Hello, everyone. Welcome to this episode of the podcast provided by the Buddhas’ Practice Incorporated of Australia.
Today, we continue our study with Chapter 18, “The Merits of Joyful Acceptance.” This text reveals a seemingly simple but profoundly significant principle: the immense power of “joyful acceptance.”
The chapter begins with Bodhisattva Maitreya asking the Buddha, “World-Honored One, if a person hears this Lotus Sūtra and simply rejoices in their heart, how much merit do they receive?” The Buddha’s answer is truly astonishing.
The Buddha uses a powerful example to illustrate this. He says, imagine a great benefactor in four hundred myriads of koṭis of Asamkhyeyas of worlds, who for eighty full years gives every creature—born from eggs, wombs, moisture, or spontaneously—all the luxuries and treasures they desire, such as gold, silver, chariots, and palaces.
After eighty years, seeing these beings old and frail, the benefactor thinks that he should teach them the Buddha-Dharma to bring them ultimate benefit. He then preaches the truth of life, causing them to develop a sense of aversion to worldly attachments. As a result, all these beings attain the state of Arhatship, perfecting the eight liberations.
The Buddha asks Maitreya, “Do you think this great benefactor’s merit is great?” Maitreya replies, “World-Honored One, his merit is immeasurable and limitless! Even if he had only given away treasures, his merit would be boundless, let alone having enabled all beings to attain Arhatship!”
However, what the Buddha says next truly reveals the inconceivable nature of the Lotus Sūtra. The Buddha declares, “I will now tell you clearly: the merit this great benefactor receives is not even comparable to that of the fiftieth person who, in a chain of transmission, hears just one verse of the Lotus Sūtra and joyfully accepts it. The benefactor’s merit does not even amount to a hundredth, a thousandth, or a hundred thousandth of a myriad of a koṭi of the latter’s merit. It cannot be measured by any calculation or analogy.”
This is the inconceivable power of “joyful acceptance.” Joyful acceptance means rejoicing in the merits of others and actively putting that joy into practice.
Encouraging others to listen: If a person at a Dharma teaching session encourages another to sit and listen, or even offers them part of their own seat, they will be reborn in a place of great honor and sit in the seats of Śakra, Brahmā, or a wheel-turning king.
Guiding others: If someone persuades another, saying, “There is a sūtra called the Lotus Sūtra. It’s profound and hard to encounter in thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas. Let’s go listen together!” and the other person accepts this invitation and listens, even for just a moment, the persuader’s merit is immense. In future lives, they will be reborn in the same place as bodhisattvas who have attained Dhāraṇīs. They will have keen faculties and sharp wisdom, never be mute for hundreds of thousands of lives, their breath will be pure, their teeth will be white and perfectly aligned, and their face will be flawless and handsome. In every life, they will meet a Buddha, hear the Dharma, and be able to receive the teachings.
Thank you for listening.
