Toh 147The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Teaching on the Great Compassion of the Tathāgata”

Summary

The Teaching on the Great Compassion of the Tathāgata opens with the Buddha presiding over a
large congregation of disciples at Vulture Peak. Entering a special state of meditative absorption,
he magically displays a pavilion in the sky, attracting a vast audience of divine and human
Dharma followers. At the request of the bodhisattva Dhāraṇīśvararāja, the Buddha gives a discourse on the qualities of
bodhisattvas, which are specified as bodhisattva ornaments, illuminations, compassion, and activities. He also teaches about the
compassionate awakening of tathāgatas and the scope of a tathāgata’s activities. At the request of a bodhisattva named Siṃhaketu,
Dhāraṇīśvararāja then gives a discourse on eight dhāraṇīs, following which the Buddha
explains the sources and functions of a dhāraṇī known as the jewel lamp. As the text concludes, various
deities and Dharma protectors praise the sūtra’s qualities and vow to preserve and protect it in the future, and the Buddha
entrusts the sūtra and its propagation to Dhāraṇīśvararāja. The sūtra is a particularly rich source of detail on the qualities of bodhisattvas
and buddhas.

這部經是十部關於如來藏的主要經典之一。彌勒菩薩著作的《寶性論》，以及其他註釋本中常引用 這部經典。

頁數: 201 頁

Acknowledgements

This sūtra was translated by Anne Burchardi, with Dr. Ulrich Pagel acting as consultant. Tulku
Dakpa Rinpoche, Jens Braarvig, and Tom Tillemans provided help and advice, and Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso
Rinpoche provided inspiration. Anne Burchardi introduced the text, the translation and introduction
were edited by the 84000 editorial team.

We gratefully acknowledge the generous sponsorship of May and George Gu, made in memory of Frank ST Gu.
Their support has helped make the work on this translation possible.

Introduction

The Text

The Teaching on the Great Compassion of the
Tathāgata
is an important early Great Vehicle sūtra,
setting out some key features of the bodhisattva path in a doctrinally dense text that has been
explored in later commentaries as an important source of clarification
on the qualities that bodhisattvas develop as they progress to awakening, on the
dhāraṇīs, and indirectly on the potential for buddhahood
(buddhagotra) underlying their progress.
The text survives in an incomplete Sanskrit manuscript, two Chinese translations, and the Tibetan translation.

A partial Sanskrit manuscript of the sūtra, consisting of only twelve folios, is presently held at the China
Ethnic Library in Beijing. This manuscript can be tentatively dated to the eighth ninth centuries and may have
once been part of the Sanskrit manuscript collection of Zhalu (Tib. zhwa lu) monastery in central Tibet.
At present only the first two folios of the manuscript have been edited and published.
In the Chinese Tripiṭaka, it appears as Taishō 398, an independent sūtra translated by Dharmarakṣa in
291 ce,
and also as a subsection of Taishō 397, the Chinese translation by Dharmakṣema (385–433) of the large
Mahāvaipulyamahāsaṃnipātasūtra, of which it occupies volumes
1–4.

The sūtra was translated into Tibetan, according to the colophon of the Tibetan translation, by the Indian preceptor
Śīlendrabodhi along with the Tibetan translator Yeshé Dé. The text is also
recorded in the Denkarma and Phangthangma inventories of Tibetan imperial translations, so we can establish that it was first translated from Sanskrit
into Tibetan no later than the early ninth century, as the Denkarma is dated to 812 ce.

The present translation into English is based on the Tibetan translation found in the Degé Kangyur and takes into account the
versions in other Kangyurs through consultation of the Comparative Edition (dpe bsdur ma).
The Sanskrit witness was also consulted to clarify terms and passages that were obscure in the Tibetan translation.

Outline of the Sūtra

In essence, the sūtra can be seen as comprising an introductory setting of the scene
(the first chapter), followed by three main divisions
according to topic. The first and longest of these divisions focuses on the elements of
the bodhisattva path, and is taught by the Buddha at the request of the bodhisattva Dhāraṇīśvararāja
(from

); the second focuses on the dhāraṇīs, and is taught by
Dhāraṇīśvararāja at the request of the bodhisattva Siṃhaketu (starting at

);
while the third (from

to the end of the text) is the
Buddha’s endorsement of Dhāraṇīśvararāja’s teaching, his narration of past events involving Dhāraṇīśvararāja
in previous lifetimes, and his proclamation that it is Dhāraṇīśvararāja who should transmit the entire
text.

The sūtra opens on Vulture Peak, in Rājagṛha, where the Buddha is presiding over an assembly
of monks and bodhisattvas. He enters a state of meditative
absorption in which he manifests an extravagant pavilion in the atmosphere between the desire realm
and the form realm. He proceeds to ascend to the pavilion, along with his retinue, by way of an enormous staircase, one of
four thousand that have appeared. As he passes the six heavens of the sensuous realm, their inhabitants praise him and join
the ever-increasing throng, until the vast congregation finally arrives in the lofty pavilion. From the pavilion, the Buddha
sends invitations in the form of light rays to the bodhisattvas who reside in the buddhafields of the ten directions,
announcing the teaching he is about to give. In an instant, those bodhisattvas reach the pavilion together with their
entourages. By simply clearing his throat, the Buddha enjoins all the faithful beings remaining in the human and nonhuman
realms to ascend the staircases and join the vast congregation. He then emits a light that leads a bodhisattva named
Puṣpaśrīgarbhasarvadharmavaśavartin to enter a state of absorption in which a teaching throne magically appears. The
bodhisattva requests a teaching from the Buddha, who ascends the throne and delivers an introduction to the forthcoming
teaching. Nine different bodhisattvas each enter a different state of meditative absorption, and those absorptions together
bless the assembly with their corresponding qualities. When a tenth bodhisattva called Mārapramardaka enters absorption, a
host of māras enters the assembly. After a brief exchange with the Blessed One, they also settle down to listen to the
discourse.

At this juncture, a bodhisattva named Dharmeśvararāja expresses his confidence that the Buddha will consent to give a
discourse, and he proceeds to delineate the qualities of the attendant bodhisattvas that make them suitable recipients of such
teachings. The bodhisattva articulates how wonderful it is when a buddha engages in benefiting beings, and he concludes by
highlighting the contrast between the bodhisattva intention and the intentions represented by the Śrāvaka and Pratyekabuddha
Vehicles. As a result of his exclamations, an immense number of beings generate the thought of awakening. The Buddha then
sends forth a light that inspires a bodhisattva named Dhāraṇīśvararāja to request a discourse.

This introductory setting of the scene gives way to the first main topic division when, in
response to Dhāraṇīśvararāja’s request, the Blessed One begins his teaching with a description
of the four bodhisattva ornaments, in prose and verse. Then follows a
description of the eight illuminations of bodhisattvas, first in prose and then in verse, and then descriptions of sixteen
kinds of great bodhisattva compassion and thirty-two bodhisattva activities.

Dhāraṇīśvararāja asks the Buddha to expound on the aspects, signs, attributes, and foundation of the great
compassion and activity of tathāgatas. In reply the Buddha lists sixteen types of compassion that epitomize the nature of
awakening. To further illustrate the compassionate activity of tathāgatas, the Blessed One goes on to
relate how Brahmā originally requested the turning of the wheel of the Dharma and how that turning was a manifestation of the
tathāgata’s compassion. This is followed by a comparison of the compassion of śrāvakas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas. Next, the
Blessed One tells the story of a tathāgata named Sandalwood Dwelling, which illustrates how a tathāgata’s compassion also
manifests in the form of prophecies.

The Buddha goes on to describe thirty-two forms of tathāgata activity, which consist of the ten strengths, the four
types of fearlessness, and the eighteen unique buddha qualities. Finally, he gives the analogy of the cleansing of a gem in
three stages, corresponding to the three turnings of the wheel of Dharma, followed by a brief description of tathāgata
activity.

There follows a passage vividly describing the impact of the discourse on the audience in the form of the display of
various offerings, the generation of the thought of awakening, and so forth. A dialogue ensues between a being named Magical
Display of Māra and a bodhisattva known as Sovereign of the Magical Display of All Phenomena, which results in the conversion
of the former to the Great Vehicle.

At this point, the second of the sūtra’s three main topics begins when a bodhisattva known as Siṃhaketu asks Dhāraṇīśvararāja for information
about bodhisattva dhāraṇīs, and Dhāraṇīśvararāja introduces eight dhāraṇīs one by one. This is followed by a general
conclusion of the eight dhāraṇīs and a verse section detailing them individually and generally.

The Buddha, in the third main division of the sūtra, announces his
approval of Dhāraṇīśvararāja’s discourse and goes on to tell him about a world in the past known as Stainless.
It was there that a tathāgata known as Stainless Illumination gave a teaching on a dhāraṇī called jewel
lamp to a bodhisattva named Glorious Light, upon the latter’s request. The Blessed One proclaims that
Dhāraṇīśvararāja himself was the bodhisattva Glorious Light in a past life and further declares that Dhāraṇīśvararāja is
supreme among bodhisattvas.

Next, the bodhisattva Prajñākūṭa asks the Buddha how one attains this dhāraṇī. In response the Buddha describes the
sources and functions of insight in a series of verses. A bodhisattva named Pratibhānapratisaṃvid then asks how Prajñākūṭa
received his name, and in response the Buddha describes a world called Virtuous Occurrence in which a tathāgata named Glorious
Secret posed a great number of questions to an assembly of bodhisattvas. The questions were answered expertly by a bodhisattva
known as Smṛtibuddhi, resulting in the prophecy that he would become known as Prajñākūṭa. The Buddha reprises the sources and
functions of insight in a series of verses, and Dhāraṇīśvararāja praises this teaching on awakening. The Buddha again
expresses his approval of Dhāraṇīśvararāja’s discourse and explains the merit of being engaged with the sūtra. The Buddha
then asks who is prepared to uphold it in the future. Various figures commit themselves to preserving and protecting the
Dharma by pronouncing sets of two verses each. Finally, the Buddha entrusts the sūtra to Dhāraṇīśvararāja.

The Sūtra’s Associations with Buddha Nature Literature

The sūtra is considered important in Indo-Tibetan commentarial traditions for its clarification of the sense and
significance of several key features of the bodhisattva path, including the dhāraṇīs
and the whole range of the qualities of bodhisattvas and buddhas.
However, it is in connection with the potential for buddhahood
(buddhagotra) and its place in the doctrine and theories of buddha nature that
this sūtra is particularly well known in the scholastic tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

One notable characteristic of the text of the sūtra is its highly structured presentation of topics, which are set out,
despite the format of dialog and discourse, in a systematic fashion almost like that of the later Indian treatises. In particular,
the teaching that the Buddha delivers to Dhāraṇīśvararāja follows a sequential order based on the evolution of awakening from the state of ordinary
being, through the gradual development of the features of a bodhisattva’s realization on the path, to the qualities and activities of buddhahood.

It seems to be that sequentially structured nature of this text that singled it out as the explicit source text for
the similar structure on which the Ratnagotravibhāga, the most important and influential Indian treatise on buddha
nature, is based.
The Ratnagotravibhāga explains how the influence of ⁽¹⁾ the Buddha, ⁽²⁾ the Dharma, and ⁽³⁾ the Saṅgha act on ⁽⁴⁾ the
buddha nature or “element” (Skt. dhātu, Tib. khams)
ever present within all sentient beings to purify it of the adventitious stains that obscure it, revealing ⁽⁵⁾ the awakened state
(bodhi) and ⁽⁶⁾ its
buddha qualities (guṇa), which then manifest ⁽⁷⁾ the buddha activity
(samudācāra) that continues the sequence anew. In explaining its own sequential structure
in these terms, the treatise calls them the “seven vajra topics” (vajrapāda), and
explicitly cites this sūtra
as the scriptural source of these topics as a complete, interlinked set (while other scriptures are cited as sources for each individual topic).

Despite this attribution, the seven vajra topics are not specifically presented as such in The Teaching on the Great Compassion of the Tathāgata.
Rather, the Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā discerns them as implicit in this sūtra as follows. First, (1-3) the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha
are evoked in the setting of the scene that introduces the sūtra, in particular in all of

and the first sentence
of

. Next, ⁽⁴⁾ the buddha nature “element” is covered by the long teaching on the sixty ways in which it
is purified, from

down to

. The Buddha’s teaching on ⁽⁵⁾ the awakened state is to be found
in his teaching on the sixteen kinds of compassion of tathāgatas, from

down to

. Finally,
his explanations of both ⁽⁶⁾ buddha qualities and ⁽⁷⁾ buddha activity are set out in parallel, since each of the thirty-two qualities he explains is the basis
of a different aspect of activity; they are taught from

down to

. Despite the treatise
borrowing this thematic structure from the sūtra, it is important to note that the ways in which the actual content for each topic is presented
in the treatise and the sūtra are very different. This is a complex subject that has received some scholarly attention but merits further
research.

The sūtra is therefore closely associated with the Ratnagotravibhāga, but that does not mean that it contains any direct
discussion of buddha nature itself; indeed it does not contain even the standard terms for buddha nature at all. Nevertheless, the sūtra is listed as one of ten sūtras on buddha nature by Tibetan authors such as Dölpopa Sherap Gyaltsen
(dol po pa shes rab rgyal mtshan, 1292–1361) and Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Thayé (’jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha’ yas, 1813–99), and the Tibetan commentarial
tradition offers reasons for linking it to the buddha nature tradition. One is the fact that the sūtra contains the
analogy of the threefold purification of a beryl stone, which serves as a metaphor for the successive teachings of the three
turnings of the wheel of Dharma as delineated in Tibetan Buddhist hermeneutics. Another is the fact that the text
explicitly identifies itself as belonging to the “irreversible turning,” a term that the Tibetan commentarial tradition
associates with the third turning. Both considerations are suggestive of the sūtra’s close connection with the hermeneutical
framework of the third turning of the wheel of Dharma, a rubric comprising, among other things, classic texts on buddha
nature. According to the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra, this category contains sūtras of definitive meaning. To what extent The
Teaching on the Great Compassion of the Tathāgata is directly quoted in the Tibetan commentarial tradition is a
subject for future research. However, among the large number of Tibetan commentaries written on the Ratnagotravibhāga, recent research shows that Marpa Lotsawa (mar pa lo tsā
ba, 1012–97) and Gö Lotsawa
(’gos lo tsā ba, 1392–1481) both quote the sūtra at length in their commentaries on this text.

This sūtra has received little attention in modern scholarship, the notable exception being its treatment in Ulrich
Pagel’s in-depth research on historical and doctrinal interrelationships among a group of early Great Vehicle sūtras dedicated
to the bodhisattva ideal, in which he has compared the text with the Bodhisattvapiṭaka (Toh
56), the Akṣayamatinirdeśa (Toh 175), and the Jñānālokālaṃkāra
(Toh 100). In his study of the sources for the dhāraṇīs listed in the Mahāvyutpatti
(entry no. 748), Pagel was able to confirm that the set of eight dhāraṇīs in this sūtra appear as
the first eight of the twelve dhāraṇīs mentioned in the Mahāvyutpatti, and concluded that their presentation in this sūtra
is one of the earliest and most detailed discussions of dhāraṇī practice in the Great Vehicle sūtras as a whole.

The Translation

The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra

The Teaching on the Great Compassion of the Tathāgata

The Great Assembly Chapter “Array of Ornaments”

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling on Vulture Peak, near Rājagṛha, a place blessed
by tathāgatas, a great stūpa where previous victors dwelled. It is a Dharma seat praised by
bodhisattvas and a place worshiped by gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras that inspires toward roots of virtue.
It is a site where tathāgatas appear and where gateways to the Dharma are promulgated—a domain of tathāgatas where bodhisattvas
appear and infinite qualities spring forth.

The Blessed One, residing there with a large saṅgha of sixty thousand monks, had fully realized the sameness of all
phenomena. He had turned the wheel of the Dharma and now commanded a vast host of well-trained disciples. He had achieved
mastery over all phenomena and knew well how to fulfill the intentions of all beings. He had attained the highest perfection
of his faculties, and he had become skillful in terminating the karmic traces of all beings. His awakened activity was
effortless and unceasing.

All of these monks were of noble lineage, mighty elephants who had done their duties and
performed their tasks. They had laid down the burden of existence and attained their own goals for themselves. They had
brought their entanglement in existence to an end.
Their minds were liberated through perfect knowledge and insight, and they
had brought all karmic traces of afflictive emotions to an end. These sons of the Dharma king, the Tathāgata, were skillfully established in the profound Dharma. They were
emancipated through the teaching on non-objectification. They had exquisite and elegant comportments, were great objects of
veneration, and were eager to carry out the Tathāgata’s command.

The Blessed One was also residing among an immeasurable saṅgha of bodhisattvas.
These bodhisattva mahāsattvas were all-knowing and had achieved perfection through dispassionate conduct. From a Dharma cloud of great benevolence and vast
compassion, these bodhisattvas sent forth the lightning of special insight, knowledge, and liberation and rained down showers
of divine nectar, through which they satisfied all beings. With a disposition that encompasses everyone, like the earth, they
felt affection for all sentient beings and lacked hostility. They increased the crops of the diverse factors of awakening. By
sending out rays of insight brighter than the sun, they revealed the attainment of the light of the path that clears away the darkness of ignorance.
They opened sentient beings like lotus flowers, brought the roots of virtue to maturity, and dried up the rivers
of craving. They rely on tranquil abiding
and the powerful higher knowledges in their pursuit of knowledge.

Like the moon they were even-minded and of tranquil disposition towards all beings, yet appeared to wax and wane due to
their skillful methods for pleasing them; with their noble intentions like Mount Meru, the jewels of the Brahmā
abodes were firmly established. They illuminated and displayed all buddhafields, which were superior in quality to our world
and never buffeted by gusts of wind from any of the four directions. Like a great ocean, they were vast containers of
retention and mindfulness, filled with the water of Dharma, and their precious bodhisattva conduct nourished all beings. Like
the king of beasts, they had the legs of truth, a full tail of loving kindness, and eyes of tranquil abiding and special
insight, and, since they were unintimidated by the profound Dharma,
they defeated all proponents of rival traditions.

Their bodhisattva conduct remained undisrupted for countless eons, so they were endowed with all qualities. Thus the
Blessed One dwelled in the company of countless bodhisattva mahāsattvas including the bodhisattva mahāsattva All-Illumining
and Unobstructed Gaze, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Sarvakṣetrālaṅkāravyūhasandarśaka,
the bodhisattva mahāsattva Tathāgatagotrasambhavācāramati, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Displaying Unperturbed Discipline in All Conduct,
the bodhisattva mahāsattva Anantapratibhānaketudhvajavikurvitaghoṣa, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Śubhakanakanicitaprabhātejoraśmi, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Prajñāviniścayapadapratibhāna, and the bodhisattva mahāsattva Aparimitapuṇyajñānasambhāropastambhopacita.

The Blessed One proceeded to teach the Dharma discourse The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance
through the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Sixteen years had passed since the Blessed One had become fully awakened, and
he knew that the sacred conduct had unfolded. He beheld the great assembly of bodhisattvas. Once he had understood these
assembled bodhisattvas to be holders of the treasury of tathāgata Dharma, he thought, “Because I care deeply for the
bodhisattvas, I shall teach the Dharma discourse The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance through the Bodhisattva Way of Life, drawing on the magic
and miraculous displays of tathāgatas, in order to lead the bodhisattva mahāsattvas to the domain of the Tathāgata.”

