大寶積經

2. CHAPTER ON THE PROPHECY BESTOWED UPON THE DEVA KIMBILA

(Chinese Collection, First Part of Scroll 36)

While on the road, the Blessed One caused the elders to realize the noble fruit. Through the Tathagata’s majestic power, he entered the city of Rajagriha, surrounded by the fourfold assembly, all maintaining dignified deportment.

At that time, among the devas and yakshas who guarded the city of Rajagriha was a greatly virtuous spirit king named Kimbila. He thought: “The Tathagata’s appearance today is extraordinarily wondrous. He is the most excellent being in the world, exceedingly difficult to encounter, and worthy of offerings from devas and humans. Today we should present the Tathagata with the finest offerings.”

Having thought thus, King Kimbila presented the Buddha with excellent food and drink, complete in exquisite colors, fragrances, and flavors.

Out of compassion for his offering, the Blessed One accepted it.

At that time, the sixty-eight thousand great yakshas under King Kimbila’s command, all dwelling in the sky, rejoiced accordingly and proclaimed in clear, far-reaching voices: “Excellent! Excellent!”

King Kimbila told the yakshas: “I have presented the Buddha with exquisite offerings. You should likewise offer provisions to the Sangha of bhikshus. By doing so, you will forever obtain benefit and happiness.”

Following the spirit king’s command, the yakshas presented food of the finest flavor to the Sangha of bhikshus.

Out of compassion, the Sangha accepted those offerings.

The Blessed One had entered Rajagriha to seek alms. Having completed his alms round, the Buddha returned to his former place.

Countless thousands of devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, together with countless kotis of nayutas of hundreds of thousands of other beings, all followed behind the Buddha.

The Tathagata then arrived at an excellent, spacious place, spread out his sitting cloth, and sat down as usual.

King Kimbila and his retinue brought celestial flowers—mandarava flowers, manjushaka flowers, utpala flowers, padma flowers, kumuda flowers, and pundarika flowers—as well as various kinds of celestial powdered incense, which they scattered over the Buddha as offerings. They then joined their palms and reverently bowed to the Buddha. After paying homage, the spirit kings stood silently before him.

The Buddha clearly knew the thoughts of King Kimbila and his retinue and immediately smiled.

According to the constant Dharma of all Buddhas, whenever they smile, many kinds of light, in innumerable colors, issue from their mouths: blue, yellow, red, white, rose, gold, silver, and crystal-colored light. That light illuminated all the limitless and boundless worlds, eclipsing the light of the sun and moon. Below, it penetrated the hells and brought joy to the beings there; above, it reached the Brahma worlds. After completing its illumination, the light returned, circled the Buddha seven times, and then entered either the crown of the Buddha’s head, his two shoulders, or his two knees.

According to the constant Dharma of all Buddhas, when a prophecy is bestowed upon beings in the hells, the light enters the soles of the Buddha’s feet. When a prophecy is bestowed upon animals, the light enters the Buddha’s back. When a prophecy is bestowed upon ghosts, the light enters the front of the Buddha’s abdomen.

When a prophecy is bestowed upon humans, the light enters the Buddha’s left side. When a prophecy is bestowed upon devas, the light enters the Buddha’s right side. When a prophecy is bestowed upon shravakas, the light enters the Buddha’s two knees.

When a prophecy is bestowed upon pratyekabuddhas, the light enters the Buddha’s two shoulders. When a prophecy is bestowed upon great bodhisattvas who will attain unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, the light enters the crown of the Buddha’s head.

Seeing the Blessed One smile and emit light, the Elder Ananda bared his right shoulder from his seven-panel robe, placed his right knee on the ground, joined his palms, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and addressed him in verse:

The Blessed One then answered Ananda in verse:

When his recompense as spirit king is exhausted,
He will be born in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.
Having fully enjoyed that celestial merit,
He will be born in the Yama Heaven.

Later they will encounter the Buddha Maitreya
And attain the fruit of arhatship.
Having received the transmission of the Way and its teaching,
They will promptly be called worshipers of the Buddha.

For seventy kotis of years,
He will teach the Dharma and liberate sentient beings.
That Honored One among Two-Legged Beings
Will only after a long time enter quiescent extinction.

The Illuminator of the world is difficult to encounter
And skillfully teaches the profound and sublime Dharma.”

