Sutra on the Virtues of
Bathing the Buddha

"... If men, women, or the five groups of mendicantsBhikkhu, Bhikkhuni, Samanera, Samaneri, Sikkhamana build an image of the Buddha; or if those without strength deposit one as large as a grain of barley; or build a stupa (its body the size of a jujube, its mast the size of a needle, its parasol equal to a flake of bran, its relic like a mustard seed); or if someone writes the Dharma verse and installs it inside the stupa, it will be the same as offering up a rare jewel in their act of paying homage. In accordance with their own strength and ability, if they can truly be sincere and respectful, it (the image or stupa) will be identical with my present body, equal without difference.
Noble son, if there are any beings that can make such supreme offerings, they will glorify themselves by achieving fifteen superb virtues:

First, they earnestly stay humble.
Second, they develop a mind of pure faith.
Third, their hearts are truthful.
Fourth, they are drawn to virtuous companions.
Fifth, they enter the state of flawless wisdom.
Sixth, they constantly meet with Buddhas.
Seventh, they habitually embrace the Dharma.
Eighth, they are able to fulfill any words rendered.
Ninth, according to their wishes, they will be born in pure Buddha lands.
Tenth, if they are reborn as human beings, they will become noble people of dignified families and are respected among others; they invariably evoke joyousness.
Eleventh, as human beings, they naturally have Buddhas on their minds.
Twelfth, any armies of demons will be unable to either harm or trouble them.
Thirteenth, despite the Dark Age, they are able to protect and sustain the Dharma.
Fourteenth, they are protected by innumerable Buddhas of ten directions.
Fifteenth, they will soon attain the five attributes of a Dharma body.

After my Parinirvana
You can honor my relics,
Build stupas or even images of the Tathagata.
At the location of the images or stupas,
You can establish a mandala.
With various incenses and flowers
Scattered over their surfaces.
With fresh and splendidly scented water
You pour onto the body of the images,
Presenting various flavorful drinks and foods,
Conscientiously perform with full devotion
Eulogize the virtues of the Tathagata,
Which are inconceivably boundless;
Through the wisdom of skillful means
And the supernatural power of the Buddha
You swiftly reach the other shore of Nirvana.
You will obtain a Vajra body
Perfect with the thirty-two major marks
And the eighty minor signs of excellence
Liberating innumerable sentient beings ..."

Sutra on Making Buddha Images

"... People who make Buddha images, will possess bright eyes and elegant looks in their after lives; their physical bodies, arms and feet are well-proportioned. Even if they are born as gods, with radiant eyes and countenance, their immaculateness outshines other gods of any realms. Indeed such a fortune is attained by those who make Buddha images.

Any places in which people who make Buddha images are born will be void of any evilness. Their physiques are flawless. When they pass away, they will be born in the gods realm of the seventh Brahma heaven. Their appearance is exceptionally graceful that all gods will honor them. Indeed such a fortune is attained by those who make Buddha images.

People who make Buddha images will be born to dignified families that excel any other families existent on earth; never will they be born to underprivileged families. Indeed such a fortune is attained by those who make Buddha images.

People who make Buddha images in their after lives will be golden color in their physiques and be peerlessly refined.

People who make Buddha images will be born in their after lives to affluent families, with wealth, money, and precious jewels in abundance beyond measure. They will also be cherished by their parents, siblings, and other relatives. Indeed such a fortune is attained by those who make Buddha images.

When people who make Buddha images are born in JambudvipaAccording to Buddhist cosmology, Jambudvipa is the southern continent (which is the world we are staying now) of the four continents that surround Mount Meru (Mani Kabum, 2007)., they will be born either in the royal families or benevolent families. Indeed such a fortune is attained by those who make Buddha images.

People who make Buddha images will be born in their subsequent lives as the most noted and the most revered emperors among other monarchs. They are also worshipped as the patrons of all the other emperors. Indeed such a fortune is attained by those who make Buddha images.

