大般涅槃經

THE CHAPTER ON PURE CONDUCT

Chapter Eight — Part Five

At that time, in the great city of Rajagriha, there was a king named Ajatashatru. He was evil by nature, delighted in killing and harming, and his speech transgressed all four verbal precepts. He was greedy, angry, and deluded, and his heart was always fierce and seething. The king saw only the present and gave no thought to the future, taking only evil people as his close companions.

Because he craved and clung to the five sensual pleasures before him, Ajatashatru perversely slew his innocent father, King Bimbisara. After committing patricide, he was consumed by remorse. He no longer wished to adorn his body, nor did he take pleasure in music, song, or dance. Because remorse tormented him, malignant sores broke out over his entire body, filthy and foul-smelling, so that no one could approach him. The king then thought to himself: “This body of mine is already suffering retribution before my very eyes. The recompense of hell cannot be far away.”

His mother, Lady Vaidehi, applied every kind of medicine to him, but the malignant sores grew increasingly severe and did not diminish in the slightest. The king said to his mother: “These sores have arisen from the mind; they were not produced by the four great elements. To say that among living beings there is anyone capable of curing them completely would be utterly unreasonable.”

At that time, a great minister named Chandrayashas came to the king, stood beside him, and said: “Great King! Why are you so sorrowful and haggard, your countenance devoid of joy? Are you suffering in body, or are you suffering in mind?”

The king replied: “How could my body and mind not suffer? My father was innocent, yet I perversely slew him. I once heard the wise say: ‘There are five kinds of people in the world who cannot escape hell: those who commit the five heinous offenses.’ My offenses are now immeasurable and boundless; how could my body and mind not suffer? Moreover, there is no good physician capable of healing my body and mind.”

The great minister Chandrayashas then said: “I beg the Great King not to grieve excessively.” He then recited this verse:

If one constantly grieves,

Grief only increases.

Like one who delights in sleep,

Whose sleep grows ever deeper.

Lust and addiction to wine

Are also just the same.

“As the king has said, there are five kinds of people in the world who cannot escape hell. Has anyone gone to hell, seen it, returned, and told the king about it? What is called hell is merely a saying devised by worldly people of abundant cunning.

“As the king has said, there is no good physician in the world capable of healing his body and mind. There is now a great physician named Purana, who sees and knows all things, has attained mastery of meditative concentration, has completely cultivated the pure conduct of brahmacarya, and constantly expounds the unsurpassed path of nirvana for countless living beings. He teaches his disciples doctrines such as these: ‘There is no evil karma and no retribution for evil karma. There is no wholesome karma and no retribution for wholesome karma. There is no karma that is both wholesome and evil, and no retribution for karma that is both wholesome and evil. There is no higher karma and no lower karma.’

“That teacher is now in the city of Rajagriha. I beg the Great King to proceed there so that the teacher may heal the Great King’s body and mind.”

The king replied: “If that man can truly eradicate my offenses, I shall take refuge in him.”

Another minister named Garbhaguna also came to the king and said: “Great King! Why is your countenance so haggard, your lips and mouth parched, and your voice faint and feeble, like a timid man confronted by a mighty enemy? Your face is now drawn, wrinkled, and dry. Surely you are suffering greatly from something. Is it pain in the body or pain in the mind?”

The king replied: “How could my body and mind not suffer? I was truly foolish and benighted, lacking the eye of wisdom. Thus, I drew near to and associated with an evil man, obeying the words of the wicked Devadatta, and rebelliously sought to kill the king who upheld the True Dharma. I once heard a wise man recite this verse:

If anyone toward his parents,

The Buddha, or the Buddha’s disciples,

Gives rise to an unwholesome mind

And commits evil and harmful deeds,

He will assuredly suffer retribution

And be born in Avici Hell.

“Because of this, my heart is fearful and great anguish has arisen within me. Moreover, there is no good physician to whom I may go for treatment.”

The great minister said: “I beg the Great King not to grieve or be afraid. There are two kinds of law: first, the law of monastics; and second, the law of kings. According to the law of kings, one who kills his father will assuredly rule the entire realm.

Thus, although such an act is called rebellious, in truth it entails no offense! The kalala insect must break through its mother’s belly before it can be born. Although its birth ruptures its mother’s belly, in truth it incurs no offense.

A pregnant mule is likewise. The principles of governing a country should also be understood in this way. Even if one kills one’s father or elder brother, there is no offense.

According to the law of monastics, however, one incurs an offense even by killing a mosquito or an ant. I beg the Great King to open his heart and grieve no longer. Why is this?

If one constantly grieves,

Grief only increases;

Like one who delights in sleep,

Whose sleep grows ever deeper.

Lust and addiction to wine

Are also just the same.

“As the king has said, there is no good physician in the world capable of healing his body and mind. There is now a great teacher named Maskarin Goshaliputra, who sees and knows all things and regards living beings with compassion as though they were his own children. He has departed from the afflictions and can draw out for living beings the sharp arrow of the three poisons. All other living beings neither see, know, nor understand the dharmas; this teacher alone can see, know, and understand them.

“This great teacher constantly teaches his disciples: ‘The bodies of all living beings consist of seven parts. What are the seven? They are earth, water, fire, wind, suffering, pleasure, and life.

These seven dharmas do not come into being through transformation and are not formed through fabrication. They cannot be destroyed, like ishika grass; they remain securely unmoving, like Mount Sumeru; they neither relinquish nor produce anything, just as milk and cream do not. There is no need whatsoever to dispute whether things are suffering or pleasure, wholesome or unwholesome.

Even if this body is cast upon a sharp blade, it will not be wounded or harmed. Why is this? Because the seven parts mentioned above abide amid empty space and encounter no obstruction.

Nor is life harmed. Why is this? Because there is no killer, no one who dies, no doer, no recipient, no speaker, no hearer, no one who remembers, and no one who teaches.’

“That great teacher constantly expounds the Dharma in this way and can cause living beings to extinguish all their countless grave offenses. That teacher is now in the great city of Rajagriha. I beg the Great King to proceed to his dwelling. If the king meets him, all his offenses will be eradicated.”

The king said: “If that teacher can truly eradicate my offenses, I shall take refuge in him.”

Another minister named Satyaguna also came to the king and recited this verse:

“Great King, why do you

Wear no jeweled necklace?

Why is your hair disheveled,

Even to such a degree?

Why does the king’s body

Tremble without cease,

Like a mighty wind

Shaking flowering branches?”

“Why is Your Majesty’s countenance today so sorrowful and haggard, like a farmer who has sown his seed but encounters no rain? Is Your Majesty’s sorrow and suffering due to pain in the mind or pain in the body?”

