大寶積經

XV. THE FIFTEENTH ASSEMBLY: THE PROPHECY OF MANJUSHRI

Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was dwelling on Mount Gridhrakuta near Rajagriha, together with an assembly of one thousand bhikshus and eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas, foremost among whom were Bodhisattva Manjushri, Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, and Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta.

There were also seven billion two hundred million devas, all intent upon the bodhisattva path. There were also the Four Heavenly Kings, Shakra, Lord of the Devas, Brahma, Lord of the Brahma Heaven, and their retinues, each numbering fifty-two thousand, all likewise intent upon the bodhisattva path. There were four asura kings with immeasurable retinues.

There were seventy-two thousand great naga kings, foremost among whom were Naga King Nanda, Naga King Upananda, Naga King Varuna, Naga King Sagara, Naga King Upholder of the Great Earth, Naga King Anavatapta, Naga King Lofty Victory, Naga King Subduer of Mara, Naga King Utmost, Naga King Above the Moon, and others.

There were also immeasurable yaksha kings, foremost among whom were Yaksha King Kumbhira, Yaksha King Atavaka, Yaksha King Suchiloma, Yaksha King Wondrous Mind, Yaksha King Wondrous Wisdom, Yaksha King Wondrous Marks, Yaksha King Universal Form, Yaksha King Immovable, Yaksha King Powerful, Yaksha King Great Strength, and others.

Such was the great assembly gathered together at this Dharma assembly.

At that time, in the city of Rajagriha, the king, his ministers, the fourfold assembly, the devas, nagas, and eight classes of beings, and human and nonhuman beings all brought clothing, food and drink, bedding, medicines, and other necessities to the Tathagata, respectfully making offerings, honoring, and praising him.

One morning, the Blessed One donned his robe, took up his alms bowl, and, accompanied by the great assembly of bhikshus, proceeded toward the palace of King Ajatashatru in Rajagriha. Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, hundreds of thousands of rays of beautiful light shone forth, hundreds of thousands of musical instruments played in unison, and beautiful utpala, padma, kumuda, and pundarika flowers rained down in profusion.

Through the Buddha’s spiritual power, wherever the Tathagata stepped, jeweled lotus flowers as large as cartwheels appeared. Their stalks were of silver, their petals of gold, and their stamens of vaidurya. Upon the calyx of each flower sat a magically manifested bodhisattva in the lotus posture. Together with the jeweled lotuses, these bodhisattvas flew seven times around the city of Rajagriha and spoke these verses:

“Worthy of reverence and offerings is the Great Guide,
Who benefits beings and brings them peace.
Endowed with great majestic virtue, his mind serene,
The refuge of the world is about to enter the city.

Whoever wishes to leave the suffering of birth and death,
Or delights in roaming through celestial palaces,
Or wishes to shatter all the hosts of Mara,
Should draw near the wondrously eloquent Dharma King.

The Buddha, whose very name is difficult to hear, has now appeared;
For hundreds of thousands of kalpas he cultivated all practices.
With great compassion he journeys through the world;
That Venerable One is about to enter the city.

He once practiced immeasurable, boundless generosity,
Relinquishing men and women, wife and children, and royal throne,
Head, eyes, ears, nose, feet, and hands,
And clothing, food, and drink—all he gave away.

Having cultivated immeasurable virtue through generosity,
He realized unsurpassed omniscience.
With wisdom he disciplined his mind and made his practice firm;
The great being’s pure precepts are without defect.

Having perfected immeasurable virtue through patience,
That One of serene mind is about to enter the city.
For kotis of kalpas he practiced great diligence,
Compassionate toward suffering beings and heedless of fatigue.

Perfect in immeasurable and incomparable meditative concentration,
That One of Brahma voice is about to enter Rajagriha.
His wisdom is immeasurable and beyond compare,
Boundless as empty space.

The supremely victorious Blessed One, perfect in moral virtue,
Has cultivated every practice, his wisdom purified.
He has crushed Mara’s hosts and can rescue beings from suffering;
He abides upon the lofty seat, peaceful and unmoving.

