大寶積經

XII. THE TWELFTH ASSEMBLY: THE BODHISATTVA TREASURY

1. CHAPTER ON THE CONVERSION OF THE HOUSEHOLDER

(Chinese Collection, Complete Volume 35)

Thus have I heard. At one time, the Blessed One was spending the rains retreat in the city of Shravasti. After the three months had passed, the invitation ceremony had been completed, and the robes had been made, he traveled through the various lands together with an assembly of one thousand two hundred and fifty great bhikshus.

That Blessed One had attained a vast and wondrous renown. Having appeared in the world, he was praised by devas and humans for his virtues as the Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Devas and Humans, and Buddha.

That Blessed One abided deeply in his own realization and possessed perfect spiritual powers and majestic virtue, outshining all devas, Maras, Brahmas, asuras, and others throughout the world. He constantly expounded the wondrous Dharma for the sake of the world. His teaching was excellent in the beginning, excellent in the middle, and excellent in the end; its expression and meaning were skillful and sublime, pure and undivided, revealing the perfectly complete and immaculate holy life.

At that time, the fourfold assembly, kings, officials, emissaries, followers of other paths, shramanas, brahmins, and others brought immeasurable varieties of robes, food, bedding, medicines, and the finest and most beautiful offerings, and presented them to the Tathagata.

Surrounded by the great assembly, who made offerings to him, revered, honored, and praised him, the World-Honored One gradually traveled to the city of Rajagriha in the kingdom of Magadha and then stayed on Vulture Peak.

In the city of Rajagriha lived a householder named Bhadrapala. In the past, this householder had attended upon former Buddhas and planted roots of goodness, and his merit and virtue were exceedingly great. He belonged to a great and immensely wealthy family, and his estate and treasures were all abundant.

The householder Bhadrapala heard that the great Shramana of the Shakya clan, who had attained unsurpassed bodhi, had come to that land together with the great assembly.

That Buddha, the World-Honored One, had appeared in the world and possessed exceedingly great renown. Endowed with the ten epithets, he had perfected spiritual powers and wisdom and expounded the wondrous Dharma, revealing even the perfectly complete and immaculate holy life.

The householder Bhadrapala thought: “I should now go to Vulture Peak so that I may behold the Tathagata. If I am able to see the Buddha, I shall certainly gain excellent benefit.”

Having reflected thus, the householder Bhadrapala and five hundred other householders departed from the city of Rajagriha and proceeded toward Vulture Peak.

That morning, the World-Honored One donned his sanghati robe, took up his alms bowl, and, attended by the assembly of bhikshus, left Vulture Peak and proceeded toward the city of Rajagriha. The Buddha walked at the head of the assembly. His deportment was dignified, and his steps were peaceful. To teach and transform sentient beings, he manifested the practice of seeking alms.

As the Buddha was about to enter the city, he paused along the road. From afar, the householder Bhadrapala and the five hundred householders saw the Buddha, whose majestic bearing was unsurpassed. His body was the color of gold and delighted all who beheld it.

He possessed the thirty-two marks of a great man; his faculties were tranquil, and his demeanor was serene. Like a great naga or royal elephant, he guarded his faculties, which were pure and undisturbed, like a clear and still spring-fed pool. His feet trod upon red lotuses with hundreds of thousands of kotis of petals, formed from the seven treasures.

Countless devas, humans, and yakshas made offerings to him, and a great rain of celestial flowers fell upon the Tathagata. Those celestial flowers poured down like a cataract and covered the earth.

The householders marveled at what they had never seen before. With pure hearts, they approached the Buddha, bowed their heads at his feet, and then stood to one side and said: “World-Honored One, this is truly unprecedented! The spiritual power of the Tathagata outshines all rishis, as well as Mara and Brahma.

The majestic virtue of the Tathagata fully accords with his great renown. His beautifully colored halo eclipses the entire assembly. The Tathagata’s bodily form resembles a great mountain of gold, and his dignified countenance is beyond compare.

The World-Honored One has accomplished all these rare and wondrous qualities. As I contemplate the majestic virtue of the World-Honored One, I wonder: what signs did you observe that caused you to renounce your household estate and realize great bodhi?”

Thereupon, before the Buddha, the householder Bhadrapala spoke these verses:

“Long ago I heard of the World-Honored One,

Auspicious in beauty and great in renown.

Now I behold a radiance surpassing all I heard,

Like an image of pure gold endowed with every virtue.

The Tathagata’s bodily hue resembles a golden mountain,

Lofty, vast, majestic, pure, and never wearisome to behold.

The assembly of bhikshus is adorned with majestic virtue,

Like the full moon amid the host of stars.

No one can behold the crown of the Tathagata’s head;

Lofty and radiant, it rises above Mount Sumeru.

His rounded topknot is full, its locks coiling in succession;

His dignified ushnisha resembles a celestial parasol.

His blue-black hair is soft, lustrous, and curls to the right,

Like the blue jewel of the Lord of Devas.

It is purer and more radiant than the feathers on a peacock’s neck;

Now I gaze upon it and am never satisfied.

His countenance is dignified, his forehead smooth and even;

His bright, pure brows resemble the arc of a celestial bow.

The white hair between his brows shines brilliantly,

Its light penetrating everywhere like the disk of the moon.

His clear, wondrous, gentle eyes are exceptionally beautiful;

All who see them give rise to loving admiration.

Now I gaze upon them without looking away even briefly;

I bow to the Buddha’s eyes, the refuge of the world.

The bridge of his nose is high, even, long, and straight,

Broadening gradually, rounded like an ingot of gold.

His red lips are lustrous, radiant, and exceedingly pure,

Like the bimba fruit or a mani jewel.

His beautiful teeth are pure white and shining,

The color of milk and tender lotus roots.

His teeth are close-set, even, exceedingly pure and bright,

Produced by his harmonious attainment of great samadhi.

His inner and outer teeth have deep, firm roots;

Above and below, they fit closely and are perfectly aligned.

His canine teeth are whiter and brighter than all the rest,

Like the king of geese amid a flock of geese.

The Buddha’s tongue is exceedingly broad and long;

When extended over his face, it is delicate and pure like a lotus,

The color of red copper or a mani jewel,

Gleaming like a mirror at sunrise.

The rims of the Buddha’s ears are exceedingly dignified,

Such as have never been heard of in the heavens or among humans.

The Gautama scion has jaws like a simha,

And is fearless like the lion king.

I gaze upon the mark of the Buddha’s throat,

Which pours forth the ambrosia of the world;

Pure, radiant, and without the slightest stain,

It possesses inconceivable great power.

The front of his neck is level, broad, long, and straight,

And nowhere in its center is there any crease.

Most honored among humans, a deva among devas,

He always partakes of flavors of the finest taste.

The tops of his shoulders are rounded, full, and even;

His chest and flanks are powerful, his majestic bearing magnificent.

The marks of the World-Honored One have never been heard of in this world,

Like the brilliant sun above a lofty mountain.

His hands, feet, shoulders, and the nape of his neck—

These seven places are bright, pure, full, and even.

His arms are round and long like an elephant’s trunk;

When lowered, his hands reach and touch his knees.

His torso is broad and thick like the king of beasts,

Perfectly proportioned like a nyagrodha tree.

His body is formed with the strength of Narayana,

Fully endowed with great strength and the power of patience.

