虛空孕菩薩經

Good man! This is called the first great offense committed by a bodhisattva. After committing this great offense, that good man loses all the roots of goodness he previously cultivated, violates his original vows, is overcome by afflictions, cannot attain rebirth in the higher realms, and cannot attain the bliss of nirvana.

These things render his bodhisattva practice hollow and fruitless; he forgets the mind of bodhi and later falls into the evil destinies. Good man! Therefore, a bodhisattva who wishes to guide sentient beings must first understand their minds so as to accord with their practices, and then, in accordance with those practices, expound the Dharma to them in proper sequence.

It is like a person who wishes to enter the great ocean: he should first know where its waters are deep and where they are shallow, and only afterward enter it... and so forth... In brief, this Great Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha is born in that land for the sake of those sentient beings and manifests bodily forms there. He is well able to know that those sentient beings have committed grave offenses and fear falling into the evil destinies.

If there is again someone who fears his offenses, who hears another speak and then invokes the name of Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha, or who wishes and longs to behold that bodhisattva, then that beginning bodhisattva, wishing to repent of his grave offenses, should, during the latter part of the night, bathe in scented water, put on clean garments, burn agarwood incense and tagara incense, kneel with his right knee upon the ground, join his palms while facing east, and invoke the name of Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha with utmost sincerity.

Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha knows the relative gravity of the offenses and merits of that person who has newly generated the aspiration for the path of bodhi. Then, according to that person’s faculties and disposition, he manifests a body before him, perhaps appearing in the body of a brahmin... or even in the body of a young boy or young girl. Having appeared before that person, this bodhisattva, out of compassion for one who has newly generated the aspiration, examines the original causes of that bodhisattva’s grave karma and the conditions underlying his offenses, and instructs him in repentance.

For that person, he reveals extremely profound, subtle, and skillful means, expounds the essentials of the supreme Mahayana Dharma, and teaches him to establish the gateways of samadhi and patience, the dharanis, the Dharma grounds, and so forth. He thereby enables that person to become liberated from all evil destinies and from the causes and conditions of grave offenses, to abide on the Ground of Non-Retrogression, and to advance toward unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment.

He also enables him to attain great strength like a vajra, to perfect a steadfast mind in the six paramitas, and ultimately to attain unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment. Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha may manifest his own body before sentient beings and, having manifested, expound the Dharma for them. If Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha has not yet manifested his body to that person in due time, the great being who is a beginning bodhisattva should again, during the latter part of the night, bathe in scented water, put on clean garments, burn agarwood incense, and beseech the yellow-white great being of the eastern direction named Aruṇa, proclaiming aloud: “Venerable Aruṇa!

You of great loving-kindness and compassion are about to appear in this Jambudvipa. Please have compassion for me! Arouse loving-kindness and compassion and protect me.

On my behalf, address Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha and cause Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha to reveal skillful means to me. I now wish to repent of the grave offenses I have previously committed, so that I may attain the great eye of wisdom within the noble Mahayana.” Having spoken these words of supplication and paid homage, that person should return to his former place and sleep peacefully.

At that time, when the yellow-white great being Aruṇa appears in the eastern direction, Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha immediately comes and manifests his body in a dream before the bodhisattva who has committed grave offenses. He teaches that beginning bodhisattva who has committed grave offenses the great wisdom and skillful means by which to repent of those offenses. Alternatively, he reveals the great wisdom and skillful means that enable the bodhisattva who has newly generated the aspiration for the path to attain the samadhi called Never Forgetting the Mind of Bodhi, to remain securely established in the Mahayana Dharma, and swiftly to perfect the six paramitas.

Furthermore, good man! Suppose a beginning bodhisattva sees someone practicing the bodhisattva conduct, approaches that person, and says to him: “You are incapable of practicing the six paramitas of a bodhisattva, nor can you attain unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment! You should generate the aspiration for the shravaka or pratyekabuddha path! You will then be liberated from the afflictions”... and so forth, as stated above... Good man! This is called the second grave offense committed by a bodhisattva.

Furthermore, good man! Suppose a beginning bodhisattva sees another sentient being and says: “Do not cultivate the Pratimoksha or the precepts of the Vinaya. You should not strive diligently in those teachings! You should quickly generate the aspiration for unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment! You should quickly read and recite the Mahayana scriptures! Your deeds—the three kinds of actions of body, speech, and mind—are afflictions. Through these afflictions and evil karma, they will immediately become purified”... and so forth, as stated above. Good man! This is called the third grave offense committed by a beginning bodhisattva.

Furthermore, good man! Suppose a bodhisattva sees others and says: “All of you should abandon the Shravaka Vehicle. Do not listen to or recite its teachings!

