..續本文上一頁. Therefore, now I urge sentient beings to light lamps, make banners, release lives and accumulate merits, so that they would overcome sufferings and dangers and remain free from all disasters."

　　Then among the assembly there were twelve Yaksha Great Generals; all sat together. They were the so-called:

　　Great General Gong Pi Luo Great General Fa Zhe Luo

　　Great General Mi Qi Luo Great General An Di Luo

　　Great General E Ni Luo Great General Shan Di Luo

　　Great General Yin Da Luo Great General Bo Yi Luo

　　Great General Mo Hu Luo Great General Zhen Da Luo

　　Great General Zhao Du Luo Great General Pi Jie Luo

　　(Translator”s note: The names are written in Pin Yin.)

　　These twelve Yaksha Great Generals, each with an entourage of seven thousand yakshas, simultaneously raised their voices and said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, now that all of us have been blessed by the awesome power of the Buddha to have heard the epithets of World Honored One, Tathágata Medicine Guru with Lapis Lazuli Light, we will no longer have fear of the bad realms. All of us jointly with one mind take refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha for the entire rest of our lives.

　　We vow to support all sentient beings by providing them with benefits, prosperity, peace and happiness. In whatever village, city, country, land or unfrequented forest if there were people who propagated this sutra or, in addition, maintained repetition of the epithets of Tathágata Medicine Guru with Lapis Lazuli Light and respectfully made offerings, our entourage would guard these people so that they would be liberated from all sufferings and disasters, and all their wishes would be fulfilled. Those who are seeking relief from sickness or hardship should also recite this sutra, and use five-color threads to knit our names. Untie the knitting only after the wishes have been fulfilled."

　　Then World Honored One praised the Yaksha Great Generals by saying, "Good, good, Great Yaksha Generals, those of you who would like to repay the gracious kindness of World Honored One, Tathágata Medicine Guru with Lapis Lazuli Light, should constantly benefit, in this manner, all sentient beings by inducing peace and happiness."

　　Then Ánanda said to Buddha, "World Honored One, what should this Dharma gate be named

　　 How do we adhere to it

　　" Buddha told Ánanda, "This Dharma gate is named “Expounding the Merits and Original Vows of Tathágata Medicine Guru with Lapis Lazuli Light,” also named “Expounding the Supreme Mantra of Knitting Wishes to Benefit Sentient Beings by Twelve Supreme Generals,” and also named “Eradicating All Karmic Hindrances.” It should be thus adhered to."

　　When Bhagavan had said these words, all those great Bodhisattvas and great Sravakas, kings, high officials, Brahmans, householders, heavenly beings, dragons, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, humans, non-humans, etc., were extremely joyful to have heard Buddha”s words. They all received the teachings with great faith and practiced accordingly.

　　Translation completed on December 21, 2001

　　El Cerrito, California

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