The king replied: “How could my body and mind now be free from pain? My late father, the former king, was wholly loving and compassionate and cherished me especially; he truly had no fault whatsoever. Before I was born, he consulted a physiognomist, who said: ‘Once this child is born, he will certainly kill his father.’ Although my father heard this, he still tenderly raised and cared for me. I once heard a wise person say: ‘Anyone who commits sexual misconduct with his mother or with a bhiksuni, steals the property of the Three Jewels, kills one who has awakened the aspiration for unsurpassed bodhi, or kills his own father will certainly fall into Avici Hell.’ How, then, could my body and mind now be free from pain?”

That minister said: “I beseech Your Majesty not to grieve. As for the matter of your royal father, if one who cultivates the path of liberation kills him, that person incurs guilt; but if he is killed in accordance with the laws of governing a realm, there is no guilt. Great King! What is contrary to Dharma is called non-Dharma; where there is no Dharma, that is called absence of Dharma.

“For example, having no child is called childlessness, yet having a wicked child is also called childlessness. Although it is said that one is childless, it does not truly mean that one has no child. Food without salt is called unsalted, yet food containing only a little salt is also said to be unsalted.

A river without water is called waterless, yet a river containing only a little water is also said to be waterless. Because every successive moment passes away, things are called impermanent; even what endures for an entire kalpa is also called impermanent. One who suffers is called joyless; even one who experiences a little joy is also called joyless.

One who lacks self-mastery is said to have no self; even one who possesses a little self-mastery is also said to have no self. The darkness of night is called the absence of the sun; when thick clouds and mist prevail, it is also said that there is no sun.

“Great King! Although a paucity of Dharma is also called an absence of Dharma, it does not truly mean that there is no Dharma. I beseech Your Majesty to listen as I explain. All sentient beings have residual karma from previous lives. Conditioned by karma, they must undergo birth and death through many lifetimes. Suppose the former king had residual karma from a previous life, and Your Majesty has now killed him; ultimately, what guilt could there be? I beseech Your Majesty to ease your heart and not grieve. Why is this?

“If one constantly grieves,

Grief will only increase.

Like one who delights in sleep,

Whose sleep grows ever more.

Lust and addiction to wine

Are likewise the same.

“As Your Majesty has said, there is no good physician in the world who can heal your body and mind. Yet there is now a great teacher named Sanjaya Vairatiputra, who sees and knows all things, whose wisdom is profound as the great ocean, who possesses great majestic virtue and mighty spiritual powers, and who can enable sentient beings to abandon all doubts. With regard to all dharmas, sentient beings neither see, know, nor understand them; this teacher alone sees, knows, and understands them.

He is presently near the city of Rajagrha, teaching his disciples this doctrine: ‘If one is the king of the people, he may freely perform good or evil deeds. Even if he commits evil deeds, he incurs no guilt. Just as fire burns everything without distinguishing what is defiled from what is pure, so too is a king, whose nature is the same as fire.

“‘The great earth contains everything, whether defiled or pure. Although it contains them all, it never becomes angry or joyful. So too is a king, whose nature is the same as earth.

“‘The nature of water is such that it can wash everything, whether defiled or pure. Although it washes them all, it never becomes sorrowful or joyful. So too is a king, whose nature is the same as water.

“‘The nature of wind is such that it blows equally upon everything, whether defiled or pure. Although it blows upon them all, it never becomes sorrowful or joyful. So too is a king, whose nature is the same as wind.

“‘Just as trees are pruned in autumn and grow again when spring arrives, although their branches are pruned, there is truly no guilt. All sentient beings are likewise: they die here and are then born again here. Since they are born again, what guilt could there be?

“‘None of the painful or joyful fruits experienced by sentient beings arise from karma in the present life. It is because of causes from the past that they now undergo their present retribution. In the present there is no cause, and in the future there is no fruit. Because there is present retribution, sentient beings must uphold the precepts and diligently cultivate vigor in order to prevent adverse results in the present. By upholding the precepts, they attain the untainted state. By attaining the untainted state, they bring all tainted karma to an end. Because karma is brought to an end, all suffering and affliction cease. Because all suffering and affliction cease, liberation is attained!’

“I beseech Your Majesty to go quickly to that great teacher, so that he may treat the painful afflictions of your body and mind. Once Your Majesty meets him, all your offenses will be extinguished.”

The king replied: “If he can truly eliminate my offense, I shall take refuge in him.”

There was also an official named Sarvarthajnana, who went before the king and said: “Why does Your Majesty’s appearance today lack dignity, like one who has lost his kingdom, like a dried-up spring, like a lake without lotus flowers, like a tree without flowers or leaves, or like a bhiksu who has broken the precepts and whose person lacks majestic virtue? Is it pain in the body, or pain in the mind?”

The king replied: “How could my body and mind now be free from pain? My late father, the former king, was gentle and compassionate and always loved me, yet I was unfilial and knew not how to repay his kindness. He always brought me peace and happiness, yet I repaid his kindness with ingratitude and brought his peace and happiness to an end. The former king was innocent, yet I rebelled against and killed him. I once heard a wise person say: ‘If anyone kills his own father, he will undergo immense painful retribution for innumerable kalpas.’ Before long, I shall certainly fall into hell. Moreover, there is no good physician who can cure the illness of my guilt.”

The minister said: “I beseech Your Majesty to relinquish your grief. Has Your Majesty not heard that in ancient times King Rama killed his father and then succeeded to the throne? Moreover, kings such as Bhadrika, Virucina, Nahusa, Kartika, Visakha, Candraprabha, Suryaprabha, Prema, and Bahujanadhara all killed their fathers in order to succeed to the throne, yet not one of them fell into hell! At present, kings such as Virudhaka, Udayana, Papasvabhava, Musika, and Padma have all killed their fathers, yet not one of them has given rise to grief. Although people speak of hells, hungry ghosts, and heavenly realms, has anyone ever seen them?

“Great King! There are only two realms: first, the human realm, and second, the animal realm. Although these two realms exist, beings are neither born through causes and conditions nor die through causes and conditions. If things do not arise through causes and conditions, how could there be good and evil deeds? I beseech Your Majesty not to harbor anxiety, sorrow, or fear. Why is this?

“If one constantly grieves,

Grief will only increase.

Like one who delights in sleep,

Whose sleep grows ever more.

Lust and addiction to wine

Are likewise the same.”

“As the king has said, there is no good physician in the world who can heal the king’s body and mind. Yet there is now a great teacher named Ajita Kesakambala, who sees and knows all things and regards gold and earth as equal, without distinction. He views one who cuts his right side with a knife and one who anoints his left side with fragrant sandalwood paste in exactly the same way, making no distinction between them.

He likewise regards enemies and loved ones as equal. That teacher is truly a good physician in the world. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, he constantly abides in samadhi, his mind never distracted or scattered.

