of 100,000 koti Tathagatas are also like sesame seeds. Contained in the pagoda is the accumulation of the whole-body relics of 100,000 koti Tathagatas and even the store of 84,000 Dharmas. Also contained in it are 99 billion koti Tathagata-crowns. Because of these wondrous things, the site of this pagoda has great spiritual efficacy and superb, awesome virtue. It can fill the entire world with auspicious events."

Commentary:

“Then the Bhagavan, the World-Honored One, replied to Vajrapani”: Bhagavan is Shakyamuni Buddha. It is one of His names. In the state of the Vajras, He is known not as the Buddha, or the World Honored One, but mostly as the Bhagavan. The name is also used in a passage in the Sutra of Longevity. Let’s see how Shakyamuni Buddha replied Vajrapani.

“This great treasure pagoda of accumulated whole-body relics of Tathagatas contains immeasurable kotis of the heart dharanis, the secret seal of the essence of the Dharma of all Tathagatas. Vajrapani, because of the essence of the Dharma contained in it, the pagoda has become tiered seamlessly like sesame seeds. You should know that the bodies of 100,000 koti Tathagatas are also like sesame seeds. Contained in the pagoda is the accumulation of the whole-body relics of 100,000 koti Tathagatas and even the store of 84,000 Dharmas. Also contained in it are 99 billion koti Tathagata-crowns. Because of these wondrous things, the site of this pagoda has great spiritual efficacy and superb, awesome virtue. It can fill the entire world with auspicious events.”

Shakyamuni Buddha explained to us in the passage why the mound was emitting lights. It was because there was a copy of the Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas buried under it. What did the Sutra bring to the pagoda?

“immeasurable kotis of the heart dharanis, the secret seal of the essence of the Dharma of all Tathagatas”: It contains the secret seal of the essence of the Dhara of all Tathagatas. The Mantra consists of many many secret mantras, and therefore has with it a huge amount of energy.

He went on to say, “Vajrapani, because of the essence of the Dharma contained in it”: Simply because there was a copy of the Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas buried under it, the mound, or the pagoda, “has become tiered seamlessly like sesame seeds.” That is to say, the whole-body relics were placed together and made seamless like sesame seeds.

“You should know that the bodies of 100,000 koti Tathagatas are also like sesame seeds.”
As I said to you just now, it was also filled with the real bodies of the Tathagatas. Though it manifested as a mound, you’d be able to see them if your Dharma eyes were open, and they were always there.

“Contained in the pagoda is the accumulation of the whole-body relics of 100,000 koti Tathagatas”: The body relics of the Buddhas in the past, e present, and future, also stayed there.

“and even the store of 84,000 Dharmas”: there was also the accumulation of the 84,000 Dharma doors and all the Dharmas.

“Also contained in it are 99 billion kotiTathāgata-crowns.” There were also numerous red-colored Buddha crowns. In fact, the crown shall grow after one becomes a Buddha. It is a mound of flesh, which is incredible beyond description in its spiritual powers. If you pay attention, you’d find it in a Buddha statute. It can issue lights, too!

Now you should know why there is such a crown in a Buddha Statute. In this passage, we learn that there were many Buddha crowns accumulated in the pagoda as well. Why was the mound emitting lights?

“Because of these wondrous things, the site of this pagoda has great spiritual efficacy and....” Certainly it is very efficacious to make a wish before the mound, with so many Buddhas, Buddha crowns, and body relics of the Buddhas. The sick can get recovered if they eat a bit of the earth from the mound.

Pay attention to the follow line: “…and superb, awesome virtue. It can fill the entire world with auspicious events."

As I said, it has to be “auspicious events”. You won’t have your wish granted if it is for winning the top prize of a 5-million lottery. It won’t work as it is gambling, and inauspicious.

Any wish that morally acceptable will be granted if you pray for it. Don’t try pray for winning 50,000 yuan in a gambling, though. It shall never work. Otherwise, some may even pray for help in killing a foe. The Buddha was really thoughtful. Well, He just knew too well how we humans might think. Therefore, he particularly pointed out that it had to be “auspicious events”.

