須菩提 如恒河中所有沙數 如是沙等恒河 於意云何 是諸恒河沙寧為多不 須菩提言 甚多 世尊 但諸恒河尚多無數 何況其沙 須菩提 我今實言告汝 若有善男子善女人以七寶滿爾所恒河沙數三千大千世界以用布施 得福多不 須菩提言 甚多 世尊 佛告須菩提 若善男子善女人於此經中乃至受持四句偈等為他人說 而此福德勝前福德
Xū pútí, rú Héng hé zhōng suǒ yǒu shā shù, rúshì shā děng Héng hé, yú yì yún hé? Shì zhū Héng hé shā nìng wéi duō fǒu? Xū pútí yán: Shèn duō, Shì zūn. Dàn zhū Héng hé shàng duō wúshù, hékuàng qí shā. Xū pútí, wǒ jīn shíyán gào rǔ: Ruò yǒu shàn nánzǐ shàn nǚrén, yǐ qī bǎo mǎn ěr suǒ Héng hé shā shù sānqiān dàqiān shìjiè yǐ yòng bùshī, dé fú duō fǒu? Xū pútí yán: Shèn duō, Shì zūn. Fó gào Xū pútí: Ruò shàn nánzǐ shàn nǚrén yú cǐ jīng zhōng, nǎi zhì shòu chí sìjù jì děng, wèi tārén shuō, ér cǐ fúdé shèng qián fúdé.
Key Message
No matter how vast material giving may be, it cannot match the merit of conveying even a single verse of truth.
▸Section 11 again emphasizes, through the simile of the Ganges River's sands, the infinite superiority of giving the Dharma over material giving.
Section 11 again emphasizes, through the simile of the Ganges River's sands, the infinite superiority of giving the Dharma over material giving. As many Ganges rivers as there are grains of sand in the Ganges — and from all the sands of all those rivers, that many trichiliocosms filled to the brim with seven treasures and given away in charity: even such incalculable merit is surpassed by the merit of receiving and retaining even a single four-line verse from this sutra and explaining it to others. Material giving is finite, but the gift of the Dharma is infinite.