大寶積經

– Furthermore, Shariputra! A great bodhisattva who is vigorously diligent and never weary, upon accomplishing five factors of advancement, can quickly awaken to unsurpassed bodhi. These are: encountering a Buddha who has appeared in the world; drawing near to good spiritual friends; being fully free from difficulties and hindrances; ensuring that all wholesome dharmas cultivated through diligent practice are never lost; and following and training under a great bodhisattva who abides in the disciplinary rules. Possessing these five qualities is called accomplishing the five factors of advancement. Through them, a great bodhisattva who is vigorously diligent and never weary will quickly awaken to unsurpassed bodhi.”

At that time, the elder Shariputra said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! Are there also bodhisattvas who expound these five factors?”

The Buddha said: “There are. Shariputra! If a bodhisattva possesses the following five factors, that bodhisattva will decline. These are: failing to encounter a Buddha who has appeared in the world; not wishing to draw near to good spiritual friends; not being free from difficulties and hindrances; losing most of the wholesome dharmas one has cultivated; and not wishing to train under bodhisattvas who abide in the disciplinary rules. Because of these factors of decline, one does not quickly awaken to unsurpassed bodhi.

– Shariputra! A bodhisattva who possesses the following five factors will decline:

A king or great minister may use the power of his authority to intimidate sentient beings, so that whenever people have some affair to settle, they seek the protection of his influence, promising a generous reward to anyone who can accomplish their purpose. Seeing that profit may be gained, a householder bodhisattva, whose mind is not upright, accepts such work, and whatever he says is spoken entirely for the sake of gain.

– Shariputra! By undertaking such affairs, that householder bodhisattva diminishes the wholesome path and diminishes the conditions of freedom from difficulties. Because he commits evil conduct to sustain his body, he will not encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, and so forth, up to not quickly awakening to unsurpassed bodhi. This is called the first factor of decline possessed by a bodhisattva. Furthermore, Shariputra! A householder bodhisattva may dwell in a city and cause corruption.

– Shariputra! When Buddhas appear in the world, they turn the pure and wondrous Dharma wheel for sentient beings. At that time, four assemblies appear: the assemblies of bhikshus, bhikshunis, upasakas, and upasikas. The nuns, in order to safeguard their observance of the precepts, then dwell in cities, towns, and villages. Householder bodhisattvas go to the places where the nuns reside and defile those who uphold the precepts. Because they cause the precepts to be broken, this is called dwelling in a city and causing corruption. A householder bodhisattva who commits such an act will not encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, and so forth, up to not quickly awakening to unsurpassed bodhi. This is called the second factor of decline possessed by a bodhisattva.

– Furthermore, Shariputra! When a householder bodhisattva sees that many people are relying upon the disciplinary rules and expounding the true Dharma, he obstructs his parents, brothers, sisters, wife, children, relatives, and other sentient beings from hearing the Dharma and cultivating it. Because he thus obstructs the true Dharma, for a long time that householder bodhisattva will continually encounter obstacles regarding the disciplinary rules, will not encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, and so forth, up to not quickly awakening to unsurpassed bodhi. This is called the third factor of decline possessed by a bodhisattva.

– Furthermore, Shariputra! A householder bodhisattva may hear in the sutras that the Buddha praised the Dharma of having few desires and being content, of leaving the household life, dwelling peacefully in forests and mountains, and becoming free from suffering. Yet he does not believe it; instead, he slanders it and causes others to hold the same view. Because he slanders the Tathagata’s pure Dharma, that unwholesome householder bodhisattva sinks into those states worthy of condemnation: the hells, the realm of animals, the realm of hungry ghosts, or birth in a borderland or among those holding wrong views. That householder bodhisattva will not encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, and so forth, up to not quickly awakening to unsurpassed bodhi. This is called the fourth factor of decline possessed by a bodhisattva.

– Furthermore, Shariputra! A householder bodhisattva may rely upon a king, a great minister, or wealthy and powerful people to perpetrate vile and evil deeds. Relying upon their power, he mocks and reviles sentient beings. Because of this evil verbal conduct, he quickly brings upon himself the retributions of the lower realms. He will not encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, will not draw near to good spiritual friends, will not be free from difficulties, will lose his roots of virtue, will not follow bodhisattvas who uphold the disciplinary rules in cultivating and studying the true Dharma, and will not quickly awaken to unsurpassed bodhi. This is called the fifth factor of decline possessed by a bodhisattva.”

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

“Should a bodhisattva possess five factors of decline,

Because of them, his wisdom will not increase.

He will neither encounter a Buddha appearing in the world,

Nor draw near to good spiritual friends.

Kings, princes, or great ministers

May deceive and defraud sentient beings.

Because they commit such unwholesome karma,

They will not encounter the Savior of the World.

Using power to terrorize many sentient beings,

They exact bribes or inflict harm.

Having created such evil karma,

They will no longer encounter the Buddha, the Blessed One.

When nuns cultivate pure observance of the precepts,

They corrupt their moral conduct and cause them sorrow.

They will be separated from immeasurable millions of Tathagatas

And will not attain freedom from difficulties.

They obstruct their parents, wives, children, and relatives,

Preventing them from cultivating the practices of the Dharma;

And they prevent them from hearing and studying the Buddha’s true Dharma.

They will quickly experience the evil fruit of delusion.

When people grow weary of worldly life and wish to leave the household life,

They devise ways to persecute and obstruct them.

They will be separated from immeasurable Blessed Ones

And will not attain freedom from difficulties.

When people hear and study the Dharma of liberation—

Having few desires, being content, and dwelling in seclusion—

They disapprove and give rise to resentment,

Slandering the true Dharma and producing wrong views.

