Toh 101The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “Upholding the Roots of Virtue”

Summary

This sūtra, one of the longest scriptures in the General Sūtra section of the
Kangyur, outlines the path of the Great Vehicle as it is journeyed by bodhisattvas in
pursuit of awakening. The teaching, which is delivered by the Buddha Śākyamuni to a host
of bodhisattvas from faraway worlds as well as a selection of his closest hearer students,
such as Śāradvatīputra and Ānanda, elucidates in particular the practice of engendering
and strengthening the mind of awakening, as well as the practice of bodhisattva conduct
for the sake of all other beings.

Acknowledgements

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi
Nyima Rinpoche. Thomas Doctor and James Gentry produced the translation and Andreas Doctor
compared the draft translation with the Tibetan and edited the text.

This translation has been completed under the patronage and supervision of
84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

The generosity of the sponsors who made work on this text possible is gratefully
acknowledged. Their dedication is as follows: For Huang Yi-Hsong, Huang Tsai Shun-Ching,
and all sentient beings.

Introduction

Upholding the Roots of Virtue is one of the most
extensive sūtras in the Tibetan Kangyur, spanning no fewer than 452 Tibetan pages.
Apart from a brief summary of the text by Csoma de Körös in 1836, the
sūtra has never, to our knowledge, received sustained scholarly attention. While the
Sanskrit source text appears to have disappeared, we do have translations of this
sūtra into Chinese and Tibetan. The Chinese translation, Fo
shuo hua shou jing
佛說華手經 (Taishō 657), was produced by the renowned
translator Kumārajīva (344–413 ce), who completed the
translation toward the end of his life in 406, while residing in the former Chinese
capital of Chang’an. The Tibetan translation was produced approximately four centuries
later. This might suggest that the sūtra enjoyed some popularity in Indian Buddhist
circles during the heyday of Great Vehicle thought and practice. Unfortunately,
however, we have not been able to locate any citations from this sūtra in the
commentarial works of Indian scholars. Complicating matters further, although the
Chinese translation generally corresponds fairly closely with the Tibetan, the Chinese
is divided into thirty-five chapters, but the Tibetan into only fifteen. Much remains
to be explored, therefore, concerning the history of this sūtra’s formation and
transmission.

The Tibetan translation was produced by translators who flourished during the
late eighth and early ninth centuries when the majority of Indian Great Vehicle sūtras
were translated into Tibetan.
The main translator of this sūtra was a relatively unknown person by the name of Leki
Dé who, as was customary with such translations, was assisted in his task by an Indian
scholar, the renowned Indian preceptor Prajñāvarman. The translation was later revised
and finalized by Prajñāvarman and another influential Indian paṇḍita, Jñānagarbha, as
well as the prolific translator and chief editor Yeshé Dé. While the more than one
hundred Kangyur translations to which Yeshé Dé is said to have contributed are
generally of very high quality, in working on this sūtra we found that certain
sections of the Tibetan translation lacked the clarity and precision that otherwise
characterize translations that acknowledge Yeshé Dé’s editorial involvement. We have
recorded these passages in the notes, with the hope that scholars might take up the
task of comparing them closely with other Tibetan versions and Kumārajīva’s Chinese
translation. In producing this English translation, we have based our work on the Degé
xylograph Kangyur, in consultation with the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma) Kangyur and, in the case of
several particularly difficult terms and passages, comparison with the Stok Palace
manuscript Kangyur and Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation.

The content of the sūtra is structured into fifteen chapters in which the
Buddha Śākyamuni teaches a gathering of bodhisattvas from other worlds as well as a
small selection of his closest hearer students, such as Śāradvatīputra and Ānanda, a
variety of topics roughly centered on how to arouse, sustain, and practice the mind of
awakening. The topic of “upholding the roots of virtue” is treated in this Great
Vehicle context. A classic account, found in Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośabhāṣyam, for example, describes virtuous
roots (kuśalamūla, dge ba’i rtsa ba) as being of three types:
absence of desire (alobha, ma chags pa), absence of hatred (adveṣa, zhe sdang med pa), and absence of error (amoha, gti mug med pa). The Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra attributed to Nāgārjuna explains them as
follows:

There are three roots of good: i) absence of desire; ii) absence of hatred;
iii) absence of delusion. All the good dharmas derive their birth and their
increase from the three roots of good, just as plants, trees, grasses, and bushes
derive their arising and growth from their roots. This is why they are called
‘roots of good.’

Thus, when these factors are present in a person they will influence the
accumulation and ripening of actions (karman, las) performed
by that person. As that process continues, both mundane abundance in the higher realms
as well as ultimate liberation and the transcendence of suffering can be attained. In
this way, roots of virtue serve as the driving force for accomplishment and can be
dedicated (pariṇāma, bsngo ba) toward general and particular
achievements. All the while it is crucial to avoid what is termed the
severance of the roots of virtue (dge rtsa chad pa) that may otherwise occur when someone
adopts and adheres to a wrong view (mithyādṛṣṭi, log lta).
Since they are the fundamental factors for progress on the path, roots of virtue have
also been associated with the principle of “potential” or “class” (gotra, rigs).

In this sūtra we find descriptions of the ways buddhas inspire sentient beings
to bring forth roots of virtue in their streams of being, and we hear of how
bodhisattvas embrace their roots of virtue with dedication and aspiration, thereby
enabling them to achieve ever greater accomplishments. As a Great Vehicle sūtra,
Upholding the Roots of Virtue stresses the importance
of ensuring the unbroken continuity of virtuous roots, such that they do not come to a
final end with the attainment of nirvāṇa and the exhaustion of the five aggregates.

The chapters in the sūtra may be briefly synopsized as follows:

Chapter 1: The Setting

As the sūtra opens, the Buddha Śākyamuni is in the Kalandakanivāpa, at the
Veṇuvana in Rājagṛha. He is joined by great hearers and bodhisattvas, who have just
completed their summer retreats. The Buddha performs a miracle, causing the venerable
Mahākāśyapa and five hundred monks to come before him in an instant, having traveled
all the way from the Indraśailaguha cave on Vaidehaka Mountain. A Dharma dialogue
ensues between Mahākāśyapa and the Buddha, culminating in the Buddha performing
another miracle whereby innumerable human and nonhuman
beings are drawn to the site of the Buddha’s residence. With his own miraculous
abilities Maudgalyāyana creates a magnificent venue for the Buddha’s teaching, and the
Buddha decides to deliver a teaching to dispel all the doubts and hesitation in his
bodhisattva followers.

Chapter 2: Praising the Magnificent Display of

Miracles

Within the gathering a youth known as Padmaśrīgarbha wishes to receive a
teaching. Knowing the youth’s thoughts, the Buddha Śākyamuni projects a light that
reaches across innumerable universes. In a distant realm a bodhisattva by the name of
Jālinīprabha notices the light. When informed by the buddha of that realm, Single
Jewel Ornament, about the source of the light, Jālinīprabha decides to travel to
Jambudvīpa. Once there, the bodhisattva presents offerings to the Buddha who now
begins to teach on the nature of reality. Similar events occur as the light and sounds
of the Blessed One reach other buddha realms. As more visiting bodhisattvas appear
before Śākyamuni, he teaches on the nature of sentient beings and buddhas, the world,
and the bodhisattva path.

Chapter 3: Praising the Merits of Engendering the Mind of

Awakening and Pursuing the Sacred Dharma

The many Dharma teachings have inspired a certain Dṛḍhamati to develop the
mind of awakening, and hence he proceeds to express his understanding of the mind of
awakening to the Buddha. The Blessed One responds by guiding Dṛḍhamati through an
inquiry that illumines the virtues that ensue from a sustained commitment to the
welfare and awakening of all beings.

Chapter 4: Praising the Engendering of the Mind of

Awakening

In another distant realm the bodhisattva Luminous Sphere of Great Splendor has
likewise noticed the lights and sounds. He obtains permission from the buddha Majestic
Mountain to see the Buddha Śākyamuni, carrying gifts with him. When the Buddha
subsequently teaches on the mind of awakening, he illustrates the subject matter
through a colorful account of two royal brothers, Aśoka and Vigataśoka, who competed
with each other to reach awakening first.

Chapter 5: The Gathering of Bodhisattvas

This chapter recounts the visits of numerous bodhisattvas from their
respective buddha realms. Having noticed the extraordinary lights and sounds, the
bodhisattvas seek clarification from the buddhas of their realms, and are inspired to
make the journey to meet the Buddha Śākyamuni. Traveling miraculously, they soon
arrive before Śākyamuni. They present their offerings and take their seats within the
vast gathering that surrounds him. All the accounts of this chapter follow a similar
pattern, thus amplifying the sense of the far-reaching, cosmic consequences of the
Blessed One’s presence in Jambudvīpa.

Chapter 6: Perseverance in the Bodhisattva’s Conduct,

Exalted Intention, and Pursuit of the Sublime Dharma

At this point the Buddha Śākyamuni enters, and subsequently leaves, an
extensive number of absorptions. Having finally emerged from the last of these
concentrations, the immovable absorption, he delivers an
extensive teaching to Śāradvatīputra on the entire bodhisattva path and the
attainment of awakening. As part of this teaching, the Buddha recounts a number of
stories from the distant past to illustrate his points, including stories about his
own past lives as well as that of a previous buddha, Dīpaṃkara.

Chapter 7: The Perfect Teaching on the Exalted

Intention

The Buddha Śākyamuni continues to teach Śāradvatīputra about the bodhisattva
path, elaborating, through enumerations and illustrations, upon the behaviors of body,
speech, and mind that are consistent or inconsistent with the bodhisattva’s altruistic
resolve to reach awakening for the benefit of all beings. The Buddha relates the
lengthy account of Prince Smṛtilābha and his encounter with the māra Muṣitasmṛti to
illustrate how bodhisattvas ideally ought to set their altruistic motivation and
follow through with this resolve in the face of extraordinary hardships. The themes
that figure strongly throughout this chapter are the importance of renunciation and
the consequent resolve to take monastic ordination for the sake of all beings, no
matter what perilous situations might be encountered in this and future lives.

Chapter 8: Inspiring to Uphold, Expressing, and Training in

Engendering the Mind of Awakening

The Buddha Śākyamuni continues to teach Śāradvatīputra about the bodhisattva
path. The Buddha begins with an explanation of the correct view and how it relates to
physical and verbal conduct. He then shifts into an elaborate discourse replete with a
series of exquisite analogies and stories that illustrate the vast merit in store for
those who inspire a bodhisattva through Dharma teachings about the mind of awakening
and encourage the bodhisattva to uphold those teachings and to train in them. The
Buddha clearly states that such meritorious rewards pertain even to ordinary beings,
hearers, or others who are not explicitly training in the bodhisattva path. He
recounts stories of his own past lives and gives a series of similes to illustrate
this point, including descriptions of the disastrous consequences in store for those
who attempt to interfere with the bodhisattva’s sublime objectives. The discourse
closes with a return to the bodhisattva’s view: emptiness.

Chapter 9: Engaging in Means, Abandoning the Sublime Dharma,

and Encouraging the Bodhisattva to Uphold It

A beggar called Vijayarakṣa then
enters the assembly and asks the Buddha Śākyamuni how he might realize awakening while
living a life of negative conduct and hardship through his dependence on the wealth of
others. The Buddha reassures Vijayarakṣa that
the mind of awakening pertains to all beings of pure intention regardless of social or
economic position and prophesies that he will become a buddha. Thereupon Vijayarakṣa is elated, gives rise to the resolve
set on awakening, and begins to levitate in the sky. The Buddha shows a smile, which
radiates blue and yellow lights that dissolve into his own crown. When Ānanda inquires
into the significance of the Buddha’s smile, among other related questions, the Buddha
responds by relating a prophecy that foretells Vijayarakṣa’s eventual awakening. The Buddha then proceeds to outline the
many negative karmic consequences of disparaging and interfering with a bodhisattva’s
engendering of the mind of awakening. The chapter concludes with an episode in which a
householder, also named Vijayarakṣa, enters
the assembly as the Buddha is preaching about the repulsiveness of the human body as
an object of desire. Vijayarakṣa objects that
his wife does not fit these criteria, whereupon the Buddha teaches Vijayarakṣa by means of his supernatural powers
that his wife too is repulsive. This inspires him to renounce the life of a
householder and take ordination.

Chapter 10: Bodhisattva Conduct

The Buddha Śākyamuni continues to teach Śāradvatīputra, giving a series of
enumerations on the kinds of conduct that bodhisattvas should adopt and avoid.
Prevalent themes include a bodhisattva’s ideal renunciation, diligence in pursuit of
Dharma teachings, altruism, discipline, and great resolve. Included also are
enumerations concerning how to avoid abandoning the mind of awakening, as well as
admonitions against sectarianism, pride, and conceit. The chapter concludes with a
lengthy teaching on how bodhisattvas should construct, restore, and worship stūpas.

Chapter 11: The Perfect Declaration of Going Forth

Yet another figure called Vijayarakṣa, this time a seven-year-old boy, enters
the assembly and requests the Buddha Śākyamuni for permission to take ordination. The
Buddha responds with a profound teaching on the criteria for and nature of ordination,
focusing on the mind of awakening as the ultimate benchmark. Śāradvatīputra, now
curious as to the qualifications of the young boy, asks the Buddha a series of
questions about him. The Buddha reports that Vijayarakṣa had already been an adept for
several preceding eons. This prompts Śāradvatīputra to question Vijayarakṣa about
ordination. Vijayarakṣa responds with a teaching on the ultimate nature of ordination
and then vanishes. Śāradvatīputra’s subsequent astonishment forms the pretext for the
Buddha to give a discourse on the qualifications, identity, observance, and benefits
of a bodhisattva’s genuine ordination. The chapter concludes with the Buddha
recounting the story of a prince’s renunciation of his kingdom, and his eventual
ordination.

Chapter 12: The Pure Retinue

The Buddha Śākyamuni now addresses a teaching to Ānanda concerning how
bodhisattvas should ideally comport themselves physically, verbally, and mentally when
pursuing, receiving, and teaching the Dharma. The Buddha relates a story to illustrate
how this kind of conduct with respect to Dharma results in being part of a pure Dharma
retinue. The chapter concludes with the Buddha elaborating upon the sublime
characteristics of a pure bodhisattva retinue.

Chapter 13: Accomplishing the Gates of the Teachings

The bodhisattva Dṛḍhamati and the bodhisattva Guhagupta, who accompanies him,
now offer their shawls to the Buddha Śākyamuni to request that Dharma discourses might
continue to be given in the future. After a number of miraculous displays are
witnessed emerging from the shawls, Ānanda expresses his amazement. The Buddha
responds by asking him to relate what he saw, and Ānanda follows suit with an
elaborate description followed by questions. However, before the Buddha responds to
Ānanda’s inquiries, he asks Ānanda to wait for the bodhisattva Dṛḍhamati to ask his
questions. Dṛḍhamati then inquires about how beings “enter the gate” of the Dharma
before launching into a series of questions concerning the entire bodhisattva path
that all center upon whether and how teachers will bestow Dharma teachings in the
future. The Buddha recounts how in a previous lifetime Dṛḍhamati had asked other
buddhas those same questions. He then proceeds to teach on the gateways of Dharma, the
nature of language, the nature of phenomena, and the meditative absorptions by which
Dharma preachers acquire insight and eloquence. The chapter ends with the Buddha
reassuring Dṛḍhamati that in the future there will be no shortage of beings who will
acquire, through meditative absorption, the linguistic gateways into the Dharma and
the requisite inspired eloquence to teach the Dharma.

Chapter 14: The Action of Absorption

The Buddha Śākyamuni continues his teaching to Dṛḍhamati, elaborating upon the
many prerequisites and conditions for attaining the meditative absorptions through
which Dharma teachings are given, as well as the ideal qualities of Dharma-teaching
spiritual friends.

Chapter 15: The Benefit of Entrustment

The Buddha Śākyamuni continues his teaching to Dṛḍhamati, this time with a
brief instruction concerning how the superknowledges will be acquired based upon the
worship, restoration, and cleansing of stūpas. The Buddha continues in this vein,
relating the sublime features of his awakened body before dispensing a series of
predictions to Ānanda and Kāśyapa concerning the difficulties of upholding this sūtra
and others like it in future times.

The Translation

The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra

Upholding the Roots of Virtue

Chapter 1

The Setting

Homage to all the
buddhas and bodhisattvas!

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was at the Kalandakanivāpa in
the Veṇuvana, near Rājagṛha—an abode for those who practice concentration, an abode
for those who do not abide, an abode for those who dwell in emptiness, an abode for
those who dwell in signlessness, and an abode for those who dwell in wishlessness. The
Blessed One was there together with a great saṅgha of one hundred thousand monks, all
of whom talked only little, remained in solitude, and diligently practiced meditative
seclusion.

At one point the venerable Śāradvatīputra rose from his meditative seclusion
and went before the
Blessed One. He bowed his head to the Blessed One’s feet and then sat to one side.
Likewise did the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, the venerable Mahākātyāyana, the
venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, the venerable Kapphiṇa, the venerable Mahācunda, the
venerable Subhūti, the venerable Amogharāja, the venerable Vāṣpa, the venerable Nanda,
the venerable Ānanda, the venerable Nandaka, the venerable Kimbhīra, the venerable Upagupta, the venerable Nārada, the venerable
Vasiṣṭha, the venerable Mokila, and the venerable Upāli, along with
five hundred others who had all gained mastery. They all now rose from their afternoon
meditation session and went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet, and
sat to one side.

A party including the venerable Yaśodatta, the venerable
Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the venerable Marutpūjita, the venerable Yaśaskāma, the venerable
Nandisena, the venerable Nandikāma, and five hundred other monks had been traveling
from Śrāvastī where they had spent the rainy season. Now they arrived at the
Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. They also went before the Blessed One,
bowed their heads to his feet, and sat to one side.

At that time another party consisting of the bodhisattva great being Ajita and
one thousand bodhisattvas like him were likewise on the way from Campā where they had
stayed during the rains retreat. When they arrived at the Kalandakanivāpa in the
Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha they also went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his
feet, and sat to one side.

Traveling at that time were also the bodhisattva great beings Bhadrapāla,
Ratnākara, Susārthavāha, Guhagupta, Naradatta, Indradatta, Varuṇa,
Brahmādeva, Balabhadra, Viśeṣamati, Vardhamānamati, Amoghadarśin, Susaṃprasthita, Suvikrāntavikrāmin, Nityodyukta,
Anikṣiptadhura, Sūryagarbha, Jagatīṃdhara, Dharaṇīṃdhara, Amṛtaṃdhara,
Susthitamati, Anantamati,
Dṛḍhamati, Trailokyavikrāmin, Anantavikrāmin, Aprameyavikrāmin,
Vajrapadavikrāmin, Amoghapadavikrāmin, Acalapadavikrāmin,
Mahāpratibhāna, Tīkṣṇapratibhāna, Gambhīrapratibhāna,
Anantapratibhāna, Aprameyapratibhāna, Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta,
Padmaśrīgarbha, Dharmodgata, Ratnapāṇi, Ratnadhara, Bearer of the Armor for Infinite
Eons, Bearer of the Armor of Female Forms, Bearer of the Armor of Male Forms, Bearer
of the Armor of the Forms of Sentient Beings, Infinite Leader,
Unfathomable Leader, and Leader Destroying All Reference Points. All these bodhisattva
great beings had equally donned the armor of activity, and while they had observed the
rains retreat at different locations, they were now gathered in one group, and so they
also arrived at the Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. Upon their arrival,
they went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet, and sat to one side.

Knowing that this gathering of bodhisattva great beings had assembled, the
Blessed One performed a miraculous feat. Thus, by the doing of the Blessed One, all
the monks and nuns, as well as all the male and female lay practitioners, who were
present near the Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana by the city of Rājagṛha now
approached the grove and the place where the Blessed One was. They came there in order
to see the Blessed One, pay him their respect, and offer him their worship. As they
arrived before him, they each bowed their heads to the feet of the Blessed One, and
then sat to one side.

At that time Mahākāśyapa was dwelling in the Indraśailaguha cave on Vaidehaka
Mountain together with five hundred monks. They were all forest dwellers, receivers of
alms, wearers of refuse rags, wearers of the three Dharma robes, upright dwellers,
users of the grass mat, dwellers at the foot of trees, men of few desires, men of
contentment, recluses, and wearers of inferior Dharma robes. Now, as the Blessed One
effected his miraculous deed, Mahākāśyapa and the five hundred monks disappeared from
the Indraśailaguha cave on Vaidehaka Mountain and emerged at the Kalandakanivāpa in
the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. Such was the Blessed One’s miraculous activity.

