Toh 59The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Array of Virtues of Mañjuśrī’s Buddha Realm”

Summary

In this sūtra, the Buddha Śākyamuni explains the connection between the bodhisattvas’
aspirations and the virtues of their future buddha realms. He describes the various qualities that
help bodhisattvas bring their aspirations to fulfillment. After bodhisattvas arrive from all
directions to hear his teachings on the virtues of the buddha realms, the Buddha Śākyamuni recounts
the story of how Mañjuśrī first engendered the mind set on awakening. Finally, the Buddha reveals
the extraordinary nature of Mañjuśrī’s bodhisattva aspirations, and how they will contribute to the
exceptional qualities of his future buddha realm.

Acknowledgements

This text was translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the supervision
of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Timothy Hinkle translated the text from Tibetan into English and wrote the
introduction. Andreas Doctor compared the draft translation with the original Tibetan and edited the
text.

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

The generous sponsorship of Jimmy Liao, Victor (Ong Hui Hong), Lorreta,
Michael, Sharon Nikita, and Sammy Zhang, which helped make the work on this translation possible, is
most gratefully acknowledged.

Introduction

The Array of Virtues of Mañjuśrī’s Buddha Realm is a sūtra
that belongs to the Heap of Jewels (Skt. Ratnakūṭa; Tib.
dkon brtsegs) section of the Kangyur. The sūtra begins in
the city of Rājagṛha. This city was formerly the capital city of the kingdom of Magadha, which was
located in the present-day Indian state of Bihar. There, we are told, the Buddha Śākyamuni is
residing, surrounded by an enormous assembly of monks, bodhisattvas, and various divine beings.
During the course of the sūtra, the Buddha teaches in response to the queries of a variety of Dharma
seekers, including King Ajātaśatru, the ruler of Magadha. Later in the sūtra, the Buddha returns to
Vulture Peak Mountain and teaches based on questions posed by several of his senior disciples, such
as Śāriputra and Maitreya. Before beginning, the Buddha also inspires bodhisattvas living in various
other buddha realms to come to this world to hear his teachings. Once these bodhisattvas have
gathered, the bodhisattva Maitreya poses a series of questions pertaining to bodhisattva practice,
the development of buddha realms, and the attainment of awakening. In response, the Buddha Śākyamuni
identifies many qualities that bodhisattvas must develop to ensure the successful manifestation of
their future buddha realms, as well as the benefits of those qualities for the bodhisattvas
themselves. In the process, the Buddha explains how the extent of the qualities in a buddha realm is
determined by the scope of a bodhisattva’s mind set on awakening and by aspirations. Many
bodhisattvas are inspired by this and pledge to develop buddha realms abundant with such
qualities.

The second half of the sūtra centers around Mañjuśrī’s career as a bodhisattva and his
future buddha realm. Here the Buddha describes Mañjuśrī’s past lives and reveals details about his
future attainment of awakening as the Buddha Samantadarśin and the features of his buddha realm.
Throughout these teachings on Mañjuśrī’s spiritual qualities and awakened activity, Mañjuśrī himself
emphatically denies the existence of such achievements by reference to the nonexistence of all
phenomena, including his spiritual journey, and even his own nonexistence. The depictions of
his bodhisattva career and the resulting buddha realm in a distant future are thus placed explicitly
within the Great Vehicle teachings on emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness. These teachings
inspire the bodhisattva assembly to manifest similar buddha realms. The Buddha then reveals that
there are four bodhisattvas, currently living in other realms, who can rival Mañjuśrī’s bodhisattva
conduct. These four bodhisattvas arrive at Vulture Peak Mountain, after which their visit evolves
into a shared explication among many bodhisattvas on what is known as the Dharma teaching
on the single principle. This is a theme that also appears in other Great Vehicle
sūtras as a synonym for sameness or suchness. Finally, as is customary in sūtra literature, the
events conclude with many beings achieving significant spiritual attainments.

The Sanskrit original of this text is unfortunately no longer extant; however, the text was translated into Chinese no less than three times over a
period of more than four centuries. The first of the Chinese translations was produced in 290 ce by the monk Dharmarakṣa (c. 233–310 ce). One of the most prolific
early translators of Buddhism in China, Dharmarakṣa completed more than 150 translations of
canonical scriptures during his life. With this Chinese translation, we thus have a terminus ante quem for the composition of this sūtra,
allowing it to be placed in the early period of the Great Vehicle literature in India. The second
translation was produced by another well-known translator, the Khotanese monk Śikṣānanda (652–710
ce), around four centuries later, in approximately 700 ce. The third Chinese translation was
produced by Amoghavajra (705–74 ce), the master of esoteric Buddhism
whose origins are unknown and who spent the majority of his adult life in China. Śikṣānanda’s translation became
part of the Heap of Jewels collection, while the other two Chinese translations appear individually
in the Chinese canon. Recently, long excerpts of the sūtra have also been translated into English
from the Chinese and published under the title “The Prediction of Mañjuśrī’s Attainment of
Enlightenment.”

The Tibetan translation was produced along with the other texts in the Heap of Jewels
collection. The translators are listed as the Indian scholars Śīlendrabodhi and Jinamitra along with
the Tibetan translator Yeshé Dé, who all lived during the late eighth and early ninth centuries.
Therefore, the Tibetan translation that we have rendered into English here would have been completed
during the early translation period, which is also attested by the text’s inclusion in the early
ninth-century Denkarma (Tib. ldan dkar ma)
inventory of translations into Tibetan. In Tibet, the sūtra also
appears to have enjoyed a certain popularity among philosophical commentators, as its verses are
often quoted in commentarial literature, mostly on the importance of forming aspirations for
spiritual accomplishment. This English translation from the Tibetan has been produced based on the
Degé block print, with reference to the Comparative Edition (Tib. dpe bsdur ma).

The Translation

The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra

The Array of Virtues of Mañjuśrī’s Buddha Realm

Homage to all buddhas and
bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing on Vulture
Peak Mountain by Rājagṛha with a great saṅgha of 1,250 monks, along with 84,000 bodhisattvas such as
Maitreya, Mañjuśrī, Apāyajaha, Avalokiteśvara, and Mahāsthāmaprāpta, all of whom were
progressing irreversibly toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Also present were 720
million gods, all of whom had entered the Bodhisattva Vehicle. These gods included Śakra, lord
of the gods; Brahmā, lord of the world Enduring; and 42,000 Brahmā gods who had also entered the
Bodhisattva Vehicle. The assembly also included the four lords of the asuras: Vemacitrin, Balin,
Kharaskandha, and Prahlāda, each of whom was accompanied by hundreds of thousands of servants.
They were joined by 62,000 nāga kings, including Nanda, Upananda, Varuṇa, Sāgara, Manasvin,
Aparājita, Bhūbhṛt, Anavatapta, Giri, Mārtaṇḍa, and Candrottarya. Also present were the Four Great Kings,
Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, and Vaiśravaṇa, each of whom was accompanied by hundreds of
thousands of servants. The assembly also included the yakṣa kings Kumbhīra, Āṭavaka, Sūciroma,
Sumana, Sumati, Surūpa, Colorful, Akṣobhya, and hundreds of thousands of other
yakṣas.

At that time the Blessed One had been staying in the city of Rājagṛha, where he was
venerated and attended to by gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras,
mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and the fourfold assembly, who all served, honored, and worshiped
him. He received a rich supply of food, drinks, savories, garments, delicacies, bedding, and
medicines. One morning, the Blessed One donned his upper and lower robes and picked up his
offering bowl. Together with his great saṅgha of monks, and surrounded and preceded by trillions
of gods, he caused a shower of blue, red, and white lotuses to rain down. This occurred due to
the great strength, playful ability, magical capacity, and miraculous power of the Buddha. Then,
accompanied by the music of hundreds of thousands of instruments, he went to the palace of King
Ajātaśatru in the city of Rājagṛha to collect alms. As he set out, trillions of light rays shone
forth. At that point, the Blessed One performed a miracle in that wherever he placed his feet, a
lotus the size of a cart wheel sprang up, with golden petals, a silver stem, beryl anthers, and a
central cluster of fine gems. In
the center of each lotus appeared the forms of bodhisattvas sitting in crossed-legged posture.
Such was the miracle that he performed.

These bodhisattva manifestations and their lotuses then circled the city of Rājagṛha
seven times and proclaimed the following verses:

“The captain who benefits beings,

The venerable one who acts virtuously,

The leader of the Śākyas, the gentle great personage,

The Protector of the World is coming to the city.

“Those who sport in the realms of the gods,

Who desire liberation from aging and death,

And who yearn to defeat the hordes of Māra

Should venerate the Lion of the Śākyas.

“Out of his compassion and intent to benefit others,

He has engaged in proper acts for millions of eons.

Though it is rare to be able to receive the sages’ teachings,

The Sage is coming to Rājagṛha today.

“Food, drink, clothing, and mounts,

As well as children and wives—

He who gave away countless charitable gifts,

The Omniscient One, is coming to Rājagṛha.

“He gave up his hands, his legs, his eyes and ears,

His nose, his fine limbs, and his head—

He gave up everything and thus obtained the quality of being able to give.

Thereby, he attained supreme omniscient wisdom.

“He has trained in generosity, gentleness, and discipline.

He is a sublime being whose discipline never declines.

He is the embodiment of patience and possesses the greatest of qualities.

The Peaceful-Minded One is coming to the city today.

“Seeing the world mired in suffering,

He has practiced diligently for millions of eons.

His infinite concentration is unmatched.

He who has the voice of Brahmā is coming to the city today.

“This great sage’s insight

Is unequaled and boundless, like the limits of space.

The Well-Gone One has perfected these and other qualities

Through right conduct and maturation.

“This wise being defeated the hordes of Māra

And attained the unmoving state of nirvāṇa.

He turns the wheel of Dharma properly.

The Lord of Dharma is coming to the city today.

“His body is adorned with the thirty-two major marks.

He inspires the mind set on full awakening

In the hearts of those who aspire to become well-gone ones.

Therefore, let us approach and venerate him.

“Whoever seeks to discard attachment, aggression, and ignorance,

Or gain victory over the other afflictions,

Should swiftly go before this teacher

And offer him infinite varieties of veneration.

“Whoever desires to attain the levels

Of Brahmā, the lords of the gods, or Śakra,

And to forever delight in the enjoyment of divine happiness,

Should go before the Sage to venerate him.

“Whoever desires to be a king ruling over the four continents,

One possessing the seven precious substances

And having thousands of fine sons,

Should hasten to venerate the Supreme Being.

“Whoever desires the finest of things,

Such as being a householder, a merchant, or a lord of the realm,

With a beautiful body, a fine retinue, and growing wealth,

Should venerate the Sage today.

“It is through hearing the supreme Dharma of the sages

That one gains liberation and all forms of freedom.

The teachings of the guides are rare in these parts,

So hasten—go to hear the Dharma!”

The city of Rājagṛha’s many billions of citizens were so inspired by these verses
that all men, women, boys, and girls proffered flowers, incense, garlands, ointments, powders,
and the scented powders of golden and silver flowers. They hoisted parasols, banners, and flags,
and they took up large drums, conches, terracotta drums, gongs, one-stringed lutes, lutes,
flutes, bells, cymbals, bamboo vīṇas, and tambouras. Bearing all this, they thought about the
Thus-Gone One and held him in mind. With their minds dwelling on the Buddha, they were happy and
joyful as they stood waiting.

Then the Blessed One arrived in the city of Rājagṛha. The moment his right foot touched its threshold,
the entire city shook six times. Hundreds of thousands of divine and human instruments played
without being struck, and a rain of divine flowers fell. The blind could see, the deaf could
hear, the insane regained their senses, the inattentive became concentrated, the naked received
clothes, the hungry received food, and the poor obtained wealth. At that moment, no one was
tormented by attachment, aggression, ignorance, jealousy, stinginess, rage, or pride. At that
moment, everyone was filled with love and altruism, and they regarded one another as parents.

It was like this:

When the Buddha, the great lion among humans,

Arrived in the city with his ten strengths,

All beings immediately

Attained pure and immense happiness.

The eyes of the blind were able to see,

The ability to hear arose in the deaf,

The insane regained their minds,

And the inattentive became concentrated.

The naked received clothes,

And the hungry received food.

Anyone who was poor

Received wealth, much to their delight.

Billions of gods hovered in the sky

And venerated his strength.

In order to venerate the Leonine Preacher,

They showered down a rain of flowers.

The sound of drums, terracotta drums, cymbals, and conches—

Unfathomable sources of joy—

Resounded in the city as the Buddha entered,

All due to his merit.

When the entire city shook,

Everyone was filled with joy.

When people beheld these amazing sights,

They achieved a vast state of joy.

They were untroubled by attachment

And devoid of anger, stupidity, and stinginess.

Pride, the other evils,

And all such troubles ceased at that moment.

All the people were filled with joy and inspired

And regarded one another as parents.

When the Buddha with his ten strengths

Entered the city for the happiness of beings,

The instruments of nonhuman beings

Resounded though no one had struck them.

The world with its gods, humans, and asuras

Was bathed in the light of the Well-Gone One.

It was when the Buddha in this way

Entered the city to benefit beings

That such a great variety

Of wondrous miracles occurred.

When the Blessed One entered the city of Rājagṛha, an influential merchant by the
name Destroyer of Nonvirtue, who was a householder bodhisattva, was present in the city. From
afar he saw the Blessed One approaching. The Blessed One was beautiful and joyful, with peaceful
faculties and a peaceful mind. He was thoroughly gentle and tranquil, and had reached the
perfection of gentleness and tranquility. He was restrained and collected, like an elephant.
Like a lake, he was clear, limpid, and lucid. His body was adorned with the thirty-two marks of
a great being and the eighty excellent minor marks, and his whole appearance was exquisite,
excellent, and perfect.

Seeing the Blessed One, the bodhisattva was overcome by faith. Moved by
faith, he went before the Blessed One, bowed his head at the feet of the Blessed One,
circumambulated him three times, and stood to one side. He then joined his palms, bowed to the
Blessed One, and asked, “Blessed One, what qualities do bodhisattva great beings require to
swiftly and fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, to purify their buddha realms,
and to acquire the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms, just as they desire?”

Then, out of love for the bodhisattva Destroyer of Nonvirtue, and in order to train this large assembly of
beings, the Blessed One took a seat in one part of the city. Seeing the Blessed One there,
hundreds of thousands of beings arrived. In the sky above, trillions of gods joined their palms
in respect and honor, bowed toward the Blessed One, and arranged themselves there.

The Blessed One then responded to the bodhisattva Destroyer of Nonvirtue, “Noble
son, if bodhisattva great beings have one quality, they will swiftly and fully awaken to
unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, purify their buddha realms, and acquire the arrays of
virtues of their buddha realms, just as they desire. What is this one quality? Noble son, it is
for bodhisattva great beings to develop the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening, out
of compassion and pure motivation toward all beings. In this context, what is the pure
motivation that is to be mastered? Noble son, pure motivation is arousing the mind set on
awakening and avoiding all nonvirtues. What is to be avoided? It is attachment, aggression,
ignorance, and craving for the features of the household life. Renouncing these things,
bodhisattvas have no desire for gain, honor, or praise, and they abide in the accomplishment of
going forth. What is the accomplishment of going forth? It is realizing all phenomena just as
they are. What is realizing all phenomena just as they are? Noble son, all
phenomena refers to the aggregates, elements, and sense sources, as well as
conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. How are the five aggregates understood? They are
understood to be illusory, void, empty, unobservable, unborn, and unceasing. They are understood in this way to the degree
that one does not see them as being real. When there is no seeing, no knowing, no assuming, no
thinking, and no conceptualizing them to be real, all concepts are pacified—and this is what is
called understanding the aggregates. Understanding the aggregates is
understanding all phenomena. Noble son, this is the accomplishment of going
forth.

“Bodhisattva great beings who have entered this practice will not abandon beings.
Why not? To the degree that one understands phenomena, one can teach all beings and yet not
apprehend beings or phenomena. Noble son, if bodhisattva great beings possess this one quality,
they will swiftly and fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, purify their buddha
realms, and acquire the arrays of virtues of their buddha realms, just as they desire.”

When the Blessed One taught this Dharma door of accomplishing the arrays of virtues
of the buddha realms, the bodhisattva Destroyer of Nonvirtue gained the patient acceptance that
phenomena are unborn. Filled with joy and happiness, he rose into the sky to the height of seven
palm trees. Moreover, two thousand beings in the assembly developed the mind set on unsurpassed
and perfect awakening, and fourteen thousand gods and humans purified the Dharma eye, which sees
phenomena free from dust and stains.

Then the Blessed One smiled. It is the nature of things
that when a blessed buddha smiles, variegated light streams forth from his mouth in blue,
yellow, red, white, violet, crystalline, and silver colors. It then pervades and illuminates
countless, limitless worlds
before returning. The light then circles the Blessed One three times and disappears into the
crown of his head.