Having thus slandered the true Dharma,

They are often reborn blind and undergo extremely painful retribution.

Among all grave and obstructive evil deeds,

Not even one-sixteenth can compare with this.

They will find it difficult to encounter the Tathagatas;

Even if they see them, they will have no faith or reverence.

They will incur rebirth as eunuchs, women, or the congenitally blind,

And will also fall among camels, donkeys, pigs, and dogs.

Toward all Buddhas and bodhisattvas,

Give rise to profound gratitude, love, and reverence.

Having left all hindrances far behind,

Continue to cultivate and study the path of the noble ones.

Always establish your parents, wife, children, and relatives

Securely within the true Dharma.

When people grow weary of worldly life and seek to leave the household life,

Praise and assist them so that they may fulfill their aspiration.

Those who abide among a retinue devoted to the true Dharma

Will quickly be reborn in a fortunate realm.

Whoever supports those leaving the household life

Will quickly awaken to unsurpassed enlightenment.

– Furthermore, Shariputra! There are another five factors which, if possessed by a renunciant bodhisattva, will cause that bodhisattva not to encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, not to draw near to good spiritual friends, not to be free from difficulties, to lose his roots of virtue, not to follow bodhisattvas who uphold the precepts in cultivating and studying the true Dharma, and consequently not to awaken quickly to unsurpassed bodhi.

These are the five factors: first, violating shila; second, disparaging the true Dharma; third, craving fame and gain; fourth, clinging firmly to the view of self; and fifth, envying others.

– Shariputra! Suppose a starving, suffering dog walks along a road and finds a dry bone, slightly red in color. Imagining it to be delicious food, the dog seizes it in its jaws and carries it to a busy crossroads. Because of its craving, saliva flows over the bone, and the dog falsely imagines it to be sweet and savory. It gnaws, licks, chews, and smacks its lips, delighting in gnawing it continually and refusing to relinquish the bone. At that time, kshatriyas, brahmins, and wealthy householders from prosperous families pass along that road. Seeing them approach from afar, the starving dog becomes distressed, imagining that they will seize its delicious food. Enraged, it howls and barks, bares its teeth, glares, and chases after them to bite them.

– Shariputra! What do you think? Were those approaching people attending to other affairs, or did they wish to take that slightly red dry bone?

– Blessed One! They did not seek to take the dry bone.

– Shariputra! If that is so, why did the starving dog angrily bark, bare its teeth, and chase after them to bite them?

Blessed One! As I understand it, the starving dog feared that the approaching people would covet its delicious food and surely seize its exquisite ambrosial flavor. Therefore, it bared its teeth, barked, and bit at them.”

– O Sariputra! It is exactly as you have said. In the latter age to come, there will be bhiksus who, although free from adversity, will become jealous of others because of their stinginess toward donor households. Craving food and drink, they will not cultivate the true Dharma. The Buddha regards such bhiksus as being like those hungry dogs. Now the Buddha has appeared in the world out of compassionate concern to save sentient beings; therefore, mindful of this matter, he has related such a parable for the evil bhiksus of the latter age.

– O Sariputra! Great bodhisattvas, wishing to benefit and bring peace and happiness to immeasurable sentient beings, seek the Buddha’s wisdom and practice the virya paramita. Those bodhisattvas would even joyfully give away the flesh of their own bodies; how much less would they entertain deluded thoughts about inferior meat and become jealous of others?

– O Sariputra! Those evil bhiksus who are jealous of others are called by the Buddha foolish men, those who cling to life, slaves who guard grain and money, those bound by precious possessions and curios, those who value only clothing and food, and gluttons consumed by jealousy.

– O Sariputra! The Buddha further teaches the true Dharma as follows: Bhiksus who arrive first at a donor’s household should not become jealous upon seeing other bhiksus. Yet a bhiksu who acts contrary to my teaching, upon seeing other bhiksus, may say, “I was already acquainted with this donor’s household. Where have you come from, arriving here? I am very close to this household. Where have you come from, intending to encroach upon and seize it?”

– O Sariputra! Why do those greedy bhiksus become jealous of those who arrive later?

– O Sariputra! It is because that donor household has promised to offer them robes, food and drink, bedding, medicines, and other requisites. They fear that the donor will give the promised offerings to those other bhiksus. Thus, in relation to the donor household, they give rise to three grave faults: First, they create discord concerning their dwelling place. On seeing other bhiksus, they may speak resentfully, saying, “Now I shall leave this place.” Second, concerning a household with which they are familiar, they will say, “I do not yet know whether anything should be given or not.” Third, concerning a household whose support is not assured, they will groundlessly imagine various faults.

– O Sariputra! Those greedy and stingy bhiksus direct three kinds of evil speech toward those who arrive later: First, they speak of many faults and evils in the donor household so that the other bhiksus will depart. Second, when the bhiksus who arrive later speak truthfully, they instead accuse them of lying. Third, they falsely display goodness in order to draw close to them and secretly seek some slight fault, then bring accusations before the assembly.

– O Sariputra! Bhiksus who become jealous and stingy in a donor’s household swiftly destroy all the wholesome qualities they have accumulated.

– O Sariputra! If bhiksus are greedy, jealous, and stingy, the Buddha calls them unwholesome persons who have cast away the provisions for bodhi. Moreover, they are unable to follow the bodhisattva’s discipline and cultivate the true Dharma.

– O Sariputra! In the past, immeasurable, innumerable, inconceivable kalpas ago, a Buddha appeared in the world named Victorious Manifest King 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, Buddha, Blessed One. His lifespan was nine billion nayutas, and his disciples were all great arhats.