Do not expound them to others; conceal them and do not reveal them! You good men should not reveal the Shravaka Vehicle! If you practice this Shravaka Vehicle, you will not attain the great fruit and will be unable to eliminate the bonds of the afflictions.

You should only speak of the pure Mahayana scriptures, listen to them, recite them, accept and retain them, and clearly expound them to others. Through these causes and conditions, you will escape all evil destinies, extinguish all evil karma and so forth, and swiftly attain unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment.” If that person listens to the words of the beginning bodhisattva and follows this practice, both of them commit a grave offense.

Good man! This is called the fourth grave offense.

Furthermore, good man! Bodhisattvas at the beginning of their practice habitually engage in divisive speech, for their minds and mouths are at variance. Whenever they read and recite Mahayana scriptures, it is to seek fame, material gain, esteem, and offerings.

Giving rise to such intentions, they read and recite the scriptures, explain them to others, uphold them, propagate them, or teach others expediently according to circumstances. Having heard teachings from someone else, they then go to others and say: “I myself am now a follower of the Mahayana; no one else is.” Thus they give rise to jealousy for the sake of material gain. Or, seeing other practitioners of the Mahayana receiving precious goods and the four kinds of offerings from others, they consequently give rise to anger and spread malicious and contemptible reports about those bodhisattvas, humiliating, reviling, slandering, and disparaging them while praising themselves.

Because of such jealousy, they go to others and proclaim supramundane qualities, saying: “I have attained such a superior state and such a superior Dharma. I have attained it; I know it.” For this reason, they betray their original vows, are overcome by afflictions, and turn their backs upon the Mahayana Dharma. Such beings commit a grave offense within the Mahayana... and, upon relinquishing their bodies, fall into the evil destinies.

It is like a person who wishes to gather precious jewels and travels to a region containing treasures but does not enter the sea. Even if he enters the sea, he destroys his own vessel midway; that foolish person then meets his death amid the ocean waters. Good man!

So it is! So it is! Those bodhisattvas at the beginning of their practice aspire to enter the ocean of the Mahayana, yet those foolish people, out of jealousy, disparage others and utter falsehoods.

For this reason, those fools destroy the vessel of faith. Having destroyed faith in the practice, they extinguish the life faculty of wisdom. Good man!

Such bodhisattvas at the beginning of their practice are foolish, ignorant, and poorly learned; because jealousy causes them to utter falsehoods and disparage others, they consequently commit a grave offense. Good man! This is called the fifth grave offense committed by a bodhisattva who has newly generated the aspiration for enlightenment.

Furthermore, good man! In the future age, there will be bodhisattvas at the beginning of their practice, whether laypeople, monastics, and so forth, who possess the extremely profound Dharma gate of the “signless emptiness,” subtle and wondrous scriptures, dharanis, bhumis, kshantis, and so forth. They adorn themselves with all manner of practices.

Greatly wise ones, bodhisattvas, and others encourage and exhort them to seek the realm of ascetic practice. With regard to the Mahayana scriptures, they may read, recite, explain, and extol them, presenting them to others, analyzing them, and propagating them extensively. Yet they tell others: “I understood such scriptures naturally, realized and knew them naturally, and became enlightened to them naturally.

I alone, and no one else, compassionately expound them for your sake. After hearing them from me, contemplate them in this way and read and recite them in this way, and you will naturally gain clear understanding of such extremely profound Dharma. Through these causes and conditions, you will attain knowledge and vision like mine today.” Yet they refuse to say: “I read and recite such subtle, wondrous, and extremely profound scriptures because you taught them!” Such people seek material gain from the four assemblies and thereby sell themselves.

For this reason, before all the Tathagatas, Arhats, Samyaksambuddhas of the three times, the great bodhisattvas, and all noble pudgalas, those foolish people incur a parajika offense. By committing that grave offense, they falsely deceive all devas and humans. Such foolish people have no share even in the Mahayana; how, then, could they enter the Mahayana?

How could they attain the supreme state? How, moreover, could they attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment? It is like a person wishing to travel a distant road who reaches a wilderness.

Tormented by hunger and thirst, he suddenly comes upon a grove of fruit trees. He enters that grove, seeking something to eat so that he may preserve his life. There he unexpectedly finds a great tree abundant with flowers and fruit, its fragrance and flavor perfectly exquisite.

Having encountered it, he tastes its fruit. After tasting it, however, he climbs a poisonous tree and eats its poisonous fruit; after eating it, he dies. Good man!

So it is! So it is! These foolish people have now obtained human bodies, encountered spiritual friends, and relied upon spiritual friends to enter the Mahayana.

Yet those beings seek material gain, delight in displaying themselves, and disparage others. By acting in this way, they commit a grave offense. Having committed that grave offense, they are scorned by the wise and must fall into the evil destinies.