The unsurpassed Dharma King turns the Dharma wheel;
The Lion of the Shakyas is about to enter the city.
Whoever wishes to become a Buddha appearing in the world,
Adorned with the thirty-two marks,

Should arouse the unsurpassed aspiration for bodhi
And reverently honor and make offerings to the Tathagata.
Whoever wishes forever to abandon greed, anger, and delusion
And likewise leave all afflictions far behind,

Should swiftly draw near the Lion of the Shakyas
And reverently present offerings.
Whoever wishes to become Shakra or Brahma King,
Followed by hundreds of thousands of attendants,

And always enjoy the pleasures of celestial palaces,
Should swiftly draw near the Lion of the Shakyas.
Whoever wishes to become a sacred wheel-turning king of the four continents,
And aspires to possess all seven treasures,

With a thousand valiant princely sons,
Should swiftly make offerings to the Supremely Victorious One.
Whoever wishes to become a wealthy elder, chief of a settlement,
Whose riches continually increase beyond measure,

And whose retinue is exceptionally handsome,
Should swiftly make offerings to the Lion of the Shakyas.
Those who have attained liberation and those who shall attain it
Do so through hearing the Buddha’s peaceful Dharma.

The Blessed One is difficult to encounter;
One should hear his sorrowless words of ambrosia.”

In Rajagriha, immeasurable numbers of men and women, old and young, heard these verses and were awakened. Each brought incense, flowers, banners, canopies, and innumerable musical instruments to the Tathagata. Gazing upon him single-mindedly, joyful and delighted, they reverently made offerings.

When the Blessed One entered the city and set foot upon the threshold of its gate, the ground throughout the city shook in six ways, beautiful flowers rained down, and music sounded. Among the beings in the city, the blind gained sight, the deaf could hear, the insane recovered their senses, the naked obtained clothing, the hungry received food, and the poor acquired wealth. These beings were no longer oppressed by greed, anger, delusion, or arrogance. They regarded one another with loving-kindness, like fathers, sons, and close relatives. From amid the music came these verses:

At that time, in the city of Rajagriha, there was a bodhisattva, the son of an elder, named Transcender of Faults. From afar in the street he saw the Blessed One, whose excellent marks were extraordinary, dignified, serene, and radiant. His faculties were tranquil; those who beheld him never tired of looking upon him. He abided in shamatha, the supreme discipline, and had disciplined his faculties as an expert elephant trainer disciplines elephants. His right mindfulness was undisturbed, like a clear, deep pool, and his body was adorned with the thirty-two marks. When Bodhisattva Transcender of Faults saw the Buddha, pure faith and profound reverence arose in him. He approached, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times, and stood to one side.

Immeasurable hundreds of thousands of beings also came to the Buddha. Countless devas stood in the sky with palms joined, reverently honoring him and bowing their heads in homage.

Bodhisattva Transcender of Faults addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One, how many dharmas must a bodhisattva perfect in order swiftly to attain unsurpassed perfect awakening and purify and adorn a buddha-land in accordance with his vows?”

Wishing to discipline beings and taking pity upon Transcender of Faults, the Blessed One went to the marketplace and proclaimed before the great assembly: “Good man, by perfecting one dharma, a bodhisattva swiftly attains unsurpassed bodhi and purifies and adorns a buddha-land according to his vows. What is that one dharma? Good man, because a bodhisattva practices great compassion toward all beings, he arouses the aspiration for bodhi through a supreme resolve.

“What does it mean to arouse the aspiration for bodhi through a supreme resolve? Once a person has aroused the aspiration for bodhi, he will never commit even the slightest evil deed. What does he refrain from doing? He completely abandons greed, anger, delusion, and the frivolous behavior of householders. If he has gone forth, he no longer hopes for fame, gain, or reverence, but abides in the Dharma practice of one who has gone forth.

“What is the Dharma practice of one who has gone forth? It is to enter all dharmas in accordance with reality.

“What are all the dharmas to be entered? They are the skandhas, dhatus, ayatanas, the conditioned, and the unconditioned.

“What is entry? It is to contemplate the five skandhas as quiescent, like illusions, empty, and without anything whatsoever. When one enters in this way, one does not perceive any entry; there is neither apprehension nor thought, and all discrimination becomes utterly quiescent. If one enters the skandhas in this way, one thereby enters all dharmas. This is called the Dharma practice of one who has gone forth.