– O Sariputra! At that time there was a wealthy elder named Good Choice, whose household possessed great riches. That elder had two sons named Discipline and Abiding in Discipline. Both were still young, with upright, handsome, and beautiful features that delighted everyone who saw them.

One day, early in the morning, the Buddha Victorious Manifest King put on his robe, took up his alms bowl, and, together with the Bhiksu Sangha, entered the city in which that elder dwelt to seek alms for the benefit of sentient beings. The Buddha and the Sangha proceeded with serene and dignified deportment. Their faculties were tranquil, their minds calm and detached, and their senses well restrained like great naga-elephants. They were still and unclouded like the waters of a deep pool; their lofty virtue was like a golden pavilion; the radiance and firmness of their bodies were like a mountain of purple-gold; they were also like a vast ocean filled with jewels, like Lord Sakra surrounded by the devas, and like Great Brahma, whose mind is peaceful and quiescent.

– O Sariputra! From atop a pavilion, the two sons of the Elder Good Choice saw the Buddha Victorious Manifest King approaching from afar. They uttered words of praise, and their hearts filled with joy as they marveled at what they had never seen before. Abiding in Discipline saw the Buddha first and joyfully said to his elder brother, “Since you were born, have you ever seen a sovereign of sentient beings so magnificently adorned?” Discipline replied, “Never before have I seen a sovereign of sentient beings adorned with such magnificence.” Abiding in Discipline said to his brother, “As I now conceive it, in a future life I shall certainly become such a sovereign of sentient beings.”

The youth Abiding in Discipline spoke these verses to his elder brother:

As you, Discipline, have now beheld,

In a future life I shall surely become the same.

Great assemblies of bhiksus shall surround me,

Twice as numerous as those of today.

To seek the causes and conditions of the path to bodhi,

I vow that I shall swallow neither food nor drink.

You delight in remaining within this prison,

But my resolve is certainly to transcend and prevail.

That sovereign of all sentient beings

Is like the moon amid the stars.

Who could behold him and not revere and trust him,

Yet still delight in household life and refuse to renounce it?

The youth Discipline spoke these verses in reply to his younger brother:

Enough, younger brother; do not speak so loudly.

A deed is not accomplished merely through empty words.

I have no need to utter worldly speech;

Let us see who first attains perfect enlightenment.

The youth Abiding in Discipline spoke these verses to his elder brother:

Such is the unsurpassed path to bodhi;

It cannot be attained by a mean and miserly heart.

I must raise a great and virtuous proclamation:

I shall certainly attain Buddhahood among humankind.

The mark of a miserly person is this:

He does not wish others to know of his wealth.

Why, then, should I now remain silent?

I would relinquish even my body and life, much less treasures.

I shall give away all the wealth of our household

To seek the causes and conditions of the path to bodhi.

Even the portion of the inheritance belonging to you

I shall offer to the Buddha, the field of merit, out of deepest reverence.

Who could behold the Blessed One, the Supremely Victorious One,

Endowed with the thirty-two excellent marks,

And not make a vow to attain bodhi,

Except one who holds inferior views?

All our houses and treasures,

Our parents and all our relatives—

I shall renounce them all

And swiftly go before the Buddha, the Tathagata,

The radiant sun upon whom the world relies,

The Compassionate Honored One who illuminates the world and is exceedingly difficult to encounter.

Throughout hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of kalpas,

Such supreme marks are difficult even to hear of.

I see the Blessed One entering the royal capital,

Surrounded by the assembly of great bhiksus,

Like the radiant full moon in the clear heavens,

Casting its light across the entire earth.

I see the Blessed One arriving at the crossroads,

His excellent marks adorning every place,

Like the golden rays of the sun

Filling all space and shining everywhere.

I see the Blessed One proceeding before the assembly,

Magnificently displaying and illuminating the Bhiksu Sangha,

Just as Mount Sumeru, king of mountains,

Outshines all jeweled mountains in splendor.

The Buddha’s majestic radiance blazes brilliantly,

Illuminating all sentient beings in this realm.

The Honored One among Bipeds is endowed with excellent marks;

His light adorns the great assembly.

The Tathagata possesses mighty spiritual powers,

And presides over devas, nagas, humans, and nonhumans.

He further manifests immeasurable transformations

And enters the royal capital for the sake of sentient beings.

Who, beholding the Dharma King in such majesty,

Magnificently adorned with the thirty-two marks,

Would still aspire to an inferior vehicle,

Except a base and ignorant person?

Today I joyfully behold the Blessed One

And give rise to a mind of utterly pure faith.

To deliver sentient beings, I shall cultivate bodhi;

I must swiftly go before the Tathagata.

The youth Discipline again spoke these verses in reply to his younger brother:

It is not because I am reluctant to travel

That I do not swiftly go before the Tathagata.

Wait until I descend from this pavilion;

I shall go outside and contemplate carefully.

I must abandon and leave behind the conception of self,

And cherish neither my own body nor life,

But seek the Buddha’s unsurpassed wisdom;

Only then shall I go before the Tathagata.

Parents, home, and treasures—

These things bind people with deep attachment.

Now I shall cast them all away at once;

Only then shall I go before the Tathagata.

If one vows to attain Buddhahood,

And deeply cherishes the Tathagata,

One should swiftly relinquish heaps of precious treasure,

Leave the household life, and enter homelessness.

“O Sariputra! After the youth Abiding in Moral Discipline heard his elder brother’s words, he descended the tower stairs to go to the place of the Buddha King of Supreme Manifestation. The youth Moral Discipline descended the tower and swiftly ran to the Buddha’s presence. After he had respectfully paid homage, Abiding in Moral Discipline arrived.