At this point Venerable Ānanda arose, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt
on his right knee. With his palms together, he bowed toward the Blessed One and spoke the
following verses:

“Mastering all phenomena, you have gone beyond.

O Guide, you who have the power of a king,

And who are renowned in the world as the Omniscient One,

Please explain to us why you are smiling.

“Great Sage, you understand the past without exception,

And likewise everything in the future.

Your knowledge of the present is also faultless.

Please explain why you are smiling.

“You know the deeds of all beings—

Whether their minds are of the highest, middling, or lowest order;

You have passed beyond notions of attachment, liberation, and existence.

O Captain who guides humans, please teach us.

“Billions of gods have arrived,

Bowing with joined palms to the faultless one.

With all these beings who practice the Dharma sitting here,

Unparalleled Great Sage, please speak.

“Your wisdom has been perfected.

No confusion comes to you.

You know billions of forms of conduct.

So please tell us why you are smiling.

“Trillions of gods

Have come here seeking the Dharma.

There are also many monks in the assembly

Who are here, wishing to hear your sublime Dharma teachings.

“To venerate you,

Many fine instruments have been played.

O Sage, today, please swiftly eliminate all the uncertainty

Of all the many beings here who harbor doubt.”

The Blessed One then asked Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, do you see the bodhisattva
great being Destroyer of Nonvirtue seated in the sky above at a height of seven palm trees?”

Ānanda answered, “Blessed One, I do. Well-Gone One, I do.”

The Blessed One said, “Ānanda, in six million two hundred thousand countless eons, the bodhisattva great
being Destroyer of Nonvirtue will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. In the eon
Free from Plagues, he will appear in this great trichiliocosm as the thus-gone, worthy, and
perfect Buddha Lord of Peace and Gentleness. Ānanda, to draw an analogy, the array of virtues
and the abundance of hearers and bodhisattvas in the buddha realm of the thus-gone, worthy, and
perfect Buddha Lord of Peace and Gentleness will be just like those of the Thus-Gone One
Akṣobhya’s realm, Abhirati—no more, no less.”

With these words, the Blessed One departed and eventually arrived at King
Ajātaśatru’s palace, where he took the seat that had been prepared for him as the saṅgha of
monks arranged themselves on their respective seats. When King Ajātaśatru saw that the Blessed
One and the saṅgha of monks were seated, he personally provided them with many fine foods,
drinks, and savories until they were satisfied. Once he saw that the Thus-Gone One had finished
his meal, placed his alms bowl down, and cleaned his hands, he offered the Blessed One a measure
of priceless fabric, whereupon he prostrated to the Blessed One and the saṅgha of monks. He then
took an appropriate seat, sitting to one side. Seated there, King Ajātaśatru asked the Blessed One, “Blessed
One, from where do malice, anger, aggression, and hypocrisy arise? From where is unknowing born?
How does unknowing cease?”

The Blessed One responded to King Ajātaśatru, “Your Majesty, malice, anger,
aggression, and hypocrisy arise with the presence of self-clinging and possessiveness. When in a
state of self-clinging and possessiveness, one recognizes neither positive qualities nor flaws.
This is termed unknowing. However, with respect to a person who fully
understands self-clinging and possessiveness just as they are, one cannot speak of knowing or
unknowing. Your Majesty, you should therefore train to avoid labeling any formations as either
going or coming from anywhere. Your Majesty, for one who neither goes anywhere nor comes from
anywhere, all phenomena are devoid of coming and going. For one in whom there is no coming or
going, there is no birth or cessation. For one in whom there is no birth or cessation, there is
no knowing. Just as it is with knowing, so it is with unknowing. Why is this? Because there is
no knowledge of any phenomenon that is either emancipated or not emancipated. When there is no
knowledge of any phenomenon that is either emancipated or not emancipated, one is said to have
wisdom.”

King Ajātaśatru then exclaimed to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, it is remarkable
how well the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha teaches. Blessed One, even if I were to pass
away right now, I would not have to take birth again.”

Because the Blessed One had taught King Ajātaśatru the Dharma and caused him to
uphold it, the king was uplifted
and delighted. The Blessed One now arose and took his leave to attend the afternoon assembly for
giving the gift of Dharma. As the Blessed One never ate after midday, he set down his alms bowl
and Dharma robes. Then he washed his feet and retired to his dwelling to meditate.

Later in the afternoon, after the Blessed One had arisen from his meditation, he
went to Vulture Peak, the king of mountains. There he sat upon the seat that had been prepared
for him, in order to teach the Dharma. Venerable Śāriputra and the other great hearers likewise
arose from their meditations and went to where the Blessed One was seated on Vulture Peak, the king of
mountains. They bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one
side. Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta also arose from his meditation and came before the Blessed One,
surrounded and preceded by forty-two thousand gods, all of whom had entered the Great Vehicle.
They bowed their heads at the feet of the Blessed One and sat to one side. The bodhisattva great
being Maitreya also came before the Blessed One, surrounded and preceded by one thousand other
bodhisattvas. They bowed their heads at the feet of the Blessed One and sat to one side. The
bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar also came before the Blessed One, surrounded and
preceded by five hundred other bodhisattvas. They bowed their heads at the feet of the Blessed
One and sat to one side. King
Ajātaśatru also went to the Blessed One’s location on Vulture Peak Mountain, surrounded and
preceded by the four divisions of his army. They also bowed their heads at the feet of the
Blessed One and sat to one side. Finally, billions of citizens of the city of Rājagṛha also
arrived at the Blessed One’s location on Vulture Peak Mountain. They also bowed their heads at
his feet and sat to one side.

Then, through the power of the Buddha, Venerable Śāriputra arose, draped his shawl
over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms together, he bowed toward the
Blessed One and requested, “Blessed One, given that while in the middle of the city of Rājagṛha,
the Blessed One taught a sūtra in response to a request by the bodhisattva great being Destroyer
of Nonvirtue to teach on the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms of bodhisattva great beings,
Blessed One, I too request you to teach the Dharma regarding the accomplishment of the arrays of
virtues of the buddha realms of bodhisattva great beings. How do bodhisattva great beings
practicing this no longer regress from the path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening? How do
they master omniscience? How do they defeat the hordes of Māra? How do they defeat
non-Buddhists? How do they avoid being overwhelmed by the afflictions? How do they refine the
arrays of virtues of the buddha realms? How do they perfect their aspirations? How do they avoid
the decline of insight? How do they arrive at the level of buddhahood? How do they avoid the levels of hearers and
solitary buddhas? How do they practice the six perfections? How do they turn the wheel of Dharma
while they are still bodhisattvas who have not yet attained omniscience? How do they benefit
countless, innumerable beings? Blessed One, all the noble sons and daughters gathered in this
assembly are passionate about awakening and would be gladdened and overjoyed to hear such
teachings directly from the Blessed One. Being so gladdened and overjoyed, they will earnestly
accomplish what they have heard.”

The Blessed One then thought, “This setting is not beautiful enough for me to give
such a Dharma teaching. Therefore, I shall perform a miracle whereby I emit trillions of light
rays in each of the ten directions. Each light ray will then illuminate trillions of buddha
realms. The sun and moon in those buddha realms will become invisible, eclipsed by that light,
and they will no longer appear to the eye. Likewise, the gods’ lights will no longer be visible,
nor will the lights of the nāgas, yakṣas, jewels, lightning, fire, stars, or other beings. In
countless, limitless worlds throughout the ten directions, this light will instantly illuminate
all the surrounding mountains, greater surrounding mountains, Mucilinda Mountains, Greater
Mucilinda Mountains, Mount Merus, Black Mountain, and all the others in the Black Mountain
range, as well as all buildings, forests, and jungles. I must perform such a miracle.”

Then, as the Blessed One emitted such lights, he spoke in a
clear voice that was
heard in countless, limitless worlds throughout the ten directions.

At that time, in
a world called Totally Illuminated, located to the east of this buddha realm, past buddha realms
numbering eighty-four times the number of grains of sand in the Ganges, there was a thus-gone,
worthy, and perfect buddha named King of Splendor, who is still present, alive, and teaching the
Dharma. In that place, not even the categories of hearers or solitary buddhas were known, for
that buddha realm was populated exclusively with bodhisattva great beings. Each assembly of
bodhisattvas in that buddha realm contained a billion nonregressing bodhisattva great beings.

There was a bodhisattva great being in that buddha realm named Elevated Dharma. This
bodhisattva was called Elevated Dharma because he ascended into the sky to the height of seven
palm trees as the blessed Thus-Gone One King of Splendor was teaching the Dharma, surrounded by
his bodhisattva saṅgha. As his body disappeared, he gave a Dharma teaching on the vajra dhāraṇī
words called the bodhisattva basket. The other bodhisattvas then thought,
“All phenomena are mere sounds! Why is this? Even though this noble son’s body does not appear,
his voice resounds; and he speaks, yet his physical body is invisible. So, form must be of the
same nature as sound—and all phenomena must also be of the same nature as form.” Understanding
this, countless bodhisattvas gained patient acceptance. This is how the bodhisattva Elevated
Dharma received his name.

When the bodhisattva Elevated Dharma witnessed the great burst of illumination and
heard the clear voice, he went
before the blessed Thus-Gone One King of Splendor. He bowed his head at the feet of that blessed
one and sat to one side. The bodhisattva great being Elevated Dharma then asked that blessed
one, “Blessed One, what are the causes and conditions of this great illumination that has
manifested in the world, and this booming sound of a clear voice? Blessed One, I have never
before seen such a light.”

The thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha King of Splendor answered the bodhisattva
great being Elevated Dharma, “Noble son, in a buddha realm called Enduring, located to the west,
past buddha realms numbering eighty-four times the number of grains of sand in the Ganges, there
is a thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha named Śākyamuni, who is still present and alive. That
thus-gone one is gathering bodhisattvas from immeasurably many countless trillions of worlds
throughout the ten directions. In order to proclaim the Dharma, all the pores of his body emit
this light and the sound of his clear voice.”

The bodhisattva great being Elevated Dharma then announced to the blessed Thus-Gone
One King of Splendor, “Blessed One, I am going to the Enduring world to behold, venerate, and
honor the thus-gone, worthy, and
perfect Buddha Śākyamuni and to see his bodhisattva saṅgha and hear the Dharma.”

That blessed one responded, “Noble son, if you know that the moment is ripe, then
go!”

As quickly as an athlete can extend and contract his arm, the bodhisattva great
being Elevated Dharma, surrounded and preceded by sixty-three million bodhisattvas, disappeared
from that buddha realm and arrived in the Enduring world.

The bodhisattva Elevated Dharma then
entered into the bodhisattva absorption called adorned with every ornament.
As soon as the bodhisattva Elevated Dharma entered into that absorption, the entire
trichiliocosm was filled with a great mass of flowers deep enough to cover the knees. The sound
of hundreds of thousands of instruments resounded, and the trichiliocosm was beautifully adorned
by the raising of parasols, banners, and flags, and scented with the finest incense, such that
it was no different from the Heaven of Making Use of Others’ Emanations in terms of its divine
enjoyments. Once the bodhisattva Elevated Dharma displayed these miracles, he and the other
bodhisattvas approached and arrived before the Blessed One Śākyamuni. They bowed their heads at
the feet of the Blessed One, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side on the seats
of lotus flowers that had appeared in accordance with their aspirations.

Also at that moment, in a buddha realm called Stainless, located to the
south, past trillions of buddha realms numbering ninety-six times the number of grains of sand
in the Ganges, there was a thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha named Displaying Leonine Power.
He is also presently there,
where he is alive and well and teaches the Dharma, surrounded by a boundless saṅgha of
bodhisattvas. There were no hearers or solitary buddhas in that buddha realm.

In that buddha realm lived a bodhisattva great being named Ratnapāṇi. Why was this
bodhisattva called Ratnapāṇi? Whenever this noble son wanted to teach the Dharma to beings in
other buddha realms, he would stretch out his right hand and sweep it over as many buddha realms
as he wished, whereby from his hand, the precious sounds of “Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha” would
resound; the precious sounds of “generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and
insight” would resound; the precious sounds of “love, compassion, joy, and equanimity” would
resound. These and trillions of different precious sounds of other aspects of the Dharma would
resound. That is why this noble son was called Ratnapāṇi.

The bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi had witnessed the great burst of illumination, and he had
heard the clear voice, so he went before the blessed Thus-Gone One Displaying Leonine Power. He
bowed his head at the feet of the Blessed One and sat to one side. Sitting there, the
bodhisattva great being Ratnapāṇi then asked the blessed Thus-Gone One Displaying Leonine Power,
“Blessed One, what are the causes and conditions of this great illumination that has manifested
in the world, as well as this booming sound of a clear voice?”

That blessed one answered, “Noble son, in a buddha realm called Enduring, located to
the north, past trillions of buddha realms numbering ninety-six times the number of grains of
sand in the Ganges, there is a thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha named Śākyamuni, who is
still present, alive and well and teaching the Dharma. That thus-gone one is gathering
bodhisattvas from immeasurably many countless worlds throughout the ten directions. In order to
proclaim the sacred Dharma, all the pores of his body emit this light and the sound of his clear
voice. Also, noble son, the Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni intends to give the Dharma teaching called
the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms. A limitless number of
bodhisattvas there will acquire those arrays of virtues of the buddha realms.”

The bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi proclaimed to the Blessed One Displaying Leonine Power,
“Blessed One, I am going to the Enduring world to behold, venerate, and honor the thus-gone,
worthy, and perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, and to see the gathering of bodhisattvas and hear his
Dharma teachings.”

That blessed one responded, “Noble son, it may not be suitable for you to go there.
Why not? That world is filled with suffering, since one encounters beings who are immersed in
attachment, aggression, and ignorance.”

The bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi replied to the blessed Thus-Gone One Displaying Leonine
Power, “Blessed One, what greater purpose does the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha
Śākyamuni see such that, Blessed One, he takes responsibility for a degenerate buddha realm
although there are other pure buddha realms?”

That blessed one answered, “Noble son, long ago, that thus-gone, worthy, and perfect
buddha aspired that no matter the cost, he would fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect
buddhahood and teach the Dharma among degenerate beings. Noble son, the Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni
possesses great compassion to such a degree.”

The bodhisattva great being Ratnapāṇi declared to the blessed Thus-Gone One
Displaying Leonine Power, “Blessed One, I am going to the Enduring world to behold, venerate,
and honor the blessed Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni. Why? By developing such great compassion, and by
embracing such a degenerate buddha realm, the blessed Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni is engaged in
hardship. Such a thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha does not easily appear. It is rare to be
able to meet one.”

That blessed one responded, “Noble son—well, if you know that the time is ripe, then
go! Noble son, set out for that buddha realm. But be careful with whom you
speak,
for the bodhisattvas born in
that buddha realm are difficult to associate with, and the other beings are fierce and
angry.”

The bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi replied to the blessed Thus-Gone One Displaying Leonine
Power, “Blessed One, I could speak with those beings in that buddha realm who are attached or
aggressive. However, Blessed One, given that I have neither attachment nor aggression, why would
I speak with them? Blessed One, I am eager to be patient. Even if, in future eons, beings should
scold or ridicule me and intimidate or beat me, flinging earth or weapons at me, I would not
become malicious toward anyone.”

The blessed Thus-Gone One Displaying Leonine Power then addressed his retinue of
bodhisattvas, “Noble children, if any of you are eager to master patience like the bodhisattva
Ratnapāṇi, you should accompany this noble son to the Enduring world.”

The moment that blessed one said this, ninety-two thousand bodhisattvas in his
assembly proclaimed with one voice, “Blessed One, we are eager to master patience like the
bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi! We shall go to the Enduring world.” Then, with a single intention, the
bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi, surrounded and preceded by those ninety-two thousand bodhisattvas,
disappeared from that buddha realm and arrived here in this buddha realm.

The bodhisattva Ratnapāṇi then wondered,
“What kind of miracle shall I perform to go before the
Blessed Śākyamuni and bring immeasurable beings happiness?” The bodhisattva great being
Ratnapāṇi then held his right hand over this great trichiliocosm, and from it arose food for
those who wanted food, drink for those who wanted drink, and likewise mounts, clothing, gold,
silver, beryl, pearl, conch, crystal, and coral for all who wanted these things. Beings who
desired and yearned for the Dharma heard the Dharma from his hand, whereby limitless beings
understood the Dharma. Beings who were afflicted by or suffered from any number of diseases
regained perfect health. Such were the miracles he performed. Once the bodhisattva great being
Ratnapāṇi had displayed such miracles, he went before the blessed Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni
together with the bodhisattvas. Arriving there, they bowed their heads at the feet of the
Blessed One, circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side, on seats of lotus flowers
that had appeared in accordance with their aspirations.