All the hairs upon the Buddha’s body point upward;

From each pore grows a single hair.

Dust and smoke do not cling to them, as they do not cling to a lotus;

They curl to the right and are exceedingly fine and soft.

Long ago I heard tell of his concealed mark,

His male organ hidden deeply like that of the king of celestial horses.

His thighs are rounded and taper gradually,

Their form resembling that of the king of celestial deer.

His feet are thick and arched, his heels rounded and long;

His hands and feet are finely webbed like those of the king of geese.

All twenty digits are even, full, tapered, and long;

His copper-red nails resemble lotus petals.

On both feet are the marks of thousand-spoked wheels,

Radiant, pure, wondrous, and perfectly adorned.

When the Tathagata walks throughout the world,

His two ankles never strike against each other.

He travels through the air four finger-widths above the ground,

And red lotuses appear beneath his feet.

He looks back serenely and strides like the elephant king;

He advances with stately dignity like a heavenly king.

The Great Sage is majestic and utterly fearless;

Amid the assembly, he surpasses the lion king.

His beautiful form outshines Vaishravana;

His majestic radiance surpasses a hundred thousand suns.

Even heavenly kings and Brahma kings cannot equal him;

Who could ever surpass the Tathagata?

Whether walking, standing, or expounding the Dharma to liberate sentient beings,

Celestial rishis, nagas, and spirits all revere him.

Some play celestial music and scatter celestial flowers,

Which flutter and fill the whole expanse of space.

Now I behold the World-Honored One’s great spiritual powers.”

Therefore, I secretly gave rise to doubt:

What merit did the Buddha formerly behold

That led him to leave home and realize the unsurpassed?"

At that time, the Blessed One said to the Elder Worthy Chief: "Elder! I saw that all beings in the world were oppressed by ten kinds of suffering:

The first is the suffering of birth. The second is the suffering of aging. The third is the suffering of illness. The fourth is the suffering of death. The fifth is the suffering of sorrow. The sixth is resentment and hatred. The seventh is painful feeling. The eighth is distressing feeling. The ninth is anguish. The tenth is the great suffering of transmigration through birth and death.

Elder! I saw these ten kinds of suffering oppressing beings. In order to attain unsurpassed bodhi and thereby escape these sufferings, with pure faith I left the palace of the Sakya clan and proceeded directly toward the unsurpassed path."

Wishing to restate this meaning, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"I saw ordinary beings

Confined within the prison of transmigration,

Ever oppressed by birth, aging, and illness,

And by all manner of suffering;

Sorrow, anxiety, and resentment,

And death dragging them away.

To eliminate the suffering of this prison of toil,

I delighted in seeking liberation.

Again, Elder! I saw that all beings in the world were afflicted by ten kinds of vexation and harmed one another through jealousy. What are the ten?

The first is giving rise to vexation because someone formerly did something harmful to oneself.

The second is giving rise to vexation because someone is presently doing something harmful to oneself.

The third is giving rise to vexation because someone will do something harmful to oneself.

The fourth is giving rise to vexation because someone formerly did something harmful to those one loves.

The fifth is giving rise to vexation because someone is presently doing something harmful to those one loves.

The sixth is giving rise to vexation because someone will do something harmful to those one loves.

The seventh is giving rise to vexation because someone formerly did something beneficial for those one dislikes.

The eighth is giving rise to vexation because someone is presently doing something beneficial for those one dislikes.

The ninth is giving rise to vexation because someone will do something beneficial for those one dislikes.

The tenth is giving rise to vexation over faults and thereby doing what is harmful.

Elder! I saw these ten kinds of vexation afflicting all beings in the world. In order to attain unsurpassed bodhi and thereby escape such vexation, with pure faith I left the palace of the Sakya clan and proceeded toward the unsurpassed path."

Wishing to restate this meaning, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Beings are jealous of one another,

All because the ten vexations arise.

Regarding themselves and those they love,

They are afflicted throughout the three times.

Or when those whom they dislike

Are instead given benefit,

Resentment and hatred arise from this,

Afflicting them throughout the three times.

The tenth concerns faults,

From which the suffering of resentment and hatred grows.

Seeing these faults,

I became disillusioned and fearful, and thus left home.

Again, Elder! I saw that all beings in the world had entered ten dense forests of wrong views. Clinging to divergent views, they could not free themselves.

What are the ten?

The first is the dense forest of the wrong view of a self.

The second is the dense forest of the wrong view of a sentient being.

The third is the dense forest of the wrong view of a living being.

The fourth is the dense forest of the wrong view of a person.

The fifth is the dense forest of the wrong view of annihilationism.

The sixth is the dense forest of the wrong view of eternalism.

The seventh is the dense forest of the wrong view that actions have no efficacy.

The eighth is the dense forest of the wrong view that there is no cause.

The ninth is the dense forest of the wrong view of unequal causation.

The tenth is the dense forest of wrong views.

Elder! I saw beings enter these ten dense forests of wrong views, unable to free themselves. In order to attain unsurpassed bodhi and completely eradicate these wrong views, with pure faith I left the palace of the Sakya clan and proceeded toward the unsurpassed path."

Wishing to restate this meaning, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"All ordinary beings

Enter the dense forest of wrong views:

The view of a self, the view of a sentient being,

The view of annihilation and the view of permanence,

And clinging to the view that actions have no efficacy.

In order to establish right view,

I therefore went forth from the household life.

Again, Elder! I saw that throughout innumerable kalpas, all beings in the world had committed hundreds of thousands of nayutas and kotis of transgressions and were continually struck by ten kinds of great poisoned arrows. What are the ten?

The first is the poisoned arrow of attachment.

The second is the poisoned arrow of ignorance.

The third is the poisoned arrow of sensual defilement.

The fourth is the poisoned arrow of greed.

The fifth is the poisoned arrow of wrongdoing.

The sixth is the poisoned arrow of delusion.

The seventh is the poisoned arrow of arrogance.

The eighth is the poisoned arrow of attachment to views.

The ninth is the poisoned arrow of existence.

The tenth is the poisoned arrow of nonexistence.

Elder! Because I saw beings struck by these ten kinds of poisoned arrows, I sought unsurpassed bodhi in order to eradicate them completely. Therefore, with pure faith I left the palace of the Sakya clan and proceeded toward the unsurpassed path.

Wishing to restate this meaning, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Throughout kotis of great kalpas,

Beings have been struck by the arrow of attachment.

The arrow of ignorance blinds them;

From darkness they enter further darkness.

The arrow of desire continually strikes them;

Defiled attachment is called the arrow of greed.

The arrow of wrongdoing brings distress and confusion;

They carry the arrowhead of delusion.

Haughtiness looses the arrow of conceit;

Contradiction and contention give rise to attachment to views.

Because of the arrows of existence and nonexistence,

They fall into existence and nonexistence.

All deluded ordinary beings

Fashion sharp points with their mouths,

Giving rise to disputes among themselves:

‘This is true; this is not true.’

To extract these poisoned arrows,

The Tathagata appears in the world,

Rescues those struck by poisoned arrows,

Leaves home, and accomplishes the noble path.

Again, Elder! I saw that all beings in the world established the root foundation through ten kinds of attachment. What are the ten?