At that time, the youth Moral Discipline presented to the Buddha one billion priceless jeweled garments and spoke this verse:

Today I seek no beautiful marks;

I offer the Tathagata these priceless robes.

I pray that the recompense I receive in a future life

May make me no different from this Tathagata Buddha.

Supreme among all sentient beings,

Well versed in all wondrous Dharmas,

I pray that the recompense I receive in a future life

May make me no different from this Tathagata Buddha.

Perfectly endowed with the treasury of unsurpassed wisdom,

Well established in right effort and all spiritual powers,

His body fully possesses the thirty-two marks;

May I swiftly attain unsurpassed Buddhahood.

May I accomplish the ten powers of all Buddhas

And be well established in the four fearlessnesses.

I pray that the recompense I receive in a future life

May make me no different from this Tathagata Buddha.

The true and pure Dharma known by the Buddha

The Buddha alone can perfectly illuminate in its entirety.

May the Buddha expound that Dharma for me

And cause me swiftly to awaken to unsurpassed enlightenment.

Today I seek no excellent and beautiful marks;

I offer the Buddha these supreme, priceless robes.

I aspire only to wondrous, quiescent bodhi,

So that I may deliver devas and humankind.

The wondrous Dharma in which the Tathagata abides

Cannot be shaken by any heterodox doctrine.

It is to seek such a Dharma today

That I offer these supreme, priceless robes.

All dharmas are unborn, without aging or illness,

And without sorrow, grief, anguish, or lamentation.

May the Buddha teach this quiescent Dharma,

Thus guiding and benefiting devas and humans.

If that Dharma is without greed, hatred, and delusion,

And also without arrogance or any other craving,

May the Buddha teach bodhi and Buddha-nature,

The cool, deathless nectar of the unconditioned Dharma.

The Dharmas in which the Tathagata abides

Are reverently honored by devas and nagas alike.

Whether involving thought or free from thought,

May the Buddha teach this quiescent Dharma.

The Buddha, dwelling here, can illuminate

The immeasurable Buddha lands in the four directions,

Like a blazing flame within a dark cavern;

I vow to realize this deathless nectar.

Whether all that is loved or unloved,

Its nature never relies upon the desire realm;

Nor does it rely upon the form or formless realms.

May the Buddha proclaim this wondrous Dharma.

After Abiding in Moral Discipline heard his elder brother recite these verses, he presented a new pair of jeweled sandals to the Tathagata King of Supreme Manifestation and spoke this verse:

I vow, for the sake of all sentient beings,

To be their refuge, their destination, and their dwelling place,

No longer traveling upon erroneous paths,

But always guiding the deluded and teaching the right path.

May I never become accustomed to craving and desire;

Craving and desire are the paths traveled by fools.

May I completely leave behind all conditioned dharmas

And always encounter a Tathagata Buddha appearing in the world.

Having encountered the One Who Illuminates the World,

One should make offerings to the Honored One of Twofold Perfection,

Diligently seek the unsurpassed bodhi of Buddhahood,

And thereby benefit all sentient beings.

One should take immeasurable garlands and incense,

Lofty and beautiful banners and precious canopies,

And offer them to the Dragon King among dragons,

Thereby benefiting all sentient beings.

One should also take every kind of beautiful garment,

Blankets, bedding, beverages, food, and medicines,

And bring them all as offerings to the Buddha, the World-Honored One,

Thereby benefiting all sentient beings.

Beat great and small drums and blow conches;

Play flutes and pipes together with melodious songs,

Offering all of them to the One Who Illuminates the World,

Thereby benefiting all sentient beings.

Fragrant, delicious, and highly nourishing foods,

Wondrous things constantly cherished in the world,

Should all be offered to the Savior of the World,

Thereby benefiting all sentient beings.

After making such vast offerings

And benefiting immeasurable sentient beings,

I shall then enter the homeless life

And diligently cultivate the pure practices.

I shall abide upon the Noble Eightfold Path

And bring peace and happiness to billions of sentient beings.

May I become a refuge for sentient beings

And never travel upon crooked and erroneous paths.

That which the noble ones reproach as utterly base—

Sensual misconduct—I shall abandon.

I shall also cast away all heedlessness

And constantly train in diligence.

May I never be born amid any adversity,

But always be born into a family of pure faith.

In life after life, may I always behold the World-Honored One;

Having seen the Buddha, may I possess profound faith.

Having placed my faith in the Buddha, I shall respectfully

Offer beautiful garlands and fragrant ointments,

Together with every kind of music,

And diligently seek the Buddha’s profound wisdom.

Thus shall I extensively prepare offerings for the Buddha

Throughout immeasurable kotis of kalpas,

Completely ending sensual pleasures, abandoning the household life,

And diligently cultivating the practices of purity.

After the youth Abiding in Moral Discipline had spoken these verses, he constructed at the site of the Buddha King of Supreme Manifestation a lofty and beautiful Dharma hall made of red sandalwood. It was four yojanas in height and breadth and adorned with every kind of exquisite carving. After completing this magnificent Dharma hall, the youth Abiding in Moral Discipline presented it to that Buddha, the World-Honored One, and spoke this verse:

The Buddha abides in the four kinds of abiding,

Which the Supreme One has always praised in the past.

Today I joyfully seek such abiding;

May the Well-Gone One compassionately grant my prayer.

Whoever abides in that dwelling place

Always clearly knows immeasurable beings

And also knows the past and future;

Today I joyfully seek such abiding.