For this reason, no kshatriya, brahmin, vaishya, or shudra should associate closely with them. If anyone associates closely with them, such people immediately turn against all noble and greatly wise ones and incur grave transgressions. Good man!

This is called the sixth grave offense committed by a bodhisattva at the beginning of practice.

Furthermore, good man! In the future age, there may be kshatriyas and kings of various lands who are attended by brahmin royal preceptors of evil conduct, ministers of evil conduct, physicians of evil conduct, and so forth. These people are utterly foolish, yet consider themselves greatly wise and highly capable, and receive abundant stipends and fiefdoms.

They practice various acts of giving and create all manner of meritorious conditions. Because they practice giving with only a slight understanding of its meaning, they become arrogant and heedless, believing themselves to possess the Way. They urge the kshatriya king and the shramanas who are my disciples to contend with one another and bring ruin upon one another; or they urge shramanas and the kshatriya king to struggle against each other.

Those evil people rely upon the kshatriya king to charge bhikshus with crimes or compel them to surrender their property. Because those bhikshus are oppressed by the kshatriya king, the ministers, and others, they may steal their own possessions, steal property belonging to the Sangha, or steal property belonging to the Sangha of the four quarters, and then supply the stolen goods to officials and those evil people. Those evil people take these goods from the bhikshus and present them to the kshatriya king.

Both classes of people thereby commit grave offenses. Those kshatriyas and evil people contend with the bhikshus. For this reason, they abandon the true Dharma and establish what is contrary to the Dharma; by adopting what is contrary to the Dharma, they become separated from the true Dharma.

If they abandon reliance upon the teachings of the Mahayana scriptures, the Vinaya and moral precepts, the Upadesha, and the Mahopadesha, they become separated from the practice of loving-kindness and compassion, prajnaparamita, skillful means, and the other scriptures and disciplinary texts. There is no teaching of the Tathagata that they do not discard, for they wish to disturb the bhikshus. Hollow-hearted and perverse, they contravene the Buddha’s discipline and formulate regulations of their own.

Having formulated those regulations, they disturb the bhikshus, causing all of them to become far removed from shamatha and vipashyana, right conduct, right mindfulness... and even causing those who practice meditation to become disturbed, angry, and enraged, continually engaging in disputes. For this reason, they cause the bhikshus to give rise to afflictions and prevent them from attaining serene concentration.

At that time, those bhiksus lost right faith in the Dharma and lost the dignified conduct and proper observances of virtuous bhiksus, causing them to fall into various wrong views. Because of these causes and conditions, the bhiksus all became indolent, occupied themselves with many worldly affairs, could not uphold the precepts, violated and abandoned the precepts, and could no longer rely upon the rules of the śramana.

With their mouths they said, “We are bhiksus, śramanas.” Although they further proclaimed, “We practice the pure life,” their movements and voices resembled the sound of conches, and they expounded the Dharma without conforming to the true Dharma. Such bhiksus and their retinues, dwelling in the presence of kshatriya kings and their subjects, received ever more abundant offerings of stolen goods. Such evil bhiksus and the like spoke before laypeople of the supposed faults of virtuous bhiksus who dwelt in aranyas and secluded places, causing those kshatriya kings, evil ministers, and their retinues to give rise to unwholesome and slanderous thoughts toward precept-holding and diligent bhiksus, and to seize all the possessions belonging to those diligent bhiksus.

Having seized them, they transferred them to bhiksus who recited the sutras; thus both parties committed grave offenses. Why is this? Because those bhiksus who cultivate meditation are true fields of merit.

Having discerned this, one should cause the others to rectify their karma and should not permit them to know the affairs of the Sangha. Those meditating bhiksus, however, will attain samadhis, dharanis, patient acceptances, the various bhumis, and so forth. They will become vessels of the Dharma, true fields of merit, and true vessels of blessings.

They are the eyes of the world, manifesting a great light for the world and revealing the wholesome path. They are the ground upon which the karma of insight is cultivated amid the field of afflictions. They instruct sentient beings so that all may cross over; having crossed over, they establish them on the path to nirvana.

Good man, this is called the eight kinds of grave offenses committed by bodhisattvas in the initial stage of practice. If they do not diligently abandon the two circumstances, then, through the causal power of the grave offenses committed by those beginning bodhisattvas, all the roots of goodness they previously cultivated will be forgotten. Having forgotten them, they will afterward fall into the evil destinies, turn against their original vows, be subdued by the afflictions, lose the happiness of gods and humans, be deceived and deluded, and lose the mind of bodhicitta.