Also at that moment, in a buddha realm called Maṇigarbha, located to the west past
trillions of buddha realms numbering ninety-two times the number of grains of sand in the
Ganges, there was a thus-gone one named King Jewel Mound, who is still present, alive and well
and teaching the Dharma. The buddha realm of that thus-gone one was composed solely of fine
beryl. The classifications of
the vehicles of the hearers and the solitary buddhas did not exist there, for that buddha realm
was populated exclusively with bodhisattvas. Furthermore, whether these bodhisattvas came or
went, stood or sat, stayed still or moved about, they beheld the blessed Thus-Gone One King
Jewel Mound reflected in the ground of beryl. Like a face reflected on the surface of a highly
polished mirror, the bodhisattvas saw this thus-gone one reflected in the ground of beryl. Not
only did they see him, but they could also ask him about the Dharma, and that thus-gone one
would teach them. Hearing the Dharma, they gained patient acceptance. Because of this blessed
one’s previous aspirations, a large precious gem was present in the middle of the hair coil
between his eyebrows. The light of this gem illuminated the entire buddha realm such that except
for the opening and closing of flowers there was no other way to distinguish between day and
night, as the sun and moon were not evident, nor were there any other distinctions between day
and night.

In the Thus-Gone One King Jewel Mound’s buddha realm, there was a bodhisattva great
being named Intelligent Aspiration. The bodhisattva great being Intelligent Aspiration also
witnessed the great burst of illumination and heard the clear voice, and so he went before the
blessed Thus-Gone One King Jewel Mound. Arriving there, he bowed his head at the feet of that
blessed one and sat to one side. The bodhisattva great being
Intelligent Aspiration then asked the blessed Thus-Gone One
King Jewel Mound, “Blessed One, what are the causes and conditions of this great illumination
that has manifested in the world and this booming sound of a clear voice?”

That blessed one answered, “Noble son, in a buddha realm called Enduring, located to
the east, past trillions of buddha realms numbering ninety-two times the number of grains of
sand in the Ganges, there is a thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha named Śākyamuni, who is
still present, alive and well and teaching the Dharma. That thus-gone one is gathering
bodhisattvas from immeasurable countless trillions of worlds throughout the ten directions. In
order to proclaim the Dharma, all the pores of his body emit this light and the sound of his
clear voice.”

The bodhisattva Intelligent Aspiration then proclaimed to that blessed one, “Blessed
One, I am going to the Enduring world to behold, venerate, and honor the thus-gone, worthy, and
perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, as well as to see his gathering of bodhisattvas and hear his Dharma
teachings.”

That blessed one replied, “Noble son, if you know that the moment is ripe, then
go!”

With a single thought, the bodhisattva Intelligent Aspiration, surrounded and
preceded by forty-two trillion bodhisattvas, disappeared from that buddha realm and arrived in
the Enduring world.

The bodhisattva Intelligent Aspiration then wondered, “What kind of miracle
shall I perform to go before
the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha Śākyamuni?” So the bodhisattva
Intelligent Aspiration then caused all hell beings and animals and
all beings in the realm of the Lord of Death within this great trichiliocosm to experience the
greatest happiness. For the hell beings, he extinguished the fires of the hells. He eliminated
the hunger and thirst of all hungry ghosts, animals, and beings in the realm of the Lord of
Death, who were tormented by hunger and thirst. He brought them the greatest happiness,
analogous to the bliss experienced by a monk who is immersed in the attainment of the third
concentration. At the very moment this happiness arose in these beings, all the torments caused
by attachment, anger, ignorance, rage, pride, hypocrisy, spite, jealousy, stinginess, deceit,
aggression, and malice ceased. At that moment, an attitude of love and altruism arose in all
these beings, and they all perceived one another as parents. Such were the miracles that he
performed, and such was the absorption in which he was immersed.

Once the bodhisattva Intelligent Aspiration had displayed such miracles, he
accompanied the other bodhisattva great beings approaching the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect
Buddha Śākyamuni. Arriving there, they bowed their heads at the feet of the Blessed One,
circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side on seats of lotus flowers that had appeared
in accordance with their aspirations.

Also at that moment, in a buddha realm called Eternally Decorated, located to the
north, past buddha realms numbering sixty-three times the number of grains of sand in the
Ganges, there was a thus-gone one, worthy, and perfect buddha named King of All Śāla Trees, who
is still present, alive and well and teaching the Dharma. There were no white-clad householders
in that buddha realm, for it was populated exclusively with saffron-clad bodhisattvas. There,
women were unheard of, and the womb was also unknown. The bodhisattvas there were born
miraculously, clad in saffron robes and sitting in cross-legged posture. That blessed one was
giving the Dharma teaching known as the seal of the buddha family to the
bodhisattvas.

What is the seal of the buddha family? It refers to initially
developing the mind set on awakening, and subsequently perfecting the bodhisattva trainings,
engaging with the bodhisattva basket, studying the main subject of the dhāraṇīs, being
undistracted, practicing giving, pursuing emptiness, accomplishing signlessness, seeking
wishlessness, being naturally free from attachment, understanding the aggregates and the
elements as well as the sense bases, sustaining the continuity of one’s intended actions,
desiring the wisdom of the buddhas and trusting it, realizing all phenomena yet not having any
concepts about phenomena, and severing the continuity of thoughts so that they disappear. These
are called the seal of the buddha family.

In this buddha realm, there was also a bodhisattva great being named King of the
Star Mound Adorned with Signs.
This noble son had formed the unique aspiration that any being who beheld this bodhisattva great
being would become adorned with the thirty-two marks of a great being. The bodhisattva King of
the Star Mound Adorned with Signs also witnessed the great burst of illumination and heard the
clear voice, and so he went before the blessed Thus-Gone One King of All Śāla Trees. Arriving
there, he bowed his head at the feet of the Blessed One, circumambulated him three times, and
sat to one side. The bodhisattva great being King of the Star Mound Adorned with Signs then
asked the blessed Thus-Gone One King of All Śāla Trees, “Blessed One, what are the causes and
conditions of this great illumination and this booming sound of a clear voice that have
manifested in the world?”

The blessed Thus-Gone One King of All Śāla Trees answered the noble son, “Noble
son, in a buddha realm called Enduring, located to the south, past buddha realms numbering
sixty-three thousand times the number of grains of sand in the Ganges, there is a thus-gone,
worthy, and perfect buddha named Śākyamuni, who is still present, alive and well and teaching
the Dharma. Noble son, the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha Śākyamuni is gathering
bodhisattvas from immeasurably many countless trillions of worlds throughout the ten directions.
In order to proclaim the Dharma, all of the pores of his body emit this light and the sound of
his clear voice.”

“Blessed One, why is that world called Enduring?”

The Blessed One answered, “Noble son, the beings in that world endure in their
attachment, endure in their aggression, endure in their ignorance, and endure in their
suffering. Therefore, that world is called Enduring.”

“Blessed One, is there anyone there who is not engaged in ridicule, abuse,
intimidation, and violence? Are there any who have dispelled the attitudes of attachment,
aggression, and ignorance?”

“Noble son, the beings in that world who have such qualities are few. Noble son,
most beings there are malicious, hostile, and aggressive. They are all caught up in attachment,
aggression, and ignorance.”

“Blessed One, this name Enduring does not seem appropriate. As long as it is
possible for these beings to become patient, then Blessed One, just because they are so
impatient at present, it is not appropriate to call it Enduring.”

“Noble son, in that buddha realm, there are noble sons and daughters who follow the
vehicle of the bodhisattvas, who attended to the victors of the past, developed roots of virtue,
served many hundreds of thousands of buddhas, and are patient, disciplined, and gentle. Even if
they were ridiculed, intimidated, or attacked with weapons by all beings, they would endure it
and not be overcome by attachment, aggression, or ignorance. Noble son, that world is named
Enduring after these sublime beings.

“Even when evil people lie about the blessed Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni, that blessed
one remains compassionately patient and accepting. The same applies to those who are filled with
hate and rage, who are sinking into the hells or the animal realm,
who make the lower realms their domain, and who
fail to respect the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, as well as all degenerate beings who delight in
jealousy and who ridicule and slander that blessed one, doing him harm and insulting him. With a
mind that is broad like the earth, he is without attachment or anger. Thus, even when people
honor him, he does not become self-important. And if they fail to honor him, it does not bother
him. Even if people ridicule and scold him, he does not think about it or conceptualize it, and
he remains unfazed. He does not become disturbed, agitated, or saddened by it. Therefore, that
world is called Enduring.”

The bodhisattva great being King of the Star Mound Adorned with Signs remarked to
the blessed Thus-Gone One King of All Śāla Trees, “Blessed One, I am very fortunate that I was
not born among such degenerate beings in that world!”

That blessed one responded, “Noble son, you must not say that. Why not? Noble son,
in the northeastern direction there is a world called Thousandfold Adornment. In that buddha
realm, the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha King Maheśvara is still present, alive and
well. Noble son, the beings in that buddha realm are extremely happy. The happiness of those
beings is analogous to the bliss experienced by a monk absorbed in cessation. Noble son,
compared to spending billions of years practicing pure conduct in Thousandfold Adornment, you
would generate far greater merit by arousing, for just an instant, a loving attitude for all
beings in the Enduring world. That being so, what need we say of living purely day and night?”

The bodhisattva great being King of the Star Mound Adorned with Signs then declared
to the blessed Thus-Gone One King of All Śāla Trees, “Blessed One, I am going to the Enduring
world to behold, venerate, and honor the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha
Śākyamuni, and to see the gathering of bodhisattvas and hear his Dharma.”

That blessed one then said, “Noble son, if you know that the moment is ripe, then
go!”

With a single thought, the bodhisattva King of the Star Mound Adorned with Signs,
surrounded by one hundred million bodhisattvas, disappeared from that buddha realm and arrived
in the Enduring world.

The bodhisattva King of the Star Mound Adorned with Signs then wondered,
“What kind of miracle shall I perform to go before the blessed Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni?” He then
performed a miracle such that the great trichiliocosm was covered by a single jeweled parasol,
from which a rain of various flowers fell and hundreds of thousands of instruments resounded.
From the parasol dangled hundreds of thousands of pearl garlands, and hundreds of thousands of
parasols, banners, and standards were raised. Moreover, all the monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen,
gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans
gathered in the Blessed One Śākyamuni’s assembly now perceived their own bodies as adorned with
the thirty-two marks of a great being. Such was the miracle he performed.

Once the bodhisattva great being King of the Star Mound Adorned with Signs
displayed this miracle, he and the bodhisattvas went before the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and
perfect Buddha Śākyamuni. Arriving there, they bowed their heads at the feet of the Blessed One,
circumambulated him three times, and sat to one side on seats of lotus flowers that had appeared
in accordance with their aspirations.

In the same way, immeasurably many, countless bodhisattva great beings in
immeasurably many countless trillions of worlds throughout the ten directions also witnessed the
great burst of illumination and heard the clear voice, whereupon they also inquired to their
thus-gone ones about it. Arriving in the Enduring world, they all bowed their heads at the feet
of the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha Śākyamuni, circumambulated him three
times, and sat to one side.

All the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas
in this great trichiliocosm, as well as Śakra, Brahmā, the Great Kings who protect the world,
and all other splendorous gods likewise witnessed the great burst of illumination and heard the
clear voice. They also went before the blessed Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni. Arriving there, they all
bowed their heads at the feet of the Blessed One, circumambulated him three times, and sat to
one side.

At this point, the Blessed One performed a miracle such that all the immeasurably
many, countless bodhisattvas gathered from immeasurably many countless trillions of worlds
throughout the ten directions all perceived the arrays of virtues of their own buddha realms
identically present in this Enduring world, with nothing missing whatsoever. Then, in the
perception of all the bodhisattvas, the body of the Blessed One Śākyamuni became the exact shape
and size as the body of the blessed buddha in their own respective buddha realm. Each
bodhisattva also perceived the abundance of bodhisattvas, the abundance of great hearers, and
all the riches and enjoyments of their respective buddha realm to be present, so that they each
had the sense that they were actually in their own buddha realm. Such was the miracle he
performed.

When the bodhisattva great being Maitreya saw this vast bodhisattva assembly, he
rose, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms together,
he bowed toward the Blessed One and spoke the following verses:

“Renowned in all ten directions, your mind is boundless,

And the world and its gods appear vividly to you.

All beings together could not fathom your mind, O Sage.

Thus, you are inconceivable.

“A limitless number of bodhisattvas has arrived here today

From throughout the ten directions, seeking the Dharma.

They are all seated here in reverence for the Blessed One.

Supreme Speaker, teach them the Dharma!

“Your speech resounds in all directions without exception.

With a mind of discipline, diligence, and absorption,

You are fearless like a lion.

You are as beautiful as the sun shining in the sky.

“Gods, nāgas, asuras, guhyakas,

Male and female lay practitioners, monks, and nuns

Are all seated here with palms joined respectfully.

O Blessed One, who desires their benefit, please teach the Dharma.

“You know the past and the future,

And you also know the present with total certainty.

You see the inclinations of embodied beings,

So please teach the Dharma that dispels all doubts.

“O Sage, how must bodhisattvas practice

To obtain pure and immaculate buddha realms?

How do they achieve the fulfillment of their aspirations?

O Guide, please teach us these things immediately!

“How can we be unstained by stinginess?

How can our discipline not degenerate?

How can we tolerate intimidation, slander,

And disparagement, O Sage?

“How should the heirs of the victors practice diligence,

Throughout many millions of eons,

In order to relieve the suffering of the world,

Afflicted as it is with myriad ills?

“How can we remain unstained by desires—

Always one-pointed, composed, and

Concentrated, our domain pure—

Like the lotus unstained by muddy water?

“O Sage, how can we preach the profound Dharma,

And become so learned that we transcend the world?

Stable One, how can we defeat Māra and his hordes,

And reach stainless and unsurpassed awakening?”

The Blessed One then answered the bodhisattva great being Maitreya, “Maitreya,
prepare a seat for the Thus-Gone One. Seated upon this seat, the Thus-Gone One will give the
Dharma teaching on how to skillfully engage in the practice of displaying the virtues of the
buddha realms called initial contemplations and the practice of
diligence.”

The bodhisattva great being Maitreya then wondered, “What purpose does the
Thus-Gone One see, such that he is asking me to prepare his seat? He did not ask
this of the elders Ānanda or Mahāmaudgalyāyana. If the Thus-Gone One is asking a bodhisattva to
prepare his seat, then this discourse must be aimed only at the bodhisattvas. A discourse on abandoning the
vehicles of the hearers and solitary buddhas must be forthcoming, so the hearers and solitary
buddhas must not be vessels for this Dharma teaching.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Maitreya performed the following miracle: he
prepared a lion throne for the Thus-Gone One that was four hundred thousand leagues in height,
inlaid with myriad precious materials, covered with hundreds of thousands of divine fabrics, and
topped with a cushion that was as soft and pleasing to the touch as cotton. The light that shone
from this throne then illuminated the entire great trichiliocosm. The Blessed One then arose
from his previous seat and sat upon the lion throne. The moment the Blessed One was seated on
the lion throne, the entirety of this great trichiliocosm shook six times.

The Blessed One then addressed Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings
have four qualities, they will fulfill their aspirations. What are these four? They genuinely
cultivate the mind set on awakening, are compassionate toward beings, exert themselves
diligently, and attend to a spiritual teacher. Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings have these
four qualities, they will fulfill their aspirations.

“Śāriputra, additionally, if bodhisattva great beings have one quality, their
aspirations will not degenerate, and they will purify an abundance of buddha realms. What is
this one quality? Śāriputra, it is when a bodhisattva trains in, desires, and aspires for the
conduct practiced by the Thus-Gone One Akṣobhya when he was a bodhisattva. Previously, when
Thus-Gone One Akṣobhya was a bodhisattva, he made the following declaration: ‘If I do not go
forth in all my lifetimes, then I will have deceived all the buddhas.’ Śāriputra, in the same way, bodhisattvas should
emulate the example of Thus-Gone One Akṣobhya’s bodhisattva conduct. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas
training in this manner will go forth in every lifetime. Whether a thus-gone one appears or not,
they will certainly leave the household life. Why is this? Śāriputra, it is because renouncing
the household life is the greatest boon to bodhisattvas.

“Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who delight in going forth will possess ten qualities.
What are these ten? They are not attached to pleasures, find joy in the wilderness, attain the
domain of a buddha, do not crave a wife or children, abandon the qualities that lead to the
lower realms, attend to the qualities that lead to the higher realms, never let their previous
roots of virtue degenerate, attain an abundance of roots of virtue, delight the gods, and enjoy
the protection of nonhuman beings. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who delight in going forth will
possess these ten qualities. Therefore, Śāriputra, due to their wish to fully awaken and their
wish to liberate all beings, bodhisattvas should always go forth and delight in going forth.
Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have this one quality, their aspirations will not degenerate, and
they will purify an abundance of buddha realms.