Because of attachment, there is seeking; because of seeking, there is acquisition; because of acquisition, there are possessions regarded as mine; because there are possessions regarded as mine, there is grasping; because of grasping, there is craving; because of craving, there is infatuation; because of infatuation, there is miserliness; because of miserliness, there is accumulation; because of accumulation, there is guarding; and because of guarding, beings take up weapons, quarrel, bring lawsuits, and revile one another, thus giving rise to much suffering. From this, they also utter divisive speech and foster unwholesome evils.

Elder! I saw that beings established the root foundation through these ten kinds of defiled attachment. Therefore, I sought unsurpassed bodhi to attain the Dharma that has no root foundation and no support. Thus, with pure faith I left the palace of the Sakya clan and proceeded toward the unsurpassed path."

Wishing to restate this meaning, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Defiled attachment devours beings,

Who pursue sensual pleasures.

Upon acquiring gain, they regard it as theirs,

And because of this they grasp it tightly.

‘I must acquire this; I must do this’—

Their craving grows ever greater.

Infatuation and miserliness

Arise continuously, one after another.

Because of excessive greed and miserliness,

They accumulate ever more.

Because they accumulate, they guard what they possess,

Giving rise ceaselessly to many faults.

Deluded people, in order to guard their possessions,

Take up weapons and harm one another,

Planting unwholesome karma;

From this, the fruit of suffering arises.

Having seen the causes and conditions of attachment,

One no longer gives rise to any suffering.

The awakening wisdom that abides in no foundation

Is supreme among all forms of awakened wisdom.

Again, Elder! I saw that all beings in the world established wrong concentration through ten kinds of evil and wrong qualities. What are the ten?

The first is wrong view. The second is wrong thought. The third is wrong speech. The fourth is wrong action. The fifth is wrong livelihood. The sixth is wrong effort. The seventh is wrong mindfulness. The eighth is wrong concentration. The ninth is wrong liberation. The tenth is wrong knowledge and vision of liberation.

Elder! I saw beings establish wrong concentration through these ten wrong qualities. Wishing to realize unsurpassed bodhi and thereby escape all such wrong qualities, with pure faith I left the palace of the Sakya clan and proceeded toward the unsurpassed path."

Wishing to restate this meaning, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Beings harbor wrong views,

And wrong thoughts concerning their objects.

They proclaim wrong speech

And perform wrong actions.

Wrong livelihood and wrong effort,

Wrong mindfulness and wrong concentration;

They accomplish wrong liberation

And arrive at wrong knowledge and vision.

These wrong qualities form a fixed aggregation,

The support upon which deluded people rely

To cause them to abide in right view

And advance toward the unsurpassed path.

“Furthermore, Householders, I see that all beings in the world, through the ten unwholesome courses of karma, establish themselves upon wrong paths and for the most part must fall into evil destinies. What are the ten?

“The first is killing. The second is taking what is not given. The third is sexual misconduct. The fourth is false speech. The fifth is divisive speech. The sixth is harsh speech. The seventh is frivolous speech. The eighth is covetousness. The ninth is hatred. The tenth is wrong view.

“Householders, I see that beings, because of these ten unwholesome kinds of karma, follow wrong views and proceed toward them, and for the most part must fall into evil destinies. Wishing to realize unsurpassed bodhi and transcend all wrong paths, with a mind of pure faith I left the palace of the Sakya clan and advanced toward the unsurpassed path.”

The Blessed One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke these verses:

“Those who destroy the lives of beings,

Steal the possessions of others,

And engage in sexual misconduct

Quickly fall into the hells.

Harsh speech and divisive speech,

False speech contrary to quiescence,

And the frivolous speech of ordinary fools—

They are bound by delusion.

Coveting the property of others,

Constantly giving rise to hatred,

And engendering all kinds of wrong views,

Such people proceed to evil destinies.

Three karmic deeds arise through the body,

Four karmic deeds are born from the mouth,

And the mind can produce three karmic deeds;

Thus are they called evil conduct.

Having committed these evil karmic deeds,

They are led into evil destinies.

I now appear within the world

To deliver them and lead them out.

“Furthermore, Householders, I see that all beings in the world, because of ten defiled dharmas, dwell amid the afflictions and fall into the afflictions. What are the ten?

“The first is the defilement of stinginess and craving.

“The second is the defilement of the impurity of corrupt morality.

“The third is the defilement of the impurity of anger.

“The fourth is the defilement of the impurity of indolence.

“The fifth is the defilement of the impurity of distraction.

“The sixth is the defilement of the impurity of corrupt wisdom.

“The seventh is the defilement of the impurity of disobeying the true teaching.

“The eighth is the defilement of the impurity of perverse doubt.

“The ninth is the defilement of the impurity of lacking faithful understanding.

“The tenth is the defilement of the impurity of irreverence.

“Householders, I see beings defiled by these ten kinds of impurity. In order to realize unsurpassed bodhi and attain the unsurpassed undefiled Dharma, with pure faith I left the palace of the Sakya clan and advanced toward the unsurpassed path.”

The Blessed One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke these verses:

“Most living beings

Are defiled by ten kinds of impurity;

They delight in conditioned afflictions

And never know disenchantment or detachment.

The impurity of stinginess is defilement

For all foolish ordinary beings.

Violating the precepts, they are not tranquil

And do not cultivate right samadhi.

The impurity of anger opposes patience;

Their minds do not abide in concentration.

Those of dull and foolish understanding

Do not follow the instructions

Of their parents, teachers, and elders.

Beings are caught in the net of doubt

And do not seek wisdom that illuminates the world;

They disparage the profound and wondrous Dharma

Taught and transmitted by the Buddha.

Clothed in the garment of ignorance,

They scorn the noble aggregates.

Seeing these defilements,

Who would delight in conditioned existence?

One should diligently seek quiescent cessation,

The unconditioned, free from defilement.

“Furthermore, Householders, I see that all beings in the world are bound by ten kinds of fetters. What are the ten?

“The first is being bound by the net of stinginess and jealousy.

“The second is being blinded by the veil of ignorance.

“The third is being intoxicated by the afflictions and falling into the pit of delusion.

“The fourth is being swept away and submerged by the flood of craving and desire.

“The fifth is being struck by the poisoned arrow of wrong view.

“The sixth is being smothered by the dense smoke of hatred.

“The seventh is being scorched by the flames of craving and desire.

“The eighth is being bewildered by the poison of transgression.

“The ninth is being obstructed by the poisonous thorns of the five hindrances.

“The tenth is continually dwelling in the current of birth and death, within a desolate wilderness of hunger and thirst, weary and indolent regarding right effort.

“Householders, I see beings bound by these ten kinds of fetters. Therefore, I seek unsurpassed bodhi so that I may realize the Dharma free from fetters. With pure faith I left the palace of the Sakya clan and advanced toward the unsurpassed path.”

The Blessed One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke these verses:

“Old age devours the young and strong;

Old age destroys beauty and vitality;

Old age impairs mindfulness and wisdom;

In the end, all are devoured by the lord of death.

Sickness overthrows strength,

Robbing the mind of its courage;

It ruins the entire body and its faculties,

Leaving one feeble, with nowhere to rely.

Death is like a rakshasa demon,

Poisonous, harmful, and greatly feared;

Ever abiding in the world,

It drinks dry the lives of beings.

I have grown weary of the world,

Oppressed by aging, sickness, and death;

Therefore, I seek the Dharma of renunciation,

Peaceful and free from aging and death.