Perceiving the venerable Mahākāśyapa’s arrival from afar, the Blessed One said to his monks,
“Monks, the elder Mahākāśyapa, who has just arrived, is a forest dweller, a receiver
of alms, a wearer of refuse rags, a wearer of the three Dharma robes, a wearer of
inferior Dharma robes, a hermit, a man of few desires, a man of contentment, a
recluse, an incorruptible one, and a master of the entire Dharma. Monks, in terms of
the ascetic practices, all my hearers should be equal or comparable to the monk
Mahākāśyapa. Monks, since the monk and wearer of the three Dharma robes, Mahākāśyapa,
does not even wish to speak with the gods, what need is there to mention his
disinterest in human conversation.”

When the Blessed One saw Mahākāśyapa arriving from afar, he said, “Kāśyapa,
come here. Be welcome here, Kāśyapa. Ah, the elder Kāśyapa has traveled far to be
here. Take this free seat, Kāśyapa.” As soon as the Blessed One had thus given a seat
to the elder Kāśyapa, the Blessed One caused a tremor to arise from that seat, so that
the entire trichiliocosm quivered, shivered, and trembled; vibrated, quaked, and
moved; and rattled, shook, and convulsed. At the same time, the world became engulfed
in a great light. Just as a jar of alloyed metal produced in Magadha emits a deep,
reverberating sound when it is struck with an iron hammer, so too from the tremor
arising from the seat he had just given to the venerable Mahākāśyapa, the Thus-Gone
One, the Worthy One, the Truly and Completely Awakened One likewise now caused a great
sound to reverberate throughout the entire trichiliocosm.

The venerable Mahākāśyapa then draped his Dharma robe over one shoulder, knelt
on his right knee, and, bowing toward the Blessed One, joined his palms in respect. He
approached the Blessed One, bowed his head to the Blessed One’s feet, and said,
“Blessed One, you are my teacher, and I am your hearer. Thus, for us hearers it would
not be appropriate to enjoy the Dharma robe, alms bowl, cushion, or any other object
used by the Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the perfect Buddha
himself. And why is that so? Because, Blessed One, for the entire world including its
gods, humans, and demigods these serve as a basis for worship. Nor, Blessed One, shall I use the refuse rags that
the Blessed One dons, because such garments serve as a basis for the worship of the
Blessed One.

“Blessed One, from now on I shall not entertain any thoughts of desire, ill
will, or malice. I shall not bring to mind any of the torments of desire, anger, or
delusion. Blessed One, in short, for as long as I train, and until I have reached the
ground of no more training, I shall place the Blessed One’s refuse rags at the crown
of my head. Blessed One, such garments I do not receive for my enjoyment but for the
sake of practicing the instructions and advice. Blessed One, as I take up such
garments I think myself neither superior nor inferior. Blessed One, I do not think of
the refuse rags as
something to be worn on the body in the absence of Dharma robes. Blessed One, I do not
think of the refuse rags as something that should be touched by unwashed hands.
Blessed One, wherever I may be, I will always prostrate to the refuse rags. Blessed
One, I do not think of the refuse rags as something that should be touched by any
unclean limb. Blessed One, I bear the refuse rags as a basis for worship. Blessed One,
that which I bear is what the Blessed One has relinquished and granted.

“Apart from the recollection of the buddhas, I do not engage in any attainment
for the sake of abiding in some other state. As for the way that I abide, I do not
identify earth as earth, water as water, fire as fire, or wind as wind. I do not have
any notion of either this world or something that is beyond it. Blessed One, I do not
form any notion about anything seen, heard, distinguished, cognized, conceived, or
contemplated. Blessed One, the state free from perception, the state of the attainment
free from perception, the state of the transcendence of perception, the state of the
transcendence of freedom from perception, the state of perception, the state without
perception, as well as the state of training and the state of no more training—none of
these do I truly perceive. Blessed One, within this state I do not perceive any
thus-gone ones, any qualities of the thus-gone ones, nor any state of the thus-gone ones. That is how I
abide.

“Blessed One, take as an analogy the various names, signs, and designations
for open space. Blessed One, in terms of such an application of names, signs, and
designations, we may say ‘space’ and so employ a convention, sign, or representation.
Blessed One, likewise, just as we may speak of ‘space,’ we may also say ‘the open,’
‘the empty,’ ‘the void,’ ‘the hollow,’ ‘the essenceless,’ ‘the ungraspable,’ ‘the
limitless,’ ‘the unsupported,’ ‘that which cannot be adopted,’ ‘that which cannot be
discarded,’ ‘the bodiless,’ ‘the actual,’ ‘the completely pure,’ ‘mid-air,’ ‘the
unimpeded,’ ‘the insubstantial,’ ‘what cannot be shown’—or any other such convention.
Nevertheless, Blessed One, no name, sign, or representation can be employed to
successfully delineate, determine, compare, or distinguish space. Blessed One,
wherever we may look, we will not find any color, shape, or objective referent whereby
space can be demarcated or contained.

“Similarly, Blessed One, we may say ‘the Thus-Gone One,’ ‘the Buddha,’ ‘the
Teacher,’ ‘the Refuge,’ ‘the Protector,’ ‘the Support,’ ‘the Guide,’ ‘the Leader,’
‘the Perfect Leader,’ ‘the Doctor,’ ‘the Healer,’ ‘the Revealer of the Path,’ ‘the
Teacher of the Path,’ or make use of some other name or convention. In that way the learned may praise,
venerate, extol, laud, and applaud the Blessed One. Yet whichever mundane quality they
may express through words and conventions in this way, this will not make me cognize,
regard, or perceive the Blessed One. And why is that so? Because, Blessed One, all
phenomena are by nature hollow and without essence.

“Blessed One, take the analogy of a magician who conjures a universal
monarch—a king who has received the royal anointment, is the master of the four
divisions of the army, and is in possession of the seven precious treasures. Blessed
One, that magically produced monarch may then be engaged in the subjugation of all the
beings that inhabit that universe of four continents, and he may succeed in
vanquishing that infinite amount of beings. Blessed One, the monarch’s body is
distinct, and the bodies of the sentient beings are likewise seen as distinct.
However, Blessed One, the magically conjured universal monarch will certainly not be
thinking, ‘I shall be the master of this great army! I shall rule this world of four
continents!’ And the four divisions of the army will certainly also not be thinking,
‘That universal monarch is our leader, so we must follow him!’ And yet they do follow
him.

“Similarly, Blessed One, that which is the intrinsic nature of phenomena does
not exist as a blessed thus-gone one, a hearer, someone training, someone not
training, a solitary buddha, or an ordinary being. Blessed One, within the intrinsic
nature there is no
observation, perception, or apprehending of the thus-gone ones’ intrinsic nature.
There is no observation, perception, or apprehending of the solitary buddhas’
intrinsic nature. There is no observation, perception, or apprehending of the hearers’
intrinsic nature. There is no observation, perception, or apprehending of ordinary
beings’ intrinsic nature. There is no observation, perception, or apprehending of the
intrinsic nature of form. Likewise, there is no observation, perception, or
apprehending of the intrinsic nature of feeling, perception, formation, or
consciousness. Blessed One, within the intrinsic nature, form is empty, form is empty
thereby, and within that there is no observation of empty form. Likewise, herein
feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness are also all empty, they are empty
thereby, and within that there is no observation of them as empty. Similarly, herein
the thus-gone one is empty, the thus-gone one is empty thereby, and within that there
is no observation of the thus-gone one as empty. In the same way, the intrinsic nature
of the thus-gone one is empty, the intrinsic nature of the thus-gone one is empty
thereby, and within that there is no observation of the intrinsic nature of the
thus-gone one as empty. Blessed One, in the same way, there is no hearer either, and
no intrinsic nature of the hearer. There is no ordinary being and no intrinsic nature
of the ordinary being.

“Blessed One, in the analogy of the magically produced universal monarch and
his divisions of the army, there is neither any universal emperor nor any divisions of
the army. They are not
to be found within the illusion itself, the intrinsic nature of the illusion, or
within the magician. They are not in earth, not in water, not in fire, not in wind,
not in space, and not in consciousness. They are not within the elements of earth,
water, fire, wind, or space. Nor are they within the element of consciousness. Blessed
One, all phenomena are this way. Blessed One, I do not think about them, I do not
produce them, and I do not speak of them. Blessed One, as I am in this way disengaged
from desirable qualities, I recollect the qualities of the thus-gone ones.

“Blessed One, this is the path, this is the way. The noble sons and daughters
who abide upon and have attained this path will not think, ‘I must engage in other
trainings. I must search for other teachers. I shall follow other mendicants or
brahmins as they teach. That other venerable one knows with insight, sees with vision,
and applies the true view with mastery.’ Such thinking is not appropriate. Blessed
One, since I have become certain about this, that is how I am. Since I have attained
that gateway of the Dharma, that is how I am. This is how all phenomena are: they all
share the same nature in terms of their voidness and unborn nature.

“Blessed One, I wish to bring my doubts about the Dharma before the Thus-Gone
One, the Worthy One, the perfect Buddha, and as the Thus-Gone One has given me the
opportunity, I have come here to the Kalandakanivāpa from the Indraśailaguha cave.
Blessed One, I am here,
and the Blessed One has granted me a seat. When he granted me a seat, this entire
trichiliocosm reverberated and the ground trembled and shook in six ways.

“Blessed One, this is how I think: The Thus-Gone One is a tremendously great
being in possession of the Dharma, the vast Dharma. Without any master, the Thus-Gone
One is self-arisen, and yet he follows the way of great compassion. Free of special
pride, without any pride, he has granted me a seat. This, I find, is a wonder.

“Blessed One, I think of the analogy of a poor man, who has been struggling to
maintain the most basic livelihood. That man may toil hard and so end up with a fine
home. At that point he may go before a king who has received the royal anointment and
is the commander of an army of four divisions—he may go before such a king in order to
see him, prostrate before him, pay him respect, and ask him questions. If, when the
man arrives, the king then offers him a free seat the man will think, ‘I came here to
see the king and pay my respects to him. Even an opportunity just to see the king and
prostrate before him is rare, let alone the prospects of being able to ask him
questions. Still, as soon as I arrived, this monarch who has received the royal
anointment granted me a free seat. What a wonder this is!’

“Blessed One, you are the king of Dharma, a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a
perfect buddha, self-arisen and without master. How may I wish what even for hearers
and solitary buddhas is hard to achieve and hard to imagine, let alone for the world
of gods, humans, and demigods? How is it that have I come here—before the Thus-Gone
One, the Worthy One, the perfect Buddha—to ask questions on the Dharma, to behold you,
to prostrate, and to pay you my respects? Blessed One, this is how I think: I have succeeded
in seeing the Thus-Gone One. I have succeeded in prostrating to him. I have succeeded
in paying him my respects. I have succeeded in addressing him. I have succeeded in
addressing him in full. As I now stand before the Blessed One, he has granted me a
free seat. Indeed, my success is of the finest sort.

“Blessed One, when the poor man beholds the universal monarch he is filled
with wonder, and, Blessed One, I too must marvel. Blessed One, this is how I think:
The Thus-Gone One is endowed with great love, great compassion, great joy, and great
equanimity. The qualities that the Thus-Gone One possesses are only his, the
Teacher’s, and no one else’s. Yet the Thus-Gone One does not think himself special,
supreme, or superior. What a wonder this is. I think of how the buddha qualities that
belong to the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the perfect Buddha are not shared by any
hearer or solitary buddha.”

The Blessed One then spoke to the venerable Mahākāśyapa: “That is right,
Kāśyapa, that is right. Kāśyapa, you are right. Kāśyapa, the thus-gone ones are
boundless and endowed with boundless qualities. It is impossible to measure the extent
of their generosity, and their transcendent generosity, and so on, through to their
insight and their transcendent insight. Their aspiration, their transcendent
aspiration, their means, their transcendent means, their activity, their transcendent
activity, their
liberation, their transcendent liberation, their vision of liberated wisdom, and their
vision of transcendent liberated wisdom—these are all immeasurable.

“Kāśyapa, four factors pertain to the thus-gone ones’ unequaled wisdom. Due to
their possession of those four factors, the thus-gone ones bring forth the lion’s roar
in the midst of their retinue. Which are those four? They are the equality of
discipline, the equality of absorption, the equality of insight, and the equality of
buddha qualities. Kāśyapa, whoever is endowed with this fourfold wisdom of equality is
a thus-gone one who proclaims the lion’s roar in the midst of their retinue.”

The Blessed One then spoke the following verses:

“Buddhas throughout inconceivable worlds,

Endowed with the infinite wisdom of buddhahood,

Have purified the actions of the mind,

And so proclaim the lion’s roar.

“In letting the lion’s roar resound,

They terrify the extremists,

Who when hearing of phenomena’s intrinsic nature

Fall into the abyss.

“Those harboring the notion of self

And the notion of a sentient being—

Kāśyapa, such beings I declare

To be extremists in terms of this teaching.

“Those keeping the notion of an entity

And of ‘my self’—

Kāśyapa, such beings I declare

To be extremists in terms of this teaching.

“Those deluded beings

Who conceitedly consider themselves disciplined,

Concentrated, and learned—

Those are extremists, Kāśyapa.

“ ‘I am content and have few desires;

I remain in solitude

And adhere to the simplest of Dharma robes’—

Those who think this are extremists, Kāśyapa.

“Take the analogy of space:

When a hand moves through space, it is unobstructed.

Moreover, as for space,

It can never be stained by dust.

“Likewise, Kāśyapa, those who practice

This Dharma that I have taught

Will not be stained by the afflictions;

It is just as with space and dust, or clouds.

“People may offer flowers and incense,

Or garlands and ointments to the sky,

Yet the sky will not keep track, thinking,

‘Offerings that arise and cease are made to me.’

“Space will not be stained,

Its nature will not be stained—

Its nature is devoid of any essence.

To mendicants, so are all empty phenomena.

“Space will not be threatened,

Nor will it ever be abused—

To mendicants, this is how all phenomena are.

Like space, they cannot be tarnished by anything.

“Mendicants who train well in this Dharma,

While also showing others the points of training,

Will never develop attachments.

These I declare to be well-trained mendicants.

“Just as space cannot be blocked by the hand,

Nor sullied by dust or smoke,

And just as its path cannot be altered,

So are mendicants who trust the Dharma accordingly.

“Across the cloudless sky

The moon travels unhindered,

Yet it does so without thinking,

‘I shall illumine this space.’

“Likewise, when, free from agitation, moon-like mendicants

Visit the households of benefactors

Their minds should be liberated, free from excitement and pride,

And unstained by any mundane phenomenon.

“Having abandoned pride they thus visit the households,

And once there they speak the Dharma.

Having given up desire for pleasures and acquisitions,

They live in the world by pure discipline.”

The Blessed One then spoke to Mahākāśyapa: “Stand up, Kāśyapa. Stand up and go
take your seat. Kāśyapa, whatever doubts you may have about the Dharma, you must bring
them before the Thus-Gone One. Kāśyapa, I shall answer your questions and delight your
mind.”

The venerable Mahākāśyapa then rose from where he had been kneeling, bowed his
head to the feet of the Blessed One, and took a place at one side. Once more the
Blessed One performed a miraculous act, so that all the monks and nuns as well as all
the male and female lay practitioners in Jambudvīpa now came to the Kalandakanivāpa
in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. They approached the site where the Blessed One was, and
as they arrived, they bowed their heads to the Blessed One’s feet and then sat to one
side.

Miraculously, the Blessed One next caused all the monks, nuns, male lay
practitioners, female lay practitioners, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods,
garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas to enter the Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana and, as
they entered, this limitless and boundless mass of beings gained insight. The Blessed
One then proceeded to perform more miraculous acts. Thereby, from the entire
trichiliocosm, the four great kings, King Śakra of the gods, Brahmā, Mahābrahmā, as
well as all the divine sons of the heavens of Luminosity, Unlofty, No Hardship,
Excellent Vision, and Unexcelled arrived at the Kalandakanivāpa in the
Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha due to the power of the Buddha. As they arrived, they proceeded
to the place where the Blessed One was residing. Having bowed their heads to the Blessed One’s
feet, they sat to one side, facing the Blessed One with their palms joined in homage.

The Blessed One then performed further miraculous acts. Thus, by the power of
the Buddha, there now appeared the kings of the nāgas—Sāgara, Anavatapta, Kambaleśvara,
Gautama, Nanda, Upananda,
Manasvin, Takṣaka, Sundara, and Elapatra—accompanied by a billion other nāgas. They
all went before the Blessed One, bowed their heads to his feet in homage, and sat to
one side.

In this way, by the power of the Buddha, such a vast gathering of gods,
nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, monks, nuns, and
male and female lay practitioners had now come together at the Kalandakanivāpa in the
Veṇuvana. Everyone entered the grove and took a place there without any anxiety about
one another. Such was the Blessed One’s miraculous activity.

The Blessed One now addressed the venerable Maudgalyāyana: “Maudgalyāyana,
stand up and prepare a seat for the Thus-Gone One. Seated there, the Thus-Gone One
shall deliver the Dharma discourse known as ‘Cutting Through All Doubts.’ He will
display the activity that fulfills the wishes of all sentient beings. He will deliver
a teaching of the Dharma that satisfies all sentient beings. He will reveal the ocean
seal that leads all sentient beings to merge with the Dharma. He will explain how to
accomplish the activities of all bodhisattva great beings. He will explain the way to cultivate
the qualities of the buddhas. He will explain the practices that bring sentient beings
to maturity. He will explain how to practice transcendent generosity up until
transcendent insight. He will explain the practice of the door to the way of all
phenomena. He will show the accomplishment of the lord of all beings. He will show the
accomplishment of the activities pertaining to the states of all beings. He will
satisfy the four retinues. He will satisfy the retinue of gods, nāgas, yakṣas,
gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas. He will teach just a fraction
of the wisdom that is unhindered and unimpeded with regard to past, present, and
future. He will teach just a fraction pertaining to the ripening of karmic action, as
well as to activity, aspiration, and wisdom.”

The venerable Maudgalyāyana rose from his seat and bowed his head to the feet
of the Blessed One. He then emanated a seat for the Blessed One that was as large as
the world of Brahmā. In the sky above he emanated a courtyard for the Blessed One made
of the seven precious substances that was as smooth to the touch as kācalindika fabric. The courtyard was as
vast as a thousandfold universe, and it extended for a distance of seven hundred
leagues. Surrounding the courtyard were seven fences, seven arches, seven ledges, and
seven layers of lattices made of bells and bangles. To its sides he emanated trees of
four precious substances: gold, silver, crystal, and beryl. The trees of gold had silver leaves,
crystal flowers, and beryl fruits; the trees that were of silver had golden leaves,
flowers of beryl, and fruits of crystal; the beryl trees had leaves of gold, flowers
of silver, and fruits of crystal; and the crystal trees had leaves of gold, silver
flowers, and beryl fruits. Between the trees were ponds filled with water endowed with
the eight qualities. Leading to the water were four steps, each of them made of
precious substances: gold, silver, beryl, and crystal. Sand of gold was strewn, and in
the ponds blossomed blue, pink, red, and white lotuses. In the sky above, he emanated
a latticed canopy made of the seven precious substances. The courtyard was decorated
with numerous silken tassels, the air was filled with pleasant wafts of incense, and
there were beds of various flowers, each the size of seven people. Within each of the
blue, pink, red, and white lotuses Maudgalyāyana created a monk who looked just like
himself.

When the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana had magically produced a seat of this
sort, he went before the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, I have prepared a seat
for you. Please know that the time is now right.”

“Maudgalyāyana,” the Blessed One then asked, “have you finished arranging my
seat?”

“Yes, Blessed One, I have,” replied Maudgalyāyana.

The Blessed One then addressed the bodhisattva great being Revealing the Accomplishment of
Apprehending Infinite Objects: “Noble son, prepare a lion throne for the Thus-Gone
One. Seated upon that throne, the Thus-Gone One shall deliver the Dharma teaching
known as ‘Truly Satisfying All Sentient Beings.’ ”

Paying heed to the Blessed One, the bodhisattva great being Revealing the
Accomplishment of Apprehending Infinite Objects then prepared a seat, and all the
bodhisattvas who were in attendance likewise offered their own shawls to the seat,
spreading them upon the lion throne.

Next the Blessed One formed the following intention: “In order to dispel the
doubts and hesitations of these bodhisattvas, I shall produce a miracle. Based on
their own Dharma robes, I will grant them a vision of their bodhisattva activities,
engagements, aspirations, display of realms, and maturation of sentient beings. I
shall let them perceive the features of the realms within which they are to awaken to
true and complete buddhahood. Likewise, I shall let them see their perfect hearers,
their perfect bodhisattvas, and their perfect Dharma teaching. I shall show them their
perfect lifespan, perfect complexion, perfect form, perfect name, perfect marks,
perfect endowments, and their perfect Dharma fearlessness.”

