Toh 61The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Questions of Pūrṇa”

Summary

In Veṇuvana, outside Rājagṛha, Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra asks the Buddha
about the conduct of bodhisattvas practicing on the path to awakening. The
Buddha replies by describing the attitudes that bodhisattvas must possess as
well as their benefits. Then, at the request of Maudgalyāyana, the Buddha
recounts several of his past lives in which he himself practiced bodhisattva
conduct. At the end of the teaching, the Buddha instructs the assembly about how
to deal with specific objections to his teachings that outsiders might raise
after he himself has passed into nirvāṇa.

在王舍城外的竹林精舍，富樓那‧彌多羅尼子請求佛陀解說覺醒之道上的菩薩行。佛應其所問而宣說菩薩需具備的態度及其裨益，接著又應目犍連所問而描述自己累世所行的菩薩道。最後，佛陀教導僧眾如何在他入涅後，應付外人將對佛法提出的種種質疑。

Acknowledgements

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the
supervision of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Benjamin Collet-Cassart and Nika Jovic
translated the text from Tibetan into English and wrote the introduction. James
Gentry then compared the translation with Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation.
Finally, Andreas Doctor compared the draft translation with the original Tibetan
and edited the text. Ryan Damron and Thomas Doctor also helped resolve several
difficult passages.

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

Work on this text would not have been possible without the generous
sponsorship of 王学文 and 马国凤, which is most gratefully acknowledged.

Introduction

The Questions of Pūrṇa is the seventeenth sūtra
among the forty-nine titles included in The Heap of
Jewels collection in the Degé Kangyur. Although traditional
scholars have quoted this sūtra in a number of Tibetan writings, the
text has to our knowledge received very little attention in modern
scholarship. Only a few of the texts contained in The Heap of Jewels are extant in Sanskrit, and The Questions of Pūrṇa is unfortunately not among
them. There is only one Chinese translation (Taishō 310–17), produced by the
renowned translator Kumārajīva, (344–413 ce) who
completed the translation toward the end of his life in 405 ce, while residing in the then Chinese capital of
Chang’an (today’s Xi’an). The Tibetan translation was completed in the early
translation period and is listed in both early ninth-century catalogs, the
Denkarma (Tib. ldan dkar ma) and the
Phangthangma (Tib. ’phang thang ma). This
English translation is based on the Degé block print, the Comparative
Edition (Tib. dpe bsdur ma), and the Stok
Palace manuscript, comparing these line by line with Kumārajīva’s Chinese
translation.

The Tibetan text has no translators’ colophon, but evidence
suggests that, unlike most of the discourses translated into Tibetan during
the early translation period, this text was most likely translated from
Chinese, rather than from Sanskrit: Kumārajīva’s translation and the Tibetan
are nearly identical in content and structure, and a number of apparently erroneous readings in the
Tibetan text can be understood and resolved clearly when they are compared
with the Chinese. Moreover, the Tibetan includes several transliterated
names and terms that seem to be derived from the Chinese; and a few
terms that appear
in some of the Tibetan versions of this text are present almost exclusively
in other discourses that are known explicitly to have been translated from
the Chinese.

The Buddha’s main interlocutor in the sūtra is the monk Pūrṇa, as the
title suggests. This is Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, a brahmin from Kapilavastu,
ordained by his uncle Ājñātakauṇḍinya when the latter returned to
Kapilavastu soon after the Buddha’s first teaching; he is one of six or more
figures with the name Pūrṇa in the Buddhist discourses and is described as the
foremost in explaining the doctrine. He is also regarded as one of the ten
main disciples of the Buddha, especially noted for his eloquence. Pūrṇa sets
the scene by asking questions related to bodhisattva conduct. Following his
inquiry, the sūtra unfolds in eight chapters that address a variety of
topics related to bodhisattva conduct, the first three at least being direct
answers to Pūrṇa’s initial questions. It is noteworthy that throughout the
text the Buddha’s only interlocutors as he teaches the bodhisattva
path—Pūrṇa, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Ānanda, and Elephant Trunk—are all hearer
disciples and not bodhisattvas. While, throughout the text, great emphasis
is placed on the importance of realizing the emptiness of phenomena and the
view that does not dwell on anything, the conduct the Buddha teaches remains
firmly anchored in renunciation, a monsatic lifestyle, and difficult ascetic
practices.

Chapter 1 presents a teaching by the Buddha on the way that
bodhisattvas can accomplish immeasurable awakened qualities after giving
rise to the mind set on awakening. The Buddha lists several sets of
spiritual qualities that bodhisattvas must accomplish in order to reach the
awakened state. Chapter 2 is devoted to the question of developing a high
level of erudition, which allows bodhisattvas to comprehend the definitive
meaning of the Dharma. Chapter 3 describes how bodhisattvas can make their
progress toward awakening irreversible if they can study, contemplate, and
practice previously unknown Dharma teachings with an open mind, rather than
automatically discarding them as non-Dharma. Chapter 4 presents further sets
of spiritual qualities that bodhisattvas must cultivate in order to obtain
sufficient roots of virtue, emphasizing in particular the practice of
patience in the face of adversity and hostility. Here the Buddha also
narrates a story from one of his previous lives as inspiration for practice,
and the narrative includes a pointed description of how biased attitudes can
cause sectarian distrust even between followers of the very same lineage
taught to different generations.

In Chapter 5 the Buddha displays his miraculous powers to the
assembly by projecting light from his body; all those who witness this
miraculous display become attracted to the Dharma and aspire to achieve
perfect awakening. The Buddha entrusts this teaching to Ānanda, emphasizing
its importance for the future and seeming to put it on a parallel, as a text
of the Bodhisattva Collection, to his very first teaching in Sarnath.
Chapter 6 begins with Mahāmaudgalyāyana, another of the Buddha’s closest
disciples, requesting a teaching on how the Buddha practiced bodhisattva
conduct in the past. The Buddha recounts several stories from his past
lives, describing in detail the hardships he had to undergo for the sake of
beings. Chapter 7 introduces advice by the Buddha on how to deal with
particular controversies the monks might be faced with after he himself has
passed away. Using various arguments to counter the accusations of future
adversaries, the Buddha explains how to respond to such controversies. This
entire chapter is devoted to the defense of the thought and practice of the
Great Vehicle against the objections of orthodox Buddhists, who argued that
texts like this one were not authentic Buddhist scriptures. That this text
addresses such issues directly suggests that it may have first appeared in
writing at a time when the Bodhisattva Vehicle was still controversial and
had not yet been widely adopted. Lastly, in Chapter 8 Pūrṇa praises the
Buddha’s teaching and makes a commitment to follow the path of the Great
Vehicle himself, in order to liberate all beings from suffering.

The Translation

The Noble Great Vehicle Sūtra

The Questions of Pūrṇa

Chapter One

The Conduct of Bodhisattvas

Homage to all the buddhas and
bodhisattvas!

Thus did I hear at one time: The Blessed One was residing at the
Veṇuvana in Rājagṛha, together with a great saṅgha of many monks and with
countless bodhisattva great beings. At that time, the venerable Pūrṇa
Maitrāyaṇīputra arose, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his
right knee. With his palms joined together in the direction of the Blessed
One he said, “Blessed One, I have a few questions to ask you. Thus-Gone One,
please consider me with love and grant me this request.”

“Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra,” replied the Blessed One, “ask me whatever
you wish. I will instruct you genuinely and satisfy your mind.”

“Blessed One,” said the venerable Pūrṇa, “I have questions about the
bodhisattva great beings who have accomplished the highest qualities and
attained superior and far-reaching renown, and who pursue the happiness of
sentient beings at all times.” And the venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra then
put his questions in these verses:

“I have questions about those

Who have accomplished the highest qualities,

Who have attained superior and far-reaching renown,

And who observe pure discipline and conduct devoted to the Dharma.

“How do they train their minds?

How do they practice generosity on a vast scale?

How do they liberate sentient beings?

How do they constantly cultivate the path with a joyful mind?

“Blessed One,” continued Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “I have questions about
these holy beings. How do bodhisattvas amass great knowledge, such that it
will not be exhausted, like the ocean? Having amassed a precious treasure of
erudition, how is it that, by comprehending the meaning that is definitive
with regard to all phenomena, they correctly penetrate the meaning of
words?” He then spoke again in verse:

“How do bodhisattvas seek

A level of erudition like a vast ocean,

And having comprehended the meaning that is definitive with regard to
phenomena,

How do they gain an understanding of the path to awakening?

“How do they understand boundless meanings

Through a single word,

So that, through the power of such insight,

They can comprehend all phenomena?

“Since their erudition is infinite,

Their minds do not waver, even when faced with opponents.

Teaching the Dharma out of compassion,

They eliminate the doubts of sentient beings.

“Blessed One,” continued the venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “I
have another question for the Thus-Gone One about the force of the wisdom
that follows from the attainment of the bodhisattva levels. How is it that
bodhisattva great beings’ progress toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening
will be irreversible?” He then went on in verse:

“Having abandoned the states without freedom,

How do they encounter many buddhas?

And having seen many buddhas,

How do they swiftly develop sincere faith?

“Having developed that unsurpassed type of faith,

How do they give away that which is extremely difficult to give away?

Having completely given everything away,

How with that force do they practice unhindered on the path?

“Having developed the aspiration to go forth,

How do they cultivate the wisdom of emptiness in isolated places?

How do they act in ways that do not contradict the Dharma?

Please elucidate these matters.

“Blessed One,” continued the venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, “the
thus-gone ones have reached perfect omniscience. They have mastered all
miraculous powers and are the supreme beings within the three realms. Having
achieved incomparable, sublime wisdom, they know how to put the Dharma into
action in an unhindered manner. These are the reasons why I ask you these
questions.” He again spoke in verse:

“Blessed One, since you possess the most sublime qualities,

Since you master the miraculous displays,

And since you have reached unimpeded wisdom,

I ask these questions of you, great hero.

“Since you are perfectly trained in all Dharma teachings,

Since your qualities are superior and outstanding,

And since you radiate the light of wisdom that dispels darkness,

You bring delight to the multitudes who attend you.

“You are free from attachment and aversion to friends and enemies;

You are free from sorrow and deception.

You have conquered the Lord of Death,

And defeated the armies of Māra.

“Without brandishing any weapon,

You have defeated all your enemies.

With a mind always filled with love,

You firmly maintain pure discipline.

“Blessed One, you are free of deceit and guile,

Free of pride, and free of arrogance.

Since you have attained the knowledge of liberation,

You possess the highest of all qualities.

“How did you, in the past, reach supreme knowledge

By means of practicing on the path?

How did you awaken through practice?

Please explain this to me!”

In response, the Blessed One said to the venerable Pūrṇa
Maitrāyaṇīputra, “These questions you ask of the Thus-Gone One are
excellent, excellent! Listen carefully and pay attention. I will now teach
you how bodhisattvas give rise to their intention and then accomplish the
immeasurable qualities of a buddha.” The Blessed One then uttered these
verses:

“I will explain to you now

How bodhisattvas first give rise to the mind set on awakening,

And then practice on the path to awakening,

Through the power of their intensive diligence.

“There are many kinds of good intentions

That bodhisattvas apply in their activity;

And those factors, which the buddhas have explained

In detail, I will briefly teach you.

“The devotion to the Dharma to which they give rise

Through these extraordinary attitudes is immeasurable—it is infinite.

That they display their many kinds of activities

Is not brought about through one thing alone.

“It is joy blossoming in their minds

That makes bodhisattvas perform acts of generosity,

And since they practice generosity without having regrets,

Their minds become more joyful.

“Bodhisattvas think,

‘Since sentient beings are always impoverished,

They do not possess the wealth of erudition.

So I must pursue such wealth!

“ ‘Sentient beings, though always impoverished,

Fall under the influence of laziness.

I must therefore develop my diligence

And reach the state of awakening!

“ ‘With the thought that it is for the sake of sentient beings,

I shall cultivate patience.

Even if I am insulted or beaten,

I will not say anything in return.

“ ‘Who is abusing me?

Since an abuser cannot be perceived,

All those abusers

And those who are angry are empty!’

“It is because they think in that way

That their minds are devoid of aggression and resentment.

Since they always cultivate patience,

They will become perfect buddhas.

“Acting as lamps within the world,

They provide protection and refuge

To sentient beings whose minds are not inclined toward virtue,

And they cause the impoverished to become wealthy.

“They think, ‘Since sentient beings who follow mistaken paths

Are the objects of my compassion,

I shall liberate them

And establish them in nirvāṇa!’

“They think, ‘Since all sentient beings are impoverished,

They do not possess the wealth of insight.

After reaching the state of omniscience,

I shall bring them satiation.’

“It is in such ways that bodhisattvas,

In order to liberate sentient beings,

Keep persevering on the path

As they engender the mind set on awakening and strive for it.”

The Blessed One then said to the venerable Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra,
“Through these different causes and conditions, bodhisattva great beings
teach the Dharma to sentient beings; yet they do not dwell on just some
Dharma teachings. Why is that? Because it is after having correctly trained
in all Dharma teachings that bodhisattvas will later become
perfect buddhas.

“Bodhisattvas have four amazing and marvelous attitudes, compared to
which they see no other Dharma teaching as more important. What are the
four? ⁽¹⁾ That which makes bodhisattvas cultivate diligence with regard to
lazy beings; this is the first amazing and marvelous attitude. ⁽²⁾ That
which makes them cultivate patience while they are among obstinate sentient
beings full of aggression; this is the second amazing and marvelous
attitude. ⁽³⁾ That which makes them persevere on the correct path
themselves, seeing sentient beings practicing on mistaken paths; this is the
third amazing and marvelous attitude. ⁽⁴⁾ That which makes them give rise to
the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening with the extraordinary
resolve to liberate sentient beings from saṃsāra; this is the fourth amazing
and marvelous attitude. Pūrṇa, these four amazing and marvelous attitudes
are known as the supreme, amazing, and marvelous attitudes of
bodhisattvas.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these
verses:

“When bodhisattvas see lazy beings,

It incites them to develop their diligence.

The thought never occurs to them

Of showing them anything contrary to the Dharma.

“They think, ‘I will not show anger;

Aggression is not the path of the buddhas.’

Because they consistently cultivate love,

The awakened state is born from that attitude.

“Sentient beings follow mistaken paths

Because they are attracted to them.

Bodhisattvas pursue the correct path

And establish sentient beings on that path.

“Since they perceive the defects of saṃsāra,

They one-pointedly pursue the wisdom of the buddhas.

They think, ‘I shall obtain the unsurpassed treasure

And then liberate sentient beings.’

“There is nothing greater

Than these marvelous attitudes.

You should know that these bodhisattvas

Will thereby develop qualities without impediment.

“If laziness should arise in their minds,

They swiftly clear it away,

As if the clothes on their body were burning

Or their hair had caught fire.

“Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “if bodhisattvas possess four
qualities, joy will be born in their minds. What are the four? ⁽¹⁾ When
bodhisattvas see that sentient beings remain in saṃsāra and do not cultivate
diligence, but see that they themselves remain on the path of the buddhas
and do cultivate diligence, joy will be born in their minds. ⁽²⁾ When
bodhisattvas see that sentient beings are constantly overwhelmed by
laziness, but they see that they themselves diligently follow the teachings
of the buddhas, joy will be born in their minds. ⁽³⁾ When bodhisattvas see
that sentient beings are aggressive, resentful, and jealous, yet they see
that they themselves are free from aggression, resentment, and jealousy and
always manifest an attitude of love, joy will be born in their minds. ⁽⁴⁾
When bodhisattvas see that no one matches their diligence in accomplishing
the qualities of the buddhas, joy will be born in their minds.”

At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“Bodhisattvas develop their diligence

When they see lazy beings.

As a consequence,

Joy will be born in their minds.

“Since bodhisattvas perceive the defects of saṃsāra,

Weariness has arisen in their minds.

Fearing the prison of the three realms,

They reject it with great efforts.

“Sentient beings are fond of aggression and resentment,

But bodhisattvas are loving.

Therefore, joy and happiness

Will be born in their minds.

“Because of not engaging in any of the activities

Performed by ordinary beings,

They think, ‘I shall pursue

The path of the unsurpassed buddhas.’

“They think, ‘I shall train

In the authentic wisdom

Praised by the buddhas

And become a refuge for all beings.’

“Therefore, since joy always arises

In the minds of bodhisattvas,

From untrue, conditioned phenomena

They develop genuine qualities.

“Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “if bodhisattvas possess four
qualities, they will be free from the unfree states, and having obtained the
complete freedom to do so they will attain the qualities of a buddha without
wasting that opportunity. What are the four? ⁽¹⁾ Since the minds of
bodhisattvas are humble and gentle, they always express the wish for
sentient beings to be happy when they see them, and they always speak
sincerely and smile while engaging in conversation with someone. ⁽²⁾ Since
bodhisattvas pursue the Dharma one-pointedly and are always strongly
dedicated to investigating it, they insatiably pursue virtue and exert
themselves toward it. ⁽³⁾ Bodhisattvas are attracted to isolated places and
enjoy remaining in solitude. ⁽⁴⁾ Bodhisattvas follow the path of awakening
and encourage others to follow the same path. If bodhisattvas possess these
four qualities, they will be free from the states that lack freedom, and
having obtained the complete freedom to do so they will attain the qualities
of a buddha without wasting that opportunity.” At that moment, the Blessed
One uttered these verses:

“Since their minds are flexible,

And since they always cultivate love,

Bodhisattvas remain humble and speak honestly

In conversing with sentient beings.

“They always pursue the profound and sublime Dharma

Praised by the buddhas.

They always maintain pure discipline,

And are always inclined to engage in spiritual trainings.

“While observing the virtues of ascetic practice,

They also practice with profound insight.

Therefore, bodhisattvas will leave behind

The unfree states, and obtain the freedoms.

“Since they always request the buddhas

To teach the profound Dharma,

Their insight will increase,

And they will never again be born into unfree states.

“Always attracted to solitary places,

They engage in pure trainings.

Thus, bodhisattvas will leave behind

The unfree states and obtain the freedoms.

“If intelligent and wise persons

Rely on these four qualities,

They will leave the unfree states behind

And encounter many buddhas.

“In the presence of those many buddhas,

They will be filled with incorruptible faith.

Developing the highest form of diligence,

They will pursue the wisdom of the buddhas.

“Therefore, those who pursue wisdom

Should train in the authentic Dharma.

If they do so, it will not be hard for them

To reach the path of awakening.”

This was the first chapter, The Conduct
of Bodhisattvas.

Chapter Two

Erudition

“Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “if bodhisattvas possess four
qualities, they will amass great knowledge, such that it will not be
exhausted, like the ocean. Constantly amassing a precious treasure of
erudition, they will—by comprehending the meaning that is definitive with
regard to phenomena—correctly penetrate the meaning of words. What are the
four?