Then the Blessed One entered the tathāgata absorption called display of the emanation of the buddha domain
exactly as it is. As soon as he had entered that absorption, by his buddha power a pavilion, a veritable
buddha abode, appeared in the atmosphere between the desire realm and the form realm. This occurred due to the roots of virtue
of the Tathāgata. It purified the thinking of bodhisattvas, illuminated the realms of the worlds of the ten directions,
fulfilled the aspirations of countless sentient beings, eclipsed the palaces of the gods, and inspired bodhisattvas
everywhere.

This pavilion had a foundation shaped like a white beryl. It comprised mansions made of gold extracted from the Jambu
River, archways of red gems, portals of emeralds, terraces constructed of jewels, and altars crafted from radiant gems. Its
upper stories consisted of brightly glowing precious stones with coverings of all kinds of jewels and adorned with dangling
pearl rosaries, parasols, victory banners, raised standards, and fluttering silk tassels. It was praised and as vast as the
extent of the trichiliocosm.

The pavilion was anointed with rare and precious sandalwood. It was perfumed with the enchanting fragrance of superior
sandalwood. It was scented by the noble essence of aloeswood,
the best of fragrances. It was strewn with precious flowers and nāga pearls. It was adorned with
flower arrangements of scattered flower petals, fine trees, and gorgeous ornaments. The pavilion was everywhere aglitter with
variegated arrangements of beautiful ornaments, as many as exist in all the world systems. It also featured many strikingly
beautiful lion thrones—many tens of billions, countless, of all different kinds, alluring, lofty, superb, broad, and
immense.

In this world system appeared four thousand staircases framed by terraces the height of seven men and half a mile
across. They were fashioned from precious sapphire and deep blue sapphire and adorned with canopies of all other manner of
gems. They were festooned with golden jewels and other precious stones and enveloped by the sound of filigrees of chimes.
These stairways soared from the ground level all the way up to the pavilion. They were straight and steady. Just as in this
world system, such great staircases rose in all the world systems of the trichiliocosm.

At this point the Blessed One mindfully and deliberately emerged from that state of meditative absorption. As soon as
he did, the world systems of the trichiliocosm trembled six times and were brightly illuminated. Then the Blessed One was
together with a host of bodhisattvas and a host of śrāvakas, the host of bodhisattvas surrounding him and the host of śrāvakas
in front of and behind him. Gods and nāgas praised him and caused a great rain of flower petals. They bestowed many garments
on him and caused a great rain of copious powders, perfumes,
and lotions, all to the sound of cymbals and various melodies. The entire universe shook and lit up brightly.

Thereupon the whole assembly departed from Vulture Peak through the might of the Buddha: his miraculous powers,
miraculous displays, great leadership, blessing, splendor, benediction, and magical abilities. Many tens of millions of gods,
nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas followed in order to attend the Buddha, ascending the
central jewel-encrusted staircase leading to the pavilion.

Aware that the Blessed One had proceeded to the staircase, the Caturmahārājakāyika gods, such as the
Caturmahārājas, showered clouds of divine flower petals on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the
following words:

“The light of the sun, the moon, fire, and jewels, and the immaculate divine light of the heavenly realms, are all
outshone by the light of the Capable One, which pacifies the three lower destinies. This light razes Mount Meru and the
surrounding peaks, and it illuminates the buddhafields. Therefore, we joyously take refuge in the Victor who has accomplished
all aims.”

After the Caturmahārājakāyika gods had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend
to him.

At this point, the gods of Trāyastriṃśa, such as Śakra, the lord of the gods, became aware that the Blessed One had
proceeded to the staircase, and they showered clouds of divine perfume on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the following words:

“You attained the most excellent miraculous powers and display unrivaled emanations.

You rose like the supreme sun pervading vast numbers of buddhafields.

The Buddha adorns all buddhafields, beautifying them with his own qualities.

Homage to the unrivaled and unmatched master of miracles!”

After the gods of Trāyastriṃśa had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend to
him.

At this point, the gods of Yāma, such as Suyāma, the king of the gods, noticed that the Blessed One was ascending the
staircase, and they showered clouds of divine garments on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the
following words:

“Sugata, your knowledge is vast and boundless, so you know the wishes of beings.

Your omniscience, vast as space and without attachment to the threefold path teachings,

Fathoms the whole range of thoughts of sentient beings through a single mental event.

Therefore, you deserve praise from everyone in all three existences.”

After the gods of Yāma had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend to him.

At this point, the gods of Tuṣita, such as Pramodita, the king of the gods, noticed that the Blessed One was ascending
the staircase, and they showered clouds of divine jewels on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the
following words:

“Since phenomena are without sound or expression, without coming or going,

You know them to be without motion and untrue, like a mirage or hallucination.

The Blessed One teaches the supreme Dharma out of compassion for the sake of beings.

We pay homage to the Victor who is skilled in the nature of phenomena and who teaches no self.”

After the gods of Tuṣita had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend to him.

At this point, the gods of Nirmāṇarati, such as Sunirmāṇarati, the king of the gods, noticed that the Blessed One was
ascending the staircase, and they showered clouds of divine ornaments on him in worship. They joined their palms and praised
him with the following words:

“Through the boon of the Dharma, you possess ten space-like strengths and luminosity.

Because you possess compassion, you appear tangibly before sentient beings with loving regard.

Although you have entered the nonduality of phenomena in the manner of a ship,

We pay homage to the Victor who has accomplished all aims with a special intention enhanced by Dharma.”

After the gods of Nirmāṇarati had praised the Blessed One with this verse, they joined the procession to attend to
him.

At this point, the gods of Paranirmitavaśavartin, such as Vaśavartin, the king of the gods, noticed that the Blessed
One had ascended the staircase and was now facing the pavilion, and they showered clouds of divine pearl garlands on him in
worship. They joined their palms and praised him with the following words:

“We pay homage at the feet of the master, whose moral conduct is stainless, pure, perfected, and
excellent, and whose absorption is stable,

The incomparably intelligent one who is like the ocean, who is liberated from existence.

We pay homage to you, the Lion Sugata who progressively delineates the various aspects of the true path out of compassion
filled with loving kindness,

And who dwells in the way stations of the three liberations.

“We pay homage respectfully to you, Lotus Sugata

Who broadens the river of compassion through absorption,

Who opens the petals of tranquil abiding on the flowers of liberation,

And who is attended by an assembly of disciples like swarming bees.

“We pay homage to you, Sacred Mountain Buddha

Who is established on the ground of firm moral conduct,

Who has risen up through the power of unrivaled energy,

And who is not shaken by the great tempest of the winds of objects.

“We pay homage to you, Moon Sugata

Who is a pure maṇḍala of melodies,

Whose mind treasury of supreme intelligence is overwhelming,

And to whom hundreds of sentient beings attend with many offerings.

“We pay homage to you, Noble Sun Buddha

Who proceeds on the path of full emancipation of peace, which is like the sky,

Who suffuses the expanse of the ten directions with the rays of insight,

And who opens the incomparable lotus flowers of many beings.

“Master, in the three worlds and ten directions

We find no guide equal to you.

You who have accomplished all the buddha qualities—

We can never get enough of praising you.

“We pay homage to you, Honorable Sugata.

The celestial rulers, nāgas, and asuras pay tribute to you,

And many hundreds of supreme gods truly extoll you.

You are truly extolled by many hundreds of eulogies.”

After the gods of Paranirmitavaśavartin had praised the Blessed One with these verses, they joined the procession to
attend to him.

After the many gods had thus praised the vast display of the buddha domain, the Buddha entered the pavilion called
Jeweled Array. Just as they realized that the Blessed One had gone to the pavilion Jeweled Array via the staircase in this
world system of Endurance, they realized that he had also done so in all the world systems of the trichiliocosm.

At this point, the Blessed One sat down on the lion throne that had been prepared in the pavilion Jeweled Array,
encompassed by the trichiliocosm. The bodhisattvas and the
great śrāvakas also took their seats. At this time, the Blessed One entered a buddha absorption called buddha play
in unveiled liberation. No sooner had he entered that absorption than as many light rays as there are grains
of sand in the river Ganges shone forth from each and every pore of his body. They illuminated all the world systems in the
eastern, southern, western, and northern directions. They illuminated the zenith and the nadir, and the intermediate
directions as well.

As soon as all the world systems had been illuminated in this way, the suffering experienced by sentient beings
tormented in the hell realms ceased. The suffering experienced by beings in the world of Yama and the suffering experienced by
beings in the animal realm also ceased. In that instant, attachment, aversion, delusion, and all the other afflictive emotions
ceased to afflict sentient beings, who all became kind and loving, and considered beings to be like their parents.

In order to invite the bodhisattvas through the Buddha’s might, the following verses emanated from the light rays
streaming from the Tathāgata:

“The Buddha sets out thanks to a vast, expansive, and enduring energy.

Through this great energy, he has refrained from turning back throughout the ages.

His qualities are conveyed forcefully in the ten directions.

The radiance of Śākyamuni is beautiful in illuminating all destinies.

“Some pay homage at his feet in order to listen to the vast, unsurpassed teachings.

Those firm in learning and intelligence listen continuously for countless eons.

Those with open minds generate contentment through their aspiration for perfect awakening.

The Capable One radiates light with his wish for sentient beings to be happy.

“Since the master has energetically conquered hosts of powerful demons and non-Buddhists,

He is eminent like a lotus in bloom, beautiful like the Merus in the ten directions.

Like the sun, he illuminates all destinies with the radiance of his physical form.

We pray that the Victor comes so that the great meaning in his Dharma wheel may be heard.

“Out of heartfelt love for beings, he will today, with his ten strengths, turn the sacred wheel,

Which he has not yet turned, which is unrivaled, and which is turned by all the victors.

Upheld by living beings, today this vast good fortune, so rare for beings to encounter, will arise.

Today may those with pure and vast faith behold what they seek.”

The light rays transmitted these words to all buddhafields. They invited all bodhisattvas, made all world systems
tremble, made all sentient beings happy, and purified all elements of the afflictive emotions. The light rays illuminated
Tamondhakāra and obscured the dwelling places of Māra. They then returned to the immense circle of bodhisattvas and the
world system of Endurance, where they disappeared into the top of the Blessed One’s head.

The light rays first invited the bodhisattva Puṣpaśrīgarbhasarvadharmavaśavartin to come. He resided in a
buddhafield situated in the east, called Endowed with the Vast Display of the Precious Merits of Endless Qualities, of the
Tathāgata Immaculate Pure Precious Light, Sovereign of the Uninterrupted Luminous Display of Dharma Endowed with the Factors
of Awakening. As soon as the light rays reached this bodhisattva, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten
Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all
left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed
One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship
showered a multitude of divine gems and beryl upon him. Then they praised him with these words:

“Blessed One, incomparable and endowed with perfected qualities—

Garlands of praise in honor of your qualities reverberate in all ten directions!

Your qualities are many—a treasury of good qualities.

We come here in pursuit of the Dharma.

“Just as there is no conceptuality in the sameness of the realm of phenomena,

So the Blessed One knows sameness through his stainless light.

Like a well-trained magician, the Dharma king

Presents various Dharmas in order to liberate sentient beings.”

Once those bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the eastern
corner of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Ratnayaṣṭi to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the south,
called Buddha Courage, of the Tathāgata Countless Qualities Precious Courage. As the light rays reached him, as many
bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that
buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside
the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of gold. Then they
praised him with these words:

“Blessed One, you fill the whole world with clouds of compassion,

You wield the lightning bolts and roar the sounds of ‘empty’ and ‘no self,’

You pacify it with the waters of the eightfold path,

And you bring to maturity a forest grove of virtuous strengths.

“You dispel the darkness of ignorance with the light of the sugata wisdom,

You awaken sentient beings from their long slumber in the ocean of existence,

You show the path and cause craving to dry up,

And you purify the vision of those dwelling in the city of liberation.”

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the southern
corner of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Sovereign of Powerful Reverberating Sound to come. He resided in a
buddhafield situated in the west, called Illuminated, of the Tathāgata Illuminator. As the light rays reached
him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left
that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One
inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship
draped the Blessed One with filigrees of pearl necklaces. Then they praised him with these words:

“Your physical actions resemble the domain of space.

Your virtuous prayer is endowed with boundless purity.

Since it is stainless, pure, and without defilements,

It purifies the inconceivable buddhafields of the ten directions.

“Your speech is steady, illuminating, and coherent.

It appeases the dispositions of beings with uniformity of thought.

Even though there is not the slightest mental movement or conception,

Victors arise in the minds of sentient beings.”

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the western
corner of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Ocean of Supreme Intelligence to come. He resided in a buddhafield
situated in the north, called Fully Adorned with Jewels, of the Tathāgata Countless Qualities Precious Courage. As the light
rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor.
They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the
Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in
worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of crystals and jewels. Then they praised him with these words:

“Your golden body is like refined gold from the Jambu River.

Possessing the all-seeing eye, it shines throughout the ten directions.

The beings who think of this unique form

Will achieve flawless bliss and joy.

“Even when one gazes upon the Victor,

The unique knower of the world, as tall as Mount Meru,

Because of the force of all his miraculous powers and the display of his energy

One is unable to see this Victor’s crown protuberance.”

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the northern
corner of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Illuminator to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the
southeast, called Sorrowless, of the Tathāgata Conqueror of All Sorrow. As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as
there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together
and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled
Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with
filigrees of jewels. Then they praised him with these words:

“Although each of your bodily hairs contains boundless buddhafields,

Neither the beings nor the fields themselves are compressed.

Hence those without eyes to see find it difficult to fathom the domain of the Victor.

The children of the Buddha know it correctly through the benevolence of the Victor.

“The Buddha demonstrates a multiplicity of fields in the space of a single field.

Although he displays this, there is neither increase nor decrease.

To those who are suited to it and whose intentions are great,

He demonstrates it through the display of his vast miraculous powers.”

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the
southeastern area of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Mind of Great Compassion to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated it
the southwest, called Virtuous Eye, of the Tathāgata Gazing at All Beings with Great Compassion. As the light rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of
sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant
in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated
at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of fine robes.
Then they praised him with these words:

“Just like a noble person who uses a flywhisk to chase away flies,

The Buddha protects his stainless moral conduct as if it were a valuable jewel.

When the protector gazes at those without moral conduct, he feels compassion.

He neither praises himself nor denigrates others.

“Like Meru, you are a stable, weighty, and vast support.

Like the depths of the ocean, you are exceedingly difficult to fathom.

You have cast aside the primeval fetters of existence.

You have liberated multitudes of beings from the fetters brought about by great flaws.”

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the
southwestern area of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Light-Web Bearer to come. He resided in a buddhafield situated in the
northwest, called Free of Darkness, of the Tathāgata Sovereign Light Display. As the light rays reached him, as many
bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world
system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet.
They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of ornaments. Then they
praised him with these words:

“Because you understand the nature of existence to be the nature of a mirage,

You reveal that actions are like illusions and lack substance.

Even though you train the domains of beings, which are like a mirage,

Neither the domains nor the sentient beings exist for you.

“To give an analogy, in the dream of a sleeping person

The perception that sees form is not true seeing.

You teach that conditioned things lack substance, like a dream.

Even though phenomena manifest, they do not come into being.”

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the
northwestern area of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Immaculate Limitless Intelligence to come. He resided in a buddhafield
situated in the northeast, called Pure Immaculate Dwelling, of the Tathāgata Immaculate Center of the Sky. As the light rays
reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They
all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the
Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship draped the Blessed One with
filigrees of continuously sounding cymbals. Then they praised him with these words:

“Skilled in profound Dharma and intent on peace,

You know all phenomena to be empty and without conceptual signs.

No one in the world can discern the intent of your mind;

With vast intelligence, you understand the mind’s thought processes.

“Just as you know the behavior of one being,

You know the behaviors of all beings within the three times.

Without entertaining the notion of a being, you have mastered the full knowledge

Of the perceptions of those whose mental perception is obscured.”

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the
northeastern area of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Ornamental Display of Courage to come. He resided in a buddhafield
situated in the nadir, called Appearing as Illumination, of the Tathāgata Glory of the Precious Red Lotus. As the light rays
reached him, bodhisattvas as numerous as sand grains in the ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor. They all
left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the Blessed
One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in worship
draped the Blessed One with filigrees of garlands from the isle of precious jewels. Then they praised him with these
words:

“As many atoms as there are in the multitude of buddhafields,

That many children of the tathāgatas have come together in front of the Victor.

With a single timely reply, he answers all the questions they pose

In the course of millions of eons.

“You have accomplished intellectual skills and wisdom.

Your retention, perfect absorption, and merit are vast.

Even if we were to articulate eulogies for a vast number of eons,

They would be insufficient, just as the tip of a hair cannot hold an ocean.”

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew to the lower
part of the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Then the light rays invited the bodhisattva Sovereign Who Emanates All Phenomena to come. He resided in a buddhafield
situated in the zenith, called Adorned by Ornaments, of the Tathāgata Sovereign of Supreme Reverberating Sound. As the light
rays reached him, as many bodhisattvas as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges rivers surrounded and followed him in honor.
They all left that buddhafield together and arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance. Once they had approached the
Blessed One inside the pavilion Jeweled Array, they prostrated at his feet. They circumambulated him ten thousand times and in
worship draped the Blessed One with filigrees of all kinds of ornaments, precious bells, and tinkling bells. Then they praised
him with these words:

“The physical activity of the Sugata defies measure.

The speech, mind, and conduct of the unsurpassed ones are limitless.

The Buddha knows that, but other beings do not,

Just as ordinary beings cannot grasp the limits of space.

“Just as the conduct of the incomparable one defies measure,

So the wheel of awakening is nothing but nirvāṇa.

Just as fruits emerge according to the seeds sown,

So the state of the Victor knows no bounds anywhere in the ten directions.”

Once the bodhisattvas had praised the Blessed One with countless bodhisattva eulogies, they withdrew into the space
above the pavilion and sat down upon seats created by their own miraculous power.

Thus the light rays invited the ten bodhisattvas of the ten directions, together with their entourages of countless
other bodhisattvas. They arrived in an instant in this world system of Endurance, and they sat before the Blessed One within the
pavilion Jeweled Array.

As the Blessed One mindfully and deliberately rose from that absorption, he cleared his throat and produced a sound,
a melodious sound heard throughout the entire trichiliocosm. Once all the faithful in the entire trichiliocosm, including the
monks and nuns, the laymen and laywomen, and the humans and nonhumans, heard the sound of the Blessed One clearing his throat,
they grew satisfied in body and mind. By the power of the Buddha, they also arrived at the pavilion Jeweled Array in an instant,
that very moment, by means of the miraculously manifesting staircases. They prostrated at the Blessed One’s feet and took
their designated seats off to the side.