He teaches his disciples: ‘Whether one acts oneself or urges another to act; cuts oneself or urges another to cut; burns oneself or urges another to burn; causes harm oneself or urges another to cause harm; steals oneself or urges another to steal; engages in sexual misconduct oneself or urges another to engage in sexual misconduct; lies oneself or urges another to lie; drinks intoxicants oneself or urges another to drink intoxicants; or whether one kills the people of an entire village, city, or kingdom; slaughters all sentient beings with a ring of blades; gives alms to sentient beings south of the Ganges while killing sentient beings north of the Ganges—all such acts entail neither wrongdoing nor merit.

There is no giving, observance of precepts, or meditative concentration!’

“That teacher is now staying near the city of Rajagriha. I beg the king to go to him without delay. If the king is able to meet him, all his transgressions will be eradicated.”

The king replied, “If he can truly eradicate my transgressions, I shall take refuge in him.”

There was also a great minister named Jide, who came before the king and said, “Why is Your Majesty’s countenance not radiant today? You are like a lamp in sunlight, like the moon in daytime, like a king who has lost his kingdom, or like an abandoned field. Great King! The four quarters are now peaceful and joyful, and there are no enemies. Why, then, are you so afflicted by sorrow? Are you suffering in body, or are you suffering in mind? Some princes are always thinking, ‘When will I ever be free to do as I please?’ Yet the Great King has fulfilled his desire and is free to govern the kingdom of Magadha as he wishes. You have obtained in full the treasury of the former king. You should simply take delight and freely enjoy your pleasures. Why harbor such grief and anguish?”

The king replied, “How could I not be distressed? Great Minister! A fool craves only a delicious taste and fails to see the sharp blade, just as one who consumes poison fails to perceive its harm. I am the same. I am like a deer that sees the grass but not the deep pitfall, or a mouse that craves food but does not see the cat. I am the same: I see the pleasures of the present but fail to see the unwholesome retribution and suffering of the future. I once heard a wise person say, ‘It would be better to endure three hundred spear thrusts in a single day than to give rise to even one evil thought toward one’s parents.’ I now stand beside the blazing fires of hell. How could I not be distressed?”

The minister then said, “Who has come here and deceived the Great King by claiming that hell exists? Who fashioned the sharpness of a thorn? And who made the various species of birds differ in color? Water is by nature moist, stone is by nature hard, wind is by nature moving, and fire is by nature hot. All the myriad things arise by themselves and perish by themselves. Who could have made these things? The doctrine of hell is merely a fabrication by those reputed to be wise. What does the term ‘hell’ mean? I shall explain it:

“‘Earth’ means the ground, while ‘prison’ means to destroy. Because destroying hell brings no retribution for wrongdoing, it is called ‘hell.’ Furthermore, ‘earth’ means human beings, while ‘prison’ means the heavens; because one kills one’s father, one is born in the human or heavenly realm.

“For these reasons, the seer Vasu said, ‘By killing sheep, one enjoys happiness in the human and heavenly realms.’ Therefore it is called hell. Furthermore, ‘earth’ means life, while ‘prison’ means longevity. Because killing living beings brings long life, it is called hell. Great King! Therefore, you should know that hell truly does not exist.

“Great King! Just as sowing rice yields rice and sowing wheat yields wheat, killing beings in hell should cause one to fall into hell, while killing human beings should cause one to become human again. I now beg the Great King to hear what I say: ‘There is truly no act of killing. If there is a self, then there is truly no act of killing; and if there is no self, there is likewise no act of killing. Why is this? If there is a self, it is permanent and unchanging. Because it is permanent, it cannot be killed, destroyed, bound, angered, or gladdened; it is like empty space. How, then, could there be the wrongdoing of killing?

“‘If there is no self, then all dharmas are impermanent. Because they are impermanent, they undergo continuous destruction from moment to moment. Since they undergo continuous destruction from moment to moment, both the killer and the one killed likewise undergo continuous destruction from moment to moment. If both undergo continuous destruction from moment to moment, who is there to bear wrongdoing?’

“Great King! When fire burns a tree, the fire commits no wrongdoing. When an axe fells timber, the axe is likewise blameless. When a sickle cuts grass, the sickle is truly blameless. When a knife kills a person, the knife is certainly not a person. Since the knife bears no wrongdoing, how could a person bear wrongdoing? When poison kills a person, the poison is certainly not a person. Since the poison bears no wrongdoing, how could a person bear wrongdoing? All the myriad things are likewise. There is truly no act of killing, so how could there be wrongdoing? I beg the Great King not to give rise to sorrow. Why is this?

If one continually sorrows,

Sorrow only increases.

Just as one who delights in sleep

Sleeps ever more,

So too are lustful craving

And addiction to wine.

“As the king has said, there is no good physician in the world who can heal the king’s body and mind. Yet there is now a great teacher named Kakuda Katyayana, who sees and knows all things and clearly comprehends the three periods of time. In a single instant, he can behold immeasurable and boundless worlds and hear an equally immeasurable number of sounds. He can enable sentient beings to abandon their wrongful and cruel deeds.

“Just as the Ganges can cleanse all defilements, whether internal or external, so too can that great teacher eliminate all the inner and outer transgressions of sentient beings. He teaches the Dharma to his disciples, saying: ‘If a person kills all sentient beings without feeling shame, that person will never fall into an evil destiny, just as empty space does not retain water or dust. If that person feels shame, however, they will immediately fall into hell, just as water seeps into the earth.

All sentient beings were created by Ishvara. When Ishvara is pleased, sentient beings enjoy peace and happiness; when Ishvara is angry, sentient beings must suffer. All the wrongdoing and merit of sentient beings are created by Ishvara.

How, then, can it be said that people possess wrongdoing or merit?

“‘It is like a skilled artisan who constructs a mechanical wooden figure capable of walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, lacking only the ability to speak. Sentient beings are like that wooden figure. Ishvara is like the skilled artisan, and the wooden figure is like the body of a sentient being. Since all is created through such transformations, who is there to bear wrongdoing?’

“That great teacher is now staying near the city of Rajagriha. May Your Majesty quickly go there. If the king is able to meet him, all his offenses will be extinguished.”

The king replied: “If he can truly eradicate my offenses, I shall take refuge in him.”

There was also a minister named Fearless, who went before the king and said: “Your Majesty! In this world, a foolish person may rejoice a hundred times, grieve a hundred times, sleep a hundred times, awaken a hundred times, become frightened a hundred times, and weep a hundred times in a single day. A wise person does no such things. Why is Your Majesty so sorrowful, like a traveler who has lost his way, like one who has fallen into deep mud with no one to rescue him, like one burning with thirst who finds no water, like one who is deluded with no one to guide him, like one gravely ill with no physician to cure him, or like a ship wrecked at sea with no one to save it? Is Your Majesty now suffering in body, or suffering in mind?”