Then, with his wisdom mind thus inclined, the Blessed One sat down upon his
seat and entered the
buddhas’ absorption known as revealing the accomplishment of apprehending
infinite objects. As soon as the Blessed One had entered this
meditative absorption, all the bodhisattvas who had placed their upper garments upon
the Blessed One’s seat now came to perceive everything—from the perfect array of their
own future buddha realm up to their perfect Dharma fearlessness—within each of their
own shawls. Witnessing all this, the bodhisattvas were deeply gratified and delighted.
Joyous and elated, with one voice they sang the following verses to the Blessed
One:

“O you of proper comportment and conduct, source of excellent qualities,

Fearless master of all phenomena—

Endowed with all excellent qualities, how beautiful you are!

You are a masterful victor who abides in absorption.

“You are free from falseness and deceit.

Knowing neither pride, agitation, nor pretense,

You know the deeds related to knowledge and liberation.

Abiding in this meditative absorption, how beautiful you are!

“With fearless mastery you remain in meditation

And so display unparalleled and unsurpassable miracles.

Revealing your unhindered wisdom,

With mastery, today you have disclosed the future.

“We now think we have attained the peace of the immutable stage;

We now think we have entered awakening;

We now think we have conquered the māras;

We now think we have gained knowledge.

“We now think we have attained the supreme eye

With which the victorious ones perceive the voidness of all things conditioned.

By the kindness of your unhindered wisdom

The eye sees, utterly unhindered.

“While perceiving distinctly, nothing is seen,

And no phenomenon is threatening.

When the mind is free from hostility

Then that is the supreme buddha eye.

“With the victor’s supreme buddha eye

The three realms are known and accessed without any hindrance.

With a mind in which entity and non-entity are equal

You display true diligence, resting within your own vision.

“When the Victorious One entered this absorption,

He made everyone feel that they had gained accomplishment.

All achieved these gateways of retention

As well as the supreme gateway of Dharma liberation.

“Having entered the gate, become skilled, and achieved purity,

The mind of the Victorious One shall never decline.

Such is the ripening of great generosity.

Such are the qualities of great discipline.

“Such are the qualities of great insight.

Thus, having relied upon these teachings in the past,

As you took your seat and practiced concentration,

Lord of men, you shone throughout the ten directions.

“Victor, all aspects of death, transference, and karmic action,

As they will be for this gathering of your heart children,

Became clearly evident today

For all gods, nāgas, nonhumans, and kinnaras.

“Within this illuminating absorption

Arose knowledge across eons.

Thus, clearing away doubts and hesitations,

The best of humans will speak with the voice of a lion.

“Pursuing the welfare of self and others

He has been generous in the past.

Generous, disciplined, patient, and diligent—

Throughout eons, he has practiced for all beings.

“Without any gratitude from sentient beings

He is generous, disciplined, patient, and diligent,

Displaying great skill for the sake of all beings.

In this way you enter absorption.

“With supreme insight you master such absorption.

O hero, as today you took your seat,

We joined our palms and requested

You to cut through our doubt and dispel our hesitation.

“Today we have achieved the illumination of all phenomena.

Free from doubt, we have achieved illumination.

For us and for beings to come

The way of the Dharma will endure for long.”

This concludes the first chapter.

Chapter 2

Praising the Magnificent Display of Miracles

Present within the gathering was a youth by the name of Padmaśrīgarbha. He
now rose from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right
knee. Joining his palms, he bowed toward the Blessed One. As he faced the Blessed One,
the following thoughts arose in his mind: “I wish to request the gateways of the
Dharma from the Thus-Gone One. I wish to receive the vajra words. I wish to request
the words for practice that are without interruption. I wish to request the words that
overcome all other statements, the words of progressive discernment, the words wherein all
teachings of the Dharma are contained. If the noble sons and daughters practice such a
gateway seal, they will attain the stainless eye that sees all phenomena and they will
gain expertise regarding the mind. Ah, Blessed One, in the past I have borne my armor
through the accumulation of intentions and practical deeds. Thus, you will be aware of
my roots of virtue from the past, arisen through the accumulation of intentions and
applications.”

Aware of the youth Padmaśrīgarbha’s thoughts and prayers, and aware of his
practice of accumulating roots of virtue, the Blessed One now looked in the four
directions, and at the same time four great light rays shone forth from his mouth. As
this light emerged from the mouth of the Blessed One, it spread out into infinite and
endless universes, and wherever the light reached—whether to trees, walls, mountains,
earth, or the empty atmosphere—everything became suffused with a golden color. In this
way the light shone unhindered throughout all the cardinal and intermediate
directions. Throughout
the trichiliocosm, wherever sentient beings were touched by this light their bodies
became as if made of gold. Whoever was suffering from the torments of desire, anger,
or delusion felt that those afflictions decreased. All beings within the trichiliocosm
who were living in hell, suffering the unbearable, ceaseless torments of heat, now
experienced relief from their pain due to the power of the Buddha and the power of the
bodhisattva’s past prayers. Likewise, all beings within the trichiliocosm who were
affected by the obscurations of karma, affliction, and the ripening of karma were
freed from their obscurations by the power of the Buddha and the power of the
bodhisattva’s past prayers.

Next, to intensely brighten the roots of virtue in sentient beings, the
Blessed One projected great light from all the pores on his body. This great light
traveled to the east, traversing infinitely many universes. Likewise, the same
occurred in the south, west, north, zenith, and nadir: the light from the Blessed One
shone forth and extended across infinitely many universes. The Blessed One then
produced a special sound that likewise could be heard throughout all those
universes.

At that point, in the east, beyond innumerable universes, there was a
universe known as Single Parasol. Within that universe resided the thus-gone one,
the worthy one, the perfect buddha Single Jewel Ornament. Abiding and remaining
present there, he taught the Dharma. The blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy
one, the perfect buddha Single Jewel Ornament had prophesied that after himself the
bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha would awaken to unsurpassable and perfect
buddhahood.

Now the bodhisattva Jālinīprabha approached the blessed thus-gone Single
Jewel Ornament and asked, “Blessed One, who made this special sound and what is the
source of that great light?”

The blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Single
Jewel Ornament replied, “Noble son, to the west of this buddhafield, beyond
innumerable world realms, there is a universe known as Enduring. Within that universe
resides the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Śākyamuni. Abiding and
remaining present there, he is delivering a Dharma teaching that belongs to the
Bodhisattva Collection, known as ‘Truly Satisfying All Sentient Beings.’ Present in
the gathering of the blessed thus-gone Śākyamuni’s retinue is the bodhisattva great
being Padmaśrīgarbha. That bodhisattva wishes to request the gateway for accomplishing
all syllables—the seal whereby one truly engages with all dharmas.

“Jālinīprabha, in that buddha realm, the retinue contains bodhisattva great
beings who bear the inconceivable armor, the armor of undifferentiated activity.
Jālinīprabha, the bodhisattva great beings who have donned such armor also benefit
other buddha realms. Jālinīprabha, anyone born within the buddha realm of the
thus-gone Śākyamuni will, upon seeing or hearing those bodhisattva great beings, be
protected and cared for by them. Jālinīprabha, needless it is, then, to mention what
will be the case when someone, upon seeing these bodhisattva great beings, proceeds to
pay them respect, reveres them, venerates them, worships them, and asks them
questions.”

The bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha then addressed the thus-gone Single
Jewel Ornament: “Blessed One, I wish to go to that universe, so that I may see,
venerate, and serve the blessed thus-gone Śākyamuni, and so that I may see those
bodhisattva great beings who bear the inconceivable armor.”

“Noble son,” said the thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament, “if you know that the
time is right, then go. But act with mindfulness when you remain in that buddha realm.
Why do I say so? Because, noble son, the bodhisattva great beings of that realm are
hard to approach.”

The thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament then gave an utpala flower that was like
a hand to the bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha. “Jālinīprabha,” he said, “you
should offer this hand-like utpala flower to the thus-gone Śākyamuni. Tell him that
the blessed thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament inquires whether the Blessed One has encountered
but little hardship and discomfort, and whether he remains healthy, strong, and at
ease.”

The bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha bowed his head to the feet of the
thus-gone one, the blessed buddha Single Jewel Ornament, and then circumambulated him
three times. Accompanied by bodhisattva great beings beyond number and count, he next
traveled to the world of Enduring, arriving there in a single instant of the mind.
Once here, he proceeded to the Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha, and the
place where the Blessed One was residing. Bowing his head to the Blessed One’s feet,
he said, “Blessed One, the bodhisattva Jālinīprabha bows his head to your feet in
homage. Blessed One, I am Jālinīprabha. Bliss-Gone One, I am Jālinīprabha, and in
homage I bow my head to your feet.”

“Jālinīprabha,” replied the Blessed One, “you shall live long, and you shall
be happy and healthy.”

Having in this way bowed to the Blessed One’s feet, the bodhisattva great
being Jālinīprabha sat to one side and from there addressed the Blessed One: “Blessed
One, the blessed thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament inquires whether the Blessed One has encountered
but little hardship and discomfort, and whether he remains healthy, strong, and at
ease. The blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Single
Jewel Ornament also sends a hand-like utpala flower for the Blessed One. Blessed One,
please therefore accept this hand-like utpala flower from the bodhisattva
Jālinīprabha.”

The Blessed One accepted the flower and then gave it to the bodhisattva
Ajita. Holding the hand-like utpala, the bodhisattva Ajita turned to a group of five
hundred that included the bodhisattva Bhadrapāla. “Kinsmen,” said the bodhisattva
Ajita, “the Thus-Gone One has given us this hand-like utpala.”

Bhadrapāla, leading the group of five hundred bodhisattvas, now held the
hand-like utpala and addressed the Blessed One in the following way: “Blessed One, we
have undertaken proper practices and carry out bodhisattva activities. Therefore, is
anyone who hears our names certain to awaken to unsurpassable and perfect buddhahood?
Blessed One, the bodhisattva Ajita has given us this hand-like utpala. Blessed One,
relying on the power of our aspirations, activities, intentions, and resolve never to
abandon sentient beings, we shall today toss this hand-like utpala in supplication of
the Thus-Gone One. Blessed One, we likewise toss it before all the thus-gone ones, the
worthy ones, the perfect buddhas who remain and reside in the east. We also toss this flower before the
blessed ones who have not yet appeared there, before those who are still to appear
there, before those who are now appearing, and before those who are disappearing. We
do so, likewise, in all the universes located in the south, west, north, nadir, and
zenith, as well as in the intermediate directions—we toss this flower before all the
blessed buddhas who are present there, or who will appear there. Blessed One, may each
and every being who sees this hand-like utpala also experience its fragrance. May each
and every one of them be certain to awaken to unsurpassable, true, and perfect
buddhahood. May they also journey throughout all buddha realms.”

Then, as they tossed the hand-like utpala, the Blessed One touched the flower
with his right hand. As soon as he touched it a half-sized body of the Thus-Gone One
appeared within the utpala. Moreover, within each of the utpalas
there was again a half-sized version of the Thus-Gone One. All these half-sized bodies
of the Thus-Gone One now declared, “The teachers of those who do not know all
phenomena to be like an illusion, and who are not inclined to think so; the teachers
of those who do not know all phenomena to be stainless and devoid of characteristics,
and who are not inclined to think so—the teachers of all those who have no such
comprehension are neither thus-gone ones, nor hearers of the thus-gone ones.” Speaking
such words, they departed. They also spoke the following verses:

“Illusion-like phenomena cannot be grasped,

And all that cannot be grasped is like the moon in water.

Because they are empty, they do not possess any empty nature.

Thus, this intrinsic nature has been taught by the victorious ones.

“Absence of characteristics is the true characteristic of all phenomena.

With such a nature, devoid of characteristics,

Upon examination all phenomena are empty and devoid of self.

They cannot be grasped, nor serve as grounds for dispute.

“Whenever beings wish for this intrinsic nature

Their wish occurs by the blessings

Of the victorious teachers of great power,

And their activities throughout the worlds in the ten directions.”

After the Thus-Gone One’s emanations had proclaimed these verses, they moved
ahead, into the ten directions.

Now the bodhisattva great being Jālinīprabha said to the Blessed One,
“Blessed One, those noble sons are perfectly trained in aspiration. Any sentient being
who hears their prayers, or pronounces their names, will be entirely freed from the
experience of numerous pains, and they will become destined for unsurpassable and
perfect awakening. What a wonder this is! But, Blessed One, such blessed ones and such
noble sons are not suited for this universe. Why not?

“Blessed One, as an analogy, a man or woman may have heard of the fame of a
priceless and flawless jewel, a jewel that can deliver all possible benefit and
happiness. That person may then wish to search for the jewel, and he or she may also
have learned the specific characteristics of that precious jewel. Now, imagine that
this man or woman sees that immaculate jewel in the middle of the dirt in a latrine
pit, or some other filthy place. Around that spot there are some bamboo cane workers,
untouchables, outcastes, or some other hard-laboring people of low caste. Those people have never heard of
that jewel, so they obviously do not know about its qualities either—it would be out
of the question. Now, the first person who sees the jewel in the filth may remark that
the place where that precious jewel is kept is not a very beautiful one. But the
others will just respond, ‘Which precious jewel do you have such praise for?’ Even
though the first person may explain about and even point to the jewel, the ignorant
people will not understand. They will say, ‘Hey you, why are you talking about the
qualities of a precious jewel? That “precious jewel” does not have any good qualities.
You are a liar and a trickster. We do not believe anything you say.’ The first person
may then extract the jewel and lift it out from the dirt. As soon as the jewel emerges
the poor people will become extremely upset at each other, and from then on they will
be surrounded by numerous harms.

“Blessed One, we are here in the world of Enduring, a place where poor beings
of lesser roots of virtue are born. Blessed One, the way we perceive you within this
world is similar to the way the person of learning in the analogy sees and recognizes
the precious jewel in the midst of the filth. Blessed One, we see the blessed
thus-gone ones and the bodhisattva great beings who don the inconceivable armor to be
like perfect and completely pure jewels, capable of granting all manner of happiness.
Yet, Blessed One,
other beings within this world regard them in a way that is similar to the way the
poor and lowly people of the area look at the precious jewel.

“Blessed One, in the analogy a person heard about the jewel’s qualities and
decided to search for it. When seeing the jewel in a pit of filth, he or she remarked
that the jewel was not kept in a proper place. Similarly, Blessed One, the blessed
buddhas and the bodhisattvas present throughout the ten directions also remark that
the Blessed One’s buddha realm is not befitting to him. In this way they praise the
blessed Buddha and all the bodhisattva great beings who bear the inconceivable
armor.

“In the analogy, Blessed One, a man or woman heard about the qualities of a
precious jewel, decided to go searching for it, found the jewel stuck in filth, and
subsequently declared that the jewel was not being kept properly. We, similarly, have
heard praises of the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect Buddha as well as of
the bodhisattva great beings who have donned the inconceivable armor. Hence we
journeyed here to behold them. But being here, Blessed One, we see that this universe
is plagued by hundreds of shortcomings and that sentient beings here possess inferior
roots of virtue.

“Blessed One, the precious jewel in the mud does not lose its brilliance and,
just as in that analogy, the thus-gone ones in the ten directions and the bodhisattva
great beings who don the inconceivable armor do not lose their radiance either.
However, because the intentions and aspirations of beings here are of an inferior
quality, the Blessed One has caused his luster to extend for a distance of no more
than one fathom.

“In the analogy, Blessed One, the poor people do not believe what they hear
about the qualities of the jewel. Likewise, beings in this universe do not believe in
the Thus-Gone One’s extreme brilliance, his vast aspirations, his emanations, and his
qualities of awakening. Needless it is, then, to state that they do not have faith in
the bodhisattva great beings either.

“Blessed One, when the person in the analogy takes out the precious jewel
from the dirt, that immediately causes the others there to experience great harm.
Similarly, when the Thus-Gone One passes completely beyond suffering and the
bodhisattva great beings depart for other world realms it causes bodhisattvas who
retain sūtras and who pursue true retention to become extremely disturbed with one
another. ‘The Dharma is no longer heard; only non-Dharma can be heard here.’ And why
is that? Because under such circumstances those who live here would fall into
non-Dharma and pursue non-Dharmic means of livelihood. They would struggle with,
defame, criticize, and
disparage one another. They would cause each other to lose their virtuous qualities,
and thus experience suffering. They would no longer apply themselves to Dharma and
virtue.

“Blessed One, no noble son or daughter in pursuit of the meaningful,
committed to the pursuit of meaning, and committed to the accomplishment of a buddha’s
awakening would in that case take birth in this world. As not even followers of the
Hearer Vehicle would appear, what need is there to mention those who adhere to the
Bodhisattva Vehicle? Why do I say so, Blessed One? Well, the beings who live in the
great hell realms, such as Incessant Pain, Revival, Heat, and Intense
Heat, do not experience happiness for even one moment, for even a mere instant.
Blessed One, from the perspective of the bodhisattvas in Single
Parasol—the realm of the blessed thus-gone one Single Jewel Ornament—the
bodhisattva great beings who are born in this Enduring world are comparable to the
beings born in the Hell of Incessant Pain, because they do not perceive them to
experience any happiness at all.

“In a buddha realm of sheer and supreme happiness sentient beings are
naturally blissful. But, Blessed One, the beings who are born in this universe find it
hard to believe what I say. Nevertheless, Blessed One, I have come here to clear my
doubts about the Dharma and to listen to the gateway of the Dharma seal. Blessed One,
we seek teaching from you. And why? Because, Blessed One, all pleasure and pain is impermanent.
From the Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One, the Worthy One, the perfect Buddha we wish to
hear a Dharma in which there is no happiness, no suffering, no permanence, no
impermanence, no thought, no conception, no entity, no absence of entity, nothing
conditioned, nothing unconditioned, nothing imputed, nothing not imputed, nothing
mundane, nothing beyond the world, nothing defiled, nothing undefiled, no truth, no
falsity, no awakening, no branches of awakening, no powers, no light, no darkness, no
consciousness, no absence of consciousness, no fruition, no lack of fruition, no path,
no absence of path, no beginning, no completion, no world, and no liberation from the
world. And why is that so? Because, Blessed One, the world should be taught about the
happiness that arises from the accumulation of merit and from making resolutions, and
all other such things. Blessed One, the qualities of buddhahood cannot be taught. That
is to say, in buddhahood there are no powers, no fearlessnesses, no miracles, no miraculous displays,
no advice, no miraculous advice, no teaching, and no miraculous teaching. There are no
fearlessnesses nor powers, and there is neither happiness nor suffering. Because all
that is thought, all that is conceptual movement.

“Blessed One, whether someone qualifies for the title of ‘thus-gone one’ is
not to be decided in terms of whether or not suchness has been attained. All that is
conceptual movement, thought, straying, and construction. Truth and falsity, the
conditioned and the unconditioned, the defiled and the undefiled, negativity and lack
of negativity, the mundane and the supramundane, being disciplined and having flawed
discipline, having powers and not having powers, being fearless and not being
fearless, being worthy of donations and not being worthy of donations, being a
thus-gone one, being a buddha, being a bodhisattva, being a hearer, being a solitary
buddha, as well as prayers, and blessings—all such thinking is completely crushed by
the thus-gone ones and the path is comprehended completely. That is why the thus-gone
ones are undaunted like lions. That is why they trumpet like elephants. When they make
their assertions, the thus-gone ones let there be disagreement where there is
disagreement and agreement where there is agreement. The thus-gone ones make their
assertions with
mindfulness and wisdom, and with both dwell in equanimity.

“The states of the blessed thus-gone ones are states of awakening and states
that are self-arisen. Since they are not even shared by hearers or solitary buddhas,
they are of course not common to other lowly beings. And why, Blessed One, are they
not shared with others? Because all other lowly beings cannot achieve states that are
of that quality, or that are so comprehensive, or that are of the same duration, or
with the same application, or that involve such bliss. Blessed One, without the
thus-gone ones, no sentient being can achieve such states. Blessed One, such states
are not accessible to any other being. Blessed One, states of this kind are not
accessible to any hearer or solitary buddha. Blessed One, ‘not accessible’ here means
that they are not effectuated or experienced. Hence they are inaccessible. And why is
this so? Because such states surpass the experience of hearers and solitary buddhas.
And why is that the case? Because, Blessed One, such states are infinite. And why,
Blessed One, are such states infinite? Because, Blessed One, the wishes of the
thus-gone ones are infinite; they cannot be matched by anything at all. And why is
this so? Because, Blessed One, such states are beyond language. Being ‘beyond
language’ is to be inexpressible, and language is nothing but expression. Therefore,
Blessed One, these states are self-arisen.

“Blessed One, beings who do not observe such states and do not understand
them must go through death and transfer to other world realms. Beings who do not
comprehend such states come to suffer great harm.

