Day 30

Day 30 covers all of Chapter 26, Dhāraṇīs

Merits in keeping the Lotus Sutra:

Thereupon Medicine-King Bodhisattva rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, joined his hands together towards the Buddha, and said to him:

“World-Honored One! How many merits will be given to the good men or women who keep, read, recite, understand or copy the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma?”

The Buddha said to him:

“Suppose some good men or women make offerings to eight hundred billion nayuta Buddhas, that is, as many Buddhas as there are sands in the River Ganges. What do you think of this? Are the merits given to them many or not?”

“Very many, World-Honored One!” The Buddha said: “More merits will be given to the good men or women who keep, read or recite even a single gāthā of four lines of this sūtra, understand the meanings of it or act according to it.”

Dhāraṇī-spells of protection for the teacher of the Lotus Sutra and people who keep the sutra are offered by Medicine-King Bodhisattva, Brave-In-Giving Bodhisattva, Vaiśravaṇa Heavenly-King, World-Holding Heavenly-King, and the 10 rākṣasīs daughters – Lambā, Vilambā, Crooked-Teeth, Flower-Teeth, Black-Teeth, Many-Hairs, Insatiable, Necklace-Holding, Kuntī, and Plunderer-Of-Energy-Of-All-Beings – along with the Mother-of-Devils and her children.

[T]he rākṣasīs said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! We also will protect the person who keeps, reads and recites this sūtra, and acts according to it so that he may be peaceful, that he may have no trouble, and that poison taken by him may be neutralized.”

The Buddha said to the rākṣasīs: “Excellent, excellent! Your merits will be immeasurable even when you protect the person who keeps only the name of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.”