“Śāriputra, additionally, if bodhisattva great beings have two qualities, their
aspirations will not degenerate, and they will acquire the arrays of virtues of the buddha
realms, just as they wish. What are these two? Śāriputra, the first is that bodhisattvas should not
yearn for the hearers’ vehicle, should not enjoy teachings on the hearers’ vehicle,
should not consort with
practitioners of the hearers’ vehicle, should not train in the hearers’ trainings, should not
teach the Dharma that is associated with the hearers’ vehicle, and should not encourage anyone
to take up the hearers’ vehicle. The second is that they should avoid all these regarding the solitary buddhas’ vehicle, too.
Instead, they should encourage others to uphold unsurpassed and perfect awakening in order to
perfect the qualities of buddhahood.

“Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who encourage others to take up the buddhas’ vehicle will
master ten subjects. What are these ten? They will uphold a buddha realm devoid of hearers and
solitary buddhas. They will obtain a saṅgha composed exclusively of bodhisattvas. They will be
considered by the blessed buddhas. They will proclaim the way of the blessed buddhas and teach
their Dharma. They will engender a vast mind and vast mental states for the sake of Śakra or
Brahmā. Even if they are reborn as a human, they will be a universal monarch. They will never
lose the chance to see the buddhas. They will please gods and humans. They will have an
inseparable retinue of followers. They will acquire an immeasurable and uncountable mass of
merit.

“Śāriputra, why is this? Compared to establishing all beings of the great
trichiliocosm in the fruition of a worthy one, or establishing them in the fruition of a
solitary buddha, the merit of causing a single noble son or daughter to arouse the mind set on
complete awakening is far greater. Śāriputra, why is this? When a hearer or solitary buddha
arises, that does not prevent the lineage of the buddhas from being broken. Without the
appearance of a buddha, there are no hearers or solitary buddhas. However, Śāriputra, when a
buddha appears, the lineage of the buddhas remains unbroken, and one can also find hearers and
solitary buddhas. Śāriputra,
bodhisattvas who establish others in the mind set on awakening will master these ten subjects.
Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings have those two qualities, their aspirations will not
degenerate, and they will acquire the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms just as they wish.

“Śāriputra, if bodhisattva great beings have three qualities, their aspirations
will not degenerate, and they will acquire the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms just as
they wish. What are these three? Śāriputra, they are that bodhisattvas are eager to live in
solitude, give the gift of Dharma without expectation of material reward, and abide by their
vows of discipline.

“Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who abide by their vows of discipline attain ten types of
fearlessness. What are these ten? They are fearlessly entering a city; fearlessly teaching an
assembly the Dharma; fearlessly eating food; fearlessly entering a monastery; fearlessly
entering the saṅgha; fearlessly imparting instruction; fearlessly going before their teacher or
preceptor; fearlessly instructing the assembly with a loving attitude; and fearlessly utilizing
clothing, food, bedding, medicine, and supplies; and what they have said will be remembered.
Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who abide by their vows of discipline attain these ten types of
fearlessness.

“Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who give the gift of Dharma without expectation of
material reward take hold of ten positive qualities. What are these ten? They do not desire
negative deeds. They do not desire worldly abundance. They do not desire fame. They do not
possess households. They are not stingy toward households. They are content with the bare
necessities of clothing, food, bedding, medicine, and supplies. What they have said is worthy of being remembered. Gods approach them. They do not engage in
inappropriate thinking. They
direct their minds toward the mind of the Buddha. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who give the gift of
Dharma without expectation of material reward take hold of these ten positive qualities.

“Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who are eager to live in solitude take hold of ten
beneficial qualities. What are these ten? They discard busyness, they rely on disengagement,
they focus their minds in concentration, they do not engage in many activities, they desire the
buddhas, their bodies are never uncomfortable, no obstacles challenge their pure conduct, they
attain absorption with little difficulty, they do not forget the words and syllables of the
teachings, and they understand the meaning of the teachings that they hear. Śāriputra,
bodhisattvas who are eager to live in solitude take hold of these ten beneficial
qualities.

Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have those three qualities, their aspirations will not
degenerate, and they will acquire the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms just as they wish.

“Śāriputra, additionally, if bodhisattvas have four qualities, their aspirations
will not degenerate, and they will acquire the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms just as
they wish. What are these four? Śāriputra, they are that bodhisattvas speak truthfully and
practice what they preach; defeat pride and endeavor to destroy pride; discard jealousy and
stinginess; and are pleased about the advantages enjoyed by others.

“Śāriputra, there are four benefits for bodhisattvas who speak truthfully. What are
these four? The scent of blue lotuses comes forth from their mouths; their physical, verbal, and
mental actions become pure; they are taken as genuine by the world and its gods, and their words
are free from confusion; and they master perfect buddha speech. Śāriputra, these are the four
benefits for bodhisattvas who speak truthfully.

“Śāriputra, there are four benefits for bodhisattvas who defeat pride. What are
these four? They discard births in the lower realms, such that they avoid taking births as
camels, cattle, donkeys, horses, and other lowly life forms. They become irreproachable. They
cannot be harmed by any opponents or antagonists. They become objects of veneration for the
world and its gods. Śāriputra, these are the four benefits for bodhisattvas who defeat
pride.

“Śāriputra, there are four benefits for bodhisattvas who discard jealousy and
stinginess. What are these four? Their attitude will be unfailingly generous, they will become
patrons in times of famine, they will not close the doors to their houses when a renunciant
arrives, and no one will be jealous of their giving and receiving. Śāriputra, these are the four
benefits for bodhisattvas who discard jealousy and stinginess.

“Śāriputra, there are four benefits for bodhisattvas who are pleased about the
advantages enjoyed by others. What are these four? They will find joy in thinking, ‘I must care
for other beings, don the armor for their sake, and make them happy. Then they can live happily
from the resources attained through my efforts.’ Their resources will not be stolen by the king,
thieves, fire, flooding, retribution, or adversaries. If they have an abundance of children,
servants, or resources, the ruler, not to mention other people, will be pleased. They will find
great pleasure and enjoyment. Śāriputra, these are the four benefits for bodhisattvas who are
pleased about the advantages enjoyed by others. Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have these four
qualities, their aspirations will not degenerate, and they will acquire the arrays of virtues of
the buddha realms just as they wish.

“Śāriputra, additionally, if bodhisattvas have five qualities, their aspirations
will not degenerate, and they will acquire and refine the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms
just as they wish. What are these five? (1) Śāriputra, in order to utterly perfect the arrays of
virtues of their buddha realms, bodhisattvas will seek the Dharma. Wherever there are
opportunities to listen to the Dharma, they will ask how to attain these virtues. Once they have
heard these teachings, they will then practice them earnestly. (2) Śāriputra, additionally,
bodhisattvas will aspire to be born in pure buddha realms and will observe pure discipline.
Through such pure discipline, they will be born wherever they aspire. Once born there, they will
care about and reflect on those pure buddha realms. Thus, they will apprehend the
characteristics of the hearers’ perfection, the bodhisattvas’ perfection, and the perfection of
wealth and resources. Apprehending these characteristics, they will go before a thus-gone one
with palms joined respectfully and considerately and ask him, ‘Blessed One, how should a bodhisattva
practice in order to acquire a vast array of the virtues of a buddha realm?’ That blessed one
will understand their pure motivation and will teach and instruct them about the subject of
accomplishing vast arrays of virtues in their buddha realms. Hearing this, they will practice it
earnestly. (3) Śāriputra, additionally, bodhisattvas must possess wisdom and engage in proper
deeds. They will purify ignorance and discard improper deeds. What are wisdom and proper deeds
in this context? Wisdom is apprehending what should be apprehended. Such
wisdom is free from the wisdom of the hearers and solitary buddhas. Proper
deeds are earnestly practicing the teachings one has heard. (4) Additionally, Śāriputra, bodhisattvas must
be skilled in cause and origination. What are cause and origination in this context?
Cause refers to incorrect mental engagement; this is what causes beings
to observe the four errors. Rather than that, bodhisattvas should put effort into what is
correct. What is meant by correct engagement? It is to avoid mentally engaging in any
phenomenon. This also applies to origination. (5) Śāriputra, additionally, bodhisattvas must
know the essential nature of the Buddha and the essential nature of the realm. What is the
essential nature of the Buddha, and what is the essential nature of the realm? The
essential nature of the Buddha is merely a label, as is the
essential nature of the realm. What is merely a label is known via
disengagement, so the less one observes phenomena, the more knowledge there is. Śāriputra, if
bodhisattvas have these five qualities, their aspirations will not degenerate, and they will
acquire and refine the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms just as they wish.

“Śāriputra, additionally, if bodhisattvas have six qualities, they will fully
awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and acquire buddha realms that exceed the entire
universe. What are these six?

“Śāriputra, (1) bodhisattvas are benefactors, patrons. They will give away their
cherished possessions that are pleasing and desirable, without becoming disheartened. Being
glad, pleased, happy, and joyful, they will think to themselves, ‘Since I am aspiring to
unsurpassed and perfect awakening, I must work to perfect great giving, the Great Vehicle, and
great deeds. A mind mired in grasping cannot accomplish unsurpassed and perfect awakening.’
Considering this, they will give away all their possessions. If they are not saddened even by
giving up their own bodies and lives, then what need is there to mention giving up other forms of
wealth, wives, or children? Śāriputra, what do you think? What is indicated by the word
omniscience? Śāriputra, bodhisattva great beings engage in bodhisattva
conduct and give away all possessions. Therefore, as they attain awakening thereby, they are
called omniscient.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, (2) whether bodhisattvas are householders or have gone
forth, they will uphold their vows of discipline. They will not transgress their commitments,
even at the cost of their lives. They will share their correctly upheld vows of discipline with
all beings, dedicating them to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. They will be pleased,
extremely pleased, by the thought, ‘I have discipline.’ With such joy, they will engage in pure
conduct, which brings them happiness both day and night. They will actualize the Dharma happily.
Endowed with proper Dharma conduct, their thoughts will also be proper. With proper thoughts,
they will develop patient acceptance of the profound. Having developed patient acceptance of the
profound, their views will be straight. With straight views, they will act assiduously in a
proper manner. Engaging in correct assiduousness, they will not find joy in the three realms of
existence. Not finding joy in the three realms, they will be afraid. Being afraid, they will
look for the source of this fear. Seeing the source, they will think, ‘All beings suffer just as
I do. Therefore, I will bear these beings’ burdens, for there is no other cause of their
well-being other than pacification.’ Contemplating this, bodhisattvas will gain great
compassion. With this great compassion, they will never give up their diligence until attaining
omniscience, acting as if their head or clothes were aflame

“Additionally, Śāriputra, (3) bodhisattvas don the armor of patience and possess
the strength of patience— not
the strength of pride. They will practice patience in the face of slander, ridicule, and
violence, without becoming disturbed or malicious toward the offender. They will arouse this
thought: ‘Even if they beat me continuously with hammers the size of Mount Meru, or slander me
for millions of eons, I will not give rise to malice, hostility, or aggression. Why not? Because
these beings are untrained, whereas I want to train with the blessed buddhas. So, the more
beings slander, revile, or beat me, the more compassionate I will become. I will protect these
beings. I will don the armor for their sake. I will care for them. I will free them from cyclic
existence. I will not develop malice, hostility, or aggression toward anyone.’ Donning the armor
of patience in this fashion, bodhisattvas will gain ten excellences. What are these ten? They
will gain excellent caste, excellent wealth, excellent bodies, excellent servants, excellent
giving, excellent spiritual teachers, excellent opportunities to listen to the Dharma, excellent
applications of the Dharma, and excellent opportunities to behold the buddhas, even after they
die and transmigrate. Lastly, seeing the buddhas, they will gain faith. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas
who don the armor of patience will gain these ten excellences.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, (4) bodhisattvas practice diligently and maintain their
commitments for the purpose of accomplishing the virtuous bodhisattva qualities. They give rise
to diligence with the thought, ‘I am willing to remain in cyclic existence for millions of eons
into the future, in order to secure the welfare of each and every being.’ With such a method, diligence, conduct,
tranquility, commitment, righteousness, and compassion, they will remain in cyclic existence for
eons, for the sake of all beings. They will do so diligently, thinking, ‘I will never abandon
these beings.’ Śāriputra, consider those bodhisattvas who fill buddha realms as numerous as the
grains of sand in the Ganges throughout the ten directions with the seven precious substances.
Arousing an attitude of generosity, and based on that outlook, they then engage in giving all
this wealth to the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddhas, for millions of eons into the future,
in such a powerful manner. Compared with such bodhisattvas, bodhisattvas who arouse this armor
of diligence because they have perfectly pure motivation and great compassion will generate far
greater merit. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who engage in diligence will attain ten positive
qualities. What are these ten? They will discard the conduct of childish beings; assume the
conduct of the buddhas; develop the perception that cyclic existence is flawed; take hold of
great compassion; not go back on their promises; have few sicknesses; act in accordance with the
instructions of the blessed buddhas of the past, present, and future; have little attachment,
aggression, and ignorance; understand the meaning of the words and letters taught to them; and
practice earnestly. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who engage in diligence will attain these ten
positive qualities.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, (5) bodhisattvas recall the blessed buddhas, thinking,
‘The thus-gone ones are concentrated, always in equipoise, and never forget. So, if I am to
follow in the footsteps of the thus-gone ones, I will be unable to attain the level of buddhahood if I am
distracted and forgetful. I will therefore give up all attachments, clinging, attainments, and
honors, and all attachments to villages, towns, and cities, as well as all craving for friends,
servants, and family. For the sake of all beings, I will never abandon them.’ Thinking in this
way, bodhisattvas delight in solitude and seclusion, living alone like the rhinoceros. Living in
solitude and seclusion, they will suffuse all beings in unison with love. In that way, they
suffuse all beings throughout the ten directions with an immeasurable attitude of love. Abiding
in love, they develop concentration. Śāriputra, moreover, compared with a householder
bodhisattva serving a thus-gone one and the saṅgha of monks with everything pleasurable for as
many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges, bodhisattvas who go forth and, desiring
seclusion, take seven steps in the direction of the wilderness will generate far greater merit.
Such bodhisattvas will attain awakening far more swiftly. Śāriputra, there are ten benefits
enjoyed by bodhisattvas who live in solitude and develop concentration. What are these ten? Such
bodhisattvas are mindful, intelligent, wise, inspired, and quick to attain eloquence and to
accomplish dhāraṇī. Moreover, they become learned in birth and destruction, never lose their
collections of discipline, are honored by the gods, and have no desire for others’ wealth.
Śāriputra, these are the ten benefits enjoyed by bodhisattvas who live in solitude and develop
concentration.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, (6) bodhisattvas must be skilled in the cause that
accords with insight. Wondering where insight comes from, they think, ‘Insight arises from the
basis of the vows of discipline. All virtuous phenomena increase in the presence of insight.’
Considering this, they train in insight, meaning they train in the subjects of worldly crafts,
arts, incantations, medicine, and all the other subjects that are laborious and difficult to
master. However, as they train in these topics of learning, they develop the following
understanding: ‘Worldly insight does not lead to renunciation, detachment, cessation, peace,
superknowledge, complete awakening, mendicancy, or passing beyond sorrow. So what type of
insight might bring me peace? Whatever it may be, I must search for that type of craft,
incantation, medicine, or insight.’ In this way, they search for the origin of things. However,
when one is searching for the origin of things, one will fail to find any phenomenon on which
other phenomena rest. This failure to find anything will lead one to rest in complete peace. By
experiencing complete peace, one will not be discouraged. By not being discouraged, one will
consider the welfare of beings, due to acknowledging that, in order to pacify the suffering of
all beings, one must intentionally embrace existence. Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who have these six
qualities will swiftly and fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Their aspirations
will not degenerate, and they will perfect abundant arrays of virtues of the buddha realms,
which exceed the entire universe.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have seven qualities their aspirations
will not degenerate and they
will purify buddha realms that are adorned with all ornaments. What are these seven? They are
giving away all one’s possessions without apprehending such generosity; having flawless
discipline without conceptualizing it; being patient and gentle without observing that state of
mind; engaging in diligence without observing the body, speech, or mind; accomplishing
concentration in undirected concentration; perfecting insight without any concepts; and
recollecting the Buddha while dispelling all characteristics. Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have
seven qualities their aspirations will not degenerate and they will uphold buddha realms that
are adorned with all ornaments.

“Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have eight qualities their aspirations will not
degenerate and they will purify buddha realms. What are these eight? They are absence of
jealousy, giving ornaments, a vast mind, respectfully serving Dharma preachers, maintaining a
pure livelihood, being humble, not praising themselves, and not belittling others. Śāriputra, if
bodhisattvas have eight qualities their aspirations will not degenerate and they will purify
buddha realms.

“Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have nine qualities their aspirations will not
degenerate and they will purify buddha realms. What are these nine? They are having a restrained
body, restrained speech, and a restrained mind, dispelling attachment, dispelling aggression,
dispelling ignorance, being nondeceptive, being a true friend, and not being disrespectful of
spiritual teachers. Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have nine qualities their aspirations will not
degenerate and they will purify buddha realms.

“Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have ten qualities their aspirations will not
degenerate and they will purify
buddha realms. What are these ten? They are being compassionate and unafraid when hearing about
the suffering endured by beings in hell, being compassionate and unafraid when hearing about the
suffering endured by animals, being compassionate and unafraid when hearing about the suffering
endured by hungry ghosts, being compassionate and unafraid when hearing about the decline of the
gods, being compassionate and unafraid when hearing about the decline of humans, and being
compassionate and unafraid when hearing about the harms of poverty, famine, thievery,
carelessness, and warfare. They will
think, ‘In my buddha realm, there will be no hell beings, animals, or hungry ghosts. Upon the
mere thought, there will be an abundance of food, drink, and clothing. Beings’ lifespans will be
limitless. There will be no sense of personal possession or clinging. Beings will be certain to
attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Until I purify my buddha realm to that degree, I will
not relax my diligence.’ Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have ten qualities their aspirations will
not degenerate and they will purify buddha realms.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, such bodhisattvas will approach a thus-gone one or their
stūpa carrying flowers and with the wish, ‘May the buddha realm I obtain upon awakening be
filled with myriad flowers as sweet-smelling, colorful, beautiful, pleasing, and gorgeous as
these. May it be adorned with trees of myriad precious substances.’ The same would apply whether
they were to offer powders, incense, garlands, ointments, mounts, clothing, food, drink,
parasols, banners, flags, gold, silver, beryl, pearl, conch, crystal, or coral. By dedicating all this to the
purpose of manifesting the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms and by abiding by the vows of
discipline, such disciplined bodhisattvas will accomplish their aspirations.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who never utter displeasing words to anyone
but only utter pleasing words will not hear displeasing words spoken by any being in the buddha
realms they obtain upon awakening—they will hear only pleasing words. Śāriputra, additionally,
when awakening is attained by bodhisattvas who do not seek their own happiness and instead
delight in others’ joys, all the beings in their buddha realms will be satisfied by sublime
happiness. Śāriputra, additionally, when awakening is attained by bodhisattvas who have
unceasingly practiced and accomplished the path of the ten virtues, and have dedicated these
roots of virtue to omniscience for the sake of perfecting the arrays of virtues of their buddha
realms, all the beings in their buddha realms will follow the path of the ten virtues and become
endowed with insight into origination.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, in whatever lands bodhisattvas are found, they will
encourage every being—every man, woman, boy, and girl they see—to embrace awakening. They will
not preach to anyone the messages of the vehicles of the hearers or solitary buddhas—only the
message of the Buddha Vehicle. When they attain awakening, every being in their buddha realms
will also be certain to attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening. There will be no hearers or
solitary buddhas. They will achieve buddha realms filled with bodhisattva assemblies.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, when awakening is attained by bodhisattvas who have never
taken others’ things and who have rejoiced in the success of others, all beings in their buddha realms will have an
abundance of resources that cannot be plundered, and they will have great attainments of the
Dharma. Śāriputra, additionally, when awakening is attained by bodhisattvas who have never
opposed others when they were at fault—be they monks, nuns, or anyone at all—but instead have
applied themselves to the Dharma, even the word fault will never exist in
their buddha realms. Why is this? Because those beings will be pure and have the quality of
being free of faults.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, when awakening is attained by bodhisattvas who have
desired the Dharma, have applied themselves to the Dharma, possess determination, and have
earnestly practiced the teachings they received, all beings in their buddha realms will also
desire the Dharma, apply themselves to the Dharma, possess determination, and earnestly practice
the teachings they receive.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, when awakening is attained by bodhisattvas who have
venerated the stūpa of a thus-gone one with various pleasing instruments, such as drums,
conches, terracotta drums, gongs, single-stringed lutes, lutes, bronze bells, flutes, vīṇās,
vallakīs, and cymbals, and have dedicated
these roots of virtue to the manifestation of the arrays of virtues of the buddha realms,
hundreds of thousands of instruments will resound without being played.

“Additionally, Śāriputra, when awakening is attained by bodhisattvas who have
taught forgetful beings the instructions that engender mindfulness, the beings in their buddha
realms will subsist on the food of concentration.

“Śāriputra, even if I were to teach about the abundant arrays of virtues of buddha
realms for an eon or more, I
would not reach the limit of the Thus-Gone One’s eloquence on this topic. Nevertheless, this is
just a brief presentation to help those noble sons and daughters who follow the Bodhisattva
Vehicle, with an abundance of interest and pure motivation, to perfect its message.

“Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have three qualities they will swiftly and fully awaken
to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and manifest buddha realms according to their wishes. What
are these three? They are living conscientiously, earnestly practicing the teachings they
receive, and having special aspirations. Śāriputra, if bodhisattvas have three qualities they
will swiftly and fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and manifest buddha realms
according to their wishes.”

Venerable Śāriputra commented to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, the Thus-Gone One
is remarkably well-spoken. Blessed One, the factors of awakening are all rooted in
conscientiousness. Awakening rests on earnestness. The abundant arrays of virtues of the buddha
realms are manifested by unique aspirations.”

The Blessed One responded, “Śāriputra, thus it is. The factors of awakening are all
rooted in conscientiousness. Awakening rests on earnestness. The abundant arrays of virtues of
the buddha realms are manifested by unique aspirations. Śāriputra, I manifested a buddha realm
that accords with my previous aspirations. Śāriputra, I fulfilled my aspirations by maintaining
conscientiousness. Śāriputra, I attained awakening by being earnest. Śāriputra, those who are
not conscientious, who obsess about language, or who are not earnest are unable to attain even
the level of the hearers, not to mention unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Therefore,
Śāriputra, bodhisattvas who pledge to honor the title of a true bodhisattva must train in these
bodhisattva trainings.”

Eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas in the assembly then arose from their seats.
Joining their palms together, they pledged to the Blessed One with one voice, “Blessed One, we
will train in these bodhisattva trainings. We will practice earnestly. We will live
conscientiously. We will fulfill our aspirations. We will perfect the abundance of the buddha
realms. Until we have fulfilled our aspirations as we formed them, we will engage in bodhisattva
conduct.”

The Blessed One smiled—whereupon Venerable Śāriputra asked him, “Blessed One, what
are the cause and condition of your smile?”

The Blessed One asked, “Śāriputra, did you see these noble children roaring the
lion’s roar?”

“Blessed One, I did.”

The Blessed One said, “Śāriputra, after one hundred thousand eons, these noble
children will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Śāriputra, for instance I can
see that in some buddha realms only a thus-gone one named Siṃha can appear. Likewise, in their
specific buddha realms, those thus-gone ones will only appear by the name Array of Aspirations.
Moreover, Śāriputra, the buddha realms of these thus-gone ones will be no different in their
arrays of virtues from those of the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha Amitābha in all
respects, except for the lifespan.”

“Blessed One, what will their lifespan be?”

The Blessed One answered, “Śāriputra, the lifespan of each of these thus-gone ones
will be ten eons.”

Then the bodhisattva Powerful Lion Roar, who was present in the assembly at that
time, arose, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms
together, he bowed toward the Blessed One and said, “Blessed One, Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta has been
praised and commended by the blessed buddhas. So, Blessed One, how long will it take for
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta to fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood? What will his buddha
realm be like?”

The Blessed One replied to the bodhisattva Powerful Lion Roar, “Noble son, you
should ask Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta himself.”

So the bodhisattva Powerful Lion Roar asked Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, how
long will it take for you to fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood?”

Mañjuśrī responded, “Noble son, you should instead be asking me whether I will
truly obtain unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood or not. Why is this? Noble son, if I were to
truly obtain buddhahood, I would also have to fully awaken. However, since I do not truly obtain anything, how could I
fully awaken?”

“But Mañjuśrī, haven’t you already fully obtained unsurpassed and perfect
buddhahood for the sake of beings?”

“No, noble son, I have not. Why not? Because beings are unobservable. Noble son, if
I observed a being, I might consequently obtain awakening for their sake. However, noble son,
because there are no beings, no life forces, and no persons, I do not obtain awakening. Nor do I
turn away from it.”

“Mañjuśrī, haven’t you obtained the qualities of buddhahood?”

“Noble son, that is not the case. Why not? Noble son, all phenomena are subsumed in
the qualities of buddhahood, so any phenomenon that is devoid of a person, categorization,
marks, or characteristics is subsumed in buddhahood. In this way, all phenomena are similar in
being subsumed in buddhahood. There is no dissimilarity in that they are subsumed in buddhahood.
Noble son, let me ask you the same question: Haven’t you obtained the qualities of buddhahood?
Please reply as best you can. Noble son, tell me, does form aspire to awakening? Or does the
nature of form, the suchness of form, the essence of form, the emptiness of form, the voidness
of form, or the reality of form aspire to awakening? Noble son, tell me, does form fully awaken
to buddhahood? Does its nature, suchness, essence, emptiness, voidness, or reality fully awaken
to buddhahood?”

“No, Mañjuśrī, form does not aspire to awakening. Neither does the nature of form,
the suchness of form, the essence of form, the emptiness of form, the voidness of form, or the
reality of form aspire to awakening. Form does not fully awaken to buddhahood, and so
forth, up to
the reality of form does not fully awaken to buddhahood.”

“Noble son, tell me, do feelings, perceptions, formations, or consciousness aspire
to awakening? And similarly, up to the reality of consciousness, do any of these aspire to
awakening? Noble son, tell me, does consciousness fully awaken to buddhahood, and do the rest,
up to the reality of consciousness, fully awaken to buddhahood?”

“No, Mañjuśrī, feelings, perceptions, formations, and consciousness do not aspire
to awakening, and the rest, up to the reality of consciousness, do not aspire to awakening.
Consciousness does not fully awaken to buddhahood, and the rest, up to the reality of
consciousness, do not fully awaken to buddhahood.”

“Noble son, then tell me, can we speak of a self or
something possessed by the self without reference to the five
aggregates?”

“No, Mañjuśrī, we cannot.”

“Noble son, in that case, what is it that aspires to awakening? What is it that
fully awakens to buddhahood?”

“Mañjuśrī, someone like you has influence with other bodhisattva great beings. If
you say, ‘I do not aspire to awakening, nor will I fully awaken to buddhahood,’ beginner
bodhisattvas will become afraid when they hear this.”

Mañjuśrī continued, “Noble son, all phenomena are beyond fear, for the limit of
reality is beyond fear. The Thus-Gone One teaches the Dharma so that there will be no fear.
Someone who is frightened will grow disenchanted. Those who are disenchanted will be freed from
attachment. Those who are free from attachment will be liberated. Those who are liberated will
eliminate fetters. Those who have eliminated fetters will be freed from passion. Those who are
free from passion do not go. Those who do not go do not come. Those who do not come do not
aspire. Those who do not aspire do not form aspirations. Those who do not form aspirations do
not regress. Those who do not regress turn away. What do they turn away from? They turn away
from clinging to self. They turn away from clinging to beings, from clinging to life force, from
clinging to personhood, from clinging to nihilism, from clinging to eternalism, and from
clinging to marks. They turn away from concepts. As they turn away, they become unchangeably
nonregressing. Nonregressing from what? Nonregressing from emptiness. Nonregressing from
signlessness, wishlessness, the limit of reality, and the qualities of buddhahood. What are the
qualities of buddhahood that they become nonregressing from? The qualities of buddhahood are
indivisible. The qualities of buddhahood are beyond categorization. The qualities of buddhahood
are unobservable. The qualities of buddhahood are unadoptable. The qualities of buddhahood are
unrejectable. The qualities of buddhahood are unmoving, unknowable, mere names, empty, unborn,
unceasing, beyond coming, beyond going, unpurified, unafflicted, immaculate, unstained, not possessive, beyond
mental engagement, nondefiling, ungraspable, and beyond being equaled or unequaled.

“Noble son, the qualities of buddhahood are neither phenomena nor nonphenomena. Why
is this? In them, there is no observable locus of something that can be called the
qualities of buddhahood. Noble son, those beginner bodhisattvas who become afraid
as they hear this teaching will swiftly and fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.
Those who do not become afraid will in no way fully awaken to buddhahood.”

“Mañjuśrī, what do you mean by that?”

“Noble son, those who become afraid will worry and generate the thought, ‘We must
fully awaken to buddhahood!’ They will fully awaken to buddhahood to the degree that they arouse
the mind set on fully awakening to buddhahood. Those who do not arouse this intention do not aim
at awakening, but become unconcerned and not focused on the mind set on awakening. Thus, they do
not think further. When there is no further reflection, there will also be no full awakening to
buddhahood. Why is there no full awakening to buddhahood? Because they do not aim at awakening:
that is why there is no full awakening to buddhahood. Noble son, tell me, can the element of
space fully awaken to buddhahood?”

“No, Mañjuśrī, it cannot.”

Mañjuśrī continued, “Noble son, nevertheless, doesn’t the Blessed One teach that
all phenomena are equal to space?”

“Mañjuśrī, that is true.”

Mañjuśrī continued, “Noble son, in that case awakening is just like space, and
space is just like awakening; space and awakening are not two—they cannot be differentiated.
Whoever understands this sameness knows no small thing—there is nothing such a person does not
know.”

When this teaching was given, twelve thousand monks liberated their minds from
defilements without further grasping. Fourteen thousand gods and humans purified the Dharma eye,
which sees phenomena free from dust and stains. Ninety-six thousand beings aroused the mind set
on unsurpassed and perfect awakening for the first time. Fifty-two thousand bodhisattvas gained
the patient acceptance that phenomena are unborn.

The bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar then asked Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta,
“Mañjuśrī, how long ago did you develop the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect
awakening?”

Mañjuśrī replied, “Noble son, hush. I do not conceptually entertain unborn
phenomena. Noble son, whosoever claims, ‘I develop the mind set on awakening,’ or ‘I will
practice for the sake of awakening,’ develops grave wrong views with these statements. Noble
son, I do not see any mind set on awakening. Consequently, as I do not see such a mind, I have
not directed it toward awakening.”

“Mañjuśrī, what do you mean when you say, ‘I do not see’?”

Mañjuśrī answered, “Noble son, not seeing is indicative of
sameness.”

“Mañjuśrī, why do you refer to sameness?”

Mañjuśrī answered, “Noble son, sameness means no difference anywhere. Such sameness
is taught to apply to all phenomena, as the single principle of disengagement. Thus, they are
described as being of one taste. They are beyond affliction, beyond purification, beyond
nihilism, beyond eternalism, unborn, unceasing, not possessive, beyond grasping, and beyond
abandoning. This is why, as I teach the Dharma, I am free from thoughts and concepts. Thus,
noble son, the wisdom that realizes phenomena to be sameness in this way is called
sameness. Noble son, moreover, bodhisattvas who understand reality will
not consider it to be different from the elements, nor will they consider it to be the same as
them. This is sameness. Sameness is the absence of difference. The absence of difference is
primordially pure.”

The bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar then said to the Blessed One,
“Blessed One, Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta has not declared how long ago he developed the mind set on
unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Nevertheless, this assembly wishes to hear it.”

The Blessed One replied, “Noble son, Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta has patient acceptance of
the profound. He has patient acceptance of the profound to the degree that he does not apprehend
awakening or the mind. If he does not apprehend the mind set on awakening and therefore will not
declare how long ago he aroused the mind set on awakening, then, noble son, I will explain how
long ago it was that Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta developed the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect
awakening.

“Noble son, even longer ago than eons as limitless as seven hundred thousand times
the number of grains of sand in the Ganges, a thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha named King of
Thunderous Voice appeared in the world. He was learned and virtuous, a well-gone one, a knower
of the world, an unsurpassed charioteer who guides beings, an unsurpassed being, and a teacher
of gods and humans. His buddha realm, which was called Excellent Elements, was located to the
east of this buddha realm, past as many buddha realms as ninety-two times the number of grains
of sand in the Ganges. There the blessed Thus-Gone One King of Thunderous Voice was teaching the
Dharma. At that time, there were eighty-four trillion hearers in that blessed one’s assembly,
and twice as many in the assembly of bodhisattvas. At that time, there was a king named Ākāśa,
who was righteous and in possession of the seven precious objects of
a universal Dharma king.

“Noble son, King Ākāśa, his children, wives, relatives, and retinue served that
thus-gone one and his saṅghas of hearers and bodhisattvas without thinking about other
activities or becoming disenchanted for eighty-four thousand years, supplying them with
faultless foods, fresh clothing, new mansions, proper service, and everything else that brings
pleasure. One day, after those eighty-four thousand years had passed, he was sitting alone in a
quiet place when he thought, ‘I have gathered many roots of virtue. Yet, given that I gathered
them with an unclear intent, I need to dedicate these roots of virtue. To what shall I dedicate these roots of virtue?
Toward becoming Śakra, Brahmā, a universal monarch, a hearer, or a solitary buddha?’

“Noble son, as soon as the king had those thoughts, many gods appeared in the sky
above and declared, ‘Your Majesty, do not entertain such base thoughts! Why not? You have
created a great mass of merit. Your Majesty, direct your mind toward unsurpassed and perfect
awakening!’

