佛為娑伽羅龍王所說大乘經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha dwelt at the majestic place of enlightenment in the palace of the dragon king Sāgara within the great ocean, together with a great assembly of bhikṣus numbering seven thousand five hundred, and great Bodhisattvas who had attained great wisdom. There were also hundreds of thousands of koṭi nayuta of Brahmā kings, Śakra, the World-Protecting devas, and so forth, as well as devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, and so forth, who all came from the worlds of the ten directions to assemble together.

At that time, the World-Honored One, seeing that the whole great assembly had already gathered, addressed the dragon king Sāgara, saying:

"O dragon king! You should observe how the manifold karmic deeds of this world all arise from delusion, and how the manifold mental dharmas must experience the manifold fruits of retribution. If one does not understand these things, then one will give rise to the manifold destinies of rebirth.

O dragon king! You should observe all the beings within this great ocean! You will see that they are created with manifold forms and appearances of individual beings. O dragon king! All these forms and appearances arise from all the karma of body, speech, and mind, whether wholesome or unwholesome. The mind of each of these forms and appearances transforms in manifold ways. Yet this mental dharma, though it appears as form, is like an illusory transformation that cannot be grasped.

O dragon king! The forms and appearances of all these dharmas are fundamentally without origination and without a controlling agent; furthermore they have no self, nor do they obstruct. Thus, though the karma that has been produced is of manifold kinds, the self-nature of all dharmas is the mark of illusory transformation, inconceivable and beyond discussion.

O dragon king! If there is a Bodhisattva who knows that all dharmas are unborn and unceasing, without form and without appearance, and who, having known this truly as it is, then produces and cultivates all wholesome karma while not cultivating or producing forms and appearances and the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements—then for him all arisen dharmas have nothing that can be seen. If that Bodhisattva has truly attained this insight, then he should further observe the supreme and wondrous forms and appearances.

O dragon king! How is the supreme and wondrous form and appearance to be observed?

One should observe the bodily appearance of the Tathāgata. The body of the Tathāgata is a body born from hundreds of thousands of koṭi nayuta of merit and virtue.

Furthermore, by upholding what disciplines, and by what reverent faith, does one attain such a bodily appearance? And attain the freedom from sickness and from death enjoyed in the heavens and among humans? And attain ten hundred thousand bodies of the Paranirmita-vaśavartin devas? And so on up to the body of the Great Brahmā deva?

These attainments all come from a mind that is not scattered, single-pointedly contemplating, gazing upon the supremely wondrous bodily appearance of the Tathāgata, and knowing truly that all the supreme and wondrous forms and appearances of adornment of this body are obtained from the accumulation of wholesome karma.

O dragon king! Just as the palace in which you dwell, all its adornment is likewise the production of merit and virtue—and so too with the adornments of Brahmā kings, Śakra, the World-Protecting devas, and so forth; and so on up to all the adornments belonging to devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, mahoragas, humans, and non-humans, and so forth—these too are all the production of merit and virtue.

O dragon king! Furthermore, of the manifold kinds of beings that exist within this great ocean, whether there are species that are vast and large, or species that are tiny, mostly defiled and ugly—all their bodies arise from the transformations of manifold minds.

O dragon king! Therefore it is said that all is in accordance with what is obtained from the karma of body, speech, and mind.

O dragon king! Such fruits of retribution come about because karma is the cause and karma is the master. You should cause all beings to give rise to the mind of wisdom; in their producing of deeds and their cultivation, they should follow and study wholesome karma, and toward all wrong views neither produce them nor abide in them, knowing that those wrong views are not the ultimate. Having known thus, all beings will seek you as their teacher and all come to make offerings, and at the same time you will be followed by the heavens and humankind, who will trust and make offerings to you.

O dragon king! There is one dharma that can cause beings to cut off the karma of all the evil paths. What is meant by this one dharma?

It is called the observation of wholesome dharmas! And how is that wholesome dharma to be observed? One should observe one's own self!