Whoever reaches the ultimate in that place

Perfects the four right efforts and four bases of spiritual power,

Together with the four supreme unobstructed eloquences;

Today I joyfully seek such abiding.

At that time, out of compassion for the youth, the Buddha King of Supreme Manifestation accepted the supreme Dharma hall that had been offered. The Buddha and the Sangha of bhiksus entered and dwelt within it.

Seeing that the Buddha and the Sangha of bhiksus had accepted and entered the Dharma hall he had offered, the youth Abiding in Moral Discipline rejoiced greatly. He then presented various supreme and wondrous offerings, showing reverence, honor, and praise in ever-increasing measure, without rest for half a month. Thereafter, in the Buddha’s presence, the youth shaved off his hair and beard, donned the kasaya robe, and, through pure faith, entered the homeless life, devoting himself with diligent vigor to seeking all wholesome Dharmas.

“O Sariputra! At that time, after the two youths had sought wholesome Dharmas, with minds rightly directed toward unsurpassed bodhi, they each made a great and solemn vow.

“The youth Moral Discipline vowed, ‘May I attain Buddhahood first.’ That Buddha would be called Protector and Refuge of the World, Emitter of Great Radiance.

“The youth Abiding in Moral Discipline vowed, ‘May I attain Buddhahood first.’ That Buddha would be called Great Guide and Caravan Leader, Savior of Devas and Humans.

“Standing before the Buddha King of Supreme Manifestation with palms joined, the youth Moral Discipline adorned himself with a great vow and spoke this verse:

I shall no longer sit at ease,

Nor shall I recline and sleep;

Single-mindedly and diligently shall I seek the path of bodhi,

Thereby benefiting all sentient beings.

I shall not cherish my body or life,

But shall always abandon indolence and cultivate diligent vigor.

Resolutely shall I seek the path of unsurpassed bodhi,

So as to benefit all sentient beings.

Even if my blood and flesh should completely dry up,

And my skin, bones, sinews, and vessels should all waste away,

I must relinquish indolence, body, and life,

And diligently seek until I reach unsurpassed bodhi.

“When the youth Abiding in Moral Discipline heard his elder brother make this vow, he rejoiced and exulted. He then spoke this verse before his brother:

Now we should unite in harmony

And cultivate the practices of unsurpassed bodhi,

Arousing the most excellent diligent vigor,

So as to benefit all sentient beings.

Now I shall care less for my body and life,

Allowing my blood and flesh gradually to dry up.

I shall arouse diligent vigor and train after your example,

So as to seek the path of unsurpassed bodhi.

I shall dwell alone in tranquil solitude,

Diligently striving amid desolate mountains and forests,

Always seeking the supreme, unsurpassed wisdom

And the majestic throne of the great Dharma King.

“O Sariputra! In that past age, the two youths—the great bodhisattva Moral Discipline and the great bodhisattva Abiding in Moral Discipline—made great and solemn vows in the Dharma assembly of the Tathagata King of Supreme Manifestation. To practice the paramita of virya, they diligently cultivated the right path.”

– O Sariputra! While those two bodhisattvas practiced diligence, for one thousand years they never allowed sleep or rest to interrupt them for even the snap of a finger. For one thousand years, they never entertained the wish to lie down and rest. For one thousand years, they never entertained the wish to sit. For one thousand years, they never once bent down or squatted, except when relieving themselves; when they wished to eat, they remained standing upright. For one thousand years, they never ate twice in one day, but ate only once each day, and at each meal consumed only one ball of food and drank one cup of water. For one thousand years, they never craved food or drink, nor did they think, “Now I am hungry and thirsty; I must consume such-and-such food and drink.” For one thousand years, they never once ate or drank beyond measure. For one thousand years, they never discriminated among foods and drinks according to preference, thinking, “This is salty, this is bland, this is sweet, this is bitter, this is pungent, this is sour, this is delicious, and this is inferior.” For one thousand years, whenever they went out to seek alms, they remained single-minded and rightly mindful. They never looked at the face of a donor, nor did they think about who had given to them, whether man or woman; they did not even look at boys or girls. For one thousand years, although dwelling beneath trees, they never raised their faces to look at the forms of the trees. For one thousand years, they never changed the robes they wore. For one thousand years, they never entertained thoughts of greed, anger, or harm. For one thousand years, they never thought of their relatives—whether father, mother, brothers, sisters, or any other kin. For one thousand years, they never thought of their former homes. For one thousand years, they never thought of looking upward at such sights as the moon, stars, clouds, rosy mists, or empty space. For one thousand years, they never thought of leaning their bodies against a tree or wall. For one thousand years, they never thought of anointing their hands or feet with ghee or oil. For one thousand years, they never entertained any notion of fear. For one thousand years, they never thought that their bodies or minds were weary. For one thousand years, they never entertained thoughts of laziness or heedlessness, but thought only, “Now that I am cultivating the path, when shall I attain unsurpassed bodhi?” For one thousand years, they never once suffered pain in body or mind. For one thousand years, they never thought, “I wish to shave my hair,” except that the Four Heavenly Kings employed their spiritual powers, stroked the bodhisattvas’ hair with their hands, carried it back to their celestial palaces, and erected jeweled stupas in its honor. For one thousand years, although heavenly kings came and went, the two bodhisattva youths never formed any conception of coming or going. For one thousand years, they never discriminated between passing from dark shade into light or from a hot place into a cool one. For one thousand years, even during the cold season, they never thought of putting on thick, warm clothing. For one thousand years, they never entertained the notion of discussing useless worldly affairs.

