Overall Teaching

Dṛḍhā will improve the land where this Sūtra goes forth and honour its teacher. Beings should show gratitude to her and this Sūtra, and when they do, the earth becomes more abundant.

Summary

1.     The earth-goddess Dṛḍhā said:

a.     Wherever this Sūtra goes forth, there Dṛḍhā will approach, and wherever it is taught with a preacher on a seat of the Dharma, there she will lean with her head upon the soles of the teaching monk’s feet and satisfy herself with a hearing of the Dharma.

b.     Then, she will increase the savour of the earth and the foundation will be made of vajra. She will pay homage to and fill it and make it moist so that the circle of the earth reaches the edge of the ocean. The various plants will grow stronger and tastier. After beings enjoy their savour, they will be stronger and more brilliant, and do more good activities and have more devotion.

c.     The whole world will become peaceful and prosperous and blessed. The whole world will approach those preachers and beseech them to expound this Sūtra. For, when it is being expounded, she and her retinue will become stronger and from their strength, the whole earth will become stronger as will those who depend upon it.

d.     Therefore, all being should show gratitude to Dṛḍhā and her retinue and this Sūtra. When all beings return after hearing this Dharma, they should converse with one another on how they have heard such a great profound Dharma today and have pleased the Buddhas and been freed from saṃsāra.

e.     They should tell other beings even a single story or even a single name of a bodhisattva or a single verse—wherever this occurs, that region of earth will become more abundant and the beings there will be devoted to liberality and have faith in the Triple Gem.

2.     The Buddha then declared:

a.     Whatever beings hear even a single verse from this Sūtra will be reborn in Trāyastriṃśa. Moreover, whatever beings adorn places for this Sūtra, that will become a divine palace made of the seven jewels for the group of seven gods of the desire realm. When they die, they will be reborn among the divine palaces in those heavens made of the seven jewels.

3.     Then Dṛḍhā said:

a. Thus, Dṛḍhā will reside where this Sūtra is preserved and honour its teacher invisibly with her head, and wishes that as a result being be free from saṃsāra.