Then Dṛḍhā, the goddess of the earth, said to the Bhagavat, “Venerable Bhagavat, wherever this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is taught, in the present or in future times, whether in a village, town, market town, region, wilderness, mountain cave, or royal residence—wherever, venerable Bhagavat, this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is taught at length—I, Dṛḍhā, the goddess of the earth, will come to that place.
EN
“Wherever a Dharma throne is arranged for the dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣu, and wherever the dharmabhāṇaka, upon that throne, extensively teaches this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, venerable Bhagavat, I, Dṛḍhā, the goddess of the earth, will come to that place. With my body invisible, I will go beneath that Dharma throne, and with my highest limb, my head, I will support that dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣu under the soles of his feet.
EN
“I also will listen to the Dharma and be satiated by this amṛta liquid of the Dharma. I will honor him; I will make offerings to him. Having been satiated, having honored him, and being delighted, I will increase the fertility of this sixty-eight-thousand-yojana-wide aggregation of the earth down to its vajra foundation. I will honor it and perfect it. On its surface I will saturate this disk of the earth, as far as the ocean, with the oil of the earth’s fertility. I will cause this great earth to be resplendent. Then, in this Jambudvīpa, the grass, bushes, herbs, and forests will grow with perfect resplendence. All parks, forests, trees, leaves, flowers, fruits, and harvests of various kinds will be resplendent, aromatic, lustrous, delicious, beautiful, and huge.
EN
“When beings consume them as various kinds of drink and food, their lifespans, strength, complexions, and faculties will increase. Being endowed with such majesty, strength, complexion, and form, they will accomplish many hundreds of thousands of the various different things necessary on this earth. They will be dedicated to that and make an effort in that. They will accomplish actions that create strength.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, that will cause all of Jambudvīpa to have peace, good harvests, increase, and joy. It will become filled with human beings. All the beings in Jambudvīpa will become happy and experience various kinds of joy. Those beings will possess majesty, strength, and excellent color and form.
EN
“For the sake of this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās should approach the Dharma seat of those who possess this lord and king of the sūtras. Having approached it with a perfectly trusting mind, for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of all beings, they should supplicate the dharmabhāṇaka so that this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light will be taught extensively.
EN
“Why should they do that? Venerable Bhagavat, if this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is taught, I, the earth goddess Dṛḍhā, with my servants, will have supreme magnificence and supreme strength. Our bodies will develop perfect strength, diligence, and great power. Our bodies will gain magnificence, glory, and splendor.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, I, the earth goddess Dṛḍhā, will be satiated by this amṛta liquid of the Dharma. I will attain great magnificence, strength, diligence, power, and speed. The great fertility of earth will increase in this Jambudvīpa’s seven thousand yojanas. The great earth will become magnificent.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, the beings who dwell upon the earth will increase, expand, and become vast. They will also become widespread, and just as the beings who are upon the earth will become widespread, they will also experience a variety of enjoyments. They will experience happiness. They will all enjoy various kinds of food and drink, remain in various kinds of happiness with the entire variety of pleasurable requisites that are present upon the earth, appear from the earth, and are dependent upon the earth, such as clothes, beds, seats, dwellings, houses, divine palaces, parks, rivers, pools, springs, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, because of this, all those beings will be repaying my kindness. There is no doubt that this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light should be respected, listened to, honored, venerated, revered, and offered to.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, when those beings leave their individual families and individual homes in order to go to the dharmabhāṇaka; and having gone there have listened to this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light; and having heard it returned to their own individual families, homes, villages, and market towns, they will say to those who live in their own home, ‘We have heard a profound Dharma today. We have obtained an inconceivable accumulation of merit today. By listening to that Dharma, we have pleased many hundreds of thousands of quintillions of tathāgatas. By listening to that Dharma today, we have been completely freed from rebirth in the hells, as animals, in the world of Yama, and in the realm of the pretas. By listening to this Dharma today, we have obtained rebirth in the future as devas and humans for many hundreds of thousands of lifetimes.’