“Blessed One, the state of the thus-gone ones is the ultimate gateway, the
gateway of the Dharma. It contains sixty-eight thousand subsidiary gateways. The
awakening of the thus-gone Single Jewel Ornament is limitless like space and the
bodhisattva great beings gain accomplishment through the extent of the very same
gateway.”

When this gateway teaching was delivered and explained, seventy-seven
thousand bodhisattva great beings attained the gateway of the stainless Dharma, which
is the very state of the thus-gone ones. They all thus declared, “Today we have
attained awakening! Today we have attained awakening!”

Furthermore, one quadrillion beings set their minds on unexcelled and perfect
awakening, and because of their initial generation of the mind of awakening the
Blessed One prophesied their attainment of unexcelled and perfect awakening. Likewise,
eight sextillion beings attained the stainless and immaculate Dharma eye that sees
phenomena, and three thousand monks liberated their minds from defilement with no
further perpetuation.

At this point the Blessed One smiled, and as soon as he did so a magnificent
light shone forth in the world and the great earth shook. The venerable Ānanda now draped his Dharma
robe over one shoulder and knelt on his right knee. Joining his palms, he bowed toward
the Blessed One and inquired, “When the Blessed One smiled, a magnificent light shone
in the world and the great earth shook. What were the causes and conditions for this
to happen?”

“Ānanda,” the Blessed One replied, “when the bodhisattva Jālinīprabha taught
and explained this gateway of the Dharma, seventy-seven thousand bodhisattvas attained
the gateway of the stainless Dharma seal. Ānanda, the bodhisattva Jālinīprabha has
obtained this teaching of the Dharma seal from eight thousand buddhas at locations
throughout the expanse of space. Having thus obtained this stainless Dharma gateway,
he has gained deliverance by means of it, and so he has become skilled in journeying
from buddha realm to buddha realm.”

At that time, beyond seventy-eight innumerable buddha realms to the west,
there was a world known as Single Heap of Jewels. Within that universe resided a
thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha known as Infinite Jewel Leader. Abiding
and remaining present there, he taught the Dharma to a retinue of many hundreds of
thousands. Present in that gathering was also the regent of the blessed one Infinite
Jewel Leader, the bodhisattva great being Purposeful Compelling Leader.

Hearing a clear voice, and perceiving the light from the thus-gone Śākyamuni,
the bodhisattva great being Purposeful Compelling Leader asked the thus-gone Infinite
Jewel Leader, “Blessed One, whose is this clear voice, and whose is this radiance?”

Then the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Infinite Jewel Leader said to
the bodhisattva great being Purposeful Compelling Leader, “Purposeful Compelling
Leader, to the west, beyond seventy-eight innumerable universes, there is a world
known as Enduring. Within that universe resides a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a
perfect buddha known as Śākyamuni. Abiding and remaining present there, he is now
teaching a gathering headed by incomparable bodhisattvas. He is delivering a Dharma
teaching belonging to the Bodhisattva Collection that satisfies all beings and is
known as ‘Cutting through the Doubts of All Beings.’

At this point the bodhisattva great being Purposeful Compelling Leader said
to the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Infinite Jewel Leader,
“Blessed One, I wish to go to the world known as Enduring, so that I may see,
venerate, and serve the blessed thus-gone Śākyamuni, and so that I may see those
incomparable bodhisattvas.”

“Noble son,” replied the blessed thus-gone Infinite Jewel Leader, “if you
know that the time has come, then go. But act with mindfulness as you remain in that
buddha realm. Why do I say that? Because, Purposeful Compelling Leader, the
bodhisattva great beings born in that world are hard to approach. When you arrive, ask on my behalf
whether the Blessed One has encountered but little hardship and discomfort, and
whether he remains healthy, strong, and at ease. You must also offer this hand-like
lotus flower to the Thus-Gone One.”

The bodhisattva great being Purposeful Compelling Leader then rose from his
seat, and bowed his head to the feet of that blessed one. After he had also
circumambulated that blessed one, he left for the world of Enduring, accompanied by
seventy-eight thousand other bodhisattvas. As soon as they arrived, all the flowering
trees and fruit trees in Enduring bore flowers and fruits regardless of the season. A
rain of flowers and scented water fell from the sky, and numerous musical sounds could
be heard. The bodhisattva great being Purposeful Compelling Leader proceeded to the
Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. Arriving there, he bowed his head to the
feet of the Blessed One. Holding on to the Blessed One’s feet with both hands, and
touching them to his head, he said, “Blessed One, the bodhisattva Purposeful
Compelling Leader bows his head to your feet in homage.”

“Purposeful Compelling Leader,” replied the Blessed One, “you have offered
your respect, worship, and veneration.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Purposeful Compelling Leader stood up and, standing before
the Blessed One, he said, “The blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the
perfect buddha Infinite Jewel Leader inquires whether the Blessed One may have
encountered but little hardship and discomfort, and whether he remains healthy,
strong, and at ease. Blessed One, he also sends you a hand-like lotus flower,
requesting that out of your great love you accept it from the bodhisattva Purposeful
Compelling Leader.”

Having in this way received the hand-like lotus flower from the bodhisattva,
the Blessed One inquired, “Purposeful Compelling Leader, has the blessed thus-gone
Infinite Jewel Leader encountered but little hardship and discomfort, and does he
remain unchanged?”

“Blessed One,” replied Purposeful Compelling Leader, “the blessed thus-gone
Infinite Jewel Leader has encountered but little hardship. He is strong and remains
unchanged, happily enjoying his buddha realm.”

Then the Blessed One gave the hand-like lotus flower to the bodhisattva great
being Ajita. Holding up the lotus, the bodhisattva great being Ajita offered the
following prayer:

“Blessed One, by this root of virtue, may the buddha realms of all noble sons
and daughters who set their minds on unexcelled and perfect awakening be perfectly
pure, and may sentient beings gain maturity. Why do I express this prayer? Because,
Blessed One, it is
hard to teach the Dharma to beings who are not mature, who have not engendered roots
of virtue, who possess lesser roots of virtue, or who are inspired by what is
inferior.

“And what is here the objective? The objective is, Blessed One, for this
hand-like lotus flower to enable beings to perceive whichever realm of the world they
may wish. The objective is for the flower to enable the perception of the world known
as Heap of Jewels, the buddha realm of the
blessed thus-gone Infinite Jewel Leader. It is to enable the perception of the
bodhisattvas of that world, who have truly entered their vehicle, as well as the
perception of the perfect hearers there, who for the most part are endowed with the
threefold or sixfold knowledge.

“In that blessed thus-gone one’s buddha realm the lotus flowers are produced
through a great ripening of karma. Hence, Blessed One, I dedicate this root of virtue
so that bodhisattvas may be free from obscuration with regard to any phenomenon.
Blessed One, I dedicate this root of virtue so that those bodhisattvas who have not
yet engendered the mind of unexcelled and perfect awakening may do so.
I dedicate this root of virtue toward the thus-gone ones’
perfect awakening to the suchness of all phenomena and their perfect awakening to the
suchness that is free from disturbance.”

Then the Blessed One asked Bhadrapāla, “Bhadrapāla, do you understand what
Maitreya has said? What are the phenomena to which the
thus-gone ones perfectly awaken?”

“Blessed One,” replied Bhadrapāla, “there are no phenomena that pertain to
the thus-gone ones’ perfect awakening to suchness and their perfect awakening to
freedom from disturbance. Blessed One, the thus-gone ones do not apprehend any such
phenomena, since there are no such phenomena, nor is there an absence of such
phenomena. Blessed One, if such a phenomenon was apprehended, it would only be the
apprehending of the perception of the phenomenon by the thus-gone ones; but the
thus-gone ones do not apprehend any such perception. Why is that? Because, Blessed
One, there are no perceptions at all. Since the thus-gone ones do not even apprehend
themselves, it goes without saying that they do not apprehend any perception, let
alone having any authentic engagement in the perception of phenomena as phenomena.

“Blessed One, the Blessed One has not said that any phenomena at all are
grasped, nor that they are relinquished, nor that they are transcended, nor that they
are attained, by those phenomena being perceived as they are and because they are so.
What, then, does this mean? Blessed One, if the thus-gone ones were to seek phenomena,
where would they seek them? Those phenomena are suchness, and within suchness there is
no thus-gone one. Moreover, the thus-gone ones are suchness; they are
thus-gone ones by virtue of suchness. For the thus-gone ones there are no marks; they
are thus-gone ones by virtue of the absence of marks. The thus-gone ones are free of
marks; they are thus-gone ones by virtue of freedom from marks. The thus-gone ones
know minds; they are thus-gone ones by virtue of knowing minds. The thus-gone ones are free from
disturbance. They are thus-gone ones by virtue of freedom from disturbance. Moreover,
all phenomena are just like the thus-gone ones. They are thus-gone ones by virtue of
being just like them.

“In this way, Blessed One, all phenomena are thus-gone ones. That is why,
Blessed One, the thus-gone ones remain within the lotuses, and just as they remain
within the lotuses, so likewise they remain in the state of a thus-gone, and in the
state of awakening. Those who neither grasp nor apprehend that in which they remain in
that way are to be classified as worthy recipients of offerings in this world.”

“Bhadrapāla,” asked the Blessed One, “where do you remain as you speak these
words?”

“Blessed One,” replied Bhadrapāla, “I remain exactly where the world remains,
and I speak these words from there. However, this is not the way childish beings grasp
it. How, then, do childish beings grasp? They grasp disturbance, and because they
grasp disturbance, they are disturbed, and very disturbed. Blessed One, the world does
not remain. In what sense does it not remain? In the sense that an illusion does not
remain. Yet childish beings argue, saying, ‘My place, that is the world.’ However,
this is not the realm of childish beings. The world does not remain within that which
is an optical illusion, nor does it remain within that which is impermanent. Yet this
frightens childish beings. The world does not remain within that which is a
hallucination, and this is not any different from noble beings.
The world does not
remain within the repulsive, yet childish beings are motivated by karma. Here, Blessed
One, where the world remains, there is no occasion for any of the disturbance of the
world. Hence, Blessed One, the place where I remain is here alone, where the world
remains.”

The Blessed One now asked the bodhisattva Bhadrapāla, “Bhadrapāla, do you say
this through truly seeing phenomena?”

“Blessed One,” replied Bhadrapāla, “whatever is a phenomenon is only not what
the Blessed One has perfectly awoken to.”

The Blessed One then inquired of the bodhisattva great being, Bhadrapāla,
“Bhadrapāla, have I not perfectly awoken to all phenomena?”

“Blessed One, have you perfectly awoken to all phenomena?” answered
Bhadrapāla. “Blessed One, that to which which you have perfectly awoken, is that
phenomena, or is it not phenomena?”

“Well said, Bhadrapāla,” replied the Blessed One, “well said. That which the
thus-gone ones fully awake to is neither phenomena, nor is it an absence of phenomena.
Bhadrapāla, my wisdom does not move somewhere, and my eyes do not engage something.
There is no cognition of beings, nor any engagement of the mind. No appearance is
cognized, yet neither is any exclusion cognized or apprehended. That is because this
is neither affliction, nor purification.

“However, Bhadrapāla, even if I explain to sentient beings about the notion
of the experience of no characteristics, and the phenomena of the experience of no
characteristics, they
become bewildered. Bhadrapāla, apart from thus-gone ones and bodhisattva great beings
in their final existence, you will not be able to find or observe anyone who can
accept this. Bhadrapāla, even when bodhisattva great beings who are in their final
existence, held back by just that single birth, hear this Dharma it still frightens
them. So what need is there to mention the case of lowly sentient beings? It is
impossible for them to comprehend this Dharma.

“Bhadrapāla, there will come a time when all monks and nuns and all male and
female lay practitioners are physically and mentally untrained, and lack training in
discipline and insight. Bhadrapāla, when such persons hear the teaching of the Dharma
treasure and the treasure of the thus-gone one, in which the awakening of the
thus-gone ones, being beyond thought, affliction, and perception, is not accessed,
they will be frightened, scared, and afraid. And thus they will fall into the
abyss. The reason for this is that, while it is
taught that ‘the thus-gone ones have perfectly awakened to all phenomena,’ there is
also the teaching that, ‘my wisdom, eyes, and mind do not have any access to it.’

“Therefore, such monks who teach the sūtras will develop the wish to harm,
hurt, kill, and cause unrest. Bhadrapāla, at that time, those who rise up against me
in this way will be in control. How unfortunate that time will be when those who teach
my true wisdom will be castigated.

“Bhadrapāla, the Thus-Gone One has no teacher and is self-arisen. Such fools
do not understand the Thus-Gone One as he now lets his lion’s roar be heard within the
circle of disciples, and they do not understand the intrinsic nature of the Thus-Gone
One. Consider how, lacking knowledge and vision, they will fail to recognize that
which is a praise to me, and instead take something that actually is no praise to be
just that.

“Bhadrapāla, you may wonder what that which is no praise entails. Bhadrapāla,
any teaching concerned with grasping at something is no praise to me. That is why I
say that at that time those people will defame me, rise against me, and undermine
virtuous mendicants. Mendicants of that kind are corrupted and putrid, like rotting
trees. Their way of looking at things is that of an extremist, a dualist, an adherent
to permanence and annihilation. Theirs is the way of the arrogant Dharma teachers who
suffer from Dharma conceit, of those involved in mental construction, of those
involved in the formation of notions, of those fond of materialism, of those partaking
in saṃsāra, and of those who turn their backs on the path of the true view.

“At that time such persons will develop the notion of the ultimate; adhere to
the sacrificial fire ritual, becoming unbraided; profess to objects, and profess to
agents. However, Bhadrapāla, if they possess the proper absorption, they will also
realize awakening.

“Bhadrapāla, when I have passed into nirvāṇa, such people will perceive flaws
in terms of object and agent, and thus regress. When they then go forth in my
teachings they will make that Dharma fade away.

“Thus, Bhadrapāla, after I have passed into nirvāṇa, such fools will perform
the sacrificial fire ritual. They will become like the braided, like those who are old
and the dull witted.

“Bhadrapāla, such people are involved with reference points, constructs, and
karmic formation. By means of a mundane view they engage with my objects and agents
and teach but little in terms of the wisdom of the buddhas. I say that what such
people teach is no praise to me and is not emancipation. And why not? Because,
Bhadrapāla, such people make use of an impure and insignificant fire that discards the
awakening accomplished through millions of incalculable eons. Bhadrapāla, such people
defame the Thus-Gone One and rise up against him.

“Bhadrapāla, you may then wonder what it is to praise the Thus-Gone One and
proclaim his words. Bhadrapāla, those who do so do not grasp, construct, or develop
karmic formations with respect to any phenomenon. They do not pursue the three times,
but are beyond statements and beyond abandonment. Such people, Bhadrapāla, utter
praise to the Thus-Gone One, and they do not impute. Those are the offspring of the
buddhas, the children of their minds. They are born from the Dharma.

“Bhadrapāla, teachers and upholders of such sūtras proclaim the words of the
Thus-Gone One. They proclaim the Dharma and have entered the Thus-Gone One’s teaching
in accord with the Dharma. Those are my children, the children of my heart, the
children of my voice.
They are blessed by me and appointed by me. I have brought them true delight and they
have established the shrine of the Dharma. They have beaten the drum of the Dharma and
blown the Dharma conch. They have raised high the Dharma’s victory banner. Inspired by
the blessed buddhas such beings have accumulated proper activities. They adhere to the
garland of the excellent qualities and are appointed as their guardians. They defeat
adversaries and are like flowers in the world. Encountering such beings is extremely
rare. Their vision is pure and they are vessels of awakening. The bodhisattvas bring
them joy. The thus-gone ones bring them joy. They have opened their vision of the
Dharma and are not obscured with respect to any phenomenon. They rightly please the
thus-gone ones and repay their kindness. Adorned with the ornaments of the Dharma,
they are saturated with wisdom. Letting the rain of Dharma fall, they satisfy the
heart children of the victorious ones. Causing the qualities of buddhahood to
increase, they display the foliage of excellent qualities. Blossoming with the flowers
of the branches of awakening, they produce the fruits of freedom from desirous
attachment. Residing on the seat of awakening, they attain unexcelled and perfect
awakening. They are
the guides who show the path; they are immersed in Dharma generosity. In short,
Bhadrapāla, even if all the thus-gone ones explain the qualities of such noble
children, people will find it hard to trust. Bhadrapāla, such beings are the ones who
proclaim my praises. Those are teachers who speak in accord with the Dharma.

“Bhadrapāla, this is how it is. Think of a man who has seen Lake
Anavatapta and heard its praises. That man may then see another great
lake and say, ‘The dimensions of that lake are exactly like those of
Anavatapta! I shall sing the praises of Anavatapta!’ Yet
what he then proclaims is not going to be a praise.

“Bhadrapāla, the people of the aforementioned kind are similar fools. While
deprived of the right kind of qualities and the right kind of wisdom they nevertheless
say, ‘We shall sing the praises of the Thus-Gone One!’ Thus, while abiding by the
mundane view, engaging in formation, and engaging all the aggregates of defilement,
they maintain this conduct yet declare, ‘The wisdom of the thus-gone ones is
unimpeded! Let us offer our praise!’ Yet what they proceed to say is certainly no
praise.

“Think, Bhadrapāla, of this analogy. A person may know the word
gold, and may also have heard descriptions of the yellow,
radiant color of gold. But even if that person sees the golden color of the Jāmbū
River, and hears about its precious value, he might ignore it. He might also scold the
people who informed him, saying, ‘That which you are talking about does not have the
yellow color of gold!’

“Likewise, Bhadrapāla, the aforementioned blind fools may have heard the name
of the Thus-Gone One, and they may also have heard the word
Dharma. They may have heard that the name for the Dharma
is the true view, and they may have heard it said that the
Thus-Gone One’s name, family, dominion, retinue, comportment, and conduct are all
perfect. But they have not heard of the characteristic of the Thus-Gone One’s
wisdom—the characteristic that makes him a thus-gone one, a blessed one, a perfect
buddha. Neither have they heard of the characteristic of the Dharma—the characteristic
through which the Thus-Gone One delivers all teachings, the characteristic of the
Thus-Gone One’s wisdom. Moreover, when at some point they do in fact hear about the
characteristic of the Thus-Gone One’s wisdom, such fools proceed to reject it.

“Bhadrapāla, somebody may have heard the word ocean yet
not be aware of the ocean’s qualities. The same person may then be told that the ocean
is eighty-four thousand leagues deep and limitless leagues wide. He or she may
likewise hear that the ocean abounds with numerous jewels, that it is of a single
taste, and that it neither increases nor becomes depleted. When hearing such
descriptions of how the ocean does not fill up although fed by the rivers, how they
are the source of so many jewels, and how its extent is limitless, this person may
object that ‘the ocean could not possibly have such characteristics!’

“Likewise, Bhadrapāla, those fools have heard the name Thus-Gone
One and the word buddha. But they have not heard
about the qualities of the thus-gone ones or the qualities of knowing the Dharma.
However, at some point they may come to hear Dharma teachings concerning the omniscient wisdom,
full of limitless jewels of the Dharma. They may hear of how the precious Dharma is
free from desire and how it provides boundless means for achieving great liberation.
They may hear of the unobscured buddha eye, how the undefiled qualities know neither
increase nor decrease, and how they are hard to fathom and free from disturbance. They
may come to hear that all phenomena bear the seal of wisdom. Likewise, they may be
told that just like the ocean will not retain a human corpse, the thus-gone ones will
not rest with beings who are spoiled by dense, dark views. Similarly, they may hear
the teaching that just like the ocean is always salty, the liberation of the thus-gone
ones is also always of one taste. Yet they do not understand this and they do not
believe it. Not trusting it, they deny that any of this could be the case.

“Consider, Bhadrapāla, how fools never question their own knowledge or the
extent of their training. However, I declare that there will come a time when they
say, ‘We do not know the proper conduct and practice. We do not understand karmic
action and the way karma ripens. We do not know what actions led us to birth here, and
where our present actions will bring us. We do not know what the realm will be, nor
what our features and practice are going to be. Neither do we know whether or not we
will be able to act based on insight.’ Such unquestioning fools may develop the idea
that these Dharma teachings are neither Dharma, nor any praise to me. In that case my
words will have become the reason for such fools not to rely on the sūtras.

“When, after my passing, someone expresses a praise to the Thus-Gone One, or
to the Dharma, or to
the Saṅgha, then you must not be disrespectful or distrustful. You must not let your
mind turn away, and you must not be displeased. This is how the Thus-Gone One
instructs you.

“My instruction, here, is that a hostile mind is not the way of mendicants;
it is common to those who are not mendicants. Moreover, not being a mendicant and
following the ways of those who are not mendicants is flawed in numerous ways. The
awakening of the thus-gone ones is hard to fathom. Hence, my instruction is that only
the applications of mindfulness should be taught.