“While cultivating in this way, the bodhisattva nevertheless does not abandon beings. Why? The bodhisattva teaches beings in accordance with what he himself has contemplated, yet he does not perceive any dharma or any being.

“Good man, this is called the one dharma perfected by a bodhisattva through which he swiftly attains unsurpassed bodhi and brings his buddha-land to complete fulfillment.”

When the Buddha had taught this Dharma, Bodhisattva Transcender of Faults attained the patience of non-arising. Joyful and delighted, he rose into the air to a height of seven tala trees. Within that great assembly, two thousand people aroused the aspiration for bodhi, while fourteen thousand devas and humans became free from dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma eye regarding all dharmas.

The Blessed One smiled. From the portal of his face he emitted rays of many colors that illuminated immeasurable worlds. After illuminating them, those colored rays returned, circled the Buddha three times, and entered the crown of his head.

Venerable Ananda adjusted his robes, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, joined his palms reverently before the Buddha, and spoke these verses:

Your supreme concentration has reached the other shore,
And your wisdom has also reached the other shore.
Far removed from every error,
For what reason does the Buddha smile?

The Buddha said to Ananda, “Do you now see Bodhisattva Transcender of Faults risen into the sky?”

“Blessed One, I see him.”

“Ananda, after sixty-two thousand asamkhya kalpas, Transcender of Faults will attain buddhahood in this world and will be called Tathagata Serene, Wondrous, Disciplining Voice, complete with the ten epithets. That kalpa will be called Free from Affliction. His land will be adorned with virtues, and its assemblies of shravakas and bodhisattvas will be like those of Tathagata Akshobhya in the world Abhirati.”

The Blessed One and the bhikshus then proceeded directly to King Ajatashatru’s palace, where they sat upon seats arranged in order.

The king personally served various foods and drinks as offerings to the Buddha and the Sangha, and he also presented the Buddha with exquisite robes.

After making these offerings, the king sat upon a low seat before the Buddha, joined his palms, and said: “Blessed One, from where do resentment, anger, and vexation arise? From where do delusion and ignorance cease?”

The Buddha said: “Great King, resentment, anger, and vexation arise from what belongs to the self. Not knowing virtues and faults, the self, and what belongs to the self is called ignorance. If one knows the self and what belongs to the self in accordance with reality, that is neither knowledge nor non-knowledge.

“Great King, you should know that all conditioned phenomena come from nowhere and go nowhere. If there is neither coming nor going, there is neither arising nor cessation. If there is neither arising nor cessation, both knowledge and ignorance are nonexistent. Why? There is not the slightest dharma by which arising or non-arising can be comprehended. Knowledge is present when one is free from a knower.”

King Ajatashatru addressed the Buddha: “The Tathagata is exceedingly rare, for he teaches the Dharma so skillfully. Now I would rather hear the Dharma and die than live in vain without hearing it.”

After the Blessed One had encouraged, inspired, and enlightened King Ajatashatru, filling him with joy, he returned to Mount Gridhrakuta. Having washed his feet, he arranged his seat, sat down, and entered samadhi. For the sake of giving the Dharma, late in the afternoon the Buddha emerged from samadhi. The great bodhisattvas and the assembly of shravakas also emerged from right concentration.

At that time, Bodhisattva Manjushri was accompanied by forty-two thousand devaputras intent upon the Mahayana. Bodhisattva Maitreya was accompanied by an assembly of five thousand bodhisattvas. Bodhisattva Valiant Thunder Voice was accompanied by an assembly of five hundred bodhisattvas. King Ajatashatru also came with his retinue to the Blessed One, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and withdrew to sit to one side.

From the city of Rajagriha, immeasurable hundreds of thousands of beings likewise came to Mount Gridhrakuta, approached the Tathagata, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and withdrew to sit to one side.

Through the Buddha’s majestic spiritual power, Shariputra rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, joined his palms reverently, and addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One, earlier, in the marketplace of Rajagriha, the Tathagata briefly taught Bodhisattva Transcender of Faults about the virtues by which great bodhisattvas adorn and purify buddha-lands. Excellent, Blessed One! May the Buddha now teach extensively how bodhisattvas practice the irreversible course toward bodhi, terminate all afflictions, adorn and purify buddha-lands, fulfill their great vows, completely cultivate all paramitas, leave far behind the stages of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas, follow in the footsteps of the Tathagata, subdue all maras, control adherents of other paths,

perfect omniscience, and turn the wondrous Dharma wheel.

