Summary
s.1A group of merchants from Vaiśālī, preparing to travel to Takṣaśilā, learn that the Buddha is staying nearby at the Kūṭāgāraśālā and offer the Buddha and his monks a midday meal. The Buddha teaches them how to overcome the fears of the wilderness by recollecting the Buddha, Dharma, or Saṅgha, comparing it to how the military crest insignias of Śakra, Īśāna, and Varuṇa respectively embolden the devas in their battles against the asuras. The sūtra concludes with the Buddha offering the merchants verses of benediction for a safe journey. This is the longer of two Mahāsūtras with the same title and similar themes but adressed to different audiences.
s.1毘舍離的一群商人準備前往塔克西拉，得知佛陀正在附近的重屋講堂駐留，便供養佛陀和僧眾午餐。佛陀教導他們如何通過憶念佛陀、法或僧伽來克服野外的恐懼，並將此比作釋提桓因、大自在天和水天的軍隊頂髻如何分別在對阿修羅的戰爭中鼓舞天神的勇氣。該經以佛陀為商人們誦唱祝福偈語祈願他們旅途平安而結束。這是兩部同名大經中較長的一部，二者主題相似但針對的聽眾不同。