Throughout day and night, in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, whatever the mind and thoughts give rise to is in no way unrelated to those actions. Examining and understanding thus, one causes unwholesome dharmas not to arise within the four dignified deportments. In this way one cuts off all unwholesome dharmas and will cause wholesome dharmas to become complete; and it will further cause all beings who share in wholesomeness all to attain the states of Śrāvaka, Pratyekabuddha, and Bodhisattva, and so on up to the fruit of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment (Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi).

O dragon king! What is meant by wholesome dharma? Today I shall expound that dharma! That dharma is called the ten wholesome karmas! These are the fundamental abode of all things. They are the fundamental abode for being born into the heavens and among humans, the fundamental abode of the supreme wholesome dharmas both worldly and supramundane, the fundamental abode of Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas, and the fundamental abode of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.

What are these fundamental abodes? They are the ten wholesome courses of karma! If one can keep far from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech (lying), frivolous speech (embellished words), harsh speech (evil words), divisive speech (double-tongued words), and so on up to greed, anger, and wrong views—if one can keep far from these, then this is called the ten wholesome courses of karma, and this alone is truly the fundamental abode of the worldly and the supramundane.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from killing obtains ten kinds of wholesome dharmas. What are the ten dharmas? They are:

He attains the gift of fearlessness, whereby all other beings come to abide in loving-kindness of mind.

He attains right conduct, whereby he does not give rise to thoughts of fault toward any being.

He attains the joy of few illnesses.

He attains a long life-span.

He attains the protection of manifold kinds of non-human beings.

In sleeping and in waking he attains peace and ease.

He further attains the protection of the sages, whose hearts do not weary of him nor abandon him.

In his dreams he does not see the suffering and affliction of evil karma.

He himself attains freedom from fear of all the evil paths.

After the end of his life he is born into the heavens.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who obtains these ten kinds of wholesome dharmas and practices the Bodhisattva path attains an abiding wholesome mind; and when his wholesome roots have ripened, he will attain Supreme Perfect Bodhi.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from stealing obtains ten dharmas to rely upon. What are the ten? They are:

He attains great wealth and sovereign ease.

He attains freedom from the calamities of the king, freedom from the calamities of water and fire, of bandits, and of foes.

He attains many relatives who are gracious and harmonious, in concord; he is liked by many people, and they do not torment one another.

Whatever words he speaks are surely trusted by all.

He attains immeasurable treasures, which all gather together.

He attains the praise of this region and of other regions, and wherever he goes he is without fear.

He attains a good reputation from others, who praise his wisdom.

He further attains physical strength and length of life-span, with eloquent speech that is fitting.

Toward those who are close to him and those who are not close, his mind makes no distinction, and he gives rise to no thought of harming or afflicting.

After the end of his life he is born into the heavens.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from stealing harvests these ten dharmas to rely upon, and who brings those wholesome roots to all the Buddha-dharmas, able to realize and know for himself, will attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from sexual misconduct attains four wholesome dharmas of wisdom. What are the four? They are:

He subdues the sense-faculties.

He is free from scatteredness.

He attains the praise of all the world.

He further attains immeasurable numbers of followers.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who is free from sexual misconduct obtains these four wholesome dharmas of wisdom. By means of these wholesome roots he will attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment, and will further realize the hidden and concealed mark of the secret organ that is the mark of a great being (mahāpuruṣa).

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from false speech obtains eight kinds of wholesome dharmas of the heavens and humankind. What are the eight? They are:

He attains a mouth always pure, like the fragrance of the blue lotus flower.

He further attains all the right views of the world.

He attains the love of all in the heavens and among humans.

He attains purity of body, speech, and mind, transforming and teaching all sentient beings, causing them to abide in the conduct of the three pure karmas.

Having attained purity, all rejoice.

He attains truthful words that are certainly trustworthy.

He attains eloquence surpassing others, and the words of his discourse all possess skillful means.

In the heavens and among humans he is free from all faults.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from false speech obtains these eight kinds of wholesome dharmas of the heavens and humankind. With those wholesome roots he obtains pure karma of speech that is truthful and of right conduct, and so he will attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from frivolous speech will attain three kinds of single-directional dharmas. What are the three? They are:

He attains, in knowing the Dharma, a single-directional delight.