Good man, for the sake of such good men, this Bodhisattva Akashagarbha is born in their lands and manifests bodily forms for those sentient beings. He may manifest as a bhiksu whose deportment resembles proper dignity, or as a brahmin displaying fully perfected dignified conduct; and so forth, even to the extent that, if one may be liberated through the body of an animal, he immediately manifests the dignified form of an animal.

In brief, even as taught in the Shurangama Samadhi, you should understand that it is likewise here. Bodhisattva Akashagarbha skillfully knows the faculties, dispositions, and various mental capacities of those sentient beings. Accordingly, he manifests bodies for them, teaches the Dharma in harmony with their needs, and instructs various sentient beings in teachings they have never before encountered.

Regarding omniscience, he expounds subtle and wondrous sutras and universally reveals dharanis, patient acceptances, the various bhumis, and so forth, causing those evil persons who have committed grave offenses—those bodhisattvas in the initial stage of practice—to give rise to shame and remorse. He causes their hearts to become fearful, so that they regret and repent of those grave offenses, distance themselves from them, abandon them, and never dare commit them again.

Good man, because those sentient beings fear the causes and conditions of committing grave offenses, when they hear the name of Bodhisattva Akashagarbha and wish to behold his body themselves, fearing that they will fall into the evil destinies and regretting those transgressions, they should bow their heads at the feet of the Great Bodhisattva Akashagarbha and, with utmost sincerity, invoke that bodhisattva’s name. Bodhisattva Akashagarbha, in accordance with the faculties and karma of those sentient beings, may immediately manifest before them in the bodily form of a bodhisattva.

For those who should be liberated through the body of a bhiksu, he immediately manifests the bodily form of a bhiksu. For those who should be liberated through the body of a brahmin, he immediately manifests the bodily form of a brahmin. For those who should be liberated through the bodies of a boy or girl, he immediately manifests the bodily form of a boy or girl.

Bodhisattva Akashagarbha observes the nature of the grave offenses committed by those beginning bodhisattvas and manifests accordingly. Through such skillful means, he teaches those who have committed grave offenses and causes them to repent. Then, within the profound and wondrous Dharma of the Supreme Vehicle, Bodhisattva Akashagarbha reveals the practice of skillful means—whether the right bhumi or what is not the right bhumi, whether the various samadhis, the various dharanis, or the teachings and practices within the various patient acceptances—and so forth, instructing them step by step until he establishes them in the Noble Eightfold Path.

Through the power of Bodhisattva Akashagarbha, those sentient beings are freed from all the sufferings of the evil destinies. Having escaped the evil destinies, they are established and securely placed upon the bhumi of Non-Retrogression. Once established there, they will certainly attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

Good man, so it is! So it is! Through great and vigorous effort in the six paramitas, those bodhisattvas swiftly accomplish the path to unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment, as quickly as a flash of lightning.

Good man, if the Great Bodhisattva Akashagarbha does not manifest his bodily form before a bodhisattva who has committed a grave offense, then that beginning bodhisattva who has committed the grave offense, knowing his own transgression and wishing to invite Bodhisattva Akashagarbha, should, during the latter part of the night, bathe in scented water, put on clean garments, kneel with one knee on the ground, join his palms, face east, and burn agarwood incense. With utmost sincerity, he should invite Aruna, the golden-white celestial prince of the east, saying:

“Venerable Aruna! Venerable Aruna! You possess great loving-kindness and compassion! You possess great merit! When you first appear in the east and illuminate the entire continent of Jambudvipa, I pray that you will shelter and protect me with your loving-kindness and compassion! For my sake, please swiftly invite Bodhisattva Akashagarbha, the one fully endowed with great compassion, and cause that bodhisattva, especially for my sake, to manifest skillful means within my sleep. May he skillfully teach me to repent of the grave offenses I have committed, so that within the great and noble Mahayana I may swiftly attain the eye of wisdom!”

Having spoken these words, the beginning bodhisattva who has committed the grave offense should return inside and lie down to sleep.

At that time, when the golden-white Aruna appears in the east of the continent of Jambudvipa, Bodhisattva Akashagarbha immediately follows him and manifests the body of a bodhisattva before the eyes of that beginning bodhisattva. Within his dream, he manifests wondrous skillful means, teaching the offender to repent of his evil karma. Before that beginning bodhisattva, Bodhisattva Akashagarbha produces such skillful knowledge and vision. Having employed these skillful means, the beginning bodhisattva immediately attains a samadhi called Never Forgetting Bodhi. He becomes decisively established in the Mahayana, incapable of retreating or being shaken. He swiftly perfects the six paramitas and, before long, will realize unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.

Good man, this Bodhisattva Akashagarbha has undertaken immense toil and accomplished the most excellent work. Having obtained the sublime and supreme wish-fulfilling mani jewel, it wondrously manifests through the crown of that bodhisattva’s head. Good man, Bodhisattva Akashagarbha possesses such an immeasurable, boundless, and inconceivable accumulation of merit.