The sound of the Blessed One clearing his throat also inspired the gods of the following realms: Brahmā,
Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, and Mahābrahmā; Mahāprabha, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, and Ābhāsvara;
Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, and Śubhakṛtsna; and Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Asaṃjñisattva, Avṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa,
Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha. They too hastened in an instant,
that very moment, to the pavilion Jeweled Array. They too prostrated at the Blessed One’s feet and took their seats.

Then, when the Blessed One had comprehended that this large retinue had assembled, a light called display
of the strength of bodhisattvas sprang from his forehead. That light swirled around the whole group of
bodhisattvas seven times and disappeared into the crowns of their heads. Then, as soon as the light had touched the
bodhisattva Puṣpaśrīgarbhasarvadharmavaśavartin, by the power of the Buddha he entered the bodhisattva absorption
called array of all ornaments.

As soon as he had entered that absorption, a beautiful throne for the Blessed One appeared in the center of the
pavilion Jeweled Array. It was a raised lion throne the height of a gigantic palmyra tree. It rested on different types of
embellished supports and was decorated with all kinds of precious things. It was draped in various types of cotton cloth and
sprinkled with a variety of flower petals. The bodhisattvas held up an incredibly attractive parasol above the seat, and the
seat was visible to the entire assembly. It delighted and deeply gratified all sentient beings.

After the bodhisattva Puṣpaśrīgarbhasarvadharmavaśavartin had conjured up the tathāgata seat, the great lion
throne called limitless inspiring praise, he mindfully and deliberately emerged from that absorption.
He spoke to the Blessed One, his palms joined in
reverence, and said the following:

“Sunlight sustains the needs of sentient beings.

The radiant qualities of Indra delight the gods of Trāyastriṃśa.

The voice of Brahmā embellishes the realm of Brahmā.

The domain of the Buddha’s power brings forth this manifestation.

“Phenomena are immovable, space-like and void,

Illusory like a mirage and the reflection of the moon in water,

And without a master, creator, or agent of experience.

Knowing this, the Protector displayed his accomplishment in this world.

“The mind with its powers of creation is itself formless.

All accomplishments are subject to the nature of the mind.

Everything that is created in this world resembles an illusion.

These accomplishments are not my own and do not exist anywhere.

“For the one who knows the pure nature of the mind that has ceased

There are no adventitious afflictive emotions.

A mind free of discursive thought, concepts, and discriminations

Displays different illusory manifestations.

“In this place where no dust rises from the ground

And different types of jewels are displayed,

I made you a beautiful lion throne,

Seated upon which you will tame millions of beings.

“I hoisted parasols, victory banners, and tassels made of silk

That neither come from nor go anywhere.

While knowing whence phenomena come together,

You display the different manifestations of a noble being.

“Possessing the voice of Brahmā, your words are fine and reassuring.

Since you are the lamp of the world, your deeds are filled with the brilliance of merit.

Ascend the throne and be seated there, out of compassion for me.

Please teach the Dharma that severs old age, sickness, and death.

“These pure beings have come together from all quarters

In order to pay homage to you and hear the Dharma.

Please fulfil the aspirations for which they have come,

And explain the Dharma while seated on this lion throne.”

Recognizing the determination of the bodhisattva Puṣpaśrīgarbhasarvadharmavaśavartin, the Blessed One took his
seat on the lion throne.

The Blessed One, who had attained unobstructed liberation, thus sat on the lion throne to teach the
Dharma discourse The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance through the Bodhisattva Way of Life.
This discourse focuses on setting out on the bodhisattva path that accomplishes all profound buddha qualities: the strengths
and four types of fearlessness. It is the source of wisdom, the gateway to the dhāraṇī seal that grants mastery of all
teachings.

It is a gateway that establishes the four types of discriminating knowledge. It is a gateway to the wisdom of great
superknowledge. It teaches the Dharma of nonorigination to the retinue of those who will not be turned back from awakening. It
condenses all vehicles into sameness, into a single vehicle. It enters the uncontaminated, unique realm of phenomena. It
engages the dispositions and faculties of all sentient beings.

This discourse is an essential teaching. It is a Dharma of total certainty. It destroys the entire retinue of Māra.
It leads to engagement in the appropriate Dharma methods. It overcomes all afflictive emotions and views. It accords with
wisdom free of attachment. It teaches skill in means and the wisdom of unobstructed dedication to the roots of virtue. It
leads to the wisdom of the sameness of all buddhas. It is the gateway to the blessings of nonattachment. It elaborates on the
exact nature of all phenomena.

This discourse leads to sameness free of discursive thought and concepts. It brings about understanding of the sameness of the twelve links of profound dependent
arising due to accumulating all the collections of merit and wisdom.

It is furnished with the ornament of the sameness of the body, speech, and mind of the buddhas. It accomplishes
inexhaustible mindfulness, intelligence, realization, devotion, and wisdom. It engages the method of the noble truths in order
to tame beings through the vehicle of the śrāvakas. It knows the solitude of body, speech, and mind in order to tame beings
through the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas. It attains the consecration at the stage of the wisdom of omniscience in order to
tame beings through the Great Vehicle. Such a Dharma discourse leads to the mastery of all teachings in order to express all
the qualities of the Tathāgata.

The Blessed One took his seat on the lion throne so that this discourse could be taught, elucidated, explained,
recited, memorized, and understood. He did this to satisfy all the hosts of bodhisattvas, to display the miraculous power of
the Tathāgata, and to eliminate the doubts of the retinue. He did it to defeat the entire retinue of Māra, to allow the
teaching of the Tathāgata blaze forth, and to perform great buddha activity.

Then, by the power of the Buddha, the following events occurred. The bodhisattva known as Ratnayaṣṭi entered the
array of buddha ornaments absorption and magically adorned the entire retinue with buddha ornaments.
Then the bodhisattva Sovereign of Powerful Reverberating Sound entered the
lotus array

absorption and conjured up flower garlands and bouquets and placed them in the hands of the entire retinue. They proceeded to toss the flower garlands and the bouquets
toward the Blessed One and the gathering of bodhisattvas.

The bodhisattva named Ocean of Supreme Intelligence entered the fragrance array absorption and
magically infused the fragrance of sandalwood into all the pores of the entire retinue. The bodhisattva named Light-Web Bearer
entered the light array absorption and magically imbued the entire retinue with limitless physical
radiance. The bodhisattva named Mind of Great Compassion entered the
unblinking gaze

absorption and conjured upon the retinue an unblinking gaze when in the presence of the Tathāgata. The bodhisattva named
Immaculate Limitless Intelligence entered the absorption supremely delighted by the Dharma and magically
imbued the entire retinue with the zeal for righteousness and with delight in and devotion toward
the Dharma.

The bodhisattva called Ornamental Display of Courage entered the completely peaceful absorption
and magically imbued the entire retinue with the removal of the five obstructions. The bodhisattva called Sovereign Who
Emanates All Phenomena entered the action devoid of forgetfulness absorption and magically imbued the
entire retinue with mindfulness of the thought of awakening and with remembrance of the Tathāgata as the object of attention.
The bodhisattva mahāsattva Illuminator entered the
undefeatable absorption and magically imbued the entire retinue with the conquest of Māra and all
adversaries.

Then, at that time, by the power of the Buddha, the bodhisattva Mārapramardaka entered the conquering the
entire retinue of Māra absorption. At the very moment that the bodhisattva Mārapramardaka entered that
absorption, all the billion demons throughout the trichiliocosm, surrounded by their armies and retinues of servants,
disappeared very swiftly and immediately from their individual residences. Appearing before the Blessed One in the pavilion
Jeweled Array, they prostrated themselves at his feet. They offered the Blessed One many hundreds of thousands of divine
gifts, and with their palms respectfully and reverently joined they asked the Blessed One, “If we beseech you, Blessed One,
‘Please explain the Dharma! Sugata, please explain the Dharma!’ then, through the blessing of the bodhisattva Mārapramardaka,
we will discard any demonic deeds and henceforth will not perform deeds that confuse sentient beings. O Blessed One! Please
grant us relief so that we may listen to the Dharma in your presence.”

Thereupon, in order to grant relief to those demons, the Blessed One said, “Friends, very well, it is very good. Give
up your demonic deeds and beseech the Tathāgata to teach the
Dharma! This will indeed become the cause for leaving behind all the ways of Māra. Why? It will do so because it generates the
power that produces the roots of virtue for buddhahood.

“Friends, just as complete darkness that has prevailed for many years can be eliminated by a single lamp, in the same
way, my friends, the complete darkness of the afflictive emotions that has prevailed for a hundred eons can be eliminated by a
single generation of the power of wisdom. Friends, just as the moon, the sun, or a large precious jewel can dispel all
darkness, in the same way, my friends, a single virtuous thought endowed with insight can eliminate all the darkness of
unknowing. Friends, that is why, through this root of virtue, you will gradually remove all the darkness of unknowing and
attain the great illumination of the Dharma.”

At this point, the bodhisattva Dharmeśvararāja, who was present among the members of the retinue, said, “Blessed
One, the buddha domain blessed and revealed by the Tathāgata is inconceivable. I have no doubt that
the Tathāgata will agree to teach the Dharma discourse of the Great Assembly chapter called The Gateway
to Unobstructed Deliverance through the Bodhisattva Way of Life. Why is that? Blessed One, this
assembly of outstanding bodhisattvas is great.

“Blessed One, they have donned the inconceivable bodhisattva armor. They sport with the great wisdom of the
superknowledges. They resound in the ten directions. They are aware that stains do not exist when the mind has become
purified. They are illuminated by liberation. They are
praised and commended by buddhas. They attain sovereign mastery over all phenomena. They bring all perfections to perfection.
They emerge through all sorts of skillful methods. They dispel all demonic deeds, hostilities, and afflictive emotions. They
tame all hosts of opponents and evil forces. They know how to analyze and teach all words. They attain perfect wisdom without
attachment. They have obtained mindfulness, intelligence, realization, modesty, devotion, retention, and wisdom. They have
unobstructed blessing and uninterrupted eloquence. They know how to distinguish the inferior and superior faculties of all
beings. They teach the Dharma in accordance with the predispositions of all beings. They teach the flawless Dharma without
mistake. They are skilled in the languages and dialects of all beings. They are endowed with the voices of kinnaras, kalaviṅka
birds, and cranes and the melodious voice of Brahmā.

“They establish all beings in nirvāṇa by acting as their spiritual friends. They are motivated by great benevolence
and vast compassion. They are stable, settled, and unwavering. They act on their words. They hoist the Dharma banner. They are
firm like a vajra and indestructible like the ring of mountains. They make aspiration prayers free of any wishes. They are
established in profound dependent arising, which is difficult to see and comprehend. They have cut off the two extremes of
eternalism and nihilism, all views, and the karmic traces. They command a following that befits a great king. They are great leaders who have for countless eons
accomplished merit through the Jewel of the Dharma. They are great kings of physicians who cure the incorporeal disease of the
afflictive emotions of all sentient beings. They are without fear of the resounding of the great lion’s roar, of all types
nonsequential and inverted
progression, and of the mystery of the Tathāgata. Their bodies will be well adorned
by the excellent marks and signs. They make unstinting offerings. They are courageous in every
respect. They defeat the army of all afflictive emotions and the four māras. They are like ferrymen. They thoroughly cultivate
the spiritual faculties, the strengths, the factors of awakening, the concentrations, the liberations, and entering the
absorptions.

“They exert themselves to fully liberate all sentient beings. They are like mountains. They turn away from the eight
worldly dharmas: gain, loss, fame, ill repute, blame, praise, joy, and suffering. They are settled in the joyous, delightful,
and rapturous Dharma. They bask in the radiance of the Jewel of the Dharma. They achieve contentment through wisdom. Like a
lotus, they are unstained by any conditioned phenomena. They have pure halos that dim the light of the moon, the sun, Śakra,
and Brahmā. They enter the ocean mudrā absorption. They engage in all aspects of the Jewel of the
Dharma. They do not interrupt the lineage of the Three Jewels. They mature all beings. They perform subduing rituals. They
maintain the treasury of all the jewels of the Buddhadharma. They are limitlessly praised. They accumulate infinite merit.
They approach the wisdom of omniscience, which is
excellent in every respect. Such is this assembly, which could be praised until the end of time.

“This being so, Blessed One, I had the thought that you would agree to teach the Dharma discourse of the Great Assembly chapter
called The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance through the Bodhisattva Way of Life.

“Blessed One, it is wonderful that the appearance of a present buddha benefits and appeases all sentient beings,
generates the roots of virtue of future bodhisattvas, purifies the intentions of the bodhisattvas who have generated the first
thought of awakening, uniquely engages bodhisattvas who have entered the bodhisattva way of life, empowers in the Buddhadharma
bodhisattvas who are irreversible from awakening, does not let go to waste the causes and fruits of bodhisattvas who are kept
back by one last birth, prepares conditions for sentient beings who are established on the path, causes the practice of great
compassion for sentient beings who are not established on the path, and causes sentient beings who are definitely on a wrong
path to be placed upon the true path. To sentient beings who aspire to the three vehicles, a buddha teaches their
arrangements.

“The appearance of a buddha is an ornament of the world of gods, humans, and asuras, because when a buddha emerges,
wonderful and marvelous Dharma teachings such as this will emerge in the world!

“Blessed One, such a display of blessings through a single instance of generating the thought of awakening, in this
pavilion by these noble beings, is beyond the capacity of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to teach, even for a hundred thousand
eons.

“This being so, I had the thought that it would be utterly astonishing were any beings, even after witnessing
an amazing, miraculous, magical display such as this, to aspire for the vehicle of śrāvakas or vehicle of pratyekabuddhas with
misguided understanding. Why is that so? Blessed One, the very first generation of the thought of awakening of a bodhisattva overpowers all śrāvakas and
pratyekabuddhas. When someone discards the Great Vehicle and thinks, ‘I will follow the vehicle of the śrāvakas or
pratyekabuddhas,’ it is for me comparable to a person with misguided insight who discards a precious gem of beryl and thinks,
‘I prefer a semiprecious stone.’ Blessed One, those sons or daughters of noble family who have generated the thought of
supreme perfect awakening with determination and all others who do so will, within a short while, attain such a teaching.”

When the bodhisattva Dharmeśvararāja had given this account, an immensely vast number of creatures among the retinue
of many different beings, including gods and humans, generated the thought of supreme perfect awakening.

This concludes the Assembly chapter “Array of Ornaments.”

Chapter 2

After the Blessed One had surveyed the great assembly of bodhisattvas, he knew and rejoiced that the bodhisattvas who had
assembled were holders of the treasure of the Tathāgata’s Dharma striving for righteousness.

In order for the Dharma discourse The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance through the
Bodhisattva Way of Life to be explained, a light
known as fearless eloquence, the mark of a great being, emerged from the crown of his head.

As soon as this light emerged, the Blessed One caused it to encircle the entire bodhisattva assembly seven times. He
then caused it to encircle the body of the bodhisattva Dhāraṇīśvararāja a hundred times, after which it disappeared into the
crown of the head of the bodhisattva Dhāraṇīśvararāja.

The instant the light touched Dhāraṇīśvararāja, by the power of the Buddha the bodhisattva Dhāraṇīśvararāja
eclipsed the radiance, lion thrones, and bodies of the entire bodhisattva assembly a hundred times. He was brilliant,
majestic, and resplendent.

At this point, the bodhisattva Dhāraṇīśvararāja became aware of the blessing of the Tathāgata and rose from his
seat. He draped his upper garment over one shoulder and placed his right knee on the ground. He proceeded to bow, with his
palms joined, in the direction of the Blessed One and conjure up a precious parasol known as ornament of the
Tathāgata in the space directly above the crown of the Blessed One’s head. With a handle of lapis, a cover of
gold, a jeweled parrot at the center, and spokes of precious sapphire, it had garlands of pearls hanging down as pendants and
was decorated with tassels of divine silk. It resounded with filigrees of chimes, was upheld by the bodies of bodhisattvas,
and was as vast as the trichiliocosm.

After he had conjured up such a precious parasol as an act of worshiping the Tathāgata, Dhāraṇīśvararāja brought
down a rain of flowers. He intoned the sound of a constant uninterrupted melody accompanied by cymbals, and he praised the
Blessed One with these words:

“All-illuminating resplendent one!

Teacher of all and seer of all!

You who are skilled in the essence of spontaneously arisen Dharma

And endowed with all inconceivable good qualities,

“You, leader of beings, emitted a light

And caused it to purify and illuminate my face.

O leader, you also caused the light

To circle my body a hundred times and come at last to rest at my crown.

“When the light of the leader of humans touched me,

All that I had achieved before in terms of mindfulness,

Intelligence, eloquence, illumination, and retention

Was augmented a thousand times.

“I became physically content, mentally clear,

Delightfully fulfilled, and serenely intelligent.

Moreover, boundless buddha knowledge

And eloquence possessed my body.

“The mighty Buddha is difficult to approach,

And the meek are unable to please him.

Having given this to the Buddha,

I make this request for the benefit of all beings.

“I request entry into perfect bodhisattva conduct

And the emergence of spiritual leaders,

The magical display of illumination and deliverance

As well as consecration and wisdom.

“In order to benefit those who fully understand the excellent supreme vehicle,

Who have joined the endless vast retinue,

And who endeavor for vast righteousness,

I make this request to the Buddha.

“To subjugate the horde of Māra

And to uphold this Dharma of the Buddha,

Blessed One, this is the time to explain to embodied beings

The noble Dharma treasury in which the aggregates are absent.

“The knowledge of the leader of beings is endless. Blessed One, I cannot fathom it.

Since my understanding cannot grasp the knowledge of the Sugata,

I make this request to the vastly learned one:

“How does one access the knowledge of the Blessed One,

And for how long does one train,

And what is the training of Dharmeśvararāja?

Please explain the sphere of activity of the guides.”

After Dhāraṇīśvararāja had praised the Blessed One with these verses, he added, “Blessed One, the domain of the
Tathāgata is inconceivable. The sphere of conduct of bodhisattvas is beyond measure. I understand that the Tathāgata teaches
the Dharma untiringly, and I see that he abides in great compassion, which does not leave any sentient being behind. So I ask
you this: Blessed One, what are the bodhisattva ornaments? Blessed One, by what ornaments are the bodhisattvas adorned so they
become beautiful while performing bodhisattva conduct?

“How, Blessed One, do bodhisattvas, who have attained the inconceivable splendor of the Dharma, become free from the
darkness of ignorance and doubt, and how do they become fully trained in the great gateway of Dharma? How, Blessed One, do
bodhisattvas who never abandon any being become endowed with the supreme foundation of great compassion, which never abandons
any being?

“How, Blessed One, do bodhisattvas engage in bodhisattva actions, carrying them out well without longing for their
conclusion? Blessed One, I request that the Tathāgata explain The Gateway to Unobstructed Deliverance
through the Bodhisattva Way of Life with firm determination so that the following may transpire: Bodhisattvas will
by any means conquer evil and opponents, leave behind all doubt, and enter the Tathāgata domain. They will come to prominence
within the bodhisattva domain, engage with the thinking of all sentient beings, and understand the mental conduct of all sentient beings. They will purify buddhafields,
subjugate the hordes of Māra, fully grasp the Dharma of the Tathāgata, and swiftly attain mastery of all teachings.”

