菩薩從兜術天降神母胎說廣普經

THE SUTRA OF THE BODHISATTVA’S DESCENT IN SPIRIT FROM TUSHITA HEAVEN INTO HIS MOTHER’S WOMB, WITH AN EXTENSIVE AND UNIVERSAL DISCOURSE — VOLUME 2

Chapter 4: THE BUDDHA TREE

As he was about to enter the realm of nirvana without remainder, the Blessed One assembled the bodhisattvas endowed with spiritual powers and great virtue. Employing miraculous transformations, he expounded the inconceivable Dharma:

“I can transform myself into a seven-jeweled tree spanning this long river. Those submerged in birth and death will thereby attain liberation.” He then entered the Lapis Lazuli Concentration, the Formless Samadhi.

To the east, sixty-four koṭis of Ganges-sand worlds away from this Sahā world, I manifested this seven-jeweled tree throughout those worlds. Upon the trunks, boughs, branches, leaves, and fruits of all those jeweled trees were palaces made of the seven jewels. In each palace was a Buddha. All the Buddhas expounded the four teachings on impermanence. Behind them were gardens and ponds where many kinds of birds gathered and roamed, delighting in happiness beyond description. In the ponds grew utpala flowers, sugandha flowers, and makandī flowers. Along the banks were campaka and sumanā flowers, together with the fragrances of ox-head sandalwood and powdered incense. Banners, pennants, and celestial silks hung throughout empty space.

At that time, the wind-spirit king named As One Wills released a great fragrant wind, causing the leaves of the seven-jeweled trees to sway back and forth, soft and gentle. It stirred the branches and leaves so that, upon touching one another, they produced eight kinds of resonant sounds. More wondrous still, they emitted a great radiance. The eight kinds of sounds of the Tathagata were intended to deliver those not yet delivered. Whoever saw this portent immediately said, “Never before have we heard anything like this, nor have we seen the marks of arising, cessation, and impermanence. Could this not be a magical transformation?”

Then, within the palaces upon the seven-jeweled trees, the Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, and Perfectly Enlightened Ones emitted a great sound, proclaiming the rare and inconceivable Dharma and explaining how, within the Eighth Ground, Buddha lands are adorned. It is like a person who delights in beholding the waters of the great ocean. A hundred yojanas from the sea, he sees no trees or vegetation anywhere.

Encountering a great river, he tastes its water and knows that the sea is still far away. He then devises skillful means by himself to cross the sea. Only when he no longer perceives any form and his meditative awareness is like empty space does he reach the far shore of the sea.

Adorning his body with a fearless mind, he says, “Excellent, O Great Sage! What I longed for has now been attained. I am truly joyful and delighted, without weariness.”

At that very moment, this person relinquishes everything in his life to enter the sea. All his former aspirations appear before him. The great bodhisattva is likewise: abandoning the First Abode, he ascends to the ground of the Sixth Abode and eliminates the fetters of sentient beings, without leaving even the slightest remnant. “Now I shall attain Buddhahood; of this there can be no doubt.” This is called the great bodhisattva’s adorning the tree of enlightenment while in the womb.

Furthermore, the great bodhisattva wishes to know whether his bodily marks are adorned and whether he fully possesses the thirty-two genuine marks of a great person. From the crown of his head down to his feet, upon the soles are a thousand wheels; each wheel has a thousand floral spokes, each floral spoke has a thousand marks, and every mark is formed by the six transcendent perfections. The invisible crown protuberance demolishes the mountain of arrogance and establishes the mark of the uṣṇīṣa.

For innumerable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, I received the karmic fruit of never committing sexual misconduct, and therefore attained the mark of the sheathed male organ. The mark of the sheathed male organ has the power to destroy all wrong views and emits the radiance of this mark throughout Ganges-sand worlds in the ten directions. Within every ray of light is a magically manifested Buddha, and each manifested Buddha sits upon a lofty seat made of the seven jewels, emitting sounds that expound the six transcendent perfections.

As the Tathagatas always teach, these are suffering, its accumulation, its cessation, and the path; generosity, observance of the precepts, patience, diligence, meditation, and the perfection of wisdom. Through skillful means, they cause beings to clearly understand the dharmas of emptiness: the emptiness of emptiness, great emptiness, immeasurable emptiness, inner emptiness, outer emptiness, ultimate emptiness, the emptiness of formations, the emptiness of marks, the emptiness of retribution, the emptiness that extinguishes the three calamities, the emptiness of the retribution of the three knowledges, the emptiness of the three wisdoms, the emptiness of the three penetrations, the emptiness of the three equalities, the emptiness of the three times,

the emptiness of the three divisions of the Dharma body, and the emptiness of the quiescence of the three realms: past, present, and future are empty.

This is the karmic fruit of the great bodhisattva’s abstention from sexual misconduct.

Since asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, I have always cultivated purity of speech. I did not go to one person and speak about another, nor go to the other and speak about the first. I therefore attained the mark of a broad, long tongue extending throughout asaṃkhyeya Ganges-sand worlds in the ten directions.

From the mark of the tongue I emitted light, and within every ray of light was a magically manifested Buddha. Each manifested Buddha sat upon a seven-jeweled seat and, with a pure voice, expounded immeasurable aspects of practice. Because this was produced by the pure and truthful karmic fruit, I accomplished the four fearlessnesses and clearly understood that all dharmas neither come nor go.

My resonant voice was pure; I crossed beyond the fear of birth and death without obstruction, clearly discerned every echoing sound of sentient beings, and taught with immeasurable wisdom and eloquence. I crossed the abyss of the five destinies, accomplished each and every Dharma, took the nine liberations as my adornments, and fully possessed the ten powers, empty in nature and formless, which no one could obstruct or destroy.