The king replied: “How could my body and mind not suffer now? I associated with evil friends and failed to discern the errors in their words. The former king was entirely without fault, yet I rebelled against him, fabricated accusations, and had him killed. I now know with certainty that I shall fall into hell, and there is no skilled physician whom I can seek out and ask to save me.”

That minister then said: “May Your Majesty not give rise to sorrow and anguish. The kshatriyas are the ruling caste. If, for the sake of the kingdom, for shramanas or brahmins, or for the peace and security of the people, they should even kill, they incur no offense. Although the former king revered the shramanas, he did not serve the brahmins, and thus his mind was not impartial. Because his mind was not impartial, he was not a true kshatriya. Your Majesty killed the former king because you wished to make offerings to the brahmin teachers; how could there be any offense in that?

“Your Majesty! In truth, there is no such thing as killing. To speak of killing means killing a life. That life is the breath of wind. The nature of the breath of wind cannot be killed, so how could killing a life constitute an offense? May Your Majesty grieve no more. Why is this?

If one continually grieves,

Grief will only increase.

Just as one who delights in sleep

Will sleep ever more.

Lust and addiction to wine

Are likewise the same.

“As the king has said, there is no skilled physician in the world who can cure the king’s body and mind. Yet there is now a great teacher named Nigantha Nataputta, who sees and knows everything, has compassion for sentient beings, skillfully understands whether their faculties are sharp or dull, has attained complete understanding of all things, knows how to employ skillful means according to circumstances, cannot be defiled by the eight worldly dharmas, and cultivates the pure and tranquil brahma-conduct.

He teaches his disciples: ‘There is no giving, no wholesome deed, no father, no mother, no present life, no future life, no arhat, no cultivation, and no path. After all sentient beings have passed through a full eighty thousand kalpas in the cycle of birth and death, they will naturally attain liberation. Whether they have committed offenses or not, all are the same.

It is like the four great rivers—the Sindhu, the Ganges, the Vakshu, and the Sita—which all flow into the great ocean without distinction. All sentient beings are likewise the same: when they attain liberation, they are all equal, without any difference.’

“That teacher is now staying in the city of Rajagriha. May Your Majesty go there quickly. If the king is able to meet him, all his offenses will be extinguished.”

The king replied: “If he can truly eradicate my offenses, I shall take refuge in him.”

At that time, a great and skilled physician named Jivaka came before the king and said: “Your Majesty! Have you been able to sleep peacefully?”

The king then replied in verse:

“Whoever has eradicated

All afflictions,

And is not attached to the Three Realms,

Only such a one sleeps in peace.

Whoever has attained Great Nirvana

And expounds its most profound meaning,

A true brahmin indeed,

Only such a one sleeps in peace.

Whose body commits no evil karma,

Whose speech is free from the four faults,

And whose mind harbors no doubt,

Only such a one sleeps in peace.

Whose body and mind are free from fever,

Who dwells serenely in tranquility,

And has attained the highest bliss,

Only such a one sleeps in peace.

Whose mind is free from attachment,

Who remains far from all enmity,

Gentle and without contention,

Only such a one sleeps in peace.

Whoever creates no evil karma,

Whose mind always knows shame and remorse,

And who believes evil deeds bring retribution,

Only such a one sleeps in peace.

Whoever reverently supports father and mother,

Does not kill living beings,

And does not steal another’s possessions,

Only such a one sleeps in peace.

Whoever has subdued the faculties,

Draws near to good spiritual friends,

And destroys the four hosts of Mara,

Only such a one sleeps in peace.

One who sees neither wholesome nor evil deeds,

Who does not discriminate between suffering and joy,

But solely for the sake of all sentient beings

Continues to revolve through birth and death—

Whoever can act in this way,

Only such a one sleeps in peace.

Who is able to sleep in peace?

It is none other than the Buddhas,

Who deeply contemplate the Samadhi of Emptiness,

Their bodies and minds serene and unmoving.

Who is able to sleep in peace?

One endowed with loving-kindness and compassion,

Who constantly cultivates diligence

And cherishes all beings as one’s own children.

Because of ignorance, sentient beings

Do not perceive the fruits of affliction;

Constantly creating evil karma,

They cannot sleep in peace.

If, for the sake of one’s own body

Or for the sake of another’s body,

One commits the Ten Evil Deeds,

One cannot sleep in peace.

If someone says, ‘To gain happiness,

There is no offense in killing one’s father,’

Whoever believes and follows this evil person

Cannot sleep in peace.

Eating excessively without moderation,

And drinking a great deal of cold water,

One will thus suffer from illness

And cannot sleep in peace.

Whoever has offended the king,

Committed adultery with another’s wife,

Or travels along a deserted road,

Cannot sleep in peace.

One whose observance of the precepts is incomplete,

A crown prince who has not yet inherited the throne,

And a thief who has not yet obtained his loot,

Cannot sleep in peace.

“Jivaka! I am now gravely ill. I committed an evil deed against the King of the True Dharma and brought about his death; therefore, no skilled physician, excellent medicine, incantation, or expertise in diagnosing illness can cure my disease. Why is this? My father, the former king, governed the country in accordance with the law and was truly without fault, yet I rebelled against him and had him killed. I am now like a fish lying on dry land—what happiness could I have? Like a deer caught in a snare—what happiness could I have? I am also like a person who knows he will die that very day, like a king who has lost his kingdom and fled to another country, like one who learns that his disease cannot be cured, or like a violator of the precepts who hears another expose his offenses.

“I once heard a wise person say: ‘If the three kinds of karma—body, speech, and mind—are not purified, know that such a person will certainly fall into hell.’ I am now just such a person; how could I sleep in peace? Nor have I found the unsurpassed great physician who can prescribe for me the medicine of the True Dharma and eradicate the suffering of my disease.”

Jivaka said: “Excellent! Although the king has committed an offense, he has given rise to profound remorse and knows shame and contrition.

“Your Majesty! The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, constantly teach: ‘There are two wholesome qualities that can save sentient beings. The first is feeling shame before others; the second is feeling remorse within oneself. Through shame, one refrains from personally committing offenses; through remorse, one does not instigate others to commit offenses. To feel shame means to experience inward humiliation and disgrace; to feel remorse means to be willing to disclose one’s transgressions to others in order to repent.

“Feeling shame means being ashamed before other people; feeling remorse means being ashamed before the devas and those who perform wholesome deeds. Together, these are called shame and remorse.’

“If one does not know shame, one is not worthy of being called human, but should be called an animal. If one knows shame, one will surely know to honor and respect one’s parents, teachers, elders, and others. Because one possesses a sense of shame, one may be said to truly have parents, brothers, sisters, and other kin. Excellent! Your Majesty is indeed fully endowed with a sense of shame.

