29.3 （三）

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "Now I will speak of the four kinds of merit of the brahman. What are the four? If there are faithful good men and good women who can build a stūpa where one has never been built before, this is called the first kind of merit of the brahman. Furthermore, if faithful good men and good women repair an old temple, this is called the second kind of merit of the brahman. Furthermore, if faithful good men and good women unite the holy assembly, this is called the third kind of merit of the brahman. Furthermore, when the Tathāgata first turned the wheel of the Dharma, the devas and humans in the world requested him to turn the wheel of the Dharma. This is called the fourth kind of merit of the brahman. These are called the four kinds of merit of the brahman."

At that time, a certain bhikṣu addressed the World-Honored One, saying, "How much merit is there in the merit of the brahman?"

The World-Honored One said, "Listen carefully! Listen carefully! Consider it well, and I will now explain it for you."

The bhikṣus replied, "Yes."

The World-Honored One said, "The Jambudvīpa continent is seven thousand yojanas from east to west and twenty-one thousand yojanas from south to north. Its shape resembles a chariot. The merit of all the beings within it is equal to the merit of a wheel-turning king.

The continent of Godānīya is three hundred and twenty thousand yojanas long and wide, and its shape resembles a half-moon. Bhikṣus should know that the merit of the people of Jambudvīpa and a wheel-turning king is equal to the merit of a single person there.

Furthermore, bhikṣus! The continent of Videha is three hundred and sixty thousand yojanas long and wide, and its shape is square. The merit of the two lands of Jambudvīpa and Godānīya is not as good as the merit of a single person in Videha.

Bhikṣus should know that the continent of Uttarakuru is four hundred thousand yojanas long and wide, and its shape resembles a full moon. The merit of the people of the three lands is not as good as the merit of a single person in Uttarakuru.

Bhikṣus should know that the merit of the people of the four continents is not as good as the virtue of the Four Heavenly Kings; the merit of the people of the four continents and the Four Heavenly Kings is not as good as the merit of the Thirty-three Heavens; the merit of the people of the four continents, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the Thirty-three Heavens is not as good as the merit of a single Śakra Devānām-Indra; the merit of the people of the four continents, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Thirty-three Heavens, and Śakra Devānām-Indra is not as good as the merit of a single Yāma Heaven; the merit of the people of the four continents, the Four Heavenly Kings, the Thirty-three Heavens, Śakra Devānām-Indra, and the Yāma Heaven is not as good as the merit of a single Tuṣita Heaven; the merit from the four continents up to the Tuṣita Heaven is not as good as the merit of a single Nirmāṇarati Heaven; the merit from the four continents up to the Nirmāṇarati Heaven is not as good as the merit of a single Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven; the merit from the four continents up to the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven is not as good as the merit of a single Brahmā King.

"Bhikṣus should know that this is the merit of the Brahmā Heaven. If there are good sons and good daughters who seek its merit, this is its measure. Therefore, bhikṣus! Those who wish to seek the merit of the Brahmā Heaven should seek skillful means to accomplish its merit. Thus, bhikṣus! You should train in this way."

At that time, the bhikṣus heard what the Buddha said and joyfully practiced it.