All who heard the Dharma gained faithful understanding. This is called the karmic fruit of the great bodhisattva’s mark of a pure tongue and mouth.

NIRVANA — COLLECTION 3

For innumerable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, I attained the mark of a resonant voice that pervades the three-thousandfold great-thousand world. My speech was gentle and harmonious, never coarse or violent. Whatever I uttered was accomplished without instruction from others. All who heard that resonant voice rejoiced. Within this resonance, innumerable pure sounds were also proclaimed, expounding the Dharma that the Tathagatas always teach: the twelve links of dependent origination—ignorance, formations, and so forth, through birth and death.

One contemplates one’s own body, the bodies of others, and the body internally and externally. When the breath is long, one knows it is long; when the breath is short, one knows it is short. One teaches sentient beings to reach realization, yet does not abide in what has been realized.

That resonant voice emitted the radiance of this mark, and within every ray of light was a magically manifested Buddha. Each manifested Buddha sat upon a lofty seven-jeweled seat and expounded immeasurable Dharma gates to sentient beings. Their minds attained the liberations of emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness.

They clearly contemplated that all dharmas have no inherent existence. They constantly relied upon the four qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; the four dhyānas; the Four Truths; the Dharma gate of omniscience; the Dharma gate of attaining dhāraṇī; the Dharma gate of swift acuity; the Dharma gate of responding to sounds; and the Dharma gate of eloquence. Immeasurable Dharma gates were always present before them.

Their minds constantly manifested wondrous functions within immeasurable hundreds of thousands of samadhis. This is called the karmic fruit of the great bodhisattva’s mark of a resonant voice.

For innumerable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, I always cultivated purity of mind, single-minded right mindfulness, and a sense of shame and moral dread. I kept my mind fixed in one place, without thinking of anything else, and the stream of my thoughts was never tainted by defilements. If anyone came to insult or humiliate me, no sorrow arose in my mind. Even if I received praise, I took no delight in it. My mind never changed. Whatever I did was firm and certain, like the earth, which is difficult to move. For innumerable kalpas, I served the Buddhas and expounded the wondrous Dharma to sentient beings. My deeds were never deceptive, and I single-mindedly directed myself toward the path.

Wherever the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha were found, I personally went there to teach, expound, and discuss immeasurable Dharma gates of dhāraṇī. The teachings discussed were the treatises on generosity, the treatises on morality, rebirth in heaven, the impurity of sensual desire, and the bliss of nirvana. I guided sentient beings to enter meditative concentration and samadhi, distinguished the truth of suffering so that they might relinquish the four bonds, eliminated the dharma of accumulation, extinguished the greater part of the fetters, and taught that the path removes all impurities and realizes the Dharma.

the patience of non-arising, abide in non-retrogression, contemplate purity with particular care, know what is in the minds of sentient beings, and, according to each kind, reveal the teaching, instruct, and bring them to attainment of the fruit of the path, just as newly woven, pure white cloth readily takes dye. They constantly guard their own minds, do not criticize the faults of others, always delight in quiet places, and do not dwell amid noise and commotion.

When entering an assembly of bhiksus, their deportment is complete. When entering celestial concentration, they firmly fix the mind upon light. As they walk back and forth in meditation, their minds are neither indolent nor arrogant.

Amid the great assembly, they possess eloquence like the roar of a lion, discerning that the nature of emptiness is entirely without anything possessed. Such is the purified mind of a great bodhisattva.

For innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, I cultivated the unobstructed and indestructible Dharma gateway of dharani. Hearing one thing, I understood a hundred; hearing a hundred, I comprehended a thousand; hearing a thousand, I comprehended ten thousand. The meanings of every sentence and every word spoken by the Buddhas were all retained in my heart and never forgotten. Thus does a great bodhisattva perfect the Dharma gateway of dharani.

For innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, I constantly cultivated the contemplation of impermanence. All dharmas are governed by the law of impermanence: where there is arising, there is cessation. Everywhere, in every place, I caused the True Dharma to flourish in order to adorn and purify Buddha lands. Whatever I spoke was true and certain. I myself knew the places in which I had dwelt in former lives. I taught the Dharma and transformed sentient beings; my mind was steadfast and firm, and I possessed inconceivable, fearless supernormal powers. For innumerable kalpas, I accumulated ascetic practices. The vows I made never departed from my original conduct. I manifested free mastery of all dharmas, beyond thought and doubt. Thus does a great bodhisattva perfect the Dharma gateway of dharani.

For innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, I cultivated the supernormal power of the divine eye, knowing all kinds of sentient beings throughout the ten directions: those whose conduct accords with emptiness and those whose conduct does not accord with emptiness; those whose minds are concentrated and those whose minds are not concentrated; those whose minds are distracted and those whose minds are not distracted; those whose resolve is like vajra and those whose resolve is not like vajra; those who possess meditative contemplation and those who do not possess meditative contemplation. With the divine eye, I see and know them all in the realms of devas, humans, hungry ghosts, animals, and hell beings.

I see whether these sentient beings are proceeding toward nirvana without remainder, and I also know whether they attain nirvana while in the intermediate-state body. I know that those sentient beings proceeding toward stream-entry attain the fruit of stream-entry; those proceeding toward once-returning attain the fruit of once-returning; those proceeding toward non-returning attain the fruit of non-returning; those proceeding toward arhatship attain the fruit of arhatship; and those proceeding toward pratyekabuddhahood attain the fruit of pratyekabuddhahood.

NIRVANA — VOLUME 3

I also contemplate sentient beings who leave the household life and practice asceticism without abandoning their former vows, shave off their beards and hair, clothe their bodies in Dharma robes, and enter the Lion’s Progress Samadhi. Beside the root of the King of Trees, they meditate and contemplate for one day, two days, up to seven days; or for one year, two years, up to seven years; or for one kalpa, two kalpas, up to seven kalpas. Thus does a great bodhisattva perfect the supernormal power of the divine eye.

For innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, I cultivated the supernormal power of the divine ear, hearing all the karmic results of sentient beings throughout the ten directions: black deeds have black results; white deeds have white results; deeds that are neither black nor white have results that are neither black nor white; outflowing deeds have outflowing results; and non-outflowing deeds have non-outflowing results. I heard the pure resonances of those sentient beings: voices that were neither male nor female; gentle voices that were neither male nor female; voices that were neither prolonged nor impeded; voices that were not those of nonhuman beings; Brahma voices; pure voices; the harmonious voices of Kala-vinka birds; voices neither coarse nor subtle.

Moreover, with the divine ear I heard those sentient beings cast off defilements and sever all bonds, not abiding in the characteristics of the past, present, or future. Abiding, they nevertheless do not abide; not abiding, they also do not abide. I do not abide, yet non-abiding is also not non-abiding.

With the supernormal power of the divine ear, I hear and know them all: those who attain Buddhahood and those who do not attain Buddhahood; those who attain the path and those who do not attain the path; those who are born among the devas and those who are not born among the devas; those who are born as humans and those who are not born as humans; those who are born in the realm of hungry ghosts and those who are not born in the realm of hungry ghosts; those who are born in the realm of hell beings and those who are not born in the realm of hell beings; and those who are born in the realm of animals and those who are not born in the realm of animals.

I distinguish the five destinies and hear and know every one of them. Thus does a great bodhisattva perfect the supernormal power of the divine ear.

For innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, I cultivated the supernormal power of the nose, smelling all the immeasurable fragrances of sentient beings throughout the ten directions. I clearly knew the fragrance of goodness and the odor of evil; coarse and subtle fragrances; inner and outer fragrances; worldly fragrances and the fragrance of the path; even the fragrance of a bodhisattva seated beneath the King of Trees; the fragrance of morality, the fragrance of concentration, the fragrance of wisdom, the fragrance of liberation, the fragrance of the knowledge and vision of liberation; the fragrance of instructing sentient beings with boundless great compassion; the fragrance of sympathy for sentient beings; the fragrance of gentle joy; the fragrance of vast equanimity;

the fragrance of fearless supernormal powers; the fragrance of the fundamental powers and faculties of enlightenment; the fragrance of destroying pride and conceit; the fragrance that naturally perfumes all things; the fragrance of adorning the Buddha path; the fragrance of proceeding toward the three gateways of liberation; the fragrance of excellent marks; the fragrance of the karmic fruit of knowledge and conduct; the fragrance of discerning the subtle dust motes; the fragrance of light shining afar; the fragrance of harmonious assemblies; the fragrance of the purity of the five aggregates; the fragrance of sustaining entry into non-arising; the fragrance of extinguishing all fundamental bonds;

NIRVANA — VOLUME 3

the fragrance of contemplation that extinguishes all craving and poverty; the fragrance of listening to the precepts and practicing generosity; the fragrance of shame and the absence of arrogance; the fragrance of the supreme Dharma of the sages; the fragrance of unobstructed exposition of the Dharma; the fragrance of sariras circulating everywhere; the fragrance of sealing the treasury of the Buddha; and the fragrance of the inexhaustible seven treasures.

At that time, the Blessed One spoke this verse:

Even after hundreds of millions of thousands of kalpas,
The Buddha’s fragrance cannot be exhausted.
Though for thousands upon tens of thousands of kalpas
One might praise the Buddha’s meritorious virtues,

The virtues of the Great Sage could not be exhausted.
The Buddha’s body is fragrant with the virtue of morality;
The inconceivable Dharma of all Buddhas
First bestows the prediction of becoming the successor.

When the Blessed One had finished speaking this verse, the minds of twenty nayutas of sentient beings in the assembly were opened and awakened, and they all aroused the aspiration: “May we be born in the Buddha land of Accumulated Fragrance.” Thus does a great bodhisattva perfect the supernormal power of the nose.

For innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, I cultivated the supernormal power of verbal karma, speaking and responding without ever faltering midway. Every word uttered from my lips emitted light: the lips had the light of the lips, the teeth had the light of the teeth, and the tongue had the light of the tongue. Amid the great assembly, the Tathagata expounded the profound and wondrous Dharma. All these dharmas shared a single name: A. A means nonexistence. Nonexistence has thousands upon tens of thousands of meanings; from among those thousands upon tens of thousands of meanings, one meaning is taken. Nonexistence means delivering immeasurable sentient beings.

NIRVANA — VOLUME 3

The second name is La. La means removing defilement. Removing defilement has thousands upon tens of thousands of meanings. From among those thousands upon tens of thousands of meanings, one meaning of removing defilement is taken: it means removing impurity and defilement from immeasurable sentient beings.