“Bhadrapāla, the way all phenomena essentially abide is beyond abiding, and
this way of abiding is nonconceptual. Bhadrapāla, in this context, the three gateways
to access, realization, and liberation are the gateways to the
applications of mindfulness.

“Bhadrapāla, tenable and untenable are duality. Bhadrapāla, in the true view
and the relinquishment of extremes that comes from not observing any extremes there is
no attachment to duality. Bhadrapāla, the thus-gone ones’ relinquishment of extremes
is not due to a failure to identify such extremes. Rather, the thus-gone ones have
abandoned extremes because they do not observe any. Bhadrapāla, the wise do not
understand the qualities of the thus-gone ones’ relinquishment in the same way that
childish beings take them to be. Those qualities, Bhadrapāla, are characterized
neither by relinquishment nor transcendence. Their characteristics are neither in
terms of abandonment nor attainment.

“Bhadrapāla, once a deity came before me and asked, ‘Mendicant, are you in high spirits?’
‘Deity,’ I replied, ‘what should I have gained?’ Again the god asked, ‘Mendicant, are
you depressed?’ ‘Deity,’ I replied, ‘what should I have wasted?’ At this point the god
exclaimed, ‘A mendicant who is neither in high spirits nor depressed is indeed an
excellent mendicant!’ Bhadrapāla, that god is now present in this gathering. He has,
Bhadrapāla, comprehended how all phenomena are of the nature of nirvāṇa. In the past
he has served five hundred buddhas, and as the result of such service his
superknowledges are agile.

“Bhadrapāla, I do not say that beings who lack roots of virtue, or whose
roots of virtue have not matured, will be inspired to pursue the training in this
Dharma teaching. Nor do I perceive any such inspiration in the listeners either.

“Bhadrapāla, when someone hears these teachings and becomes inspired and
develops faith and trust, the associated roots of virtue are of a lesser, inner kind.
Above that stage, as the wisdom of great insight unfolds, one will experience wisdom.
The roots of virtue that arise from that are vast.”

Bhadrapāla and the others among the five hundred bodhisattvas then tossed the
hand-like lotus flower before the Blessed One, offering it with the following words:
“Blessed One, may all who witness this Dharma teaching of the hand-like lotus flower
and pursue or apply themselves to it become destined for unexcelled and perfect
awakening. Blessed One, may all the blessed buddhas who reside, remain, and flourish
throughout the ten directions—all such thus-gone ones, worthy ones, perfect
buddhas—apprehend this Dharma teaching and teach it for the sake of ripening the factors
of awakening within sentient beings.”

Aware of all this, the Blessed One now said to the bodhisattva great being
Bhadrapāla, “Bhadrapāla, you bear your armor for the sake of ripening the factors of
awakening within sentient beings, and you request the thus-gone ones, the worthy ones,
the perfect buddhas to teach the Dharma to these sentient beings. Does this mean that
sentient beings are of some benefit to you?”

In reply, the bodhisattva great being Bhadrapāla addressed the Blessed One:
“Blessed One, I have no wish to send those who benefit me to buddha realms. Nor do I
feel disinclined to do so with those who harm me. I do not bear my armor for sentient
beings in order to harm or benefit anyone. Blessed One, the armor donned by
bodhisattvas is not of that kind.

“Blessed One, let us take the analogy of a perfect, wish-fulfilling tree with
blossoming flowers on all its branches, a tree that is of great delight to the gods in
the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. As they perceive this heavenly, wish-fulfilling tree
in full bloom, the gods of the Thirty-Three will, to their hearts’ content, enjoy and
revel in superhuman sense pleasures. But, Blessed One, do the gods of the Thirty-Three
then harm or benefit that perfect, wish-fulfilling tree that is in full bloom? As they
see the perfect, wish-fulfilling tree the gods of the Thirty-Three will be delighted. To their hearts’
content, they will enjoy and revel in superhuman sense pleasures, and touching that
heavenly, wish-fulfilling tree in full bloom, they will be overjoyed. Yet the gods of
the Thirty-Three certainly neither benefit nor harm that perfect, wish-fulfilling tree
in any way at all. But to partake of their enjoyments the gods of the Thirty-Three are
required to be near that perfect, wish-fulfilling tree, whose branches are all in full
bloom.

“Similarly, Blessed One, by no means do sentient beings either harm or
benefit me. However, in terms of the accomplishment of wisdom, the wisdom of the
buddhas, it is as in the analogy of that perfect wish-fulfilling tree in full bloom.
All these infinitely and innumerably many sentient beings must by all means be
present. Hence I don my armor for the sake of sentient beings. Moreover, by means of
the five masteries of the thus-gone ones, who themselves are not subject to being
pleased, sentient beings will experience joy. Just like the gods of the Thirty-Three,
they will be happy, frolic, and revel to their hearts’ content.

“Blessed One, we bear our armor in order to disengage from sentient
beings—not for the sake of observing them. We bear it for the sake of disengaging from
the self—not for the sake of observing it. We bear it for the sake of disengaging from
phenomena—not for the sake of observing them. We bear it for the sake of disengaging
from the aggregates—not for the sake of observing them. We bear it for the sake of
disengaging from the elements—not for the sake of observing them. We bear it for the
sake of disengaging from the sense sources—not for the sake of observing them. Such is
the armor of disengagement that we bear.

“Blessed One, this is an armor of disengagement. It is not an armor and does
not bring the results of an armor. Hence, it is not worn for the sake of obtaining
anything at all. Neither is it worn for the sake of giving up anything. We do not
think of it as an armor, or assert it to be so. We do not assert it to be in any
particular way, as having any particular extent, or as having any particular purpose.
Such is the armor that we bear.

“Blessed One, if we were to assert the armor in any way, we would also
perpetuate the self. But, Blessed One, we do not perpetuate the self. We do not
perpetuate it; bodhisattvas do not apprehend there being or not being a self. Blessed
One, if there is abiding on there not being a self, that implies nothing but abiding
on the existence of a self. This is because, Blessed One, all phenomena are beyond
abiding. Blessed One, this is how we train with our armor in the world. That is to
say, this is not a training in anything at all.”

The bodhisattva great being Bhadrapāla then spoke as follows to the Blessed
One: “Blessed One, I do not perceive the qualities of ordinary persons to be ‘far
away,’ nor do I perceive the qualities of the buddhas to be ‘nearby.’ I do not
perceive the qualities of training to be ‘distant,’ nor do I perceive the qualities of the buddhas to
be ‘close.’ I do not perceive such a thing as ‘the qualities of buddhahood,’ nor do I
perceive in terms of anything being ‘in accord with the qualities of buddhahood.’
Blessed One, I neither perceive any benefits, nor do I perceive any flaws. Such is the
armor that I have donned. Such is the armor that I bear in the world.”

Bhadrapāla and the others among the five hundred bodhisattvas who had tossed
the lotus flower before the Blessed One then journeyed out into the worlds of the ten
directions. They let a rain fall on the blessed buddhas, and they brought sentient
beings to maturation.

At that time there was in the east, beyond countless and innumerable
universes, a universe known as Marks of Royal Splendor, and within that universe
resided a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha called Roar of Signlessness.
Abiding and remaining present there, he taught the Dharma. This blessed one had
prophesied that following himself the bodhisattva great being
Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin would awaken to unsurpassable and perfect
buddhahood.

Now, having seen the great light and heard the special sound, the bodhisattva
great being Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin addressed the blessed thus-gone
Roar of Signlessness: “Blessed One, from whence comes this special sound, and what is
the source of this great illumination?”

“Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin,” replied the Blessed One to the
bodhisattva great being, “west of this buddha realm, beyond countless and innumerable world realms, there is
a universe known as Enduring. Within that universe resides the thus-gone one
Śākyamuni. Abiding and remaining present there, he is delivering a Dharma teaching
that belongs to the Bodhisattva Collection and is known as ‘Truly Satisfying All
Sentient Beings by Eliminating Their Doubts.’ That is the source of the light and the
distinctive sound. In that buddha realm have arrived, within the circle of the
retinue, infinite and unfathomable bodhisattva great beings who bear the inconceivable
armor.”

In response, the bodhisattva said to that blessed one, “Blessed One, I wish
to visit that universe so that I may see, venerate, and serve the blessed thus-gone
Śākyamuni. I also wish to see those bodhisattvas. And why? Because it is hard to even
hear about such beings. Needless it is, then, to mention how difficult it is to behold
and venerate them.”

The thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Roar of Signlessness
then said to the bodhisattva great being Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin,
“Noble son, if you know that the time has come, then go. The Thus-Gone One grants you
permission.”

The bodhisattva great being Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin then rose
from his seat. He bowed his head to the feet of that blessed one and circumambulated
him. Upon his departure, the Blessed One then placed a lotus flower in the bodhisattva’s hand and told him,
“Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin, you must offer this lotus flower to the
blessed thus-gone Śākyamuni on my behalf.”

Thus, the bodhisattva Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin came to the
world of Enduring with that lotus flower in his hand. Then, from that great lotus
flower appeared all the superior beings who had been part of the retinue of the
thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Roar of Signlessness, when he
engaged in bodhisattva activity. Moreover, so that this could be experienced by the
sentient beings there, similar such great lotus flowers now spread throughout the
universe.

Holding the lotus flower, the bodhisattva
Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin thus came to the universe known as Enduring. At
the very moment he arrived there, all the trees, fruits, flowers, and leaves that
existed in Enduring—down to the size of just four finger widths—appeared from
Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin’s hand. Moreover, in each of their own
languages all beings in Enduring began to speak of impermanence, suffering, and the
absence of self. They also spoke of the masteries, the powers, the branches of
awakening, the concentrations, the liberations, the absorptions, and the
attainments.

Witnessing all this, the venerable Śāradvatīputra exclaimed, “Ah, how
wondrous that the Thus-Gone One, the Foe-Destroyer, the perfect Buddha performs such
miracles!”

“Śāradvatīputra,” said the Blessed One, “these miracles are not of the
Thus-Gone One. Śāradvatīputra, these are the miracles of the bodhisattva great being
Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin. Śāradvatīputra, to the east of this buddha
realm, beyond innumerable and countless universes, there is a universe known as Marks
of Royal Splendor. Within that universe resides the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the
perfect buddha Roar of Signlessness. From the realm where that buddha abides and
remains present the bodhisattva great being Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin has
arrived. All this appears due to the ripening of that bodhisattva’s past actions.”

“Blessed One,” asked Śāradvatīputra, “which numerous roots of virtue did the
bodhisattva Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin gather, so that he now, through
their ripening, has achieved such mastery?”

“Śāradvatīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “it is excellent that you thought
to ask the Thus-Gone One about this matter. Śāradvatīputra, such eloquence is
exclusively due to the power of the Thus-Gone One. Listen, Śāradvatīputra, I shall
explain this to you.
When all the blessed buddhas in the past awoke to perfect buddhahood and resided upon
the seat of awakening, the bodhisattva great being
Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin was the one who initially supplicated them and
requested them to teach. This is how he accumulated the virtuous roots for
unsurpassable and perfect awakening. As he went before them, he would sometimes become
Brahmā and so make requests and supplicate. Other times he would do so in the form of
Śakra, universal emperors, kings, or sages.

“For example, Śāradvatīputra, when I had first awoken to true and perfect
buddhahood, Mahābrahmā invoked and supplicated me, saying, ‘There are beings whose
karmic obscurations are minor, who suffer from not having heard the Dharma, and who
act in accord with the teachings of the thus-gone ones. Blessed One, please therefore
teach the Dharma. Bliss-Gone One, please turn the wheel of Dharma.’ Śāradvatīputra,
the bodhisattva great being Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin has invoked and
supplicated all the past buddhas in the same way, requesting them, ‘Please teach the
Dharma. Please turn the wheel of Dharma.’ All the roots of virtue that he gathered he
has dedicated exclusively to the supplication for the turning of the wheel of Dharma.

“Śāradvatīputra, let me provide you with an illustration that establishes
this point fully. Within this trichiliocosm a billion suns and moons are in movement.
Four billion oceans surround the continents, of which there are likewise four billion.
There are seven
billion islands, a billion tall surrounding mountains, and a billion inner circles of
mountains. Śāradvatīputra, now imagine that this trichiliocosm becomes like the
ocean, eighty-four thousand leagues deep and wide. Imagine then, Śāradvatīputra, that
the thousandfold universe is filled up with sesame seeds, and that some strong,
powerful, and diligent person comes by. This person takes up the sesame seeds by the
handful and tosses them in the four directions. As the seeds are carried by the wind,
each one of them produces an entire universe. Śāradvatīputra, what do you think? As
they thus appear from each sesame seed, how many universes are there?”

“Blessed One,” replied Śāradvatīputra, “there are innumerable universes.
Well-Gone One, there are universes beyond count.”

“Śāradvatīputra,” said the Blessed One, “try to imagine and understand this.
Let us say that all these universes that arose from the sesame seeds were to turn into
a single city. Imagine that the city reaches as high as it is wide, and that it is
surrounded by a solid, stable, unbreakable, and indestructible wall. Śāradvatīputra,
now imagine if that great city became a granary, full of grains. Śāradvatīputra, what
do you think? How large would the heap of grains then be?”

“Blessed One, it would be immeasurable,” replied Śāradvatīputra. “Well-Gone
One, it could not be fathomed.”

“Śāradvatīputra,” said the Blessed One, “try to imagine and understand this.
It is in fact
possible that some mathematicians, or master mathematicians, could calculate the
extent of such a mass of grains. Yet the amount of thus-gone ones, residing on the
seats of awakening, to whom the bodhisattva great being
Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin has paid worship, invoked, and supplicated to
turn the wheel of Dharma when they first attained perfect buddhahood is indeed beyond
count. And there are even many more blessed buddhas for whom he has prepared and
offered a Dharma wheel made of the seven precious substances. And again, compared to
that amount, there are far more blessed buddhas to whom he has offered a flower wheel
or a wheel of incense without having dedicated it to unsurpassable and perfect
awakening. Why then even mention the exquisitely adorned wheels of gold, silver, and
wood that he has offered to the blessed buddhas? All such offerings to the blessed
buddhas he has dedicated toward the turning of the Dharma wheel, and thus he has
supplicated, again and again.

“There was a time when the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha
Royal Leader Treading with Great Strength appeared in the world. At that time there
was a king by the name of Blazing with Famed Power, who reigned as a universal emperor
within the trichiliocosm. There, within the retinue of his queens, or residing in his
parks, the king would pursue the pleasures of the senses, frolicking and reveling. Yet
one time, as he asked his queens to entertain him with song, dance, and music, he instead heard the
words of impermanence, suffering, and the absence of self. Immediately the king became
disenchanted with his pleasures. Having lost his desire, he became frightened and sad,
and in such a frame of mind he went before the thus-gone Royal Leader Treading with
Great Strength. Having bowed his head to the Thus-Gone One’s feet he took a place
before him.

“Upon the king’s arrival the Blessed One spoke on roots of virtue from the
past, and as the king listened, he thought, ‘The Blessed One sees with wisdom free of
any obscuration, and he has realized roots of virtue for so long. As for myself,
compared to him I am not aware of any virtuous roots. Before so many buddhas I have
created roots of virtue, yet they were all polluted by the muck of sense pleasures,
politics, and power. Thus I did not recognize them, and I did not dedicate them to
awakening. May all the roots of virtue that I now form be dedicated to the welfare of
all beings! Throughout all places, realms, and buddha realms, may words be spoken in
the languages that beings understand, and may all beings thus come to hear of
impermanence, suffering, and the absence of self. In all worlds, may all plants and
trees, even the smallest ones, resound with the words of impermanence, suffering, and
the absence of self, and may all beings hear those words. May all accumulated roots of
virtue cause all
beings to equally enter the Great Vehicle with a wisdom that is just like that of the
thus-gone Royal Leader Treading with Great Strength.’

“With this understanding King Blazing with Famed Power then rose from his
seat. Standing before the Blessed One, he said, “Blessed One, all of my possessions
throughout my entire realm I offer, without exception, to the buddhas and so forth, so
that the noble saṅgha may partake of them.”

“Having made this offering, King Blazing with Famed Power then went forth
from his household and became a homeless monk. Moreover, as they heard of the king’s
going forth all four divisions of the royal army subsequently also went forth. So did
the four billion ladies from the royal harem. Hearing of these goings forth, the
townspeople and farmers also went forth. Śāradvatīputra, in short, there were eight
billion people who thus went forth and, as soon as they had done so, they practiced
diligently.

“Thus, as they all fervently pursued virtuous qualities, it did not take them
long to acquire the five superknowledges. In that very life and body they all became
able to travel by the power of their superknowledges and miraculous abilities.
Traveling east in this way they visited as many buddha realms as there are grains of
sand in the river Ganges and met as many buddhas. Before each of them they prayed,
‘Blessed One, please teach the Dharma. Well-Gone One, please turn the wheel of
Dharma.’ In that same way they also traveled to the south, west, and north, as well as
above and below, and in all the intermediate directions. In each of those directions they visited as many
buddha realms as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges and supplicated as many
buddhas, ‘Blessed One, please teach the Dharma. Well-Gone One, please turn the wheel
of Dharma.’

“Since then the bodhisattva great being Blazing with Famed Power has never
been born in an impure buddha realm, nor has he ever taken birth from a womb. Whenever
he visits a buddha realm, all the branches, petals, leaves, trees, and forests within
that buddha realm will speak of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and the absence of
self. Likewise, in all the worlds that he visits, sentient beings will understand each
other’s languages, and they will hear the words of impermanence, suffering, and the
absence of self.

“Thus it was, Śāradvatīputra, that the universal emperor Blazing with Famed
Power once heard the thus-gone Royal Leader Treading with Great Strength teaching on
past roots of virtue, and so decided to leave his household to become a homeless monk.
Sharing his roots of virtue with all beings, he dedicated them toward unexcelled and
perfect awakening. Within that very same body he developed the superknowledges and the
power of absorption, and so he journeyed to the east, visiting as many buddha realms
as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. Visiting as many blessed buddhas, he
stood before them, as they resided upon their sacred seat of awakening, invoking and
supplicating them to turn the wheel of Dharma. Indeed, in this way he traveled in all
the ten directions. Now, Śāradvatīputra, you should not think that the universal
emperor Blazing with Famed Power was someone else. Because, Śāradvatīputra, he is
none other than the bodhisattva Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin.”

The bodhisattva great being Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin then
proceeded to the city of Rājagṛha and to the Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana where
the Blessed One was residing. Going before him, he bowed his head to the Blessed One’s
feet and took a place in the gathering. Then he addressed the Blessed One with the
following words: “Blessed One, the blessed thus-gone Roar of Signlessness inquires
whether you have encountered but little hardship and discomfort, and whether you
remain healthy, strong, and at ease. And he also sends you this great lotus flower,
which I request you to accept.”

At this point the Blessed One accepted the lotus flower from the bodhisattva
great being Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin and then said to him, “Noble son,
does the blessed thus-gone Roar of Signlessness remain strong, healthy, unchanged, and
happy within his buddha realm?”

“Blessed One,” answered the bodhisattva great being, “the thus-gone Roar of
Signlessness remains strong, healthy, unchanged, and happy. And why is that? Because,
Blessed One, in that buddha realm pure beings assemble, who are endowed with three
factors of purity. What are those three factors? Pure roots of virtue as they are
dedicated to the truth, pure boundless discipline due to aspirations, and pure
boundless view due to dedication by means of special insight that is not fixed on any
phenomenon. Blessed One, in that buddha realm there is not a single being who has a
corrupted discipline, view, or comportment. Blessed One, in that buddha realm even the
terms for such flaws do not exist. Compared to that world, Blessed One, this world
known as Enduring is like a prison filled with murderers, where people are constantly
killing each other. Come, Blessed One. Come along to that other world.”

In response the Blessed One said to the bodhisattva
Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin, “Noble son, why would I go to that world? It
is fine to stay in this world, teaching the Dharma to beings here.”

Once more the bodhisattva Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin called on
the Blessed One: “Blessed One, come along. Come along to that world. If, Blessed One,
you decline to come along I shall pull you there by the power of my own miraculous
abilities and the force of my aspirations. I shall take you through space and into
that world.”

So that the bodhisattva Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin’s powers would be known, and so that sentient beings would
engender roots of virtue and become inspired, the Blessed One at this point remained
indifferent. Then, as if he had become a potter, or a potter’s apprentice, who is
spinning his wheel with a stick so fast that it blurs visual perception, the
bodhisattva now transformed the trichiliocosm and lifted it up. As he lifted up the
world and shook it, the venerable Śāradvatīputra cried out to the Blessed One,
“Blessed One, the world is moving! Well-Gone One, the world is moving!”