“Your Majesty, please listen. I have heard the Buddha teach: ‘A wise person has two qualities: first, one does not commit evil deeds; second, if one happens to commit them, one immediately repents. A foolish person also has two qualities: first, one commits sinful and evil deeds; second, after committing them, one conceals one’s offenses.’ Although one may previously have committed evil, if afterward one can disclose it, feel remorse and shame, and dare not commit it again, it is like placing a wish-fulfilling pearl in turbid water: through the power of the pearl, the water immediately settles and becomes clear.

It is also like clouds and mist dispersing completely, whereupon the bright moon shines clearly. One who commits evil and then knows remorse is just like this. If Your Majesty can repent and cherish a sense of shame, your offenses will surely be eliminated, and you will become pure as before.

“Your Majesty! There are two kinds of wealthy and honored people. The first possesses many elephants, horses, and all kinds of livestock; the second possesses much gold, silver, and all kinds of precious jewels. However numerous the elephants and horses may be, they cannot compare with even a single jewel. Your Majesty! Sentient beings are likewise of two kinds: those who perform many evil deeds and those who perform many good deeds. Performing many evil deeds cannot compare with performing a single good deed. Therefore, I have heard the Buddha teach: ‘Cultivating a single wholesome thought can destroy a hundred evil deeds.’

“Your Majesty! Just as a small amount of vajra can shatter the entire Mount Sumeru, just as a small flame can burn everything, and just as a small amount of poison can take the life of a sentient being, so too can even a small good deed destroy a great evil deed. Though it is called small, in truth it is great. Why is this? Because it can destroy a great evil deed.

“Your Majesty! As the Buddha taught, concealing offenses is affliction; not concealing offenses means there is no affliction. Through disclosure and repentance, affliction ceases. Therefore, if one happens to commit offenses, one should not conceal them. By not concealing them, a grave offense can become light. If one knows to cherish a sense of shame, that offense can be eliminated.

“Your Majesty! Though drops of water are small, they gradually fill a large vessel. Wholesome thoughts are likewise: every wholesome thought can destroy a great evil. If one conceals one’s offense, the offense will grow still greater. If one discloses it and knows shame, the offense will surely be extinguished. Therefore, the Buddhas teach: ‘A wise person does not conceal offenses.’

“Excellent! Your Majesty is able to believe in cause and effect and in karmic retribution. Your Majesty, please do not harbor grief or fear. If sentient beings commit sinful deeds and then conceal them, feel no remorse, know no shame, do not perceive cause and effect or karmic retribution, do not know to seek counsel from the wise, and do not draw near to good spiritual friends, then even if all skilled physicians were to diagnose their illness, they could not cure such people. It is like the disease kamala, before which the physicians of the world can only admit defeat! Those who conceal their offenses are likewise!

“Who are the offenders called icchantikas? An icchantika is one who does not believe in cause and effect, knows no shame, does not believe in karmic retribution, does not acknowledge the present life or future lives, does not draw near to good spiritual friends, and does not heed the admonitions and teachings of the Buddhas. Such people are called icchantikas. The Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, cannot cure them. Why is this? Just as worldly medicine cannot restore a dead person to life, so it is with an icchantika: even the Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, can do nothing to cure such a person. Your Majesty is not now an icchantika, so why do you say that you cannot be cured?

“As Your Majesty has said, no one can cure the anguish in your body and mind. Yet Your Majesty should know that there is a son of King Suddhodana from the city of Kapilavastu, of the Gautama clan, named Siddhartha, who, without a teacher, awakened by himself and attained anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

“He is endowed with the Thirty-two Marks and the Eighty Excellent Characteristics adorning his body. He possesses the Ten Powers and the Four Fearlessnesses, clearly sees and knows all things, and with great loving-kindness and great compassion regards all beings as he does his only son, Rahula. He continually attends to sentient beings who possess wholesome hearts, just as a calf always follows its mother cow.

He knows how to teach at the proper time and does not speak when the time is inappropriate. He speaks only words that are true, pure, good, meaningful, in accord with the true Dharma, unchanging, and capable of enabling sentient beings to remain forever free from afflictions. He thoroughly knows every root and disposition in the minds of sentient beings and employs many skillful means according to what is appropriate, understanding all of them without obstruction.

His wisdom towers like Mount Sumeru and is as deep, vast, and boundless as the great ocean.

“This Buddha, the World-Honored One, possesses vajra wisdom capable of dissolving all the evil offenses of sentient beings. To say that the Buddha cannot remove Your Majesty’s offenses would truly be unreasonable!

“At present, the Buddha is twelve yojanas from here, in the city of Kusinagara, at the place where the twin sala trees grow side by side. For an innumerable assembly of bodhisattva monks, he is expounding all manner of dharmas, such as: existent dharmas or nonexistent dharmas; conditioned or unconditioned; with outflows or without outflows; the retributive fruits of afflictions or the retributive fruits of wholesome dharmas; dharmas belonging to form or dharmas not belonging to form, or dharmas that are neither form nor non-form; self, not-self, or neither self nor not-self; permanent, impermanent, or neither permanent nor impermanent; bliss, not-bliss, or neither bliss nor not-bliss; characteristics, non-characteristics, or neither characteristics nor non-characteristics;

annihilation, non-annihilation, or neither annihilation nor non-annihilation; worldly, supramundane, or neither worldly nor supramundane; teachings, non-teachings, or neither teachings nor non-teachings; oneself acting and oneself receiving the result; oneself acting and another receiving the result; or neither action nor reception.

“If Your Majesty goes to the Buddha and hears the Dharma of neither action nor reception, Your Majesty’s grave offenses will immediately be extinguished.

“Now, Your Majesty, please listen to this account. When the life span of Sakra, Lord of the Devas, is about to end, five signs of decline appear. First, his garments become soiled; second, the flowers upon his head wither; third, his body becomes foul-smelling and unclean; fourth, perspiration continually appears beneath his armpits; fifth, he no longer delights in his own seat.”

“At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, went to secluded and tranquil places and sought out any śramaṇa or brahmin he found there, thinking that they might be Buddhas. But when those śramaṇas or brahmins saw Śakra, they rejoiced and said, ‘O king of the heavens, we now take refuge in you.’ Upon hearing this, Śakra knew that they were not Buddhas, and thought to himself, ‘If they are not Buddhas, they cannot cure me of my five signs of decline.’

“At that time, Pañcaśikha, the charioteer of Śakra, king of the heavens, said to him, ‘Kauśika! There is a gandharva king named Đôn-phù-lâu who has a daughter named Subhadrā. If you will bestow that princess upon your servant, I shall show you a place where the signs of decline can be completely eliminated.’