The Blessed One responded, “Excellent, noble being, very good! It is really excellent that you decided to ask the
Tathāgata with such determination, after you had attained certainty about the immeasurable conduct of the Tathāgata. Because
of that, son of noble family, I shall explain to you how bodhisattva mahāsattvas perfect these qualities, as well as the other
immeasurable bodhisattva qualities, and how they achieve mastery over all teachings. So, listen carefully and keep this in
mind.”

“Very good, Blessed One,” replied Dhāraṇīśvararāja. He then listened with full attention as the Blessed One started to teach.

“Son of noble family, there are four types of bodhisattva ornaments: ⁽¹⁾ the ornaments of morality, ⁽²⁾ the ornaments of
absorption, ⁽³⁾ the ornaments of insight, and ⁽⁴⁾ the ornaments of retention. Son of noble family, those are the four
bodhisattva ornaments.

⁽¹⁾ “Son of noble family, you may ask, ‘What are the bodhisattva ornaments of morality?’ Son of noble family, there is
a single bodhisattva ornament of morality: not harming any
sentient being. A bodhisattva without a hateful disposition, who is pleasant and delightful toward all sentient beings, is
endowed with the single bodhisattva ornament of morality.

“Son of noble family, there are two types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality: closing the gateway to the evil
destinies and opening the gateway to the blissful destinies.

“Son of noble family, there are three types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality: purity in body, purity in speech,
and purity in mind.

“Son of noble family, there are four types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality: achieving what one desires,
accomplishing what one wishes for, attaining what one longs for, and finishing what one begins.

“Son of noble family, there are five types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality: nondeceptive absorption,
nondeceptive insight, nondeceptive liberation, nondeceptive vision of liberating wisdom, and unsurpassed mahāparinirvāṇa—all
endowed with morality.

“Son of noble family, there are six types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality: morality that is flawless on account
of being without mental attachment, not degenerate on account of being without reproach, not corrupt on account of not being
adulterated, free of sin on account of increasing virtuous
qualities, unfettered on account of being voluntary, and autonomous on account of being an understanding that does not depend
on others.

“Son of noble family, there are seven types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality: pure generosity, pure patience,
pure vigor, pure concentration, pure insight, pure method, and pure conscientiousness—all endowed with morality.

“Son of noble family, there are eight types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality: excellence in eloquence, excellence
in the spiritual levels, excellence in lack of distractedness, excellence in lack of idleness, excellence in lack of
vindictiveness, excellence in appreciating the appearance of a buddha, excellence in ease, and excellence in venerating one’s
spiritual friends.

“Son of noble family, there are nine types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality: being fearless, being without
anxiety, being determined, being tranquil, being cool, being released from bondage, being flexible, being well bred, and being
accomplished in the stage of being restrained.

“Son of noble family, there are ten types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality: the ornaments of body, since
bodhisattvas accomplish the auspicious thirty-two major marks and eighty minor signs; speech, since they act on their word; mind, since they lack
afflictive emotions; buddhafields, since they accomplish their aspirations; maturing sentient beings, since the bodhisattva
intention is pure; birth, since they do not commit any sinful deeds; bodhisattva conduct, since they emulate the tathāgata
conduct; understanding, since they lack pride; the seat of awakening, since they dedicate their roots of virtue; and the
ornaments of the strengths, the fearlessnesses, and unique buddha qualities, since they do not discard their grounding in the
root of moral conduct. Son of noble family, these are the ten types of bodhisattva ornaments of morality.

⁽²⁾ “Son of noble family, you may ask, ‘What are the bodhisattva ornaments of meditative absorption?’ Son of noble
family, there is a single bodhisattva ornament of absorption: loving all sentient beings.

“Son of noble family, there are two types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption: honesty and suppleness.

“Son of noble family, there are three types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption: lack of deception, cunning, and
hypocrisy.

“Son of noble family, there are four types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption: not being immobilized by desire,
hatred, delusion, and fear.

“Son of noble family, there are five types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption: abandoning the five obstructions of sensual desire, ill will, drowsiness and torpor,
agitation and regret, and doubt. These five obstructions are abandoned.

“Son of noble family, there are six types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption: recollecting the Buddha, the
Dharma, the Saṅgha, generosity, morality, and the gods.

“Son of noble family, there are seven types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption: cultivating the seven factors of
awakening without forgetting the thought of awakening: correct mindfulness, correct investigation of phenomena, correct vigor,
correct joy, correct pliancy, correct absorption, and correct equanimity.

“Son of noble family, there are eight types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption: cultivating the noble eightfold
path, that is to say, correct view, correct intention, correct speech, correct action, correct livelihood, correct effort,
correct mindfulness, and correct absorption.

“Son of noble family, there are nine types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption: that of bodhisattvas who, without
being forgetful, dwell on the foundation of great compassion, never abandon any sentient being, and then, detached from desire, sin, and nonvirtues attain and abide in the
first concentration, which has applied and sustained thought and is joyful and blissful through detachment; that of
bodhisattvas who are freed from applied and sustained thought, have inner serenity, and attain and abide in the second
concentration, which is joyful and blissful through absorption that is one-pointed and has no applied or sustained thought;
that of bodhisattvas who are freed from the desire for joy, dwell in equanimity, are mindfully aware, and attain and abide
in the third concentration that is beyond joy, experiencing that physical bliss of which the noble ones say, ‘this is mindful
equanimity established in bliss’; that of bodhisattvas who have abandoned bliss, having previously abandoned suffering, whose
happiness and sadness have subsided, and who attain and abide in the fourth concentration, which is pure mindfulness and
equanimity that is neither bliss nor suffering; that of bodhisattvas who have transcended the perception of form, whose
perception of physical obstruction has subsided, who pay no attention to diverse perceptions but think, ‘space is unending,’
and who attain and abide in the realm of infinite space; that of bodhisattvas who have completely transcended the realm of
infinite space and think, ‘consciousness is unending,’ who attain and abide in the realm of infinite consciousness; that of
bodhisattvas who have completely transcended the realm of infinite consciousness and think, ‘there is nothing at all,’ who
attain and abide in the realm of nothing at all; that of bodhisattvas who have completely transcended the realm of nothing
at all and attain and abide in the Sphere of neither
Perception nor Nonperception; and that of bodhisattvas who have completely transcended the Sphere of neither Perception nor
Nonperception and attain the cessation of sensation and perception, but though they attain it, because of skillful means they
refrain from manifesting the limit of reality and instead, due to previous blessing, remain present and mature sentient
beings. These are the nine ornaments of absorption.

“Son of noble family, there are ten types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption: gaining certainty through
imperturbability, perfecting tranquil abiding, not forsaking diligent effort, withdrawing into meditative seclusion, not
squandering the roots of virtue, maintaining mental solitude, maintaining physical pliancy, being discerning while thinking
about and evaluating phenomena, controlling the mind, and attaining the noble lineage. Son of noble family, these are the ten
types of bodhisattva ornaments of absorption.

⁽³⁾ “Son of noble family, you may ask, ‘What are the bodhisattva ornaments of insight?’ Son of noble family, there is
a single bodhisattva ornament of insight. It is having no doubts about any phenomenon.

“Son of noble family, there are two types of bodhisattva ornaments of insight: having no regret and not being
agitated.

“Son of noble family, there are three types of bodhisattva ornaments of insight: abandoning delusion, breaking
through the shell of ignorance, and dispelling the thick darkness of confusion.

“Son of noble family, there are four types of bodhisattva ornaments of insight: understanding the suffering that is
to be understood, illuminating the source of suffering to be relinquished, bringing to light the cessation to be realized, and
being empowered to cultivate the path.

“Son of noble family, there are five types of bodhisattva ornaments of insight: purification of morality through lack
of objectification, purification of absorption through concentration endowed with supreme insight, purification of liberation
through nonduality, purification of the vision of liberating wisdom through the sameness of the three times, and purification
of phenomena by means of the nature of reality free of attachment.

“Son of noble family, there are six types of bodhisattva ornaments of insight: transcendent generosity purified of
the three spheres—the sphere of the agent purified because of being the same as an illusion, the sphere of sentient beings
purified because of being the same as a dream, and the sphere of awakening purified through not hoping for results;
transcendent morality purified of the three spheres—the sphere of body purified on account of being like a reflection, the
sphere of speech purified by understanding it to be like an echo, and the sphere of the mind purified because of being the
same as an illusion; transcendent patience purified of the three spheres—purification in abandoning aversion toward harshly
spoken words, purification in abandoning desire for praise and adulation, and purification of understanding the dharmakāya in
the offering of severed limbs and body parts; transcendent
vigor purified of the three spheres— purification in not being disheartened through the conviction that saṃsāra is dreamlike,
purification in being stable through a vajra-like intention, and purification in neither accepting nor rejecting through
liberating oneself from all conceptual signs; transcendent concentration purified of the three spheres—purification in
nonattachment to it through understanding its mutability, purification in special insight through lack of obsession, and
purification in focus through generation of superknowledge; and transcendent skillful means purified of the three
spheres—purification in matters relating to gathering disciples by bringing beings to maturity, purification in having
retention through upholding the true Dharma, and purification in aspirations in order to ornament the buddhafields.

“Son of noble family, there are seven types of bodhisattva ornaments of insight: being without mindfulness or mental
engagement among the applications of mindfulness, understanding the lack of arising and cessation among correct exertions,
being physically and mentally detached through the bases of miraculous powers, understanding the spiritual faculties among the
sense faculties, annihilating all māras and afflictive emotions by means of the strengths, understanding by means of the
factors of awakening the nature of all phenomena, and understanding that there is no coming and going among the paths.

“Son of noble family, there are eight types of bodhisattva ornaments of insight: understanding tranquil abiding on
account of having deep serenity, understanding special insight on account of lacking distorted vision, understanding the
aggregates on account of realizing the collections of Dharma,
understanding the elements because they are the same as the element of space, understanding the sense fields because they are
the same as a ghost town, understanding dependent arising because it is without self, understanding the truths on account of a
lack of turmoil, and understanding the definite realization of all phenomena on account of the full realization of reality
just as it is.

“Son of noble family, there are nine types of bodhisattva ornaments of insight: understanding the past by means of
the beginning, understanding the future by means of the end, understanding the present by means of the intervening,
understanding the determinate destinies given that causes do not perish, understanding the indeterminate destinies given that
conditions may produce different results,
understanding the destinies of those who because of spiritual maturation are not predisposed to erring, understanding that all
buddhas are equal because they are distinguished by the dharmakāya, understanding all phenomena to be sameness since reality
is free of attachment, and understanding all noble ones to be equal because they are distinguished by the unconditioned.

“Son of noble family, there are ten types of bodhisattva ornaments of insight: understanding the nature of reality to
be illusory on account of the characteristic of accomplishment, understanding it to be like a dream on account of the
characteristic of conceptuality, understanding it to be like a mirage on account of the characteristic of deception,
understanding it to be like a reflection on account of the characteristic of motionlessness, understanding it to be like a
hallucination on account of the characteristic of being an assembly, understanding it to be like an echo on account of the
characteristic of being conditioned, understanding the realm of phenomena as characterized by being uncorrupted, understanding
thusness as characterized by being nonabiding, understanding the limit of reality as characterized by being unperturbed, and
understanding the conditioned as being characterized by being unconditioned.

⁽⁴⁾ “Son of noble family, you may ask, ‘What are the bodhisattva ornaments of retention?’ Son of noble family, there
is a single bodhisattva ornament of retention. It is remembering without forgetting.

“Son of noble family, there are two types of bodhisattva ornaments of retention: full retention and retention.

“Son of noble family, there are three types of bodhisattva ornaments of retention: skill in meaning, phonemes, and
etymology.

“Son of noble family, there are four types of bodhisattva ornaments of retention: speaking words that are
dispassionate, refined, liberated, and without falsehood.

“Son of noble family, there are five types of bodhisattva ornaments of retention: reliance on meaning among all one
has studied, reliance on wisdom among all collections of words, reliance on sūtras of definitive meaning among all the sūtras,
reliance on the nature of reality rather than all the words of persons, and reliance on the supramundane rather than on all
that is mundane.

“Son of noble family, there are six types of bodhisattva ornaments of retention: acting in accordance with one’s
words, employing statements that correspond to the truth, using words that are suitable to be kept in mind since they are
without arrogance, using words that are acceptable because they are without deceptiveness, teaching the Dharma that bears fruit because it is joined with great compassion, teaching
the Dharma continuously through tactful knowledge of the audience, and teaching the Dharma in a timely manner through
understanding the ways of the world.

“Son of noble family, there are seven types of bodhisattva ornaments of retention: possessing eloquence that is
swift, forceful, quick, dispassionate, uninterrupted, undistorted, and replete with etymologies.

“Son of noble family, there are eight types of bodhisattva ornaments of retention: knowing the languages of the
devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, up to the languages of all sentient beings.

“Son of noble family, there are nine types of bodhisattva ornaments of retention: not being intimidated in the midst
of a gathering, not being dejected among orators, being fearless in the midst of explaining the Dharma, knowing discretion
with regard to questioners, knowing how to give a loosely organized teaching to arrogant people, knowing how to give a
well-organized teaching to those well on their way, manifesting as Vajrapāṇi to the pretentious, teaching the destruction by
fire at the end of the eon to the deeply attached, and teaching the progression of the path exactly as it is to those fully
matured.

“Son of noble family, there are ten types of bodhisattva ornaments of retention: knowing how to teach without doubt
to skeptics, letting the mind be a gate for the arising of Dharma, letting the lamp of insight shine completely for others,
inexhaustibly teaching words, uninterruptedly teaching meanings, perfectly expressing boundless praise of the Buddha,
describing the endless flaws of moral pollution, teaching the immeasurable praise of moral purification, engaging assiduously
and without attachment in accordance with all beings’ faculties, and understanding the application of the discriminating
knowledge bestowed on the level of buddhahood.”

Then, in order to elaborate on these points, the Blessed One spoke the following verses:

“What adorn the supreme and noble path

Are the four ornaments of those of great intelligence:

Morality, absorption, supreme insight,

And retention of the definitive meaning.

⁽¹⁾ “Being pleasant and delightful toward all creatures

And pure in body, speech, and mind,

Thus eliminating all downfalls—

These are the ornaments of morality.

“Being born as a learned being among gods or humans,

Accomplishing what one wishes according to one’s aspiration,

And being endowed with persistence and sincerity—

These are the ornaments of pure morality.

“Absorption that is not illusory,

Insight, liberation, and the vision of liberating wisdom,

And nirvāṇa that is not illusory—

These are the ornaments of pure morality.

“Flawless and pure morality,

Morality that is not sinful or adulterated,

And that which is voluntary and autonomous—

These are the ornaments of pure morality.

“Generosity and patience,

Vigor, concentration, and insight,

Methods and vigilance—

All are purified by morality.

“Remaining completely unwavering and still,

Attaining the supreme levels and remaining focused in spiritual practice,

Abandoning laxity, and being at ease—

These are the ornaments of pure morality.

“Igniting vigor and praising morality,

Being without mental anguish at all times,

And being free of attachment—

These are the ornaments of pure morality.

“Being determined, tranquil, and serene,

Without fear and neither anxious nor fainthearted,

And to thus be released from bondage to these—

These are the ornaments of pure morality.

“Having a most praiseworthy mind that is flexible,

Being disciplined and well bred,

And thus having one’s own body adorned by the marks—

These are the ornaments of pure morality.

“Through conduct that is true to their word,

The skilled attain the ornament of speech.

And are adorned by a steady mind free of afflictive emotion—

These are the ornaments of pure morality.

“Excellently adorning the superb buddhafields,

Bringing sentient beings to maturity in the supreme vehicle,

And refraining from all sinful deeds—

These will cause one’s births to be well adorned.

“Being constantly adorned by awakened conduct,

Being adorned by the noble seat of awakening,

And being adorned by the strengths and the fearlessnesses

Is to be well adorned by understanding due to lack of pride.

⁽²⁾ “To embrace all sentient beings with love,

The skilled are ever honest and flexible.

Being free of deception, cunning, and hypocrisy

Is not to be driven by delusion, desire, hatred, and fear.

“Removing the five obstructions,

Vigilantly cultivating the six recollections,

And cultivating the seven factors of awakening and the eightfold path

Yields the concentrations of meditative absorption and, finally, the ninth.

“For the practitioner to focus and abide in tranquility,

To avoid letting correct behavior and virtue go to waste,

And to be detached, pliant, and discerning

Is to uphold the noble lineage.

⁽³⁾ “Being without doubt regarding phenomena,

Having neither regret nor agitation,

And being without ignorance, delusion, and confusion,

One knows the deep understanding of the illumination of truth.

“Being without objectification purifies morality,

True insight purifies concentration and absorption,

Eliminating dualism purifies liberation,

And being without excessive pride purifies understanding.

“Purifying the three times, one is not attached to the vision of wisdom.

Phenomena are purified by understanding free of desire.

Having been purified, one has no arrogance about it.

These are the ornaments of those possessing insight.

“Insight that adorns generosity

Purifies three aspects:

Agent, awakening, and sentient beings,

Since they are known to be illusory, unfindable, and dreamlike.

“Insight that adorns morality

Purifies three aspects:

Body, speech, and mind,

Since they are known to be like a reflection, an echo, and an illusion.

“Insight that adorns patience

Purifies three aspects:

The learned are neither elated nor dejected,

And they maintain the steady realization of true dharmakāya.

“Insight that adorns vigor

Purifies three aspects:

Not being disheartened, keeping a stable intention,

And neither accepting nor rejecting.

“Insight that adorns concentration

Purifies three aspects:

Nonattachment, special insight,

And gaining mastery and superknowledge.

“Insight that adorns method

Purifies three aspects:

The means of attraction, retention, and aspirations

Related to beings, the Dharma, and the buddhafields.

“One does not engage mindfully in the applications of mindfulness,

One is free from duality regarding the correct exertions,

One is physically and mentally detached through the miraculous powers,

And one has all the spiritual faculties that are not known to sentient beings.

“One is not overpowered by the māras or afflictive emotions,

Correctly realizes the nature of phenomena,

And is without coming and going with regard to the paths—

These are the ornaments of those endowed with insight.

“One understands tranquil abiding through serenity,

And the special insight based on this is boundless in scope.

One understands the aggregates just as one does the collections of Dharma

And that the elements are similar to space.

“One understands the sense fields to be like a void

And that phenomena are unoriginated because they come together dependently.

One understands the ultimate truth without turmoil,

And one properly understands definitive realization.

“Engaging in wisdom unattached to the three times,

One understands the three collections in terms of their classification

And the single characteristic of the Three Jewels.

These are the ornaments of those endowed with insight.

“One understands that the characteristics of fabrications are like an illusion,

That the root of false imaginings is just like a dream,

That the characteristics of projections are like a mirage,

And that motionless phenomena have the characteristics of a reflection.

“Composite things are like a hallucination.

Dependent on conditions, they are just like an echo.

One understands the realm of phenomena to be always uncorrupted—

It is suchness, which is groundless.

“The limit of reality, the ever-motionless reality,

Is without the duality of the conditioned and unconditioned.

Adorned with such deep and vast understanding,

One seeks out the qualities of a buddha.

⁽⁴⁾ “Having memory that never forgets,

One strives to retain and fully retains the teachings.

