大般涅槃經

Volume 14

CHAPTER ON PURE CONDUCT

Part XX/1

Good man! What is the pure conduct of a great bodhisattva? Good man! A great bodhisattva who abides in the Great Vehicle’s Great Parinirvana and abides in seven wholesome dharmas will perfect pure conduct. What are these seven? First, knowing the Dharma; second, knowing its meaning; third, knowing the proper time; fourth, knowing contentment; fifth, knowing oneself; sixth, knowing others; and seventh, knowing who is venerable and who is humble.

Good man! What is meant by a great bodhisattva knowing the Dharma? Good man! This great bodhisattva knows the twelve divisions of scripture: Tu Da La, Kỳ Dạ, Thọ Ký, Da Đà, Ưu Đà Na, Ni Đà Na, A Ba Đà Na, Y Đế Mục Đa Dà, Xà Đà Dà, Tỳ Phật Lược, A Phù Đà Đạt Ma, and Ưu Ba Đề Xá.

Good man! What are called the Tu Đa La scriptures? Everything from “Thus have I heard” through “they rejoiced and respectfully put it into practice” is called Tu Đa La.

What are called the Kỳ Dạ scriptures? The Buddha told the bhiksus: “Formerly, you and I were foolish and devoid of wisdom, unable to see the Four Noble Truths as they truly are. Therefore, for a long time we wandered through birth and death, submerged in the ocean of great suffering. What are the Four Noble Truths? Suffering, its Origin, its Cessation, and the Path.” Thus, in the past, the Buddha finished teaching the sutra to the bhiksus. At that time, other sentient beings of keen faculties arrived later at the Buddha’s dwelling to hear the Dharma. They immediately asked others, “To whom did the Tathagata speak, and what did he teach?” Knowing this, the Buddha then drew upon the content of the preceding sutra and spoke these verses:

Formerly, you and I

Did not see the Four Noble Truths;

Therefore, we continued circling endlessly

In the ocean of suffering of birth and death.

If one sees the Four Noble Truths,

One can bring birth and death to an end;

When birth and death have been exhausted,

One no longer undergoes the various forms of existence.

This is called a Kỳ Dạ scripture.

What is called a Thọ Ký scripture? These are scriptures and disciplinary texts in which, while teaching, the Tathagata bestows predictions of Buddhahood upon devas and humans: “Ajita! In a future age, there will be a king named Nhương Khư, and in that age you will attain Buddhahood under the name Maitreya.” This is called a Thọ Ký scripture.

What is called a Dà Đà scripture? Apart from Tu Đa La and the various disciplinary precepts, the remaining texts that contain four-line verses, such as:

Chư ác mạc tác

(Commit no evil deeds)

Chúng thiện phụng hành

(Faithfully practice every good deed)

Tự tịnh kỳ ý

(Purify one’s own mind)

Thị chư Phật giáo.

(This is the teaching of the Buddhas.)

These are called Dà Đà scriptures.

What is called an Ưu Đà Na scripture? For example, when the Buddha emerged from meditation and extensively taught the essentials of the Dharma to the assemblies of devas, the bhiksus all formed this thought: “What is the Tathagata doing today?” Early in the morning, the Tathagata emerged from meditation. Without anyone asking him, he used the knowledge of others’ minds and spoke on his own: “Bhiksus! You should know that the lifespans of all devas are extremely long! Bhiksus! Excellent! You act for the sake of others and do not seek your own benefit! Excellent is having few desires! Excellent is contentment! Excellent is serene tranquility!” Scriptures such as these, in which no one asks but the Buddha speaks on his own, are called Ưu Đà Na scriptures.

What is called a Ni Đà Na scripture? These are scriptural verses whose underlying causes and conditions prompted the Buddha to teach them for the sake of others. For example, in the country of Sravasti, there was a man who spread nets to catch birds. After catching them, he confined them in cages, gave them water and grain according to their species, and then released them again. Knowing the causes, conditions, and entire course of this matter, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

Do not belittle a minor evil,

Thinking it will bring no calamity;

Though drops of water are small,

They can fill a great vessel to overflowing.

This is called the Nidana Sutra. What is called the Avadana Sutra? The accounts given by way of example in the Vinaya are called the Avadana Sutra.

What is called the Itivrittaka Sutra? It is as the Buddha said: “Bhiksus, you should know that when I appeared in the world, my teachings were called the Sutras. When Krakucchanda Buddha appeared in the world, they were called the Drum of Ambrosia.

When Kanakamuni Buddha appeared in the world, they were called the Mirror of Dharma. When Kasyapa Buddha appeared in the world, they were called the Analysis of Emptiness.” This is called the Itivrittaka Sutra. What is called the Jataka Sutra?

It concerns the austere practices cultivated by the Buddha, the World-Honored One, when he was formerly a bodhisattva. The Buddha said: “Bhiksus, you should know that in past lives I was born as a deer, a great bear, an antelope, a hare, King Sutasoma, a Wheel-Turning Sage King, a dragon, a garuda, and so forth. While practicing the bodhisattva path, I was able to assume such bodies.” This is called the Jataka.

What is called the Vaipulya Sutra? It refers to the Mahayana Vaipulya scriptures. Their meaning is as vast as empty space.

These are called the Vaipulya Sutras. What is called the Sutra of Unprecedented Events? It includes such events as when the bodhisattva, immediately after birth and without anyone supporting him, walked seven steps and emitted a great light that illuminated the ten directions; when an ape held a jar of honey in its hands and offered it to the Tathagata; when a white-necked dog remained beside the Buddha and listened to the Dharma; when Mara Papiyan transformed himself into a blue ox and entered a place filled with earthen bowls, causing them to strike against one another without being damaged; and when the Buddha, shortly after birth, entered a temple of the gods and caused the divine images there to rise, descend, and bow respectfully to him.

Sutras containing such events are called the Sutras of Unprecedented Events. What is called the Upadesha Sutra? When discourses spoken by the Buddha, the World-Honored One, are made the subject of treatises that analyze, distinguish, and extensively explain their characteristics, these are called the Upadesha Sutras.

If a bodhisattva can clearly comprehend these twelve divisions of scripture, this is called knowing the Dharma. What does it mean for a great bodhisattva to know the meaning? If a great bodhisattva extensively understands the meanings of all written characters and spoken words, this is called knowing the meaning.

What does it mean for a great bodhisattva to know the proper time? Good man, a bodhisattva skillfully knows that at such a time one should wholeheartedly cultivate tranquility; at such a time one should wholeheartedly cultivate diligence; at such a time one should wholeheartedly cultivate meditative equanimity; at such a time one should wholeheartedly make offerings to the Buddha; at such a time one should wholeheartedly make offerings to one’s teacher; and at such a time one should wholeheartedly cultivate generosity, moral discipline, patience, diligence, meditation, and the perfection of prajna.

This is called knowing the proper time. What does it mean for a great bodhisattva to know contentment? Good man, a great bodhisattva knows contentment with respect to such things as food and drink, medicine, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, sleeping, waking, speaking, and remaining silent.

This is called knowing contentment. Good man, what does it mean for a great bodhisattva to know himself? This bodhisattva knows of himself: “I possess such faith, such moral discipline, such extensive learning, such relinquishment, such wisdom, such conduct, such right mindfulness, such wholesome practices, such questions, and such answers.” This is called knowing oneself.