In response, the Blessed One spoke in a way that was delightful, gentle,
harmonious, pleasant, compelling, courteous, widely agreeable, profound,
comprehensive, instructive, and guided by wisdom. Thus he said to the venerable
Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, in this regard I am powerless,” and he made this
known throughout the entire trichiliocosm. Hence, at this point all beings who were
attached to, confined to, or dependent on the view of the transitory collection became
saddened and weary. All four assemblies saw the thus-gone one, the blessed one, the
perfect Buddha, surrounded by bodhisattvas, teaching the Dharma while residing on the
Dharma throne like a universal emperor. They saw him as Brahmā, the lord of Enduring,
seated upon his Brahmā-throne and surrounded by Brahmā deities, teaching the Dharma.

The bodhisattva Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin now also revealed
other buddha realms. Then, at this point, the Blessed One performed a miracle,
bringing forth a strong swirling wind that caused the buddha realms to touch one
another. The worlds became hollow and perforated, so that they fell apart and were
destroyed. As the Thus-Gone One performed this miraculous feat, the Brahmās and
Mahābrahmās of this world, who had otherwise conceived in terms of views, permanence,
and the everlasting, now witnessed the collapse and complete destruction of their
Brahmā abodes. It was as if a great mass of water had produced an abundance of bubbles
and foam, which a storm then scattered, breaking everything into particles. In this
way the Brahmā deities witnessed the loss, demolition, and collapse of their abodes.
Seeing all this they despaired, and in despair they all prostrated to and gathered
around the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One said to Śāradvatīputra, “Śāradvatīputra, I have
explained this before, and I shall now do so again. Ah, Śāradvatīputra, this worldly
existence is defiled and polluted. Ah, Śāradvatīputra, this world is futile and like
an illusion, and hence it is like a water bubble that cannot be grasped. Ah, Śāradvatīputra, this
worldly existence is falsely conceived, and hence it is like a magic trick. Ah,
Śāradvatīputra, this worldly existence is discerned by the swift thoughts in space,
and hence it is like a mirage. Ah, Śāradvatīputra, this worldly existence contains
nothing solid to be grasped, and hence it is like a hallucination. Ah,
Śāradvatīputra, this worldly existence is conjured up by the actions of thought in
space, and hence it is like an echo. Śāradvatīputra, this worldly existence is false
and, by realizing that, the Thus-Gone One has attained perfect buddhahood. Ah,
Śāradvatīputra, this worldly existence is fake, and so, by not being attached to this
world, the Thus-Gone One has attained perfect buddhahood.

“Śāradvatīputra, I have exact knowledge that this worldly existence has no
experience to savor, and many shortcomings up to having no emancipation. In this way I
have full knowledge of how to awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood. I have
exact knowledge of this world, Śāradvatīputra, just as I have clear knowledge of its
origin and the path that leads to its cessation. At this moment, Śāradvatīputra, I
possess clear knowledge of how to awaken to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood.

“Śāradvatīputra, you may wonder what the world is. Śāradvatīputra, the
so-called world is the five aggregates. What are those five? They are the aggregates
of form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. Śāradvatīputra, you may
then wonder what is understood by the aggregate of form. Śāradvatīputra, the
Thus-Gone One has
relinquished the aggregate of form in all its past, future, and present
manifestations. However, while I have relinquished the aggregate of form in all its
past, future, and present manifestations, it would be wrong to say that the sentient
beings in the past, future, and present are not the aggregate of form.
Śāradvatīputra, whether inner or outer, large or small, good or bad, distant or
close, the Thus-Gone One teaches that all the aggregate of form, as contained within
the three times, is devoid of characteristics. As an analogy, just as the aggregate of
space possesses the features of wind, water, fire, and earth, the same can be said
with respect to the aggregates of form, feeling, perception, formation, and
consciousness.

“You may wonder, Śāradvatīputra, why it is referred to as the
aggregate of form. Śāradvatīputra, childish, ordinary beings
are in darkness. They do not recognize the full extent and nature of the
characteristics of form as found in the body. Thus, they think instead, ‘I am form’ or
‘Form is me.’ Thus, they cognize and structure things in terms of ‘I.’ This produces
arrogance and, in turn, craving for things. Yet, Śāradvatīputra, when the nature of
things is known, that is not the case.

“Childish, ordinary beings do not comprehend that neither the eye nor form is
an entity. Instead, their thoughts are based on holding on to entities that do not
exist as such. Childish beings who think in this way thus engage with entities and so
take birth within flawed realms. Those who thus experience nonentities, the colorless, that
which has no color, are indeed greatly bewildered. Such bewildered beings pursue
agriculture, and engage in the use of all sorts of weapons. The factor that conditions
them is delusion.

“Due to the sameness of things, the Thus-Gone One has a view of sameness.
Having thus gained awakening he has formulated the true view. Because that view is
equality, it is referred to as the true view. It is called the
true view because it is adhered to by those who are truly diligent and truly
liberated. Śāradvatīputra, the true view that I declare cannot be taught through
language. Its teaching is hard to bear. Practice it, Śāradvatīputra. If you do, you
will also be free of darkness.

“Śāradvatīputra, this section of the Dharma is said to be accompanied by
eighty-four thousand Dharma teachings. This is the gateway to all conditioned and
unconditioned phenomena, and it is the way of all phenomena.”

When the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect Buddha delivered this
teaching of the Dharma, seven hundred and seventy billion beings gained the stainless
and immaculate Dharma eye that sees all phenomena. Within the desire realm a billion
gods attained this, as did innumerable human beings. Among the billions of such humans
who lived on Jambudvīpa, those who were bodhisattvas also gained acceptance that
phenomena are unborn. Innumerably many beings set their minds on unexcelled and perfect
awakening.

Then the Blessed One withdrew his miraculous activity, and thus the four
assemblies, the Brahmā assembly, the assembly of the gods of the desire realm, as well
as the other gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, demigods, garuḍas, kinnaras, and
mahoragas all saw the world as it is.

At this point the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana rose from his seat, draped
his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. Joining his palms, he bowed
toward the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, the bodhisattva great being
Sahacittotpādadharmacakrapravartin’s mastery of supernatural powers is amazing.
Blessed One, he took this world, including the Blessed One himself, and hurled it into
another world. At that time I was unable to identify the characteristics and I could
not even remember the names of any supernatural powers, so, needless to mention, I was
unable to muster any such powers. Ah, Blessed One, I find
it truly amazing that this bodhisattva possesses such supernatural powers. Blessed
One, when I carefully scan the changing times I do not recognize even a moment or an
instant of such hauling and transportation being performed by any of us. If even a bodhisattva can possess such supernatural
powers, then what to say of the powers of the thus-gone ones?”

“Maudgalyāyana,” replied the Blessed One, “you should not think that this
world was hauled or that the Thus-Gone One was transported. Maudgalyāyana, I do not
perceive any mendicant, priest, hearer, or solitary buddha, nor anyone from among the
gods up to and including the mahoragas either, who is capable of moving even a fold in
the Thus-Gone One’s Dharma robe. What then to say about actually lifting up the
Thus-Gone One? That is clearly impossible. For the time being, Maudgalyāyana, set
aside the world with its gods, and imagine instead, Maudgalyāyana, the following
scenario. Within the trichiliocosm there are beings with form just as there are
formless beings. There are beings involved in perception, beings not involved in
perception, and beings neither involved nor not involved in perception. Imagine now
that they all achieve a human body, and with that human body they go forth. Having
gone forth, they also achieve the state of a worthy one and they gain the six
superknowledges.

Maudgalyāyana, to illustrate this, imagine that they gain just as great
miraculous abilities as the ones you possess. Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? Will
that gathering of beings with miraculous abilities then have increased?”

“Yes, it will, Blessed One,” replied Maudgalyāyana.

“Maudgalyāyana, these hearers may lift up a thousandfold universe, or
millionfold universe, or a trichiliocosm, and transport it beyond as many universes as
there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. Yet even those who have attained such
perfect supernatural powers will not be able to move even a fold in the Thus-Gone One’s Dharma
robe as he resides in the midst of space.

“Maudgalyāyana, let us leave aside such a gathering of beings like you.
Imagine instead, Maudgalyāyana, that a being has been born who possesses supernatural
powers sufficient for conjuring up a storm that can scatter, pulverize, and destroy
any trichiliocosm that has not been blessed by a thus-gone one. Imagine then that with
each of the particles that thus emerge from one trichiliocosm he further plunges
universes into darkness and destroys as many of them as there are grains of sand in
the river Ganges, and that the particles emerging thereby are scattered throughout
trichiliocosms. Maudgalyāyana, what do you think? Would such a being have perfected
supernatural power?”

“Yes, Blessed One, he would,” answered the venerable Maudgalyāyana.

“Maudgalyāyana,” continued the Blessed One, “even if this trichiliocosm were
full of such beings with perfect supernatural powers—as many as there are plants on a
field of sugar cane, reeds, grass, paddy, or sesame—they would still not be able to
move even a fold in the Thus-Gone One’s Dharma robe. Needless it is to mention, then,
that it would be impossible for them to lift up the Thus-Gone One.

“Maudgalyāyana, while remaining at this very place, upon this very lion
throne, the Thus-Gone One may stir, move, and shake as many innumerable and
unfathomable universes in the east as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges.
Yet the sentient
beings there will not think, ‘Our universe is being dislocated and transported!’
Neither will they think, ‘Alas, this universe is subject to destruction and
formation!’ Nor will they think, ‘This universe is being scattered and destroyed!’
However, for the sake of taming sentient beings, sometimes forms of the buddhas will
teach beings the Dharma beyond marks, but other times forms of hearers, gods, humans,
nāgas, boys, or girls will deliver the teaching.

“Maudgalyāyana, you must trust in all the different Dharma teachings on the
buddhas’ powers, fearlessnesses, unique qualities, and preeminent miracles. This is
how it is throughout all the ten directions.

“Maudgalyāyana, to the monk Ānanda I have taught the gateways for the
retention of the sūtras, songs, prophecies, parables, past-life stories, elaborate
teachings, marvels, narratives, and established teachings. However, Maudgalyāyana, the
monk Ānanda is incapable of understanding the domain of the Thus-Gone One. And why is
that? Because, Maudgalyāyana, even if they try for an eon, a hundred eons, a thousand
eons, or a hundred thousand eons, hearers will not be able to fully understand,
conceive of, or comprehend even a single syllable of the Thus-Gone One. What then to
say of their understanding of the Thus-Gone One’s full domain?

“Maudgalyāyana, the thus-gone ones instruct sentient beings by means of
numerous referents, activities, and modes of conduct. In this way, they teach the Dharma to sentient
beings. However, Maudgalyāyana, although wearing the Thus-Gone One’s Dharma robe
accomplishes the aims of all beings and spawns the teaching of the Dharma, none of the
hearers fully comprehend this. Maudgalyāyana, if you cannot even accommodate this
teaching, then how could you possibly grasp the domain of the Thus-Gone One? That is
clearly impossible.”

Having thus accepted the great lotus flower, the Blessed One next posed
questions to Bhadrapāla and all the other bodhisattva great beings, who were guardians
of the city of Dharma: “Noble sons, can you protect the treasure of the Thus-Gone
One’s Dharma? Can you conceal it? Can you comprehend the full domain of the Thus-Gone
One? Can you express it? Can you teach it? Can you teach it in full?”

“Blessed One,” they replied, “yes, we can.”

“Noble sons,” continued the Blessed One, “you should therefore consider
whichever Dharma teaching you give to be the treasure and domain of the thus-gone
ones. Noble sons, all that is expressed with respect to the buddhas’ perfect wisdom,
the buddhas’ perfect awakening, the buddhas’ accomplishment of wisdom, and the
buddhas’ accomplishment of awakening is the domain of the Thus-Gone One. Thus it must
be expressed. Noble sons, wherever an objective referent is seen, it is viewed as the
Thus-Gone One’s domain and definitively taught to be so. That Dharma teaching by the
Thus-Gone One is delivered by viewing the activities of sentient beings, wherever they
are seen, as the Thus-Gone One’s domain. Thus, the activities of the Thus-Gone One’s
teaching of the Dharma are not displayed for the sake of stopping the activities of
sentient beings.

“The ninety-nine thousand faculties of the Thus-Gone One’s knowing are as
follows: the activities of
those engaged in desire, or anger, or delusion; the activities of those engaged in
contrived desire, anger, or delusion; the activities of those engaged in desire and
anger; the activities of those engaged in contrived desire and anger; the activities
of desire and delusion; the activities of those engaged in contrived desire and
delusion; the activities of those engaged in anger and delusion; the activities of
those engaged in contrived anger and delusion; the faculties for purifying the mind;
the faculties for purifying the production of things; the faculties for purifying the
production of existence; the faculties that emerge from application; the faculties for
purifying activities; the faculties that activate black qualities; the faculties that
activate white qualities; the faculties that activate black and white qualities; the
faculties that accord with the path; the faculties that accord with
tranquility; the faculties that accord with special insight; the
faculties that accord with exhaustion; the faculties that accord with birth; and the
faculties that accord with the truth.

Maudgalyāyana, in this regard, the twenty thousand faculties related to the
accumulation of past conduct motivate actions that are either black, or black and
white. Such actions
produce dark complexion, fair complexion, attractive complexion, unattractive
complexion, crippled legs, missing hands or fingers, impaired movement, deafness,
blindness, or a missing tongue. The twenty thousand faculties related to the
accumulation of past conduct also cause shapes that are long, short, thin, fat, or
indistinct. Engaging the faculties of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind,
the twenty thousand faculties related to the accumulation of past conduct are those
associated with desire, anger, delusion, absence of desire, absence of anger, or
absence of delusion. The thirty thousand faculties that produce birth activate the
time of death. They become apparent when they create changes or signs, such as shaking
of the limbs, changes in one’s faculties, bones breaking, or deterioration of the
vital signs, which in turn causes loss of one’s luster. These signs finally stop when
the voice is choked. Such faculties lead to the realms of hell, animals, or starving
spirits. To attain buddhahood one is led to birth among humans, gods, or within
different worlds. Or one is led to actualize the exhaustion of defilements. There are
seventy-seven thousand faculties that should be considered if one is interested in the
features of roots of virtue. There are twenty thousand faculties that lead to roots of
nonvirtue and these should be known to facilitate death.

The treasure of the thus-gone ones is the domain of the thus-gone ones. Dwelling
within that domain the Thus-Gone One explains the Dharma without ever tiring or
running out of things to say.”

This concludes the second chapter.

Chapter 3

Praising the Merits of Engendering the Mind of

Awakening and Pursuing the Sacred Dharma

Present in the gathering was a certain Dṛḍhamatikumārabhūta, who now rose
from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee.
Joining his palms, he bowed toward the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, with this
gateway of the Dharma I have discovered something very precious. Blessed One, I shall
henceforth practice this gateway of the Dharma in order to accomplish the Dharma. How
so? From today on, Blessed One, I shall don a suitable armor to pursue and accomplish
these Dharma teachings. In the future, in times to come, I shall never let my
diligence wane until I have listened to the Dharma treasure of the Thus-Gone One’s
domain.”

“Dṛḍhamati,” replied the Thus-Gone One, “this is excellent. It is excellent
that throughout innumerable millions of eons you will continue to exert yourself in
the pursuit of the practice of my great wisdom. Well done, Dṛḍhamati. Now, Dṛḍhamati,
imagine that all at once, in one moment, in one instant, all beings in this
trichiliocosm without exception—whether they are those with form, or those who are
formless, and whether they are those with perception, or those without perception,
or those with
neither perception nor non-perception—were to attain a human body. Then imagine that a
man appears who provides all those beings with enjoyable things. He is able to lift
them up and hold them by his hand for an eon or more, faithfully providing them with
whatever forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures they might wish for. Meanwhile,
he uses his other hand to collect all the feces and urine of all those beings,
depositing it all in a different universe. And why does he do that? Because he does
not want any of them to experience any unpleasant odor. Dṛḍhamati, what do you think?
Does that man render proper service to all those beings, providing them with desirable
things?”

“Indeed, Blessed One,” replied Dṛḍhamati, “he serves them with an extremely
vast amount of enjoyable things.”

“Dṛḍhamati,” continued the Blessed One, “that man serves each of those
beings, providing them with pleasant things.

“Now think of a noble son or daughter who, regardless of whether the
Thus-Gone One is present or has passed beyond suffering, develops the mind of
unexcelled and perfect awakening for the sake of all beings. This person wishes to
hear the teachings of the Bodhisattva Collection. He or she is intent on accomplishing
the wisdom of the buddhas, the great wisdom, thus eliminating desire, anger, and
delusion. So that all beings may go beyond birth, aging, sickness, death, lamentation,
suffering, mental pain, and disturbance, this person pledges to teach the Dharma to sentient beings. When
thus involved in the process of maturing a bodhisattva’s roots of virtue, that person
may search for the Dharma and find just one single verse. Dṛḍhamati, as that person
provides delightful service to sentient beings, he or she creates merit that is much
larger than the former person’s merit. The former merit would not even match one
hundredth, or one thousandth of that. In fact, no number, fraction, enumeration,
analogy, or comparison would suffice.

“Dṛḍhamati, the Thus-Gone One is clearly aware of the different ways in which
bodhisattva great beings provide delightful service to sentient beings. But who can
trust this, Dṛḍhamati, apart from my hearers who have seen the truths, or the
bodhisattva great beings with their superior intent?

“Dṛḍhamati, bodhisattva great beings feel, ‘We shall be the support of those
who have no support, the savior of those who have no savior, the refuge of those who
have no refuge, the protector of those who have no protector. We shall accomplish the
wisdom of the buddhas, the great wisdom, and lead sentient beings beyond all limits
and numbers to the undefiled qualities.’ Such is the armor that they wear.

“It may then be that in the morning they must provide sentient beings with a
heap of jewels as large as Mount Meru, and it may be that they have to do the same at
noon, and in the
afternoon, or throughout the day and night. However, beings may still not be satisfied
and the gifts may thus become a circumstance for their depravation. In that case
bodhisattvas will think, ‘We shall pursue the Dharma whereby sentient beings will
consider the entire trichiliocosm filled with precious substances to be like a glob of
spit.’ Needless then to mention what their perception of vile substances will be like.

“Wise bodhisattva great beings will think, ‘This heap of jewels is the root
of desire, anger, and delusion; the root of the sufferings of hell, animals, and
hungry spirits; and the root of numerous karmic manifestations.’ Starting out in this
way, they attain the mind of transcendence of suffering and have no concern for any
heap of jewels. In fact, wise beings do not consider heaps of jewels to be just that.
Instead, they see them as heaps of beings in hell, because they understand that anyone
who develops attachment to such things will fall into misery.

“Now, Dṛḍhamati, let us no longer consider just all the beings within a
single trichiliocosm. Imagine instead the following. Think of all the universes that
extend toward the east, as abundant as the grains of sand in the river Ganges. And
then think of all the universes that in the same way extend in each of the ten
directions. Within all these universes are beings with bodies, beings without bodies,
beings who are involved in perception, beings who are not involved in perception, and
beings neither involved nor not involved in perception. Think of all that we in this way call ‘the realms
of sentient beings.’ Then imagine that, all at once, each one gains a human body.
Imagine also that a man appears who always immediately provides them with whatever
they might wish for in terms of enjoyable forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures.
For an eon or more, that man takes care of all these beings, carrying them on his
shoulders and head. Whatever they wish him to do, he does. And, with one hand he
sweeps away all these beings’ excrement and urine, disposing of it all in a different
universe. Well, Dṛḍhamati, what do you think? Does that man render proper service to
those beings, providing them with numerous desirable things?”

“Indeed, Blessed One, he serves them with a vast amount of enjoyable things.”
replied Dṛḍhamati.

“Dṛḍhamati,” continued the Blessed One, “pay attention and understand what I
say. That man serves all those beings, providing them with pleasant things. But think
now of a noble son or daughter who wishes to provide all beings with refuge, and so
sets his or her mind on unexcelled and perfect awakening. This person wishes to listen
to the teachings of the Bodhisattva Collection, the teachings whereby bodhisattvas’
roots of virtue ripen into unexcelled and perfect awakening, and may therefore
diligently pursue the Dharma of the bodhisattvas. If, Dṛḍhamati, that person takes
even just a single step toward the pursuit and diligent practice of the bodhisattva
Dharma, then the ensuing roots of virtue will not wear out or come to an end before the
attainment of unexcelled and perfect awakening. And why? Dṛḍhamati, the former
person’s way of providing delightful service cannot match even one hundredth, or a
thousandth, one hundred thousandth, or a millionth part of what is rendered by the
latter. In fact, no number, fraction, enumeration, analogy, or comparison would
suffice. And why? Because, Dṛḍhamati, all of the former type of service is based on
substance, and hence is limited and imperfect.

“Dṛḍhamati, diligent pursuit of the Dharma causes an increase in discipline,
absorption, and insight. It ripens the qualities of buddhahood. It ripens
inconceivable skillful means and purifies buddha realms. Hence, the Thus-Gone One has
taught that unexcelled and perfect awakening depends on abundant learning.