Before the Buddha, King Kimbila heard this prophecy and became jubilant and delighted, experiencing what he had never experienced before. He thought: “The Blessed One will now ascend Vulture Peak. I should plant a small root of goodness before the Buddha.”

Having thought thus, King Kimbila told his retinue: “You should know that the Tathagata will ascend Vulture Peak. You should bring forth courageous minds and, each according to your ability, prepare offerings.”

Thereupon the spirit king and his retinue departed from Rajagriha and went directly to Vulture Peak. Along the entire road between the city and the mountain, they removed all grass, refuse, thorns, tiles, bricks, gravel, and stones, leaving every place as clean as the surface of a bright mirror. The spirits sprinkled fragrant water, spread fine carpets, and scattered beautiful flowers all along the road.

They burned fragrant incense along both sides, erected banners and pennants, suspended jeweled canopies, stretched colored silks high overhead, and played celestial music. The road was as broad as the full flight of an arrow. Along both sides of the road, aquatic flowers provided dense shade—blue, yellow, red, and white lotuses of every kind.

Among the lotuses were beautiful birds such as pairs of mandarin ducks. Colored silks woven with threads of pure gold were spread over the road, and above them were laid nets of the seven treasures.

After King Kimbila had arranged and adorned the road along which the Buddha would travel, he transformed his own body into an immensely tall and magnificent form. Together with his retinue, jubilant and delighted, he brought forth excellent states of mind such as:

A joyful mind, a well-disciplined mind, a gentle mind, a pure mind, a mind free from the hindrances, a fulfilled and beautiful mind, a mind that takes refuge in the Buddha, a mind that takes refuge in the Dharma, a mind that takes refuge in the Sangha, an unwavering mind of bodhi, a nonretrogressing mind, an unequaled mind, a mind equal to the unequaled, a mind transcending the three realms, a mind of great loving-kindness, a mind of great compassion toward all sentient beings, a mind of great sympathetic joy, a mind of great equanimity, a mind fit to serve as a vessel for the Buddha-Dharma, a firm mind, a steadfast mind, an indestructible mind, an incorruptible mind, a mind that abandons the stages of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, and a mind that establishes the bodhisattva stage.

Having brought forth and established themselves in these aspirations, the spirit kings approached the Tathagata, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times, stood to one side with palms joined, and addressed the Buddha in verse:

For King Kimbila, the Blessed One spoke this verse:

At that time, amid the great assembly, the Tathagata employed his great majesty, great supernormal powers, great sovereign might, and every kind of great mastery in transformation. He emitted a great radiance that caused the entire earth to quake. Great lotus flowers rained throughout the sky, and hundreds of thousands of nayutas of kotis of celestial instruments played together in harmony. The entire assembly experienced what it had never experienced before, and upon witnessing this supernormal transformation, its members revered the Buddha even more deeply.

The Tathagata stepped upon great lotus flowers as large as cartwheels and proceeded along the adorned road to Vulture Peak. Upon arriving at the mountain, the Buddha told Ananda: “Arrange an excellent jeweled seat for the Tathagata. I shall sit upon it and, wishing to benefit all sentient beings, teach the Mahayana scripture concerning the causes underlying bodhisattva conduct, called the Sublime Auspicious Treasury of the Bodhisattvas.

This scripture can cause the mountains of doubt in all sentient beings to collapse. It can cause the nets of doubt in all sentient beings to be utterly severed. It can prevent the roots of doubt in all sentient beings from growing.

Because this Mahayana scripture benefits and brings happiness to sentient beings, out of compassion for the great assembly and for devas and humans, I shall disclose and teach it.”

Following the Buddha’s instruction, Ananda arranged the Dharma seat. In the great assembly, sixty-eight kotis of devaputras removed their upper garments and spread them upon the Dharma seat.

As usual, the Buddha sat upon the Dharma seat, looked upon the devaputras, and spoke this verse:

At that time, all the sentient beings throughout the great trichiliocosm assembled to hear the Dharma. For the sake of hearing the Dharma, they all brought external conditions to rest and established their minds upon a single object.

The Buddha told Mahamaudgalyayana: “Look and see whether any bhikshu who is far away has not yet returned to attend the assembly. If so, you should invite him to return.”