He attains single-directional truthfulness.

He further gives rise to wisdom and attains the single-directional state of being a teacher of devas and humans. All in the heavens and among humans trust and delight in him.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from frivolous speech attains these three kinds of single-directional dharmas. By dedicating these wholesome roots toward Bodhi, he attains the prediction of all the Tathāgatas, and will realize Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from harsh speech obtains eight kinds of purity of the faults of the mouth, and so attains eight kinds of wholesome dharmas. What are the eight? They are:

Truthful speech.

Loving speech.

Speech that accords with the meaning.

Gentle and supple speech.

Speech free from grasping.

Speech that many people delight in.

Wholesome speech.

Speech that has benefit and meaning.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from harsh speech obtains these eight kinds of pure karma of the mouth. By dedicating these wholesome roots toward Bodhi, in the future he will realize Supreme Perfect Enlightenment, and will further attain the supreme and pure Brahmā voice.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from divisive speech will attain five kinds of firmness. What are the five? They are:

He attains a firm body, whereby he will be far removed from all calamities and terrors.

He attains firm relations, whereby they will not be coveted by others.

He attains firm faith, whereby he obtains the fruit of retribution of the karma of faith.

He attains firm Dharma, whereby he obtains the firm and solid fruit of realization.

He attains firm good friends, whereby he is always embraced by loving words.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from divisive speech obtains these five kinds of firmness. By dedicating those wholesome roots toward Bodhi, he will realize Supreme Perfect Enlightenment, causing all heretics, demon-kings, and so forth to be unable to destroy that man of stature.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from the poison of greed obtains eight kinds of wholesome dharmas. What are the eight? They are:

He attains the dissolving of the mind of greed.

He attains the non-arising of the mind of killing.

He attains the non-arising of the mind of jealousy and envy.

He attains delight in being born into the lineage of the Noble Ones, and is honored by the Noble Ones.

He attains a mind of loving-kindness, benefiting all beings through wholesome karma.

He attains an upright body.

He attains the honor of many people.

He attains rebirth in the Brahmā world.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from the poison of greed obtains these eight kinds of wholesome dharmas. By dedicating these wholesome dharmas toward the non-retrogressing mind of Bodhi, he will realize Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from the poison of anger will attain the fulfillment of five kinds of supreme vows. What are the five?

Cultivating body, speech, and mind without retrogression, with the sense-faculties unscattered, he will attain the fulfillment of all and so possess vast and great wealth.

He attains the subduing and submission of foes, and so attains the fulfillment of all vast and great merit and virtue.

He attains the supreme offerings of devas and humans, and so attains the fulfillment of vast and great merit.

With regard to the supreme enjoyments, whatever his heart desires is all fulfilled.

When, for the sake of wealth and nobility, he makes a hundred thousand supreme vows, they are fulfilled exactly in accordance with his vows.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from the poison of anger obtains these five kinds of fulfillment. By dedicating these wholesome roots toward Bodhi, he realizes Supreme Perfect Enlightenment and attains the reverence of the three realms.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from wrong views obtains ten kinds of dharmas of merit and virtue. What are the ten? They are:

He attains a mind of his own at peace and good, and good friends who accompany him in deeply trusting cause and effect.

He attains the not producing of sinful karma for the sake of body and life.

Before long he attains the station of the sages.

He attains the not being deluded about wholesome dharmas, cultivating the conduct of devas and humans.

He does not fall into the animal realm or the realm of Yama.

Cultivating the Noble Path, he attains the supreme merit.

He attains freedom from all wrong dharmas.

He attains freedom from the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi).

He attains the seeing that the nature of all sins is empty and void.

He attains the right conduct of humankind and of the heavens without defect.

O dragon king! The man of stature, the pudgala, who keeps far from wrong views obtains these ten kinds of merit and virtue. By dedicating these wholesome roots toward Bodhi, he can swiftly realize and understand all the Buddha-dharmas, and will attain Supreme Perfect Enlightenment.

O dragon king! Furthermore, observe that through the subtle actions of the ten unwholesome dharmas, one mostly falls into the paths of the hells, hungry ghosts, and animals.