“⁽¹⁾ Since bodhisattvas pursue the Dharma, they pursue the twelve
branches of the scriptures. These are the discourses, hymns and praises,
prophecies, verses, aphorisms, narratives, former events, former births,
extensive teachings, marvels, biographies, and profound doctrines. Upon
receiving these teachings, bodhisattvas read them, recite them, and properly
recollect them. After that, they practice these teachings in accordance with
the way they are taught. Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas possess this first quality,
they will amass great knowledge, such that it will not be exhausted, like
the ocean. Constantly amassing a precious treasure of erudition, they will—by
comprehending the meaning that is definitive with regard to
phenomena—correctly penetrate the meaning of words.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽²⁾ bodhisattvas do not dwell on any
phenomenon, so there will be nothing for them to fixate upon, even while
resting in concentration or absorption. Free from fixation, they will attain
the wisdom that does not dwell on any phenomenon, thereby reaching unimpeded
wisdom vision with respect to
phenomena. Why is it so? Because, Pūrṇa, these bodhisattvas are free from
desire and from any other form of impediment. If bodhisattvas possess this
second quality, they will amass great knowledge, such that it will not be
exhausted, like the ocean. Constantly amassing a precious treasure of
erudition, they will—by comprehending the meaning that is definitive with
regard to phenomena—correctly penetrate the meaning of words.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽³⁾ bodhisattvas recollect the Buddha in terms
of the causes and conditions of pursuing the Dharma, and they recollect the
Buddha’s teachings as well. When bodhisattvas thus recollect the Buddha in
terms of the causes and conditions of pursuing the Dharma, and they
recollect the Buddha’s teachings as well, they do not perceive any
phenomenon to which they could be attached. Because they are free from
attachment, their minds do not cling to any phenomenon. Hence, because they
are free of clinging to any phenomenon, they will be able to answer
questions without any hindrances. If bodhisattvas possess this third
quality, they will amass great knowledge, such that it will not be
exhausted, like the ocean. Constantly amassing a precious treasure of
erudition, they will—by comprehending the meaning that is definitive with
regard to phenomena—correctly penetrate the meaning of words.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽⁴⁾ bodhisattvas who have perfected the
attitude of love free of apprehending will not be hindered in their actions,
since love free of apprehending does not hold on to anything. Why is it so?
Because, Pūrṇa, dwelling on marks generates attachment, anger, and
ignorance. Dwelling on the marks of entities, the marks of material
substances, the marks of the aggregates, the marks of the sense sources, the
marks of the elements, the marks of the Dharma, or the marks of the
non-Dharma also generates attachment, anger, and ignorance. Therefore,
Pūrṇa, all those views that involve clinging to marks are known as
wrong views. Bodhisattvas cultivate love in order
to be at peace from all those marks. They think, ‘Since sentient beings and
marks will perish, entities will also perish. Since entities will perish,
views will also perish.’ In this way, bodhisattvas then cultivate love as
everything perishes. This love is known as love free of
apprehending. This love free of apprehending is known as
love of the Dharma. This love of the Dharma is
known as love of the Buddha. Pūrṇa, what is the love of
the Buddha? The absence of formation and disintegration is what is implied
by the words love of the Buddha. Furthermore, Pūrṇa,
the complete realization of all phenomena as they really are is also what is
meant by the words love of the Buddha.”

“Blessed One,” asked Pūrṇa, “what is meant by the complete
realization of all phenomena as they really are?”

“Pūrṇa,” replied the Blessed One, “this complete realization does
not involve conceptualization such as, ‘this is the Dharma’ or ‘this is not
the Dharma.’ Why is that so? Because, Pūrṇa, if someone says, ‘the Dharma
exists,’ that would be non-Dharma, and if that person says ‘the Dharma is
nonexistent,’ the non-Dharma would not exist either. Therefore, this
realization is free from conceptual constructs. This absence of conceptual
constructs is called nirvāṇa. Once you have
investigated in that way, do you find that it is something very far away, or
instead something very close?”

“It is neither far nor close,” answered Pūrṇa. “Why is it so?
Blessed One, because it has no sides, it does not abide anywhere, and it has
no inside or outside.”

“Pūrṇa,” said the Blessed One, “that is how you should regard
phenomena.”

“Blessed One,” asked Pūrṇa, “what kind of phenomenon should I regard
in that way?”

“Pūrṇa, it is said that the thus-gone ones do not apprehend, create,
or manifest those phenomena that immature ordinary beings so strongly cling
to. So not conceptualizing such phenomena is called
assessing them. Pūrṇa, since such assessments of
phenomena are free from differentiation, I will now explain to you the
sublime, supreme Dharma of disengagement, which subsumes the path to
buddhahood.

“Pūrṇa, in the future, if those who cling to worldly gains hear this
discourse, they will not be motivated to listen to its teachings or to adopt
it. Pūrṇa, when I say, ‘I am awakened,’ you understand these words only
partially, from the mere perspective of words and concepts, but you are
unable to grasp their actual meaning. This meaning is extremely profound; it
cannot be expressed by words. Instead, it is known only by the wise ones
themselves.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“Those who do not understand this point

Will be troubled about the Buddha and the Dharma.

Those who know this point

Will be instructed by the buddhas.

“Those who conceive of the Buddha as the teacher

Pursue nirvāṇa.

Avoiding quarrels and fights,

They think only about the authentic Dharma.

“Phenomena are unborn

And unceasing.

The absence of birth and cessation

Is the true characteristic of phenomena.

“Unborn phenomena

Are beyond actions and manifestations.

They transcend distinctions such as

‘It is,’ ‘it is not,’ ‘it is different,’ and ‘it is the same.’

“This is nirvāṇa.

In it, there is nothing that ceases.

The expressions close and far

Are both empty.

“Someone who realizes emptiness

Understands nirvāṇa.

Someone who understands nirvāṇa

Is known to be my disciple.

“Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas possess this fourth quality, they will amass
great knowledge, such that it will not be exhausted, like the ocean.
Constantly amassing a precious treasure of erudition, they will—by
comprehending the meaning that is definitive with regard to
phenomena—correctly penetrate the meaning of words.” At that moment, the
Blessed One uttered these verses:

“Those who constantly wish to pursue erudition

Will be praised by the buddhas.

Realizing the true, definitive meaning,

Their knowledge will become oceanic.

“Even if others were to praise these beings

For a trillion eons, this task would never come to an end—

They could not complete the expression

Of the meaning of a phrase or even of a single letter of that praise.

“Therefore, one should pursue the authentic Dharma

And then contemplate it genuinely.

One should not hold on to the characteristics of phenomena,

Nor cling to the praises of the buddhas.

“One should instead recollect the thus-gone ones

As well as the authentic Dharma,

And search for guidance

With a mind free from attachment and conflict.

“Toward sentient beings

One should always cultivate love,

But without clinging to a sentient being,

Bring peace from all phenomena.

“If you practice the Dharma, just as did

The bodhisattvas of great renown,

You will swiftly attain perfect recall,

And from that will grow erudition.

“Just as the essential nature of space

Does not increase or decrease,

The true nature of phenomena

Is beyond increase and decrease.

“Even if, through the powers of insight,

I were to explain the Dharma

For countless eons,

No one could say that it was fully explained.

“Imagine that all sentient beings

Obtained a human body,

Went forth as monks,

And became as erudite as Ānanda;

“Even if the bodhisattvas

Who have the attainment of perfect recall

Explained the Dharma to them for ten million eons,

Their wisdom would not be exhausted.

“The wisdom of the buddhas is incomparable:

It is limitless, like space.

Just like space, this wisdom

Transcends origination.

“The nāgas cause great rainfalls

Without drawing any water.

Although they do not dwell in that water,

The rainfall is endless.

“Similarly, when bodhisattvas

Have the attainment of perfect recall,

Although they do not dwell on the teachings,

Through that circumstance what they teach is inexhaustible.

“Therefore, one should pursue erudition

And then contemplate thoroughly.

When one focuses on the Dharma and recollects the Buddha,

Erudition is born from that.

“The bodhisattvas’ love pervades all beings.

It pacifies the marks of sentient beings,

And also the marks of phenomena;

Erudition is born from that.”

This was the second chapter, Erudition.

Chapter Three

Irreversible Progress

“Pūrṇa,” said the Blessed One, “if bodhisattvas possess four
qualities, their progress toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening will be
irreversible. What are the four?

“⁽¹⁾ If bodhisattvas hear a Dharma teaching they have not heard
before, rather than saying, ‘This is not the Dharma’ they should reflect on
it in terms of its meaning. If bodhisattvas possess this first quality,
their progress toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening will be
irreversible.”

At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“When bodhisattvas hear a Dharma teaching they have not heard before

That does not contradict my intent,

They reflect upon its meaning,

Rather than saying, ‘This is not the Dharma.’

“When they hear about empty phenomena,

They always pursue what that means,

And their insight thereby increases;

It is from there that the path to awakening arises.

“When they hear a previously unheard Dharma teaching,

They pursue what it means.

Their progress to awakening will therefore not be reversed,

And their insight will increase.

“When they hear a Dharma teaching they have not heard before,

They do not succumb to the negative attitude of pride,

Nor do they give rise to deceit and guile.

Giving rise to deceit is not the way to pursue awakening.

“When they hear a Dharma teaching they have not heard before,

They pursue what it means.

Even if they have never previously heard it,

They reflect on it one-pointedly.

“When those persons hear the Dharma,

They hear the authentic Dharma.

They will always encounter many buddhas,

And never regress from awakening.

“Upon meeting those many buddhas,

They will ask them proper questions,

And all those who hear such questions, even the hearers,

Will become utterly pleased.

“Since this is amazing and marvelous,

One should ask such questions!

Unless the thought to ask occurs,

How will we ever hear about these matters?

“Since the hearers express their amazement,

All the gods and nāgas will be pleased,

And the buddhas will proclaim their praises.

These are the results of erudition.

“The buddhas will answer

All the questions presented to them,

And this will bring immense benefits

To all the countless assemblies.

“Upon hearing the erudite answers

Given to the bodhisattvas,

All the countless assemblies will attain

The unsurpassed Dharma eye.

“Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “for those reasons, when
bodhisattvas hear a Dharma teaching they have not heard before, they eagerly
accept it out of sincere trust, and contemplate it genuinely without
contradicting it. They never say, ‘This is not the Dharma.’ You should know
that this attitude will benefit countless sentient beings.

“Pūrṇa, in the past, countless eons ago—so long ago that the length
of time cannot be measured, fathomed, or conceived—a thus-gone one, a worthy
one, a perfect buddha appeared in the world. He was endowed with perfect knowledge and conduct. He was
a bliss-gone one, a knower of the world, a tamer
of beings, an unsurpassed guide, a teacher of
both gods and men. This blessed buddha was named King of All Qualities’
Light Rays. Pūrṇa, the blessed one King of All Qualities’ Light Rays lived
for eight hundred million years. In each assembly of this blessed one, the
saṅgha of hearers consisted of an indescribable number of worthy ones, as
numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges river. Free of any
appropriation regarding phenomena and having exhausted their defilements,
their minds were completely liberated, and they were all free from the
twofold notion of individuality. The bodhisattvas were similar in number to
them. Pūrṇa, after the blessed one passed into nirvāṇa, his sublime Dharma
remained for sixty thousand years.

“When he was about to pass into nirvāṇa, all the many billions of
bodhisattvas used their miraculous powers to pervade many billions of worlds, in order to protect the sacred Dharma. In
this way, a bodhisattva remained in each world.
Pūrṇa, after the blessed one King of All Qualities’ Light Rays passed into
nirvāṇa, his hearers slowly became lazy and indolent. They did not recite or
remember his profound discourses anymore. As a consequence, all his profound
discourses related to the emptiness of phenomena, as well as all the
discourses related to pure discipline and the ascetic practices, gradually
vanished. These Dharma teachings consisted of eighty-four thousand vast and
detailed sections. Each of the sections included sixty-eight trillion
discourses. Each discourse contained thirty thousand six hundred aphorisms,
and each aphorism was composed of six hundred seven billion verses. Pūrṇa,
since
they did not read, recite, or expound those teachings, at the time when the
sublime Dharma was about to vanish during the final age, only the discourses
and the aphorisms remained from among the many sections of this buddha’s
teachings.“At that time, there was a Dharma-preaching monk called
Mahāsthāmaprāpta. The Dharma preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta had developed great
powers and his erudition was vast. He was an excellent Dharma teacher, he was eloquent, and he had clearly
realized the meaning of the Dharma. Through the miraculous power of the
Thus-Gone One, he always devoted himself to spreading previously unheard
Dharma teachings in order to protect the sublime Dharma within the world.
While he was spreading the Dharma, most beings would deprecate and oppose
him.

The Dharma-preaching monk Mahāsthāmaprāpta therefore thought, ‘When
such beings hear these Dharma teachings that they have never heard before,
they do not believe in them, so they also show no interest in listening to
them or adopting them. Even when they hear these teachings, they do not
comprehend their meaning, and therefore they do not follow them. Instead,
they oppose and deprecate these teachings. Many monks say, “These are not
the words of the Buddha; these are not the teachings of the Great Teacher! How do we know? Because we have never
heard such discourses from any teacher or preceptor before. Furthermore, no
elder monks from older generations have ever said that they received such a
transmission from any teacher or preceptor.” So since no other teachings now
remain besides those of the discourses and those of the aphorisms, should I
perhaps leave for a solitary place and remain there alone?’

“Pūrṇa, after having reflected in that way, the Dharma-preaching
monk Mahāsthāmaprāpta left for a mountain cave, where he remained in
solitude.

At that time, within the world, during the formative eon, there
were sixty-eight thousand great cities that were twelve leagues long and
seven leagues wide. They were built beautifully, their roads were straight,
they were filled with many beings, their harvests were good, and everyone
was happy. Later on, eight hundred forty million smaller cities were built.
Some measured seven leagues and others were six, five, four, three,
or two leagues. The smallest of them measured a single league. Pūrṇa, at
that time, within the world, in a great city called Total Isolation, there
was a householder named Śani who had a son named Mahāśumata. While the son
of that householder was residing in a solitary place, he received the visit
of a god who spoke these verses to him:

“ ‘Search for Dharma teachings persistently

And reflect on them genuinely.

The thus-gone one King of All Qualities

Prophesied that you will become awakened.’

“Pūrṇa, after having spoken those verses, the god disappeared. Then the householder’s son approached
his father, paid homage to him by touching his feet with his head, and said,
‘I want to go forth as a monk and live the holy life under the teachings of
the blessed one King of All Qualities’ Light Rays.’ At that moment Śani, the
householder, spoke these verses:

“ ‘In my home there are many precious gems,

And an immeasurable amount of silver and gold.

You will find in my home

All the things that cannot be found within the world.

“ ‘Son, I have accumulated precious gems

To be able to fulfill all your desires.

Why would you go forth as a monk

And take pleasure in deprecating the world?’

“The son of the householder answered his father with these verses:

“ ‘I only aspire to pursue the Dharma

And contemplate it genuinely.

I do not experience pleasure while indulging in wealth.

Instead, I wish to become a guide for the world.

“ ‘I do not need this home’s precious gems.

I aspire to have few desires.

I aspire to go forth as a monk,

To discover the treasure of the Dharma.

“ ‘It is extremely rare for a buddha to appear.

It is extremely rare for the Dharma to be taught.

Now that I have encountered the teachings of the Buddha,

Why would I abandon them?’

“Pūrṇa, the householder’s son then prostrated to the feet of his
father, circumambulated him, and left the house. In leaving he spoke these
verses to him:

“ ‘Even if I had one trillion fathers

And one billion mothers,

None of them could prevent me

From going forth as a monk.

“ ‘Now I will completely relinquish

My body, my life force, my parents, and my relatives.

Without ever abandoning the Dharma of the Buddha,

I will pursue the conduct of one who goes forth.’

“Pūrṇa, after the householder’s son had uttered those verses, he went forth as a monk. He then went to
the place where the Dharma-preaching monk Mahāsthāmaprāpta was residing and
he applied himself to studying the Dharma with him. During that time, the
Dharma preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta taught him genuinely and in great detail
discourses that he had never heard before. When he heard those discourses,
the monk Mahāśumata asked the Dharma preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta, ‘I have
never heard such discourses before. Who is reading them? Who is interested
in them? Who is adopting them and memorizing them? In which places are they
heard?’

“The monk Mahāsthāmaprāpta replied, ‘Due to the roots of virtue
created by recollecting my previous lives, and through the power of the
blessings of the thus-gone one King of All Qualities’ Light Rays, these
profound discourses have naturally remained within my mind.’

“Pūrṇa, upon hearing those words, the monk Mahāśumata generated an
extraordinary resolve, and by keeping this resolve in mind, the strength of
insight arose. Because of this, through the power of his great insight and
skillful means, he asked a question of the Dharma preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta,
who answered his question, and then said to him, ‘In the past, a monk asked
the thus-gone one King of All Qualities’ Light Rays about the same matter
that you have now asked me about, and when that monk heard the perfect
answer of the Thus-Gone One, he was overjoyed.’

“Pūrṇa, the monk Mahāśumata again asked a question of the Dharma
preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta, who again told him, ‘In the past, a monk asked
the thus-gone one King of All Qualities’ Light Rays about the same matter
that you now ask me about, and when that monk heard the perfect answer of
the Thus-Gone One, he was overjoyed.’

“Pūrṇa, the monk Mahāśumata then asked the Dharma
preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta, ‘O sublime being, how many times have you heard
questions and answers on such matters from the Thus-Gone One?’

“Mahāsthāmaprāpta replied, ‘That is something it would be extremely
difficult to believe, so do not ask me about it! Furthermore, it is
extremely difficult to believe for those who have not actualized
extraordinary physical qualities.’

“But Mahāśumata repeated the same question a second and a third
time: ‘O sublime being, how many times have you heard questions and answers
on such matters from the Thus-Gone One? Mahāsthāmaprāpta simply answered,
‘Do not ask me about that!

“ ‘If you have not understood, I will now illustrate this for you
through an analogy, for when something is illustrated with an analogy,
intelligent people understand. Monk, the dispositions of sentient beings
whom I heard about from the thus-gone one King of All Qualities’ Light Rays
are far more numerous than the atoms in the earth. Monk, imagine that all
the kinds of sentient beings present throughout the trichiliocosm—those that
have a form, those that have no form, those that have perception, those that
have no perception, and those that have neither perception nor
nonperception—obtained a human body and possessed the power of insight. Imagine that
each of them repeatedly asked—as quickly as a snap of the fingers—as many
questions as the grains of sand in the Ganges river, and that all those
sentient beings present in the universes of the ten directions asked those
many questions for an eon or even longer. Furthermore, imagine that in every
moment—as quickly as a snap of the fingers—each single person asked all the
other persons’ different questions, and that each person asked all those
infinite, various questions of other sentient beings for an eon or even
longer. If this were the case, what do you think—how numerous would those
questions be?’

“ ‘There would be so many questions that their number could hardly
be illustrated,’ answered Mahāśumata.

“Mahāsthāmaprāpta continued, ‘I am now telling you the truth, so do
not entertain any doubts. Compared to all the doubts and questions expressed
by all those sentient beings for an eon or even longer, the answers related
to a single Dharma teaching that I heard from the Thus-Gone One were much
more numerous. The same logic applies with respect to two, three, four,
five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, ten
thousand, or a hundred thousand Dharma teachings. Monk, to explain this in
summary, the names and letters of that number would be uncountable,
infinite, and inconceivable. Nevertheless, I recited and embraced all of
them. And yet, monk, I clearly understand that all those questions are
contained within a single Dharma teaching. This consists of the words of
the path, the words of the gateways, the words of the seals, the fundamental
words, the vajra-like words, the important words, the unshakable words, and
the unfathomable words spoken by the thus-gone one King of All Qualities’
Light Rays. Monk, all the Dharma teachings are included within a single
gateway. Since all the Dharma teachings and all their words are gateways
free of formations, that gateway acts as the basis for them and therefore
everything will be accessed through that gateway. All the discourses and
aphorisms, moreover, are accessed through that gateway, just as a single
syllable, by being grammatically inflected, can form many different words.
Monk, similarly, this teaching accesses all the seventy-eight thousand
gateways of the dhāraṇīs. In this regard, there are also ninety-two thousand
different types of faculties. From the perspective of the conduct of
sentient beings there are also eighty thousand types of physical
complexion. I
know the names of all those physical complexions, differentiated in terms of
the particularities of the path. Each of those physical complexions has one
hundred names. They have two hundred, three hundred, and up to one hundred
thousand different names, and I know all of them. I also know all the
different references and names, from those found within the world to those
found beyond the buddhafields of the ten directions. In short, through the
power of the Thus-Gone One, through the power of the blessings of the
thus-gone one King of All Qualities’ Light Rays, I clearly know all the
particularities of the different Dharma teachings, as well as all the
particular questions and answers related to them.’

“Pūrṇa, the monk Mahāśumata then requested of the Dharma preacher
Mahāsthāmaprāpta, ‘Sublime being, later, when you go to villages, cities,
and towns, please turn the Dharma wheel that the thus-gone one King of All
Qualities’ Light Rays taught. Please grant me my request! I will guard that
Dharma and study it.’

“Mahāsthāmaprāpta replied, ‘All the monks living today have become
lazy and indolent. They are not motivated by virtue, so do not ask for such
a thing!’

“Mahāśumata then said, ‘From now on, I will give rise to the
extraordinary resolve of engaging in virtue and pursuing that Dharma. I will
not be lazy!’