– O Sariputra! For one thousand years, those two bodhisattva youths practiced steadfast diligence in this manner. At that time, there was an evil Mara named Deluded Thought, just as now, when I have appeared in the world, there is the evil Mara Papiyan.

– O Sariputra! At that time, wishing to cause disturbance, the evil Mara covered the entire path where Bodhisattva Discipline walked in meditation with knives, their keen, sharp blades pointing upward. When Bodhisattva Discipline saw the path filled with knives, he momentarily lost right mindfulness and formed the conception of keen, sharp knives. As soon as this conception arose, he became aware of it, felt remorse, and twice cried out in a loud voice: “How strange! Why have I now become heedless?” That voice resounded throughout the trichiliocosm. In empty space there were already hundreds of thousands of kotis of followers of the heavenly Mara. When they heard the bodhisattva’s cry, they said to him in unison: “Your proclamation is excellent, excellent indeed!”

– O Sariputra! Those voices were heard only by Discipline; Abiding in Discipline did not hear them. This was due to Mara’s power.

– O Sariputra! Upon hearing the words of the heavenly Maras, Bodhisattva Discipline summoned forth great and steadfast diligence. He walked in meditation upon that path, gathered in his mind, and no longer conceived of sharp knives, thereby subduing those hostile Maras. Bodhisattva Discipline abided in deportment in this manner, practiced wondrous conduct in this manner, cultivated the path’s accumulations in this manner, aroused great compassion in this manner, and generated courageous diligence in this manner, never pausing or resting.

– Furthermore, O Sariputra! In the Dharma assembly of Buddha King of Manifest Victory, because those two bodhisattvas practiced the virya paramita, they both perfected courageous great compassion. For another thousand years, in an unoccupied forest, they cultivated mindfulness of the Buddha. After that period, Buddha King of Manifest Victory entered nirvana. Devas came and informed the two bodhisattvas of this. The two bodhisattvas immediately went to the place where the Buddha had passed into extinction. Standing with palms joined, they gazed upon the Tathagata without turning their faces away. Their hearts were filled with loving attachment, reverence, and respect, and they thought: “When the Tathagata appears in the world, his great loving-kindness and compassion shelter sentient beings like a dwelling. Why has the Buddha entered nirvana so soon, leaving us with no place of refuge and no one upon whom to rely?”

– O Sariputra! The two bodhisattvas stood before the Buddha for seven full days and seven nights, lovingly attached, reverently gazing upon him, their feet never shifting and their grief beyond restraint. They then died and were born in the Brahma heaven. Having acquired the bodies of Brahma devas and the wisdom-power to know their former lives, they immediately used their spiritual powers to return to the nirvana assembly. For the relics of Buddha King of Manifest Victory, the two of them erected an immense and exceedingly magnificent jeweled stupa. It took forty thousand years to complete, and many round parasols were suspended above it.

After completing the stupa, the two bodhisattvas rejoiced greatly. Standing with palms joined, they gazed upon it with love and reverence for seventy thousand years before finally bowing their heads in homage. Because of this, when the two bodhisattvas died, they were both born into the family of a Wheel-Turning King in Jambudvipa. As soon as they were born, the two bodhisattvas remembered the events of the past and said: “Now we must abide in the supreme and foremost Dharma of heedfulness.” The two bodhisattvas then spoke verses to admonish themselves:

Now we are born into the house of a Wheel-Turning King;

Its vast wealth accords with every wish.

We must cast aside all heedlessness

And seek the path to unsurpassed bodhi.

Precious wealth, sensual pleasures, and royal sovereignty

Are impermanent and vanish in an instant.

The wise take no delight in such things,

But diligently cultivate the Buddha’s unsurpassed bodhi.

If we take no delight in precious wealth

And seek Buddhahood for the benefit of sentient beings,

We must swiftly leave home and seek ordination,

Cultivating supreme, wondrous, and pure conduct.

Throughout immeasurable kalpas in the distant past,

We were infatuated with the five desires while cultivating merit;

Whether born in heaven or among human beings,

We never grew weary of the five desires.

We must abandon the five desires and royal sovereignty,

Our parents, relatives, and precious wealth.

We must relinquish the kingdom, cities, officials, and armies,

Leave home, and diligently seek the attainment of Buddhahood.

– O Sariputra! At birth, those two bodhisattvas were handsome and upright in form, like youths sixteen years of age. They immediately shaved their hair, donned kasaya robes, and, out of pure faith, left the household life. For twenty thousand full years, they diligently cultivated the pure conduct. Afterward, they died and were again born in the Brahma heaven. When their heavenly recompense ended, they were reborn in the human realm. At that time, a Buddha appeared in Jambudvipa named Tathagata Wondrous Fragrance, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened, Perfect in Wisdom and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Men, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, Blessed One. Upon encountering the Buddha, the two bodhisattvas immediately followed him into the monastic life and cultivated pure conduct for a full koti of years.

In this sequence, ten thousand Buddhas appeared in the world. Bodhisattva Discipline encountered every one of those Buddhas and followed each of them into the monastic life, cultivated pure conduct, planted roots of goodness, and constantly practiced with diligence.

The Bodhisattva Abiding in Moral Discipline was born, life after life, in the same place as his elder brother, and both cultivated the noble path, except that during the dispensation of one Buddha he did not practice the pure life. Therefore, the Bodhisattva Abiding in Moral Discipline attained Buddhahood first and appeared in the world with the name Blazing Vigor 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, Buddha, Blessed One. His lifespan was nine billion years, and his shravaka disciples assembled in nine billion nayutas of gatherings.