“Śakra replied, ‘Good man! The asura king Vemacitrin has a princess named Śacī, whom I cherish above all others. If you can show me a place where these inauspicious signs can be completely eliminated, I shall bestow that princess upon you, much less Princess Subhadrā.’

“The charioteer said, ‘Kauśika! The Buddha, the World-Honored One, Śākyamuni, is now dwelling in the great city of Rājagṛha. If you can go there and ask him about what you do not yet understand, you will certainly be able to eliminate those signs of decline.’

“Śakra said, ‘Good man! If the Buddha, the World-Honored One, can indeed eliminate my signs of decline, then take me at once to where he is.’

“The charioteer obeyed and immediately turned the chariot toward Rājagṛha and Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa. When they reached the Buddha, Śakra bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet, then sat to one side and addressed the Buddha, saying, ‘World-Honored One! What are the fetters in the two realms of devas and humans?’

“The Buddha said, ‘Kauśika! Miserly attachment and jealous envy [are those fetters].’

“Śakra asked again, ‘From what do miserly attachment and jealous envy arise?’

“The Buddha said, ‘They arise from ignorance.’

“He asked again, ‘From what does ignorance arise?’

“The Buddha said, ‘It arises from heedlessness.’

“He asked again, ‘From what does heedlessness arise?’

“The Buddha said, ‘It arises from delusion.’

“He asked again, ‘From what does delusion arise?’

“The Buddha said, ‘It arises from doubt.’

“Śakra then addressed the Buddha, saying, ‘World-Honored One! It is indeed just as the Buddha has taught: the phenomenon of delusion arises from doubt. Why is this so? I truly harbored doubt, and because I harbored doubt, delusion arose: those who were not the World-Honored One I mistook for the World-Honored One. Now that I have encountered the Buddha, my doubt has immediately been eliminated. Because my doubt has been eliminated, my delusion has also been completely ended; because delusion has been completely ended, I am free from greed and even from jealousy.’

“The Buddha said, ‘You say that you are free from greed and jealousy. Have you then attained the fruit of an Anāgāmin? One who has attained the fruit of an Anāgāmin is free from greed. If you are free from greed, why did you come to me for the sake of preserving your life? If you have truly attained the fruit of an Anāgāmin, you would not crave continued life.’

“Śakra said, ‘World-Honored One! Where there is delusion, there is necessarily a desire for continued life; one who is free from delusion does not desire continued life. I now truly no longer seek continued life. I seek only the Buddha’s Dharma-body and the Buddha’s wisdom.’

“The Buddha said, ‘Kauśika! One who seeks the Buddha’s Dharma-body and the Buddha’s wisdom will certainly attain them in the future.’

“At that time, after Śakra heard the Buddha expound the Dharma, his five signs of decline immediately disappeared. He then arose, bowed reverently, circumambulated the Buddha three times, joined his palms respectfully, and addressed the Buddha, saying, ‘World-Honored One! I have now died and come back to life; my life was lost, and now I have regained it. Moreover, I have heard the Buddha’s prediction that I shall attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. This is truly to be born a second time and to receive life a second time.

“‘World-Honored One! How may all [beings] among humans and devas prosper, and through what causes and conditions do they suffer decline?’

“The Buddha said, ‘Kauśika! Conflict and contention are the causes and conditions of decline in both the realms of devas and humans. By skillfully cultivating harmony and mutual respect, they will prosper.’

“Śakra said, ‘World-Honored One! If conflict causes decline, then from this day forward I shall no longer wage war against the asuras.’

“The Buddha said, ‘Excellent, excellent! Kauśika, all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones, teach that patient endurance is a cause of the fruit of anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.’

“At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra bowed before the Buddha and then departed.

“Great King! The Tathāgata can eliminate inauspicious and evil signs; therefore, the Buddha is honored as the Inconceivable One. If Your Majesty goes to him, however many grave offenses you may have committed will all be eliminated.

“Great King, please listen also to this account.

“There was a man of brahmin lineage named Ahiṃsaka. Because he had killed a great many people, everyone called him Aṅgulimāla. This man also wished to kill his mother. When the evil thought arose, his body moved accordingly; with both body and mind thus set in motion, he produced the cause of one of the Five Heinous Offenses. Because he had produced the cause of one of the Five Heinous Offenses, he would certainly have fallen into hell.

“Later, when [this man] encountered the Buddha, his body and mind were both again set in motion, and he wished to harm the Buddha. With both body and mind set in motion, he produced the cause of one of the Five Heinous Offenses. Because he had produced the cause of one of the Five Heinous Offenses, he would certainly have fallen into hell.

“Yet when that man encountered the great teacher, the Tathāgata, the causes and conditions for his entering hell were immediately eliminated, and he aroused the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Therefore, the Buddha is honored as the supreme physician, unlike the Six [Non-Buddhist] Teachers.

“Great King! There was also a prince named Tu-tỳ-la. In anger, his royal father ordered that all his hands and feet be severed and that he be cast into a deep well. His mother, moved by compassion, sent someone to rescue him and bring him to the Buddha. As soon as he saw the Buddha, his hands and feet were restored to their former wholeness, and he immediately aroused the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi.

“Great King! Because encountering the Buddha brings such [blessed] fruits and recompenses even in this present life, the Buddha is honored as the supreme physician, unlike the Six [Non-Buddhist] Teachers.

“Great King! On the bank of the Ganges River there were five hundred hungry ghosts who, for countless years, had never seen water. Although they stood beside the river, they saw only billowing streams of red fire.

Tormented by hunger and thirst, they wailed and wept. At that time, the Tathāgata was in the Udumbara grove by the river, seated beneath a tree. These hungry ghosts went to the Buddha and said, ‘World-Honored One!

We are suffering from extreme hunger and thirst and cannot remain alive much longer!’ The Buddha said, ‘Water flows in the Ganges River; why do you not drink it?’ The hungry ghosts replied, ‘The Tathāgata sees it as water, but we see it as fire.’ The Buddha said, ‘The water of the Ganges is cool and clear; it is truly not fire! Because of your evil karma, your own minds are deluded and perceive it as fire. I shall eliminate your delusion so that you may see the water.’

“At that time, the Blessed One expounded to the hungry ghosts the errors and harmful consequences of greed and stinginess. The ghosts said: ‘We are now tormented by thirst. Although we hear the Dharma being taught, we cannot take it to heart.’ The Buddha said: ‘Since you are thirsty, you may first go down to the river and drink as you please.’ Then, through the Buddha’s power, the ghosts were able to drink the water.

After they had drunk, the Tathagata again expounded all manner of teachings to them. Having heard the Dharma, they all brought forth the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, immediately relinquished their forms as hungry ghosts, [were reborn in the heavenly realm,] and obtained the bodies of devas. Great King!