The third is Ba-gia. Ba-gia is also called Ripened Fruit. Ripened Fruit has thousands upon tens of thousands of meanings; one meaning of Fruit is taken.

mature, thereby causing immeasurable sentient beings all to
attain the fruit of maturity.
The fourth is called Na. Na means impermanence.
The meaning of impermanence contains tens of thousands of meanings. From among
those tens of thousands of meanings, one meaning of impermanence is taken, thereby
causing immeasurable sentient beings all to understand clearly
that there is no permanence.
The fifth is called Tra. Tra means inexhaustibility. To speak of the
meaning of inexhaustibility is to say that, when one speaks of existence, there is no existence;
when one speaks of nonexistence, neither is there nonexistence. The meaning of inexhaustibility contains tens of thousands of meanings.
From among those tens of thousands of meanings, one meaning of inexhaustibility is taken, thereby
causing sentient beings to understand clearly exhaustion.
That is the exhaustive meaning of Tra.
When the immeasurable Buddhas, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, throughout the ten
directions majestically contemplate partaking of food, then from Jambudvipa below
up to the eighteen heavenly realms above, all behold the Tathagata
partaking of food. Bodhisattvas from the First Abode through the Fourth Abode see
the lapis-lazuli throat of the Tathagata's body. Irreversible
bodhisattvas through those of the ninth bhumi see the god Jian Ji
offer food to the Tathagata and then proceed to other regions
to carry out the work of a Buddha. Such is the karmic result of the Tathagata's
supernormal power of the mouth. At present, the Tathagata tastes this
flavor and then another, yet the flavors remain unmoving;
he neither swallows nor chews. When the Blessed One places a cake
into his mouth, he recollects the sentient beings throughout the
ten directions, that they too may have this flavor. In accordance with that
recollection, all become fully satisfied, just
as a bhiksu who has attained the nine kinds of heavenly states, whose mind is gentle
and yielding, always feels fully and deliciously nourished. Such is the Great Bodhisattva's
purified supernormal power of the mouth.
Long ago, throughout innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, I
cultivated the supernormal powers of the body, clearly discerning
within the body the perception of purity in what is impure and the perception of impurity in what is
pure, and the thirty-six kinds of filthy substances discharged outward, which are unreal.
Hair, fingernails, teeth, bones, blood, and tears—contemplating them
in forward and reverse order, I used my own Dharma-body to
contemplate the bodies of sentient beings in the same way. I transformed my own body so that it
became swollen, foul-smelling, and putrid, with blood and pus flowing out. Or I manifested a body
with bones white as ashes, blue with bruising, or utterly black
like the color of earth. Upon seeing this body, immeasurable
sentient beings all gave rise to thoughts and perceptions of
impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self. Or I expounded
the Dharma of bodily karmic retribution to sentient beings:
“Since this body is not a body, what, then, is the
NIRVANA — SECTION 3
body? When each part is clearly distinguished from head to
foot, none has any existence. Because there is no body,
there is no consciousness.” Hearing this, sentient beings contemplated
and reflected upon the body's foul impurity, just as the pure beings of the
Abhasvara Heaven look down upon the foulness and stench
within Jambudvipa. Its stench rises as far as
seventy million yojanas. For this reason, the bodhisattva is not born in the
Abhasvara Heaven. Through the supernormal powers of the body, the bodhisattva enters the Vajra
Samadhi, pulverizes the body into motes of dust, and each mote
becomes a transformation Buddha, saving immeasurable asamkhyeyas
of kinds of sentient beings by manifesting the form of a physical body. From the upper
body comes fire, and from the lower body comes water; from the lower body comes fire,
and from the upper body comes water. In the east he rises, and in the west
he sinks. In the west he rises, and in the east he sinks.
Manifesting the eighteen kinds of supernormal transformation, the Tathagata
causes all sentient beings to behold the Tathagata's transformations,
and at that very moment they all awaken, completely sever
the fetters, and enter the unconditioned path. Each mote of
dust transforms into a Buddha, manifesting a body to teach and transform,
and saving immeasurable asamkhyeyas of sentient beings. Such is the Tathagata's body,
which teaches and transforms in secret without expounding the Dharma.
Throughout innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas, I cultivated
mind-consciousness and perfected the bodhisattva's supernormal powers, gathered in
the mind and entered samadhi, and journeyed to immeasurable Buddha-realms.
Just as a strong man bends and extends his arm, in an instant
I returned to my original place. The bodhisattva's mind-consciousness also
entered beings born by transformation, born from the womb, born from moisture, and born from eggs,
manifesting inconceivable supernormal transformations in order to
teach and transform them, so that they immediately realized the unconditioned path in that very place.
Among all supernormal powers, the bodhisattva's power of mind-consciousness is supreme;
it is not something that pratyekabuddhas or arhats can
conceive or discuss. Why? Because it is not
their sphere of realization.