– O Shariputra! When Blazing Vigor Tathagata appeared in the world, the Bodhisattva Abiding in Moral Discipline was a Wheel-Turning King whose sovereign power extended throughout the four quarters and who possessed great merit. The king had profound faith and reverence for the Buddha. For three full months he provided robes, food and drink, medicines, and many other necessities, making offerings to, honoring, and praising the Buddha and the Sangha of bhikshus. Blazing Vigor Tathagata accepted those offerings and, wishing to awaken the Wheel-Turning King, spoke these verses:

If one wishes to realize all the Buddha-Dharmas,

Courageous vigor is supreme.

All sentient beings crave the five desires;

What they seek is difficult to fulfill.

If one seeks true benefit within the five desires,

The wise should know that therein lies no benefit.

The king now dwells where there is no true benefit;

Thus he cannot obtain the supreme benefit he seeks.

In the past, the Buddha and the king were brothers;

Both made vast vows to seek bodhi.

At that time, they competed and made a pledge:

Who would be the first to attain Buddhahood?

Now the king sees that the Buddha has realized bodhi

And turns the supreme Dharma wheel for the great assembly,

While the king remains submerged in the house of the five desires,

Indulging in women and constantly guarding them.

The Buddhas of the past always proclaimed:

The wise should not delight in the five desires.

Therefore, I constantly and diligently kept far away from them

And never pursued them in heedlessness.

The king's wrong views and understanding are without benefit;

Therefore, he constantly abides in fruitless karma.

Craving brings suffering, yet the king remains deluded by it;

Purity born of freedom from desire is praised by the noble ones.

After hearing Blazing Vigor speak these verses, the Wheel-Turning King immediately awakened. Clearly perceiving the faults of craving, he wished to leave the household life. Without even taking leave of his wives, children, relatives, ministers, and vassal kings, and without concern for his kingdom, people, treasuries, or jewels, the king arose, approached the Buddha, single-mindedly joined his palms, and spoke these verses:

I shall relinquish both home and kingdom

And dwell in solitude until the day I die.

I would rather let my skin and flesh wither away

To establish the causes and conditions for a Buddha's bodhi.

I must also exert great and courageous vigor

To benefit immeasurable multitudes of beings.

Casting aside household life, I shall go forth into homelessness

And abide in the unconditioned, in an empty and secluded place.

I take no delight in pursuing the five desires,

Which are vile and deceitful to foolish worldlings.

Because I have sunk into the mire of desire,

They now follow close behind, covering my face.

The five desires, treasure stores, and royal throne—

All shall be cast away at once.

Immediately, within the stronghold of the Buddha's teaching,

I shall devote myself to diligently cultivating the unsurpassed path.

What wise person would again draw near to desire?

Who, while studying the true Dharma, would pursue conditioned things?

Having caused me to cultivate with vigor,

How could I fail to attain Buddhahood swiftly by craving the five desires?

Therefore, I relinquish every sensual pleasure;

The royal throne and precious treasures shall all be abandoned.

I must follow the Buddha's teaching and go forth into homelessness,

Thus establishing the causes and conditions for a Buddha's bodhi.

After speaking these verses, the Wheel-Turning King, in the presence of the Buddha Blazing Vigor, shaved off his beard and hair, donned the kashaya robe, and, through pure faith, left the household life. He then went to a secluded place and diligently cultivated the pure life. Furthermore, when six billion hundreds of thousands of beings heard that the Wheel-Turning King had renounced the household life to train in the path, they too gave rise to pure faith, followed the king into homelessness, and diligently cultivated the pure life.

– O Shariputra! After Blazing Vigor Tathagata had long taught and transformed beings in the world, he entered nirvana. When the bhikshu who had been the Wheel-Turning King saw that the Buddha had passed into extinction, he grieved and longed for him. He built a precious stupa and made offerings to the relics. Not long afterward, at the end of his life, he was born in the Tushita Heaven. He was later born again in the human realm, attained unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, and was named Wondrous Conduct 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, Buddha, Blessed One. His lifespan was one billion years. His shravaka disciples assembled in a billion nayutas of gatherings, and all were great arhats. Hundreds of thousands of great bodhisattvas were irreversible from unsurpassed bodhi. Having taught and transformed immeasurable and innumerable beings and completed all that had to be done, Wondrous Conduct Tathagata entered nirvana. The true Dharma remained in the world for more than one kalpa, and his relics were widely distributed for the benefit of sentient beings.

– O Shariputra! Great bodhisattvas who practice the virya paramita, abide in right effort, and follow the bodhisattva path should train in accordance with the tireless, courageous vigor cultivated by the Great Bodhisattva Abiding in Moral Discipline. They must not follow those greedy and miserly beings who are deludedly gnawing upon dry bones.

– O Shariputra! If a bodhisattva delights in seeking bodhi, he should not be covetous or possessive toward a donor's household. If, through loss of right mindfulness, he becomes covetous or possessive, he should immediately contemplate three fearful consequences. What are these three fearful consequences?

By frequently visiting a donor's household, whether to beg for food or to engage in endless conversation, he becomes intimately attached to it. When he sees another virtuous bhikshu arrive, possessiveness causes him to become jealous, and at times he may even grow angry and resentful. For this reason, he should know that he is embracing a karmic path leading to suffering in hell; he should know that he is sowing the seed of blindness in the field of his mind; and he should know that he is creating the karma for birth in a borderland.

– O Shariputra! The Buddha shall now further explain to you the characteristics of such conduct.