Furthermore, good man! If any beings hear the name of this Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha, or make an image of him, and use all kinds of offerings to make offerings to this bodhisattva, honoring, revering, bowing to, and praising him, using all kinds of incense and flowers, flower garlands, anointing incense, powdered incense, burning incense, and so forth, and using all kinds of banners, pennants, and jeweled canopies to make offerings to that bodhisattva; after making those offerings, if they further honor and revere him and entrust their own bodies and lives to that bodhisattva, then, through the awe-inspiring spiritual power of this bodhisattva, fire will not be able to burn those beings, water will not be able to drown them, and clubs will not be able to injure them.

Nothing anywhere in any land will be able to harm them, and in all places, neither humans nor nonhumans will ever be able to seize their vital essence, except when their lives come to an end. Even if they contract a grave illness, it will not persist for long. They will not die from the torment of hunger or thirst, nor will they be harassed by tyrannical officials, nor will they commit grave offenses.

When their lives are about to end, their eyes will no longer see forms, their ears will no longer hear sounds, their noses will no longer smell fragrances, their tongues will no longer taste flavors, and their bodies will no longer feel contact. Only a faint breath, a little warmth in the body, and a slight remnant of consciousness will remain, not yet departed. At that time, Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha will manifest his own body for those beings.

If, during life, a being placed faith in brahmins, then at the final moment, when that being’s consciousness is about to leave the body, this good man will clearly manifest before that being in the form of a brahmin, causing that being to give rise to joy. If a being formerly worshiped Māra, then when that being’s life comes to an end, this Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha will manifest in the form of Māra. Likewise, if during life one worshiped the god Nārāyaṇa, Maheśvara, Śakra, a Wheel-Turning Sage King, the gods of the Sun and Moon, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, Vaiśravaṇa, or even the various worldly mountain spirits, tree spirits, river spirits, spring spirits, well spirits, and so forth,

Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha will transform himself into a corresponding bodily form according to that being’s refuge.

In this way, when such beings are about to die, the bodhisattva manifests that bodily form before them. In accordance with the aspirations in the minds of those beings, the bodhisattva appears before each of them. Having manifested that body, the bodhisattva says:

If one, by means of wisdom,

Can perceive the Four Truths,

Then, amid affliction and distress,

One can cross at once to the other shore.

After those beings perceive and understand this Dharma through their consciousness, they are reborn in a good destination. If any being should be transformed through the body of a Buddha, the bodhisattva immediately manifests the body of a Buddha before that being and says:

If one reaches the depths of Buddha-wisdom

And can cross the sea of affliction,

One will swiftly realize wisdom

And be liberated from suffering and tribulation.

At that time, because those beings recollect the Buddha and hear the Buddha’s voice, joy arises in their hearts. After their lives end, they leave behind the world of the five turbidities and are immediately born in a pure land, where they encounter the Buddhas and listen to and receive the true Dharma. In brief, the same applies to the Dharma and the Sangha. Good man! This Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha has attained such inconceivable qualities of Dharma.

Good man! If, furthermore, anyone inwardly wishes to realize and attain various samādhis and gain great mastery, then during the latter part of the night that being should rise, bathe with fragrant water, burn agarwood incense, and, according to their strength and means, use various offerings to make offerings to Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha and bow at his feet. Having made offerings and bowed in homage, they should give rise to loving-kindness toward all beings and say: “Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha has attained the gateway of great loving-kindness and compassion and has attained wisdom! Please quickly be mindful of me! Quickly be mindful of me! May you always bestow upon me the skillful means of the samādhi of Right Mindfulness!” They should then recite the mantra:

Đa địa tha ⁽¹⁾ Lô mộ ⁽²⁾ La na khí ⁽³⁾ Bác xoa ni lệ ⁽⁴⁾ Tát mộ đạt la đa lệ ⁽⁵⁾ Đa na gia na gia ⁽⁶⁾ Ma ha ca lưu ni ca ⁽⁷⁾ A nô ba xà bà tam vật lợi đế ⁽⁸⁾ A ca la xà bà tam vật lợi đế ⁽⁹⁾ Bạt chiết la diêm bà tam vật lợi đế ⁽¹⁰⁾ Hồ lô xá tam vật lợi đế ⁽¹¹⁾ A na ma tam vật lợi đế ⁽¹²⁾ Bồ đa câu trí tam vật lợi đế ⁽¹³⁾ Tá ha.

After reciting this mantra, through the awe-inspiring spiritual power of that bodhisattva, they immediately attain Right Mindfulness and enter the gateways of samādhi.