EN
“When they are in their own homes, if they tell even one example from this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light to those other beings, or just one chapter from this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, or one history, or even the name of one bodhisattva, or the name of one tathāgata, or even just one four-line verse, or even a single line of verse, and those other beings hear it—or even if they teach others the name only of this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light—then, venerable Bhagavat, wherever those different beings in different places speak about, or listen to, or talk to one another about these various kinds of causes from the sūtra, then, venerable Bhagavat, all those places will become very magnificent. They will become very lustrous. In those various places, for all those beings, the various fertilities of the earth and all requisites will increase, augment, and expand, and all those beings will be happy. They will have great wealth and great enjoyments. They will aspire to generosity, and they will have true faith in the Three Jewels.”
EN
When she had spoken, the Bhagavat said to Dṛḍhā, the goddess of the earth, “Goddess of the earth, if any being listens to even one line from this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, when they pass away from this human world, they will be reborn as a deva in the Trāyastriṃśa paradise or among another class of devas.
EN
“Goddess of the earth, anyone who, in order to make offerings to this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, beautifully adorns those places, even with just one parasol or one flag or by draping one cloth, then, goddess of the earth, they will dwell in those constantly adorned places, divine aerial palaces made of the seven jewels in the seven paradises of the desire realm that are perfectly adorned by all adornments. When those beings pass away from this human realm, they will be reborn in those aerial palaces made of the seven jewels, and at that time, goddess of the earth, they will be reborn seven times in each of those aerial palaces made of the seven jewels. They will experience the inconceivable bliss of the devas.”
EN
When the Bhagavat had spoken, the earth goddess Dṛḍhā said to the Bhagavat, “Therefore, venerable Bhagavat, when the dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣu is seated on the Dharma seat, I, the earth goddess Dṛḍhā, will be present in the ground below that Dharma seat. For the sake of those beings who have planted good roots with hundreds of thousands of buddhas, I will make my body invisible and will support that dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣu’s feet with my highest limb, my head, so that this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light will remain for a long time in Jambudvīpa and will not disappear soon; so that beings will hear this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light and will experience the happiness of devas and humans for many hundreds of thousands of quintillions of eons; and so that they will be in the company of tathāgatas and will, in a future time, attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and will become completely free of the suffering of the hells, the lives of animals, and the world of Yama.”
EN
Then the earth goddess Dṛḍhā said, “Bhagavat, I have a mantra essence. It will bring benefit and happiness to all devas and humans. If someone wishes to see me directly; wishes for precious jewels, treasures, and so on; wishes for a long life without illness through excellent herbs; or wishes to be free of all adversaries and opponents, they should make a circle in a solitary place, wash, wear new clothes, and sit on an arrangement of straw. In front of an image that contains relics or in front of a stūpa that contains relics, make an offering of flowers, incense, and various kinds of food. On the eighth day during the time of the lunar asterism Puṣya, invite me by repeating this dhāraṇī-mantra single-mindedly.
EN
“The mantra is:
EN
tadyathā | cili cili curu curu kuru kuru kuṭu kuṭu toṭu toṭu vaha vaha variṣe variṣe svāhā |
EN
“Bhagavat, I will come to anyone among the four classes of followers who repeats these mantra words a hundred and eight times in order to invite me.
EN
“Moreover, Bhagavat, anyone who seeks to meet me and speak to me, should do the same as in the previous rite and repeat this mantra:
“Bhagavat, I will come to the one who repeats the words of this mantra and then repeats the previous mantra, and I will definitely fulfill their wishes.
EN
“Whoever wishes to repeat this mantra, in order to protect their body, should first repeat this mantra:
“Bhagavat, when practicing this dhāraṇī-mantra one should apply the mantra to a cord of five colors, tying a knot with each repetition. Having repeated the mantra in that way twenty-one times, tie the cord on to the left upper arm and this will dispel all danger and the body will be protected. If this mantra is repeated with an undistracted mind, all wishes will be accomplished. These words of mine are infallible. I pray that the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel, and the Saṅgha Jewel look upon me and regard me.”
EN
Then the Bhagavat congratulated the earth goddess Dṛḍhā, saying, “It is excellent, excellent, that through your words of truth you have protected this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light along with the dharmabhāṇakas. Therefore, you also possess an inconceivable accumulation of merit.”