“Pūrṇa, accordingly, when Mahāsthāmaprāpta entered villages,
cities, and towns, the monk Mahāśumata supplicated him to expound the
authentic Dharma. Then he guarded that Dharma that he had never heard before
and studied it attentively. Pūrṇa, at that time, the monk Mahāśumata was
venerated and served by many beings. They all said that he was guarding his
discipline, that he was wise, and that he possessed the infinite and supreme
qualities of erudition. At that time, when the monk Mahāśumata went to
villages, cities, and towns, he led many sentient beings to the authentic
Dharma. Furthermore, in order to propagate the teachings of the Buddha, he
proclaimed the praises of the Dharma preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta. Pūrṇa, the
monk Mahāśumata inspired many beings and caused them to serve, venerate, and
protect the Dharma preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta, in order that they would
worship and listen to the sublime Dharma.

“Pūrṇa, the monk Mahāśumata also looked after the Dharma preacher
Mahāsthāmaprāpta. Later, when he went to villages, cities, and towns, he
explained extensively and through various methods the awakening that the
thus-gone one King of All Qualities’ Light Rays had accomplished over the
course of countless eons. This teaching was thereby propagated on a vast
scale. Pūrṇa, the monk Mahāśumata followed the Dharma preacher
Mahāsthāmaprāpta for one hundred years. He constantly asked him questions
about the Dharma, and he always received new and different teachings that
were never repeated. Pūrṇa, since the monk Mahāśumata
carefully looked after the Dharma preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta, innumerable
sentient beings were introduced to the noble teachings, and all of them were
established in the awakening of the buddhas.

“Pūrṇa, the Dharma preacher Mahāsthāmaprāpta who guarded and
expounded the sublime Dharma at that time was the bodhisattva Maitreya
himself. Do not think that this was someone else. Pūrṇa, furthermore,
through the power of the merit gathered by looking after, supplicating, and
accompanying the Dharma preacher, after he passed away, the monk Mahāśumata
was reborn in the tenth universe in the direction of the nadir, within the
field of the thus-gone one known as Supreme Assembly. There he requested
that Thus-Gone One to teach the discourse known as Eliminating the Doubts of All Beings. At that time, the
Thus-Gone One expressed his approval one hundred thousand times and then
taught him the discourse called The Gateway to the
Compendium and Source of All Dharma Teachings. As he taught this
discourse, countless sentient beings gave rise to the mind set on
unsurpassed and perfect awakening, and genuinely engaged in that
attitude.

“Pūrṇa, after that when the monk Mahāśumata passed away again, he
was reborn in the presence of the thus-gone one called Sumeru, from whom he
requested the discourse called The Compendium and
Source of All Dharmas. At that time, that thus-gone one
expressed his approval one hundred thousand times and taught him the
discourse called The Gateway to the Compendium and
Source of All Dharmas. As he taught this discourse, countless
sentient beings became certain to attain unsurpassed and perfect
awakening.

“Then, after he had passed away again, he was reborn in the
presence of the thus-gone one called Merurāja, from whom he requested the
discourse called The Gateway of All Dharmas.
At that
time, that thus-gone one expressed his approval one hundred thousand times
and taught him in detail the discourse called The
Gateway of All Dharmas. As he taught this discourse, countless
sentient beings became certain to attain unsurpassed and perfect
awakening.

“Then, after he had passed away once more, he was reborn in the
presence of the thus-gone one called Brahmaghoṣa, from whom he requested the
discourse called The Compendium of All Dharmas.
At that time, that thus-gone one expressed his approval one hundred thousand
times and taught him in detail the discourse called The
Compendium of All Dharmas. As he taught this discourse,
countless sentient beings became certain to attain unsurpassed and perfect
awakening.

“Pūrṇa, the monk Mahāśumata requested many discourses as he came
into the presence of all those buddhas, meeting one thus-gone one after
another. He saved sentient beings and established them in the state of
unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Even if I were to speak for eons or even
longer, it would not be enough time to mention the names of all those many
buddhas, or to mention all those sentient beings who were established within
the state of unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Pūrṇa, indescribable is the
number of teachings preserved by the monk Mahāśumata, which were taught to
him by those thus-gone ones—those buddhas as numerous as the grains of sand
in the Ganges river—who were present in those worlds or had passed into complete nirvāṇa. Pūrṇa, you should
therefore understand that bodhisattva great beings will attain such vast
qualities if they contemplate the meaning of previously unheard Dharma
teachings.

“Pūrṇa, the monk Mahāśumata who, at that time, received Dharma
teachings that he had never heard before from the Dharma preacher
Mahāsthāmaprāpta, and then followed their meaning, was the
bodhisattva
Kauverdu himself. Do not
think that this was someone else. At that time, the monk Mahāśumata guarded
the authentic Dharma, received Dharma teachings that he had never heard
before, followed their meaning, and did not cling to their words. As a
consequence, he came into the presence of many buddhas and received many
excellent and profound discourses from them. Due to those previous roots of
virtue, he has now requested from me the discourse called The Oceanic Dharma Teaching That Subsumes All Dharma
Teachings. I have taught it to him, and countless beings have
thereby been greatly benefitted.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered
these verses to explain that point:

“When bodhisattvas hear a Dharma teaching

That they have not heard before,

They should contemplate its meaning, and not object,

‘I have never heard such a teaching before.’

“When they hear a Dharma teaching that they have not heard before,

If they contemplate its meaning with genuine recollection,

Their insight will increase,

Just like a waterfall pouring into an ocean.

“Both their erudition and insight

Will increase,

And they will perform the deeds of the buddhas,

Benefitting sentient beings on a vast scale.

“Their level of erudition will become as vast as an ocean,

And their insight will never be exhausted.

Understanding clearly the meaning of the words,

They will become preeminent beings.

“Therefore, bodhisattvas should listen

To Dharma teachings that they have never heard before.

If they do so, they will experience

Such a karmic maturation.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, bodhisattva great beings should become
determined to pursue erudition, and they must form the aspiration to remain
in isolated places. Then, they should pursue unsurpassed and perfect
awakening one-pointedly and with persistent diligence. In order to abandon
anger, they should cultivate love. In order to abandon desire, they should
meditate on repulsiveness. In order to abandon ignorance, they should
meditate on dependent origination.

“Pūrṇa, what is the diligence of bodhisattvas? How does a
bodhisattva cultivate diligence? Pūrṇa, if you think that, for an eon or for
less than an eon, bodhisattvas should constantly cultivate their diligence
whenever they are walking or sitting, this is not what is meant by
authentic diligence. Even if, for an eon or for
less than an eon, bodhisattvas maintain pure discipline, practice
austerities, and observe ascetic practices, if they become attached to the
objects that they apprehend and so are disconnected from the true nature of
phenomena, this is not what is meant by authentic
diligence.”

“Blessed One,” asked the venerable Pūrṇa, “what is the authentic
diligence of bodhisattvas that is praised by the thus-gone ones and that is
not criticized by the wise ones within the world?”

“Pūrṇa,” replied the Blessed One, “⁽¹⁾ take the case of
bodhisattvas who hear for the first time a profound discourse related to
emptiness, which is utterly free from conceptual marks and in harmony with
the ultimate. If, in order to make its meaning clearly understood, without
any conflict or contradiction, those bodhisattvas properly listen to it,
accept it, read it, recite it, and teach it to others on a vast scale with
persistent diligence, this is what is meant by the authentic
diligence of bodhisattvas. If bodhisattvas possess this first
quality, their progress toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening will be
irreversible.

“⁽²⁾ When they hear profound discourses that they have never heard
before, bodhisattvas should clearly understand their meaning. Such a
diligence, free from conflict or contradiction, will be praised by the
buddhas and will not be criticized by the wise ones within the world. Therefore, Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas should don
the armor that is expressed in these thoughts: ‘I shall reach the depths
that worldly beings cannot reach. I will not sink in those places where
worldly sentient beings are sinking. I will not perish in those places where
worldly sentient beings are perishing. Why is it so? The armor that I wear
does not accord with the mundane. I am wearing this armor in order to
abandon worldly concerns. I am not wearing this armor to indulge in worldly
concerns; I am instead wearing it in order to avoid indulging in worldly
concerns. I am not wearing this armor to chase after worldly concerns; I am
instead wearing it in order to counteract worldly concerns.’ Pūrṇa, giving
rise to such an attitude is known as the authentic diligence of
the bodhisattva great beings. If bodhisattvas possess this
second quality, their progress toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening will
be irreversible.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses to explain that point:

“Bodhisattvas who pursue the Dharma

Always cultivate diligence

And contemplate the true meaning,

Rather than chasing mere terminology.

“Bodhisattvas do not follow mere words;

But to understand

That phenomena are empty,

They still pursue virtuous statements.

“Even if they were to sit continuously day and night,

For many billions of countless eons,

Cultivating the mind set on awakening

And practicing austerities,

“If they were to distrust new discourses they had never heard,

They would not be diligent.

By contrast, those who reach the profound meaning

Should never be called lazy.

“Diligence such as this

Is praised by all the buddhas.

Bodhisattvas reach the depths

That worldly beings cannot reach.

“Bodhisattvas do not fear
or become disheartened

In the way that worldly beings do.

Instead, with a diligent mind,

They constantly pursue void and isolated awakening.

“Since they are without fear of empty phenomena,

They are also beyond turning back and recoiling.

It is from dwelling on the characteristics of self and phenomena

That fear and discouragement arise.

“Thus, all phenomena disintegrate and disperse.

This knowledge is called the path of awakening.

Those who give rise to persistent diligence

Will swiftly achieve an ocean of erudition.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “⁽³⁾ bodhisattvas
should also be experts in the five aggregates, twelve sense sources,
eighteen elements, and twelve links of dependent origination. If they are
experts in the five aggregates, twelve sense sources, eighteen elements, and
twelve links of dependent origination, they will realize nonabiding wisdom
and will therefore no longer think about or conceptualize anything. Because
they no longer think about or conceptualize anything, when they teach the
Dharma to sentient beings, all views will be eliminated, and the view of the
transitory collection will be overcome. If bodhisattvas possess this third
quality, their progress toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening will be
irreversible.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“Bodhisattvas know that the five aggregates

And twelve sense sources are empty.

They understand the divisions of the eighteen elements

As well as the twelve links of dependent origination.

“They do not chase after the five aggregates,

And they know that the body has no true nature.

They understand that the nature

Of all the outer and inner sense sources is empty.

“By understanding these phenomena in that way

And teaching it to others,

The insight of these bodhisattvas

Will vastly increase.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “⁽⁴⁾
bodhisattva great beings train properly, with discipline and in accordance
with the way monastic discipline is taught, without ever letting these
trainings decline. How do bodhisattvas train in discipline? Training in all
Dharma teachings is referred to as training in the discipline of a
bodhisattva. Why is that so? Because, Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas who
train in all Dharma teachings will attain omniscience. By understanding
Dharma teachings, they will attain nonconceptual insight, and through this
nonconceptual insight, they will understand everything. How will
bodhisattvas understand everything? They will clearly understand all inner
and outer entities.

“Pūrṇa, why do we speak of inner entities?
Inner refers to everything in one’s experience to
which one can be attached. For example, the inner body arises on the basis
of the twelve links of dependent origination, and it exists as a mere label
on the relative level. ‘This is an eye,’ ‘This is an ear,’ ‘This is the
nose,’ ‘This is the tongue,’ ‘This is the body,’ ‘This is the mental
faculty.’ All things called as such are said to be
inner. They are called inner
because ordinary beings cling to these phenomena. Even though they may say,
‘I will obtain such an eye,’ the eye is devoid of formation. Similarly, even
though they may say, ‘I will obtain such an ear, nose, tongue, body, and
mental faculty,’ the ears, nose, tongue, body, and mental faculty are all
devoid of formation. However, since karmic conditions and ripening manifest
there, they are said to be inner. Out of clinging to
their particularities, ordinary beings will then say, ‘This is an eye,’
‘This is an ear,’ ‘This is the nose,’ ‘This is the tongue,’ ‘This is the
body,’ and ‘This is the mental faculty.’ All these are said to be
inner.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, the formation of two things called
inner is untrue
and
deceptive.
Immature ordinary beings grasp at them, which leads first to appropriation,
and then to conflict. Pūrṇa, on the other hand, the thus-gone ones
understand these things as they truly are from the very beginning, and
therefore do not cling to them. How do the thus-gone ones understand these
things as they are, and how do they not cling to them? They are not biased
toward these phenomena. In what way are they not biased? They do not develop
the bias of thinking, ‘This eye is binding me to saṃsāra.’ They are also not
biased toward the absence of an eye. They are also not biased toward the
ears, nose, tongue, body, or mental faculty, nor are they biased toward
their absence. Why is that so? Because, Pūrṇa, the thus-gone ones do not
conceive of such phenomena as being either inner or
outer, and this is the reason why they are not
biased toward them.

“The thus-gone ones speak the truth, so they say, ‘Monks, an eye is
neither self nor other. Why is it so? Because its essential nature cannot be
apprehended. What is an eye? To whom does the eye belong? What are the ears,
nose, tongue, body, and mental faculty? To whom do they belong? Their
essential nature cannot be apprehended.’

“Pūrṇa, if you now carefully investigate the eyes as well as the
ears, nose, tongue, body, and mental faculty, you will not cling to or
appropriate any of them. Why not? Because, the more one appropriates
phenomena, the more one generates suffering; and as a consequence, happiness
will vanish. Therefore, Pūrṇa, the more there is clinging to phenomena, the
more suffering will be experienced, and someone who experiences suffering
will not be able to abandon it. Therefore, Pūrṇa, this is known as
the investigation into the absence of a basis of engagement
for the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mental faculty.
Why? Because, Pūrṇa, if there is a basis of engagement, there is also a
basis of arising. Therefore, the thus-gone ones say, ‘The eye is empty: it
is neither I nor mine; such is
naturally the case. Similarly, the ears, nose, tongue, body, and mental
faculty are empty: they are neither I nor
mine; such being naturally the case, they are
devoid of essential nature. This absence of essential nature is beyond
formation and disintegration.’ Pūrṇa, this natural state and essential
nature always remains the same, whether the thus-gone ones appear or
not.

“Even though phenomena arise, the thus-gone ones understand them to
be unborn. Therefore, since they speak the truth, the thus-gone ones say,
‘This essential nature always remains the same, whether the thus-gone ones
appear or not.’ Pūrṇa, why is it said that phenomena are
unborn, and why do we speak of the wisdom
of the unborn? Pūrṇa, the sameness of all phenomena is
described as the unborn, while the path is referred to
as the wisdom of the unborn. The end of suffering is
described as the unborn, while the path is referred to
as the wisdom of the unborn. The thus-gone ones have
said that there are two truths, the relative and ultimate truths. Pūrṇa, the
thus-gone ones have said that when they teach about the
characteristics of suffering, they point to an
absence of characteristics. What is meant by the characteristics
of suffering? This points to the characteristics of
unconditioned phenomena. The characteristic of the unconditioned is an
absence of characteristics, so the wise ones clearly understand that the
unconditioned is devoid of characteristics.

“Pūrṇa, how do the wise ones clearly understand
that unconditioned phenomena are devoid of characteristics? They understand
that unconditioned phenomena are empty and detached, that they are objects
of refuge, that they bring supreme benefits, and that they are beyond
torments. Although the wise ones clearly understand unconditioned phenomena
in that way, their wisdom is devoid of the conceptual mark of arising.
Pūrṇa, since the wise ones have abandoned all conceptual marks, they will
reach the supreme, sacred goal, beyond formation and disintegration. Pūrṇa,
that which is composed will disintegrate, but that which is not composed
cannot disintegrate. The characteristic of that which cannot disintegrate is
emptiness. The characteristic of that which cannot disintegrate is
signlessness. The characteristic of that which cannot disintegrate is
wishlessness. Pūrṇa, the inseparability of being neither composed nor
destroyed by anything is known as the characteristic of the
indestructible, unsurpassed, and perfect awakening of the thus-gone
ones. What is the unsurpassed and perfect awakening of the
thus-gone ones? It is the thus-gone ones’ nonapprehension.”

“Blessed One,” asked the venerable Pūrṇa, “what is the thus-gone
ones’ nonapprehension?”

“Pūrṇa,” replied the Blessed One, “all phenomena are the thus-gone
ones’ nonapprehension.”

“Blessed One, if this were the case, all phenomena would be the
awakening of the buddhas!”

“Thus it is, Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One. “All phenomena are
the awakening of the buddhas, but this awakening itself is not referred to
as all phenomena. When it is said that all
phenomena are the awakening of the buddhas, this is a
mere designation, expressed on the relative level. It is difficult for lazy
people to understand and see this. Why is it so? Because lazy people do not
actualize the sameness of phenomena, and those for whom things are not the
same are in conflict with the buddhas. Pūrṇa, who are they who do not
actualize the sameness of phenomena? Pūrṇa, no worldly beings actualize the
sameness of phenomena. The awakening of the buddhas is beyond both sameness
and difference. Pūrṇa, I have fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect
buddhahood through this path. Therefore, I have taught in these discourses
that all phenomena, from the perspective of true reality, entirely partake
of the definitive mode; they are therefore said to have definitely entered
the gateway of awakening. Pūrṇa, for this reason, all Dharma teachings are said to
be awakening.”

“Blessed One,” said the venerable Pūrṇa, “the unsurpassed and
perfect awakening of the thus-gone ones is both definite and indefinite. It
both relates to and does not relate to letters, words, and phrases. This is
truly amazing! Why is it so? Because, Blessed One, by receiving this
discourse from you, I have now reached the light of certainty with respect
to all Dharma teachings. Blessed One, by reaching the light of certainty
with respect to Dharma teachings, I now understand all matters based on a
single one, and I also understand each individual matter based on the
entirety.”

“Pūrṇa,” said the Blessed One, “the fact that you have penetrated
the meaning of all the Dharma teachings of the Buddha in such a swift manner
is excellent, excellent! You should know that this is the
consequence of your having attended many buddhas in the past by worshiping
them, venerating them, and creating roots of virtue in relation to them, as
well as by asking them questions. Pūrṇa, I remember that in the past, in the
heavens here in this world, you have heard this
discourse from sixty-eight thousand buddhas. Through the power of the causes
and conditions formed by the qualities of the roots of virtue of hearing
this teaching, you have reached the light of certainty with respect to the
Dharma.”

“Blessed One,” asked Pūrṇa, “if it is the case that I have heard
this discourse from many buddhas in the past, why is it that I do not have
the slightest recollection of unsurpassed and perfect awakening?”

“Pūrṇa,” replied the Blessed One, “I remember that in the past, you
gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening for an eon,
but you later turned away from it and let your motivation deteriorate.
Nevertheless, through the causes and conditions generated by that merit, I
now proclaim you to be the best among all Dharma preachers here.”

“Blessed One,” Pūrṇa continued, “what kind of nonvirtuous actions
did I commit in the past to have turned away from the mind set on
unsurpassed and perfect awakening, and to have let my motivation deteriorate
after having given rise to it for an eon?”

“Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “you turned away from
unsurpassed and perfect awakening and let your motivation deteriorate
because you relied on nonvirtuous friends and because you did not
disseminate the sublime Dharma on a vast scale.

“Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas adopt four attitudes, they will become
followers of the Hearers’ Vehicle after having turned away from unsurpassed
and perfect awakening and having let their motivation deteriorate. What are
the four?