What does it mean for a great bodhisattva to know assemblies of people? Good man, this bodhisattva knows the assemblies of ksatriyas, brahmins, householders, and sramanas, and knows how to approach and withdraw from such assemblies, how to sit down and rise, how to teach the Dharma, and how to ask and answer questions among them. This is called knowing assemblies of people.

Good man, what does it mean for a great bodhisattva to know who is superior and who is inferior? Good man, there are two kinds of people: those with faith and those without faith. A bodhisattva should know that a person with faith is wholesome, while a person without faith is not called wholesome.

Furthermore, among those with faith, there are two kinds: those who regularly remain at a monastery of the Sangha and those who do not. A bodhisattva should know that one who remains there is wholesome, while one who does not remain there is not called wholesome. Among those who remain at a monastery of the Sangha, there are again two kinds: those who pay homage and those who do not.

A bodhisattva should know that one who pays homage is wholesome, while one who does not pay homage is not called wholesome. Among those who pay homage, there are again two kinds: those who listen to the Dharma and those who do not. A bodhisattva should know that listening to the Dharma is wholesome, while one who does not listen to the Dharma is not called wholesome.

Among those who listen to the Dharma, there are again two kinds: those who listen wholeheartedly and those who do not. A bodhisattva should know that one who listens wholeheartedly is called wholesome, while one who does not listen wholeheartedly is not called wholesome. Among those who listen wholeheartedly to the Dharma, there are again two kinds: those who contemplate its meaning and those who do not contemplate its meaning.

A bodhisattva should know that one who contemplates the meaning is wholesome, while one who does not contemplate the meaning is not called wholesome. Among those who contemplate the meaning, there are again two kinds: those who practice in accordance with the teaching and those who do not practice in accordance with the teaching. One who practices in accordance with the teaching is called wholesome, while one who does not practice in accordance with the teaching is not called wholesome.

Among those who practice in accordance with the teaching, there are again two kinds: first, those who seek the path of the sravaka and are unable to bring benefit, peace, and well-being to all suffering sentient beings; second, those who dedicate their merit to the unsurpassed Mahayana, benefiting many people and enabling them to attain peace and happiness. A bodhisattva should know that one who can benefit many people and bring them peace and happiness is supreme and most wholesome.

Good man, just as among all precious things the wish-fulfilling jewel is the most excellent and wondrous, and just as among all flavors the flavor of ambrosia is supreme, so too is the bodhisattva supreme and foremost among humans and gods, beyond all comparison. Good man, this is called a great bodhisattva who abides in the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra and dwells in the seven wholesome dharmas. Once a bodhisattva abides in these seven wholesome dharmas, he fully perfects the pure life.

Furthermore, good man, there is another pure practice called loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

– World-Honored One! If extensively cultivating loving-kindness can eliminate anger, and cultivating compassion can likewise eliminate anger, why are they spoken of as the four immeasurable minds? When their meaning is examined, there should be only three. World-Honored One! Loving-kindness has three objects: first, sentient beings; second, dharmas; and third, no object. Compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity are likewise so. According to this meaning, there should be only three, and they should not be spoken of as four. Taking sentient beings as the object means taking the five skandhas as the object and wishing happiness for those five skandhas. This is called taking sentient beings as the object. Taking dharmas as the object means taking as the object the necessities required by sentient beings and giving these things to them. This is called taking dharmas as the object. Having no object means taking the Tathagata as the object. This is called having no object. Loving-kindness chiefly takes poor and destitute sentient beings as its objects. The Great Teacher, the Tathagata, has forever departed from poverty and enjoys the foremost bliss. If one takes sentient beings as the object, one does not take the Buddha as the object; the same applies to dharmas. For this reason, taking the Tathagata as the object is called having no object. World-Honored One! The objects of loving-kindness are all sentient beings, such as one’s parents, wife, children, relatives, and so forth. For this reason, it is called taking sentient beings as the object. Taking dharmas as the object means not seeing parents, wife, children, relatives, and so forth, but seeing only that all dharmas arise from conditions. This is called taking dharmas as the object. Having no object means abiding neither in the characteristic of dharmas nor in the characteristic of sentient beings. Therefore, it is called having no object. Compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity are likewise so. Therefore, there should be three, not four. World-Honored One! There are two kinds of people: first, those who follow the practice of views; and second, those who follow the practice of craving. Those who follow the practice of views extensively cultivate loving-kindness and compassion. Those who follow the practice of craving extensively cultivate sympathetic joy and equanimity. Therefore, there should be two, not four. World-Honored One! What is immeasurable is said to be boundless. Because no boundary can be apprehended, it is called immeasurable. If it is immeasurable, it should be one and should not be spoken of as four. If it is said to be four, how can it be immeasurable? Therefore, it should be one and should not be spoken of as four.

The Buddha said to Venerable Kasyapa:

– Good man! The Buddhas, the Tathagatas, proclaim the essentials of the Dharma for sentient beings. Their words are secret and profound, and difficult to understand clearly. At times, the Buddhas speak to sentient beings of a single causal condition. What is meant by a single causal condition? It refers to all conditioned dharmas. Good man! At times they speak of two things: cause and result. At times they speak of three things: afflictions, karma, and suffering. At times they speak of four things: ignorance, formations, birth, and aging-and-death. At times they speak of five things: feeling, craving, grasping, existence, and birth. At times they speak of six things: causes and results throughout the three periods of time. At times they speak of seven things: consciousness, name-and-form, the six ayatanas, contact, feeling, craving, and grasping. At times they speak of eight things: of the twelve links of dependent origination, ignorance, formations, birth, and aging-and-death are omitted, leaving the other eight factors. At times they speak of nine things: just as taught concerning the twelve links of dependent origination in the sutras, ignorance, formations, and consciousness are omitted, leaving the other nine factors. At times they speak of eleven things: just as was said to Satyaka Nirgrantha, the one dharma of birth is omitted, leaving the other eleven dharmas. At times they speak fully of the twelve links of dependent origination, as at the city of Rajagriha, where the Buddha fully expounded the twelve links of dependent origination to Kasyapa and others, from ignorance through birth, aging, illness, and death. Good man! Although there is but one chain of causal conditions, for the sake of sentient beings the Buddhas distinguish it in various ways. The immeasurable mental dharmas are likewise so. Good man! For this reason, one should not give rise to doubts concerning the Tathagata’s intimate modes of conduct. Good man! The Tathagata, the World-Honored One, possesses great skillful means: he speaks of the impermanent as permanent and of the permanent as impermanent; he speaks of happiness as suffering and of suffering as happiness; he speaks of the impure as pure and of the pure as impure; he speaks of the self as non-self and of non-self as the self; he speaks of what is not a sentient being as a sentient being and of what truly is a sentient being as not a sentient being; he speaks of what is not a thing as a thing and of a thing as not a thing; he speaks of what is not real as real and of what is real as not real; he speaks of what is not an object as an object and of an object as not an object; he speaks of what is unborn as born and of what is born as unborn... even to the point of speaking of ignorance as knowledge and of knowledge as ignorance, of form as not form and of what is not form as form, of what is not the Path as the Path and of the Path as not the Path. Good man! The Tathagata employs immeasurable skillful means such as these; how could this be falsehood? Good man! If there are sentient beings who covet wealth, for their sake I manifest myself as a wheel-turning king and, for immeasurable years, provide them with all that they require. Only afterward do I teach and transform them, causing them to abide in unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. If there are sentient beings attached to the five desires, for immeasurable years I satisfy their wishes with the subtle and wondrous objects of the five desires. Only afterward do I exhort and transform them, causing them to abide in unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. If there are sentient beings who are honored, eminent, and wealthy, for immeasurable years I willingly become their servant and attendant, running errands, providing for them, and waiting upon them. After gaining their favor, I then exhort and transform them, causing them to abide in unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. If there are sentient beings of contrary and unruly temperament who believe that they require someone to rebuke and admonish them, then for immeasurable hundreds of thousands of years I instruct, rebuke, admonish, restrain, and guide them, causing their minds to become disciplined. Only afterward do I counsel them, causing them to abide in unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. Good man! For immeasurable years the Tathagata employs various skillful means such as these to cause sentient beings to abide in unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment; how could this be falsehood? Although the Buddhas, the Tathagatas, dwell amid every kind of evil, they are not defiled by it, just like the lotus flower. Good man! You should understand the meaning of the four immeasurables in this way. Good man! The essential nature of these immeasurable minds is fourfold. If anyone cultivates them, that person will be born in the Great Brahma Heaven.