Chapter 5: THE LAMP OF THE THREE WORLDS

At that time, in the Dharma assembly there was a bodhisattva named
Joyful Vision, who possessed unobstructed eloquence and had entered the Ten
Abodes. He had thoroughly mastered all the practices cultivated by the Tathagata. That
bodhisattva rose, left his seat, bared his
right shoulder, knelt with his right knee touching the ground, joined his palms, approached
the Buddha, and said:
“Excellent, Blessed One! Today I have
heard this unprecedented Dharma. Did the innumerable
Tathagatas of the past, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, enter
nirvana or did they not enter nirvana? If they entered
nirvana, how could sentient beings in the Desire Realm be liberated?
If the Tathagatas did not enter nirvana, then in which Buddha-realm
do those Tathagatas abide?”
The Buddha told Bodhisattva Joyful Vision:
NIRVANA — SECTION 3
“Excellent! Excellent! You are able to
utter the lion's roar before the Tathagata. Listen
very carefully and properly reflect upon this matter.
I shall now distinguish and explain every detail for
you.”
Bodhisattva Joyful Vision said:
“Blessed One, I am most eager
to hear.” The Buddha taught:
“The Buddhas, the Blessed Ones of the past, as numerous as the
sands of the Ganges, were designated by provisional names too numerous
to remember completely. Likewise, sentient beings continue lifetime after lifetime without perishing;
they are boundless, having neither boundary
nor beginning. The Buddhas remain intently concentrated, their minds like
the realm of space. Nirvana is itself sentient beings; therefore,
the Tathagata does not enter nirvana. Why? Because it is
sentient beings.”
Bodhisattva Joyful Vision said to the Buddha:
“Did the sentient beings liberated by the Blessed Ones of the past
attain cessation, or did they not attain cessation?”
The Buddha told Bodhisattva Joyful Vision:
“What do you think, Bodhisattva Joyful Vision? Throughout innumerable
asamkhyeya kalpas, you have constantly attended upon the Buddhas,
bowing to them and making offerings of incense, flowers, banners, and jeweled
canopies. Have you ever seen a Tathagata enter parinirvana?”
Bodhisattva Joyful Vision replied:
“No,
I have not.”
The Buddha taught:
“Bodhisattva Joyful Vision, I am called Sakyamuni,
Unsurpassed Bodhi. Now, while dwelling within my mother's womb, am I in
nirvana or not in nirvana?”
Bodhisattva Joyful Vision replied:
“Blessed One,
you are not.” The Blessed
One taught:
“Bodhisattva Joyful Vision, when sentient beings and bodhisattvas
receive the prediction that they will realize the unsurpassed true and perfect
path, is that path the true path, or is it not
the true path?”
Bodhisattva Joyful Vision replied:
“That path is not the true path. Why?
Because where there is a Buddha and the Dharma is spoken, sentient beings are seen to be taught
and transformed; therefore, that path is not the true path.
Conditions in dependence upon the conditions of sentient beings constitute the path; conditions
in dependence upon the exhaustion of the conditions of sentient beings constitute the true path.
Past conditions depending upon the exhaustion of sentient beings
are not the true path with respect to the present.
Present conditions depending upon the exhaustion of sentient beings
are not the true path with respect to the past.
Past and present conditions depending upon the exhaustion of
sentient beings are not the true path with respect to the future.
NIRVANA — SECTION 3
Future conditions depending upon the exhaustion of sentient beings
are not the true path with respect to the past and present. Why? Because
that path is not the true path.
Past conditions depending upon the exhaustion of sentient beings,
present conditions depending upon the exhaustion of sentient beings, and future conditions depending upon the exhaustion of sentient beings—
that path is the true path.
The Great Bodhisattva knows and sees this, yet there is
nowhere he is not present. Why? It is like
the nine inexhaustible practices. Those nine practices are:
Upper-upper, upper-middle,
upper-lower.
Middle-upper, middle-middle, middle-lower.
Lower-upper, lower-middle, lower-lower.
If the conditions of upper-upper are exhausted while the conditions of upper-
upper-middle are inexhaustible, then it is not the true
path.”