At that time, Mahakashyapa was south of the Snow Mountains. Knowing this, Mahamaudgalyayana used his supernormal powers to go there and said: “Today the Tathagata is on Vulture Peak, teaching the sublime Dharma to the great assembly of devas, Mara kings, Brahma kings, shramanas, brahmins, and asuras. The Blessed One is waiting for you. You should return quickly, lest our hearing of the Dharma be impeded.”

Mahakashyapa told Mahamaudgalyayana: “You return first; I shall arrive afterward.”

Having said this, Mahakashyapa did not rise. Through his supernormal powers he appeared in Rajagriha, led the fourfold assembly, and came with them to Vulture Peak. He bowed at the Buddha’s feet and then sat near the Buddha.

Through his supernormal powers, Mahamaudgalyayana returned to the Buddha’s presence. Seeing that Mahakashyapa was already seated there, he said: “Venerable Mahakashyapa! You have perfected immense and exceedingly swift supernormal powers. Without even rising or leaving your seat, you were able to manifest such a supernormal transformation.”

Mahakashyapa said: “The Blessed One has praised you as foremost in supernormal powers. The slight and insignificant Dharma I have displayed is hardly worth mentioning.”

3. THIRD CHAPTER: EXAMINATION OF THE BODHISATTVA

(Chinese Collection, Latter Part of Scroll 36)

At that time, Shariputra rose, bared his right shoulder from his uttarasanga robe, placed his right knee on the ground, joined his palms reverently, and said: “Blessed One! I now have a small matter about which I wish to inquire. May the Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, compassionately permit me and explain it for my sake.”

The Buddha said: “You have permission to ask. The Tathagata will now explain it and cause your heart to rejoice.”

Shariputra said: “Blessed One! How many qualities must a great bodhisattva perfect so that his bodily karma is faultless, his verbal karma is faultless, and his mental karma is faultless? How many qualities must he perfect so that his bodily karma is pure, his verbal karma is pure, and his mental karma is unmoving, and so that neither the celestial Mara nor the hosts of Mara can shake him?

From the moment he first brings forth the mind of all-knowledge and cultivates right conduct, how does he advance stage by stage, employing skillful means to become an excellent guide, a universal guide, a great lamp, a great stairway, a bridge, a boat, a ferryman, the far shore, a house, a rescuer, a refuge, and a destination for all sentient beings, while still never abandoning the mind of all-knowledge?”

Wishing to restate this meaning, Shariputra addressed the Buddha in verse:

The Buddha told Shariputra: “Excellent! Excellent! I shall now distinguish and explain this for you.

“Shariputra! When a great bodhisattva perfects one quality, he can encompass all the qualities about which you have asked, as well as immeasurable and boundless other Buddha-qualities.

“What is that one quality?

“It is the mind of bodhi together with the perfection of faithful aspiration.

“Shariputra! This is called the great bodhisattva’s perfection of one quality, by which he can encompass boundless Buddha-qualities.”

Shariputra said: “Blessed One! What is the perfection of faithful aspiration? Moreover, for what reason is it called the mind of bodhi?”

The Buddha said: “Shariputra! The perfection of faithful aspiration is firm and incapable of being destroyed; it is steadfast and incapable of being moved. It is said to be unmoving because it is never lost.

Because it is never lost, it can abide well. Because it abides well, it does not retrogress. Because it does not retrogress, it observes sentient beings.

Because it observes sentient beings, great compassion arises. Because great compassion arises, it does not grow weary. Because it does not grow weary, it brings sentient beings to maturity.

Because it brings sentient beings to maturity, it knows its own joy. Because it knows its own joy, it has no expectation of reward. Because it has no expectation, it is not attached to material provisions.

Because it is not attached, it becomes a support for sentient beings. Because it becomes a support for sentient beings, it cares for inferior and lowly beings. Because it cares for inferior and lowly beings, it becomes their rescuer.

Because it becomes their rescuer, it becomes their refuge and destination. Because it becomes their refuge and destination, it does not act hastily. Because it does not act hastily, it observes well.

Because it observes well, it harbors no resentment or hatred. Because it harbors no resentment or hatred, it skillfully regulates faithful aspiration. Because it skillfully regulates faithful aspiration, there is nowhere for anything to remain.