Good man! Such friends of the immeasurable states are four. Therefore they are said to be four.

Generally, cultivating loving-kindness can eliminate desire; cultivating compassion can eliminate anger; cultivating sympathetic joy can eliminate unhappiness; and cultivating equanimity can eliminate desire and anger toward sentient beings. Good man! For this reason, they are said to be four, not one, two, or three.

Good man! As you have said, loving-kindness can eliminate anger, and compassion does likewise; therefore, you say that there should be three. But you should not raise such an objection.

Why? Good man! Anger is of two kinds: first, taking life; second, beating and harming.

Cultivating loving-kindness enables one not to take life. Cultivating compassion enables one to eliminate beating and harming. Good man!

For this reason, how could there not be four? Furthermore, anger is of two kinds: first, anger toward sentient beings; second, anger toward what is not a sentient being. Cultivating loving-kindness eliminates anger toward sentient beings; cultivating compassion eliminates anger toward what is not a sentient being.

Furthermore, anger is of two kinds: first, that which has causes and conditions; second, that which has no causes or conditions. Cultivating loving-kindness eliminates that which has causes and conditions; cultivating compassion eliminates that which has no causes or conditions. Furthermore, anger is of two kinds: first, that long cultivated in past lives; second, that cultivated today in the present life.

Cultivating loving-kindness can eliminate that of the past; cultivating compassion eliminates that of the present. Furthermore, anger is of two kinds: first, anger toward noble ones; second, anger toward ordinary beings. Cultivating loving-kindness eliminates anger toward noble ones; cultivating compassion eliminates anger toward ordinary beings.

Furthermore, anger is of two kinds: first, superior; second, middling. Cultivating loving-kindness eliminates the superior; cultivating compassion eliminates the middling. Good man!

For this reason, they are called four. How, then, can you object that there should be three rather than four? Therefore, Kasyapa, these immeasurable states are distinguished as four according to their corresponding companions.

Furthermore, because of their receptacle, they should be called four. If the receptacle—the mind of the practitioner—contains loving-kindness, it cannot at that time contain compassion, sympathetic joy, or equanimity. For this reason, there should be four, without reduction.

Good man! Because their practices are distinct, there should be four. When one practices loving-kindness, there is no compassion, sympathetic joy, or equanimity.

Therefore there are four. Good man! Because of the immeasurable, they are also called four.

The immeasurable is of four kinds: an immeasurable mind that has objects but lacks mastery; an immeasurable mind that has mastery but no objects; an immeasurable mind that has both objects and mastery; and an immeasurable mind that has neither objects nor mastery. What is the immeasurable that has objects but lacks mastery? One takes immeasurable and boundless sentient beings as objects but cannot attain the samadhi of mastery.

Although one attains an unstable concentration, it is sometimes gained and sometimes lost. What is the immeasurable that has mastery but no objects? It is like taking one’s parents, brothers, and sisters as objects and wishing to bring them happiness; this is not an immeasurable range of objects.

What is the immeasurable that has both objects and mastery? This refers to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas. What is the immeasurable that has neither objects nor mastery?

Sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot extensively take immeasurable sentient beings as objects, nor do they possess mastery. Good man! For this reason, they are called the four immeasurable states.

This is the realm of all Buddha-Tathagatas and is not understood by sravakas or pratyekabuddhas. Good man! Although these four qualities as possessed by sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are called immeasurable, they are slight and insufficient to merit the name.

Only those of all Buddhas and bodhisattvas may be called immeasurable and boundless.

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! So it is! So it is! It is truly just as the Holy One has taught. The realm possessed by all Buddha-Tathagatas cannot be equaled by sravakas or pratyekabuddhas. World-Honored One! Is there a bodhisattva abiding in the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana who has a mind of loving-kindness and compassion but not a mind of Great Loving-Kindness and Great Compassion?”

The Buddha said:

“Good man! There is such a bodhisattva. Among sentient beings, he distinguishes three classes: first, those dear to him; second, those he hates as enemies; third, those who are neutral.

Among those dear to him, he further distinguishes three grades: superior, middling, and inferior. The same is true of hated enemies. This great bodhisattva bestows the highest happiness upon those most dear to him and equally bestows the highest happiness upon those dear to him of the middling and inferior grades.

Upon his greatest enemies he bestows a small measure of happiness; upon middling enemies he bestows a middling degree of happiness; and upon lesser enemies he bestows the highest happiness. As the bodhisattva progressively increases his cultivation, he bestows a middling degree of happiness upon his greatest enemies and the highest happiness upon his middling and lesser enemies. As the bodhisattva further advances his cultivation, he bestows the highest happiness upon enemies of the superior, middling, and inferior grades.

When he bestows the highest happiness upon his greatest enemies, his mind of loving-kindness is then said to be perfected. At that time, the bodhisattva has a mind of equality toward his parents and his greatest enemies, without distinction. Good man!

This is called attaining loving-kindness, but not Great Loving-Kindness.”

“World-Honored One! For what reason does a bodhisattva who attains such loving-kindness still not merit the name Great Loving-Kindness?”

“Good man! Because it is difficult to perfect, it is not called Great Loving-Kindness. Why?

For a long time, throughout immeasurable kalpas in past lives, one has accumulated many afflictions and has not cultivated wholesome dharmas. Therefore, one cannot subdue that mind in a single day. Good man!

It is as when a dried pea becomes hard: even an awl certainly cannot pierce it. The afflictions are likewise firm and hard. Even though one keeps the mind collected and undistracted throughout the entire day and night, it is difficult to subdue.

It is also like a domestic dog that does not fear people, while a wild deer in the mountains and forests flees in fear upon seeing them. Anger is as difficult to remove as a watchdog, while the mind of loving-kindness is as easily lost as that wild deer. Therefore, this mind is difficult to subdue.

For this reason, it is not called Great Loving-Kindness. Furthermore, good man! It is as when one draws upon stone: the design remains for a long time; but when one draws upon water, it quickly disappears and does not remain long.

Anger is like a drawing upon stone, while roots of goodness are like drawings upon water. Therefore, this mind is difficult to subdue. The light of a great mass of fire remains for a long time, while the radiance of lightning does not endure even briefly.

Anger is like the mass of fire, while loving-kindness is like the flash of lightning. Therefore, this mind is difficult to subdue. For this reason, it is not called Great Loving-Kindness.

Good man! A great bodhisattva abiding on the First Ground possesses what is called Great Loving-Kindness. Why?