Then Dṛḍhā, the goddess of the earth, said to the Bhagavat, “Venerable Bhagavat, wherever this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is taught, in the present or in future times, whether in a village, town, market town, region, wilderness, mountain cave, or royal residence—wherever, venerable Bhagavat, this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is taught at length—I, Dṛḍhā, the goddess of the earth, will come to that place.
EN
“Wherever a Dharma throne is arranged for the dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣu, and wherever the dharmabhāṇaka, upon that throne, extensively teaches this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, venerable Bhagavat, I, Dṛḍhā, the goddess of the earth, will come to that place. With my body invisible, I will go beneath that Dharma throne, and with my highest limb, my head, I will support that dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣu under the soles of his feet.
EN
“I also will listen to the Dharma and be satiated by this amṛta liquid of the Dharma. I will honor him; I will make offerings to him. Having been satiated, having honored him, and being delighted, I will increase the fertility of this sixty-eight-thousand-yojana-wide aggregation of the earth down to its vajra foundation. I will honor it and perfect it. On its surface I will saturate this disk of the earth, as far as the ocean, with the oil of the earth’s fertility. I will cause this great earth to be resplendent. Then, in this Jambudvīpa, the grass, bushes, herbs, and forests will grow with perfect resplendence. All parks, forests, trees, leaves, flowers, fruits, and harvests of various kinds will be resplendent, aromatic, lustrous, delicious, beautiful, and huge.
EN
“When beings consume them as various kinds of drink and food, their lifespans, strength, complexions, and faculties will increase. Being endowed with such majesty, strength, complexion, and form, they will accomplish many hundreds of thousands of the various different things necessary on this earth. They will be dedicated to that and make an effort in that. They will accomplish actions that create strength.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, that will cause all of Jambudvīpa to have peace, good harvests, increase, and joy. It will become filled with human beings. All the beings in Jambudvīpa will become happy and experience various kinds of joy. Those beings will possess majesty, strength, and excellent color and form.
EN
“For the sake of this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, upāsakas, and upāsikās should approach the Dharma seat of those who possess this lord and king of the sūtras. Having approached it with a perfectly trusting mind, for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of all beings, they should supplicate the dharmabhāṇaka so that this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light will be taught extensively.
EN
“Why should they do that? Venerable Bhagavat, if this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light is taught, I, the earth goddess Dṛḍhā, with my servants, will have supreme magnificence and supreme strength. Our bodies will develop perfect strength, diligence, and great power. Our bodies will gain magnificence, glory, and splendor.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, I, the earth goddess Dṛḍhā, will be satiated by this amṛta liquid of the Dharma. I will attain great magnificence, strength, diligence, power, and speed. The great fertility of earth will increase in this Jambudvīpa’s seven thousand yojanas. The great earth will become magnificent.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, the beings who dwell upon the earth will increase, expand, and become vast. They will also become widespread, and just as the beings who are upon the earth will become widespread, they will also experience a variety of enjoyments. They will experience happiness. They will all enjoy various kinds of food and drink, remain in various kinds of happiness with the entire variety of pleasurable requisites that are present upon the earth, appear from the earth, and are dependent upon the earth, such as clothes, beds, seats, dwellings, houses, divine palaces, parks, rivers, pools, springs, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, because of this, all those beings will be repaying my kindness. There is no doubt that this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light should be respected, listened to, honored, venerated, revered, and offered to.
EN
“Venerable Bhagavat, when those beings leave their individual families and individual homes in order to go to the dharmabhāṇaka; and having gone there have listened to this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light; and having heard it returned to their own individual families, homes, villages, and market towns, they will say to those who live in their own home, ‘We have heard a profound Dharma today. We have obtained an inconceivable accumulation of merit today. By listening to that Dharma, we have pleased many hundreds of thousands of quintillions of tathāgatas. By listening to that Dharma today, we have been completely freed from rebirth in the hells, as animals, in the world of Yama, and in the realm of the pretas. By listening to this Dharma today, we have obtained rebirth in the future as devas and humans for many hundreds of thousands of lifetimes.’