Because there is nowhere for anything to remain, it is well purified. Because it is well purified, it becomes bright and immaculate. Because it is bright and immaculate, it is free from inward defilement.

Because it is free from inward defilement, it is well purified outwardly.

“Shariputra! To be firm and difficult to destroy, continuing until one is inwardly free from defilement and outwardly well purified—this is called the perfection of faithful aspiration.

“Furthermore, Shariputra! What are the marks and characteristics of the mind of bodhi?

“Shariputra! The mind of bodhi is faultless because it is not defiled by any affliction. The mind of bodhi continues without interruption because it does not realize the fruits of other vehicles. The mind of bodhi is firm and difficult to move because it cannot be dragged away or usurped by heterodox doctrines. The mind of bodhi is indestructible because the celestial Mara cannot overthrow it. The mind of bodhi is constant and unchanging because it is the repository in which the provisions of roots of goodness are gathered. The mind of bodhi cannot be shaken because it is certain to realize all Buddha-qualities independently. The mind of bodhi abides well because it abides well upon the bodhisattva stages.

“The mind of bodhi is uninterrupted because no other dharma can counteract it. The mind of bodhi is like a diamond because it can penetrate the profound Buddha-Dharma. The mind of bodhi is excellently good and impartial because it responds equally to the various inclinations and understandings of sentient beings.

The mind of bodhi is supremely pure because its nature is undefiled. The mind of bodhi is free from dust and impurity because it gives rise to luminous wisdom. The mind of bodhi is vast and unobstructed because it embraces the nature of all sentient beings.

The mind of bodhi is vast and boundless because it is like space. The mind of bodhi is without obstruction because it causes unobstructed wisdom to pervade all places and allows great compassion without an object to continue unbroken. The mind of bodhi is worthy of being approached because it is praised by the wise.

The mind of bodhi is like a seed because it can produce all Buddha-qualities. The mind of bodhi establishes and develops because it can establish and develop every joy. The mind of bodhi gives rise to aspirations through pure morality.

The mind of bodhi is difficult to destroy because it abides in patience. The mind of bodhi cannot be subdued because of right diligence. The mind of bodhi is utterly quiescent because it rests upon all great meditative concentrations.

The mind of bodhi lacks nothing because its provisions of wisdom have been well perfected.

“Furthermore, Shariputra! The mind of bodhi is the very foundation of the Tathagata’s morality, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation.

“The mind of bodhi is also the foundation of the Tathagata’s ten powers, four fearlessnesses, and eighteen exclusive qualities.”

Shariputra said: “It is called the mind of bodhi because that mind takes bodhi as the essence from which it arises.”

The Buddha said: “So it is. Shariputra! Because great bodhisattvas perfect faithful aspiration and the mind of bodhi, they are called bodhisattva-sattvas, great sattvas, and supremely sublime sattvas.

They are also said to possess faultless bodily karma, faultless verbal karma, faultless mental karma, pure bodily karma, pure verbal karma, pure mental karma, unmoving bodily karma, unmoving verbal karma, and unmoving mental karma. Because great bodhisattvas possess all such pure karma, neither the celestial Mara nor the hosts of Mara can disturb them. From the moment they first bring forth the mind of all-knowledge, they cultivate right conduct, advance stage by stage, and employ skillful means without being defiled by any worldly dharma.

For sentient beings they can become great guides, excellent guides, and universal guides; they become great lamps, great stairways, bridges, boats, ferrymen, the far shore, houses, rescuers, refuges, and destinations.

“Shariputra! When a great bodhisattva thus brings forth the mind of all-knowledge, Mara and the hosts of Mara cannot shake him.”

The Buddha further instructed Shariputra: “When great bodhisattvas, endowed with such pure faithful aspiration, have brought forth the mind of unsurpassed bodhi, they possess abundant pure faith, delight in seeing noble and holy beings, enjoy hearing the true Dharma, and are not miserly. With open hearts and hands, they practice great giving, delighting in relinquishment and impartial generosity. Toward all sentient beings, a bodhisattva’s mind is unobstructed, untainted, undisturbed, and unmixed.

Regarding karmic causes and karmic results, the bodhisattva’s mind is deeply reverent, without doubt or anxiety, knowing that the results of wholesome and unwholesome dharmas are never lost. Even when his life is endangered, he does not give rise to evil. He does not kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, speak falsely, speak divisively, speak harshly, indulge in frivolous speech, covet, harbor hatred, or entertain delusion and wrong views.

