Then the great goddess Shri said this to the Tathagata: “Venerable Transcendent Victor, I the great goddess Shri will also give delight and well-being to that bhikshu who expounds the Dharma. I will offer garments, food, bedding, medicine to treat illness and many excellent articles to ensure that the bhikshu who expounds the Dharma has excellent resources, attains freedom from poverty, is sound in mind, has peace of mind day and night, retains various words and syllables of the King of Glorious Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light, examines them and expresses them lucidly so that sentient beings may plant roots of virtue under hundreds of thousands of buddhas, that the King of Glorious Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light may long exist in Jambu-dvipa and may not quickly disappear, that beings may hear the King of Glorious Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light and experience divine and human pleasures for hundreds of thousands of millions of eons, that famine may not occur, that there may be bountiful crops and beings may have everything that promotes happiness, be with the tathagatas and in the future, awaken to supreme and perfect enlightenment, and the suffering of beings in the hells, animal world and the world of Yama may be utterly ended.”
At one time there was a fully enlightened tathagata arhat called Ratna-kusuma-guna-sagara-vaidurya-kanaka-giri-suvarna-kanchana-prabhasa-shri under whom the great goddess Shri planted roots of virtue. Now she ponders over different directions, watches over different directions and goes to different directions. She brings well-being to numerous hundreds of thousands of millions of beings, providing them with food, drink, wealth, grain, shells, gold, jewels, pearls, lapis, conches, crystal, coral, silver and pure unwrought gold. Those beings will not suffer any shortage of other items either. They will receive everything they need and use. Through the power of the goddess Shri, they will pay homage to that Tathagata. They will offer flowers, incense and perfume. If the name of the great goddess Shri is said three times, if flowers, incense and perfume are offered to that Tathagata, and if food of various tastes and flavors are offered too, then the mass of grain will greatly increase. Thus, here it is observed:
The earth’s nutrients will grow in the earth; the gods will always rejoice. The devas of fruit, crops, shrubs and bushes will make every crop flourish in all conditions.
The great goddess Shri remembers those beings who recite the name of the King of Glorious Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light. Thus will they be accorded great glory. The great goddess Shri resides in the palace Adaka-vati in the glorious park Punya-kusuma-prabha in the sublime abode called Suvarna-dhvaja made of seven jewels. Whoever wishes to increase the mass of grain should thoroughly clean his house, bathe well and, well perfumed, don clean white garments. Paying homage to Ratna-kusuma-guna-sagara-vaidurya-kanaka-giri-suvarna-kanchana-prabhasa-shri, the Tathagata, the Arhat, the Fully Enlightened One, they should say his name three times. With assistance from the great goddess Shri, they should worship the Tathagata by offering flowers, perfume and incense, as well as food of various tastes and flavors. They should recite the name of the King of Glorious Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light, three times. They should say the word of truth. Likewise, if the great goddess Shri is venerated, if flowers are offered as well as perfumes and food of various tastes and flavors, then through the power of the King of Glorious Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light, the great goddess Shri will watch over that house. The mass of grain in that house will increase. Those who wish to invoke the great goddess Shri should remember the following mantras:
Homage to all past, present and future buddhas! Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas! Homage to bodhisattvas such as Maitreya!
Paying homage to them, I will employ the following mantras. Through these mantras, may I receive success!
SYAD YATHEDAM / PRATI-PURNA VARE / SAMANTA DARSHANE / MAHA VIHARA GATE / SAMANTA VEDANA GATE / MAHA KARYAM PRATIPRAVANE / SATTVA ARTHA SAMANTA ANU-PRAPURE / AYANA DHARMATA MAHA BHOGINE / MAHA MAITRE UPA-SAMHITE / HE TAISHI / SAMGRAHITE TESA MARTHA ANU-PALANI
When conferring the initiation from the crown, these are unfailing words that perfectly grant realization of emptiness in one mantric word of suchness. Beings who are placed in the middle, with roots of virtue free from unspeakable negativity, should recite and hold this mantra for seven years and observe the eight-precept ordination. Then, so that they and all sentient beings may complete the wisdom of the omniscient, they should offer flowers and incense to the buddhas in the morning and afternoon and say, “May my wishes be swiftly fulfilled.”
Whether in a monastery or forest retreat, they should clean that dwelling, draw a circle of cow dung, offer incense and perfume and provide clean seats. Scattering loose flowers on the ground, they should be seated. Then in that very moment the great goddess Shri will appear and remain in that place. She will ensure there is never poverty in that house, village, city, town, monastery or forest retreat. That place will be replete with all equipment, gold, jewels, wealth and grain. Beings will be made comfortable with everything that provides comfort. Whatever roots of virtue they gather, the major share should be offered to the great goddess Shri. Then, as long as they live, she will remain in that place and all their wishes will be fulfilled.
This ends the ninth chapter, the Chapter on The Great Goddess Shri, from the King of Glorious Sutras, the Sublime Golden Light.