The Merits of Reciting Sutras
僧彌伽多羅法師，是獅子國證得三果的聖人。有一年，他來到西太原寺，聽到僧眾正在讀誦《華嚴經》，他驚嘆道：「我不知道此處也有大經。」然後合掌歡喜讚歎：「《華嚴經》難思議！」
西域相傳，有人稱讚讀誦《華嚴經》的不可思議，洗手的水沾到的蟲蟻，死後都升天界，更何況受持、讀誦和思惟、修行，功德不思議。
華嚴宗三祖法藏和尚，十七歲辭別父母入太白山求法，後來因為母親生病，回家探親。當時華嚴宗祖師智儼和尚，在終南山邊上的雲華寺，開講華嚴經。時至深夜，法藏大師忽然見一道神光，照亮了佛寺屋宇，他知道屋內必有高人，天亮時遇上智儼和尚，就拜他為師，跟隨他學習，深入華嚴的甚深旨趣。
大德們：我們是否也該一起來讀誦此經典，讀經具有無量殊勝利益。
資料來源：心靈甘露(四)，隆門圓通法師著。英文翻譯：張惠平。
The Merits of Reciting Sutras
Master Kadolo was a sage who had attained the Three Fruits in Simhaladvipa (ancient Sri Lanka). One day he came to the West Tai Yuan Temple and heard the monks and nuns reciting the Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra. He said with surprise, “I didn’t know there is also a great sutra here.” Then he praised with his palms joined, “The Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra is really incredible!”
In the Western Regions (in ancient China), tradition has it that people praise the incredible Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra by saying that insects that touch the water used to wash the hands of those who have read this sutra will be reincarnated in Heaven after they die. The merits of those who abide by, recite, think about, and cultivate this sutra are inconceivable.
Monk Fa Tzang, the third forefather of the Hua Yen School, left his parents and went to Mount Tai Bai to seek Dharma at the age of 17. Then he went back home to see his sick mother. At that time, Master Chi Yen, the forefather of the Hua Yen School, was lecturing on the Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra in the Yuin Hua Temple at Mount Juong Nan. At midnight, Master Fa Tzang saw a mysterious ray shining on the temple and he knew that there must be an able person inside the house. So at dawn when he met master Chi Yen, he formally became an apprentice to Chi Yen and thus started to learn deeply into the gist of the Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra.
Virtuous ones! Shall we also read or recite this sutra together? Reading sutras may bring us boundless magnificent merits.
Source: Sweet Dew for the Soul (Vol. IV), Written by Master Shih Longmen Yuantong. Translated by Huei Ping Chang.