The world is consumed by three kinds of fire,

And I see no one able to save it;

I shall pour down the rain of the ambrosial Dharma

To extinguish those three poisonous fires.

Seeing those who have lost their way,

The blind and those born sightless,

I wished to become their bright eyes

And guide their path; therefore, I renounced the household life.

Beings harbor doubt within their minds,

Obscured by the aggregates and hindrances;

To dispel that anguish and remorse,

I renounced the household life to teach the Dharma.

Fools oppose one another,

Lying in wait to harm each other;

To reconcile enmity and hatred

And aid the world, I renounced the household life.

Toward parents, teachers, and elders,

They are defiant, contemptuous, and irreverent;

To cast down the banner of arrogance,

I therefore went forth into homelessness.

Seeing greed bring harm upon the world,

As people injure one another for wealth,

I sought to attain the seven noble treasures

And eradicate all states of greed.

Some even go so far as to harm one another,

Yet gain no ultimate benefit for themselves.

Seeing this, I relinquished my body

And sought escape from the prison of the three realms.

Formerly, they did not know within the three realms

What is truly beneficial;

To reveal true benefit and harm,

I therefore went forth into homelessness.

Seeing people enter the hells

Because their causes of evil karma were so numerous,

There to undergo boundless suffering,

I renounced the household life in order to save them.

Seeing the myriad kinds of animals

Continually killing and harming one another,

I wished to become their refuge;

Out of compassion for them, I renounced the household life.

Seeing the hungry ghosts

Tormented by extreme hunger and thirst,

I sought to realize great bodhi

And bestow the deathless ambrosia.

Humans suffer through seeking;

Devas suffer because of death.

Seeing suffering throughout the three realms,

I renounced the household life in order to save them.

I see those consumed by sensual desire,

Who have abandoned conscience and shame;

They even violate their own relatives,

More wanton than swine and dogs.

I also see those foolish people

Devoured by beautiful women;

Through heedlessness they commit evil deeds;

To abandon this, I renounced the household life.

Seeing the beings of this defiled age,

Driven by Mara to commit evil deeds,

I wished to tame and subdue them;

I renounced the household life and attained noble perfect awakening.

Household life is the root of transgression;

Renunciation leads to bodhi.

Therefore, I abandoned the entire kingdom and its cities

To bring birth and death forever to an end.”

When the five hundred householders heard this unprecedented teaching of the Buddha, they came to know that the Tathagata was the one truly awakened. Before the Buddha, the householders then spoke these verses in unison:

“We are terrified, oppressed by aging and death;

We beseech the Buddha to teach how all such suffering may end.

The Buddha has escaped the three realms and attained purity;

His pure nature has forever left the three realms.

We beseech you to save beings and free them from the three realms,

And also those householders confined within.

The Blessed One, free from defilement, is foremost in liberation;

Far removed from sensory dust, his mind is pure.

Great Tamer within the Dharma of taming,

We beseech you to open the wondrous gate of ambrosia.

Great Person endowed with the marks and wondrous form,

None among devas or humans in the world can equal you.

Supremely Victorious One, unequaled by anyone,

Please teach the wondrous Dharma to save all beings.

Forever sever the three poisons and end all transgressions;

With the pure wisdom-eye, dispel the blinding veil.

Cleansed of dust and freed from darkness, tear open the net of delusion;

We beseech the Blessed One to proclaim the wondrous Dharma.

Beings suffer greatly and have nowhere to rely;

Submerged in the pool of the three realms, they have no savior.

Quickly lift them onto the lofty, peaceful shore.

The great river of arrogance has whirlpools of delusion;

Sickness and litigation are its roaring waves.

Beings drift and sink, with no one to rescue them;

We beseech the compassionate Buddha to save them from danger.

A thousand kotis of suns blaze upon a golden mountain,

Yet the radiance of the Buddha’s body surpasses that light.

With your supremely wondrous Brahma voice,

Proclaim the most sublime and majestic Dharma.

The intrinsic nature of all dharmas is originally pure;

Their essence and characteristics are empty and translucent like a bright jewel.

There is no agent and no experiencer;

Perfect awakening is not obtained from outside.

Spontaneously complete in the powers and fearlessnesses,

You manifest boundless, pure, and wondrous practices.

Your knowledge and understanding are boundless like space;

We beseech the Dharma King to proclaim the wondrous Dharma.”

At that time, the Blessed One thought: “The wholesome roots of these five hundred elders have matured, and they are able to receive the wondrous Dharma. I should now teach them the Dharma, so that they may arouse the resolve to leave the household life, eliminate their afflictions, and attain uncontaminated wisdom.”

Having reflected thus, the Buddha immediately rose into the air and sat there cross-legged.

When the elders saw the Buddha manifest this miraculous transformation, they praised it as unprecedented, and their reverence for and faith in the Buddha increased all the more.

The Blessed One said to the elders: “Listen carefully! In the world there are ten kinds of oppressive suffering. They are the suffering of birth, the suffering of aging, the suffering of illness, the suffering of death, the suffering of sorrow, the suffering caused by enemies, painful feeling, grief, and the anguish of birth and death. Such ten kinds of oppressive suffering torment sentient beings. Do you now wish to be liberated from them?

“Moreover, elders, in the world there are ten kinds of affliction and harm. They are: recalling that something harmful was formerly done to oneself, that something harmful is being done to oneself now, and that something harmful will be done to oneself in the future; recalling that something harmful was formerly done to those one loves, that something harmful is being done to those one loves now, and that something harmful will be done to those one will love; recalling that something beneficial was formerly done to those one dislikes, that something beneficial is being done to those one dislikes now, and that something beneficial will be done to those one will dislike; and giving rise to affliction and resentment regarding every harmful offense.

Do you wish to be liberated from these ten kinds of affliction and harm?

“Moreover, elders, in the world there are ten kinds of dense forests of divergent and evil views. They are the view of a self, the view of a sentient being, the view of a life span, the view of one who kills and one who experiences, the view of annihilation, the view of permanence, the view that actions have no efficacy, the view that there are no causes, the view of inequality, and wrong view. Do you wish to be liberated from these ten dense forests of evil views?

“Moreover, elders, in the world beings are struck by ten kinds of great poisoned arrows. They are the poison of craving, the poison of ignorance, the poison of sensual desire, the poison of greed, the poison of faults, the poison of delusion, the poison of conceit, the poison of views, the poison of existence, and the poison of nonexistence. Do you wish to be liberated from these ten kinds of poisoned arrows?

“Moreover, elders, in the world there are ten kinds of fundamental dharmas rooted in craving. Because of craving, there is seeking; because of seeking, there is acquisition; because of acquisition, there is the notion of ‘what belongs to me’; because of possession, there is grasping; because of grasping, there is greed and desire; because of greed and desire, there is attachment; because of attachment, there is miserliness; because of miserliness, there is accumulation; because of accumulation, there is guarding; and because of guarding, weapons are employed, and disputes, lawsuits, reproaches, slander, and division arise. From these, evil, unwholesome, and distressing dharmas come into being. Do you now wish to be liberated from these ten kinds of fundamental dharmas rooted in craving?

“Moreover, elders, in the world there are ten kinds of wrong nature. They are wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration, wrong liberation, and wrong knowledge and vision of liberation. Do you now wish to be liberated from these ten kinds of wrong nature?