Text:
When the huge assembly heard the Buddha's words, they erased their emotional defilements, ended their afflictions, and obtained the pure Dharma-eye. Since the capacities of the multitudes were so varied, the benefits they gained were different. Each of them acquired one of the following accomplishments: some achieved the holy fruit, becoming Srotapannas, Sakrdagamins, Anagamins, Arahats, or Pratyekabuddhas; some attained the avaivartika, the no-regress sarvajna on the Bodhisattva Way; some attained the First Ground, Second Ground, or even the Tenth Ground; and some fulfilled the six paramitas. The Brahmin erased his emotional defilements and accomplished the five transcendental powers.

Commentary:

Let’s see what this passage tells about.

Among the assembly there were many arhats and people of good roots. They were smart. They erased their emotional defilements having heard the Buddha saying so. They got more enlightened. Many of them also obtained the Dharma eyes, and found the mound no longer a mound, but skyrocketing and turned into the seven treasures. They found there were so many Buddhas and Tathagataes sitting by the pagoda.

“Since the capacities of the multitudes were so varied”: the assembly members realized that the wish they made at that time would for sure be granted. It would be very efficacious. I had stressed this to you on the first day of the Dharma Assembly. Hopefully you have come to realize it now! Soon they made the wish, and for sure, it was granted.

See, some achieved the holy fruit.

“Srotapannas, Sakrdagamins, Anagamins”: saints like Confucius, Laotze, who cultivated the Way in the secular world.

“Arahats”: Some wanted to become the arhats. They made the wish, “May I become an arhat.” And, their wish was granted. Others wanted to become a Pratyekabuddha, and still others wanted to become a Bodhisattva. Their wishes were all granted. Some certified to “the First Ground, Second Ground, or even the Tenth Ground”: it refers to the different levels of Bodhisattvas.

“the avaivartika”: a Bodhisattva.

“the no-regress sarvajna”: also a Bodhisattva.

The Bodhisattvas are of different ground levels. Those who wanted to become a Bodhisattva made the wish, “May I become a Bodhisattva”, and as it turned out, they did. Their wish was fulfilled. I had reminded you how efficacious it could be and that you should not forget it. Anyway, doing it only after being reminded will not be efficacious. The assembly members were really witty. Hearing the Buddha’s words, they soon made the wish and had it granted.

“some fulfilled the six paramitas”: It is a means of cultivation of the Buddha Dharma, and is cultivation of the Bodhisattva path. What about the Brahmin? He was still a human, but soon “accomplished the five transcendental powers”. The five transcendental powers refer to having the heavenly eyes, wind-accompanying ears, the ability to know other’s thoughts, the ability to know the past lives, and the ability to fly around at one’s will. He can travel to a place very far away as long as he gives rise to the thought.

Text:

At that time, Vajrapani, having witnessed these unusual, very rare occurrences, asked, “World-Honored One, how wonderful and how extraordinary! Since people deserve such excellent virtuous attainments by merely hearing about this matter, how much merit will they gain if they hear the profound truth and invoke their faith with an earnest mind?”

Commentary:

Vajrapani Bodhisattva was so amazed by what had happened: they simply made a wish, and it was granted so soon. They became Arhats and Bodhisattvas! So he asked World Honored One what about people who took time to understand the truth in the Sutra or to uphold it. Wouldn’t they gain more merits and virtues?

“…how much merit will they gain if they hear the profound truth and invoke their faith with an earnest mind?” How many more merits and virtues will people gain if they are committed to learning the Sutra, or upholding it with an earnest mind?

Text:

The Buddha replied, "Hearken! Vajrapani, in future times, if, among male believers, female believers, and the four groups of my disciples, there are those who are inspired to copy this sutra, they in effect copy all the sutras pronounced by 99 billion koti Tathagatas. It will surpass the roots of goodness they have already been planting for a long time in the presence of 99 billion koti Tathagatas. All the Tathagatas will support, protect, and remember them like cherishing their own eyes or like loving mothers caring for their young children. If a person recites this one-fascicle sutra, he in effect recites all the sutras pronounced by Buddhas of the past, present, and future.

Commentary:

If we copy the Sutra, or have it printed, we in effect copy, just in the present life, all the Buddhist scriptures pronounced by the Buddhas in the past, the present, and the future. This is just how virtuous it is to do so! Or, as is written in the Sutra, “there are those who are inspired to copy this sutra, they in effect copy all the sutras pronounced by 99 billion koti Tathagatas.”

“It will surpass the roots of goodness they have already been planting for a long time in the presence of 99 billion koti Tathagatas.” It is like you have learned the Dharma in the presence of 99 billion koti Tathagatas, and gained the merits and virtues equaling to that.