“Dṛḍhamati, imagine that this trichiliocosm is full of thus-gone ones—as full
as a grove of reeds, a paddy field, a sesame field, or a bamboo grove. Imagine then
that someone spends his or her entire life paying respect to, honoring, venerating,
and worshiping all those thus-gone ones, worthy ones, perfect buddhas, offering them
garments, foods, bedding, mattresses, medicines, and other material things. Moreover,
if any one of those thus-gone ones passes completely beyond suffering that person will
construct a memorial for them that measures a league in circumference, is made
of the seven precious substances, is sheltered below parasols, is adorned with altars,
shines for an eon with the blazing light of oil lamps, and is adorned with beautiful
offerings. Dṛḍhamati, what do you think? Will such a noble son or daughter engender
abundant merit?”

“Blessed One, that person will produce merit beyond number and measure,”
replied Dṛḍhamati.

“Dṛḍhamati,” said the Blessed One, “try to imagine and understand this. That
person indeed accumulates such merit. However, a noble son or daughter may develop the
mind set on unexcelled and perfect awakening, and so diligently seek to listen to,
teach, read, and master the sūtra teachings of the Bodhisattva Collection, the
teachings that ripen the factors of awakening. In this regard, Dṛḍhamati, the heaps of
merit that are acquired by the former person cannot match even one hundredth, or a
thousandth, a hundred thousandth, or a billionth part of the mass of merit that is
achieved by this latter person. In fact, no number, fraction, enumeration, analogy, or
comparison would suffice.

“Therefore, Dṛḍhamati, if you intend to don your armor for the sake of
listening to, recollecting, reading, and mastering such sūtras in the future, during
the final five hundred years, then, Dṛḍhamati, I shall not state any measure regarding
the amount of merit that you will obtain. I shall mention neither limits nor an end to
it.

“Dṛḍhamati, if you wish to hear an analogy for the amount of merit that is
obtained by developing the awakened mind, or if you wish to gain just a sense of what
it is like, then let me ask you whether you have heard of the thus-gone ones’
supernatural powers, and if you are capable of believing in them.”

“Blessed One,” replied Dṛḍhamati, “I can accept the powers of the Blessed One.”

“Dṛḍhamati,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Is the trichiliocosm
large?”

“Blessed One, yes it is,” replied Dṛḍhamati.

“Dṛḍhamati,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? What if the
trichiliocosm were full of sesame seeds, and each of those sesame seeds itself became
a container the size of a trichiliocosm, all filled up with sand? Dṛḍhamati, what do
you think? Would all that amount to a large pile of sand?”

“Yes, Blessed One,” replied Dṛḍhamati, “it would.”

“Dṛḍhamati,” continued the Blessed One, “what then if a man appeared who
would grab handfuls of this sand and toss it in the four directions, and if, whenever
he did so, a wind would catch each individual grain of sand and carry it into its own
distinct universe? Dṛḍhamati, what do you think? How many worlds would there be in the
east, and how many would there be in the other directions?”

“Blessed One, this would be beyond measure,” replied Dṛḍhamati. “Well-Gone
One, it would be beyond measure.”

“Dṛḍhamati, try to imagine. Dṛḍhamati, try to understand,” continued the
Blessed One. “Dṛḍhamati, in the case of the thus-gone ones, the worthy ones, the
perfect buddhas, their conduct, path, transcendent discipline, transcendent miraculous
abilities, and transcendent insight are all beyond measure. Dṛḍhamati, if he so
wishes, a thus-gone one may traverse all those universes in a single step, and yet neither will his conduct
be rushed, nor will he have displayed the full extent of his transcendent,
supernatural powers. Within the time of a finger-snap and with just one single step a
thus-gone one can walk across all those universes—one universe for each grain of sand.
He can do so in the east, as well as in all the rest of the ten directions, and he can
do so for a day, a fortnight, a month, a year, a hundred years, a thousand years, or a
hundred thousand years. He can walk throughout each direction for a hundred billion
years. Well, Dṛḍhamati, would you say that the worlds that can thus be crossed by a
thus-gone one are many?”

“Yes, Blessed One, they are many,” replied Dṛḍhamati.

“Dṛḍhamati,” continued the Blessed One, “if such merit had form it could not
even be contained within all those universes. It would be even larger. Dṛḍhamati, the
thus-gone ones, the worthy ones, the perfect buddhas know all these heaps of merit
completely. Such merits are beyond measure, innumerable, limitless, ineffable, and
beyond count, and yet the thus-gone one knows them completely. Dṛḍhamati, I am not
aware of any number of syllables, or any number of letters, or any number of digits
that can convey the knowledge of such heaps of merit. In the end there would be
nothing but innumerable numbers, numbers beyond measure.”

This concludes the third chapter.

Chapter 4

Praising the Engendering of the Mind of

Awakening

At that time there was in the east—beyond countless and limitless universes—a
world known as Sound of Renown. Within that universe resided a thus-gone one, a worthy
one, a perfect buddha known as Majestic Mountain. Abiding and remaining present there,
he taught the Dharma. The blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect
buddha Majestic Mountain had just prophesied that following himself the bodhisattva
Luminous Sphere of Great Splendor, who was present in the gathering there, would
awaken to unsurpassable and perfect buddhahood.

The bodhisattva Luminous Sphere of Great Splendor had witnessed the great
light, heard the special sound, and sensed the ground quaking. Now he approached the
blessed thus-gone Majestic Mountain and asked, “Blessed One, who is behind this light,
this special sound, and the ground shaking?”

The blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha
Majestic Mountain then said to the bodhisattva Luminous Sphere of Great Splendor,
“Noble son, to the west of this buddha realm, far beyond countless and limitless
universes, there is a world known as Enduring. There resides the thus-gone one, the
worthy one, the perfect buddha Śākyamuni. Abiding and remaining present there, he is
delivering Dharma teachings on the Bodhisattva Collection to a retinue that contains
incomparable bodhisattva beings. Noble son, in the ten directions, throughout
universes as numerous as the grains of sand in the river Ganges, there is nobody who
wears an armor as strong as the one that is borne by those holy beings. Noble son,
even coming to hear of these beings is extremely difficult, let alone beholding and
venerating them.”

“Blessed One,” said the bodhisattva Luminous Sphere of Great Splendor, “I
wish to go to that world known as Enduring, so that I may see, venerate, and serve the
blessed thus-gone Śākyamuni, and so that I may see those bodhisattva great beings who
bear such inconceivable armor.”

“Noble son, if you know that the time has come, then go,” replied the blessed
Majestic Mountain. “Offer that blessed one these seven lotus flowers, and tell him
that the blessed thus-gone Majestic Mountain inquires whether he has encountered but
little hardship and discomfort, and whether he remains healthy, strong, and at
ease.”

The bodhisattva great being Luminous Sphere of Great Splendor then looked at
the thus-gone Majestic Mountain. He bowed his head to the Thus-Gone One’s feet and
then left. As fast as an athlete can stretch out or bend an arm, the bodhisattva
Luminous Sphere of Great Splendor now disappeared from that universe and
instantaneously appeared here in the world of Enduring. Arriving at the
Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha he went before the Blessed One. He bowed
his head to the Blessed One’s feet and sat to one side. Then he addressed the Blessed One:
“Blessed One, the blessed thus-gone Majestic Mountain inquires whether you have
encountered but little hardship or discomfort, and whether you remain healthy, strong,
and at ease. He also sends you these lotus flowers.”

The Blessed One accepted the flowers and asked, “Luminous Sphere of Great
Splendor, is that blessed one free from ailments? Is he strong and does he remain
unchanged and happy?”

“Yes, Blessed One,” replied Luminous Sphere of Great Splendor, “he is free
from ailments and strong. He remains unchanged and happy within his buddha realm.”

The Blessed One now gave the lotus flowers to the bodhisattva Ajita and said,
“Ajita, so that you may perfect the branches of awakening, take these lotuses and use
them to engender roots of virtue.”

The bodhisattva Ajita, receiving thus the seven great lotus flowers, in turn
passed them on to Bhadrapāla and other such incomparable bodhisattvas, including
Ratnākara, Susārthavāha, Naḍadatta, Indradatta, Varuṇa, Balabhadra,
Uttaramati, Viśeṣamati, Vardhamānamati, Amoghadarśin, Susaṃprasthita, Suvikrāntavikrāmin, Nityodyukta,
Anikṣiptadhura, Sūryagarbha, Jagatīṃdhara, Dharaṇidhara, Able Intelligence,
Anantamati, Trailokyavikrāmin, Anantavikrāmin,
Unfathomable Subduer, Leader Revealing All Objects of Perception,
Dṛḍhamati, Aprameyavikrāmin, Meaningful Diligence, Lion of Powerful Diligence,
Moving with the Power of Meaningful Steps, Joyous Acumen, Tīkṣṇapratibhāna,
Gambhīrapratibhāna, Boundless Acumen, Aprameyapratibhāna,
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta, Padmagarbha, Elephant of Infinity, Knowing neither Increase nor
Decrease, Dharmodgata, Ratnapāṇi, Meaningful Glory, Immovable
Subjugator, Aśoka, Vigataśoka, Engagement without Difference,
Untiring Diligence, Becoming a Womb, Strīvivarta, Becoming a Man, Becoming a Sentient
Being, Jālinīprabha, Infinite Essence, Lotus in the Buddha’s Hand, Padmapāṇi,
Gandhahastī, Armor of Lion-like Understanding, Meaningful
Armor, Irreproachable Armor, Armor of Entering All Realms, Armor of
Profound Conduct, Bearer of the Armor Beyond Change and Free from Weariness,
Spreader of Flowers, Jewel Flower, Clarifier of the
Meaningful Name, Propagator of the Meaningful Name, Bearer of the Armor
of All Objects of Perception, Bearer of the Armor of Constant Joy, Bearer of the Armor
of Constant Longing, Bearer of the Armor of Impartiality, Bearer of the Armor of
Glorious Equality, Bearer of the Fierce, Force of Joy, Force of Benevolence,
Śrīharṣa, Nandika, Actualizing the Branches of Awakening, Bearer of
the Armor of Never Parting from the Buddhas, Bearer of the Armor of Turning the Dharma
Wheel, Bearer of the Armor of the Unimpeded Wheel, Bearer of the Armor of Total Relinquishment,
Bearer of the Armor of Non-Appropriation, Bearer of the Armor of Being Unperturbed,
Bearer of the Armor of Keeping the Lineage of the Buddhas Unbroken, Candrāvaloka,
Glorious Light of Qualities, Sārthavāha, Mahāsārthavāha, Supreme Accumulations, Supreme Array,
Ratnavyūha, Sarvasiddhārtha, Meaningful Splendor, Glorious Guidance, Guiding Victory
Banner, Certain Guidance, Śānta, Perfector, Buddhabhadra, Supriya, Joyous Victor,
Jitendriya, Jayasena, Crushing Subduer, Śatrumardana, Without Malice Toward Enemies,
Universally Renowned, King of Fame, Increasing Wealth,
Mitra, Divine Friend, Growing Friend, Bearer of the Single Parasol,
Ratnacchatra, Sunakṣatra, Dharma, Dharmadeva, Vimala, Stainless Hero, Moving with Heroic
Strength, Moving with Infinite Strength, Moving with Meaningful Strength,
Subduer with Infinite Steps, Treading with Tremendous Power, and
Action Beyond Differences. Thus, in all, seventy-seven thousand bodhisattvas received
the seven lotus flowers.

The Blessed One said, “Elders, the Blessed One gives you these seven lotuses
so that you may bring the factors of awakening to maturation. Noble sons, take these
great flowers, transform them, and offer them to the Blessed One. As you transform the
flowers, display your individual skillful means.”

Thus, when the seventy-seven thousand bodhisattvas had taken the seven lotus
flowers, they offered them to the Blessed One, so that they could each display their
skillful means. With
great love the Blessed One accepted the seven great lotuses, and then said to the
bodhisattva great being Ajita, “Ajita, the Thus-Gone One has practiced diligently so that you may give
rise to roots of virtue. He has practiced with supreme diligence. Ajita, a thus-gone
one, a blessed one, a perfect buddha is extremely difficult to find, supremely
difficult to find. Ajita, bodhisattvas are also extremely difficult to find. And why?
Because, Ajita, buddha qualities manifest from bodhisattva activity. Ajita, would I
now possess the ten powers of a thus-gone one if I had not earlier aroused the mind of
awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, you would not,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would the four types of
fearlessness be present now, if I had not earlier set my mind on unexcelled and
perfect awakening?”

“Blessed One, they would not,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would the great love of
the Thus-Gone One be present in the world now, if I had not earlier set my mind on
unexcelled and perfect awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, it would not be present,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would the great
compassion of the Thus-Gone One be present in the world now, if I had not earlier set
my mind on unexcelled and perfect awakening? Or would there be any great joy, or great
equanimity?”

“No, Blessed One, there would be none of these,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would there be any of the
eighteen unique qualities of the Buddha in the world now, if I had not earlier, when I
was engaged in bodhisattva activity, set my mind on unexcelled and perfect
awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, there would not,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would any of the
Thus-Gone One’s meaningful strides be manifest in the world now, if I had not earlier,
when I was engaged in bodhisattva activity, set my mind on unexcelled and perfect
awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, they would not,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Could the lion’s gait of
the Thus-Gone One be witnessed in the world now, if I had not earlier set my mind on
unexcelled and perfect awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, it could not,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would the Thus-Gone One’s
elephant gaze be manifest in the world now, if I had not earlier set my mind on
unexcelled and perfect awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, it would not,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would the lion-like
posture of the Thus-Gone One be seen in the world now, if I had not earlier set my
mind on unexcelled and perfect awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, it would not be,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would the Thus-Gone One’s
indiscernible crown protuberance appear in the world now, if I had not earlier set my
mind on unexcelled and perfect awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, it would not,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would any of the
thirty-two marks of a great being be perceptible in the world now, if I had not
earlier set my mind on unexcelled and perfect awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, there would be none,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would I turn the wheel of
Dharma in the world now, if had not earlier set my mind on unexcelled and perfect
awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, you would not,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would the conch of Dharma
be present in the world now, if I had not earlier set my mind on unexcelled and
perfect awakening?”

“Blessed One, it would not,” replied Ajita.

“Ajita,” asked the Blessed One, “what do you think? Would there be perfect
hearers in the world now, if I had not earlier set my mind on unexcelled and perfect
awakening?”

“No, Blessed One, there would not,” replied Ajita.

“Thus, Ajita,” the Blessed One continued, “each and every element of
awakening depends on the initial engendering of that mind. Ajita, the reason there are
so few thus-gone ones is that bodhisattvas are so rare. Ajita, consider this analogy.
If there were no butter there would no longer be any clarified butter. Likewise,
Ajita, if the mind is not set on awakening one will never become a thus-gone one.
Ajita, consider this analogy. When there is butter there is also an uninterrupted
supply of clarified butter. Similarly, Ajita, when there are bodhisattvas in the world there
will also be thus-gone ones. Ajita, consider this analogy. When there is a seed there
can also be a sprout. Likewise, Ajita, if there are bodhisattvas in the world there
will also be thus-gone ones. Ajita, the reason thus-gone ones are so rare is therefore
precisely because bodhisattvas are rare.

“Ajita, consider this analogy. Compared to the priceless jewels in the ocean,
there is a greater number of valuable jewels in general. Similarly, among sentient
beings there are only a few who abide by the mind of awakening. In comparison, those
who keep the mindset of a hearer or a solitary buddha are so many.

“Thus, Ajita, those who give rise to the mind of awakening are rare. They are
extremely rare. Being so extremely rare, they are like the uḍumbara flower. Those who
engender the mind of awakening are priceless, like priceless jewels. Those who
engender the mind of awakening are greatly superior, like Mount Meru. Those who
engender the mind of awakening are utterly unmoving, like space. Those who engender
the mind of awakening are deep, like the ocean.

“Ajita, those who engender the mind of awakening surpass a trichiliocosm
filled with precious jewels. Ajita, when those who engender the mind of awakening have
a physical form they are worthy of homage, and, Ajita, they will be protected by
hundreds of thousands of mundane beings—gods and others. Therefore, Ajita, persist in
the practice of engendering the awakened mind. Do so joyfully, forcefully, clearly,
boldly, and with
commitment.

“Ajita, you may then wonder what it means to engender the mind of awakening.
Arousing the mind of awakening is not something that can be counted or measured.
Nevertheless, Ajita, for the sake of comprehension I shall give you just an
illustration, just a single example. Long ago in the past, before limitless and
innumerable eons, there was a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha, someone
wise and virtuous, a well-gone one, a knower of the world, a steersman taming beings,
an unsurpassable one, a teacher of gods and humans, a blessed buddha by the name of
King of Bliss. Ajita, the lifespan of that blessed one was eighty-four thousand years.
Ajita, the first assembly of that blessed one’s hearers numbered seven hundred sixty
million. The second assembly contained nine hundred sixty million, and the third one
billion hearers. Without exception, they were all foe-destroyers who had brought an
end to defilement, completed their task, completed their work, laid down the load,
achieved their own objectives, exhausted the bonds to existence, and achieved
liberation through the mind of equality. At that time there was a royal palace known
as Immense Vista, and within that palace resided a king of royal descent who had
received anointment. He was known by the name of Lion Glory, and his eminent queen
gave birth to two twin boys, one named Aśoka
and the other Vigataśoka.

“Ajita, one day in the palace, when the two boys had grown to be seven years
old, they saw the thus-gone King of Bliss enter the royal palace together with a
gathering of hearers.
The boy Aśoka then asked his brother, ‘Vigataśoka, do you see the thus-gone one, the
blessed one, the perfect buddha King of Bliss, as he approaches from afar?’

“ ‘Yes, brother, I see him,’ replied Vigataśoka.

“ ‘Vigataśoka,’ continued Aśoka, ‘I want to become just like the thus-gone
one, the blessed one, the perfect buddha King of Bliss.” Prince Aśoka then spoke the following verses to his
brother:

“ ‘Behold the protector, supreme among humans,

As he heads the saṅgha of monks,

Leading them here.

Vigataśoka, watch King of Bliss.

“ ‘The one thing I must do is to become

Just such a perfect leader of men.

I shall engender the mind of awakening

And liberate beings from fear.

“ ‘Through craving, conceit, anger, and desire

The world engages in painful acts.

Through such acts they fall into the abyss of hell,

Yet I shall free them from the lower realms.

“ ‘I shall be the world’s guide.

Like the uḍumbara flowers of the world,

This is the rarest of the rare.’

This is the wish you should make.’

“In reply, his brother Vigataśoka
spoke the following verses:

“ ‘Even if words are many

They do not make things happen.

I remain in practice

And say nothing at all.

“ ‘If, despite so much talking,

The body does nothing,

It is all fruitless,

And the words become lies.

“ ‘If words would make things happen

People would shine like a jewel.

Although their good qualities decrease,

They declare themselves to be supreme.’

“Young Aśoka then spoke these verses
to his brother Vigataśoka:

“ ‘It is for the sake of oneself, and not others,

That one would say such things.

Therefore, if one does not say anything at all

One’s mind is suffering from stinginess.

“ ‘I invite sentient beings to be my guests;

I shall delight them.

For me there is no stinginess to get rid of.

May I be the guide of living beings.

“ ‘The wise ones of the past

Did not say such things.

Some speak at great length

But do not act accordingly.

“ ‘Such people were also

Stingy in the past.

Hence they wonder

Whether things are actually going to happen.’

“Young Vigataśoka then spoke again to
his brother in verse:

“ ‘Brother, we should go together

To ask the Protector

Whether your way of developing

The mind of awakening, or mine, is the greatest.’

“Young Vigataśoka then descended from
the upper story of the palace and, wearing sandals made of jewels and garments worth
millions, he went to the place where the thus-gone King of Bliss was residing. There
he bowed his head to the thus-gone one’s feet and took a place in the gathering. Young
Aśoka, on the other hand, jumped from the
upper story, and in this way went before the thus-gone King of Bliss. He also wore
precious garments, and he carried a jewel as his crown ornament. But as he arrived,
Aśoka offered his garments and jewel to
the Blessed One, and the Blessed One accepted those gifts from the boy’s hand.

“In this way, young Vigataśoka in
fact arrived in the Blessed One’s presence later than young Aśoka, who had gotten there much earlier. When
Vigataśoka noticed young Aśoka in the gathering around the thus-gone King
of Bliss he asked him, ‘Aśoka, which way did
you take to have arrived here before the thus-gone one, the blessed one, the perfect
buddha King of Bliss so much earlier?’

“ ‘Brother,’ replied Aśoka, ‘I jumped
from our palace to this place where the Blessed One resides. Without any harm or
injury to my body, I got here with great convenience.’

