..续本文上一页kly perfect the three kinds of bodies.

　　Noble son, I have already expounded for your sake the four noble truths, the twelve conditioned co-productions and the six perfections. Now I teach the method of bathing the image for your sake and the sake of the various kings, princes, ministers, concubines, princesses, gods, nagas, men and demons. Among the various types of homage, this (the bathing of the image) is the best. It excels the giving of the seven jewels equal to the sands of the Ganges.

　　When you bathe the image, you should use ox-head sandalwood, white sandalwood, red sandalwood, or aloe-wood incenses. You should burn Mountain Top Tulip incense, ”Dragons Brain” incense, Ling-ling (Mountain) incense, and so forth. On the surface of a clean stone you should grind these to make paste; use this paste to make scented water and place it in a clean vessel. At a clean spot, make an altar with good earth, square or round, its size suited to the circumstances. On top establish the bathing platform and place the Buddha image in the middle. Pour on the scented hot water, purifying and cleansing it, repeatedly pouring the pure water over it. The water that is used must be completely filtered so as not to cause harm to insects. Drops from two fingers of the water with which you bathed the image should be taken and placed on your own head

　　athis is called ”good luck water.” Drain off the water onto clean ground without allowing your feet to tread upon it. With a fine, soft towel wipe the image, making it clean. Burn the above name incenses spreading the aroma all around and put the image back in its original place.

　　"Noble son, the consequence of performing this bathing of the Buddha image is that you and the great multitude of men and gods will presently receive wealth, happiness, and long life without sickness; your every wish will be fulfilled. Your relatives, friends, and family will all be at ease. You will bid a long farewell to the eight conditions of trouble and forever escape the fount of suffering. You will never again receive the body of a woman and will quickly achieve enlightenment.

　　When you have set up the image and burned the various incenses, face the image, clasp your palms together in pious salutation and recite these praises:

　　I now bathe the Tathagata.

　　His pure wisdom and virtue adorn the assembly.

　　I vow that those living beings of this period of the five impurities

　　May quickly witness the pure Dharma body of the Tathagata.

　　May the incense of morality, meditation, wisdom and the knowledge and experience of liberation

　　Constantly perfume every realm of the ten directions.

　　I vow that the smoke of this incense will likewise

　　Do the Buddhas work of salvation without measure or limit.

　　I also vow to put a stop to the three hells and the wheel of samsara,

　　Completely extinguishing the fires and obtaining the coolness of relief

　　So that all may manifest the thought of unsurpassed enlightenment

　　Perpetually escaping the river of desires and advancing to the other shore of Nirvana."

　　The Buddha finished expounding this Sutra. At this time there were among this assembly an immeasurable, unlimited number of Bodhisattvas who obtained stainless concentration. The countless gods obtained never lapsing wisdom. The multitude of Voice Hearers vowed to seek the fruits of Buddhahood. The eighty-four thousand living beings all manifested the thought toward unexcelled, complete enlightenment.

　　At that time, the Pure Wisdom Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: "World Honored One, being fortunate to receive the compassion and pity of the Great Teacher (the Buddha), we shall teach the method of bathing the image. I will now convert kings, ministers, and all those of good faith, cheer, or merit. Every day I will bathe the noble image to procure great blessings. I pledge to always receive and carry out with pleasure

　　"The Sutra On The Merit Of Bathing The Buddha."

《浴佛功德经　The Sutra On The Merit Of Bathing The Buddha Provided by Silfong Tsun》全文阅读结束。