“have already been planting for a long time”: That is to say, it is equal to having cultivated the Buddha Dharma in the presence of so many Buddhas.

“All the Tathagatas will support, protect, and remember them like cherishing their own eyes or like loving mothers caring for their young children.” All the Tathagatas shall protect and love you as much as you to your eyes, as if you were their youngest child. Mom tends to love the youngest kid the best. Shakyamuni Buddha made a comparison here saying that He would love you as much as He loves His eyes and a mother caring for her youngest child. By recited the Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas, you have recited all the sutras pronounced by the Buddhas of the present, and future.

Text:

For this reason, 99 billion koti Tathagatas, who are Arhats, Samyak-Sambuddhas, will come, jam-packed sideways without any gap between them, like sesame seeds in a pile. Day and night they will appear and support that person.

Commentary:

As you recite the Sutra, all the Tathagatas of the past, present and future will visit you, and appear before you. They sit on the Buddha statue or pagoda inside which a copy of the sutra is placed, support you, and bestow power onto you as long as you read, recite, write, or uphold the sutra.

Text:

Thus, all the Buddha-Tathagatas, innumerable as the sands of the Ganges, will come. The first group of them has not yet left, and the next has arrived. They all instantly move away and return again, like fine sands whirling in quick water. Unable to stop, they come again as soon as they turn away.

Commentary:

I have told you about it earlier. What I tell you can always be found in the Buddhist scriptures. If your Dharma eyes were open, you’d find them sitting by the pagoda. The first group of the Buddhas has yet to leave while the next has arrived. It is like find sands whirling in quick water, which is non-stop. Correct Dharma teachings are based on Buddhist scriptures!

Text:

If a person makes offerings of incense, flowers, solid perfumes, garlands, garments, and wonderful decorative objects to this sutra, he in effect makes an entire offering before 99 billion koti Tathagatas in the ten directions, of divine incense, flowers, garments, and decorative objects made of the seven treasures, all piled high like Mount Sumeru. Planting one's roots of goodness can be accomplished in the same way.”

Commentary:

If we make offerings to the Buddha statue consecrated with the sutra at home, with “incense, flowers, solid perfumes, garlands, garments”, or anything that is vegetarian like apples, we are in effect making offerings before 99 billion koti Tathagatas. “99 billion kotiTathagatas” is an astronomical figure. It is in fact way more than what can be calculated by “billion”. It is incalculable. “Aksobhya”, for example, can also be used as an expression of calculation, meaning incalculable. In the past, people also made offerings with money and garments. The Buddha tells us in the passage that this is how we can plant our good roots. This is just how great the merits and virtues can be!

Text:

At that time, having heard these words, the eight classes of Dharma protectors, such as gods and dragons, as well as humans, nonhumans, and others, all harboring wonderment, said to one another, “How marvelous is the awesome virtue of this old pile of earth! Its miraculous manifestation must have been caused by the spiritual powers of the TathAgata.”

Vajrapani next asked the Buddha, “World-Honored One, for what causes and conditions has this pagoda made of the seven treasures now become a pile of dirt?"

Commentary:

The assembly members, including the eight classes of Dharma protectors such as gods and dragons, as well as humans and non-humans, were filled with wonderment. They were talking to each other, “How marvelous! Bestowed by the spiritual powers of the Tathagata, even the pile of earth can have such miraculous manifestation!”

Vajrapani asked the Buddha why. “World Honored One, what is it that makes the seven-gem pagoda a pile of dirt, or a mound? Why didn’t we fail to recognize it that it was a dilapidated pagoda?”

Text:

The Buddha replied to Vajrapani, “This is not a pile of dirt, but a wonderful, great treasure pagoda! It is hidden because of the bad karmic fruits of sentient beings.

Commentary:

Leifeng Pagoda is an example. It got hidden by collapsing. People were too bad and mean to it. They scrapped the earth off its wall. Finally, the Pagoda chose to hide itself from us. As is written in the passage, it was “because of the bad karmic fruits of sentient beings.” The pagoda collapsed and became a pile of dirt because the people were too bad. They neglected it, and did not pay homage to it even though doing so could bring such great merits and virtues to them. The pagoda chose to hide itself from the people, since they did not respect it.


Text:

Although the pagoda is hidden, the bodies of the Tathagatas are indestructible. How could the vajra-store bodies of the Tathagatas be destroyed?