Although such bodhisattvas have not yet attained knowledge of all aspects, they can assuredly benefit and bring peace and joy to immeasurable beings. When the good men and good women in this assembly hear this Dharma, they will joyfully cultivate it.”

The Blessed One thought: “I shall now teach the Dharma not only for the great assembly presently before me. I should manifest a spiritual transformation.”

The Blessed One emitted hundreds of thousands of kotis of rays of beautiful light. Each ray illuminated hundreds of thousands of kotis of worlds throughout the ten directions. The radiance of every sun, moon, mani jewel, flash of lightning, deva, and naga was completely eclipsed. Because the Buddha’s light penetrated all mountains, forests, and trees, they cast no shadows.

The Blessed One also manifested a majestic sound of clearing his throat, which resounded throughout the worlds of the ten directions.

To the east, beyond buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of eighty-four Ganges Rivers, was a world called Universal Radiance, where a Buddha named King Accumulation of Auspiciousness was then present. In that world, even the terms “shravaka” and “pratyekabuddha” did not exist; only bodhisattvas filled the land. Each bodhisattva had a retinue of ten billion irreversible bodhisattvas.

Among that assembly was a bodhisattva named Dharma Supreme. Why was he called Dharma Supreme? Having heard the Buddha teach the Dharma before the assembly, this bodhisattva rose into the air to the height of seven tala trees, concealed his body, and taught a Dharma gate of the Bodhisattva Treasury called Vajra Kuta Dharani.

The assembly all thought: “All dharmas are nothing more than names and sounds. Why? Bodhisattva Dharma Supreme does not manifest his bodily form; only his voice is heard.

That voice cannot possess a nature like a bodily form. When seeing and hearing have been left behind, there is the Dharma-nature.” While this Dharma was being taught, immeasurable bodhisattvas in the assembly attained patience. From afar they saw Bodhisattva Dharma Supreme in that world.

They also saw the Buddha in this world emitting light and heard the Buddha’s throat-clearing sound reverberating throughout their world. Those bodhisattvas went together to Buddha King Accumulation of Auspiciousness, bowed at his feet, and stood to one side. Bodhisattva Dharma Supreme addressed the Buddha: “Blessed One, what is the cause of this auspicious sign?”

Buddha King Accumulation of Auspiciousness said: “Dharma Supreme, to the west, beyond buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of eighty-four Ganges Rivers, is a world called Saha, where a Buddha named Shakyamuni is now present. Wishing to summon the bodhisattvas of the ten directions, he has emitted these rays of light from every pore of his body and made the sound of clearing his throat.”

“Blessed One, I now wish to go to the Saha world to reverence and make offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni and the bodhisattvas, and also to hear the Dharma.”

Buddha King Accumulation of Auspiciousness said, “You may go. Now is the proper time.”

Bodhisattva Dharma Supreme thought: “What spiritual transformation should I manifest when going to the Saha world to pay reverence to Buddha Shakyamuni?” Having thought this, he entered a samadhi called Adornment of Every Body.

Through the majestic spiritual power of that samadhi, this trichiliocosm was filled with beautiful flowers piled as high as the knees. Hundreds of thousands of musical instruments played together; many kinds of jeweled banners and canopies adorned the world; and fragrance permeated every place, as in the palace of the Paranirmita-vashavartin Heaven.

After manifesting this spiritual transformation, Bodhisattva Dharma Supreme, together with six billion three hundred million great bodhisattvas, disappeared from the world Universal Radiance and appeared in this world in the time it takes a strong man to bend and extend his arm. They approached, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, and then, in the direction from which they had come, manifested lotus seats through the power of their vows and sat upon them.