“Moreover, elders, in the world there are ten unwholesome paths of karma. They are taking life, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, frivolous speech, covetousness, hatred, and wrong view. Do you now wish to be liberated from these ten unwholesome paths of karma?

“Moreover, elders, in the world there are ten kinds of defiling impurities. They are the impurity of miserliness, the impurity of violating the precepts, the impurity of anger, the impurity of indolence, the impurity of distraction, the impurity of evil views, the impurity of disobeying instruction, the impurity of doubt, the impurity of lack of faith, and the impurity of irreverence. Do you now wish to be liberated from these ten kinds of defiling impurities?

“Moreover, elders, in the world there are ten great terrors within the cycle of birth and death. They are being bound in the net of miserliness and jealousy; being blinded by the veil of ignorance; falling into the deep pit of delusion; sinking and drifting in the floodwaters of craving; being struck by the arrow of wrong views; being smothered by the smoke of fury; being burned by the raging fire of greed and desire; being stupefied by the poison of faults; being obstructed by the poisonous thorns of the five hindrances; and wandering through a desolate wilderness of famine. Do you now wish to be liberated from these ten great terrors within the cycle of birth and death?”

The five hundred elders spoke with one voice and one mind: “Blessed One! We now wish to be liberated from the ten kinds of oppressive suffering, beginning with birth and aging and continuing through all the other forms of oppression, up to wandering through a desolate wilderness of famine. We wish to be liberated from them all.”

The Buddha instructed them: “Elders, listen carefully. I shall now expound the essentials of the true Dharma.

“Elders, the eye does not seek liberation, because the eye neither acts nor functions; it cannot think and cannot know. Therefore, the eye is not the self. You should uphold this teaching in this way. Likewise, the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind do not seek liberation, because from the ear through the mind, none acts or functions, can think, or can know. Therefore, from the ear through the mind, none is the self. You should uphold this teaching in this way.

“Moreover, elders, form does not seek liberation, because form neither acts nor functions; it cannot think and cannot know. Therefore, form is not the self. You should uphold this teaching in this way. As with form, so too the other five sense objects—sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharmas—do not seek liberation, because none acts or functions, can think, or can know. None is the self. You should uphold this teaching in this way.

“Moreover, elders, the form skandha does not seek liberation, because the form skandha neither acts nor functions; it cannot think and cannot know. It is not the self. You should uphold this teaching in this way. The other four skandhas—feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—likewise do not seek liberation, because they neither act nor function, can think, nor can know. They are not the self. You should uphold this teaching in this way.

“Moreover, elders, the earth element does not seek liberation, because it neither acts nor functions; it cannot think and cannot know. It is not the self. You should uphold this teaching in this way. The water element, fire element, wind element, space element, and consciousness element likewise do not seek liberation, because none acts or functions, can think, or can know. None is the self. You should uphold this teaching in this way.

“Moreover, elders, all dharmas are unreal. They arise through conceptual discrimination, depend upon conditions, and possess no power of their own; they change in accordance with conditions. When conditions are present, dharmas are provisionally established. When conditions are absent, there are no provisional dharmas.

“Elders, all dharmas are merely provisional designations. Within them there is nothing that is born, nothing that ages, nothing that dies, nothing that ceases, and nothing that arises. Only quiescent extinction, pure and utterly severed from every mode of birth and death, is worthy of being taken as refuge. You should understand it in this way.

“Elders, all dharmas are unreal. They arise through conceptual discrimination and are based upon conditions. Being weak and possessing no power of their own, they change in accordance with conditions. When conditions are present, dharmas are provisionally established. When conditions are absent, there are no provisional dharmas.

“Elders, all dharmas are merely provisionally established. Within them there is nothing that is born, nothing that ages, nothing that dies, nothing that ceases, and nothing that arises. Only quiescent extinction, pure and utterly severed from every mode of birth and death, is worthy of being taken as refuge.”

– Elders! If unreal discrimination exists, then improper mental construction is provisionally established. If unreal discrimination does not exist, then improper mental construction is not provisionally established. If improper mental construction exists, then ignorance is provisionally established. If improper mental construction does not exist, then ignorance is not provisionally established. If ignorance exists, then formations are provisionally established. If ignorance does not exist, then formations are not provisionally established. If formations exist, then consciousness is provisionally established. If formations do not exist, then consciousness is not provisionally established. If consciousness is provisionally established, then name-and-form is provisionally established. If consciousness does not exist, then name-and-form is not provisionally established. If name-and-form exists, then the six sense entrances are provisionally established. If name-and-form does not exist, then the six sense entrances are not provisionally established. If the six sense entrances exist, then contact is provisionally established. If the six sense entrances do not exist, then contact is not provisionally established. If contact exists, then feeling is provisionally established. If contact does not exist, then feeling is not provisionally established. If feeling exists, then craving is provisionally established. If feeling does not exist, then craving is not provisionally established. If craving exists, then grasping is provisionally established. If craving does not exist, then grasping is not provisionally established. If grasping exists, then becoming is provisionally established. If grasping does not exist, then becoming is not provisionally established. If becoming exists, then birth is provisionally established. If becoming does not exist, then birth is not provisionally established. If birth exists, then aging and death are provisionally established. If birth does not exist, then aging and death are not provisionally established.

– Elders! What is aging? It is the dimming and decline of consciousness, the graying and loss of hair, the shriveling of the skin and wrinkling of the face, the diminishing of the lifespan, the weakening of the faculties, and difficulty in movement. This is called aging.

What is death? It is cessation and passing away, the dissolution and destruction of the skandhas, and abandonment of one's class of beings. This is called death.

Aging and death together are called aging-and-death.

– Elders! If birth exists, then aging and death are provisionally established. If birth does not exist, then aging and death are not provisionally established.

What is birth? It is being born: the arising of the skandhas, their appearance, the coming together of the faculties and sense fields, and entry into a class of beings. This is called birth.

– Elders! If becoming exists, then birth is provisionally established. If becoming does not exist, then birth is not provisionally established.

What is becoming? It is becoming in the desire realm, becoming in the form realm, and becoming in the formless realm; meritorious karma, non-meritorious karma, and imperturbable karma. This is called becoming.

– Elders! If grasping exists, then becoming is provisionally established. If grasping does not exist, then becoming is not provisionally established.

What is grasping? It is grasping at sensual desires, grasping at views, grasping at precepts and observances, and grasping at a self. This is called grasping.

– Elders! If craving exists, then grasping is provisionally established. If craving does not exist, then grasping is not provisionally established.

What is craving? It is craving for forms, craving for sounds, craving for odors, craving for flavors, craving for tangible objects, and craving for dharmas. This is called craving.

– Elders! If feeling exists, then craving is provisionally established. If feeling does not exist, then craving is not provisionally established.

What is feeling? It is feeling born of eye-contact, feeling born of ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact. This is called feeling.

– Elders! If contact exists, then feeling is provisionally established. If contact does not exist, then feeling is not provisionally established.

What is contact? It is eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact. This is called contact.

– Elders! If the six sense entrances exist, then contact is provisionally established. If the six sense entrances do not exist, then contact is not provisionally established.

What are the six sense entrances? They are the eye entrance, ear entrance, nose entrance, tongue entrance, body entrance, and mind entrance. These are the six sense entrances, also called the six ayatanas or the six faculties.