When the upper-middle condition is exhausted, but the upper-lower condition
is not exhausted, this is not the true path.
When the upper-lower condition is exhausted, but the middle-upper condition
is not exhausted, this is not the true path.
When the middle-upper condition is exhausted, but the middle-middle condition
is not exhausted, this is not the true path.
When the middle-middle condition is exhausted, but the middle-lower condition is not
exhausted, this is not the true path.
When the middle-lower condition is exhausted, but the lower-upper condition is not
exhausted, this is not the true path.
When the lower-upper condition is exhausted, but the lower-middle condition is not
exhausted, this is not the true path.
When the lower-middle condition is exhausted, but the lower-lower condition is not exhausted,
this is not the true path.
When the lower-lower condition is exhausted, that is the true path.
With respect to true nature, a great bodhisattva neither
grasps nor relinquishes, neither abides nor does not
abide.
Past, present, and future are alike; the path
is alike; nirvana is alike; all are
alike, without two dharmas.
Nature is alike, natural characteristics are alike,
sentient beings are alike, phrases are alike, the five skandhas
are alike, conditions are alike, practices are alike;
the pure conduct of the path is neither one nor two.
When conditioned practice in the Desire Realm is exhausted, it does not mean conditioned practice
in the Form Realm is exhausted. When conditioned practice in the Form Realm is exhausted,
it does not mean conditioned practice in the Formless Realm is exhausted. When conditioned practice
in the Formless Realm is exhausted, conditioned practice in the Form Realm is exhausted,
and conditioned practice in the Desire Realm is exhausted, this is called the bodhisattva’s
equality, neither one nor two.
At that time, the Buddha said to Bodhisattva Hý Kiên:
—Do you wish to know whether the realms of the Buddhas of the past
are extinguished or not extinguished?
NIRVANA — SECTION 3
Thereupon, the Blessed One, through the power of his body, entered
the Samadhi of Fearlessness in the Realm of Emptiness, causing everyone
to see clearly that the body of Shakyamuni remained silent
and did not speak, complete with all bodily marks.
The Blessed One said:
—Bodhisattvas should know! My bodies of the past are exceedingly
numerous, incalculable and immeasurable.
Having said this, the Blessed One, through his bodily supernormal powers, merged into
the realm of those born from moisture, complete with the same marks
as they possessed, and taught the Dharma to innumerable asamkhyeyas of sentient
beings, causing the moisture-born, according to their aspirations,
to attain liberation.
Again, through his bodily supernormal powers, the Blessed One merged into the assembly
of the transformation-born, manifested a physical form just like theirs, and
taught the Dharma to innumerable asamkhyeyas of sentient beings, causing
the transformation-born, according to their aspirations, to attain
liberation.
Again, through his bodily supernormal powers, the Blessed One merged into the assembly
of the egg-born, manifested a physical form just like theirs, and taught
the Dharma to innumerable asamkhyeyas of sentient beings, causing
the egg-born, according to their aspirations, to attain
liberation.
Again, through his bodily supernormal powers, the Blessed One manifested the future
world, merged into the four modes of birth in the human realm, manifested
a physical form, and taught the Dharma to innumerable asamkhyeyas of
sentient beings, causing beings of those four modes of birth, according
to their aspirations, to attain liberation.
Just as today, while in my mother’s womb, I teach
the rare Dharma of Non-retrogression to bodhisattvas
who have attained bodily supernormal powers throughout the ten directions, I also employ
supernormal powers among the four modes of birth in the heavenly realms, the four modes of birth in the
hells, the four modes of birth among hungry ghosts, and the four modes of birth among
animals. Of the four modes of birth, the defilements of the transformation-born and womb-born
are swiftly brought to an end, while the defilements of the moisture-born and egg-born
are brought to an end slowly. The transformation-born and womb-born are those
of keen faculties, while the moisture-born and egg-born are those of dull
faculties.
At that time, the Blessed One again employed his bodily supernormal powers
to manifest a realm of quiescence so that the entire great assembly
could see and know it; yet he did not speak even the names of suffering, its origin, its cessation,
or the path. Why? Because the sentient beings in that realm
were all of keen faculties and belonged to the womb-born and transformation-born.
The Buddha again employed his bodily supernormal powers to manifest the realms of the ten
directions below. By the light, they saw those sentient beings preserve,
read, and recite the teachings, passing through many kalpas before attaining the fruit of the path,
and knew that these moisture-born and egg-born beings were of dull
faculties.
The Buddha again employed his bodily supernormal powers to manifest the realm of deathlessness so that
the great assembly knew that the beings there had never heard the word
“death.” They knew that these beings possessed great compassionate vows
and were of the most excellent faculties among those of keen faculties.
The Buddha employed his supernormal powers to manifest the realm of premature death so that
NIRVANA — SECTION 3
the entire great assembly could see and know it. They saw that among those beings,
some died prematurely because they themselves had created the root of suffering. Formerly,
their lifespans had been extremely long, but now their lives had gradually become shorter.
The king of that realm, named Trừ Ưu, flayed the skin of the dead to make
a drum and had it beaten once every hundred years so that those
sentient beings would all know the word “death.” When their lifespan gradually declined to
one hundred years, I appeared. Now I relinquish my lifespan at a little more
than eighty-four years of age. Emerging by womb-birth and transformation-birth
in the age of the five turbidities—this is my portion of keen faculties.
You should know that life does not endure
for long, and even the Buddha’s bodily power cannot preserve it.
This body is like a bubble on water and does not long abide. The body is like
dew, constantly disturbing people’s thoughts. The body is like a dream,
increasing anger. The body is like an illusion, deceiving and
bewildering worldly people. The body is like an echo: though sought,
it has no form. The body is like vision obscured by cataracts, unable to see
clearly. Thus, this body of mine has reached its final
extinction and will never be born again.
What is non-arising? It means not being born again in this realm of
Jambudvipa. Moreover, when I perform the work of a Buddha in three hundred and twenty
million Buddha realms throughout the ten directions, this
is not in the past. Therefore, when conditions enter into exhausted conditions,
or conditions enter into inexhaustible conditions, there is no
nirvana.
At that time, the great bodhisattva Maitreya immediately arose,
adjusted his Dharma robe, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee
upon the ground, and addressed the Buddha:
—How wondrous, Blessed One! All sentient
beings in the world are not alike. The fruits and retributions
of good and evil deeds are each different. Thus, when the Tathagata teaches the Dharma
of emptiness and quiescence, which is inconceivable, into which samadhi
does he enter to possess such awe-inspiring bodily power, capable of stirring beings in an immeasurable way?
Sentient beings possessing consciousness can all be easily taught and transformed;
but when mountains, rivers, walls, stones, trees, and grasses are all transformed
into human beings, are they sentient beings possessing consciousness or
sentient beings without consciousness?
The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Maitreya:
—Long ago, when you and I were passing through mountains and
rivers, did you see a fierce beast that wished to devour the bodhisattva
of the Ten Abodes?
Bodhisattva Maitreya replied:
—No, Blessed One. Why? Even if fierce
beasts filling the entire trichiliocosm wished to devour
the bodhisattva, that could not happen.
The Buddha taught:
—Long ago, I urged you: “Who is able
to advance first?” You and Bodhisattva Manjushri both said
you did not have the courage. At that very moment, through my bodily
power, I took the precious amrita and caused that hungry beast to understand:
“If you maintain a steadfast mind, you will attain the fruit of the path of unsurpassed,
perfect and complete awakening.” After saying this, you slowly
withdrew. Thus, all these were conscious beings capable of being
taught and transformed, not unconscious things being taught and transformed.
The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Maitreya:
—Do you not remember that innumerable asamkhyeya kalpas
ago, sixty-two Ganges-sands of realms away toward the
northwest, there was a Buddha named Equality, whose land
was named Formless? That Buddha is even now teaching the Dharma.
In that realm, there are no pratyekabuddhas or adherents of the Shravaka Vehicle;
there is no sun or moon, no seasons, and no reckoning of whether kalpas
are many or few. That Buddha teaches and transforms an entire Buddha realm.
All sentient beings of that realm attain Buddhahood
without moving to reside in another Buddha-world. Maitreya
Bodhisattva! Can that Buddha be said to belong to the past,
present, or future?
Bodhisattva Maitreya replied:
—Blessed One! He belongs at once to the past, present, and
future. Why? Because all come from the various realms
to that realm. When all conditions are exhausted, sentient beings are exhausted.
Because they attain deliverance, the present is manifestly present.
The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Maitreya:
—Are you now in the present
or not?
Bodhisattva Maitreya
replied:

—World-Honored One! No. Although one speaks of present formations, they are not present, because former formations have already passed and subsequent formations have not yet arrived. Because consciousness, mindfulness, and thought bring these three matters to completion, there is no present.

The Buddha again asked Bodhisattva Maitreya:

—How many thoughts are there in the mind? How many perceptions are there in each thought?