To the south, beyond nine billion six hundred million nayutas of buddha-lands, was a world called Fine Dust, where a Buddha named Lion’s Valiant Exertion was then present, reverently surrounded by immeasurable great bodhisattvas. There was a bodhisattva named Jewel Palm. Why was he named Jewel Palm? When teaching beings in buddha-lands, if this bodhisattva wished to touch any number of worlds with his right palm, he could immediately do so according to his wish. From that hand issued the sounds of Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; the sounds of generosity, morality, patience, diligence, meditation, wisdom, loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; and hundreds of thousands of kotis of nayutas of such sounds of the precious Dharma.

Seeing the Buddha’s light and hearing his reverberating sound, Bodhisattva Jewel Palm addressed Buddha Lion’s Valiant Exertion: “Blessed One, for what reason has this auspicious sign appeared?”

The Buddha said: “Jewel Palm, to the north, beyond nine billion six hundred million nayutas of buddha-lands, is a world called Saha, where Buddha Shakyamuni is now present. Wishing to expound the Dharma gate of the virtues that adorn buddha-lands, he is gathering bodhisattvas to hear this Dharma and embrace its virtues. Therefore, this auspicious sign has appeared.”

“Blessed One, we wish to go to the Saha world to reverence and make offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni and the bodhisattvas, and also to hear the Dharma.”

“Good man, why go there? The Saha world is filled with the three poisons and is a gathering place for beings afflicted by suffering.”

“Blessed One, what benefit did Buddha Shakyamuni, the Tathagata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One, perceive that caused him to leave a pure realm and manifest his body in a defiled land?”

“Good man, long ago that Buddha made this vow: ‘May I swiftly perfect great compassion and always attain buddhahood among corrupt and evil beings, turning the Dharma wheel for them.’”

“Blessed One, long ago the Shakyamuni Tathagata made that great compassionate vow which is so difficult to make, and now he dwells within an evil world. That Blessed One is exceedingly difficult to encounter. I must now go to reverence and make offerings to him.”

Buddha Lion’s Valiant Exertion said: “You may go. Now is the proper time. Yet, good man, when you reach that land, you must observe carefully and take care not to be harmed. Why? Bodhisattvas are truly difficult to encounter there, while other beings are treacherous and deceitful in their mental conduct and difficult to discipline.”

“Blessed One, even if there is anger and hostility in that land, it cannot harm me. Even if all beings, until the end of the future, were to become angry with me, revile me, or beat me, I could endure it all without distress.”

That Buddha said to all the bodhisattvas: “Good men, those among you who can be like Bodhisattva Jewel Palm may accompany him.”

Upon hearing the Buddha’s instruction, seventy-two thousand bodhisattvas said with one voice: “We wish to go.”

Bodhisattva Jewel Palm thought: “What spiritual transformation should I now manifest so that I may go to reverence Buddha Shakyamuni and bring peace and joy to immeasurable beings?”

Having thought this, he extended his right palm and covered this trichiliocosm. Then food, drink, clothing, vehicles, gold, silver, vaidurya, pearls, conch, coral, and jasper rained down, completely fulfilling the hopes of beings. Those who wished to hear the Dharma immediately heard it.

He also enabled immeasurable beings to hear the Dharma and realize truth, and caused countless beings suffering from illness to experience subtle and supreme happiness. Having manifested this spiritual transformation, Bodhisattva Jewel Palm and the other bodhisattvas, in a single thought-moment, disappeared from that realm and appeared in this one. They bowed at the Buddha’s feet, circumambulated him three times to the right, and then, in the direction from which they had come, manifested lotus platforms through the power of their vows and sat upon them.

To the west, beyond seven billion two hundred million nayutas of hundreds of thousands of buddha-lands, was a world called Treasury of Mani Jewels, where a Buddha named King of Mani Accumulations was then present. That buddha-land was formed of pure vaidurya. It had no shravakas or pratyekabuddhas, but only an assembly of pure great bodhisattvas. Wherever these bodhisattvas walked, stood, came, or went upon the vaidurya ground, they clearly saw the Tathagata, just as one sees one’s own head and face in a bright mirror. Having seen the Buddha, they requested the Dharma, and that Buddha taught them his former great vows. Upon hearing the Dharma, those bodhisattvas attained patience.