O dragon king! Observe those beings: if they again kill, they will fall into the realms of the hells, animals, Yama, and so forth. After being born into the human realm, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, a short life-span; second, much suffering and affliction.

If they again steal, they will fall into the realms of the hells, animals, Yama, and so forth. After being born into the human realm, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, dwelling in poverty and lowliness; second, being unable to keep the treasures of others.

If they again practice defiled sexuality, they will fall into the realms of the hells, animals, Yama, and so forth. After being born into the human realm, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, stupidity; second, a wife who is not chaste and upright.

If they again speak falsely, they will fall into the hells, animals, and the realm of Yama, and so forth. After being born into the human realm, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, speech that is not truthful; second, people who do not trust and follow them.

If they again speak frivolously, they will fall into the hells, animals, and the realm of Yama, and so forth. After being born into the human realm, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, not being upright; second, speech that is unsettled.

If they again speak harshly, they will fall into the hells, animals, and the realm of Yama. After being born into the human realm, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, speech full of contention; second, not being honored by the people of the world.

If they again speak divisively, they will fall into the hells, animals, and the realm of Yama. After being born as humans, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, obtaining base and lowly kinsfolk; second, experiencing the circumstance of kinsfolk being separated and parted.

If they again have much greed, they will fall into the hells, animals, and the realm of Yama. After being born as humans, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, being unable to benefit others; second, being frequently harmed by others.

If they again have much anger, they will fall into the hells, animals, and the realm of Yama. After being born into the human realm, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, a mind always without joy; second, many matters that are not according to their wishes.

If they again have wrong views, they will fall into the hells, animals, and the realm of Yama. After being born into the human realm, because of residual karma they suffer two kinds of retribution: first, wrong views; second, indolence.

O dragon king! If there are people who perform these ten unwholesome dharmas, they will certainly harvest such fruits of retribution. They will further suffer boundless great aggregates of suffering.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from killing and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he will always attain great wealth and immeasurable merit, and attain freedom from the fear of all plunder and seizure by others.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from stealing and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he attains great wealth and immeasurable merit; and through having a mind without stinginess toward all, he will realize the profound wisdom and the Supreme words of the Dharma-meaning of all the Buddhas.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from defiled sexuality and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he attains great wealth and nobility, obtains immeasurable merit, and transforms his relations to be good, so that his parents, wife, and children are all without evil views.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from false speech and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he attains great wealth and nobility, obtains immeasurable merit, and will transform all the words he possesses so that they are all skillful, gentle, and supple; and whenever he gives rise to a sincere aspiration, it remains firm and does not retreat.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from frivolous speech and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he attains great wealth and nobility, harvests immeasurable merit, and his words are truthful, so that those who hear them trust and accept them. Whatever words he speaks cut off all doubts.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from harsh speech and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he attains great wealth and nobility, harvests immeasurable merit, his words can be grasped and relied upon, those who hear them do not reject them, and within all assemblies he is without fault toward them.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from divisive speech and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he attains great wealth and nobility, harvests immeasurable merit. Toward all his relations his mind abides in equality, loving them as himself, without separation or division.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from the poison of greed and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he attains great wealth and nobility, harvests immeasurable merit, attains an upright body with all sense-faculties complete, so that those who behold him all delight in him and their hearts do not weary of him.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from the poison of anger and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he attains great wealth and nobility, harvests immeasurable merit, attains the not giving rise to hatred and enmity, and upon hearing the essential Dharma of the Buddha can give rise to faith.

O dragon king! If a Bodhisattva, on the other hand, keeps far from wrong views and, cultivating the Bodhisattva path, practices giving, then he attains great wealth and nobility, harvests immeasurable merit, possesses right views toward the Three Jewels, is always near to the Buddha, hears the wondrous Dharma, and makes offerings to the Saṅgha. He is always without indolence or retreat, and teaches and transforms beings, causing them to give rise to the mind of Bodhi.

O dragon king! If one can cultivate these ten wholesome karmas and practice the Bodhisattva path, first adorning it with giving, then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, and one attains great wealth and nobility.