“Noble son, King Ākāśa became pleased and overjoyed. He thought, ‘I will not
regress from progress toward awakening. Why not? These gods know my mind, and they have made a
declaration.’ Noble son, King Ākāśa then went before the blessed Thus-Gone One King of
Thunderous Voice surrounded by eighty trillion beings. Arriving there, they bowed their heads at
the feet of that blessed one, circumambulated him seven times, and sat to one side. Noble son,
King Ākāśa then joined his palms, bowed to the blessed Thus-Gone One King of Thunderous Voice,
and spoke the following verses:

“ ‘I come before you to request the sublime Dharma.

O sublime and supreme being,

What kind of rebirth will I take?

O Guide, please explain this to me.

“ ‘O Guide, I performed extensive worship

Before you, again and again.

Yet I did so with an unclear intent,

And failed to dedicate it to any purpose.

“ ‘Then, when I was alone in a quiet place,

The following thought occurred to me:

If I have accumulated great merit,

How should I dedicate it?

“ ‘Should I dedicate it to becoming Brahmā or Śakra?

Toward gaining dominion over the four continents?

Toward becoming a hearer?

Or a solitary buddha?

“ ‘As soon as I had this thought,

The gods spoke to me, imploring me

Not to waste this merit

With such base thoughts.

“ ‘They said that I should form a powerful aspiration

In order to benefit all beings;

That I should arouse the mind set on awakening

And act for the sake of the world.

“ ‘Thus, I am inquiring of the perfect Buddha,

The only Lord of Dharma:

O Sage, how should I direct my mind,

Such that I become perfectly awakened?

“ ‘Through what shall I attain such wisdom?

Please teach this subject to me.

Developing the mind set on awakening,

I aspire to become like you, O Sage.’

“Hearing these verses,

That thus-gone one replied,

‘Your Majesty, pay heed,

And I will teach you step by step.

“ ‘All phenomena are conditional

And depend on the quality of one’s intention.

Whosoever makes an aspiration

Will achieve the corresponding result.

“ ‘King, I myself in the past

Directed my mind toward perfect awakening.

I formed sublime aspirations

For the sake of all beings.

“ ‘I have now attained results

According to the aspirations I formed.

By attaining sublime awakening,

My wishes were fulfilled.

“ ‘Your Majesty, be steadfast

And arouse an unchanging attitude.

If you engage in such practices,

You too will become a true buddha.’

“The king was pleased

When he heard the sage’s teachings.

Before the entire world,

He spoke the following words in a lion’s roar:

“ ‘For as long as beginningless cyclic existence

Has occurred in the past,

I shall now engage in limitless deeds

For the sake of beings.

“ ‘In the presence of the World’s Protector,

I direct my mind toward supreme awakening.

I will serve all beings,

And free them from poverty and misery.

“ ‘Henceforth, from today on,

If I allow the mind of attachment to arise,

Then I have deceived all the buddhas

Abiding in the ten directions.

“ ‘Henceforth,

Until I attain awakening,

I will not give rise to any aggression,

Malice, jealousy, or stinginess.

“ ‘I shall engage in pure conduct

And give up evil deeds and desires.

I shall train, following the example of the buddhas,

With their vows of discipline and certainty.

“ ‘I shall not aspire or be eager

To quickly awaken to buddhahood.

Rather, throughout the reaches of the future,

I shall act for the benefit of every single being.

“ ‘I shall purify immeasurable

And unfathomable buddha realms.

My name shall be heard

Throughout all the ten directions.

“ ‘I make my own prophecy,

As there is no doubt of my buddhahood.

My intention is pure,

And through this quality,

“ ‘I shall purify, in all respects,

Physical and verbal actions before the guides.

I shall also purify mental actions

And avoid all nonvirtuous deeds.

“ ‘In the future, I shall become a buddha—

A world protector.

By this truth, may the earth

Shake in six ways.

“ ‘If my words of truth

Are understood to be unerring and genuine,

By this truth, may the sound of music

Ring forth from instruments in the sky.

“ ‘If I have been undeceiving,

And, likewise, without any aggression,

May the truth of this bring down a rain

Of excellent māndārava flowers.’

“By uttering these words of truth

With such genuine and definitive meaning,

Infinite millions of worlds

In the ten directions shook.

“Immediately, the music of millions of cymbals

Rang from the sky,

And māndārava flowers rained down,

Piling up to the height of seven men.

“Following the example of the king,

Two hundred million beings

Aspired to become guides themselves,

And pleasing music resounded.

“All of these

Two hundred million beings

Followed the supreme king

And set out for supreme awakening.

“Noble son, if you think that the universal monarch Ākāśa is someone unknown to
you, do not think that way. Why not? It was Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta who at that time was the
universal monarch Ākāśa. Since Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta developed the mind set on awakening in this
way, eons as limitless as seven hundred thousand times the number of grains of sand in the
Ganges have passed. Eons as numerous as sixty-four times the number of grains of sand in the
Ganges have passed since he gained the patient acceptance that phenomena are unborn. Since
gaining that, he has perfected the ten strengths of the thus-gone ones, he has perfected all ten
bodhisattva levels, he has perfected the level of buddhahood, and he has perfected all the
qualities of buddhahood. During that period, he never once wondered whether he would fully
awaken to buddhahood or not.

“Noble son, the two hundred million beings with the king who developed the mind set
on awakening in the presence of the blessed Thus-Gone One King of Thunderous Voice will all
fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, turn the wheel of Dharma, perform the deeds
of a buddha for the sake of immeasurably many, countless beings, and pass into the parinirvāṇa
of a buddha. Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta included all of them in his practice of generosity. Similarly,
he included them in his practice of discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight.
He served and delighted them
all, and they all embraced the sublime Dharma. They are now together with a single thus-gone
one in the direction below this buddha
realm, past buddha realms as numerous as forty-four thousand times the number of grains of sand
in the Ganges. There is a world called Earth Melody, where there is a thus-gone one called Earth
Deity. He has an immeasurable bodhisattva saṅgha and an unfathomable lifespan. He is still
present, alive and well.”

When this account of past events was taught, seven hundred thousand beings
developed the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

Then bodhisattva Powerful Lion Roar asked Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, if you
have perfected the ten strengths of a thus-gone one, perfected all ten bodhisattva levels,
perfected the level of buddhahood, and perfected all the qualities of buddhahood, why have you
not fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood?”

Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta replied to the bodhisattva Powerful Lion Roar, “Noble son,
once you have perfected the qualities of buddhahood, you do not fully awaken to buddhahood again
and again. Why is this? If you have attained awakening, it is already attained, so it cannot be
attained anew.”

“Mañjuśrī, what does it mean to perfect the qualities of buddhahood?”

“Noble son, the perfection of suchness is perfecting the qualities of buddhahood.
The perfection of space is perfecting the qualities of buddhahood. Given this, space, the qualities of buddhahood,
and suchness are nondual and cannot be differentiated. Noble son, what does it mean to perfect
the qualities of buddhahood, you ask? Perfecting form, feeling, perception, formations, and
consciousness is perfecting the qualities of buddhahood.”

“Mañjuśrī, how does one perfect form? How does one perfect feeling, perception,
formations, and consciousness?”

“Noble son, do you truly see the permanence or impermanence of form?”

“No, Mañjuśrī, I do not see them.”

Mañjuśrī continued, “Noble son, can there be any perfection or diminishment of a
phenomenon that is neither permanent nor impermanent?”

“No, Mañjuśrī, there cannot.”

Mañjuśrī continued, “Noble son, in the same way, perfection
refers to the fact that no phenomenon can be perfected or diminished.”

“How does one perfect phenomena?”

“To the degree that one understands phenomena, one obtains wisdom. When one obtains
wisdom, one is without thought or concept. When one is without thought or concept, one does not
perfect or diminish anything. What is beyond perfection or diminishment is sameness. Noble son,
therefore, to see the sameness of form is to perfect form. To see the sameness of feeling,
perception, formations and consciousness is to perfect them.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar addressed Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta,
“Mañjuśrī, if the thought ‘I
must attain awakening’ has not occurred to you even once, despite having long attained patient
acceptance in this manner, how will you, Mañjuśrī, introduce others to awakening?”

“Noble son, I do not introduce any being at all to awakening. Why is this? Because
beings are nonexistent and void. Noble son, whoever apprehends beings also apprehends awakening.
Whoever apprehends awakening will introduce beings to awakening. Noble son, I do not apprehend
awakening, nor do I apprehend beings. Therefore, I do not introduce beings to awakening. In
sameness, one does not aspire to awakening, nor does one turn away from it. Why is this? Just as
sameness is nonconceptual, so it is beyond aspirations and regressions. For this reason,
formations are beyond coming from anywhere and going anywhere. This is sameness. Noble son,
sameness is a synonym for emptiness, since emptiness is also beyond aspirations. Noble son, you
mention that I have not aroused the mind set on fully awakening to buddhahood, despite having
long ago attained patient acceptance. Well, noble son, do you truly see any mind anywhere that
will attain awakening?”

“No, Mañjuśrī, I do not. Why not? Because the mind is formless and indemonstrable,
awakening is just a word. Because they do not arise from mind,
awakening and mind are just words. Anything that
is just a word is void and functionless.”

“Noble son, considering this, there can be no occurrence of the thought, ‘How will
I attain awakening?’ Why not?
That thought is unborn. What is unborn does not arise. Where nothing arises, can something be
attained or realized?”

“Mañjuśrī, what do you mean by realize?”

“Noble son, realization refers to not conceptualizing
phenomena, and understanding them to be sameness. Realization of the fact that perceptions do
not arise or cease, even slightly, is realization. Being unmistaken about
suchness and not conceptualizing suchness is realization. Having assumed
the correct view, one does not apprehend or observe any phenomenon within sameness. Thereby, one
does not conceive phenomena to be the same or different, and one does not presume anything about
them. This is realization. All phenomena share the single characteristic of
having no characteristics. When this is actualized and experienced directly so that there is no
clinging to body or mind, this is the attainment of realization.”

“Mañjuśrī, what do you mean by attainment?”

“Noble son, this word describes absence of movement, therefore, it is called
attainment. In the three realms, such movement cannot be identified or
demonstrated. The attainment of noble beings is indescribable. Why is this? That phenomenon is
not fixed, nor does it move, and so it is indescribable. Noble son, moreover, the term
attainment is used in opposition to nonattainment;
but in this regard, there is no phenomenon that is attained or not attained. It is from this
perspective that one speaks of attainment.”

The bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar then requested of the Blessed One,
“Blessed One, please describe, O Thus-Gone One, what the array of virtues of
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta’s buddha realm will be like.”

The Blessed One responded, “Noble son, you should pose this question to
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta.”

So the bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar asked Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta,
“Mañjuśrī, what will the array of virtues of your buddha realm be like?”

“Noble son, please ask someone who is enthusiastic about awakening.”

“Mañjuśrī, are you not enthusiastic about awakening?”

“No, noble son, I am not. Why not? One who is enthusiastic is not free from
attachment. One who is not free from attachment craves. Where there is craving, there will be
birth. Where there is birth, there is feeling. Where there is feeling, there is no progress.
Therefore, noble son, I am not enthusiastic about awakening. Because I do not apprehend
awakening, I am not enthusiastic about it. Noble son, that being the case, I am of course also
unable to praise myself by responding to your question about the array of virtues of my buddha
realm. Why is this? If I were to describe the array of virtues of my buddha realm while the
Thus-Gone One directly knows all phenomena, I would be a bodhisattva great being aggrandizing
himself.”

The Blessed One commented, “Mañjuśrī, please reveal your aspirations for the array
of virtues of your buddha realm. The Thus-Gone One commands it. Why? If other bodhisattva great
beings hear these aspirations from you, they will also perfect that kind of practice.”

Mañjuśrī responded, “Blessed One, I shall not oppose the Thus-Gone One’s command. I
shall describe this through the power of the Buddha.”

Then Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta arose, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on
his right knee. With his palms together, he bowed toward the blessed Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni and
said, “Blessed One, consequently, noble sons and daughters who aspire to awakening should listen
to me. Upon hearing about my aspirations, they will also go on to perfect them. If they show
dedication to suchness, I will teach them.”

The moment that Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta planted his right knee on the ground and spoke
these words, worlds throughout the ten directions, as numerous as the grains of sand in the
Ganges, shook six times. Then Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, the
aspirations that I formed countless trillions of eons ago were as follows: ‘Until I have
surveyed all the infinite and limitless worlds throughout the ten directions with unobscured
buddha eyes and have seen nothing but blessed buddhas—so that there is no longer anyone for me
to introduce to awakening; or to establish in the mind set on awakening; or to establish in
generosity; or to establish in discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, or insight; or to
encourage; or to teach—for that long, may I not fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect
buddhahood. In this way, only when I have surveyed all the ten directions with unobscured buddha
eyes and have failed to see anyone but thus-gone ones whom I have established in buddhahood will I fully awaken to
unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’ ”

Some bodhisattvas in the assembly then wondered, “How many blessed buddhas does
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta see?”

The Blessed One knew what they were thinking, and so he said to the bodhisattva
great being Powerful Lion Roar, “Noble son, imagine that a person was born who could crush,
destroy, and grind the great trichiliocosm into the smallest particles. Noble son, tell me,
could all those small particles be counted? Would someone very skilled in mathematics be able to
know, count, assess, or measure how many sets of hundreds, thousands, hundred thousands, ten
millions, billions, ten billions, or trillions of particles there were?”

“No, Blessed One, they would not. Well-Gone One, they would not.”

The Blessed One said, “When Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta looks with his unobscured buddha
eyes, he sees that many blessed buddhas in each of the ten directions.”

Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I have aspired
that ‘Until my own buddha realm is as wide as the extent of buddha realms as numerous as the
grains of sand in many Ganges rivers, and until the height of my buddha realm—which is fashioned
of and adorned with myriad precious substances—reaches the peak of existence, I will not fully awaken to
unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.’

“Blessed One, I have also aspired that ‘In my buddha realm, may a tree of awakening
grow as tall as all the worlds in ten great trichiliocosms. May its light spread to pervade the
entirety of my buddha realm.’

“Blessed One, I have also aspired that ‘From the time I fully awaken to unsurpassed
and perfect buddhahood until I finally pass beyond suffering, may I remain seated under that
tree of awakening, without leaving it. However, may my emanations pervade countless trillions of
buddha realms in each of the ten directions to teach the Dharma to others.’

“Blessed One, I have also aspired that ‘In my buddha realm, may the names of
hearers and solitary buddhas be completely absent. May my buddha realm be populated exclusively
with bodhisattvas who are devoid of anger, aggression, and hypocrisy and who practice pure
conduct. May the very word woman be unheard of. May there be no womb birth,
and may all the bodhisattvas appear miraculously, dressed in saffron-colored robes and seated in
cross-legged posture. May my buddha realm be utterly pure. May emanations of the thus-gone ones
proceed to countless trillions of worlds throughout the ten directions to teach beings the
Dharma, starting with the three vehicles, and may they only give Dharma teachings that accord
with the inclinations of beings. May there be no hearers or solitary buddhas, and may my buddha
realm be filled with bodhisattvas.’ ”

The bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed
One, when Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta fully awakens to buddhahood, by what name will he be
known?”

The Blessed One answered, “Noble son, he will be called the Thus-Gone One
Samantadarśin. Noble son, what do you think about this? Why will this thus-gone one be
called Samantadarśin? Noble son, the Thus-Gone One Samantadarśin will behold the blessed buddhas
of all the immeasurably many countless trillions of worlds throughout the ten directions. Any
being who beholds this thus-gone one will be certain to attain unsurpassed and perfect
awakening. Noble son, whether at present or when I have passed beyond suffering, anyone who
hears the name of the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha Samantadarśin will enter the
unchanging state. Except for those whose interests are limited in scope, they will all fully
awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. That is why this thus-gone one will be called
Samantadarśin.”

Then Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta addressed the Blessed One, “Blessed One, my aspirations
were not like those of the Thus-Gone One Amitābha’s aspirations to be endowed with delightful
food. Rather, Blessed One, I have made aspirations that, for any of the bodhisattvas born into
my buddha realm, a vessel filled with food of a hundred tastes will appear in their right hands as soon as they even think
of food. Then, immediately following this, they will gain awareness of the fact that it is
inappropriate for them to eat this food without first offering it to the blessed buddhas of the
ten directions, or using it to satisfy protectorless beings suffering from poverty and
destitution, as well as those who are born in the hungry ghost realms, where they go thousands
of years without finding so much as a drop of spittle. Immediately, they will actualize the five
superknowledges, gain miraculous powers, fly through the air, and, with unimpeded power like the
wind, travel to countless, immeasurably many worlds throughout the ten directions. Then they
will offer the food to the thus-gone ones and their saṅghas of hearers. They will also satisfy
beings who are destitute and hungry, without protectors, or born into the hungry ghost realms,
and teach them the Dharma. Then, in a single instant, they will be able to return to my buddha
realm.