Ever learned in meanings and phonemes,

One knows etymologies and always gains comprehension.

“One speaks words that are dispassionate and refined,

Liberating and without falsehood.

Always realizing the meaning of what has been studied,

The learned rely on wisdom.

“Being well acquainted with and understanding sūtras of definitive meaning,

Relying on the true nature that is devoid of any person,

And relying also on the true nature that is supramundane,

One is adorned with retention.

“One’s words correspond with the truth—

They are suitable to keep in mind and suitable to the occasion.

One’s teaching of the Dharma bears fruit,

Is appropriate, and is always delivered in a timely manner.

“One’s eloquence is swift,

Forceful, quick, and always dispassionate.

It is uninterrupted, undistorted, and replete with etymologies.

It is ornamented like a nicely threaded rosary.

“One knows the languages of all beings:

Devas and nāgas,

Yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras,

Garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas.

“Knowing how to join a gathering without being intimidated

And not being dejected when watching orators,

One gives Dharma lectures fearlessly,

Exercising discretion toward questioners.

“One gives a loosely organized lecture when noticing the arrogant

And a well-organized lecture when noticing practitioners.

One manifests as Vajrapāṇi to the proud

And the end of the eon to those who cling to objects.

“Giving lectures about the progression of the three vehicles,

Eliminating the doubts of all the skeptics,

And revealing the Dharma teachings with one’s mind,

One never allows one’s understanding to depend on others.

“One never runs out of words,

And one keeps the subject matter decisive and consistent.

In describing limitless buddha qualities,

One is adorned by retention.

“One knows the limitless flaws of pollution

And the infinite benefits of purification.

One knows all the capacities of beings

And attains the discriminating knowledge granted by the Buddha.

“This is to be adorned by retention.

Even if one were to express these and other qualities

For eons without interruption,

One would be unable to reach their limit.”

Then the Blessed One spoke the following words to the bodhisattva Dhāraṇīśvararāja: “Son of noble family, there are
eight bodhisattva illuminations that brighten bodhisattvas so that they are free from the thick darkness of confusion and
engage in pure bodhisattva activities. They are the illuminations of ⁽¹⁾ mindfulness, ⁽²⁾ intelligence, ⁽³⁾ comprehension, ⁽⁴⁾
phenomena, ⁽⁵⁾ knowledge, ⁽⁶⁾ truth, ⁽⁷⁾ superknowledge, and ⁽⁸⁾ accomplishment. Son of noble family, those are the eight
bodhisattva illuminations.

“Son of noble family, you may ask, ‘What are the bodhisattva illuminations of mindfulness?’ There are eight
bodhisattva illuminations of mindfulness: when one prevents the roots of virtue performed in the past from going to waste,
accumulates roots of virtue that have not yet been performed, does not forget teachings that one has heard, ascertains their
meaning, is not carried away by the six kinds of sense objects, abandons nonvirtuous factors, and accomplishes virtuous
factors, then mindfulness has become vast and excellent. Realizing that the bodhisattvas’ mindfulness has become excellent,
the blessed buddhas appoint them as guardians of the city of the Dharma. Finally, on the strength of the preceding types of
mindfulness, one reaches illumination with respect to all Dharma teachings. Son of noble family, those are the eight
bodhisattva illuminations of mindfulness.

“Son of noble family, there are eight bodhisattva illuminations of intelligence: intelligence with regard to meaning
rather than words or syllables, intelligent wisdom rather
than intelligent consciousness, intelligence involving Dharma instead of afflictive emotions, intelligence involving reason
instead of what is contrary to reason, the intelligence of bodhicitta rather than the intelligence of a śrāvaka or
pratyekabuddha, tremendous intelligence rather than lesser intelligence, the intelligence of a buddha instead of the
intelligence of Māra, and compassionate intelligence instead of intelligence that is hostile toward sentient beings.

“Son of noble family, there are eight bodhisattva illuminations of comprehension: gaining comprehension of all
teachings, of the underlying intent of what was taught, of the dispositions of beings, of the knowledge of the types of
discriminating knowledge, of profound dependent arising, of the teachings via nonsequential progression, of the teachings via
reverse progression, and of all the qualities of the Buddha.

“Son of noble family, there are eight bodhisattva illuminations of phenomena: the illuminations of mundane factors
through teaching sentient beings to engage in appropriate deeds; of supramundane factors through insightfully teaching those
who wish for liberation; of unobscured factors since they have cultivated the path; of uncontaminated factors since they do not take up the defilements of desire, existence,
ignorance, or views; of unconditioned factors since they have accomplished the certainty of the noble ones; of factors of
pollution since they comprehend well the adventitious afflictive emotions; of factors of purification since their minds are
naturally luminous; and of the factors of nirvāṇa since phenomena are totally pacified.

“Son of noble family, there are eight bodhisattva illuminations of knowledge: the illuminations of knowledge of
someone on the eighth-lowest level, a stream enterer, a once-returner, a non-returner, an arhat, a pratyekabuddha, a
bodhisattva, and a fully awakened buddha.

“Son of noble family, there are eight bodhisattva illuminations of truth: the illuminations of the cultivation of the
truth by which they enter a state of certainty, by which they attain the first fruition, by which they attain the second
fruition, by which they attain the third fruition, by which they attain the fourth fruition, by which they attain pratyekabuddhahood, by which they attain the acceptance of a
bodhisattva, and by which they completely and perfectly awaken to the awakening of a buddha.

“Son of noble family, there are eight bodhisattva illuminations of superknowledge: the illuminations of clarity
because bodhisattvas see all forms with the divine eye, of comprehension because they hear all sounds with the divine ear, of
recollection because they recollect countless eons of previous existences, of natural
luminosity because they gaze upon the minds of all beings, of the unobscured sky because they move by miraculous power through
boundless buddhafields, of knowledge because they accomplish a knowledge that is free of defilements, of the accumulation of
merit because they sustain all beings, and of the accumulation of wisdom because they eliminate the doubts of all sentient
beings.

“Son of noble family, there are nine bodhisattva illuminations of accomplishment: the illuminations through
accomplishment of wisdom, insight, understanding, correct view, tranquil abiding, special insight, the intentions of beings, a
liberated mind that is unperturbed, and the final illumination.”

Then, the Blessed One spoke the following verses:

“Bodhisattvas imbued with mindfulness

Do not waste the roots of virtue accumulated in the past.

Their excellence in subtle dedication

Accomplishes buddhafields for the sake of the future.

“They never forget the teachings they have heard,

And they swiftly reach a state of certainty.

At peace, they are shielded from the sense objects.

Endowed with mindfulness, they are freed from nonvirtue.

Having accumulated vast mindfulness,

They discern which actions are to be performed.

“With the blessing of the self-arisen victors

Who know that they are endowed with mindfulness,

The bodhisattvas guard the city of the noble Dharma

And teach Dharma to beings.

“Endowed with wisdom and separated from gloom,

They accomplish the benefit of gods and humans.

Having attained the illumination of excellent intelligence,

They eliminate doubts and hesitations.

Endowed with mindfulness, their spontaneous wisdom

Brings swift realization of awakening.

“Bodhisattvas are endowed with intelligence regarding meaning

Rather than words, letters, or grammar.

Pure beings endowed with the intelligence of wisdom

Do not long for the intelligence of ordinary consciousness.

“Endowed with intelligence involving Dharma,

They dispel intelligence involving afflictive emotion and are freed from delusion.

Knowing the ways of insight and method,

They do not contravene the awakening of the Victor.

“Their intelligence is focused on becoming buddhas,

Not on becoming śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas.

They are constantly endowed with tremendous intelligence

And do not long for intelligence of a lesser kind.

“They are perpetually endowed with the intelligence of a buddha,

Which does not turn into the intelligence of Māra.

These intelligent ones are committed to great compassion,

Not to harming any beings in any way.

“Bodhisattvas comprehend and are free from hesitation

Regarding any of the teachings that the Buddha has taught.

They become skilled in communicating their intended meanings,

And they understand the conduct of sentient beings.

“They comprehend discriminating knowledge

And have no attachment to the application of such knowing.

They know well that conditioned phenomena

Are dependently arisen and have no creator.

“They are learned in the causes of nonsequential progression,

And they comprehend the ways of reverse progression.

They attain comprehension

Of the whole spectrum of the teachings of the Buddha.

“By means of their illumination of mundane phenomena,

Bodhisattvas know the deeds of gods and humans.

Through supramundane wisdom,

They are endowed with the illumination of insight.

They apply exceedingly bright wisdom

Both to those with and without fault.

“Because bodhisattvas have cultivated the path,

They always teach the Dharma that bears fruit.

They apply its illumination

Both to contaminated and uncontaminated phenomena.

They abandon all contaminants

And thus benefit both gods and humans.

“Bodhisattvas constantly apply their knowledge

Both to conditioned and unconditioned phenomena.

They are thereby free from stains and without distorted vision.

Having attained flawlessness, they likewise engage in good conduct.

“Bodhisattvas apply their unobscured knowledge

To the factors of purification and pollution.

Thus they understand that the mind is luminous by nature

And the ways in which it becomes polluted.

“Bodhisattvas know how the state of nirvāṇa

Is unborn and without origination.

In the same way, in the Great Vehicle,

The illuminations of phenomena are infinite.

“Bodhisattvas pursue the knowledge of someone on the eighth-lowest level

And the knowledge of a stream enterer.

They pursue the knowledge of a once-returner

And the knowledge of a non-returner.

“They pursue the knowledge and accomplishments

Of all the arhats and pratyekabuddhas,

Of all the world protectors and the bodhisattvas,

Without a single exception.

“Those heroes who

Attain the fruitions,

Who gain deliverance in the imperturbable ultimate,

And who disclose its cultivation embody the illumination of the truths.

“Since they have cultivated those truths,

They enter a state of flawlessness and attain the first fruition.

They also attain the second, the third, the fourth,

And likewise the fruition of pratyekabuddhahood.

“Those tigers of speech who through cultivation

Attain acceptance

And attain the awakening of the victors

Will illuminate those truths.

“Bodhisattvas see all aspects of form

With the divine eye.

They perceive the sounds of the ten directions

Through the discernment of the divine ear.

“Through the illumination of the knowledge of previous existences,

They recall billions of eons.

Through the illumination of the knowledge of luminosity,

They have knowledge of the mental conduct of others.

“Through the illumination of the knowledge of miracles,

They move throughout billions of buddhafields in the ten directions.

Their illumination of uncontaminated knowledge

Is similar to space.

“Through the meritorious illumination of boundless superknowledge,

Bodhisattvas first approach beings,

And then, through dispassionate knowledge of them,

They eliminate the doubts of those beings.

“Yogic practitioners who apply themselves vigorously

Thus gain the illuminations of mindfulness,

Intelligence, comprehension, phenomena, and knowledge,

The boundless illumination of truth,

And the illumination of superknowledge.

“Accomplishment culminates in wisdom and insight,

Vast understanding and boundless eloquence,

Correct view and special insight,

And total imperturbability.

“Even though those powerful beings

In whom these eight pure illuminations are present

Might not obtain awakening right now,

They will nonetheless perform buddha activities.”

Then the Blessed One told Dhāraṇīśvararāja, “Son of noble family, there are sixteen ways in which bodhisattvas give
rise to great bodhisattva compassion for sentient beings. What are these sixteen ways? Son of noble family, bodhisattvas give
rise to a bodhisattva’s great compassion for sentient beings while thinking as follows:

“ ‘Alas, these beings are fettered by personalistic views, and they are mixed up with various kinds of wrong views.
To help them abandon all those views, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings, due to misapprehension about what is actually the case, perceive what is impermanent to be
permanent, what is painful to be pleasant, what is no self to be a self, and what is repulsive to be attractive. To help them
abandon all misapprehensions, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings are stuck grasping onto I and mine, and they perceive
what is insubstantial to be substantial. To help them abandon grasping onto I and
mine, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings are obstructed by the five obstructions: they are tormented by sharp pangs of desire, they are
very aggressive, they are attached to fogginess and sleep, they are excited and regretful toward ignoble objects, and they are
unable to reach certainty about the holy Dharma. To help them abandon all obstructions, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings are bound by attachment to the six sense fields: when they see form with their eyes, they cling
to its marks and characteristics, and when they hear sounds with their ears, experience smells with their noses, experience tastes with their tongues, feel sensations with
their bodies, and notice phenomena with their mental faculties, they cling to their marks and characteristics. To help them
abandon attachment to the six sense fields, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings are overcome by pride, the pride of superiority, excessive pride, the pride that thinks “I am,”
manifest pride, the inverted pride of self-abasement, and mistaken pride. Since they are
conceited about themselves, they think “We are greater than those who are inferior,” “We are greater than those who are our
equals,” and “We are even greater than those who are greater.” They take their five aggregates, from form to consciousness, as
constituting I. They consider what has not been attained and think “I have attained it.” They reflect
upon themselves and think “We are superior.” And they believe that their wrong views are correct. To help them abandon all
forms of pride, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings have followed evil paths and are separated from the noble path. To help them abandon evil paths
and find the noble path, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings are the slaves of craving. They are consumed by desire for wives, sons, and daughters. They
have no independence or self-assurance. To help them become independent, able to assert themselves, and dance with joy, I
shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings are not in harmony with one another; they are full of anger, hatred, and ill will. To help them
abandon their anger, hatred, and ill will, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings who are entangled with evil company and lack virtuous friends commit evil deeds. In order for
virtuous friends to take them on and to help them abandon evil companions, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings are overwhelmed by desire and attachment. They are discontent, and they are divorced from the
state of the insight of the noble ones. To help them abandon attachment and develop the knowledge of the noble ones, I shall
teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings are entrenched in eternalistic and nihilistic views, and they think that actions do not have
consequences. To guide them toward profound dependent arising and appropriate actions, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings who are blinded by ignorance and delusion cling to the notions of a self, a being, a life, a
living being, an individual, and a person. To help them purify the eye of noble insight and abandon all views, I shall teach
them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings are tethered by Māra’s lasso and persist in cunning and conceit. In order that they become
liberated from all the tethers of Māra’s lasso and abandon cunning and conceit, I shall teach them the Dharma.

“ ‘Alas, these beings have shut the gate to nirvāṇa and opened the gates to the evil destinies. To help them open the
gate to nirvāṇa and shut the gates to the evil destinies, I shall teach them the Dharma.’

“Son of noble family, great bodhisattva compassion for sentient beings arises in these sixteen ways.

“Son of noble family, when bodhisattvas exert themselves in thirty-two distinct bodhisattva activities, they become
performers of excellent conduct. What are these thirty-two?

“Seeing how sentient beings go astray due to the sleep of delusion, while they themselves are awakened through
insight, bodhisattvas awaken beings through insight. This is the first distinct bodhisattva act.

“Seeing how sentient beings aspire to the insignificant, while they themselves aspire to the vast, bodhisattvas
establish beings in the Great Vehicle.

“Seeing how sentient beings desire what is not righteous, while they themselves abide in what is righteous,
bodhisattvas establish beings in the desire for what is righteous.

“Seeing that the livelihoods of sentient beings are impure, while their own livelihoods are pure, bodhisattvas connect beings to pure livelihoods.

“Seeing how sentient beings are sunk in views, while they establish themselves in correct views, bodhisattvas
establish beings in the correct views of the noble ones.

“Seeing that sentient beings are ignorant and have amassed improper ways of thinking, yet cognizant that they
themselves abide by proper mental activity that accords with reason, bodhisattvas establish beings in proper mental activity
that accords with reason.

“Seeing how sentient beings have taken a stand on the wrong teachings, while they themselves have engaged the correct
teachings, bodhisattvas teach beings the Dharma so that beings may practice these correct teachings.

“Seeing that sentient beings are stingy and possessive, while they themselves have renounced all possessions,
bodhisattvas connect beings with the renunciation of all possessions.

“Seeing how sentient beings come to have evil characters and keep no moral commitments, while they themselves are
established in pure morality, bodhisattvas establish beings in the commitments of morality.

“Seeing how sentient beings harbor ill will and are very aggressive, while they themselves are established in the
power of patience and love, bodhisattvas establish beings in the power of patience and benevolence.

“Seeing how sentient beings are lazy and not very diligent, while they themselves are not lazy and apply themselves
diligently, bodhisattvas connect beings with applying themselves diligently.

“Seeing how sentient beings are distracted and how their mindfulness is weak, while they themselves have equipoise
and are absorbed in concentration, bodhisattvas establish beings in a state where they are not distracted but are mindful and
vigilant.

“Seeing how sentient beings’ understanding is impaired and how they are depraved and deluded, while they themselves
are insightful and free of delusion, bodhisattvas establish beings in great wisdom and freedom from delusion.

“Seeing how sentient beings have fallen into the unsuitable and thus commit terrible deeds, while they themselves
possess skillful means and perform correct deeds, bodhisattvas establish beings in skillful means and the performance of
correct deeds.

“Seeing how sentient beings are overpowered by afflictive emotions and how their world thus consists in imagination,
conceptualization, and reification, while they themselves have turned away from all afflictive emotions, bodhisattvas
establish beings in the abandoning of all afflictive emotions.

“Seeing how sentient beings are fettered by the shackles of personalistic views and thus dwell in objectification,
while they themselves have fully understood these personalistic views and thus become free from being fettered by
objectification, bodhisattvas connect beings with fully understanding personalistic views and freedom from objectification.

“Seeing that sentient beings are undisciplined, immodest and unrefined, while they themselves are disciplined,
modest, and refined, bodhisattvas establish beings in discipline, modesty, and refinement.

“Seeing how sentient beings do not remember or acknowledge what has been done for them and destroy their roots of
virtue, while they themselves remember and acknowledge what has been done for them and protect their roots of virtue,
bodhisattvas establish beings in remembering and acknowledging what has been done for them and not letting their roots of
virtue go to waste.

“Seeing how sentient beings have fallen into the torrent and are under the influence of the desire to sin, while they
themselves have crossed over all rivers, bodhisattvas connect beings to crossing over all rivers.

“Seeing how sentient beings do not delight in and fail to comply with words of advice, while they themselves delight
in and comply with words of advice, bodhisattvas establish beings in delighting in and complying with words of advice.

“Seeing how sentient beings are destitute and cling to what is ignoble, while they themselves are not destitute and
dwell in deathless virtue, bodhisattvas connect beings with freedom from clinging and abiding by the roots of virtue.

“Seeing how sentient beings are poor and lack the wealth of the noble ones, while they themselves do not lack the
wealth of the noble ones and are endowed with the seven riches, bodhisattvas establish beings in attaining the wealth of the
noble ones.

“Seeing how sentient beings are constantly ill and ensnared by the venomous snakes of the four elements,
while they themselves are never ill and always healthy, bodhisattvas establish beings in abandoning all forms of illness.

“Seeing that sentient beings are enveloped by the darkness of unknowing and lack the illumination of wisdom, while
they themselves have attained the illumination of wisdom, bodhisattvas establish beings in the great illumination of wisdom.

“Seeing how sentient beings are bound by attachment to the three realms and plunge into the five states of existence
within the wheel of saṃsāra, while knowing that they themselves are skilled in the full understanding of the three realms,
bodhisattvas establish beings in the skill of the full understanding of the three realms.