People who make Buddha images will be born in their after lives as Dharma-turning kings who are able to ascend and travel across gods realms and return at will. There is nothing beyond their capabilities. Indeed such a fortune is attained by those who make Buddha images.

People who make Buddha images will be born in their after lives in the seventh Brahmin gods realm with a lifespan of one kalpa. Their wisdom is infinite and after they pass away, they won't be born in any lower realms. While alive, they constantly watch their deeds, think of Buddhas in pursuit of the Enlightenment. Indeed such a fortune is attained by those who make Buddha images.

People who make Buddha images will in their after lives repeatedly venerate Buddhas and revere the Holy Scriptures. They continually make offerings to Buddha's relics by presenting assorted silk cloths, exquisite incenses, splendid flowers, oil-lit lights, and other precious jewels as well as other rarest treasures of the world. After innumerable kalpas, they will attain Nirvana. Those people who aspire to dedicate precious properties to Buddhas are not ordinary beings but were true Buddhist practitioners in previous lives. Indeed such a fortune is attained by those who make Buddha images.

The virtues gained in the after lives by people who make Buddha images are immeasurable. There is not enough time to delineate its magnitude. If the total volume of all rivers and oceans of the four great continentsOne world is composed of one Mount Meru, one sun, one moon, four great continents and the various seas and oceans that surround them. One-thousand such worlds form a small thousand-world system. One thousand small thousand-world systems form a medium thousand-world system. One thousand medium thousand-world systems form a great thousand-world system. This set of worlds is usually referred as THREE-THOUSAND GREAT-THOUSAND-WORLD SYSTEMS. The four great continents are ruled by four direction kings who live halfway up Mount Meru (Mani Kabum, 2007). is gauged, the virtues of making Buddha images outweigh the volume tenfold. Wherever these people are born, in their after lives they will always be respected and protected by others.

As if during a rainstorm, the people who make Buddha images have reliable lodgings that they need not fear anything. These people never ever fall into the lower realms—be it hell, animals or hungry ghosts realms—after their ensuing deaths. If there are people who hold both of their palms together devotedly in front of Buddha images and take refuge in Buddha stupas or Buddhas' relics, after their time is done, for one hundred kalpas, they will neither enter the lower realms of hells, animals, nor hungry ghosts, but instead will be born in the heavenly realms of the gods. Once their life spans are used up, they will descend to this world as the children of prosperous families. Their possessions of precious jewels and treasures are incalculable. Eventually they are bound to attain the Buddhahood (Nirvana).

... Virtuous people who make Buddha images are bound to receive such blessings according to the non-hyperbolic explanation I have just rendered you ..."

Lotus Sutra

"... After Buddhas passed into Parinirvana, there were people who made offerings to Buddhas' relics by constructing trillion kinds of stupas. With gold, silver and crystal, giant clam shells and agates, assorted gems of carnelian and vaidurya, they extensively adorned and secured the stupas with various first-rate treasures in utmost devotion.

There were also some people who built stone mausoleums, of sandalwood and aloe-wood, of hovenia and other timbers, of bricks, tiles, clay, and the like. Moreover, some people piled up the soil in the outdoors to form Buddha-shrines, even some children playfully built up Buddha stupas from sand. Such people and so on have now attained the Buddhahood.

Out of a deep devotion to Buddhas, people who built, sculpted or even carved out Buddha images, have now attained the Buddhahood.

Some made Buddha statues from seven jewels, or with nickel, copper, white tin, or with alloys of lead and tin, or with iron, wood, or again, with clay. Some even coated the statues with resin and lacquer. All of them conscientiously made the Buddha images. Such people and so on have now attained the Buddhahood.

People produced Buddha paintings with diverse colors, meticulously bringing out the noble qualities of Buddhas with artistic skills, either by themselves or by others through their instructions. They have all now attained the Buddhahood.

Even children while playing, might use grass, sticks, brushes, or their finger nails, to draw Buddha images. Such people and so on would gradually be accumulating virtues, fully harnessing their great compassionate hearts. They have now either attained the Buddhahood, or become Bodhisattvas who have liberated incalculable sentient beings ..."