“⁽¹⁾ When bodhisattvas rely on evil, nonvirtuous friends, they will
abandon the roots of virtue. Those nonvirtuous friends will tell them, ‘What
need is there to give rise to the mind set on awakening? The end of saṃsāra is so far
away! Since beings are born in a continuous succession as one of the five
types of migrators and experience immeasurable suffering, it is extremely
rare to experience the states in which there is freedom. It is extremely
rare for buddhas to have appeared, and rare to encounter them. It is
extremely rare to develop sincere faith. Even if one has encountered a
buddha, it is exceedingly difficult to renounce one’s household and go forth
as a monk. For these reasons, do not waste the freedom that you have now!
The thus-gone ones have not prophesied that you will awaken to unsurpassed
and perfect buddhahood. Your roots of virtue are also uncertain, so you will
not reach complete nirvāṇa, and you will continue to circle as one of the
five types of migrators.’ Upon hearing those words, these bodhisattvas will
become disheartened. They will then turn away from the path of awakening and
lose interest in it, out of laziness. Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas adopt this
first attitude, they will become followers of the Hearers’ Vehicle after
having turned away from unsurpassed awakening.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽²⁾ if bodhisattvas have not heard the
discourses that conform with the bodhisattva approach, such as the
discourses of the Bodhisattva Collection, the discourses on giving rise to
the mind set on awakening, the discourses that are compendia on the
activities of bodhisattvas, and the discourses that conform with the six
pāramitās, they will not practice in accordance with these teachings.
Because these bodhisattvas will not train in accordance with such teachings,
they will also not understand what is to be followed, what is to be
abandoned, what is to be adopted, what is not to be adopted, what is the
Dharma of the bodhisattvas, and what is the Dharma of the hearers. Because
these bodhisattvas will not be able to understand and discriminate in that
way, they will not follow what is proper, but instead will follow what is improper.
Because they will disregard what is proper and follow what is improper, they
will turn away from the mind set on the awakening of the buddhas, and they
will let their motivation deteriorate. As a consequence, they will become
disheartened and lazy, and they will abandon their previous aspirations.
Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas adopt this second attitude, they will become
followers of the Hearers’ Vehicle after having turned away from unsurpassed
awakening.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽³⁾ take the case of bodhisattvas who cling to
the existence of phenomena, grasp at the self, entertain wrong views, fall
into views that hold on to extremes, sink into inappropriate, negative
behaviors, and have difficulties correcting these faults. Even if these
bodhisattvas hear the profound discourses that conform with the profound
ultimate meaning, they will not develop even the slightest sign of trust in
those teachings. Instead, they will oppose them and fail to develop a clear
understanding of them. If these bodhisattvas then commit wrongdoings that
undermine the authentic Dharma, this will create the causes and conditions
for them to be reborn within the states where there is no freedom. As a
consequence, they will not encounter any buddhas, they will not hear the
sublime Dharma, they will not receive instructions from the buddhas, and
they will not meet virtuous friends. Because these bodhisattvas will not
meet any buddhas, they will not hear the authentic Dharma and will therefore
not receive instructions from the buddhas. Because they will not receive
instructions from the buddhas, they will not meet virtuous friends and will
therefore be disconnected from the states in which there is freedom and
instead will take rebirth within the states where there is no freedom.
Because these bodhisattvas will be reborn within the states where there is
no freedom, they will not connect with virtuous friends but instead will
encounter nonvirtuous friends. By following those nonvirtuous friends, they
will forget and cast aside their previous commitments, thereby abandoning the mind
set on awakening. By abandoning the vehicle of the bodhisattvas, they will
turn away from it. Then, having completely lost the mind directed toward
awakening, they will exclusively engage in saṃsāric affairs, and will not
accomplish the Dharma related to the conduct of the Great Vehicle. Pūrṇa, if
bodhisattvas adopt this third attitude, they will become followers of the
Hearers’ Vehicle after having turned away from unsurpassed awakening.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽⁴⁾ even if bodhisattvas have heard such
discourses, some of them may fail to teach them altruistically to others.
Instead they are timid, prefer their own company, or feel miserliness
regarding the Dharma, without a wish to teach others. Consequently, they do
not attract other beings on a vast scale through the Dharma. Such
bodhisattvas will, through the causes and conditions of these nonvirtuous
roots, allow their insight and recollection to completely deteriorate. Due
to the deterioration of their insight and recollection, they will not read
or recite those discourses with others, and they will not be in harmony with
others through the Dharma. As a consequence, as soon as they take on new
bodies, they will cast aside the mind set on awakening and forget about the
bodhisattva attitude. Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas adopt this fourth attitude,
they will become followers of the Hearers’ Vehicle after having turned away
from unsurpassed awakening.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these
verses to explain this clearly:

“If bodhisattvas rely on nonvirtuous friends

And do not strive to reach awakening,

Then, through such causes and conditions,

The mind set on unsurpassed awakening will be lost.

“By developing the harmful belief in a self,

They will fall into extremes and other types of wrong views.

By committing negative actions that undermine the Dharma,

They will be reborn within the states with no freedom.

“Once born within those states with no freedom,

They will discontinue the mind set on awakening

And cast aside their previous commitments.

As a consequence, they will let the mind set on awakening weaken.

“Thus they will not hear Dharma teachings

Related to the arising of the mind set on awakening.

If such an attitude develops in them,

Even if they have practiced the mind set on awakening

“And heard the sacred Dharma extensively,

They will not be inclined to teach it to others, out of miserliness.

Through such causes and conditions,

They will turn away from the path of awakening.

“Bodhisattvas who pursue the Great Vehicle

Should understand these four attitudes.

If they understand these four attitudes,

The mind set on awakening will be born in them.

“Therefore, if they meditate on emptiness

After having resolutely abandoned

Those four evil attitudes,

They will follow virtuous friends.

“Those who have heard such discourses

Should resolutely teach them to others,

Without any sense of miserliness.

Awakening will manifest on that basis.

“Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “if bodhisattvas possess four
qualities, they will not turn away from the mind set on awakening and will
not let their roots of virtue deteriorate, in accordance with their
dedication prayers. What are the four? ⁽¹⁾ Bodhisattvas accomplish their
aims by carefully observing pure discipline, ⁽²⁾ they are mindful and
possess insight, ⁽³⁾ they strive with a diligent attitude and do not succumb
to laziness, and ⁽⁴⁾ they acquire an excellent wealth of erudition and
develop their insight. Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas possess these four qualities,
they will not turn away from the mind set on awakening and will not let
their roots of virtue deteriorate, in accordance with their dedication
prayers.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses to explain those points clearly:

“Guarding one’s discipline,

Possessing deep and far-reaching recollection,

Striving with a diligent attitude,

And being adorned by erudition and insight—

“If bodhisattvas continuously rely

On these four qualities,

They will fully achieve

Everything they wish for.

“Therefore, bodhisattvas should always guard their discipline

And maintain a persistent diligence.

They should never interrupt their recollection of the Dharma,

And always pursue erudition.

“By guarding their discipline, they will be reborn within pure
abodes.

Through recollection, they will refine their insight.

Through diligence, they will train in the Dharma of the Buddha.

Through erudition, great insight will be born in them.

“Bodhisattvas should therefore

Train in these qualities.

If they train in these qualities,

They will turn the unsurpassed wheel.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, if bodhisattvas possess four qualities, this
will help them reach awakening. What are the four? ⁽¹⁾ Guarding their
discipline is a quality that helps them reach awakening, ⁽²⁾ cultivating
patience is a quality that helps them reach awakening, ⁽³⁾ developing their
diligence is a quality that helps them reach awakening, and ⁽⁴⁾ erudition is
a quality that helps them reach awakening. Pūrṇa, these four qualities are
known as aids for reaching awakening.” At that moment,
the Blessed One uttered these verses to explain
those points clearly:

“Guarding their discipline will help bodhisattvas

To reach awakening.

The same goes for diligence,

Patience, and erudition.

“Those who guard the purity of their discipline

Will see all their aspirations fulfilled.

Since a pure discipline brings so many benefits,

Reaching awakening will not be difficult.

“Bodhisattvas who cultivate patience

Will achieve the physical marks and develop insight.

Therefore, those who cultivate patience intensively

Will achieve the marks of the buddhas and accumulate a treasure of
insight.

“Similarly, diligence is a great help

On the path toward awakening;

Reaching awakening will not be difficult

For those who constantly develop their diligence.

“Erudition is also a great help;

Reaching awakening will not be difficult

For those who strictly rely on the Dharma after hearing it,

And abandon that which conflicts with it.

“These four qualities are like seeds,

And awakening will grow from them.

Therefore, bodhisattvas should rely

On these factors that support the Dharma.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, if bodhisattva great beings possess another
four qualities, they will obtain a perfect physical appearance, perfect
enjoyments, and a perfect retinue. They will never be born within the evil,
nonvirtuous states in which there is no freedom. They will always encounter
the buddhas and will always be highly praised by them. What are the four
qualities?

“⁽¹⁾ Bodhisattvas do not manifest any aggression and do not harm
any sentient being, because they cultivate love. Pūrṇa, how is it that
bodhisattvas do not manifest any aggression and do not harm any sentient
being because they cultivate love? When bodhisattvas cultivate love, they do
so with the intention of protecting sentient beings. Therefore, when they
perceive the physical or mental suffering of sentient beings, they think,
‘Through persistent diligence, I will liberate these beings from their
saṃsāric sufferings and bring them happiness. Through my guidance, I will
free them from their sufferings in saṃsāra!’ Having given rise to such an
attitude, they then diligently train in the six perfections—the perfections
of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight.
Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas gain mastery over the six perfections through the
perfection of insight. What is the perfection of insight of bodhisattvas?
How do they develop persistent diligence through the perfection of
insight?

“Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas reflect and investigate in this way: ‘What are
the phenomena called I and mine?’
When they reflect and investigate in that way, they realize, ‘I cannot find
any phenomenon that could be called I or
mine.’ In this way they conclude that there is
neither I nor mine to be found
within phenomena. Since bodhisattvas are free from clinging to
I and mine, they clearly
understand that bodies are empty; and therefore they conclude that, since
bodies are empty, sentient beings are also empty. Why?
Because they think that, if even the phenomena they had believed to be
I and mine are empty, then it
goes without saying that the same applies to sentient beings. Since
bodhisattvas are free from clinging to I and
mine, they will therefore know that sentient beings
are empty. Since sentient beings are empty, bodhisattvas will know that the
aggregate of form is also empty. Since the aggregate of form is empty, they
will know that the aggregates of feeling, perception, formations, and
consciousness are also empty. Since bodhisattvas are free from clinging to
I and mine, they will know
that bodies are empty. Since bodies are empty, they will know that sentient
beings are also empty. Since sentient beings are empty, they will know that
the aggregates are also empty. Since the aggregates are empty, they will
know that the elements of earth, water, fire,
wind, space, and consciousness are also empty. They will conclude that the
earth element is empty of the characteristics of the earth element, and that
the elements of water, fire, wind, space, and
consciousness are also empty of their respective characteristics. Thus they
will understand that the elements are devoid of
agent and action, that there is also no awakening, and that something devoid
of agent must be empty.

“Pūrṇa, since these bodhisattvas have abandoned clinging to
I and mine, they will know
that bodies are emptiness. Since bodies are empty, they will know that
sentient beings are also emptiness. Since sentient beings are empty, they
will know that the aggregates are also emptiness. Since the aggregates are
empty, they will know that the elements are also emptiness. Since the
elements are empty, they will know that the sense sources are also
emptiness. Since the sense sources are empty, they will know that the
characteristics of the sense sources are also empty, and that the sense
sources are devoid of agent and action. They will then conclude that
something devoid of agent and action is empty.

“Pūrṇa, in that manner, bodhisattvas perceive all phenomena as
being emptiness. When they perceive all phenomena as being
empty, they do not view any phenomenon as essentially being a basis for
developing anger. Pūrṇa, this is known as the great love of the
bodhisattva great beings, the love that knows that
bodies are empty, the love that knows that sentient
beings are empty, and the love that knows that the
aggregates, sense sources, and elements are empty. Such a
cultivation of love is known as the cultivation of love that
understands the emptiness of all phenomena. Pūrṇa, it is also
known as the cultivation of the great love of
bodhisattvas.

“With a mind free from clinging to I and
mine, bodhisattvas give rise to a resolute
aspiration to reach unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Since they have
developed great compassion for sentient beings, they don the great armor in
order to induce an understanding of the true characteristics of phenomena in
those who do not understand them. This is known as the great
compassionate conduct of bodhisattvas. Since they think, ‘I
will protect them,’ this is known as love. Since they
think, ‘I will guide them,’ this is known as
compassion. Bodhisattvas who possess such a great love
are the protectors, refuges, supports, havens, and saviors of sentient
beings. Therefore, bodhisattvas should cultivate such great love. This
freedom from attachment and aggression toward sentient beings is known as
the bodhisattvas’ angerless love for empty sentient
beings.

“Pūrṇa, when bodhisattvas are introduced to the absence of arising
and ceasing of phenomena by means of love, freedom, and emptiness, that is
known as the bodhisattvas’ cultivation of great love.
Bodhisattvas who completely realize phenomena in this way will never be
harmed by Māra or by his entourage. Bodhisattvas who possess this first quality sever
the fetters that obscure all excellent qualities. Because they sever the
fetters that obscure such qualities, they will attain all the perfections of
sameness.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses to explain this clearly:

“Continuously understanding

That the aggregates, elements,

And sense sources are devoid of self,

Bodhisattvas cultivate love and the view of emptiness.

“Decidedly, neither an I nor a
mine

Can be apprehended as phenomena.

Since no phenomena can be apprehended,

Bodhisattvas cultivate the attitude of love.

“They do not dwell on phenomena,

Yet that is not a non-dwelling.

This is the path of the buddhas.

It is known as not dwelling on phenomena.

“Those who have developed unsurpassed patience

Accept the true characteristics of phenomena.

They completely realize their meaning—

The absence of arising and ceasing of phenomena.

“If those endowed with great intelligence

Rely on this Dharma teaching,

They will permanently reach the excellent attainments

Of recall and eloquence.

“They will always encounter the buddhas

And understand the meaning of all Dharma teachings.

As a consequence, these bodhisattvas

Will attain unsurpassed awakening.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽²⁾ bodhisattva great beings worship the
reliquaries of the thus-gone ones with persistent diligence. They
respectfully offer them flowers, perfumes, garlands, ointments, fragrant
powders, parasols, flags, and music, as well as various other kinds of
excellent offerings. Bodhisattvas who possess this second quality will
achieve all excellent qualities.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered
these verses to explain this clearly:

“Bodhisattvas should pursue supreme insight,

While worshiping the reliquaries

Of those who possess a supreme mind,

By offering them the finest flowers, perfumes, flags, and parasols.

“Through this merit,

Their bodies will always be handsome.

They will be wealthy, affluent,

And surrounded by excellent retinues.

“They are certain to reach the state of awakening,

And will always observe the Dharma.

Throughout all their lives,

Their qualities will expand and become supreme.

“They will be revered by kings,

They will always be remembered by gods and nāgas,

And they will be respected

By all sentient beings.

“Since they worship

The past and present buddhas,

They will themselves be worshiped throughout all their lives,

And they will never be reborn within the states that lack freedom.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽³⁾ bodhisattva great beings always diligently
worship the Dharma. What is meant by Dharma? And how do
they worship the Dharma? Dharma refers to the four
applications of mindfulness, four relinquishments, four bases of miraculous
displays, five faculties, five powers, seven limbs of awakening, eight limbs
of the noble path, four concentrations, tranquility, insight, knowledge,
liberation, three doors of liberation, wisdom of exhaustion, and unborn
wisdom. How do they worship the Dharma? Worshiping the
Dharma consists in aspiring for the Dharma without
contradicting it, by practicing and following the teachings in accordance
with the way they are taught, and perfectly accomplishing them with
diligence. Furthermore, Pūrṇa, when we say, ‘worshiping the Dharma,’
Dharma refers to such discourses, and
worshiping the Dharma consists in trusting them,
contemplating them, analyzing them, following them, and not contradicting
them. Bodhisattvas who possess this third quality will achieve all excellent
qualities.” At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses to explain this clearly:

“Bodhisattvas should diligently worship the Dharma,

Follow it in the way it is taught,

And avoid mentally opposing the teachings

On profound emptiness when they hear them.

“Then their bodies will always be handsome,

And they will attain eloquence as well.

They will propagate far and wide

The Dharma teachings that I extol.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽⁴⁾ bodhisattva great beings worship the noble
assemblies of thus-gone ones with intense diligence by offering them
flowers, perfumes, garlands, fragrant powders, ointments, parasols, victory
banners, flags, clothing, food, drinks, bedding, medicines, other
necessities, temples, gardens, promenades, bathing ponds, wells, and
servants, as well as various other kinds of offerings. Bodhisattvas who
possess this fourth quality will achieve all excellent qualities.” At that
moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses to
explain this clearly:

“Bodhisattvas who worship the noble assemblies

With the most sublime offerings

Will, through the conditions produced by this merit,

Enjoy material possessions throughout all their lives.

“Their bodies will be handsome;

They will attain eloquence,

Develop excellent qualities,

And increase their insight.

“Because of their sincere worship

And their understanding of the absence of I and
mine,

They will, as a consequence,

Be worshiped throughout all their lives.

“If bodhisattvas constantly rely on these four qualities,

Which the buddhas praise,

They will, in all their lives, be born into honorable families,

And their excellent qualities will vastly increase.

This was the third chapter, Irreversible
Progress.

Chapter Four

The Possession of Roots of Virtue

“Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “if bodhisattva great beings
who are genuinely following the Great Vehicle constantly rely on and
familiarize themselves with four qualities, they will gather all virtues in
the most perfect manner, and they will possess all the roots of virtue. What
are the four?

“Pūrṇa, ⁽¹⁾ noble sons and daughters who have given rise to the
mind set on awakening within the Great Vehicle should rely on and cultivate
the practice of patience. As they cultivate patience, if their minds are in
a state of equanimity, they will attain the perfections of that profound
sameness, as well as the perfection of the sameness of all beings. When such
bodhisattvas are endowed with the perfection of the sameness of the mind and
the perfection of the sameness of wisdom—whether they are walking, standing,
sitting, lying down, sleeping, or awake—if someone comes along carrying a
vessel filled with urine, poison, hot liquid, garbage, fire, ashes,
excrement, or embers and pours the content of the vessel on their heads, or
strikes their limbs with full force, these bodhisattvas should avoid
becoming angry or resentful, thus becoming distracted and aggressive. They
should not even ask, ‘What did I do wrong?’ They should also not regard the
other person with hostility. Instead, they should tame their minds by
one-pointedly pursuing their Dharma practice, without losing a clear focus
on the aim of their practice. Such bodhisattvas will think, ‘When that
person comes to me carrying a vase filled with urine, poison, ashes, or
embers and tries to harm my body, my body is not hurt or injured by those
substances.’
Thus analyzing things in terms of their multiple causes and conditions,
bodhisattvas will then contemplate this matter in accordance with the way
things really are, asking themselves, ‘Who is pouring these substances on
me?’ ‘On whom are these substances poured?’ ‘What are the substances
poured?’ At that time, they will not find anyone who is the pourer, anyone
who is the recipient of this act, or anything that is poured. Contemplating
and investigating in this way with proper mindfulness, they will not find
any of these things, and they will therefore not apprehend or behold any
phenomenon. Because they do not apprehend or behold any phenomenon, they
will also not give rise to anger or resentment.

“Pūrṇa, despite the fact that they reflect in that way, if anger
and resentment nonetheless arise in the minds of these bodhisattvas, they
should think in this way, with genuine mindfulness: ‘Through the causes and
conditions of what tactile objects is my body hurt? Where did those tactile
objects touch me? Did they harm my body, or did they harm my mind? If it is
the case that they have harmed my body, since my body is like grass, like a
log, like gravel, like a stone, or like an image, it is devoid of concepts
and consciousness, and it is neither self nor other. If it is the case that
they have harmed my mind, since my mind has neither color nor shape, since
it arises and ceases every moment, and since it does not remain the same for
a single instant, it is also neither self nor other. Moreover, since it is
always false conceptual imputations that express statements such as, “this
is suffering,” “this is happiness,” and “this is neither suffering nor
happiness,” I will no longer give rise to such false conceptual imputations.
Instead, I will now perceive reality from the perspective of the genuine
characteristic of sameness and perform the activities of noble beings. I
will not engage in the activities of immature ordinary beings. What are the
activities of noble beings? Keeping a distance from and being liberated from
phenomena.
However, if I train in staying away from and avoiding phenomena, this will
in fact connect me to all those false concepts. To what will this approach
connect me? It will connect me to desire, anger, and ignorance. How will
this connect me to desire, anger, and ignorance? When someone experiences
physical pain, due to the delusion related to the body and to the view of
the transitory collection, and due to a strong clinging to this view of the
transitory collection, this person will become hostile to others. This is
known as connecting with anger. Because of the delusion
associated with the view of the transitory collection, and because of
strongly clinging to this view combined with the experience of unpleasant
circumstances, this person will become hostile to others. This is known as
connecting with ignorance. Those who are bound by
these three poisons and create the causes and conditions for such wrongdoing
will not be protected by the thus-gone ones, so surely not by anyone else
either. Hence I should think that I will now investigate these causal and
circumstantial phenomena properly and view them as being emptiness.’