From the mani jewel of the urna between that Tathagata’s eyebrows, great light shone throughout the realm Treasury of Mani Jewels, eclipsing every other light. In that land was a bodhisattva named Vow of Supreme Wisdom. Upon seeing the light, he approached Buddha King of Mani Accumulations and said: “Blessed One, for what reason has this auspicious sign appeared?”

The Buddha said: “Good man, to the east, beyond seven billion two hundred million nayutas of hundreds of thousands of buddha-lands, is a world called Saha, where a Buddha named Shakyamuni is now present. Wishing to summon the bodhisattvas, he has manifested this auspicious sign.”

Bodhisattva Vow of Supreme Wisdom said: “Blessed One, we wish to go to the Saha world to reverence and make offerings to Buddha Shakyamuni and the bodhisattvas, and also to hear the Dharma.”

Tathagata King of Mani Accumulations said: “You may go. Now is the proper time.”

Bodhisattva Vow of Supreme Wisdom thought: “What spiritual transformation should I now manifest when going to reverence the Shakyamuni Tathagata?” Having thought this, he entered a samadhi that caused all suffering in the three evil destinies of this realm to cease, and beings attained unsurpassed joy like that of a bhikshu who has entered right concentration. At that time, all devas, humans, and nonhuman beings were no longer oppressed by greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, wrong views, or other afflictions, and they all aroused loving-kindness toward one another.

After manifesting this spiritual transformation, Bodhisattva Vow of Supreme Wisdom, together with forty-two thousand bodhisattvas, disappeared from that realm and appeared in this realm in a single thought-moment. They bowed at the Buddha’s feet and then, in the direction from which they had come, manifested lotus platforms through the power of their vows and sat upon them.

To the north, beyond sixty-three thousand buddha-lands, was a world called Ever Adorned, where a Buddha named King Who Arose from the Tala Tree was then present. In that land, the term “woman” had never existed. Everyone was born by transformation from a lotus, with a kashaya robe appearing naturally upon the body.

At that time, Buddha King Who Arose from the Tala Tree was teaching the bodhisattvas the Dharma gate called the Seal of the Buddha Lineage. What is called the Seal of the Buddha Lineage? At the very first arousal of the aspiration for bodhi, one is complete in the bodhisattva precepts, enters the Bodhisattva Treasury, attains dharani, and keeps one’s mind undistracted.

One does not abandon generosity, realizes the nature of emptiness, correctly cultivates signlessness, has nowhere that one seeks or wishes for, and is by nature free from greedy attachment. One can realize and enter the skandhas, dhatus, and ayatanas; one initiates contemplation and always delights in seeking the Buddha’s wisdom. One truly comprehends the nature of non-arising, realizes all dharmas without discrimination, perfects right view, and ends all deluded thoughts.

This is called the Seal of the Buddha Lineage.

Within that great assembly was a bodhisattva named King of the Constellation of Adorned Marks. This bodhisattva possessed a supreme original vow: any being who saw his body would assuredly attain the thirty-two marks. Seeing the Buddha’s light and hearing his voice, this bodhisattva approached Buddha King Who Arose from the Tala Tree and said: “For what reason has this auspicious sign appeared?”

The Buddha said: “Good man, to the south, beyond sixty-three thousand buddha-lands, is a world called Saha, where a Buddha named Shakyamuni is present. Wishing to summon the bodhisattvas, he has manifested this sign.”

“Blessed One, why is that world called Saha?”

“Good man, because that land must endure greed, anger, delusion, and all manner of suffering and affliction, it is called the Saha world.”

“Blessed One, are all the beings in that land able to endure beating, abuse, harassment, and harm?”

“Good man, few beings in that Saha world have perfected the virtue of patience. Most follow greed, anger, delusion, resentment, and entangling fetters.”

“Blessed One, if that is so, that world should not be called Saha, the Enduring World.”

“Good man, in that world there are also good men and good women who cultivate the Bodhisattva Vehicle. They have previously made offerings to immeasurable Buddhas, perfected the practice of patience, protected beings, and skillfully disciplined themselves. If harmed, these people can endure it without ever indulging greed, anger, or delusion.

Because such good persons dwell there, it is called the Saha world. Moreover, in that land are beings replete with evil, who rarely repent. Their minds are coarse and fierce; they have neither shame nor conscience; they do not revere the Buddha, esteem the Dharma, or cherish the Sangha.