Good man! The most extremely evil person is called an icchantika. When a bodhisattva first abides in the cultivation of Great Loving-Kindness, his mind makes no distinction with regard to an icchantika.

Because he does not perceive that person’s faults, anger does not arise in him. For this reason, it is called Great Loving-Kindness. Good man!

Removing what is harmful and unbeneficial from sentient beings is called Great Loving-Kindness. Wishing to bring immeasurable benefit and happiness to sentient beings is called Great Compassion. Giving rise to gladness toward sentient beings is called Great Sympathetic Joy.

Having nothing to protect or favor is called Great Equanimity. If one does not perceive the characteristics of self, dharmas, or one’s own body, but sees all dharmas as equal and nondual, this is called Great Equanimity. Relinquishing one’s own happiness and giving it to others is called Great Equanimity.

Good man! Only the four immeasurable states can enable a bodhisattva to develop and completely fulfill the six paramitas; the other practices certainly cannot do so. Good man!

A great bodhisattva first attains the worldly four immeasurable states and only thereafter arouses the aspiration for unsurpassed perfect enlightenment; then, in due sequence, he attains the supramundane states. Good man! By virtue of the worldly immeasurable states, one attains the supramundane immeasurable states.

For this reason, they are called the Great Immeasurable States.”

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

“World-Honored One! To eliminate what is harmful and bestow benefit is, in truth, to do nothing. To contemplate in this way is to perceive emptiness, in which there is no real benefit.

World-Honored One! It is like a bhiksu who, when contemplating impurity, sees the clothes he wears as having the appearance of skin, though they are not truly skin; sees everything that can be eaten or swallowed as having the appearance of worms and poison, though it is not truly worms; regards a bowl of thick bean soup as filthy water, though it is not truly filthy; regards a dish of cream as resembling brain marrow, though it is not truly brain; and regards crushed bones as resembling grains of wheat, though they are not truly wheat.

The four immeasurable minds are likewise: they cannot truly benefit sentient beings and enable them to attain happiness. Though one says with one’s mouth that one bestows happiness upon sentient beings, in reality they do not obtain it. Is not such contemplation false?

“World-Honored One! If it is not false and happiness is truly bestowed, why do all those sentient beings not, through the majestic power of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, enjoy happiness? If they truly do not attain happiness, how can this accord with what the Buddha has said: ‘I remember that in the distant past, when I alone cultivated the mind of loving-kindness, throughout seven cycles of formation and destruction in that kalpa, I was not born here.

When the world came into being, I was born in the Brahma realm. When the world was destroyed, I was born in the Abhasvara Heaven. When born in the Brahma Heaven, my sovereign power could neither be overcome nor subdued by anyone.

Among thousands of Brahma gods I was the most excellent and supreme, and was called the Great Brahma Heavenly King. All sentient beings there regarded me as supreme. Thirty-six times I became Sakra Devendra, king of the Trayastrimsa Heaven, and immeasurable hundreds of thousands of times I became a wheel-turning king.

Merely by cultivating the mind of loving-kindness, I obtained such karmic rewards among humans and gods.’ If it is not real, how could it accord with this meaning?”

The Buddha said:

“Excellent! Excellent! Good man! You are indeed courageous and utterly fearless!”

The Buddha then spoke these verses for Kasyapa:

Toward even a single sentient being,

If one gives rise to no angry thought,

But wishes that being to share in happiness,

This is called wholesome loving-kindness.

If, toward all sentient beings,

A compassionate heart arises,

This is called the nature of the noble lineage,

And it brings immeasurable blessed reward.

Suppose seers with the five superknowledges

Filled the entire great earth,

And a Great Sovereign King

Reverently offered those seers comfort,

Elephants, horses, and every requisite;

The blessed reward thereby obtained

Would not equal one part of loving-kindness

Divided into sixteen parts.

“Good man! Whoever cultivates loving-kindness truly and not through deluded conception certainly abides in ultimate truth. If it is the loving-kindness of sravakas or pratyekabuddhas, it is called false.

How does one know that the loving-kindness of Buddhas and bodhisattvas is true and not false? Good man! When a great bodhisattva thus practices the Great Nirvana, he regards earth as gold and gold as earth; earth assumes the appearance of water and water assumes the appearance of earth; water assumes the appearance of fire and fire assumes the appearance of water; earth assumes the appearance of wind and wind assumes the appearance of earth.

All is accomplished according to his will, without falsity. That bodhisattva regards actual sentient beings as not sentient beings and regards what are not sentient beings as actual sentient beings. All is accomplished according to his will, without falsity.

Good man! You should know that a bodhisattva’s four immeasurable minds are true contemplation, not untrue contemplation.

“Furthermore, good man, what is called true contemplation? It is that which can eliminate the afflictions. Good man! One who cultivates loving-kindness can eliminate sensual desire; one who cultivates compassion can eliminate anger; one who cultivates sympathetic joy can eliminate discontent; and one who cultivates equanimity can eliminate sensual desire, anger, and the notion of sentient beings. Therefore, it is called true contemplation.

“Furthermore, good man, the four immeasurable minds of a great bodhisattva can serve as the foundation of all wholesome qualities. Good man! If a great bodhisattva did not behold impoverished sentient beings, there would be no cause or condition for loving-kindness to arise. If loving-kindness did not arise, he could not give rise to the practice of charitable giving. Through the cause and condition of giving, sentient beings are enabled to attain peaceful happiness. Thus he gives food, drink, vehicles, clothing, incense, flowers, beds, dwellings, lamps, and so forth. When giving in this way, his mind is unfettered and gives rise to no craving or attachment, and he certainly dedicates the merit to unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

“At that time, his mind relies upon nothing; deluded conceptions are forever extinguished; he is free from fear; he does not seek fame and gain among humans or gods; when enjoying pleasure, he does not become arrogant; he expects no recompense; and he is not deceived by others. Thus his giving is not performed in pursuit of wealth or honor. Whenever he gives, he does not regard the recipient as observing the precepts or violating the precepts, as a field of merit or not a field of merit, as an acquaintance or not an acquaintance.

When giving, he does not regard the recipient as a worthy vessel or an unworthy vessel. He does not select a particular day or hour, nor consider whether it is the proper place or not the proper place. Neither does he consider whether it is a time of famine or a time of prosperity and peace.

He does not perceive cause and effect, saying, ‘This is a sentient being; this is not a sentient being. This is merit; this is not merit.’ Although he does not perceive the giver, the recipient, or the things given—even to the point of not perceiving cessation or karmic reward—he nevertheless constantly practices giving without interruption.

“Good man! If a bodhisattva still perceives the observance or violation of the precepts, and so forth, even to the point of perceiving karmic reward, he certainly cannot give. If he does not give, he cannot perfect the dana-paramita. If he does not perfect the dana-paramita, he cannot attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

“Good man! It is like a man whose body has been struck by a poisoned arrow. His relatives, wishing to bring him ease and remove the poison, immediately summon a skilled physician to extract the poisoned arrowhead. The man then says, ‘Wait! Do not touch it! I must first examine from which direction this poisoned arrow came. Who shot it? Was he a ksatriya, a brahmin, a vaisya, or a sudra?’ He further thinks, ‘Of what is the arrow’s shaft made? Is it bamboo or willow? Where was the binding around the arrowhead made? Is it hard or soft? From what bird did the arrow’s feathers come? Were they from a crow or a hawk? Was the poison on the arrowhead manufactured, or did it occur naturally? Is it human poison or snake venom?’ Before that foolish man could learn all these things, he would die.