Commentary:

Though the pagoda has collapsed, the Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas is still buried under it. As long as the sutra is there, the whole bodies of the Tathagatas remain. You do evoke the response paying homage to it. The pagoda is but an exterior mark. The true treasure is the vajra-store bodies of the Tathagatas, which can also be interpreted as an energy body, the Buddha nature, which is invisible, intangible, and yet can do everything. It is indestructible, and always stays there.

Text:

After I have abandoned my body, the ending of the Dharma will be unrelenting in future times. Sentient beings that act not according to the Dharma are bound to fall to hell because they neither believe in the Three Jewels nor plant any roots of goodness. Because of these causes and conditions, the Buddha Dharma should be hidden.

Commentary:

In the Dharma-ending age, the sentient beings create lots of bad karma, refusing to believe in the Buddha Dharma or planting good roots, and shall fall into the hell after they die. Because of it, the Buddha Dharma shall be hidden. We won’t be able to get access to it. As I said to you the other day, people won’t see any Buddha images sometimes in the future, let along Buddhist scriptures. What can they see by then?

Text:
However, this pagoda will still be solid and will not be demolished

Commentary:

The pagoda shall remain solid in the Dharma-ending Age!

Text:
…because it is supported by the spiritual powers of all the Tathagatas.

Commentary:

Why won’t it disappear? It is so because all the Tathagatas are supporting it with their spiritual powers. Therefore, it shall always stay!

Text:

However, ignorant beings, obscured and obstructed by their delusions, not knowing how to unearth and use the treasure, simply leave it buried. For this reason, I now shed tears, and other Tathagatas all shed tears as well."

Commentary:

He was explaining why He wept tears with blood and why so many Tathagatas cried. He had known that the beings in the Dharma-ending Age would regard the pagoda as a pile of dirt, and would not bow to it or show respect to it. They would take it as useless. It was so because the beings were obscured and obstructed by their karmic obstacles. Shakyamuni Buddha, for this reason, shed tears out of compassion for the beings.

Text:

Furthermore, the Buddha said to Vajrapani, "If a person copies this sutra and enshrines the copy in a pagoda, this pagoda will then become the vajra-store stupa of all the Tathagatas as well as the stupa supported by the heart secret of the dharani of all the Tathagatas. It will become the stupa of 99 billion koti Tathagatas as well as the Buddha-crown and Buddha-eye stupa of all Tathagatas, and it will be protected by their spiritual powers.

Commentary:

The Buddha said to the Vajrapani Bodhisattva, if any beings, either humans or non-humans, could write the Sutra, as there was no printing machine at that time, and enshrine the copy of the Sutra in a pagoda…

“enshrines the copy in a pagoda”: as long as one places the sutra copy inside a pagoda, it will become “the vajra-store stupa of all the Tathagatas”, which means there are numerous Buddhas and Tagathagas supporting it.

“stupa”: It is an Indian word, meaning something that is pagoda-shaped or pagoda-like. The Buddha did not use the word “pagoda” so that we don’t get attached to the mark. If the word “pagoda” were used, people would not dare to enshrine the copy in anything else other than a pagoda. In fact, we may place it inside anything that we make offerings to or bow to.

“…as well as the stupa supported by the heart secret of the dharani of all the Tathagatas.” All the Tathagatas would support it with their spiritual powers.

“It will become the stupa of 99 billion koti Tathagatas”: That is to say, hundreds of millions of Tathagatas shall gather there, making it very efficacious and responsive!

“as well as the Buddha-crown and Buddha-eye stupa of all Tathagatas”: The Buddha crowns and eyes shall also stay there and bestow it with the powers as mighty as those of the Buddha crowns and eyes.

“and it will be protected by their spiritual powers.” It shall be protected by all the Tathagatas, those of the past, present, and future, who keep empowering and blessing it.

Text:

If you enshrine this sutra inside a Buddha's statue in a stupa, the statue will in effect be made of the seven treasures. This statue will be so efficacious and responsive that all wishes will be fulfilled without exception.

"According to your ability, construct for a stupa these things: canopies, nets, columns, dew-catching wheels, fine eaves, bells, foundations, or steps. Whether you use earth, wood, stones, or bricks, all will turn into the seven treasures because of the awesome power of the sutra.

Commentary:

Pay attention to the follow text lines.

“If you enshrine this sutra inside a Buddha's statue in a stupa…”: The Buddha made it clear to us that this is what we can do. We would not dare to do it if He had not said so.
He told us that we only need to enshrine the sutra in a Buddha statute to consecrate it. “Stupa”: I’ve told you what it means.