For this reason, the Buddha is honored as the supreme physician, unlike the Six Teachers [of the non-Buddhist paths].

“Great King! In the kingdom of Shravasti there were five hundred bandits whose eyes King Prasenajit had gouged out. Unable to see the road, they could not find their way to the Buddha. Out of compassion, the Buddha appeared before those bandits and consoled and admonished them, saying: ‘Good men! Guard your bodies and speech well, and never again commit evil deeds.’

“When the bandits heard the clear, wondrous voice of the Tathagata, which penetrated everywhere, their sight was restored in an instant. They immediately came before the Buddha, joined their palms, paid reverence, and said: ‘Blessed One! We now know that the Buddha shelters all sentient beings with loving-kindness, not only those in the two realms of devas and humans.’

“At that time, the Tathagata taught them the Dharma. Having heard the Dharma, they all brought forth the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

“Thus, the Tathagata is truly the supreme physician of the world, unlike the Six Teachers [of the non-Buddhist paths].

“Great King! In the kingdom of Shravasti there was a Chandala named Khi Hu, who had killed a great many people. When he encountered the Buddha’s disciple, Mahamaudgalyayana, the causes and conditions leading to hell were extinguished, and he was reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Because the Buddha has such noble disciples, the Buddha-Tathagata is honored as the supreme physician, unlike the Six Teachers [of the non-Buddhist paths].

“Great King! In the city of Varanasi there was the son of an elder named Ajita, who secretly engaged in incest with his mother and, because of this, cruelly killed his father. His mother later committed adultery with another man. When he learned of this, he killed his mother as well.

“He was acquainted with an arhat. Overcome by shame and humiliation, he killed that arhat too. After killing him, he went to the Jetavana Monastery and requested ordination. The bhikshus all knew that he had committed three heinous offenses and therefore did not dare accept him. When he was refused ordination, he became even more enraged. That very night, he set fire to and burned down the Sangha’s dwelling, killing many innocent people.

“Afterward, he entered the city of Rajagriha, went to the Buddha, and implored the Buddha compassionately to permit him to be ordained. The Tathagata immediately consented and expounded the essential Dharma to him, causing his grave offenses gradually to become light. He then brought forth the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. For this reason, the Buddha is honored as the physician of the world, unlike the Six Teachers [of the non-Buddhist paths].

“Great King! Your disposition was originally fierce, violent, and cruel. Moreover, believing the words of the wicked Devadatta, you released a great drunken elephant, intending it to trample the Buddha to death. Yet when the elephant saw the Buddha, it immediately became sober. The Buddha extended his hand and stroked its head, then taught it the Dharma, causing it to bring forth the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

“Great King! Even an animal, upon seeing the Buddha, can completely eradicate the karmic consequence of birth as an animal; how much more so a human being? Great King, you should know that if one encounters the Buddha, however grave one’s offenses may be, they can all be extinguished.

“Great King! Before the Blessed One attained anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, Mara, together with his innumerable retinue, came to the bodhisattva. At that time, through the power of patience, the bodhisattva eradicated Mara’s malicious intent, causing him to accept the True Dharma and swiftly bring forth the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Such is the Buddha’s immense power of merit!

“Great King! There was a wilderness-dwelling ghost who had killed a great many sentient beings. At that time, for the sake of the elder Shanhien, the Tathagata appeared in the Wilderness Village and taught the Dharma to the ghost. After hearing the Dharma, the wilderness ghost rejoiced and presented the elder to the Tathagata. It then brought forth the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

“Great King! In the city of Varanasi there was a butcher named Broad Forehead, who slaughtered countless goats every day. When he encountered Shariputra, he undertook and observed the Eight Precepts for one full day and night. Through these causes and conditions, when his life ended, he was reborn as a son of the Heavenly King Vaishravana in the north. Even a disciple of the Tathagata possesses such immense merit; how much more so the Buddha?

“Great King! In northern India there is a city called Fine Stone, in which there was a king named Dragon Seal. Because he coveted the throne, that king killed his own father. After killing his father, remorse arose in his heart. He abandoned the affairs of state, went to the Buddha, and implored the Buddha compassionately to allow him to be ordained. The Buddha said: ‘Excellent! You have come!’ As soon as these words were spoken, the king immediately became a bhikshu. His grave offense was extinguished, and he brought forth the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. Great King, you should know that the Buddha possesses such immeasurable and boundless merit!

“Great King! The Tathagata’s cousin Devadatta committed three heinous offenses: creating a schism in the Sangha, shedding the Buddha’s blood, and killing the bhikshuni Utpalavarna. For his sake, the Tathagata expounded all the essential principles of the Dharma, causing his grave offenses before long to become light. Therefore, the Tathagata is the great physician, unlike the Six Teachers [of the non-Buddhist paths].

“Great King! If you can believe the words of your humble minister, please hasten to the Tathagata. If you cannot yet believe them, I still beseech you to consider them carefully.

“Great King! The great compassion of all Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, universally embraces everyone without excluding a single being. The True Dharma extends everywhere, encompassing every place. [The Blessed One’s heart is] impartial toward both intimates and enemies, making no distinction between affection and aversion. He never favors one person so that only that person may attain the fruit of anuttara-samyak-sambodhi while others may not. The Tathagata is not only the teacher of the Fourfold Assembly but also the teacher of all devas, humans, dragons, ghosts, hell beings, animals, hungry ghosts, and others. All sentient beings who behold the Buddha give rise to thoughts of [reverence and affection] as though [beholding] their own parents.”

“Your Majesty should know that the Tathagata does not teach the Dharma only for wealthy and noble persons such as King Bhadrika; he also teaches it for those of humble station such as Upali. The Tathagata does not accept only the food offered by Sudatta Anathapindika; he also accepts the food of the extremely poor man Sudatta. He does not teach the Dharma only for those of keen faculties such as Sariputra, but also for those of dull faculties such as Culapanthaka.

He does not allow only those without greed, such as Mahakasyapa, to leave home and seek the Way, but also allows those who are very greedy, such as Nanda, to leave home. He does not accept only those with few afflictions, such as Uruvilva Kasyapa and his companions, to leave home and seek the Way, but also allows those burdened by many afflictions and grave offenses, such as Sudaya, the younger brother of King Prasenajit, to leave home.

“He did not completely uproot his anger merely because Sa Thao reverently made offerings to him, while abandoning and refusing to save Angulimala because he harbored evil intentions and sought to harm him. He does not teach the Dharma only for wise men, but also for women of very limited understanding. He does not enable only those who have left home to attain the four fruits of the path, but also enables householders to attain the first three fruits of the path.