“Good man! A bodhisattva is likewise. If, when giving, he discriminates whether the recipient observes or violates the precepts, and so forth, even to the point of discriminating karmic reward, he certainly cannot give. If he cannot give, he cannot perfect the dana-paramita. If he does not perfect the dana-paramita, he cannot attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.”

Good man! When a great bodhisattva practices giving, he extends loving-kindness equally toward all beings, regarding them as his own children. Furthermore, when practicing giving, the bodhisattva arouses compassion for all beings, just as parents look upon a sick child.

While giving, his heart rejoices like that of parents who see their child recover from illness. Having given, the bodhisattva lets go, like parents who see that their child has matured and can sustain himself. When this great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives food, he should always make this vow: “Whatever I give today, I dedicate equally to all beings.

Through these causes and conditions, may all beings obtain the food of great wisdom, diligently cultivate vigor, and dedicate their merits to the unsurpassed Great Vehicle. May all beings obtain the food of wholesome wisdom and not seek the food of shravakas or pratyekabuddhas. May all beings obtain the food of Dharma joy and not seek the food of sensual desire.

May all beings obtain the food of prajnaparamita, be fully satisfied, and gather unobstructed, supreme roots of goodness. May all beings awaken to and understand the characteristic of emptiness, and obtain an unobstructed body like space. May all beings always become recipients of offerings, have compassion for everyone, and serve as fields of merit for all.” Good man!

When a great bodhisattva cultivates loving-kindness and gives food, he must make such steadfast vows.

Furthermore, good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives drink, he should make this vow: “Whatever I give today, I dedicate equally to all beings. Through these causes and conditions, may all beings follow the river of the Great Vehicle, drink the water possessing eight qualities, and swiftly enter the path to unsurpassed bodhi.

May they depart from the dry streams of the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, ardently thirst for and revere the unsurpassed Buddha Vehicle, end the thirst of the afflictions, thirst for the flavor of the Dharma, depart from sensual desire and samsara, delight in the Great Vehicle’s Great Parinirvana, perfect the Dharma body, attain all samadhis, enter the exceedingly profound ocean of wisdom, and obtain such flavors as the ambrosial flavor of transcendent bodhi and the flavor of freedom from desire, quiescence, and tranquility.

May all beings possess immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Dharma flavors. Having acquired the Dharma flavors, may they perceive Buddha-nature. Having perceived Buddha-nature, may they rain down the rain of Dharma.

Having rained down the rain of Dharma, may Buddha-nature pervade and cover everything like space. May they also enable immeasurable other beings to obtain the one flavor of the Dharma. This is the Great Vehicle, not the Dharma flavor of shravakas or pratyekabuddhas.

May all beings obtain the one sweet flavor, free from the distinctions of the six flavors. May all beings seek only the flavor of the practices of the unobstructed Dharma flavor of the Buddha-Dharma and seek no other flavors.” Good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives drink, he must make such steadfast vows.

Furthermore, good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives vehicles, he should make this vow: “Whatever I give today, I dedicate equally to all beings. Through these causes and conditions, may all beings everywhere accomplish the Great Vehicle and abide in the Great Vehicle: the vehicle of non-retrogression, the immovable vehicle, the vehicle of the vajra seat.

May they not seek the vehicles of the shravakas or pratyekabuddhas, but advance toward the Buddha Vehicle: the unconquerable vehicle, the vehicle lacking nothing, the vehicle that is never lost through regression, the unsurpassed vehicle, the vehicle of the Ten Powers, the vehicle of great merit, the unprecedented vehicle, the rare vehicle, the difficult-to-obtain vehicle, the boundless vehicle, and the vehicle that knows all.” Good man!

When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives vehicles, he must make such steadfast vows.

Furthermore, good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives clothing, he should make this vow: “Whatever I give today, I dedicate equally to all beings. Through these causes and conditions, may all beings obtain the garments of moral shame and dread of wrongdoing, cover their bodies with the Dharma realm, and tear apart the garments of all wrong views.

May their clothing be separated from the body by one chi and six cun (?), and may they obtain golden-colored bodies, experience gentle and unobstructed sensations of touch, possess lustrous and richly suffused complexions and delicate skin, and constantly radiate immeasurable colors transcending form. May all beings universally obtain the formless body, pass beyond all forms, and enter the formless Great Parinirvana.” Good man!

When a great bodhisattva gives clothing, he must make such steadfast vows.

Furthermore, good man! When a great bodhisattva cultivating loving-kindness gives flowers and incense, anointing incense, powdered incense, and various blended incenses, he should make this vow: “Whatever I give today, I dedicate equally to all beings. Through these causes and conditions, may all beings attain the Buddha-Transformation Samadhi, and may garlands of the wondrous Seven Factors of Awakening adorn their heads.

May all beings have bodies like the perfectly full moon and behold the foremost wondrous forms and colors. May all beings accomplish a single excellent form adorned with a hundred merits. May all beings see, according to their wishes, whatever forms and colors delight them.

May all beings always encounter good spiritual friends, obtain unobstructed fragrance, and depart from all foul odors. May all beings possess the supreme and precious roots of goodness. May all beings look upon one another with joy and harmony, be free from sorrow and suffering, perfect every good quality, and cause one another no anxiety.

May all beings possess the fragrance of the precepts. May all beings uphold the precepts without obstruction, their fragrance spreading abundantly throughout the ten directions. May all beings obtain steadfast precepts, precepts free from regret, the precepts of omniscience, and freedom from every violation of the precepts.

May they obtain the precepts beyond precepts, unprecedented precepts, precepts acquired without a teacher, uncreated precepts, undefiled precepts, uncontaminated precepts, precepts that bring all to an end, ultimate precepts, and precepts of equality. May they regard anointing the body with fragrance and piercing or cutting the body with complete equality, without attachment or aversion. May all beings obtain the unsurpassed precepts, the precepts of the Great Vehicle, and not those of the Lesser Vehicle.

May all beings fully perfect shila-paramita, just as all Buddhas have perfected the precepts. May all beings become thoroughly imbued with the cultivation of giving, moral discipline, patience, vigor, meditative concentration, and wisdom. May all beings accomplish the wondrous lotus blossom of the Great Parinirvana, whose fragrance pervades the ten directions.

May all beings partake exclusively of the fragrant meal of the unsurpassed Great Vehicle’s Great Parinirvana, just as bees draw from flowers only their fragrant essence. May all beings accomplish bodies imbued with immeasurable merit.” Good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives flowers, incense, and the other offerings, he should always make such steadfast vows.

Furthermore, good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives a bed, he should make this aspiration: “What I give today I dedicate equally to all sentient beings. Through these causes and conditions, may all sentient beings obtain the bed of the Deva among Devas, attain great wisdom, sit in the abode of the four dhyanas, and lie upon the bed of a bodhisattva, not upon the bed of a sravaka or pratyekabuddha, and may they be freed from evil beds.

May all sentient beings lie upon the bed of peace and bliss, be freed from the bed of birth and death, and perfect the lion’s bed of Great Nirvana. Having sat upon these beds, may all sentient beings then manifest the Lion’s Play of spiritual powers for immeasurable other sentient beings. May all sentient beings dwell within this great palace of the Mahayana and expound Buddha-nature for sentient beings.

May all sentient beings sit upon the unsurpassed bed and not be subdued by worldly dharmas. May all sentient beings obtain the bed of patience and be freed from the famine, hunger, and cold of birth and death. May all sentient beings obtain the bed of fearlessness and forever escape all hostile thieves of affliction.