If, furthermore, anyone wishes to recite various sutras and treatises, the words of the Buddhas, or the words of the śrāvakas, then during the latter part of the night, in an eastern place, when the Yellow-White Star appears, that person should bathe with fragrant water, put on clean garments, kneel facing east, burn agarwood incense, and, according to their ability, arrange offerings and bow in homage to Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha.

They should give rise to loving-kindness and compassion toward all beings and say: “O Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha! Good man, you have attained an inconceivable mind of loving-kindness and compassion toward all beings. Please be mindful of me with your great wisdom!

Be mindful of me! You are the most excellent bodhisattva-pudgala. Please grant me Right Mindfulness, the supreme samādhis, great wisdom, and profound, subtle, skillful means!” They should then recite the mantra:

Đa địa tha ⁽¹⁾ Ni la thiệp tỳ ⁽²⁾ Kiềm bồ sa thiệp tỳ ⁽³⁾ Gia bà na thiệp tỳ ⁽⁴⁾ Bác sát tát mê ⁽⁵⁾ Ba tra la xà sử ⁽⁶⁾ Tát tha na tô lô tỳ ⁽⁷⁾ Hộ ma hộ ma ⁽⁸⁾ Ma ha ca lưu ni ca ⁽⁹⁾ Tá ha ⁽¹⁰⁾

Good man! Even if beings wish to enter the great ocean to gather precious treasures; or wish to enter beneath the earth into the palaces of the asuras; or wish to obtain and drink medicine that fixes the span of one’s years (fixes the number of years?); or have been cast into prison and bound; or are separated from those they love; or are forced to meet those they hate and cannot escape them; or are caught in the danger of fire, water, blades and clubs, poisonous spells, or spoken curses; or face danger from lions, tigers, wolves, pythons, snakes, centipedes, or scorpions; or face robbers, delusion, or any terrifying danger; or are confined, shackled, clamped, imprisoned, and bound; or are constrained by government officials; or have been sentenced to exile and are about to be killed;

or are gravely ill and bedridden, oppressed and terrified by an epidemic and afraid of death; or lack clothing, food, bedding, medicine, wealth, and material goods—those beings, during the latter part of the night when the morning star (the Yellow-White Star) appears, should bathe with fragrant water, put on clean garments, bow in homage to Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha, kneel with palms joined, and face east.

According to their strength and means, they should arrange offerings to make offerings to that bodhisattva, give rise to great compassion for all beings, and proclaim: “O Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha! You are fully endowed with great loving-kindness and compassion and constantly benefit all beings! Please be mindful of me!

Be mindful of me! With your compassionate heart, please look upon my mind! Please liberate me!” They should then state the dangers described above and recite this verse:

I have no marks of merit;

May you grant me virtue.

I now suffer poverty and lowliness;

Please now fulfill my wish.

Bodhisattva Ākāśagarbha

Is the refuge to which I return.

In this life, may it be thus;

In lives to come, grant peace and bliss.

At that time, the great bodhisattva Akashagarbha, hearing the voices of those sentient beings, would sometimes manifest his own bodhisattva body... or even manifest the body of a young boy or a young girl before them and speak words of comfort and reassurance, protecting them from all terrors and calamities, so that all their existing fears would be completely dispelled... To speak in brief... if there were sentient beings who were poor, destitute, solitary, and exposed, or people who lacked the means to sustain their lives, that bodhisattva would observe their thoughts and intentions and cause their wishes to be fulfilled; whatever necessities they required, he would bestow them all.

Good man! If a prince wishes to attain the position of consecration and wishes to be deemed worthy of that office, that prince should make offerings to this great bodhisattva, invoke the bodhisattva’s name, and then, according to his ability and circumstances, make offerings to the bodhisattva Akashagarbha... Likewise, those who wish to attain the status of a brahmin, the status of an exceedingly wealthy elder, or the status of a great householder; those who wish to study the various arts and sciences, realize the inner Dharma, acquire mantra arts, learn craftsmanship, hear a single verse, or seek liberation...

When those sentient beings hear the name of this bodhisattva Akashagarbha, they should, during the latter part of the night, when the morning star appears, bathe themselves with fragrant water, put on clean garments, face east, kneel with one knee on the ground, join their palms, and bow in homage to the bodhisattva Akashagarbha. Having taken refuge in that bodhisattva, they should join their palms and entreat him, saying:

“Venerable Akashagarbha! You are endowed with great loving-kindness and compassion! I possess but little merit! I pray that you bestow upon me the marks of merit and fulfill the aspiration of my heart!”

They should then recite this verse:

May the aspiration of my heart

Not be left unfulfilled.

I pray that you arouse a heart of mercy,

And compassionately grant what I seek.