“Seeing how sentient beings have embarked on wrong paths and diverged from the right path, while they themselves are
established on the right path, bodhisattvas establish beings on the right path.

“Seeing how sentient beings are attached to their bodies and lives and fail to perceive their faults, while they themselves pay no heed to their bodies and lives
and see their own inadequacies, bodhisattvas establish beings in paying no attention to their bodies and lives and seeing
their own inadequacies.

“Seeing how sentient beings are separated from the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, while they themselves are immersed in
the unbroken lineage of the Three Jewels, bodhisattvas lead beings into the unbroken lineage of the Three Jewels.

“Seeing how sentient beings fall away from the excellent Dharma, while they themselves persist in upholding the
excellent Dharma, bodhisattvas establish beings in upholding the excellent Dharma.

“Seeing how sentient beings live far from precious teachers and lack the six recollections, while they themselves
never give up the six recollections, bodhisattvas establish beings in cultivating the six recollections.

“Seeing how sentient beings are obscured by the veils of karma and afflictive emotions, while they themselves are
free from karma and afflictive emotions, bodhisattvas establish beings in the freedom from karma and afflictive emotions.

“Seeing how sentient beings possess all nonvirtuous qualities and have abandoned all virtuous qualities, while they
themselves have abandoned all nonvirtuous qualities and possess all virtuous qualities, bodhisattvas establish beings in the
abandoning of all nonvirtuous qualities and the perfection of all virtuous qualities.

“Son of noble family, these thirty-two bodhisattva activities constitute the preeminence of bodhisattvas. Once
bodhisattvas are established in these, they are agents of excellent deeds.

“Son of noble family, the conduct of bodhisattvas is immeasurable. Why is that? Son of noble family, as many
possibilities of pollution as there are among sentient beings, bodhisattvas can accomplish that many possibilities of
purification.

“Son of noble family, even if all the sentient beings of world systems as numerous as grains of sand in the river
Ganges were situated in the śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha vehicles, whatever the activity of all these beings, it would not come
close to even a hundredth of the activity of bodhisattvas who have generated the first thought of awakening. It would not come
close to even a thousandth, a hundred thousandth, a ten millionth, a billionth, or any number, fraction, enumeration, analogy,
or comparison of it. Why is that? Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are committed to abandoning the afflictive emotions of their
own mindstreams, but bodhisattvas are committed to abandoning the afflictive emotions of all sentient beings. In this way, son
of noble family, compared to the activity of all beings and the activity of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the activity of
bodhisattvas is said to be supreme. Why is that? The activity of immature ordinary beings is mistaken, and the activity of all
śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas is limited, but the activity of bodhisattvas yields qualities that are unmistaken and
immeasurable. It is because of this that bodhisattvas surpass all beings and all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.”

At this the bodhisattva Dhāraṇīśvararāja was content, pleased, delighted, and overjoyed. Feeling joyful and happy, he took delight in what was proclaimed by the Blessed One. He rejoiced, saying to the
Blessed One, “Blessed One, these excellent descriptions the Tathāgata has given of the bodhisattva ornaments, the bodhisattva
illuminations, the great compassion of bodhisattvas, and the conduct of bodhisattvas are marvelous!

“May the Blessed tathāgata, arhat, completely perfect Buddha teach. Blessed One, how does the great compassion of the
blessed buddhas enter sentient beings? What exactly are the aspects, characteristics, signs, foundation, and extent of great
tathāgata compassion? How do blessed buddhas perform their activity? What exactly are the aspects, characteristics, signs,
foundation, and extent of their activity? Blessed One! Please explain directly to us how the activity of the omniscient,
all-seeing tathāgatas manifests.”

Then the Blessed One replied, “Son of noble family, listen well and remember, and I will explain to you briefly the
engagement of great tathāgata compassion and tathāgata activity.

“Son of noble family, I shall elucidate the statement that the great compassion of blessed buddhas for sentient
beings ‘neither arises nor engages.’ Why is that? The great compassion of blessed buddhas is constantly engaged. Since it is
properly generated through training over innumerable eons, it is neither engaged nor disengaged. The great compassion of
blessed buddhas is present for all sentient beings without being activated. As difficult as it was to obtain great tathāgata
compassion, that is how immeasurable, inconceivable, inexhaustible, and far reaching it is. Why is that? Son of noble family, as tathāgatas obtain awakening, their great compassion
extends to sentient beings. Awakening is great compassion!

“How do tathāgatas attain such awakening? Tathāgatas attain awakening where there is no root and no foundation. In
this regard, what is the root? What is the foundation? Personalism is the root and unreal imagining is the foundation.
Tathāgatas understand these two to be the same because they are the same as awakening. Consequently, it is said that
tathāgatas are perfect and complete buddhas whose awakening is without root and without foundation. Great tathāgata compassion
extends to beings as they think, ‘These sentient beings do not comprehend these phenomena that are without root and without
foundation. They should comprehend them.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is peaceful and tranquil. In this regard, what is peacefulness? What is tranquility? The inner world is peaceful. The outer world is tranquil. Why is that? The eye is empty
of self and what belongs to a self. That is its nature. The ear, the nose, the tongue, the body, and the mind are empty of
self and what belongs to a self. That is their nature. Because one understands the eye to be empty, one does not pursue form.
Therefore it is said to be tranquil. Because one understands the ear to be empty, one does not pursue sound. Therefore it is
said to be tranquil. Because one understands the nose to be empty, one does not pursue smell. Therefore it is said to be
tranquil. Because one understands the tongue to be empty, one does not pursue taste. Therefore it is said to be tranquil.
Because one understands the body to be empty, one does not pursue the tangible. Therefore it is said to be tranquil. Because one understands the mind to be empty, one does not
pursue mental factors. Therefore it is said to be tranquil. Great tathāgata compassion extends to beings with the thought,
‘These sentient beings do not comprehend peace and tranquility. They should comprehend them.’

“Son of noble family, because mind is naturally luminous, awakening is naturally luminous. Why is it said to be
naturally luminous? Its nature is devoid of pollution. It is equal to space. It is of the nature of space. It is established
as being the same as space. Because it is the same as space, it is sameness. Its nature is luminosity itself. Great tathāgata
compassion extends to beings with the thought, ‘Since these immature ordinary beings do not comprehend this natural
luminosity, they remain polluted by adventitious afflictive emotions. They should comprehend this luminous nature.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is without acceptance or rejection. In this regard, what is the absence of
acceptance? What is the absence of rejection? Absence of acceptance means not clinging to any phenomenon.
Absence of rejection means not rejecting any phenomenon. When tathāgatas enter the river of no
acceptance and no rejection, they truly see that suchness is without an ‘other side’ yet not without an ‘other side,’ and thus
they transcend these. In that way, tathāgatas attain complete and perfect awakening for which all phenomena are beyond an
‘other side’ and the absence of an ‘other side.’ Therefore they are called tathāgatas. Great tathāgata
compassion extends to beings with the thought, ‘These immature ordinary beings do not comprehend the absence of acceptance and
the absence of rejection. They should comprehend them.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is without signs and without objective reference. In this regard, what is meant by ‘without signs’? What is meant by ‘without objective
reference’? A visual consciousness without an objective referent is without signs. Form that is unseen is without objective
reference. An auditory consciousness without an objective reference is without signs. Sound that is unheard is without
objective reference. An olfactory consciousness without an objective reference is without signs. Odor that is not perceived is
without objective reference. A consciousness of taste without an objective reference is without signs. Flavor that is not
perceived is without objective reference. A tactile consciousness without an objective reference is without signs. Touch that
is not perceived is without objective reference. A mental consciousness without an objective reference is without signs.
Mental factors that are not perceived are without objective reference. Thus, the lack of attributes and objective references
is the domain of the noble ones. What is the domain of the noble ones? That which is not the domain of the three realms is the
domain of the noble ones. Thus, that which is not a domain is the domain of the noble ones. Great tathāgata compassion extends
to beings with the thought, ‘Immature ordinary beings do not comprehend the domain of the noble ones. They should comprehend
it.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is not the past, is not the future, and is not the present. It is the same throughout
the three times, the termination of the triple sphere. In this regard, what is the termination of the triple sphere? Mind does
not engage with the past, consciousness does not pursue the future, and mental activity does not engage with the present.
Since mind, mental activity, and consciousness do not abide, one does not mull over the past, one does not give thought to the
future, and one does not proliferate the present. Great
tathāgata compassion extends to beings with the thought, ‘Immature ordinary beings do not comprehend the equality of the three
times and the purification of the triple sphere. They should comprehend them.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is incorporeal and unconditioned. In this regard, that which is incorporeal is not
perceptible to visual consciousness. It is not perceptible to auditory, olfactory, taste, tactile, or mental consciousness.
The unconditioned is that which is without origination, cessation, and endurance. That is the
unconditioned, free of these three characteristics. That which is conditioned should also be comprehended to be just like the
unconditioned. Why is that? The nature of all phenomena is nonexistence. That which is nonexistent is nondual. Great tathāgata
compassion extends to beings with the thought, ‘Immature ordinary beings do not comprehend the incorporeal and unconditioned.
They should comprehend it.’

“Son of noble family, what is called awakening is inseparable and abiding. In this regard, what
abides? What is inseparable? Suchness abides. Nonabiding is inseparable. The realm of phenomena abides. Nondifferentiation is
inseparable. The limit of reality abides. Immovability is inseparable. Emptiness abides. Lack of objective
reference is inseparable. Signlessness abides. Nonconceptuality is inseparable. Wishlessness abides. Lack of making wishes is
inseparable. The nonexistence of sentient beings abides. The essencelessness of sentient beings is inseparable. Space abides.
Lack of objective reference is inseparable. Nonorigination abides. Noncessation is inseparable. The unconditioned abides. The absence of movement is inseparable. Awakening
abides. Tranquility is inseparable. Nirvāṇa abides. The absence of coming into being is
inseparable. Great tathāgata compassion extends to beings with the thought, ‘Sentient beings do not comprehend this
inseparability and abiding. They should comprehend it.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is completely and perfectly awakened neither by the body nor by the mind. Why is
that? The body is inanimate, and the mind is like an illusion. Those who comprehend the body and the mind to be like that may
still talk about awakening, using conventional language, but awakening cannot be described as physical or mental, as a
phenomenon or not, as genuine or not, or as true or false. Why is that? Awakening cannot be described by means of any
phenomenon. Awakening does not have a shape that can be described in conventional terms. Just as space has no shape and is
indescribable, awakening likewise has no shape and is indescribable. In the same way, no phenomena are describable if one has
understood them just as they are. There are no words for phenomena. There are no phenomena that correspond to words. Great
tathāgata compassion extends to beings with the thought, ‘Sentient beings do not comprehend this aspect of the manner of
phenomena. They should comprehend it.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is not apprehended and without a foundation. In this regard, what is not apprehended?
What is without a foundation? Understanding the eye is not apprehended. Form without objective reference is without a
foundation. Understanding the ear is not apprehended. Sound
without objective reference is without a foundation. Understanding the nose is not apprehended. Smell without objective
reference is without a foundation. Understanding the tongue is not apprehended. Flavor without objective reference is without
a foundation. Understanding the body is not apprehended. Touch without objective reference is without a foundation.
Understanding mental cognition is not apprehended. Mental factors without objective references are without a foundation. In
that way, tathāgatas completely and perfectly awaken to awakening that is not apprehended and without a foundation.

“Having attained complete and perfect awakening, the eye is not apprehended, form is not a foundation, and
consciousness has nowhere to stand. The ear is not apprehended, sounds are not a foundation, and consciousness has nowhere to
stand. The nose is not apprehended, smells are not a foundation, and consciousness has nowhere to stand. The tongue is not
apprehended, tastes are not a foundation, and consciousness has nowhere to stand. The body is not apprehended, tactile
sensations are not a foundation, and consciousness has nowhere to stand. The mind is not apprehended, phenomena are not a
foundation, and consciousness has nowhere to stand.

“Since consciousness has nowhere to stand, one deeply understands the stations of the minds of all sentient beings.
What are the stations of the minds of sentient beings? There are four stations of the minds of sentient beings. What are these
four? Form is a station of the minds of sentient beings. Likewise feeling, perception, and formations are
stations of the minds of sentient beings. But tathāgatas know that even these stations of their minds are nowhere to stand.
Great tathāgata compassion extends to beings with the thought, ‘Sentient beings do not comprehend this limit of
groundlessness. They should comprehend it.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is a designation for emptiness. The emptiness of empty
awakening is the emptiness of all
empty phenomena. The tathāgatas completely and perfectly awaken by realizing that all those phenomena are in truth emptiness.
Theirs is not an awakening brought about by making phenomena empty by means of emptiness. What is called
emptiness and what is called awakening are understood to be one and the same.
There is no division of emptiness and awakening into two categories at all.

“Why is that? Phenomena are nondual; they cannot be separated into two. They lack attributes, names, and signs. They
are without movement, immovable, and without origination. Empty is a designation for what is devoid of
clinging and apprehending. In this regard, ultimately, the phenomena that are referred to as empty are
without any objective reference whatsoever, but they are still called empty. Just as we call space
space even though space is actually indescribable, we call what is empty empty
even though emptiness is actually indescribable. It is like this. This convention of using names to label what is nameless is
applied to all phenomena. A name also does not inhere in the object or in a part of it. Just as names do not inhere in objects
or in their parts, in the same way, whatever phenomenon described by a given name also does not inhere in the object or in
part of it.

“In that way tathāgatas understand all these phenomena. They understand them to be primordially unborn, unceasing,
without attributes, devoid of mind, mental activity, and consciousness, and without letters or sounds. Insofar as they
understand them, they are liberated. There is no bondage. There is also no liberation. Great tathāgata compassion extends to
beings with the thought, ‘Immature ordinary beings do not comprehend this sameness. They should comprehend it.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is similar to space. Space itself is never the same, but it is also never not the
same. Awakening too is never the same, but it is also never not the same. Since phenomena do not truly exist, one cannot say
whether they are the same or not the same. This is what tathāgatas realize when they fully awaken to the fact that all
phenomena are not the same and are not not the same. They fully awaken without making even the slightest
phenomenon the same or not the same.

“They understand with correct wisdom exactly what these phenomena are like. What is correct wisdom? It is the
understanding that all phenomena are without root, that they are unborn and unceasing. They arise out of the unarisen. Having
arisen, they pass away. They arise without a creator, and they pass away without a creator.

“In that way, though phenomena come to be through arising and perishing, there is no coming to be whatsoever. It is
said that ‘the tathāgatas teach the Dharma in order to cut off the pathways of existence.’ Great tathāgata compassion extends
to beings with the thought, ‘Sentient beings do not comprehend how to cut off the pathways of existence. They should
comprehend it.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is a real ground. What is a real ground? As is awakening, so is form, which does not
transcend suchness. As is awakening, so are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, which do not
transcend suchness. As is awakening, so are the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, which do not transcend
suchness. As is awakening, so are the elements of eye, form,
and visual consciousness, which do not transcend suchness. As is awakening, so are the elements of ear, sound, and auditory
consciousness, which do not transcend suchness. As is awakening, so are the elements of nose, smell, and olfactory
consciousness, which do not transcend suchness. As is awakening, so are the elements of tongue, taste, and gustatory
consciousness, which do not transcend suchness. As is awakening, so are the elements of body, tactile sensation, and tactile
consciousness, which do not transcend suchness. As is awakening, so are the elements of mind, phenomena, and mental
consciousness, which do not transcend suchness. It is just these that are labeled as phenomena. In this regard, they are
labeled as aggregates, elements, and sense fields.

“It is to these as they really are that the tathāgatas are completely and perfectly awakened, completely and
perfectly awakened in an unmistaken manner. As these were before, so they are later, and so they are in the meantime. They do
not arise in the beginning, they do not pass on in the end, and they are devoid in the meantime. This is a real ground. As one
is, so are they all. As they all are, so is one. The tathāgatas do not objectify the way things are in terms of one or many.
Great tathāgata compassion extends to beings with the thought, ‘Immature ordinary beings do not comprehend the real ground.
They should comprehend it.’

“Son of noble family, awakening consists in having penetrated the absence of aspects through penetrating the aspects.
In this regard, what are the aspects? What is the absence of aspects? Aspects refers to taking up all
virtuous factors. Absence of aspects refers to not objectifying any factor. Aspects
refers to the ground of the mind that is groundless. Absence of aspects refers to the gate of liberation,
a meditative absorption without signs.
Aspects refers to thinking about, evaluating, enumerating, and discriminating phenomena.
Absence of aspects refers to the complete transcendence of evaluation. What is the complete
transcendence of evaluation? It is that in which there is no activity of consciousness. Aspects refers to
discriminating conditioned things. Absence of aspects refers to realizing the unconditioned. Great
tathāgata compassion extends to beings with the thought, ‘Immature ordinary beings do not comprehend penetrating the aspects
and the absence of aspects. They should comprehend it.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is the absence of contamination and the absence of appropriation. In this regard,
what is the absence of contamination? What is the absence of appropriation? Absence of contamination
means freedom from the four contaminants: freedom from the contaminant of desire, freedom from the contaminant of
becoming, freedom from the contaminant of ignorance, and freedom from the contaminant of views.
Absence of appropriation refers to freedom from the four appropriations: freedom from the
appropriation of desire, freedom from the appropriation of views, freedom from the appropriation of asserting a self, and
freedom from the appropriation of belief in the supremacy of one’s morality and asceticism. These four appropriations are
darkened by ignorance and approached through craving. Thinking ‘I am,’ they are appropriated through clinging. The tathāgatas
understand the I to be the root of appropriation, and they realize that purification of the self is the
purification of sentient beings. The purification of the self and the purification of all sentient beings are an inseparable
nonduality. Nonduality refers to nonarising. Due to
nonarising and noncessation, mind, mental activity, and consciousness do not operate. Where mind, mental activity, and
consciousness do not operate, there is absolutely none of the false imagining of incorrect mental activity.

“Someone with correct mental activity does not activate ignorance. When ignorance does not arise, the twelve links of
becoming do not arise. When the twelve links of becoming do not arise, there is no birth. That which is unborn is certain.
That which is certain is the definitive meaning. That which is the definitive meaning is the ultimate. That which is ultimate
means the reality devoid of a person. The reality devoid of a person is inexpressible. The inexpressible is dependent arising.
Dependent arising is the Dharma. The Dharma is suchness. Suchness is the tathāgata. Therefore, it is said that ‘whoever sees
dependent arising sees the Dharma, and whoever sees the Dharma sees the tathāgata.’ When one searches, informed by suchness,
one sees nothing whatsoever, and that is how one sees. What is that ‘nothing whatsoever?’ The answer is ‘conceptual signs and
objective references.’ At the time when one sees without thought or objective reference, one sees truly. In this manner,
tathāgatas completely and perfectly awaken, by means of sameness, to the sameness of all phenomena. Great tathāgata compassion
extends to beings with the thought, ‘Sentient beings do not comprehend what is without contamination and appropriation. They
should comprehend it.’