May all sentient beings obtain the bed of purity and single-mindedly seek the unsurpassed path of true and perfect awakening. May all sentient beings obtain the bed of wholesome dharmas and always receive the protection of good spiritual friends. May all sentient beings obtain the bed upon which they lie on their right side, in accordance with the practices of all Buddhas.” Good man!

When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives a bed, he should make such a firm vow.

Furthermore, good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives houses or dwellings, he should make this aspiration: “What I give today I dedicate equally to all sentient beings. Through these causes and conditions, may all sentient beings dwell in the house of the Mahayana; cultivate the practices followed by good spiritual friends; cultivate the practice of great compassion, the practice of the six paramitas, the practice of great perfect awakening, all the practices of bodhisattvas, the practice of the path, and practices as vast and boundless as space.

May all sentient beings attain right mindfulness and remain far removed from evil thoughts. May all sentient beings securely abide in Permanence, Bliss, Self, and Purity, forever freed from the four inverted views. May all sentient beings uphold the transcendent writings.

May all sentient beings assuredly become vessels of unsurpassed omniscience. May all sentient beings enter the house of amrita. May all sentient beings, in their initial resolve, intermediate resolve, and final resolve, always enter the house of the Mahayana Great Nirvana.

May all sentient beings, in future lives, always dwell in the palaces that are the abodes of bodhisattvas.” Good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives houses or dwellings, he should always make such a firm vow.

Furthermore, good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives lamps and light, he should make this aspiration: “What I give today I dedicate equally to all sentient beings. Through these causes and conditions, may all sentient beings possess immeasurable and abundant light and securely abide in the Buddha-Dharma.

May all sentient beings always be illumined. May all sentient beings obtain the foremost, wondrous, richly suffusing radiance. May all sentient beings obtain pure eyes free from every obscuring net.

May all sentient beings obtain the torch of great wisdom and clearly understand that there is no self, no characteristic of a sentient being, no person, and no life span. May all sentient beings behold pure Buddha-nature, which is like space. May all sentient beings, with purified physical eyes, clearly see worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges throughout the ten directions.

May all sentient beings obtain the Buddha’s light, illuminating the ten directions universally. May all sentient beings obtain unobstructed eyes and behold pure Buddha-nature. May all sentient beings obtain the light of great wisdom, destroying all darkness and the darkness of the icchantikas.

May all sentient beings obtain immeasurable light, universally illuminating the immeasurable worlds of all Buddhas. May all sentient beings kindle the lamp of the Mahayana and leave behind the lamps of the Two Vehicles. May the light attained by all sentient beings dispel the darkness of ignorance and surpass the radiance of a thousand suns shining simultaneously.

May all sentient beings obtain a great light that completely dispels the darkness existing throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world. May all sentient beings perfect the five eyes, awaken to the characteristics of all dharmas, and accomplish awakening without a teacher. May all sentient beings no longer perceive ignorance.

May all sentient beings obtain the wondrous light of the Mahayana Great Parinirvana and reveal awakening to the true Buddha-nature of sentient beings.” Good man! When a great bodhisattva, abiding in loving-kindness, gives lamps and light, he should always make such a firm vow.

Good man! Loving-kindness is the foundation of all wholesome roots possessed by sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, Buddhas, and Tathagatas. Good man!

By cultivating loving-kindness, a great bodhisattva can produce immeasurable wholesome roots such as these: contemplation of impurity, exhalation and inhalation, impermanence, arising and cessation, the four foundations of mindfulness, the seven skillful means, the three contemplations, the twelve links of dependent origination, non-self, and so forth;

the stage of warmth, the stage of the summit, the stage of patience, the foremost worldly stage, the path of seeing, the path of cultivation, right effort, the bases of spiritual power, the faculties, the powers, the seven factors of awakening, the eightfold path, the four dhyanas, the four immeasurable states of mind, the eight liberations, the eight spheres of mastery, the ten totalities, emptiness, signlessness, wishlessness, the samadhi free from contention, knowledge of the minds of others and the various spiritual powers, knowledge of the primordial boundary, the wisdom of sravakas, the wisdom of pratyekabuddhas, the wisdom of bodhisattvas, and the wisdom of Buddhas.

Good man! Loving-kindness is the foundation of such dharmas. Good man!

For this reason, loving-kindness is true and not false. If someone asks, “What is the foundation of all wholesome roots?” one should reply, “It is loving-kindness itself!” For this reason, loving-kindness is true and not false.

Good man! That which is capable of doing good is called true contemplation. True contemplation is loving-kindness.

Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Loving-kindness is the Mahayana; the Mahayana is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Good man!

Loving-kindness is the path to bodhi; the path to bodhi is the Tathagata, and the Tathagata is loving-kindness. Good man! Loving-kindness is the Great Brahma; the Great Brahma is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata.

Good man! Loving-kindness can act as father and mother to all sentient beings. Father and mother are loving-kindness; loving-kindness is the Tathagata.

Good man! Loving-kindness alone is the inconceivable realm of all Buddhas. The realm of all Buddhas is loving-kindness.

You should know that loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Good man! Loving-kindness is the Buddha-nature of sentient beings.

This Buddha-nature has long been concealed by afflictions, causing sentient beings to be unable to see it. Buddha-nature is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Good man!

Loving-kindness is the Great Emptiness; the Great Emptiness is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Good man! Loving-kindness is space; space is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata.

Good man! Loving-kindness is permanence; permanence is the Dharma, the Dharma is the Sangha, the Sangha is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Good man!

Loving-kindness is bliss; bliss is the Dharma, the Dharma is the Sangha, the Sangha is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Good man! Loving-kindness is purity; purity is the Dharma, the Dharma is the Sangha, the Sangha is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata.

Good man! Loving-kindness is the Self; the Self is the Dharma, the Dharma is the Sangha, the Sangha is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Good man!

Loving-kindness is ambrosia; ambrosia is loving-kindness, loving-kindness is Buddha-nature, Buddha-nature is the Dharma, the Dharma is the Sangha, the Sangha is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Good man! Loving-kindness is the unsurpassed path of all bodhisattvas; the path is loving-kindness, and loving-kindness is the Tathagata.

Good man! Loving-kindness is the immeasurable realm of all Buddhas, the World-Honored Ones. The immeasurable realm is loving-kindness.

You should know that loving-kindness is the Tathagata.

Good man! If loving-kindness is impermanent and impermanence is loving-kindness, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man!

If loving-kindness is suffering and suffering is loving-kindness, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man! If loving-kindness is impure and impurity is loving-kindness, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas.

Good man! If loving-kindness is non-self and non-self is loving-kindness, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man!

If loving-kindness is deluded thought and deluded thought is loving-kindness, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man! If loving-kindness is not called the dana paramita, and loving-kindness is not the dana paramita, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas... and so forth, through the prajnaparamita, it is likewise.

Good man! If loving-kindness cannot benefit sentient beings, such loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man!

If loving-kindness does not enter the path of the One Characteristic, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man! If loving-kindness does not clearly comprehend all dharmas, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas.

Good man! If loving-kindness cannot see the Tathagata-nature, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man!

If loving-kindness sees all dharmas as possessing characteristics, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man! If loving-kindness is contaminated and contamination is loving-kindness, it is the loving-kindness of the sravakas.

Good man! If loving-kindness is conditioned, that conditioned loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man!