When that covetous and possessive bodhisattva sees a virtuous bhikshu come to the household of his donor, jealousy, anger, and resentment immediately arise in him. Although inwardly angry, outwardly he feigns delight and converses pleasantly. While his heart is miserly, he remains constantly nearby, attending upon the visitor; yet he stands in a concealed place and peers at him, or makes false accusations and slanders him. Such conduct should be known as a karmic path leading to hell, as sowing the seed of blindness within the mind, and as karma leading to birth in a borderland where one suffers hardship, endures the retribution of blindness and humiliation, labors in misery day and night, and is ordered about by others.

– O Shariputra! If a bodhisattva gives rise to covetousness, possessiveness, or jealousy toward a donor's household, he should reflect upon these three fearful consequences."

The elder Shariputra addressed the Buddha, saying, "Blessed One! How extraordinary and truly unprecedented! Great bodhisattvas are exceedingly rare, for they encounter the Tathagata, who teaches the essential Dharma of liberation from covetousness and possessiveness arising toward donors' households.

Excellent, Blessed One! We pray that, for us shravakas, you will teach the true Dharma for abandoning the characteristics of covetousness and possessiveness toward donors' households. Why is this?

We shravakas also wish to escape the painful retributions of hell, blindness, and birth in a borderland, and to be born in the central lands among human beings. We all wish to hear the true Dharma of liberation from covetousness and possessiveness toward donors' households. We pray that the Blessed One will not forsake us but will proclaim and teach it to us."

The Buddha declared, "Excellent, excellent, O Shariputra! It is exceedingly rare that you are now able to abide without flattery or sycophancy and ask the Tathagata about such a meaning. Listen well, listen well, and the Buddha shall explain it to you.

– O Shariputra! If sentient beings wish to follow the Buddha and study the Buddha-Dharma, the Buddha will teach and instruct them. Why is this? For sentient beings who are able to follow the Buddha and cultivate the path, the Buddha will not act contrary to their wishes, but will certainly appear before them to teach the Dharma.

– Furthermore, O Shariputra! If sentient beings do not wish to follow the Buddha and study the true Dharma, then even if the Buddha teaches the Dharma for them to hear, they will refuse to believe and will instead create the root causes of contention.

– O Sariputra! A great bodhisattva who has perfected pure faith practices the virya paramita. Having long maintained pure faith in the Buddha-Dharma, he always delights in contemplation. Wishing to rescue sentient beings, he approaches the Buddha and earnestly and respectfully asks about the meaning in order to resolve his doubts. Whatever Dharma the Buddha teaches, he delights in listening attentively. Having heard the Dharma, he again gives rise to profound, vast, and pure faith; filled with joy and gladness, he becomes ever more diligent, upholds the true Dharma, and practices in accordance with the Dharma.

– O Sariputra! In future times, among my disciples there will be few bhiksus who deeply aspire to the Dharma of tranquil nirvana. Most will rely upon three pursuits. First, they will constantly delight in seeking worldly fame and gain. Second, they will greedily delight in forming factions, seeking donors, and visiting them without cease. Third, they will delight in seeking lofty dwellings and splendid buildings, accumulating wealth, gold, silver, jewels, and all kinds of possessions. These are the three pursuits upon which they will rely.

– O Sariputra! Because those bhiksus rely upon these three pursuits, they will not escape the three evil realms.

– O Sariputra! Those bhiksus will not wish to escape the hells or the realms of animals and hungry ghosts. Instead, they will delight in diligently practicing deeds that cut off the path to rebirth in the heavens. They will also diligently engage in disputes, sowing dissension and reviling one another. They will delight in associating with evil friends whose faith is impure, abandoning secluded places to dwell amid clamor and forming factions with laypeople. Lay households will say: “Venerable sir, you should visit our home often, and we shall provide you with offerings of the four requisites. As for those venerable ones who dwell in solitude and refuse to associate with laypeople, how could we possibly visit and inquire after them?”

For this reason, those bhiksus will associate ever more closely with householders, and all their conversations with one another will concern the troublesome affairs of worldly life.

– O Sariputra! Those evil bhiksus delight in dwelling and associating with unworthy people. Attached to their residences, they never move elsewhere. They seek many followers and constantly visit the homes of donors, personally attending both celebrations and funerals; because of this, they secretly form intimate attachments to one another. When a visiting bhiksu arrives, they provide him with nothing and instead utter unlawful reproaches against him. Yet that visiting bhiksu is truly a noble sage. Those evil bhiksus do not acknowledge him as one who is learned, virtuous, and pure in precepts, nor do they acknowledge him as a stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, or arhat.

– O Sariputra! Those evil bhiksus dwell within the Dharma of the

Buddha, yet do not practice the Buddha’s Dharma. They do nothing else but delight incessantly in slander and abuse. The laypeople allied with those evil bhiksus will also say: “Those visiting bhiksus have never lived among us, maintained friendly relations with us, or managed affairs together with us. Therefore, we should associate only with the resident bhiksus, protecting one another and relying upon one another’s influence.”

– O Sariputra! For these reasons, whether or not those evil bhiksus understand this scripture, they will constantly disparage it and refuse to believe it.

– Furthermore, O Sariputra! If anyone listens to this scripture expounded by the Tathagata, with its various Dharma gates, passages, and distinctions, and, having heard it, delights in it, believes and understands it without doubt or error, that person will certainly be able to abandon the evil people described above and also abandon the karma that leads to rebirth in the evil realms.

– O Sariputra! A great bodhisattva practices with courageous and tireless diligence. Having listened to the Buddha describe the characteristics of greed and stinginess and the karma that leads to rebirth in the evil realms, he will not himself commit acts of greed or miserliness in the homes of donors, much less instruct others to do so.

This is called a great bodhisattva diligently and tirelessly practicing the virya paramita. One should train in this way.