“When bodhisattvas investigate such phenomena in terms of their
causes and conditions, by viewing them appropriately in this way, they will
also not find anyone who gives, anyone who receives, or anything that is
given. At that time, these bodhisattvas should think, ‘Since all phenomena
arise from a variety of causes and conditions, they are naturally empty from
the very beginning. So if they are empty and without any objective status
whatsoever, why would I create karmic actions in relation to such untrue
phenomena that cannot be apprehended? Why would I in this way create the
causes and conditions for further formations by giving rise to anger?
Without any anger or resentment, I must instead realize that phenomena are
unconditioned, nonarising, and unborn, and view them as having the nature of
emptiness. I will not follow after my mind, but instead, from now on, behold
unconditioned, nonarising, and unborn phenomena, without dwelling on
conditioned and manifest phenomena. I will contemplate phenomena as they
really are, and from now on I will ardently avoid perceiving that which is
inauthentic and nonexistent as being a phenomenon. Anger and resentment
consistently form what is inauthentic. Why is that? Because anger and
resentment are present whenever one dwells on phenomena having an essence.
However, within emptiness—the ultimately true characteristic of
phenomena—there is primordially no essence of phenomena to dwell upon.’ When
bodhisattvas contemplate phenomena in this way, their minds become
completely disengaged, and anger and resentment will no longer arise in
them.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, whenever bodhisattvas are walking, standing,
sitting, lying down, sleeping, or awake, if someone scatters fragrant
perfumes, fragrant powders, fragrant ointments, or the most sublime flowers
upon their bodies; or if someone covers their bodies with perfumes, the most
sublime types of flowers, necklaces, garlands of campaka, garlands of varṣika, or garlands made of many other types of
flowers; or if someone covers their bodies with the most sublime, refined,
and soft types of fabrics, like those from kāśī, kuśaka, kuśapa, kumapa, kuśayaśa, chuma, and kaba; or if someone hoists the most sublime types of
silken streamers, parasols, victory banners, and flags above them; or if
someone covers their bodies with divine flowers, perfumes, sublime types
of fabrics, and garlands of jewels; or if someone comes to them carrying the
most delectable, divine food, as delicious as nectar, and offers it to
them—in all such cases these bodhisattvas should not crave any of those
offerings because they are fond of such things. They should also not keep
company or become intimate with such people, walking around or conversing with them. They should also
not become attached to those people with a biased attitude.

“Rather, bodhisattvas should maintain an attitude of equanimity
toward such people. Realizing the sameness of all phenomena, they should
think, ‘I will not become angry at sentient beings or become attached to
them. Why not? Because both attachment and aversion are disturbing emotions.
Therefore, I will now properly realize the actual nature of phenomena,
without craving them. Why? Because, among all the disturbing emotions, those
connected to craving are the heaviest of all. This disturbing emotion
penetrates even to the bone and marrow, for among the things that can bind
beings, craving is what causes clinging. Why is it so? Because if we are
attached to something and our wishes are not fulfilled, we will also become
angry. Since beings are attached to their bodies, if someone harms them,
they become angry. Therefore, one should know that anger is a karmic
ripening that results from craving, while clinging is a karmic ripening that
results from ignorance. I will now discard this mind that is sullied by
craving and stop clinging to phenomena. I will no longer perpetuate the
manifestation of desire, anger, or ignorance. I will instead train
intensively in realizing the suchness of phenomena, thereby viewing the
characteristics of phenomena as they really are. In accordance with the
teachings, I will act properly and thus rely on the causes and conditions
that lead to karmic ripening. Knowing that the circumstances of both
veneration and hardship are conditioned by previous actions, I will delight
in conducive factors and never give rise to craving. I will purify my mind
without ever giving rise to anger, even toward those beings who oppose
virtue. I will eliminate ill will from my mind and never follow desire,
anger, or ignorance, or engage in negative actions.’ Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas who
possess this first quality will achieve all excellent qualities.” At that
moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses to
explain this clearly:

“I have always praised insight,

Guarding one’s discipline,

And cultivating patience,

As well as erudition.

“I have always praised the practices of virtue,

Love, and speaking with pleasant words,

As well as all the various kinds of qualities

That benefit sentient beings.

“I have always criticized the desires of the five senses,

As well as aggression, resentment, ignorance,

Envy, pride, deceit,

Conflict, and harming sentient beings.

“I have never praised

Laziness, indolence,

Rejecting advice, stubbornness,

Ingratitude, not repaying acts of kindness,

“Becoming extremely angry at minor misfortunes,

Being attached to gains,

Exceedingly enjoying personal gain,

And disliking the fortune of others.

“I have never praised narrow-mindedness,

Desire for personal gain,

Intense envy toward others’ gains,

Or stinginess toward others’ households.

“Since it is not right livelihood,

Altering one’s deportment

For the sake of acquiring worldly gain

Is very far removed from my Dharma.

“All these faults are present

In those who do not cultivate the path.

Since they lead to rebirths in the lower realms,

These faults are not to be praised at all.

“Desire and craving will multiply in the minds

Of those who do not abandon negative actions and the belief in a
self.

Because desire and craving will multiply in them,

They will be attached to gains.

“Bodhisattvas think,

‘By cultivating patience, I will benefit sentient beings,

Completely subdue my rigid mind,

And swiftly awaken myself.

“ ‘I will cultivate love

And patiently care for sentient beings.

I will understand that all phenomena are empty,

Arise from conditions, and are disconnected.’

“Through which conditions do phenomena exist?

Phenomena emerge from the mind.

False perceptions give rise to aggression.

For the wise, everything is empty!

“False perceptions give rise to the three realms,

And the continuity of lifetimes will not be interrupted.

These defects will not be present

In those who do not entertain false perceptions.

“By always contemplating phenomena,

Bodhisattvas clearly understand that they arise from conditions.

By always viewing phenomena as being empty,

They are able to counteract all those defects.

“By teaching the Dharma that pacifies suffering

To suffering beings who have abandoned their discipline

And are wounded by pride,

They bring immense benefits.

“If someone coming from the east, west, south, or north,

Or any of the intermediate directions,

Carries a vase filled with feces or poison

And pours its contents on their heads,

“Bodhisattvas diligently investigate in this way:

‘Who is giving me this? Who is receiving it?

I will not become aggressive,

Because what is the self?

“ ‘Understanding the faults that cause harm,

Without looking at others with a harmful intent,

And giving rise to a firm resolve,

I will benefit others with a kind attitude.

“ ‘I understand that the karmic ripening I experience

Is the result of my own previous actions.

I will acknowledge this, no longer do such things again,

And remain on the path of awakening.

“ ‘I know that any abuse and suffering I experience

Has not been created by others;

It is surely the result of my own actions.

Though time may pass, those consequences are never lost.

“ ‘Sentient beings living in the world

Always engage in virtuous and negative actions.

Even if I now experience suffering,

I clearly understand that it is the consequence of my own actions.

“ ‘If, as retribution for negative actions,

I will experience suffering in the future,

Why should I harm others

By committing such actions?

“ ‘By pursuing the unsurpassed Dharma

And teaching it to others,

I will liberate sentient beings

From all their sufferings.

“ ‘Even if someone worships me by offering me

Flowers, perfumes, and garlands,

I will not become attached to that person,

But will cultivate an attitude of equanimity.’

“ ‘Since attachment and aversion are not the way,

I will always practice equanimity

And investigate phenomena properly with the thought,

“Who is giving this? Who is receiving it?

“ ‘ “Are both giver and recipient empty?”

Both outer and inner phenomena are empty,

So in emptiness, there is no one who gives and no one who receives—

Everything is devoid of self.

“ ‘In emptiness, there is no separation from desire;

There is no affliction

And no purification.

Therefore, everything is stainless, pure, and empty.

“ ‘Emptiness is beyond concepts

And devoid of essential nature.

Emptiness is permanent, empty, and signless.

This is the path of purity.

“ ‘Even if someone comes to me

And chops my body into pieces,

I will not be angry at that person,

Knowing that this is the consequence of my own actions.

“ ‘Since sentient beings engage in virtuous and negative deeds,

They experience results that accord with their actions.

This suffering that I experience is definitely

The karmic ripening of my previous negative actions.

“ ‘Even as I experience the ripening of my negative actions,

I observe my body to be like a reflection, a water bubble,

An illusion, and a mirage.

Being empty and nonexistent, it is ultimately empty.

“ ‘That some might cut off my limbs,

And others might make offerings to me

As a way to repay my kindness,

Will make me neither pleased nor unhappy.

“ ‘Even if I achieve some gains, I will not be pleased;

And even if someone insults me, I will not get angry in return.

Since those two attitudes are obscurations,

They are not the authentic path of the buddhas.

“ ‘Rather, they are desire, anger, and ignorance.’

Thinking in that way, bodhisattvas abandon all those attitudes.

By continuously meditating on emptiness and disengagement,

They abandon all obscurations.

“Patience is the foundation of the ten strengths,

The source of the buddhas’ miraculous displays,

And the root of unimpeded wisdom

And compassion.

“Since patience acts as the foundation of the four truths,

The mindfulnesses, relinquishments,

Powers, strengths, and all the other factors of the path of
awakening,

What kind of wise person would not cultivate it?

“Since patience acts as the foundation

Of even the unsurpassable wheel

That I have turned in Vārāṇasī,

Patience is always praised by the buddhas.

“If you meditate on emptiness—

The unsurpassed ground for patience—

You will also achieve the qualities of the buddhas,

Since emptiness is the true nature of phenomena.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽²⁾ because bodhisattva great beings have
abandoned the five sense pleasures and are continuously inclined to renounce
the world, they pursue the idea of going forth
and apply themselves diligently to that purpose. As a consequence, they do
not cling to the five sense pleasures. Once they have gone forth, they
abandon all forms of distraction, remain in remote mountains and forests,
and ensure that their virtues are not wasted. Bodhisattvas who possess this
second quality will achieve all excellent qualities.” At that moment, the
Blessed One uttered these verses:

“Because they are always inspired to going forth,

Bodhisattvas will always go forth.

Since they aspire to remain in mountains and forests,

They will expand the source of all qualities.

“As they rely on solitary places,

They renounce attachment to the five sense pleasures.

Because they are without any form of distraction,

The circumstances of their virtue will not decline.

“Since such places do not permit traveling back and forth,

Asking questions of one another, or conversation,

The buddhas highly praise

Empty, peaceful, and isolated places.

“Therefore, bodhisattvas

Should always remain in solitary places

And give up their attachment to cities.

If they live in cities, greed will grow in them.

“If they gain something, they will be utterly delighted.

If they lose something, they will feel miserable.

Even if they worship the Buddha,

It cannot be said that worship was performed.

“Those who want to get rid of such defects

Must abandon the desire for gains,

Remain always in isolated places,

And meditate on empty phenomena.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽³⁾ because bodhisattvas constantly pursue and
train in the Dharma, they read and recite it with great dedication. They
pursue a pure discipline and the most refined forms of ascetic practices,
not those that lead to many types of desire and discontentment.
They seek to be at peace from their attachment, not to let it grow. They
seek to overcome their anger, not to increase it. They seek to cut off their
ignorance, not to cultivate it. They seek to eliminate their arrogance, not
to encourage it. They seek to overcome pride, not to increase it. They seek
to abandon clinging to I and mine,
not to let this clinging become stronger. They pursue the Dharma that
teaches selflessness, not the Dharma that bases its view on a self, a
person, a sentient being, and a life force. They always pursue the Dharma
that will make them attain great insight, not the Dharma that will make such
insight decline. They always pursue the Dharma that will make them attain
incomparable insight, not the Dharma that will make them attain minor
insight. They pursue the Dharma that will make them attain all that is
excellent, not the Dharma that will prevent them from attaining excellent
qualities. Pursuing the Dharma in this way, they do not look for worldly
profit, even though they read the Dharma, recite it, contemplate it correctly in
accordance with the way it is taught, practice it, and teach it to others.
Since they also do not seek to be even so much as praised by others, they
establish many sentient beings in that Dharma. Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas who
possess this third quality will achieve all excellent qualities.” At that
moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“Bodhisattvas who go forth

Are devoted to discipline and ascetic practices;

Thereby increasing their insight,

They cause a rain of wisdom to fall.

“Upon hearing the pure and profound Dharma,

They contemplate its meaning with genuine mindfulness,

And practice it properly,

In accordance with the way it is taught.

“They always teach it to others on a vast scale,

With a completely pure attitude.

Although they benefit many sentient beings,

There is not the slightest hope of reward in their minds.

“Experiencing the taste of excellent qualities,

They firmly follow the Dharma

And establish others into it,

Thereby propagating the teachings of the buddhas.

“After having actualized all the qualities

That they have accumulated

During immeasurable eons,

They attract beings onto the path of awakening.

“Therefore, after seeking the profound Dharma

That is praised by the buddhas,

Bodhisattvas should teach it to sentient beings.

All excellent qualities will arise on that basis.

“Pūrṇa, if bodhisattva great beings carefully guard their
discipline and observe ascetic practices, they will possess all the roots of
virtue—the most excellent merit. Pūrṇa, in the past, countless eons ago, so
long ago that the length of time cannot be measured, fathomed, or conceived,
a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha appeared in the world. He was endowed with perfect knowledge and
conduct. He
was a bliss-gone one, a knower of the world, an
unsurpassed guide who tames beings, a teacher of
both gods and men. This blessed buddha was named Merugandha. He lived for
sixty years. Whenever he taught the Dharma to a gathering, eight hundred
million hearers attained the fruition of a worthy one.

“Pūrṇa, after the thus-gone one Merugandha had passed into complete
nirvāṇa, the sublime Dharma remained for five hundred years. Within seven
days after the Thus-Gone One had passed into complete nirvāṇa, most of the
great hearers followed in his footsteps and also nirvāṇa. Pūrṇa, just like
me, that thus-gone one appeared in the world at a
time of the five degenerations. After the great hearers had passed into
complete nirvāṇa, most beings thought, ‘If the Dharma of the mendicants is
so pleasant and enjoyable, shouldn’t we all go forth as monks?’ So each of
them shaved their heads and beards, dressed in saffron-colored Dharma robes,
and went forth from their households into homelessness. However, even though
they had gone forth, they exclusively engaged in three types of wrong
behaviors: they constantly visited and gathered in the houses of
householders, they sustained themselves based on strong clinging to profit,
and they indulged only in harmful types of livelihood, without ever
accumulating merit and wisdom. In that way, they only engaged in those three
types of behaviors, without accomplishing anything else.

“After one hundred years, when all the great hearers without
exception had passed into complete nirvāṇa, these monks were acting like
householders. Most of them had discarded the profound discourses of that
buddha. They no longer observed their discipline and had abandoned the
excellent and refined ascetic practices. None of them were reading and
reciting the discourses. Pūrṇa, at that time, as these monks were interested
in fulfilling their many desires, and were thus attached to the pleasures
of food and drink, there also lived an extremely kind and caring prince
called Damaśrī. While staying in solitude, he began to doubt: ‘What kind of
Dharma did the thus-gone one Merugandha realize? These days, his great
hearers act carelessly, and it has become impossible to distinguish them
from householders!’

“At that very moment, a god who had made himself invisible arrived
in front of the prince and said, ‘Listen—the Dharma that the thus-gone one
Merugandha realized is extremely profound, pure, and definitive!’

“ ‘Well,’ inquired the prince, ‘what is this extremely profound,
pure, and definitive Dharma that the thus-gone one Merugandha realized?’

“ ‘Prince,’ answered the god, ‘this Dharma is beyond form, feeling,
perception, formation, and consciousness. It is beyond the aggregates,
elements, and sense sources. It is beyond the five sense desires, and it is
free from any form of attachment. What the thus-gone one Merugandha taught
to sentient beings was this extremely profound, pure, and definitive Dharma,
which he had realized.’

“The prince then asked, ‘Would it be possible for me to hear and
comprehend this Dharma, and then to put it into practice in accordance with
the way it is taught?’

“ ‘O prince,’ replied the god, ‘strive one-pointedly with
persistent diligence, and it will not be hard for you to receive it!’

“Pūrṇa, at that moment, the prince made a commitment: ‘Since I have
received such clear encouragement from this god, I must take it to heart, go
forth as a monk, and pursue the profound Dharma.’ So he went before his
parents, bowed to them, and said, ‘Father and mother, I wish to go forth
under the teachings of the thus-gone one Merugandha and pursue his path.’

“His parents answered, ‘What is the point of abandoning us and
going forth? Nowadays, there is not the slightest difference between those
who have gone forth under the teachings of that buddha and householders.’ At
that moment they spoke these verses:

“ ‘The many monks living today

Act carelessly and enjoy the five sense pleasures.

They plow fields and conduct business,

So there is no difference between them and householders.

“ ‘There are many people who suffer or are poor,

And others who are unable to support themselves.

Many such people

Are now going forth to sustain their bodies.

“ ‘But you were born into a household of the warrior class.

You are already rich, you enjoy the five sense pleasures,

And you are wealthy and opulent.

With such riches, what is the point of your going forth?’

“The prince Damaśrī answered his parents with these verses:

“ ‘I am not seeking power;

Even if I attained it, I would abandon it.

Rather, I pursue only the profound Dharma of the Buddha,

As well as a pure discipline.

“ ‘Because I heard a god

Who encouraged me to go forth,

I wish to fully realize

The profound Dharma taught by the Buddha.

“ ‘As I heard the words of the god,

My mind became utterly joyful.

The teachings of the Buddha might soon vanish,

So I intend to support and protect them.’

“Then his parents again spoke to Damaśrī in these verses:

“ ‘The profound discourses have already completely vanished;

No one recites them anymore,

So from whom will you hear

The profound Dharma of the Buddha?

“ ‘If there were still beings among the four retinues

Who could recite that profound meaning,

It would make sense for you to go forth,

After hearing it from them.’

“The prince Damaśrī again replied with this verse:

“ ‘I will now guard my discipline and engage in ascetic practices

With persistent diligence.

Far away, in mountains and forests,

I will pursue the profound and pure Dharma of the Buddha.’

“Pūrṇa, after Damaśrī had uttered this verse, he prostrated and
supplicated his parents for permission to go forth—which they gave, although
in silence. Next, he went directly to the monks, whereupon he shaved his
head and facial hair, donned the saffron-colored Dharma robes,
and went forth. After having taken the precepts, he respectfully asked the
monks, ‘What are the teachings that the thus-gone one Merugandha gave to his
disciples? If I hear those teachings, I will put them into practice in
accordance with the way they were taught.’

“Pūrṇa, after he said those words, the monks answered, ‘We have not
heard the Dharma from the Thus-Gone One. Instead, we simply emulate the
preceptors and teachers, and you should also practice this same Dharma!’

“The monk Damaśrī said to the other monks, ‘It is obvious that you
have gone forth after renouncing lives in poverty among the low castes. For
that reason, you now strive only for food and clothing, and there is not the
slightest difference between your behaviors and those of householders.
However, from now on you must join me in pursuit of the profound and pure
Dharma of the Buddha!’

“At that moment, the many monks replied to the monk Damaśrī in
verses:

“ ‘We have already received the practices

That we are engaged in,

So that we can acquire food and clothing,

Free from servitude toward the king.

“ ‘We are very happy and joyful,

And no one expresses contempt or arrogance toward us.

We are now totally free from

The suffering experienced by householders.

“ ‘Since this is nirvāṇa,

It is the most sublime form of happiness.

We do not need

Anything other than this!

“ ‘Since the householders always make offerings to us,

We possess many Dharma robes and alms bowls.

We also have a huge quantity of medicine, wealth, and food,

From the many homes of benefactors.’

“Pūrṇa, when he heard those verses
spoken by the group of monks, an intense feeling of distress arose in the
mind of the monk Damaśrī, and he began to shed tears. He went to other
temples and asked many other monks the same question: ‘What are the teachings that
the thus-gone one Merugandha gave to his disciples? If I can receive those
teachings, I will put them into practice in accordance with the way they
were taught.’ Everywhere, the monks answered in the same manner as the first
monks had done. Finally, the monk Damaśrī left the monks behind and went
alone into the solitude of the mountains and forests, where he yearned to
practice one-pointedly the profound Dharma.

“At that time, among the hearers who had previously followed the
thus-gone one Merugandha, there was a great hearer called Supratiṣṭhita. He
practiced the conduct of total seclusion, remained alone in solitary caves,
had few desires, and was content. He was very enthusiastic about
renunciation, his tasks were completed, and he possessed the six higher
perceptions as well as the three types of knowledge. In these ways, he was a
great worthy one, similar to Mahākāśyapa who is following my teachings
today. At that time, the monk Supratiṣṭhita wrote these verses on the rock surface in the cave where he was staying:

“ ‘Beings circle endlessly in saṃsāra

Because of indulging in the experience of sense pleasures.