Having abandoned these unwholesome paths of karma, the bodhisattva practices the ten wholesome paths of karma. Because his faith is complete, his mind is utterly pure toward shramanas and brahmins who possess right purpose and conduct and are endowed with moral virtue. He perfects the Dharma of discipline, becomes extensively learned, diligently studies and inquires, cultivates right attention, is disciplined and quiescent, draws near to quiescent extinction, and does not give rise to disputes, conflict, or harsh and erroneous words.

He understands faithful aspiration well, rather than understanding it poorly. He accords with wholesome dharmas and remains far from unwholesome dharmas. He is neither haughty nor impetuous; his nature is free from restlessness and harsh speech.

His words are not confused or adulterated. He maintains right mindfulness, and his mind abides in sublime concentration. He skillfully severs the roots of birth and death, is not struck by the poisoned arrow, lays down the heavy burden, and transcends doubt, anxiety, and the body of future birth and death.

Having clearly recognized such good spiritual friends as the Buddhas, Blessed Ones, great bodhisattvas, shravakas, and pratyekabuddhas, he draws near to them, reveres them, and serves them. Through the gift of Dharma, he gathers beings in, proclaims the sublime Dharma, instructs them, and causes them to rejoice. He teaches that practicing dana brings great wealth; practicing shila brings birth in the heavens and the enjoyment of bliss; delighting in extensive learning brings great wisdom; and cultivating meditation brings freedom from bondage.

He also discloses many kinds of excellent, sublime, and pure Dharma: this is giving; this is the result of giving; this is miserliness; this is the result of miserliness; this is shila; this is the result of shila; this is transgressing the precepts; this is the result of transgressing the precepts; this is patience; this is the result of patience; this is anger; this is the result of anger; this is right diligence; this is the result of right diligence; this is indolence; this is the result of indolence; this is meditative concentration; this is the result of meditative concentration; this is a distracted mind; this is the result of a distracted mind; this is wisdom; this is the result of wisdom; this is evil understanding; this is the result of evil understanding;

this is excellent bodily conduct; this is the result of excellent bodily conduct; this is evil bodily conduct; this is the result of evil bodily conduct; this is excellent verbal conduct; this is the result of excellent verbal conduct; this is evil verbal conduct; this is the result of evil verbal conduct; this is excellent mental conduct; this is the result of excellent mental conduct; this is evil mental conduct; this is the result of evil mental conduct; this is wholesome; this is unwholesome; this should be done; this should not be done; if this is done, it will bring lasting benefit, peace, and happiness; if this is done, it will bring lasting suffering and no benefit.

“Shariputra! After good spiritual friends have taught practitioners the foregoing dharmas and brought them benefit and joy, if they clearly know that someone is capable of becoming a vessel for the great Dharma, they immediately reveal the exceedingly profound and sublime Dharma of emptiness: the Dharma of emptiness, the Dharma of signlessness, the Dharma of wishlessness, the Dharma of nonactivity, the Dharma of nonarising, the Dharma of nonorigination, the Dharma of no-self, the Dharma of no person, the Dharma of no living being, and the Dharma of no life span.

They also reveal profound dependent origination: because this exists, that exists; because this arises, that arises. With ignorance as condition, formations arise; with formations as condition, consciousness arises; with consciousness as condition, name-and-form arises; with name-and-form as condition, the six ayatanas arise; with the six ayatanas as condition, contact arises; with contact as condition, feeling arises; with feeling as condition, craving arises; with craving as condition, clinging arises; with clinging as condition, existence arises; with existence as condition, birth arises; and with birth as condition arise aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and the burning anguish of body and mind.

Thus arises this entire great mass of suffering.

“Again, because this does not exist, that does not exist; because this ceases, that ceases. With the cessation of ignorance comes the cessation of formations; with the cessation of formations comes the cessation of consciousness; with the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-and-form; with the cessation of name-and-form comes the cessation of the six ayatanas; with the cessation of the six ayatanas comes the cessation of contact; with the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling; with the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving; with the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging comes the cessation of existence; with the cessation of existence comes the cessation of birth;

and with the cessation of birth come the cessation of aging and death, extending through sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, the burning anguish of body and mind, and the entire great mass of suffering.