If loving-kindness does not abide in the first stage and is not the loving-kindness of the first stage, you should know that it is the loving-kindness of the sravakas. Good man! If loving-kindness cannot attain the Buddha’s ten powers and four fearlessnesses, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas.

Good man! If loving-kindness can attain the four fruits of the sramana, you should know that this loving-kindness is the loving-kindness of the sravakas.

Good man! If loving-kindness is existent, nonexistent, neither existent nor nonexistent, then such loving-kindness is not something that sravakas or pratyekabuddhas can conceive. Good man! If loving-kindness is inconceivable, then the Dharma is inconceivable, Buddha-nature is inconceivable, and the Tathagata is also inconceivable.

Good man! A great bodhisattva who abides in the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana and cultivates loving-kindness in this way, although resting in sleep, does not sleep, because he diligently exerts himself. Although always awake, he is also not awake, because he does not sleep.

While he sleeps, although the devas do not protect him and no person guards him, he does no evil. When the practitioner sleeps, he has no evil dreams and nothing inauspicious occurs. Having departed from sleep, after his life ends, although he is born in the Brahma heaven, there is also no birth, for he has attained mastery.

Good man! Whoever cultivates loving-kindness can accomplish immeasurable and boundless merits such as these. Good man!

This subtle and wondrous scripture of the Great Nirvana can likewise accomplish immeasurable and boundless merits such as these. All Buddha-Tathagatas also accomplish immeasurable and boundless merits such as these.

Bodhisattva Kasyapa addressed the Buddha, saying:

“World-Honored One! All contemplations possessed by great bodhisattvas are true, whereas those of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are not true. Why, then, do all sentient beings not enjoy happiness through the spiritual power of the bodhisattvas? If sentient beings truly do not attain happiness, one should know that the bodhisattvas’ cultivation of a mind of loving-kindness is of no benefit.”

The Buddha said:

“Good man! The loving-kindness of bodhisattvas is not without benefit! Good man!

Some sentient beings are certain to undergo suffering, while other sentient beings are not. If sentient beings are certain to undergo suffering, a bodhisattva’s loving-kindness is of no benefit to them, as in the case of an icchantika. If a person’s undergoing of suffering is not certain, a bodhisattva’s loving-kindness benefits that person and enables that sentient being to enjoy happiness.

Good man! It is like a person who, seeing lions, tigers, leopards, jackals, raksasa ghosts, and so forth from afar, spontaneously becomes afraid, or who, walking at night and seeing a stool, also becomes frightened. Good man!

Just as such people spontaneously become afraid, when sentient beings see one who cultivates loving-kindness in this way, they spontaneously become joyful. Good man! For this reason, the loving-kindness cultivated by bodhisattvas is true contemplation and is not without benefit.”

Good man! I have said that this loving-kindness has immeasurable gateways, such as supernatural powers. Good man!

Devadatta and King Ajatashatru wished to harm the Tathagata. At that time, I entered the great city of Rajagriha and went from place to place in due order for alms. King Ajatashatru then released the mad, intoxicated elephant Dhanapala, intending it to harm me and my disciples.

By then, that elephant had trampled to death countless hundreds of thousands of beings. Because the many beings who had died gave off the scent of blood, when the elephant smelled it, its frenzy and intoxication became many times greater than usual. Seeing me dressed in red robes, it mistook them for blood and charged straight toward me.

Among my disciples, those who had not yet freed themselves from desire fled in terror and scattered in all directions; only Ananda remained. At that time, all the people in the great city of Rajagriha simultaneously raised their voices, wailing and weeping, and said, “Alas! The Tathagata will surely die today!

How can the Perfectly Awakened One be destroyed in a single morning?” Then Devadatta rejoiced in his heart and said, “Excellent! The Shramana Gautama is about to perish! From this day onward, he will truly be gone!

How delightful! My wish may now be considered fulfilled.” Good man! At that time, wishing to subdue the elephant Dhanapala, I immediately entered the samadhi of loving-kindness and extended my hand.

From my five fingers there immediately appeared five lions. When the elephant saw them, its heart was so terrified that it voided its bowels; it cast its entire body upon the ground and bowed reverently at my feet. Good man!

At that time, there were in truth no lions at the tips of my five fingers. It was the power of the roots of goodness cultivated through loving-kindness that caused the elephant to be subdued.

Furthermore, good man! As I was about to enter nirvana, I first set out toward the city of Kushinagara, where there were five hundred strongmen. The road within that city was level and had been swept clean, but there was a boulder in the middle of the road.

The men wished to remove it, but even after exerting all their strength, they were unable to do so. Out of compassion, I then aroused a mind of loving-kindness. Those strongmen saw me flick the great boulder into the air with my toe, catch it again with my hand, and hold it securely in my right palm.

I blew upon it once, causing the stone to shatter into fragments, and then gathered the fragments together again, restoring it to a boulder. This immediately ended the pride and arrogance of those strongmen. I then briefly expounded various essentials of the Dharma to them, causing them all to arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

Good man! At that time, the Tathagata did not truly flick that great boulder into the air with his toe, catch it again in his right palm, blow upon it and cause it to shatter, and then restore it to its original state. Good man!

You should know that it was the power of the roots of goodness arising from loving-kindness that caused those strongmen to see such things.

Furthermore, good man! In this southern India there was a great city named Shubhara. In that city lived an elder named Ruchi, who served as the leader and guide of the people and had planted roots of goodness in the presence of immeasurably many Buddhas of the past.

Good man! All the people in that great city believed in and followed heterodox teachings, serving the Nirgranthas. Wishing to deliver that elder, I traveled from the city of Rajagriha to that city and settlement.

The two cities were sixty-five yojanas apart. I journeyed there on foot because I wished to transform and deliver the people of that place. When those Nirgranthas heard that I was about to arrive at the city of Shubhara, they thought, “If the Shramana Gautama comes here, these people will abandon us and cease providing for us.

Reduced to destitution, on what shall we depend to sustain ourselves?” The Nirgranthas dispersed individually and told the people of the city, “The Shramana Gautama is now about to come here. But that shramana has abandoned his parents and roams east and west. Wherever he goes, he causes the land to produce no grain, the people to suffer famine, and all manner of diseases and wasting afflictions to arise, from which there can be no deliverance.

That scoundrel Gautama keeps only evil rakshasas and spirits as his attendants. The solitary, widowed, and destitute, those without father or mother, go to him seeking aid and become his disciples, but all his teachings concern emptiness. Wherever he goes, the first thing to disappear is peace and happiness.” When the people heard this, fear arose in their hearts.

They bowed their heads and faces reverently at the feet of the Nirgranthas and said, “Great Teachers! What strategy should we now employ?”

The Nirgranthas replied, “The Shramana Gautama by nature delights in dense forests, flowing streams, and clear water. If any such things exist outside the city, they must be destroyed! You should all go out of the city together.

Wherever you find them, cut them down and destroy them completely, leaving nothing behind. Put excrement and corpses into the streams, wells, ponds, and other waters. Seal the city gates tightly, prepare your weapons, erect defensive walls, and diligently fortify yourselves.

If Gautama should come, do not allow him to gain an audience with you. If he cannot meet you, you will remain secure. We shall also perform various magical arts to make Gautama turn back and depart by the road on which he came.” After hearing these words, the people respectfully obeyed and carried them out.

They cut down and destroyed the trees, polluted the waters, prepared their weapons, and firmly secured their defenses.