They enter the charnel ground nurturing enmity.

Thus they experience much meaningless suffering.

“ ‘This body is filthy like a corpse;

Unclean substances ooze from its nine orifices.

Just like worms attracted by excrement,

Fools are craving for bodies.

“ ‘The root of the five sense desires

Is false conceptualization.

Since the wise do not conceptualize in that way,

The five sense desires vanish from their minds.

“ ‘Great desire is born from mistaken concepts,

And afflictions are born from great desire.

Since genuine mindfulness is devoid of clinging,

All remaining afflictions will be exhausted.’

“Pūrṇa, after a long time had passed since he had left for isolated
caves, the monk Damaśrī came across those four verses that had been written by the monk Supratiṣṭhita on the
rock surface in the cave where he had been staying. Seeing them, he studied
them in his daily recitations, contemplated their meaning, and soon he
developed the five higher perceptions. Then he came to the place where the
thus-gone one Merugandha had previously been cremated, and he prostrated to
it. He circumambulated the place three times, sat down cross-legged, and
vowed not to arise from his seat until he had seen the Thus-Gone One and
received the Dharma from him.

“Pūrṇa, Śakra, the lord of the gods, knew by heart the discourse
taught by the thus-gone one Merugandha called The Eight
Hundred Thousand Gateways. Perceiving the extraordinary resolve
of the monk Damaśrī, he descended from the Heaven of the Thirty-Three to
meet him and expounded to him the discourse of The
Eight Hundred Thousand Gateways. He also offered him the
dhāraṇīs known as The Four Statements on the Basis of
Erudition, The Seven Statements on the
Various Aspects, and The Fourteen
Statements on the Gateways. The monk Damaśrī, having heard these
dhāraṇīs, recited them in his daily recitations, and by memorizing them,
obtained the illumination of insight into phenomena. Because of this, the
discourses taught by the thus-gone one Merugandha became perfectly clear,
and all the discourses that were most auspicious, profound, in accord with
emptiness, and in accord with freedom naturally appeared to his mind. He
also saw the thus-gone one Merugandha with his saṅgha of monks, the perfumed
chamber
where he resided, his throne, and his fourfold retinue, as well as all the
assemblies, including those of the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas,
demigods, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans. Since he had
obtained the illumination of insight into phenomena, the monk Damaśrī arose
from his seat, set out on the journey back to his homeland, and finally
arrived in front of his parents. He then expounded to them those pure
discourses that were in harmony with emptiness and freedom, those most
excellent and profound discourses. He then proclaimed praises of the
qualities of the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.

“Pūrṇa, upon hearing that Dharma, the parents of the monk Damaśrī,
court ladies, ministers, and retinues all developed deep-felt trust, and
respectfully said to the monk Damaśrī, ‘Venerable One, please protect us and
let us go forth under the teachings of the thus-gone one Merugandha!’ Pūrṇa,
at that time, eighty-four thousand beings followed the example of the king
and queen and went forth at the same time. They became known collectively as
the saṅgha of monks in the assembly of Damaśrī. Pūrṇa, in that way, the monk
Damaśrī propagated the teachings of the thus-gone one Merugandha again and
established a great number of sentient beings in happiness. Because of the
aspirations to protect the sublime Dharma that he had formed in his past
lives out of love and compassion, the monk Damaśrī now wandered from region
to region, city to city, and country to country, proclaiming the praises of
the thus-gone one Merugandha and his hearers. He also extensively taught
beings those pure discourses that were in harmony with emptiness and
freedom, those most excellent and profound discourses. During that time, the
monk Damaśrī was worshiped, venerated, respected, honored, and praised by
all beings, and he became highly renowned.

“Pūrṇa, after the monk Damaśrī had accomplished the benefit of so
many beings on such a vast scale, he eventually passed away. At that point
all his students—monks and nuns, as well as male and female lay
practitioners—came together, piled up fragrant wood, and cremated him with
reverence. Then they built a reliquary measuring two leagues, which they
respectfully worshiped, venerated, honored, and praised by offering various
kinds of flowers, perfumes, ointments, fragrant powders, parasols, victory
banners, and flags. Pūrṇa, just before the monk Damaśrī had passed away, he
had made the aspiration to be reborn again within this world. In accordance
with his aspiration, he was reborn within the warrior class and received the
name Smṛtipratilabdha. He went forth under the teachings of the thus-gone
one Merugandha three hundred years after the latter had passed into complete
nirvāṇa. Recollecting his previous life and aspirations, he once again
spontaneously reached the attainment of the dhāraṇī known as The Statements of the Gateways. Through the power
of the attainment of this dhāraṇī, he taught on a vast scale to sentient
beings discourses that had never been heard before—not those that had
already been expounded in previous lives.

“Pūrṇa, when, among the many monks of Damaśrī, those who had
profound insight, were bright and sharp, and had created massive roots of
virtue heard the discourses taught by Smṛtipratilabdha, they rejoiced,
developed intense trust in them, and eagerly adopted them. They worshiped
him respectfully and looked after him. When, among those monks, those with
no charisma or qualities, who had dull faculties and were not bright, and
had only created minor roots of virtue heard for the first time the Dharma
teachings expounded by Smṛtipratilabdha, they did not develop any trust in
them, and they did not eagerly adopt them. Instead, they opposed those
teachings and criticized them in these words: ‘We have never heard such
discourses from preceptors or teachers. We have not even heard them from the
great teacher of the past, Damaśrī!’

“Pūrṇa, however, those among the disciples with profound insight
who relied on the authentic meaning did not get caught up in mere words, but
instead relied on their meaning. Because of this, they did not oppose these
discourses,
but instead guarded the teachings of the thus-gone one Merugandha and
respectfully looked after the monk Smṛtipratilabdha. Pūrṇa, at that time,
eight billion monks and nuns, as well as male and female lay practitioners,
became followers of the Dharma expounded in the discourses taught by the
monk Smṛtipratilabdha.

“Pūrṇa, during that time, all the disciples of Damaśrī were thus
split into two groups, known respectively as ‘the saṅgha of monks following
Damaśrī’ and ‘the saṅgha of monks following Smṛtipratilabdha.’ However, the
monk Smṛtipratilabdha never mentioned that he was in fact Damaśrī. Why not?
It was because, at that time, everyone claimed that the monk Damaśrī had
reached the fruition of a worthy one but not the fruition of a bodhisattva,
and he would therefore have created doubts by mentioning who he was;
everyone claimed that the monk Smṛtipratilabdha was a bodhisattva and not a
worthy one.

“Pūrṇa, after the monk Smṛtipratilabdha had benefitted many
sentient beings on a vast scale, he passed away. All his many students piled
up fragrant wood and cremated him with reverence. His four retinues came
together and built a reliquary measuring one league to worship that
bodhisattva, that great teacher. They then
worshiped that reliquary, respected it, honored it, and praised it by
offering various kinds of perfumes, flowers, fragrant powders, ointments,
garlands, parasols, banners, and standards. Pūrṇa, just before the monk
Smṛtipratilabdha had passed away, he had made the aspiration to be reborn
again within this world. In accordance with his aspiration, he was reborn
into an important family of householders, and he received the name Yaśas.
Then, as he attained recollection of his past lives through the power of his
previous aspirations, he went forth under the teachings of the
thus-gone one Merugandha. This happened when he was seven years old, four
hundred years after the thus-gone one Merugandha had passed into complete
nirvāṇa. Yaśas also reached the attainment of dhāraṇīs, and with this power
he was able to teach genuinely to sentient beings discourses that they had
never heard before.

“When, among all the monks following Smṛtipratilabdha and all the
monks following Damaśrī, those who had created massive roots of virtue heard
the teachings taught by the monk Yaśas, they became extremely pleased, and
all of them experienced joy in the Dharma. Pūrṇa, since those many monks
relied on the authentic meaning and were not caught up in the words, upon
hearing from the monk Yaśas those extremely profound discourses that they
had never heard before and that were in harmony with emptiness and the
ultimate, they developed strong trust in them, adopted them eagerly,
accepted them without opposition, recited them, and practiced them in
accordance with the way they were taught. Pūrṇa, when, among those monks,
those who had dull faculties, lacked mental brilliance, and had not
previously created massive roots of virtue, heard for the first time those
extremely profound discourses taught by the monk Yaśas that were in harmony
with emptiness and the ultimate, they did not develop any trust in them, and
they did not adopt them eagerly. Instead, they opposed them, denigrated
them, and criticized them in these words: ‘We have never heard such Dharma
from preceptors or teachers. We have not even heard it from the great
teacher of the past, the bodhisattva Smṛtipratilabdha!’

“Pūrṇa, at that time, this latter group of monks among those who
followed Damaśrī and Smṛtipratilabdha began, out of hostility and jealousy,
to criticize the other monks who were utterly pleased by the teachings they
had heard from the monk Yaśas and who felt strong trust in them and
earnestly adopted them. They did not allow those monks to live with them,
nor were they allowed to read, recite, or expound the Dharma together with
them. Looking down on the other monks, they said, ‘This is not the Dharma of the
Buddha; these are not the teachings of the great teacher!’ Pūrṇa, at that time, the monk Yaśas propagated the
teachings of the thus-gone one Merugandha on a vast scale. When he wandered
from city to city, he taught the Dharma to sentient beings and benefitted
many of them. As a consequence, eight billion beings gave rise to the mind
set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

“After the monk Yaśas had benefitted many sentient beings in that
way, he passed away. At that time seventy thousand of his followers built
for him seventy thousand reliquaries that they worshiped, respected,
honored, and praised by offering various kinds of perfumes, flowers,
fragrant powders, ointments, garlands, parasols, banners, and standards.
Pūrṇa, just before the monk Yaśas had passed away, he had formed the
aspiration to be reborn again within this world. In accordance with his
aspiration, he was reborn within the warrior class. When he was born, many
gods proclaimed, ‘Hark! This newborn prince will bring great benefits to
sentient beings!’ He therefore became known as Pariṇāyaka. When he was
fourteen, he went forth under the teachings of the thus-gone one Merugandha,
five hundred years after the latter had passed into complete nirvāṇa. The
monk Pariṇāyaka recited a great many discourses and treatises, engaged in
extensive and profound studies, became an expert in letters, developed
perfect eloquence, and mastered the skills of teaching the Dharma.

“Pūrṇa, as the monk Pariṇāyaka wandered from town to town, city to
city, and country to country, he propagated the teachings of the thus-gone
one Merugandha on a vast scale and benefitted many beings. At that time,
the assemblies of monks following Damaśrī, those following Smṛtipratilabdha,
and those following Yaśas planned to group together and go meet Pariṇāyaka
to refute and disparage his teachings. When he saw those many monks
approaching, the monk Pariṇāyaka asked them, ‘What arguments are you
planning to use to oppose my teachings? What are you planning to inquire
about?’ When they heard those words, the monks were overcome by distress and
sorrow, and they did not answer. As such they were unable to oppose the monk
Pariṇāyaka.

“Pūrṇa, as long as that bodhisattva remained in the world, the teachings of the Buddha spread and
flourished. However, after he passed into complete nirvāṇa, the teachings of
the Buddha started to vanish. Toward the end, when the Dharma was about to
disappear, the monk Pariṇāyaka wandered from town to town, from city to
city, and from country to country, teaching the pure and profound discourses
that are in harmony with emptiness, in order to benefit many sentient
beings. As a consequence, eight hundred million beings gave rise to the mind
set on unsurpassed and perfect awakening. After they passed away, all those
beings were reborn in the heavens within the world of the gods. Pūrṇa, after having benefitted beings in that
way, on the first day following the night when the monk Pariṇāyaka passed
away, the teachings of the Buddha vanished. Pūrṇa, since the teachings of
the thus-gone one Merugandha had vanished, the teachings of the profound and
pure discourses that were in harmony with emptiness also vanished. Pūrṇa,
that being so, bodhisattva great beings guard the teachings of the buddhas
and perfect their roots of virtue and their accumulations of merit by
propagating such profound discourses.

“Pūrṇa, after the bodhisattva Pariṇāyaka passed away, he was reborn
in the tenth universe in the direction of the zenith. The buddha residing in
that realm at that time was the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect
buddha called Sunetra. He went forth under this buddha’s teachings and, due
to the roots of virtue and merit he had accumulated in his previous lives,
his insight was profound, brilliant, and sharp, and his eloquence was
inexhaustible, swift, and unobstructed. For eighty-four thousand years, the
monk Pariṇāyaka created virtue by practicing under the teachings of the
thus-gone one Sunetra. After he passed away, he was born once again within
that same realm, where he encountered the thus-gone one called Expanding
Arm, and he subsequently went forth under his teachings. Having created
roots of virtue, he pursued unsurpassed and perfect awakening. After he
passed away, he was reborn yet again within the same field, only this time
in the presence of the thus-gone one, the worthy one, the perfect buddha
Fruitful Conduct. He then went forth under his teachings, and for the next
seventy thousand years he created roots of virtue with persistent diligence
and pursued unsurpassed and perfect awakening. He was then called Śula. The
thus-gone one Fruitful Conduct prophesied, ‘After I pass into complete
nirvāṇa, this monk Śula will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.
He will become a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha called
Unimpeded Vision.’

“Pūrṇa, bodhisattvas who possess this third quality will achieve
all excellent qualities.”

At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses to explain this clearly:

“When bodhisattvas hear the profound,

Pure, and definitive Dharma,

They follow it

And teach it to others.

“Although the world does not fathom its
depths,

The bodhisattvas do not sink.

Maintaining a pure discipline,

They benefit sentient beings on a vast scale.

“Since the buddhas taught their retinues

That the narratives and biographies

Illustrate the path to buddhahood,

They are definitely the Dharma.

“Altruistic bodhisattvas

Accomplish the benefit of sentient beings.

They preserve the Dharma teachings of the buddhas

And transmit awakening to their retinues.

“Bodhisattvas accomplish the benefit of sentient beings

In accordance with the Dharma.

They teach the path of the buddhas to their retinues,

Who come closer to the mind set on awakening.

“Since they guard the path of the buddhas

And benefit sentient beings on a vast scale,

They will be revered by the gods, nāgas,

Demons, and rākṣasas, as well as the great beings.

“Therefore, if bodhisattvas, upon hearing

The excellent Dharma related to profound and pure emptiness,

Contemplate it and pursue it one-pointedly,

Their insight will increase.

“Furthermore, Pūrṇa, ⁽⁴⁾ since bodhisattva great beings engage in
perfect conduct, this sublime conduct will also perfect their roots of
virtue and develop excellent merit. What is meant by
conduct? Pūrṇa, relying on their virtuous friends,
bodhisattvas practice generosity, guard their discipline, cultivate
patience, undertake diligence, rest in concentration, and develop their
insight as well as their skillful means. Who are the virtuous friends of
bodhisattvas? They are those from whom bodhisattvas receive the skillful
means taught in the discourses. All the buddhas, hearers, and bodhisattvas
who pursue awakening through their extraordinary resolve are referred to as
the virtuous friends of bodhisattvas. Bodhisattvas
who possess this fourth quality will achieve all excellent qualities.”

At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses:

“I have explained to bodhisattvas

That what should be practiced

Is generosity, accompanied by utter joy

And no feeling of regret.

“What is meant by joy?

It means that their bodies are filled with joy.

Bodhisattvas should always practice on the path of awakening

With this joyful attitude.

“If bodhisattvas, after practicing generosity,

Dedicate this merit to awakening

And accomplish the benefit of sentient beings,

They will themselves be benefitted in ways that cannot be fathomed.

“When bodhisattvas see a beggar,

They perceive him as a buddha and think,

‘This person approached me today

And offered me the path of awakening.

“ ‘As a consequence,

I will reach the pure fields.

This person has revealed to me the Buddha

And is teaching me the path to buddhahood.

“ ‘By meeting this person today,

I will receive a very great gain!’

With their bodies filled with joy,

They do not wish for anything else.

“If someone were to
approach them,

They would greet this person from a distance

And say, ‘What do you need?

I will give you anything!’

“If this person answered, ‘I do not need anything,’

The bodhisattvas would be delighted and think,

‘This person simply said those words

Because he wants to guide me.

“ ‘What interests this noble being

Is the Dharma teaching of having few desires and contentment.

He has come here today and instructed me in it

To provide me with the circumstance leading to awakening.

“ ‘Thanks to this person,

I have now received the Dharma.

As you say, “I do not need anything,”

Those are excellent words!’

“But if this person answered,

‘I need such and such; please give it to me!’

The bodhisattvas would joyfully

Offer whatever they possess.

“If they do not give rise to regrets

After practicing generosity,

Their minds will always be joyful,

Since they have recollected the path of the Buddha.

“When they practice generosity, they dedicate the merit thus:

‘Since all sentient beings are deserving,

I will free them all from poverty

And satisfy them all.’

“Practicing the path of awakening, they make this aspiration:

‘May sentient beings who hear my name

Naturally become content

And free from miserliness and attachment.

“ ‘May all beings in my country,

Who practice the path, become content,

Give up their attachment to the five sense pleasures,

And aspire to go forth.

“ ‘Through such boundless conduct

And the dedication of this generosity,

May I always be generous,

And may all beings follow in my footsteps.’

“When bodhisattvas practice generosity,

Their love touches all sentient beings.

Therefore, within all worlds,

There is no comparable happiness.

“Take the example of a rich,

Wealthy, and prosperous householder

Who has but a single son,

Who has been far away for many years.

“Hearing that his son is coming home,

The whole body of that householder is filled with joy.

Knowing that his son is finally returning,

He is as thrilled as when his son was born.

“Likewise, when bodhisattvas see beggars,

Their minds become utterly delighted.

Yet the joy experienced by the householder

Does not match even a sixteenth fraction of their delight.

“When they hear about someone practicing generosity,

Their minds become utterly delighted.

Nothing can compare to the joy

That arises on the basis of love.

“Take the example of a king who orders

The limbs of a criminal to be cut off.

When the executioner has led him to the scaffold

And is about to strike him with his weapon,

“The king may pardon him and let him live.

In that case, the man will be utterly overjoyed.

Still, even that joy cannot match the delight

Of bodhisattvas who are generous toward destitute beings.

“When bodhisattvas cultivate the path,

They do not search for a field of merit.

Rather, if a beggar is present, they practice generosity,

Thereby reaching a state of immense joy.

“When bodhisattvas see buddhas,

Worthy ones, or solitary buddhas,

They will respectfully approach them and worship them,

Since they know that they are hard to meet.

“Because bodhisattvas are majestic, brilliant, and sharp,

And because their minds are gentle,

They aspire to develop excellent qualities, pursue the path,

And worship the Buddha and the Saṅgha.

“They worship the blessed buddhas,

As well as their hearers,

With altruism and respect.

But they do not worship others, such as gods and spirits.

“When they see some of the solitary buddhas

Who have independently attained nirvāṇa

And who possess such qualities,

They worship them as well.

“Because bodhisattvas know the virtuous or nonvirtuous characters

Of the fields of merit,

Those who are wise in the world

Do not worship evil extremists.

“They carefully maintain their discipline,

Their love pervades all sentient beings,

Their diligence is matchless,

And they are endowed with immense patience, insight, and erudition.

“Since they possess such qualities,

They become leaders of all worlds.

They actualize the awakening of the buddhas

And turn the unsurpassed wheel.

“If bodhisattvas accomplish

These four qualities,

All the roots of virtue

Will manifest.

“All the excellent qualities that are accomplished

Over countless millions of eons

Are included here

Within this bodhisattva path.

“Therefore, bodhisattvas

Should always cultivate love.

They should aspire to go forth

And remain in mountains, forests, or remote places.

“Constantly pursuing the pristinely pure,

Profound, and definitive Dharma,

They should develop themselves

By observing bodhisattva conduct.”

This was the fourth chapter, The
Possession of Roots of Virtue.

Chapter Five

The Power of Miraculous Displays

Then, through the power of the Blessed One’s miraculous abilities,
many trillions of light rays radiated from the pores of his skin. Masses of
blazing fire as huge as Mount Sumeru also emerged from each of his pores;
and thus-gone ones teaching the Dharma, as numerous as all the grains of
sand in the Ganges river, also emerged from each pore. The entire assembly
present witnessed these miraculous displays. After the Blessed One had
manifested them, he asked the venerable Pūrṇa, “Pūrṇa, did you see the power
of the miraculous displays coming from the pore of each body hair of the
Thus-Gone One?”