“Blessed One, additionally I aspired that, once I have attained awakening, all the
bodhisattvas born into my buddha realm will have the pleasure of receiving clothing made of
various precious materials. Then, merely through their wishes, the delightful fabrics made of
precious materials will transform into clothing appropriate for mendicants. Immediately
following this, they will gain awareness of the fact that it is inappropriate for them to use
this clothing without first offering it to the blessed buddhas of the ten directions. As soon as
they have this thought, they will travel to immeasurably many and countless worlds to drape the
blessed buddhas there with that clothing. Following this, they will return to my buddha realm and use
whatever precious clothing they like.

“Blessed One, additionally I aspired that the bodhisattva great beings in my buddha
realm will only use their enjoyments and possessions after offering them all to the blessed
buddhas and their saṅghas of hearers, and that my buddha realm will be free of the eight unfree
states and free of nonvirtuous sounds, anguished sounds, and troubling sounds, as well as
unpleasant forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and tactile objects.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar asked the Blessed One, “Blessed
One, by what name will the buddha realm in which the blessed Thus-Gone One Samantadarśin appears
be known?”

The Blessed One answered, “That world will be called Immaculate Accumulation of
Perfection and Purity in Accordance with Aspiration.”

“Blessed One, in which direction will it appear?”

The Blessed One answered, “Noble son, it will appear in the south. This Enduring
world will be included and contained within it.”

Then Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta continued speaking to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I
also aspired that my buddha realm will be filled with myriad trillions of precious jewels and
adorned with myriad precious gems. All the precious gems will be on display, and each of them will be rare, previously unknown,
and unheard of in all the worlds of the ten directions. It would take billions of eons just to
list their names. It is with such precious gems that my buddha realm will be filled. In my
buddha realm, should the bodhisattvas come to think that they would like the buddha realm to be
made of gold, they will perceive it as if made of gold. If others would like it to be made of
silver, they will perceive it as if made of silver; and yet the former will still perceive it as
if it is made of gold. Likewise, it can also become composed of beryl, crystal, red pearl,
emerald, white coral, and various precious substances, as well as sandalwood, agaru, takara, mangosteen foliage, uraga sandalwood, or red sandalwood—whatever one
wishes, it will be perceived in that way. Yet they will not perceive any of this as distinct
buddha realms. In my buddha realm, the tree of awakening will emit light, and light will shine
from each bodhisattva, such that all other sources of light and radiance will be eclipsed,
including the light of the sun and moon, as well as the light of the stars, jewels, fire,
lightning, and other beings. The extent to which this light pervades will be such that it will
illuminate trillions of buddha realms. In my buddha realm, it will exclusively be the
bodhisattvas’ wishes to enjoy things that determine whether the flowers there shall open or
close, as well as what time or period of day it is. Apart from that, not even the words day
or night will exist. My buddha realm will have no hot or cold. There will
be no aging, sickness, or death. All bodhisattvas in other worlds who desire to fully awaken to
buddhahood, and those living in Tuṣita, will fully awaken to buddhahood once their lives are
over. From the sky above my buddha realm, trillions of invisible instruments will unceasingly
resound. Passionate music will not resound from these instruments. Rather, the instruments will
resound with the sounds of the perfections, the sound of the Buddha, the sound of the Dharma,
the sound of the Saṅgha, and the sound of the Dharma teachings of the bodhisattva basket. These
bodhisattvas will hear whatever sounds they wish to hear. As soon as the wish to behold the
buddha occurs to any bodhisattvas who wish to see the thus-gone one—whether they are walking,
going, coming, sitting, or standing—they will see the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha
Samantadarśin seated by the tree of awakening. As soon as they behold that blessed one, their
doubt, uncertainty, indecision, and skepticism will be decimated. Without seeking teachings,
they will seek the meaning of the words of the Dharma.”

Myriad trillions of bodhisattvas in the assembly then remarked with one voice, “The
name Samantadarśin is highly fitting, for if any being who simply hears mention of the name of
the blessed Thus-Gone One Samantadarśin obtains a great boon, then what need we say of one who
is actually born in his buddha realm? Whoever hears this Dharma teaching as it is taught, or hears
the name Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta, will directly perceive the buddha.”

The Blessed One responded to these bodhisattvas by saying, “Noble children, thus it
is. It is as you have described it. If speaking the name of Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta generates even
greater merit than speaking the names of trillions of buddhas, what need we say of speaking the
name of the blessed Thus-Gone One Samantadarśin? Why is this? The benefit accomplished for
beings by Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta in each eon is not performed even by trillions of
buddhas.”

Trillions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas,
humans, and nonhumans gathered in the assembly then announced with one voice, “We bow to
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta. We bow to the Thus-Gone One Samantadarśin.” At that very moment,
eighty-four trillion beings developed the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening. An
immeasurable number of beings ripened their roots of virtue and became irreversible from the
path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta continued addressing the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I aspired
that within my own buddha realm I will gather and master all the ornaments of the arrays of
virtues of all the blessed buddhas abiding in immeasurably many countless trillions of worlds
throughout the ten directions—with the exception of the arrays of the hearers and the buddhas
who live during the five types of degeneration. This also applies to the ornaments of their
aspirations, characteristics,
marks, activities, and places, just as they appear. Blessed One, if I wished, I could discuss my
buddha realm’s array of virtues for as many eons as there are grains of sand in the Ganges. If I
were to describe all its different elements uninterruptedly without engaging in other activities
for that length of time, or even longer, I would still not complete the description of my buddha
realm’s array of virtues. Blessed One, apart from the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect
Buddha, no one else can attest to the scope of my aspirations.”

The Blessed One said, “Mañjuśrī, that is correct, for the Thus-Gone One knows your
aspirations. The wisdom of a thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha knows the three times without
hindrance.”

At this point some bodhisattvas in the assembly wondered, “Is the array of virtues
of the buddha realm described by Mañjuśrī similar or dissimilar to the array of virtues of the
buddha realm in the blessed Thus-Gone One Amitābha’s buddha realm, Sukhāvatī?”

The Blessed One knew the thoughts of these bodhisattvas, and so he said to the
bodhisattva Powerful Lion Roar, “Noble son, as an analogy, imagine that a person took a single
droplet of water from the ocean with a hundredth part of a hair. What do you think, noble son, which would be
greater: the water taken or the water that remains?”

“Blessed One, as what was taken is little, what remains is comparatively
limitless.”

“Noble son, think of the array of virtues in Sukhāvatī, the buddha realm of the
Thus-Gone One Amitābha, as the single droplet of water taken from the ocean with a hundredth
part of a hair. Think of the array of virtues in the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect
Buddha Samantadarśin’s buddha realm as the water that remains in the ocean.”

The bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed
One, were there any other thus-gone ones who previously mastered the array of virtues of the
Thus-Gone One Samantadarśin’s buddha realm? Will anyone master them in the future? Are there
those who master them right now?”

The Blessed One answered, “Noble son, there are. There is a buddha realm called
Elevated by Abiding in Aspiration, located to the east of here past buddha realms numbering a
hundred times the grains of sand in the Ganges, where lives the thus-gone, worthy, and perfect
Buddha Fully Illuminated Oceanic King of Many Hundreds of Virtues. His lifespan is limitless. He
is still alive and well and teaches the Dharma to an immeasurable assembly of bodhisattvas, who
surround him and revere him. Noble son, the array of virtues that will emerge in the blessed
Thus-Gone One Samantadarśin’s buddha realm and the array of virtues that is present now in the buddha
realm of the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect Buddha Fully Illuminated Oceanic King of
Many Hundreds of Virtues are the same, with nothing extra or left out.

“Noble son, there are four bodhisattvas who practice the same conduct as
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta, as they have donned the same unfathomable armor and are engaged in similar
great activities. The arrays of virtues of the buddha realms of these bodhisattvas will be
similar to his.”

“Blessed One, please reveal the names of these bodhisattvas. Please describe the
locations of these bodhisattvas. Please describe the buddha realm of the blessed Thus-Gone One
Fully Illuminated Oceanic King of Many Hundreds of Virtues. Please describe that thus-gone one
and those bodhisattvas. I ask this so that other bodhisattvas may also acquire such arrays of
virtues in their buddha realms.”

The Blessed One responded, “Noble son, since you ask, listen and I will teach.
Noble son, the first bodhisattva is named Crest of Light, and he lives in the east, in the
buddha realm of the blessed Thus-Gone One Splendor Without Anguish. The second is named Superior
Wisdom, and he lives in the south, in the buddha realm of the blessed Thus-Gone One Victorious
Wisdom. The third is named Peaceful Faculties, and he lives in the west, in the
buddha realm of the blessed Thus-Gone One Massive Insight. The fourth is named Intelligent
Aspiration, and he lives in the north, in the buddha realm of the blessed Thus-Gone
One Power.”

The Blessed One then displayed a miracle. This miracle was such that the buddha realm of the blessed
Thus-Gone One Fully Illuminated Oceanic King of Many Hundreds of Virtues appeared. That blessed
one was surrounded and revered by
an assembly of bodhisattvas. The array of virtues of his buddha realm was such that it had never
been seen or heard of before; it was unfathomable and had all the finest features. All the
features of that buddha realm were as visible from this buddha realm as a myrobalan berry would
be in the palm of a person with normal vision. The blessed Thus-Gone One Fully Illuminated
Oceanic King of Many Hundreds of Virtues was sitting there in his usual appearance. He was
eighty-four thousand leagues tall, and like a mountain of gold from the Jambū River, he was
dazzling, radiant, and brilliantly beautiful. He was surrounded and revered exclusively by
bodhisattvas who were all forty-two thousand leagues tall. He was seated on a lion throne under
a tree of awakening, which was adorned with myriad arrays of excellence, manifesting trillions
of emanations. All these emanations spread out into trillions of worlds throughout the ten
directions to preach the Dharma to beings.

The Blessed One then addressed the bodhisattva assembly, asking, “Noble children,
do you see the array of virtues and the abundant bodhisattva assembly in this buddha
realm?”

Eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas of the assembly then stood up and draped their
shawls over one shoulder. With palms together, they said with one voice, “Blessed One, we will
also train in the type of conduct engaged in by Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta. We will also manifest such
arrays of virtues in our buddha realms.”

The Blessed One smiled. From his mouth streamed light in a variety of colors, such as
blue, yellow, red, white, violet, crystalline, and silver. The light rays illuminated infinite
worlds and then returned, circled the Blessed One three times, and disappeared into the crown of
his head. The bodhisattva great being Maitreya then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what
are the cause and condition of your smile?”

The Blessed One answered, “Maitreya, when the array of virtues of this buddha realm
was revealed, eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas developed the intention to manifest arrays of
virtues in their buddha realms that match the array of virtues in Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta’s buddha
realm. Maitreya, out of the eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas, there were sixteen sublime beings
who spoke motivated by pure intention. The arrays of virtues in their buddha realms will match
the array of virtues in Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta’s buddha realm. Though the arrays of virtues in the
buddha realms of the other bodhisattvas will not manifest in the same way, they will also fully
awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. The arrays of virtues in their buddha realms will
be such that they match the array of virtues in Sukhāvatī, the buddha realm of the Thus-Gone One
Amitābha, with nothing left out. Maitreya, consider the preciousness of the pure motivation of
bodhisattva great beings. Though the words they spoke were the same, the arrays of virtues in
the buddha realms of those who spoke motivated by pure intention will come to match the array of virtues in
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta’s buddha realm. Those with a lesser intention, and those who spoke merely
out of faith, formed lesser actions, so only after sixty trillion eons will they escape cyclic
existence and perfect the five perfections.”

At this point, the four bodhisattvas Crest of Light, Superior Wisdom, Victorious
Wisdom, and Peaceful Faculties arrived from the four directions. They arrived in
beryl-colored palaces of unmatched quality, surrounded and preceded by trillions of gods. As
they arrived, the buddha realm shook six times, a rain of flowers fell, trillions of instruments
resounded, and myriad miracles occurred. Witnessing this, the bodhisattva great being Maitreya
asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, why does the world shake in such a terrifying manner, and
why do these four palaces arrive from the four directions?”

The Blessed One answered, “Maitreya, these four bodhisattvas have come here to see
the Thus-Gone One, having been inspired by the Thus-Gone One.” Shortly after he gave this
answer, the four bodhisattvas arrived and descended from their palaces. They went before the
blessed Thus-Gone One Śākyamuni and bowed their heads at his feet, circumambulated him seven
times, and sat to one side. As soon as they did so, the entire assembly was illuminated with a
great flash of light from the four directions.

The Blessed One then addressed the bodhisattva assembly, “Noble children, the four
sublime beings who have just arrived have donned the unfathomable armor and engaged in great
activities. Noble children, please serve these sublime beings and ask them questions about the
Dharma. Noble children, listen to these sublime beings’ aspirations. Noble children, the form
their aspirations took is as follows: ‘May all noble sons or daughters of the Great Vehicle who
see us become irreversible from the path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening; may they escape
cyclic existence within two hundred million eons; may they perfect the five perfections; may any
woman who hears our names swiftly transition out of a female body.’ Such were their
aspirations.”

After the Blessed One had revealed that buddha realm, he withdrew the miracle, and
the buddha realm disappeared. Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta addressed the Blessed One, “Blessed One, all
phenomena are illusory. Blessed One, to draw an analogy, a magician will conjure up illusions,
but he also makes them disappear. Blessed One, in the same way, all phenomena are born and
cease. However, that which is beyond both birth and cessation is sameness. Blessed One,
bodhisattva great beings who train in sameness will swiftly and fully awaken to unsurpassed and
perfect buddhahood.”

The bodhisattva Superior Wisdom then asked Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta, “Mañjuśrī, to what
type of buddhahood should one fully awaken?”

Mañjuśrī responded, “An awakening that no one can attain or destroy, and that
cannot be observed to exist or not exist anywhere.”

The bodhisattva Superior Wisdom replied, “Mañjuśrī, in that case, awakening cannot
be attained as something existent, nor can it be attained as something nonexistent.”

“Noble son, thus it is. Why is this? All phenomena are primordially unborn, but
they are also not nonexistent. Therefore, they cannot be attained.”

“Mañjuśrī, is this what is called the Dharma teaching on the single
principle?”

“Noble son, what is the Dharma teaching on the single
principle?”

“Mañjuśrī, the Dharma teaching on the single principle does not see the aggregates,
nor does it see the elements or sense sources. It is neither blind nor sighted. It is without
thoughts or concepts and sees no increase or decrease in any phenomenon.”

The bodhisattva Powerful Lion Roar added, “The Dharma teaching on the single
principle does not contradict suchness or contravene reality. It makes no divisions in terms of
the Dharma of ordinary beings, the Dharma of the hearers, the Dharma of the solitary buddhas, or
the Dharma of the buddhas. In the manner of disengagement, it engages with the single
principle.”

The bodhisattva Priyadarśana added, “The Dharma teaching on the single principle is
immersed in suchness. However, it is free from conceptualizations of suchness and does not
conceptualize that it is profound. In that way it teaches the absence of concepts.”

The bodhisattva Akṣayapratibhāna added, “The Dharma teaching on the single
principle teaches that the inexhaustibility of any phenomenon itself is complete exhaustion.
This Dharma teaching on the inexhaustible nature of all phenomena does not contravene reality.”

The bodhisattva Excellent Contemplation added, “The Dharma teaching on the single
principle teaches how to understand that which is beyond thought, without conceptualizing or
apprehending it.”

The bodhisattva Viraja added, “The Dharma teaching on the single principle
expresses that which is totally free from attachment. In it there is neither attachment to marks
nor absence of attachment; there is no attachment, anger, or delusion; there is no oneness or
duality, no doing or not doing; no accepting or rejecting.”

The bodhisattva Sāgara added, “The Dharma teaching on the single
principle teaches how to become immersed in the Dharma that, like the ocean, is deep and
difficult to fathom. It reveals the Dharma of how to abide without thoughts or concepts
concerning phenomena, and it shows how to be free from conceptualizing in terms of self and
other.”

The youthful Superior Moon added, “The Dharma teaching on the single principle
expresses the moon-like quality of having an equanimous attitude toward all beings, without
conceptualizing those beings.”

The bodhisattva Dispeller of All the Darkness of Anguish added, “The Dharma
teaching on the single principle severs the continuity of all anguish. It is without anguish and
timidity. It teaches the Dharma that all beings feel the pain of anguish, and that the root of
anguish is self-clinging and possessiveness. Even so, it is grounded in the sameness of
self-clinging and possessiveness.”

The bodhisattva Nonapprehension added, “The Dharma teaching on the single principle
expresses the nonapprehension of the desire realm, the form realm, the formless realm, the
Dharma of the hearers, and the Dharma of the solitary buddhas.”

The bodhisattva Avalokanam added, “The Dharma teaching on the single principle
teaches the Dharma that expresses sameness through the sameness of emptiness, without conceptualizing
emptiness or apprehending sameness.”