“Son of noble family, awakening is pure, stainless, and without afflictive emotions. In this regard, what is pure?
What is stainless? What is without afflictive emotions?
Emptiness is pure. Signlessness is stainless. Wishlessness is without afflictive emotions. The unborn is pure.
Absence of conditioning is stainless. Nonarising is without afflictive emotions. The nature is pure. Total purity is
stainless. Luminosity is without afflictive emotions. The absence of proliferation is pure. Non-proliferation is stainless.
The pacification of proliferations is without afflictive emotions. Suchness is pure. The realm of phenomena is stainless. The
limit of reality is without afflictive emotions. Space is pure. Space is stainless. Space is without afflictive emotions.
Understanding inwardly is pure. Not pursuing outwardly is stainless. Not objectifying inwardly or outwardly is without
afflictive emotions. Understanding the aggregates is pure. The essence of the elements is stainless. Rejecting the sense
fields is without afflictive emotions. Understanding that the past is gone is pure. Understanding that the future has not yet
arisen is stainless. Understanding that the present is present as the realm of phenomena is without afflictive emotions.

“Therefore purity, stainlessness, and the absence of afflictive emotions are actually united in the single state that
is the state of peace. Peace is peacefulness. Peacefulness is what is called
pacification. Pacification is what is called the absence of signs by means of the act of
pacifying. The absence of signs is what is called pacification. Pacification is what is
called intelligence.

“Therefore, son of noble family, as is space, so too is awakening. As is awakening, so too are all phenomena. As are
all phenomena, so too are sentient beings. As are sentient beings, so too are the buddhafields. As are the buddhafields, so
too is nirvāṇa. Thus, all phenomena are said to be equal to nirvāṇa.
Because they are ultimate and final there are no remedies to apply. Because there are no
remedies to apply, all phenomena are primordially pure, primordially stainless, and primordially without afflictive emotions.
Tathāgatas accordingly are completely and perfectly awakened to the reality of all phenomena. After surveying the mass of
sentient beings who are impure, who are not stainless, and who possess afflictive emotions, they extend their great compassion
known as magical play to all sentient beings.

“Using his skillful means, the Tathāgata informed the gods of the Brahmā realm that he would not turn the wheel of
the Dharma without being requested to do so. Then Top-Knotted Brahmā, surrounded and escorted by eight hundred thousand gods of
the Brahmā realm, instantly disappeared from the realm of Brahmā. He arrived in the presence of the Tathāgata and paid homage
at the Tathāgata’s feet. To ensure that the wheel of Dharma be set in motion, he supplicated the Tathāgata: ‘May the Blessed
One teach the Dharma! May the Sugata teach the Dharma!’ He also supplicated the Tathāgata with the following words:

“ ‘Your Dharma, realized by buddha wisdom,

Is peaceful and serene, pure and immaculate,

Unsullied and radiant,

Inexpressible, soundless, and without words.

“ ‘You endured great hardships of asceticism and austerity

For millions of eons

To bring about the awakening of beings, confused and obscured

By self-satisfaction, from the deep sleep of delusion.

“ ‘Those entrusted with the lineage of the previous victors

Realized this supreme Dharma.

On account of the many virtuous beings present herein,

May the Tathāgata turn the wheel of the Dharma.

“ ‘You have subjugated the hosts of Māra

And opened the gate to the deathless.

Great Leader, guide beings who have gone astray

To the path of the noble ones!

“ ‘Your unsurpassed buddha compassion

Benefits beings inconceivably.

Teacher, I beg you,

Please turn the wheel of the supreme Dharma!

“ ‘Blessed One, may you also turn the wheel of Dharma

Just as the Victor Krakucchanda,

The Victor Kanakamuni,

And the Tathāgata Kāśyapa have done.

“ ‘Just as rainfall brings satisfaction

And causes medicinal plants to grow,

So the clouds of your compassion encircle the world,

And you, Tathāgata, let the rain of Dharma fall!

“ ‘As soon as a supreme guide is born,

He issues a sound in order to liberate beings.

Right now, please relieve the thirst of the yearning gods and humans

With the water of great Dharma.’

“Son of noble family, the Tathāgata, aware of Top-Knotted Brahmā’s supplication, proceeded with unrelinquishing great
compassion to turn the unsurpassed Dharma wheel in Deer Park in Rṣipatana near the town of Vārāṇasī. In this world such a
Dharma wheel had never been turned in conformity with the Dharma before by any wandering ascetic, brahmin, god, demon, or
Brahmā himself. It was then that the word impermanence was understood throughout the entire billionfold
universe. Kauṇḍinya was the first to fully know the Dharma. Then the Buddha, inspired, uttered the following:

“ ‘That which is ineffable and profound,

Beyond words and of definitive meaning—

Kauṇḍinya understood it,

So my effort has not been in vain!’

“By turning the wheel of the Dharma, the Tathāgata tamed innumerable and unfathomably many sentient beings. Through
knowing this magical play of great tathāgata compassion, immeasurable and innumerable sentient beings generated the thought of
awakening.

“Son of noble family, these sixteen kinds of great compassion of the blessed buddhas are constantly spontaneously
active and are never given up. Endowed with such great compassion, tathāgatas happily dwell among the denizens in the great
hell realms for the sake of each and every being, for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges. When they
gaze at those to be tamed through the superior Dharma and Vinaya, the tathāgatas are never discouraged, and their great
compassion never deteriorates. That is how the inconceivable great compassion of the blessed buddhas extends to sentient
beings.

“The compassion of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas is compared to skin, the compassion of bodhisattvas to flesh, and the
great compassion of blessed buddhas to bones and marrow. Śrāvaka compassion rejoices in buddha wisdom. Bodhisattva compassion
establishes bodhicitta. The great compassion of blessed buddhas predicts beings to awakening. The compassion of śrāvakas
relies on love. The compassion of bodhisattvas relies on bringing beings to maturity. The great compassion of blessed buddhas
relies on bringing them to full maturity.

“The compassion of śrāvakas is discouraged by effort. The compassion of bodhisattvas brings undertakings to
completion. The compassion of blessed buddhas brings success in all undertakings.

“Therefore, son of noble family, the great compassion of the blessed buddhas is supreme because buddhas dwell for
eons, hundreds of eons, thousands of eons, or hundreds of
thousands of eons in order to tame beings. For so long as they do, they do not pass away into nirvāṇa. Son of noble family,
you should understand this through this discourse.

“Son of noble family, in the past, innumerable beyond countless eons ago, in an eon known as Most Fragrant, in a
world realm known as Fragrant, there appeared a tathāgata, an arhat, a completely and perfectly awakened buddha
known as Sandalwood Dwelling. He was endowed with perfect knowledge and perfect conduct, a sugata,
a world knower, an unsurpassed charioteer of those to be tamed, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, a blessed one. The
lifespan of the Blessed Tathāgata Sandalwood Dwelling reached sixteen times eighty-four thousand years. His śrāvaka entourage
consisted of sixteen times eighty-four thousand śrāvakas.

“The sweet fragrance coming from one of the pores of his skin suffused the billionfold universe with sweet-smelling
fragrance. No foul smell arose in that world. In that world, furthermore, the fences, trees, mountains, and material forms
that appeared were enveloped in the fragrance of that tathāgata. That is how it became known as Fragrant.

“Through the fragrance of the Tathāgata, despicable physical, verbal, and mental actions disappeared from the beings
born in that realm. When they smelled that fragrance, those who went forth into the religious life following the Dharma of
that blessed one generated the four concentrations. In that realm, ten thousand buddhas emerged simultaneously, all of them
named Sandalwood Dwelling. That is how the eon came to be called Most Fragrant.

“The Blessed Tathāgata Sandalwood Dwelling performed his buddha activity, and at the time of passing into nirvāṇa he
beheld the disposition of a being who was trainable by a buddha and who was known as Trainable by Me. The buddha saw with pure
divine vision surpassing human sight that this one being among the gods in the Sphere of neither Perception nor Nonperception
who had previously cultivated roots of virtue, who was devoted to the vast, and who was tamable by a buddha would remain there
for eighty-four thousand eons. Once he died and was reborn as a human, if he heard praise of the Great Vehicle instead of
enjoying sense desires, he would generate the thought of unsurpassed perfect awakening and become someone who would not be
turned back from unsurpassed perfect awakening.

“Then the Blessed Tathāgata Sandalwood Dwelling manifested great compassion through his skill in means and said to
the monks, ‘Monks! Since the time has come for me to pass into nirvāṇa, I will now pass into nirvāṇa.’ Thereupon the Blessed
Tathāgata Sandalwood Dwelling entered the absorption called indefatigable by seeing with great
compassion
and
displayed passing into nirvāṇa.

“After passing into nirvāṇa, his relics were distributed. His sacred Dharma remained for eight times eighty-four
thousand years. While his sacred Dharma was present, moreover, many beings received it, and no counterfeit Dharma appeared.
Through the cultivation of the power of meditative absorption and miraculous blessing, that blessed one remained unmanifest
for eighty-four thousand eons.

“Thus, when eighty-four thousand eons had passed, that being among the gods in the Sphere of neither Perception nor
Nonperception died and was reborn in the human realm in the family of a merchant. When he reached the age of eight, the
Blessed Tathāgata Sandalwood Dwelling rose from his absorption that had lasted eighty-four thousand eons. He came before the
youth in the form of a buddha, invisible to everyone else except the youth.

“This caused the youth to firmly make up his mind to generate the thought of unsurpassed perfect awakening and not be
turned back from unsurpassed perfect awakening. The Buddha proceeded to teach the Dharma to the youth, beginning with the
Great Vehicle. He also delivered teachings about the faults of desire. The Blessed One understood the perfect special
intention of the youth and predicted that the youth would completely awaken to unsurpassed perfect awakening after seventy-two
times one hundred thousand countless eons. He would emerge in the world as the Tathāgata Supreme Precious One. No human being
but the youth himself heard this prophecy. Twelve thousand gods who were worthy heard it and generated the thought of
unsurpassed perfect awakening. They also made an aspiration prayer saying, ‘When the Blessed Tathāgata called Supreme Precious
One finds awakening, may we be born in his buddhafield at that time!’

“In order for them all to be born into that buddhafield, the Blessed One predicted, ‘The Tathāgata Supreme Precious
One will predict your unsurpassed perfect awakening!’
Thereupon, the Blessed Tathāgata Sandalwood Dwelling, having prophesied those bodhisattvas, completely passed into nirvāṇa,
and the gods honored his relics.

“Son of noble family, the blessed buddhas are endowed with such compassion, which does not exist on the level of the
śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. Son of noble family, just as the blessed buddhas do not interrupt the continuity of the lineage
of the buddhas, likewise, the roots of virtue of those who offer to the buddhas will also be uninterrupted until they pass
into nirvāṇa, because causes do not perish.”

When he had delivered this discourse on great tathāgata compassion, among the assembly, as many beings as a third of
the number of grains of sand in the river Ganges generated the thought of unsurpassed perfect awakening. As many bodhisattvas
as half the number of grains of sand in the river Ganges attained willing acceptance. And as many bodhisattvas as the number
of grains of sand in the river Ganges attained the sixteen kinds of great compassion. They also attained acceptance of
reality, which was endowed with the empowerment of all the Buddha’s teachings. At that time, all in the assembly who had heard
this teaching became content, pleased, delighted, and overjoyed. Feeling joyful and happy, everyone
hailed the Blessed One with the words “Very good!” and honored him with offerings both human and divine.

At that point, the Blessed One said to Dhāraṇīśvararāja, “Son of noble family, you may ask, ‘What are the actions of
the tathāgatas?’ There are thirty-two tathāgata actions. What are these actions?

⁽¹⁾ “Son of noble family, the tathāgatas know with their unsurpassed wisdom and in accordance with reality what is
possible and what is impossible. You may ask, son of noble
family, what is possible and what is impossible? That the maturation of wrongful conduct of body, speech, and mind will be
desirable, pleasant, delightful, or attractive is impossible. This will not happen. That the maturation of good conduct of
body, speech, and mind will be desirable, pleasant, delightful, and attractive is possible. This will happen. Son of noble
family, that one will attain great wealth through greediness, be born as a god or human through flawed moral conduct, become
beautiful through ill will, attain realization through laziness, reach certainty through mental distraction, or destroy the
karmic traces through flawed insight is impossible. This will not happen. That one will attain great wealth through
generosity, be born as a god or human through moral conduct, become beautiful through patience, attain realization through
perseverance, reach certainty through concentration, and destroy all the karmic traces through insight is possible. This will
happen.

“That the mind of someone who performs the acts of immediate retribution will be at ease is impossible. This will not
happen. That the mind of someone with pure moral conduct will be at ease is possible. This will happen. That one will attain
willing acceptance while being involved with objective references is impossible. This will not happen. That one will attain acceptance through devotion to emptiness is possible.
This will happen. That the mind will become pliant while in a state of regret is impossible. This will not happen. That a mind
free of agitation will become pliant is possible. This will happen. That a universal monarch, Śakra, Brahmā, or a buddha will
appear in the world in a female body is impossible. This will not happen. That someone will appear in the world as a universal
monarch, Śakra, Brahmā, or a buddha after she has exchanged her female body is possible. This will happen. That someone who is
not equal to the universal monarch will govern a kingdom is impossible. This will not happen. That he who is equal to the
universal monarch will govern a kingdom is possible. This will happen.

“That a human being from the northern continent of Uttarakuru will descend to lower destinies is impossible. This
will not happen. That such a human will proceed to happy destinies is possible. This will happen. That individuals who kill will enjoy long lives on account
of their killing and that they will attain the noble path on account of their wrong views and the wrongful deeds based on them
is impossible. This will not happen. That someone with a long life on account of abandoning killing will attain the noble path
through correct views is possible. This will happen.

“That one will find deliverance without attaining the fruition of the eighth-lowest level is impossible. This will not
happen. That one will find deliverance once one has attained their fruition is possible. This will happen. That a stream enterer will actualize an eighth existence is impossible. This
will not happen. That a stream enterer will enter a seventh existence even though there are obstacles is possible. That a
once-returner will actualize a second existence is impossible. This will not happen. That a once-returner will reach the end
of suffering after having returned to this world is possible. This will happen. That a non-returner will return to this world
is impossible. This will not happen. That a non-returner will transcend suffering completely is possible. This will happen.
That an arhat will enter a new existence is impossible. This will not happen. That an arhat will not enter a new existence is
possible. This will happen.

“That a noble being will accept the instructions of another teacher is impossible. This will not happen. That such a
being will have no other deity is possible. That a bodhisattva who accepts the unborn nature of phenomena will regress is
impossible. This will not happen. That such a bodhisattva will awaken to complete and perfect awakening is possible. That a
bodhisattva who dwells on the seat of awakening will arise without completely and perfectly awakening is impossible. This will
not happen. That such a bodhisattva will arise as one awakened to complete and perfect awakening is possible.

“That karmic traces will appear for tathāgatas is impossible. This will not happen. That tathāgatas will have
destroyed all karmic traces is possible. This will happen. That the wisdom of tathāgatas will be obstructed is impossible.
That the wisdom of tathāgatas will be unobstructed is
possible. That the crown protuberances of tathāgatas will be visible is impossible. This will not happen. That the crown
protuberances of tathāgatas will be invisible is possible. That one will know the activity of tathāgatas’ minds through means
other than the power of buddhas is impossible. This will not happen. That one will not know it is possible. That the minds of
tathāgatas will not be in equipoise and will have reference points is impossible. That tathāgatas will be in constant
equipoise is possible. That untrue words will issue from tathāgatas is impossible. That true words will issue is possible.

“Son of noble family, that deluded objective reference will exist for tathāgatas is impossible. This will not happen.
That delusion will not exist for tathāgatas is possible. This will happen. Son of noble family, words cannot illustrate the
scope of the Tathāgata’s power of knowing what is possible and what is impossible. It is perfect. It is unique and like no
other. About this the following is proclaimed:

“ ‘All earth may crumble,

The sky may tremble,

But for what the Buddha has explained not to be the case—

That will never occur.

“ ‘Beings may mold space

Into five-colored form,

But for what the Buddha has explained not to be the case—

That will never occur.

“ ‘All that the Buddha has explained to be the case

To a lesser, middling, or supreme degree—

There is no way that any of that

Will turn out to be otherwise.

“ ‘All that he has explained not to be the case

To a lesser, middling, or supreme degree—

There is no way that any of that

Will turn out to be otherwise.

“ ‘He who knows what is and what is not the case

Continuously explains the truth

And the Dharma to creatures

In accordance with their thoughts.

“ ‘Other mendicants and brahmins

Who rush around everywhere

Do not know what is and what is not the case.

That is not so for the Buddha.

“ ‘When endowed with what is possible,

The liberation of beings will multiply.

The fully qualified Buddha

Explains that precisely.

“ ‘Toward beings who are not receptive,

The Buddha remains in equanimity.

He waits for the right occasion,

The time at which to liberate them.

“ ‘What liberates beings

Is conduct beyond reproach.

That is the first liberating activity

Of the supremely intelligent Buddha.

“ ‘His explanations of what is and what is not the case

Are unfathomable and innumerable.

This power of the great sage

Is hard for adversaries to match.’

⁽²⁾ “Son of noble family, tathāgatas know skillfully and in accordance with reality about past, present, and future
actions as well as the basis, causes, substance, and maturation of the actions undertaken. You may ask, how do they understand
them? Son of noble family, the tathāgatas know the actions undertaken in the past that spring from virtuous causes, are free
of anything nonvirtuous, and will, in the future, engender what springs from virtuous causes. They know the actions undertaken
that spring from nonvirtuous causes, are free of anything virtuous, and will, in the future, engender what springs from
nonvirtuous causes. They know in accordance with reality the actions undertaken that will become the basis for something minor
in the future, the actions undertaken that will become the basis for something major in the future, the actions undertaken that are the basis for something minor in the present
that will become the basis for something major in the future, and the actions undertaken that are the basis for something
major in the present that will become the basis for something minor in the future. They know the actions undertaken that are
the basis for something minor in the present that will also become the basis for something minor in the future. They know the
actions undertaken that are the basis for something major in the present that will also become the basis for something major
in the future. They know the actions undertaken that were a minor task in the past that will become something major and turn
into a great success in the future. They know the actions undertaken that require little exertion that may nonetheless become
of great significance. They also know the actions undertaken that require great exertion that may nonetheless become of little
significance.

“They know the actions undertaken that will engender the cause of śrāvakahood, the actions undertaken that will
engender the cause of pratyekabuddhahood, and the actions undertaken that will engender the cause of buddhahood. They know the
actions undertaken that are painful at present but will lead to a blissful maturation in the future. They know the actions
undertaken that are blissful at present but will lead to a painful maturation in the future. The tathāgatas know the actions
undertaken that are painful at present and will also lead to a painful maturation in the future. They know the actions
undertaken that are blissful at present and will also lead to a blissful maturation in the future.

“In these ways, son of noble family, the tathāgatas uniquely and independently understand in accordance with reality
all about beings’ actions in the past, present, and future, their circumstances, and their maturation. With this understanding they teach the Dharma accordingly. This is the second
tathāgata activity of the tathāgatas. About this it has been proclaimed:

“ ‘The tathāgatas are skilled in causes.

They are endowed with the eye of knowing how actions mature.

Not fettered by the three times,

They know the conduct of all sentient beings.