“Blessed One, I saw it,” replied Pūrṇa.

“Pūrṇa,” continued the Blessed One, “the Thus-Gone One always
possesses, uninterruptedly, the power of such miraculous displays.
Nevertheless, the hearers perceive only the Thus-Gone One sitting here and
explaining the Dharma. But right now, he is genuinely performing the deeds
of a buddha uninterruptedly, within all the universes of the ten directions,
as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges river. Similarly, he is
teaching the Dharma within all the universes of the ten directions. Pūrṇa,
someone may say, correctly, ‘That peerless and matchless being, that supreme
human, that extremely profound and immeasurable field of merit, whose
conduct is measureless, and of whom, even as he takes but a single step, no
other being is able to fathom the motive and conduct involved in that act of
lifting his foot and placing it down—who is that?’ If someone were to ask
that question, I would have to answer, ‘I am.’ Pūrṇa, no sentient being is
able to assess the intent, motive, or conduct involved in the Thus-Gone
One’s act of lifting and setting down a single foot.”

At that moment, the Blessed One uttered these verses to explain this clearly:

“Sentient beings, whether moving or unmoving,

Can never know such matters

as the intentions or behavior involved

In a single step of the Blessed One’s feet.

“His miracles are boundless,

And so is his conduct.

Since his qualities are also boundless,

He is supremely exalted, the chief among beings.

“Since his great wisdom is immeasurable,

No one can understand its full scope.

Even if all beings possessed

The powers of insight and miracles,

“Like Śāriputra

And Maudgalyāyana,

They could not understand

My act of lifting and placing down my foot.

“Even if all sentient beings

Attained the awakening of the solitary buddhas,

They would know nothing of even a single step of mine,

Let alone of my other profound qualities.

“Even if all the limitless suns and moons

Combined into a single sun-disk,

Its light could not match the light of a single light ray

Radiating from a pore of a hair of the Thus-Gone One.

“Take as an illustration

All the suns in seven quadrillion universes,

Which illuminate countless realms

In a limitless manner.

“Imagine that all those great suns in the ten directions,

As numerous as all the grains of sand in the Ganges,

Were joined to form a single sun,

From which a single light ray was as large as Mount Sumeru.

“If the light of such a great sun,

Which constantly illuminates the ten directions,

Were compared to the light of the Buddha,

The sun would barely be visible, like a burning tree.

“The light of that great sun

Would not shine through trees and leaves;

It would be obstructed

By all the mountains, rivers, and rocks.

“On the other hand, the light rays emanated by the Thus-Gone One

Shine unobstructedly

Through Mount Sumeru,

As well as through all the iron and vajra mountains.

“Since his light, emanated by his miraculous power,

Along with his majestic presence, is immeasurable,

Except for those who lack trust,

Who would not arouse the mind set on awakening upon seeing it?

“When sentient beings see these light rays

And the great power of these magical displays,

Most of them give rise to the unsurpassed mind set on awakening

With the thought, ‘We must also reach that state!’ ”

At that moment, the Blessed One smiled,

And Ānanda asked,

“Blessed One, why are you smiling?

You who possess unimpeded wisdom, please tell us!”

The Blessed One answered:

“Since sentient beings have now witnessed the power of my miraculous
displays,

They have given rise to the mind set on awakening

And aspire to achieve buddhahood.

“Within this retinue, thirty thousand beings

Have made a commitment to preserve this Dharma teaching,

Thinking, ‘After the Buddha passes away,

We shall recite this discourse.’

“After I pass away,

They will hear this discourse,

And, during the intermediate and final periods,

They will practice it in accordance with the way it is taught.

“It is extremely difficult to give rise to the mind set on awakening.

It is extremely difficult to be inspired by the Dharma of the Buddha;

But it will be even more difficult

To uphold and recite this discourse during the final period.

“It is extremely rare for a buddha to appear,

Even in ten trillion eons;

But it will be even rarer for this discourse

To be expounded in the future, during the final period.”

Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, I
entrust this discourse to you. Why? Because, as long as this discourse of
the Bodhisattva Collection remains within the world, the entire Dharma of the
Buddha will also remain. Ānanda, if such a profound discourse were to
vanish, all the Dharma teachings that must be practiced as they are taught
would also vanish. Because the Dharma teachings that must be practiced as
they are taught would vanish, the teachings of the buddhas would also
vanish. Ānanda, you should now worship me with the most sublime offerings.
In what manner should the hearers worship me with the most sublime
offerings? You should not think that the most sublime flowers, perfumes,
fragrant powders, ointments, parasols, banners, standards, garments, and
music, as well as the proclamation of the Thus-Gone One’s praises, are the
most sublime types of offerings. Ānanda, they are not what is meant by
the most sublime offerings. Rather, hearing such a
profound discourse and adopting, memorizing, reading, reciting, and
practicing it as it is taught—this is what is meant by ‘worshiping,
venerating, respecting, honoring, and praising the Thus-Gone One with the
most sublime offerings.’ Why is that? Because all the thus-gone ones also
worship, venerate, and revere the Dharma, but they do not hold worldly
offerings in high esteem.

“Therefore, Ānanda, I now insist on entrusting this discourse to
you. Why? Because, Ānanda, by training in this discourse genuinely, I have
awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, and I am now turning the
unsurpassed Dharma wheel. When the buddhas of the past practiced bodhisattva
conduct, they also trained in this discourse genuinely, and thus awoke to
unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and turned the unsurpassed Dharma wheel.
Likewise, the buddhas of the future will also train in this discourse
genuinely, and thus will awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood and turn the
unsurpassed Dharma wheel. Also, all the buddhas who presently reside within
the universes of the ten directions have also trained in this discourse
genuinely, and thus they have awoken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood
and are now turning the Dharma wheel.

“Therefore, Ānanda, you should remember this discourse of the
Bodhisattva Collection as The Sūtra of Turning the
Wheel of Dharma. It is with this teaching that I turned
the wheel of Dharma for the hearers in the Deer Park in Vārāṇasī. Ānanda, today, within Veṇuvana, I
have also turned this irreversible Dharma wheel, this discourse of the
Bodhisattva Collection, and the doubts of all sentient beings have been
eliminated. Ānanda, here, at the edge of space, the thus-gone ones of the past also taught
this discourse of the Bodhisattva Collection. The future thus-gone ones will
also teach this discourse of the Bodhisattva Collection here, at the edge of
space. After awakening to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, I have also
expounded this discourse of the Bodhisattva Collection here, at the edge of
space. For those reasons, you should know that this place has become a great
reliquary of the thus-gone ones, which is to be worshiped by all the worlds with their gods and humans. Ānanda, this is
so because this is the only place that has the unique quality of being the
location where the thus-gone ones of the past have taught this profound
discourse. Ānanda, any sentient being afflicted by desire, anger, and
ignorance who enters Veṇuvana, will, without exception, no longer give rise
to desire, anger, and ignorance.

“Ānanda, thus-gone ones have certainly resided in
other temples, but those places do not have the same qualities as this one.
Why is it so? Because, Ānanda, when animals enter Kalandaka Forest and
Veṇuvana, desire no longer arises in them; and when flocks of birds enter
this forest, they no longer sing at inappropriate times. Why is it so?
Because when Bimbisāra, the king of Magadha, visited his kingdom for the
first time after being enthroned, he came to this forest, together with his
retinue of queens, to frolic with them. However, as soon as he entered here,
he felt that his desire for passionate frolicking had disappeared. Everyone
in the retinue of queens also felt that any desire for passionate frolicking
had disappeared. At that moment, the king became utterly delighted and
thought, ‘If a buddha appears in the world and
comes to my country, may I meet him face to face. Upon meeting him, may I
develop sincere trust in him. Having developed sincere trust, may I worship
him. I will offer this forest to that thus-gone one. May he reside in this
place, and may I hear the Dharma from him. Why? Because this forest is a
place for those who are to be worshiped, not for those who are bound by the
five sense desires.’

“Ānanda, when King Bimbisāra entered this forest, he had such
virtuous thoughts. In the past, thus-gone ones resided in this forest and
taught this discourse of the Bodhisattva Collection. Therefore, none of the
qualities associated with this forest are found in other places, and all the
worlds with their gods, humans, and demigods
are respectfully paying homage to it. Ānanda, in this forest, there are no
poisonous snakes, lizards, horseflies, mosquitos, or the like. Beings who
reside here do not entertain any evil thoughts: this is also an
extraordinary quality of Veṇuvana. Even if I attempted to express the
qualities of this grove for one hundred years, this task would never come to
an end. Why is it so? Because, Ānanda, this perfumed chamber of Veṇuvana
possesses all those immeasurable qualities, while other places do not.”

“Blessed One,” said the venerable Ānanda, “I did not know that
Veṇuvana possessed such qualities! Blessed One, I want to confess today my
previous negative attitude of not wanting to serve the Blessed One as his
attendant.”

“Ānanda,” replied the Blessed One, “that negative attitude was
purified the very moment you attained the pure eye of Dharma with respect to
phenomena.”

This was the fifth chapter, The Power of
Miraculous Displays.

Chapter Six

Great Compassion

Then the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana thought, “The Blessed One has
perfectly taught the conduct of bodhisattvas through his great compassion.
The Blessed One is therefore quite astonishing! Why? Because bodhisattvas
will practice the Dharma of the Buddha in the most excellent manner and will
cause sentient beings to comprehend the meaning of the absence of arising
and ceasing.”

At that moment, the Blessed One knew the thought that had arisen in
the mind of the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana and he said, “Thus it is,
Maudgalyāyana, thus it is! The thus-gone ones indeed possess great
compassion. If my hearers heard about such great compassion, they would
become perplexed and lose their inspiration. Maudgalyāyana, you would become
perplexed and lose your inspiration if I were now so much as to describe
fully how much compassion I had in the past when I was practicing
bodhisattva conduct, let alone speak of the great compassion of the
thus-gone ones.”

“Very well, Blessed One,” said the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana,
“but
please do tell us at least just a little about your great compassion as you
practiced bodhisattva conduct in the past.”

“Maudgalyāyana,” continued the Blessed One, “listen carefully and
keep my words in mind. I shall explain a little to you of my great
compassion when I practiced bodhisattva conduct in the past, with some
examples of it. The extent of the great compassion I had when I was
practicing bodhisattva conduct in the past would be impossible to express,
indeed; but that great compassion was based on four attitudes. What were
those four attitudes? The point
about the great compassion of bodhisattvas is this: it is the extent to
which they abide by great compassion that determines the extent to which
bodhisattvas accomplish the Dharma of the Buddha; that is what is called
great compassion.

“Maudgalyāyana, in the past, because of the great compassion of
that kind that I had for sentient beings, and the great aspirations of that
kind that I made for them, however many beings were suffering within the
great Hell of Ceaseless Torment, the great Black Line Hell, Crushing Hell,
Reviving Hell, Wailing Hell, Great Wailing Hell, Hot Hell, and Extremely Hot
Hell, for the sake of each of them I always experienced whatever sufferings
they were experiencing in those great hells for as long as their negative
karma was not purified, without feeling any discouragement.

“Maudgalyāyana, if there were any causes and conditions to bring
about for the benefit of sentient beings, I would readily undertake all of
them and liberate those sentient beings from the great hells. I would
readily take upon myself the hellish suffering of every single sentient
being until all of them had purified their negative karma, and during that
time I never felt any discouragement. Maudgalyāyana, after giving rise to
such an aspiration and such great diligence, I asked the wise ones, such as
the buddhas and their hearers, ‘Might such appropriate causes and
conditions as these suffice to take on suffering and liberate beings from
the hells?’ Maudgalyāyana, when the wise heard this, they praised me for my
erudition —they praised the fact that I had given rise to the mind set on
awakening and was then practicing generosity, guarding my discipline,
cultivating patience, engendering diligence, and attending virtuous friends.
Maudgalyāyana, when I heard this, I gave rise to the extraordinary resolve
of pursuing the Dharma with great diligence. I cultivated diligence in order
to receive the sublime, excellent Dharma of the Buddha. I cultivated
patience in order to master the perfections.

“Maudgalyāyana, how did I cultivate patience? In the past, when I
was a bodhisattva, I gave rise to this mindset: ‘Suppose all the sentient
beings living in the universes of the ten directions—whether they have form
or not, whether they have perception or not, and whether they have neither
perception nor nonperception—were to obtain a human life form, come to me,
and say, “You have given rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and perfect
awakening, yet we lack a great many sense pleasures as well as basic
necessities. If you cannot provide these things to us, you will never attain
unsurpassed and perfect awakening!”

“ ‘Even if those beings were to rebuke me with harsh words,
criticize me with untrue accusations, or, out of hostility, harm me
physically with swords, sticks, and stones, I will then never be angry or
regretful. Instead I will tame my mind, thinking, “Those beings are deluded,
ignorant, and devoid of insight, so they commit deluded actions. This being
so, if I
were to become angry and resentful toward those deluded and ignorant beings,
how would I be different from them? They have not yet entered the virtuous
path, but I have, so I should now earnestly take their sufferings upon
myself. Without giving rise to any thought of anger, I should accommodate
both the good and the bad, just like the earth does.” ’ It was with that
mindset, Maudgalyāyana, that in the past I cultivated patience.

“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, for a long time I have constantly
perceived all sentient beings as if they were my only child. Take the
example of a rich, wealthy, and affluent householder surrounded by male and
female servants, as well as other staff. After performing hundreds of
rituals, he becomes the father of a son. His son is very dear to him, so he
never tires of looking at his son. Maudgalyāyana, that householder always
looks for the best circumstances for his son. He always provides him with
the best things as well as his support, and he never gives him anything that
would harm him or disadvantage him. Similarly, Maudgalyāyana, for a long
time I have constantly perceived all sentient beings as if they were my only
child. Thus, for a long time I have constantly looked after what is best for
them and supported them. On the other hand, I have never given them anything
that would harm or disadvantage them. Maudgalyāyana, for a long time I have
constantly taught the genuine path to sentient beings who have lost the way,
or entered a mistaken path. By doing so, I have established them on the
genuine path. Maudgalyāyana, for those reasons, you should know that for a
long time the Thus-Gone One has regarded sentient beings with strong
affection, perceiving them as a beloved and dear only child.

“Maudgalyāyana, in the past, a large group of merchants once set
out on the path during the night. At some point, they took a wrong turn and
lost their way. Because the night was very dark, none of them knew in which
direction to proceed, so they started shouting: ‘We are lost! We have no
protectors, no refuges, and no support. Is there anyone—whether god, nāga,
yakṣa, human, or nonhuman—who will show us the way, so that we can return to
the right path? Who will be so kind as to help us and illuminate this wrong
and fearsome path in the middle of this dark night?’

“Maudgalyāyana, at that time, a non-Buddhist sage was living in a
grass hut in the middle of that isolated forest. Amidst the darkness of the
night, he heard the pitiful screams of the merchants and thought, ‘Those
merchants are out during this dark night; they must have lost their way and
strayed into this isolated forest. If I don’t give them shelter, it would be
immoral, and those merchants could be endangered or killed by tigers, lions,
wolves, elephants, and jackals, or by other ferocious predators.’

“Maudgalyāyana, at that moment, the sage shouted loudly to the
merchants, ‘Hey, merchants! Don’t be afraid! I will give you shelter and
show you the correct path with my torch.’ When they heard the words of the
sage, the merchants were relieved. The sage then wrapped cotton cloth around
both his hands, soaked them in oil, and lit them on fire. With these
torches, he then showed the path to the merchants.

“Maudgalyāyana, in that instant, each of the merchants thought,
‘This sage is truly amazing! He is helping us without a care for his own
body or life!’

“Maudgalyāyana, while the sage was showing the path to the
merchants with the light from his burning hands, great compassion for
sentient beings arose in his mind and he thought, ‘When I awaken to
unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, may I illuminate sentient beings who
have embarked on mistaken paths with the light of the Dharma, and may I show
them the correct path.’

“Maudgalyāyana, during that time, the body and mind of
the sage remained without wavering in the slightest, even though both his
hands were on fire. How is this possible? Because bodhisattvas who observe
this superior resolve do not cling to their bodies or lives when they pursue
the benefit of others. As a consequence of practicing generosity with this
pure attitude, the hands of the sage remained unharmed, and he did not
suffer from any injury. The merchants found their way; and at dawn, when
they saw that the hands of the sage were unharmed, they became amazed and
thought, ‘This sage possesses great, miraculous power. During the whole
night, he showed us the way by illuminating our way with his two hands
burning, but now there is not even the slightest trace of burns on his
hands. He must surely have achieved a high level of conduct and possess
great qualities!’

“Maudgalyāyana, the merchants then said to the sage, ‘The fact that
you have endured this extreme hardship is truly excellent! Now, what kind of
reward would you like in return for your help?’

‘O merchants,’ replied the sage, ‘I wish to attain unsurpassed and
perfect awakening, liberate beings like you from their sufferings in
saṃsāra, and show the correct path to beings who are following a wrong
path.’

“At that moment, the merchants became utterly delighted and asked,
‘But how may we repay your kindness?’ As an answer, the sage said, ‘Practice
virtue one-pointedly, and do not be careless! Merchants, practice in
accordance with the teachings!’ Overjoyed, the merchants respectfully paid
homage to the sage and dispersed.

“Maudgalyāyana, I was the non-Buddhist sage who at that time showed the
path to the merchants by setting both his hands on fire. Do not think that
this was someone else. The one thousand two hundred monks present today were
those merchants. Maudgalyāyana, for a long time the Thus-Gone One has given
fearlessness to sentient beings who experience fear and terror, he has shown
the correct path to sentient beings who are following a wrong path, he has
helped blind persons to recover flawless vision, and he has healed sentient
beings who are afflicted by severe diseases. For those reasons, you should
know that for a long time the Thus-Gone One has been extremely compassionate
toward sentient beings.

“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, in the past, there was a great eon of
sickness here in this world of Jambudvīpa, during which Īśvarasena appeared
in the world. He ruled over eighty-four thousand cities and possessed great
powers. At one point, while his principal queen was pregnant, she could cure
others’ diseases merely by touching them with her hands or other body parts.
Eventually, when her pregnancy came to its term, she gave birth to a son. As
soon as her son was born, he proclaimed, ‘I have the power to cure all
diseases.’

“The moment he was born, the gods and spirits of the world proclaimed in unison, ‘This newborn son of
the king is a Healer of Men!’ Since those words were heard everywhere, he
was given the name Healer of Men.

“People who were afflicted by diseases were led to the prince and
shown to him. He would then touch them with his hands or with another part
of his body, thereby curing all their diseases and restoring their
well-being. In this way, all sick persons living in the world were taken to
the prince and shown to him. By merely touching them with his hands, all
their diseases were cured and their well-being was totally restored.
Maudgalyāyana, after Healer of Men had cured diseases in that way for a
thousand years, he passed away. After he died, sick persons still came to
see him but, hearing of his death, they despaired and cried out of grief,
‘Who will now liberate us from the suffering of our sicknesses?’ So they
inquired where the prince Healer of Men had been cremated and, once they
knew where the cremation had taken place, they went there, collected his
bones, and crushed them into a powder. When they rubbed their bodies with
this powder, all their diseases were cured, and they exclaimed, ‘The prince
Healer of Men still has the power to cure sicknesses!’

“Maudgalyāyana, since they were used in that way to cure diseases,
the bones gradually became exhausted. After all the bones had been used,
sick persons would come to the cremation ground and pick up earth, ashes, or
charcoal. When they rubbed those substances on their bodies, they too became
healed from all their diseases. Maudgalyāyana, in that way, during the great
eon of sickness, the prince Healer of Men healed those persons afflicted by
sicknesses through such skillful means.

“Maudgalyāyana, at that time, I was this prince called Healer of
Men who cured the diseases of those unprotected and defenseless sentient
beings afflicted by the intense suffering of sickness. Do not think that
this was someone else. After I awoke to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood,
I began healing sentient beings with the medicine of great insight, bringing
their sufferings to a complete end. Maudgalyāyana, just as I benefitted
sentient beings by taking birth for their sake, you should know that, as a
consequence of those acts, I have now once again deliberately taken birth in
order to benefit sentient beings.

