爾時釋提桓因 於大衆中白佛言 世尊 我雖從佛及文殊師利 聞百千經 未曾聞此不可思議自在神通決定實相經典 如我解佛所說義趣 若有衆生 聞是經典 信解受持讀誦之者 必得是法 何況如說修行 斯人則爲閉衆惡趣 開諸善門 常爲諸佛之所護念 降伏外道 摧滅魔怨 修治菩提 安處道場 履踐如來所行之跡
ěr shí shì tí huán yīn yú dà zhòng zhōng bái fó yán shì zūn wǒ suī cóng fó jí wén shū shī lì wén bǎi qiān jīng wèi céng wén cǐ bù kě sī yì zì zài shén tōng jué dìng shí xiàng jīng diǎn rú wǒ jiě fó suǒ shuō yì qù ruò yǒu zhòng shēng wén shì jīng diǎn xìn jiě shòu chí dú sòng zhī zhě bì dé shì fǎ hé kuàng rú shuō xiū xíng sī rén zé wéi bì zhòng è qù kāi zhū shàn mén cháng wéi zhū fó zhī suǒ hù niàn xiáng fú wài dào cuī miè mó yuàn xiū zhì pú tí ān chǔ dào chǎng lǚ jiàn rú lái suǒ xíng zhī jì
Key Message
The greatest offering is not material but believing, practicing, and propagating the Dharma. The Dharma offering creates the merit of closing the gates of evil destinations, opening the gates of the good, and receiving the protection of the Buddhas.
▸The 'Chapter on the Dharma Offering' (法供養品) is the chapter in which Śakra (帝釋天, Indra) praises this scripture before the assembly and proclaims the merits of the Dharma offering (法供養).
The 'Chapter on the Dharma Offering' (法供養品) is the chapter in which Śakra (帝釋天, Indra) praises this scripture before the assembly and proclaims the merits of the Dharma offering (法供養). Śakra praises the sutra as a teaching containing inconceivable, freely manifesting supernormal powers and definitive true nature (決定實相), and declares that those who hear, believe, receive, uphold, and recite it will certainly attain this Dharma. Those who receive and uphold this scripture will find the gates of evil destinations closed and the gates of the good opened; they will always be protected by all Buddhas, will subdue those on wrong paths, crush the enemies of māra, cultivate bodhi, and dwell peacefully in the place of practice. The Buddha then relates, through the story of the bodhisattva Medicine King's (藥王菩薩) realization of the true meaning of the Dharma offering, that the Dharma offering — practicing and propagating the Dharma — is far superior to material offerings of incense and flowers.