– Elders! If name-and-form exists, then the six sense entrances are provisionally established. If name-and-form does not exist, then the six sense entrances are not provisionally established.

What is name-and-form? It is feeling, perception, volition, contact, mental attention, the four great elements, and the form produced from the four great elements. This is called name-and-form.

– Elders! If consciousness does not exist, then name-and-form is not provisionally established.

What is consciousness? It is eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness. This is called consciousness.

– Elders! If formations exist, then consciousness is provisionally established. If formations do not exist, then consciousness is not provisionally established.

What are formations? They are volition concerning forms, volition concerning sounds, volition concerning odors, volition concerning flavors, volition concerning tangible objects, and volition concerning dharmas. These are called formations.

– Elders! If ignorance exists, then formations are provisionally established. If ignorance does not exist, then formations are not provisionally established.

What is ignorance? It is not knowing the past, not knowing the future, not knowing the past and future, not knowing the internal, not knowing the external, not knowing the internal and external, not knowing suffering, not knowing its origination, not knowing its cessation, not knowing the path, not knowing conditions, and not knowing dependent origination. With regard to dependently arisen dharmas—whether dark or bright, conditioned or unconditioned, having a reflection or having no reflection, culpable or blameless, fit to be approached or unfit to be approached—it is not knowing, not seeing, not discerning clearly, and not comprehending. This is called ignorance.

– Elders! If improper mental construction exists, then ignorance is provisionally established. If improper mental construction does not exist, then ignorance is not provisionally established.

What is improper mental construction? It is thinking: “In the past, what lineage was I, in what place, and of what kind? In the future, what lineage will I be, in what place, and of what kind?” Again, concerning one's own internally arisen body, one gives rise to many doubts: “What is called ‘I’? Who am I? Do I exist or not? Am I false or real? Of what lineage am I, in what place, and of what kind? From what former place did I come to dwell here?” Thus one gives rise to improper mental constructions.

From among six views, whichever view arises, one then grasps that a self exists, grasps that no self exists, regards the self by relying upon the self, or regards the self without relying upon the self. Again, one falsely gives rise to this view: “The self is the world,” or “That which arises through conditions is permanent, eternal, unchanging, immutable, and endures forever.” This is called improper mental construction.

– Elders! If unreal discrimination exists, then improper mental construction is provisionally established. If unreal discrimination does not exist, then improper mental construction is not provisionally established.

What is called unreal discrimination? The notions of self, sentient being, living being, life-principle, person, individual, one born, mind-born being, human being, agent, and experiencer are called unreal. Yet ordinary, unlearned people falsely give rise to discriminations of self, human being, sentient being, life-principle, person, individual, one born, mind-born being, agent, and experiencer. This is unreal discrimination.

– Elders! If that unreal discrimination exists, then improper mental construction is provisionally established. If unreal discrimination does not exist, then improper mental construction is not provisionally established.

– Elders! If improper mental construction exists, then ignorance is provisionally established. If improper mental construction does not exist, then ignorance is not provisionally established.

If ignorance exists, then formations are provisionally established. If ignorance does not exist, then formations are not provisionally established.

If formations exist, then consciousness is provisionally established. If formations do not exist, then consciousness is not provisionally established.

Thus, continuing onward, if birth exists, then aging and death are provisionally established. If birth does not exist, then aging and death are not provisionally established.”

The Buddha declared: “Elders! You should now know that all dharmas arise from unreal discrimination and depend upon conditions. Being feeble and without power of their own, they turn in accordance with conditions. If conditions exist, then provisional dharmas exist; if conditions do not exist, then provisional dharmas do not exist.

– Elders! All dharmas are merely provisionally established. Within them there is no birth, no aging, no death, no ending, and nothing that arises. There is only quiescent cessation and purity, the complete ending of all modes of birth and death, which is worthy of taking refuge in.

– Elders! It is like a great pond: upon what power do the shrimp and fish depend in order to dwell there?”

The Elders replied: “Blessed One! Those shrimp and fish depend upon the power of the water in order to dwell there.”

The Buddha said: “It is just so. Elders! Does that water think, ‘I possess strength’?”

The Elders replied: “Blessed One! That water is without strength or ability; how could it have any thought?”

The Buddha said: “It is just so. Elders! Dharmas that arise unrealistically through discrimination are likewise merely provisionally designated. They have neither strength nor ability and turn according to conditions. When conditions are present, provisional dharmas exist; when conditions are absent, provisional dharmas do not exist.

“Elders! All dharmas are merely provisionally established. Within them there is nothing that is born, nothing that ages, nothing that dies, nothing that ceases, and nothing that arises. Only quiescent extinction, purity, and the complete ending of all forms of birth and death are worthy of refuge. Therefore, you should correctly contemplate such conditions as insecure and difficult to preserve, become deeply fearful of them, and flee far away from them.

“You should further contemplate: What is this dharma, and from what dharma have you fled in fear to come here? When you contemplate correctly in this way, there is no dharma to be apprehended, nothing to fear, and nothing to abandon. Why is this?

All dharmas are unobtainable, because everything sought after is unobtainable. All dharmas are without self, because they are free from defilement. All dharmas are without sentient beings, because they are far removed from self.

All dharmas are without lifespan, because they transcend the oppression of birth, aging, illness, sorrow, suffering, and affliction. All dharmas are without a person, because the three times are severed. All dharmas are without names, because no sound of speech can express them.

All dharmas are unattached, because they have no object of cognition. All dharmas are quiescent, because their characteristic is quiescent extinction. All dharmas are all-pervasive, because their nature is like empty space.

The nature of all dharmas is empty, because they have no fixed attribution. All dharmas are unmoving, because they have no support. All dharmas rely upon ultimate reality and abide in excellent abiding, because they accord with immovability.

All dharmas cannot be expounded, because they are free from the characteristic of surging waves. All dharmas cannot be displayed, because they have no characteristics, no form, and no luminous image, and are free from all conditioned formations. All dharmas do not belong to a self, because they are free from what pertains to a self.

All dharmas cannot be discriminated, because they are free from mind, thought, and consciousness. All dharmas cannot be cherished or stored up, because they transcend eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness. All dharmas cannot be moved or displaced, because they are free from arising, abiding, and destruction.

All dharmas have no function, because they are free from mind, thought, and consciousness. All dharmas belong to conditions, because their nature is weak.

“Elders! As for what I call the eye: it is a dharma produced from the four great elements. It is impermanent, does not abide, is inconstant, unstable, weak, quickly decays, and is difficult to trust. It is an aggregation of suffering, filled with illness and calamity. Since the eye is thus, you should not rely upon it. The ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are likewise, and you should not rely upon them. You should contemplate them in this way.

“Furthermore, Elders! The eye is like a mass of foam that cannot be grasped. The eye is like a bubble that does not last long.

The eye is like a mirage, born of craving brought about by karma. The eye is like a plantain tree, whose nature is not solid. The eye is like an illusion, arising from delusion.

The eye is like a dream scene, merely falsely perceived. The eye is like an echo, dependent upon conditions. The eye is like a luminous reflection, appearing through the light of karmic images.

The eye is like a floating cloud, gathering and dispersing. The eye is like a flash of lightning, ceasing in a single instant. The eye has no master, like earth.

The eye has no self, like water. The eye is not a sentient being, like fire. The eye is not a lifespan, like wind.