If one adorns it with the upholding of precepts (śīla), then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, one attains all the Buddha-dharmas, and one's vows are fully satisfied.

If one adorns it with patience (kṣānti), then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, one attains the thirty-two major marks and the eighty subsidiary marks of beauty of the Buddha's Bodhi, and one further attains the complete Brahmā voice.

If one adorns it with vigor (vīrya), then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, one will be able to subdue the heavenly demons and heretics, and rescue and deliver them by means of the Dharma of the Buddhas.

If one adorns it with meditative concentration (dhyāna), then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, one will attain pure right mindfulness, and the conduct of the Dharma will be complete.

If one adorns it with wisdom (prajñā), then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, one will attain the eternal cutting off of all wrong views.

If one adorns it with great loving-kindness (mahā-maitrī), then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, and one can cause all beings to subdue all subtle afflictions.

If one adorns it with great compassion (mahā-karuṇā), then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, one will win the hearts of all beings, and they will not weary of one nor abandon one.

If one adorns it with great joy (mahā-muditā), then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, one will attain single-mindedness without scatteredness.

If one adorns it with great equanimity (mahā-upekṣā), then the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, one will attain the extinguishing of all subtle afflictions.

O dragon king! And so on up to adorning it with the four means of embracing (catur-saṃgraha-vastu): when the fruit of retribution is fulfilled, one will cause all beings to follow one's guidance and teaching.

If one adorns it with the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, then with regard to body, feeling, mind, and dharmas, one can fully understand and resolve all.

If one adorns it with the Four Right Exertions, then one can cause all unwholesome dharmas to be entirely cut off and extinguished, and attain the fulfillment of all wholesome dharmas.

If one adorns it with the Four Bases of Spiritual Power, then one can attain a body and mind that both harvest light and easeful benefit.

If one adorns it with the Five Faculties, then one will attain faith and vigor that do not retrogress, a mind without delusion, clear understanding of the causes of karma, and the eternal extinguishing of afflictions.

If one adorns it with the Five Powers, then one will attain freedom from foolishness and freedom from delusion, and eternally cut off the faults of poverty and destitution.

If one adorns it with the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, then one will attain the awakening to all dharmas as they truly are.

If one adorns it with the Eightfold Right Path, then one will be able to realize Right Knowledge.

If one adorns it with śamatha (calming), then one will attain the cutting off of all afflictions.

If one adorns it with vipaśyanā (insight), then one will attain the thorough realization of the wisdom of all dharmas.

If one adorns it with the Right Path, then with regard to all conditioned (saṃskṛta) and unconditioned (asaṃskṛta) means, one can fully know and understand.

O dragon king! I have now spoken in brief of the ten wholesome dharmas that have adornment, and so on up to the ten powers, the four kinds of knowledge, and the eighteen exclusive dharmas of a Buddha—and so on up to all the dharma-divisions of the Tathāgata, all of which are fulfilled.

O dragon king! And so I have expounded at length the adornment of these ten wholesome courses of karma, which I shall cause all of you to cultivate and study! O dragon king! It is just as the great earth can give to the human realm the abode of all the lands and cities, the villages, and so on up to the forests and trees and medicinal herbs, and so forth.

Furthermore, all karmas have their seeds. The seeds, having relied on the four great elements to come into being, are like the sowing and planting of rice, which from the time of its first arising and sprouting, forming its stalk, and so on up to the time of its ripening (maturation), all depend upon the earth.

O dragon king! These ten wholesome courses of karma can serve as the supreme and wondrous abode for all sentient beings in the heavens and among humans, and can cause all the conditioned and the unconditioned to attain the fruit of retribution of wisdom. All Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas, and so on up to the Bodhisattvas of Supreme Perfect Enlightenment, take them as their abode. They are also the fundamental abode of all the Buddha-dharmas.

O dragon king! These words of Mine—all of you should, with an upright mind, give rise to faith and understanding."

At that time, the dragon king Sāgara, together with the great Bodhisattvas, all the Śrāvakas, and the devas, humans, asuras, gandharvas, and so forth at the great assembly—all the great assembly, having heard the words of the Buddha, rejoiced and reverently practiced them.