Good man! At that time, when I arrived at that city, I saw no trees or dense forests at all. I saw only the people armed with weapons and sheltering behind the defensive walls they had erected.

Upon seeing this, I immediately aroused a mind of loving-kindness and compassion toward them. The trees that had formerly existed came back to life just as before, and countless additional trees also grew. The clear waters of the rivers, ponds, streams, wells, and other bodies of water became pure and full, resembling blue vaidurya.

Many kinds of flowers arose and spread broadly over their surfaces. The city walls transformed into blue vaidurya, and all the people within the city could see me and the great assembly without obstruction. The city gates opened by themselves, and no one could restrain them.

All the weapons that had been prepared transformed into various flowers. The elder Ruchi, as their leader, and all the people of the city went together to the place where the Buddha was. I then expounded various essentials of the Dharma to them, causing every one of those people to arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

Good man! At that time, I did not truly conjure the various trees, fill the rivers and ponds with pure water, transform the city walls into blue vaidurya so that the people within could see me without obstruction, open the city gates, or turn the weapons into flowers. Good man!

You should know that all these things were brought about by the power of the roots of goodness arising from loving-kindness, which enabled the people there to see such events.

Furthermore, good man! In the city of Rajagriha there was a Brahmin woman of the Vasishtha clan who had only one child, whom she loved most dearly, but the child fell gravely ill and died. At that time, grief and anguish entered the woman’s heart; she became deranged and lost her senses.

Naked and without shame, she wandered through the crossroads, wailing uncontrollably and crying out: “My child! My child! Where have you gone?” She wandered throughout the city and settlements without knowing weariness.

This woman had planted roots of virtue in the presence of Buddhas of the past. Good man! When I aroused loving-kindness and compassion toward this woman, she immediately saw me, conceived the thought that I was her child, and regained her original state of mind.

She first embraced my body in the proper manner of a mother loving her child. I then told my attendant Ananda: “You should bring a robe for this woman!” After she had been given the robe, I expounded various essential teachings of the Dharma for her. Hearing the Dharma, the woman rejoiced and leapt with delight, and she aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

Good man! At that time, I was truly not her child, nor was she my mother, and she did not actually embrace me. Good man!

You should know that it was entirely through the power of her wholesome roots of loving-kindness that she was caused to see such a thing.

Furthermore, good man! In the city of Varanasi there was a female lay devotee named Mahasenadatta, who in past lives had planted roots of goodness before immeasurably many Buddhas. During the ninety days of the summer retreat, this female lay devotee invited the Sangha and offered medicines for treating illness.

At that time, one bhiksu in the Sangha became gravely ill. A physician examined him and determined that his medicine required meat. If he obtained meat, his illness could be cured; if he did not obtain it, his life could not be preserved.

When the female lay devotee heard the physician’s words, she took gold throughout all the marketplaces and proclaimed: “Whoever has meat for sale, I will purchase it with gold! If anyone has meat, I will give an equal weight of gold for it!” She searched throughout every market in the city but could obtain none. The female lay devotee then took a knife and cut flesh from her own thigh, cooked it into a broth with various fragrant seasonings, and brought it to the sick bhiksu.

After the bhiksu drank it, his illness was immediately cured. The female lay devotee suffered unbearably from her wound and cried aloud: “Namo Buddhaya! Namo Buddhaya!” At that time, I was in the city of Shravasti.

When I heard her voice, I aroused great loving-kindness toward this woman. She immediately saw me apply excellent medicine to her wound, which healed and returned to its former state. I then expounded various teachings of the Dharma for her.

After hearing the Dharma, she rejoiced and aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Good man! At that time, I did not truly go to the city of Varanasi and apply medicine to the wound of this female lay devotee.

Good man! You should know that it was entirely through the power of her wholesome roots of loving-kindness that she was caused to see such a thing.

Furthermore, good man! The wicked Devadatta, greedy and never satisfied, drank too much clarified butter and consequently suffered a headache and abdominal distension. Enduring great, unbearable pain, he uttered these words: “Namo Buddhaya!

Namo Buddhaya!” At that time, I was dwelling in the city of Ujjayini. When I heard his voice, I immediately aroused a mind of loving-kindness. Devadatta then saw me come to his dwelling, massage his head and abdomen with my hand, give him salt water, and tell him to drink it.

After drinking it, he recovered. Good man! In truth, I did not go to Devadatta’s dwelling, massage his head and abdomen, give him medicine, and tell him to drink it.

Good man! You should know that it was entirely through the power of his wholesome roots of loving-kindness that Devadatta was caused to see such a thing.

Furthermore, good man! In the kingdom of Kosala there were bands of brigands numbering five hundred men, who committed a great many robberies and acts of violence. King Prasenajit, troubled by the rampant brutality of these brigands, ordered his soldiers to track them down and capture them.

After they were captured, the king had their eyes gouged out and then abandoned them beneath a dark, dense forest. These brigands had once planted roots of virtue in the presence of Buddhas of the past. Having lost their eyes and suffering great torment, they all cried out: “Namo Buddhaya!

Namo Buddhaya! Today we have no one to rescue and protect us!” They wept and wailed. At that time, I was dwelling at Jetavana Monastery.

When I heard their voices, I immediately aroused a mind of loving-kindness. A cool breeze then blew various fragrant medicines from Mount Gandhamadana into the empty eye sockets of those men, and their eyes were restored exactly as before. When the brigands opened their eyes, they immediately saw the Tathagata standing before them and expounding the Dharma for them.

After hearing the Dharma, the brigands aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment. Good man! At that time, I did not truly cause the wind to blow various fragrant medicines from Mount Gandhamadana, nor did I stand before those men and expound the Dharma.

Good man! You should know that it was entirely through the power of their wholesome roots of loving-kindness that those brigands were caused to see such a thing. Furthermore, good man!

Because of his ignorance, Crown Prince Virudhaka deposed his father and established himself as king. Recalling an old grievance, he then killed many members of the Shakya clan. He seized twelve thousand Shakya women and punished them by cutting off their ears and noses and severing their hands and feet, after which he cast them into pits and trenches.

Suffering torment in their bodies, the women cried out: “Namo Buddhaya! Namo Buddhaya! Today we have no one to rescue and protect us!” Again they wailed and wept.

These women had planted roots of goodness in the presence of Buddhas of the past. At that time, I was in the Bamboo Grove. When I heard their voices, I immediately aroused a mind of loving-kindness.

The women then saw me come to the city of Kapilavastu, wash their wounds with water, and apply medicine to them. Their suffering immediately disappeared, and their ears, noses, hands, and feet were restored as before. I then briefly taught them the essentials of the Dharma, causing them all to arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

Those women then renounced the household life under the bhiksuni Mahaprajapati and received full ordination. Good man! At that time, the Tathagata did not truly go to the city of Kapilavastu, wash their wounds with water, apply medicine, and bring their suffering to an end.

Good man! You should know that it was entirely through the power of their wholesome roots of loving-kindness that those women obtained such a result. Compassion and sympathetic joy are likewise.

Good man! For this reason, the Great Bodhisattva’s cultivation and contemplation of loving-kindness is true and not false. Good man!

Whatever is immeasurable is inconceivable; the practices of bodhisattvas are inconceivable; the practices of all Buddhas are also inconceivable; and this Mahayana scripture, the Great Nirvana Sutra, is likewise inconceivable.

THE GREAT PARINIRVANA SUTRA

— End of Fascicle Fourteen —