The bodhisattva Trimaṇḍalaviśuddhi added, “The Dharma teaching on the single
principle reveals how to avoid contradicting the three spheres when one is teaching the Dharma.
What are the three spheres? Not apprehending oneself, not apprehending the Dharma listener, and
not fixating on the Dharma. This is called a Dharma teaching in which the three
spheres are pure.”

The bodhisattva Progression added, “The Dharma teaching on the single principle
correctly expresses the understanding that all phenomena are uncompounded. However, to express
this means not uttering even a single word, since all phenomena are indescribable.”

The bodhisattva Engaged in the Profound added, “The Dharma teaching on the single
principle teaches how to understand the profundity of all phenomena while not seeing any
phenomenon. It teaches us how no teacher, student, or teaching can be seen.”

This continued until all the splendorous bodhisattva great beings had demonstrated
their eloquence. When this Dharma door of the teaching on the single principle was presented,
seven hundred million bodhisattvas gained patient acceptance that phenomena are unborn.
Eighty-four trillion beings developed the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening. The
minds of seven thousand monks were liberated from defilements beyond further grasping. Nine billion six hundred million
gods and humans purified the Dharma eye, which sees phenomena free from dust and stains.

Then the bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar asked the Blessed One, “Blessed
One, how large will the Thus-Gone One Samantadarśin’s bodhisattva saṅgha be? What will his
lifespan be like? How long will it take for Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta to fully awaken to unsurpassed
and perfect buddhahood?”

The Blessed One responded, “Noble son, you should pose these questions to
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta.”

The bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar asked Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta,
“Mañjuśrī, how long will it take you to fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect
buddhahood?”

Mañjuśrī answered, “Noble son, when the element of space takes on form, I will
fully awaken to buddhahood. When illusory beings fully awaken to buddhahood, at that time I too
will fully awaken to buddhahood. When the worthy ones who have exhausted the defilements fully
awaken to buddhahood, at that time I too will fully awaken to buddhahood. When beings in dreams,
as well as echoes, visual distortions, reflections of the moon in water, and emanations of the
thus-gone ones fully awaken to buddhahood, at that time I too will fully awaken to buddhahood.
When the sun shines at night and the moon shines during the day, at that time I too shall fully
awaken to buddhahood. Noble son, this being so, why don’t you ask who aspires to
awakening?”

“Mañjuśrī, don’t you aspire to awakening?”

“No, noble son, I do not. Why not? Because Mañjuśrī himself is awakening, and awakening
itself is Mañjuśrī. Why is this? Noble son, when we say awakening and
Mañjuśrī, these are just words. Such labels are void, functionless, and
empty—and emptiness is awakening.”

Then the Blessed One asked the bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar, “Noble
son, have you seen or heard the gatherings of the Thus-Gone One Amitābha’s bodhisattvas and
hearers?”

“Blessed One, I have seen them; I have heard them.”

“Noble son, what do you think about them?”

“Blessed One, they were unfathomable. Well-Gone One, they were
uncountable.”

“Noble son, to draw an analogy, if you were to take a single sesame seed from the
sesame depots here in Magadha, that seed would represent the Thus-Gone One Amitābha’s gathering
of bodhisattvas and hearers. The remaining sesame seeds would represent Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta’s
assembly of bodhisattvas when he fully awakens to buddhahood.

“Noble son, to draw another analogy, imagine that the great trichiliocosm were
reduced to dust, down to the smallest particles. Noble son, the number of such particles would
not even be one hundredth of the number of eons that the Thus-Gone One Samantadarśin will live.
It would not even be a thousandth, a billionth, or a trillionth of that. No number, enumeration,
or example could illustrate this. Noble son, from this analogy you should understand that the
lifespan of that blessed, thus-gone, worthy, and perfect buddha will be that immeasurable and limitless.

“Noble son, to draw another analogy, imagine that someone were to crush this great
trichiliocosm down to its smallest particles. Then, imagine that some people were to remove the
individual particles from that heap of dust and place every one of them, each of them separated
by a distance of as many great trichiliocosms as the total number of all the particles. First,
one person would do so in the eastern direction, placing the particles in this manner until they
were used up. Next, a second person would then place that many particles in the southern
direction, all in the same manner. Likewise, in each of the ten directions other people would
remove the particles individually and place them until they were used up. Noble son, tell me,
would it be possible to count the number of worlds in all those great trichiliocosms in units of
hundreds? Or could it perhaps be done in units of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions,
billions, tens of billions, trillions, quadrillions, hundreds of quadrillions, quintillions, or
even sextillions?”

“No, Blessed One, it could not. Well-Gone One, it could not.”

The Blessed One continued, “Noble son, now think of all the great trichiliocosms
that these ten people would pass by as they were placing the particles. Imagine that all those
worlds, which they passed by without placing a particle, were crushed and ground into the
smallest particles. Noble son,
tell me, could these particles be counted? Could a skilled mathematician know, count, assess, or
measure them in units of hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands, tens of millions, billions,
tens of billions, trillions, quadrillions, hundreds of quadrillions, quintillions, or
sextillions?”

“Blessed One, this analogy would drive beings crazy! They would be unable to
understand, assess, count, or measure.”

The Blessed One continued, “Noble son, the Thus-Gone One completely understands the
enumeration of these particles in terms of units of hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands,
tens of millions, billions, tens of billions, trillions, quadrillions, hundreds of quadrillions,
quintillions, sextillions, and even more than that.”

The bodhisattva great being Maitreya then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One,
even if bodhisattva great beings would have to burn in the hell realms until the end of time for the sake of such great
wisdom, they would accept this. We shall not forgo such great wisdom.”

The Blessed One replied, “Maitreya, thus it is. What you have said is true. Except
for those who are disinterested, lazy, and indolent, who would not long for such great wisdom?
Whenever this wisdom of the buddhas is taught, ten thousand beings will develop the mind set on
awakening.”

Then the Blessed One said to the bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar, “Noble
son, in this way, compared not only to the number of the particles found in the worlds where
those ten beings placed a particle as they were passing over so many great trichiliocosms in the
ten directions, but also compared to the number of the particles found in all the worlds that
they were passing over without placing a particle— for eons exceeding even that,
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta will still be engaged in the conduct of awakening. Why is this? Noble son,
it is because Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta’s aspirations are inconceivable, and his undertakings are
inconceivable. Thus, his lifespan upon attaining buddhahood and his bodhisattva saṅgha will also
be inconceivable.”

The bodhisattva Powerful Lion Roar then remarked to the Blessed One, “Blessed One,
it is amazing that Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta can be engaged in such great undertakings for so many
eons, without ever becoming discouraged. Blessed One, such great conduct is amazing!”

Mañjuśrī asked, “Noble son, tell me, considering the element of space, does it
continue for days, fortnights, seasons, years, eons, hundreds of eons, thousands of eons, millions of eons,
billions of eons, tens of billions of eons, trillions of eons, quadrillions of eons,
quintillions of eons, or even sextillions of eons?”

“No, Mañjuśrī, it does not. Why not? Because the element of space is devoid of
concepts.”

“Noble son, thus it is. Bodhisattvas understand all phenomena to be like space,
without thinking about or conceptualizing them in any way. In this mode of understanding, there
are no concepts regarding the passing of days, years, and so forth. Why not? Because one does
not apply such notions to any phenomenon whatsoever. Noble son, to draw an analogy, even though
more eons pass by than there are grains of sand in the Ganges, the element of space never
becomes discouraged or despairing. For the element of space, there is no birth, destruction,
burning, or separation. Why not? Because the element of space is devoid of an entity. Noble son,
likewise, a bodhisattva who knows all phenomena to be nonentities will not become discouraged or
despairing. Noble son, the so-called element of space does not burn, become
discouraged, despair, move, take birth, age, die, transfer, appear, come, or go. Noble son, in
the same way, the name Mañjuśrī does not burn, become discouraged, despair,
move, take birth, age, die, transfer, appear, come, or go. Why not? Because this name is totally void.”

When this Dharma teaching was given, the Four Great Kings, Śakra the lord of the
gods, Brahmā the lord of the Enduring world, and other powerful gods, who all are renowned for
their great might, proclaimed with one voice, “Blessed One, if anyone who merely hears this
Dharma teaching receives an excellent boon, what need we say of those who hear, retain, keep,
recite, master, or teach it widely to others? Blessed One, the roots of virtue are not trifling
in those who proclaim, ‘We will retain, keep, recite, and master this Dharma teaching in order
to uphold the qualities of buddhahood! We will teach it widely to others!’ ”

The bodhisattva great being Powerful Lion Roar then asked the Blessed One, “Blessed
One, how much merit will a noble son or daughter generate by hearing this Dharma teaching and
then retaining, keeping, reciting, mastering, knowing, or teaching it widely to others, while
having the intention to emulate Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta?”

The Blessed One answered, “Noble son, imagine that a bodhisattva were to fill with
jewels all the buddha realms that can be seen in the ten directions by a thus-gone one with
unobscured buddha eyes, and then offered this to each thus-gone one. At the same time, based on
an attitude of impartiality toward all beings, that bodhisattva would also abide by all the vows
of discipline that he had taken
and, moreover, would practice generosity until the end of time. Compared to that, if another
bodhisattva were to hear this Dharma teaching and then retain, keep, recite, master, know, or
teach it widely to others, or if he were to arouse the intention to emulate Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta
and take seven steps toward that purpose, the amount of merit of the former bodhisattva would
not even be close to one hundredth of that. It would not even be close to a thousandth, a
hundred thousandth, a ten millionth, a billionth, a ten billionth, a trillionth, or a
quadrillionth of that. In fact, no number, fraction, enumeration, analogy, or example would
suffice in this regard.”

At that moment, Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta entered the bodhisattva absorption called
manifestation of the illusory illumination. As soon as he entered this
absorption, all the bodhisattvas gathered in the assembly beheld all the blessed buddhas of the
infinite worlds of the ten directions. They saw Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta seated in the presence of
all these thus-gone ones, displaying the array of virtues of his buddha realm. The bodhisattvas
marveled and thought, “That Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta is able to display all these many quadrillion
worlds simultaneously shows how amazing are his unique aspirations, absorption, and
wisdom.”

Then the bodhisattva great being Maitreya asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, what is this Dharma
teaching’s name? How should we remember it?”

The Blessed One answered, “Maitreya, since you ask, you should remember the name of
this Dharma teaching as The Play of the Buddhas. You should also
remember it as The Inconceivable Aspirations. You should also
remember it as Teaching the Array of Virtues of Mañjuśrī’s Buddha
Realm. You should also remember it as Causing Delight in the
Mind Set on Awakening.”

Then, in order to venerate the Thus-Gone One and this Dharma teaching, those
immeasurably many and countless bodhisattvas in the assembly who had gathered from the ten
directions cast down a rain of flowers and prostrated at the feet of the Blessed One. Then they
returned to their buddha realms uttering “O Buddha! O Buddha! Today we heard
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta’s lion roar and we heard of his unfathomable array.”

When this Dharma teaching was taught, bodhisattvas as numerous as the grains of
sand in the Ganges became irreversible from the path to unsurpassed and perfect awakening.
Immeasurably beings accomplished roots of virtue.

When the Blessed One had spoken,
Mañjuśrīkumārabhūta, the bodhisattva Maitreya, the bodhisattva Powerful Lion Roar, the
bodhisattva great beings who had gathered from the ten directions, the assembly of monks, and
the world of gods, humans,
asuras, and gandharvas all rejoiced and praised the speech of the Blessed One.

This concludes The Array of Virtues of Mañjuśrī’s Buddha Realm, the
fifteenth of the one hundred thousand sections of the Dharma discourse known as The
Noble Great Heap of Jewels.

Colophon

Translated, proofed, and finalized after being revised according to the
new terminological register by the Indian preceptors Śīlendrabodhi and Jinamitra, as well as the
editor-translator Bandé Yeshé Dé.

Notes

Bibliography

Array of Aspirations

smon lam bkod pa
སྨོན་ལམ་བཀོད་པ།

Colorful

kun nas kha dog
ཀུན་ནས་ཁ་དོག

Crest of Light

’od kyi tog
འོད་ཀྱི་ཏོག

Destroyer of Nonvirtue

sdig bcom
སྡིག་བཅོམ།

Dispeller of All the Darkness of Anguish

mya ngan gyi mun pa thams cad rnam par sel ba
མྱ་ངན་གྱི་མུན་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་རྣམ་པར་སེལ་བ།

Displaying Leonine Power

seng ge’i rtsal gyis bsgyings pa
སེང་གེའི་རྩལ་གྱིས་བསྒྱིངས་པ།

Earth Deity

sa’i lha
སའི་ལྷ།

Elevated Dharma

chos ’phags
ཆོས་འཕགས།

Engaged in the Profound

zab mor spyod pa
ཟབ་མོར་སྤྱོད་པ།

Excellent Contemplation

bsam pa legs par sems pa
བསམ་པ་ལེགས་པར་སེམས་པ།

Fully Illuminated Oceanic King of Many Hundreds of Virtues

kun nas ’od zer yon tan rtag tu mang ba brgya mtsho’i rgyal po
ཀུན་ནས་འོད་ཟེར་ཡོན་ཏན་རྟག་ཏུ་མང་བ་བརྒྱ་མཚོའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།

Intelligent Aspiration

smon lam khyad par blo gros
སྨོན་ལམ་ཁྱད་པར་བློ་གྲོས།

Intelligent Aspiration

smon lam blo gros
སྨོན་ལམ་བློ་གྲོས།

King Jewel Mound

nor bu brtsegs rgyal po
ནོར་བུ་བརྩེགས་རྒྱལ་པོ།

King Maheśvara

dbang phyug chen po’i rgyal po
དབང་ཕྱུག་ཆེན་པོའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།

King of All Śāla Trees

sA la’i dbang po’i rgyal po ’byung ba
སཱ་ལའི་དབང་པོའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་འབྱུང་བ།

King of Splendor

dpal brtsegs rgyal po
དཔལ་བརྩེགས་རྒྱལ་པོ།

King of the Star Mound Adorned with Signs

mtshan gyis brgyan pa skar ma brtsegs pa’i rgyal po
མཚན་གྱིས་བརྒྱན་པ་སྐར་མ་བརྩེགས་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།

King of Thunderous Voice

’brug sgra’i dbyangs kyi rgyal po
འབྲུག་སྒྲའི་དབྱངས་ཀྱི་རྒྱལ་པོ།

Lord of Peace and Gentleness

rab tu zhi zhing dul ba’i dbang phyug
རབ་ཏུ་ཞི་ཞིང་དུལ་བའི་དབང་ཕྱུག

Massive Insight

shes rab brtsegs pa
ཤེས་རབ་བརྩེགས་པ།

Nonapprehension

dmigs pa med pa
དམིགས་པ་མེད་པ།

Power

mthu bo che
མཐུ་བོ་ཆེ།

Powerful Lion Roar

seng ge’i rtsal gyis mngon par bsgrags pa’i sgra
སེང་གེའི་རྩལ་གྱིས་མངོན་པར་བསྒྲགས་པའི་སྒྲ།

Progression

’gro ba grub pa
འགྲོ་བ་གྲུབ་པ།

Peaceful Faculties

zhi ba’i dbang po
ཞི་བའི་དབང་པོ།

Splendor Without Anguish

mya ngan med pa’i dpal
མྱ་ངན་མེད་པའི་དཔལ།

Superior Wisdom

ye shes bla ma
ཡེ་ཤེས་བླ་མ།

Victorious Wisdom

ye shes rgyal ba
ཡེ་ཤེས་རྒྱལ་བ།

Yeshé Dé

ye shes sde
ཡེ་ཤེས་སྡེ།

Superior Moon

zla ba’i bla ma
ཟླ་བའི་བླ་མ།

Earth Melody

sa’i dbyangs
སའི་དབྱངས།

Elevated by Abiding in Aspiration

smon lam la rab tu gnas pas mngon par 'phags pa
སྨོན་ལམ་ལ་རབ་ཏུ་གནས་པས་མངོན་པར་འཕགས་པ།

Eternally Decorated

rtag tu brgyan pa
རྟག་ཏུ་བརྒྱན་པ།

Excellent Elements

’byung ba bzang po
འབྱུང་བ་བཟང་པོ།

Immaculate Accumulation of Perfection and Purity in Accordance with Aspiration

smon lam ji lta ba bzhin du yongs su rdzogs shing dag la rdul med pa bsags pa
སྨོན་ལམ་ཇི་ལྟ་བ་བཞིན་དུ་ཡོངས་སུ་རྫོགས་ཤིང་དག་ལ་རྡུལ་མེད་པ་བསགས་པ།

Stainless

rdul med pa
རྡུལ་མེད་པ།

Thousandfold Adornment

stong gis brgyan pa
སྟོང་གིས་བརྒྱན་པ།

Totally Illuminated

kun nas ’od
ཀུན་ནས་འོད།