“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, in the past, I was once walking alone,
without any friend, when a ferocious predator wanting to kill me and eat my
flesh appeared in front of me. Just before I died, I gave rise to the mind
set on awakening and made this aspiration, ‘After I die, may I be reborn as
a large animal in this isolated forest, and may some ferocious predators
kill me and thereby become fulfilled and satisfied.’ Why did I make this
aspiration? Because those ferocious predators always kill and eat the flesh
of small animals, and so they repeatedly commit the wrongdoing of killing.
Nevertheless, they never feel satiated and satisfied. This is the reason why
I made the aspiration, ‘May I be reborn here as a large animal, and may I
bring fulfillment and satisfaction to those flesh eaters and blood
drinkers.’

“As soon as I died, I was miraculously reborn in that forest as a
large animal, bringing fulfillment and satisfaction to the ferocious
flesh-eating and blood-drinking predators. Similarly, for myriads of
lifetimes I have deliberately taken birth to benefit sentient beings.
Maudgalyāyana, even if I were to spend an eon or more to describe all the
instances in the past when I practiced bodhisattva conduct and satisfied
sentient beings suffering from hunger and thirst by offering my flesh and
blood, there would be no end to those accounts. Maudgalyāyana, in the past,
I thus gave rise to a compassionate attitude toward sentient beings
afflicted by suffering.

“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, I remember that in the past, I once
saw some beings afflicted by suffering. Seeing them, I thought, ‘It would
not be right if I were to abandon these beings without protection.’ So I
approached them and asked, ‘What kind of suffering are you experiencing?
What do
you wish for?’

“They answered, ‘We are extremely hungry and thirsty!’

“Upon hearing those words, I replied, ‘What kind of food and drink
do you want?’

“They replied, ‘We are blood drinkers and flesh eaters. If you give
us flesh and blood, we will become pleased and healthy.’ So I granted them
what they wanted by cutting off my flesh, drawing blood from my body, and
offering this to them. However, Maudgalyāyana, at that time I never felt any
regret, sense of loss, sorrow, or depression. Instead, for a long time I
continued my aspiration to practice such generosity with the thought, ‘The
more flesh I cut off from my body, the more suffering in saṃsāra will come
to an end.’ Therefore, even though I practiced generosity in that way, I
always felt utterly joyful and happy. You should know that, for those
reasons, the Thus-Gone One is extremely compassionate toward sentient
beings.

“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, I remember that in the past, there was
a king called Mahābala who possessed the great power of excellent qualities
and had accumulated many roots of virtue. At that time, King Mahābala told
himself, ‘I should henceforth arrange elaborate offerings and gifts and
satisfy sentient beings!’ So he prepared such great offerings and gifts; he
gave away food to those who wished for food, and drink to those who wished
for drink. Similarly, he gave away clothing, bedding, gold, silver, precious
substances, chariots, mounts, and wealth; precious gems such as cat’s eye,
emerald, crystal, beryl, coral, and moonstone; and flowers, perfumes,
garlands, ointments, fragrant powders, silken streamers, parasols, banners,
boys, girls, male servants, female servants, workers, horses, elephants,
oxen, sheep, and fields. He joyfully gave away all those things to those who
wished for them.

“Maudgalyāyana, in that way, King Mahābala practiced generosity on
a vast scale. At that time, Śakra, lord of the gods, thought, ‘I should
create obstacles for this king, to prevent him from reaping the fruits of
his offerings!’ With this thought in mind, he manifested himself as a
brahmin, went to the place where the king was residing, and asked, ‘What
kind of things are you giving away in this great offering that you have
arranged?’

“The king replied, ‘Brahmin, I am giving away all the wealth that I
possess, without any reservations.’

“The brahmin continued, ‘If such is your promise, are you able to
give me what I ask for?’

“ ‘Haven’t I already said that I am giving away everything I
possess?’ replied King Mahābala.

“ ‘Your Majesty,’ said the brahmin, ‘if this is so, I want the
limbs of your body.’

“The king thought, ‘This brahmin does not wish for wealth or food.
He came here today with the wish to disrupt my great offering. If I do not
give him the limbs of my body, my great offering will be disrupted.’ So he
said to the brahmin, ‘I will give you the limbs of my body; I will cut them
off and you can take them with you.’

“ ‘Your Majesty,’ answered the brahmin, ‘will you not regret the
words you are pronouncing now?’

“ ‘I will not have any regrets,’ said King Mahābala. ‘Even if a
horde of beggars should come here today from the four directions, I would
satisfy them all.’

“The brahmin said, ‘If it is so difficult to satisfy me alone, it
goes without saying that it will be difficult to satisfy all the many
others!’

“Then King Mahābala took a sharp knife, cut off one of his hands,
and said to the brahmin, ‘Take this hand with you.’

“Maudgalyāyana, when King Mahābala cut off his hand, his mind did
not waver, and he did not feel any regret. Since he had practiced generosity
one-pointedly and had given away all his possessions in that way, his hand
remained unharmed. Then King Mahābala cut off the other limbs of his body
with the knife and gave them to the brahmin, but they reappeared.
Maudgalyāyana, as a consequence, however, the divine merit of Śakra, lord of
the gods, became exhausted. Experiencing intense pain and suffering, he
cried out loudly and fell into the great Hell of Ceaseless Torment in that
very body.

“Maudgalyāyana, at that time, I was King Mahābala, who gave away
his body. Do not think that this was someone else. And Devadatta was Śakra,
lord of the gods, who wished to create obstacles to the king’s great
offering. Do not think that this was someone else either. Maudgalyāyana, at
that time, the foolish Devadatta wanted to create obstacles to my offering
out of jealousy and anger, but he could not disrupt it. Instead, he fell
into that great hell.

“Accordingly, now that I have awakened to unsurpassed and perfect
buddhahood, whenever I arrange an offering of the Dharma, the foolish
Devadatta, who is motivated by jealousy and anger, still desires to profit
so badly that he gathers many people with the wish to kill me. Once in the
past, when I was descending Vulture Peak Mountain, Devadatta climbed to the
top of the mountain and hurled stones at me with the use of a catapult. He
thereby destroyed his roots of virtue and, because he had given rise to such
malice toward me, all his gains and wealth were ruined, and he will fall
into the great Hell of Ceaseless Torment. Although, Maudgalyāyana, I have
never done anything bad, whether physically, verbally, or mentally, to the
foolish Devadatta, he has persistently perceived me as his
enemy. In all my lives, he has sought to create obstacles to my virtuous
practice, but he has never been able to disrupt my virtuous conduct. For a
long time, I have continued to benefit him out of love and compassion, but
he has always perceived me as an evil person. Still, Maudgalyāyana, since
Devadatta has never been grateful for my help during all those lifetimes, it
shows that beings like Devadatta will also not be grateful toward the entire
world, with its gods, humans, and demigods.
Such beings have entered a state that is certainly mistaken.

“Maudgalyāyana, when Devadatta passes away and enters the great
Hell of Ceaseless Torment, an excellent and noble attitude toward me will be
born in his mind for the first time. This is the power of the Thus-Gone
One’s blessings. Since the ingratitude of Devadatta is enormous, he is
destined for the great Hell of Ceaseless Torment. Then, just as he is about
to enter that hell, he will hear a loud voice saying, ‘Foolish Devadatta,
due to your wrongdoings, getting angry at the Blessed One and persistently
plotting to kill someone who should not be killed, you will now fall into
the great Hell of Ceaseless Torment.’

“Upon hearing those words, Devadatta will be terrified and subdued
for the first time. He will therefore cry, ‘I take refuge in the Blessed One
one-pointedly, from the depths of my heart and from the marrow of my bones!’
Then, as he cries this out, he will find happiness. Having developed sincere
trust in the Thus-Gone One, he will next hear a loud voice saying, ‘You have
now entered into the great Hell of Ceaseless Torment, but you shall later be
liberated from this hell, be reborn as a human, and renounce your household
to go forth. Then, by practicing genuinely on the path, you shall achieve
the fruition of a solitary buddha. You will be called The Determined
One.

“Maudgalyāyana, with this prophecy of Devadatta becoming a solitary
buddha, I have now freed him from the sufferings of saṃsāra. Maudgalyāyana,
the fact
that I have liberated Devadatta is in accordance with the aspirations I made
in the past. Why is that? Because I took the commitment to liberate him in
previous lifetimes by telling him, ‘I will liberate you, but others will
not.’ Maudgalyāyana, it was only because of me that Devadatta created the
causes and conditions to attain nirvāṇa. It was not thanks to others.
Therefore, from now on, he will not create roots of virtue in relation to
others, but instead will give rise to sincere trust toward me alone. Due to
the roots of virtue created by saying, ‘I take refuge in the Buddha,’ he
will later reach the path of the solitary buddhas.

“Maudgalyāyana, for a long time I have constantly thought of
sentient beings as my parents. I have taken the affectionate commitment to
personally protect and provide refuge to those who are unprotected and
defenseless, to those who are weak and destitute, to those who continuously
spin in saṃsāra and follow evil paths, to those who lack insight due to
their delusion and ignorance, and to those who have always been blind or do
not have eyes, as well as to those who ask themselves, ‘Who will be our
guide, our protector, and our refuge?’ Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, because I
remember my commitment, I never answer back to someone who insults me by
using harsh words, or to someone who abuses me with painful words. Whether
someone is furious at me or beats me, I never retaliate. Why is it so?
Because it is sensible for me to constantly provide genuine happiness to all
beings and eliminate all their suffering and unhappiness, while it is not
sensible for me to harm them.

“Among all sentient beings, who is able to practice patience? I am
the only one able to practice patience. Therefore, I thought, ‘I will
henceforth train in the Dharma of being patient with beings, the Dharma of
tranquility, and the Dharma of gentleness, so that I act like a thoroughbred
elephant,
not like a wild elephant.’

“Maudgalyāyana, take the analogy of an elephant that has been
trained well. When it enters the battlefield, its mind is unshakable. It is
able to bear the sounds of the great drums, the sounds of the conches, and
the sounds of people screaming. Even when it hears those fearsome sounds, it
does not feel any terror or fear. It is able to withstand cold, heat,
mosquitoes, horseflies, wind, rain, hunger, and thirst, as well as the
injuries caused by the various kinds of sharp swords, arrows, spears, and
javelins, as well as the iron chains that are thrown at it and the whips
that strike it. Without feeling any terror or fear, it jumps directly onto
the battlefield, courageously and without any wavering. Maudgalyāyana, such
a well-trained elephant never thinks, ‘I should not engage with the opposing
army.’ Instead, it solely thinks, ‘I will defeat the army of the enemy!’

“Maudgalyāyana, similarly, when I was practicing bodhisattva
conduct in the past I formed a vast aspiration prayer, based on which I
worked to tame my mind with respect to sentient beings. Even if someone insulted me
with harsh words, I never harmed that person in return. Even if someone
argued with me, I never answered back. Even when others harmed me with
weapons, sticks, rocks, or stones, and thereby took my life, I never wavered
from unsurpassed and perfect awakening. I never thought, ‘This is something
to adopt,’ ‘This is not something to adopt,’ ‘This is something that should
be relied upon,’ or ‘This is not something that should be relied upon.’
Therefore, I never felt sorrow, regret, aggression, or resentment with
respect to those situations. I never became weary about the bodhisattva
path, and so
I never thought, ‘Now I will no longer engage with the army of the enemy.’
Instead, I solely thought, ‘I will completely defeat the army of the
enemy—negative actions—and once I attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening,
I will liberate all the countless sentient beings of the three realms.’
Maudgalyāyana, even if I tried to express in words all the instances in
which I practiced patience and gave rise to love and compassion toward
sentient beings during the time when I was practicing bodhisattva conduct in
the past, this task would never come to an end.

“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, in the past, there was a non-Buddhist
sage called Kṣāntibala who had vowed to never become angry at others. At
that time, there lived a demon called Evil Mind who thought, ‘I will go see
this sage and destroy his practice of patience! I will make him angry, so
that he turns away from his resolve to earnestly cultivate patience.’ He
then sent out a thousand men who were skilled in abusing others. They
surrounded the sage and started to insult him and accuse him falsely. They
abused him with various types of insults that do not bear repeating. They
abused him when he was moving, when he traveled to cities, when he entered
the cities, when he ate, after he had his meal, when he got up from his
seat, when he left the cities, when he came back to his hermitage in the
forest, while he was standing up, while he was sitting down, while he was
lying down, while he was walking, and even when he was simply breathing.
They followed him at all times, continuously abusing him with all types of
insults. For eighty-four thousand years, those thousand men sent by the
demon abused the sage Kṣāntibala with harsh words.

“When the sage Kṣāntibala entered cities, the demon Evil Mind would
urinate on his head and inside his alms bowl, thus soaking the sage’s robes,
alms bowl, and body with his urine. He would also spread garbage on his
head. Still, although those thousand obstinate men abused and slandered the
sage with harsh words for eighty-four thousand years, he never gave rise to
anger or resentment toward them, and his mind never became even a little bit
shaken or discouraged. He also never asked, ‘What did I do wrong?’ and he
never felt any resentment. For eighty-four thousand years, he never even
looked at the demon Evil Mind with an angry glance, nor did he ever ask him,
‘What faults do I have?’

“Maudgalyāyana, even though those one thousand obstinate men abused
the sage Kṣāntibala for more than eighty-four thousand years, they were
never able to destroy his practice. When they realized this, they began to
admire him greatly, and so they confessed their wrongdoings. They asked the
sage, ‘What kind of Dharma are you pursuing through this practice? We also
want to obtain such a Dharma!’ Because those one thousand obstinate men who
had been abusing the sage had now developed strong admiration toward him,
they started to respectfully worship him, venerate him, honor him, and
praise him. However, even though the sage was honored and respected by those
men, he never developed any form of clinging or attachment.

“Maudgalyāyana, I was that sage Kṣāntibala. Do not think that this
was someone else. Because I had genuinely adopted the practice of patience
at that time, my mind was never shaken and it never wavered, even though I
was continuously abused and slandered with harsh words by the thousand men
who had been sent by the demon Evil Mind. Maudgalyāyana, those thousand
obstinate men gave rise to a strong sense of admiration toward the sage
Kṣāntibala.
Then they confessed their negative actions and, following in the footsteps
of the sage Kṣāntibala, they gave rise to the mind set on unsurpassed and
perfect awakening. Thus I tamed them and established them in the teaching of
the Buddha. By practicing the six perfections in an excellent manner, all
those thousand beings gradually became perfect buddhas and passed into the
realm of nirvāṇa without any remainder. Maudgalyāyana, the demon Evil Mind,
who at that time sent those one thousand men to abuse me, was Devadatta. Do
not think that this was someone else.

“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, I remember that in the past I once
gave away my body to others and acted as a slave and a servant for worldly
beings. During that time, those worldly beings made me do various kinds of
tasks. Some made me remove excrement and urine. Some made me sweep off
manure. Some made me sweep off soil; some sent me to pick up grass; and some
dispatched me to bring grains, milk, curd, butter, oil, or honey. Some made
me collect wood, charcoal, fire, or water. Maudgalyāyana, although they made
me do all those various tasks, I do not remember ever having thought, ‘I
will not follow those orders to sweep off excrement and urine.’ I do not
remember ever having refused them when they sent me to collect flowers,
perfumes, garlands, fragrant ointments, fragrant powders, food, drinks, or
fruits. Maudgalyāyana, I do not remember ever having thought, ‘I will only
follow the orders of those who make me do something pleasant, and not the
orders of those who ask me to do something unpleasant.’ Maudgalyāyana, I do not
remember ever having thought, ‘I will follow the orders of those who belong
to the warrior class, but not those of the brahmins,’ ‘I will follow the
orders of the brahmins, but not the orders of those who belong to the
warrior class,’ ‘I will follow the orders of those who belong to the
commoner class, but not those of the outcastes,’ ‘I will follow the orders
of the outcastes, but not the orders of those who belong to the commoner
class,’ or ‘I will follow the orders of those who belong to the warrior
class and the brahmins, but not the orders of those who belong to the
commoner class and the outcastes.’ I never discriminated between people by
thinking, ‘This person is greater,’ or ‘This person is inferior,’ and I
never thought, ‘I will follow this person but not that one.’ Maudgalyāyana,
I always joyfully followed the orders of anyone who called on me.

“Maudgalyāyana, I do not remember that in the past, when I was
practicing bodhisattva conduct, I ever refused to do something that anyone
asked of me, as long as this task was in harmony with the Dharma and I was
able to do it. Maudgalyāyana, I do not remember that in the past, when I was
practicing bodhisattva conduct, I ever failed to complete a task or perfect
a virtuous action. In short, when I was practicing bodhisattva conduct in
the past, I never developed clinging to my body, let alone to wealth. When I
was practicing bodhisattva conduct in the past, I never thought of material
wealth as my possession. Nevertheless, I simply became wealthy through the
ripening of my previous actions. I thought, ‘These things should be equally
enjoyed by all beings. Everyone deserves to enjoy this wealth just as much
as I do.’
Maudgalyāyana, then, as I became more familiar with the Dharma of the Buddha
through my practice of bodhisattva conduct, I even stopped thinking, ‘I
deserve this wealth and so do others.’ Instead, I solely thought, ‘Others
deserve to have this wealth, not me.’

“Maudgalyāyana, although I had become familiar with the Dharma of
the Buddha, I never developed clinging to it. Without collecting or holding
on to it, I was inspired by abandoning phenomena, not to eagerly take them
up. I was inspired by all phenomena being empty, not by all phenomena
existing. I was inspired by being at peace from all phenomena, not by the
substantial characteristics of phenomena. I was inspired by primordial
nonexistence, not by primordial existence.

“Maudgalyāyana, I clearly remember that in the past, when I was
practicing bodhisattva conduct, in countless hundreds of thousands of
lifetimes I would set my body on fire during dark nights, to guide sentient
beings who had lost their way and to illuminate their paths.

“Maudgalyāyana, I remember that in the past, when I was practicing
bodhisattva conduct, in countless hundreds of thousands of lifetimes I would
cut off my flesh and offer it to carnivorous beings.

“Maudgalyāyana, I remember that in the past, when I was practicing
bodhisattva conduct, in countless hundreds of thousands of lifetimes I would
draw blood from my body and offer it to blood-drinking beings to satisfy
them.

“Maudgalyāyana, in short, when it comes to worldly wealth and
belongings, I never experienced any sense of reservation or miserliness
while giving them to sentient beings. After careful investigation to ensure
that those offerings would not hurt or harm anyone and that they were
sanctioned by the wise ones and praised by noble beings, I would
offer those things to sentient beings with a compassionate attitude.

“Furthermore, Maudgalyāyana, I remember that in the past, there was
once a merchant called Good Profit who had traveled across the ocean and
returned home filled with joy after having found precious gems. Having
reached his country, he entered his city and arrived at the doorsteps of his
house. At that moment, the many beggars living in his city surrounded him
and said, ‘Good Profit, did you have a safe journey? Great benefactor, we
are beggars. If you agree, we would like to request something of you.’

“Maudgalyāyana, Good Profit replied to the beggars, ‘Please tell me
what you need. I will give you what I have without reservation!’

“The beggars said, ‘Please give us the precious gems that you
brought back from your journey across the ocean; that would make us
extremely happy!’

“Maudgalyāyana, Good Profit immediately offered the beggars all his
eight hundred million precious gems, each worth hundreds of thousands of
ounces of gold. Maudgalyāyana, the mind of Good Profit did not waver when he
offered those many gems, and he did not feel any regret.

“After he had offered those precious gems to the beggars, Good
Profit immediately set out on the ocean once again to fetch more jewels,
without even entering his house. He found many excellent precious gems,
about half as many more than the number he had
brought back from his previous journey. After eighty years had passed, he
returned to his country and entered his city. At that time, some criminals
had been caught and tied up by their executioners, who were now beating
their drums, which produced a terrifying sound. On the way to the execution
site, the executioners would play these drums at all the crossroads they
passed through. Then, just as the criminals were about to be executed, they
saw Good Profit from a distance and cried, ‘Merchant! Please protect us!
Protect us from this execution and save our lives! You are a great
benefactor and a sublime being!’

“When he heard those words, Good Profit cried back to these men who
were on the verge of being killed, ‘Listen, I will protect you and save you
from this execution!’

“So he went before the executioners and gave them each a precious
gem worth ten million ounces of gold. Then he told them, ‘Please wait for a
moment until I have met the king and returned!’