Bodhisattva Maitreya replied:

—In approximately the time of a finger snap, there are three billion two hundred million thoughts. Thought after thought takes form, and each form possesses consciousness. The thoughts of consciousness are extremely subtle and cannot be grasped. Only when the Buddha’s spiritual power enters that consciousness as minute as a mote of dust can it be measured. Thus, what is taught and transformed possesses consciousness; it is not without consciousness. Furthermore, consciousness is exceedingly minute, smaller than a mote of dust. This dust-mote consciousness cannot be seen. Only when the Tathagata’s spiritual power enters that which is taught and transformed can it be measured and examined.

The Buddha said:

—Bodhisattva Maitreya, you should know this and harbor no doubt about it. This dust-mote consciousness also receives the four vital energies and undergoes the four modes of birth. Why is this? Because sentient beings are boundless, and their bounds are also boundless. The Tathagata is also boundless, and the Way is also boundless. All that is called existent—even existence itself is nonexistent. Without realm, without place, and without abiding, there is likewise no one who instructs and transforms sentient beings.

NIRVANA — COLLECTION 3

This is called the Samadhi of Conformity and Reversal. It neither abides nor fails to abide; it is one characteristic and no characteristic. It is unattached and unfettered, and it also has no ultimate limit. Cultivating at the place of awakening, purifying Buddha-lands, and transforming everywhere without number—these are not things to which those of lesser capacity can compare.

At that time, the World-Honored One, wishing to dispel Bodhisattva Maitreya’s doubts, manifested a beautiful, supple physical body, with an appearance upon which one never tired of gazing, pure within and without and free of blemish.

Throughout innumerable asamkhya kalpas, I cultivated the pure eye, unobstructed within and without; therefore, I have now attained this physical body. The body is not a body, and form is likewise not form.

If one knows that body is empty and form is empty, then both body and form are empty. Knowing that body and form are both empty, this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that non-body is empty and non-form is empty, one knows that both non-body and non-form are empty. Whoever knows that non-body and non-form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the past body is empty and that past form is empty, one knows that both past body and form are empty. Whoever knows that past body and form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the present body is empty and that present form is empty, one knows that both present body and form are empty. Whoever knows that present body and form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the future body is empty and that future form is empty, one knows that both future body and form are empty. Whoever knows that future body and form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that past non-body is empty and that past non-form is empty, one knows that both past non-body and non-form are empty. Whoever knows that past non-body and non-form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that present non-body is empty and that present non-form is empty, one knows that both present non-body and non-form are empty. Whoever knows that present non-body and non-form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that future non-body is empty and that future non-form is empty, one knows that both future non-body and non-form are empty. Whoever knows that future non-body and non-form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the body of the desire realm is empty and that the form of the desire realm is empty, one knows that both the body and form of the desire realm are empty. Whoever knows that the body and form of the desire realm are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the body of the form realm is empty and that the form of the form realm is empty, one knows that both the body and form of the form realm are empty. Whoever knows that the body and form of the form realm are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

NIRVANA — COLLECTION 3

Knowing that the body of the formless realm is empty and that the form of the formless realm is empty, one knows that both the body and form of the formless realm are empty. Whoever knows that the body and form of the formless realm are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the non-body of the desire realm is empty and that the non-form of the desire realm is empty, one knows that both the non-body and non-form of the desire realm are empty. Whoever knows that the non-body and non-form of the desire realm are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the non-body of the form realm is empty and that the non-form of the form realm is empty, one knows that both the non-body and non-form of the form realm are empty. Whoever knows that the non-body and non-form of the form realm are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the non-body of the formless realm is empty and that the non-form of the formless realm is empty, one knows that both the non-body and non-form of the formless realm are empty. Whoever knows that the non-body and non-form of the formless realm are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the body arising from conditions upon conditions is empty and that the form arising from conditions upon conditions is empty, one knows that both body and form arising from conditions upon conditions are empty. Whoever knows that body and form arising from conditions upon conditions are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the non-body arising from conditions upon conditions is empty and that the non-form arising from conditions upon conditions is empty, one knows that both non-body and non-form arising from conditions upon conditions are empty. Whoever knows that non-body and non-form arising from conditions upon conditions are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the womb-born body is empty and that womb-born form is empty, one knows that both the womb-born body and womb-born form are empty. Whoever knows that the womb-born body and womb-born form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the womb-born non-body is empty and that womb-born non-form is empty, one knows that both the womb-born non-body and womb-born non-form are empty. Whoever knows that the womb-born non-body and womb-born non-form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the transformation-born body is empty and that transformation-born form is empty, one knows that both the transformation-born body and transformation-born form are empty. Whoever knows that the transformation-born body and transformation-born form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the transformation-born non-body is empty and that transformation-born non-form is empty, one knows that both the transformation-born non-body and transformation-born non-form are empty. Whoever knows that the transformation-born non-body and transformation-born non-form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the moisture-born body is empty and that moisture-born form is empty, one knows that both the moisture-born body and moisture-born form are empty. Whoever knows that the moisture-born body and moisture-born form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the moisture-born non-body is empty and that moisture-born non-form is empty,

NIRVANA — COLLECTION 3

one knows that both the moisture-born non-body and moisture-born non-form are empty. Whoever knows that the moisture-born non-body and moisture-born non-form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the egg-born body is empty and that egg-born form is empty, one knows that both the egg-born body and egg-born form are empty. Whoever knows that the egg-born body and egg-born form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the egg-born non-body is empty and that egg-born non-form is empty, one knows that both the egg-born non-body and egg-born non-form are empty. Whoever knows that the egg-born non-body and egg-born non-form are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the body in the preliminary concentration is empty and that the form in the preliminary concentration is empty, one knows that both the body and form in the preliminary concentration are empty. Whoever knows that the body and form in the preliminary concentration are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the non-body in the preliminary concentration is empty and that the non-form in the preliminary concentration is empty, one knows that both the non-body and non-form in the preliminary concentration are empty. Whoever knows that the non-body and non-form in the preliminary concentration are both empty—this emptiness is the emptiness of emptiness.

