大般若波羅蜜多経 巻五百六十五 (Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra Vol. 565)

...diligently instruct and rejoice with them, and you must accept, uphold, read, recite, and contemplate it according to the truth.

Explain and disclose it to others, so that those who receive and uphold it may completely understand its meaning and language. For what reason? If Bodhisattvas accept, uphold, read, recite, and become completely fluent in the profound Prajnaparamita Perfection of Wisdom, contemplating it according to the truth and explaining and disclosing it to others so they may easily understand it, these Bodhisattvas are declaring to sentient beings what has been said in the past.

If Bodhisattvas accept, uphold, read, recite, and for the sake of sentient beings, explain the profound Prajnaparamita, making various excellent offerings with the desire to uphold, honor, respect, and praise it, they are essentially making direct offerings, honoring, respecting, and praising it.

Bodhisattvas, Great Beings, I, and the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times past, present, and future—Ananda original: "慶喜" (Qingxi/Ananda), you should know—if Bodhisattvas, Great Beings, have a pure mind of respect and honor toward the profound Prajnaparamita, I will also be pleased; do not abandon this profound Prajnaparamita sutra, even down to a single phrase.

Just as one might fear losing something, good son, this profound Prajnaparamita sutra is like that. If Bodhisattvas, Great Beings, cannot fully uphold this profound sutra, it is as if they were losing me. You are all great masters; you are the supreme masters for all heavenly beings, humans, and asuras demigods. Like the Buddhas of the three times, these heavenly beings, humans, and asuras revere me; they should also revere this profound Prajnaparamita.

Ananda, I use immeasurable, skillful means to entrust this profound Prajnaparamita sutra to you. You must accept and uphold it. Do not let it be lost. I now...

A long horizontal scroll fragment containing vertical columns of traditional Chinese calligraphy.