“a Buddha's statue…” Pay attention to this! The Buddha would make it clear to us if it works. Otherwise, he would not have said so. As I kept stressing to you in the morning that nowhere could we find in any Buddhist scripture that the Mantra of Great Compassion or the Rebirth in the Pureland Mantra could be worn in our bodies. You probably have committed slander against the Buddha Dharma by doing so. I heard some people complain why wearing this or that mantra was not efficacious. Certainly it wouldn’t be efficacious. The Buddha has never said that the Mantra of Great Compassion or the Rebirth in the Pureland Mantra can be worn in our bodies. In this case, He made it clear to us that the Sutra could be placed inside a Buddha statue to consecrate it.

“the statue will in effect be made of the seven treasures. This statue will be so efficacious and responsive that all wishes will be fulfilled without exception.” It is written is clear-cut terms here that as long as you enshrine the Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas in a Buddha statute, the statue will be very efficacious and responsive. All your wishes will be granted. Or, to put it in another way, you get what you pray.

"According to your ability, construct for a stupa these things: canopies, nets, columns, dew-catching wheels, fine eaves, bells, foundations, or steps. Whether you use earth, wood, stones, or bricks, all will turn into the seven treasures because of the awesome power of thesutra.”

No matter what the pagoda is made from, be it brick, wood, or whatever, it shall become a pagoda in a real sense, with even the stairways.

“fine eaves, bells”: the windbells that hang on each eave of a pagoda. It shall become a complete pagoda, and not only so, a pagoda made of seven treasures. The seven treasures refer to gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, agate, red pearl and carnelian. You should know them well if you do sutra recitation regularly. Though we don’t see it with our naked eyes, it is just all changed as long as we enshrine it with the sutra. See, all that I have told you can be found in the sutra.

“According to your ability…”: You can do it as much as your ability or circumstances allow. Some of you may be able to build a tall pagoda, while others can only make a small one with earth. Never mind, it will work. Whether you use earth, wood, stone, or brink, the pagoda will naturally turn into seven treasures if you enshrine a copy of the Heart Secret of All Tathagatassutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal in it, because of, as the Buddha said, “the awesome power of thesutra”

Text:

Moreover, all the Tathagatas will increase the power of this sutra. Keeping a sincere promise, they support it incessantly.


“a sincere promise”: meaning there is no falsity to it. They do, in reality, bestow power onto it. All the Tathagatas include all the Buddhas in the past, present, and future.

Text:

"If a sentient being makes obeisance and gives offerings of only a little incense and one flower to this pagoda, his grave sins which would entail 80 koti kalpas of life and death will all be expunged at once.

Commentary:

If you enshrine a copy of the sutra in a Buddha statue, and bow to it, all the offenses committed in the past 80 koti kalpas of life and death will be extinguished immediately! Our offenses committed over the past 1,000 kalpas will be expunged if we recite the Sutra of Longevity, while it is “80 koti kalpas” in this case. Shakyamuni Buddha has spoken it in clear-cut terms, and it must be the very truth, without falsity!

Text:

He will be free from catastrophes during his life and, after death, be reborn in the Buddha family.

Commentary:

“He will be free from catastrophes during his life and…”: It can protect you from disasters. There won’t be any more catastrophes in your life.

“…and, after death, be reborn in the Buddha family.” This is just how superb it is to have a Buddha statue with a copy of the sutra placed inside it at home. As long as you pay homage to the statue, you’d be reborn in a Buddhaland after you die. There are numerous Buddhalands. It is good for you no matter what school you cultivate, be it Pure Land School or whatever.

Text:

Even for a person who should fall to Avici Hell, if he makes one obeisance to the pagoda or circumambulate it once to the right, the door to hell will be blocked and the bodhi road will be opened.

Commentary:

What will happen if a person has committed very serious offenses and is supposed to fall to the Avici Hell after he dies, and yet if he bows to the pagoda or circumambulate it to the right just once, well in fact, let me put it simply, if he shows respect and pays homage to it,? Let’s read the next line. It is really ineffably superb!

“the door to hell will be blocked”: the doors to the hell will be blocked. He will not fall to the Hell with just one bow.