Therefore, they frequently fall into the hells or are reborn as hungry ghosts or animals. Among such inferior beings, Buddha Shakyamuni endures every humiliation, hatred, slander, disturbance, revilement, and threat. The Buddha’s mind is like the great earth, which no one can shake or oppose.

If he receives offerings and reverence, the Buddha’s mind neither rises nor falls, and he feels neither aversion nor attachment. For these reasons, that world is called Saha.”

“Blessed One, we have gained great benefit in not being born among those inferior and corrupt beings.”

“Good man, do not speak so. Why? In the northeast is a world called Wondrous Adornment of Patience, where a Buddha named King of Great Sovereignty is now present. All beings in that land are endowed exclusively with peace and happiness, like bhikshus who have entered the concentration of cessation. If a person cultivated the pure conduct in that land for hundreds of thousands of kotis of years, it would not equal cultivating for the duration of a finger snap in the Saha world. The merit of arousing loving-kindness and compassion toward its beings is even greater—how much more so that of abiding with a pure mind for an entire day and night.”

“Blessed One, we wish to go to the Saha world to reverence Buddha Shakyamuni and the bodhisattvas, and also to hear the Dharma.”

Buddha King Who Arose from the Tala Tree told Bodhisattva King of the Constellation of Adorned Marks: “You may go. Now is the proper time.”

That bodhisattva thought: “What supernormal manifestation should I now display when going to reverence the Shakyamuni Tathagata?” Having thought this, he conjured a jeweled canopy that covered this great trichiliocosm. Hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of jeweled necklaces and banners hung all around it. Many kinds of flowers rained down, and hundreds of thousands of musical instruments played spontaneously. He also caused the fourfold assembly and the eight classes of human and nonhuman beings within this gathering each to see themselves endowed with the thirty-two marks, reflected in that jeweled canopy.

After manifesting this supernormal power, Bodhisattva King of the Constellation of Adorned Marks, together with one billion bodhisattvas, disappeared from that realm and appeared in this one in a single thought-moment. They approached, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and then, in the direction from which they had come, manifested lotus platforms through the power of their vows and sat upon them.

In this way, throughout the ten directions, bodhisattvas from immeasurable buddha-lands—hundreds of thousands of millions of them—saw the Buddha’s light and heard the sound of his clearing his throat. After addressing the respective Tathagatas of their worlds, they all came to this world, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, manifested lotus platforms, and sat upon them.

In this world, Shakra, Brahma, the world-protecting deities, devas of great majestic virtue, and the eight classes of beings all saw the Buddha’s light and heard his voice. They too came, bowed at the Buddha’s feet, and sat to one side.

At that time, the Blessed One manifested a spiritual transformation whereby the immeasurable bodhisattvas who had come from the ten directions each saw this realm adorned with virtues, and the dimensions of the Buddha’s body, as identical in every respect to those of their own buddha-lands. Nevertheless, those bodhisattvas clearly knew that their lands and this realm remained distinct and were not intermingled.

Bodhisattva Maitreya rose from his seat, adjusted his robe, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and spoke these verses:

“Your name resounds through the ten directions; your wisdom is immeasurable.
You emit great radiance illuminating the world.
Even if all beings tried together to measure it,
They could never fathom the Blessed One’s wisdom.

Immeasurable kotis of bodhisattvas from the ten directions
Have gathered together because they seek the Dharma.
They all have faith and delight in these Dharma gates;
May the Buddha expound them and bring them joy.

The Tathagata’s morality, concentration, and wisdom
Are renowned throughout the lands of the ten directions.
Fearlessly you teach the Dharma like a lion;
Like the sun, you illuminate all empty space.

The past, future, and present—
The Blessed One clearly knows them all.
Through the power of supreme understanding, rescue the deluded multitude;
May you resolve their doubts and bring clear comprehension.

How do they remain free from greed and flawless in morality,
Able to endure abuse, humiliation, and blows?
How do they practice diligently without indolence
And liberate immeasurable beings from suffering?

How do they single-mindedly delight in entering samadhi gates
And dwell peacefully in palaces of pure meditation?
How do they benefit the world without being defiled,
Like lotus flowers unstained by water?