At that time, the bodhisattva Akashagarbha, with his purified divine ear surpassing the human ear, would hear the voice of that sentient being. For the sake of that sentient being, he would sometimes manifest his own body before them, observe their heart and the conduct arising within it, and bestow upon them according to their capacity, thus and thus... For the sake of that sentient being, he would reveal skillful means.

Good man! The bodhisattva Akashagarbha is endowed with such powers of skillful means and has entered the ocean of great wisdom. This great bodhisattva Akashagarbha possesses such inconceivable qualities. Good man! Someone might be able to know the number, whether great or small, of the drops of water in the four great seas. Yet when this great bodhisattva Akashagarbha teaches and transforms sentient beings and manifests the workings of skillful means through his supreme wisdom and skill, that person could never calculate or comprehend them.

Good man! Suppose someone could know the extent, whether great or small, of all the realms throughout the ten directions of space, both where things can appear and where they cannot appear. Yet that person could never know the number or bounds of the skillful means by which this great bodhisattva Akashagarbha teaches and transforms sentient beings.

For the sake of sentient beings, that bodhisattva devises skillful means, transforming his own body and manifesting before them. He may manifest the body of a Buddha to liberate sentient beings, or assume the body of a brahmin to teach and transform sentient beings... According to whatever various bodily form is appropriate for those to be transformed, he immediately manifests that body, without discrimination.

Those who should be transformed through the body of an animal are immediately shown the body of an animal. Those who should be transformed through the body of a hell-being are immediately shown the body of a hell-being (?)...

For some sentient beings, it is appropriate that his transformation body appear directly before them. For some sentient beings, it is appropriate that he manifest his body in a dream; then, while they are dreaming in sleep, the bodhisattva immediately manifests his body to them. When certain sentient beings are approaching the end of life and only a little consciousness remains, if their transgressions are to be extinguished so that they may be cut off from the evil destinies and led to a good destiny, that bodhisattva transforms into various bodies for their sake.

Whichever deity that sentient being took refuge in while alive, the bodhisattva manifests as that deity, and the being immediately attains peace and happiness... If that being should proceed to a wholesome realm, the bodhisattva immediately manifests that celestial realm and causes the being to rejoice.

Good man! Therefore, no one can measure or know the number and extent of the bodies through which this bodhisattva Akashagarbha teaches and transforms beings.

Good man! That bodhisattva Akashagarbha has attained such inconceivable Dharma of skillful means, supreme wisdom, and extraordinary, perfectly endowed powers, and so forth... This great bodhisattva Akashagarbha has entered the ocean of the Buddhas’ merits. Good man! Therefore, upon the head of the great bodhisattva Akashagarbha there appears a responsive precious mani jewel.

At that time, the entire great assembly gathered there, having heard the Buddha praise the bodhisattva Akashagarbha, immediately conceived an extraordinarily rare regard for the bodhisattva Akashagarbha and gave rise to profound esteem and reverence. They all joined their palms and gazed up at him. They brought forth various fragrant flowers, powdered incense, anointing incense, banners, canopies, garments of many colors, jeweled necklaces, hymns, praises, and various kinds of music as offerings to the bodhisattva Akashagarbha. The great bodhisattva Akashagarbha first presented these offerings to the Blessed One. Having presented them to the Blessed One, the bodhisattva knelt upright before him, joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha:

“Blessed One! How can Buddha-work be performed among sentient beings who, in this age of the five turbidities, are shrouded in the darkness of ignorance?”

The Buddha said:

“Good man! It is like space, which is neither bound nor released, neither seeing nor deluded. The essential nature of space is originally pure; yet within space, because wind begins to move, dust, haze, smoke, and clouds appear, and thus space is said to be impure. Because of rainwater, space is freed from that dust... and those obstructing phenomena. Then the sun, moon, and stars immediately become visible... and one can know the hours, seasons, and the varying lengths of day and night... and calculate the half-month, the full month, and the complete year.

“So it is! So it is! Good man!

The True Suchness of all the Tathagata’s dharmas accords with the original characteristic of the mind, which is like space and pure by nature. It is only because sentient beings are affected by the adventitious dust of afflictions that their minds and intentions become defiled. For this reason, the Tathagata employs Dharma gates such as loving-kindness and compassion... raining down loving-kindness and raining down compassion, thereby enabling those sentient beings defiled by afflictions to become pure and free from all stains.

Once the minds of those sentient beings have become pure, they immediately see the sun of the Buddha appearing in the world. Moistened by the light of wisdom, they themselves become illumined amid the inconceivable merits of the Buddhas. They are established in the four supreme foundations of mindfulness and in the Noble Path... and are ultimately established in the eighteen unique qualities, as well as in the true Dharma of great loving-kindness and great compassion.

