Then the bodhisatva Gaganagañja addressed himself to the Lord: “O Lord, please give the tathāgata’s blessing over this exposition of religion (dharmaparyāya) so that, in the latter time, in the latter age (paścimakāle paścimasamaye), it will be disseminated and practiced throughout the Jambūdvīpa.”
The Lord said: “For that reason, son of good family, I will invoke the Four Great Kings (cāturmahārāja) so that they will come and strive to keep this exposition of religion for a long time (dharmaparyāyacirasthti) with detailed and analytical explanation (vistaravibhāganirdeśa).
These are the words for invoking: tadyathā | dhudhure | dhidhire | dhvajavati | dhvajālaṃkāre | āvartani | śame śamavati | śāntimukhe | nigrahaparapakṣa | anuttara | uttaravigama | samapatha | pathaśuddhi | pathānugama | pathasandhi | prajñāmukhe | āryakule | bhūtarakṣa ame sacca mene sacca tama sacca tatama sacca | buddhapāda | dharmānusandhi | āryagaṇānugama | āryanirghātani | ruṣṭaprāsādani | īśvarapadalokacittikṛte | anurāgayantu | imān dharmasandhi | vibhajantu nirukte | nirdeśe pratirakṣantu | dharmadhāraṇī |
Son of good family, these are the words for invoking the Four Great Kings.”
Then the Four Great Kings, having become scared and fearful (bhayabhīṭa), approached the Lord, prostrated themselves at the Lord’s feet, and said this to the Lord:
“O Lord, we, the Four Great Kings will protect, shield, guard (rakṣāvaraṇagupti) this exposition of religion (dharmaparyāya) so that it may last long and be beneficial.
Wherever this exposition of religion is practiced, if there are devas, nāgas, yakśas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas or kiṃnaras (devanāgayakṣagandharvāsuragaruḍakinnara) who want the destruction of the dharma, we will subjugate them.
Whosoever seek for the dharma, we will make them happy.
We will offer hospitality to the congregation of the dharma-reciter (dharmabhāṇakaparṣanmaṇḍala), never forget the meaning of the words to be connected to the words (padānusaṃdhyasaṃpramoṣatā), give inspiration (pratibhāna), and increase recollection, intelligence, understanding and happiness (smṛtimatiprativedhamuditā).
At these words, the Lord said this to the Four Great Kings: “Excellent, excellent, friends, you are my sons born of the dharma, and all of you demonstrate the effort to uphold my true dharma (saddharmaparigraha). With the outcome of the dharma (dharmaniṣyanda) all of you will be the masters of the world in this world, and after having transcended all the world, you will attain the final extinction (nirvāṇa) in the realm of noble extinction (āryanirvāṇadhātu).”
爾時大虚空藏菩薩白佛言。世尊唯願如來加持此經。後末法時於贍部洲廣令流布。
是時佛告虚空藏菩薩言。善男子我以此法付四天王。所以者何由此四王護持世界故。令此法久住世間廣得流布。我今復以微妙眞言。加持四大天王。
即説眞言曰怛儞也(二合)他度度他地梨持嚩(二合)惹跛底特嚩(二合)惹楞迦引阿引靺怛儞捨迷捨麼鉢底扇底(丁以反)目谿儞誐囉(二合)賀博乞叉(二合)哆阿奴娜囉鄥那囉尾誐摩三摩鉢地簸他輸地鉢他奴誐摩鉢他輸地鉢囉(二合)枳娘(二合)目谿阿哩也(二合)句梨 歩多 乞晒(二合)阿儞泥灑遮茗泥灑遮多引麼灑遮多怛簸灑遮沒馱簸那達摩奴散地阿哩也(二合)誐拏怒誐摩阿那哩也(二合)儞伽哆儞嚧瑟吒(二合)鉢囉(二合)娑娜寧咿濕嚩(二合)囉簸那魯迦失止(二合)怛唎(二合)訖哩(二合)多阿奴囉訖沙(二合)演都伊????引達摩散地(啼寢反)尼婆惹都儞魯訖鞮(二合)涅泥(上)世(引)鉢囉(二合)底路乞灑(二合)覩達摩馱哩尼
爾時四大天王。由此眞言所加持故。心懷悚慄身毛皆竪。即往佛所頭面禮足白佛言。
世尊我等四王護持此經。令未來久住於世。
當我能攝持如是經典所流行處。有不樂法諸神天龍夜叉乾闥婆阿修羅迦樓羅無能障礙。
若有樂法善神。即當令彼心得寂靜。
若有法師於説法會。忘失文句能令憶持。獲得辯才増長慧解
爾時世尊告四天王。善哉善哉汝等四王。皆是我子從法化生。由我勸汝守護正法功徳因縁得爲天王。當超世間速證圓寂 爾時世尊。
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I. The Occasion