The eye is not a person, like empty space. The eye is unreal, being based upon the great elements. The eye is empty, apart from self and what belongs to self.

The eye is unknowing, like grass, trees, earth, and stones. The eye has no agent, being moved by the winds of its mechanism. The eye is false, a heap of decay and impurity.

The eye is deceptive, a dharma that disintegrates, breaks apart, decays, and perishes. The eye is like a mound and a well, constantly oppressed by aging and decline. The eye does not abide securely and ultimately returns to exhaustion and cessation.

“Elders! The eye has many faults. You should contemplate it in this way; likewise, you should contemplate the mind and all dharmas in this way.

“Furthermore, Elders! All dharmas are nothing but delusive desire. Because fools do not know that they are delusive desire, they mistakenly call them the eye, mistakenly call them the ear, and so forth, until they mistakenly call them the mind.

“Elders! There is only delusive desire, yet because fools do not know it to be delusive desire, they mistakenly call it form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas.

“Elders! There is only delusive desire, yet because fools do not know it to be delusive desire, they mistakenly call it the form skandha, the feeling skandha, the perception skandha, the formations skandha, and the consciousness skandha.

“Elders! There is only delusive desire, yet because fools do not know it to be delusive desire, they mistakenly call it the great element of earth, the great element of water, the great element of fire, the great element of wind, the great element of space, and the great element of consciousness.

“Elders! There is only delusive desire, yet because fools do not know it to be delusive desire, they mistakenly call it conditioned or unconditioned. All dharmas, even to this extent, are likewise.

“Elders! You should now abandon delusive desire and turn toward freedom from desire. You should clearly know that wives, children, homes, and wealth are false and should not be attached to. Being unattached, you should, with pure faith, leave the household life for homelessness; then you will attain freedom from desire.

“Elders! What is called renunciation free from desire? It is abiding in the precepts of individual liberation, fully maintaining the proper deportment of walking and standing, greatly fearing even minor offenses, undertaking and training in the disciplinary rules, and perfecting the skandha of morality.

“Elders! Once you uphold the precepts, clearly know that the six faculties, six objects, five skandhas, and six great elements are false, and do not become attached to any of them. Because you are unattached, this is called the Dharma of renunciation free from desire.

“Elders! If you are unattached to the eye, and so forth, through to the great element of consciousness, then you do not guard them. What do you not guard? You do not guard the eye, and so forth, through to the great element of consciousness. Because you do not guard them, there are no afflictions. If there are no afflictions, this is called lightness.

“What is lightness? It is having nothing seen. If there is nothing seen, one does not rely upon objects and give rise to anger or harmful intent. Because there is no anger or harmful intent, one does not harm oneself, does not think of harming others, and does not think of harming both oneself and others. Because there is no harm, one then realizes and enters the great nirvana without remainder.

“Elders! You should know: Who realizes and enters nirvana?

“Elders! The eye does not enter nirvana. The ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind do not enter nirvana. Yet dependent upon the eye, and dependent upon the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, delusive attachments arise: attachment either to a self or to what belongs to a self. Complete freedom from these is nirvana.

“Freedom from what is nirvana?

“Freedom from greed is nirvana. Freedom from anger is nirvana. Freedom from delusion is nirvana. Freedom from ignorance is nirvana.

“Furthermore, Elders! Past ignorance cannot be abandoned; future ignorance cannot be abandoned; present ignorance cannot be abandoned. Yet it is through abandoning ignorance that right knowledge arises.

“Elders! What is knowledge? It is the knowledge of exhaustion. What is the knowledge of exhaustion? The past is not the knowledge of exhaustion, the future is not the knowledge of exhaustion, and the present is not the knowledge of exhaustion. Yet through abandoning ignorance, the dharma of that knowledge of exhaustion arises. That knowledge does not depart from knowledge. It is because the ignorance concerning the eye is abandoned that this knowledge arises.”

– Furthermore, Elders! The eye is not mine. Since it is not mine, it is not grasped. If it is not grasped, that is supreme. If it is supreme, that is liberation. Liberation from what? One attains liberation from attachment to self, attachment to sentient beings, attachment to a life span, attachment to a person, attachment to annihilationism and eternalism, attachment to all things, and even attachment to discrimination.

If a practitioner can attain liberation from attachment, there is no discrimination. If there is no discrimination, then it is neither discrimination nor non-discrimination.

What is non-discrimination?

It is not discriminating between self and what belongs to self.

At that time, the practitioner becomes detached from all dharmas, neither storing them up nor retaining them, abandoning them without grasping them. Through relinquishment, one attains quiescence and liberation, dispels all things, attains supreme liberation, and becomes free from every fetter.

What is said to be dispelled?

All suffering is dispelled.

If you seek emancipation, do not give rise to a mind of grasping at any dharma whatsoever. Why? Because wherever there is grasping, there is fear; where there is no grasping, there is no fear.

– Furthermore, Elders! The eye is not quiescence; the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are not quiescence. Forms, sounds, and so forth are not quiescence, and even the consciousness-element is not quiescence. Yet attachment arises dependent upon the eye and so forth: one may grasp them as a self or grasp them as belonging to a self. To become free from such attachment is quiescence.

By becoming free from what does one attain quiescence?

By becoming free from greed one attains quiescence; by becoming free from anger one attains quiescence; by becoming free from delusion one attains quiescence; by becoming free from ignorance one attains quiescence.

– Furthermore, Elders! Past ignorance cannot be cast off, future ignorance cannot be cast off, and present ignorance cannot be cast off. Yet through freedom from ignorance, wisdom arises.

– Elders! What is wisdom? It is the wisdom of exhaustion. What is the wisdom of exhaustion? The past is not the wisdom of exhaustion, the future is not the wisdom of exhaustion, and the present is not the wisdom of exhaustion. Yet, Elders, it arises through freedom from that ignorance. That wisdom is never separate from wisdom. It arises through becoming free from ignorance concerning the eye, without becoming separate from wisdom; and even through becoming free from ignorance concerning the consciousness-element. The eye and so forth, even the consciousness-element, are not mine. Since they are not mine, they are not grasped. If they are not grasped, that is supreme. If it is supreme, that is liberation. Liberation from what? One attains liberation from attachment to self, attachment to sentient beings, attachment to a life span, and so forth, even attachment to every kind of discrimination.

If a practitioner can attain liberation from attachment, there is no discrimination. If there is no discrimination, then it is neither discrimination nor non-discrimination.

What is non-discrimination? It is not discriminating between self and what belongs to self.

At that time, the practitioner becomes detached, neither storing things up nor retaining them, abandoning them without grasping them. Through relinquishment, one attains quiescence and liberation, dispels all things, attains supreme liberation, and becomes free from every fetter.

What is dispelled? All suffering is dispelled.

If you seek emancipation, do not give rise to a mind of grasping at any dharma whatsoever. Why? Because wherever there is grasping, there is fear; where there is no attachment, there is no grasping."

The Blessed One, wishing to restate this meaning, then spoke these verses:

"Grasping gives rise to fear

And thereby leads to evil destinies.

Seeing that such fear exists,

The wise should never grasp.

You who cultivate the noble path

Must carefully contemplate:

Seeing in this way, you attain it;

Otherwise, you cannot attain it.

Everywhere, all is empty,

Hollow, unstable, and unreal.

