Section 15 — The merit of keeping this sutra持經功德分第十五

"Subhuti! Suppose a good man or a good woman gave away bodies as many as the grains of sand in the Ganges in the morning, and again gave away bodies as many as the grains of sand in the Ganges at midday, and again gave away bodies as many as the grains of sand in the Ganges in the evening, and went on giving away their body like this for measureless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of kalpas. And suppose someone else heard this scripture and did not turn against it in their believing mind. That merit would surpass the first. How much more for one who copies it out, takes it up and keeps it, reads and recites it, and explains it for others."

"Subhuti! To say it in short: this sutra holds merit that is beyond thought, beyond measure, and without bound. The Tathagata speaks it for those who have set their mind on the Great Vehicle, and speaks it for those who have set their mind on the highest vehicle. If someone can take it up and keep it, read and recite it, and speak it widely for others, the Tathagata knows that person entirely and sees that person entirely, and they will perfect merit that cannot be measured, cannot be weighed, has no bound, and is beyond thought."

"Such people shoulder the anuttara-samyak-sambodhi of the Tathagata. Why is this? Subhuti! Because those who delight in the lesser Dharma cling to the view of a self, the view of a person, the view of a being, and the view of a life span, and so they cannot listen to this sutra and receive it, nor read and recite it, nor explain it for others."

"Subhuti! Wherever this sutra is found, all the gods, humans, and asuras of the whole world should make offerings there. Know this: that place is a stupa. All should honor it, bow before it, walk around it, and scatter every kind of flower and incense upon it."