“Shariputra! One should further explain that within this process there is not a single dharma that can be obtained as either existing or ceasing. Why is this? Because those dharmas all arise from causes and conditions. They have no sovereign, no creator, and no recipient, but change in accordance with causes and conditions. Nor is there any single dharma that passes through the round of change. Nor is there any single dharma that revolves in cyclic existence or is carried along in its movement. Merely because of deluded ignorance, the three realms are provisionally established, and beings revolve therein in accordance with afflictions and suffering; all of this is only a provisional designation.

“When practitioners contemplate deluded ignorance in accordance with reality, they see that no dharma can produce another dharma. Within this there is no creator, for a creator cannot be apprehended. Likewise, there is no single dharma revolving in cyclic existence, for such revolving cannot be apprehended.

“Shariputra! If, after hearing such profound Dharma, practitioners have neither doubt nor anxiety and skillfully enter the unobstructed nature of all dharmas, they do not cling to the form skandha, nor to the skandhas of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. They do not cling to the eye, forms, or eye-consciousness; nor to the ear and sounds, the nose and odors, the tongue and flavors, the body and tangible objects, the mind and dharmas, or ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, and mind-consciousness, because none of them can be apprehended.

“Furthermore, Shariputra! After great bodhisattvas faithfully accept the empty nature of dharmas in this way, they do not lose the opportunity to see the Buddha, hear the Dharma, and serve the Sangha. Wherever they are born, life after life, they are never separated from seeing the Buddha, hearing the Dharma, and serving the Sangha.

They are born in the presence of a Buddha and diligently strive with the firm resolve to seek wholesome Dharma. Having established themselves in right diligence, they are not attached to household life, men or women, family members, servants, or possessions. They are not troubled by sensual desire and, in the present life, quickly relinquish the pleasures of youth.

With pure faith, they leave home and enter the Way within the Buddha-Dharma. After leaving home, they encounter good spiritual friends, good teachers, good companions, wholesome reflection, and wholesome faithful aspiration. Because of wholesome faithful aspiration, they listen to and study the true Dharma well and resolutely practice it, not considering mere verbal exposition sufficient.

They perfect awakened wisdom, delight in extensive learning, and never feel satisfied. With an undefiled mind, they teach others the Dharma they have heard. They have no expectation of material gain, fame, or reverence.

They never abandon the true meaning to teach the Dharma falsely. They teach according to the Dharma they have heard and according to the Dharma in which they abide. Toward the assembly hearing the Dharma, they bring forth great loving-kindness; toward sentient beings, they bring forth great compassion.

“Shariputra! Because practitioners possess such extensive learning and wisdom, they do not concern themselves with body or life. They have few desires, know contentment, are pure and at ease, easy to support and easy to maintain. They constantly delight in quiet seclusion and contemplate the meaning of the true Dharma they have studied. They rely upon the real meaning and not upon the words. Such people become a support for devas, humans, asuras, and others. They do not seek the Mahayana solely for themselves, but for all sentient beings—seeking the wisdom of a Buddha, unequaled wisdom, wisdom equal to the unequaled, and wisdom that excels and transcends the three realms.

“Shariputra! I say that such a person has attained the foremost Dharma of heedfulness.

“Shariputra! What is called the Dharma of heedfulness? It is the serenity of the faculties.

“What is the serenity of the faculties? When the eye sees forms, it does not grasp their marks and appearances but knows in accordance with reality the gratification in forms, the danger in forms, and the escape from forms.

“In the same way, when the ear hears sounds, the nose smells odors, the tongue tastes flavors, the body experiences tangible objects, and the mind cognizes dharmas, one does not grasp their marks and appearances but knows in accordance with reality the gratification in dharmas, the danger in dharmas, and the escape from dharmas.

“Shariputra! This is called a heedful mind.

“Furthermore, heedfulness means disciplining one’s own mind, skillfully protecting the minds of others, abandoning delight in the afflictions, and delighting in the true Dharma. One does not give rise to thoughts of sensual desire, anger, or harmfulness. One does not give rise to the three unwholesome roots of greed, hatred, and delusion. One does not give rise to evil bodily conduct, evil verbal conduct, or evil mental conduct. One does not give rise to improper attention. One does not give rise to any evil or unwholesome dharma. This is called heedfulness.