Greed deceives the world;

Do not let confusion arise therein.

I have understood the emptiness of dharmas

And clearly seen that none are enduring.

Remaining serene, one attains peace

And realizes wondrous, unmoving bliss.

If one clearly understands that all dharmas

Are empty in this way,

One is liberated from all suffering

And brings every dispute to an end.

When craving seeks to appropriate everything,

All calamities arise.

Because craving appropriates and clings,

Clinging gives rise to existence.

Because of existence, there is birth;

Because of birth, one is far from quiescence,

And endures old age, illness, and death—

Such great forms of suffering.

Without desire, there is no grasping;

Without grasping, there is no existence;

Without existence, there is no birth,

Nor are there old age, illness, or death.

The implements for sustaining life

Should all be cast aside,

As should beloved wife and children;

Maintain the deportment of a bhikshu.

Do not crave the body or possessions;

Excellent indeed is mindfulness of contentment.

Do not be like a Chandala,

Base-minded with greed and anger.

Do not rely upon your observance of precepts

To despise those who violate them.

Relying on precepts to oppress others—

This is truly breaking the precepts.

Just as a captured deer

Is either bound or killed,

So one caught in the net of arrogance

Is likewise bound and slain.

Pride corrupts the wholesome mind

And also harms the good of self and others.

Therefore, do not scorn those who break precepts,

How much less those who preserve pure conduct.

You should emulate the great seers,

Always dwelling in secluded places.

Do not cherish or cling to body and life;

Turn toward tranquil liberation.

You must keep far away from the doctrines

Of the Lokayatas and Nirgranthas.

You should cherish the exceedingly profound Dharma

That accords with true emptiness.

Of the twelve inner and outer ayatanas,

I teach that mind is the root.

That in turn arises from karma,

And karma exists through volition.

The eye and form both serve as conditions

From which consciousness arises.

When a condition is absent, it does not arise,

Just as fire depends upon firewood.

Dharmas arise in this way,

Coming forth through mutual conjunction.

There is no agent and no experiencer,

Yet functions appear as an illusion.

All dharmas, internal and external,

I have understood to be empty.

Fools grasp through delusion,

Regarding them as self and what belongs to self.

Within the eye there is no sentient being,

Nor is there one in the outer ayatanas.

There is neither self nor life span;

All dharmas are likewise so.

The eye does not conceive of liberation;

The ear, nose, and tongue are likewise so.

In body and mind there is no agent;

Contemplate all dharmas in the same way.

Just as in the great ocean

Waves arise and form heaps of foam,

A clear-sighted person distinctly sees

And knows that heaps of foam do not endure.

The substance of the five skandhas,

The wise know to be impermanent;

Thus they are liberated from birth and death,

From sorrow, distress, calamity, and suffering.

Having gone forth in the Buddha's Dharma

And knowing all dharmas to be like illusions,

One does not consume offerings of faith in vain;

This is called making an offering to the Buddha."

When the five hundred Elders had heard this Dharma, they immediately became free from dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma-eye with regard to all dharmas. Just as clean, undyed cloth readily takes on the color into which it is dipped, so too did those Elders swiftly attain the pure Dharma-eye.

The Blessed One further said to the Elders: "Elders! I declare that the nature of the eye is suffering and that it is blazing. With what does it blaze? It blazes with the fire of greed, the fire of anger, and the fire of delusion; it blazes with the fires of birth, old age, illness, death, sorrow, distress, and suffering.

– Elders! As with the eye, so too do I speak of the ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

– Elders! I declare that the nature of form is suffering and that it is blazing. With what does it blaze? It blazes with the fire of greed, the fire of anger, and the fire of delusion; it blazes with the fires of birth, old age, illness, death, sorrow, distress, and suffering. The same applies to sound, odor, taste, touch, and dharmas. The same applies to the form skandha through the consciousness skandha. From the earth-element through the consciousness-element, I declare that their nature is suffering and that they are blazing. With what do they blaze? They blaze with the fire of greed, the fire of anger, and the fire of delusion; they blaze with the fires of birth, old age, illness, death, sorrow, distress, and suffering."

Therefore, Elders, I now do not cling to the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind; you too should train in this way. I now do not cling to forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas; you too should train in this way. I now do not cling to the skandhas of form, feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness; you too should train in this way. I now do not cling to the great elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space, or consciousness, nor to this life or the next; you too should train in this way.

– Elders, if you do not cling to the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind, then you will not abide in dependence upon the eye, nor will you abide in dependence upon the ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind. When you do not abide in dependence upon forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, or dharmas, you will not abide in dependence upon any dharma. When you do not abide in dependence upon the skandha of form through to the skandha of consciousness, you will not abide in the skandha of form through to the skandha of consciousness. When you do not abide in dependence upon the great element of earth through to the great element of consciousness, you will not abide in the great element of earth through to the great element of consciousness. You will not abide in dependence upon this life, the next life, or any world. When you do not appropriate any dharma in this way, you will not abide in dependence upon any dharma. If you are able to abide without depending upon any dharma, this is called ‘neither destined to exist nor destined not to exist.’ If you clearly understand this ‘neither destined to exist nor destined not to exist,’ I declare that you are liberated from the sufferings of birth, old age, illness, and death."

Wishing to proclaim this meaning, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"Samsara blazes fiercely,

Burning all the worlds.

Afflicted by suffering, none can be saved,

And the noble path is lost.

The Tathagatas illuminate the world,

Appearing only once after a long time.

Not for even a single instant should one stray;

One must arouse steadfast diligence,

Cultivate all right practices,

And examine and understand through wisdom-contemplation.

Only through such wisdom-contemplation can it be attained;

Otherwise, it cannot be attained.

If one cultivates herein,

One must know that all is empty.
Having fully understood the emptiness of dharmas,

The mind is empty, and bodhi is empty.

Greed, anger, and delusion—

These three poisonous fires

Burn the foolish people of the world,

Who sleep on, unaware.

Birth, old age, illness, and death,

Sorrow, anguish, calamity, and suffering—

Having known the suffering of the world,

Do not abide in any dharma."

The five hundred Elders said, "Blessed One, we now wish to renounce the household life in the presence of the Buddha, receive full ordination, and cultivate the pure conduct. We do not know whether the Blessed One, in his compassion, will permit us to do so."

The Buddha declared, "Excellent! Come, bhiksus."

At once, by this summons, they went forth, became fully ordained, and attained the status of Dharma bhiksus.

Wishing to proclaim this meaning once more, the Blessed One spoke these verses:

"As soon as they received and donned the kasaya robes,

Their beards and hair fell away of themselves.

Each of them held an alms bowl,

And thereupon they became arhats.

Knowing that they had attained arhatship,

Before the assembly of bhiksus

And in the presence of the devas,

The Blessed One himself proclaimed:

‘In former times, they benefited the world

By widely practicing generosity.

Wherever they were reborn,

They always enjoyed abundant peace and happiness.

Now they have encountered the Buddha

And have again brought forth pure faith.

Because their minds were pure,

The Buddha taught them the wondrous Dharma.

Upon hearing the Dharma, they attained arhatship,

Forever abandoning the view of self.

They directly realized the emptiness of dharmas

And were liberated from birth and death.’"

The Bodhisattva Treasury Dharma Assembly

Chapter One: Converting and Guiding the Elders

END