Knowing that the body in the first dhyana is empty and that the form in the first dhyana is empty, one knows that both the body and form in the first dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that the body and form in the first dhyana are both

then this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the absence of body in the First Dhyana is empty, and knowing that the absence of form in the First Dhyana is empty, one thereby knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the First Dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the First Dhyana are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the body in the intermediate dhyana is empty, and knowing that form in the intermediate dhyana is empty, one thereby knows that both the body and form in the intermediate dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that both the body and form in the intermediate dhyana are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the absence of body in the intermediate dhyana is empty, and knowing that the absence of form in the intermediate dhyana is empty, one thereby knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the intermediate dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the intermediate dhyana are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the body in the Second Dhyana is empty, and knowing that form in the Second Dhyana is empty, one thereby knows that both the body and form in the Second Dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that both the body and form in the Second Dhyana are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the absence of body in the Second Dhyana is empty, and knowing that the absence of form in the Second Dhyana is empty, one thereby knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Second Dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Second Dhyana are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
NIRVANA — COLLECTION 3
Knowing that the body in the Third Dhyana is empty, and knowing that form in the Third Dhyana is empty, one thereby knows that both the body and form in the Third Dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that both the body and form in the Third Dhyana are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the absence of body in the Third Dhyana is empty, and knowing that the absence of form in the Third Dhyana is empty, one thereby knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Third Dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Third Dhyana are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness. Knowing that the body in the Fourth Dhyana is empty, and knowing that form in the Fourth Dhyana is empty, one thereby knows that both the body and form in the Fourth Dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that both the body and form in the Fourth Dhyana are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the absence of body in the Fourth Dhyana is empty, and knowing that the absence of form in the Fourth Dhyana is empty, one thereby knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Fourth Dhyana are empty. Whoever knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Fourth Dhyana are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the body in the Sphere of Infinite Space is empty, and knowing that form in the Sphere of Infinite Space is empty, one thereby knows that both the body and form in the Sphere of Infinite Space are empty. Whoever knows that both the body and form in the Sphere of Infinite Space are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the absence of body in the Sphere of Infinite Space is empty, and knowing that the absence of form in the Sphere of Infinite Space is empty, one thereby knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Sphere of Infinite Space are empty. Whoever knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Sphere of Infinite Space are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the body in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness is empty, and knowing that form in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness is empty, one thereby knows that both the body and form in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness are empty. Whoever knows that both the body and form in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the absence of body in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness is empty, and knowing that the absence of form in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness is empty, one thereby knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness are empty. Whoever knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the body in the Sphere of Nothingness is empty, and knowing that form in the Sphere of Nothingness is empty, one thereby knows that both the body and form in the Sphere of Nothingness are empty. Whoever knows that both the body and form in the Sphere of Nothingness are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the absence of body in the Sphere of Nothingness is empty, and knowing that the absence of form in the Sphere of Nothingness is empty, one thereby knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Sphere of Nothingness are empty. Whoever knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Sphere of Nothingness are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
Knowing that the body in the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception is empty, and knowing that form in the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception is empty, one thereby knows that both the body and form in the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception are empty. Whoever knows that both the body and form in the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
NIRVANA — COLLECTION 3
Knowing that the absence of body in the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception is empty, and knowing that the absence of form in the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception is empty, one thereby knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception are empty. Whoever knows that both the absence of body and the absence of form in the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception are empty—this emptiness is empty of emptiness.
The Buddha told Bodhisattva Maitreya:
“Now I shall expound for you the meaning of arising and the fundamental meaning. Listen clearly and reflect upon it most carefully.
“What is the meaning of arising? Arising is seven times nine. ‘Root’ means joining together. The Tathagata does not cling to the root of what has been known, the root of what is not yet known, or the root of perfect knowledge.
“The root of what has been known pertains to the past, present, and future.
“The root of what is not yet known consists of the obstructions of the fetters.
“The root of perfect knowledge is the Tathagata, the Most True, the Supremely and Perfectly Enlightened One.
“The Buddhas of the past, present, and future perfect this root and distinguish among all roots. No-root is also not no-root; there is neither exposition nor meaning. To distinguish the meanings of words is emptiness, devoid of anything possessed. Such is the meaning of ‘root.’
“From the first arising of the aspiration until sitting beneath the King of Trees and turning the unsurpassed Dharma wheel, they gather all Dharma gateways: the Dharma gateway of the practice of non-practice, the inconceivable Dharma gateway, the Dharma gateway of the root of dharani, and the Dharma gateway of the Dharma treasury of empty space. These are the samadhis into which all Buddhas enter.
“Bodhisattva Maitreya, you should know! I confer upon you the prediction that, after five billion six hundred seventy million years, you shall attain the fruit of unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment beneath the King of Trees.
“I was born from the right side, whereas Bodhisattva Maitreya will be born from the crown of the head.
“I live for one hundred years; Bodhisattva Maitreya will live for eighty-four thousand years. My realm has a ground of earth; Bodhisattva Maitreya’s realm will have a ground of gold.
“My land is arid, whereas Bodhisattva Maitreya’s land will be joyful.” At that time, the Blessed One then spoke this verse:

At the third: three billion six hundred million;
All those sentient beings will attain cessation.
You will have ease; I have hardship.
You are indolent; I am diligent.

While the Buddha was speaking this verse, seven billion two hundred million ascetic sentient beings sat peacefully and unmoving, attaining the patient acceptance of non-arising dharmas.