“ ‘May we not take inferior paths,

But behold the guide of the world.

May we always follow

The path taught by the buddhas.’

“In verse, young Aśoka then addressed
his brother:

“ ‘People who protect

Their bodies and lives

Are constantly looking for the path.

Brother, you are just like such people.

“ ‘Those always in pursuit of happiness

Do not pursue the happiness of others.

When they leave their present body and life

They come to suffer in numerous ways.

“ ‘We must be of great service to people

And liberate them from the web of suffering.

That very path leads to seeing buddhahood.

When buddhahood is seen one will no longer search for the path.

“ ‘ “We shall take the path that leads to happiness.”

Thus think ignorant and unwise people,

Yet they proceed on such inferior paths;

They do not know the true path.

“ ‘Those traveling inferior paths while thinking of the ultimate

Proceed along paths of misfortune.

Tied up by the demons as they are,

Such people are far from this supreme path.

“ ‘May we always meet with buddhas;

May we always wear the ochre colors;

May we always observe pure conduct;

May our lives be extremely beneficial to others;

“ ‘May we always abide by the practice of the sacred Dharma;

May we always uphold the Dharma;

May we retain the Dharma of all the victorious ones forever;

May we always do good to living beings;

“ ‘May we constantly foster steadfast diligence;

May we never let the words we hear be wasted;

May our equipoise be constant;

And may we forever be adorned with all excellent qualities.’

“Ajita, when young Aśoka and young
Vigataśoka had spoken these verses they both went forth
from their homes to become monks under the thus-gone King of Bliss. As soon as they
had gone forth, each one of them claimed that he would become a thus-gone one much
earlier than the other. The monk Aśoka then
asked the monk Vigataśoka, ‘What sort of
mindset have you aroused, since you claim that you will be the first to awaken to
unexcelled and perfect buddhahood?’

“ ‘Aśoka,’ replied Vigataśoka, ‘I think in this way: until I have
awakened to unexcelled and perfect buddhahood, I shall never give up the mind of
awakening, even if I must bring every single being to maturation by remaining in hell
for a hundred thousand eons. Such is the quality of the mind that I bring forth. Aśoka, even if people come from the east, and
from all the other directions, and place upon my head piles of feces, fire, or dirt,
or a pot of excrement, fire, or dirt, I shall not allow that to make me angry and lose
my temper. I shall not scowl angrily at such people, nor shall I speak spitefully of
revenge. Instead, I shall practice the perfections for the sake of those very people
who attack me. Therefore, all their acts serve only to generate the wisdom of the
buddhas. All their acts serve only to engender the qualities of the buddhas. If I, in
the face of such abuse, were to abandon my equipoise, then how would I be able to
accomplish the perfection of patience? What should be extraordinary about this, if
such circumstances for ill will would not come up? Therefore, in order to mature those
very beings and cause
them to pass beyond suffering, I shall don my armor. Thinking in this way, I bear the
armor of patience. If, when such beings seek to harm me, I attempt to retaliate, then
how would I be any better than them? Aśoka,
such is the armor that I bear.’

“The monk Vigataśoka replied, ‘If
there were no mind there would not be any donning of such armor either. If there were
no armor, then neither could it be shown. Aśoka, because there is mind the armor can also be shown.’

“The monk Aśoka then told the monk
Vigataśoka, ‘You must not say “Just as
there is mind there is also armor”! And why not? Because, Vigataśoka, the mind is subject to arising and
destruction, and is therefore like an illusion. And an illusory mind that is subject
to arising and destruction is neither there nor not there. Vigataśoka, a view is involved whether something
is there or not, and any such view of presence or absence is a wrong view. Whenever
there is wrong view, one is on an errant path, a wrong path. One is not on the path of
awakening, and hence one is far from awakening, not near it. Reaching awakening will
be hard.

“ ‘Therefore, Vigataśoka, all that is
mental construction. Anything that involves mental construction and conceit is not
something for a bodhisattva to rely on. What, then, should a bodhisattva rely on? A
bodhisattva should not rely on anything. And why not? Because if one relies on
something, one does not properly rely. Thus, a bodhisattva should not be attached to anything. And why
not? Because awakening is baseless. And should a bodhisattva conceptualize this, that
would not be right. Why not? Because awakening is beyond concepts. If a bodhisattva
should become fixed on this, that would not be right. Why not? Because awakening is
beyond fixation. Should a bodhisattva think in such ways, that would not be right. Why
not? Because awakening knows no concepts. If a bodhisattva determines this, that would
not be right. Why not? Because awakening has no characteristics. If a bodhisattva
comprehends this, that would not be right. And why not? Because awakening does not
change. Should a bodhisattva believe that there is something to actualize, that would
not be right. And why not? Because there is no awakening and because awakening is
beyond syllables.’

“ ‘Brother,’ replied the monk Aśoka,
‘please do not think that nonconceptual awakening either exists or does not exist. And
why? Because as long as there are concepts there is no awakening. And why? Because
awakening does not involve any concepts. This is how it is. Or, in other words, the
more constructs, the more awakening.’

“The two of them then went to the place where the blessed thus-gone
King of Bliss was residing. Having bowed their heads to his feet, they sat to one
side, and from there they conveyed their entire conversation to the Blessed One. In
response, the Blessed One expressed his approval to the one monk, saying, ‘Excellent,
Aśoka.’

“The blessed one then turned to Vigataśoka and said, ‘Vigataśoka,
this is how it is. The more constructs, the more awakening. Why? Because all
constructs are void, and so is awakening. What then is voidness? Voidness is a
construct. And what are constructs? They are thought. That is to say, there are the
constructs of form, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness; the constructs
of discipline and absorption; the constructs of few desires and contentment; and the
constructs of being easily satisfied and being distinct. Where do constructs come
from? They come from thinking, that is to say, from the thought of form to the thought
of absorption—each thought is construction. Whatever is thought has no form, and thus
thinking is not something with form. That which is thought is absence of thought. That
which is thought is neither discipline nor anything else, up to and including
contentment. And awakening is the emptiness of form. Awakening is the emptiness of
feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness. So also with discipline,
absorption, few desires, contentment, being easily satisfied, and being easily
nourished—all are emptiness. And emptiness is neither sameness nor difference. That,
precisely, is what awakening is.’

“When the monk Vigataśoka heard this
teaching of the Dharma he gained the acceptance that phenomena do not arise. He also
clearly understood what kind of mind makes someone a bodhisattva; he understood what
the mind of awakening is. In this way the monks Aśoka and Vigataśoka developed
special insight into, and clear knowledge of, all phenomena. With such conviction
about all phenomena they persisted diligently, without any weariness or sleepiness,
for eighty thousand years, whereas before they had always been involved in nothing but
the pursuit of their desires. Thus, they did not give rise to any desire, anger, or
dullness. Upon their death and passing, their next birth in the world took place in
the buddha realm known as Harmony with a Thousand Buddha Realms, the
realm of the thus-gone Saṃvṛttaskandha, and there they continued their diligent
pursuits.

“Ajita, in this way those two bodhisattvas went on to serve six hundred and
eighty million buddhas, and in each life they lived they would always go forth and
practice diligently. Then, finally, the bodhisattva great being Aśoka awakened to unexcelled and perfect
buddhahood and appeared in the world as the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect
buddha known as Array of the Perfect Assembly. After that the bodhisattva Vigataśoka awakened to unexcelled and perfect
buddhahood and he became the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha known
as Supreme Accumulations. Ajita, the teachings
of those two became extremely vast. Ajita, the lifespans of those two thus-gone ones
were unfathomably long.

“Ajita, the mind of a bodhisattva is not transferred anywhere, nor is it adopted in
any way. It cannot be engendered and it cannot be stopped. It does not abide. It
cannot be interrupted. It does not come and it does not go. Ajita, that mind, as well
as the bodhisattva, is supremely difficult to find.”

Then the Blessed One spoke the following verses:

“Throughout millions of eons,

The world illuminators are so rare.

Like the flowers of the uḍumbara,

They appear in the world only sometimes.

“Also, bodhisattvas who practice

In pursuit of awakening are rare.

The hero’s mind

Will manifest in the world only sometimes.

“Thus, the ones who bring forth

Such an extremely pure mind

Will witness the powers of a buddha

As well as the types of fearlessness.

“They will roar like a lion,

And declare the speech of the sage.

As I turn the wheel of truth,

They will turn the wheel of Dharma.

“My eighteen unique qualities,

Complete without anything lacking,

As well as all the marks of the buddhas,

You must look here to see them.

“The movements free from delusion,

The elephant’s gaze,

And the imperceptible crown—

All must all be seen through that mind.

“Transcendent discipline,

Transcendent meditative absorption,

Transcendent insight, as well as the mind of awakening,

Are all to be seen through this.

“All buddha qualities

And any other qualities taught

Reside, without exception, within that mind,

And within its initial arousal.

“The discipline of the hearers,

The absorptions of the hearers,

And their insight and miraculous ability—

You must see them all here.

“If you do not engage

The mind that you earlier brought forth,

Then how will you ever be able

To engage the unexcelled wisdom?

“If the buddha qualities are not seen,

Then how could there be any hearing?

The hearers then could not possibly

Appear within the world.

“The armor of the virtues

Of suffering’s transcendence,

Just as it is borne by the perfect, solitary buddhas—

Also that you must see through this mind.

“All the happiness of sentient beings,

Whether mundane or transcendent,

Resides without exception within this mind,

And within the initial mind.

“That mind’s ripening

Is vast, and it is said that once seen

It will not wear out,

Even over billions of eons.

“Arising and ceasing,

The mind is brought forth by conditions.

Watch the ripening

Of its empty nature.

“The mind is produced by conditions

But the mind itself is not an entity.

Watch the ripening

By the mind that is devoid of any entity.

“Based on what is apprehended

The mind never arises,

Yet watch the ripening of that

Which is praised for never decaying.

“How could a person of steadfast mind,

Who clearly understands such a mind

And constantly remains within the true vehicle,

Ever be lost?

“There are those who remain

Fixed on eye and form,

As well as feeling, perception, and formation,

And who do not know their own nature.

“Such miserable minds that believe

That by thinking they can purify space,

Will for long not experience any purification,

And so they will remain, unskilled, within existence.

“Therefore, the mind is false and fake.

Having understood that it does not exist,

Do not ascribe to it any importance,

For it is devoid of any essence.

“The mind that arises in dependence

Will never come to nothing,

Yet all its conditions

Are empty of their own essence.

“Phenomena empty of their own essence

Are not to be accomplished.

All phenomena are imaginary—

This is how their nature is taught.

“Those who understand this clearly

Receive the prophecy of awakening.

Their prophecy is not delivered by means of form,

Nor does it take place in terms of feeling.

“Prophecy does not occur through perception or formation,

Nor is it granted by means of consciousness.

Here no phenomena are observed,

Yet neither do such beings lack prophecy.

“Those who recognize that here

All phenomena are devoid of marks,

And who are free from arrogance based on such understanding,

They receive the prophecy of awakening.

“Such acceptance has arisen

Through precisely the teaching of intelligence.

As dirt is broken, weapons are broken,

And thus they will not be subject to forgetfulness.

“Whoever truly develops

An acceptance of this kind

Will be able to endure wealth and honor,

Remaining free from conceit based on riches.

“An acceptance of this kind

Is undertaken by the wise.

Having subdued the two extremes

The wise practice by means of the middle.

“Hence, one must develop firm acceptance.

Phenomena are devoid of essence—

This is the path of awakening

Upon which I have also relied.”

This concludes the fourth chapter.

Chapter 5

The Gathering of Bodhisattvas

At that time there was in the east, beyond sixty-eight thousand innumerable
universes, a universe known as Susthitamati,
and within that universe resided a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha known
as Sky Family. Abiding and remaining present there, he taught the Dharma. This blessed
one had prophesied that a bodhisattva great being by the name of Candra would awaken
to unsurpassable and perfect buddhahood. Also this bodhisattva great being, Candra,
had noticed the light and heard the sound of the clear voice. Now he approached the perfect buddha
Sky Family and asked, “Blessed One, whose is this clear voice that we hear, and to
whom does this radiance belong?”

“Noble son,” replied the blessed thus-gone Sky Family, “sixty-eight thousand
innumerable universes away from this buddha realm lies a universe known as Enduring.
Within it resides the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Śākyamuni.
Abiding and remaining present there, he is delivering Dharma teachings that are known
as the Bodhisattva Collection. The clear voice and radiant light both belong to that
blessed one.”

“Blessed One,” the bodhisattva Candra then declared, “I shall travel to
Enduring and go before the blessed Śākyamuni.”

“Noble son,” replied the Blessed One, “if you know that the time has come,
then go.”

Having been granted permission, the bodhisattva Candra looked toward that
blessed one, bowed his head to that blessed one’s feet in homage, and prepared to
leave. The blessed thus-gone Sky Family then gave a hand-like kumuda flower to the
bodhisattva Candra and said, “Noble son, offer this hand-like kumuda flower to the
Blessed One. Tell him that the thus-gone one Sky Family inquires whether the Blessed
One has encountered but little hardship or discomfort, and whether he remains healthy,
strong, and at ease.”

“Very well,” agreed the bodhisattva Candra, and so he left.

In an instant, as fast as an athlete can stretch out or bend an arm, the
bodhisattva Candra arrived at the Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. Going
before the Blessed One, he bowed his head to the Blessed One’s feet in homage and then
sat to one side. From there he addressed the Blessed One: “Blessed One, the thus-gone
one Sky Family inquires whether you have encountered but little hardship or
discomfort, and whether you remain healthy, strong, and at ease. He also sends you
this hand-like kumuda flower.”

The Blessed One received the hand-like kumuda from the bodhisattva Candra and
asked, “Candra, has that blessed one encountered but little harm, is he strong and
happy, and does he remain unchanged and well?”

“Indeed,” answered the bodhisattva, “that is how it is.”

At that time there was in the east, beyond forty thousand innumerable
universes, a universe known as Kṣitigarbha, and within that universe resided a
thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha known as the buddha King of Renowned
Power. Abiding and remaining present there, he taught the Dharma. This blessed one had
prophesied that a bodhisattva great being by the name of Wisdom Renown would awaken to
unsurpassable and perfect buddhahood. Also this bodhisattva great being, Wisdom
Renown, had noticed the light and heard the sound of the clear voice. Now the bodhisattva
Wisdom Renown went before the perfect buddha, King of Renowned Power, and having bowed
his head to his feet, he asked, “Whose is this clear voice that we hear, and to whom
does this radiance belong?”

“Noble son,” replied the blessed thus-gone King of Renowned Power, “forty
thousand innumerable universes away from this buddha realm lies a world known as
Enduring. Within it resides the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha
Śākyamuni. Abiding and remaining present there, he is delivering Dharma teachings of
the Bodhisattva Collection that satisfy the wishes of all sentient beings.”

“Blessed One,” said the bodhisattva, “I wish to go to that world, so that I
may see, venerate, and serve that blessed one, and so that I may behold the
incomparable bodhisattvas.”

“Noble son,” replied the Blessed One, “if you know that the time has come,
then leave.”

Thus, having been granted permission, the bodhisattva Wisdom Renown bowed to
that blessed one and prepared to journey to Enduring. The thus-gone King of Renowned
Power then gave him a bundle of red sandalwood and said, “Noble son, offer this to the
Blessed One, and ask him on my behalf whether he has encountered but little hardship
or discomfort, and whether he remains healthy, strong, and at ease.”

“Very well,” replied the bodhisattva Wisdom Renown, and as fast as an athlete
can stretch out or bend an arm, he arrived at once, in one instant and in one moment,
here in this world at the Kalandakanivāpa in the Veṇuvana by Rājagṛha. There he went
to the place where the Blessed One was residing and bowed his head to the Blessed
One’s feet. He then addressed the Blessed One: “Blessed One, the thus-gone King of
Renowned Power inquires whether you have encountered but little hardship or
discomfort, and whether you remain healthy, strong, and at ease. He also sends you
this bundle of red sandalwood.”

The Blessed One accepted the gift and said, “Wisdom Renown, is that blessed
one in good health, is he strong, and does he remain unchanged?”

“Yes, indeed,” answered the bodhisattva.

At that time there was in the east, beyond thirty-nine thousand innumerable
universes, a universe known as Noble Moonlight, and within it resided a
thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha by the name of Great
Radiance. Abiding and remaining present there, he taught the Dharma. This
blessed one had prophesied that a bodhisattva great being known as Shining Disk would
awaken to unsurpassable and perfect buddhahood. Also this bodhisattva great being,
Shining Disk, had noticed the light and heard the sound of the clear voice. Now he
inquired of the Blessed One, “Whose is this clear voice, and to whom does this
radiance belong?”

“Shining Disk,” replied the Blessed One, “in the west, beyond thirty-nine
thousand innumerable universes, lies a universe known as Enduring. Within it resides
the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Śākyamuni. Abiding and remaining
present there, he is delivering Dharma teachings that are known as the Bodhisattva
Collection.”

The bodhisattva great being Shining Disk then announced to the Blessed One,
“Blessed One, I wish to go to that universe so that I may see, venerate, and serve the
blessed thus-gone Śākyamuni, and so that I may behold the bodhisattva great
beings.”

“Noble son,” replied the Blessed One, “if you know that the time has come,
then leave.” The blessed thus-gone Great Radiance then gave a great lotus
flower to the bodhisattva Shining Disk and said, “Noble son, offer this great lotus
flower to that blessed one, and ask him from me whether he has encountered but little
hardship or discomfort, and whether he remains healthy, strong, and at ease.”

The bodhisattva Shining Disk then bowed his head to the feet of that blessed
one. Having circumambulated him, he left. As fast as an athlete can stretch out or
bend an arm he arrived at once, in one instant and in one moment, in the universe
known as Enduring. There he went to the place where the Blessed One was residing and
bowed his head to the Blessed One’s feet. Then he said, “Blessed One, the thus-gone
Great Radiance inquires whether you have encountered but little
hardship or discomfort, and whether you remain healthy, strong, and at ease. He also
sends you this great lotus flower.”

The Blessed One received the lotus flower and then asked the bodhisattva
Shining Disk, “Shining Disk, has that blessed one encountered but little harm, is he
strong and happy, and does he remain unchanged?”

“Yes indeed, Blessed One,” answered the bodhisattva.

At that time there was in the east, beyond thirty-eight thousand innumerable
universes, a universe known as Guiding Banner, and within it resided a thus-gone one,
a worthy one, a perfect buddha known as Banner of Certain Guidance. Abiding and
remaining present there, he taught the Dharma. This blessed one had prophesied that a
bodhisattva great being known as Infinite Jewel Armor would awaken to unsurpassable
and perfect buddhahood. Also this bodhisattva great being, Infinite Jewel Armor, had
noticed the light and the earth’s great tremor. Now he went before the blessed
thus-gone Banner of Certain Guidance and, having bowed his head to that blessed one’s
feet, asked, “Who is the source of this radiance and the great shaking of the ground?
Whose is this clear voice?”

“Infinite Jewel Armor,” replied the Blessed One, “in the west, beyond
thirty-eight thousand innumerable universes, lies a buddha realm known as Enduring.
Within it resides the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha Śākyamuni. Abiding and
remaining present there, he is delivering Dharma teachings of the Bodhisattva
Collection that are known as ‘Truly Satisfying the Wishes of All Sentient Beings.’ His
is this radiance, and his is this clear voice.”

The bodhisattva Infinite Jewel Armor then addressed that blessed one,
“Blessed One, I wish to go to that universe so that I may see, venerate, and serve the
blessed thus-gone Śākyamuni, and so that I may behold the bodhisattvas.”

“Noble son,” replied the Blessed One, “if you know that the time has come,
then leave.” Then the blessed one, the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect
buddha Banner of Certain Guidance gave a garment of Kāśi silk to the bodhisattva
Infinite Jewel Armor and said, “Offer this garment of Kāśi silk to that blessed one,
and ask him on my behalf whether he has encountered but little hardship or discomfort,
and whether he remains healthy, strong, and at ease.”

The bodhisattva great being Infinite Jewel Armor bowed his head to the feet
of that blessed one and then departed. Having vanished from the universe Guiding
Banner, he emerged in the world of Enduring. There he proceeded to the place where the
Blessed One was residing, bowed his head to his feet, and sat to one side. From there
he addressed the Blessed One: “Blessed One, the thus-gone Banner of Certain
Guidance inquires whether you have encountered but little hardship or discomfort, and
whether you remain healthy, strong, and at ease. He also sends you this garment of
Kāśi silk.”

The Blessed One received the garment and then asked the bodhisattva great
being Infinite Jewel Armor, “Infinite Jewel Armor, has that blessed one encountered
but little harm, is he strong and happy, and does he remain unchanged?”

“Yes indeed, Blessed One,” answered the bodhisattva.