“and the bodhi road will be opened”: the road to the Buddhalands is open. This is consistent with what I have been telling you these days. None of my words is false. They are all based in the Sutra. The Buddha has made it clear to us that the door to hell will be blocked and the bodhi road will be opened as long as the person pays respects to it, bowing or circumambulating it to the right just once.

Text:

“Furthermore, the place of the pagoda or of its image will be protected by the spiritual powers of all the Tathagatas. The place will not be damaged by hurricanes, lightening, or thunderbolt. It will be neither disturbed by venomous snakes, vipers, or poisonous insects and animals, nor harmed by lions, rampaging elephants, tigers, wolves, jackals, or scorpions. It will be free from the terror of yaksas, raksasas, putanas, pisacas, spirits, monsters, and epilepsy. It will not be troubled by diseases, such as chills, fevers, skin ulcers, carbuncles, scabies, or psora.

Commentary:

Enshrine the Sutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal Dharani, the Heart Secret of All Tathagatas in a Buddha statue and place it in your home, it shall be free from the damage of earthquake, thunderbolt, lightening, flood, fire, and hurricanes. Nor will venomous snakes or beasts such as lions or rampaging elephants hurt you. He used the phrase “rampaging elephants”, meaning even the elephants are running amok, they won’t trample you.

“yaksas, raksasas, putanas, pisacas, spirits, monsters, and epilepsy.…”: These are ghosts and goblins. They won’t be able to inflict any harm on you. Therefore, you will not suffer from any serious diseases.

“It will not be troubled by diseases, such as chills, fevers, skin ulcers, carbuncles, scabies, or psora.” These are serious diseases. You can avert them. In fact, gradually, you will be protected safe further and further away from all the inauspicious things, made possible only because of the Mantra! This is just how efficacious the mantra is! Recite it 21 times, and one gets recovered gradually from illness. It is just that powerful!

Text:

One can avert all disasters by seeing the pagoda briefly. Also, at the place of the pagoda, people including young boys and girls, horses, and six kinds of livestock will not be plagued by epidemics.

Commentary:

Even the livestock around the Buddha statue will not fall sick. So will the children. Sure, we may still contract minor diseases. After all, we are humans. There won’t be serious diseases like cancer.

Text:

They will not die unnatural, accidental deaths,

Commentary:

They will not die in accidents such as a traffic accident or die young. Such mishaps won’t befall them.

Text:

…or be harmed by knives, sticks, water, or fire. They will be neither plundered by bandits or enemies.

Commentary:

You may still get hit in traffic accidents bowing to Buddha Statues not having been consecrated with the sutra. The statues are not endowed with such a power. However, you can avert the mishaps if they bow to a consecrated statue.

“They will be neither plundered by bandits or enemies.” Place such a Buddha statute at home, and you will not be plundered by bandits. Nor will your enemies be able to seek revenge on you.

Text:

…nor worried about famine or poverty.

Commentary:

You can pray for wealth before the statue, and shall be free from famine and poverty. Some of you are worried that others may be cursing you. Don’t worry. As long as you have the statute at home, no one can harm you with any cursing. It will be like what the saying describes as “curses come home to roost.”

Text:

They will not be subjected to the power of sorcery or curses.

Commentary:

No cursing can harm you.

Text:

The four great god-kings and their retinue will protect them day and night.

Commentary:

You will be protected by the four great god kings, and the heavenly generals and soldiers under their command, day and night.

Text:

In addition, the 28 classes of yaksa generals,

Commentary:

The twenty-eight constellations are protecting you, too.

Text:

the sun, the moon, the five planets

Commentary:

The stars. You know well the sun, the moon, and the five planets. Scientists have done some research about them. The five planets in this case refer to the Venus, the Jupiter, the Mercury, the Mars, and the Saturn.

Text:

and cloudlike comets…

Commentary:

The comets, which are further from us than the five planets.

Text:

…will protect them day and night.

Commentary:

They protect you day and night.

Text:

All dragon-kings will increase their vital energy and bring rainfall at the right time.

Commentary:

Dragon kings, too, protect you. They will bring rainfall at the right time to you, for example, when there is a drought or water shortage in your hometown.

Text:

All the heavenly beings including those in Trayastrimsa Heaven

Commentary:

The beings from all the heavens, including from the Trayastrimsa Heaven.

Text:

…will descend during the three periods of the day to make offerings.