“ ‘The sugatas know

Which causes engender bliss,

Comprising maturation as gods and humans,

And which ones engender suffering.

“ ‘The sugatas know

The causes and the maturation

Of virtuous and nonvirtuous actions,

Like holding a precious jewel in their hands.

“ ‘Which actions arise from tiny causes

And engender immeasurable consequences,

However vast or tiny they may be—

The buddhas know them all exactly.

“ ‘The sugatas know all about

What leads to the Śrāvaka Vehicle,

What leads to the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle,

And the causes of a victor.

“ ‘They know which causes are painful now

But will later engender bliss;

Which causes are blissful now

But will later engender pain;

“ ‘Which causes are painful now and will be painful later;

And which causes are blissful now and will be blissful later.

The sugatas thus know the true nature of actions

In accordance with their causes.

“ ‘With their unique buddha wisdom

Of actions and the causes for their engagement

By all beings of the three times,

The victors always know this just as it is.’

⁽³⁾ “Son of noble family, the tathāgatas know in accordance with reality the many and various inclinations of other
beings and individuals. You may ask, how do they know in
accordance with reality the many and various inclinations of other beings and individuals? The tathāgatas know which individuals are
established in attachment and inclined toward aversion, which individuals are established in aversion and inclined toward
attachment, and which individuals are established in delusion and inclined toward attachment, aversion, and delusion. The
tathāgatas know which individuals are established in virtue and inclined toward virtue, which individuals whose engagement is
minor are inclined with a vast intention, and which individuals whose engagement is vast are inclined with a minor intention.
The tathāgatas know which inclinations will transform minor engagements into major ones and which inclinations will transform superior
engagements into minor ones. The tathāgatas know which inclinations will lead those who were sure to be wrong regarding
reality toward attaining the disposition that is
certain, which inclinations will lead those whose receptivity had been undetermined toward attaining the disposition of
being sure to be correct, and which inclinations will lead those already sure to be correct toward attaining liberation.
The tathāgatas know which inclinations will lead beyond the desire realm, which will lead beyond the form realm, and which will
lead beyond the third realm. The tathāgatas know which inclinations will suppress something major through relying on something minor and
which inclinations will transform something major into something minor. The tathāgatas know which inclinations will bring about the
attainment of varying kinds of corresponding birth, appearance, and means of livelihood.
The tathāgatas know which inclinations will lead to downfall from the peak of existence
and which inclinations will lead to the attainment of liberation. With this understanding they teach the Dharma accordingly.
This is the third tathāgata activity of the tathāgatas. About this it has been proclaimed:

“ ‘With their limitless intelligence, the tathāgatas know the entire range

Of the world’s various and manifold inclinations.

The buddhas know well which inclinations are caused by aversion and instill attachment

And which ones instill aversion and incline toward delusion.

“ ‘With minds established in delusion, beings may engage in virtue or attachment.

Whichever is the case, it may be with minor engagement but a vast inclination.

Even when there is vast intent and vast engagement,

Inclination may transform it into something minor. This the sugatas know.

“ ‘The buddhas know which inclinations will transform a being’s minor engagement into something vast

And a being’s vast intelligence into something minor.

They know which inclinations are destined for error,

Which for the truth, and which for liberation from the three realms.

“ ‘The victors know well which inclinations bring about which births, appearances,

And means of livelihood of all sentient beings of all the three times,

Which bring downfall from the peak of existence, and which bring liberation.

With this knowledge they teach the Dharma—such is said to be the activity of the sugatas.’

⁽⁴⁾ “Son of noble family, the tathāgatas know, in accordance with reality, the worlds that are comprised of many and
various elements. You may ask, how do they know them? They know, in accordance with reality, which elements accumulate mundane
virtuous conditioning, which elements accumulate nonvirtuous conditioning, which elements accumulate neutral conditioning, and which elements establish one in the
element of deliverance.

“They know the element of the eye, the element of form, and the element of visual consciousness. How do they know
them? They know them to be an inner emptiness, an outer emptiness, and an inner and outer emptiness, respectively. They know
the element of the ear, the element of sound, and the element of auditory consciousness. How do they know them? They know them
to be an inner emptiness, an outer emptiness, and an inner and outer emptiness, respectively. They know the element of the
nose, the element of smell, and the element of olfactory consciousness. How do they know them? They know them to be an inner
emptiness, an outer emptiness, and an inner and outer emptiness, respectively. They know the element of the tongue, the
element of taste, and the element of the consciousness of taste. How do they know them? They know them to be an inner
emptiness, an outer emptiness, and an inner and outer emptiness, respectively. They know the element of the body, the element
of the tactile, and the element of tactile consciousness. How do they know them? They know them to be an inner emptiness, an
outer emptiness, and an inner and outer emptiness, respectively. They know the element of the mind, the element of phenomena,
and the element of mental consciousness. How do they know them? They know them to be an inner emptiness, an outer emptiness,
and an inner and outer emptiness, respectively. They know the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind. How do
they know them? They know them to be just like the element of space.

“They know the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. How do they know them? They know them to originate in false imagining. They know
conditioned elements to be fabricated and unconditioned elements to be unfabricated. They know that the elements of pollution
are characterized by adventitious afflictive emotion and that the elements of purification are characterized by natural
luminosity. They know that the realm of saṃsāra is characterized by incorrect ignorance and that the sphere of nirvāṇa is
characterized by correct knowing.

“In this way, the tathāgatas fully understand which elements establish the world, which elements fully establish it,
which elements facilitate, and which elements obstruct. They know which elements belong to engagement, which belong to
reflection, which belong to determination, and which elements are supports. With this understanding they teach the Dharma
accordingly. This is the fourth tathāgata activity of the tathāgatas. About this it has been proclaimed:

“ ‘The lions among humans are skilled in the ways of all the elements.

The sugatas know without exception

Which elements are engaged where and in what ways

And which elements are the source of extensive virtue.

“ ‘With their great insight, the sugatas know these elements:

The experiences that propel merit, nonmerit, and neutrality,

And the element of peace that brings the attainment of deliverance

And that, when established, brings liberation from the elements.

“ ‘Knowing the elements of the eye, form, and mind to be naturally empty

Is the essential conduct of the victors.

Likewise, the elements of the ear, nose, tongue, and body,

And the elements of the mind and phenomena, are known to be perpetually empty.

“ ‘The lions among humans know

The elements of water, fire, earth, and air to be like space.

They know without exception that the realms of desire, form, and formlessness

Emerge from conceptuality.

“ ‘The victors know the elements of pollution to lack a true nature.

The sugatas know the elements of purification to be like this as well.

The unskillful go on creating saṃsāra,

While nirvāṇa lacks the three characteristics of the conditioned.

“ ‘Some elements are characterized by being engaged through nonvirtue,

While others terminate all forms of engagement by means of virtue.

Though the buddhas understand this world comprised of various and manifold elements,

They are not conceited, thinking, “I know!”

“ ‘These lions among humans fully understand the elements,

Which are limitless like space.

The sacred wisdom of the victors is unobstructed—

Beings are unable to fathom its range.

“ ‘This is the fourth activity of the pure protectors.

They know the procedure in terms of the elements for taming beings.

In the process of taming them, through the proper performance of acts,

Even though there exist myriad delusions, these never occur to them.’

⁽⁵⁾ “Son of noble family, the tathāgatas know, in accordance with reality, the levels of the faculties of other beings
and individuals. You may ask, how do they know them in accordance with reality? Son of noble family, they know, in accordance
with reality, which beings are less gifted. Likewise, they know whose faculties are average, whose are sharp, whose are
extraordinary, and whose are poor.

“They know how consummate attachment, aversion, and delusion arise from the dominant influence of conceptuality.
They know how contrived attachment, aversion, and delusion arise from the dominant influence of conceptuality. They know how
perverted attachment, aversion, and delusion arise from the dominant influence of conceptuality. They know how destructive
attachment, aversion, and delusion arise from the dominant influence of conceptuality. The tathāgatas know comprehensively
how, from the dominant influence of conceptuality, some faculties originate from virtuous causes, some from nonvirtuous
causes, some from neutral causes, and others from the causes of deliverance.

“Moreover, son of noble family, the tathāgatas know the sense faculties of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and
mind. They know the male faculty, the female faculty, and the vital force. They understand the propensity for physical
pleasure and pain, mental joy and grief, and equanimity. They know the spiritual faculties of faith, vigor, mindfulness,
absorption, and insight. They know the faculty that changes unknowing into omniscience, the faculty of omniscience, and the
faculty endowed with omniscience. The tathāgatas understand which capacity caused by the sense power of the eyes will
transform into a sense power for the ear, rather than into a sense power for the nose, tongue, or body. They understand which capacity caused by the sense power of the ear will
transform into a sense power for the nose, which capacity caused by the sense power of the nose will transform into a sense
power for the tongue, which capacity caused by the sense power of the tongue will transform into a sense power for the body,
and which capacity caused by the sense power of the body will transform into a sense power for the eye.

“To people who are capable of generosity and who apply themselves to moral conduct, the tathāgatas, understanding the
range of capacities, give discourses on generosity. To people who are capable of moral conduct and who apply themselves to
generosity, the tathāgatas, understanding the range of capacities, give discourses on moral conduct. To people who have the
capacity for patience and who apply themselves to vigor, the tathāgatas, understanding the range of capacities, give
discourses on patience. To people who are capable of vigor and who apply themselves to patience, the tathāgatas, understanding
the range of capacities, give discourses on vigor. To people who have the capacity for concentration and who apply themselves
to insight, the tathāgatas, understanding the range of capacities, give discourses on concentration. To people who have the
capacity for insight and who apply themselves to concentration, the tathāgatas, understanding the range of capacities, give
discourses on insight. Likewise, all factors of awakening should be comprehended in detail.

“To people who have the capacity for the Śrāvaka Vehicle but apply themselves to the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle, the
tathāgatas, understanding the range of capacities, give discourses on the Śrāvaka Vehicle. To people who have the capacity for
the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle but apply themselves to the
Śrāvaka Vehicle, the tathāgatas, understanding the range of capacities, give discourses on the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle. To
people who have the capacity for the Great Vehicle but apply themselves to the Śrāvaka Vehicle and the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle,
the tathāgatas, understanding the range of capacities, give discourses on the Great Vehicle. To people of the highest capacity
who apply themselves to the Great Vehicle, the tathāgatas, understanding the range of capacities, give the final
discourses.

“When the tathāgatas know that those who are subject to a lack of fortune and who appear unfortunate are not
receptive, they remain in equanimity. When the tathāgatas know that those who have the power of good fortune and who appear
fortunate are worthy, they teach them the Dharma as they are venerated by them.

“Son of noble family, in this way the tathāgatas know the developed and the undeveloped capacities of all sentient
beings. They know the capacities that have not yet emerged as well as those that have emerged. The tathāgatas know in
accordance with reality the capacities of beings, their aspects, their applications, their intentions, the causes from which
they arise, their conditions, their reference points, their concordant causes, and their limits. This is the fifth tathāgata
activity of the tathāgatas. About this it has been proclaimed:

“ ‘With transcendent knowledge of faculties, they are wise regarding the intentions of beings.

The victors know well how beings’ conduct accords with their faculties.

The victors know the methods for those of exceptional, average, or poor faculties.

Their incomparable deeds for liberating beings are outstanding.

“ ‘They know the faculties by which afflictive emotions are consummated, contrived,

Accumulated, and perverted.

They know the faculties of destructive afflictive emotions and those of virtue,

Those that are neutral, those that are nonvirtuous, and those that are liberating.

“ ‘They understand the sense faculties from the eye to the mind, the male and female faculties,

The vital force, the propensities for pleasure and pain, joy, grief, and equanimity,

The spiritual faculties of faith, vigor, mindfulness, insight, and one-pointedness,

The method for the faculties for omniscience and for making all known, and the faculty for liberation.

“ ‘They know what occurs due to the cause of the eye and is made present to the ear rather than to the nose and the
tongue,

And what occurs due to causes up to the body and in turn is present to the eye.

To people with the capacity for generosity who exemplify moral conduct they give talks on generosity.

To people with the capacity for moral conduct who exemplify generosity they give talks on moral conduct.

“ ‘To people with the capacity for patience who exemplify vigor they give talks on patience.

To people with the capacity for vigor who exemplify patience they give talks on vigor.

To people with the capacity for concentration who exemplify insight they give talks on concentration.

To people with the capacity for insight who exemplify concentration they give talks on insight.

“ ‘To people who have the capacity for the Śrāvaka Vehicle but apply themselves to the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle

They will give discourses on śrāvakas but cease those about pratyekabuddhas.

To those whose capacity is definitely for the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle but who apply themselves to words

They teach the methods and faculties suited to the Dharma of the Pratyekabuddha Vehicle.

“ ‘To those whose capacity is definitely for the Great Vehicle but who resort to something inferior

They discourse on the transcendent perfections of the victors who abide in great compassion.

Knowing who is ready and who is not, victors teach the former and are equanimous toward the latter.

Through the ten strengths they know which capacities have developed and which have not.

“ ‘They know the form of conduct of peoples’ capacities and how it is applied,

Likewise their intentions and what their circumstances and their causes are,

And likewise their reference points, their limits, and their corresponding causes.

Knowing with spontaneous wisdom, their buddha activity of teaching is unerring.’

⁽⁶⁾ “Son of noble family, the tathāgatas know in accordance with reality the paths that lead to all destinies. You may
ask, how do they know them? They know those beings constituted as sure to be correct. They know those beings constituted as being
undetermined, and those beings constituted as sure to be wrong.

“They know those beings whose constitution is associated with certainty. Whether the tathāgatas teach the Dharma to them or
not, those beings who have causal capacity and excellent prior engagement, who understand through mere outlines and whose
intelligence is sharp, are certain to become liberated. The tathāgatas understand their causal capacity, and, in order to
accelerate their liberation, they teach them the Dharma accordingly.

“They also know those beings constituted as being undetermined. These beings, who are swayed by conditions
and characterized by having to mature, will, if they encounter a suitable teaching and
instruction, be liberated. But if they have no such encounter, they will not be
liberated. To them the tathāgatas deliver discourses on causes and conditions. In this way, once they have heard the Dharma
from the tathāgatas, they apply themselves accordingly and attain the result. It is for their sake that the blessed buddhas
appear.

“They also know those beings constituted as sure to be wrong. Whether they are taught the
Dharma or not, those beings who have
not purified themselves, who are feeble minded, foolish, and
unreceptive, are not destined for liberation. The tathāgatas are aware that they are not receptive and thus remain equanimous
toward them. It is for their sake that the bodhisattvas don their armor.

“Son of noble family, the tathāgatas know the three paths of attachment. What are the three? They are the path of
attachment arising from attraction, the path of attachment arising from clinging, and the path of attachment arising from
previous causes. They know the three paths of aversion: the path of aversion arising from the cause of anger, the path of
aversion arising from unfulfilled wishes, and the path of aversion arising from preexisting latent tendencies. They know the
three paths of delusion: the path of delusion arising from the cause of ignorance, the path of delusion arising from the cause
of personalistic false views, and the path of delusion arising from the cause of doubt. All these the tathāgatas know.

“Moreover, son of noble family, the tathāgatas know the difficult paths that swiftly lead to the superknowledges for
those with sharp faculties and the difficult paths that slowly lead to the superknowledges for those with dull faculties. They
know the easy paths that swiftly lead to the superknowledges for those with sharp faculties and the difficult paths that
swiftly lead to the superknowledges for those with dull faculties. They know the paths that very slowly lead to the
superknowledges because of beings’ loss of focus and the slower paths that may nonetheless swiftly lead to the
superknowledges because their continuities are uninterrupted.
They know the swift paths that may nonetheless lead slowly to the superknowledges on account of falling short of final relief
and the slow paths that nonetheless lead swiftly to the superknowledges on account of one not being attached to such
paths.

“The tathāgatas know that there are paths where it is not the power of meditation but the power of discrimination
that is brought to perfection. They know that there are paths where it is not the power of discrimination but the power of
meditation that is brought to perfection. They know that there are paths where neither the power of meditation nor the power
of discrimination is brought to perfection. They know that there are paths where both the power of discrimination and the
power of meditation are brought to perfection.

“The tathāgatas know that there are paths with excellent intention but without excellent application. They know that
there are paths without excellent intention but with excellent application. They know that there are paths without excellent
intention or application. They know that there are paths with both excellent intention and application.

“There are paths where it is neither the speech nor the mind but the body that is purified. There are paths where it
is neither the body nor the mind but the speech that is purified. There are paths where the body, speech, and mind are all
purified. There are paths where neither the body nor the speech nor the mind are purified.

“In this way, the vision of a tathāgata’s wisdom enters, without obstruction, the full extent of the paths that arise
from the causes of the engagements of all sentient beings and from the causes of error. This is the sixth tathāgata activity of the tathāgatas. About this it has been
proclaimed:

“ ‘The sugatas know all the paths and the beings who are destined and have the cause.

These teachers know the endless kinds of afflictive elements of those characterized as undetermined and as having to
mature,

Those who are unreceptive and harbor wrong views, and those beset by three kinds of attachment, three kinds of aversion,
and the associated ignorance,

As well as the causes and conditions for such paths.

“ ‘The protectors of the world understand the paths that are difficult for the sharp ones and at the same time slow for
those of feeble capacity,

And the paths that are easy for the sharp ones and at the same time slow for the others.

The buddhas, the all-seeing great beings, know that there are paths that are slow for the slow witted and at the same time
slow for the sharp and pure ones.

There are paths that are swift for the slow ones and at the same time very swift for those not attached to them.

“ ‘There are paths of meditation that generate discrimination and those that do not.

There are those that generate meditation and those that generate both due to having outstanding application.

There are paths that purify intention but not application,

And there are the paths that engage in both.

“ ‘There are paths that purify the body but not the speech or the mind,

Some that purify speech and the body but never the mind,

And some that purify the mind but never speech.

“ ‘There are some that purify speech and the mind but never the body,

And some that purify both body and mind. As for how they engage or refrain,

This knowledge born of seeing wisdom and the mind is the sixth outstanding sugata activity.’

⁽⁷⁾ “Moreover, son of noble family, the tathāgatas know in accordance with reality the process of pollution,
purification, and emergence through concentration, liberation, absorption, and meditation. You may ask, how do they know it? The tathāgatas know the causes and
conditions for the arising of sentient beings’ pollution. They know the causes and conditions for sentient beings’
purification. What are causes? What are conditions? The cause of sentient beings’ pollution is improper mental activity. The
condition for sentient beings’ pollution is ignorance. Ignorance is a cause and formations are conditions. The
formations are causes and consciousness is a condition. Consciousness is a cause and name and form are
conditions. Name and form are causes and the six sense fields are conditions. The six sense fields are causes and contact is a
condition. Contact is a cause and sensation is a condition. Sensation is a cause and craving is a condition. Craving is a
cause and appropriation is a condition. Appropriation is a cause and becoming is a condition.
Becoming is a cause and birth is a condition. Birth is a cause and old age and death are conditions. Old age
and death are causes and afflictive emotions are conditions. Afflictive emotions are causes and actions are conditions. Views
are causes and craving is a condition. Latent tendencies are causes and their activations are conditions. These are the causes
and conditions of beings’ pollution.