..續本文上一頁 King told Confusion, "We hope that you will keep your promise. As we have already finished writing The Sutra, you should dig out your eyes for us after you have read them. Then we will sell them to the Brahman."

　　Then the woman Confusion ordered a man by the surname Chandera to dig out both her eyes. She also asked the forty-nine men to give Chandera a share of the money for selling her eyes.

　　When Chandera was about to dig out her eyes, the forty-nine men cried out together to prevent him from doing so. They praised her thusly,

　　"Rare indeed! Rare indeed! It is inconceivable! This woman, Confusion, who cares not for her body or life, was able to sharpen her bone as pen, to squeeze out her blood as ink, and endure great pain and injuries, just for the sake of writing down this Sutra. How could we have the heart to dig out her eyes

　　"

　　So, with kindness and compassion, they told the woman, Confusion, "Now, we do not need to sell your eyes to the Brahman. But we hope that after you have accomplished The Way, please come first to rescue and ferry us over!"

　　"In life after life, wherever you are born, we hope to come together to you, to become good knowing advisers, and widely proclaim this Sutra, in order to rescue and carry over all sinful living beings."

　　At that time, the Dragon King Nanda, by using his spiritual penetration power, performed magical transformations, stole the Sutra of the woman Confusion, and kept it at the Dragon Palace. He accepted, upheld and made offerings to The Sutra. The woman, Confusion, who had suddenly lost the Sutra in such a short space of time, was greatly disturbed. She cried tearfully and ran to see The Buddha. She said, "World Honoured One, I, who care not for body nor lifespan , cut the flesh and dug out the bone to write the Sutra of Longevity, only hoping to widely circulate it among all living beings. But now I have lost the Sutra. I feel extremely sad, just as though my body was pierced by the poisonous arrow. Such pain is difficult to bear."

　　The Thus Come One Pervasive Lights told Confusion, "Your Sutra was taken by the eight-fold Dragon King, who accepts, upholds and makes offering to it in the Dragon Palace. In fact, you should be happy about it. Don”t be so worried and sorrowful."

　　"Confusion, your present deed is very good. After your lifespan is over, you will be born into the Heavenly Realm of No-form. With the merits and virtues thus accumulated, you will enjoy the heavenly blessings and bliss. Never will you be born in the form of a woman."

　　At that time, the woman Confusion told The Buddha, "World Honoured One! My wish is not to enjoy heavenly blessings. But I only hope to meet The World Honoured One in every life, to protect the Bodhi Mind and never to retreat from the Bodhi Path. Wherever I go, I will proclaim this Dharma constantly to all sinful living beings."

　　The Thus Come One Pervasive Lights said, "Are you telling me a false speech

　　" The woman, Confusion answered, "If I were to falsely lie to you, may I be again chased and tormented by the ghastly ghost of Impermanence…"

　　"…If what I have said is true with no falsity, before The Buddha, may the wounds on my body be even and as smooth as before, immediately!" After she had made the vows, her body recovered immediately just as before.

　　The Thus Come One Pervasive Light told Confusion, "If you are able to sincerely be mindful of The Buddha, with one heart-unpided, then you can travel from one Buddhaland to the next Buddhaland. You will be able to see innumerable and limitless Buddha Worlds. Besides, you can also understand the unspeakable and inconceivable speeches and words of those Buddha Worlds."

　　At that time, the woman Confusion, in the space of a breath, certified to the Dharma Patience of No-Birth, which is …

《佛說長壽滅罪護諸童子陀羅尼經 The Dharani Sutra on Longevity, The Extinction of Offences, And· · · 》全文未完，請進入下頁繼續閱讀…