Commentary:

The three periods of the day refer to in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. The heavenly beings do visit you in the three periods. In fact, when you get the luck, you will see rays of lights descending from high to your home. It is a sign that the gods and immortals are visiting you. Since you cannot see their Dharma bodies, you see lights. The lights fall upon your home at lightening speed. Sometimes the lights never disappear as there are so many of them. Ordinary people can also see the lights when they get the luck.


Locals in Xinchang city often see rays of strong lights when it is raining with thunder. They refer to it as the “white rainbow spirit”, the white color in a rainbow. It is not true. Sometimes you may feel it noisy at night at home. If you take a look, you may find there are so many heavenly beings there paying homage to the Buddha statue. They making offerings to the consecrated Buddha statue because it is so superb.

Text:

All fairies will gather during the three periods to sing songs of praise, circumambulate…

Commentary:

The fairies usually live in a cave. They have to dwell in a cave because their skills of cultivation are not good enough. There are many of them in Mount. Jiuhua and Mount. E’mei. If their skills are good enough, they’d living in their own palace in the heavens. They pay homage to the statue in the three periods, too, by singing songs of praise, circumambulating…

Text:

…give thanks, and pay respects

Commentary:

They pay respects and homage to the stupa, as it is so tall, so superb, and powerful, with so many Buddhas.

Text:

The god-king Shakra and goddesses will descend during the three periods of the day and of the night to make offerings.

Commentary:

King Shakra is commonly known as the Heavenly Emperor of Jade among the Chinese. He, too, shall descend to make offerings together with the goddesses in the three periods.

Text:

The place will be remembered and supported by all the Tathagatas.

Commentary:

All the Tathagatas in the past, present, and future bestow power onto this place. Why is it so?

Text:

Such will be the pagoda because it contains thissutra!

Commentary:

It is so because the Heart Secret of All Tathagatassutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal is enshrined in the pagoda or Buddha statue.

Text:

"If people build a pagoda using earth, stone, wood, gold, silver, bronze, and lead, and if they copy this spiritual mantra and enshrine the copy in the pagoda, as soon as it is enshrined, the pagoda will in effect be made of the seven treasures. The upper and lower steps, dew-catching wheels, canopies, bells, and columns will all be made of the seven treasures.

Commentary:

If people build a pagoda, either with earth, stone, wood, gold, silver, bronze, or lead, copy this mantra, and place it inside the pagoda, it shall immediately turn into one made of the seven treasures. He told us in clear-cut terms that it is regardless of with what materials you build the pagoda. The pagoda shall keep rising and skyrocketing to an incredible height, as is stated in the next passage.

Text:

Also, the four sides of the pagoda will have the images of the Tathagatas. Because of the essence of the Dharma, all the Tathagatas firmly protect and support the pagoda, staying in it day and night without departing.

Commentary:

Because of the Heart Secret of All Tathagatassutra of the Whole-Body Relic Treasure Chest Seal is enshrined in it, all the Tathagatas of the past, present, and future will come, jam-packed sideways without any gap between them. They stay there 24 hours a day without departing.

Text:

Because of the awesome power of the mantra, the pagoda made of the seven treasures, which contains the wonderful treasure of the whole-body relics, will soar high up into the midst of the palaces in AkaniSṭha Heaven.

Commentary:

The pagoda or the statue shall soar high up to the 18th layer of the Brahman Heaven, because of the awesome power of the mantra. You don’t see it with naked eyes. But if your Dharma eyes or deva eyes are open, you’d see it. It is just how superb it is!

Text:

Wherever a pagoda stands like a mountain, all gods will view it with reverence, stand guard, and make offerings day and night."

Commentary:

All the heavenly beings look at it with utmost reverence. They pay homage and respects to it.

Text:

Vajrapani asked, "Due to what causes and conditions has this Dharma such superb virtue?"

Commentary:

The Vajrapani Bodhisattva asked how come it is so superb, and has such great virtues and spiritual powers.

Text:

The Buddha replied, "You should know that it is because of the spiritual power of this Treasure Chest Seal Dharani"

Commentary:

The Buddha explained that it was all because of the mantra. The mantra has ineffably great spiritual power!

Text:

Vajrapani requested, "I pray that the Tathagata, out of compassion for me and all others present, will pronounce this Dharani ."

Commentary:

Vajrapani pleaded with the Buddha. Buddha, could you plesase show compassion on us and pronounce the mantra to us? In the sutra text, the word “dharani” is used. Dharani means mantra. Vajrapani requested that the Buddha speak the mantra to us.

To be continued