EN
“When they are in their own homes, if they tell even one example from this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light to those other beings, or just one chapter from this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, or one history, or even the name of one bodhisattva, or the name of one tathāgata, or even just one four-line verse, or even a single line of verse, and those other beings hear it—or even if they teach others the name only of this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light—then, venerable Bhagavat, wherever those different beings in different places speak about, or listen to, or talk to one another about these various kinds of causes from the sūtra, then, venerable Bhagavat, all those places will become very magnificent. They will become very lustrous. In those various places, for all those beings, the various fertilities of the earth and all requisites will increase, augment, and expand, and all those beings will be happy. They will have great wealth and great enjoyments. They will aspire to generosity, and they will have true faith in the Three Jewels.”
EN
When she had spoken, the Bhagavat said to Dṛḍhā, the goddess of the earth, “Goddess of the earth, if any being listens to even one line from this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, when they pass away from this human world, they will be reborn as a deva in the Trāyastriṃśa paradise or among another class of devas.
EN
“Goddess of the earth, anyone who, in order to make offerings to this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light, beautifully adorns those places, even with just one parasol or one flag or by draping one cloth, then, goddess of the earth, they will dwell in those constantly adorned places, divine aerial palaces made of the seven jewels in the seven paradises of the desire realm that are perfectly adorned by all adornments. When those beings pass away from this human realm, they will be reborn in those aerial palaces made of the seven jewels, and at that time, goddess of the earth, they will be reborn seven times in each of those aerial palaces made of the seven jewels. They will experience the inconceivable bliss of the devas.”
EN
When the Bhagavat had spoken, the earth goddess Dṛḍhā said to the Bhagavat, “Therefore, venerable Bhagavat, when the dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣu is seated on the Dharma seat, I, the earth goddess Dṛḍhā, will be present in the ground below that Dharma seat. For the sake of those beings who have planted good roots with hundreds of thousands of buddhas, I will make my body invisible and will support that dharmabhāṇaka bhikṣu’s feet with my highest limb, my head, so that this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light will remain for a long time in Jambudvīpa and will not disappear soon; so that beings will hear this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light and will experience the happiness of devas and humans for many hundreds of thousands of quintillions of eons; and so that they will be in the company of tathāgatas and will, in a future time, attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and will become completely free of the suffering of the hells, the lives of animals, and the world of Yama.”
EN
Then the earth goddess Dṛḍhā said, “Bhagavat, I have a mantra essence. It will bring benefit and happiness to all devas and humans. If someone wishes to see me directly; wishes for precious jewels, treasures, and so on; wishes for a long life without illness through excellent herbs; or wishes to be free of all adversaries and opponents, they should make a circle in a solitary place, wash, wear new clothes, and sit on an arrangement of straw. In front of an image that contains relics or in front of a stūpa that contains relics, make an offering of flowers, incense, and various kinds of food. On the eighth day during the time of the lunar asterism Puṣya, invite me by repeating this dhāraṇī-mantra single-mindedly.
EN
“The mantra is:
EN
tadyathā | cili cili curu curu kuru kuru kuṭu kuṭu toṭu toṭu vaha vaha variṣe variṣe svāhā |
EN
“Bhagavat, I will come to anyone among the four classes of followers who repeats these mantra words a hundred and eight times in order to invite me.
EN
“Moreover, Bhagavat, anyone who seeks to meet me and speak to me, should do the same as in the previous rite and repeat this mantra:
“Bhagavat, I will come to the one who repeats the words of this mantra and then repeats the previous mantra, and I will definitely fulfill their wishes.
EN
“Whoever wishes to repeat this mantra, in order to protect their body, should first repeat this mantra:
“Bhagavat, when practicing this dhāraṇī-mantra one should apply the mantra to a cord of five colors, tying a knot with each repetition. Having repeated the mantra in that way twenty-one times, tie the cord on to the left upper arm and this will dispel all danger and the body will be protected. If this mantra is repeated with an undistracted mind, all wishes will be accomplished. These words of mine are infallible. I pray that the Buddha Jewel, the Dharma Jewel, and the Saṅgha Jewel look upon me and regard me.”
EN
Then the Bhagavat congratulated the earth goddess Dṛḍhā, saying, “It is excellent, excellent, that through your words of truth you have protected this Lord King of Sūtras, the Sublime Golden Light along with the dharmabhāṇakas. Therefore, you also possess an inconceivable accumulation of merit.”
Sutraya