“Shariputra! Because those great bodhisattvas are heedful, they diligently cultivate attention in accordance with the Dharma. If a dharma exists, they know in accordance with reality that it exists. If a dharma does not exist, they know in accordance with reality that it does not exist. Observing which things therein exist and which do not exist, they immediately know them in accordance with reality through the power of wisdom.

“If one cultivates correctly, noble liberation exists. If one cultivates wrongly, noble liberation does not exist.

“That there is no result of karma—this does exist as an assertion.

“That there is a result of karma—this does not exist as its denial.

“Furthermore, the eye exists, but an independently existing eye does not exist. This applies likewise up to the mind: the mind exists, but an independently existing mind does not exist.

“Furthermore, that form is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change—this exists. That form abides permanently without changing or perishing—this does not exist.

“This applies likewise to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness: that they are impermanent, suffering, and subject to change—this exists. That feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness abide permanently without changing or perishing—this does not exist.

“Furthermore, when ignorance is the condition, formations exist. If there is no ignorance, formations do not exist.

“This applies likewise up to aging and death: when birth is the condition, aging and death exist. If there is no birth, aging and death do not exist.

“Furthermore, that giving produces wealth—this exists. That giving produces poverty—this does not exist.

“That observing morality leads to birth in the heavens—this exists. That violating morality leads to birth in the heavens—this does not exist.

“That correct learning produces great wisdom—this exists. That evil understanding can produce great wisdom—this does not exist.

“That cultivating right concentration brings freedom from bondage—this exists. That cultivating right concentration results in bondage—this does not exist.

“Moreover, both the claim that proper attention causes bondage and the claim that improper attention brings freedom from bondage do not exist.

“If bodhisattvas bring forth right diligence, bodhi exists. If they give rise to indolence, bodhi does not exist.

“If one leaves home without arrogance and receives a prophecy, this is said to exist. If one is arrogant, quiescent extinction does not exist for that person.

“Furthermore, that the nature of all places is empty—this exists. That everywhere there is a self, a person, a sentient being, a life span, a man, and so forth—this does not exist.

“Shariputra! If great bodhisattvas practice heedfulness and can skillfully cultivate proper attention, they provisionally designate as existent what the wise of the world commonly know to exist, and provisionally designate as nonexistent what the wise of the world commonly know not to exist.

“Shariputra! If one definitively declares that something exists, that is not right and complete understanding. If one definitively declares that nothing exists, that too is called not right and complete understanding. Why is this? Because one can thereby comprehend the real meaning proclaimed by the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones.

“Shariputra! Possessing the power of great wisdom, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, gather all dharmas together and place them within four uddanas.

“What are the four?

“They are: all conditioned phenomena are impermanent; all conditioned phenomena are suffering; all dharmas are without self; and nirvana is quiescent extinction.

“Shariputra! The teaching that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent is proclaimed by the Tathagata to eliminate the notion of permanence held by sentient beings who conceive of permanence.

“The teaching that all conditioned phenomena are suffering is proclaimed by the Tathagata to eliminate the notion of pleasure held by sentient beings who conceive of pleasure.

“The teaching that all dharmas are without self is proclaimed by the Tathagata to eliminate the notion of self held by sentient beings who conceive of a self.

“The teaching that nirvana is quiescent extinction is proclaimed by the Tathagata to eliminate the inverted, acquisitive minds of sentient beings who cling to attainment.

“Shariputra! If those great bodhisattvas hear the Tathagata teach that all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, they can enter ultimate impermanence. If they hear that all conditioned phenomena are suffering, they can bring forth a mind of disenchantment and the aspiration for release. If they hear that all dharmas are without self, they can cultivate the Dharma gateway of right concentration and sublime liberation. If they hear that nirvana is quiescent extinction, they can cultivate signless right concentration without entering the true limit at an inappropriate time.

“Shariputra! If great bodhisattvas skillfully cultivate Dharma in this way, they will never lose any wholesome dharma and will swiftly perfect all Buddha-qualities.”

THE ASSEMBLY OF THE BODHISATTVA TREASURY

THIRD CHAPTER:
EXAMINATION OF THE BODHISATTVA

END