Therefore, arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas appear in the world.

“Good man! What do you think? Can the nature of space abide in the eye?”

He replied:

“No, Blessed One!”

The Buddha said:

“Can the eye abide in consciousness?”

He replied:

“No, Blessed One!”

The Buddha said:

“Does the eye abide in contact?”

He replied:

“No, Blessed One!”

The Buddha said:

“Within the eye, the three kinds of feeling arise in dependence upon contact. Does space abide within them?”

He replied:

“No, Blessed One!”

The Buddha said:

– To speak briefly... and likewise, the ears, nose, tongue, and body must also be contemplated in this way! Good man! What do you think? Does the mind abide in the realm of space?

He replied:

– No, World-Honored One!

-... And so forth, does space abide within the mind? Is it because of this Dharma that the Buddhas, Tathagatas, Worthy Ones, Perfectly Enlightened Ones appear in the world?

He replied:

– No, World-Honored One!

The Buddha said:

– Good man! Do sentient beings and so forth abide in dependence upon space?

He replied:

– No, World-Honored One!

The Buddha said:

– Good man! What do you think? Does the nature of space abide in dependence upon sentient beings?

After the Buddha had spoken these words, the great bodhisattva Akashagarbha addressed the Buddha, saying:

– World-Honored One! Each abides without depending upon the other! Within their own respective realms, they do not encroach upon one another! World-Honored One! All dharmas have no realm; because they are empty, they are undefiled. They are one suchness of the ultimate reality, one suchness of Suchness itself! One should give rise to this understanding! World-Honored One! Space, for example, cannot be destroyed, cannot be differentiated, does not make differentiations, is unmoving and unobstructed, and has no sprout, no seed, no fruit, no name, no designation, no thought, and no recollection! So it is! So it is! World-Honored One! Having understood the characteristics of all dharmas in this way, a great bodhisattva attains the patient acceptance of the non-arising of all dharmas.

At that time, the World-Honored One proclaimed this dharani:

– Đa địa tha ⁽¹⁾ Phược bà hà la xà ⁽²⁾ Mạt nô xoa dạ ⁽³⁾ Kỳ na xà gia ⁽⁴⁾ Xà na nhị mạc ⁽⁵⁾ Mâu ni ha la ⁽⁶⁾ A na dã ⁽⁷⁾ Phá la phiêu pha ⁽⁸⁾ Già la bà nhị mạc ⁽⁹⁾ A nhỉ nại dã ⁽¹⁰⁾ A bà xá xá bà ⁽¹¹⁾ Xá na xá mạc ⁽¹²⁾ Na xá đá đa ⁽¹³⁾ Ca la mạc xá mạc ⁽¹⁴⁾ Kiết lị ma đổ tỳ sa mạc ⁽¹⁵⁾ Chi đa na dã ⁽¹⁶⁾ Kê lê xa đô ⁽¹⁷⁾ Tam thự tá nhị ⁽¹⁸⁾ Tá ha ⁽¹⁹⁾.

The Buddha said:

– Excellent! Excellent! Good man! By means of this Lion’s Roar and Majestic Stride Dharani, you can subdue with your gaze, surpass the lion, and walk serenely upon water. When sentient beings are approaching death, as their final breath is exhaled and their lives are about to end, you can extinguish their afflictive obstructions, karmic obstructions, and Dharma obstructions. Having extinguished these obstructions, you can cause them to be born in a pure land. Good man! You can journey throughout immeasurable and boundless Buddha worlds, arousing a compassionate mind for sentient beings and going to villages, towns, cities, prefectures, provinces, districts, official palaces, and various kingdoms. Having arrived there, you manifest various forms and various modes of dignified conduct, expound the Mahayana scriptures, and teach and transform sentient beings. For kshatriyas of evil conduct, and even shramanas of evil conduct, you eliminate their various unwholesome dharmas and establish them in all wholesome dharmas.

At that time, when the World-Honored One expounded this Dharma, immeasurable and boundless devas and human beings within the great assembly attained various samadhis, dharanis, and kinds of patient acceptance. Some also attained true wisdom concerning the Dharma of the Ten Grounds. Ten thousand people... attained the patient acceptance of the non-arising of all dharmas.

If sentient beings cling to space as conditioned, then, upon receiving the light of this lamp, all roots of conditioned giving are completely extinguished, and the practice of unconditioned giving swiftly manifests and is perfected. After the Buddha had expounded the sutra, the bhikshus and others in the great assembly, together with devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kinnaras, mahoragas, Brahma kings, Shakra, and the Four Great Heavenly Kings, Protectors of the World, having heard the subtle and wondrous scripture spoken by the Buddha, all rejoiced and respectfully practiced it.