He does not teach the Dharma only for those such as Putala, who have relinquished all affairs and single-mindedly contemplate in secluded and tranquil places, but also for those such as King Bimbisara, who is [busily] administering affairs of state and ruling a kingdom. He does not teach the Dharma only for those who have given up drinking alcohol, but also for those addicted to alcohol, such as the elder Ugga. He does not teach the Dharma only for those absorbed in meditative concentration, such as Revata, but also for those whose minds have become distraught through the loss of a child, such as the brahmin woman Vasistha.

“The Tathagata does not teach the Dharma only for his disciples, but also for followers of other paths, such as the Nirgranthas. He does not teach the Dharma only for vigorous young people who are no more than twenty-five years old, but also for the aged and infirm who have reached eighty years. He does not teach the Dharma only for those whose faculties have matured, but also for those whose roots of goodness have not yet matured.

He does not teach the Dharma only for noble ladies such as Lady Mallika, but also for courtesans such as the woman Lotus. He does not accept only the fine, precious, and sumptuous dishes of King Prasenajit, but also accepts the mixed food containing poison offered by the elder Sirigupta. Your Majesty should know that Sirigupta had previously created the causes and conditions for a heinous offense, but upon encountering the Buddha and hearing the Dharma, he immediately awakened the aspiration for anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

“Your Majesty! Suppose that throughout an entire month one constantly made reverential offerings of clothing and food to all sentient beings. This would still not equal the merit of one who recollects the Buddha for a single moment. The merit gained by that donor would amount to only one-sixteenth of the merit of the person who recollects the Buddha!

“Your Majesty! Suppose that one cast gold into human figures, loaded precious goods onto horse-drawn carriages, with a hundred of each, and then gave them all away. This would still not equal the merit of one who resolves to seek the Buddha and [has only just] lifted a foot to take a single step.

“Your Majesty! Again, suppose that one used a hundred elephant-drawn carriages to carry all manner of precious treasures from the land of Great Qin, together with hundreds of women adorned with necklaces and ornaments, and then gave them all away. This would still not equal the merit of one who resolves to seek the Buddha and [has only just] lifted a foot to take a single step.

“Again, suppose that one provided all four requisites as offerings to every sentient being throughout the trichiliocosm. This would still not equal the merit of one who resolves to seek the Buddha and [has only just] lifted a foot to take a single step.

“Your Majesty! Suppose that you reverently made offerings to immeasurable sentient beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. This would still not equal going once to the place between the twin sala trees, meeting the Tathagata, and sincerely listening to the Dharma.”

At that time, King Ajatasatru replied, “Jivaka! The nature of the Tathagata, the World-Honored One, is tamed, harmonious, and gentle; therefore, all who surround him are likewise tamed, harmonious, and gentle, just as a sandalwood forest is surrounded only by sandalwood trees. The Tathagata is pure, and so all who surround him are likewise pure, just as a great naga is surrounded entirely by nagas.

The Tathagata is quiescent and tranquil, and so all who surround him are likewise quiescent and tranquil. The Tathagata is free from greed, and so all who surround him are likewise free from greed. The Buddha is without afflictions, and so all who surround him are likewise without afflictions.

But I am now an exceedingly wicked man, burdened by evil karma. My body reeks, and I belong to the realm of hell. How could I possibly approach the Tathagata?

Even if I went there, I fear that I would not be received or spoken to. Although you urge me to go to the Buddha, today I am filled with such shame and anguish that I have no heart to go there.”

Then a voice issued from midair, saying, “The supreme Buddha-Dharma is now about to decline and disappear! The profound river of the True Dharma is about to run dry! The lamp of the Great Dharma is nearly extinguished!

The mountain of the True Dharma is about to collapse! The ship of the True Dharma is about to sink! The bridge of the True Dharma is about to break!

The temple of the True Dharma is about to fall! The banner of the True Dharma is about to topple! The tree of the Dharma is about to break and fall!

The One who helps us bring forth every wholesome quality is about to depart! A time of great terror is about to come! Sentient beings are about to suffer a famine of the True Dharma!

The pestilence of afflictions is about to rage! An age of dark obscurity is about to arrive! A time of thirst for the True Dharma is about to come!

Mara, the Evil One, rejoices and removes his armor! The sun of the Buddha-Dharma is about to set behind the mountain of Great Nirvana!

“Your Majesty! If the Buddha departs from this world, there will be no one left who can eradicate your grave offenses. Your Majesty! You have now committed the gravest of karmic deeds and will certainly fall into the Avici hell. Because of those karmic causes and conditions, you must undergo their painful retribution; of this there can be no doubt.

“Your Majesty! Avici means ‘without interruption.’ Because there is never even a moment of temporary peace or happiness, it is called ‘without interruption.’ Your Majesty! Suppose only a single person falls into that hell. That person’s body will naturally expand in length and breadth until it fills the entire hell without leaving any empty space, and every part of the body will undergo every kind of suffering. Even when many people enter that hell, the body of each person fills the entire hell without obstructing the others.

“Your Majesty! In a cold hell, if one temporarily encounters a warm wind, one regards it as happiness. In a hot hell, if one temporarily encounters a cool wind, one likewise regards it as happiness. In the Reviving Hell, after one has seemingly died, one revives upon hearing a sound commanding one to live. In the Avici hell, none of these things ever occurs!

“Your Majesty! The Avici hell has gates in each of the four directions. Outside every gate are raging flames, and the fires from the east, west, south, and north move back and forth, intersecting and pervading the entire place. Iron walls surround it for eighty thousand yojanas; an iron net covers it from above, and the ground is made entirely of iron. The fire above descends all the way to the bottom, while the fire below blazes all the way to the top. Your Majesty! Just as the fat of a fish being fried in intense heat melts away and is utterly consumed by the flames, so too are the sinners in that hell!”

“Great King! Whoever commits one heinous offense must enter that place and undergo the full punishment for one such offense. If one commits two heinous offenses, one must endure twice the punishment. A person who commits the five heinous offenses must endure five times the punishment.

“Great King! I now know with certainty that you will not escape the evil karma you have created [and will fall into the Avici Hell]. Therefore, I only beseech you to go swiftly to the Buddha. Apart from the Buddha, the Blessed One, no one else can save you. It is because I have compassion for you that I counsel and guide you in this way!”

At that time, when King Ajatashatru heard these words, his heart was filled with terror, and his entire body trembled. He cast his five limbs upon the ground like a falling banana tree, yet struggled to raise his face and asked, “Who are you? Why do you not reveal your form, so that only your voice is heard?”

[Then a voice replied:] “Great King! I am Bimbisara, your father. You should now heed Jivaka’s counsel and not believe the words of those six officials who hold wrong views.”

As soon as King Ajatashatru heard this, he collapsed to the ground. The malignant sores upon his body erupted violently, and their stench became many times worse than before. Although many kinds of cooling medicines were applied to them, the burning sores continued to erupt without abating in the slightest!