Human sentiment is [the source of] blindness and ignorance; pure faith is something quite hard [to attain]. [As such], [the Buddha] has found it necessary to [devise] a universal measure that is applicable to any circumstance; to resort to traces [instead of showing the reality itself]; and to corroborate [his theses] by means of worldly facts. [The process of] corroborating by means of the facts being shown, faith is then strengthened.

The bodhisattva Universally Worthy (Samantabhadra) made a vow in an earlier reincarnation, [saying] “if there is any place where people read and recite the Scripture of Dharma Blossom, I will go there and encourage them, showing them what is false and wrong.” [Hence], the chapter is entitled “Encouragements.” Beings were pleased with the [Buddha’s] response by way of the supernatural omen [in the previous chapter]. Thereupon [they have been made determined to] cultivate the sūtra with the utmost diligence and zeal.

The wondrous path of the Dharma Blossom is so deep and recondite. Furthermore, the Medicine King and others have become its propagators. Thus, man is lofty whereas li is recondite, separated from the mass [by the dimension of the] dark, [absolute realm]. Those of shallow intelligence have been slow in comprehending it and in fact have regressed. Though they have wanted to propagate the sūtra, they have not dared to try to put it into practice. For this reason [the Buddha] takes up the example of King Fine Adornment. King Fine Adornment had earlier been [a man] with “crooked views.” When his “crooked views” were rectified, he then became a propagator of the Dharma Blossom. Those with average intelligence thereupon resolved to propagate the sūtra. Expedient traces have been given [by the Buddha], with the result that those who are saved are many. Illustrated as well [in this chapter] is the significance of a good friend, implicitly revealing the beauty of learning lessons by way of observing another person. Thus introducing the earlier, past conditions are “the former affairs.”

Or who makes [sesame] oil without taking out worms [from the sesame],

Many heretics (tīrthikas) hold the view that all the grasses and plants bear life. The demons all believe this view. Therefore, they are afraid of committing a sin by pressing oil.

Anyone who does not keep our spells
But troubles the expounder of the Dharma
Shall have his head split into seven pieces
Just as the branches of the arjaka-tree [ are split].

When “a branch of the arjaka tree” falls to the ground it makes seven pieces without fail. Hence, the analogy taken from this, [to express “Then may his head split into seven parts.”

Anyone may step on our heads, but shall not trouble this teacher of the Dharma. Neither shall any yakṣa, rākṣasa, hungry spirit, pūtana, kṛtya, vetāda, kumbhāṇḍa, umāraka, apasmāraka, yakṣa-kṛtya or human kṛtya.

An apasmāraka demon enters into a man’s body, making the muscles of the hands and feet twisted, and making him expectorate from the mouth. It is a fever demon. If the demons assume these various forms, [it means that] they have penetrated the sick.

There are rākṣasas called 1. Lambā, 2. Vilambā, 3. Crooked-Teeth, 4. Flower-Teeth, 5. Black-Teeth, 6. Many-Hairs, 7. Insatiable, 8. Necklace-Holding, 9. Kuntī, and 10. Plunderer-Of-Energy-Of-All-Beings {Robber of the Vital Vapors of All Living Beings}.

Daughters of rākṣasas and others, ten female demons, possess great powers in the world. They are the mothers of various demons. They respect and obey the Buddha’s orders, as they also pronounce this charm. Even though the demons are wicked, they do not disobey their mothers. As their mothers obey the Buddha, so their sons follow them.

In the heart of a man there are seven [measures of] mucus sweet water for nourishing human life. If a rākṣasa enters into a man’s body, and drinks one mucus, then he (the man) suffers a head illness. If [the demon] drinks two, three, or four [measures of] mucus, then the man loses consciousness. This is curable, but if he is left there he is bound to die. Thus, he is “robbed of vital vapors.”

Thereupon Vaiśravaṇa Heavenly-King, the Protector of the World, said to the Buddha … and Thereupon World-Holding Heavenly-King, accompanied by thousands of billions of nayutas of gandharvas who were surrounding him respectfully, came to the Buddha…

Vaiśravaṇa is the heavenly king (mahārāja) of the North, primarily commanding the two demons, yakṣa and rākṣasa. The mahārāja controlling the East (Dhritarāshtra) has two demons under him: gandharva and piśācāh. The mahārāja of the South rules over two demons: kumbhāṇḍa and hungry ghost. The mahārāja of the West controls all [the remaining] dragons (nāgas) and kinnaras. Each of the four mahārājas thus is in charge of his own territory.

Thereupon Brave-In-Giving Bodhisattva said to the Buddha: … If he keeps these dhārānis, this teacher of the Dharma will not have his weak points taken advantage of by any yakṣa, rākṣasa, pūtana, kṛtya, kumbhāṇḍa or hungry spirit.”

Pūtana is an inauspicious demon [haunting the people] of the world. One, when afflicted by the disease caused by it, is bound to die. Kṛtya is a demon arising from a corpse.

The cause and conditions and calendrical numbers match with each other in the way a shadow [matches with a real object] and echo [matches with a real voice;] [this being the case], how can one escape luck or misfortune and calamities or happiness? Yet, profound speeches and preaching on li are cut off from the general mass [by the dimension that can be expressed only as] wondrous or mysterious, with the result that those with shallow knowledge become [tool weak-willed to receive and keep [the sūtra]. [The Buddha] wants them to rely on incantation in order to make sincere the collective sentiment of contemporary beings. The people of the other realms believe in and respect incantation. The method (fa) of incantation can ward off misfortune and invite luck and is applicable to every situation. The latter age will see lots of fearful things happening; nobody will be able to cultivate the good without the risk of being harmed. Thus, the Sage, having sympathy for their stupidity and darkness, preaches these methods for them, [so that] those who are ignorant of li but hope to unite therewith may quickly come to have faith. Thus, he borrows the incantation of names to record there the preaching of li. This way li can be preached anywhere, again achieving [the unity of] name and actuality. Furthermore, the advent of fortune or misfortune has to do with demons and Spirits. By using charms, one can order them not to do any harm. All those who are fearful of the bonds and are afraid of harm should cultivate [the cause of] the sūtra. Having reached [the stage of] cultivating [the cause of] the sūtra, naturally there is the need for secret words. As the comprehension of secret words become manifest, misfortune destroys itself. Now, the Dharma Blossom being the ultimate inward level, the Buddha resorts to incantation in preaching it. People are pleased with the benefits of incantations and like to take advantage of it. They become inclined to and immersed in it; they receive and keep it with great care.

Although the li of the incantation is one, the way the words are arranged is not identical. All have [the order of] right and left, which are solely entrusted to the Buddha. Therefore, again, because of this, the words are arranged in the order in which they were uttered by the Buddha. If any reversal [of the words] occurs later, O the sin would be grave. If it is a charm for one who keeps [the sūtra], that is called dhārāṇi. Charms, being the words of demons and spirits, are not translatable.

In a certain world, World-Voice-Perceiver Bodhisattva takes the shape of a Buddha and expounds the Dharma to those who are to be saved by a Buddha.

The bodhisattva Fine Sound appeared in various bodies, in order to attain the samādhi of the body of all forms. Here also Avalokiteśvara preaches the Dharma, appearing in various forms, all for the sake of propagating the Dharma Blossom. Men are different, [but] the path (Tao) remains the same, which shows that [various] cultivations are certain to lead to attainment [of the One]